I sat in the neatly arranged office tapping my fingernails against the coffee table next my chair. The room was quiet. I hated quiet places. I could literally hear the antique clock ticking on the far wall behind another line of chairs. What was with Admiral Clevin and his antiques? He didn't seem like the type to be interested in that stuff.
I have been waiting for my reassignment info from the main office for nearly forty five minutes. I hated waiting, and I wasn't the most patient one ever. Mainly I just wanted to get off Earth. I mean, I've been stationed here for the past two years after I graduated from the academy. Most other recruits we sent off on other starships. I guess there's not much of a demand for archeologist.
Yep out of all the sciency majors the academy offered I decided to major in archeology and anthropology along with several other courses like xenolinguistics. I don't know why I was so interested in primitive times of cultures. It's just something about the past the fascinated me. I loved old and new things, and just the thought of traveling to an undiscovered planet and poking around some ruins had me on my toes ready for the adventures of space.
Yet I was stuck on Earth for two years. Of course I traveled to already discovered sites and monuments to learn more ,but everything on Earth has already been discovered! I want excitement! I want adventure! I want to decode an ancient language and find some magical artifact or something! I just want to get the hell off this planet. Maybe I'll catch a break today. Maybe the universe will answer my call!
As if the universe ready my mind the doors to the Admirals office wooshed open making me jump out of my hiatus as if I had been hit by a brick wall. The nifty dressed assistant gave me a concerned look then handed me a padd.
"The Admiral wishes you luck on your new assignment Lieutenant Redfields".
I snatched the padd eagerly and used my finger to scroll through the documents. My heart almost burst out of my chest when I read the next paragraph.
Due to Lieutenant Lily Redfields exemplary performance on and off the field of study it is my privilege to transfer her to the USS Enterprise NCC-1701. Active Immediately April 22, 2260 at 19:00 hours.
The rest of it was just blah but I kept reading that sentence over and over until I started getting worried looks from the assistant.
"I'm getting assigned to the Enterprise! THE ENTERPRISE!"
"Yes the admiral-" I interrupted the assistant by jumping up and hugging him. "This is perfect, no this is excellent. Oh this is just great!"
The assistant looked flustered as he cleared his throat, "um congratulations unfortunately the Admiral is very busy he's afraid he can't see you off-"
"Oh that doesn't matter I mean it does but..oh it doesn't I'm off this boring rock", with another leap into the air I hastily shook the guys hand and left the office in a hurry as if the Admiral would poke his head out and say "April Fools"!
Whenever I reached my quarters my roomie and assistant anthropologist was laying on her bed reading a book when I leaped through the door and jumped on mine. The fact that she was dressed in her jammies gave me the hint of was late at night.
She lowered her book, "I take it you got some good news today about your reassignment?"
"Only the best!" I grinned and plopped down on my stomach facing her. I held the padd up to my face, "As of seven a.m tomorrow I am assigned to the USS Enterprise NCC-1701".
"Wow that is good news", she said with two raised eyebrows. "How did you land a position like that?"
"Ugh I have no idea but it's about time!" I grabbed something from under my nightstand, "Aw man Squishy I forgot to feed you", I tapped some pelets from the container into the eager bettas bowl. The blue fish swam eagerly to the surface singularly sucking each one into his mouth.
"What about you?" I asked after I plucked my suitcase from the closet. "Didn't you get reassigned today?"
Angie sighed and marked her spot in her book before setting in down, "yea they decided to keep me here another year for more hands on learning".
"Well that sucks". I stated bluntly, "you're a great archeologist".
"Yes but in the linguistics part I suck and you know it", she smiled, "probably for the best anyway, space isn't going anywhere. Not all of us can decode an ancient language as fast as you".
I grinned, "I guess not, and in a way I think I'll miss it here". NOT!
I finished packing up my clothes, and items I would be bringing with me, double checked to see if I left anything out. I took a shower later and paused before the mirror. I suppose I should take this time to tell you I'm half Vulcan. I'm not gonna give you a paragraph long sob story on how I came to be one it's actually quite simple. My dad married a widowed vulcan that came to earth as an ambassador and out popped me several months later. My mom died two years ago when Vulcan was destroyed. She was going back to report in to the counsel and she never stood a chance once the planet started disintegrating. It was a sad time for the family, and every since it happened my dad has gone just plain loony. I didn't blame him. We don't usually talk about it much.
I looked in the mirror at myself. Yep, I had most of the traits of a vulcan; the pointy ears, slanted eyebrows. My hair was in layers that fell only a few inches past my shoulders, and my eyes were a vague mix between moms green and dads brown which I guess would be hazel.
I sighed and plopped down on my bed deciding that this was a fate I could live with a little while longer.
"Excuse me excuse me OH MY GOD I'm so sorry excuse me!" I shoved and bustled my way through the line of Starfleet ensigns on their way to their morning post, and to just mock my recent luck my alarm clock went off half an hour later than it was supposed to. Right now I probably looked like I had just crawled up out of the earth. My brown hair was tied up in what was supposed to be a military style bun but was falling down in pieces. Ugh I was going to have to redo my entire face before I meet my new captain. I glanced at my watch, and it read 18:49. So now almost every curse word in the book was floating through my head.
I leaped into a turbo lift when it was about to close, and due to my lack of caffeine I stumbled and fell into the arms of a very irritated man.
"Damn girl watch it or your gonna kill someone", I took note of his thick southern accent and was slightly amused. I noticed his rank was much higher than mine so I couldn't make a smart aleck comeback.
"Sorry", I smiled apologetically, " hadn't had my espresso this morning so I'm a little off".
He smiled and I noticed he was actually pretty decent looking, "you and me both uh…".
It took me a few second s to realize he was inquiring about my name. "Oh! I'm Lieutenant Lily Redfields", I giggled slightly at my nervousness.
The turbo lift doors shut but he still kept his eyes on me, 'you wouldn't happen to be the same Lieutenant Lily Redfields that's been assigned to the enterprise crew huh?"
"You're being assigned there too?" I questioned with a raised brow.
He chuckled and held out a hand, "Leonard McCoy, I'm the chief medical officer on board Enterprise".
My mouth was agape. "You're t McCoy, it's nice to meet you!" I shook his hand vigorously.
"Likewise", he said giving me a charming smile. I blushed furiously and withdrew my hand slowly. The turbo lift doors opened and we both walked out into a thankfully less crowded hallway. "I don't mean to be rude but are you a Vulcan?"
I gave him a quizzical look, "yes I am".
"I'm sorry it's just that you're different from any vulcan I've met", he stated with a smile. "Which to me is a good thing".
I raised a brow, "my mother was a vulcan, my dad preferred me to refrain from their ways".
He looked ashamed for a moment then coughed and changed the subject," well, I never knew archeologist were really needed on exploration ships until I really thought about it".
I blew a strand of hair away from my face, "oh yes were very much needed how else can you get close to a culture without understanding it's past?"
"An interesting profession", he mused quietly and we stopped at an intersection of hallways. "I have some things to attend to before Enterprise leaves port I'll see you on board Lieutenant".
"Ah yes I'll se you on board", I smiled as he shook my hand once again then disappeared into a mass of people down the corridor. At least I've made one friend so far.
Five more lengthily hallways and one turbo lift later I was finally at the transporter room for the Enterprise. I don't know why but my stomach was turning backflips at this moment. Why, I've been waiting for this for years and as soon as I step on that pad my life of adventure and endless exploration begins.
I took a deep breath, straightened out my uniform and gave the authorization padd to the engineer working at the station. He surveyed it with a smile, handed it back to me and told me to step up.
"Good luck out there Lieutenant", said the engineer before the familiar rush of my molecules being separated one by one rushed into my body. I was never fully comfortable with that feeling.
Only a milisecond later I was standing on a platform surrounded by bright lights and ensigns working at their consoles, none of them really acknowledged me other than shouting out my name as if they were checking me off a list.
"Lieutenant Redfields onboard sir", someone said from the bleeping consoles.
"Good", a calm and tranquil voice stated. It took me a moment to find the voice until I spotted it's source coming from a vulcan everyone with a right mind knows is the hybrid Commander Spock. He stepped up to me at first with a blank expression but then something flickered in his depthless eyes as soon as he noticed hmy slightly slanted brows and ears that just barely poked out of my hair. I cursed myself for not covering them more efficiently.
I gathered myself, stepped down in the manner I've practiced for so long and handed him my authorization padd. "Lieutenant Lily Redfields reporting for duty as ships head archeologist sir". I couldn't help but smile a bit and that seem to amuse the commander.
"Well met Lieutenant", he nodded toward me. I took the split second we had before he would lead me around to survey him. He was much taller in person, built with short black hair that barely passed his ears, pale skin, and dark brown eyes that barricaded any thoughts from being read. Yep he was half vulcan alright.
"I apologize on behalf of our captain. He is currently occupied with a few upgrades to the computers mainframe, he sends his regards".
I smiled childishly and shook my head, "it's no problem sir I'm just excited to be on board".
He continued to stare at me quizzically for a few more seconds before continuing, "right, well as the commander it is my duty to escort new crewmembers to their quarters". He gestured ahead to the door that led to the corridors.
"Thank you", I nodded respectfully and joined him at his side as he led me through the whooshing door. I nodded eagerly in greeting to all the officers that passed me.
I saw the Commander Spock steal unnoticeable glances in my direction every now and then ; probably wondering why my eyes were darting in four hundred different directions at the same time.
"Enterprise is composed of several rooms and levels such as the upper corridors, lower corridors, engineering and warp core rooms". He kept his eyes trained forward, "your quarters will be located on level three section eight, and the archeology labs are on level two section five if you need assistance finding your way the ships computer will guide you".
I was barely paying any attention to him as I trained my eyes on the labs I walked by where science officers were getting situated and shown around by the higher ranking ones. I couldn't wait to work in mine!
"Lieutenant Redfields I could not help but notice you seem distracted. Have you been listening?"
I jerked my head back his direction mentally cursing myself for being so absent minded. "Oh I'm sorry sir it's just that I've never been stationed on a ship before. I guess I'm just over excited".
"Excited", it was more of a statement than a question as he tilted his head at me as if he was figuring out some sort of puzzle in his mind. The commander quickly shook his curiosity away, "well being eager as you are I hope you find everything on this ship to your liking", he paused as we entered a turbo lift. "level three section eight", the computer bleeped as the sudden woosh of the lift began. "Many young officers consider being here an honor indeed".
"If I may ask sir, who chose me for this assignment?"
He seemed to ponder the response for a moment, "I did Lieutenant".
"Oh, may I ask why? I don't mean to be nosey or anything I just want to know".
"As first officer it is my duty to seek those with the necessary requirements to fill our roster. You met those Lieutenant".
"Oh", my eyes trailed to the ground for a second.
We paused outside a gray door with the numbers 124 on it, "and I acknowledged your exemplary performance during your academy years. You did well beyond that of your fellow pupils".
"Well thank you sir my father was an anthropologist for Starfleet, one of the best"
"I am glad to see you are living up to your fathers reputation then Lieutenant", he gestured to the door, "here are your quarters".
I walked in and the biggest smile crept unto my face as I surveyed the living space. It was bigger than my dorm rooms on Earth and a heck of a lot nicer too. The carpet was a plush gray that matched the walls perfectly with just an off color to it. It was basically composed of three rooms the lounge, a bedroom through a door off to the right and a small bathroom through another doorway off to the left. A large, circular window that allowed me to see the whizzing stars flying by. The place was decorated with alien nic nacs and pictures that adorned the shelves and walls. My luggage and supplies I had beamed over was sitting in the middle of the lounge. I had some serious unpacking to do.
I subconsciously tucked a lock of brown hair behind my ear, then realized what I did and covered it up again forgetting the commander was still at my door watching me.
He cleared his throat pretending not to notice my odd behavior, "is everything satisfactory".
"ah nemaiyo" I replied.
The vulcan tilted his head, "you speak Vulcan?"
I nodded with a smile, "fourteen dialects including the ancient ones used in the ages before Sarek". I noticed a flicker of wonder in his eyes.
"Fascinating not many people including vulcans know of the ancient languages".
" sa he' ek-aribien" I spoke probably not as fluent as I could have, "I'm actually a little rusty on a few of the ancient dialects but I still have studying to do, so hopefully one day I can speak them like an actual Vulcan".
"Perhaps", his head was still tilted but as soon as he realized his odd behavior he snapped back into reality, "Well Lieutenant if you check your duty log you can see your schedule and when your first shift begins". He bowed his head slightly, "I must go attend to other matters".
"Of course and again 'nemaiyo".
"na'shaya", he replied with a hint of a smile and the door closed shut. I stared at the door a few moments longer. I was surprised he didn't ask me about my heritage, because surely he knew I was half vulcan. Maybe he figured it was a sensitive topic since I covered my ears. I suppose it actually is.
"Ahhh" I plopped down on the sofa that felt as if it was made of a type of leather, bolian leather? Who knew.
I unpacked everything in about an hour. Small relics and keepsakes I had kept throughout my years of training with professor Zorac was placed on the shelves and tables around my quarters. A large sandstone tablet I had been given as a gift was hung on my lounge wall. It was composed of early Vulcan hieroglyphics and letters adorned it's smooth surface, it was one of my most valued possessions a gift that went from my mother to father to me.
After all the hard work was done I checked my duty roster and thankfully I didn't have to report to the lab tomorrow until 19:00 hours. That gave me plenty of time to sleep, and maybe I won't be rushing late again. Before I went to bed after a nice, long sonic shower I brought Squishy out of his stasis chamber and set up his bowl by my nightstand and fed him. I laid down and stared at the stars whizzing by until I was lulled to a deep sleep dreaming of what lies beyond.