Unexpected
Introduction
'March'
Gone: 134 Weeks

"No," Jamie told her two friends who were standing there, cornering her.

"Jamie Tabitha Kirk. You only get to turn twenty-one once in a lifetime. Now, don't make me drag you out of this house because I will. You are celebrating," Adria told the stubborn birthday girl.

"We'll watch the kids," Richie offered and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, it'll give him practice for when we have our own," Adria said and Richie blanched at the idea. Both women laughed at that.

"No way, him having kids. I can't picture it. Though maybe I could," she said with that normal cheeky grin on her face that said everything and hid everything else. Her defenses were up and only somebody who really knew here, which was very few people, would ever see through it. Too bad two of those three people were right there in front of her.

"You aren't getting out of this that easily," Adria told Jamie. "Now, go out and don't come back Sober. Don't come back too early. And don't get in any fights either." Jamie rolled her eyes. Since having the twins she'd been in four fights which was a miracle. Four fights in a little over a year and a half, that was one hell of a low record for her.

"I rarely fight that often," Jamie told them and they both gave her that 'uh-huh' look. "Come on guys. I don't feel like it." Adria put her hand up then grabbed her arm.

"We are getting you changed out of those clothes then you are going out whether you like it or not. Now come on." With that Adria dragged her up the stairs. Jamie sighed before following. Once there she slipped one of the tops she'd never worn that she'd bought from San Francisco.

It was coal black and clasped around on the side. The neck dipped daringly low for her. It still fit as well as it did back then, hugging her every curve in just the right place. Then she wore a pair of tight yet stretchy pants that looked just like jeans. She also put on a pair of platform boots that went all the way up to her knees and were tucked under the pants.

From there she went to the bar where she had a few drinks. She rarely ever drank for several reasons. A) Because, until earlier in the day she'd been under aged and that was illegal. B) She had two very impressionable children at home she wanted to shield from this side of her life. C) From past experiences she knew alcohol influenced her to make an ass of herself. And D) Never once, in all her experience of drinking, had it ever ended without her getting into a fist fight with some guy.

For all of her gifts having a tolerance for alcohol was not among them.

When she drank she turned into an obnoxious ass who flirted too much and got lippy with the first person who looked at her wrong. Normally she never started the fights though. She usually just joined in.

She was moving to the bar when a dark haired pretty looking female walked up to the bar near her and ordered a long list of orders.

"That's a lot of drinks for one person," Jamie said while leaning into the bar so she could look at the smiling dark haired cadet. Starfleet did tend to find the best and most beautiful of either gender. Her eyes glanced over the woman. She wasn't afraid to admit she'd lived a very modern lifestyle before she got married. She'd been with men and women.

Now she could flirt but not go any farther. Not like she would anyways. Despite being intoxicated she could still feel her bond to Spock which kept her toeing the line between flirting or going farther than that.

"And a shot of Jack, straight," the woman told the bartender.

"Make that two. Her shot's on me," Jamie told the man.

"Enough kid, you just turned twenty-one, don't go giving yourself alcohol poisoning right now," Josh, the bartender, at least she thought that was his name. It was kind of fuzzy at that point, stated.

"So you were born on the anniversary of the Kelvin incident," Uhura stated and Jamie shook her head. "Besides, her shot's on her. Thanks but no thanks." The jab at the Kelvin, intentional or not, had Jamie wanting to both run as well as fight. Instead she decided to flirt. She was determined to get the woman's name as well as show her why she shouldn't make comments like that.

"Don't you want to at least know my name before you completely reject me… or are you one of those old fashioned women who still believes in being straight?" Jamie asked having met a few. Most really were old fashioned as most people believed in being omnisexual. If they were attracted to it, it was of age and it could consent then they went after it. It was why mix species pairings were actually quite common amongst humans. Apparently they were just like rabbits. They reproduced just as quickly too.

"Oh, I'm modern but I'm fine without it," the woman stated.

"You are fine without it. It's Jim, Jim Kirk," she stated off the top of her head. Why she said Jim she would question later. It was like why she'd gone by Tibby on Vulcan. She never did figure that one out.

"Kirk as in…" the woman asked in shocked and she nodded.

"My dad. I was born in one of the escape pods," she admitted and Josh flinched. Most knew the story through second hand. Her mother never spoke about what truly happened and she was too young to remember so she didn't talk either. "Now, if you don't tell me your name I'm gonna have to make one up."

"It's Uhura," the woman stated sounding slightly annoyed as well as slightly intrigued.

"Uhura? No way! That's the name I was gonna make up for you. Uhura What?" Jamie asked of the mysterious woman who was a puzzle. The more she struggled against telling Jamie the information the more Jamie wanted to know.

"Just Uhura," Uhura told her with a toying smirk on her lips.

"They don't have last names in your world?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from slurring slightly.

"Uhura is my last name," Uhura told her and she smirked. So she was being stubborn. That was good, a challenge.

"They don't have first names in your world? Scratch that, I really am drunk aren't I?" she asked the bartender who nodded. She spoke that who last part quickly. "For a genius I am sure stupid tonight." This she muttered but the woman heard her and scoffed.

"Genius, doubt that," Uhura stated while looking at her.

"So you're a cadet, you're studying. What's your focus?" Jamie asked, figuring she'd come up with a way to impress the woman.

"Xenolinguistics. You have no idea what it means," Uhura stated.

"The study of alien languages; morphology, Phonology, Syntax," Jamie said before changing her speaking patterns to Vulcan as she leaned into the woman. "It means you've got a talented tongue." Uhura's eyes widened with shock. Vulcan was one of the most difficult languages to speak so she continued in it. "And just so you know I graduated from high school during a summer internship on Vulcan and was the highest student which also earned me four or five AA's though I can't remember which off the top of my head."

"Well, it seems you do have some brains after all. For a moment there, I thought you were just a dumb hick who only has sex with farm animals," Uhura stated and Jamie raised her brows at the challenge.

"Not only," she said sarcastically. This caused Uhura to laugh.

"This townie isn't bothering you, right?" a male voice asked and Jamie began counting the seconds wondering how long until she got into a fight.

"Oh, beyond belief, But it's nothing I can't handle," Uhura stated leaving herself wide open for the next comment. And the way she looked at Jamie it was as if she was waiting for it. Not one to disappoint Jamie began to speak.

"You could handle me. That's an invitation," Jamie said while watching her down the shot of Jack.

"Hey, you better mind your manners," the guy stated, trying to be imposing and threatening. She was drunk enough it didn't bother her.

"Relax, cupcake. It was a joke," Jamie said while tapping his shoulder.

"Hey, farmer girl. Maybe you can't count but there are four of us and one of you," the guy said when the bar got quiet and there was whispering. People were saying things like;

'my bets on Kirk.' 'Four to one, easy for Jamie.' 'She's drunk. Even for her it'll be difficult intoxicated.' 'She's about to get creamed.' 'Come on, this is Kirk. If anyone can take it then it's her.'

Jamie ignored those comments and looked at him.

"So get some more guys and then it'll be an even fight," she stated feeling the liquid courage heighten what was already there while slowing her reflexes. Then she tapped his cheek lightly. With that he punched her and she fell to the bar.

"Guys, stop it," Uhura stated.

"Great, Kirk, when this is done you're helping clean up," Josh called and she lifted a hand before turning swiftly as he tried to swing at her for a second time. She moved so he missed then slammed her foot right into his stomach sending him flying backwards. He was out.

She watched him fall only to see some Oriental guy jump at her, swinging. She blocked the top hit then went to block the lower. However, due to her inebriation her reflexes weren't fast enough and there was a shot that impacted her stomach. His fist quickly moved towards her face but she dodged backwards while slamming her own punch into his face.

Then she took a swing at a brown haired cadet who was in the fight but missed. He hit her once, then twice, in the face. It sent her flying backwards. She reached for something and ended up groping Uhura.

"Sorry," she apologized as Uhura slammed her backwards into the oriental guy who hit her backwards. In that moment somebody grabbed her from behind. The brunette kicked her twice in the stomach and she was sure she was going to be bruised.

Finally she was able to move and ended up causing him to hit his comrade. When he released her she grabbed the crystal bottle and slammed it over his head shattering it.

Cupcake had finally become conscious again and ended up grabbing her arm. Then he hit her. The impact of his hit knocked her down. The Brunette dragged her up and then slammed her into a table before punching her in the face three separate times.

He went to make it four when there was a loud whistle.

"Outside, all of you," the man who whistled ordered. There were complaints but everyone left quickly and now Jamie remembered that she always sobered up quickly during fights. "You alright kid?" the man asked, looking familiar though she couldn't place him.

"You can whistle really loud, you know that?" she asked before moving to stand. She swayed, grabbing the table. "Great, another concussion. The twins are going to give me hell over this, not mentioning Adria and Richie," she muttered while moving to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

She washed her face though that was redundant as blood was coming from her nose which she had to stopper.

Once done she helped pick up the mess she and those guys made while everyone else left. Josh shook his head.

"Kid, one of these days you are going to really damage yourself," Josh told her and she shrugged. Wouldn't be the first time, wouldn't be the last. Though her shoulders opposed the movement.

Still, she stacked all the chairs onto the tables, all but one as the captain was still sitting there looking at her expectantly. Then she sat down across from him with her drink. He immediately began to talk.

"You know, I couldn't believe it when the bartender told me who you were," the captain stated.

"And who am I, Captain Pike?" she asked not thinking he'd know.

"Your father's daughter," Captain Pike said and she frowned at that. Today was not the best day to remind her of that, especially not today which was both her birthday and the anniversary of his death. She'd already had it brought up by Uhura unwittingly. Now he was doing it to.

She asked for another drink though they weren't alcoholic. She had to stay sober for when she went home, especially if her nose was still bleeding.

"For my dissertation, I was assigned the U.S.S. Kelvin," Captain Pike told her. "Something I admired about your dad, he didn't believe in no-win scenarios either."

"He sure learned his lesson," she stated.

"Well, it depends on how you define winning," Pike told her. "You're here aren't you? You know, that instinct to leap without looking, that was his nature too. And in my opinion, it's something Starfleet's lost. Right now I should be giving you the 'do you feel like you're meant for something greater speech'. The 'enlist' speech. But I've seen your file while you were cleaning yourself up. Intellectually you are the smartest person by human standards around to date. But you have two things going against you. One, you are a woman. Two, you have a family. In existence there are three generational ships and they are filled to capacity at the moment. And I can imagine you trying to be a captain but since Starfleet came into existence Starfleet has only had two previous female captains. I believe you may be able to make it three, maybe even get things changed on starships where family is concerned."

"Why are you talking to me? Have I ever made any hint of wanting to join Starfleet?" she asked.

"No, but it is where you know your children will have the best opportunities to flourish. That, and you have an obvious need to explore which is something a captain needs. Besides, your dad died so you can live. Do something about it. Prove you can live above your mother's expectations. Do something other than this less than ordinary life. Do something better," he stated.

She looked at him. Nothing really got to her except for what he said about the twins. It was true. They were suffering in the schooling system Iowa had. They were far beyond anything anyone could throw at them and they weren't even two yet. They needed mental stimulation which they wouldn't receive in Iowa.

"Are we done?" she asked trying to ignore the thoughts inside her head.

"I'm done. Just think this, you can be an officer in four years. If you work hard enough you can have your own ship in eight," Captain Pike said while standing. Once behind his chair he looked her square in the eye. "Riverside Shipyard. Shuttle for new recruits leaves tomorrow, 0800. Now, your father was a captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved eight hundred lives, including your mother's. And yours. I dare you to do better."

With that he left and she had the feeling he was well aware of the fact she couldn't back down from a challenge. She swore silently as she looked at the starship salt shaker. She wondered silently, 'what the hell was she going to do?'

TO BE CONTINUED…