Free Star Trek: Duty, Honor, Redemption by Vonda N. McIntyre

mustang—someone who had worked up from the ranks—to start out on.
    “She got it, too,” Kirk said softly, gazing out the window and seeing, perhaps, not the earth below or the angular chaos of the space station far ahead, but new worlds and past adventures.
    “Sir? Do you mean you put in for a Galaxy ship?” Hikaru felt rather shocked, partly because if Kirk had applied, he must have been turned down, but even more that he had made the request in the first place.
    “What? Oh, no. No, of course not. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. She earned her promotion, just as you did yours. I don’t begrudge it to either of you.” He grinned. “But if I were ten years younger, she might have had a fight on her hands for one of the Galaxies.”
    “I can’t quite imagine you anywhere but on the bridge of the Enterprise, Captain Kirk—uh, sorry— Admiral. ”
    “I think I consider that a compliment.”
    The autopilot emitted a soft beep as it engaged the Spacedock’s guide beacon. Kirk nodded to Sulu, who returned to the controls, deactivated the autopilot, and engaged the navigational computer and communications system.
    “Shuttle Seven to Enterprise. Admiral Kirk’s party on final approach.”
    “Shuttle Seven, welcome to Enterprise. Prepare for docking.”
    “Thank you, Enterprise, we copy.”
    When Sulu had completed the preparations, Kirk caught his gaze again.
    “By the way, Sulu, I must thank you for coming along.”
    “I was delighted to get your request, Admiral. A chance to go back on board the Enterprise, to indulge in a bit of nostalgia—how could I pass it up?”
    “Yes….” Kirk said thoughtfully. “Nevertheless, I remember how much there was to do, and how little time there seemed to be to do it in, just before I got the Enterprise. ”
    “I’ve looked forward to it for a long time.”
    “I’m grateful to have you at the helm.” He grinned: for a moment the somber cloud of responsibility thinned, letting out a flash of Captain James Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. He leaned over and said, with mock confidentiality, “Mister Sulu, I don’t believe those kids can steer.”
     
    Lieutenant Saavik watched Enterprise Shuttle Seven as it settled into its transport moorings; its pilot—Commander Sulu, she assumed—was excellent. The great doors of the starship’s landing bay slid closed, and air sighed in to pressurize the compartment.
    The other trainees waited nervously for Admiral Kirk. Saavik remained outwardly impassive, though she felt uncomfortable about having to face Kirk after yesterday’s disaster. He had merely added to her humiliation by rating her well in the series of simulation exams. She believed he should have significantly downgraded her overall score because of her performance on the final test. She felt confused, and Saavik disliked confusion intensely.
    Captain Spock knew far more about humans in general than Saavik thought she could ever hope to learn, and more about Admiral Kirk in particular. Perhaps he could explain Kirk’s motives. Since coming on board, though, Saavik had been too busy to ask him.
    “Docking procedures completed,” the computer said.
    “Prepare for inspection,” Spock said. “Open airlock.”
    All the trainees came to rigid attention as the doors slid open. The computer, surrogate bo’sun, piped the admiral onto the ship. Kirk paused, saluted the Federation logo before him, and exchanged salutes with Spock.
    “Permission to come aboard, Captain?”
    “Permission granted, Admiral, and welcome.”
    Kirk stepped on board the Enterprise.
    “I believe you know my trainees,” Spock said. “Certainly they have come to know you.”
    Kirk looked straight at Saavik. “Yes,” he said, “we’ve been through death and life together.”
    Saavik maintained her composure, but only the techniques of biocontrol that Spock had taught her saved her from a furious blush. She could not make out Kirk’s tone at all. He might be attempting