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Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 11:05:03 -0400
Subject: [ASCEM-S] NEW: TOS Commander [R] 5/5 K/Ch, ChFF
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TITLE: Commander
AUTHOR: Djinn
CONTACT: djinn@djinnslair.com   http://www.djinnslair.com
SERIES: TOS
RATING: R
CODES: K/Ch, Chapel Fic Fest
PART: 5/5
DISCLAIMERS: Paramount and Viacom own these characters--I'm just
warping canon.
SUMMARY: Sequel to "Scientist." The continuing look at Chapel through


The air in the shuttle is dank and getting thinner by the second.
Lieutenant Walters looks back at her.  "I don't think they see us."

They are hiding from the Klingons.  Tucked into a pocket of
asteroids, running in silent mode, even life support is turned down
to practically nothing.  They were trying to return to the Cascade
from Chyvria when the Klingon ship decloaked and fired on them.

Christine had a moment where she regretted that they chose not to
use the transporter.  But none of them wanted to chance it with the
interference that the planet itself seemed to generate.  Even the
Klingons didn't tend to beam down to Chyvria's various ports of call
if they could help it, and Christine has heard horror stories about
some who had--it was the last thing they ever did.

She closes her eyes.  It's so easy to remember Lori, the way she
died so long ago.  Jim told her that she was beaming up for a final
inspection, that when she had talked to him earlier that day, there
had been no warmth in her tone.  He said that if you hadn't known
that they'd been married, you wouldn't have guessed it from the
interaction.  Lori might as well have been a stranger.    Certainly,
he didn't seem to grieve terribly long.  She thought it was because
he'd already come to terms with losing Lori.   The tragedy in the
transporter didn't change anything.

The ship moves slightly as its deflectors--set to minimum--kick away
a small hunk of space rock.  She hopes Walters is good at figuring
minimum safe levels on the shields, has no desire to die when one of
those cosmic boulders pops through the shuttle's hull.

She sighs, then wishes she hadn't.  She is wasting oxygen, exhaling
before she needs to.

She wonders how the battle is going.  They can see nothing from
here, and their sensors are locked down to bare minimums too.  She
almost wishes they were in a better ship, one that could take on the
Klingons.  She'd rather be in the thick of things.  Not waiting out
the battle the way they were ordered to--quietly, not taking any
unnecessary risks.

She smiles.  Jim has rubbed off on her.  There was a time she would
have preferred hiding where it was safe.  Until she was needed for
the inevitable clean up.

She looks back at the young man sitting so quietly next to Valeris.
Toral was the heir to the throne, now he's the ruler of Chyvria, has
been since his father fell to the virus that is running rampant
across the planet.  He has found himself in a role he did not plan
to assume for years.  But one he was ready for nonetheless.  His
first act was to ask for Federation emergency help.

The Federation was delighted to send medical and emergency
assistance to such a dilithium rich world.

As soon as the Cascade arrived in orbit, Toral's second act was to
expel the Klingons who viewed his world as a sort of shore leave
planet when they weren't lifting dilithium and forgetting to pay for
it.

His next was to apply for Federation membership.

To say he's not a popular man on Q'onos is to put it mildly.

The Klingons attacking them were some of the ones Toral ordered to
get off his world.  They sure didn't go far.  She's not sure how
they know Toral is on the shuttle--spies in his household perhaps.
At any rate, they're gunning for him now.

Nothing like an assassination to put things back the way you like
them.

She checks on Valeris, feels guilty as she looks at the woman.  She
did not mean for Valeris's last away mission during her summer
assignment to be so exciting.

Valeris turns to look at her, her eyebrow lifting in what looks like
an expression of enjoyment.  Is the woman having fun?  "Quite the
adventure," she murmurs so low that only Christine and Toral can
hear her.

Christine smiles.  "You find this fun, cadet?"  She supposes it is
more fun for Valeris, she isn't struggling to breathe the way the
rest of them are.

"Fun is an emotional response, Commander."  Her eyes sparkling with
the devilment Christine has learned to expect from her, she lifts
her eyebrow again.  It is a perfect imitation of Spock's, even down
to the faint lifting of her lips.

Is it a Vulcan trait then?  Or does she mimic her mentor out of
flattery--or some other, more complicated, emotion?

Toral shifts, coughs slightly.

"Try to limit your movements," Christine tells him.  She knows she
is using up air by talking, sits back in her seat and sets the
example she is supposed to by waiting in silence.  She tries to
distract herself with thoughts of Jim out on his own ship.  She'll
see him again finally in a few weeks, when they take leave.

Walters turns to her and gives a thumbs up; the battle is short
lived.  He brings the shuttle back to life, and as fresh oxygen
begins to pour in, she relaxes, breathing deeply.

The Cascade hails them, and Walters looks at Valeris.  "Didn't you
say you wanted a chance to fly one of these?"

Christine can feel her own eyebrows going up.  "Into the shuttle
bay?"

He winks at her.  "How much scarier can it be than trying to outrun
a Klingon bird-of-prey in a shuttle?"

He has a point.  She looks over at Valeris.  "Go on.  You know you
want to."

A human would jump up and rush to the front seat.  Valeris rises
gracefully and takes her time getting to the copilot's seat.  "Thank
you for your confidence in me."

"Oh, cut the crap and let her rip."  Christine laughs.

Valeris looks back at her, eyes shining.  Then she turns around and
follows the directions Walters is giving her.  He may appear not to
care that she could crash the damn thing and kill them all, but he
sure is taking his time getting Valeris set.

"I believe I have the concept down, sir," Valeris finally
murmurs.  "I have taken basic shuttlecraft operations."  Valeris is
doing so well at the Academy that she can probably take any class
her Vulcan heart desires.

Walters lets her take them in.  Christine forces herself to breathe
normally.  Valeris will get them home safely.

And of course she does.  It is a picture perfect return to the
shuttle bay.  As she turns the engines off, Valeris turns to
Walters.  "Thank you, sir."

He nods, clearly pleased with her performance.  "Just wait till you
fly a real ship."  He grins.

"I will not have to wait long."  Valeris already knows her first
assignment once she's done with her final year--probably had people
fighting over her.   She'll be helm on the Portofino.  It's not a
starship, but it is one of the new class battlecruisers, more
maneuverable.  Valeris is likely to find herself in combat as the
Portofino's crew patrol the area along the neutral zone.  Christine
has no doubt she'll excel there too.

Walters nods to her as he exits the shuttle.  Valeris is still
sitting at the controls.

"You going to move in here?" Christine asks, as she gets up.  She
turns to Toral.  "Can I offer you some good old fashioned Federation
hospitality?"

"Yes, thank you, Commander Chapel."

Christine waits for Valeris to join them before leading Toral off
the shuttle and to the quarters Captain Nichols has assigned him.

Toral sinks into one of the chairs, looks at her.  "You said that
the Federation representatives are here already?"

She nods.

"I wish to get this done quickly.  I am needed on my world."

"There is no reason the negotiations for membership should take
undue time," Valeris says softly.

"Good."  Toral rubs his eyes.  As he does it, Christine notices a
long scar on the top of his hand.  He smiles bitterly as he follows
her gaze.  "A memento of my childhood.  A constant reminder of why
it is a bad idea to let Klingons drink bloodwine at an official
banquet."  He touches the scar.  "And why you should never touch a
warrior's bat'leth without his permission."

"Bat'leth?"

"A weapon with a curved blade, held like this."  He demonstrates.

Christine realizes she has seen them among the dead warriors on
those border worlds the Klingons were raiding back when she and Jim
were on the ship together.  "You're lucky you didn't lose your
hand."  She shudders.

He shakes his head.  "This wasn't from his bat'leth.  It was from
the meat knife we had so kindly provided him.  I think he just meant
to teach me a lesson."

"You were only a child," Valeris says, and there is something harsh
in her voice.  Some measure of her distaste at the idea of such
brutality to a child.

"I doubt they viewed it that way.  Klingon children grow up fast."
Toral shrugs.  "It is no matter now.  And hardly grievous when
compared to nearly losing my life to them today." Sitting up
straighter, he says in a resolved tone, "They will never find a
welcome on Chyvria.  I plan to live a good long time."

"Long enough for Federation membership to become inured in the minds
of your people?" Christine asks.

He nods.  "Long enough to make my world a safer place."

"It is an admirable goal," Valeris says.

"It is the only goal I have."  He turns away.

"We'll let you rest."  Christine motions for Valeris to come with
her.

As the door close, Valeris says softly, "They will try to kill him
again."

"Probably."  Christine sighs.

"Admiral Cartwright will want to know what happened here."

Christine smiles.  "You think I don't know that?  Like he needs one
more reason to obsess over the Klingons."  If anything, Matthew's
passion for bringing down the Empire is just growing.

"Perhaps he is right to obsess.  I am unsure if Starfleet Command
and the Federation leadership fully understand the kind of threat
that the Klingons pose to stability in the quadrant."

"That's a very logical way of saying you've jumped on Matthew's
bandwagon." She grins at Valeris.  The young woman seems to idolize
Matthew.  Not that Christine blames her.  He's a good man, and a
talented one.  And he and Spock are friends.  Any friend of Spock's
appears to be a friend of Valeris's.

Christine often wonders if that is why Valeris appears to like her
so much too.  It's not very flattering to the young woman, or to
herself.  Not when Christine knows she has opinions and likes of her
own.

"Well," she says, deciding not to worry over why Valeris likes
her, "this is sure an exciting way to finish out your interim in
ops."

"It has been a most enlightening tour.  I have"--she almost smiles--
"enjoyed my time in Emergency Operations.  And I will miss you,
Christine."  Valeris's tone is warm.

Christine smiles.  She's not sure what to think about Vulcans
anymore.  Spock, Valeris, even Sarek, seem to give lie to the cold,
unemotional stereotype.  Even if they hide their feelings well, they
do appear to have them.  Frequently.

"I'll miss you too, Valeris."

She doesn't think Janice will though.  For some reason, Jan has
never warmed up to Valeris.  She asked her about it once.

Janice looked sheepish as she said, "It's not rational, Christine.
There's just something I don't trust about her.  And no I'm not just
jealous that she's brilliant, beautiful, and could squash me like a
bug in a game of tennis."

Janice is usually a good judge of character, better than Christine
is, in fact.  But she's wrong this time.  Christine only feels a
deep affection when she looks at Valeris.  And she's gotten better
at hearing those warning bells since Carol betrayed her.  Valeris is
a fine officer.  And she's Christine's friend.  One who Christine
would trust with her life.

-----------------------

She opens her eyes slowly, sees that Jim is watching her.  It is a
wonderful coincidence that she needed a ride out to Denela and he
was there to offer her one on the Enterprise, especially after just
seeing each other on leave.

"So," she asks, moving closer to kiss him, "do you give all your
passengers this kind of treatment?  Dinner in the mess and a night
in the captain's quarters?"

He grins as he begins to touch her.  "Only the ones I'm in love
with."

"And how many are you in love with?"

"'Bout a half dozen or so."  He laughs--he is aware of his
reputation.  "I'm holding auditions soon.  Would like to get it up
to an even dozen."

She groans as he moves into her.  "And would that be a baker's dozen
or just the garden variety kind?"

"Thirteen is bad luck, remember?"  Smiling, he kisses her again, and
they stop talking as their mouths find other things to do.

A little later, she sighs as she shifts in his arms.  "So Sulu is
filling in for Spock?"  She was surprised to see the science station
without Spock sitting there, to see Sulu as acting first officer.

Jim nods.  "Spock's off on some hush hush mission.  He's been pulled
off a number of times lately."  He nuzzles her neck as he talks, his
lips touching down lightly on her skin.  "It's good experience for
Sulu, will get him ready for his new lady.  And sooner rather than
later, I think. Have you heard anything about Styles leaving?"

"Just unsubstantiated rumors."

He laughs.  "Yes, but your unsubstantiated rumors come from
admirals, not from the bowels of my ship."

"True."  She giggles as he finds a sensitive spot on her
neck.  "Word is Styles is accepting promotion in six months."

"Then I'll need a new helmsman.  I'm happy for Sulu..."

"But?"

He sighs.  "I'm losing my crew, Chris.  It seems like we just
launched, but I know before I'm ready for it, we'll be standing down-
-whoever of us is left to stand down."

"I know."  She's wondering what he'll do when he stands down.   Will
Earth ever be enough to hold him, to make him happy?

Will she?

"I miss Spock," he murmurs, sighing.  "I'm losing him to diplomacy."

"It was just a matter of time.  Look at Sarek.  It's in his blood."

"I suppose.  I'm just not used to him not talking to me about
things."

"And your experience with that is less than stellar."  She turns to
look at him.

His eyes are bleak.  "I wasn't going to say that."

Kissing him, she strokes his face gently.  "Spock won't betray you.
It's not Genesis all over again."

He nods, but doesn't look convinced.   She gives up trying to make
it better, knows that she can't.  Things change, including perfect
crews under perfect captains.  Jim's world is breaking apart
naturally, and there is nothing either of them can do to stop it.
Nothing either of them should do.

"I've missed you," he says, and she feels him relax against her.

"I've missed you too."

His breathing changes, becomes the long, deep breaths of sleep.  She
turns to look at him, studying his face.  Still so handsome to her
even though he is no longer young.  But then neither is she.

Pretty soon it will be time to step aside, to make room for younger
officers who haven't seen and done it all.  She's ready to make the
move whenever he is.  Ready to pack it all in and try the quiet
life.  The rockbound life.  She hopes this time they can settle down
together and make it work.

---------------------

Christine looks around the room, watches as Janice blushes at
something Matthew says.  It is a joint goodbye.  He's moving up, and
she's shipping out to the Excelsior--Sulu listened to Jim and lured
Jan away.  Not that it probably took much convincing.  Sulu's here
now, looking proud and a little territorial every time his eyes rest
on Janice.

Christine knows that look.   She wishes them luck, hopes they are as
happy as she's been with Jim.  She also hopes they never know the
heartbreak she and Jim have known.  But she thinks maybe they
won't.  They've waited so long, and neither of them is particularly
volatile.  Not that Christine thought she was, until she learned
otherwise through loving James T. Kirk.  Certainly she is very
different than the unassuming nurse who first went out to look for
Roger.

She thinks Roger would not like her much anymore.

Jim, however, only seems to love her more, no matter how strong--and
incendiary--she becomes.  But then Jim isn't afraid of a challenge.

"Nice party, Christine."  Matthew hands her a refill on her
champagne.  "Thank you."

She smiles sadly--ops will be a lonely place without him and
Janice.  "Who better to throw it than someone who knows all your
faults?"

"You said there wouldn't be a roast."

"I did?"  She laughs as his expression changes, becomes a lot less
complacent.  "Relax, Matthew.  Toasts only.  And best wishes and
congratulations.  A billet on the CINC's staff is quite the plum
assignment."  Winking, she leans in, says in a whisper, "Think of
all the ways you can foil the Klingons from there."

"Very funny.  Someday, you'll be glad I'm out there foiling the
Klingons, Christine."  He holds up his glass to her.  "To shared
emergencies.  There's no one I'd have rather spent a crisis with
than you."

"Ditto, Matthew.  And to you, for saving me all those years ago when
I didn't care what happened."

"I didn't save you," he says, but he clinks his glass against hers
anyway.  "You saved yourself.  I just pointed you in the right
direction."

"I don't think so.  But okay."  She sees Janice coming over with
Sulu, smiles to include them.  "So how does it feel having a ship of
your own?"

Sulu grins as if he's just been given free run of Risa.  Janice
looks a little nervous, even if she is smiling gamely.

Christine knows she'll be fine.  And she knows Janice will figure
that out sooner rather than later.  Her friend takes no crap off
anyone, and her competency is off the scale.  If she lacks
confidence, a few days doing well in the job will fix that.

"Here's to you, my friend," she says softly, holding her glass out.

Janice lifts her glass and taps it lightly to Christine's.  "Is it
bad to throw up at your own party?"

"Yes."  Sulu laughs at her.  "Why are you so nervous, Jan?"

"Why aren't you?"  Glaring at him, Janice turns back to
Christine.  "And how about you?  Emergency Ops is going to be mighty
lonely."

Christine shrugs and feels Matthew nudge her.

"I think she's waiting to see what Jim does before she makes any
commitments."  Matthew grins at her.

"Maybe I'm just waiting to see who my next boss is?  I mean I just
got you trained and now I have to break in another?"

"That's the life of a Starfleet officer.  One new boss after
another."  He lifts his glass.  "To good times.  And bad ones.  All
spent together.  In this room.  Possibly in these same uniforms."

They murmur "here-here's" and "To good times," before Sulu and
Janice wander away to mingle more.

"So, you really going to retire if Jim does?  Whither thou goest,
and all that?"

"That's the plan.  He has a while to go in the center seat,
fortunately."

"And you'll stay here?"

"It's in my blood, I'm afraid."

"I hear that.  I think I'll miss this place more than I even realize
once I'm up in the CINC's pretty offices."

She laughs at that.  "You'll be loving life.  Think of the access."
Glancing over at him, she laughs harder.  "You're practically
salivating, Matthew."

He shoots her a glance that is more penetrating than she
expects.  "It's a chance to do some real good, Christine."  He puts
a lot of emphasis on the word "do."  "Can you understand that?"

"I have no doubt you'll do good," she says breezily and sees
immediately that he is disappointed in that answer.  "What?"

He sighs, shaking his head and looking down.

"Matthew?"

"It's nothing.  I'm just emotional, I think."  Smiling, he looks
around the room, seems to be taking in all the faces, stopping at
some of the ops old-timers.  "I'm going to miss this."

"And we're going to miss you."  She hands him a small package,
laughs as he frowns.  "It's not from me, it's from Jim.  He doesn't
care if you said no gifts."

"Typical Kirk behavior.  Rules don't apply."  He is grinning though
as he tears off the wrapping to reveal a bottle of stimulants, the
kind normally used by Academy students in the middle of exams.  "For
all the boring meetings," he reads, then laughs.  "Wow. I'm
touched."  But he does look tickled at the gift.  "He made you
schlep this here?"

"He sure did."  Not that she'd needed much convincing.  Anything
that made Matthew laugh was worth the effort.

"I think this is his revenge for my having asked you out."  He winks
at her.  There is nothing wistful in his expression, nothing sad in
his voice.  Whatever he feels for her these days outside of
friendship, he seems to be at peace with it.

"You should find someone, Matthew."  She grins.  "I'm happy.  I want
you to be too."

"Can't just go looking, Christine.  Someone has to sort of stumble
into your life.  Or at least that seems to be the way it works."

"You may be right," she says, thinking of that cramped shuttle, the
terrible virus that brought Jim and her stumbling into collision.
Nothing has ever been the same since that moment.

And she is glad for it.  Can see how far they have come.  Through
tragedy and triumph and soon inevitable retirement.   In love,
always in love, even if not always together.

But they're together now.  Perhaps not physically, but their hearts--
maybe even their souls--are joined.  It's a whimsical, intense
thought, and not one she would have been given to before she met
Jim.

He's made her reconsider everything.  He's made her a believer in
true love.

Even though, at times, true love can rip your world apart--and your
heart with it.

She'll risk the pain.

For him, it's worth it.


FIN





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