Constellations

Aboard the Starship Enterprise, everything is almost as it should be. But a new voice now fills the hearts and minds of the crew, and the sleek body of a dark-skinned nine-year-old girl dashes through the ship, her laughter ringing throughout the empty corridors. Her name is Micah, and her mysterious ways and dark past may touch the life of a certain Vulcan officer in ways he never thought possible.

Chapter One

Deception

It was a calm, quiet day on the U.S.S. Enterprise, with random duties being preformed and reports being written. Even Dr. McCoy could find nothing to complain about. And Kirk, for once was content for things to remain this way, at least for awhile.

Then he started getting bored.

"Jim, what the hell's the matter with you? This is the third time in the past half hour that you've called sickbay with nothing to say! Now, are you suddenly eager to get another physical just so you can converse with your kindly Chief Medical Officer, or what?"

Kirk sighed. "Sorry, Bones. I guess I'm just a little restless, that's all."

"James T. Kirk, captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, is actually somewhat bored on a day when he's not fighting Klingons or stealing a Romulan cloaking device, or… well, imagine that!"

"Forget it, Bones."

McCoy rolled his eyes, despite knowing that Kirk couldn't see him. "Of course, Captain."

Uhura was monitoring communications and relishing in the fact that she still had yet to say, "Hailing frequencies open, Captain.", when it happened. As she turned in her seat to comment on this to Sulu, there was suddenly a brilliant flash of light in front of her and she stumbled back and let out a little involuntary shriek. Chekov instantly swung around and stood gaping for a full 10 seconds before squeaking, "Keptin! I… tink you'd better come look at this, sair."

Kirk turned in the direction of the ensign's voice and stared. "Uh, Bones…"

"What is it now, Jim?" asked McCoy in exasperation.

"Bones… I think you'd better come up here." Kirk addressed Uhura, "Lt., please call Mr. Spock to the bridge."

Uhura, mesmerized, did not immediately respond.

"Lieutenant!"

"Aye, sir." She replied shakily, pressing the comm link to Spock's quarters. "Mr. Spock, please come to the bridge. Mr. Spock…"

Kirk slowly got up out of his chair and started toward something that could not possibly be there.

It was a little girl.

As the turbolift doors opened to admit McCoy and Spock, the girl came to life and began kicking and screaming. "No, no, no, no, no!! Please, take me home! Take me home!!"

McCoy quickly reached the girl and injected a hypo in her arm, all the while staring at her in disbelief. Then he turned to Chekov and Sulu and ordered, "Take her to sickbay."

"Captain, where did she come from?" whispered Uhura wonderingly. "She's such a beautiful child."

Kirk nodded mutely. The young girl had had long, straight jet black hair, slightly tanned skin, a tall, lithe form, and amazing eyes that seemed to go on forever, colourless, yet full of colour.

"Spock… analysis."

"Not enough data, Captain." Spock replied calmly. "We shall have to see when she awakens."

"Yes, of course." Kirk nodded distractedly. "Bones?"

"Well, wherever she came from, Jim, we're going to have to figure out what to do with her." McCoy told him.

"Doctor, first we must learn what she is and if she shows any sign of contagious disease. You, as a doctor, surely know this." Spock stated.

"Of course, I know, dammit, Spock, I'm just saying-"

"Gentlemen, please." Kirk interrupted, knowing that if he let this innocent argument go on, it might never stop. "All we know for the time being is that she is here, very possibly far away form her home and parents. We should at least try to make the girl comfortable."

"Of course, Jim."

"Yes, Captain."

Kirk rubbed his hands together. "Well, then, now that that's settled, how about we go and see how our little guest is doing?"

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

When the three arrived at sickbay, Nurse Chapel was very busy trying to keep the young girl quiet. The girl was violently kicking the nurse with all her might and wailing that she wanted to go home.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, I don't know what's wrong with her." Chapel apologized. "She isn't reacting to hypos very well. She comes out of them right away!"

"Spock!" yelped Kirk as the girl landed him a good punch square in the jaw. He had had enough. This girl was going to have a nice long visit in Dream Land.

Spock instantly moved toward the girl, but couldn't do the nerve pinch when she was jerking so violently. Finally, he gave up any hope of knocking her out and instead grabbed her hand and held it tightly, whispering calm, soothing thoughts into her mind. Eventually, the screaming and kicking ceased.

Chapel stared at Spock for a moment, then quickly put the girl under restraint, just in case. But the girl continued simply gazing into Spock's eyes.

"Well, Mr. Spock." McCoy said cheerfully after a time. "It appears you certainly have a way with kids."

Confused, Spock raised a brow and quietly murmured, "Indeed."

Kirk grinned and subtly punched McCoy in the shoulder. Then, a little more cautiously, moved toward Spock.

"Spock," he whispered, "If I'm not mistaken, you're a touch-telepath, correct? Are you getting anything from her?"

Spock remained silent for so long Kirk began to wonder if he would respond. "She is very confused, Captain, and frightened. She does not know where she is, or how she got here."

"Well, that tells us a lot." muttered McCoy. "Anything else that's useful, Spock?"

Spock shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Doctor. I cannot see anymore without a mind-meld."

"Who are you?" the girl asked suddenly. Chapel turned and stared at the girl.

Spock frowned slightly at the girl. "I must ask you first who you are before I will answer any questions."

The girl struggled to sit up, then fell back down with a flop when she noticed the restraints. "Why are you-" she cut herself off. "M-my name is Micah. Micah Strongeagle. Are-are you going to hurt me, like the others did?"

Spock leaned slightly closer. "Who are the others?"

Micah looked at Spock fearfully. "They… they were big, and strong and… and they hurt me. They beat me up. Are you going to do that, too?"

Spock looked at McCoy for verification. "She's telling the truth, Spock. She's showing severe signs of exhaustion and malnutrition, as well as obvious abuse." McCoy lowered the medical tricorder. "Someone- or something- definitely 'beat her up'."

Spock turned back to Micah. "Whoever these 'others' are, I can promise you that we are not them and that we have absolutely no intention of harming you, Miss Strongeagle."

Micah giggled. "It's Micah!"

Spock raised an eyebrow, and Micah laughed out loud. "You look so funny when you do that!"

The Vulcan resisted the sudden, illogical impulse to smile at her beautiful laugh.

Suddenly, her laughter froze as she finally noticed Spock's ears, and Spock felt himself stiffen up as well at her change of mood. Was she about to reject him?

Then she smiled delightedly and reached out to trace the tips of his delicately pointed ears. "Wow!! That looks so weird! What happened?"

Spock closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, reminding himself that she was just a child and that she very possibly had never seen a Vulcan before. "Nothing 'happened' to them, Micah, that is simply the way they are. I am a Vulcan." He told her, hoping that she would understand when she heard the familiar word.

But only confusion was in her expression as she asked, "A what?"

Kirk stepped forward and muttered to Spock, "She obviously isn't from around here if she doesn't know what a Vulcan is. Can you do a quick search for anyone by the name of 'Micah Strongeagle'?"

Spock hesitated, then released Micah's hand as the young girl fell into a restless sleep.

"Spock?"

"Of course, Captain. Right away."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Captain's log, stardate 4136.4. I have called a meeting of the senior bridge crew in regards to the mysterious young girl who calls herself 'Micah Strongeagle' who appeared on the bridge at approximately 12:00 hours today. We don not know who she is, or how she got here. I am holding this meeting in order to find out this necessary information.

Captain James T. Kirk sat restlessly in his chair, resisting the childish urge to move. Where the hell were Spock and McCoy?

Just then, the doors slid open and McCoy ran hurriedly to his seat, while Spock calmly walked up to stand beside his captain.

"Spock?" asked Kirk impatiently. "What did you find?"

"I have been running the name 'Micah Strongeagle' through the computer, captain, and it has come up with 341, 452 results. 7234 people fit the physical description, but none of them look exactly like the young woman in sickbay."

"She's asleep now, Jim, but before, I was questioning her, and I now know her age, birthplace, and the names of her parents and family, as well as her hometown." continued McCoy. "We've added that to the search. But the thing is we can't find anyone in the entire damn universe who is anything like her!"

Kirk looked perplexed. "No one?"

McCoy shook his head. "I'm giving the girl a complete physical when she wakes up as well as a few physiological tests. But until then, Jim, I'm sorry. We're going to have to wait."

Kirk clenched his fists, frustrated. "But what are we going to do with her? What if she really has no family? And why on earth did these 'others' have her?"

"Now, Jim." admonished McCoy teasingly. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that curiosity killed the cat?"

Kirk turned to stare at the doctor. "I want to know why she's here, Bones. There has to be a reason, and I'm going to find it." With that, the honored Starfleet captain turned abruptly and marched out the door, leaving the rest of the bridge crew in silence.

"Well," said McCoy after a beat. "I'm scared."

Spock faced the doctor. "Doctor, fear is an illogical approach the situation. I find I quite agree with Captain Kirk's assessment. There is a logical reason for everything." Then Spock, too, turned and left.

McCoy rolled his bright blue eyes heaven-ward. "I believe I was incorrect in my previous statement, Scotty." He said, addressing the Chief Engineer. "Now I'm scared."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

"I'm hungry." The little girl said for about the 15th time.

"Yes, I'm quite aware of that Micah." Nurse Chapel replied, exasperated. The girl seemed to have an endless love of food. "If you'll just wait a few moments, Dr. McCoy-"

"Where's Spock?" Micah interrupted. Chapel almost collapsed with relief. Finally, a topic other than food!

" is on the bridge, Micah. Why?"

Micah ignored the question. "Where's that?"

Chapel rolled her eyes. This was a totally incurable case of curiosity. Reminded her of someone she knew, once… "It was where you were when you first came aboard, Micah. Do you remember?"

Micah's dark eyebrows delicately knit together as she struggled to remember. "Yeah… I think so. There was this pretty woman, and another guy who talked really weird…"

Chapel smiled in recognition. "I think you're talking about Uhura and Chekov, Micah. We'll have to start introducing you to the rest of the crew pretty soon, if you're going to stay here for the next little while. At the rate you're healing, you should be out of Sickbay in no time."

Micah beamed. "Can I have a room of my own? Oh, please, please, please, please??"

Chapel reached down to briefly ruffle the young girl's hair. "I think that can be arranged. You'll have to ask the Captain."

Micah bounced up and down with excitement, despite what the pain of her injuries caused her. "Oh, boy! At home, I always have to sleep with my baby sister. She's really cute, but she always cries, and she's really loud." Her face fell. "Or she was. Christine, do you think I-" Micah hesitated, and looked up anxiously at Nurse Chapel. "Will I ever get home again?" She blurted finally, apprehension filling her beautiful, large eyes.

The Nurse tried to smile reassuringly. "Of course, you will, Micah. Just wait and see."

Micah stared down at her dirty white sneakers. It was then that Chapel noticed them, antiques that could be worth thousands of dollars. Where had such a young girl received such expensive shoes that- against all logic- actually looked relatively new?

Micah's soft voice shattered Chapel's train of thought, and she turned back to the little girl.

"Do you really believe that?" she was saying.

Chapel's heart broke at the amount of pain in the child's eyes, and she put on her best smile, hoping against hope that Micah would not see through it.

"Yes."

The dark eyes regarded Chapel, searching. The smile held, and Nurse Chapel almost succeeded in hiding her own pain. No normal person would be able to see the tears welling up in Christine's brilliant blue eyes as she lied.

But the Nurse had forgotten one very important thing about this beautiful child. Something that could terribly hurt an innocent little girl.

Micah wasn't normal.