Between Life and Fear of Death

(A/N: Notes: David Marcus' first conversation with Saavik. Set during the timeline of "The Wrath of Khan," specifically that scene when Saavik asks Kirk how he beat the Kobayashi Maru.)

"I don't like to lose", Admiral Kirk finished cheekily, taking a large bite out of his apple. Saavik had to admit, she was a little bit stung by his revelation of how he had beaten the Kobayashi Maru, the impossible test. The test you weren't supposed to succeed at. Why, Kirk himself had said, "The purpose of the test is to evoke fear in the student, to show you the way that a starship captain faces and handles a no-win situation." And, apparently, he didn't even believe in no-win situations.

David Marcus seemed to think the same thing. "I believe in no-win situations", he said. "What else am I supposed to believe, especially after today? After a crazy old maniac comes in, kills my fellow science workers, and...well, you saw it! How am I supposed to believe a win there?"

"This is different, Mr. Marcus."

"How so, Miss Saavik?"

Saavik thought for a moment. "Because. We got out alive, didn't we? We still have the strength to fight Khan, to strike back and avenge what he did. As long as we still have a chance, we still have...well, a chance."

"Well yeah..."

"One of my instructors at the Academy used to tell me that you always have a fifty-fifty chance. As long as you are willing to win, at any cost, you are just as likely to win as to lose."

"I never thought of it that way." David smiled, just a little. "You're pretty smart, Miss Saavik."

"I am no scientist, Mr. Marcus."

"Not that kind of smart. I mean you're...wise. You're smart about life, about death, about winning and losing. That kind of smart."

"Oh. Well, thank you." Saavik was rather touched.

David smiled even more. "I like that in a woman."

Saavik, knowing humans, vaguely knew what that was supposed to mean, but her logic still failed to process it. "I fail to see why you would like it any more in a woman than in a man."

David's mouth seemed to drop. "I - I just meant-" Then he started laughing. "No. No, I don't. I just...it's just a thing humans say, Saavik."

"Oh? Well, if you say so, Mr. Marcus."

"David. Please, call me David."

"David." Saavik didn't know what to say for a moment - and then she knew exactly what to say. "You are a lot like Admiral Kirk, David. All I can say of you is that you are very...human."

David laughed even more. "No one's perfect, Saavik."

End of Pt. 1