Continuing story

Flash Fic March 02, 2026

Jim was on high alert the whole way to Tolar’s house. He saw looming dark silhouettes everywhere. He wasn’t sure if they were his imagination or real, but he kept his hand on his phaser and his gaze darting everywhere.

He felt a weird pressure in his head he couldn’t quite explain. He hadn’t eaten or drank anything since they’d arrived in the Orion colonies. It wasn’t pain exactly, but he noticed it, and it was somehow familiar, but the source eluded him.

At about fifteen minutes after they’d left the area of the jail, they reached a home built under a large leafy tree.

“We’re here,” Tolar announced.

He opened the front door and preceded them in.

His mom glanced his way. “Okay?”

“Not entirely sure we have a choice, but yeah, let’s go.”

They stepped inside to the smell of cooking food and the sight of three children playing in the central room. Two were young, one appeared to be fourteen or fifteen, Jim guessed.

Tolar came forward with an Orion woman who looked to be around the same age as him.

“This is my wife, Myrla. This is James Kirk and his mother…”

“Winona,” his mother supplied.

“Welcome to our home. I was just preparing dinner,” Myrla told them. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll return to it.”

Jim smiled. “Sure.”

“And these are our children.” Tolar looked intently at Jim then. “Actually, the oldest is my sister’s daughter.”

“Gaila?” Jim asked, surprised.

“Yes. As I said, she survived because she missed getting on the Farragut. After the battles, she chose to leave Starfleet and returned here. Desda was three when her mother passed and we took over care of her.”

Jim nodded. “I see.

“Desda, come here. I would like for you to meet someone,” Tolar called.

The teenager rose from her place sitting on the floor and approached them. She had the same red hair Gaila had. She had bright blue eyes though. Jim blinked. He glanced at his mother who stared at the girl.

“Desda, this is James Kirk and his mother, Winona.”

Desda gave them both assessing looks. “You are my biological father, is that not correct?”

“I…uh.” Jim’s stomach twisted as he looked to Tolar.

“It is true,” Tolar replied. “Gaila arrived here pregnant. She told us that you were the father. When I saw you earlier I feared you came for Desda. She is part of our family now.”

Jim shook his head. “No. No. I…I didn’t even know. Are you sure?”

He was having trouble breathing.

Tolar shrugged. “Look at her eyes. Do they not seem familiar?”

Jim moistened his lips with his tongue. “This is…unexpected. But no, as I told you, we came for my cousin’s children. I…I wouldn’t removed Desda from her home.

Myrla returned. “Dinner is served.”

March 2, 2026

Flash Fic February 25, 2026

His mother was taking too long.

Jim had been pacing back and forth in the lobby area for longer than he thought she should.

Damn his cousin anyway. He was familiar with the Orion colony they were in, Kolar, as it was a well-known hub of the Orion Syndicate. And of course, where their main jails and prisons were.

“Maybe I should check on her,” he said, stopping in front of the Orion manning the desk.

“I’m monitoring the situation,” he assured Jim. “Your mother is safe. She is almost done and should be out shortly.”

Jim huffed and turned away, his gaze caught by the lightning flashing across the sky.

“Do you get electric storms a lot?”

“They are not uncommon.” He pressed a button and the door clicked. “She is coming out now.”

“There you are,” Jim said, giving into the relief he felt at her arriving back in the reception area, seemingly unharmed. He frowned. “And the kids?”

His mom chuckled. “She doesn’t have them in the jail with her, Jim.”

“Well…yeah.”

“They are at a school. Like a boarding school. On Kinavvern.”

He knew Kinavvern, too, as that’s where he, Gary and Bones had visited when they were wet behind the ears Cadets. It was an island colony suspended over an ocean. Very pretty and wealthy.

“Best not to travel there tonight,” the Orion behind the desk spoke up. “Go in the morning. The school won’t let you in until then anyway.”

Jim glanced at him. “Is there somewhere we can stay?”

“Three doors up from here is a hotel that is welcoming to non-Orions. You’ll be safe there until morning.”

“Thank you,” his mother said, as she put her hand on Jim. “Are you all right? You look a little…defeated.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Jim said. “I guess we have no choice. Let’s go check out this place. Hopefully once we get there tomorrow, we can collect the kids and be on our way.”

They left the jail and turned to go up as the Orion had said. Jim was on alert though they didn’t seem to be under any imminent threat. But they were in a strange place and he had no one with him save for his mother. They carried bags for their stay and Jim had a phaser but still, he would rather not have any trouble.

“Something happened while I was talking to Melanie. You’re very tense.”

“I don’t like unknown outcomes, that’s all.”

“Mm.”

He could see the sign for the hotel and went to quicken his pace when suddenly an Orion male blocked their way.

He was much slimmer and shorter than the one in the jail and he had reddish brown hair rather than being bald.

“James Kirk?”

Jim had his hand on his phaser and pushed his mother behind him, despite her squawk of protest.

“Yeah, who wants to know?”

“You knew my sister Gaila.”

Jim blinked, processed that. There was a resemblance now that he knew.

“I’m sorry about her death on the Farragut.”

Gaila’s brother shook his head. “She did not die on the Farragut.”

“She’s still alive?”

“No. She passed years ago but not on that ship. She missed the takeoff and was spared.” He glanced around. “When I saw you, I thought…why are you here?”

Jim wasn’t sure it was his business and he was struggling for a polite way to say so when his mother spoke up.

“My niece has two children on the Orion colony Kinavvern. We are headed there to collect them.”

“And your destination now?”

“That hotel,” Jim replied.

Gaila’s brother grunted. “Not there. My name is Tolar. Come with me.”

“I don’t think—”

“I have something to show you,” Tolar said. He gestured to the hotel. “That is not the place for you.”

His mother spoke up again, “I think it’s all right, Jim. Let’s go with him.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

February 25, 2026

Flash Friday February 20, 2026

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.

February 20, 2026

Flash February 06, 2026

Jim hadn’t been to Orion in decades. Once in his first year at the Academy he and Bones had accompanied Gary Mitchell there and they’d had, well, an interesting time. But that was back in his somewhat carefree party days, which he’d long left behind.

He sat next to his mother as they made the shuttle trip there. He didn’t have any idea what to expect. His mother hadn’t expected involvement with the Orion father’s family, but Jim knew families were complicated and you never knew when one would come out of the woodwork and declare possession.

He hoped for his mother’s sake it would be as simple as she hoped to collect his cousin’s kids.

Not that he was looking forward to kids running around the farmhouse. Once he had established that his mother had control of things, he’d be headed back to his new life in San Francisco.

“Wasn’t she married to Spock?” his mother asked out of the blue.

Jim couldn’t pretend not to know who she meant, though the question was unwelcome.

“Yeah. They’re divorced now she says.”

“Mm. Do you…well do you have any regrets?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. I just know that love isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.”

She smiled faintly. “No?”

He shrugged. “I loved Spock. More than anyone I’ve ever known. Still do. And we tried. Or I think we did. I’m the one who ended it. But I think he would have eventually realized we weren’t going to work, too.”

“And yet he didn’t make it work with Nyota Uhura either.”

Jim sighed. “I probably pushed that. Them getting back together. I wanted…if I couldn’t make Spock happy then she should.”

“But she didn’t,” his mother said gently.

“No.”

“I sometimes wonder if that mission would have been better for you if you had still been with Spock.”

“Maybe. Or worse. In the end that’s what caused the break. My inability to let him completely in. I can’t. So, do I have regrets? I guess so. Maybe that I even tried. It made me want things I just can’t have.”

“Jim…”

He shook his head, reached over and squeezed her hand. “It’s okay, Mom. I’ve made peace with it. And I honestly wish they’d been able to stay together. But couples break up, I know that.”

“You and Carol.”

“Exactly. And now somewhere out there is a son I’m never going to know.” He sighed again. “So yeah. Maybe I should have avoided romance altogether.”

“You’re definitely cynical.” She squeezed his hand back. “Maybe you should check on Spock.”

“I could, sure. Maybe.” The pilot announced their impending arrival. “All right. It’s time to roll.”’

February 6, 2026

Flash February 02, 2026

Uhura moved out of his arms and gave him a tired smile. She looked good, though. She wore black slacks and a camel-colored sweater with big gold hoops in her ears.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Jim told her.

“Same.”

He gestured to the table. “Join me?”

Uhura nodded. “Let me just get my drink.”

He slid into the booth and a minute or two later she came back carrying what looked like an orange soda. She sat across from him and gestured to the drink beside him.

“Shirley Temple?”

“I’m here with my mother. She stopped drinking a while back. She’s joining me shortly.” He picked up his whiskey sour. “Where’s Spock?”

She stared at him just as she brought the orange drink to her lips. “Spock and I aren’t together anymore.”

He frowned. “You aren’t?”

“We’re divorced. Last year.” She shook her head. “Didn’t he tell you?”

“We don’t keep in contact,” he admitted softly.

Uhura closed her eyes briefly. “Who told you about Pavel passing if it wasn’t Spock?”

“Admiral M’Benga. On-on behalf of Bones.”

She lowered her gaze, eyes sad. When she looked back at him there was just the barest wet sheen there.

“It was a simple enough divorce. No kids. No bond.”

“You guys didn’t get bonded on New Vulcan?”

Uhura rolled her eyes. “No. And I can’t believe you don’t know that either. We were going to, after you married us, that was the plan. But the Elders on New Vulcan said we weren’t mentally compatible.” She grimaced. “After that Spock retreated even farther away from me. We should never have forced the marriage, but I guess we all thought that was the thing to do at the time. Have one moment of joy after everything. Trouble was the feelings we once had for each other couldn’t be recreated no matter how hard we tried. And we did try.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, and he was. He’d wanted it to work between them after it hadn’t worked between him and Spock.

“You really should talk to him, Jim.”

He ignored that and forced a smile. “How are you doing then? I’m guessing you’re going somewhere since you’re here at the bay.”

She brightened. “I’m going to Alonder 2. I might not be with Starfleet anymore, but I took a position as a communications director with the Federation’s President. She’s sending me to Alonder 2 for a conference related to their possibly becoming part of the United Federation of Planets. Do you know it?”

“I’ve heard of it and its richness of minerals.”

“Which is why they are desirable to join.” An announcement came over the speakers and she began to scoot out of the booth. “And that’s me. We should really get together soon, Jim. I know how difficult it’s been with the others, but I’d like to keep in touch.”

He nodded. “Okay. Take care of yourself, Nyota.”

“You too. And talk to Spock.”

She hurried off then just as his mother came through the swinging doors of the bar. She glanced back at the way Uhura had gone and then joined Jim at the table.

“Was that Commander Uhura?”

“Former Commander Uhura, yeah. She works for the President now and is off to Alonder 2.”

His mom nodded. “I’ve got our bags packed and already on the shuttle for Orion.” She picked up her Shirley Temple. “Paperwork is in order too. And I have a shot for you.”

He finished off his whiskey sour. “A shot?”

“Orion pheromones can be dangerous and you’re a magnet for attractive members of both genders no matter the species as well as a magnet for danger.” She pulled out a syringe from her purse. “Stick out your arm.”

“Is this really necessary?” But he stuck out his arm, and she pushed up his sleeve and pressed the needle in.

“We need to stay focused on the mission, Jim. Get those kids and get out.”

February 2, 2026

January 30, 2026 Flash

“I’m sorry, Mom. I know how hard that was for you.”

They were back on the road, headed to Cedar Rapids to the commercial shuttle bay for the shuttle that would take them to San Francisco and then one that would eventually take them to Orion.

It had been a gloomy visit. Warren hadn’t remembered his sister Winona, Jim or even his own daughter. But his mom had tried and her gentle patience with her brother had touched Jim.

“It was yeah,” she admitted. She glanced at him. “What about you?”

Jim sighed. “I can’t pretend I didn’t think about Chekov. But his situation was a little different than Uncle Warren’s. He ended up in a facility because he was catatonic. After that mission…” Jim shook himself. “He was too young for that to happen.”

“I don’t think there was anything you could have done, honey.”

“Logically I know that. I feel guilty sometimes. Not because of what happened, because, well, of course. But because when they notified me, he’d passed, I was relieved.”

She reached over and patted his leg. “It had to be difficult seeing someone you cared about and who you felt responsible like that, a shell of what he once was. No one would blame you for feeling relieved. He wouldn’t suffer anymore.”

“That’s what I tell myself. Everyone tells me there was no chance he’d ever come out of it, and I trust what they said, but sometimes I just don’t know how to feel. I don’t want to dwell on it but it’s hard not to.”

“Well, not many people dwell on tragedy as much as I have so I get where you’re coming from. Try to remind yourself, as I try, that he wouldn’t want you to suffer so much over it. You know? The best we can do is to honor who they were and how they lived. And not waste our own lives. Took me a long time to learn that.”

Jim nodded and looked out at the road. “Were you close when you were young to your brother?”

“Not as close as I wish we’d been, honestly. He was older by a few years. Thought I was a brat.” She laughed. “He was right. Here we are. Let’s hope it doesn’t take too long to get to San Francisco.

The shuttle from Cedar Rapids to San Francisco was uneventful. But shortly after they arrived, his mother stopped next to a bar.

“Why don’t you go in and order us something to drink? I need to get our tickets and a few other supplies we’ll need, so go on in there and wait for me.”

Jim frowned. “How long will we be there? I didn’t pack anything.”

She smirked. “I know. Leave that to me. That’s part of what I need to get. I won’t be long. And I’m not sure. I’m hoping at the most we’ll be there overnight and on our way. I don’t anticipate any problems.”

“I always anticipate problems.” Jim retorted.

“Yes, I know. Go in. Get a refreshment and relax. I’ll join you soon.”

With a grimace, Jim went through the swinging doors, they were made to look like old-fashioned saloon doors and headed for the bar counter and ordered their drinks.

He was just carrying them over to a booth when he heard his name called.

“Jim? Jim, it is you.”

He set them on the table and turned to greet Nyota Uhura, who flung her arms around him to embrace him.

January 30, 2026

Flash January 26, 2026

You can expect two posts a week while this is going on. One will always be Friday but the others will vary. Here is number 2

“First we need to go to Cedar Rapids,” his mother explained as they left Riverside in her hover car. “The commercial shuttles in Riverside don’t go to San Francisco but the ones there do. From San Francisco we can get one to Orion.”

“Right.”

“But first we have to make a stop in Iowa City.”

Jim glanced her way. “What for?”

“To see Warren.”

His mind blanked. “Warren?”

She sighed. “My brother. At his assisted facility.”

Jim sank lower into the seat and looked out the window. “Sorry, Mom. I know I keep saying that…but…I should have paid more attention to our family.”

“No,” she said softly. “It’s my fault. When your dad was killed I gave up on life. For far too long I lived in my own head.”

“I sure know what that’s like.”

She patted his leg. “I made a lot of mistakes, honey. I distanced myself from my family so no wonder you don’t remember any of them. And I lost Sam because of my foolishness.”

Jim smiled wistfully. “He’s out there somewhere, Mom.”

“And don’t get my started on my very much ex-husband. I put up with his shit for too long. And we all lived to regret it.”

“We can’t change the past, Mom. But we can work on a better future.”

She smiled and nodded. “Yes. And part of that is telling Warren we’re getting his grandkids. Look, I know he probably won’t even know we’re there but I have to try and tell him. I owe him. You know my brother and his wife, Caroline, offered to take you and Sammy when I couldn’t handle things.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“I stupidly said no. Instead I saddled you with Frank.”

“May he rest in peace,” Jim muttered.

She looked at him quickly. “He’s not dead.” She paused. “Is he?”

He shrugged. “One can hope.”

“So Iowa City is up first. We should be there in no time.”

“Weren’t they living in Nebraska or something?”

She laughed. “That’s right. So you remember something. But after Caroline passed and Melanie left to Orion, I wanted my brother in a place closer to me.”

“Gotcha.” Jim sighed and closed his eyes. “I don’t do well with kids.”

“You do fine.”

“No. I feel…lost. Like I have no idea what to do with them. How old are Melanie’s kids anyway?”

“Brick is nine and Isabella is seven.”

“Brick?”

His mother shrugged.

“Why did she kill her husband?”

“I really don’t know. I haven’t heard from Melanie in years. Well, I hadn’t until she contacted me after she got arrested and asked me to come for the kids.”

The sign for Iowa City came up and after a couple of more signs, she got off the highway. Eventually she pulled up in front of a huge facility that resembled a Gothic mansion.

“Fancy,” Jim commented as he got out of the hover car.

“I wanted some place nice. The gardens are amazing.” She hesitated. “You don’t have to come in to see him. You can wait out in the lobby or something.”

Jim frowned as he opened the door for her to enter. “Why would I do that?’

“In case…considering what happened on that last mission with—”

“It’s okay, Mom. I can handle this,” Jim assured her gently.

“If you’re sure. I wouldn’t want to upset you. Make you think of…” She trailed off and bit her lip. “I won’t. Let’s go see your brother.”

January 26, 2026

Flash January 23, 2026

So I got an idea for a story that if I posted it on AO3 right now they’d come after me with pitchforks because I’m not updating the stories there right now. So I decided to post it here on the blog for several weeks (minus February 14th which will be as previously reference related to last week’s flash).

So it’s a continuing story with a somewhat more mature cast (as the actors themselves are really) so I hope you will bear with me while I post it here. Thank you.

Photo by Guillaume Meurice on Pexels.com

“Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Jim opened one eye to peer wearily at the cheerful visage of his mother.

“What’s up?”

“You are hopefully. Come on, up and at ‘em. We have things to do.”

Jim blinked. “We do?”

“Yes.” She pulled off his covers. “Up you go. And while you’re at it, shower. You’re starting to stink.”

He frowned and sat up, glancing toward the window of his childhood room. At least it wasn’t snowing.

“What time is it?”

“Just past seven. But we have a long trip ahead of us. And shave while you’re at it. You’re looking scruffy.”

Before he could question his mother further, or argue if he wanted to, she was out of the room and heading back downstairs.

With a sigh, Jim scrubbed his face and got out of bed. He headed for the bathroom and turned the shower on.

When he came down thirty minutes later, showered, shaved and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt she had coffee ready for him, which he gratefully accepted.

“Where are we going exactly?” He took a large swallow of his coffee.

“To pick up Melanie’s kids.”

“Who is Melanie?”

She gave him a look that oozed disapproval. “Your cousin. My brother’s daughter.”

He wracked his brain trying to remember her but couldn’t. He wouldn’t have seen in her in decades so he cut himself some slack.

“So, uh, why exactly?”

“They need someone to take care of them and I guess that’s going to be me. So I have to go. And I can’t leave you here by yourself so you’re going with me.”

He drank more coffee. “You could, you know.”

“Not in the state you’re in. And anyway it would do you good to get out and about. You’ve been here two weeks and haven’t left the house.”

“I’ve been outside and to the barn more than once,” Jim protested.

“You know what I mean.”

He grimaced. “I’m supposed to be on vacation. You know. You’re not supposed to have to do anything.”

“Vacation my ass. And anyway ever since they took your ship, you’ve been like this.”

“Have not. Up until my vacation I went to work every day teaching cadets how to be swell in Starfleet.”

“Swell.” She rolled her eyes. “You know you didn’t want to leave space.”

Jim nodded. “I didn’t. But that last psych eval convinced them I should take early retirement, so I did. And they made me an admiral, so how can I complain?”

She put her hand on his arm. “We all know what you and your crew went through on that last mission, Jim. No one blames any of you if it became difficult to continue.”

“Yeah, okay, whatever. So where is Melanie that we have to get her kids?”

“Jail. Eventually prison when she gets convicted.”

“Convicted for what?”

“Murdering her husband. Stabbed him fifty times.”

Jim stared at his mother. “What the hell?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Out of her mind on drugs or something. That’s for her lawyer and the courts to decide. But unless we want those kids to go into foster care, we have to get him.”

He followed her to the coatrack where there coats were and grabbed his to put on.

“Wait, what about your brother?”

His mother gave him yet another look. “You could maybe pay attention when I tell you things. He’s in a facility now for memory care. After his wife passed, your Aunt Caroline, he started forgetting a lot. Turns out he has dementia. Melanie’s the only kid they ever had. Her husband’s folks passed years ago. So, we’re it. Or I am, anyway.”

“Sorry,” Jim said, sincerely. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

She hugged him. “It’s okay, Jimmy. I know how it’s been for you. I’ve packed a bag for you.”

“Where are we going anyway?”

“Orion.”

“Orion?” Jim was flabbergasted.

“I did say it was a long trip. Melanie was married to an Orion. Buckle up, honey. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

January 23, 2026

Flash Fic, December 18, 2024

I’m thinking only a few more parts of this after this one. Maybe 2-3 flashes to make up the final chapter.

Photo by Sebastian Voortman on Pexels.com

“I have some questions for you if you don’t mind,” Jim told Amanda later that morning as he dug into a plate of surprisingly good replicated eggs and potatoes.

They were seated at the marble dining room table in her kitchen. Spock had been summoned to speak with his father so it was just the two of them.

She smiled encouragingly as she took a bite of her blueberry scone. “Go ahead.”

“What’s it like being bonded to a Vulcan?”

“Has Spock asked you to bond with him?’

Jim laughed. “Nope. But he did take me to the ceremonial area and assured me it wasn’t intended to mean anything.”

“Ah.” She nodded. “I see.”

Jim ate another bite of potatoes. “Did you do that whole thing when you bonded with Sarek?”

“Oh, no.” She shook her head and smiled. “They were adamantly against it involving an outsider, you see. Sarek was considered a rebel when he chose to marry me. He’d been previously bonded to a Vulcan, but she died in childbirth many years ago.”

“Spock has a half-sibling?’

“Yes, although we never talk about Sybok. Let’s just say he is not close to the family. Anyway when Sarek and I decided to marry he wished for it to include a bond. The elders refused to do an official bonding ceremony with a Human involved, so Sarek bonded us himself.”

“So I’d guess Spock would run into a similar situation should he ever decide to bond with me.”

She shrugged. “Perhaps. But attitudes change all the time and elders die off and are replaced with more modern thinking Vulcans. It is hard to know for sure.”

“What’s the bond itself like? Is it painful or uncomfortable?”

“Heavens, no. Never. It’s probably not what you’re imagining. At least based on what my own hesitations were about. I feared it would be intrusive.”

“It’s not?”

“No. Most of the time it merely feels like a warm mental hug, if that makes any sense. I can get a sense of Sarek’s emotional state—”

“Wait, emotions?”

She laughed. “Of course, dear. If he’s upset, I can generally feel it. Anger. Even gladness. Those emotions, I sense those. But I don’t get random things like, ‘I’ll be home by four’.”

It was Jim’s turn to laugh. “That would be helpful.”

“Yes, it would. But it doesn’t really work that way. We can get each other’s direct thoughts only during melds, otherwise it’s just the emotional sense as I said. Or the warm hug. And none of it is painful. A meld is very personal and likely varies from bonded pair to bonded pair. It is nothing to fear.”

“Thanks, Amanda. I appreciate you answering my probably invasive questions.”

“Not at all. I suspect you will need this information yourself soon.”

“I don’t know. Like I said he hasn’t asked.”

“I know my son and he feels deeply for you, Jim. You’ll see.”

December 18, 2024

Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto)

Fan Fiction and Personal Ramblings

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