Dinner at Tolar’s house was awkward, honestly, and most of the time Jim was in something of a fog. Fortunately his mother managed to carry any conversation Tolar and his family looked for from them.

Jim sort of remembered providing a couple of brief responses. He felt…bad…guilty he didn’t know. He had never known he had a daughter nor ever wanted one, honestly. He couldn’t recall having any conversation with Gaila about kids. But based on her not telling him about Desda, maybe she had known after all.

He was glad she was being raised by her uncle and his wife. That was good. He didn’t know the first thing about raising a Human kid let alone an Orion one, and despite her blue eyes, Desda looked passable as full Orion.

Jim didn’t want to interfere with anything to do with Gaila’s family. Obviously Tolar had feared that he would but he definitely would not.

After dinner his mother and Desda talked in the corner and he could hear Desda asking if she might be able to keep in touch via messaging.

Jim wanted to tell his mother not to get her hopes up that she would have a relationship with her granddaughter. He was pretty sure Desda’s family did not want that.

“Your mother seems taken with my niece,” Tolar said, walking up to where Jim stood to observe them.

“She, uh, sorry. She doesn’t have any with either of her children. Or I guess she doesn’t know with my brother. The point is, she’s a little eager. But I promise we aren’t interested in taking over. I know you are her family.”

Tolar nodded. “We are. But if Desda wants to message your mother or you, I find no objection to that. You must be tired and you must get an early start to collect your family from the school; Let me show you to your room for the night.”

Jim did not sleep well. He woke every fifteen minutes with a sense of foreboding he could not shake. He dozed off and on but never had a restful sleep. His mom had wanted to talk about Desda but Jim told her they’d talk in the morning. It had been a long trying day and he could see she was as exhausted as he was.

He was glad she had been able to fall asleep. But he dozed sitting up, phaser at the ready. He felt no real threat from Tolar and his family but Jim had learned over the years you couldn’t be too careful.

So given all that, Jim was surprised to find himself waking to the sound of gunfire.

“Jim?” His mom’s frantic voice.

“Ssh. Get down.” He sprang up and scanned the dark room, but he saw no one in their room. But he also realized it was coming from within other parts of the house and mixed with the gunfire he could hear screams.

“Jim, what is it?” she whispered.

“I don’t know, but it isn’t good.”

The window to the room opened and Jim turned raising his phaser.

“Come with me. Now.”

Jim’s heart felt like it might explode. “Spock?”