Chapter Text
Somehow, they’d made it to a waiting ship who would convey them to a strange planet Jim had never heard of called Variance.
Their pilot was Human, a man called Montgomery Scott, who told them to call him Scotty. Nyota was up there talking with him now, no doubt feeling an affinity with one of the lone Humans on the trip.
Jim watched over the children, who mostly slept. Spock had seen to that with gentle manipulations of their minds. Jim didn’t argue with that as he’d thought perhaps them sleeping through the journey was for the best anyway.
He left T’Enna awake, but she was huddled into herself, gaze a mixture of vacant and haunting. He would speak with her later.
“Jim.”
Spock came up behind him, wrapping his arms around him and pulling his back against him. “It will be all right.”
“Will it?” Jim shook his head. “I don’t know. We’re off to exile to a place neither of us know anything about, Spock. Our families are separated. Our planets falling. I should…” He stopped, shaking his head.
“What, T’hy’la? You are restless.”
“I should see you and the children settled on Variance and go to fight.”
Spock turned him to face him. “Jim, no.”
“Why not? I feel like I should be doing something instead of hiding like a coward. That’s all I’ve been doing for months.”
“Your brother sought to protect you.”
“And your father, you, by holding back information. Do you feel protected, Spock?”
“No, I do not. But I have responsibilities to my children.”
“Exactly. But I don’t.”
Spock looked at him. “Do you not? They already view you as another parent. To abandon them when they are already terrified to go and fight a losing battle.”
Jim glanced away. “Are you certain it would a losing battle?”
“Based on my current calculations, Farias and his allies will be victorious,” Spock replied.
“You don’t have to sound so damn calm about it.”
“I am anything but calm, Jim. We all must deal with this situation as we see fit. Would you rather I go around wringing my hands together?”
Jim winced and sighed, leaning into Spock’s arms. “No. And I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight with you. I’m crazy in love with you.”
“And I you.”
“It’s just…rotten timing.” He smiled ruefully.
“Yes. At the moment, the situation is on Farias’ side but he will run into those who will not give up so easily, Jim. The Klingons. The Cardasians. Humans and Vulcans too. All is not lost, not forever, but we are in for a difficult time. I do not wish for it to become more so due to the loss of my consort.”
“I know. I just…I feel helpless.”
“You are not. We are not. There will be much that we can do from Variance.”
“What if Sybok is wrong and he comes for Variance sooner rather than later?”
“We will prepare for that too. Being in exile does not make us helpless or hopeless.”
Jim turned in Spock’s arms, to once more watch the children. They were all so young, T’Enna too. She was so brave, but he could see how frightened and depressed she was. How much more would she be if Jim left to go fight in the war?
“I wish we could take the boy she cared about with us.”
“Me too. But there wasn’t time to find him or vet him even if we did. Perhaps he will find his own way to survive this.”
Nyota stepped up to them, her voice lowered, “Scotty says it’s going to be hours yet until we reach Variance. We may want to rest ourselves.”
“A good idea, I think.”
****
Jim was glad when he stepped off the ship to a breathable Earth-like atmosphere. They were near some kind of aquatic port with an old fashioned ferry boat docked near. The children looked around curiously.
“What is this place?” T’Enna asked. “I have not seen the like.”
Jim smiled. “Nor have I. But for now, I guess it’s our home.”
Scotty came out to them. He had a thick Scottish accent. “Aye, then, your royals, we’re to board that ferry boat there on the right-hand side and take you to your new home.”
The air smelled of the sea and flowers, a strange combination. Jim didn’t see any native inhabitants of the planet, so he asked.
“Oh, well, this planet is privately owned. Created by the owners to be similar to where they lived before.”
Jim frowned. “Yeah? Where was that? Where are they from?”
Scotty shrugged. “They are Human. Ex-inhabitants of Earth.”
“And allies of Sarek?” Spock asked.
Scotty smiled. “Aye. Come aboard.”
They piled on the boat and soon they were off, across the sea.
“Are there others that live here, Scotty?” Jim asked. “Besides the one who owns the place we’re going?”
“A few but most live at the complex where you will be living.”
“So, there’s more than one?”
“Aye. A group of…rebels, you might say.”
Sartok perked up at that, and eagerly leaned forward. “Against Farias?’
Spock frowned at his son. “What do you know of Farias?”
“I have been listening, Father.”
Scotty grinned. “Aye, perhaps they are, perhaps they are.”
Jim felt excitement stir inside him. If they were being brought into a group of resistance to the takeover of a possible Empire, perhaps all was not lost, as Spock said.
Shortly thereafter, Scotty tied the ferry to a dock in front of a large structure. A mansion really or a complex of several living quarters. He immediately spotted there were guards everywhere, lots of security dressed in red uniforms.
Just off the docks stood a tall, handsome older Human with graying at his temples.
“Welcome, Prince Spock, Prince James, and children, Ms. Uhura. I’m Christopher Pike.”
Then he turned to gesture to another man, who had been waiting near to come forward.
“And this is our Chief Medical Officer, Leonard McCoy. Welcome to Starfleet.”
Pike grinned and shook Jim’s hand as did Leonard McCoy. Spock merely bowed to them.
As the children came forward to be led inside, Pike stopped Jim. “Your brother is making his way here now as we speak.”
“Sam? He’s coming here?”
“Yes. Come, Prince James—"
“It’s Jim.”
“Jim, welcome to your new home.”