Congratulations To TimmyWl! *shakes his hand in sportsmanlike conduct.*
I agree entirely with Camelopard about the back-story but I'm still editing the story, (especially adding the "show" factor,) for future re-submission for later challenge(s). I felt that non-"Professionally-Written Literature" readers might not be entirely versed on the "Shatnerverse" so I felt some need to fill in a few things before getting into the main 'meat' of the Exeter section of Kirk's life. Just so the Exeter chapters make some sense chronologically & otherwise. This story, for some reason sticks in my throat & won't go away. Bits of inspiration keep coming-up & I can't stop myself when I think I might be onto something. I may go with certain readers' feedback that they'd like to see a cameo of a refit & recommissioned TNG/Nemesis-era 'U.S.S. Enterprise-A' with Scotty in the center seat as a logical choice with a few new kids behind the rest of the consoles. Though, I'm wondering if I should bother to include a bitchy new E.M.H. in the form of Leonard J. "Bones" McCoy.