They exited the shuttlebay in Orion’s main city into a bustling, crowded scene of pedestrians and hover vehicles. Jim let his mother take the lead of where they were going and she soon approached a hover taxi. She gave the directions after they entered and soon the taxi took off.

It wasn’t as easy as he’d thought it was to let her take the lead and follow her around everywhere. Even as a kid that had not been their dynamic. And he’d spent too many years in charge of an efficient and loyal crew. There’d been a reason he gravitated to the captain’s chair on any ship he was on. It was where he felt comfortable. Needed.

Still, this was his mother’s mission to collect Melanie’s children and so as the hover car pulled up in front of a rather dingy building wedged in-between two equally dingy buildings he tried not to be alarmed. He’d been to Orion, all those years ago when he was young and stupid, and he was not unexperienced in street smarts, either.

Jim followed her inside the jail reception area and glanced around as she walked up to the Orion male behind the desk.

Although it might have been less than clean on the outside, the reception area, by contrast, was spotless. To the side was even a cart with water and other beverages and some containers of snacks. Across from that was a cushioned bench.

His mom turned to him. “He’s going to let me in to see Melanie. You stay here, okay?”

Jim opened his mouth to protest.

She put her hand on his sleeve. “I think it’ll be better just me. Don’t worry. I’ll be back in a jiff.”

“Me? Worry?”

She chuckled softly. “Thanks for coming with me, honey. It means a lot.”

Then she turned and went through the open door the Orion dude had opened for her.

He closed it and went back to his chair behind the desk.

Jim took out his communicator and stared at it. He had a sudden urge to speak to Spock. Weird. Of course, it was seeing Uhura earlier and hearing about their divorce. Not that it changed anything. It had been Jim’s decision that it didn’t work between them.

He looked up, “Do you get reception enough in here to contact New Vulcan?”

The Orion male shrugged. He was big and muscular with a bald head and he vaguely reminded Jim of someone he’d once…

Anway. That was the old Jim.

“If it doesn’t work in here, go outside. It should be fine.”

Jim glanced toward the windows and noticed there was an electrical storm going on, lightning dancing across the sky. With a frown he flipped open his communicator.

Fortunately, it looked like he had reception, but he moved a little further away from the Orion as he connected.

But it was not Spock who answered, but Sarek. Jim recognized his voice.

“How are you, sir? I was looking to speak with Spock.”

“I am well. Yourself?”

“Good.”

“Spock is not here, James.”

“Oh. Well. Um, where is he?” Jim thought it a little odd that Sarek had Spock’s communication device and that he had even answered it when Jim called.

He did not imagine the slight pause but then Sarek said, “He is in the process of undergoing Kolinahr.”

Jim’s vision blurred for a second and he sucked in a breath. He didn’t know why, really, that surprised him. Shocked him to his core. For Spock had intended to do exactly that before he’d joined Starfleet.

“Was this an emergency?” Sarek asked.

Jim blinked and returned to reality. Because of course. Why wouldn’t he?

“No. I…can you just tell him I was thinking about him?”

“Of course, James. Was there anything else?”

“No.”

Then Sarek surprised him by saying, “Are you on Orion?”

Jim laughed, he didn’t know why. “Yeah. You can tell that?”

“Indeed. I am familiar with the signal code.”

“Secret mission with my mom. Anyway, I’ll let you go, Ambassador. Live long and prosper.”

“Peace and long life.”

As Jim closed his communicator, he wasn’t sure a long life is what he wanted.