Alright, Chapter 2! Sorry for not updating sooner, I have been busy. :( But thanks to anyone who reads this after so long without an update!

Disclaimer: Star Trek and all of its characters do not belong to me

The news that Jim Kirk had beaten the Kobayashi Maru by cheating spread quickly through the Academy. Soon after, the Academy board held a trial against him, led by Admiral Richard Barnett. Maddy sat in the bleachers in the hall, waiting for the hearing to begin. Kirk's prosecutor was a graduate of the Academy and a Commander. He was also a Vulcan. Maddy had met several non-humans and even a few Vulcans, and they were all as uptight and expressionless as Spock. She particularly like speaking Vulcan, it was one of her favorite languages. As Maddy watched, Spock and Kirk were arguing back and forth about the purpose and lesson taught by the Kobayashi Maru test. Suddenly a lower officer burst into the hearing. "Sir!" He exclaimed as he passed a message PADD to head of the council. The officer quickly walked out. "We have received a distress call from Vulcan. " announced the Admiral. Spock looked mildly alarmed but hid it well. In fact, she was surprised that he didn't look more worried. "Though, he is Vulcan, I suppose it would make sense for him to sustain a neutral expression." Maddy thought. She focused her attention back to the Admiral. "As our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, I hereby order all cadets to Hanger 1 to report for duty. Dismissed!" Admiral Barnett banged his gavel to dismiss the cadets. Maddy turned with everyone else and orderly filed out of the hall.

Maddy looked around the crowded hallways for Pavel as she walked briskly to Hanger 1. She jumped in surprise as someone suddenly grabbed her hand. "Pavel! You scared me!" She scolded. "Oh! Sorry Maddy! But isn't this exciting! We get to go out in space on a real mission!" She laughed and linked arms with him and Pavel happily swung around, pulling Maddie with him. "Yes! This is what we have been waiting and training for!" she said. He nodded enthusiastically. "Da! Lets go!" Pavel pulled through the groups of people who were walking the hallways towards Hanger 1.

"Chekov–U.S.S Enterprise!" Maddy let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding. She had gotten her own assignment just a few moments before, and was relieved that both she and Pavel had been assigned to the Enterprise. The commander continued to read off assignments. Maddy was excited. This was her first real mission! And she would be going with her best friend on the best ship! This was the U.S.S Enterprise's maiden voyage, to add to the excitement. Maddy was snapped out of her thoughts by the commander. "Go to your stations! Good luck!" Everyone sped off on their separate ways. Maddy joined Pavel as she and 4 others headed towards the shuttle they had been assigned. Pavel broke the nervous silence between them. "This is great, yes? We are on the same ship! And we are going on a real mission!" He was nearly skipping. Maddy broke into a grin. "Yeah. It is pretty great, isn't it?" She laughed. "Come on, lets get to the shuttle!"

Maddy was sitting in the shuttle next to Pavel, with the shuttle heading towards the loading dock in space, when she caught sight of the ships. As they neared it, she saw the 7 federation ships, including the Enterprise, in more reality than she ever had. She gaped and saw that Pavel was doing the same. "It's incredible!" she breathed. Pavel nodded. "Da. It is!" Maddy was starstruck. She had seen pictures of federation ships, and even some that were in the ship yard for repairs, but they looked really different in space. It suddenly hit her. She was in space. She, Madeline Charlotte Chase was in space. The deep cold airless vacuum of space. About to go on a real mission to a real alien planet. Millions of miles from Earth and the constant oxygen that Earth provided. Maddy had slight aviophobia. She had never really thought it through much, but she had expected much more time to get over it. But with her first mission so soon, the shock came quite suddenly and all at once. She tried not to think about suffocation or free floating in space. She started panicking. Pavel looked over at her as she almost started to hyperventilate. "Maddy, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Maddy could only shake her head. As the shuttle entered the Enterprise, Maddy was still shaking and Pavel was getting worried.

The shuttle landed and as the cadets filed out, Pavel took Maddy by the hand. "Come on. Lets go find a doctor. You seem really ill. " He lead her through the crowded corridors to the medical bay. "Doctor–oh Doctor McCoy! Maddy seems sick or something, look. She got like this when we were on the shuttle." Doctor McCoy took in the sight of Maddy's shaking form. "Maddy do you by any chance have aviaphobia?" He asked, after observing her for a few moments. Maddy gulped and meekly nodded. "Maybe a little. " she managed to get out. Bones sighed. "Hate to break this to you Ensign, but Starfleet operates in space." He turned to Pavel. "She'll be fine. Just stay with her, Chekov. She just needs to get accustomed to living in space." Pavel nodded. Doctor McCoy's expression softened a bit as he turned to Maddy. "You'll adjust. I have aviaphobia too. It's not that bad. And you have Chekov to take care of you, right?" He winked. Both Pavel and Maddy blushed. "Now go on, I have a job to do!" He shooed them out of the Medical Bay. Maddy and Pavel didn't meet each other's eyes during the walk from the Medical Bay. But every now and then one of them would glance over at the other. Finally, it was Pavel who broke the silence. "Well, we better get up to the bridge, we don't want to be late." Maddy turned to look at him, her eyes wide. "You were assigned to the bridge?" she asked. She couldn't help feel a little bit jealous. After all, they both were just Ensigns. He looked at her in surprise. "Yes. You were too. They gave our assignments when the shuttle landed." Maddy's jealousy evaporated instantly. "Oh. I must have been having my panic attack right about then." She grinned sheepishly. Pavel turned to look at her. "By the way, how are you feeling now?" he asked. "Oh, I'm feeling much better now. Thanks." Maddy replied. Doctor McCoy was right, after she had the chance to adjust a little bit, she felt much better. "Actually, we better change now." Pavel nodded. "See you on the bridge!" He said with a cheery wave. Maddy returned his wave. "See ya!"