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Katrina is having an early dinner when her computer pings. Teppanyaki soba halfway to her mouth, she glances over to the corner, frowning at the sight of her notification; apparently, one of her captains have signed an official document that has changed his file well enough to flag her as their superior officer.
“Now, who could that be?” she asks herself, putting her dinner down and opening the notification. The box expands into the file of Christopher Pike of the U.S.S. Enterprise and the U.S.S. Discovery, the relevant text highlighting itself on-screen as an electronic copy of the official document pops up beside it.
Katrina stares, then scrambles to comm Number One. When the XO answers, the first thing out of Kat’s mouth is, “You owe me fifty bucks.”
Number One raises a shapely eyebrow, asking, “From which bet?”
“That Chris would ever manage to get himself married on an away-mission.” Katrina grins at the incredulous expression on Number One’s face. “He’s been apart from you, what, a month? Two months?”
“Who is he married to?”
“Michael Burnham,” Katrina tells her, “and that’s not all – he’s legally changed his name. The computer’s trying to get me to approve renaming him ‘Christopher Burnham’ across the Fleet-wide system.”
“I’m going to murder him,” Number One says, serene.
“Because you weren’t invited or because it wasn’t you?”
“I prefer ladies. You would know that, Katrina. Where did the marriage take place?”
Katrina looks at the certificate, bringing it in front of the comm-screen. “Acamar Two…on Dira-Gaddidi Neutral Ground.” Her expression shifts into one of worry.
“Admiral?”
“I sent them there on a mission to moderate a peace treaty. Two Clans, coming together through marriage. I want to know what happened. Getting married isn’t usually part of negotiations.”
“The Captain has unorthodox methods, though usually it is Commander Spock encouraging shenanigans.”
Katrina weighs what she knows of Discovery’s crew against what she knows of Christopher – and the Enterprise. “Well, Burnham is Spock’s sister. Human, but still Spock’s sister…to be honest, I’ve been waiting to see her get some good luck from the universe.”
“There’s a possibility they were in a secret relationship,” Number One states. “The Captain is a good man, but he keeps his family at a distance from his work. They could have met at a previous function involving Commander Spock.”
“Supporting the unlikely theory?” Katrina raises her eyebrows. “You’re really trying to get out of this just being an away-mission freak?”
“You’d owe me twenty credits, if it was,” she replies in a blithe manner.
“Har-har,” Katrina rolls her eyes, leaning back in her seat and peering at the still-highlighted text. “Well, what do I do? We can’t have two Burnham’s on a bridge at one time – I doubt he’d answer to it, anyway. He’d have to change all his access-codes, too.”
“Perhaps, leave it up to him. He has eight months before he can rectify his decision with the Federation, by Human laws.”
“None, if the Vulcans take offense,” Katrina adds. “They could flip the marriage license immediately, if her parents don’t like what they see.”
“Hm.” Number One says thoughtfully, “We’ll sort our bet after they’ve been married eight months, but you lose automatically if the Vulcans strike out and they just get married again.”
Katrina rolls her eyes again, but nods. “Fine. I’ll put a note on his name staying the same because Michael’s onboard, but it’s up to them.”
“Approving it will make him blush, regardless of the circumstances,” Number One points out as Katrina starts going through the motions. “He once said that he thought every admiral in the Fleet was looking at him.”
“Don’t tell him – but they are,” Kat says. “He’s up for promotion. We’ll be watching for another couple of years, giving him prods to train up a new captain to replace him. If he’s good, he’ll be sitting in Command by sixty-one. They think it’s a good idea to have at least one new admiral who sat out the war on the Council, when the time comes.”
“He’ll be flattered, most likely, once he figures it out.”
“If he figures it out.” Katrina grins at her, “Thirty bucks on someone having to tell him he’s up for admiral.”
Number One smiles in amusement. “What’s the Human turn of phrase – ‘suckers bet’?”
“I love you,” Katrina says, still smiling.
“I wouldn’t have married you if I didn’t feel the same. Call me again after he comms to explain,” Number One orders. Katrina promises, watching her wife disappear from the screen. She looks to Chris’ file and begins to type.
As Cpt. Pike is currently temporarily serving with his spouse upon the U.S.S. DISCOVERY (NCC-1031)…