Bonds of Change (Star Trek 2009/RPF Xover)

11. Inconclusive

"I bring this hearing to order," Admiral Pike said and Jim couldn't help thinking it was a death nell to his career in Starfleet.

That Pike had been there to greet the Enterprise when she arrived had said everything to Jim. Pike was his rock in Starfleet and Pike being involved meant that, once again, the Admiral had gone to the wall for him. He doubted there would have been any hearing at all without Pike.

In Starfleet's eyes he was unfit to command, it was as simple as that and the whole hearing was likely more of a formality than anything else. If Starfleet hadn't been so short of senior officers, he was pretty sure he would already have been officially relieved of duty, Pike or no Pike. The one thing he had to be glad about was that the hearing was specifically about him, not Spock, and Nyota hadn't been mentioned in any of the official reports, so she was uninvolved.

"We are gathered to hear the case for and against whether Captain James T. Kirk should be relieved of his command of the USS Enterprise on grounds of being emotionally and physically compromised," Pike said, glancing at him only once. "This Board of Inquiry will hear all aspects of the situation and then render a decision."

"Captain Kirk is irrevocably bonded to his first officer, of course he's compromised," Admiral Trivala said from her screen in a thoroughly unimpressed tone, "the medical tests prove it. This is a waste of time and resources."

"With all due respect, Admiral," Pike said before anyone else could speak up, "there is no dispute that a bond exists, what this Board of Inquiry needs to establish is whether it presents a risk to command."

Trivala did not appear anymore impressed by that.

"If the bench is ready, I believe it is in the interest of this investigation to understand the nature of the bond in question," Pike said. "Attaché Allen, you have requested the right to speak as an expert in this subject."

Kris stood up.

"Yes, Admiral, thank you, but I would request that my bonded, Protector Lambert, present our evidence."

"Why can't you give us your own report, Attaché Allen?" Admiral Bonnet asked in a reasonable tone.

"Because, with all due respect, Admirals, we believe the only way to convey the truth is to do it in the manner of our people," Kris replied, "and while I am capable of presenting my own composition, we feel this is of such importance that Adam's voice must be heard."

"The Sonarian people use bards for all important negotiations," Pike explained to the other two Admirals.

"You wish to sing?" Trivala asked as if it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.

"If I may, Admirals," Spock put in politely. "The Sorarians have had no war on their planet for fifteen centuries thanks to their use of song. It would be most illogical to dismiss their methods simply because they are not ours."

"Thank you, Mr Spock," Pike said with a nod of his head. "If we are all in agreement, I suggest we proceed."

Jim was actually quite shocked when no one protested as Adam stood up. When Adam had assured him that Kris would make sure everyone understood, he had had no idea his two friends would go this far. The pair had to have been working non-stop since the call came in to report to the starbase. Jim knew for a fact that big presentations often took weeks to prepare for on the couple's home planet. There had been plenty of welcoming songs when the Enterprise had arrived on Sonara, but he was pretty sure those had been standard greetings. This was an entirely different matter.

Adam moved to the centre of the room and closed his eyes. For a moment there was complete silence and then Adam opened his mouth and hit a note that was low and deep. It reverberated through the chamber and Jim realised that Adam had instinctively picked the perfect place in the room for the acoustics. The standard starbase conference room wasn't exactly built with music in mind, but that didn't actually seem to make a lot of difference.