The Butterfly Effect
She was the newly appointed Chief Tactical Officer and a member of the primary Bridge crew on board the USS Enterprise; it was more than she had ever hoped for. It was bitter sweet for all involved, many attaining positions due to the loss of life during and shortly after the Nero incident. The new Constitution-class starship was the first of its kind to have the tactical station on the Bridge. She was at the forefront of exploration and adventure, the cream of the crop. She was good at what she did, very good. She had the respect of her fellow crew members not only for her practical abilities but her attitude towards others. A team player, the first to run to the aid of anybody and everybody. Reliable, thoughtful but not afraid to question or even obstruct behaviour she believed counterintuitive to the success of a mission or the overall goals they all shared.
She had a select group of friends and actively took part in the social construct of the crew. She was mentored by senior staff and in turn mentored those below her. She was unbeatable at Poker but faired less so favourably in the weekly hockey match. She spent her spare time researching classical literature and modern art. In the evening, when in her quarters she would listen to music, paint and try her hand at calligraphy. She wasn't proficient in any of these tasks, but she enjoyed them nonetheless. Her patience was sometimes lacking, she had a tendency to privately judge others too quickly but wasn't too proud not to acknowledge that she could be wrong. She could be stubborn and loved Strawberries but hated Green Beans.
She hadn't been the top of her class at the Academy, far from it. In Layman's terms what she had lacked in book smarts she had more than made up for in street smarts. Her Tutors had convened half way through her second term for the Cadet's annual review, should she continue was the question on the table. Starfleet Academy was chock full of geniuses, what it lacked, a number of the Tutors argued, was 'characters'. 'Characters' were not afraid of questioning, of trying something different. Characters thought outside the box.
When James Kirk had retaken the Kobayashi Maru test for the third time and won, the Council had unequivocally agreed prior to the disciplinary hearing what the outcome would be. This agreement had come about in no small part because of ameeting that had occurred prior to the hearing that no one wasmade aware of, not even Spock who had raised the grievance in the first place. As she wasn't on the Command track and therefore the test was not hers to take she had been requested to attend a private meeting with the Council.
"State your name for the record please Cadet."
"Devon Khurana Kitto." The chignon at the nape of her neck was wound too tight, she tried loosening it out with her thumb and forefinger but quickly placed her hand back on her lap when she thought that the action made her look nervous.
"What is the purpose of the test Cadet?" The lead Council member asked her abruptly.
"The notional primary goal of the exercise is to rescue the civilian vessel Kobayashi Maru in a simulated battle with the Klingons Sir." She answered succinctly, confidently regarding the old man in front of her. She uncrossed her ankles and then re-crossed them the other way.
"Go on."
"The disabled ship is located in the Klingon Neutral Zone, and any Starfleet ship entering the zone would cause an interstellar incident. The approaching Cadet crew must decide whether to attempt rescue of the Kobayashi Maru crew, endangering their own ship and lives, or leave the Kobayashi Maru to certain destruction. If the Cadet chooses to attempt rescue, the simulation is designed to guarantee that the Cadet's ship is destroyed with the loss of all crew members." She licked her bottom lip, a conscious habit she was trying to break.
"Cadet Kitto, I asked you for the purpose of the test, not the framework." The old man double downed.
"It's designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy Cadets in a no-win scenario Sir." She replied without hesitation.
She was a favourite of Spock's, an Academy Instructor at the time, in making up the test crew. She never gave away the reasoning for the test, or swayed the potential Captain or First Officer with bias action but she did respond varyingly to the decisions that they made.
Kirk's third attempt wasn't the first time she had aided the Command track Cadet with the test, in fact she'd been present at Kirk's first two attempts. In the second he had chosen to abandon the ship, effectively preventing war with the Klingons and violation of the treaty but ensuring the death of the stranded crew.
She had led a munity of the crew against the acting Captain Kirk, stating his violations of Starfleet policy regarding rendering of aid to distressed vessels. She relieved him of his position and made certain the First Officer took command. She could still picture his face at the time.
"What the hell!" He bounded up to her after the simulation had ended and the majority of Cadets had left. She didn't say anything, just stood her ground and mentally prepared herself for an angry tongue lashing from a entitled Command track Cadet. "Why did you do that?" He questioned, her gaze quickly darted to another Cadet who was stood behind him, watching the altercation.
"Jim, drop it. She was just doing her job." The other Cadetplaced a hand on Kirk's shoulder but he shrugged it off.
"Like hell she was Bones! Was that really necessary?" He looked at her incredulously.
"Believe it or not Kirk, is that what they said your name was? I did you a favour. You might not realise that right about now but sleep on it and if you're still at a loss come find me and I'll be happy to explain." She nodded to him curtly, then to his friend and left, not giving it, or him a second thought.
"Yet Cadet Kirk chose to cheat." Another Council member to her left spoke, she turned her attention to the woman.
"Cadet Kirk chose a solution that involved redefining the problem." A small smile played at the corners of her mouth.
"Is that so?" Her original interrogator piped up again, the Council woman didn't seem impressed by the interruption.
"That is my opinion Sir." She didn't turn her attention back to him as she spoke, choosing to afford the woman the respect she deserved and seemingly hadn't been given by her colleague.
"And you chose to take advantage of the redefined problem by transporting the Klingon crew on board before Kirk destroyed their ships and subsequently sending a message to Starfleet stating that they were to be held as prisoners of war and tried for their crimes previously committed. All without direct order or consent from your Captain."
"Yes Sir. I executed my duties as Tactical Officer as I deemed necessary."
"Why may I ask did you do this?"
"Cadet Kirk prevented provoking the Klingons into hostile action or even potential war by not entering the Neutral Zone but the risk was still viable as far as I perceived it. The Klingons may well have carried out an incursion into Federation territory responding to provocation by the Kobayashi Maru prior to their ship's being disabled."
"Their shields were down?"
"But the crews of three Klingon warships would be a valuable asset to the Federation." She shifted in her seat as she spoke.
"If you had been in command, what would have your approach been?" Another member of the Council asked quietly from the end of the long table in front of her.
"I am not on the Command track Ma'am."
"Indulge me Cadet Kitto." She quietly encouraged.
"Among other things, I would have utilised my already existing comparable reputation to the Klingon Leaders."
"How?" The softly spoken woman asked.
"By instilling fear and respect into the Klingon Captains, I would hail the Klingons and they would agree to help me rescue the freighter instead." She took a sip of the water that had been sat in front of her, it was now slightly warm.
"That's bold." She simply nodded in response, all her experience at bluffing in Poker was coming in handy.
"You are to be a Tactical Officer, is that correct?" The original Council member asked, looking at his notes on his PADD.
"Yes Sir."
"Why not Command?" He queried.
"I don't have the inclination Sir, or the character."
"You seem quite sure of that? Isn't that for us to decide or least persuade you of?" He sat back, crossing his arms in front of him and arching an inquisitive eyebrow.
"The Kobayashi Maru test's objective is not for the Cadet to outfight or out plan the opponent but rather to force the Cadet into a no-win situation and simply observe how he or she reacts. Cadet Kirk stepped outside the rules of the game and redefined the game, I simply took opportunity of the tactical advantage of the situation that he had created."
"What do you believe the result of the hearing should be? Feel free to answer openly and honestly."
"I would never presume to know the correct conclusion and decision the Council should make Sir." She tilted her head slightly denoting her respect for those sat in front of her.
"Quit the politics Cadet Kitto, answer the question." The man responded with a wave of his arm and a smirk on his face.
"Yes Sir, I believe Cadet Kirk should be awarded a commendation Sir." She answered without hesitation this time.
"A commendation? For what?" The Council seemed taken aback.
"Original thinking Sir."
Spock and Kirk sat in his ready room reviewing resource andchain of command.
"What's next Spock?" Kirk rubbed his eyes, struggling to keep them open. With Chris Pike now gone and him the Captain, Kirk and Spock were in the midst of building their crew back together.
"Tactical Operations Captain." Spock replied.
"Who've we got on the books?" He stifled a yawn as he spoke.
"Lieutenant Ross Stewart is highly commended, he would be the logical choice for the position of Chief Tactical Officer." Spock read from his PADD.
"Fine, next?" Spock placed his PADD on the table. "What?"
"Captain, permission to speak freely Sir." Kirk rolled his eyes.
"Spock, get on with it I'm tired as hell."
"Although Lieutenant Stewart is highly praised I believe Lieutenant Kitto the more appropriate choice." Kirk creased his brow, racking his brain trying to put a face to the name.
"Kitto? Where do I know that name from?" He asked.
"I do not know Captain?"
"Kitto, Kitto, Kitto? Why does that ring a bell?" Kirk reached his hand out to Spock, gesturing for him to pass over his PADD to him. Taking the PADD and looking over the personnel file realisation struck him when he saw her picture.
"Her!" He barked out.
"Captain?"
"She cost me the test! She was the reason I didn't pass theKobayashi Maru test the second time round!"
"That's not correct Captain, you would have failed regardless of Lieutenant Kitto's actions." Spock remarked simply. Kirk's jaw dropped open.
"What? Why didn't you tell me before?"
"The topic has never arisen Captain." Kirk looked back down at the PADD, her blue eyes staring back. He remembered those eyes, they had bored into him when he had accosted her after the second simulation. He never went to see her for her explanation as to why she led munity against him, still believing she had been in the wrong and costing him the test. They very rarely saw each other on campus, when they did she would acknowledge him with a quick nod of her head but he never responded in kind, choosing instead to ignore her. He remembered those blue eyes after the third test, when the computer had rebooted and he had managed to rescue the stranded crew. She had looked at him with a mixture of vexation and mirth. He had cockily tossed his half eaten apple at her; she had caught it and tossed it right back not saying a word.
"Do you really think her a better choice than Stewart?" He finally asked.
"Affirmative Captain." He paused for a moment longer and then nodded his head.
"Fine, next?"
A lot of character and plot set up in this first chapter but I hope you enjoyed it; let me know what you think. LLAP ;-) XOXO
