an: hey guys its me again! so here is chapter 2. =) im so sorry for the late update,before everything else, i would like to say a big THANK YOU! to trekki'n through who volunteered to be my beta reader (me so happy!), unfortunately this chapter you'll be reading isn't corrected yet so you might encounter a lot of grammatical errors ( so sorry in advance), but i promise that as soon as trekki'n through can finish correcting my chap2 il repost it right away!=D and to trekki'n through, no pressures!=D oh! and one more thing, i forgot to say this on my first chapter..p.s revised version =D

I DONT OWN ANYTHING!=D

-chapter 2-

RING! RIIIING! RIIIIIIIIIIIN-

Stupid alarm! Selene hastily reached out to slam her hand on the innocent device on her night stand. She came home at around 0300, drunk and then passed out on her bed in the same clothes she had worn last night. She slowly opened her eyes to acquaint herself on her surroundings...yep! Got home safely. She looked to her left to see Rio passed out as well, although the girl did manage to change into her pajamas. Damn! I was more drunk than I thought!

Suddenly, a thought hit her and everything came rushing back to her mind millions miles per minute...Shit! The assembly! The starship assignment! She shot a swift glance at the clock that been trying to wake her up since four in the morning.

0545...fuck! Damn that snooze button!

Throwing the sheets back, she quickly jumped from her bed to Rio, who was laying her stomach, and roughly shook her up.

"Rio! Get up! We're late!" She shouted as she started to pick up uniforms and clothes thrown around the room. This is the reason why I packed early, so I don't have to to do it the last minute! She thought, sarcastically.

"Five more minutes..." Rio muttered into her pillow.

"We don't have five more minutes, missy! Get your ass up and start changing and packing! The assembly is in fifteen minutes and we're still in our night clothes!" Selene shouted as she yanked her roommate's blanket completely off the bed.

"FUCK!" Rio shouted as she also joined in the chaos that was taking place in their room. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"

"Hey, I'm not one who wanted to be out all night partying!" Selene countered while picking up her clothes stuffing it into her bag. She then picked her uniform up from the floor and dashed into their bathroom.

"We don't have time to take a bath, Selene! Change into your uniform and suck it up! Let's go! We still have half round the campus to run to get to the shuttle hanger. We don't have anymore time!" Rio shouted, hopping on one foot while pulling her boot on the other.

"Alright! Alright! Shit!" Selene said, running from the bathroom. She hastily pulled on her boots, grabbed her duffle bag from the floor, and dashed from room, all the while dragging a whining Rio behind her.

"And so, with great pleasure, I congratulate you once again for surviving four years in the Academy, but you all know that this is just the beginning of the adventure that is waiting for you among the stars. Always do remember that you are not always on exploratory missions but rescue and survival missions as well. Look after one another and enjoy your lives as ensigns. I'll break you up into teams where you find your officers and receive your starship assignments. Your captains are already informed of your assignments and commanding officers awaiting for you're beaming aboard their ship. Good-luck!"

"Shit! Roy just finished his speech. We're fucked!" Rio said as they briskly walked into the hanger. Selene was close behind her, trying to tie her hair into a decent ponytail.

"You know, I wasn't planning on meeting my first captain and commanding officer looking like I was just ran over by a truck." Selene hissed, trying to discreetly find her place in the assembly of ensigns.

"There is always a first time for everything, missy. Maybe if your lucky, you'll get a hot guy for a captain." Rio smirked.

"There is always a 'hot guy' in your every retort, Rio." Selene rolled her eyes.

"Hey! We got here smooth and quiet; no one even noticed we're late-there is still reason to celebrate." Rio quickly scanned the area where her line formation should have been.

"Psst! Selene! Over here!" a male voice hissed.

"Mike!" Selene looked up to see her other friend standing a little ways away.

"Rio, I have to go! I'll see you later, before we board the spacecrafts." Selene shouted over her shoulder, briskly walking in the direction of Mike.

"Where were you? I tried to stop over at your dorms to wake you up, but then I got the impression you were out last night, as of the rest of the people in here. Besides, they wouldn't let me in—no male visitors allowed." Mike said, glancing over at Selene, who looked like she just rolled out of bed.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry; its the damn alarm clock." Selene said, dejectedly.

"Ah! Ms. Isabel and Ms. Hale, so glad you could join us. It's an honor that you found some time in your busy schedule to finally grace us with your presence." Roy, their On-Ground Commanding Instructor said, coming up to them.

"Sorry, sir. It won't happen again." Selene said hanging her head. She shot a glance at Rio who also wore the same stance. She tried to hide the smile on her face, attempting not to laugh at their predicament.

"I certainly hope not. I've already sent out your LOI's to your commanding officers on your respective starships; your captains are already informed of your tardiness as well. Your LOE's are expected to be submitted within 48 hours. Are we clear on this one ladies?" Roy said with the stern voice they were all used to hearing.

"Yes, sir." both of them dully answered.

"I doubt you grandfather, Admiral Pike, will be very happy to hear this." Roy added, enjoying the moment to taunt Selene.

"I know, sir, and I apologize once again." Selene said, trying to hide the irritation in her voice. She never really understood why the guy hated her. Ever since he found out about her relation to an admiral, it had been like that. She always figured the reason was that Roy thought that just because she was so close with Pike, that she could get away with anything, but that was not the case. She always insisted on keeping the relation to her grandfather a secret, not wanting to give the people the wrong impression that she got accepted into the Academy because of her connections. She worked hard and accepted punishment if needed, just like everybody else. Although what she didn't understand is why this Commander had insisted to rub it in on her whenever he got the chance to. The thought just irritated her.

"Again, I'll break you into teams and from there, you will start your assignments. Good luck." Commander Roy finally said, breaking Selene out of her thoughts.

"God, I hate that guy." Selene muttered under her breath.

"And that's the reason he has a title and we're just ensigns." Mike said, laughing. Both turned, looking for their officers-in charge to assign them into their starships

"Rodriguez, USS Gandhi; Featherland, USS Zhukov; Hale, USS Clement; Diaz, USS Clement; Donn, USS Kearsage; Isabel, USS Enterprise; Luster, USS Enterprise..." the officer droned on for the rest of the ensigns' starship assignments

"USS Enterprise?" Selene said to herself. She had known all about the history of the starship and of the events that took place with it involving her own grandfather, but never in her four years in the Academy did she ever expected to be assigned in it.

"Selene! USS Enterprise? The USS Enterprise? Wow!" Mike esclaimed after hearing of his friend's ship assignment. Everybody knew about the Enterprise and everybody was more than wiling to give a limb just to be on it. The stories they heard about it, the stories about its crew members. They all knew that whoever comprises the Enterprise was one of the best, and were all considered heroes as well. After the threat to United Earth, not too long ago, they knew that to be part of a starship as prestigious as that one was truly an honor.

"Yeah, that vessel..." Selene trailed still trying to figure out how and why she was assigned to the infamous starship.

"What do you mean 'that vessel'? It's 'The Vessel', Selene! The one that everybody is dying to get onto and we're just the two people lucky to have it! Imagine the people we're going to meet up there. Commander Spock, Communications Officer Uhura –who I heard is very hot—and of course—Chief Medical Officer Doctor McCoy! " Mike said, excitedly.

"I know Mike, but you're also forgetting about the reputation its famous for-hmm?-not actually following orders." Selene countered.

"So, who is? Even you have had your own share of breaking rules and not following orders. I personally think its cool to be part of a starship who follows their own instinct than stupid orders." Mike said with silly smile plastered on his face. He knew he had already won this conversation.

"Okay, you win." Selene said, turning her head around looking for her blonde friend who seemed to have disappeared.

"Selene!" Rio said, waving her hand in the air.

"How is it that you just show yourself in time, every time I come looking for you?" Selene strolled up to her friend.

"Pure talent." Rio dryly said while rolling her eyes.

"So what starship were you assigned to?" Selene asked.

"USS Clement. You?"

"USS Enterprise." Selene said, her voice a little lower.

"Oh my God! Are you serious?" Rio exclaimed.

"Shh...keep it down, the last thing I need is for Commander Roy to blow up my cover by announcing to the crew they'll be having Admiral Pike's granddaughter coming on board!" Selene hissed.

"Oops. Sorry didn't think of that. But seriously, the USS Enterprise? How lucky can you get? Oh, wait—you're the Admiral's grandchild." Rio said, just gave her friend the best death glare she could muster.

"Okay, I'm sorry. But really, don't you think Commando has already told them?"

"No, I don't think so. He won't get anything by divulging that info about me."

"Got a point. But back to reality Selene—you know I'll really miss you. Call or send me a message any chance you get, ok? I don't think I'll ever get used to not seeing your gorgeous face around. We'll be, like, lightyears away from each other." Rio frowned.

"Don't worry; I'll call you every chance I get." Selene said hugging her friend. "You be careful out there, ok?"

"Yeah, and you be careful too, Princess Pike." Rio countered, laughing.

"Hey—!"

"Ensigns, to your designated spacecrafts please. ETD, 30 minutes." a speaker boomed, cutting throughout the hanger as everybody said their good-lucks to their friends—they probably wouldn't see them in a while.

"That's our cue." Selene said, unwrapping arms around her friend.

"Yeah. Oh before I forget, do me a favor, will ya? " Rio asked.

"Sure; what's it's about?"

"Call me as soon you get beamed on the Enterprise and call me to confirm if Captain James T. Kirk is really the hottest captain they have on this side of the Federation." Rio said smiling

"Captain James who...?" Selene said, looking puzzled.

"Seriously? You've been in this Academy for four years and you've never heard about The Captain James T. Kirk? Have you been living under a rock?" Rio asked shocked that her friend had no idea who she was talking about. She thought the girl really was insane, although she had to admit her friend didn't do anything aside from studying and partying and keeping her records clean incase her grandfather find the time to go snooping around her files, but the girl really did not have any idea about the said captain of the Enterprise. Selene shook her head, indicating she still had no idea who Rio was talking about.

"You know what, I'm not even going to tell you. If he really is what they say he is, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." Rio said, smiling deviously. Selene knew that smile a mile away.

"Rio what are you planning again in that little blonde head of yours?"

"Nothing—gotta go, bye Selene! Don't forget to write and take a bath!" Rio shouted while running towards her spacecraft. Selene briskly walked the opposite way while sticking her tongue at her friend. She climbed atop the steel staircase leading to the cabin door of her spacecraft.

"Last name?" the ground agent asked, who was holding a glass touch screen pad, confirming the boarding ensigns.

"Isabel."

"First name?"

"Selena." as soon she said her name, the ground agent immediately looked up from his glass pad to stare directly into her.

"Hmm, you know you guys really have the resemblance, I can see it now." he commented, while checking something into his glass pad. Selene waited for him to finish, irritation slowly creeping into her veins. She hated it that people would always have this look about them whenever they'd find out about her relation to her grandfather; it was always the she'll-never-make-it look or I-know-why-she-was-accepted-into-the-academy look. She hated it when people would always judge her right away based on who she is related to, and what his grandfather was capable of doing because of his rank.

After a long silence, he finally nodded to her to go inside the craft. Stomping to her seat, she saw Mike already sitting across from her.

"So why the long face?" Mike asked sensing the shift in mood of Selene from her happy mood a few moments ago when she was with Rio.

"Nothing...I'll just miss her and I am a little nervous. I can't believe we're really on our way to a real starship this time." Selene answered.

"Yeah I know what you mean. Finally some real action, not some highschool/daytime drama shit we've been having back at the Academy."

Selene laughed at her friend's comment; sometimes people do get a little dramatic back when they were still cadets, remembering all the high school drama they had to face to pass every written and oral test, simulation exams and combat training, just to get where they are today, sitting inside a spacecraft heading to their own starship.

"We are about to close the main cabin door, all ground personnel please disembark; flight crew please standby." a commander announced through the PA system. As soon the doors were closed, they could start to feel the spacecraft shift; everybody started pulling on their seatbelts for their safety support.

Selene following suit by pulling on her shoulder harness and fastening her seatbelt before the spacecraft reved on full throttle for outer space.

"Ensigns, prepare for departure." the commander once again announced, indicating they are seconds from lifting. Two single chimes were heard before the feel of take off took hold and everybody held on to their seats.

Selene chose to close her eyes enjoying every feeling of taking off, finally leaving the four walled campus she has grown accustomed to. Excitement, fear and nervousness gripped her—in all honesty, she did not really know what to expect upon boarding the starship. Will the people up there be nice? Will they like her? Will she be able to perform her duties well? And what will the people there expect of her?

So many emotions and thoughts running through her that it took Mike a hard nudge to her foot to get her attention.

"Hmm. What?"

"Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?" Mike asked, gesturing to the glass window to her left. Turning her head, Selene saw the vast beauty before her that was the universe.

"Wow." Selene breathed.

"Ensigns, prepare for arrival. ETA sixteen minutes to loading docks." the commander announced.

"That was fast," Mike commented, turning his head to the direction of the window and what caught his eyes was something he'll never forget for the rest of his life.

"That's the Federation HQ?" he asked.

"More like a floating Federation city if you asked me." Selene countered. The Federation starship was bigger than they have imagined. It was a lot more different than the holograms that they were used to seeing during the lectures back at the academy. A Starfleet starship that holds 800 crew members was big on its own but looks like a toy next to the Federation HQ starship. It has numerous loading docks on the left side, the bridge at the top center of the craft looked like a separate flying saucer surrounded with glass all around. The more they got closer to it, the more the starship became bigger and bigger. Sooner than they expected, they heard the loud thump and locking noise of their spacecraft docking into place into the massive HQ starship.

"Opening cabin doors." the computer announced, signaling they have safely docked, and were ready to be transported.

As soon as the doors were opened, everybody started to pile out of the spacecraft and onto their respected lifts taking them into the sickbay for decontamination before heading into the transporter center for beaming.

"Did you know that the decontamination process would be so painful?" Mike asked while walking along side Selene. He was currently scratching his left arm which was itching badly. Also, it was starting to become red and inflamed.

"Tell me about it. The vaccines they insisted on giving us sure was painful; I don't think my liver can take anymore drugs." Selene said massaging her neck by the jugular vein were they injected numerous vaccines. She figured there had be one for every disease known in this universe.

They boarded the lift and continued on the search of the transporter center. As soon as the doors were opened, they continued their way down the hall and rounded up a corner were they found the doors opened to reveal the transporter pad. They were just in time to see three ensigns beamed onto their starship. Bands of lights surrounded each ensign, making each of them instantly disappear from the transporter pad seconds after start up.

"Wow." Mike and Selene said in unison.