So this is just an experiment I'm doing. I admit it, I got bored and then this popped up in my head. I have a feeling it doesn't flow as fluently as I'd like, so suggestions are welcomed!
This was inspired by the Impala series by kavery12. If you're a fan of Supernatural, I strongly suggest you go read it. It's absolutely wonderful!
Also, I'm not to familiar with Star Trek. So if things seem vague, that was done on purpose. I didn't want to mangle anything without even knowing it.
Enjoy!
It had been two years now since Zack had taken command of the Avalance. Two years since his mentor and former captain had been transferred to a new ship, taking half of the old crew with him. Not that Zack minded. No, he had been rather pround that Angeal had placed his faith in him and had recommended him as the new captain.
The branch of Starfleet he and his crew belong to is called SOLDIER. It's a relatively new branch, established around ten years ago after more and more ships had become targets of pirates and warminded races. It was developed as a sort of security service to regular starfleet ships or other important missions. Because of this, they encounter a lot more hostile situations. One of the reasons all personel are trained in some form of combat, with a secundary task relevant to managing a ship. Really, they were nothing more than glorified mercenaries. Mercenaries with a steady paycheck.
While still falling under Starfleet command, they were for the most part independent. The ships they used were their own, giving a wide variety of sizes and speeds. And while most senior officers were starfleet personel, alot of the crewmembers were civilians. And the best part was that because of this they had certain privileges that normal starfleet officers didn't have. They, for example, could choose their own missions unless somebody specifically asked for them. And they didn't have to wear the starfleet uniforms. Zack especially loved this freedom for two reasons. The fist being that he just felt more comfortable in his own clothes and the second was for the fact taht enemies had a harder time distinguishing between crew members and senior officers, giving Zack and his crew an edge when they needed it. The few seconds it took them to identify him as the captain had saved his life many times before. The only time senior officers are forced to wear the uniforms – civilians were given some when they became one – was when there was some special ocassion, a banquet for example.
But even that had its exceptions. Sometimes the captains would set their foot down and wouldn't budge. One such exception was Vincent. The first – and only – time the man had worn the canary yellow, Zack had wanted to bang his head against the nearest wall. Whether it was because he wanted to knock himself unconscious or because he hoped to erase the images from his mind, he still wasn't sure. The rest of his crew had had pretty much the same reaction to seeing the usually dressed-in-crimson pilot. After the event Zack had ordered him to never again wear the offending yellow and wear one of the red shirts. Strangely, the higher-ups had never protested. Neither had Vincent.
Another privilege – and the biggest one in Zack's mind – was that they could choose their own crew. Whereas on a normal ship cadets were assigned based on their grades and performances, Zack had selected and chosen his crew personally. Each and everyone on board his ship was someone he called a friend and who he trusted to do their job. Even if they sometimes drove him up the wall.
It was, and still is, rather unconventional that an acting captain suddenly moved ships, even if there was a good replacement ready. The reason for the sudden transfer was that not long before that their top captain, Sephiroth, had suddenly vanished. The details were all classified, so Zack hadn't been able to find out much. Even Angeal, one of Sephiroth's oldest friends, had not been able to get more answers. All Starfleet was willing to share was that the captain had gone on a mission to one of the colonies and there had been some sort of accident, revealing nothing of the man's fate. It didn't stop Angeal of Genesis, another friend of Sephiroth, from searching.
In an effort to stop the men from finding out to much, they had given Angeal command of Sephiroth's old ship, called Jenova, and they had appointed Genesis as his first officer. The next thing they did was send them on a yearlong mission escorting some researchers to some far of corner of the galaxy. Zack had wanted to help, but at the time he had been to busy learning the ropes of his new position and finding new crew members. By the time they came back, any trail that existed had grown cold and the men were forced to give up. They still kept their ears up for any information though.
Now two years later, Zack had a more pressing concern. He still hadn't found a suitable first officer. And Starfleet was not happy.
He had really wanted to take one of his current officers as his first officer, but no matter how much he wanted to, he just didn't feel comfortable with it. Yuffie was too young, Barret was too hotheaded, Tifa was needed to keep Barret in check, Cid couldn't stop swearing if his life depended on it and Aeris was needed in the medical bay. That left Reeve and Vincent.
Reeve seemed like a good choice. He was rational and could deal with the politicians as if he had never done anything else, a trait Zack himself lacked. The reason he didn't ask Reeve to be his first officer was because that was also his weak point. He would spend a long time analising every detail and making sure he had a decent plan. Very good when there was time, but not in their line of work. They would more times than not end up in situations that recuired quick thinking and fast reflexes. And despite being a briliant scientist in his own right, a fighter he was not. And Zack would have to trust his first officer with his back. Not something he trusted Reeve with, at least not in combat. So Reeve was out.
That left Vincent. He was the exact opposite of Reeve. He was cool and collected, able to assess a situation fast and act on impulse. He was a great gunman and a good leader. His weakness was his silence. He could take command aboard the Avalanche, but only because the crew was familiar with him. To others he seemed, well intimadating was the word for it. The crew knew what he wanted just by looking at his body language or the way he looked at them, but that proved impossible for outsiders. Not good when he would have to talk to higher ranking officers or people with power, as they would often become wary or afraid. And his silence would prove to be a problem should he one day have to negotiate with people who have taken Zack captive (as that would be the only reason Zack wasn't the one doing the negotiating himself). No, Zack rather liked to live, thank you very much.
Three months ago, starfleet had decided to take action. Since they couldn't force him to take someone they appointed, they had decided to send - more like force - suitable candidates on a trailrun. He had been a bit miffed when the director of SOLDIER had agreed. Aeris had taken the brunt of his ranting during one of their weekly diners. She had answered with her usual smile and kind words.
"How am I supposed to trust somebody sent here by those idiots? I've never even talked to them, let alone seen them fight! And now they are going to be onboard MY ship!"
"I'm sure it won't be so bad. Give it a chance, Zack. Who knows? You might like them."
It had gone on like that until she had lost her patience. And that was a hard thing to do. Usually Aeris was calm and collected. She didn't panic when things didn't go her way – an important skill to have when you were the only licensed medic on board – and she never complained. That didn't mean she was gentle. Oh sure, she was …. most of the time. Most people who met her for the first time saw her as a kind girl who couldn't harm a fly. And boy, did he love to see their faces when they got to know the real Aeris. Behind that kind smile rested a sassy, no-nonsense girl who took matters into her own hands. So when she had finaly had enough of his complaining, that was exactly what she had done.
"Now look here, Zackary Fair. None of us are comfortable with this, but you don't hear us complaining! So stop your whining and get over it!" was followed by a knock on the head and a big huff.
Sheepishly, he had watched her storm off to her quarters.
The next week they had gotten their first 'trainee'. The man hadn't even lasted three days. There had been no reason listed, but the smug grins on Barret en Cid's faces told the story to anyone who knew them.
The second one lasted two weeks. Zack had been surprised that he actualy got along with the man. It wasn't until twelve days later that the problem came out. Yuffie had started a game to see who had the most idiotic stories growing up, which incidentaly brough up their home planets. It turned out the man – Don – had a strong dislike for the human colonies. He was under the belief that the colonies were inferior to Earth. And with most of the crew, Zack included, originating from a colony, communication became strained. It only took two days after that for Don to seek an assigment elswhere.
The third was the first woman. She turned out to be too strict and didn't work well with Zack's way of managing his ship and crew. She lasted eight days.
The fourth took one look at the crew and left. The fifth turned out to be a sexist pig – and everyone had felt very satisfied when Tifa had slugged the man with her fist …. and her elbow ….. and her boot …. – and the sixth broke down in tears after Vincent had had to fly pretty recklessly during a chase.
Now they were waiting for their seventh 'trainee'. Truth was Zack had wanted to give up and plead his case to his superiors. The only reason he hadn't was because the trainee coming had been a special request from Angeal. Thinking back on it, it had been a strange request from his former mentor.
"Captain, you have a transmission. It's Angeal."
Zack sighted. His former mentor alway knew when to call. He had just relaxed in the couch in the common room – another advantage of having his own ship, he didn't have to make it look neat and tidy an so could add a common room – and was really looking forward to a relaxing night.
"Patch him through to my room. I'll be there in a minute."
"Sure."
Lefting himself up from the couch, he slowly walked to his room. Not like it's urgent. Once there, he moved over to his desk and turned on the transmitter. He was greeted by Angeal's rather scruffy face.
"What happened to you?" He exclaimed. Angeal had a small cut over his left eyebrow and nasty looking bruise covering that same area. Small stubble decorated the mans sharp jaw.
"That bad, huh? Nothing to worry about. You should see Genesis. Our last mission turned out to be harder than expected. It's taken care of now."
"Sheesh. If Genesis looks worse, I don't want to know what happened to the person that did it to him."
"Two, actually. And they won't be doing anything ever again."
"Right… So? Why the call? I mean, not that I don't like talking to you, but you usually call when something's up. And I'm pretty sure it's not to tell me about Genesis' new victims."
"Am I really that obvious? Never mind, don't answer that. We will be changing that pattern. Anyway, is starfleet still sending you first officer candidates?"
Zack groaned. This was what he wanted to talk about? He was not in the mood for another lecture. He was getting sick and tired of people not understanding his reasons for not having found the right person. He thought Angeal of all people understood. After all, he and Genesis were practically inseparable. He knew how important it is to have a first officer you trust with absolutely anything.
"Yes, Angeal. And before you start, I just don't feel right about it….."
"Do you have one on board now?" Angeal interupted before he could go any further.
"What? Umm, no. The last one left a few days ago and they haven't found somebody yet. Seems like we're developing a reputation."
Yes, it seemed all previous candidates had told stories about him and his crew. None of them very flattering. Yuffie had picked up some of them from friends on other ships and had gleefully shared them with the rest of the crew.
"Yes, I came across the Odin a while back and Snow told me about it. Seems like your stories are spreading fast. He was quite impressed, not that it takes alot."
Note to self: avoid the Odin for the forseable future. Snow might be impressed, but he just knew Lightning wasn't. The two were always on opposite sides. He still wasn't sure how she delt with a first officer she couldn't stand. And yet ….. it seemed to work for them.
"So you don't have one currently?" Angeal asked again.
"No."
Angeal sighted and raked a hand through his hair. It looked like he was trying to gather the words he needed.
"I have a favor to ask. I wouldn't normally ask this of you, but I don't see any other option."
"Sure. You know you can always ask. I owe you, after all."
"Yes, well ….. I need you to take someone in as a candidate."
"Umm, candidates are coming through starfleet. I can't really do anything about it exept turn them down after a couple of days."
"Let me worry about that. I just need you to look after him for a while. His situation is rather unique and I need him somewhere safe."
That made Zack pause. It wasn't often Angeal thought it wasn't safe on his ship. Granted, his crew was larger – compared to Zack's crew of twenty – and he didn't know every one of them personaly, but he had a good grasp on them. If he thought it wasn't safe, the problem was bigger than the man was saying.
"Care to share?"
"Not now, it isn't safe. I really wish I could, but both me and Genesis think it safer to discuss this in person."
Yep, definitely bigger than he thought. Genesis rarely agreed to stealth.
"You are close to Modeoheim right? How long would it take you to get there?" the man continued.
"Should take about two days. Presuming we don't have any trouble on the way. You want us to meet you there?"
"No. We have a mission and I can't delay it. No, I would like you to meet up with him there and take him onboard you ship. I will meet up with you as soon as our mission is concluded."
So here he was, two days later, waiting in a local bar with nothing but a vague warning – avoid anything Shin-ra – and no way to identify the man he was supposed to pick up – he'll find you – to occupy his thoughts. The 'avoid anything Shin-ra'-comment had him intrigued.
Shin-ra was an electrical company that started around the same time the SOLDIER-branch was developed and had since taken over the market. They had contracts with all major government bodies and pretty much owned the technology people used on a daily base. To avoid it would be impossible. They made most of the parts on starships, something Cid grumbled about regurarly.
Huh, maybe that's why Angeal sent him to me. When Cid had first taken control of the engine room he had changed everything onboard to his own personal preferences, including the Shin-ra technology. He had changed it so much it probably couldn't be called Shin-ra anymore. And since it made the Avalanche run smoother, Zack hadn't stopped him.
A starting argument drew his attention to the bar, where two men – if they were that, it was hard to tell with all the fur and clothes – were shouting and making wide gestures. The barkeep was casting weary glances their way. Idiots.
Movement to his left made him snap his head quickly, where someone had approached him while he had been watching the two troublemakers.
"Zackary Fair?"
The first thing he noticed was how young the man looked. Barely more than a kid. The way the blond hair stood up in spikes and the big blue eyes just screamed 'not really a man yet'. Granted, he wasn't that old himself, but still …
The second thing he noticed were the eyes. They were big and blue and glowing. Not unlike his own. But while his only had a slight glow, the young man's eyes stood out even against the harsh lighting in the bar. He's from Gongaga raced through his head.
It wasn't that uncommon to have slightly glowing eyes on his planet. About thirty percent of the population were like this. Angeal and Genesis who came from Banora – a small settlement on the afformentioned planet – also shared this trait. But he had never seen it in such high concentration as now.
Those eyes were currently looking at him with a look of mild impatience. It took a few seconds to realise that the kid – young man – had asked him something.
"Huh, what?" Great response, Zack.
"Are you Zackary Fair?" the young man asked again, fiddling with the sleeves of his dark blue jumper. The action made him look even younger.
"Uh, yes. I mean, that's me. You must be the person Angeal wanted me to meet."
The young man nodded, but no further information was forthcoming. His eyes had moved from Zack and were shifting around the bar, taking in everything there was to see, lingering on the escalating argument at the bar. The fidgeting still hadn't stopped. His face held a haunted look, as if he was afraid someone would jump out and hurt him. The next words out of his mouth pretty much confirmed Zack's suspicions.
"Can we go? I feel very tired." While the last sentence was mostly an excuse to leave, there seemed to be some truth to it. The bags under his eyes were big enough to make Zack feel tired. With a nod, Zack stood up and headed for the exit. The young man following close by.
Before they reached the exit, Zack stopped and turned around. Facing the man, he asked the question that had been on his mind since Angeal had made the request.
"What's your name, by the way? I can't exactly call you Kid."
There was a moment of fear in the blue eyes, before it was replaced with a blank look.
"Cloud Strife, sir."
So, what's the verdict? Should I continue?
I always found that the starships in Star Trek were very cold and empty (I remember in Enterprise they had movie nights in the cafetaria. And those metal chairs did NOT look comfy). I always thought it strange. If you and your crew spent most of you time onboard, you'd want to make it feel like home, wouldn't you? That's why I included a common room. Think Serenity or even Highwind kind of common room (if the Highwind has a common room. I've never played the game)