A New Start

11/15/2258

Starfleet Headquarters

Office of Vice Admiral Christopher Pike

Admiral Christopher Pike gave a reassuring smile to the young man sitting in front of him. "So, Jim, are you ready to head back out?"

Captain James T. Kirk took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, Admiral. I am."

"Do you have any preferences as to the type of posting?"

Kirk gave a slight smile."I definitely want a ship."

Pike gave a slight chuckle. "I figured that." He looked down at his PADD. "We do have a couple of ships that need a new CO. First on the list, and the one that Starfleet hopes you'll except, is the USS Triumph, Constitution class.Aside from the Enterprise she's the newest ship in the Fleet and if the Enterprise hadn't been built she'd be the Flagship. Its former CO, Sean O'Neal, is being promoted to Admiral."

Kirk had flinched at the word 'Constitution class', and while Pike talked his expression had steadily darkened."I'm going to have to decline, Chris," he said firmly. "I don't want anything like my former posting. I did what I needed to do with the Enterprise: helped save Earth. But after what its crew did to me...anything even remotely like it is completely out of the question."

He took a deep breath. " I need a fresh start. A fresh start with a clean slate and as few reminders as possible.That means no Constitution class ship and preferably not a large one either."

He leaned forward and met his mentor's eyes. "Two good things came out of what happened to me. Number one:I found out who my real friends were. Number two: I did some growing up. I don't need the Flagship or a large ship; as long as it's a ship I'm happy.

I don't need to be out in deep space; just being in space is enough."He gave a mirthless smile. "Frankly, I'd be fine with a freighter or a garbage scow."

Pike nodded thoughtfully. "I'll see what I can do, Jim. And I'm sure we can arrange something other than a garbage scow."