The following takes place a few years before TWOK. Saavik is a
second-year cadet serving on her first training mission aboard the USS
Alleya. The mission is simple: take a team of scientists from various
planets and research stations and deliver them to Spacelab at Regula 1.
Complications arise, however, when one of the scientists decides he
wants to work in the science lab on the ship.
Cadet Saavik walked into the nearly-deserted lab and stopped. Someone was working at her station. She narrowed her eyes as she approached, a low growl forming in her throat as she saw her data on the screen. She moved silently to stand beside the intruder. "What are you doing with my data?" she asked coldly.
The young man jumped, startled and a little guilty. "I-I was just looking," he stammered. He stared at the young cadet glaring accusingly down at him. She was gorgeous, and he couldn't take his eyes off her.
"You were 'just looking' at 0500?" Her dark eyes seemed to see deep into his soul. She reached out and flicked the monitor off, then crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him, waiting for his explanation.
He opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again. What could he say? The Genesis project was ified; he shouldn't even be working on it from here. Finally he said, "It's 0900 on the planet I just came from, and I didn't realize how early it was here. I'm sorry."
Saavik stared at him a moment longer. "I trust you did not tamper with anything."
"I only looked; I didn't change a thing, honest! I know how important clean data is." Her expression softened slightly at this, though he did not notice. He moved out of her way and she settled herself at her station, completely absorbed in her work. He continued to watch her and she ignored him, apparently oblivious to his continued presence.
Some hours later, Saavik looked up from her work to find the blonde-haired civilian still watching her, much to her annoyance. She stared at him for a long moment and he blushed and looked at his feet. He looked up, then blurted, "Will you eat lunch with me?"
Saavik blinked once in surprise. No one had ever asked her to join them for a meal, not like this, and she was at a loss for words. How to refuse politely and make it clear she was not 'interested'?
He mistook her confusion and surprise for hesitation. He slapped his forehead, muttering, "Idiot!" to himself. "I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you my name. I'm David Marcus." He waited expectantly.
Saavik had no desire to have lunch with him, much less tell him her name, but etiquette demanded that she tell him. "I am Saavik." She knew it was rude, but she turned her back on him, concentrating once more on her work.
David tapped her on the shoulder. "You –" He staggered back from her, his face stinging from the unexpected blow. Suddenly she seemed to tower over him, though they were about the same height.
"Don't touch me!" she hissed, then turned abruptly and left. David stared after her.
"Don't even bother," one of the other cadets advised.
"What?"
"Don't even think of asking her again. She's not interested and never will be. Probably already has a husband picked out and waiting for her, too." At David's blank look he added, "She's Vulcan, didn't you notice? You were staring at her long enough."
"Yeah, I noticed," David shot back angrily. "I was just trying to be polite and invite her to lunch!"
"Like hell you were! You want her, same as the rest of us." David started to protest, but the cadet ignored him. "Don't think we didn't notice, kid. You were staring at her for six hours. I think that's a record, boys, don't you?" The other young men, cadets and ensigns both, voiced their agreement. "Congratulations, kid, you've lasted longer'n anyone." He stuck out his hand. David stared at it as if it were antimatter, then bolted out the door, angry and embarrassed. The derisive laughter of his peers echoed in his mind as he raced for the solitude of his quarters.
Cadet Saavik walked into the nearly-deserted lab and stopped. Someone was working at her station. She narrowed her eyes as she approached, a low growl forming in her throat as she saw her data on the screen. She moved silently to stand beside the intruder. "What are you doing with my data?" she asked coldly.
The young man jumped, startled and a little guilty. "I-I was just looking," he stammered. He stared at the young cadet glaring accusingly down at him. She was gorgeous, and he couldn't take his eyes off her.
"You were 'just looking' at 0500?" Her dark eyes seemed to see deep into his soul. She reached out and flicked the monitor off, then crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him, waiting for his explanation.
He opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again. What could he say? The Genesis project was ified; he shouldn't even be working on it from here. Finally he said, "It's 0900 on the planet I just came from, and I didn't realize how early it was here. I'm sorry."
Saavik stared at him a moment longer. "I trust you did not tamper with anything."
"I only looked; I didn't change a thing, honest! I know how important clean data is." Her expression softened slightly at this, though he did not notice. He moved out of her way and she settled herself at her station, completely absorbed in her work. He continued to watch her and she ignored him, apparently oblivious to his continued presence.
Some hours later, Saavik looked up from her work to find the blonde-haired civilian still watching her, much to her annoyance. She stared at him for a long moment and he blushed and looked at his feet. He looked up, then blurted, "Will you eat lunch with me?"
Saavik blinked once in surprise. No one had ever asked her to join them for a meal, not like this, and she was at a loss for words. How to refuse politely and make it clear she was not 'interested'?
He mistook her confusion and surprise for hesitation. He slapped his forehead, muttering, "Idiot!" to himself. "I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you my name. I'm David Marcus." He waited expectantly.
Saavik had no desire to have lunch with him, much less tell him her name, but etiquette demanded that she tell him. "I am Saavik." She knew it was rude, but she turned her back on him, concentrating once more on her work.
David tapped her on the shoulder. "You –" He staggered back from her, his face stinging from the unexpected blow. Suddenly she seemed to tower over him, though they were about the same height.
"Don't touch me!" she hissed, then turned abruptly and left. David stared after her.
"Don't even bother," one of the other cadets advised.
"What?"
"Don't even think of asking her again. She's not interested and never will be. Probably already has a husband picked out and waiting for her, too." At David's blank look he added, "She's Vulcan, didn't you notice? You were staring at her long enough."
"Yeah, I noticed," David shot back angrily. "I was just trying to be polite and invite her to lunch!"
"Like hell you were! You want her, same as the rest of us." David started to protest, but the cadet ignored him. "Don't think we didn't notice, kid. You were staring at her for six hours. I think that's a record, boys, don't you?" The other young men, cadets and ensigns both, voiced their agreement. "Congratulations, kid, you've lasted longer'n anyone." He stuck out his hand. David stared at it as if it were antimatter, then bolted out the door, angry and embarrassed. The derisive laughter of his peers echoed in his mind as he raced for the solitude of his quarters.