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Starfleet Academy Fic

Cosmic Love, Chapter 11, April 30, 2021

Spock had Jim lying on his bed—not sure they’d fit on the single, but certainly willing to try—squirming underneath him as he assailed Jim’s mouth with kisses. He had managed to get his finger under Jim’s shirt and was scooting it up to reveal smooth bare skin when—

There was a rather loud knock on his dormitory door.

And right then, Jim basically freaked out. He made a yelping sound, shoved Spock off him, and scrambled to his feet. He was so red that Spock became concerned.

“Jim—”

Jim was yanking down his shirt and pressed his palm to his crotch.

Resigned as yet another knock sounded, Spock went to the door and opened it, quite aggravated at the interruption, and ready to bite the head off of whoever it was.

“Spock, I…”

His mother.

She looked past Spock and immediately saw the very embarrassed Jim looking so uncomfortable, Spock had the urge to hold him to calm him down. He could not though.

“I’m so sorry,” Mother exclaimed. “I didn’t know…Hello, I’m-I’m Spock’s mother.”

Jim had already made a beeline for the exit. His blue eyes were a bit shiny and he had reddened more if that was possible.

“Jim.”

Mother moved out of his way, because otherwise Spock was certain he’d plow right through her.

“I’ve gotta go, Spock.”

And he was gone.

Mother covered her mouth with her hand. “I’ve interrupted something rather important, haven’t I? I’m sorry, Spock. My visit to San Francisco was unexpected and I just assumed you’d be here and…alone.”

Spock exhaled very slowly. “It is pleasant to see you in any circumstances, Mother.”

“I really am sorry. He looked like a very nice young man.”

Spock nodded. “He is.”

Mother embraced him then, as was her usual way, and Spock brought her to the dining room table while he made tea, her preferred drink.

“You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend.”

He shrugged slightly. “It is a recent event and one that still included preliminary exploration.” He realized how that sounded, given on what she nearly came in on, and cleared his throat. “I will make sure all is well later. For now, I am anxious to learn the meaning of your unexpected visit.”

“It’s nothing nefarious, I assure you. A friend had business here and invited me along. I thought it would be fantastic to see you. It was last minute and I wanted to surprise you.” She smiled warmly. “I guess I have.”

“Indeed.” Spock took a sip of the tea he had made. “A friend.” Though he did not wish to think of her moving on from his father, they had been separated for some time, and the possibility was there. “A male friend?”

“Yes, Spock, my friend is male.”

He felt his jaw clench, though he wished it was not so.

“How is your father?” she asked then.

“Given circumstances, I believe he is well.”

Mother finished her tea, then made to stand. “I’m staying at the Imperial Hotel. Join me for breakfast?”

“Just you?” Spock could not help himself. It was illogical to resent his mother from trying to move on from a relationship that had not worked for her, yet, he supposed he would always be that small boy who watched his mother leave his father and somehow blamed himself.

“Just me.” She smiled as she made her way to the door. “You can bring Jim if you’d like. If he’s willing to see me after what happened tonight.”

“I will see.”

When she left his dorm, Spock did not hesitate. He would go to Jim’s dorm now that she had gone. But first, he made a quick stop at the corner market for, as Jim had said, lubricant.

Cosmic Love, Chapter 10, April 28, 2021

Spock rather surprised himself with those words, his own actions. But somehow, even though he hadn’t even been touching Jim at the time, he’d known what Jim’s thoughts were. And he relished in them. In the very thought that this human was as attracted to him as Spock was to him.

He supposed he should be alarmed by this overwhelming attraction, but he found he could not be, illogical though it might be.

“Okay,” Jim whispered, his face flushed a becoming pink. “Uh. You-you have the-the stuff?”

Spock’s mind blanked. “The stuff?”

Jim licked his lips. “Lubricant. You know for-uh-penetration.”

Spock blinked. Then nodded slowly. “Yes. Yes, I realize. But no, I do not. I hadn’t thought…it was not planned.”

Jim laughed then. “Yeah, not by me either. Well, that sorta sucks.”

“We could go out and attempt to acquire it.”

“Sure.” Jim bit his lip. “Or we could, um, maybe try something else.”

“Something else?”

Jim put his hand on Spock’s neck and drew him forward for a kiss that Spock eagerly reciprocated. For a time, they merely kissed, though it was hardly mere to Spock, then sort of just breathed in each other.

Finally, Jim looked into Spock’s eyes, his gaze a saturated blue he had never experienced on Vulcan or perhaps anywhere, dropped his voice to a bare whisper and said, “Have you heard of a sixty-nine?”

And right there his pulse leaped. Though inexperienced himself, Spock was not naïve, and he knew sexual terms and slang quite well.

He stared into those eyes. Swallowed hard.

“Yes, I am familiar.” Jim smiled, it was wolfish and sweet at the same time. He flicked his head toward Spock’s bed. “Shall we?”

Cosmic Love Chapter 9, April 26. 2021

So I figured if I could write 2 chapters of tentacle sex, I could get something up here (yep, you read that right)

The evening was getting later and later and though it was nice, Jim was staring to wonder if he and Spock were going to just dance around what they both wanted.

Okay, so maybe not that far. Sure, Jim wanted that. He did. But the truth was he had never done that with anyone. And he wanted to. With Spock. Yeah. But first, maybe, they could get something as simple as the first kiss out of the way. Only the night was nearly over, as Jim had previously thought, and he really needed to go back to his own dorm, because he had an insanely early class due to a sadistic professor.

So Jim got up from Spock’s really rather uncomfortable proper sofa and he made his way to the door, thinking about how many times they had to do this before it was okay to get to the really good stuff, and wondering if the night they went for dinner and Bones’ would work. He could totally see his friend going apoplectic thinking he had lost his virginity to Spock that night. But hell, maybe it should do it before that, because that was still a couple of days off, but then there was still that elusive kiss and…

Suddenly he found himself against the wall, right next to the door, being very thoroughly kissed. Very, very thoroughly. Breathless. His breath actually hitched in his throat, something Jim hadn’t known could really happen, and then those Vulcan lips that had just kissed him until his toes curled in his shoes, hovered near his, blowing hots breaths against his tingling lips.

His eyes unfocused, Jim said, ”Wow.”

“You think very loudly,” was Spock’s response.

“Yeah? Is that a good-good thing?”

“It is a very good thing.” Spock kissed him again. “The answer is yes.”

“To what question?”

“It should be before that night. It should be tonight.”

Cosmic Love, Chapter 8 April 23, 2021

Spock did not know what giddiness felt like. He’d read about it, heard about it, but as a Vulcan the idea, the concept, seemed foreign to him, and yet he wondered if the nearly ridiculous sense of pleasure at having Jim seek him out in his dorm room was akin to that giddy feeling.

He’d invited Jim to stay for dinner and yet…Spock had nothing to cook for him. He’d been meaning to go to the store, but he simply hadn’t, and all he had was the replicator. Therefore, he’d be unable to duplicate what Jim had done and cook a meal from scratch.

“Something wrong?”

Spock turned to see Jim standing just outside the kitchen, looking as gorgeous as any human or any thing really, had a right to. He’d taken too long and Jim had begun to wonder.

Spock cleared his throat. “Unfortunately, I lack the ingredients to make dinner myself. I do, however, have replicators that I am able to use to create food. They are the latest models and are quite efficient.”

Jim laughed. It was a sound that filled Spock with unexpected warmth. “Sounds fine to me. Don’t stress over it.”

“Stress?”

“You look a little harried. I’m not at all picky, Spock. You can replicate scrambled eggs and I’m okay with it.” Jim smiled. “It’s just nice spending time with you.”

“Very well.” Spock nodded. “Sit at the table and I will bring you something.”

And that’s what Spock ended up bringing for Jim. Eggs, potatoes and toast, whereas for himself he simply replicated a salad.

As he sat beside Jim at the table, Spock commented, “In truth this probably tastes better than anything I could make. I am not much of a cook as my education did not include those types of lessons.”

“Growing up in Riverside, we didn’t have fancy replicators,” Jim explained. “Never really put them in the house as my dad’s parents preferred making their own food there. Growing it too. My ex-stepfather hated to cook and refused to do it, so my brother and I had to learn or we didn’t eat.” He shrugged.

“You had a difficult childhood.”

“Only in comparison to some. Doesn’t sound like yours was that much better.”

Spock hesitated. “Perhaps not. Though I did not exactly have an abusive parent.”

“Frank was mostly emotionally abusive. Used to say we didn’t matter, that kind of thing. Hit Sam a couple of times. And me once or twice. Worst thing he did was send me to Tarsus and by the time I got off that planet of hell, he was gone.”

“That he hit you at all sickens me,” Spock replied. “If I am ever unfortunate to meet him, I will gladly punch him in the face.”

Jim laughed. “Okay. Well. I don’t really think that’s necessary. How about your parents, what were they like?”

“When I was young and Mother still lived on Vulcan, they argued a lot. My father was very strict and insisted on adhering to only the Vulcan way, which ended up being far more difficult for my mother than she anticipated. I believe that she loved him and went into the marriage with the best of intentions, but the arrival of me changed things for her.” Spock shook his head. “In the end, my father’s coldness became too much for her and she wished to take me with her to Earth, but he would not allow it, and with Vulcan elders backing him, she lost.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I was sent to the school on Tarsus IV because my father believed I had a rebellious nature that could be curbed there with instruction. When he brought me home, and later, all that happened there came to light, my mother was furious. They barely speak now.”

“That really sucks, Spock. I get where your mom is coming from, but to be fair, no one knew what would happen on Tarsus IV, so in that regard, it’s not his fault.”

Spock agreed. “Quite. But Mother is an emotional being and it was her opinion that he should have listened to her and sent me to school on Earth near her as she wanted. In any event, when I returned to Vulcan after we were evacuated, my instruction was quite regimented. I was being groomed to attend the Vulcan Science Academy.”

“And yet here you are.” Jim smiled. “I’m glad.”

“As am I.”

Cosmic Love, Chapter 5, April 16, 2021

Spock found himself somewhat reluctant to leave, so he, perhaps, lingered over his coffee overlong.

Jim had an engaging personality, an animated way of speaking and acting, that Spock found, admittedly, inordinately fascinating.

He’d told a story of how a couple of years ago he and his mother ran into his ex-stepfather in the city proper of Riverside. And that they hadn’t had to do or say anything because “Frank” had managed to make an ass out of himself in public without their help.

Spock did not generally appreciate the humor behind people humiliating themselves, but given what he gathered from Jim’s stories, in this case, he would make an exception for this man.

“Hey. You hungry? I can make us some fried rice.” Jim smiled. He smiled a lot, actually. “Vegetarian of course.”

“You are a vegetarian?”

Jim laughed. “Nope. But I know you are so I can make it sans meat.”

He jumped up from the chair he had been sitting in, but never without constant motion, to go into a cabinet in the little kitchenette. He grabbed out a frying pan and the went to the refrigerator for other ingredients.

“Unless you’re in a hurry to go home?” Jim asked.

“Negative,” Spock said quickly. Home, his own dorm room in the next building over, would be especially lonely without this effervescent man there. He never really had minded being alone, but just then the idea was incredibly unappealing.

He watched while Jim added already cooked rice and assorted vegetables to the pan.

“You know, you mentioned that day that you’d been having an unpleasant conversation with the group you hang out with. Anything you want to share with the class?”

Spock hesitated for two reasons. He did not wish to admit that he was somewhat the butt of jokes and those that had teased him had since apologized for the situation getting out of hand.

“I was…being teased about my nature and I did not react well.”

Jim frowned. “Teased?”

“Yes. About being Vulcan and different than the rest of them.”

“That’s fucked up.”

“Well. They have since apologized and advised they meant no harm.” Spock paused. “I am somewhat sensitive about it due to some issues with Vulcan classmates as a child. I likely overreacted.”

“Or more likely they are a bunch of insensitive jerks.”

Spock found himself smiling just slightly in spite of himself. “Perhaps.”

Jim grinned back. “Rice is done.”

He dished it out then on two plates and brought it over to the table.

“It’s made worse when it’s done by people who are supposed to be your friends, I imagine,” Jim said, handing a fork to Spock.

“It really is a small matter, Jim. And as I said, they did offer apologies.”

“Mm.”

“This is quite good,” Spock said, because it was true, and he wished to change the subject.

“Thanks. Mom taught me how to cook when I returned from Tarsus. Funny how so much of my time after that ended up being about food and nutrition.”

After Spock finished the rice and helped Jim wash the dishes, he had to realize that he probably ought to leave before he overstayed his welcome.

“I will be on my way now, Jim. I very much enjoyed my visit here.”

“I did too.” Jim walked him to the door. “See you soon.”

If Spock maybe had hoped for a goodnight kiss, he was disappointed, as one was not forthcoming. Jim opened the door and smiled, and Spock exited.

A moment later he left Jim’s dorm building and headed to his own.          

Cosmic Love, Chapter 4 April 14, 2021

I’ll be honest, not sure this story will be finished by the end of the month so it might continue into May

With Spock dressed in a big fluffy dark purple pullover sweater and black dress pants, Jim felt decidedly underdressed in his pajamas. But, well, he hadn’t been expecting anyone. And this was his own dorm room after all.

He brought two steaming mugs of coffee over to the couch and handed one to Spock. He had put away his ice cream. He hadn’t felt much like being in display in front of Spock shoveling mouthfuls of Almond Fudge ice cream into his pie-hole.

He poured cream and added sugar to his and then sat down beside Spock.

“Well. This is unexpected.”

Spock seemed startled by this. “Is it? I did express an interest in seeing you again.”

“Yeah. I guess you did. But I figured you were just being polite.”

“I am seldom polite.”

This startled a laugh out of Jim. “Well, you definitely won’t get an argument out of me on that. Both times I’ve talked to you prior to now you were…brusque.”

There was just the barest hint of color to Spock’s cheeks and on anyone else he would have thought it was blushing, but he couldn’t imagine anything making this Vulcan blush.

“Anyway, water under the bridge, I guess. I’m glad you came by. I didn’t really think you would.”

Spock paused to take a sip of the coffee Jim had made. “Though admittedly I am not very skilled at expressing it, I am…interested in you. I find you quite fascinating.”

Jim’s lips curved. “Not sure anyone’s ever put it quite like that.”

“Perhaps not.” Spock’s gaze went to a photograph Jim kept on the wall of Jim and his mother. “Is that from right after Tarsus?”

“It is. We’d just returned to Riverside then. Just a little after that I learned of Captain April’s fate.” Jim looked away. “And some others. The family I was staying with.”

“Yes,” Spock said, softly. “There were several I knew who did not make it as well. It is not something I generally like to talk about which is why I reacted badly to your introduction on campus.”

“Yeah, there are a lot of survivors who are reluctant to talk about it, but honestly, that’s not what I was looking for, you know, to form a club or anything. I’d be fine never to talk about it again.”

“Me too.” Spock sighed. “That time was not one I would like to recall altogether though obviously I do. My father sent me to the school there after my parents separated.”

This surprised Jim.

“Your parents are divorced?”

Spock shook his head. “Vulcans do not recognize divorce in the same sense that other humanoids do. My mother resides on Earth since their separation but there has been no official dissolution of their marriage. She found that she could no longer support my father’s dictates toward his family. She wished for me to go to Earth with her at the time, but my father forbade it.”

“And then shipped you off to Tarsus IV.”

“Essentially, yes.”

“That sucks. Do you see your mom now? Is she nearby?”

“Yes, she is in British Columbia. Her family is from there. She is currently teaching students.”

“Your mom is a teacher and yet your dad sent you to a school on Tarsus?”

“Yes.”

Jim shook his head. “Crazy. My dad died. On the Kelvin. You’ve probably heard.”

“Yes,” Spock acknowledged.

“Mom married an asshole and he’s the one who sent me there. I told you about him. Anyway. You want more coffee?”

Spock paused only for a moment. “Yes.”

Cosmic Love Chapter 3 April 12, 2021

Spock had no experience dating Humans.

He had no experience dating Vulcans either, for that matter. But as far as he knew Vulcans did not expect or desire to be courted in the way Humans seemed to wish.

The concept of going to dinner and/or a movie was an odd consideration to him.

Of course, in practical matters, Vulcan children were bonded to other Vulcan children at a young age in anticipation of one day fully forming the marriage bond.

That was for average Vulcan children. Admittedly average Vulcans were considered superior to others, including himself, who had the distinction of being only half Vulcan. The other half being Human, but that led Spock back to his original thought. Being half Human did not give him any particular knowledge when dealing with attractive Humans one wished to pursue.  

Due to his lineage, in that he was fortunate, Spock’s mother, the Human one, had declared her son would get to choose his own mate, and therefore no betrothal bond had ever been established between Spock and another. That had been one of the only arguments between his parents, Amanda Grayson had won.

That left Spock with his current dilemma.

How to pursue James Kirk.

He’d made a terrible impression. Social graces was not his forte, truly, and he had been startled by the unexpected confrontation with Kirk…Jim…when he’d approached. Spock had not been prepared and had, as Jim pointed out, been rude.

Spock simply could not deny he found Jim quite attractive.

He’d thought about discussing the matter with his friend, Nyota, but she was rather judgmental for the most part, and Spock really did not wish to deal with that sort of behavior from her just yet. Any advise she would have given him was not that important, he decided.

Spock had considered contacting his mother for her advice. She was, after all, quite Human herself. But she would no doubt react with more enthusiasm than the current situation indicated, owing to his bad impression on Jim, and he was not prepared to disappoint her should that bad impression not become resolved.

Because he hadn’t been smart enough to get Jim’s contact information when they’d gone for coffee, Spock had been forced to do some research into which dorm was his. Therefore, he now stood outside Jim’s dorm hoping he did not come off as a stalker.

He almost turned away and left but at the last second, he took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

The door opened only seconds later, and Jim stood there, staring in surprise at him.

Jim was wearing glasses which reminded him teenaged Jim Kirk had worn glasses most of the time. Somehow it made the blue irises appear even more striking.

“It occurred to me that I did not obtain your contact information to further our acquaintance,” Spock said after allowing himself ample time to takin in Jim’s attractiveness.

“Uh. Okay. Want to come in?”

Spock nodded. “Yes.”

He stepped inside the dorm room and was relieved to see that Jim was the only occupant. He had no right to be jealous if there had been someone else with him, but he had only just considered that was possible.

“Would you like to have dinner with me?”

Jim smiled then. Slightly, but it was a smile.

“Now?”

Jim was dressed rather casually. Pajama bottoms, Spock thought. And a tank top. On the coffee table next to a sofa was a container of ice cream.

“Am I interrupting?”

“Just an evening with myself. I don’t really feel up to going somewhere, but perhaps you’d want to stay to hang out or something?”

Spock quickly agreed. “Yes. Yes I would.”

“I can make a pot of coffee.”

And Spock was in and feeling, perhaps, just a bit more positive.

Cosmic Love, Chapter 2 April 09, 2021

Jim had been attending Starfleet Academy about a week before he saw Spock. There weren’t a lot of tall, gorgeous Vulcan males on campus, of course, plus Jim recognized him from their very brief prior acquaintance.

Spock hung out with several other cadets in an area everyone called the quad. There was a large leafy tree with several benches surrounding it and it was there Jim spotted Spock on a couple of occasions.

Jim had doubts about approaching Spock. He didn’t know if he would remember Jim and if he did whether he wanted to remember Jim. He certainly knew Tarsus and those from those years was a sore subject for some.

On the other hand, Jim did recognize Spock and didn’t want to pretend otherwise, not to mention Captain Pike had specifically noted their connection. It would probably not be a good idea to ignore it.

So, when he spotted Spock separating from his group, Jim decided now was his opportunity to approach the Vulcan.

“Hello, Spock.”

Spock stopped in mid-stride and gaze blankly at him.

“Uh. Jim. James Kirk. From Tarsus Preparatory School.”

Spock gave a slight nod. “Yes, I recall. Good day to you.”

When Spock started walking again, Jim blinked in shock.

“Hey,” he called after Spock.

Spock stopped and turned around.

“I thought, you know, because we both went there, I should say hello.”

“And you have done so.” Spock paused. “I don’t mean to be rude, Mr. Kirk, but I am not looking to be part of some sort of Tarsus Preparatory School Survival Club.”

When he made to turn around, Jim laughed.

“Bullshit.”

“Excuse me?”

“You don’t mean to be rude?” Jim asked, incredulous. “You sure as hell do. I never said I was looking to establish some kind of Survival Club, dude. Captain Pike told me you were here, and I saw you and thought to acknowledge you. That was it.” Jim held out his hands, palms up. “It’s absolutely no skin off mine if you want to be a jackass. Feel free to go back to your snooty friends.”

This time it was Jim who turned around to leave, every breath he took feeling steamy from irritation. The days where Jim let himself get walked over were long gone.

“Mr. Kirk.”

He almost didn’t turn around. Kind of was made at himself for doing so.

“Yeah?”

“I…apologize. You have every right to be angry with me. My behavior is uncalled for.”

Jim nodded. “Okay. See you.”

“If you would permit me, Mr. Kirk, perhaps we could go for…coffee?”

Jim should say no. But then, maybe, he’d be as dismissive of Spock as Spock had been of him. And that wasn’t Jim.

“All right, sure. But then it’s Jim. Or if you have to Kirk.”

“This way.” Spock gestured.

Jim looked at him rather sideways as they made their way off campus. “You drink coffee?”

“I do.”

“I always thought Vulcans were more of a tea drinking bunch.”

Spock shrugged. “I enjoy a cup of tea from time to time, but my preferred beverage is coffee.”

“Hmm. Okay.”

Jim was familiar with the tiny coffee shop Spock led them to as he’d been there a few times with his new friend, Bones. Well, Leonard McCoy. He’d met the doctor on the shuttle to San Francisco.

After they got coffee, Jim’s with cream and sugar, and Spock’s black, they chose a tiny wooden table next to the window.

Jim took a sip of his and then thought about the way to break up the kind of awkward silence.

So he was kind of surprised when it was Spock who spoke first.

“Was it your mother or stepdad who picked you up from the space station?”

“You remembered? Wow.” Jim smiled a little. “My mom, thankfully. Up until then we didn’t really have the best relationship. She was off planet a lot. In fact, I was there at the school thanks to him.” He shook his head. “Anyway, he’s gone. Not dead or anything, but out of our lives. We see him around Riverside sometimes though. Iowa. Where I’m from.”

And Jim turned red knowing he was babbling like a fool. Spock was definitely going to be sorry he didn’t just let Jim walk away. To cover his embarrassment, he took another drink of coffee.

“You got off all right with your dad?”

“I did, yes.”

He didn’t elaborate. Jim didn’t want to press.

Instead he said, “I don’t want to keep you if you have somewhere to be or something.”

“I do not. Not until this evening when I am meeting my friend Nyota for dinner.”

Jim knew who he meant. Nyota Uhura. She was one of the ones he spent time with by the tree in the quad. Probably his girlfriend. Jim guessed he didn’t have a right to ask.

“And you?”

Jim frowned. “Me?”

“I do not wish to keep you from something you would rather do,” Spock said. “I had been having rather a troublesome conversation just prior to your approach, so I did not react well. My apologies.”

“You wouldn’t be the first one to react badly to me,” Jim joked. But Spock did not crack a smile, not even a Vulcan one, so Jim let it go. “Anyway, no plans either. Just studying later at the library. Other than you I’ve only met Bones.”

“Bones?”

“My friend, Leonard McCoy. A doctor. Met him on the shuttle here and he’s got a dorm just down the hall from me.”

“I see.”

And Jim figured he was boring Spock clear to death. So he finished his coffee and made to stand.

“Thanks for the coffee, Spock. It was very nice of you. But I really didn’t intend to bother you. Just wanted to say hi.”

“Very well,” Spock said quietly. “Perhaps at another time, I could call on you?”

“Call on me?”

“For dinner, perhaps?” Spock paused. There was the finest tightening around his eyes. Jim almost missed it. “Unless…you are engaged in a relationship with Doctor McCoy?”

“No.” Jim shook his head rapidly. “No, I’m not.”

“Then my question still applies.”

“Yeah. Sure. Uh. Yeah.” Jim knew he sounded like a fool. “You can.”

And then he did leave the coffee shop, a little befuddled. He hadn’t thought Spock liked him at all, let alone to ask him out. Weirdest date request ever, Jim thought. And he wondered if Spock actually would follow up.                                

Cosmic Love, Chapter 1, April 07, 2021

“Tarsus Preparatory School,” Captain Christopher Pike read off.

Jim nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Pike frowned. He was seated behind his desk, going over Jim’s application for admittance to Starfleet Academy. “Rough time.”

“Fortunately, the school was evacuated before the worst of it,” Jim replied. He folded his hands in his lap and tried not to twist them together.

“By your headmaster.”

“That’s right, sir. Retired Starfleet captain Robert April.”

“Yes, I knew April. Left active duty after the partial loss of his left leg. Settled on Tarsus IV.” Pike pursed his lips. “Got you all off but he was not as lucky.”

“Yes.”

“How was the school before all that?”

“I learned a lot,” Jim conceded. “My mother taught me not to speak ill of the dead, though.”

Pike smiled slightly at that. “Confidential, James.”

“I prefer Jim for the most part, Captain.”

“Okay, Jim. Tell me what you thought of Captain April.”

“He evacuated all of us students and ultimately saved our lives. For that he’s a hero, sir.”

“But?”

Jim shrugged. “He could be a strict disciplinarian. Which is why I was sent there in the first place.” He paused. “That being said, I think he should be remembered from his heroic acts. 

“I see. You might be interested to know that there’s a currently enrolled cadet who also came from the school.”

“Oh?”

“Spock is his name. Son of the Vulcan ambassador to Earth. Know him?”

“Only rather nominally, sir. I spoke briefly to him when we were both waiting for our parents on the space station after evacuation. Not even sure he’d remember me after all these years.”

“Understood. Well, if you run in to him, I didn’t want you to be surprised.”

Jim smiled. “Run into him, Captain?”

Pike returned the smile and stood up, hand thrust forward to shake Jim’s hand. Jim rose too.

 “Congratulations on being accepted into Starfleet Academy, Jim. You’ll be starting this next semester.”

“Thank you, Captain Pike, I appreciate it.”

****

“I want a milkshake. Do you want a milkshake?”

Jim shook his head, amused at his mother as she sat across from him at the diner they’d headed to after he came out of Christopher Pike’s office. They decided to celebrate by coming to this old diner before boarding the shuttle back to Riverside. The next semester didn’t start for a few weeks, so he’d spend most of that time back at the farmhouse.

His mother had told him that back in her academy days she’d gone to this old diner numerous times with Jim’s dad.

“I’ll pass.”

“No milkshake?”

Jim laughed. “I’m already getting a cheeseburger. I have to fit in my cadet uniform, Mom.”

“You’re slim and fit. But okay. I won’t push. I’m getting a salad that way I can have the milkshake.”

“Okay.” Jim glanced out the window. “I’ll have to be careful not to come here too often.”

“Just like George. Did you know your Grandpa Kirk was turned down for the Academy?”

“Turned down?”

“Yep. Idiots. That’s why your father tried so hard to get in there, you know. Wanted to prove them wrong about the Kirk family. I think he’d rather have stayed on the farm to be honest.” His mother shook her head. “I’m not surprised you got right in.”

“Yeah well. Hey, I guess Captain Pike said there’s another cadet there from the school. Tarsus I mean.”

“Oh?”

“Spock. From Vulcan. I guess his dad’s some dignitary or something.”

Mom pursed her lips. “Do you suppose he was sent there for getting into trouble?”

Jim laughed again. “Doubtful. I mean not everyone there was sent because they were a delinquent, Mom.” He paused. “Some were, obviously.”

“Jim, if I could change—”

“I know. I know it was Frank. And the experience wasn’t all bad,” Jim said, softly. “Anyway, I am guessing not everyone who was there got there because of someone like Frank, but the truth of it is that I know nothing about Spock at all. Maybe he is a secret troublemaker.”

They both laughed at that. The idea did seem absurd.

Later when they had finished their dinner, they headed back for Riverside. Jim couldn’t wait to return to San Francisco to begin the next chapter of his life.

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