"Spock, I was told you to give this to you after Jim vanishes for an hour," Bones said, handing a small item to the Vulcan. "And that might clear some things up, which I am unsure what that is. Kirk's on it. Just a little bit older."

Spock looked down toward the holo-emitter then back to Bones.

"Time traveler gave this to you?" Spock asked.

"You can say that." Bones said, then he walked past the Vulcan.

Spock went into the briefing room then he tapped a button and a moving holographic figure appeared on the screen singing, his eyes were hazel, his hair was brown, and he looked to be about sixty. He was in a red, black, and white uniform with the star fleet insignia on his chest. He had some resemblance to Lieutenant Kirk. That voice.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you . . ." The man stopped singing, with a grin. "I know I know, it is illogical to celebrate something you had nothing to do with, but I haven't had the chance to congratulate you on your appointment to the ambassadorship so I decided to seize the occasion. . . Bravo, Spock-- they tell me your first mission will take you away for awhile, so I'll be the first to wish you good luck . . . and to say. . ." He paused flicking off a tear as he got emotional. "I miss you, old friend."

His staccato speaking style was different to Lieutenant Kirk.

It was illogical to be touched by a older man he barely knew.

"I suppose I'd always imagined us... outgrowing Starfleet together. Watching life swing us into our Emeritus years... I look around at the new cadets now and can't help thinking... has it really been so long? Wasn't it only yesterday we stepped onto the Enterprise as boys? That I had to prove to the crew I deserved command... and their respect?" There was a twinkle in the older man's eyes. "I know what you'd say — 'It's their turn now, Jim...' And of course you're right... but it got me thinking: Who's to say we can't go one more round?"

Spock raised an eyebrow.

One last round?

Could he mean another shot serving alongside Ambassador Spock?

Logically, yes.

"By the last tally, only twenty five percent of the galaxy's been chartered... I'd call that negligent. Criminal even — an invitation. You once said being a starship captain was my first, best destiny... if that's true, then yours is to be by my side. If there's any true logic to the universe... we'll end up on that bridge again someday." The older Jim stopped with a grin. There was warmth, comfort, loyalty, and friendship all in this transmission. A deeply embedded one. It was almost as though he had paused intentionally to say the part that meant the most. "Admit it, Spock. For people like us, the journey itself... is home."

And the holographic projection ended sizzling back into the small device.

Spock was lost in the feelings that was flooding through him. If this belonging belonged to his counterpart that could only mean that his counterpart, Ambassador Spock, was here in this time. It was logical to deduce he may have had some hand in the assigning of Uhura and Kirk. Spock placed the item into his pocket then he got up from the chair, stepped aside, and pushed it in.

Spock walked out of the briefing room.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Seconds were Scalosian minutes.

Minutes were Scalosian hours.

Hours were Scalosian days.

Days were Scalosian weeks.

Weeks were Scalosian months.

Months were Scalosian years.

At least that is how Lieutenant Kirk figured this. It was certainly unpleasing to spend his second day aboard the Enterprise stuck in another time zone. He was in his quarters, pillow over his face, frustrated and both at once irritated with his current predicament. A noise came from his right prosthetic arm. Kirk got upright letting the fall down onto his lap. Kirk took his shirt off and tossed it onto the left hand side of the bed. Kirk took the metal strap off around his shoulder then slid it down and which he did to the other strap that acted as a latch into the skin with a sharp needle. Kirk closed his eyes as he took it out.

"So this is your quarters." Came Deela.

Kirk sighed, sliding off the prosthetic arm.

"Yes," Kirk said. "It is."

Deela frowned.

"What is wrong with your arm?" Deela asked.

"This is a prosthetic kind," Kirk said. "It is made out of titanium."

Deela sat down alongside the young lieutenant eyeing at the stump.

"I asked what was wrong with your arm." Deela said.

"I lost it." Kirk said.

"You can't just lose a arm." Deela said.

"It was disrupted off." Kirk said,

"Transporter malfunction?" Deela said.

Kirk laughed.

"Nah," Kirk said, bringing the prosthetic arm then opened the forearm where it revealed a panel of wires and buttons, and one glowing blue screen. "I lost it thanks to some Romulans firing at my landing party. I sprung into action, dragged my commanding officer and commander out of harms way, and requested a emergency beam up. After I made the request, I was shot at." Kirk briefly closed his eyes, shuddering at the memory, lowering his head down. "Captain Hanks was grateful for me." Kirk opened his eyes. "He gave me a glowing review." He looked at the screen then he put the arm on the bed. "Which got me assigned here."

"How couragous." Deela said.

"Huh?" Kirk said.

"You risked your life to save the lives of others. Not many people do that. You lost a part of yourself to save others. You obviously care about the lives of others. I cannot fathom the idea that you wouldn't be there to save mine. You are my consort, one with a herioc streak." Kirk shook his head muttering, "Only once." And she turned his head toward her direction. "Hush, do not be negative on yourself." She traced along the side of his face. "Rael will be here soon. The ladies are choosing their consorts too."

Kirk took her free hand.

"Why are the male sterile?" Kirk asked.

"Radiation. We are accelerated in time, as I said, a long time ago we had a fall out with radiation." Kirk let go of her hand. "Many of us were able to be spared from the most deadly affects by hiding and accelerating ourselves at a cost." Her hand traced along Kirk's chest. "To ever come back. Have you made your decision?"

The doors wooshed open to reveal Bones.

"Bones!" Kirk shouted, taking her to the side. He had a smile on his face seeing his friend who wasn't capable of moving. "Bones, I am here!" He waved his free hand in Bones direction. "This is Lieutenant Kirk to Doctor McCoy, can you hear me?" Bones slowly walked forward toward the table his eyes landing on a frame of George Kirk and Winona on the USS Kelvin. "Bones--"

Bones looked over his shoulder, hearing that buzzing sound, then back toward the picture frame.

"J. . . i. . . m. . ." Kirk was getting irritated. "I. . . h. . . o. . . p. . e. . . y. . . o. . . u. . . c. . . o. . . . m. . . e. . . b. . . a. . . c. . . k."

Deela looked down toward the screen of the prosthetic arm taking in the information. She cocked up an eyebrow at the direction of Kirk, confused, most definitely. She stood up then approached the man holding his prosthetic arm.

"What does this mean?" Deela asked.

Kirk's shoulders lowered as he turned toward the confused woman. He looked over toward the arm then back to Deela. Kirk sighed. He had to deal with this prosthetic arm for three weeks and getting adjusted to the technobabble it came with was uneasy. It wouldn't make sense to her if he told her about it in great detail so he went down to the point.

"It needs repairs." Kirk said.

"You said this was titanium." Deela said.

"Yeah, I did." Kirk said.

"Then how come it is in our time when it is not organic?" Deela asked.

"Not. . . organic?" Kirk said, puzzled.

"Organisms have a sense of time and this is not a organism." Deela said.

Kirk yanked the arm out of her hand then he pressed a few buttons and placed it on the table making the middle finger stand out. Kirk had a grin on his face then he turned back toward Deela with a smile.

"I have made my choice." Kirk said.

Deela appeared to be hopeful.

"You will be my consort?" Deela asked.

Kirk drew Deela near with his left arm.

"Yes." Kirk said.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

Bones froze seeing a arm on the table with a middle finger up. He frowned turning around, asking out loud, "Jim, what kind of game are you playing?" Only to notice he is alone in the room. The hard reality came crashing down upon Bones. He briefly closed his eyes. He looked back at the arm then picked it up turning it over. He saw the organic mode had been turned off.

Bones pressed a button.

It read: Goodbye, d0ct0r.

Bones smiled.

D0ct0r was their secret code for 'I am getting out of this mess'. It also meant that someone may be reading whatever he may be writing to get a message across. Bones paused, contemplating the story that the three old men had told him six months ago. Regarding a ensign who died to save Jim's life, about the woman who dosed Jim's cup, about the man who adored the woman,and about the cure which the men did not specify how it was made. Kirk was currently with Deela. It had occurred to Bones that Kirk was with Deela.

So soon?

No wonder Bones Prime was reluctant.

Things were very different in this universe.