George Samuel Kirk, a responsible big brother, wanted to join some boys in a game of football. He told little Jimmy to wait nearby and watch the game, and Jimmy agreed, but we all know what a toddler's promise is worth.

Jimmy, an inquisitive and active tot, decided to explore a nearby sewer grate, with startling results. Jimmy's wails from beneath the street attracted the boys, then some concerned adults, and finally some rescue workers.

George got the lecture of his life. From that day, he would often darkly warn little Jim:

"Don't go off alone or you're DEAD. Understand?"

The happy, rambunctious towhead one frazzled mother struggled in vain to control had too much energy. In the name of peace and order it was generally agreed to let the troublemaker's mother finish registration first.

"...And the child's full name?" The registrar asked.

"James T. Kirk."

"And what does the 'T' stand for?"

Mrs. Kirk rolled her eyes. Jimmy had been given the same initials as his paternal granduncle who had died the week he was born. She had never gotten around to choosing a middle name for Jim.

"Tiberius!" she joked (but it went into the record).

Amanda was told that Spock was attempting to domesticate a sehlat. Amanda had never heard of a sehlat and didn't react as the Vulcans thought she should.

The Vulcans had watched, horrified, as Spock captured small animals and offered them to the creature to win its trust. To them it looked like he was enslaving himself to the beast - hunting for it, sacrificing living things to it as if it were a Pagan's God.

She explained to them that Spock was behaving like a normal Terran child. Then she saw Spock's hulking, saber-toothed pet and immediately stopped defending the experiment.

Spock was taken from Amanda, and sent away, while very young. The Vulcans believed they had an unwholesome relationship. They loved each other too well, and in a way no one had ever seen before. The boy and his mother were unnaturally clingy, doing everything in tandem, as if they were conjoined twins. Most unsettling.

Great trouble was taken to purge the boy mentally of his emotional attachment. Spock had to be, in effect, deprogrammed.

It was the Vulcan way.

Amanda had resented this greatly. There were many tears. She ultimately accepted it, when Spock no longer returned her affection.

"The reason they give you such a hard time in basic is to weed out the fifteen-percenters" Kirk explained.

"15:70:15 - the percent of your average human population who can play a leadership role in an emergency, trained or not, versus the passive majority, versus the dangerous idiots that lose it completely.

"Had the bad luck to be hiding with a cellar full of this bottom 15% one time, and none of them would shut up and hide quietly. I got the hell out of there. That's what kept me alive. Now I keep other people alive. See how that works?"

This happened the first time James T. Kirk was on his back in sickbay for Dr. McCoy:

"How'm I doin', sawbones?" the young Captain asked, brightly.

McCoy was taken aback.

"What did you call me?"

"Sawbones. That's what they used to call battlefield surgeons, during the U.S. Civil War."

"That doesn't sound like a compliment." McCoy groused.

"It's simply descriptive." Kirk explained. "They used to literally saw damaged limbs off of injured men, and without anesthesia, too."

Privately, McCoy was shocked.

"Do you keep yourself awake nights, thinking of such things?"

"It's just history" Jim slyly smiled. "Facts are facts."

"Behavior is best conceptualized in terms of dimensions, not as categorical variables. Precision suffers whenever you use typological measures, not continuous scales" Spock said.

"What is THAT supposed to mean?" McCoy asked.

"Conceptualize in dimensional terms, Doctor. In other words, do not think in terms of black or white, nor shades of gray, since, metaphorically speaking, that is a two dimensional model, lacking in depth and subtlety. When one judges a thing such as the 'soul' of a man, it's imprecise to weigh it with a scale not designed to take its full measure, which does injustice to the man."

Captain Kirk did not make it a habit to hit on the women under his command, but for Yeoman Rand he made an exception. The girl was hot to trot, and she had what it took. All decisions should be so easy, all outcomes, as pleasant!

Janice assured Jim that she believed in discretion and wouldn't create problems. Kirk murmered tender endearments as they embraced.

Their skins burned wherever they touched each other. God, it was hot! They kissed hungrily, undressed quickly and stood together naked, pressed together, hands all over each other.

"We need this!" Kirk thought. "We're human!"

"Five drunken Terran youths caught me, mocked and tormented me. I was raped, beaten, left for dead. For two years I wandered, half-crazed, hiding from human eyes, living like a rat: eating garbage.

"I came to myself one day, and realized I had to find those men, confront them, best them, take myself back and ~rip them out of the world~."

"You did right!" Kirk exclaimed.

"Having accomplished this, my rage abated. I then felt remorse. I joined the fleet, and the first thing I did was visit the dentist."

Spock grimaced to display a mouthful of ivory-white implants.

Spock and the Galileo 7 crew had exhausted all their options, and each other's patience. Spock did not say so, but he was secretly satisfied to think their suffering might soon end.

If only Kirk had been here. Spock appreciated his Captain's leadership skills more than ever.

Kirk: interesting man. He never would be disloyal. He would have fought for the right to stay and continue rescue efforts. He no doubt showed great reluctance to abandon...

Spock straightened, realizing he yet had one option left. He jettisoned the shuttle's fuel and ignited it, astonishing all aboard.

In Kirk we trust.

While stopped for a cargo pickup, Captain Kirk approved limited, brief shore leave for a small number of favored people, including himself and Commander Spock. He had taken some trouble to convince Spock to accompany him on his hunt for antique weapons to add to his collection.

This space station was in a well-traveled area. Kirk had good luck shopping here before.

Alas, they ended up spending their entire allotted afternoon arguing with a maddening petty bureaucrat about purchasing and possession privileges. In the end Kirk won, but since they then had no time left, it was a hollow victory.

Janice shared her quarters, so it had to be Jim's cabin if they wanted privacy, and they did.

Still, coming and going from the Captain's quarters wasn't exactly private. She wouldn't linger long, but waited for Jim to tell her it was time.

Lying side by side, covered by the sheet, Jim and Janice clasped hands. They sighed simultaneously, then laughed at the coincidence.

They smiled at one another, and kissed.

"Now what, Captain?" she whispered.

He turned to her, propped on an elbow, and smoothed a lock of her hair into place.

"Now we go on living" he said.

Kirk's annual physical was overdue. McCoy finally marched up to the bridge to escort him to sickbay personally.

"I'm healthy as a horse, Bones" Kirk protested. "Can't you just check my pulse and fill in the blanks? What does poking my tonsils and giving me an enema prove that isn't already obvious?"

Everyone within earshot snickered except McCoy, who knew Kirk too well.

"If that's what it takes to get you to come, Captain, I'll do it." McCoy replied evenly.

The bridge crew gasped.

Kirk just smiled.

"Mr. Scott, you've got the conn. I've...got a date with the doctor!"

The diplomats gathered for the welcoming cocktail party in the Enterprise's main meeting room and the tension was palpable. The conference at Babel was aptly named by some Terran wag. Captain Kirk edged through the crowd cautiously, smiling affably, scanning the clusters of conversing people for troublemakers, as he had assigned some of his officers to do.

Within hour one, Spock's Father, Ambassador Sarek, the Vulcan 'Man of peace' was on the verge of a fight with some pugnacious Tellarite. Kirk had to intervene.

When Spock learned of it later, he didn't seem surprised. ~Typical~, he thought. "Interesting" he said.

Kirk escorted his orphaned nephew Peter to cousin Daphne's, his new home. Peter now was Daphne's ward.

An emotional occasion. Jim grieved deeply for his lost brother Sam. He wished he could raise Peter (a delightful kid) himself.

He also harbored a crush for Daphne, whom he hadn't seen since he was twelve and she, fourteen. The last time they had met, Daphne, then a pretty blonde nymphet, had hidden with Jim in her mother's sewing room and showed him her new breasts.

She was nearly forty now, and looked fifty. Jim now knew... how much sadness he could take.

Above the clouds, and in such charming company, Spock relaxed a little.

"The fanciful idea that touch-telepaths are naturally utterly open and honest in their intimate relationships is naive. Certainly it's a possibility, but telepaths cherish their privacy even more than humans do. In a world full of telepaths, such as Vulcans, everyone who wants to knows your business. It's oppressive."

Spock paused to sip his brandy. Droxine nodded.

"That must be difficult" she said.

"Until the disciplines are mastered, yes. With them, one can withstand even the Klingon's mind scanner. Side-stepping simple curiosity is comparatively simple. Even during sex."

The beauty in the coffee shop stared at Jim's uniform. A federation ship in orbit was a big deal around here.

"Captain James T. Kirk" she read aloud from the local paper. "Is that you?"

Jim coyly replied, "Why do you ask?"

"That's you!" She was certain.

"That's unfair!" Jim exclaimed. "I don't know anything about you!"

She offered a Terran-style handshake. Jim took it.

"I'm Josey Neuman. People call me Jo."

"Jo's a man's name. What's that short for, Josephine?"

Jo nodded.

"I'm gonna call you Josephine, and you can call me James, 'cause everybody else calls me Jim."

The lovely Terran woman who accosted Kirk in the spaceport coffee shop was brave. She met Jim's gaze with a level and steady gaze of her own.

They shook hands, and Kirk held her hand as they exchanged names.

"I don't like being called Josephine. I prefer Jo" she explained.

"I don't like James, but it coulda been worse. Coulda been Humphrey."

She laughed, and tugged for her hand. Jim held on. Interested, she let him.

"Jo: not a very pretty name for such a pretty lady."

"Josephine sounds old-fashioned!"

"The best things in life are old-fashioned." Jim smiled warmly.

Kirk's new inamorata Jo felt she had to make a point.

"If you insist on calling me Josephine then I'm going to call you Humphrey!"

Kirk took an assertive stance, legs apart, hands on hips, and declared, "If you insist on doing that, I'm going to insist on answering to it!"

Jo laughed.

"I've answered to stranger things!" Jim deadpanned, still in his stance. ~And she's worth it!~ he thought, savoring the sight of her.

She left, he followed.

Strolling together, they sparred all the way for an hour, until Josephine invited Humphrey to her home (and bed, soon after).

McCoy, ashore for leave, spotted Kirk dining al fresco with a gorgeous young lady and decided to say hello.

They didn't see him approaching.

The woman stood, laughing, and left to go powder her nose. McCoy overheard her say, "I'll be right back. Keep Humphrey out of trouble."

"Gladly!" Jim smiled, watching her walk away.

"Who's Humphrey?" McCoy asked, startling Kirk.

"Bones!"

Jim didn't want to explain his pet name.

"Humphrey's a *fantastic* lover!"

"I don't get it" McCoy grinned, sitting.

"And you're not going to!" Jim grinned back. "Bones, I mean this in the kindest possible way... SHOVE OFF!"

Kirk had enjoyed a frolicsome leave, with the help of his beautiful, sensual, witty and wondrous new lady friend. What an incredible woman! Chin in hand, he was lost in happy thoughts of her as they left orbit.

Once well underway, Spock saw his chance to get some answers.

"Captain, a word with you privately?"

"Certainly, Mr. Spock!"

Behind closed doors, the gloves were off.

"I understand about the woman, but what of this 'Humphrey' person!?"

"I take it you talked with McCoy. Since when are you two so chummy?"

Spock lofted an eyebrow. "You may well wonder!" he insinuated.

The Enterprise stopped at a resort colony. Captain Kirk took a week away from the ship by himself. He planned to fish, swim, and read alone all week.

A grocery trip brought him into contact with a very interesting mother and daughter.

He was instantly smitten by the beautiful daughter but quickly lost interest. Too young, and not too bright. The mother (who was stacked very nicely) was near Jim's age, and pretty savvy.

The woman was concerned about Kirk flirting with her daughter and protectively interfered. Moments later she was thrilled to become the object of Jim's male curiosity.

"The stinging cells on the tentacles are most commonly neutralised by dilute ethanoic acid" Spock expounded.

"He's talking about vinegar" McCoy translated.

"Neutralization of the stinging cells is essential before the tentacles can be removed, else removal may result in further envenomation. Interestingly, ethanol causes the cells to fire. Interesting since ethanoic acid is simply the acidic form of the ethanol molecule."

"So using alcohol would have been a bad idea" McCoy explained.

"Urine is not a substitute, per se, yet it proved effective. How did it occur to you to try it?"

Kirk shrugged, smiling. "It works with jellyfish."

Dr. McCoy didn't like that Kirk spent most of his free time with Spock, lately.

McCoy missed being Kirk's confidant, but more: he strongly suspected that Spock was improperly influencing the Captain. He knew about Spock's powers, and shuddered to think that Spock might be misusing them.

When confronted with McCoy's fears, Kirk was reassuring.

"Bones, I appreciate your concern, but...relax! If it looks like I can't handle something on my own, I call you."

"With all due respect, Captain, I'll decide for myself how it looks. You have a right to your privacy, but I have my duty!"

While Sarek and Amanda were on their way to Babel, Spock overheard Amanda telling tales to McCoy about his childhood, and joined the conversation.

"...he was two, I think. After studying himself in the mirror for nearly an hour, he suddenly turned to me and with great seriousness said, 'I am only me.'" Amanda laughed and McCoy grinned.

"Pardon me!" Spock interjected. "In my immaturity I misspoke. What I meant to say was, 'I am utterly unique, and as such I feel totally alone.'"

McCoy and Amanda were stunned into silence, as the cocktail party sparkled on, all around them.

"Why'd you leave?" Jim asked.

"To escape a life of slavery" Spock explained.

"Whaaaat!? That doesn't sound right!"

"Jim, Vulcan is a meritocracy. For the average person this presents no undue hardship. But when there is no end to what a person can do, and no end to the need..."

"Oh no!" Jim sympathized. "But they had to give you time off at least, now and then?"

"Vulcan Leisure: If you can no longer lift your arms, you are given a task which allows you to rest your arms."

"That's inhuman!"

"Precisely."

"What about Amanda!?"

"Oh, she's mad as a hatter."

Over drinks, Jim told this story:

"People think Spock has no sense of humor. Wrong. He's laughing inside all the time, usually at us. Listen to this!

"As a little way of pranking his dad, who travels a lot, Spock told the Fleet menu chefs that Plomeek was this Vulcan delicacy. Now everywhere Sarek goes there's this big hoopla over the fact that they have provided Plomeek to honor him..."

Jim struggled to maintain his composure.

"Plomeek is a very humble food, like Vulcan peanut butter!" Jim broke up laughing.

"Peanut butter!" he gasped. "You gotta admit THAT WAS GOOD!"

"Live and let live: I believe that! Why else am I here? Why do I put my life on the line alongside everybody else aboard every day? For what, unless it's because I believe in fighting to preserve people's freedoms, and to expand the freedoms they already enjoy!"

Captain Kirk would not allow any misunderstanding on this point.

"Anybody can look at me any way they want. But when a guy like that looks at me like my uniform is a negligee he'll get a piece of me all right!"

Jim clenched his fist.

"...Just not the piece he might prefer!"

Mr. Spock - Passive Immunization with Anti-Laminin Immunoglobulin G Modifies the Integrity of the Seminiferous Epithelium and Induces Arrest of Spermatogenesis in Homo Vulcanus - Biol. Reprod. 2267: 51505-51514.

Mr. Spock - Homo Vulcanus Epididymal Fluid Proteome: Qualitative and Quantitative Characterization; Secretion and Dynamic Changes of Major Proteins - Biol. Reprod. 2268: 51790-51803.

Spock, Mr. - Biosynthetic activity of Homo Vulcanus; influence of sex accessory glands on mating behavior in the male Vulcan/Human. Jrnl of Experiment. Bio. 14201 (2269), 82425-82432

Mr. Spock - Establishment of a Homo Vulcanus Cell Line from In Vitro-Produced Blastocysts and Transfer of the Cells into Enucleated Oocytes - Biol. Reprod. 2270: 51840-51846.

The long drought destroyed their hopes. Discouraged colonists became furious when told the Enterprise wouldn't evacuate them.

Kirk leapt up on a table to speak.

"I can help you to survive this catastrophe, but I can't carry you away from your problems!

"You struggled to make this your home. Then you struggled to live. The struggling won't stop if you leave, it will just change form!

You'll get charity, either here in your own homes, or far from here as guests in someone else's home. That's NOT your choice! Your real choice is: Will We Or Won't We Accept Defeat?"

McCoy had once again reached the end of his patience with Spock.

"Blast it, Spock, do you always have to seem so dad-blamed superior? Shine your light on the path, instead of in people's eyes!"

Spock brightened. He was flattered that McCoy seemed to be acknowledging his mental brilliance. He was also impressed with McCoy's witty metaphor, and felt moved to compliment him.

"Well said, Doctor! I shall attempt to do as you so poetically suggest."

McCoy gaped, speechless.

Jim watched this exchange with an amused smirk. He wasn't sure what Spock was trying to accomplish, but he liked it.

"I love the first breath of a new world's fresh air!" Jim exclaimed, and inhaled deeply. "Smell that perfume! Gorgeous!"

He pointed toward a colorful meadow. "Look! Flowers!" He ran toward them.

"Captain! Caution!" Spock called. "Remember Omicron Ceti Three!"

"May I respectfully remind you that it was not I who was the first to stick my nose in one of those!?"

"Touché!" Spock nodded.

Spock caught up to Kirk.

"If I were the flower-picking type, I'd bring an armful of these beauties back to Uhura" Jim said, speaking of some tall, showy blooms. "She'd love these!"

"Indeed" Spock agreed.

Kirk suddenly entered the bridge followed closely by a young communications officer. "Take her place!" he commanded, then to Uhura he said, "Lieutenant, come with me!"

On the transporter pad he ordered Uhura to cover her eyes.

Transportation complete, Uhura felt Jim's hands on her shoulders, guiding her over alien terrain in her darkness.

"Smell the flowers?" Jim asked.

"Yes sir!"

"Would you like to see them?"

"Yes, please sir!"

Uhura's gaze fell on a large stand of tall, glorious flowers, fluttering like thousands of holiday banners in the breeze.

"I just had to show you these!" Jim grinned happily.

Uhura greeted Spock at the door dressed in a flowing caftan.

"Mr. Spock? What is it?"

Momentarily overwhelmed by the intimate aroma of her boudoir, Spock hesitated, then offered her a small box, and a small packet.

"Lieutenant, this is for you, if you wish it."

Inside the box: a small scaly potato.

"What is it?" she asked, mystified.

"A bulb from the flowers you admired. With it, sterilized soil for a growing medium. The flower has no common name of course, but its scientific name is Liliaceae Uhura. Liliaceae because they are lilies, Uhura because they are like you."

Liliaceae Uhura. Spock's gift arrived with assembly required. Add water, light and prayer, then wait.

It was a kind of immortality. Lieutenant Uhura appreciated that, and that the flower would bloom repeatedly with proper care. She wasn't sure she wished to be the one to give it that care. Spock's gift, heavy with symbolic weight, overwhelmed her. She felt unworthy.

A spot was cleared near a main path in the ship's common greenhouse, and Uhura's precious bulb was planted there.

When Spock saw that, he pondered over it deeply. Then he walked away, posture perfect, and never revisited the spot.

Captain Kirk was quite favorably impressed with the outstanding Lieutenant Uhura. It was clear she could be more useful, given the chance. She needed to prove herself under more varied conditions before he could offer her a higher rank and more authority.

He began including her in the occasional landing party. The first time she forgot to arm herself, the Captain blamed himself.

"Here's my phaser, Lieutenant. I'll get another from the ship."

"Shouldn't you keep your own weapon, sir!?"

"Lieutenant, if I need to be armed to beam up, I DEFINITELY THINK YOU SHOULD BE ARMED!"

"AYE, AYE, Captain!"

"Scott here."

"Kirk here, Scotty. Beam me up."

Once the materialization was complete, the engineer asked, "Is there something wrong, Captain?"

Jim advanced smiling, arms outstretched, palms up. "I'm naked, Mr. Scott! No weapon!"

"Ahh! Oh, sir! Good thing you caught that one before too long!"

Kirk fetched a hand phaser from the cupboard, and quickly verified that it was charged before slapping it onto his hip. "Yes, Mr. Scott, good thing indeed! It's also a good thing that nobody needs to know about this!"

"Oh! No, sir! No sir, not at all."

Scott and Kirk exchanged a conspiratorial smile.

The Enterprise brought the Orion girls home after rescuing them from the filthy brothel which had been their prison and home. When Kirk and the crew beamed down to what was supposed to be the girl's tribal camp, they found only long-cold ashes.

Despite this, the girls opted to beam down, and try to start a new life.

Kirk saw a tree that reminded him of a Christmas tree and ordered it to be decorated with lights. He began giving out gifts to the girls, which Spock questioned.

"Time is relative, Mr. Spock. I'm sure it must be Christmas somewhere."

Jim Kirk and Spock were just a couple of guys, shooting the breeze in Jim's quarters.

"Where I grew up, we had four seasons" Jim mused. "The whole world died once a year and was buried under snow and ice. Ironically, instead of it being a time for hunkering down and rationing everything carefully, it's our traditional time for big feasts and lavish gift-giving."

"It's as if to deny appearances" Spock remarked, intrigued.

"It's not denial or defiance, it's a demonstration of faith. It's a way of saying, 'We're not scared of Winter. We know Spring is on its way.'"

Commander Spock received more medals and commendations while serving under Captain Kirk than at any other time in his career, not because during that time he was more worthy than ever, but because he had the good luck at that time to have a Captain who enjoyed recognizing accomplishments and contributions.

Kirk reviewed Spock's service record and was astounded and dismayed to learn how often Spock had earned medals without receiving them. Yet he had never given in to resentment or discouragement. He always gave the fleet his best.

"He ought to get a medal just for that" Kirk thought.

A reporter asked to interview Captain Kirk, and Kirk graciously agreed.

"The Captain of a deep space vessel is similar to a king. While far from home, your decisions are law, and you have the power of life and death in your words. How do you keep your ego in check?"

"Good question" Jim said. "I hope this is a good answer..."

Jim paused to think.

"...I always remind myself that each life that is aboard, and that all those who depend on what we do, each one, is as dear as my life is to me. Then...act accordingly."

Doctor McCoy certainly had had his hands full, with Vulcan Ambassador Sarek, his son Commander Spock, and the irrepressible and not at all submissive Captain of the Enterprise all on sickbay cots. Kirk in particular was a difficult patient, as usual, since being quiet and lying still were two things he couldn't do.

Later, Captain Kirk commended Bones and gave him a medal for his outstanding work during both the very dangerous surgeries which saved himself and Sarek, and the aggravating (but hilarious) recuperative period after.

Doctor McCoy accepted the honor with a shrug.

"Just doin' my job" he smiled.

When Kirk learned of Spock's ability to sense emotions in the people around him, a frisson of embarrassment was added to his weight of private guilt. He called Spock to his quarters for a chat.

"I understand you can feel people's emotions, and I realize that means you must have felt some disturbing things coming from me. I'm human: I can't always control my emotions, but I can and will control my behavior.

"I agree with you that it's best to keep this power of yours, and whatever it reveals to you, a secret. You and I know. That's enough."

Captain Kirk called Spock into a private conference, once things had returned to normal. He got straight to the point.

"We were all affected, that's a reason, but not an excuse. Tell me why you feel ashamed of my friendship!"

Spock gaped, amazed.

"You misunderstood. It's not our friendship that makes me ashamed. If you thought that, no wonder you struck me!"

Jim waited. Spock continued.

"That I have feelings for you, because of you, at all is what shames me. I am supposed to be able to contain feelings of pleasure and pride, but sometimes I fail at this."

Kirk got banged up again. He was hurt enough to be confined to bed and hale enough to be a brat. Bored, Kirk amused himself by defying McCoy's orders in a hundred small ways.

McCoy reached the end of his tether when he caught Kirk trying to learn a new dance step from a pretty crew-woman who had dropped by for a Band-Aid.

"Get your butt back in that bed and keep it there or I'll sedate you and put you in restraints!" McCoy bellowed.

"Promises, promises!" Jim cackled with evil glee.

Tempting.

Instead, McCoy punched out, and sedated himself.

McCoy observed the progress of Kirk's peculiar relationship with Spock closely. He had never trusted Spock.

Spock now was always the first and last to be consulted in all of Kirk's decisions, which looked odd. Even stranger was the way Kirk included Spock in nearly everything. If Jim was invited, he'd bring Spock, and everybody had to let him. Hey, he's the Captain.

The most damning evidence was the way those two would close themselves up together in a room for hours. God knows what they were doing in there, but one thing was certain: nobody else was invited.

Kirk and Spock, daily, while telepathically linked, took mental journeys through crystalline realms of mathematical probabilities, or (if Jim was driving) to colorful fantasy worlds overrun with strange creatures. In their imaginations, they could travel through time, or live inside a favorite work of fiction.

Jim was addicted to Spock's unique, fantastically powerful way of communicating. It was more perfectly efficient than mere language, and there was an exhilarating intimacy that came with it. No secrets were possible between them. Jim loved that.

Spock loved it too. He hadn't played like this since he was a child in Amanda's lap.

"My profession is very rewarding...but it has its downside."

Kirk's lovely ladyfriend leaned closer, her eyes fixed on his. Jim met her gaze fearlessly, and enjoyed her perfume as he continued.

"There's no guarantee that each day will not be our last. We try to be ready for anything, but that's not really possible. You can't really be prepared for the unexpected, the best you can do is cope when it occurs."

"In other words, you're leaving soon and may never be back."

"That's correct." Jim smiled softly. "But I still like to enjoy my life while I can."

After interviewing "Leo Walsh" and his lady passengers, Kirk dismissed the unlikely foursome and tried to catch Spock's eye. He wanted Spock to stay behind so they could discuss this latest development.

Spock's eyes were otherwise occupied. Jim stared, dumbfounded, hardly believing his own eyes. He watched Spock watching the women's asses as they walked away.

Sensing Kirk's scrutiny, Spock tossed him a glance. He instantly understood Jim's expression of disbelief, and decided to give Jim the answer Jim gave him when their positions were reversed. He smirked and shrugged as if to say, "Want to make something of it?"

Captain Kirk and Commander Spock were enjoying an afternoon of liberty while the Enterprise took on cargo at a Terran colony.

There was a side-show in the marketplace. To Kirk's great amusement Spock agreed to a Tarot reading.

"The King of Cups represents yourself..." the reader explained to a fascinated Spock, while Kirk smirked, skeptical.

She explained each card in turn, and its significance. When she pronounced the oracle, the two men suddenly became grave.

"Your friend is also your enemy; what brings you joy is also source of pain. Your problem is paradoxical. It will not be easily resolved."

On a whim, Spock sat for a Tarot reading while on liberty with Jim. After Spock had received his tantalizing oracle Jim was moved to try it too.

"Hey! There's that card again!" Jim exclaimed.

"Yes...you too are crossed by the five pentacles." The Gypsy woman said.

"Poverty? I don't get it." Jim was puzzled. "The fleet provides for all our needs."

"The outcome? The seven pentacles. Your treasure is hidden in the land. Perhaps you should become a farmer."

Jim laughed. "I left home to escape all that!"

"Good." she said. "Find new land. Your treasure is there."

Kirk materialized aboard Archer's Enterprise. Puzzled, Kirk explained himself. Archer then told Kirk about the "temporal cold war".

Kirk had never heard of the war (or Archer).

Archer led Kirk to a sealed room where there was a mysterious device. Kirk activated it, and opened what looked like an interdimentional portal. Kirk entered, and found himself in a weird place. He was recognized, and abruptly pushed back through the portal - into the transporter room of his own Enterprise!

Spock marveled at Kirk's story. Nothing seemed amiss to him.

It was a rough beam up. Kirk decided to report to sickbay.

Kirk and Spock were on the run. A misunderstanding with people that they had first met after beaming down became a noisy disagreement, which quickly erupted into an altercation.

To Jim, their escape was nothing but a strategic retreat. He confidently expected they'd still make friends here, somehow.

Spock, discouraged, thought things that began this badly rarely turned out well.

They happened upon a new group of people, and Kirk moved instinctively toward them. Spock stopped him, and warned, "That may prove to be unwise."

Eyes twinkling, Kirk replied, "Let's burn that bridge after we come to it, not before!"

Kirk had collected many medals: a Boy Scout's sashful, later, a chestful for his Starfleet uniform. Behind every medal was a story he liked to tell.

Spock had also collected a fair number, Kirk noticed, but rather than pester Spock for the details, he discretely researched the facts privately.

Jim discovered, upon reviewing Spock's history of heroism, that Spock had deserved many medals that he had never received.

Though repeatedly overlooked, or slighted, Spock had never complained, and always gave his best. Kirk thought this was quite remarkable.

He resolved to be more generous than Spock's former Captains had been.

Leo Ra five: an ideal place to rent a cabin - swim, fish, read ALONE -for one full week.

Jim Kirk needed solitude... until he stopped for groceries and met a gorgeous young lady (and her mother).

The cashier was a Venus. Kirk was instantly infatuated.

The shop owner, her mother, casually mentioned that the girl was fifteen...

(obviously inappropriate for Jim's revised plans).

Jim noted the mother's physical similarity to her daughter. She was older, riper, but not half-bad. Plus, she knew what she was doing.

Jim knew what she was doing too, but decided he didn't mind.

From the moment that they were introduced, Spock was electified by the red-haired Earth female's inviting aura.

She breathlessly stammered her name, then blushed pink. Her blue eyes shyly but avidly drank him in.

As the Vulcan closely quizzed the woman, his nostrils flared at the aroma that arose from her body. He could smell her perfume, her skin, and faintly, her sex. She was rather obviously sexually aroused.

Flattered, Spock suddenly thought that the excitable young woman seemed irresistable.

Tall, flat-chested, freckle-faced and plain, she was not what Kirk would call a beauty, but Spock has his own standards.