STARFLEET ACADEMY, EARLY 2284

As on many a good day, I lie back in her arms, and the universe briefly makes sense. The air in the park surely helps.

As often happens, I think of Jim, our common adoptive father--mine by blood-- and his legendary career.

As it happens, he and Spock needed no superpowers to carve out their legend. What are we in comparison? They needed no telekinesis, no hyper-invasive Level 12 telepathy, flight or teleportation. They had phasers that ran dry, not hands that shot lightning bolts and such. When they bled, no enhanced physiology made the cuts simply go away. If a phaser on dispersal had struck them, they'd be gone. Are we weaklings, to need such crutches?

They set explosions, and ran and hoped for the best. They would never be stupid enough to challenge a whole arena full of enemies. Those two could not allow a detail to get past them. I have had so many simple things pass straight over my head, its scary. Let's face it, neither I nor Saavik are what you'd call even-tempered. These thoughts, as you might imagine, tend to drag me down very quickly.

"Peter-Kam? Do not panic, husband---but we are surrounded by heavily armed and armored shock troops in service to The Order with nano-laser sights that currently cover us like measles."

"How many?"

"All of them, I think."

These thoughts do tend to drag me down. Its a good thing I never have much time to think them.