“All right, then, Admiral Kirk. I look forward to it. For now…” She held out her hand. “This has been… very interesting. And more agreeable than I thought it would be.”

He smiled as he clasped her hand. “I feel the same, Doctor. It’s been a pleasure.”

His gaze followed her as she left his office, and lingered on the door for some time after she left. “That is quite a woman,” he murmured. Maybe for once, McCoy’s matchmaking instincts were onto something.

Chapter Six

U.S.S. Enterprise

Earth Spacedock

The day after his meeting with Ashley Janith-Lau, Kirk beamed up to Spacedock to welcome the Enterprise back from its flight, a brief training cruise for the second- and third-year cadets. “It was not necessary for you to greet us in person, Admiral,” Captain Spock said once the bosun had piped him aboard at the main gangway hatch.

The admiral shrugged. “The end of the first training cruise of the semester? I think that warrants a little ceremony.”

The two Enterprise veterans began walking through the saucer corridors they both knew so well. “It was merely a familiarization exercise,” Spock replied, “as one would expect this early in the term. It proceeded within expected parameters.”

“Good, good.”

Spock hesitated, which was unusual for him. “However unnecessary, it is convenient that you are here. I trust you have heard of the most recent vacuum flare event?”

“Near Delta IV, yes. Fortunately harmless, but it disproves Chekov’s theory about a link to past Enterprise missions. It looked promising after Vega Colony.” The Enterprise’s itinerary for the preceding several years had never included the Deltan star system.

“In fact, Admiral,” Spock replied, “I believe this new datum not only supports Commander Chekov’s hypothesis, but allows refining it to identify the exact common factor unifying the events.” Again he showed that odd hesitation. “If you will accompany me to my quarters, Admiral? Until I am more certain, it would be best to discuss this in private.”

Spock led the admiral up one deck to the captain’s cabin. Spock kept his quarters softly lit and sparsely furnished, the better to facilitate quiet contemplation. The primary decoration was a large mural of the Vulcan IDIC emblem assembled from hundreds of small metal disks; Spock had told Kirk once that he mentally associated each disk with a specific person from his past, meditating on each in turn to reflect how their diverse influences had combined to shape the course of his life. Next to it, the small cylindrical dining nook had been converted into a meditation alcove, for Spock rarely entertained guests or took elaborate meals.

Spock did, however, respect human conventions enough to offer Kirk a beverage. Kirk brushed it off and said, “Just tell me, Spock. What have you figured out that’s so sensitive?”