Kirk and Spock listened patiently, letting Pike give them all the information. He sensed no lie in his worlds, and if he was trying to lie, it was a rather elaborate one. It would be hard to pull off in the long run, and this man didn't seem like a Harry Mudd - thank god. He took the picture that Pike slid over, but didn't immediately recognize it. He passed it to Spock, but he took did not seem to know much more about it.

"Well, I suppose first things first," Kirk began. "It seems you are a bit behind compared to us. The Stardate is currently 2264." It was not a massive jump, to be sure, but a lot could happen in a few years. And more than that... His gaze drifted to the other Spock sitting across from them, and he glanced at his own for a brief moment. This would probably be the quickest way to confirm his theory, though it would be painful - beyond the more obvious fact of Pike's presence at all.

"Mr. Spock," Kirk said, pausing for a beat as he gathered his words. "What is the current state of planet Vulcan?"