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myenterpriseisparked · 3 years

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can.... can we get a cast for your zoologist Trek show?

I don't have names for them but here we go! This is kind of long, so I'm putting the characters under a cut.

The ship is called the USS Frontiersman. It works mostly in deep space, studying new forms of life on newly discovered planets. Crew compliment of 160. 50 exozoologists, 50 exobotanists, 20 environmentalists (including geologists and atmospheric experts). The remaining 40 crew members are engineers, security officers, helmsman, and the captain and first officer. I'm not positive on the time period this is set during, but it's at least at a point where there's not much conflict between Cardassia and the Federation.

Captain: She's a 40-year-old Engineer who never expected to make captain. Finding out she was being offered a command was the best day of her life. The worst day of her life was the next day, when she stepped on board and realized it was an exobiology ship filled with eccentrics. She slept through her required exobiology course so she has no idea what any of her crew members are talking about. She's basically that babysitter who's charges are all extremely passionate about things she doesn't understand and the parents have asked her to drive them around to local museums and science learning centers while the kids yell in the backseat about who's topic of interest is better.

First Officer: She's a 30-year-old who went through the academy on the command route and was known for being an excellent pilot. Has less knowledge of exobiology than the captain. The two of them keep trying to push interpersonal conflicts to be solved off on one another because neither of them understand what anyone's talking about enough to truly help solve the issue and, frankly, they're both a little frightened of the ferocity of their crew.

Head Engineer: Bajoran who actually did pay attention in biology and, while she's a little confused, she's eager to learn about what the others are prattling on about and is an excellent listener. She tries her best to translate for the non-exobiologist crew members, especially the captain and first officer. She was married (spouse died. tragically) and has a daughter that follows her around engineering. Everyone loves the kid and tries to convince her to study whatever their area of expertise is. Later in the show, when she's a little older, she decides to go the command route at Starfleet and become a pilot, much to the crew's dismay. The First Officer is absolutely tickled.

Chief Medical Officer(s): The Frontiersman actually has 2 chief medical officers; a doctor and a veterinarian. Yes, this is terribly inefficient and yes, they constantly butt heads. The vet is a young human woman from Ohio with a dry sense of humor and a penchant for snark. The doctor is a young human male from Michigan with a dry sense of humor and a penchant for snark. They absolutely hate each other until the day they realize that they are actually in love with each other and all of their arguments have been attempts to deny their attraction. Both of them are absolutely disgusted that they could fall in love with someone so... so... infuriating gosh dang it. They try to continue denying their feelings for each other because they are from rival states and they constantly fight over jurisdiction in the medbay for new species. One day, however, one of their most heated arguments ends in a passionate kiss and they stop fighting their feelings (but not each other).

From there, the rest of the crew is divided up under chiefs of specific taxonomical divisions. Sometimes a division will only have 1 scientist, other times it has a whole crew of people. Depends on the frequency of that type of living thing appearing. Most divisions only have 3 people; a chief and two junior officers. Not every chief is featured in the show because that would be too many characters, so just the ones that are considered part of the senior staff, which were selected by Starfleet at the time of commission based on training.

Chief of Feliformia: She's a hotheaded Betazoid in her mid 30's who spends her free time boxing on the holodeck. She argues a lot with the Chief of Canidae, but they still have breakfast together every morning to trade ship gossip. She wrestles with PTSD and anxiety, which she hides under a layer of bravado. Surprisingly enough, the only person she really feels comfortable opening up to about her past is the Chief of Canidae, because, despite all of their banter about cats vs dogs, they're her closest friend and she appreciates their blunt honesty.

Chief of Canidae: They're a Trill in their mid 30's who's passionate to the point of poetry about dog-like creatures. They're host to a younger symbiont, and they're one of the shortest people on the ship. They also only really open up to the Chief of Feliformia for similar reasons; the blunt honesty. Their relationship is strictly platonic (and I mean actually platonic, not whatever the VOY writers were trying to sell to us about Janeway and Chakotay).

Chief of Rodentia: He's a 70-year-old Bajoran/Cardassian. His mother defected from the Cardassian army to be with his father and the two of them raised him on earth where he raised pet rats. He always has about 7 various rodents tucked into his lab coat. He is a neat freak about his lab space and refuses to let anyone into his area unless they have completely scrubbed up and promise not to touch his PADD stack. Part of his particularity about his lab comes from the fact that he faced a lot of public ridicule due to his mixed heritage when he was young and so he's naturally very defensive of everything he does and owns.

Chief of Chiroptera: She's a twenty-something Half Vulcan-Half Betazoid who was raised on Betazed. Her Vulcan mother was the Vulcan ambassador on Betazed, and her work made her somewhat absent so, while she has enough of a restraint on her emotions not to be violent or aggressive, she's also more Betazoid in terms of personality. The combination of telepathic and empathic abilities from her parents has made her sensitive to large crowds, which is why she LOVES working in caves with bats away from other people. The combination of the two species' abilities constantly bombarding her and the need to restrain her Vulcan emotions have also resulted in her having ADD (her attention is being pulled in every direction so focusing on other tasks that don't immediately grasp her interest is SUPER difficult for her). However, she's also incredibly kind, difficult to shock or surprise, and very passionate about her work.

Chief of Reptilia: They're a human in their early 50's, a bit reclusive, and VERY unwilling to let people in their lab. They never show up to a meeting without a snake around their neck. The snake might be venomous. No one knows for sure. Whatever the case; everyone on board is pretty sure the reptile division is actually a cult because they never see anyone from that crew outside of the lab decks.

Chief of Aves: She's human, no one knows her age, and she refuses to wear a standard-issue lab coat, opting instead to wear a tie-die coat that reaches the floor. She speaks in riddles and everyone thinks she's crazy, but she's actually incredibly wise and an excellent listener. She specializes in raptors.

Chief of Livestock: Even though it's not technically a taxonomical order, they have a guy who specializes in studying livestock of alien cultures. No one is sure how old he is, or what his species is, for that matter. He has the calm, level-headedness of a Vulcan, but he always wears a hat so no one sees his ears or eyebrows to know for sure. He might just be a Midwestern farmer, because they can be Like That too. Despite working with livestock, he also never gets injured, so not even the doctor knows. Some people speculate that he's not human OR Vulcan, but some other immortal species, like a Q. This mystery is never solved on the show, but everyone really likes this guy.

Chief Exobotanist: Despite the fact that the plants are divided up into other taxonomical species, they all report to one Chief Botanist because the plant department is a lot more efficient and interconnected than the animal departments. Despite this, she's completely overworked and undercaffeinated. However, her workload doesn't stop her from being one of the sweetest and most creative people on board. As to the rest of her character, I defer to @emilie786 , as she is the inspiration for this character!

There are other chiefs who are occasional recurring characters, like the Chief of Aquaculture and the Chief of Amphibians. There are also several junior officers who we get to know a bit that are kind of fun. I'm thinking there's some kind of star-crossed lovers arc going on between someone who works in exobotany and someone who works in exozoology. There's also an overworked head of security who is getting really sick and tired of all the escapee animals he has to track down. I think he might fall in love with the Chief Exobotanist partially because plants don't run away and get into the Jeffries tubes (until they do, of course).

Anyway, if anyone wants to add to this, go for it! I'm open to ideas!

#Star Trek: Frontiersman #star trek oc #sorry for the long post #to be continued probably

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lorenzobane · 3 years

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Harebrained Scheme

AN: Written for @trektober-challenge first installment- namely Prime Directive, but more specifically inspired by some of @fractal-baby discussion about Spock’s absolutely insane plans. It was written pretty quick and definitely playing fast and loose with timelines, but set after ST:ID but before ST: Beyond. Can be read as pre-Spirk, but the major relationship is Jim & Sarek chatting.

Can be found on AO3 here

Being kidnapped and held with his First Officer’s father was never exactly the plan for Jim. There are, in fact, a lot of people Jim would rather be kidnapped with. Namely, the aforementioned First Officer Spock.

But as it stands--

“We have been held here for approximately 2.3 hours,” Sarek says after a moment of silence.

Jim nods, “don’t panic.”

Sarek gives him a look that plainly says Vulcans don’t panic. “I am simply stating a fact of our capture.”

“Yes, sir,” Jim says patiently. “I’m aware of how long it has been.”

“The temperature is several degrees below Vulcan standard,” Sarek pointed out.

“I am aware of that as well,” because Jim was. Whoever their enemies were, they knew who they had kidnapped. The temperature is holding steady at a place where Jim is uncomfortable but is draining Sarek.

Sarek says nothing and continues to observe the cell around them calmly. Jim has been pacing since he woke up about an hour ago. It’s a plain white room with no windows and no doors as far as he can tell. He’s tried clawing at just about every inch of the sterile space, and as far as he can tell, nothing gives.

“What are the walls made of?” Kirk mutters to himself. They don’t feel like metal or even plastic- they radiate the coolness as if they’re some type of natural product, but the way the room is sealed tells him some kind of technology is involved.

Sarek cuts into Jim’s thinking with a, “I believe these are made of Betazoid limestone.”

“What makes you say that?” Jim asks. With Spock, he’ll usually prattle for a few minutes, discussing density and texture before giving him an answer as straightforward as his father.

Sarek looks at him in surprise, “you are not able to tell?”

Jim resists the urge to reply with sarcasm. Sarek isn’t Spock, which is plainly apparent in every interaction they have. Though Spock always seems extremely calm and balanced to Jim, being around his father makes Jim aware of how much more emotion and variation Spock regularly expresses.

“No,” Jim says. “I haven’t spent much time on Betazoid.”

Sarek nods, “I was briefly an Ambassador there in my son’s youth. He was very fond of the rock and found its cool texture pleasing.”

“I thought it would be illogical to find a rock pleasing,” Jim replies without thinking.

Sarek is quiet for a moment before responding with, “yes, indeed it was. However, as my wife put it to me then, there is nothing illogical about curiosity. The desire to explore. I am not sure I agree with her, but I have never been successful in curbing my son of any habit he does not wish to break.”

“He can be stubborn,” Jim replies with amusement.

A mild understatement if Jim has ever said one. Though he is always respectful and never veers into full-on insubordination, Jim now understands what Pike meant when he referred to Spock fondly as an ‘extremely independent First Officer.’ Jim doesn’t mind it, maybe even loves it- the way Spock is relentless when he is convinced of the correct course of action. The argumentative (logically debated, in Spock’s words) messages and memos coming at all hours until Jim either gives in or says the phrase, “drop it, that’s an order.”

Which, at the very least, shuts him up for a shift or two.

“Do you believe they will be able to find us?”

Jim shrugs, his communicator is still on his person, and he tries it every few minutes, but he keeps getting static. “None of my messages are going through, but as you mentioned, your son is very stubborn and an extraordinary Starfleet officer. If anyone could rescue us, it would be him.”

Sarek nods again, and they sit in silence while Jim continues to search every square inch of space. It doesn’t make sense- unless their captors beamed them into the room, there is no way for them to have entered without a door of any kind.

“My son,” Sarek says, somewhat awkwardly pulling Jim out of his observation of the walls once more. “How is he-- I mean to say, I recognize as one of the very few Vulcans at Starfleet, and now as an endangered species, it may be challenging for him.”

Jim kindly doesn’t say that Sarek didn’t actually ask a question and responds with, “the crew loves him. He fits in great and has a surprising number of friends. The kids in the Science department all think he’s some type of rock star. The amount of transfer requests I get specifically for his division is getting out of hand.”

“Rock star?” Sarek repeats back.

“A term for an old Terran classical musician who was known for extreme popularity,” Jim responds with some curiosity. Spock is exceptionally familiar with Terran classical music and had known precisely what Jim had meant when he used similar phrasing. Still, Jim supposes that perhaps he picked it up in his many years on earth.

“I am gratified to hear this,” Sarek replies, somewhat slowly. Jim jerks up, alarmed, when he realizes that it appears that each blink is getting slower and slower as if he were fighting falling asleep. “He has so few affiliates on Vulcan.”

“Really?” Jim asks, surprised.

For all Spock can be logical, sarcastic, and moralistic to the point of exhaustion, he’s also a kind friend, a shockingly understanding commanding officer, and a good sport about most things. He even participates in some ship-wide events, like the talent show where he played some genuinely excellent Vulcan lute.

And purely for Jim’s amusement, played a lute version of a truly ancient Terran classic that Jim has a soft spot for, Wildest Dreams.

“He… Was an unusually brilliant student,” Sarek says, still slow as if fighting for words. Jim realizes with an urgency that he should probably try to keep Sarek talking to keep him awake.

“Vulcans didn’t like brilliant students?” Jim asks with amusement. The idea of Spock being a nerd among nerds is somewhat hilarious.

“No, they did not like an unusually brilliant half-human,” Sarek replies, his voice for the first time that Jim has ever known him touching with a hint of sadness. “And he was… Willful. Unusually brilliant, and ferociously unselfconscious about his mother.”

Jim laughs a little at that, rubbing his neck unconsciously, “yes, I definitely learned the hard way that you shouldn’t insult his mother.”

“As did many,” Sarek says, his eyes closed. “He had a violent physical altercation when he was eleven for a similar reason. It was that disrespect of his mother that ultimately caused him to turn away from the Vulcan Science Academy.”

“He didn’t go to VSA because they insulted his mother?” Jim asked, surprised. “Why would they insult Amanda anyway?”

Sarek takes a sharp breath at the casual use of his wife’s name, and Jim feels terrible. After months of playing chess with Spock, they had begun discussing their childhood and Spock often spoke of his mother glowingly. He had insisted that they use her name to honor her memory.

“They referred to her blood as a disadvantage. I knew the moment they said it; he would never accept a place that looks down on humans. He could be illogically loyal.”

“His illogical loyal behavior saved you on Vulcan, and it saved earth,” Jim replies, his voice sharper than he intends it to be.

Sarek opens his eyes at that, slowly and blearily, “I did not mean that negatively. I have come to find that many of the traits I viewed as… Aberration in him, in his youth, has come to define his tremendous successes.”

Jim doesn’t say, though he dearly wants to, that viewing his child’s personality as an aberration at any point is pretty illogical. Still, Spock is a subject that Sarek is willing to stay awake and speak about, so Jim asks, “like what?”

“Well,” Sarek says wryly, “his disregard for rules he simply disagrees with. It is, presumably, the reason that he works so well with you and your idiosyncratic leadership style.”

“I would not say that Spock isn’t interested in the rules,” Jim replies with surprise, the betrayal of Spock’s report after they saved him from a volcano still kind of stings.

“He follows the rules he believes in avidly, that is true,” Sarek says, his voice does hold amusement now. “But he regularly ignores them if he wishes to. I presume you are referring to his report after the events of Nibiru?”

Jim jerked in surprise, “how did you know--?”

“My son and I have been keeping close correspondence after the destruction of Vulcan and the loss of his mother. We are attempting to… work through the strain our relationship was put under while I worked through my disappointment that he did not go to the Vulcan Science Academy.”

“Isn’t disappointment illogical too?” Jim asks. It is hard for him to hear the casual way Sarek describes his feelings towards Spock when Jim truly and completely believes that his First Officer is one of the finest beings he has ever encountered.

Sarek makes a noise of agreement, “you are correct. Vulcans may take a vow to control our emotions, and we certainly may attempt to utilize logic in most decision-making. Still, there is no doubt that our species can be vulnerable to prideful behavior.”

Jim, having beaten Spock at chess a few times, can attest to that.

“What did he say about Nibiru?” Jim asks, curious now as to how Spock described the events to his father.

“I believe,” Sarek says again, his voice rich with amusement now, “that you saw yourself as the rule breaker in this scenario. However, after listening to his entire recounting, I must ask you- whose idea was it to freeze the volcano?”

Jim looked at Sarek blankly, “Spock’s. He had been reviewing the geothermal events on the plant. He calculated the likelihood of explosion was incredibly likely, so he asked if he could try one of his experiments to save the planet.”

“You realize that the plan itself, from its initial conception, violated the Prime Directive, do you not, Mr. Kirk?”

Jim looked at Sarek blankly, “what?”

“It is against the Prime Directive to interfere with a planet’s destiny in any way. Then, the matter of his cold fusion device. An entirely novel invention that had gone through no formal testing, no review process… He simply believed it would work, conducted experiments in his free time, and wanted to use it. And had a captain who trusted him.”

Jim blinks again at Sarek. “But… But…”

Sarek leaned his head back, “do not feel bad. He was somewhat infamous for this when he was a boy. His capacity to convince his instructors that his personal pet projects were highly logical and beneficial regardless of external forces was… Remarkable. And in you, I think he has finally found a place where his prodigious intellect is not being checked by constant regulation.”

“Spock always follows regulation,” Jim defends on instinct, his mind reeling.

“He always follows the ones he believes deserve to be followed,” Sarek corrected. “He has always had a somewhat unusual penchant for attempting novel actions without the traditional Vulcan tendency of deep contemplation.”

Oh, the thought hit Jim suddenly. Spock is a Vulcan bad boy. Jim doesn’t know why he finds that so shocking; Spock does, after all, go along with a majority of his plans and even comes up with half of them. Even more damning, if Spock did not agree with a course of action, it relatively rarely ends up occurring.

Which means… Spock is actually as goddamn reckless as he is.

Jim isn’t sure how he feels about this revelation.

“He... He tricked me!” Jim cries out eventually, unable to contain it.

“But as I have said,” Sarek adds, his voice is shallow and slow now, “I have come to realize… These qualities, his capacity for creativity, and quick thinking have allowed him to become the most remarkable of us.”

“I’m glad that you could see what we have always seen,” Jim says, though he’s more using the royal “we.”

It took him considerably longer to see what was right there in front of him, but once he had, it made sense to Jim that Spock had been a popular professor, First Officer, and Advisor in his time at Starfleet.

“I was unwilling to admit it, but I was worried when he chose Starfleet. So far from his people, alone and living in an abundance of difference. Vulcans can be quite homogeneous.”

“Infinite diversity in infinite combinations,” Jim quoted from Spock’s eternal sermons.

“Ironic that it is a Vulcan philosophy when so many of us view the world so similarly,” Sarek said, inclining his head slightly. “However, in a land of difference, he was able to find a space for himself that he was unable to find with his people. He always did appreciate adventure, read illogical books with his mother like Alice in Wonderland and Sherlock Holmes. Even Shakespeare which his instructors on Vulcan never enjoyed.”

Jim raised his eyebrows again. Spock often quoted fanciful literary classics in trying situations. Still, it never entirely occurred to him how oddly poetic and even artistic that would have made him in a different place.

“I hope he knows that I hold him in high regard,” Sarek says after a moment, and his eyes drift shut again, his breathing going slow.

“No,” Jim leaps up. “No, you can’t. I can not be responsible for the death of two of Spock’s parents.”

“Captain Kirk,” Sarek says with exhaustion, “do not worry. I can place my body into a healing trance that will allow me to remain stable for an extended period of time if need be. The Betazoid limestone will make us challenging to track and as such--”

Just then, there is a loud thudding noise on the wall to their right, like something heavy just rammed into it at full speed.

A thudding again, and then Sarek shudders awake, “Spock?”

Jim doesn’t hear anything but Sarek does because he turns to Jim and says, “please move 3.87 feet to your left.”

Three seconds later, a thud outside the wall gives way to what appears to be an ancient wrecking ball.

“What is that?”

“I think it is your crew, Captain,” Sarek says.

Another beat and a large stone crash through the wall using a device that is an ancient Terran wrecking ball.

“Captain,” Spock said calmly through the hole he just blasted through the wall. “I see you’re unharmed. Father, it is gratifying to see you safe as well.”

“Glad you got to us in time; we were running out of gossip about you,” Jim says with a smirk as he slowly starts to try to clamber through the slightly too small hole.

“Please refrain from joking,” Spock says, guiding his father through the hole much more gracefully.

“Who’s joking?” Jim replies.

Spock looks to his father with an eyebrow up, and Sarek responds, “while I would not term it “gossip,” the captain is correct, and our mutual affiliation with you helped pass a majority of the time.”

Jim nearly cackles at the brief look of horror that passed over Spock’s face when he replies with a steady, “indeed.”

Jim smirks and is silent while Spock focuses on calling the Enterprise to beam up.

And much later, when Spock asks him what they discussed while Spock and Jim played their usual game of chess, Jim can be entirely honest when he says, “your many admirable qualities.”

It’s definitely worth the way Spock’s ears turn a light green.

#trektober2021 #star trek #aos star trek #aos spock #spock #AOS Kirk #james t kirk #ambassador sarek #i intended this to be pre-spirk #but can be read as gen

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kncrowder88 · 3 years

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Voyager and Romance

So, the thing about Voyager and romance that sticks with me is they seem to do one couple really, or more accurately two characters, any real justice overall. And that is B’Elanna and Tom. While moments for that relationship may not be perfect that is rather realistic for relationships, as no relationship is perfect all the time so that is tolerable. This post though isn’t going to be about looking at that particular relationship though but primarily at other relationships. Largely because a discord server I am in was talking about Counterpoint and I realized why I both love the episode but also have weird feelings with it. Which, I’ll touch more on that specifically after I discuss the relationship stuff (as that plays a part).

So, I will preface this with it has been a bit since I’ve done a binge of Voyager and really a full binge of Star Trek in general. As such, I may forget a few relationships on the show and overall, throughout Trek in general. From what I can really toss together … I honestly am beginning to believe that when it comes to Voyager and the other shows (the older ones not the new ones – I am not including any NEW Trek in this) that for some reason the relationship writing with Voyager was rather different. Like, they gave 3 characters active relationships prior to being stranded. That being Harry Kim, Kathryn Janeway, and Tuvok. Out of these three we get Janeway and Tuvok holding onto those relationships in their own way while … it seemed mildly convenient for Harry to mention it when it suited him, I guess (like that time Tom wanted to set them up for a double date or you know when he ended up in that alternate timeline but still wanted back with Voyager even more like). Like, the reason I don’t list Tuvok-T’Pel above is because we don’t actually get to SEE that in full, we just get to see Tuvok’s side of it and his dedication – we don’t see the relationship, we don’t see the couple.

Harry and Tom, prior to his relationship with B’Elanna, seem to frequently do this sort of two bros dating around thing which is fine but like … same time the show used them for that. And once they settled Tom with B’Elanna they used Harry in those plot lines when it worked. Thus the alien STD episode and the “how dare you not get the standard permission from your CO and CMO” line (like they really put that into a Trek ep and I’m still unable to not picture Riker, Kirk, Picard, and everyone other Trek character constantly getting permission for their latest romance – just remember Jadzia and Worf likely had to get permission from Sisko and Bashir if the Trill and Klingon weren’t already approved of in the system just saying, that’s a thing that happened). Anyways … my point is they went out of their way on this. Like, when Kes was with Neelix they wrote Neelix to be that jealous judgmental boyfriend who literally got upset she knew where other people’s quarters where, she was nice to Tom, she was … just yeah. They wrote Tom to come off as a player pulling Harry into it, when Tom settled down Harry seems to pick that up (I mean you got his “omg Seven” phase and the alien STD stuff and lord knows what else I’m forgetting with him).

And to top this off I haven’t even touched on the “Janeway can’t have a romance” stuff yet. Which is where my real problem is. Like, its bad enough they brought in Jeri for the sex appeal (which lets be honest stems from the fact they couldn’t use Janeway for that – which I get, Kate was right in the whole concept of the audience target having to keep respect for a female lead and sex appeal couldn’t be a focal point but they could have balanced it right and regrettably because they couldn’t that meant Jeri got all of the other side of the coin). Many of Seven’s eps center on romance or social stuff and honestly that is a whole other WTF post in its own right because it all leads up to the sudden get with the one person on the ship who didn’t want you here in the first place and who also would have served better as the male adult guidance figure/father figure than as a ROMANTIC partner but hey BS happened behind scenes to cause that chaotic romantic on screen set up. But yeah … this is just another example of the poor Voyager romantic plot lines.

Chakotay’s romantic plot lines are usually – and by that, I mean pretty much always – with these strong independent women. But usually, at least from what I recall, they are also typically the “needs help” (damsel in distress/can’t do it alone/etc.) plot. Like, Riley was strong independent but also set up to need help in regard to getting her little collective put back together on the planet. You got Kellin, again another strong lady who yet again also needed help. At least in the ep she’s in and if I recall much of the info on how they fell in love during that time as well – primarily with getting away from danger at the start and then during the initial romance finding her target. Valerie is the only one who doesn’t fall into the needs help plot and that’s largely because she was being manipulated by Chakotay for information – which honestly just goes to show how well Chakotay was at the whole undercover stuff (which tells us a lot about what he could have been doing as a Maquis). Seska was the plot point of “you once dated her, now she is going to badger you to get with her again and when that fails, she’s going to assault you” …. like all of Chakotay’s romances are literally him either 1) being manipulated (as that’s what Seska and Riley did) or 2) being the kind guy or 3) not an actual relationship (either because its undercover work or because the writers were too cowardly to make him and Janeway canon).

Then you got Janeway. Then you got KATHRYN JANEWAY. You know, the one where Kate Mulgrew said no romance, no sexualizing, no doing that sort of stuff because the audience had to maintain respect for the character. I’m sure someone has the exact various quotes out there. Like … this is why we don’t have JC as canon. But what we do got instead is …. Janeway in Prime Factors being flirted with by the administrator as if that’s going to get him what he wants because “female leader means flirt with her”. We got Janeway and a period drama holodeck adventure in the early years which was clearly meant to be her romantic tête-à-tête early on that never got followed up with. We got “delete the wife” with the Fair Haven plot point (because its totally respectable to see the FEMALE LEAD, the STARFLEET CAPTAIN, just straight up DELETE THE WIFE of another individual - yeah, I get its meant to be humor factor because hologram but come on). You have her whole thing with Mark which we get tidbits off but again similar to Tuvok we literally only get to see her side of it – the only couple moment of theirs we get is the comm call in Caretaker.

But Jaffen? You are correct. We got that lovely and touching and wonderful romance with Jaffen …. Oh wait … they had to remove her from the ship, strip her of her memory, and her autonomy in order for her to have a relationship with another individual. And yes, by losing her memories, by losing what made her who she was as a person, she did lose a sense of autonomy. She entered into a relationship without a full sense of independent choice. The point in which she made a choice in that episode, the point in which she – Kathryn Janeway – made a choice with all of the person, the individual she is, was at the end when she had her memories back and could decide based on the values and beliefs and all that she is. What I’m getting at is the people on that planet deliberately took away who she was, they took her memories and her ability to make the decisions they knew she would make --- they did that deliberately (that’s even established in the episode) --- and as such her decisions while in that state are not truly her full independent decisions but the ones impacted by the state she was forced into.

And while I love Resolutions, while I love all the JC goodies, we get in that ep … Yet again the only time we get to see Janeway in any sort of romantic situation is when they remove her from the ship. When they remove her from command. When they strip her of that setting. This time, though – well the first time – she keeps awareness and has to go through lose of it all in order to even start to let it all happen. I love the episode, I do, but I just find it rather amusing they went “’Hey we gotta strand them what should their tasks be on the planet?” and they immediately went “Well Janeway is scientist how about that” “Okay and he can build, Chakotay can start building. Man builds house, right?” and then like went “oh and then she can start a garden” …. Like really? Really? That’s what you got for me. Oh, and then there is the monkey. That’s the romance this ep. Boat, science, monkey.

Then we got Kashyk. We have dealt with Kathryn throughout this series dealing with various leaders of various styles. As mentioned, Prime Factors guy attempted flirting. Other leaders pulled similar or worse or even dismissed her …. Like the list goes on. Counterpoint is a great episode because it deals with prejudice and is rather dark. The thing is, had Janeway been able to have a healthy romantic relationship on screen to counter this episode this episode probably would have come off better. Episodes like Prime Factor could have been done different (that leader didn’t need to be as flirty for example). One or two eps through the series having creepy dudes she had to deal with, fine, whatever … that be a nice impact for the audience. But when you have to many prior to Counterpoint – even if its minor, small stuff – it makes this episode so much harder for fans. Especially the female fans who deal with this constantly.

See, here’s the thing with this ep…. Some of the fans who watch … we know Kashyk well. We know that character. He is that male leader, that male power figure, who uses the power he has to manipulate those in his control to get what he wants. And Kathryn … Kathryn was in his control. Kashyk is listed as a relationship on memory-alpha. But much like how I view Seska with Chakotay … I do not view Kashyk as a proper relationship. In Devore space, Kathryn did not have proper power. She had people in her command, on her ship, that she had to protect. That she knew she had to protect. Her own best friend … lives in her hand … and Kashyk right there willing to kill them. Willing to snatch them up and destroy them. And he used that power to manipulate her and play her. Yes, she played him right back but … did she truly have a choice? Did she have any other choice but to play his game? What would have happened if she said no? And that … that is why this episode is so unsettling for some people. And why this relationship being considered on is so off putting … that the writers, that memory-alpha, that the fact I’m putting it on this list as one of the ones on here for Voyager says so much … they wrote this as one of her relationships while out there … she had to do what so many women had to do to stay safe, to keep people she loves safe, and that’s not a relationship.

Voyager could have done romance/relationships such better justice.

#star trek #star trek voyager #i had some feelings about things #primarily the Kashyk thing #but that lead to other things #and honestly i am really begining to question romance in voyager #but also like overall in Trek in general #like the more i think about Voyager the more im like oh god they really did seem to fail there #because the only valid couple i can think of is Tom and B'Elanna

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astrodances · 3 years

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So since Louie and Goldie owns a bar in DS87 and Drake and Gosalyn live there what do the other think of each other

P.S. I’m sure that Launchpad would be happy to see one of Dewey’s Brothers

P.S.S. I think Launchpad would be assigned to be the U.S.S. Thunderquack helmsman in case you are still figuring out how to put him in DS87

Ooooh ok I really like this question, because I was thinking about Louie and Gos' friendship for the AU last night!

I'm gonna address the three parts in reverse, and under a "read more" because wow this got long, but it was a very fun one!

So, for LP being the Thunderquack's helmsman, yes! I actually did mention that in this ask, but I still haven't figured out where he'd fit in on the station itself (when not flying the 'Quack). I did propose security or tactical, but I might add engineering to the list, bc he's a heck of a mechanic. Maybe a bit of all three? Idk, it'll probably be whichever allows him to help Drake and Gos out most with the fighting biz (which, tbh, is all three options XD).

Heck yeah LP would love to have Louie on the station! Having them both + Goldie is that much stronger of a tie between DS87 and the Klondike. There's probably some whole space communiqué group chat that they're all in to keep in touch, and LP and Louie often hang out and talk about Dewey's/the other kids' latest antics that they got holo-photos of or whatever. LP probably asks Louie for friendship advice about Dewey (i.e., what to get him for his birthday or the kids' Starfleet graduation ceremony - oooh, everyone definitely makes a big trip to Earth for that!), but will also become good friends with Louie himself of course, and will kinda help to act as a balance for Louie's conscience (sometimes against Goldie, sometimes otherwise - Goldie and LP (and Drake) all kinda become Louie's station guardians?), when he starts to tread lines with his scheming. Louie will use LP for all sorts of taste-tests and other guinea pig experiments for the bar, but will also ask him for life advice. Both will seek each other out if they start to feel homesick for the Klondike, and are the first two to greet the Klondike's crew at the airlock whenever she docks at the station. And if either of them decide to take a trip to the Klondike, the other is sure to come with.

And now for Goldie + Louie and Drake + Gos!

By parallel, Goldie and Drake are like Rom/Quark and Sisko, being the parents/guardians of the kiddos, but I don't think they have the same kinds of qualms about their kids hanging out together at first as their DS9 counterparts do. If anything, Goldie and Drake are probably grateful in their own ways that their kids find friendship in each other on such a remote station - Drake, because Gos has already gone through so much with the occupation and her grandfather and being a resistance fighter that she more than deserves to have a kid her own age (and other visiting kids) to be friends with, and Goldie, because as much as she enjoys being Louie's mentor and all that they do, she knows that Louie also needs someone his own age to hang out with and to keep him from growing up too fast.

Besides the kids though, Drake is Very Suspicious of Goldie, when you put the Good Superhero against the Morally Gray Con Artist, but he also knows that she's a valuable resource for connections and such to keep in his back pocket for that same superhero business. Goldie knows that Drake's a good guy (and will be one of those on the inside loop about his secret identity, which she respects, no matter how much she may tease him from time to time), but will also sometimes try to use his status as one of the station's senior officers to get something for the bar. In general though, you'll often enough see the two of them hanging out and chatting at the bar, Drake eating dinner after a long day as Goldie tends to things. They've both seen a lot of things in their time (even if there's quite a difference in their ages), so they have plenty of stories to share. (But when Drake starts climbing up on top of the bar to add flourish to his exploits, Goldie cuts him off for the night. XD)

Louie thinks Drake is pretty cool, very much a nerd, but cool and respectable and trustworthy (in a way, he reminds him of his Uncle Donald, and when he's specifically missing his uncle, he'll tend to gravitate towards Drake), and when the station is in danger and needs a Hero, Louie will want to simultaneously seek Drake out for protection but also know where he is to avoid him because sure enough the danger will probably be right there alongside Drake.

Gos thinks Goldie is also cool, and kinda adopts her as her own cool aunt, after warming up to the idea of allowing herself to have a larger extended family after everything (Goldie in particular might actually have some good words for her about that). Goldie will often sneak Gos some extra dessert or sweets at the bar, even though Mr. Darkwing Dad is very much against this (but it's their little secret ;)). Goldie will also often teach Gos the same general scheming skills that she teaches Louie, again, to Drake's chagrin, or have her distract Louie, if she needs that for some reason.

And now for the kiddos themselves!

So when I was thinking about them last night, I realized just how much I need to see Louie and Gos be friends, because watch out DS87! Just imagine Jake and Nog's friendship and the shenanigans they get into early on, but with these two, instead of Jake and Nog, it's two Nogs (in his early days) and that means double the trouble. (And while Goldie and Drake are in general happy about their friendship, sometimes the trouble does go too far, and there are Consequences.)

They'll pull pranks and schemes like no other kids can (many of which will probably be similar to Jake and Nog's - the LoGos Consortium becomes a thing, a side business alliance behind the bar, if you will ;)). As much as Louie isn't really the active type when it comes to effort, Gos will coax out the best/worst in him for their shenanigans. When Goldie's away and Louie's running the bar, he'll sometimes enlist Gos as his own "first officer" to help run his own side hustles. Louie will also help Gos "sneak out" (as much as you can do that anyway on a station) whenever Drake grounds her, or whenever helping Drake be a liaison becomes too much and she needs to escape for a bit. Louie will also be someone Gos can talk to about losing/searching for her grandfather, because he can relate regarding Della (he becomes her Dewey a.k.a. her Webby for this AU, regarding that :P).

They'll have their spot overlooking the Promenade, able to watch (and immediately plan to con) newly-arrived guests to the station from the airlocks while eating jumja sticks and drinking Pep. They'll spearhead the station parts of secret operations between all the kids that are planned in the group communiqué, and they'll try taking a runabout out for a joyride from time to time. They'll share their worries about their respective parents/guardians, and go on joint-station-family weekend trips to Canard to explore and relax, and Gos will show Louie around the planet.

A lot of good times to be had with those two. :)

#Astro answers #DuckTales #Star Trek AU #long post

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ship-trek · 3 years

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I would like to know everything about your ships with Spock, Uhura and Bones please!!! KJFEWHKJFW if there's lore or fic I wanna read it and if there's art I wanna see it those three are VERY GOOD (I have a lot of love for TOS) @goldenworldsabound

@goldenworldsabound

!!!! I! Thank you for this lovely ask!! I also have a lot of love for TOS, it was the first Trek I watched and it's always going to have a special place in my heart!!

If you really want to know everything, we're going to be here for a while, so this is going under a cut for length. I should never have been enabled like this. None of them have any fics yet and I can't really draw all that well, so there's no art either, but I'm always happy to ramble about them and call it lore, so here we go!

Ok, as I'm writing down the lore for my ship with Spock, it's becoming a lot longer than I thought it would be - as in it's over 1000 words and we *just* got to Starfleet Academy. I'm going to trim it down a bit to try and get a shorter version and I'll probably turn the rest into a fic. Even with the cuts, though, this is really long. You've been warned.

Once I finish my WIPs with Nerys, I have some plans for some TOS fics, so hopefully my lovely friends will get their fair share of fics soon! I can tag you in any TOS fics I write if you'd like, but of course there's no pressure!

Bones:

I selfship with Bones in the way I do to cope with some specific issues, so lore-wise it's a bit different than my other ships. I don't really have an s/i, it's just me here in our world. He's off on the Enterprise doing all those fun space things, but I can call him whenever I like and he always tries to get back to me as soon as possible if he misses the call at the time. He doesn't miss them often, though - he and I set up a system so I can mark calls as high, mid, or low priority and he'll interrupt almost anything to take a high priority call. I hardly ever use it, but it's nice to know I can reach him if I really need to. And he's amazing to talk to! He's really supportive and always willing to listen to me, and he gives the best hugs :)

I'm actually really excited because he's due back on Earth soon, and he promised to come visit! He can't visit often so every time he does he goes out of his way to make our time together special. It's one of the little ways he shows he really cares about me.

This is a fairly new ship for me, so I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do about Joanna. I'm unlikely to add her as a familial f/o, but we might end up as friends or I might just ignore her entirely. It's my canon now :)

Uhura:

So! I am a massive language nerd. I've been teaching myself both Vulcan and Klingon in addition to studying Latin, Japanese, and Spanish in school at various points. (Yes, Swahili is next on my list. Yes, this is because of Uhura.)

Nyota and I met at Starfleet Academy (more details on how I got there in Spock's lore as both ships use the same s/i) during one of our xenolingustics classes. She seemed super cool, but she had a friend group already, so I ended up being too scared to approach her. I haven't always been the best student, so I got into the habit of taking any extra credit opportunities that came my way. Our xenolinguistics teacher offered extra credit if we went to a presentation being hosted by the xenolingustics club, and I figured I had nothing to lose, so I showed up. Nyota saw me there, recognized me from class, and encouraged me to join the club. She seemed nice and I was free, so I said I'd try it out. I came to a few meetings and we ended up becoming friends!

I was never close with her friend group (we didn't have a lot in common and i just didn't fit their vibe) but she worked hard to make sure we still had time to hang out, and I never felt like she liked me any more or any less than the rest of her friends. How she balanced it all, I don't know. I still think she might be superhuman.

She was a year ahead of me and we ended up falling out of contact a little bit when she graduated. Between her (and later my) assignments, there was just never enough time, and as some of you may know (Sorry!!) my ability to stay in touch with people online is atrocious. We didn't stop talking entirely or stop being friends, but it wasn't until we were both assigned to the Enterprise that we were able to reconnect, and we're even better friends now than we were back then. I didn't exactly figure out who I was, but I grew more comfortable with the process of growing as a person and not having all the answers, and as a result I ended up way more confident in myself and with a lot less self loathing. Turns out, that makes you a lot more fun to be around! I still have a lot of work to do in that area, but I'm a lot better than I was back at the academy.

She and I hang out a lot on the Enterprise, sometimes with Spock or Nurse Chapel and sometimes just the two of us. We sing together, play games, talk in half a dozen languages (just because I don't know them yet doesn't mean my s/i can't!) and just do all those normal fun friend things. Sometimes we even teach or help each other learn new languages (I'm learning a new dialect of Klingon and she's learning Latin). One thing I've always really appreciated about her is the way she handles spontaneity with me - when she wants to hang out or change plans on short notice, she always gives me a really good sense of what she's suggesting we do and gives me the chance to raise any concerns or questions about it before we have to make a decision.

Interesting quirk of our friendship: I can usually be flexible about what we do but really need to know in advance who is going to be there, and she can usually be flexible about who's going to be there as long as she has a good sense of what we're going to do. It took us a little while to figure that out and start warning each other appropriately, but once we did things got a lot better!

It's really a crime that the writers didn't give us more Uhura-centric episodes because there are just so many things I want to know about her! This is also a new-ish ship for me, so the lore isn't quite as finalized as I'd like. If you see me changing things about our ship later, that's why!

Spock:

Ok, important warnings time. My selfship with Spock fills a very particular emotional role for me that causes me to be unusually protective of him and our relationship. I'm aware that this isn't exactly emotionally healthy, and that's something I'm actively working on. Part of the benefit of my ship with him is that he can fill this role rather than me putting it on a real person, which, yeah, wouldn't be great. A lot of this has to do with him putting me first.

To be clear, I view my ship with him as happening in one of many similar but distinct universes (there's a TNG ep I'm thinking of here) that's separate from both canon and other people's ships with him. That's why I say that our s/is probably can't be friends (unless we have some universe crossover stuff going on). I would never want to get in the way of another person's ship with him! And this is the division of things that makes it easiest for me to wholeheartedly support others' ships with him, which is something I very much want to be able to do. (What I'm trying to communicate, badly, is that I want to be clear that I don't view the way he thinks about me as being true anywhere outside of my ship with him.)

I do refer to him as my best friend, the platonic other half of my soul, and other similarly intense terms, which he reciprocates. We also have a minor telepathic bond (I have Headcanons about Vulcan telepathy and no one can stop me from using them). Our relationship really is strictly platonic, but if that's going to make you uncomfortable, the time to stop reading is now! I'm also always happy to work out more detailed tags if needed.

Now! On to the actual ship stuff. I've changed around the lore a little bit recently to be a little truer to the way I've been shipping with him for the past 6-7 years, so hopefully this is the final(ish) lore. There are several moments where if canon says otherwise I simply do not see it. I am looking away. My canon now :)

It's late, later than I should have been out, but I'm too young to know better and too excited to care. My cousins are playing in the sand out ahead of me, but I've had enough of the noise and the people for right now, so I'm doing what I do best: wandering off when I shouldn't. The beach is busy but the nearby hills are quiet, so I start to climb. Even at that age, I hate sand, and the stone staircase is a welcome relief.

I was so focused on the climb to see him and by the time I reach the top, I'm too exhausted to do anything but flop on the ground. As soon as I do that my eyes turn skyward and then I'm too focused on the stars to do much of anything else. Even with the lights around, it's a dazzling display. Most call it science, but to my untrained eyes there's a much simpler word: magic.

Between the exhaustion and the stars, it takes me several minutes to realize I'm not alone. A Vulcan boy I don't recognize is sitting on a bench a few feet away from me, staring at something in his lap and staying very still. I watch him for a while and when he still hasn't moved, I walk closer. He twitches - clearly, he knows I'm here - but keeps his eyes fixed firmly on his PADD. If I were older, I would have gone down the hill and this would have been the end of it.

But I wasn't older. I was young, and dumb, and perhaps most dangerously of all, I was curious. I didn't go down the hill. Instead, I walked up, pulled myself up to sit on the far end of the bench, and asked the question that would end up shaping the rest of our lives:

"Have you ever looked up?"

And he did.

I rambled about the stars and asked about his logic homework, and he watched the stars and patiently answered my questions. By the time we parted ways, I was smiling with his contact information tucked safely into a pocket and he watched my go with the corners of his lips pulled up into that classic Vulcan not-quite-smile.

My mom recognized his name and description as the son of Amanda Grayson, a friend of a friend, and she let me use her PADD to keep in touch with Spock until I was old enough for my own. He turned out to be a few years older than me and a lot of fun to be around with a subtle sense of humor that never failed to make me laugh. We'd hang out in person whenever I went to Vulcan or he came to Earth and we talked almost every day online when we were apart. He was (and is) my best friend, and we saw each other through the highs and lows of growing up. Even when his bullies got really bad and when my school social life went down the drain, we always had each other, and somehow that was enough.

Because of something something Vulcan brain development, the eligible age to apply to Starfleet is 20 rather than 16. (ooc this is my headcanon and I need it for our backstory to work, so shh.) I was certain he would apply for Starfleet Academy the moment he was eligible, and I think his decision to wait for a year shocked everyone. I asked him about it, wondering if there was something wrong. We'd talked for ages about how much he wanted to escape Vulcan, so why wasn't he now that he finally had the chance?

His response? "Not all humans treat me as you do. The bullying is unlikely to change, only its source. If I am to be bullied no matter my path, I will choose the one in which we are together."

I have never felt more honored in my life.

We applied for Starfleet together the next year. His father was devastated displeased that he did not choose the Vulcan Science Academy, my parents were upset that I was moving out so young, and we rolled up to Starfleet Academy as the resident pair of family disappointments. Good times.

The academy was a blast, though. We got to see each other! In person! Every day! I was there to stand up to the people who teased him, he was there to encourage me to make good choices, and we both were there to remind each other that sleep is a necessary biological function not to be ignored. We were both studying science, but he focused on the astrophysics side and I focused more on the biology side, so we didn't share too many classes, but we'd hang out all the time in between classes and we tried to take the same electives when we could. Having similar interests helped a lot on that front.

I was a weird child that had by now grown into a weird teenager, so I didn't have a ton of friends at first. Even when it started directly affecting his social life, Spock was never embarrassed to be seen with me, and though he claims that he would be treated the same without me... I doubt it. Still, though, it helped a lot to have him there, and he's never held it against me.

I did convince him to do a show with me once. He tries to hold that one against me but he had fun and we both know it. Besides, it's my job to drag him into illogical things sometimes :)

We graduated together but like so many close friends are, we were posted to different ships. It was a weird time for us. I was doing great, honestly. I was medicated for my chronic illness (finally!), in therapy (finally!), and I loved my ship and fellow officers. My job was interesting and engaging and I was having a blast. Spock, on the other hand, started to struggle a little bit. Though he always treated me like an equal, I think there was a part of his mind that always thought he was a little bit better than me, and seeing me succeed seemingly effortlessly where he was struggling was hard for him. We got through it, though, and he got some better accommodations (and later a transfer to a ship that fit him better) which made everything a lot better. I even ended up taking some engineering classes and wound up getting a degree in engineering too, just for fun.

Before we knew it, he was the first and science officer of the Enterprise and I was a lieutenant commander working for him. (I say working for him, but really it's a lot more like working alongside him. Most people in the science department assume that if you tell something to one of us and don't specifically say not to tell the other, we will, so you can basically report things to either of us.) I do some work for Scotty too, and Kirk likes to joke that I'm an honorary member of the bridge crew at this point. It was a funny joke right up until I started getting invited to briefings, but hey, who am I to complain?

Serving together is a lot of fun. I'm one of the only people on board who doesn't constantly pressure him to show his emotions, with the result that he is a lot more emotional with me. He knows that I don't view his moments of emotion as a reflection of how Vulcan he is or isn't, so he has nothing to gain by hiding them. Mostly, I don't comment on them, which is his preference.

While we're both happy to offer each other emotional support when needed, most of the time we end up just sitting with each other and letting them process it on their own. Between my emotional regulation issues and his I Am A Vulcan mentality, it's been a great way for us to show each other the support we crave without worrying about finding the perfect words.

Speaking of words, I'm one of very few people on the ship who speaks Vulcan. I actually learned it years ago because of him so we've been speaking it to each other for a while, and we take the Vulcan tendency to drop words to a truly ridiculous extent. Uhura tends to joke that we created our own language somewhere along the line, but it's a fun way to annoy Bones when he really gets on our nerves. He can't even complain about it because as it turns out having the ability to converse in a way no one else understands is very, very useful when a mission goes south. You can't really complain about something that's saved your life, now can you?

The telepathic bond (again, very minor and strictly platonic) came about when he had to meld with me on one such mission gone wrong. It wasn't planned, though we'd talked about it in the past and neither of us was upset by it. Bones tried to joke that our minds were so compatible that we were probably going to start dating now and immediately found himself on the receiving end of two death glares. Credit to him, he never made that joke again. We view each other like family anyway, so yeah. No.

But I like the bond we have! It's nice to know when he's uncomfortable but not saying anything and it's easier for me to tell when he's protesting for effect and really does want to go along with my bizarre illogical scheme and when he'd rather not. As someone with no real sense of social cues or sarcasm, it's a lifesaver. Besides, he's been a lot more comfortable with causal touch between us since it formed, which is great for me.

We also play a lot of D&D together. It's something I got him into but which he took to like a fish to water, and the lengths we go to to avoid scheduling conflicts for our weekly game night are probably a bit excessive, shall we say, but it helps that all the friends we'd normally have conflicts with end up getting invited too. He very rarely DMs, but when he does, you better hope someone in your party has a decent intelligence stat because his puzzles are amazing. Seriously, I don't think you've really played a puzzle based game of D&D until you've played one of his. Works of art, I tell you.

I could go on about him for hours, but I'll wrap it up here for time and length's sake. If you have any more specific questions, I think I've already effectively demonstrated that I'm incapable of shutting up about him!

#thank you for the ask!#this was a lot of fun!#my grumpy space dad #thrah t'nash-veh eh thrah t'du #uhura tag tbd #seriously. I should not have been enabled like this #kestrel go to bed challenge

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mystery-star · 4 years

Text

Threshold of Space - Chapter 8 Adjusting

Pairing: Spock x OC

Warnings: mentions of death, swearing, mentions of violence

Words: 6757

All Parts:

If you want to be added to the taglist, let me know!

Please do not repost my work on other sites or platforms!

With a groan she tried to turn around when she heard her alarm clock going off. But she couldn’t move and a second later she found out why; Spock was still holding her in his arms.

“Ha-have you been here all night long?”

“No, I have not been here the whole night. Only since I have come to comfort you after your nightmare because I realized that my presence calms you”

“Oh… Thank you” she whispered and pulled away from him to stretch herself. A part of her just wanted to snuggle up to him again and stay like this all day. Instead she turned off the alarm and crawled out of the bed, heading towards the kitchen with a yawn. She inspected his cupboards to see what kind of food he had. “Spock?” she called “What would you like for breakfast?” he didn’t answer and came to the kitchen instead

“I can take care of my own breakfast”

“I know you can but I know that it is Vulcan custom that the guest prepares the meals, especially breakfast”

“Carissa, you do not have to feel obliged to do so”

“But I want to” he raised an eyebrow

“I doubt you are familiar with the recipe”

“Well I might have used my free time during lunch yesterday to read more about the Vulcan meals that you mentioned the day before at my parents’ because I wanted to cook for or with you during my stay here” for a moment, he was silent then he moved closer and kissed her. She instantly pulled him closer and kissed back, cherishing the feeling since he rarely kissed her like that.

“You never cease to fascinate me” he said softly when they parted.

“That coming from a Vulcan must be one hell of a compliment I guess?”

“It is” he confirmed and leaned his forehead against hers before he let go of her “But allow me to assist you with the preparation of breakfast”

“If you insist”

-oO0Oo-

Spock had finished eating before she did and left the table only to return with a PADD

“As I have promised, I did my best to retrieve your data. However, you will need to verify if everything you need was transferred to this PADD. I would have done it myself but it would have been an invasion of your privacy. Furthermore, I would not have been able to determine if everything is available in any case since I did not know what you had on your previous device”

“That’s fine. Thank you, you’re a gem” she gently squeezed his hand “I promise that I won’t look at your stuff either” she switched it on and entered her password “Huh? My password doesn’t work”

“This is because the password is device-specific”

“Oh right. So what’s the password then?”

“GlQrTbw%xiPeO36Dh7”

“Wait what?” he repeated it “No, Spock change that, there’s no way I can ever remember that”

“But it is a safe password, seeing as it would take a computer 4 quadrillion 528 trillion 200 billion years to ascertain it”

“Uhh Spock…. I don’t think that’s necessary. I mean I doubt the PADD will still be working then… Besides, it’s only school PADD, no one would make such an effort to hack it. And if they manage… well they deserve my essays. Besides, if you leave this password I’ll need to write it down and then they won’t need those four quadrillion years to crack it… Can’t I just use my old password?”

“I recommend you used random letters instead of words”

“Fine… let me think…I guess I’ll just take the first letter of a word from a sentence…” she couldn’t remember random letters, so she’d need an easy way to remember it and suddenly she had an idea. She could just add numbers and a special character “OrtrtaOrtftOrtbtaaitdbt” she said with a grin. “Oh and I guess I could add a percentage sign somewhere and maybe numbers” a frown appeared on his forehead and he was silent for almost a minute, then he raised an eyebrow

“How did you come to know of the inscription of the One Ring in John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s work ‘Lord of the Rings’?”

“What the fuck? How did you figure that out?”

“I have noticed a pattern in your ‘password’ and an analysis revealed that it must be this fictional inscription”

“Wow” she said, utterly impressed “If I ever need to hack a PADD or computer I won’t use a computer. I’ll use you… but I think you’re trying to tell me I should take something else?”

“As I said, your suggestion contains repetitive patterns which you should avoid” she grunted

“Fine, let me think”

-oO0Oo-

Happy with her new password (she doubted her boyfriend liked it because he said it could be cracked in 4.28 years but she promised that she’d get her new PADD in a couple of days anyway) she got ready for Academy and then left the apartment. Nicole was already awaiting her

“Girl, you’re in for a though questioning tonight. I’ve had plenty of time to think of thousands of questions”

“Something tells me that’s a bit exaggerated”

“But one now already: How was your first night at his place? You-you didn’t?”

“Hell no. We’re nowhere that far”

“What’s the furthest you went?”

“Let me put it like this. His hand purposely only went below my waist about two or three times”

“This week or all the time you were together?”

“All the time”

“What about kissing? I mean… you’ve done that, right? And I’ve heard about this thing with the finger kiss”

“Yes we have kissed and the thing with the fingers technically isn’t a kiss. More like handholding for married couples. However, it can be a sort of making out if you move your fingers against each other”

“So did you guys… make out the Vulcan way? How’s that even working?” she raised fore- and middle finger and looked at her

“I’m not showing you and I won’t answer the question”

“Why not?”

“Because it means a lot to Vulcans and I respect that. You wouldn’t show an alien friend how humans make out because they don’t know. If you have a human boyfriend”

“Okay, I get it… but since touching means a lot to them, doesn’t he get jealous when… I don’t know, human boys touch you in a friendship-like manner or shake hands with you?”

“We’ve had a talk about this and he said that he had to accept the fact that humans are like that. But I have the feeling that he’s not entirely pleased about it”

“Did you guys ever fight?”

“We had… disagreements but it never really ended in a fight. Because you need negative emotions on both sides for that, like Bennett said.”

“Oh right” the teacher arrived and they entered the classroom. Carissa used the couple of minutes she had left to check her messages. She had gotten three other invitations to interviews for her traineeship and Starfleet Command requested her to let them know once she had a new PADD. By the time the lesson started, she had answered everything important and somehow it felt as if the incidents from a few days ago had not happened. At least not what concerned her education.

-oO0Oo-

Starfleet Command had answered and asked her to see them after she was done with classes for the day. Nicole seemed surprised and a little disappointed because she thought they’d had to postpone their talk about Carissa’s relationship. The brunette had no idea what she preferred, the meeting with Fleet Command or being pumped about her boyfriend. Probably the latter because that was less formal and she could leave or tell her friend to stop if she didn’t like it. On the other hand, she was curious to find out what exactly the Command wanted from her but she had a feeling it had to do with her report about the mission.

After she promised to meet Nicole in the library when the meeting was over, Carissa left the Academy. As it seemed, she was already awaited by three members of Starfleet Command.

“Cadet Wiley, we are glad you could make it”

“Sorry if I’m late, Sir”

“No, you are not” he gave her a sympathetic nod “Alright, let’s begin. Firstly, we want to express our sympathy that you were involved in these events”

“It’s okay. I mean… no one could have known what would happen” she got told that they needed her to write a report because so far they only had one side of the story, the logs and reports of the Enterprise.

“Unfortunately, there were no log entries from the USS Vengeance because Admiral Marcus has died before he had the chance to do so. The rest of the crew was killed when the ship crashed, leaving you as the only survivor of the crew”

“I understand. But I don’t remember everything that has happened and uh… I was getting hysteric towards the end so I don’t know how objective I can write this report”

“We know that you are only a Cadet and were absolutely not prepared to file a report, so we know that we probably will never know everything that has happened, but anything you can tell us will be a help. We have decided that it would not be fair to let you do this alone”

“That’s great. Thank you. Who will be helping me?”

“Since we don’t want too many people knowing the truth before we know everything, we deemed it best if you work together with someone who was involved into the whole matter. The Enterprise’s First Officer, Commander Spock, has agreed to assist you” she couldn’t help but smile “Unfortunately he couldn’t make it today but he has assured us that you know a way to make contact with him”

“Yes, I do” she had to bite back a grin

“Very well. Is there something else you need to know?”

“Uhm… it doesn’t actually have to do with the report but something else… I don’t know if you know what I mean but at some point during this mission, I have called you, Starfleet Command, for help when Admiral Marcus ordered to destroy the Enterprise… will-will I be in trouble because of that?”

“We cannot say this for sure now, since we can only decide the next steps after we have all the facts - in other words, your report. But I believe there won’t be any consequences for you because I doubt that anyone will officially accuse you for what you did. It can happen, however, that this incident of arbitrary act is mentioned in your file”

“Which is not as bad as it sounds because for all we know you were under stress and fear when you did it and you only wanted to do what seemed right, so maybe it could even turn out to be a positive note” before she left, they reminded her to keep this a secret until they made the information of Admiral Marcus’ act of treason public. Feeling happier than before, Carissa left the office and returned to the Academy to meet Nicole.

-oO0Oo-

“Alright” Nicole said, after they had found a quiet spot for themselves “I’m dying to know how you two met. I mean sure, you met in class, but you must have met outside class at some point”

“Ah yes…” she chuckled “Oliver and his homies were waiting for me somewhere and well… did as they always do. I tried to remain calm what seemed to upset them and finally they threatened me with violence. I only told them that this surely was against Academy regulations and then I suddenly heard someone behind me citing the whole article about violence against others from the Academy regulations, as well as the consequences”

“Let me guess, that someone was Spock?”

“Who else?” she giggled “I’m sure Spock’s lectured them for over ten minutes while I tried to hold back a smirk. Oliver and his friends left with a warning. Then he asked me if I was alright or if it didn’t keep at the threat. Before he left he told me that I should let him know if they bothered me again”

“Okay, I must admit that is incredibly cute. But go on”

“Well that was our first contact outside class”

“And how did your story continue?”

“As you know me, I was lagging far behind in his lessons so I once decided to do some catch up work and spent hours in the library, reading more about the topic”

“I think I remember that…”

“Yeah and in the end I felt like I wasn’t any better so I had no choice but to go and ask him after a lesson. That is how I learned that I had been looking at stuff that was too advanced and that the Academy curriculum wouldn’t even cover that. He offered me tutoring instead and we were a group of three cadets who were in his office that day. The others left and for some stupid reason I was dallying because I hoped to have a moment alone with him because yes, I already had a thing for him back then. But then my mom called me and you know how that can go so luckily he left the room but I’m quite sure he heard most of it.”

“Shit, I can imagine that” she grimaced “And then?”

“Well when I was done, he came back and I apologized. He said it was okay and that it was good that I have a close relationship to my family. Then I asked how his was and well… then I realized he’s Vulcan and started stuttering stuff that Vulcans maybe are different then I saw that I was rude and all yeah. But he wasn’t offended at all and explained me everything. He told me of his parents and that is how I learned that he’s only Half Vulcan”

“What? I thought that was just a rumor”

“No, it’s true, his mother is… was human”

“Well I guess that’s better for you, I mean maybe that allows him to show emotion better”

“Maybe. At least this is the reason he is even here and did not stay on Vulcan. Besides, most of them think lesser of humans and in return we’re not overly fond of Vulcans…”

“I don’t mean offense but to a part I understand that… after all Vulcans sometimes tend to brag with their intellect and superiority”

“I know. Spock sometimes does that too but he assured me that there’s no ill intention behind it or that he means to humiliate someone. He said he’s merely pointing out facts or observations. And I mean it is true, Vulcans are more intelligent than we and can do certain things better”

“Yeah. But let’s put that aside… how did your story continue?”

“Right. Before I had to leave because there was something he needed to do, he asked me if Oliver and his friends had bullied me again and if he could do something against it. Because he had heard about the rumors they were spreading about me… you know, teacher’s pet and all”

“And what did you say?”

“I told him not to worry about it and that I could handle it myself. And well, then I left”

“Oh come on, don’t make me ask you everything, just tell me how you got together”

“Okay, alright. It started on the day we had this exam task to repair a shuttlecraft in engineering class”

“The one you almost got electrocuted because of that idiot?”

“Exactly. Well, that happened because he thought he could turn on the power without telling me, while I was working on some cables inside the shuttle and yeah. Luckily, I was working on my PADD right in that moment because otherwise I’d be dead… You know that part already. Then one of the examiners came to us to inquire what happened and held him a lecture about communication and consideration”

“That was Spock, right I’ve seen him there…”

“Exactly. But as you know, I was brought to the sickbay where a first year cadet who was about to do his test, misunderstood electroshock for a normal, psychic shock and gave me a tranquilizer or something. I mean it was exam time so it wasn’t even that wrong that this was the first thing he could think of. Anyways, later that day Spock came to give me back my PADD which he needed to repair because the electric shock that hit me also affected my PADD. And well, I was drugged with a tranquilizer I didn’t need so I started talking shit. No idea what exactly but I must have told him he was cute and how much I liked him and that he’s so caring and all…”

“Well shit”

“So the next day, when I was my normal self again, I was so, so embarrassed that I had to go to him and apologize. I planned to lie and say that I had no idea why I was saying that. Let’s just say he didn’t even let me come that far because he admitted that he too was ‘experiencing likewise’ and all. So uh that was really awkward for me and I suggested we could forget that and continue as if nothing had happened. Then he held me this speech that it would be highly illogical to do so because we both know that we are in love with each other and well… asked me to I was okay if we started a relationship. But I wasn’t happy, I mean him being a professor and all but then he assured me that this would not make a difference and that we just couldn’t talk about anything that had to do with my education and then there would be no reason to fear… he also assured me that he wouldn’t give me preferential treatment and after I asked for some time to consider it, I agreed”

“Oh okay I see. Maybe it was good that cadet gave you the wrong hypo or else you wouldn’t have told him”

“Yeah I guess so”

“Okay, now I want details. Has he ever taken you out on dates?”

“No, we’ve almost only met in his office and a few times in our dorm when you were away. I mean when you were not in San Francisco because we didn’t want to be caught at any cost. That’s also why we never went out”

“Sneaky. Well, you definitely managed to keep it a secret though”

“You really never suspected I have a boyfriend?”

“Sometimes I did… but I thought you would have told me if you ever get one. So when you told me that you broke up, a part of me was mad at you that you didn’t tell me before or who it was. But now I understand. Although I wouldn’t have judged you for being with a Professor. Oh shit, I just realized how disturbing it must have been for you that Oliver and co. were always hinting you had something going on with Bennett”

“To be honest… that didn’t even bother me too much because I knew they were wrong and I had someone better”

“But how-how is it even like to be with a Vulcan? I mean he certainly doesn’t tell you ‘I love you’ all the time”

“In fact he never said it. And you’re right, he generally doesn’t talk much about his feelings, only when it is really important. But he assured me that he cares deeply about me and all until he’d tell me otherwise. So I just need to remember that when I feel like he doesn’t love me anymore. But oh, you should see how sweet he can be. For example, last night I was having nightmares and he stayed with me all night after that and held me in his arms because he knew it comforted me”

“You mean he stayed awake for you?”

“Oh he planned to do that anyway… because I had his bed and he had nowhere else to sleep”

“Okay, if that isn’t love I don’t know. Damn, Cassie, you gotta keep that man”

“That’s what I’m planning to do”

“But how is it like to spend time with him? What do you do?”

“We talk a lot, or play chess or just sit close to each other and he corrected essays while I was doing homework”

“How about touching, cuddling and all?”

“Well, most of it comes from me, I squeeze his arm, hug him or kiss his cheek or whatever. Sometimes he does something in return, like taking my hand in his or hug back. I know this is something that is not usual for Vulcans so it means a lot to me as well when he does that” she giggled “But there are times where he takes the lead, which usually only happens when he would be thrilled by human standards”

“That doesn’t sound too bad, I guess. But don’t you fear he’d leave you for a Vulcan girl one day?”

“We have talked about this shortly and he said that the only reason he’d come together with one was to… well… have a child now that Vulcans are endangered and all”

“And what about you? Could you imagine a whole life with him? I mean there’s probably so much you’d have to give a miss”

“I haven’t really thought about it in the long term but right now I don’t need more. And I can see he’s opening up more and more. At the beginning everything was so awkward and we both didn’t know what to talk and all… now it just comes naturally and yeah. It’s good that Vulcans are quite direct so he tells me when there’s something he doesn’t like, which is why I sometimes just try out stuff like touching him and if he doesn’t react it means he’s fine but when he protests I stop. And we’ve gotten quite good at reading each other and sometimes I am able to know what he’s feeling, well not exactly feeling but you know what I mean”

“How’s that possible? I mean he’s always got this pokerface mien”

“Well, it’s not just about what his mien shows. Because that are only tiny, tiny muscle movements that you’ll miss when you blink in the wrong moment. You also need to think a little, like when someone tells him bad news it’s obvious that this will bother him somehow. However, there is something he often does; raising an eyebrow”

“Ah yes, I know that from the lessons”

“Yes and I’m an expert at reading it. Usually. Sometimes it means something like ‘are you sure?’ but it can also mean something like ‘holy shit’ or ‘what the fuck?’ Or the classic one I get whenever I make a joke ‘Really? Are you serious?’” Nicole chuckled

“Well I was able to see that there are different heights he raises them. But I couldn’t figure out what they mean. Something negative, I thought because that was usual when someone gave a stupid reply”

“Yeah. But it mostly a positive response when I’m around”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Who’d feel positive about having you around?” she nudged her side.

“Good I’ll leave” she pretended to pout.

“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it Cassie, will you forgive me?”

“Only if you’re nice” she crossed her arms like a toddler

“I promise”

“Okay” she grinned

“But why again did you two break up?”

“Oh right, that is a longer story” she told her friend about her first mission and Nero and the real reason Nero captured her

“And well so he concluded that I would get into danger when I am with him so he decided it is better if we break up”

“Hm well… it kinda makes sense. But that last time you didn’t even need him. I mean, a few days ago”

“Actually… there’s more behind it. But I can’t tell you yet because it wasn’t made official. However, me almost dying and the fact that I wasn’t really safe showed him that he actually wanted to be with me”

“And so he asked you to give him a second chance…”

“Yup. And you know the rest already”

“Apart from what exactly happened when you were on the Vengeance. But you can’t tell me now, I know you also need time to digest it”

“Well… actually I need to file a report for Starfleet Command because I’m the only survivor of the Vengeance”

“An official report?”

“Yes I know. But I’ll get help” she said with a smile.

“That’s good. Oh God, Cassie, I’m happy for you. I mean everything with Spock. And I’m looking forward to meeting him tomorrow”

“Yeah that will be interesting”

“Luckily you’ve told me everything now, so I won’t ask embarrassing questions”

“Believe me, you’ll still do that”

“Just shut up you…” she raised her fist

“Okay, now I’ve told you everything about my love-life. Your turn now. Anyone you fancy?”

-oO0Oo-

She was at the apartment before her boyfriend and decided to try out a new Vulcan meal until he arrived. While cooking, she played some music and sang to it, which was the situation to which Spock returned. He commented the scene with a raise of his eyebrow at what Carissa chuckled.

“Do you want me to turn it off?” she said, pointing at the source of the music.

“No there is no reason to do so”

“Okay. Let me know if you change your mind”

“Are you preparing another meal?”

“No, I’m running an experiment to see at which heat your pans melt”

“This experiment cannot succeed under this circumstances as my stove will never provide enough heat for the cooking utensils to reach their boiling point” she giggled

“Wow, I’m joking about melting your pans and you react that casual?”

“There is no need for concern since I know that what you were planning to do is not possible”

“Well, okay. Logic and knowledge save the day again…”

“If you are not conducting an experiment I conclude that you must indeed be cooking”

“Yup. And you’re not helping this time” he raised an eyebrow before Carissa ushered him out of the kitchen.

-oO0Oo-

After dinner, Carissa worked on her homework while her boyfriend seemed to be working on something on his PADD. After a while, she got up and dragged her chair next to his and sat down only a feet apart. He looked up and glanced at her then focused on his work again. Somehow a part of her believed that there was a flash of joy in his mien. She was sure that they’d get to know each other even better in the time they lived together and she knew this would also have an impact on their relationship.

“I hope you do not mind me working and not spending time with you instead” he suddenly said

“No, it’s fine. I should do some homework anyway. After all I’ll also have to write this report. Thanks by the way, for offering me help. I don’t think I could do it alone”

“This is what I have been thinking as well and come to the conclusion that it would be logical if I helped you, seeing as I was responsible for our report because of the Captain’s death”

“Speaking of the Captain… do you have any idea when he’ll wake up?”

“It is not possible to determine when all cells will be regenerated so Doctor McCoy decided it is better to have him in an induced coma for two weeks”

“Okay” she gave a quick nod, then focused on her essay again.

-oO0Oo-

The following evening, Carissa decided to take care of the report because she wanted to hand it in as soon as possible, so that everything was over quicker. She tried to do it as far as she could so that she then could ask for Spock’s help for the parts she wasn’t sure. Although he had offered her help, she still feared she could bother him with her questions. Even when he assured her again that he didn’t mind she wasn’t too sure.

“Okay anyway… uh… shortly after we got onto the bridge I had a look around and so I missed what Marcus was talking to one of the helmsmen. It may have been important but I can’t say what it was. Do you think I should just leave it out?”

“That would not be advantageous”

“But I can’t write ‘I didn’t pay attention to their conversation’ or something like that”

“Did you have the feeling that the Admiral has not wanted everyone on the bridge to know about the topic of their conversation?”

“Maybe. They were talking quietly, now that I remember…”

“Then I suggest you write that he was engaged in a private conversation with his helmsman”

“That sounds good” she did so with a grin “Then, there’s this part where I wasn’t on the bridge because Admiral Marcus ordered to have me locked up. You know, at around the time I contacted you and when I went to see Jim and Scotty with Khan. Shall I write what happened to me in the time I was away?”

“In this case you would need to make a short notice that you have been led off the bridge earlier. But I would not recommend giving too many details about the incidents you have experienced while you were not on the bridge”

“So you think I should make a note that I was off the bridge and… I don’t know sum up that Jim, Scotty and Khan got onto the ship and came to the bridge?”

“Technically, Mr Scott had been on the ship ever since its departure, but I believe your suggestion is appropriate”

“Okay” she made a note that she could write this later on to ask her last question “And when we got onto the bridge, well Marcus and Jim had a discussion and I guess I’ve got most of it. But somehow I can’t remember what else happened. Sure, Khan knocked us all down and… I think he was the one who killed the Admiral. But I honestly can’t tell if something else has happened. Do you think this is because he hit my head against the chair before my brain could transfer the information to my long term memory?”

“That is exactly my thinking” he looked at her “I can understand this must be hard for you but there may be a way for me to find out if your memory is fragmentary or if you have merely repressed them” he raised his hand and she understood what he had in mind “Unless you are not able or willing to relive these moments” she swallowed

“This is important. Maybe Marcus has said something very important. If there’s a chance you can find out more…”

“Carissa, you are not obliged to do this. The Captain, Mr Scott or Lieutenant Marcus will be inquired about the incidents in either case. Moreover, if there should be any repressed memory you had a reason to suppress it and I cannot be the reason that it is brought back to the surface before you are ready”

“Spock” she said, placing a hand on his face “I know you’re concerned about me but Starfleet Command made me responsible for this report so I have to do this” he gave a nod

“Then please try to think of the events on the bridge” she closed her eyes and did as he said, when she felt his fingers on her face and seconds later she had the feeling to actually be back on the Vengeance. And relived the moments. Had it been any other moment of her life, she probably would have found it amazing. Obviously Spock had found something because she couldn’t remember that Khan had threatened Jim and Scotty to kill her if they didn’t drop their weapons. But that wasn’t even the worst part, she felt like she was about to vomit when she heard the cracking of Marcus’ skull again. Luckily Spock broke the connection seconds later when Khan hailed the Enterprise again. Carissa felt tears in her eyes and for some reason she tried to turn around but her boyfriend was quicker and pulled her against him, apologizing for what he did.

“It’s fine. I just need a moment… it felt so real”

“I know it did and I could sense your emotions of this moments as well”

“But did you find anything?”

“No, it does not seem as if you have memory gaps and I also could not find anything that you had repressed”

“What about the moment Khan took me hostage to threaten the others? I mean I couldn’t remember it before”

“This was not a repressed memory, you have only been unable to retrieve it at the moment, but I could”

“Oh okay. Do you think I need to write that? I mean it’s the explanation why Jim and Scotty couldn’t overpower Khan”

“I think it would be wise to mention it” she nodded “as for the last part, the one where Khan has been talking to you… I somehow don’t remember much of it but I guess that won’t matter because you must have mentioned that in your report already?”

“Correct. If you are unsure which phrasing you should use to describe your circumstances I am willing to help”

-oO0Oo-

Somehow Carissa had gotten used to living with her boyfriend and somehow she hoped the Academy had longer to rebuild new dorms towers. After all she had realized how much their relationship had progressed in the past days. It wouldn’t have been much for a relationship with a human but it filled her with joy that Spock had developed the habit to kiss her goodbye before he left in the morning. Plus, their evenings weren’t just filled with both of them working on their own projects but talking or games as well. Much to Carissa’s delight he allowed her to sit on his lap and snuggle against him. Of course he didn’t always pay much attention to her since he was often working on his PADD but she didn’t mind.

Almost two weeks after the incidents on the Vengeance Jim was woken from his coma. Since it was on her free day, she asked Spock if he’d take her with him and to her surprise he agreed. They met Doctor McCoy in front of Jim’s room

“Oh there is my second Jesus” he said with a grin as recognized Carissa

“I wasn’t actually dead. Only clinically”

“Yeah but you were that close to dead-dead” he held his forefinger and thumb half an inch apart.

“Well thanks I you I wasn’t. And I doubt ‘dead-dead’ is a correct medical term”

“Damn it, being with the hobgoblin made you almost as insufferable as him”

“How-how did you know?” she looked to her boyfriend

“I’m not blind, Carissa, I saw the way he held and looked at you he was in the Sick Bay when we thought we’d lose you. I’ve never seen him like that before and I doubt I ever will again” Carissa glanced at Spock again “So you guys do whatever you want, no reason to keep it a secret from me anymore”

“Thanks” Carissa said, not really knowing how she should feel about him knowing.

“Oh and besides, now that you’re already here, I’d like to check you up real quick to make sure you’re not getting any kind of consequential damage”

“Okay” she agreed with a shrug and they entered the room. It took Jim about half an hour before he finally woke up but like her, he didn’t seem like someone who had been severely injured, respectively dead. Although, as McCoy explained he was weak because he had been in a coma and only gotten an infusion during that time. After a short conversation with her boyfriend, Jim turned to Carissa

“Glad you made it too”

“Well when they already were reviving you they did the same to me, logically” she replied with a shrug

“Luckily. I wouldn’t want to spend the rest of my career with a gloomy Vulcan as my First Officer” Spock only raised an eyebrow and Carissa chuckled “Even though you’re not talking to each other right now” he tried to sit up, making the Doctor protest “Oh leave it Bones, you said it yourself, I was barely dead” he pushed his hand away and sat up, for what he eventually needed his friend’s help anyway. “But I’ve got to use my second chance and play Cupid” he smiled at the brunette “He still loves you that is for sure. You should have seen him after Admiral Marcus wanted to beam you onto the Enterprise”

“Captain, I do not think that Carissa should…”

“Oh yes, I think she should know” he smirked and turned back at Carissa “He seemed like a hysterical hen and grabbed my arm, almost shouting at me to tell him what Marcus was gonna do, beam you onto the Enterprise or not”

“I did not ‘grab’ your arm, I merely made physical contact with it. Moreover, a Vulcan would never shout”

“Well okay, but you were upset that could be heard in your voice” he winked at Carissa who let out a giggle “Or you should have seen him wince after Khan banged your head against that chair. There was terror in his eyes for almost a second before he caught himself”

“Captain, I appreciate your help concerning my relationship but I have to inform you that your attempt is belated”

“What? Belated? Does that mean you’re together again? Why didn’t you tell me straightaway?”

“What’s that supposed to mean, together again? You have been together before and broke up?”

“I would rather not discuss that here and now” Spock said

“Fine, I’ll just ask Carissa when I’m examining her” she glanced at Spock who agreed with a nod. “Ah wow, that’s typical. Let’s let the woman do the talking, huh?” again her boyfriend raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

-oO0Oo-

Much to her surprise Spock waited for her until she was done with her examination and McCoy’s questioning.

“I’ve wanted to ask you this ever since you made that deal with Khan, to give him back his torpedoes” she told him on their way home “How could you be so sure he would betray you, I mean according to McCoy you pulled quite a stunt with removing Khan’s people from the torpedoes and arming them… that could have gone terribly wrong”

“It only seemed logical that he would try to get his crew back, which was something I could not allow. Besides, I have had help, the idea was not entirely my own”

“Who?”

“Mr Spock”

“You mean your future self?” she shrugged “I believe he told you that he would not help you”

“Indeed he did”

“So this means he must have met Khan too in his life?”

“That is correct. He described him as the most dangerous enemy he has ever faced” suddenly it hit her. She remembered why she had thought to have heard Khan’s name before.

“I think I know why he helped you” he raised an eyebrow in surprise “You know, that day I met him after Vulcan’s destruction, he has told me a bit about me. I mean the Carissa in his timeline. And he told me that Khan was responsible for… my death” she glanced at him and could see him swallow.

“He has informed me that the costs of his defeat were high but I would not have expected him to be affected personally by this”

“And that’s not all” she said “At the time the other Carissa died, she was pregnant” it was obvious that he didn’t like that information either

“He did not tell me about this”

“Probably because he knew it could distract you” her boyfriend agreed and it was obvious that he didn’t like the topic. If she was honest, she understood why, and didn’t feel too comfortable either. As if he needed to assure himself she was here, he took hold of her hand for the rest of the way.

Next Chapter

#star trek #Star Trek Fanfiction #fanfiction #spock #spock fanfiction #spock x oc

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labyrinthof-fan-fiction · 4 years

Text

Security Part 3: Golden Repairs

So this is definitely darker than the previous parts, focusing a lot on their pasts. Honestly this took on a mind of its own and went a completely different direction than I expected, but I don’t hate it.

Link to series masterlist.

Summary: Three days are up, Avery cashes in on the deal she made with Leonard.

Warnings: Alcohol Consumption, sexual themes, mention of sex, talk of death, talk of divorce, mentions of injuries, mentions of abusive relationships, swearing. If any of this makes you uncomfortable, please skip!

Inspiration: Kintsugi- Japanese art of putting broken pottery back together with gold. Based in the idea that embracing flaws and imperfections, you create a stronger, more beautiful piece of art.

Word Count: 1,981

Leonard had been on edge for the past two days. Today marked a month since he had opened his damn dumb mouth. In that entire month, Avery had not been in his office once, not in a medical bed, not even near the medbay. Not for a scratch, bruise, stab wound, absolutely nothing. Not that he hadn’t been busy, the engineers had recently been having a bout with their equipment that had resulted in every degree of burn you could know. Luckily, Leonard had been able to use this to distract himself from the knowledge that Avery was going to show up in his office.

There was a sense of unease that he felt, not seeing her security reds in the medbay. He passed her in the halls or in the cafeteria and she always waved and smiled at him, but never approached. At least when he was caring for her injuries he knew what to expect, a few smart comments aimed at him, but a healed woman. Each time he treated her injuries he felt a small part of his heart slide back into place in the mangled mess inside his chest.

Healing others in and of itself was fulfilling for Leonard, but caring for Avery was different. And he reluctantly examined the differences, one night, alone, in his office, with a bottle of scotch. The night that marked a full month of her staying out of the medley for any injuries of any kind, he was starting to wonder if Jim had wrapped her in bubble wrap just to spite him, or at least sanctioned you to desk duty. He sighed, taking a sip of scotch from the glass in front of him.

Feelings. He knew that was what was happening. Feelings that he had told himself that he would never experience again. He knew he would always care for others, that was hardwired into his existence. Caring for others kept him sane, even when it brought him pain, he took a sip as he remembered the faces of people he failed to save in his line of work. The most common denominator between them was the Starfleet red uniform shirt glaring him in the eyes. He let out a frustrated burst of air, of course he would develop feelings for someone who was probably destined to die before the Enterprise was finished with space exploration.

Feelings and caring used to be such a natural part of his persona, then she came along. He was so in love, she was so perfect. She was kind, she was compassionate. She made him a better person. Tears threatened to spill over his eyes. And she left. She left him with nothing, forced him to thrust himself into space. Into the unknown. Perhaps this was his personal purgatory, if he believed in that stuff. He had to atone for some of the sins of his youth he supposed, taking another sip of scotch.

Love, a fickle emotion, so hard to grasp and find, so easy to lose and chase away. Leonard had vowed that love was out of the question for him the moment he entered the shuttle that brought him Jim Kirk. Then Avery waltzed into his medbay, with jokes and smiles, even when bleeding profusely from a stab wound gained from the newest planet habitant she happened to meet. His heart clenched as he remembered the Klingon battle wounds that had almost killed her. Doctors weren’t supposed to fall for their patients, they were supposed to heal them and send them back into the world. But he couldn’t do that with her. He found himself on the bridge more often than not listening to away missions she was on, preparing himself for the day that he would sign the certificate that would send her into the depth of space for the final time.

He heard a knock at his door, “Hey, doc.” He glanced up from his musings and there she stood. She was in a security red dress, he had been so used to seeing her in the pants, that he couldn’t stop his eyes from raking over her body. It was no shock that she was fit, working in security would do that to a person. His eyes were drawn to her legs, long and toned, probably from running away from all her assailants, or towards them. “Can I come in?” She asked, he felt the nervous energy radiating off of her.

He grunted and gestured to the chair across his desk. She walked in and he couldn’t help but notice the movement of her hips and he damned himself to hell. She sat in the chair, crossing her legs, Leonard couldn’t be sure if that action was intentional or not, but he took a gulp of scotch, letting the burn clear his mind for a moment.

She glanced at him, “I believe we made a deal last time I was here.”

“Hmmm.” He answered, pulling a second glass out of his desk, pouring scotch into it, and sliding it across his desk to Avery. She glanced at it before wrapping her hand around it.

“Doc, I like you.” She said bluntly, taking a sip of the alcohol, Leonard was surprised that she didn’t even react as she drank it.

“Darling, if you’re gonna be here, drinking scotch, talking all this nonsense, you’re gonna call me Leonard.” He drawled, giving the glass in front of him a swirl.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Leonard it is.”

He nodded approvingly, taking another sip. She seemed to be waiting for him to say something, but she was going to be disappointed, that much he knew. He would be lying if he said he was not in the slightest surprised by her bluntness towards him. She liked him, that brought a warmth to his chest, and damn did he want it to knock that shit off.

She seemed to notice that in this moment she was not going to get anything out of him without forcing his hand. “So Leonard, tell me about yourself.”

“Not much to tell, joined Starfleet, became a doctor, and here I am.” He said, gesturing to his office.

She nodded, her eyes raking over him. He felt his shoulders stiffen as her eyes made it to his hands, specifically his left. There hadn’t been a ring there for years now, but he still felt the weight of it, the weight of one of his largest failures. “How long?” She asked.

“I’ve been a doctor for Starfleet for….six years, I think.” He answered.

She chuckled, “How long have you been divorced?”

He glanced into her green eyes, “You’ve been talking to Jim.” He grumbled.

“While there is some truth in that, that’s not why I ask.” Avery answered.

“Six years.” He reluctantly mumbled. “Ten years together, thrown out in an instant and now six years as far away as possible.”

Avery remained silent, letting him speak his piece.

“Have you ever given your soul to someone, only to have it thrown to the wolves?” He asked.

Something flickered in her eyes, “Yes. I have.” She answered quietly. Leonard found himself quiet. “I got into security to protect people. I had wanted to be in the science division when I started.” She started, looking to Leonard.

He remained silent, urging her to continue with a tilt of his head.

“Back on Earth I have a sister,” She paused, “Had a sister. She was my best friend. She got married the year before I was able to apply to the academy. I didn’t like him, but I wasn’t marrying him. Six months before I leave for academy we get a call. The police. They said it was a domestic, that he was behind bars, but they didn’t say what happened to her. It took so much from my father to ask what had happened to her, she didn’t make it to the hospital. I had been preparing to join the research group. I changed my track immediately. If I had said something, called her, talked to her, pulled her out of that house. I could have….” Tears formed in her eyes and slid down her cheek.

Leonard reached out and gently held her empty hand. “If we live our lives in could have and would have, we’re just going to keep running in circles.”

She glanced down at their joined hands, “Thank you, you’re a good man.”

He let out a wry chuckle, “Don’t go too far, darling.”

She pulled her eyes from his, “Leonard McCoy, you are a good man. You heal and care for people who you barely know. You stayed by my bedside and you didn’t even know me. You. Are. A. Good. Man.” She emphasized each word of the last sentence, he almost believed her.

Leonard gritted his teeth, he wanted to believe her, but good men didn’t get dealt the cards he had, they had good lives, they had good wives. They weren’t forced off the planet for God’s sake. “I’m not.”

She pulled her hand out of his and stood, making her way around the desk so she was standing in front of his sitting form. She crouched down so they were eye level. “Don’t you see the good you do every day, the lives you save? Do you realize how many people you have helped?” She asked gently, placing a hand on his thigh.

He avoided her gaze, taking a shaky breath, glancing at the blank death certificates on his desk. Ready for the next away mission, a mission he would guarantee she was assigned to. “I’m not that good, darling.” He murmured.

She had followed his gaze to the certificates, she reached up and drew his chin up to bring his eyes to hers. “We know what we signed up for, we all do. There will always be the chance that we aren’t going to go home. But our purpose is to protect, protection can have costs.”

He sighed, “I am supposed to heal, that’s my purpose.”

“And I am proof that you have exceeded your purpose.” She whispered.

Leonard’s eyes searched her face, looking for her to tell him that he was a failure, he was the reason so many of her colleagues were to be among the stars for all eternity, but it never came. Instead she leant in until their lips were almost touching, her eyes asking his permission. He closed the gap between them, his hand going to the back of her neck to pull her closer, threading his fingers in her hair. He felt desperate as the kiss deepened, she was the air he had been searching for. He was the solace she had been craving.

They pulled apart, lungs begging for air. He took in her swollen lips, her disheveled hair. And he had never seen a more beautiful woman. A spark ignited in her eyes.

“So doc, your place or mine?” She asked, a wicked grin spitting her face.

He stood up, pulling her with him and brought his lips down to hers. Fire igniting in his chest. They pulled apart for the second time, breathless. “Mine is closer.”

“Lead the way.” She said, threading her fingers through his. Leonard lead her to his quarters, when he shut the door behind him, he took in the sight of her standing before him.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“More than anything.” She answered unzipping her dress, that was all the confirmation Leonard needed. He pulled her in for another kiss before leading her to his bedroom.

Leonard woke the next morning with Avery curled into his bare chest, her hand resting above his heart. For the first time in a long time he felt like his heart was whole, made up of the tiny pieces it had been broken into, but whole.

#leonard bones mccoy #leonard mccoy #leonard mccoy/oc #leonard/oc #bones/oc #leonard bones mccoy/oc #star trek #star trek aos #star trek fic

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empathicstars · 4 years

Text

Nothing More Important

It’d been a long, grueling, impossible fifty hours. Longer and more grueling and more impossible, believably, than Neoma’d expected it to be. After all, how difficult was it to find a singular officer in a world where identification was required for everything one did?

Apparently, difficult. She’d been awake and running around the base since 2100 hours on, uh... --... how many days ago was it? One, two? It was hard to keep track. All Neoma could remember any longer was the pounding of her feet on pavement, of the crisp air that felt drier and drier the longer she was out in it, of the feeling of brick beneath her fingers and metal against her arms as she climbed and scaled the impressive base in search. The teams by her side had switched off five separate times, and more than once someone had attempted to relieve her.

But she’d made a promise. She told them she’d bring her back.

And she would.

Doctors marveled at how she was passing each examination they ran on her in attempts to force her to take her leave. She didn’t seem to be tired, and any scrapes or bruises were beyond minor. What she’d told Jim just before he drifted to sleep was true: she didn’t get sore. But that didn’t mean that spending fifty hours wide awake, soothing every officer she came into contact with, and walking the length of one of the Federation’s biggest bases multiple times over was enjoyable or restful for her. ( That didn’t mean that part of her wasn’t still shaking from an encounter with a limp body in a river, that her disagreements with all of those close to her wasn’t burning a coldness somewhere hard in the back of her throat. )

Ah, Jim… Fuck. When he learned about this disaster, she was sure he’d staunchly refuse to ever sleep again. And after all her hard work. Ancestors. It felt like all of her effort with everyone was coming up to nothing, now. Encouraging Reg out of his shell, building and mending a relationship with John, her friendship with Luci, Jim… ancestors, she was tired.

Part of her wondered, briefly, if she could convince Spock to keep all of this on the down low from him -- especially now that it was over. But she didn’t have to know him very well at all to know that that wasn’t an option.

But at least it was over. At least it wasn’t like waking up on Corvid.

At least this was a nightmare that would end.

After checking every Federation and non-Federation ship, the Institute, all of Yorktown… after climbing every building, sliding under every tree, dipping herself deep into water and barging in through every library… Neoma had decided, on a whim, to check for Liana on incoming ships, and was rather floored when it worked. An Aella -- not Liana -- Moore was on a non-Federation supply ship, heading back to Yorktown, and Neoma was going to be there when she docked. It only took a few calls to the captain of that ship to put together the pieces. Liana’d beamed on from a civilian transporter, rather than a Starfleet-specific one -- a transporter that dealt with such a large volume of use that it had no choice but to delete profiles of those who passed through it -- to his ship. She’d been on the base and had been trying to find another ship to lead her elsewhere. It was only a half a day, it seemed, before she’d buckled internally, admitted to him that she’d snuck aboard his ship before shields went up, and requested to take the next return trip with him. He’d agreed, and now she was less than twenty minutes from docking.

And so, here Neoma stood. Waiting for her. In a bustle of laughing, chattering people, moving swiftly and gleefully throughout a shuttle bay. Her pole collapsed at the magnetic belt on her side, her arms crossed, her hair pulled back into a fishtail braid that she thought maybe looked alright whenever she’d done it. She tugged at the tie to let it free from its mess, let her hair fall around her, catch briefly in the wind.

For a moment, it was almost too easy to believe that Liana wouldn’t show up, after all. That the information had been a farce. That she’d reported Liana’s recovery prematurely, and she’d have to resume activities again. That this was a break, and not the end.

But relief touched some distant part of her when she spotted a thin figure walking through the crowds. Dressed in a long white dress, a single book clutched to her chest, as though it’d protect her from the reality she was about to face. Ancestors, Liana looked about as shitty as Neoma felt. Black hollows beneath her eyes, pale, paper-thin skin, body bent in on itself. She stared at the floor with the same guilty expression Meeth wore when he knew he’d done something wrong.

The same expression her girls had had…

Neoma breathed out. Released the fifty hours that’d passed -- released the memory of Amila and Naith pouting -- and focused on the start of this hour, focused on the face of this girl.

The security officer reached out, palm up, and waited until the kid’d walked to her side to drape her arm around her shoulders. She felt Liana stiffen beneath the contact of the half-hug, but Neoma still leaned forward to distribute a kiss in her hair.

“Welcome back, Liana.”

Liana’s head tilted up so painfully slowly -- and when their eyes met, everything in the kid’s face was open, childish, shocked. She was round, and gentle, and small, and… Ancestors, she looked like she was about eleven years old. “H… i.”

Neoma squeezed her with one arm. “You really gave us a fright, you know.”

“I… I did?”

The confusion would’ve been funny if it wasn’t so heartbreaking. Maybe still would’ve been if Neoma hadn’t spent the better part of these past few days fighting that fright.

She smiled, instead of answering -- tapped her with her thumb and began leading her away from the ships. “Where were you off to?” Conversational. Light.

Liana stared back down, once again. Felt a little bit closer to Neoma than she had moments before. “I don’t…” Nearly choked. “I do not know. Just… away. As far away as possible.”

“Well,” with humor in her teeth, “you know, if you want to go far away, the Enterprise is a great place to do it.”

Liana’s lips flattened, and she ducked her head further, but it somehow read almost as a small smile might.

They walked for a bit in silence, and, wow -- how good silence could sound. How good walking could feel! But what sounded even better, y’know, was conversation. Especially conversation that mattered. So…

“I hear you don’t want to be a Betazoid. You don’t want to be an empath. That right?”

She jolted, as though something horrific had been found out. “Y… yes.”

“Why not?”

The sounds of the crowd from the bay were beginning to disperse. It made her pause sound even louder. “I… I want to be normal. I want to be… like everyone else.”

Ha. “You are like everyone else.”

“No.” Her voice was dark, steady, so suddenly it was surprising. It was too much like the Aella Neoma’d met one time in a communications bay. “I am apart from them, and they from me.”

“Apart?” Neoma’d never been fantastic at clamping at her humor -- and now was no exception. A hard laugh, rough and grainy and loud erupted from her.

“W-- what is so funny?” Ah, there she was, again -- the petulant child annoyed with the humor she didn’t understand. ( So much like Amila. So much it burned. ) “That is not funny.”

“Ha… you really have no idea, huh?”

“Of course I do not. That -- that is why I asked.”

“No, no… I meant…” Okay. Stop smiling. Serious Neoma time. “Everyone’s been in a frenzy looking for you. Spock, Reg, John. Casper. ’Ve had to tie almost all of them back from going out to look for you.”

“What? No -- no, you are -- you are lying.”

“What’s the point in lying, Liana? Already got you here.”

She paused. Perhaps, Neoma supposed, to consider that maybe it was true. “R… really?”

“Really really. Do you know how many times I had to wrangle Spock into submission?”

“The -- the commander?”

“Unless there’s two of ‘em.”

“But -- no! W… why would he…? No. He… he must be like this with everyone.”

Neoma was able to temper her amusement back to a chuckle, this time. “Nah. He told me you two were close.”

“What?” She was watching her, now.

“Yup. He gave me a lot of invaluable information about where to look for you, too. I don’t think any of them’s gotten a lick of sleep since your disappearing act.”

“I… oh, I…” Her shock fell into something else. Something small and sad, plain enough for even Neoma to get. “I did not mean to worry them. I did not know they would realize my absence. I -- I just wanted… to be free.”

Free, huh? Neoma sighed -- probably came out more like a huff. Either way, the noise was low, rueful. She didn’t get it. Ties were the best part of life. Hadn’t she just said something like that in the comms a few days ago? Having a spot to call your own, and a sky you knew… that was precious. But…

“Well, my girls wanted to see the stars. They wanted to be free so, so bad. But you don’t have to run away to see the stars. You’re… already in Starfleet.”

“But I…” A frustrated breath from her. “I do not want to be.”

“Why not?”

“I… I do not like it! It is scary, and dangerous. I do not want to live on a ship. I… I do not want to be what she was.”

“Ancestors, kid.” It came out before she could stop it. That she was so vehemently said. “She who?”

Liana’s voice fell low, quiet and stripped and now anything but the acid she’d once tasted. “Aella.”

Oh. Fuck. Well, okay. “Why are you separating them?”

“What?”

“You and her. Who you were and who you are. You’re the same people.”

“N-- no! No!”

Another one? Really? “Sorry, but… yeah.” Neoma recognized the wiggling -- like an animal wanting to be put down -- and so she stopped, turned to face her. Wherever they were now, it was quieter. Less clattering, less people. Neoma pressed both her palms into Liana’s shoulders, watched her shrink, slightly. “Listen to me.” She waited until her gaze lifted, even if was only minute at first. “I used to live beneath a volcano. I’d sleep with a burlap sack over my face, and wake to watch the guar. I hadn’t been ten miles from where I lived. I hated fighting. I just wanted to watch my guar in peace. Fabric like this…” She rubbed at Liana’s shoulders. “I’d never even seen it before. It was a whole different world. And now look at me. I’m a security officer out in space. Lightyears away from where I raised those guar. On ground that isn’t really ground. On a planet that’s not really a planet. Using technology, every day, when the most expensive thing I used to own was… I don’t know. Maybe my staff. And if you’d asked me then where I’d be now… I’d never see it. I’d never see this.”

“Then how did you get here?” By now, Liana was staring at her. Her eyes were large, glassy, fixed. Neoma felt the weight of her attention keyed into every single word. “Why are you here?”

“Things changed. Lot of things changed. And I got new perspective. And... I guess that’s what happened to you, too. No, you don’t know why you’d want to live on a ship, or be in Starfleet. No, it doesn’t make sense to you. But you don’t remember the perspective that made you want to be here. So of course you’re confused. Of course you’re lost. But what… what if you could rediscover that perspective? What if you could learn more about yourself?”

The eyes staring back at her were brimming with tears, now. She opened her mouth twice -- two false-starts -- before she found her voice.

“I… I am scared something would happen to me. To who I am. John tells me he has a Haliaan waiting to heal me… but I do not believe it will heal me. I believe it will kill me.”

“Kill you?”

“Who I am…” Her palm raised from her side, and she stared at it, pressed fingertips against it. “I will be gone. Another person will take her place.”

“No. Hey, look at me. No. Same person. Just new perspective. Okay? And it’s not gonna be like a…” She lifted a hand, only for as long as it took her to snap. “... you know? You may get the perspective and decide… hey. I still want to go to the Institute. I still want to leave Starfleet. And then you can. But then you’ll know, too. And something like sensing someone’s emotions won’t set you off so much that you disappear.”

Eyelashes fluttered, and a tear fell to Liana’s cheek. Neoma moved to wipe at it with the back of her hand. The kid’s eyes shuddered closed from the contact.

“I’m not gonna make you stay in Starfleet, okay? It’s your life. But… if you’re going to leave, I’m gonna make you say goodbye.”

It was supposed to sound almost jesting, that last sentence, but… Liana wasn’t opening her eyes. Wasn’t relaxing again. Fuck. Neoma’d not fucked up, had she?

Neoma was grasping at new words to throw Liana’s way when she spoke again, in a voice so quiet it was almost drowned out by the nothing around them.

“They… really missed me? They really… worried about me?”

“Really, really.”

Liana’s lips thinned, and she stared down at her hand again. Edged a foot a bit against the ground. “Then… then I should at least try. For them.” Tentatively… “After all… there… is nothing more important than family, yes?”

When Neoma laughed this time, she felt it -- felt the joy, the relief, the end of a nightmare. And this time, when she pulled Liana into a hug, she felt a warmth in her belly that would’ve made it nearly impossible not to.

“That’s exactly right, kiddo.”

#( drabble. )#[ IT'S NEOMA AND AELLA INTERACTING IN OHANA!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH #this is an AU where like... Aella's lost her memory. she goes by Liana. she ran away. it's all Fun and Awful #obviously from Neoma's POV but like... she's the Focus of the story SO!!! POSTING IT HERE TOO!!! ]#v: ad augusta per angusta

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neomacaught · 4 years

Text

Nothing More Important

But she’d made a promise. She told them she’d bring her back.

And she would.

But at least it was over. At least it wasn’t like waking up on Corvid.

At least this was a nightmare that would end.

The same expression her girls had had…

Neoma breathed out. Released the fifty hours that’d passed -- released the memory of Amila and Naith pouting -- and focused on the start of this hour, focused on the face of this girl.

“Welcome back, Liana.”

Neoma squeezed her with one arm. “You really gave us a fright, you know.”

“I… I did?”

The confusion would’ve been funny if it wasn’t so heartbreaking. Maybe still would’ve been if Neoma hadn’t spent the better part of these past few days fighting that fright.

She smiled, instead of answering -- tapped her with her thumb and began leading her away from the ships. “Where were you off to?” Conversational. Light.

Liana stared back down, once again. Felt a little bit closer to Neoma than she had moments before. “I don’t…” Nearly choked. “I do not know. Just… away. As far away as possible.”

“Well,” with humor in her teeth, “you know, if you want to go far away, the Enterprise is a great place to do it.”

Liana’s lips flattened, and she ducked her head further, but it somehow read almost as a small smile might.

“I hear you don’t want to be a Betazoid. You don’t want to be an empath. That right?”

She jolted, as though something horrific had been found out. “Y… yes.”

“Why not?”

The sounds of the crowd from the bay were beginning to disperse. It made her pause sound even louder. “I… I want to be normal. I want to be… like everyone else.”

Ha. “You are like everyone else.”

“No.” Her voice was dark, steady, so suddenly it was surprising. It was too much like the Aella Neoma’d met one time in a communications bay. “I am apart from them, and they from me.”

“Apart?” Neoma’d never been fantastic at clamping at her humor -- and now was no exception. A hard laugh, rough and grainy and loud erupted from her.

“W-- what is so funny?” Ah, there she was, again -- the petulant child annoyed with the humor she didn’t understand. ( So much like Amila. So much it burned. ) “That is not funny.”

“Ha… you really have no idea, huh?”

“Of course I do not. That -- that is why I asked.”

“What? No -- no, you are -- you are lying.”

“What’s the point in lying, Liana? Already got you here.”

She paused. Perhaps, Neoma supposed, to consider that maybe it was true. “R… really?”

“Really really. Do you know how many times I had to wrangle Spock into submission?”

“The -- the commander?”

“Unless there’s two of ‘em.”

“But -- no! W… why would he…? No. He… he must be like this with everyone.”

Neoma was able to temper her amusement back to a chuckle, this time. “Nah. He told me you two were close.”

“What?” She was watching her, now.

“Yup. He gave me a lot of invaluable information about where to look for you, too. I don’t think any of them’s gotten a lick of sleep since your disappearing act.”

“Well, my girls wanted to see the stars. They wanted to be free so, so bad. But you don’t have to run away to see the stars. You’re… already in Starfleet.”

“But I…” A frustrated breath from her. “I do not want to be.”

“Why not?”

“I… I do not like it! It is scary, and dangerous. I do not want to live on a ship. I… I do not want to be what she was.”

“Ancestors, kid.” It came out before she could stop it. That she was so vehemently said. “She who?”

Liana’s voice fell low, quiet and stripped and now anything but the acid she’d once tasted. “Aella.”

Oh. Fuck. Well, okay. “Why are you separating them?”

“What?”

“You and her. Who you were and who you are. You’re the same people.”

“N-- no! No!”

“Then how did you get here?” By now, Liana was staring at her. Her eyes were large, glassy, fixed. Neoma felt the weight of her attention keyed into every single word. “Why are you here?”

The eyes staring back at her were brimming with tears, now. She opened her mouth twice -- two false-starts -- before she found her voice.

“I… I am scared something would happen to me. To who I am. John tells me he has a Haliaan waiting to heal me… but I do not believe it will heal me. I believe it will kill me.”

“Kill you?”

“Who I am…” Her palm raised from her side, and she stared at it, pressed fingertips against it. “I will be gone. Another person will take her place.”

Eyelashes fluttered, and a tear fell to Liana’s cheek. Neoma moved to wipe at it with the back of her hand. The kid’s eyes shuddered closed from the contact.

“I’m not gonna make you stay in Starfleet, okay? It’s your life. But… if you’re going to leave, I’m gonna make you say goodbye.”

It was supposed to sound almost jesting, that last sentence, but… Liana wasn’t opening her eyes. Wasn’t relaxing again. Fuck. Neoma’d not fucked up, had she?

Neoma was grasping at new words to throw Liana’s way when she spoke again, in a voice so quiet it was almost drowned out by the nothing around them.

“They… really missed me? They really… worried about me?”

“Really, really.”

“That’s exactly right, kiddo.”

#( drabble. )#v: ad augusta per angusta #[ this will make sense to exactly no one not in the group BUT! aella and neoma interacted for like. KIND OF the first time and i just....#i'm sobbing over it!!!!!#neoma's a security officer and had to go find aella and like!!! wow!!! ]

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obvious-captain-rogers · 6 years

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My fave AU idea I’ve ever come up with is actually a Star Trek one.

What if the blast from the Kelvin colliding with the Narada damaged Jim’s ears as a baby? It was something they didn’t quite catch then, with the chaos of getting everyone to safety and you know Winona Kirk was NOT going to let anyone come near her baby right after losing George. So no one notices it at the time. Especially since his hearing is impaired but he still CAN hear. For now.

As he gets older, the damage is more pronounced and starts to get worse. Winona’s always off-planet, Jim’s step-father doesn’t care enough to get it fixed, and at first Sam just tries to help Jim as much as he can but then he’s gone. So Jim finds an old book on how to sign. He needs to communicate somehow and he’s starting to get to where he can’t hear himself. He also makes sure that he can read lips since most people don’t know how to sign anymore. It’s a dead language for all practical purposes.

So Jim rebels against people’s expectations for him.

Everyone thinks he’s going to be lost and helpless in a world that’s, frankly, ableist in every way possible.

He works hard for all the wrong things and he still ends up in that space bar with Uhura and the other cadets. He’s thrilled that she signs too and while yes he does flirt with her, he also asks about where she learned. She explaining that she’s a xenolinguistics cadet at Starfleet. Cupcake steps in and the fight happens and Pike steps in.

Jim reads Pike’s lips as Pike talks about his father and about Jim’s potential to be so much more.

It’s the first time, other than whispered reassurances from Sam as he cried louder and louder trying to make himself hear it, that anyone’s said it to him.

So Jim meets Bones, who takes an interest in one of the few cases of brain and ear tissue damage but also the cocky asshole who practically attaches himself to Bones. And they end up roommates. Bones bitches but secretly becomes attached to Jim as well.

Then the first Kobiyashi Maru test happens.

The odds are stacked against Jim not just because the test is unwinnable but because Jim can’t hear the alarms going off or the words of his bridge crew.

He’s furious when he loses but he’s determined to take another go at it.

He fails the second time.

He signs up for a third and he gets Gaila’s help. They code into the early morning and they tumble into bed together a lot as they work out the kinks in the subroutine. Jim definitely likes Gaila but they both know that this isn’t going to last and they’re both okay with that.

He runs the subroutine for the third test and grins when he beats it. FINALLY.

He savors the victory and he and Bones and Gaila and (reluctantly) Uhura go out and have a nice night. He and Gaila have victory and goodbye sex that has Jim grinning for nearly a hour after he’d walked back to his and Bones’s room and flopped down onto his bed.

The next day he gets called for academic misconduct and the victory suddenly turns to a bad taste in his mouth.

He hates that he has to keep whipping back and forth between Professor Spock and the Board of Admirals. He also hates that he has to have Uhura translate for him. His hands are shaking so bandly from his anger and humiliation as not only Spock points out his inability to cope with a “no-win” scenario, but also brings his father and his disability into it. Jim feels like he’s got smoke coming out of his ears when they’re suddenly interrupted. Jim doesn’t quite catch all of what the admirals are saying but suddenly everyone’s scrambling to get out.

Jim looks desperately for McCoy and Bones just nods at him reassuringly and waves him to follow. He and Bones both head to a hangar and Jim has to get on his toes to be able to read the officer in the front of the group’s lips.

The officer never says his name.

Jim feels his chest constrict as he goes to ask the officer what’s going on. Why his name hasn’t been called. Why he didn’t have a post.

He’s been grounded due to his academic probation. Jim scowls and he waves Bones off, signing for Bones to go. He’ll be okay. But he doesn’t really feel it.

Bones does the injection and all the other things that get Jim onto the Enterprise.

When Jim wakes up he groggily reads the lips of the young looking officer broadcasting. The bit about the lightning storm jerk him up and despite his feeling sick and generally shitty he has to rush off to find Uhura.

He does and he frantically signs to her but then his fingers are getting stiff and swollen but Uhura’s connected the pieces. Bones injects him again but Jim’s grabbed Uhura’s hand and is pulling her up to the bridge.

He knows he’s going to be in so much trouble but he has to get to the Captain. Has to get to Pike.

He’s on the bridge and his fingers are flying and he knows that Uhura is translating but he can see Pike’s eyes flickering between Jim, Uhura, and someone else. Jim turns to see Professor, now First Officer, Spock. Jim flips him off angrily knowing that Spock is shouting about him to Pike, before he get his point across. Pike nods at Jim and then he’s turning to give orders.

Everything is a blur until Pike gets the idea to blow up the drill that the Romulans are using to attack Vulcan. Pike nods to Jim and Jim knows he’s going. There are some protests he’s sure, he can feel Bones grab onto his sleeve but Jim shakes him off and follows after Pike. Pike names Jim first officer and Spock acting Captain. Jim glances at Spock with a neutral expression but he feels anger still roiling in his stomach.

The fight on the drill and everything after it makes Jim’s heart hammer against his ribs. They destroyed the drill but something’s still wrong. Jim saves the helmsman who nearly fell to his death, taking Jim with him, and Jim smiles at him and the man introduces himself as Sulu. Jim shakes his hand and then finger spells: J-I-M. There’s a furrow in Sulu’s brow but then they’re both practically shoved off the platform by Spock.

Jim’s taken to medical to be fussed over by Bones but Jim shoves him off with a reassuring smile. ‘I’m fine’ he keeps signing but Bones just shakes his head and continues scanning and fussing.

Jim goes back up the bridge and with officers he watches as Vulcan collapses in on itself. He feels hollowed out as he sees it crumble. He sees Uhura take off and he just watches. He feels so strange but then the anger is back as he watches the Romulan ship that killed his father, that Pike turned himself over to, take off as if it hadn’t just wiped out a whole planet and the people on it.

He’s so angry and then Spock just has to make it worse.

He’s not going after Pike.

The hell he isn’t.

Jim can feel his vocal chords straining as he signs angrily, his signs slipping together and he can see Bones looking at him worriedly. Then he has security officers on him and something in Jim’s snaps. He lashes out. He takes a hard hit that if his ears worked they’d have been ringing. He feels a sharp pressure on his shoulder and then dark.

He wakes up and he’s fucking freezing. He grabs the comm and watches a message scroll across it. He rolls his eyes as it tells him to stay put. He pulls on the emergency coat and grabs the survival pack.

As he treks he feels the shaking under his feet. He turns and starts running blindly as he realizes he’s being chased. He goes to slip into a cave but the thing comes after him but then suddenly it stops. Jim’s panting hard, the cold air stinging his lungs as he lifts his head.

There in front of him is an elderly Vulcan.

An elderly Vulcan that says his name. Jim frowns and pushes himself up so he can sign. “Who are you?’

There’s shock and something else, it’s almost looks like the Vulcan’s going to be sick, in his brown eyes as Jim pushes himself to stand.

It only gets weirder from there.

The older Vulcan reveals himself to be Spock from the future and then they mind-meld. Jim sees not only what Spock (older Spock, Spock Prime) has been trying to tell him but other things from Spock Prime’s life. Specifically his life centered around the other Jim.

His fingers itch and finally he asks the two things that have been bothering him. ‘Did I, the other me, know my father? Could I hear?’

The answer about his father hits him hard, knowing he’d lost all that time with him really hurt, but the soft look in Spock Prime’s eyes hits him harder. “You did not have any damage because the Kelvin never crashed. I’m sorry that you have suffered so much.” Spock Prime gently brushes the back of his hand against Jim’s ear. Jim usually hated his ears to be touched but he knows this is important, it means something to Spock Prime. He gives him a small, strained smile.

So Jim ends up back on the Enterprise and trying to emotionally compromise Spock.

It works. Too well.

Jim’s scrabbling at Spock’s hand where it’s pressed to his throat. He feels Spock’s anger mingling with his own but there’s so much grief and regret under it.

When Spock pulls away it’s staggering not only because oxygen has actually been restored to his brain, but because the emotional transference is gone as well.

Everything from there is strategic planning with the crew, now HIS crew, working with him to get back Pike. Spock comes back onto the bridge and Jim holds his breath. But he’s being helpful.

Jim comes up with a reckless plan but it’ll work.

It’s a bad plan.

But it works.

Jim nearly dies and Spock nearly dies and Pike is confined to a chair. But they get away from the blackhole alive.

Jim gets back to Earth and sleeps for nearly two days. He feels worn out but when he wakes up he visits Pike and he’s happy. Really happy. His mother, an admiral now bless her, calls him. He meets her for lunch and while her signing is rusty and sometimes she misplaces a word or two, she’s trying and for Jim that’s enough.

He’s finishing up the last of his work at the Academy when Spock finds him in the library. He apologizes and Jim just waves it off. But Spock insists.

‘Buy me a coffee then’ is all Jim can come up with. And that’s what they do. They get coffee, well Jim does Spock drinks tea, and Jim apologizes as well.

“I recommended you for a commendation,” Spock tells Jim as they stroll around the fountain in the middle of campus. “You were quick-thinking and brave, even if it was reckless and without a thought for your own safety.”

Jim honest-to-God blushes.

‘Thank you’ Jim signs back. Spock just nods.

The next day Jim gets a message from the Board of Admirals. They want to meet with him, Spock, and Captain Pike. Jim feels sick all night and barely gets enough sleep. He brushes off his cadet uniform and makes sure not a hair is out of place.

The board lectures him about his conduct with the Kobiyashi Maru but then they praise his efforts and valor during the Narada Crisis. They tell him that since Pike is no longer fit for duty they’d told him to name is successor. They stated they’d all been shocked when Pike had put forth Jim’s name over Spock’s.

Jim blinks and looks to Pike to make sure he read that right. Pike nods and smiles.

“Told you you were meant for something bigger.”

Jim grins but then it dims as he turns back to the board. ‘Am I allowed to accept, or is there a problem?’

They state that they had their reservations about putting someone with Jim’s disability in command, but Jim’s actions had proved that he was fit to command a ship and could do so even in a time of crisis. They tell Jim there will be a ceremony later in the afternoon so Jim can formally relieve Pike of his command.

Jim’s fit to burst from happiness.

He’s jittery all day, Bones threatens to sedate him multiple times, but when it come to the ceremony he’s calm and collected as any starship captain ought to be. Jim smiles at Pike as he signs his formal statement. Pike responds with his bit and he gives Jim a wink. Jim’s never been more proud.

That is until he sets foot on his ship with his crew.

He readily accepts Spock as his first officer with a thrill down his spine and warmth in his stomach. He felt like he could take on anything.

#my writing #star trek #deaf jim kirk #spirk #kinda if you squint #jim kirk #captain jim kirk #captain james t. kirk #captain james tiberius kirk #spock #s'chn t'gai spock #christopher pike #captain pike #nyota uhura #uhura #leonard mccoy #dr. mccoy

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phantom-le6 · 3 years

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Episode Reviews - Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 (4 of 5)

Carrying on with my episode reviews for Star Trek: The Next Generation, we now come to the penultimate group of episodes for the show’s second season…

Episode 15: Pen Pals

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

As the Enterprise surveys an area of unexplored planets with unusually short life spans due to severe geological changes, Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher is put in charge of a survey team in order to further his studies toward becoming a Starfleet officer. Wesley selects a team of highly competent science officers; however, as they are much older than he is, he worries that his authority will be challenged. One team member, Davies, rebuffs Wesley's request to run a time-consuming scan, causing Wesley to doubt himself.

Meanwhile, Lt. Commander Data receives a primitive radio signal from a young girl on one of the planets. Data makes contact with the girl, named Sarjenka, and continues to converse regularly with her over the course of several weeks, keeping the details of his identity secret as Sarjenka's culture is unaware of life existing outside their planet. When Sarjenka reports that earthquakes are occurring with increasing frequency, Data realizes her planet is beginning to break down, and reports to Captain Picard in the hope that the Enterprise can find a way to reverse the process. Picard sympathizes with Data's case, but sternly orders him to cease communication with Sarjenka to avoid any further violations of the Prime Directive.

Wesley seeks Commander Riker for advice on handling his team. Riker stresses that Starfleet training is about both responsibility and authority, and commends Wesley for his record of responsibility, but urges him to exercise authority with the science team. Wesley returns to the team and requests in a more authoritative manner that Davies perform the planetary scan, and Davies complies without argument.

The senior staff debate whether to aid Sarjenka or not; Picard and Worf stand firm on principle, Dr Pulaski and Geordi against the idea of letting the child and her people die, and Troi and Riker take opposing views on the idea that the planetary destruction may be part of a cosmic plan; Riker thinks that plan is something they shouldn’t interfere with, while Troi suggests their interference could be part of that plan. When Picard orders Data to terminate the radio link, Data activates it and everyone hears Sarjenka pleading for help. Feeling that this is now a direct call for assistance, Picard orders the Enterprise to Sarjenka's planet.

The scans prove to be key to understanding the planet's geological instability, and Wesley's team proposes a method to correct it. Due to a breakdown of communications on the planet, Picard allows Data to beam down to take the girl to safety; running out of time, he takes her back to the Enterprise instead, much to Picard's dismay. The crew is able to safely restore the planet's geological system, and Picard orders Chief Medical Officer Dr Pulaski to sedate Sarjenka and erase her memories of Data and the Enterprise. Data returns the sleeping girl to her home, now safe, leaving her with a "singing stone" that Dr Pulaski had given her while in Sickbay.

Review:

This episode is the first in the Next Generation series to really debate the Prime Directive, and it’s no wonder there are many episodes where Starfleet officers decide on moral and ethical grounds to ignore it. The moment Picard brings up the question ‘do we get involved in a war’, everyone’s moral certitude seems to dissipate, but then he brings up the question ‘do we get involved if a corrupt government is slaying innocent people’. That’s basically asking if a Starfleet ship came across a planet where a like-for-like analogue of the Nazi holocaust was occurring, would it be right for the crew of that ship to interfere. The answer, of course, is hell bloody yes; they go down there and phaser the hell out of whatever goose-stepping alien bigots are pulling that kind of prejudiced, barbaric bullshit.

This, ultimately, is why the Prime Directive seems to get a seemingly uneven application in many Trek episodes; because while there are many situations where interference in other cultures is wrong, that’s not always going to be the case. To my mind, the divide comes in where the motivation to get involved is strictly of a humanitarian nature. The basic point of the Prime Directive seems to be to try and prevent the kind of damage done to indigenous cultures that is caused by outside interference. In other words, the Federation doesn’t want to do to any alien culture what Europeans did to the Americas, Africa and some parts of Asia in our real-life history. This is fine, but saying you don’t help any pre-warp civilisation on any grounds just to avoid that is wrong; you just forbid those specific forms of interference that cause harm and allow the ones that don’t.

It’s also good to have Data be the one who sparks the debate, because his android nature allows him to act with a very child-like innocence that facilitates the situation that arises. Anyone else on the crew would never answer Sarjenka’s transmission; only Data could make that error and land the Enterprise and its crew in such a moral dilemma. It’s also a little reminiscent of how autistic people like myself can get into bad/awkward situations because we don’t fully understand the unwritten rules of a situation until it’s too late.

The B-plot surrounding Wesley’s first taste of command is also not bad; not great, but not bad, and it ends up nicely dove-tailing with the A-plot. It’s concerning that the director of the episode apparently wanted more A-plot to see if Data’s relationship with Sarjenka would progress to Data becoming a threat to others due to his machine nature. Clearly, the idiot doesn’t understand what Data is a character and person first and foremost, not a machine to be pushed off the proverbial deep-end for drama’s sake. You want that, go direct a Terminator film. In Trek, you do character and morality work primarily, and this episode is a good mix of both. It’s not great, but it’s fine as it is. I give the episode 8 out of 10.

Episode 16: Q Who

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

On his way back to his quarters, Captain Picard steps off a turbolift and, instead of finding himself in a corridor onboard the Enterprise, ends up on board a shuttlecraft with Q at the controls. Picard demands to be returned to the Enterprise; Q calls him "an impossibly stubborn human" and refuses to take him back until he agrees to at least hear Q's requests. Q then transports them to Ten Forward, where Guinan, who recognizes Q, warns Picard not to trust him. Q reveals that he wants to join the crew to assist them as they push further into unexplored regions of the galaxy, asserting they are not ready for the threats they will encounter. Picard chooses to make their own way into the unknown, and rejects Q's offer. Irritated by Picard's arrogance, Q instantaneously sends the Enterprise thousands of light years across the galaxy, then disappears. Lt. Commander Data reports that the nearest starbase is over two years away at maximum warp. A fearful Guinan warns Picard to set course for home immediately, but Picard is curious to explore.

The crew discover a nearby planet that shows signs of a previous civilization but has been stripped of all industrial and mechanical elements, similar to destruction found several months ago to Federation outposts bordering the Romulan Neutral Zone. Moments later, they detect and are then met by a large, cube-shaped vessel which does not answer their hails. Guinan warns Picard that the ship belongs to the Borg, a powerful, cyborg-like race that nearly wiped out her people, scattering the survivors across the galaxy, and again urges Picard to leave immediately or face certain destruction. Though Picard orders the Enterprise's shields raised, a single, speechless Borg transports into Engineering and begins to probe the Enterprise's computer systems. Lt. Worf initially attempts to incapacitate the intruder with his phaser set on stun, which has no effect. Worf is forced to use the kill setting in order to neutralize the Borg. Immediately afterwards, a second Borg appears and continues probing the computer, now proving to be completely immune to phaser fire. Completing its mission, it strips several components from the dead Borg, then transports itself and the dead Borg away. The Borg ship contacts the Enterprise and demands their surrender. The Borg then immobilizes the Enterprise with a tractor beam, disables the shields, and uses a cutting beam to slice into the saucer section to remove a cross-section of the ship, killing eighteen people.

Picard orders return fire, and the Enterprise apparently disables the Borg ship. Against Guinan's advice, Commander Riker takes an away team to the immense Borg cube where they find mostly dormant Borg drones and a Borg nursery. Data discovers that the Borg ship is regenerating and repairing the damage made by the Enterprise. The away team is beamed directly to the bridge, and Picard orders that they depart at maximum warp. The Borg ship suddenly reactivates and begins pursuit, gaining on the Enterprise. Q appears on the bridge and warns Picard that the Borg will never stop chasing them, and cannot be defeated. Picard attempts to fight back against the Borg to no avail, and finally admits he needs Q's help. Q obliges, safely returning the Enterprise to its last position in Federation space. Picard, though thankful for Q's lesson, blames Q for the deaths of his crew. Q disappears, but not before reminding them again of their ill-preparedness. Guinan warns Picard that now that the Borg are aware of the Federation's presence, they will be coming. Picard reflects that perhaps Q did the right thing for the wrong reasons by bringing forward their encounter with the Borg, as it has informed the Federation what lies ahead of them as they continue to explore.

Review:

At last, Q returns to plague Picard’s crew again, only this time it’s a totally different situation, because this time, for the first time in at least TNG if not all Trek up to that point, the lead characters don’t really manage to come out with a win of their own. Not only does Q throw them up against TNG-original villains the Borg for the first time, but for once the opposition isn’t sized up and worked out within the first segment or two of the show. This time, Q is proven right about Picard and company being caught unprepared, and only through Picard humbling himself by asking Q’s help does the Enterprise get saved. However, this time there are loses, which makes it one of the first TNG shows to really try and show the idea of lasting consequences.

For me, this is where Trek starts to get good because it shows the human-led Federation starship crews of Trek are not invincible. They are still fallible and can fail, which is important to keep the franchise going over the long term. As I’ve noted in previous reviews, Roddenberry at times seems to have been almost too optimistic about how far humanity might advance in the world of Trek, so anything that brings his utopian vision of the future a bit closer to reality, anything that provides an appropriate counter-weight of realism, I am all for. For me, this episode gets 9 out of 10.

Episode 17: Samaritan Snare

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Captain Picard refuses to have a medical operation on his artificial heart on board the Enterprise by Dr Pulaski as he is concerned about his image with the crew. He instead heads to a nearby Starbase for the operation, travelling by shuttlecraft. Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher accompanies him, as he is due to undergo his Starfleet Academy entrance exams. Though initially rebuffing Wesley's attempts to make conversation, Picard eventually softens, and talks of his past, including why he has an artificial heart and needs it replacing.

Meanwhile, the Enterprise encounters the Mondor, a Pakled ship. The aliens request help to fix their vessel. Based on the Pakleds' rudimentary communication skills and apparent lack of understanding of the basic operations of their ship, Commander Riker judges them to be inept and harmless, and agrees to send Chief Engineer La Forge to assist them. After boarding the Pakled ship, La Forge repairs the navigational system, when main power fails. On the Enterprise, Counsellor Troi, an empath, warns Riker that La Forge is in danger, but Riker dismisses her concerns. Upon finally completing the repairs, La Forge prepares to leave, but a Pakled incapacitates him with his own phaser, and raises the ship's shields. Lt. Commander Data determines that the Pakleds have acquired advanced technology from other races, and the ship's malfunctions were a ruse. Riker demands they return La Forge, but the Pakleds refuse, and stun him again with his phaser. Riker and Lt. Worf develop a ruse of their own, which they communicate to La Forge in code.

At the Starbase, complications arise during Picard's transplant, and the doctors realize that unless they can locate an expert with the necessary expertise, he will die. As Riker sets up the ruse, Worf receives a message from the Starbase that Picard is close to death. The Pakleds seek to attack the Enterprise, but La Forge convinces the Pakleds to delay firing until a specific range. In response, the Enterprise generates a spectacular but harmless pyrotechnic display, and La Forge simultaneously disables their weapon systems. The Pakleds, convinced they have been defeated, back down and allow La Forge's return and the Enterprise races to the Starbase. Picard is dismayed upon waking up to find that Pulaski has completed his procedure. While Pulaski assures him that she will keep his secret, he returns to the Enterprise's bridge to applause, which he quickly silences.

Review:

As cool as it is to find out Picard used to be a more action-oriented officer in his youth, and paid for it by having to have an artificial heart implanted, the fact is this is some very bad Trek, especially coming on the heels of the previous episode. Picard’s medical procedure goes wrong for no reason, the concerns of Worf and Troi about the Pakleds, who were a truly abysmal guest-race, weren’t given anything like the credence they should have been, and from start to finish it is just highly forgettable filler. 3 out of 10, next episode please.

Episode 18: Up The Long Ladder

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

The Enterprise receives an automated distress call from satellites orbiting a human colony on the planet Bringloid V, which is in danger from solar flares from its star. The colony turns out to have been founded by the crew of the SS Mariposa, a freighter launched from Earth several hundred years earlier. As the Enterprise approaches the planet, Worf appears to faint on the bridge and is transported to sick bay. When he regains consciousness, he is embarrassed to learn he is suffering a Klingon equivalent of measles. Dr Pulaski agrees to protect his privacy. In gratitude, Worf later approaches her to offer a Klingon tea ceremony. He warns that the tea is deadly to humans and explains it is just a gesture which would be important in his culture. Pulaski suggests he is a romantic, and takes an antidote to allow herself to drink the tea with him safely.

The "Bringloidi" colony (after brionglóidí, the Irish word for "dreams"), now led by an Irishman named Danilo O'Dell and his hot-tempered daughter Brenna, are followers of an early 22nd century philosopher who advocated returning to a pre-industrial agrarian lifestyle, and when taken aboard the Enterprise, must quickly adapt to the 24th century technology (this is fostered in part by Riker giving Brenna a tour of the ship, ending by washing her feet and implications of more). When the transfer of the colonists is complete, O'Dell informs Picard of another colony, also planted by the Mariposa. The Enterprise proceeds to the second colony, which has named itself "Mariposa" after their ship, half a light year away. The colony's Prime Minister, Walter Granger, is happy to see the Enterprise and welcomes them to visit, so Commander Riker beams down with Lieutenant Worf and Chief Medical Officer Doctor Pulaski.

The Mariposa colony is strikingly different from the Bringloidi colony, as the Mariposa colonists have kept their advanced technology, and appear refined and cultured in contrast to the Bringloidi's relatively primitive existence. Pulaski quickly ascertains, however, that all of the inhabitants are clones. Granger reveals that their ship crashed while landing, and only five survivors were left to start the colony. As this was insufficient to establish a stable gene pool, and the survivors were all scientists, they turned exclusively to cloning instead, and consequently no longer have any desire for biological reproduction. For almost three centuries, every Mariposan has been a clone derived from one of the five original colonists, and now the colony is in danger of dying out because of replicative fading; each subsequent generation introduces additional minor flaws in the genetic code, which within only a few more generations will make further clones nonviable.

The Mariposans ask the Enterprise crew for samples of their DNA to create new clones. Riker refuses, as he values his uniqueness, and Picard advises the Mariposans that the rest of the crew is likely to feel the same, so the Mariposans decide to kidnap Riker and Pulaski to steal their DNA instead. Upon discovering this, the away team beams directly to the colony's cloning labs, where they are repulsed to find copies of themselves being grown, which Riker destroys. Granger is furious, and appeals to Picard, but Pulaski argues that a new batch of clones will only delay the inevitable. Instead, she advises that they consider partnering with the Bringloidi to create a viable gene pool. Initially, each colony's leader treats the other society with disdain, but they eventually agree to merge their colonies and disparate cultures.

Review:

This episode is a lot of concepts that are good put into a badly executed mess. Apparently, the writer of the original draft of the episode was trying to make a comment on the value of immigrants in a positive way, but as a result of re-writes and budget restrictions, the Bringloidi colonists become a very bad stereotype of Irish people as a whole, and I’m amazed Colm Meaney who played Chief O’Brien on the show actually let himself appear in an episode like this. The episode also drew flak from pro-life advocates because of the scene where Riker destroyed the clones being made without his and Polaski’s consent, as well as lines from Riker about having the right to control his own body.

To me, however, that part of the episode isn’t really about advocating abortion. To me, this is actually a metaphor about rape culture; the way in which Riker and Polaski have their DNA taken from them is violent and aggressive, as rape is. As with rape, the act creates new but fundamentally unwanted life, and as the unwitting progenitors of that news life, Riker and Polaski assert their right to decide if that life should come to term or not. The only thing I’m really annoyed about here is the lack of apparent penalisation against the Mariposians for their actions. Then again, given their somewhat bigoted distaste for the Bringloidi, maybe having to combine the two cultures to save the day is a kind of punishment.

Bottom line, you have to kind of tune out the anti-Irish racism of the episode to hone in what little is good about the episode, namely a good but weak anti-rape, pro-choice plot that also warns against the pitfalls of cloning, and a very short sub-plot around Worf and Polaski where both characters come across quite well. On balance, I give this episode 4 out of 10.

Episode 19: Manhunt

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

The Enterprise is ordered to escort two Antedean ambassadors to an important conference on the planet Pacifica. The Antedeans are transported aboard in a self-induced catatonic state, to reduce the stress they experience from space travel, along with a plentiful food supply for when they awaken in accordance with their custom.

En route, the Enterprise is ordered to rendezvous with a shuttlecraft carrying the Betazoid ambassador Lwaxana Troi, mother of ship's counsellor Deanna Troi, and her mute manservant Mr. Homn. Due to his previous experience with her, Captain Picard does not entirely welcome Lwaxana's presence, as she tends to be overbearing and lack tact, but Starfleet's instructions are that she be afforded full diplomatic courtesy. Lwaxana invites Picard to dinner, and he is surprised to find that rather than the formal diplomatic function for the entire senior staff that he expected, it is a romantic setting for just the two of them. Picard evades her advances, inviting android Lt Commander Data to join them and manipulating him into taking over the conversation with long-winded anecdotes.

Troi explains that her mother has entered "The Phase", a stage in the life of a Betazoid woman when her sex drive drastically increases, and that she is searching for a new husband (having been long-since widowed). Moreover, her telepathy is clouded as a side effect, causing her to misread Picard's thoughts as indicating sexual desire for her. Picard retreats to the Holodeck to hide from her, leaving Commander Riker in charge. Frustrated by Picard's absence, Lwaxana targets Riker instead, and makes a surprise announcement to the bridge crew that they will be married.

The Antedeans have meanwhile revived, and Riker goes to the holodeck to notify Picard. Lwaxana follows, and having determined that Riker is not interested either, switches her attention to a character from Picard's Dixon Hill simulation, who returns her affections. Picard somewhat reluctantly informs her that her new husband-to-be is merely a holographic projection.

When the ship arrives at the conference and collected ambassadors prepare to beam down to the planet, Lwaxana offhandedly informs the crew that the Antedeans are actually assassins. Though they deny this, scans show they are carrying explosives, just as Lwaxana indicated, and they are taken into custody. She remarks that while she did not find a new husband, at least she saved the conference, and as she is beaming away, playfully chastises Picard for having "such naughty thoughts" about her, much to his dismay.

Review:

This episode is another poor one, and all because they brought back the boss’ wife. Yep, the actress playing Lwaxana Troi, Majel Barrett, was married to Gene Roddenberry in real life, and according to Memory Alpha’s notes, accommodating her more into the script meant the original plan to do a more noir-oriented story with Picard on the holodeck as Dixon Hill got relegated to a relatively minor part of the episode. To my mind, this is why they should have picked someone else to play Deanna Troi’s mother; not only would almost any other actress have been far, far less annoying, but that annoyance would not then take up an undue share of the episode because of the inherent nepotism in her being hired.

This again just shows why Roddenberry leaving Trek helped it to improve; just imagine how good an episode this could have been if it hadn’t gone through numerous revisions just to placate his wife. To my mind, if you’re going to make any kind of entertainment that’s good, you check your family connections at the door and do what is best for that entertainment, and anyone who can’t do that doesn’t belong in show business. This episode is testament to that simple and unequivocal reality. I give it only 2 out of 10.

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kaitymccoy123 · 7 years

Text

Don’t Change A Thing, Darlin’

Intro: I know I just posted one for Spock Week, but this one kinda just started to flow out of me (getting my mojo back, yay!) so here is another fic for you! This one is for Bones week for Trek Fest 2017! Hosted by the always lovely @outside-the-government - I was late on the Spock fic but not for this one yay!

This is also a request that came from @stucked82:

Hi, I have a request, McCoy x plus size reader, she thinks he’s not interested in her because of the words he said on the first Star Trek movie of Dr. Marcus, she’s the opposite of her, dark short hair, tall, curvy and strong, she could be the combat trainer of the Enterprise maybe? It would be great! Thanks!! Fluff or smut or whatever.

I know I messaged you about going in a darker, more angsty route, and I wrote most of that, but it didn’t feel right, and I felt like I needed to write something fluffy. So I did.

Pairing: Bones x plus size!reader

Word Count: 3,456 (damnit can I not keep anything short anymore!!!)

Warnings: A little self-deprication, some swearing, mention of a past emotionally abusive relationship, used the word “darlin’” way too many times.

Summary: You have been transferred to the Enterprise to work as a combat trainer, and are quickly introduced to Dr. McCoy when he is in one of your classes. Quickly developing a crush on the handsome doctor (who wouldn’t?), you feel like the flirting is going well until you see him flirting with Dr. Marcus. Were you wrong about him? Could he ever love somebody like you?

A/N: Not a big fan of writing specifically for a plus-size reader, but I thought this one turned out pretty well - didn’t want to go too deep into insecurities or anything, but they are in there.

-Enjoy!-

“Hey dude? Can you hear me?” You nearly shouted as you knelt over a dark-haired man that had just taken a hard hit in your combat training class.

“Wha-?” The man’s eyes slowly flickered open, and he brought his hand up to rub at his eye, groaning, “What happened?”

“That idiot back there didn’t know how to properly throw an elbow strike and knocked you flat.” You jerked your thumb at the covering curly-haired blonde, who gave a sheepish finger-wave.

“Damnit, Chekov.” The man grunted and moved to sit up, emitting a series of groans and a string of curses, including “too old for this shit”.

“How long was I out?” He asked.

“Maybe 30 seconds? Do you want ice or something?”

He touched his cheekbone gingerly, then the back of his head, “Maybe. Probably should just head back to the medbay.”

“Back to the medbay?” You inquired as you offered a hand to help him stand, “You a doctor or something?”

He smoothed his hands over his unruly t-shirt as he regained his balance, “Yes, actually. CMO, if you like formalities.”

Your eyes widened, “You’re Dr. McCoy?”

“The one and only, darlin’.” He squinted and took a quick look around the room before focusing back on you, hands on hips.

“I haven’t had my initial physical yet. Guess you’re my guy.”

“Guess so.” He grinned at you quickly before grimacing when it moved the tender skin of his injured cheekbone.

There was a few moments where his heated gaze stayed locked to yours before he spoke again, “Well I better let you get back to work, seems some people still have lots to learn.”

He gave a pointed look at Chekov, who cowered behind the slender Asian man beside him.

With one last look in your direction, sending butterflies aflutter in your stomach, Dr. McCoy turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

The class was silent as you watched him exit, and you felt all of their stares on you. Realizing quickly that you probably had a stupid grin on your face, you traded it for a look of pointed exasperation.

“Pair off, let’s go.” You instructed sharply, “Chirpov, you’re with me. Don’t want you giving anyone else a concussion.”

“I’m here to see Dr. McCoy? I have a physical scheduled.” You wrung your hands around your workout towel, trying to rid yourself of the feeling of jittery nervousness that made you bounce on your toes.

“I’ll let him know you’re here, go ahead and wait in room 6, he’ll be right in.” The nurse instructed, giving you a warm smile before turning back to your work.

Skirting into the room she indicated, you dropped your bag next to the wall and hopped up onto the examination table.

You had been thinking about this day since the class where Dr. McCoy had gotten injured. You willed your racing heart to chill out a little so you wouldn’t make a fool out of yourself in front of him.

The few minutes that you had spent trying to calm your nerves were quickly wasted when finally the door swung open. Your heart decided to pump overtime as you took in Dr. McCoy, now clad in a white medical tunic, which made his tanned skin and dark hair stand out even more. You could almost have wept when he looked up from his PADD, his lips stretching into a smile.

“Y/N, it’s nice to see you again.” The door hissed shut behind him and he moved to sit on the little wheely stool at the side of the examination table.

“Same to you, Dr. McCoy. How’s that cheek?”

“Nothing a few hypos couldn’t fix.”

Your laugh was high and chirpy in response, and you cursed yourself for being so on-edge around him.

“So I’m just going to check a few things, ask you a few questions, and you’ll be on your merry way, if that sounds alright.”

“Sounds just fine to me.” You agreed, but a sudden bout of nervousness struck you, this time not just from being near Dr. McCoy.

You had always been a bigger woman, bigger than most, and though you knew a lot of it was muscle, thanks to years of combat training, most people were quick to judge. You were no stranger to the “how can you still be overweight if you workout so much” type questions, so you generally avoided the topic of your health. Some people could be pretty nasty, pretty insensitive.

“So what brings you aboard the ship?” He started, his PADD rested on his knees.

“Starfleet sent me out here because there have been several injuries related to lack of combat knowledge, and thought I could remedy that.”

“Well, if Chekov was any indication, you can probably tell we need it.” Dr. McCoy huffed, making you laugh.

The rest of the physical went smoothly, with no terribly awkward questions and no mention of your weight, other than him taking it.

“Alright, looks like we’re all done here. Go ahead and change and I’ll meet you outside.” He instructed, and you nodded as he stepped out of the room.

Quickly gathering your uniform, you changed as best you could with shaking hands, still a little jittery from the feeling of his hands on you. Gently assessing you, quick touches of skilled fingertips. And the best part was that it didn’t make you feel self-conscious at all, the way he looked at you, and talked to you, his eyes...

You shook your head, dispelling the thoughts. He was your doctor, nothing more. Beside, he would never want you back. You were you, and he was well, him, and you doubted anything would ever come of it.

A soft knock at the door broke your train of thought, “Y’allright in there?”

You threw your shirt over your head, giving a quick tousle to your hair before heading to the door, reaching for the panel, but as you did, the door swung open prematurely, catching the elbow of the hand you still had in your hair.

“Agh!” You yelped and pulled your elbow to your chest, rubbing at the skin.

“Oh, damnit, I’m so sorry, Y/N. You were taking a while, and I didn’t want- I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Dr. McCoy was rubbing at the back of his neck, and it was then when you realize how close he had been to the door, like he was nearly leaning against it.

“It’s okay, just a little lost in thought. Guess the price to pay for that is a bruised elbow.” You chuckled.

He took your arm in his hands and observed the skin, and, once realizing you weren’t going to bleed to death, he released it.

Before he could apologize again, you spoke, “So, am I fine?” Damnit, those words didn’t come out in the order you wanted, but the blush that formed on his cheeks made it worth it.

“You?... Fine? I mean... you are...”

You decided to put him out of his misery, “Sorry, I meant, did everything check out okay, with my physical?”

He seemed to regain some composure, “Oh! Yep, fit as a fiddle, darlin’.”

The term of endearment made you smile, “Do you call everyone darlin’, or just those who you’ve injured in some way?”

“It’s only for the people who I know could kick my ass for being a flustered idiot.” He rubbed at the back of his neck.

You laughed, “Guess that ruins my plan.”

“For what?” He looked at you quizzically.

“For kicking your ass, you flustered idiot.” You teased, but he only smiled down at you.

“Sorry, that was bad.” You groaned and rubbed a hand down your face, but a soft touch to your arm stopped you.

“No worries, darlin’.” The way he was looking at you made butterflies go crazy in your stomach.

“So I’ll see you around?” You asked, toeing at the ground.

He smiled, “Yeah. Actually...” He started, but was cut off by a loud shout of “Bones!” followed by the captain and a blond-haired woman dashing into the medbay.

You stepped out of the way as they approached, yelling about some torpedoes and Khan, Dr. McCoy’s skilled hands somehow a big factor in this.

“Ok fine, I’ll do it.” Dr. McCoy’s gentle, sweet expression was quickly traded for a sour look of exasperation.

You were surprised when his eyes met yours quickly, his look apologetic before being dragged along by the blond-haired woman out of the medbay.

Deciding you better get going, you made your way to the medbay doors, your thoughts still spinning with a certain set of dark hair and hazel eyes.

“Shit.” You swore when you realized you forgot your gym bag.

Quickly returning to the room, you scooped it up, your eye catching on the PADD that Dr. McCoy seemed to have forgotten on the examination table.

Maybe... You thought to yourself as you hesitated just inside the doorway, No, you shouldn’t. You turned to leave.

But you definitely hadn’t imagined the way he smiled at you or been flustered by your flirting.

Before you knew it you had his PADD in your hands. Like a sign from the universe it was still unlocked. Then, without thinking about it too hard, you opened up a note app and quickly typed out:

Drinks sometime? Rec Room tomorrow at 7? I’ll buy the first round. - Y/N.

With your heart racing, you dropped the PADD back on the table and dashed out of the room before you could give it a second thought.

Your class that evening had been especially distracted, and finally you asked what was making everyone so chatty.

“Didn’t you hear? Dr. McCoy and Dr. Marcus are going to try to defuse one of the torpedoes.” One of your students said.

“What? That’s really risky.” Your heart started racing again at the thought of Dr. McCoy in danger.

“Yeah, they’re doing it right now, here’s the video feed.”

Suddenly one of the walls of the training rooms was taken up with a projection of the video feed from someone’s PADD.

Sure enough, it was the blonde-haired woman from before, Dr. Marcus, you assumed, knelt next to one of the torpedoes.

“Bones, thanks for helping out. Dr. Marcus asked for the steadiest hands on the ship.” You recognized the voice as Captain Kirk’s.

“You know, when I dreamt about being stuck on a deserted planet with a gorgeous woman, there was no torpedo!” It was Dr. McCoy’s voice now, but he seemed to still be inside the shuttle.

“Dr. McCoy, may I remind you that you're not there to flirt.”

“So how can these legendary hands help you, Dr. Marcus?” Dr. McCoy’s head appeared in the door to the ship, and he carried a box as he walked towards the torpedo and Dr. Marcus.

How could I have been so stupid. You thought to yourself, ignoring the video feed for a moment.

Of course he would have a type. Blonde, skinny, intelligent. You felt tears press at your eyes as you tuned back into the video.

“Sweetheart, I once performed an emergency C-section on a pregnant Gorn. Octuplets, and let me tell you, those little bastards bite. I think I can work some magic on your missile.“ It was Dr. McCoy again, setting down his box of supplies.

That really tipped you over the edge. This man who you thought had been so nice to you, very flirty and flustered... you must have misread him.

“Uhh... class dismissed for today, you can, keep watching here if you want.” You stammered, the class not seeming to have acknowledged your words as you retreated out the door.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. You chanted to yourself as you strode back to your quarters, shame and embarrassment filling your veins.

Well at least you knew now, rather than after you got even more emotionally involved.

Too bad you were already in pretty deep.

The next day you didn’t have any classes, so you spent the day in bed reading and catching up on sleep.

You had just gotten dressed after your post-workout shower when a knock sounded on your door. Treading lightly on the carpet, you made your way over to the door and pressed the panel.

Standing just outside your door was Dr. McCoy, one arm tucked into a sling, the other grasped around a bottle of liquor and two plastic cups.

“Doctor... what are you doing here?” You sputtered, heart flaring at the sight of him.

“I saw your note and went to the rec room, but you never showed, so I thought you might be here. And you can call me Leonard, darlin’.” He looked a little flustered again, and it drew you right back in.

“I- you- okay, come in.” You took the cups and bottle from his hand and moved back into your room.

“What happened to your arm?” You asked, setting the bottle and cups down on the coffee table.

“You haven’t heard?” He tilted his head, and you shook yours.

“The damn torpedo closed in on my arm when we were trying to disarm it. Almost got blown up for it, but Dr. Marcus stopped it at the last second.” He explained, and you found yourself becoming in-drawn at the mention of Dr. Marcus.

“That must have been scary.” You mused.

There were a few moments of tense silence before you spoke again, “So you saw my message.” Your voice was small.

“I did. It made almost getting blown up a little less awful.”

That really made you blush, but you built up the courage to look him in the eyes, “So, Leonard, shall we?” You gestured to the drinks.

His smile nearly made your heart stop.

"And that's how I got Jim banned from the biology labs for a week."

You were in tears with laughter, gasping, and you heard Leonard chuckle along with you.

The both of you had ended up on your bed, a cup of whiskey each, just chatting. Friendly chatting, you told yourself, that must be what he thinks as well, though with the way he was leaning towards you and the way he was flirting, you would have thought otherwise.

"That’s an excellent story. Beats mine by a mile." You laughed.

"Nah, I thought the story of how your brother set your hair on fire was hilarious, yet very dangerous," He tipped his cup towards you.

"Oh, Dr. McCoy, you need to live a little."

"I live just enough to stay away from getting my hair from being set on fire, thank you very much."

You chuckled and leaned back into the headboard, smirking at him as he copied your posture.

"Alright.” You were feeling much more brave thanks to the whiskey, “We don’t know much about each other, so ask me anything. Anything at all." You set your empty cup on the side-table and crossed your legs under you.

"Anything?" He raised an eyebrow at you.

"Anything."

He exhaled and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees and holding his cup between his fingers.

"Favourite colour?"

"Purple."

"Childhood pets?"

"None, no matter how hard we begged. Well we had a few fish once, but they all died within a week."

He chuckled, "Within a week?!"

"Hence the no other childhood pets." You insisted, flashing him a smile.

"That's fair, I guess." He took another sip of tea, "Worst relationship ever?"

You huffed and pulled your knees to your chest, "I've had my fair share of bad relationships, so it's hard to pick the worst one."

Leonard nodded in understanding.

"But there was one guy, who I would have to say topped the bad of the bad. I met him in the Academy, second year, and we dated for a while, a few months, I'd say, before he started to try to change me."

"Change you?" He tilted his head and turned slightly towards you, and you admired his form in the dim lighting for a while before focusing your attention back on your knees.

"At first it was little things. Ordering for me at restaurants, only salads and low-calorie options, to 'keep my figure', as he would say. Then it was forcing me to buy a gym membership, which actually was a blessing in disguise because I signed up for a self-defense class and fell in love, hence my career today. But he insisted I quit and go jogging with him, do 'slimming' exercises. Then it got verbal. 'Wouldn't you love to get rid of those love handles?' and 'That dress looks a little tight on you.' and flat out 'I would love you so much more if you were thin, because it means you love yourself'."

"God, that's awful. Tell me you dumped his sorry ass." Leonard had tipped his head back against the wall and was watching you intently, and you could have sworn you saw admiration in his eyes.

"No, actually. I was a lot dumber back then, a lot more gullible. So I did what he said. I took his words to heart, and I tried everything. I starved myself and went jogging for hours everyday but it was never enough. And I was so unhappy, Leonard, it was unbelievable. But I stuck with him, because I was desperate for his love. For any love."

Leonard had shifted closer, and his knee bumped yours lightly.

You continued, "And then one day I was coming back from a late night class and walked into his room, like usual and, well let's just say he got what he wanted, a much thinner woman between his legs. Two actually."

Leonard choked on his whiskey at that and sputtered a few laughs, "Oh my god. What a little shithead."

You let out a loud laugh and covered you mouth with your hand as Leonard set his cup on the side-table.

"For the record I do not think you need to lose a single pound. You are beautiful, strong, and brilliant, and if he couldn't see that, then it's his loss."

You felt your cheeks heat up and you couldn't stop a smile, "Then you are a much better man then he is."

"Thank you, darlin', and you deserve someone much better than him."

"Maybe I should date someone like you, then." You teased, but his face remained serious.

"Maybe you should." His eyes met yours.

Your heart stopped in your chest and time seemed to slow as you looked over at him.

Thankfully, he was the one to speak first, "I don't know if this is the right time to tell you, since we’ve only known each other for a few days, but I've been meaning to ask you, and I've never been good at this stuff, I'm a little rusty since the divorce is all..."

"You're serious?" You sat up, pressing your knee into his.

"Why wouldn't I be?" His gaze wasn't accusatory, more quizzical, and his fingers that were on his knee slid to rest on yours.

"Well it's just, with Dr. Marcus, and the whole torpedo thing, and she is so pretty and thin, and I thought that was your type..."

"My type?" He looked hurt.

"Agh, I'm sorry, I've messed this all up." You pulled away and slid off the bed, padding towards the bathroom.

"Messed what up, darlin'? You haven't messed anything up." You heard him shifting on top of the bed and his footsteps neared behind you.

"I assumed... that you... I misjudged, I guess..." You spun around to face him now, close to crying, "and it's just with the way I look, and the way you look..."

"Stop. Just stop right now." He cut you off and stepped closer, "Did I not just make it abundantly clear that that doesn't matter to me?"

"Yes, but..."

"No buts." He was terribly close now, and you couldn't resist those hazel eyes that you had dreamed about for what seems like forever.

"Yes, buts, lots of buts, a pretty large butt right here." You raised your eyebrow up at him and pulled at his wrist, placing his uninjured hand on your hip.

"Real cheeky, darlin’." A playful smile pulled at his lips and he slid his hand around to your back.

"I've got lots more where that came from."

"I'm betting on it."

You smiled and grabbed onto the front of his uniform, pulling him down so your lips met in a hard kiss. You felt your back hit the wall and he pressed you into it, and usually you would be self-conscious about his body against yours, but this time, you couldn't find it in yourself to care.

-Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it-

Tag List (let me know if you’d like to be added/removed: @feelmyroarrrr @jefferson-in-the-tardis @anyakinamidala @digitalmoonhowell @fandomheadrush @kirkaholic123 @im-the-nerdiest-of-them-a11 @pinkamour1588 @to-pick-ourselves-up-7 @starmission @destielismymothership @curiosity-killed-the-speedster@mccoymostly @yoshiepic

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#Trek Fest 2017 #Trekfest2017 #startrek #startrekfic #startrekimagine #bonesxreader #leonardmccoyxreader #leonardmccoyfic #leonardmccoyfluff #bonesfluff

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whatif-animagineblog · 7 years

Photo

Prompt: Congrats!! Can you do kirk one where your pavels twin and you come onto the enterprise to study a rock sample? Or something and kirk really takes a liking to you? Much pavel love, and bones sneaky comments? For Anon

Warnings: No......

Pairing: Kirk/Reader

A/N: I changed it to you beeing an older sister, just to make the age gap better. Also, I think this might get a part two!

Word Count: 2048

Kirk looked through the documents that needed signing. He was checking the transfer documents of new crewmen when he stumbled across yours. There you were, smiling in your cadet photo, you must not have had your mandatory service photograph taken yet. Your hair had familiar unruly curls to them. You looked so similar to Pavel Chekov, in the nose and cheek bones. That’s when his eyes scanned over your name. Y/N Chekov. No way.

“Chekov, you...do you have a sister?” The 20-year-old man whirled around, looking confused but also excited.

“Yes, she’s four years older zhan me. Ve vere alvays close, zhough, vith me being pushed up a few grades. She’s a geologist, vhy the interest?”

“She’s been assigned to us," Kirk said, looking at your photo.

“No way,” Pavel laughed. “Really? Y/N here?” Kirk smiled and nodded. “Vhen is she arriving?”

“Tomorrow, I was hoping you’d join me to see her.”

You tightened the grip on your bag as you felt the shuttle touch down. You stepped off and the first face you say was your brother’s. Gosh, he’s gotten tall. But, you and he were running full tilt into one another hugging tightly and just jabbering away in Russian.

Jim smiled at you two, he loved the way you two bounced, hugging, just talking. And then he got a good look at you. You were beautiful, the curls tied back into a tight ponytail. You looked up and your eyes were sparkling. That must be genetic too, Kirk mused.

“Keptain, allow me to introduce you to, Y/N Chekov my vonderful sister. Best damn geologist you could ask for!” you laughed and pushed your brother off you before taking the Captain’s hand. You both froze, looking each other’s eyes, his smile was warm and bright. The grip on you was firm, you didn’t want to let go.

“James Kirk, it’s an honor to have you aboard.” You just smiled at each other, and Pavel just watched, as the instant bond formed. Your brother could see what was happening and wasn’t sure if he liked it. “I’ll have Pavel show you to your quarters. Then bring you to the bridge. I’ll escort you to the labs, personally.”

“Okay,” you smiled at him one last time Pavel pulled you away. “So, that’s Captain Kirk. THE Captain Kirk.”

Pavel nodded, “Yes,” Pavel grinned. “I can’t believe you are here. Vhy didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t have time. I was told I was on the Enterprise and my shuttle was leaving the next morning. I had to pack and send Mom and Dad a message. I wanted to surprise you, Pasha," you smiled as he threw an arm over your shoulder. "They miss you, you know.”

“Mom and Dad? Yeah, I try to leave out the near death experiences vhen I message zhem. Zhat Nero incident really scared zhem.”

“Scared me too. But, leave it to my brother to come out unscathed.” You two were silent for a bit longer when Pavel spoke up again.

“Zhis is you. Deck 9, room F20, I’m on Deck 10, room C33 if you need me.” You nodded as Pavel typed in your code. “You can get me if you need me, doesn't matter vhen. Tranzitioning to ship life is hard, but once you get in the growe you are fine. I’ll send you my code.” You started putting away your clothing, and nick-nacks. Pavel was leaning against the wall smiling at you.

"Are ve going to talk about the elephant in the room?”

“What,” you asked. Pavel looked at you and gestured a little like he thought you were messing with him. “Pav, I have no idea what you are thinking.”

“You and the Captain, making eyes at each other,” you laughed looking at him, trying to brush it off. “Oh come on! You are telling me zhat you vere not like eye-fucking.”

“Pavel! Language!” He laughed at you, and that’s when it really hit you. Your little brother wasn’t so little anymore. He had grown into a smart, brave, strong young man. “Listen, I think he is smart, brave, kind hearted and well,” You trailed.

“You zhink he’s hot. You and every other person that has the orientation.” He scoffed. "Just be careful. I don't vant you to go and getting your heart broken." You smiled back at your brother, appreciating his concern. Your eyes landed on your bed there were two boxes wrapped. One was large and the other was much smaller. "What's this?"

"Vell, I couldn't make it to your graduation. I was going to send that to you, but now you are here. The small one is the graduation present. The larger is a velcome present. " You picked up the larger one and opened it first. It was a blue uniform dress, more importantly, your first serving uniform. You looked over at Pavel with a question in your eyes. "I know you have a full closet of zhem but the first time you put it on, it's special. I vanted it to be special."

"Thank you," You opened the other one and it was a necklace with a Starfleet insignia dangling at the end. "This is beautiful, where did you get it?"

"The last Starbase, hand made." You hugged your brother tight. He always thought of you, you didn't really realize how much you had missed him until this moment.

Pavel took you up to the bridge, still chatting your year off. “Keptian,” he called, and Jim rose from his chair, face breaking into a large grin. His eyes sparkled as he placed a hand on your brother's shoulder.

“I can take her from here, Chekov. You need to relieve Jameson.”

“Aye,” Chekov sighed hugging you. “Be good okay?” You nodded headed towards the turbo lift.

“So, has he always been this smart”

“Pavel? Yeah, he graduated a year ahead of me. Next thing I knew I was in college and he was in Starfleet, going to space. He was always looking to the stars. I was always looking to the earth.”

“So, I wanted to ask earlier, why don’t you, uh,” Kirk stumbled over his words. “Why don’t you have the accent?”

You shrugged, “don’t really know. Accents and humans are weird like that. Everyone is different, but I’m glad his accent is still so strong. It’s comforting all the way out here. Knowing him he probably kept it out of spite.”

“Yeah, away from friends, family, boyfriends,” you laughed as Kirk eyed you carefully gauging your reaction. Trying to find out if he had a snowball’s chance in hell with you.

“Family and friends sure. Boyfriends? No. I didn’t have anyone special.” Kirk nodded as he listened to you. “How about you Captain?”

“Me? Oh, no. “ Jim was fighting hard to keep the conversation going. “I know you are here for geology, but like what are you here to do specifically?”

“I’m an expert in minerals and crystalline structures. By extension dilithium, and it’s extraction. I also took the time to learn about the minerals that are good for us. So we can extract some and hopefully integrate them into replicators to keep our officers happy and healthy.” He smiled down at you, his blue eyes crinkling. The doors swished open and he gestured for you to exist first. You walked out and Kirk followed arms clasped behind his back.

"It's been awhile since I've been back in the labs on earth, but I promise we have state of the art facilities for you," he swore, hands clasped behind his back.

"Excuse me for this, sir, but when did you ever spend time in the labs back home," you laughed as his face turned red.

"You got me," Kirk started laughing and his eyes danced, and you could feel yourself, despite your best efforts, falling for this overly charming man. "And here we are at the science lab wing," he lifted his hands to gesture to the sign above you. Simple silver lettering that spelled 'Science.' "We are stopping at one of our ally planets next week, I need you to work with them and some of the crew in the physics and theoretical labs to figure out how to safely extract the dilithium without harming their planet. "

"No, problem," you chimed. "I've been studying the structure of the planet. I have some ideas." You smiled as he lead you into the labs and showed you to your desk.

"I'm glad to hear, I knew taking on another Chekov was smart." You nodded as you watched the Captain falter. "You start tomorrow, Alpha shift."

"Thank you, sir," you smiled at him, and there you two were again. Just staring at each other, getting lost in each other eyes. He placed a hand on the desk leaning in closer to you and you were suddenly aware of your proximity. Just then, just as it was getting good, the head geologist walked up and Jim sprung back trying to maintain a professional front.

"Captain Kirk is this my new specialist," he had a kind round face as he came to you. "I'm Lieutenant Lucas. I'll be your superior down here."

You beamed and took his hand, "Y/N Chekov. It's a pleasure, I've read some of your journals."

"Oh, pleasant and has good taste. I'm excited about our next assignment, I'll give you tonight to get settled, then I'll give you a grand tour tomorrow." He gave your hand a final squeeze before heading off into the labs.

"I should go see the CMO, I still need to get my intake exam. Will you show me, Captain?"

"How about dinner first? Bones is probably on his break right now," he spoke beginning to walk out of the labs.

"Bones," you asked completely lost, Jim looked back at you and realized you didn't know.

"Oh, Doctor McCoy, the chief medical officer. I call him Bones, been doing it since probably week one of our friendship. Come on, dinner." You laughed at his easy-going temperament. It was so much different then the tough, I-laugh-at-the-face-of-death Kirk you were so used to reading about.

"You know I already promised a certain brother of mine that I join him for dinner." Jim deflated, he was sure he had you in the palm of his hand. He rubbed his thighs forgetting that his uniform pants didn't have pockets. "But," you started and he looked up at you, hope to enter the etches of his face. "You can join us. If you'd like." His face faltered, but Jim wanted more time with you. Alone.

"Or," He started, getting a sly, charming grin. Your heart started beating hard, and unknown to you so was his. He strode toward you, being within kissing distance, for almost the third time that day.

"Or," you parroted back at him, craning your neck to look up at him.

"Or, you have dinner with Chekov tonight, and tomorrow," Jim trailed, finger brushing against your arm. "I show you what dinner is like in the Captain's private dining room." You froze, Pav was right, he had been eye-banging with you all day. He was interested.

"I really like you, y/n. A lot, if you don't want this, tell me. I'll back off."

"I want this. I'd love to have dinner with you, tomorrow night, sir."

"James," he corrected. "Or Jim, or really whatever you want to call me." You laughed, and he grinned and placed a gentle kiss on your cheek.

"James it is," you let the name roll off your tongue. He winked at you and started to head out the door.

"See you tomorrow, I'll pick you up around 1700 hours." He saluted as he existed. You laughed, then realized what had happened. You had just scored a dinner with Captain James Tiberius Kirk. Pavel was going to kill you.

Tag: @outside-the-government @feelmyroarrrr @answer-the-sirens @imaginenterprise

#James Kirk #jim kirk #Kirk #james kirk/reader #James Kirk / reader #James KirkxReader #James Kirk x Reader #jim kirk x reader #Jim KirkxReader #Jim Kirk/Reader #jim Kirk / reader #Chekov #Pavel Chekov #WhatIf? - Imagines

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