I don't want to sound like an ** when I make a quantified compliment, so I'm apologizing beforehand.

Fantastic plot, wonderful ending. Thank you for not bringing Kirk back to life, and thank you for the epilogue, and thank you for the depressing normalcy of it all at the end ;) (What can I say? I thrive on angst.)

I have to admit that I wasn't expecting too much from TMoaC, mostly because of your writing style. Not that it's bad, or anything, but it's not as in-your-face-wow as that of some. But the character interactions, internal conflicts, and well-knit plot won me over. (All that nattering about dreams definitely made me a little starry-eyed, too.) So, in the end, congratulations. And thank you, again.

I'm really sorry that I've never read this before. Its amazing. Pirate!Kirk. I think I'm in love.

hi, ...your story was overwhelming and very touching...just the way kirk would have reacted...loved it!

keep up and pls continue writing star trek stories...pls!

Great story! But also so very sad!

A very good story... characterizations good, storyline good... I HATE that Kirk had to die though, and even more so that the crew were stuck with Lowell again. Dangit, I woulda rather seen 'em become pirates, at least someone would care for them.

I know, I know, that wasn't logically possible. It's just... sad. That's what the ending is. Really, really sad. Especially for those left behind.

wait, you know that code, does it have anything to do with Starship Captains and dates related to that Captain? just curious...

Wow. You know, I'm really impressed, but...

Disappointed!! THeir stupid captain should have been punished for allowing the ship to be captured by a smaller vessel! Then maybe they'd be given a better captain - not Kirk, of course, but Christ . . . anyone'd be better than the uncaring lump of worthless flesh that is their captain now.

I know, we should feel sorry for him. But while I did at first, when he woke from the coma and didn't even wonder if the ship was okay - let alone the crew - I was like "All bets are off. I hate this guy. He's a selfish dick."

Anyway, I hope there's a sequel, but I am doubtful. :-)

--Ukky

Stockholm Syndrome is where the captives who are kidnapped start liking their captors. :-)

I am really enjoying where this is going. Stockholm Syndrome is not always because of the situation - sometimes the bad guys are hard to hate, and easy to love. They usually are in my favorite worlds.

I'm so curious at every chapter to find out what happens next! I'm also seriously wondering how you will keep them all together - or if you won't.

But just to point out, I'm pretty sure it was Sulu who loved pirates and piraty stuff, not Chekov. Chekov never mentioned pirates in the series, but Sulu went around jabbing at people (most notably, Bill Shatner) with an eppé and calling himself a pirate. :-)

I think you have a very logical reasoning for why the command crew wouldn't be able to retake the ship. You're right, they have become lax in their methods and thinking due to a lax captain. Spock was never forced to learn and grow and become more than a Vulcan raised for peace here, whereas in Star Trek he learned new modes of thinking and understanding due to experience with Kirk.

The truth is, Kirk changed everyone he touched, he had a presence and vitality to him. Without him, many things probably went very different. You understand that, you have incorporated it into the story quite well. It's frankly that the simple-minded have trouble understanding. Not their fault - not anything wrong with them. They just don't get it. :-)

Brava!

I am very impressed!

And for a self-proclaimed "comedian" I think you should be proud. You have done an admiral (tee hee) job of creating a serious - yet lighthearted oft-times - fanfic.

And not only that, your characterization is spot-on, and this coming from someone who is very VERY picky about that. It is an absolute requirement for me to read anything - and many actual Star Trek novels have been given the boot by me because of the lack!

--Ukky

Gah! I finally got around to finishing reading this and I fins out Kirk dies! *cries* But I'm very happy to find out that he didn't sell the enterprise... I loved how he impacted the entire crew like that *continues crying* Especially Spock and McCoy, I just love it!

Love. Boundless love, full love for this story. In every single way. Especially the ending. A forged friendship between those two is meant to be, in any dimension.

That was the only real way it could end for Kirk, too, isn't it? There were no loopholes he could conveiniently escape into and live a full, satisfying life, was there?

I say Again: love. Full, boundless love for this story in every single way. I love it.

Live to write more, and thank you for writing this.

You *can't* be *serious*! I almost cried. No way. Man.

... I'll go back to reading the story now. I've been reading it in one sitting, eating all of it up.

It's wonderful.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL...I CAN'T STOP CRYING...DAMN YOU!

Please?

Love the story, but the fact that they can't figure out the codes drive me crazy. Honestly, it's so easy, didn't anyone pay attention in school?