Into Darkness and Beyond (Star Trek: Into Darkness Fanfiction - sequel to AKFAS)

Chapter 6

Kez sat in the seat located outside Admiral Pike's office, chewing her lip nervously. Every so often raised voices could be heard from within the office walls and Kez dreaded to know what was happening.

Finally, Spock emerged and shut the door gently behind him. No sign of Kirk.

Kez got to her feet just as Spock began walking away from her, not giving her a second glance.

"Spock? Spock – wait up!" She called after him, not able to keep up with his long, quick Vulcan strides. She knew he'd get to the elevator before she had time to reach him so, despite herself, she ported so she was standing in front of him, blocking his way. He stopped short, not willing to walk into her.

"What the hell happened in there?" She asked him breathlessly. It was easy to see that the half human look of emotion in his eyes betrayed that he was obviously pissed off.

Spock studied her slowly and Kez realised how far he'd come from being a scared little eleven year old boy – the one she'd met on Vulcan for the very first time.

"Kirk and I were simply resolving a matter with Admiral Pike." He said flatly.

Kez snorted, "Resolving what matter?"

Spock's eyebrow raised slightly, "For someone with a good grasp of knowledge I fail to see why you can't make a logical guess."

Kez rolled her eyes, "It's not about rescuing you, is it?"

Spock's eyes levelled, "It would seem that Captain Kirk did not record the full circumstances of our journey in his formal report. I, on the other hand, did."

Kez frowned quizzically, then she realised, "No! Spock, how could you? You could get us all pulled in!"

Spock frowned, "By your reaction, I take it that, you too, recorded the circumstanced falsely in your report."

Kez nodded, "Yes of course I did! We saved you. No one needs to know the ins-and-outs of it."

"I disagree, Captain Kirk broke the Prime Directive. That is something that can't go unseen."

"He saved you Spock!" Kez said not able to keep the anger out of her voice.

"He violated protocol." Spock said not even attempting to raise his voice, "Or are you being blinded by your own personal emotions?"

"Agh!" Kez threw her hands up in a wild gesture. his words had stung, but she refused to entertain his sharp jabs. There was no use trying to make Spock understand why they'd saved him. No use trying to explain Kirk's actions. For all Kez knew, Kirk had probably already tried.

Instead, she walked around Spock and went back to her seat, waiting for her Captain.

It wasn't long before Kirk emerged. But he wasn't smiling or even poised in his usual manner.

This told Kez straight away that something was wrong.

"Jim?" She said not moving from her seat.

He looked at her and offered her a weak smile before extending his arms towards her. She walked over and let him draw her into his chest, holding her tightly and nestling his head into her shoulder, "I need a drink, you wanna come?"

The bar was crowded and conversation buzzed around Kirk and Kez as they both sat, staring deep into their drinks.

Kirk had explained that he had been demoted, the Enterprise taken away from him on the basis that he was reckless and didn't deserve the chair. In fact, he'd been told that he didn't respect his role as Captain.