Cupcake

by Starsinger

Okay, so he beat Kirk up in the first movie, but I like him! lol Cupcake finds himself all alone on a perilous mission, and there's no turning back. Don't own them.

Sulu stood in front of the group of men and women warming up, "Alright, people, your job is to go down to the planet, take a video of what transpires, and bring it back. This should be an easy observation job."

"Then why don't you do it?" some wit asked at the back of the group.

"Like the rest of the bridge staff, my face and name are too well known for us to successfully infiltrate this event. We're hopeful that the rest of you would pass unnoticed, but you'll have to go out of uniform. We're not asking for volunteers, that would be too cruel." He held up straws, "Whoever gets the short straw, goes."

Chekov walked down the line as each crew member pulled a straw. About halfway through, Cupcake pulled the short one. He groaned. They gave him a floppy hat to go with his jeans and t-shirt and sneakers, just in case someone had scrolled through the entire database of the Enterprise's crew and knew who he was.

That was how Lieutenant Oberoff, Starfleet, found himself holding a candle and clutching a picture of the still comatose Captain Kirk, in a crowd of teenagers. He did have to admit that someone had found a good picture of the Captain, smiling and laughing, his blue eyes alight. This was meant to be a candlelight vigil to remember all those who were injured and died in San Francisco and on the Enterprise that day. Somehow, without even trying, James T Kirk had become the center of it all. The camera was hidden in his jacket.

As the sun went down the slideshow started. Picture after picture of the thousands who died and were injured that day. It didn't end with Kirk, it ended with film of Uhura's sorrow as she took Kirk into her arms and started to sing "Ave Maria". He wondered how they got that film. He watched as she kissed Kirk's forehead and then reluctantly let the doctor take him away.

Then, the emcee got in. He got the crowd in the right frame of mind by reminding them why they were here. He led them in a prayer, and Cupcake suddenly started to notice just how many teenagers were there, and they were all holding pictures of the Captain. One was even clutching the taken of him in his hospital bed. He looked worse than Cupcake thought. He smiled hesitantly who looked at him then turned away. So far, so good, no one recognized him. The vigil was long and tedious, every time Kirk's name and/or picture came up, every single girl sighed.

Then, it finally happened, "Hey, aren't you Lieutenant Oberoff from the Enterprise?" one girl asked. He tried to deny it but soon, someone had ripped off his hat and the girls started screaming. Oberoff's well-honed Starfleet training kicked in as he fled. His hat, half his jacket and shirt, and one pant leg were gone by the time the Enterprise acceded to his demands and beamed him up.

"Couldn't you have gotten a cadet to do this?" he asked Sulu.

"I suppose, but this was much more fun!" Sulu said.

Cupcake shook his head as he handed the holo recorder off before heading out, "I need a bath."

"He's never gotten over being called Cupcake, has he?" Uhura asked.

"I'd say that's a big NO," Sulu said with a chuckle.

"How'd you rig those straws?" Uhura asked.

"He's color blind. The straw I cut was the only white one in the bunch. Everybody else knew not to pick that one."

Three weeks later they all sat in Kirk's room and watched the vigil. Kirk looked bewildered at Uhura, "I didn't know you could sing. That was beautiful. I just wish I'd been in a condition to enjoy it."

All the teenagers grabbing at Cupcake caused everybody to start laughing. "I can't believe he actually stayed that long!" Sulu said.

"I should really give him a commendation for that," Kirk paused. "I've been calling him Cupcake all this time. Does anyone know his real name?"

"Oberkoff, Uberdorf," Scotty tried to remember it.

"Oberoff," Spock, who forgot nothing, replied.

The next day Spock delivered a commendation to the Lieutenant from the Captain, it was for willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in the face of hordes of teenage girls. All thirsting for a visit from someone on the Enterprise.