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Chapter Text

Kirk landed the kill shot that took out the last of the terrorists’ ships, killing Nero and his followers. But it was too late. They had already fired the phasers to ignite the planet’s atmosphere, its defenses already wiped out beforehand.

Spock watched as his planet burned.

The bridge was dead silent.

Kirk looked to Spock. He could relieve him of duty. He should relieve him of duty. But he knew the Vulcan would insist he’d prefer to keep working, and honestly, he probably would. But he was emotionally compromised and in no position to do so.

“Mr. Spock,” he said. “Show the ambassador and the other Vulcan refugees to some temporary quarters and get them set up and acquainted with the ship. Answer any questions they have and help them out however you can. Make them feel at home.”

“Aye, Captain,” he said.

Kirk nodded. “Dismissed.”

“Spock,” Sarek said.

“Ambassador,” Spock greeted.

“In light of recent events, I will be assisting with the construction of a New Vulcan colony. I will no longer have time to do that, attend to my normal duties as ambassador, and raise Saavik. Not without your mother.”

“I see,” he said. “So you intend to place her in foster care, then?”

“Negative. I intend to have you adopt her.”

For a moment, he was startled out of responding. “Father, I am an officer in Starfleet. A starship is hardly a suitable environment to raise a child.”

“It is to my understanding that Starfleet has been attempting to be more ‘family-friendly’ as of late. When they unveil the next generation of galaxy-class ships, they are expected to be able to accommodate the immediate family of any crewmembers that desire it. This current era is to be a transitional phase. I am certain that the admiralty would be, in a word, thrilled to have a highly decorated commander endorse the new arrangement,” he said. “And I was under the impression that you would be pleased to increased contact with Saavik.”

“I would,” he admitted. “I have no objection to my taking responsibility for Saavik. My only concern is if this is what is in her own best interests.”

“Spock,” he said. “I can think of no one better for her.”

Spock finished his duties several hours later and retired to his quarters to meditate.

He set out his mat and incense and assumed the open position, closing his eyes. He practiced his breathing exercises and centered himself, grounding his katra. He entered a light trance, then a deeper one, then descended into the s’thaupi.

He reexamined the events of the day and his thoughts and feelings regarding them, carefully categorizing and dissecting everything. He had lost his planet. He had felt the psychic death cry of six billion katras being dispersed into the ether.

He had watched a terrorist fell his planet, kill his mother, and been powerless to stop it.

Powerless. That was how he felt.

Powerless.

He thought of Saavik, the eleven-year-old orphan his parents had taken in as if she were their own. If he felt powerless, that would pale in comparison to the sheer helplessness of her situation. She no one to turn to. No one but him. And she idolized him, due to his part in rescuing her.

He could not refuse her in her time of need. The thought was abhorrent to him.

So it was settled then. He would be adopting Saavik.

“Sir, a call is coming in for you from Admiral Pike. It’s marked urgent. And personal,” Uhura said from her station.

“Alright. I’ll take it in my ready room,” Kirk said, standing up to leave. He entered the turbolift and took it to the next floor down, taking a seat at the small conference table and turning on the display screen.

“Captain Kirk,” Pike greeted. “How’s the ship doing?”

“As perfect as the day you gave her to me, sir. Not a scratch on her,” he smiled.

“Good. That’s good.”

“I assume that’s not what you called me over?”

“No, unfortunately not. I have some bad news,” he said. “Carol Marcus is dead. She was on the Reliant when it went down.”

“Oh,” he said. Then frowned. “Not that that isn’t… terrible, sir, but we weren’t that close. I haven’t spoken to her in eight or nine years. Why did you call to tell me this?”

Pike gave him a hard look. “Shit,” he exhaled. “I thought you knew. I’m guessing it’s actually been closer to ten years, hasn’t it?”

“Uh, could be? What’s this got to do with anything, sir? What don’t I know?”

“You have a son,” he said. “He’s ten. His name’s David. And now his mother’s dead and you’re his next of kin.”

Kirk froze. This couldn’t be happening. This didn’t feel real. Nothing felt real. This entire day was something out of a goddamn nightmare.

He had a son.

A burst of pride and affection and loss and a million other emotions swirled through him, incalculable, indiscernible. He had a son. Why had Carol never told him? He knew they had ended on bad terms, but he wasn’t a horrible guy. He would’ve wanted to be involved. He did want to be involved.

He had a son.

“When can you come to Earth to pick him up?” Pike asked.

“Tomorrow,” he said.

Spock didn’t approach him the next day like a normal person would. No, Kirk found out when he received the formal request for Spock to transfer to one of the Enterprise’s few family quarters.

Kirk stared at the memo, dumbfounded. He got up and knocked loudly on the door to his First Officer’s quarters.

It opened instantly.

“Greetings, Captain. Do you require my assistance in something?”

“Why are requesting to be moved into family quarters, Spock?”

“I am adopting a child.”

“What?” he asked. “Okay, can I come in?”

Spock nodded and moved to let him through. Jim sat down at the small table they often played chess at.

“You’re adopting a kid,” he repeated.

“Affirmative.”

“Um,” he said emphatically. Spock raised an eyebrow, as if he had no clue what was going on, and Jim nearly exploded. “Isn’t that kind of… Well, um… Who is this kid? Why now? You’ve never said anything about wanting kids before this.”

“Saavik is a recently displaced Vulcan child who has been living with my parents for the past 4.87 years.”

“Oh,” Jim said. “Oh. Do you need—Should I have the Enterprise divert somewhere to pick him up?”

“She is currently residing at the Vulcan Embassy on Earth.”

“Oh! She? I’m sorry, I assumed from the name—“

“Saavik is a name traditionally given to Vulcan males. The child in this instance is mesakh-guvik and elected not to change her name to one traditionally feminine in nature.”

“Mesakh-guvik?”

“I believe the human term is transgender.”

“Oh! So how old is she?”

“Eleven point five-two years of age.”

“Really?” he laughed. “You aren’t gonna believe this. But it turns out I’ve got a kid too. His name’s David, and he’s ten. Maybe they can be friends.”

Spock’s eyebrow went up again. “You have a child?”

“Yeah, I was surprised too. I just found out today when Pike called to let me know. Apparently, um… His mother died, and now I’ll be taking him in.”

“But you do not wish to,” Spock said, and it was halfway to being a question.

“No, I wish to. I wish I’d been involved before all of this. Hell, I wish Carol had told me we had a kid together. I’ve always wanted kids, ever since… I’ve just always wanted kids. And now I find out that I already have one that I didn’t even know about?” He shook his head.

“Perhaps we can be of assistance to each other,” Spock said. “As we have now both become single fathers. I assume there will be many occasions in which one or both of us are incapable of handling the situation on our own.”

Jim smiled, radiant like the sun, and Spock barely repressed his reaction to such a display. “I’d love that. Thank you, Spock.”

A knot of warmth unfurled in his chest and Spock quashed it down vehemently.

Chapter Text

They arrived in orbit over Earth three days later and beamed down 212 Vulcan refugees and beamed up two tiny passengers.

David was a tow-headed, curly-haired kid with dark blue eyes—his mother’s eyes. He was scowling.

“Hi, David,” Jim said openly. “I’m Jim, I’m your father.”

He said nothing and Jim was starting to get nervous. What exactly had Carol told this kid about him?

Saavik stepped forward and offered the ta’al with perfect Vulcan poise. “It is an honor to meet you, Captain Kirk. Spock speaks of you frequently.”

“Does he now?” He shot his First a grin. “All good things, I hope.”

“Affirmative,” Saavik said. “Though he does find you illogical and… exceedingly human.”

Jim laughed and resisted the urge to ruffle the kid’s hair, knowing it wouldn’t be appreciated. Spock cleared his throat unsubtly.

“Saavik-kam,” he said fondly. “Perhaps it is time to get you situated in your new quarters.”

“It is agreeable,” she said, hoisting her bags off the transporter pad. Spock immediately moved to help her.

“Yeah, you two, David. Let’s go,” Jim said, taking the kid’s luggage for him. David followed after him reluctantly.

Jim led David into his new quarters. They were two-bedroom, with a separate living space and a small bathroom. Spock and Saavik had an identical setup right next door. They were the last two doors in the hall—a little-used corridor for crewmembers with children on board, of which there were seven.

He set David’s stuff down and looked about uncertainly. David immediately sat on the couch and pulled out a padd, opening up a simple gaming app.

Five seconds in and he was being completely ignored.

“So David,” he said. “Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself, huh, bud? We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

David huffed and didn’t look up from his game.

“David. Look at me,” he said. “Please.”

David glared down at his padd for a moment longer, and then raised his eyes, burning with defiance.

“Look,” Jim said, settling down on the couch beside him. “You don’t know me. I get that. I wasn’t there for most of your childhood. But the thing is, that wasn’t my choice. I didn’t even know you existed. Your mother never told me.”

“Don’t you talk about her,” he hissed.

“I wasn’t blaming her,” Jim held up his hands in a gesture of peace. “I know this must be hard for you. But you have to give me a chance, buddy. Let me try to be a good dad now.”

David stared at him warily. Jim looked at him hopefully for a few moments, then gave up and sighed.

“I’m not asking for instant trust. I know I have no right to that. All I’m asking is that you give me a chance. Just work with a me a little bit here, and then you can decide to hate me if you want.”

For a long time, they sat in silence.

“Mom never told me who my dad was,” David said quietly. “I didn’t know you existed either.”

“Well, if it makes it any better, I’m glad you exist. I’m glad you’re here.”

He looked at him dubiously. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, of course. I love you, David.”

“You just met me.”

“You’re my son. A parent’s love is unconditional. I’ll love you no matter what.”

“That’s…” he started, then didn’t seem to know how to finish. “You’re weird.”

Jim chuckled softly. “Is it okay if I hug you?”

“Why?”

“Because you look like you need a hug.”

David was still giving him that strange, untrusting look, but he nodded anyway. Jim pulled the kid close and wrapped his arms around him. After a moment, David returned the embrace.

He didn’t pull away.

David snuggled closer and after a few minutes his breaths were shuddering and he was leaving a wet spot on the shoulder of Jim’s uniform, and he had a horrible feeling that no one had hugged him since his mother died, and it had been just as long or longer since he cried.

Soon David was bawling and Jim was rocking him gently, stroking his hair and shushing, letting the kid cry it out on his shoulder.

“These are our new quarters, Saavik-kam,” Spock announced. The girl looked around with open curiosity, inspecting the Terran-style furniture and arrangements.

“They will be adequate,” she said, as if she was giving the dwelling her blessing, or perhaps permission to exist.

Spock pulled up a form on his padd. “This form would officially grant me legal custody of you and render as my child under Vulcan law. I ask that you sign it at your discretion.”

Saavik took the padd immediately and scribbled her name on it in Romulan, her native language.

“What shall I address you as now?” she asked.

“Whatever you are most comfortable with. You may call me Sa-mekh or continue addressing me as Spock if you wish.”

She nodded. “I believe I will continue to call you Spock for now. You were previously like a much older brother to me. To perceive you as my father is… strange.”

“You may treat me as an older brother if you are more comfortable with that arrangement. Adoption is a legal formality. Our familial bond is for us to define.”

“I agree. However, the thought of you being my father is not disagreeable to me. It will merely take some getting used to.”

“Everybody this is David!” Jim announced, grandiosely presenting his son to the senior bridge crew. The poor kid blushed under all the attention.

“It’s very nice to meet you, David,” Uhura said politely. Scotty and Sulu chimed in agreement.

“Well, I’ll be. If you don’t look just like your dad,” McCoy said.

“I do not,” David protested.

McCoy snorted. “Yes you do. You got trouble in them eyes, I can feel it. You’re gonna wreak havoc around here just like your old man does.”

“I do not wreak havoc,” Jim protested.

“If ‘havoc’ can be defined as an emergency situation or severe breakage from the accepted standard behavior Starfleet expects of its ships, then statistically, the percent of the Enterprise’s havoc that is directly your fault is—“

“Please don’t finish that sentence.”

Spock pursed his lips just slightly, a bemused glint in his eyes.

Saavik tugged on Spock’s sleeve. “You did not introduce me as Captain Kirk did for his offspring.”

“My sincerest apologies. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, S’chn T’gai Saavik,” he said.

Uhura held up a perfect ta’al, and McCoy clumsily tried to imitate it. Sulu grinned, and Scotty ruffled her hair, earning a stern Vulcan not-glare while she rearranged it to precisely how she wanted.

“So this is your little sister?” Uhura asked.

“Negative. Saavik is my daughter.”

“What?!”

McCoy nearly choked.

“I have legally adopted Saavik in order to raise her as my own child, given that my father no longer has the ability to do so himself.”

“When were you planning on telling us this?” McCoy fumed. “When Jim found out he had a kid, the whole damn crew and half of Starfleet knew within five damn seconds.”

“I elected to disclose the information as it became relevant, which it just did.”

“Spock, you can’t just drop a bomb like that on people. Captain, back me up here,” Sulu said.

“Aye, you are hardly more than my age. It is shocking that you have a child,” Chekov said.

“Chekov, you’re twenty years old. Spock’s thirty-six. That’s not ‘hardly’ a difference,” Kirk said.

“Indeed, it is a greater span of years than my entire lifetime thus far,” Saavik said.

“You talk funny,” David told her.

“I speak as is proper.”

“Sounds weird though. You get that you’re, like, ten, right?”

“I am eleven Terran years old.”

“’Kay. You get that you’re only eleven then, right?”

“I am aware of my own age, yes.”

“Aww, Spock,” Jim said, clapping him on the shoulder. “I think our kids are gonna be friends.”

Chapter Text

Spock had convinced Jim that the most logically efficient way to homeschool their kids was to do so together, in a joint effort.

It had unforeseen consequences.

“Say ‘illogical’ one more time, I dare you,” David said.

“Illogical,” Saavik replied instantly.

David rolled his eyes and looked to Jim pleadingly, who shrugged. “What do you want me to do, David? You’re the one who dared her.”

“Yeah, but—uurghhh,” he groaned.

“Children,” Spock said, looking over them in a way that clearly stated he was referring to all three of them. “If I may continue with the lesson, I believe we were discussing warp core mechanics.”

“Whatcha doing?” David asked, leaning over Saavik’s padd.

“Studying,” she said.

“That’s boring.”

“I find it interesting.”

“You’re a nerd.”

“And you are an ingrate.”

“An ingrate how?” he glared.

She raised an eyebrow. “I did not expect you to know the meaning of that word.”

“I’m not actually stupid, you know,” he said.

“Indeed,” she agreed. “Nerd.”

His jaw dropped. He shoved at her ineffectually, not even making her budge. “You’re the nerd!”

She raised her eyebrow again, and now, yeah, he definitely recognized that as a Vulcan smirk.

“I believe you have stated your desire to be a research scientist when you grow up? A decidedly nerdy profession,” she said.

“How do you even know what the word ‘nerd’ means,” he grumbled.

“I am not actually stupid, you know.”

He couldn’t help it, he laughed. “Hey. How ‘bout we play a game? We each take turns trying to teach the other a word they don’t know. If you already know the word, then the other person loses a point. If you don’t know the word, then they gain a point.”

“Okay,” Saavik said. “I shall go first. T’var’eth.”

“Hey, only Standard words!”

“You never stipulated that rule.”

“It was implied.”

“It was not.”

“Okay, well some of us only speak one language here, so how about we just stick with Standard anyway?”

“Fair enough,” she said. “Bioluminescent.”

“Ha. That’s easy. Naturally glowing,” he said. “Um… Hirsute.”

“Furry, hairy, or shaggy,” she said. “Serendipity.”

“…Spontaneous?” he asked.

“That is… acceptable. I suppose.”

“Great. Uh… Ooh, I know. Doodyhead.”

She blinked and went silent for a long, long time. “I presume it means one whose head is made of doody?”

He smirked. “You can’t use the word itself in the definition. Everybody knows that.”

“I understand part of the word’s meaning.”

“Yeah, but you don’t know the full meaning, so it doesn’t count. You lose a point.”

She nodded in concession. “Very well. What is ‘doody’?”

“Poop!” he said. Her face was entirely blank. “You know. Excrement. Fecal matter.”

She just stared at him.

“Standard insults are highly illogical,” she said finally.

He rolled his eyes. “Does Vulcan even have insults?”

“Of course. For instance, t’var’eth.”

“Oh my god,” his eyes lit up. “Teach me how to swear in Vulcan and I’ll be your best friend forever.”

She looked at him appraisingly. “I will teach you how to swear in Vulcan if you teach me how to swear in Standard.”

“No offense, but ‘undisciplined youth’ isn’t much of an insult,” David said.

“It is not a particularly strong curse. But one’s discipline is closely associated with one’s honor on Vulcan,” Saavik said. David shrugged and jotted down the definition of t’var’eth onto his padd.

“Um, I guess a Standard curse that’s pretty similar to that is bastard? It means an illegitimate child, technically, but people use it for everyone.”

“Kre’nath,” Saavik said. “The word for that is kre’nath. Literally, it means ‘shamed one’.”

“I’m guessing it’s a much stronger insult in Vulcan than it is in Standard?”

“I believe so.”

“Okay,” David said. “I guess next up on the list is shit. It means doody.”

Saavik nodded and wrote that down on her padd. “Duhsu means fool.”

“I feel like Standard is just a naturally much more offensive language than Vulcan is. These are all really tame insults.”

“Ponfo mirann means ‘go to hell’ and tiar merra means… I am unsure how to translate it.”

David’s eyes widened. “Is that the Vulcan f-word?”

“What is the f-word?”

“Captain, I must speak with you,” Spock said, catching him just as shift ended.

“Yeah, Spock, what is it?” he asked.

“I was speaking with Saavik yesterday.”

“Uh-huh?”

“She appears to have picked up some new vocabulary from your son.”

He was starting to get a bad feeling about this conversation. “Like what?”

“Fuck,” Spock said.

Jim somehow managed to make it back to his quarters. He immediately keeled over laughing, struggling to catch his breath. Tears ran down his eyes and he did not care. Holding his laughter in so long had only made it seem disproportionately funnier.

God, he wished he’d recorded that.

“Dad?” David asked, getting up off the couch to come stare at him in concern. “I mean—Captain Kirk. What’s so funny? What’s going on?”

“You’re—“ he wheezed, and doubled over again, still laughing so hard his sides ached. “You’re grounded.”

“What?! What for?”

“For teaching Saavik dirty words,” he said. “And for making me have to look my First Officer in the face and calmly discuss the word ‘fuck.’ He brought up its etymology, David. Its etymology.”

David froze, and then, after a second, he snorted. And soon they were both laughing all over again.

“Spock,” Saavik said. “I am bored. Entertain me.”

He set his padd down. He knew enough about Saavik to accept that he wouldn’t be getting any more paperwork done this evening.

“What do you wish to do?” he asked.

“I do not know. I am simply bored.”

“Have you meditated yet today?”

“Yes, for three hours. I have run out of things to analyze.”

“And you have completed all of your schoolwork?”

“Yes. And I helped David with his.”

As David was now grounded, their interactions were restricted to solely studying and only under supervision. He could not even suggest that she go play with her new friend.

Not that Vulcans had friends, of course. But humans did, and found comfort in being acknowledged as such.

“There is a Terran game that the Captain and I often play together,” Spock said. “Perhaps you would like to learn.”

“You and the Captain play games?”

“It is mentally stimulating. The game is one of logic.”

“I would be interested in this game.” She sat cross-legged on the couch and waited expectantly.

Spock got out his chess board and began setting up the pieces. “Each style of piece moves in a fashion unique unto itself. The forefront row of pieces are all pawns, and they move directly forward, one space at a time, except when capturing, which they can only do diagonally. The two outermost pieces of the second row are rooks, also illogically known as castles—“

He continued explaining the game and then they played a few matches, which Saavik lost abysmally. She did not pay enough attention to the board, often forgetting the potential next moves of some of Spock’s pieces.

He did not believe in throwing the game to boost her ego and she would have been offended if he had.

Their fourth game ended in stalemate, with Spock down to just his king and cornered, but not technically in check. Unable to move, the game ended in a draw. Saavik was incensed.

Chapter Text

“Spock,” Saavik said. Something in her eyes seemed uncertain. “Most humans celebrate their holiday of Halloween six standard days from now.”

“This is true,” he said.

“On Vulcan—“ she swallowed and bit her lip. “Amanda would make a costume for me and give me candy, despite it not being celebrated by Vulcans.”

“I see,” he said. “And you wish to continue this tradition?”

She nodded fervently. Her chin wobbled slightly.

Spock led her to the couch and sat down with her. “I grieve with thee,” he said seriously. “I do not say that as a mere platitude. Amanda raised me as she did you. We will both miss her in due course. However, may we find strength together and help each other through this terrible time.”

Saavik swallowed. A couple tears escaped out of her eyes, and she frowned and flushed in embarrassment.

“Saavik, your emotions are nothing to be ashamed of. Emotions run deep within the Vulcan race. It is logically to feel strongly towards one you shared a bond with. The breaking of a bond is a traumatic experience. Do not feel ashamed for reacting in the way that is most logical.”

“You would call emotions logical?”

“Of course, Saavik. The principal of control in itself implies the existence of emotion. You are not a Kohlinahr adept, Saavik, and I do not expect you to be. Acknowledging one’s emotions shows self-awareness. As well as respect for the deceased. You honor your mother by grieving her death.”

Saavik nodded. Then she threw her arms around Spock’s middle and wrapped him in a bone-crushing hug, now allowing her tears to fall freely and her breaths to shudder and grow ragged in distress.

Spock held her until she cried herself out and fell asleep curled up next to him.

“Captain, I would like to speak with you, if you have a moment.”

“Did David do something?”

“No, nothing like that. Saavik has expressed an interest in the Terran holiday of Halloween. I was wondering if something could be arranged so that all the children on the ship may celebrate it.”

Jim beamed at him. “Of course, Spock! Wow, I didn’t even think of doing something for the kids. I mean, we’re already throwing a party for the crew, but there’s going to be alcohol there and I don’t think it’ll be the greatest environment for children.”

“Indeed not.”

“We could have them go trick-or-treating!”

“Trick-or-treating, Captain?”

“Yeah, it’s a Halloween thing. Kids dress up in costumes and knock on people’s doors and ask for candy. It’s super fun. We can get the entire senior staff in on it, and all the crewmembers with children aboard. Oh, this is gonna be awesome, Spock, trust me.”

“Always, Captain.”

Jim smiled, feeling something warm tug at his heart.

“Roooaar!” Saavik jumped out from behind a corner, and David let out an undignified squeak.

“Hey! What was that for?” he protested.

“My research concluded that startling people in this manner is an important Halloween tradition.”

David smoothed down his costume. “What are you supposed to be, anyway?” he grumbled.

“A masutral’esk.”

“A what?”

“It is a mythical Vulcan sea creature of immense proportions.”

“Vulcans have mythical sea monsters?”

“Indeed. Tales of them originate from long before the Reform, in Vulcan’s earliest centuries,” she said. “What is your costume meant to convey?”

“I’m Iron Man!” he said, punching the air and striking a pose.

“Illogical. Your suit is not made of iron.”

He rolled his eyes. “Well, I know that, dummy. It’s not meant to be taken literal. Iron Man is this fictional old Earth superhero from a bunch of centuries ago.”

“I see. And what were his superpowers?”

“He’s a crazy smart genius scientist, just like I’m gonna be. So he built this suit that’s super durable and shoots things and can fly.”

“Masutral’esklar have acidic saliva and are claimed to measure up to 3000 feet in length. A single one of their tentacles is capable of crushing duranium with ease.”

“So?”

“A masutral’esk would destroy Iron Man in a fight.”

He gasped. “Would not!”

“Would so.”

“Would not!”

“Your repetition is illogical, especially given that I am clearly correct.”

“You just haven’t seen Iron Man in a fight! My dad has tons of old comics and movies he’s been showing me. Iron Man has totally taken on way cooler monsters than your stupid masutral-whatever.”

“Masutral’esk. And that is impossible, as the masutral’esk is of the most fearsome and awe-inspiring of all monsters in the known galaxy, and therefore infinitely cooler than Iron Man.”

“Why would you want to dress up as a monster anyway? You get that monsters are bad, right?”

“I believe the term you are looking for is badass.”

His jaw dropped. And then he started laughing. He grabbed her by the wrist. “C’mon, let’s hit up the senior officers’ corridor first. I bet Uhura will give us a ton of candy. She loves us.”

“Perhaps. However, I have noted that she has a particular fondness for health foods. In addition, Dr. McCoy is more of a ‘softie,’ as they say, and I believe Lieutenant-Commander Scott will have an overabundance of candy and be easily persuaded or perhaps tricked into giving us all of it.”

“Ooh, good point. To Scotty’s it is. Let’s hope we get there before any other kids do.”

“Indeed.” She nodded.

“Well, Mr. Spock, how are you enjoying the party?” Kirk asked, leaning back against a table next to him and sipping from his glass of Saurian brandy.

“I am finding it to be an interesting case study in human cultural behavior,” he said.

Jim laughed. “Well, I’m glad we’re so amusing to you.”

“My interest is not amusement, Captain. I find you quite fascinating.”

When had they come to be standing so close to each other? Jim felt that if he just leaned forward, he could finally taste Spock’s lips, could plunge his tongue into that mouth and explore it to his heart’s content.

He swallowed and took another sip of brandy. “You’re fascinating to me too, Spock. I don’t tell you this often enough, but you’re my dearest friend. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Nor I you, Jim.”

Jim’s breath caught in his throat as Spock’s hand gently brushed his arm, slipping down, about to touch—

A red alert blared.

“Captain Kirk to the bridge!”

Jim nearly swore.

An old Andorian space probe from their very earliest exploring days had somehow cannibalized itself and latched onto the Enterprise’s hull, slowly seeping energy from it, cutting in and pulling out parts to repair and enhance itself.

They eventually got it off without having to fire a torpedo at their own hull. But not before it had created a sudden breach that sucked three crewmembers out into the vastness of space.

Jim went back to the now-empty rec room and finished off half a bottle of Saurian brandy. He stumbled back to his quarters to find David waiting up for him on the couch.

Shit.

“Dad? I mean—Captain Kirk?”

“I’m so sorry, David. God. You really deserve a better dad.” He collapsed onto the couch next to him, throwing an arm over his eyes. He really was shit. He had never wanted to be this sort of father. He shouldn’t have let the deaths of those crewmen get to him so much. He was the captain. He needed to be strong.

And more importantly than that, he was a father.

He rubbed a hand over his eyes and forced a smile. “How was trick-or-treating?”

“Good. Saavik dressed up as a sea monster. She said she could totally take Iron Man in a fight, but she was wrong. We got a lot of candy,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, buddy, I just had a rough night. I’m sorry about that. You shouldn’t have to worry about your old man like that,” he said. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”

Chapter Text

“Sir, new orders from Admiral Pike,” Uhura announced.

“Patch him through to my ready room. Spock, with me,” Kirk said, rising from the captain’s chair. His First quickly followed, falling into sync with him seamlessly.

He switched on the small monitor on the conference table, he and Spock taking seats next to each other and within view. Seconds later, Uhura tied in the connection and the screen came to life.

“Admiral Pike,” Kirk greeted. “it’s good to see you again, sir. I trust all is going well back on Earth?”

“Couldn’t be better, Kirk. Wish it was the same for you. I just read your report on the incident with the Andorian probe last night. Three casualties.”

“Yes, sir. It was… They will be dearly missed,” he said.

Pike nodded. “You can stop of at Starbase 11 to pick up replacements for them but then you have a new mission. There’s been reports of widespread death under mysterious circumstances at the Vega colony. I want the Enterprise to go check that out, ASAP.”

“Understood, sir. We’ll get there as soon as we can.”

“Good. Pike out.”

The transmission clicked off.

They waited in the transporter room for the new crewmen to beam aboard.

The trip to Starbase 11 had been short and, at the same time, mind-numbingly long. Jim and Spock were decidedly not talking about their almost-kiss on Halloween. Jim had almost brought it up at least half a dozen times. But Spock definitely hadn’t, had even dodged the topic when Jim tried to bring it up.

And so Jim tried to forget it ever happened and continue on as they always had. Spock, for his part, seemed inordinately relieved.

Friends. They were friends. Jim could handle being friends. Having Spock in any capacity wasn’t something he was going to pass up on.

It was better than nothing and it would be enough.

Scotty pulled the levers all the way down and four particle shimmers appeared, one noticeably smaller than the others. Jim frowned.

A Tellarite, a human, and two Vulcans materialized. One of the Vulcans being a young teenager, no more than thirteen or fourteen.

Jim smiled brightly. “Hello, and welcome to the USS Enterprise. It’s a pleasure to have you joining our crew. My First Officer, Mr. Spock here, will be showing you to your quarters. In the morning, you can report to your supervising officer for instructions. Maps and general info will be available on your padds, but don’t be afraid to ask if you have any questions.”

Jim clapped Spock on the shoulder and left to return to the bridge, leaving him alone with the new crewmembers.

“This way,” he said.

He ended up showing T’Pring and the young girl with her to their quarters, as they were located in the separate corridor for crewmembers with family aboard.

For a brief moment when he had first seen the girl, he had a flash of panic that he had conceived a child that T’Pring neglected to tell him about. Then he remembered that they had never engaged in coitus and additionally, he was sterile. All in all, it was one of the most illogical thoughts he had ever had.

Being the last to be shown to her rooms afforded T’Pring the perfect opportunity to corner her bondmate.

“Spock,” she said. “I assume you have questions.”

“A logical conclusion,” he conceded.

“Why don’t you come in so that we can discuss things?”

He nodded in acquiescence and followed them into T’Pring’s new quarters. The teenage girl immediately sequestered herself off in her room, closing the door with what could be quantified as a slam.

“The child,” Spock said. “She is your daughter? As well as Stonn’s, I presume?”

“Negative,” T’Pring said. “She is my foster sister, Valeris. She was orphaned following the Va’Pak.”

“I see. I assume your own parents are somehow indisposed at the moment?”

“My parents have taken in a sum total of four orphans since the Va’Pak. Valeris… incited trouble among the others. It was deemed prudent to take her with me and thus remove her entirely from the situation.”

“Logical. I commend your generosity.”

“Thank you,” she said. “I must offer my congratulations. You have become something of a legend among our people. Your hand in destroying Nero has inspired many to join Starfleet. This is fortuitous, as we cannot afford for our presence in the Federation to diminish.”

“Indeed,” he said. “Was that a factor in your own decision?”

“Negative. My ambitions were my own, Spock. In addition, I am not formally a member of Starfleet. I am an anthropologist on loan from the Federation Research Society. The fact that I happened to be stationed on a starship, much less your starship, is a coincidence.”

“I am gratified. I would not want you to alter the natural course of your life for my sake. While you are my oldest friend, I have no desire for anything more.”

“I am aware, Spock, and I think the same. In addition, I would never be so foolish as to pursue a man was so clearly sa-ka-ashuasu.”

Spock couldn’t help it, his eyebrows shot up above his hairline. “How-how did you come to that conclusion? I am certain that I have never stated such.”

“You are not subtle, Spock.”

Fresh panic spiked through him. “I see.”

“Relax, my husband, I am certain no one who knows has told anyone else.”

“Who all knows?” he asked sharply.

“I would assume your family, your friends, the various boys you became blatantly infatuated with over the years, as well as perhaps anyone who has ever been able to claim to know you. You are quite gay, Spock.”

“Ah.”

T’Pring actually rolled her eyes, an alarmingly human gesture. “Spock. It is the twenty-third century. You have no need to fear. I would certainly hope that homophobia is a thing of the past.”

“One could say the same for xenophobia, and yet you and I both witnessed that firsthand.”

“Vulcan is among the more conservative of Federation species. I do not seek to ever understand the illogic of bigotry,” she said. “While we are on the topic, I may as well inform you that I am ek’ashuasu.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Indeed?”

“Quite.”

“Logical. I admit I did not anticipate your revelation as you did mine, however.”

She lounged back and crossed her legs. “That is because I am far more logical than you can ever hope to be.”

He huffed. “If it pleases you to believe so.”

“Indeed it does.”

He allowed himself the smallest of smiles—something T’Pring had never once begrudged him for, and that she actually indulged in more often than he did. “It is good to see you again after so long, my wife.”

“The same to you,” she said. “While the purposes of our marriage can be fulfilled by meeting once every seven years, I find that I value our acquaintanceship for far more than that.”

“As do I.”

Theirs was a marriage of convenience. Their bonding enhanced each of their corresponding statuses and brought honor and allianceship to two of Vulcan’s most noble houses. It would see them through with their lives intact when their time came upon them. And so, for these reasons, they did not dissolve their bond.

It was not so out of the ordinary for Vulcan bondmates to have a similar arrangement. After all, love was an emotion and marriage existed due to politics and biology. Love had no place in Vulcan marriages.

Chapter Text

“Dad told me that there’s a new Vulcan girl on board,” David said.

”I am aware,” Saavik replied.

”What do you know about her? Is she your friend? Is she nice?”

”She is not my friend. I have no information on whether she is nice or not. I have only the barest knowledge of her.”

”Oh.” David sounded disappointed. Saavik tried to come up with additional information on the girl.

”I know her name is Valeris and she is 14.1 Terran years of age. She is my... aunt, technically.”

”What?!” David shrieked. “How?”

”She is T’Pring’s sister. T’Pring is the wife of my father.”

David’s mind raced. “Wife of your father... Spock’s married? To T’Pring?!”

“Affirmative.”

”I thought Spock was gay!”

”He is.”

”Then why...?” David shook his head. “Saavik, we have to break them up.”

Now it was her turn to be confused. “Why?”

”Are you kidding me?!” he shrieked, with the righteous indignation that only a ten-year-old can muster. “Spock’s gay and married to a woman! It’s wrong!”

”Vulcan marriages are different from human marriages, David,” Saavik said. “They are not based on love, or even attraction.”

”What else is there?” he asked, bewildered.

”Politics and money,” she said. “And biology.”

”What.”

“Marriage is a social institution that fulfills a different role in almost every culture that embraces it. Its purposes are different on Vulcan than they are on Earth.”

”That’s stupid,” he said. “My mom always said you should only marry someone if you love than and wanna be with them forever.”

”That was her advice to you, as one human to another. It is quite ignorant to assume it is the same way for all other species.”

”So Vulcans don’t feel love, then?”

”Negative. Vulcans experience love, but we do not feel it, as we do not recognize it as an emotion. It is... something more. It is what bonds are made of. It is not an emotion to be felt one moment and gone the next. It is a state of being.”

”But Spock doesn’t love T’Pring. So how is he bonded to her?”

”Love can be platonic, David. It grows over time between compatible minds.”

”So Vulcans do have romantic love?”

”Of course.”

He was silent for a minute, considering. “Do you think Spock wants that?”

The statement gave Saavik pause.

 “Spock, I would speak with you,” she said.

”On what matter?” he inquired.

”Your bond to T’Pring,” she said. “Is it satisfactory to you?”

”It shall fulfill its purpose. A marital bond is a means to an end, Saavik, nothing more.”

”It could be more,” she insisted. “You may not even experience Pon Farr. As a hybrid, you have the opportunity solely for love.”

”That is not a certainty. And even if it was, young one, to break our preliminary bond would be a betrayal. T’Pring will experience Pon Farr one day. That is a certainty, whether I do as well or not. I will not endanger my friend’s life so that I may seek love I might never find.”

”This is unacceptable,” she said, angry now. “You deserve a fully realized bond. As does T’Pring. The Challenge exists for a reason, Spock. You should break the bond now before it comes to that.”

”Negative. I will not hurt my friend,” he said. “The situation would be different if we had other people to bond to, Saavik. But we do not.”

Just then, someone banged on the door to their quarters rather than pressing the chime.

”Enter,” Spock called, and Jim stormed in.

”David tells me you’re married?” he asked/shouted.

”Saavik, would you please excuse us?” Spock asked.

She stayed right where she was, watching them intently. “I am interested in this discussion.”

”Saavik. Leave.”

If she were human, Jim would almost say she pouted, but then she stood and excused herself from their quarters.

Jim rounded on his First Officer. “You’re married and you never told me.”

“I did not think it was any of your concern,” he said placidly.

Jim was honest, that hurt. Bad. “I— I thought we were friends.”

Not true. He thought they were moving towards being a hell of a lot more than friends, if they weren’t already there. But this— this put a lot of things in perspective. It also raised a lot of questions.

Spock had almost Vulcan-kissed him on Halloween. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to talk about it after; he probably saw that as a huge lapse in control on his part. And nothing had technically happened anyway. Best just to forget about it, right?

Jim had always thought Spock was too honorable and loyal to ever even consider cheating on someone. But maybe the rules were different for Vulcans. They’d have to be. Jim refused to accept that he’d ever been that wrong about his friend.

Maybe he was reading too much into what could have been a simple friendly touch. His own desires might be distorting his perspective. Maybe he was remembering that night entirely wrong.

”We are friends, Jim. My marriage is of little concern to me and not relevant in my daily life. In addition, it is not a true marriage as Terrans understand it. It is somewhat similar to a betrothal. A preliminary bond was formed between T’Pring and I when we were both seven. It is yet awaiting completion. That is all.”

”Still. You’re engaged. Ish. Friends tell each other that sort of thing, Spock. I mean, I thought we were close.”

”We are. Jim, you are my closest friend, I assure you. The Vulcan ways are simply different. Our marriages fulfill the purpose of ensuring our species’ continued existence and that is all. T’Pring is a friend only.”

”A friend you’re married to!”

”Nevertheless,” he said.

Jim shook his head. “I’m sorry, this is just— a bit of a shock. I mean, you’re married! Married, Spock!”

A hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “I am aware, Jim.”

Jim grinned broadly. “And you didn’t even invite me to the wedding.”

”We have not yet formally wedded. I will most definitely invite you to our bonding ceremony, Jim.”

”Oh.”

He shouldn’t have said that. Seeing Spock marry some beautiful woman was not high up on his priority list. He wasn’t sure how well he could handle that.

He kept his grin pasted on firmly. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“David, I have determined that you are right and we must break up Spock and T’Pring.”

”Ha! I knew you’d come around. I’m always right,” he gloated.

”False. You are frequently wrong,” she said. “I have determined that the only thing keeping the two of them together is lack of other potential bondmates.”

”That’s a stupid reason. Why can’t they just be single for a while?”

”It is not the Vulcan way. A bondmate is a necessity.”

”Okay,” David said. “So all we have to do is set the two of them up with other people. Sounds easy enough.”

Saavik nodded. “We must first compile a list of potential candidates for each of them.”

David pulled out a padd. “Way ahead of you.”

Chapter Text

They decided that Saavik would work on Spock and David on T’Pring. The first step was, naturally, to determine what each party was attracted to.

Saavik obviously had the far easier task, as it was already widely known where Spock’s interests lay. Now she simply had to ascertain which men he found attractive, or at the very least, a list of specific qualities to begin screening applicants for.

She observed Spock’s physiological reactions various men he encountered throughout his workday, citing a potential interest in a Starfleet career as a reason for desiring to “shadow” him on the bridge.

She was looking for slight widening of the nostrils, expanding of the pupils, decreased physical distance when interacting, and possibly even blood vessel vasodilation. She decided to use Spock’s interactions with Nyota as a safe barometer for what his friendly, non-romantically-inclined interactions may be like.

Strangely, however, she found that this may not quite be a perfect gauge of amicable professionalism. Spock’s eyes softened slightly with fondness when speaking with Nyota, and she smiled warmly at him, both of them conversing in Vulcan in low tones and thus necessitating slightly decreased physical distance to aid in clarity of hearing, at least on Nyota’s part.

So there went Saavik’s baseline.

She determined that they were close friends. While this was a welcome development, it was frustrating scientifically.

Spock had a milder version of the same fondness in his eyes when speaking with Chekov about the latest scientific developments. There was greater physical distance between them, however, and they spoke at nearly human-normal volume.

Chekov. Chekov would be her new baseline for lack of attraction. He was Spock’s science protege and friend, but not as close a one as Nyota. Spock seemed to regard him as a particularly intelligent child, despite him now just barely being an adult by human standards, though not by those of Vulcans. He spoke to him in a similar manner to how he spoke to Saavik, though with less familiarity. That was not to say he was condescending in any manner-- towards either of them-- but rather he afforded them the respect and transparency due to beings of intelligence, as well as a friendly and amicable tone as is warranted by their respective personal relationships.

Saavik took extensive notes when Spock went to the labs. He interacted with 37 ensigns and 5 lieutenants in his department. He displayed nothing but clinical professionalism and a teaching attitude in any of these interactions. The closest he came to familiarity was when Ensign Davers asked for help with a paper she was attempting to publish, and Spock discussed with her chemical molecular structure for 28.9 minutes until all of her questions had been sufficiently answered.

Saavik observed that this lack of familiarity seemed to be out of respect more than anything. The science ensigns seemed to have an almost hero-worship for Spock. They were hardworking and studious, and always mindful not to touch his skin.

Saavik determined this to be acceptable.

They treated her in a much different way, however. They seemed to think she was ‘cute,’ and many asked if she was playing a game on her padd. She always made sure to promptly correct this assumption and inform them that she was using them as test subjects in a field study. Reactions varied.

By the end of shift, most of the science ensigns were giving her a wide berth, as if subtly afraid of her, or possibly of the judgements she was making about them.

Spock returned to the bridge for the last hour of alpha shift and Saavik dutifully followed him. Her baseline now firmly established, she was able to use this opportunity to observe Spock’s interactions with his closest colleagues-- the bridge crew, Dr. McCoy, and Mr. Scott. She watched them all closely to observe the percent change in Spock’s behavior patterns as compared to his baseline.

She calculated a slight but noticeable rise in reactivity around Dr. McCoy. That was interesting. She would not have considered him as a potential bondmate for her sa-mekh, and yet the evidence clearly showed that Spock was attracted to him. She found their interactions puzzling and illogical, but perhaps that was the appeal. After all, she was not Spock, she could not know.

Just as she was acclimating to the idea, Captain Kirk returned to the bridge and reclaimed the conn.

Spock’s reactivity from baseline spiked a whopping 46%, and Saavik could not stop her eyes from widening.

She blatantly stared at Kirk for the rest of the hour. She has reason to believe this caused the human discomfort, as he became ‘squirmy’ and asked her three times if she needed anything.

David wandered up to T’Pring and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around to face him, an eyebrow raised inquisitively.

“Hey,” he said. “Who do you like?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You know,” he said. “Who are you attracted to?”

“Many people,” she said. “Physical attraction is common for adults, often fleeting and meaningless.”

“Okay, well is there anyone you’re attracted to and you’re compatible with?” he asked.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“I’m asking for research,” he said quickly.

“What kind of research?” she asked.

“Vulcan sexuality,” he said. “There’s very little data on it. I was curious.”

She nodded, appeased. “The pursuit of scientific knowledge is always logical. Very well. There are three crewmen who meet the specified characteristics for me: Ensign Matthews, Lieutenant Uhura, and Captain Kirk.”

“My dad?!”

She just arched an eyebrow. David huffed, affronted. He shook his head as if repulsed and scurried away.

“Alright, what’d you get?” David asked.

“Spock appears to be inordinately attracted to Captain Kirk.”

“What?!” he shrieked. “Oh, this is so weird. So’s T’Pring.”

“That is unfortunate. He is her most desired candidate?”

“Well, no, she didn’t say that. She actually gave me a list of three crewmembers.”

“Who are the others?”

“Matthews and Uhura.”

“Did she specify a preference?”

“No,” he said. “Did Spock?”

She nodded. “His interest in Captain Kirk went far above that of any other crewmembers.”

“Okay,” he said. “So we set your dad up with… my dad. Wait.”

Understanding seemed to hit them both at once.

“The goal is for them to bond. Accomplishing that would render us siblings,” Saavik said.

David made a face. “I guess. Do you-- do we do it anyway?”

She paused. “It would seem logical. I guess.”

“Are you mocking me?”

She tilted her head up. “As your future sister, I would never.”

He half-gasped and scowled. “You are definitely mocking me.”

“Human phrasings are most curious and worthy of mockery.”

“Hey!” he said, and shoved her lightly. She didn’t budge. “Vulcans talk weird too, you know!”

Thus launched a half-hour long debate.

Chapter Text

Of the ship's four new arrivals, two of them were scientists who would be operating within Spock's department, and he introduced them thusly.

"This is Lieutenant Gravak. He is to be joining the Enterprise as a senior team supervisor for the microbiology department. I expect you all to treat him with the respect he is do," Spock said, having assembled most of the upper-levels science crew before him.

Gravak gave a short bow, the Tellarite salute, and took a seat.

"This is Talsu-- or Doctor-- T'Pring. She is to take up the position as the head of cultural xenoanthropology, having previously maintained a similar position at the esteemed Federation Research Society. She is now a member of our crew on a semi-permanent basis, holding the equivalent rank of lieutenant and a high position as one of my few direct subordinates. You will treat her with honor."

T'Pring held up the ta'al, but remained rooted in place.

"I will now field questions," Spock said.

Silence.

"Dismissed."

They rose in a clamorous unison and got back to work.

The anthropology department was basically a modified conference room. One wall was covered with rows of storage draws, the table was a mess of papers and artifacts, diagrams and maps and holodisplays covered every free inch of the walls.

"Sorry about the mess," Ensign Hill said. "Weren't exactly expecting a new department head today."

"Your apology is illogical. I would prefer to see this workspace in the manner it actually functions rather than as a false front designed to impress." She picked up an object from the table, turning it over to examine with care. It appeared to be the lower front half of a skull, painted over and strung up with beads so as to attach it as a mask.

"The Enterprise is set to broker trade negotiations with the Klimanti people tomorrow at 0937 ship's time, sundown local time. I am to be part of the landing party so as to ease intercultural relations. Brief me on everything we know so far."

Having the shortest trips of any members of the senior crew, Spock and T'Pring were among the first higher-ranking officers to arrive in the mess hall, and naturally seated together.

The rest of the bridge crew immediately took notice and flocked towards them upon entry. Chekov had to pull another table over to make room.

"So, ma'am," McCoy drawled genially. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure to make your acquaintance quite yet. I'm Leonard McCoy, ship's surgeon and CMO."

"I am Talsu T'Pring," she said.

"How do you know Spock?" Chekov blurted. Sulu elbowed him in the ribs.

"Spock is my bondmate. We have been acquainted since childhood."

"What?!"

"Bondmate?" Scotty asked. "Sorry, lassie, I don't understand."

"T'Pring and myself share a mind-link. It is as of yet unfulfilled, but will likely not remain so for much longer," Spock said. "In human terms, it is less than a marriage, but more than a betrothal."

"But what about--" Chekov cast a wounded glance towards Kirk, who gave a tight smile.

"Mr. Spock's personal life is his own business," he said firmly. "I suggest you all leave him to it."

It was, of course, all over the ship in less than an hour.

"We need a plan of action," Saavik said. "You are a human. How do we arrange for other people to feel an emotional connection?"

David frowned. "I have no idea. I'd have to look it up."

Saavik slid him a padd, and he began tapping away at it. His frown got deeper and deeper.

"This is all useless," he said. "All the results are just, like, manipulation tactics or really weird stuff. There's no way we can get Spock to adapt a 'fresher, hotter look.'"

"That appeals to the physical anyway," Saavik said. "Their mutual attraction already exists in a carnal sense. We have covered this. We seek to create emotional circumstances such that any situation short of marriage is intolerable for them."

"That won't work," David said. "Spock will never leave T'Pring if she doesn't have someone else to turn to. We're working on this backwards. We need to focus on her first."

Saavik pulled back slightly. "You imply that her honor is lacking in comparison. T'Pring, similarly, would not abandon Spock without a suitable mate."

"Spock already has a suitable mate. It's my dad. Everyone knows that. T'Pring isn't stupid. She'd leave Spock if a better opportunity arose."

Saavik nodded, conceding the point.

"Okay, so T'Pring. Wait, who are we going to set her up with? We never decided between Lieutenant Uhura and Ensign Matthews. We just ruled out my dad."

"...Let us go with Lieutenant Uhura. She is kind, and I wish her happiness."

David nodded. "Okay. So what are we going to do? How do we make them fall in love?"

Saavik's face pinched in concentration. "We must consult an expert on both meddling and human romance."

"I know just the person," David said.