*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

     If Riley was taken aback at Kirk's return with Uhura in tow, he was prudent enough to keep his mouth shut as the Admiral steered her into his office. Sitting her down in his own chair, Kirk dragged a chair from the outer office where Riley stood post for himself.

     "Sir, I took the liberty of calling up everything about the Reliant I could while you were gone. I'm sorry, sir." At first Kirk was startled by Riley's insight, but he quickly smiled sadly and dropped a fatherly hand on his secretary's shoulder before continuing to drag in the chair.

     "Thank's Riley, I appreciate it."

     "It's the least I could do sir. I know what it's like to loose a friend in the service." Riley's eyes fleetingly clouded with prolonged pain, but they cleared. Time had worked it's magic on his pain, and Kirk could only hope it would do the same for him.

     By the time he had positioned the chair in a position to see his terminal's screen, Uhura had already logged in to the Starfleet net and pulled up several classified reports on the Reliant. Her face set with determination, Kirk decided to err on the better side of self-preservation and not inquire how she had gained access to such files.

     "Starfleet isn't releasing anything official about the disappearance, sir, and the files that I've been able to get into haven't given me any real information. The only one worth mentioning is from a couple of days ago when they first sent out the Salk to look for the Reliant. They said that, in order to keep out any possibility of a news leak they were going to keep everything classified. It also says that you, sir, are not to be told because you might cause an 'incident' that could reflect negatively on Starfleet."

     Kirk's face darkened, in both anger and embarrassment as Uhura continued her report. "That was five days ago, and it would have taken approximately a half a day to get the Reliant and at least five to get back to Earth. What really bothers me though, is the fact that Starfleet must know what the condition of the Reliant is, but they won't tell us." Kirk had very rarely seen honest anger on the kindhearted communications officer's face, but now a look of loathing was reflected towards the powers that be who were impeding her progress.

     "Remember Uhura, we aren't supposed to know what's happened. Also, the Salk may have been detained in some way, maybe in picking up survivors, so it's logical that they might not have even reported to Starfleet yet." Thinking of Spock as soon as the word logical came out of his mouth, Kirk turned to Uhura.

     "We can do something else now though. Spock might be able to gather more information then we can through his father. We should tell Bones and Scotty what's happened too."

     "Of course Captain, I-" Uhura hesitated, but Kirk smiled.

     "I know, you just want to know what to believe. Whether you should keep your hope up or not. Trust me Uhura, you should. Don't you think Chekov would want you to?"

     "Yes, you're right." A shy smile peeked its way from behind the clouds of gloom that had shadowed Uhura's normal radiance. "I can just imagine what he would be doing if he saw me being this stupid. Can you imagine it, Admiral?"

     Kirk's grin widened. "I see something along the lines of declaring that something like warp drive was invented in Russia, just to tip off Scotty, and then claim that Sulu had told him that to get Sulu started and then watch the two of them duke it out not realizing that everyone else on the bridge was laughing at them."

     "I always suspected he did those kinds of things for comic relief." Uhura sobered suddenly, "But not anymore."

     "Maybe, or maybe he'll come to annoy us yet."

     "Did he really annoy you Admiral?" Uhura's question was innocent, but Kirk could hear a subtext under it. What would Chekov had thought if he knew that the one person that he looked up to almost more than God thought he was annoying?

     "Of course not Uhura. If anything I was glad that we had someone as young as him to make sure that we older officers didn't take ourselves to seriously." Kirk smirked happy to see a smile on Uhura's face. "See Uhura, it won't be so bad if you concentrate on the good things. Should we call Scotty and the others now?"

     Kirk's hand snaked to the console to place the call, but Uhura intercepted him before he could. "No, let's wait until we know for sure. No need to make them worry unnecessarily."

     Wincing, Kirk knew that he should have taken that into consideration when he went to contact Sulu and Uhura. He was so flabbergasted, though, that Starfleet would be so audacious as to keep something like that away from him that he had to tell someone. They had seemed the right people; the ones who would want to know the most. Only now did Kirk realize that they were really the last people he should have told until he got all of the facts. "You're right, but there's no saying that we can't be the first to know when the verdict does come through. Let's get on the horn," Kirk used the old term that still referred to the instant communications, "and threaten every high-ranking Admiral we can find that I'll cause one hell of and 'incident' if I'm not the first to know when the Salk comes in."

     Uhura's look of determination cemented the plan of action, "Yes, sir."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

     It took three more days, despite very persuasive haranguing, for Kirk to get an answer to his demands. He had sent Uhura to check on Sulu earlier that day and consequently was alone when a harried looking Admiral Huang called his office. Though Kirk had canceled Uhura and Sulu's classes the day he had told them about the Reliant, he knew that he couldn't keep it the students from their teachers indefinitely. Over the course of the week the two friends had returned to their jobs, but Uhura had decided to keep a hawk-eye vigil on Sulu to make sure he was all right.

     He wasn't. It was that simple. His lectures lacked the natural finesse of energy that he had always brought to them before. After class he wouldn't hesitate for even a second before leaving for the cold confines of his apartment. He didn't return any of Kirk's or Uhura's calls for days, and eventually the two of them decided the more direct approach was need. Kirk wanted to go and figure things out with Sulu himself, he wanted to be the one that brought the relatively young Asian out of his funk, but he accepted that Uhura have more of a chance than he.

     The whole time Uhura had been gone that day at Sulu's apartment Kirk twisted his hands and paced his office, glancing every few seconds at either his door or comm., hoping that Uhura would update him by either mean. After what seemed like days, Uhura wearily came through the door held open politely by Riley. When Kirk couldn't contain his inquisitive side and asked what happened, Uhura just shook her head.

     "Sulu is one of the most stubborn people that I know. If it's possible, I think he's even more headstrong than Chekov is." She refused to use the past tense for her friend yet. "It' hard to see Hikaru so low, Admiral, but sometimes I forget that despite all, Sulu can get just as depressed as the rest of us."

     "But you got through to him?" Kirk queried apprehensively.

     "After a load of yelling and throwing of things and finally slapping him, yes, I think I did." Kirk blinked, the mental image of Uhura getting violent making for a strange mental picture. "He finally started to talk to me sir, and I learned things that I don't know if I ever really wanted to know. But Sulu needed to tell someone, and I'm just glad that he knows that he can tell someone now."

     Kirk sighed in relief. "I have a hard time envisioning Sulu not knowing that he could come to you or me at any time."

     "You'd be surprised what Sulu hides behind that cocky smile of his, sir."

     "Uhura, at a time like this, I'd be honored if you'd call me Jim." Uhura blinked in incomprehension but when the weight of Kirk's request, she laughed. Of all of the possible responses, this was not the one that Kirk expected.

     "Oh, Admiral," she giggle, "That would be like calling the President of the Federation 'Bob'. You'll always be Admiral or Captain Kirk to me."

     That was a double edge sword if Kirk ever heard one, but he smiled anyway. "Alright, Uhura, if that's the way it's going to be."

     Uhura laughed again and could help some good-natured ribbing, "I'm not Dr. McCoy sir."

     That was two days ago and every day since Uhura had gone back to Sulu's home, talking and bringing him slowly back. Just the day before Uhura had practically bounded into Kirk's office.

     "Oh, Admiral, you should have seen it! Sulu asked if we knew anything about the Reliant and her crew yet!" Kirk felt Uhura's high spirits transfer to him with the knowledge that Sulu hadn't totally given up on Chekov and the crew of the lost ship.

     Now she was gone again, and with sweating hands Kirk activated his screen. "Yes, Admiral."

     The petit Korean woman glared at Kirk, but one of the reasons Kirk had first contacted her to help him was because he knew that she would sympathize with his predicament. "Admiral Kirk, I have some highly classified information that I can only impart to you at a specific time, mainly two hours from now. Make sure that anyone you think needs to know this information will be in your office at that time."

     Not quite understanding the need for subterfuge, Kirk addressed his fellow Admiral. "I don't understand why you can't tell me now-"

     "Just do it Jim." Her eyes twinkled briefly as Kirk could see her reaching forward to cut the connection. "I'll talk to you then." Then abruptly, she vanished from the screen, her place taken by the elite Starfleet logo.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

     Watching Sulu being nervous was making Kirk nervous. Seeing Kirk nervous was making Uhura nervous. It was getting to the point of absurdity. Immediately after he got over the shock of Haung's cryptic message, Kirk had contacted Sulu's apartment. Surprised to see Sulu actually answer his call, Kirk relayed the orders he had gotten and the Uhura promised from over Sulu's right shoulder to get there as soon as possible.

     When they showed up, Kirk had initially been surprised by the pale complexion of the Asian man. He was about to comment on it when he remembered he had looked the same way only days after his brother Sam's death. Having Riley bring in a coffee for all of them, they say down to wait. Time moved agonizingly slow as the two hours passed, and eventually Kirk updated himself on scientific reports, just so he would have something to do. When the terminal screen changed from a cheery blue to the black background and Starfleet insignia with a flashing MESSAGE WAITING in red, Kirk pounced on the workstation, but Sulu beat him too it. All of that fencing paid off when it came to quick reflexes.

     "Well, Jim, how are you?" Aishana Haung cordially greeted Kirk, taking in the view of Uhura and Sulu crowded in the screen.

     "You're twelve minutes late." Kirk's greeting was considerably less friendly.

     Haung feigned surprise. "Really? Considering your track record, Jim, I never expected you to be a stickler for something like this. Sorry." Kirk was about to get angry with her, when he realized something. Haung knew what was wrong, and she wouldn't be joking around if she were about to deliver the equivalent of a deathblow to him and his companions. He was about to gather his witty banter in rebuttal when he caught a view of Sulu's taught face. They needed to know, he recognized, and cut to the chase.

     "What do you know, Aishana?" the Admiral's smirk grew until it blossomed into a full-fledged smile.

     "I'll have you know that I had to go through hell to get this for you, Jim. You owe me. Doctor's can be a real pain, even to Admirals." Reaching off screen she pulled at something to bring it into view. "I expect to be repaid in full by all of you."

     Left arm in a sling and the telltale signs of someone having recently been beaten soundly still evident on his face, Pavel Chekov stumbled into the camera's view.

     This time when Uhura gasped it was one of happiness. Her hand reached out to caress the screen, and Chekov smiled shyly. "Hi Uhura, Sulu."

     "Oh God, Pavel, I swear, I, dammit, what am I," Uhura was having a hard time forming coherent sentences, so Sulu jumped into the breach.

     "Pavel, I don't know whether to kill you or never let you out of my sight ever again." A complete transformation from the guilt and sorrow riddled man Kirk had seen only minutes before, Sulu's smile rivaled the Cheshire cat's.

     "How about neither." Chekov glimpsed furtively behind him, as if expecting Sulu to come up from behind him and come through with one or the other of his threats.

     Sulu's expression softened, looking almost vulnerable, "I'm just glad you're OK buddy. I was going crazy because I thought you were dead. Uhura too." He added the last part while looking up at Uhura as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

     Chekov was instantly contrite, and when he looked harder, Sulu could see still fine lines of pain etched in the Russian's face. "I'm sorry I made you worry," his apology was sincere, "I should have called or something."

     The suggestion moved Uhura to laugh, and Kirk simply shook his head at the good ole Chekovian behavior. Sulu smiled reassuringly, "Don't stress yourself over it. We're just glad you made it back in one piece."

     "Where are you?" this came from Uhura, who wanted nothing more then to go and see Chekov herself, hug him till she was sure that he really was alive.

     "Actually, by the time you get up here, this young man will probably be in San Francisco's main medical complex. The Reliant had to be towed to Utopia Planetia, and is due for some pretty extensive repairs. He should arrive within the day." Huang answered. She glanced at the man beside her and, upon noticing the same lines of strain that Sulu had, began to shoo him away. "Back to bed with you young man. If any of the doctors find out I let you out I'm going to be in the bed right next to you."

     It was obvious that Chekov didn't want to leave, and that Sulu and Uhura didn't want him to, but Sulu actually backed up the fiery Admiral. "Go on Pavel. We'll be waiting for you when you get back to Earth. You've worried us enough and I don't want you getting beaten up by any doctors. You know how violent Dr. McCoy could get."

     "Get well soon!" Uhura ordered as he disappeared from their range of vision. Still caught in the euphoria of finding their friend alive, Kirk found room to ask his own questions.

     "How is he?" Kirk too hadn't missed the rather stiff way the Commander had held himself, as if moving might cause more pain to show through that he didn't want. Huang turned to look to her right, presumably at the retreating figure about whom Kirk was referring.

     "Actually, he's one of the worst cases. He had a severe concussion when the Salk arrived and had been banged up from the wild ride. Any first-degree burns he sustained are long gone. He broke one rib and his arm and a few internal injuries that I'm not that clear on and are probably the ones that are giving him grief now, but other than that, he's none worse the wear for his trip."

     Uhura had winced in the middle of the Admiral's itinerary of Chekov's wounds, but found comfort in the fact that his had been the worst. That was so like him, she decided, and she liked it that way.

     "What about the warp core explosion detected?" Kirk's eyebrows lifted in question. Surprisingly, the other Admiral rolled her eyes.

     "You mean the one that your friend there had on a damaged shuttle because of a firefight between two Romulan warbirds and the Reliant? The one that he set to self-destruct and then beamed out the second that the Reliant lowered its screens? Captain Terrell was willing to sustain moderate damage for that one second because they lit out of there faster than it takes you to find trouble and the resulting explosion disabled the two Romulan ships. Rocked the Reliant around quite a bit too, but since your man had been on the shuttle and the ship when the shock wave went out, he was hit two-fold."

     Kirk closed his eyes, imagining the maneuver. When he opened his eyes, he addressed the Admiral one last time. "Thank you Aishana."

     "Thank your friend when you see him, Jim. The Reliant wouldn't have been able to stand against the Romulans for much longer if he hadn't played that little trick. He learned too well from you Jim. Now, I'm going to light out of here before I get caught, and I'll see you the next time I need something."

     The screen blacked out once again, and when it did, Uhura leaned forward to hug Sulu from behind. "Didn't I tell you that he would be alright?" she chastised him.

     "Yeah," Sulu agreed, a mischievous quirk twisting his smile. "But I was right to. He almost got his butt fried going into a battle zone in a damaged shuttle to save his ship, so we're even."

     Turning as one, they faced Kirk. "Thank you sir." Uhura straitened to salute him.

     "For everything." Sulu added as he scrambled up from the chair he had been in to copy Uhura's salutation beside her.

     "Just tell Chekov he did a good job when you see him and go get some sleep, you both look like you could use some. You know that Chekov will feel bad if he finds out you have been worrying yourselves literally sick."

     "Yes sir!" Like cadets, or a certain green Ensign from many years ago, they turned on their heels and strode to the door. Kirk wondered if the parallel was planned or not. Not that it mattered. Watching the two friends march down the hall, Kirk knew that there would only be more trouble coming from the three of them. Settling in his cushioned chair, Kirk suddenly had the urge to contact Spock and McCoy. Maybe they would want to get together sometime.

Feel free to use your Constitutional right of reviewing and tell me what you think. I really, really, want to know. Please? I know you will, so thanks in advance!