Chapter 10 – Tabakau

Everyone turned a blind eye when one day Spock left the room when Kodos was sighted, and suspiciously no one, not even the Karidian troop ever heard from him again. It was not too later after that, the families of Finney, Finnegan and Mitchell had to face taking them off life support; not that it was much of a decision on their part, as they had been very informed (more informed then the media, that is), about their sons participation of their adding a mass criminal and adding him and Marcus to perform illegal actions of torture against Jim, not to mention their going to add him in further torturous advents of Jim and Riley.

The media had a full field day, when they had so much to cover, starting from Khan—Harrison's illegal acts against Starfleet (and "subsequent death at the hands of the Klingons"), the sudden return of one alive James, "Jim", T Kirk, as well as the people aiding in keeping Jim that way. Their biggest coverage was their footage of Starfleet's removal of the remembrance plate in the gardens for Jim, as well as their speculations as to why all this had happened. Not one of their speculations at least remotely looked like the actual truth and the people involved in it.

Spock was on his way back to Jim's room after meeting once more with Starfleet about damage control, and his future roll on the Enterprise in a year or so time, once it was fully repaired and upgraded again. His world came to a halting stop when he had a body-full of his T'hy'la crashing into him with an alarmed yelp as he miscalculated his footing.
Spock blinked down at him in surprise as Jim spat out curses, then looked up to see who caught him.
"Oh, hey, Spock…!" Jim said cheerfully.
Spock blinked again as he put his arms under Jim's shoulders to heft him up properly. "T'hy'la…What are you doing….?" Spock asked; he and Jim knew full well that Jim should not be outside his bed, let alone 'walking' out of his room.
Jim looked sheepish. "Um, walking…." He replied.
Spock's eyebrows vanished into his hairline. "And how long have you been trying to escape your room, as well as McCoy?" Spock asked; he knew sooner or later Jim would take it upon himself to get out of his room, out if the hospital and well away from it as soon as he could. Though, Spock could surmise he could thoroughly blame himself for avoiding the main issue of why he was…avoiding it with Jim as long as he had.
"Um, well, what time is it?" Jim asked, a tad hopeful.
"A little past lunchtime," Spock answered truthfully.
Jim looked surprised. "Damn. I got out of bed at nine!"
It had taken him that long to get to the doorway.
Spock gave out a puff of air, "Enough of that." He countered, and before Jim could protest, Spock had gathered him up and walked into the room with Jim in his arms.

Jim sat on his bed with his arms crossed and a full blown pout featuring on his face.
Spock flicked his face. "Stop acting like a child, Jim."
Jim sighed and let go of his pout. "Sorry."
Spock let out a puff of air again, gathering his nerve he sat down in the nearest chair.
"…There…is something I wish to discuss with you." Spock started.
Jim looked startled, but nodded slowly. "Okay…" He said slowly.
"What do you know of Vulcan bonds, Jim?" Spock asked tentatively.
Jim looked surprised, as if he wasn't quite expecting that question. "Uh, it's something you guys have right; it's like Earth marriage, yeah? You guys can get pretty sick if the other dies, I remember that." Jim responded (more like fumbled) as kindly as he could, as he recalled something only he and Spock remembered. "I'm very much guessing when I say I assume your parents have one." Jim said.
Spock nodded. "Indeed, they do have one." He said.
Jim frowned. "What…exactly brought this up…?" He asked, and he saw how reluctant Spock was in talking about it.
"We have such a bond, Jim." Spock replied plainly.
Jim's eyes went wide in sudden realization. "So that's what it was!" He said exclamation.
Spock blinked. "Pardon…?" He asked quietly.
Jim frowned in concentration as if he searched for something in his mind, he was now fully aware of Vulcan telepathic communication between each other, and now he knew Spock had been using it subconsciously with him since he woke up.
Jim looked curious. "How long have we had this going on?" He asked, gesturing to the air between his and Spock's heads.
"Since our altercation on the bridge, I have only been made aware of it recently; it was how I was able to find you." Spock responded quietly.

Jim quietly stared at Spock. "So….what you're saying….is that we've basically been married since we meet? And it saved me? — Holy crap! I am so sorry!" Jim suddenly exclaimed.
Spock could truthfully state that this wasn't the response he thought he would get. "I cannot fully understand what it is you are apologising for, if anything I have to make apologies as well. It was because of me that the bond went unanswered for so long." Spock said.
Jim blinked. "Hang on, isn't it kinda my fault too? Good kinda fault, but nonetheless, it's a fault." Jim said.
Spock blinked in confusion, "How can it be a good fault but a fault at the same time, T'hy'la?" He asked.
Jim shrugged. "Well, because of it, it saved my life, and it brought you to me, I'm not about to go knocking it down for a pretence it's unwelcomed on my end, Spock. Unless you do not wish for it—"
Before Jim could finish Spock was up, his forehead against Jim's, and his eyes shut.
"Never, T'hy'la, never believe it is a mistake or that it was ever unwelcomed after being found." Spock breathed.
Jim lifted one of his hands to cradle the side of Spock's face, as his eyes shut. "As long as it's not unwelcomed, Spock."
And I will always find you. Spock responded silently to him, which made Jim smile.
"You're definitely going to teach me how to do that, Spock." Jim replied cheekily.
"That, T'hy'la, I do not doubt." Spock responded truthfully.

.

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Amanda had not been one for giggling in her time, but seeing Jim twitch anxiously in his bed waiting for McCoy to come back was just to hilarious for her to contain, and it came out in a full blown giggle attack.
"Ma'am…!" Jim whined at her, when he noticed her giggling at him.
"Never Ma'am with me, Jim…!" She reminded as she giggled. "If you could see yourself, you would giggle too!" She said.
Spock and Sarek stood to the side of the room watching the events unfold. Spock could very well sense what was going on in Jim's mind; every second McCoy was away was another second wasted in the hospital, while Sarek could sense the amusement coming from his wife with contentment that she was feeling such an emotion true to her kind once more and not the clouding sadness that had clung to her for nearly a year.

They all looked to the door when, to their surprise not McCoy walked in, but Pike.
"Pike…!" Jim called out joyously, having not seen much of the man as he knew Pike had huge responsibilities and not enough time to do those in.
Pike smiled at him. "Alright there, son…?" He asked gently.
Jim nodded. "Be even better when I get out of here!"
Pike nodded sympathetically, but then looked to Spock. "I have a proposition for you…" He started.

Jim was nearly joyously bouncing off the walls by the time McCoy came back in.
"Damn it, Jim! You can go!" McCoy announced.
"YES!" Jim hollered and bounded off the bed as quick as he could, only to be stopped a second later when Spock snaked an arm around his middle to keep him in one place.
"Spock….!" Jim whined. "Let me go…!" Jim asked with a pout.
Spock shook his head. "I believe doctor McCoy has more to say to you." Spock replied, not at all budging from the pout being used on him.
Jim groaned.
"Make sure you do absolutely nothing, understand me?" McCoy grumbled.
"Yeah, yeah, sure, nothing, can I go!" Jim rushed, knowing there was no use in scrambling at Spock's arm to let him go.
McCoy looked to Spock. "And you damn well make sure of it!" McCoy said angrily.
Spock nodded. "Or else, Jim will be back here, I understand," Under him Spock could feel Jim understanding. "As does Jim; may we go?" Spock asked.
McCoy groaned. "Y'all get out of my sight before I hypo you!" McCoy grumbled.
Jim yelped, and pawed at Spock's arm pleadingly, with it Spock let go, but took his arm to lead him out, with his parents not far behind.
"Oh, and Jim…?" McCoy started, calling them all to look to him, and he smiled, "Congratulations." McCoy said with finality; then turned back to the medical machines to turn them off.
Jim beamed and looked to Spock, who nodded their leave.

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It had taken nearly a year since Jim returned for the Enterprise to be fully up and functioning again, with the hallways bright and light filling every space it could. In her one year in station she had seen her previous Captain, Pike, become an admiral to be of a few that would run Starfleet instead of just one individual come this time around; but her newest Captain was yet to come aboard. She had undergone many simulations and tests ordered by him to be completed by her bridge crew, always at the very highest scores and always glowing with pride when the tests came back fully positive that she was ready for her next mission of five years in space.
It was time for take-off.

Jim walked confidently onto the bridge of the Enterprise, quickly pushing aside the biggest of Déjà vu he had ever witnessed as he looked around the bridge to see all its familiar faces in the exact right spots. His smile turned bigger when Chekov turned around, and seemed to have a smile splitting his face in half as he said;
"Captain on the bridge!"
Everyone on the bridge looked to the lift to see their new Captain standing there with a nostalgic smile as he walked over to the middle chair; then suddenly look over to Marcus.
"Doctor Marcus," He called genuinely.
She jumped in what most would deem in fright. "…Yes sir…?"
Marcus was definitely confused at the knowing grin he had sporting, "I'm glad you can be a part of the family." He replied, his smile morphing into a kind one.
She blinked in awe. "…It's…nice to have a family…?" She responded in kind.
Jim nodded, and pressed down to con. Scotty. "Mister Scott, how's our core?" He asked, smiling at an amused Uhura as he went.
"Purring like a kitten, Captain!" Scotty responded in surprise, having not expected Jim to have called him. "She's ready for a long journey." He replied fondly.
"Excellent!" Jim responded, the bounded over to McCoy to clap him on both of his shoulders joyfully. "Come on, Bones! It'll be fun!" Jim said excitedly to the grumpy man.
Said grumpy man sighed in annoyance. "Five years in space! God help me!" McCoy grumbled.
Then Jim went to stand in front of his chair. "Spock," He called.
Spock turned around. "Captain…?" He responded as he walked over to stand shoulder-to-shoulder; noting that everyone was watching eagerly at both him and Jim in notion of what the two from the future would do, as well as the mischievous glint in his T'hy'la's eyes.
"Where should we go?" Jim asked politely.
Spock looked to him. No matter where we are to go, we shall always be home. He replied silently to Jim, who responded with a genuine smile. "As a mission of this duration has never been attempted," Spock could also play Jim's game of riling up the crew. "I defer to your good judgement, Captain." Spock replied and with one last side-smile, he went back to sit at his station, noting all the dissatisfied mumbles and groans from the crew as he went from the lack of extra information.
Jim kept smiling as he finally sat back down into his chair. "Mister Sulu, take us out." Jim said, and Sulu looked to him. "That-a-way," Jim replied to Sulu's look and he pointed nonchalantly towards the stars.
"Aye, Captain!" Sulu responded happily, and with that, the Enterprise was once more again journeying on her five year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

-If there is any true logic in this universe: we'll end up on that bridge again, someday.

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/The End.

You taught me the courage of stars before you left,
how light carries on endlessly, even after death.
I couldn't help but ask, for you to say it all again;
I'd give anything to hear you say it one more time:
That the universe was made, just to be seen by my eyes.

With shortness of breath I'll explain the infinite…
How rare…
And beautiful,
it truly is that we exist.

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A/N: Well, that's Thrap-fam'es nufau t' du / Forgiveness Of You done and dusted! Woo! Hope you liked it and it lived up to Vokaya Halan (you guys are weird, you know that, right?) And of course, if you guys are interested, I'm thinking of doing a follow on to this series that takes a look at the first year of the five year mission, but you guys, if you want it, you gonna have to give me a lot of help! Like what you want to happen on random planets, I've got a few already, but if you want more then just, uh, two, I'll need your input. And names, heaven give me names!
So, if you liked this story and want to tell me, please go right ahead and tell me!
If you also want to tell me your opinion on the follow on and / or have any suggestions for said follow on, review and tell me all your secrets!

./FOY/. Italics from each chapter:

1. Trading Yesterday - Shattered / 2. Jason Walker - Echo / 3. Jeff Williams ft. Casey Lee Williams - This Will Be The Day (RWBY) / 4. Poets of the Fall - War / 5. Morgan Taylor Reid - Where Do I Even Start / 6. Thomas Bergersen ft. Merethe S. - The Hero In Your Heart / 7. Skylar Grey - I'm Coming Home (Part II) / 8. Plumb - In My Arms / 9. Nightwish - Tenth Man Down / 10. (1), Elder-Kirk (William Shatner) cameo for the Star Trek 2009 (unaired script) / 10. (2), Sleeping At Last - Saturn