Chapter 1

The Class Clown

Location: Federation Alpha Centauri Star-base

Star-date: 2451

Commander Boylin paced in his office as Captain Gerard Manning stood nearby. Every once in a while he would pause and run his fingers through his hair.

"I tell you he said this is the last straw," he hollered, "Cadet Michael Archer is going to be out on his ear for sure this time and if he's not I'll eat my socks!"

"Calm down, Richard," said Captain Manning, "what did he do this time?"

"I'll tell you what he did," snapped Boylin, "Do you who Sebastian Kramer is?"

"Yeah," said Manning, "he's the son of the Federation Ambassador to Rysa,"

"Right," Said Boylin, "Well our beloved Cadet Archer put a concussion pellet in Kramer's back pocket then set it off when he'd stood up to walk on to the platform at the ambassador's brunch. It blew the back out of his uniform and he wound up mooning the entire Vulcan delegation!" Manning had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the mental image of the Vulcan Delegation getting a GOOD look at Kramer's bare backside.

Suddenly the COMM beeped signaling the arrival of a personal call for Boylin. Boylin touch the command console and Admiral John Clayton appeared on the screen.

"Richard," he said, "where is Cadet Archer?"

"Confined to quarters, sir," Replied Boylin, "and awaiting punishment."

"Punishment!" said Admiral Clayton, "I called to give him an official commendation for original thinking."

"WHAT!" thundered Boylin before reigning himself in, "Sir you can't be serious not after what he did!"

"That's just it," said the Admiral, "The Klingon and Andorian delegations were in such good moods after laughing at Archer's prank that the shipping lane dispute was settle in record time."

Just then the commendation arrived on Boylin's PADD.

"Release Archer from confinement and see that he gets this, Richard," Said the Admiral before disconnecting the call. Boylin stood there for several seconds before finally throwing the PADD down in disgust.

"I don't believe it," he hollered, "Archer got away with it again!" Manning didn't saying anything at first he just turned and reaching into Boylin's duffle bag, pulled out a pair of socks and tossed them to Boylin.

"Bon Appetite," he said. Boylin shot manning a dirty look and threw down the socks.

"He's not going to get off that easily!" snapped Boylin, "I'm sending him and those four buddies of his to Myatoa (MY-uh-TOE-UH) the ice planet for cold weather training!"

Michael sat in the shuttle craft as it headed for the docking bay that lead to the subterranean base of the ice planet Myatoa. There was an ion storm in the upper atmosphere and the transporter was down hence the shuttle craft. He stared out the window at the snowy landscapes and as he watched the light from the planets distant sun sparkle through the ice crystals his mind began to drift back over the events of his life. He wasn't even out of the womb before he was in trouble. It was discovered that his immune system wasn't functioning properly. In desperation the doctor had tried and experimental treatment that he had learned from an apothecary at a medical congress on Rysa. The Treatment was based on a Serum made from the patients own blood that had been bombarded with photonic waves to morph regular blood cells into super-cells. The treatment worked with an unexpected side effect. When the serum was injected into Michael's muscle tissue like the procedure called for it stabilized his immune system but it also reacted with his muscle fibers and turned them into super-fibers leaving him with the strength of twenty men. Only Michael's four cadet buddies knew how strong he was.

"Well," admitted Michael to himself, "that's not completely true." There was on other person that knew of his strength but it had been three years since the last time he had seen her. A picture of her begins to form in his minds eye. He begins to remember the day that he met her.

-Flashback-

Michael then fifteen was on his way home from school, as he walked he daydreamed of being a Starfleet officer and exploring the galaxy. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a gruff sneering voice that he knew all to well.

"What have we here," the voice snorted. It was the voice of Durok a trouble making Klingon whose father worked at the Klingon consulate located near Starfleet headquarters. Michael followed the voice and came upon Durok and a couple of his buddies who had a young Vulcan girl backed up against the wall in an alley.

"She's a real pretty one," laughed Durok as he inched closer to her, "Maybe we can have a little fun with her."

"Wait a minute, Boss," said one of the boys, "Vulcans are real strong." Durok Shrugged that's easy to fix. In the next instant he raised his hand and shot a dart into the girl's neck and started toward her as she slumped to the ground.

Michael didn't think he just reacted. Racing forward he grabbed Durok by the scuff of the neck lifted him off the ground and threw him against the wall at the other end of the alley he bounced off the wall and fell to the ground unconscious. Durok's buddies saw what Michael had done to Durok they turned and ran. Then Michael turned around to find the Vulcan girl conscious and looking at him curiously apparently she had come out of the drug induced sleep faster than he thought she would she raised and eyebrow in typical Vulcan manner.

"I thank you for your assistance," she said coolly. She attempted to stand to her feet, but her Vulcan gracefulness left as a wave of dizziness hit her. Michael grabbed her shoulders to steady her. it seemed to him that for a brief moment something different flickered in her eyes.

"It would seem," said Michael, "that you are not yet fully recovered from the drug."

"That seems to be the case." She replied, she looked away for a moment then said very softly,

"Would you walk with me back to the Vulcan consulate since I am unsteady on my feet at the moment?"

"Sure," said Michael this was the first that a girl has asked him to walk her home.

"By the way," he said nodding his head slightly, "My name is Michael."

"K'lise," she said, they began there walked toward the Vulcan consulate in an uneasy silence. Michael never could prove it, but he was almost positive she was watching him out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly Michael became aware that something had dropped from his pocket. Bending down quickly he scooped up the escaping object.

"What is that?" K'lise asked abruptly.

"It's a scanner card that well allow me to visit the circus tonight," replied Michael

"I have always been curious about the Circus but I've never seen one first hand." She sald coolly

"Well," said Michael suddenly feeling nervous, "I would be happy to take has my guest the show starts and 1900 hours."

She nodded slightly.

"That would be acceptable," she said as they arrived the consulate, "Meet he hear at 6:30," said before disappearing in side. Michael couldn't believe it he had a Date!

TBC

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