Chapter Twenty-Three
Pike rubbed his forehead and wished for a thousandth time he never made Admiral. Things were so much easier when he was Captain. He was currently listening to Komack and Marcus discussing why they needed to pull Jim and Spock from the Enterprise and give it to someone more deserving. He could tell by the look on the others faces that they were getting aggravated with the two idiots. He knew that Marcus had hated Jim since he broke up with Carol. Felt she could have done better and that he broke her heart. Last time he talked to her, she was looked at Nurse Chapel as a love interest. Yeah, she was soo broken hearted. Komack on the other hand was a Xenophobic Homophobic moron. How he managed to make it to Admiral was a mystery to him. Right now the sanctimonious ass was stating that as the Captain and First Officer were compromised, they were a danger to Starfleet. How as untrained telepaths and empaths they could compromise the security of Starfleet. How he wished he could just shoot them and get it over with. Wonder how Komack would act if and when he finds out his partner in stupidities daughter was one of those skirt lifters he always goes on about.
“I am just saying that now that Kirk is no longer fully human, he could give Starfleet secrets to whoever is behind what the Excalbians did to them. And now we have two Klingons and Romulans on the Enterprise that could be plants. It is not natural for males to give birth to children, let alone together.” Pike tuned in to the arguing in time to hear the homophobic comment from Komack.
“James Komack, I won’t hear that kind of talk.” Archer shouted at him. “We don’t have to worry about those boys giving nothin’ away. They are loyal Starfleet officers that risked their lives when we have the problem with Nero and again with Khan.”
“The Kirk’s have always been loyal officers in Starfleet. Starting with George Kirk’s selfless act that save hundreds when the Kelvin was attacked. Just recently we lost Jim Kirk’s mother when her ship was attacked and destroyed by the Romulans. Jim has proven himself every time and so has his First Officer.” Heihachiro Nogura chimed in. He was a family friend and had known Captain Kirk since he was a small boy.
“You are correct, Heihachiro,” Archer said. “I have here on my pad that the Vulcans have claimed him a citizen of New Vulcan and the bonded mate to Commander Spock. And as such is now under their protection along with the unborn twins.” He waved the pad to add emphasis to his statement. He was frustrated with these two imbeciles, he knew that Marcus was a bitter fool and he credited Komack’s stupidity to him being born a few hundred years too late. He knew that whatever had been done to them, they were the same officers that serve Starfleet proudly.
“I don’t know how that knob polishing, shirt lifting faggot was able to pull it off, but he has no business commanding a ship,” Komack muttered under his breathe. It didn’t matter because Nogura and Pike were close enough to hear.
“That is enough, Komack. If you continue, you will be brought before Starfleet for this behavior. James Kirk has proven many times that he has earned that command and so has Commander Spock. This is the 23 rd century, we should be beyond such sentiment.” Nogura voice cut sharply across the room, stilling the conversation between Barrett and Archer on what do to assist Jim Kirk and Spock.
“We will come to a vote. It will stand the decision made now. All in favor of Captain Kirk and Commander Spock retaining their command, raise your hand.” Archer, Barrett, Pike and Nogura raised their hands.
“All those in favor of removing them?” Only Komack and Marcus raised their hands. The others already knew that they would be opposed to it, so weren't surprised. Archer sighed in disgust at the two men. It was men like James T. Kirk and Commander Spock that brought in the new Cadets, hell even Pike was bringing them in. They want to be heroes like those men, not has beens like the rest of them. Not that he would say that out loud, old he may be but not crazy.
“Well, moving on. Since they are now bonded and we keep married couples together on assignments now, Christopher has already signed off on having the Enterprise retrofitted when she gets to New Vulcan. Anything else we need to do in regards to the Enterprise?”
“They should have a full work up and we need to know how much they have been changed,” Marcus said.
“Are we back on this again? We are not relieving them.”
“That is not what I mean. I mean, we need to know what has been done to them so we can make sure that we have no complications. They are telepaths now and empaths, I know the Vulcans are already there but the Commander more so and now the Captain will be affected by these changes. We need to make sure that he will be able to continue his command then if we are going to relieve him from it.”
“As much as I hate to say this, Admiral Marcus does have a point. If we have them continue being the poster children for Starfleet, we have to make sure that they experience no complications from the Excalbians messing with their DNA,” Barrett said.
“So we will have a ship meet them there and have a couple of our scientists work with the Vulcans and Doctor McCoy on this matter. Everyone agree?” Archer asked. They all nodded. “Good, Chris, you get to tell them.”
“Me, why me?” he asked, startled.
“Cause he likes you and might throw less of a fit.” Archer grinned at him. Pike grinded his teeth, damn interfering old fool.
“I will contact him after we are finished and let him know.”
“Good, we will have the ship there in place, so when they arrive there in 3.5 days, everything will be all set. Meeting adjourned.” They all got up and started to head to their offices.
**********
Archer walked over to Pike, “Ya got a few minutes, Chris?”
“Yes, come on into my office.” They head down the hall to Pike's office. They walked in and sealed the door. “What can I do for you, Jon?” he asked sitting down. Archer sat in the chair opposite him.
“Now, I find it fishy about Alexander's sudden concern for our boys.”
“I know. Going from they are compromised to making sure they are okay. I wouldn't put it past to try something to get them removed another way.”
“Especially as he is siding with James on this issue.”
Pike snickered, “I wonder what James would say if he knew that Carol was trying to get Christine Chapel into her bed.”
Archer raised his eyebrows, “Likes both genders does she?”
“Oh hell, the reason why those two get along so well is because they both like any gender or species. She is on the same ship as JIm so there are no hard feelings between the two there. Marcus is upset he lost his chance to be linked to the Kirk name, famous two times over.”
“Probably, just tell the two when you talked to them that there might something going on and to look out for anything from those two idiots.”
“Will do, maybe we should choose the scientists. It might be easier to get someone we trust close to them to watch over them and then that avenue is closed off to them.”
“Good idea. We can have his own daughter as one of the scientists.”
“Ha, that will stick in his craw as she is already aboard ship and helping out in sickbay.” snickered Pike.
“Yeah, since McCoy was also covering on the bridge, they pulled her from the lab,” Archer murmured with a thoughtful look.
“What are you up to old man?” Pike asked him.
“George Kirk Junior.”
“What about him?”
“He can be the other scientist.”
“Yes, but he scheduled to go to Earth Colony II station soon?”
“So we work to get him to New Vulcan. I am sure this would tickle his fancy, a biologist that’s subject is his brother.”
“Sounds like a Kirk thing to do. I will get the ball rolling on that. Want me to tell him who will be his scientists?”
“Nah, let’s surprise him.”
“You’re a sadistic old man.”
“I know.”
“I need a drink.”
“Come to my office when you are done talking to him. I’ll have the good stuff waiting for ya.”
“Thanks, I’ll need it.”