First day

Kirk woke up to the sound of the automated voice announcing the time in clipped tone. It was 4:45 AM and he was supposed to start his day. He considered for a moment ignoring the voice but then reluctantly threw off the thermal blanket and walked across the room to where the alarm-clock was repeating its message. As soon as he was in range, the device scanned his eyes and the alarm went off - to sound again in 24 hours.

He stretched and peered out his window to look over the bay. His part of the room was one of the lucky few which had a view. The flip side being it was a corner narrow room with an awkward architecture due to being housed under the building's machinery room. It was tucked away in the farthest section of the building. This room was L shaped and the shared bathroom was situated between the two tiny bedrooms. He had been told most of the times the room remains unassigned. Sharing a room with another cadet was his only real worry before coming to StarFleet. His nightmares and his dark past wasn't something Kirk wanted anyone else to ever know.

His roommate was Cadet Alexai Ivanov - a shy young freckled Russian boy. He looked really young, even considering how young most of them were. They had met last evening and exchanged just a few words before the Russian had fled to his part of the room. Jim felt bad for him; the poor kid was far from his motherland.

The early dawn greeted him with white rolling fog. He could hardly see the tops of the Golden Gate Bridge. He had been warned that the weather changes every mile here. Nothing like Iowa.

He asked the room aloud what the temperature was outside. The automated voice replied "10 degrees Celsius".

He put on his running shorts and pulled on a hoodie. It was end of July, the hottest month in San Francisco but the city hardly wore summer as it was meant to be - it was chilly in mornings.

He broke into a jog as he exited his building and headed straight for the path which ran around the campus along the bay. There weren't many souls awake yet and he enjoyed the quiet grounds before the first day would start and the ground would be swamped with cadets hurrying about. He passed the groundskeeper and nodded a smile to him and soon he was running with music in his ears with the white fog all around him. The path took him away from the main campus and into a trail in a pristine section of the bay area.

After half an hour he reached a point where the trail curved up the slope in a steep grade and the other side was overlooking the water edge. He moved to the edge and stopped to catch his breath. The view would have been breath taking, he was sure, if he could have seen past the mist. Nevertheless he was happy to have something slightly similar to the Iowa wilderness to run in.

It was time to turn around but before he could step back into the trail he caught sight of a tall dark figure emerging from the fog coming down from the hills above him. The runner was covered from head to toe in black - wearing black tracks with matching black hoodie and his tight coiled muscles moved beneath the thick fabric as he ran with long graceful legs. Jim had a vision of cheetah combined with a gazelle. The guy rounded the corner at an impressive speed not breaking stride and disappeared into the white mist towards the Academy grounds. It was only the ears which gave him away from the distance Jim was at. Those pointed ears belonged to only one - Jim knew that. So, apparently he was not the only one who rose at an ungodly hour. In fact it seemed the Vulcan rose even earlier and had already completed a freaking climb up the steep hill. As Kirk made his way back, he marveled at the fact that Spock seemed to be top physical form. Kirk was extremely fit but Spock had set the bar higher.

Back in his room, he heard Ivanov was awake and just finished shower. So Jim took his turn and showered and dressed in his red uniform waited for his roomie to join him.

When the Russian appeared, Jim brightly said "Good morning! Did you sleep well?"
Ivanov mumbled "Yes. " red faced and stood awkwardly. Jim felt sorry for the boy, maybe he was homesick, maybe he had grown up with a loving family, a sheltered life. Jim would make sure to help the boy acclimatize as best as he could.
" I am going off to the cafe to eat, I thought we could go together...?"
Ivanov nodded and they walked out together. Jim tried to ask questions about the Russian's background and got monosyllables in replies. So he dropped it.

He realized they were one of the first few in the huge atrium hall. He let Ivanov go first at the food synthesizers. At his turn as he stood ordering up bacon, eggs and fries a dry voice droned behind him - "That food will make you an old man before you know it."
Jim turned and found himself looking into piercing blue eyes and a tired face of a young man few years older than himself.

" Did you mistake yourself to be my Mom?"
" Nah kid, but trust me, if you keep up with this kind of food, you will find yourself out of breath and out of those good looks before long."

" I see. " said Jim for lack of anything better and out of some sense of misplaced guilt he finished punching his order with a bowl of fresh fruit.

He walked back to the table Alexai had sat down at, sat next to him and looked up as the man ordered his own tray of disgustingly healthy oatmeal and a glass of water. Jim motioned with his hands towards their table.
" You always eat this way? " he asked as the lanky blue eyed man sat down across from him.
" I try to. "
" Why? Are you dying?"
That earned him a chuckle as the man shook his head silently glancing at Jim with a twinkle in his eyes.

" I am Jim Kirk, first year cadet. This is my roommate Cadet Alexai Ivanov. What kind of uniform is that you wearing?"

" McCoy, Leonard McCoy." the man replied " I am a doctor and I know too damn much about the body to fool myself. "

" Sweet! You are a doctor? I guess that explains the attitude. " he replied with a grin which could light up a room. In spite of the man's criticism of his food choices, he instantly liked him.
With the grin still on his face he turned towards his new roommate trying to include Ivanov into the conversation. The boy went red and choked on his porridge. Mumbling some apology, he suddenly got up and managed to say " I have a class to catch. Thanks for ...this Mr. Kirk." and without waiting for a reply hightailed out of the cafeteria. Jim stared at him puzzled. Did he unintentionally make the Russian uncomfortable?

" Well Mr. Bones, what are you doing here?" Jim turned to the doctor.
" I am not Bones." McCoy rolled his eyes but his face betrayed amusement before he continued " What do you mean what I am doing here?"
" Since you are already a doctor I am curious what brings you to the Academy" explained Jim with his insatiable curiosity on full display.

" I am here for a yearlong field prep training given my civilian background before I go on my first mission." McCoy said with a sigh.

That caught Jim's attention immediately.
" You are going to space? Which ship? Where?... Why? "
" Slow down kiddo. Did anyone tell you, you ask too many questions?" he chuckled. "Next year StarFleet is planning a mission to Dramia II to conduct a mass-inoculation program. I signed up to lead it. " he explained in a resigned voice.

" You don't sound too happy about it...What's so interesting on Dramia II" ? Jim asked eagerly.
" Yeah, let's just say space and I have a complicated relationship". The he leaned towards Kirk and said with much more enthusiasm than he had shown so far "The planet is a study in desolation; it is the outer space equivalent of "Devil's Island"-if Devil's Island were a leper colony."

McCoy stood up, his breakfast finished.
Jim stood up as well, his breakfast done except the bacon - for whatever reason he had decided to - at least pretend - eating healthy in front of his new friend.
" You have to tell me all about it tomorrow ! Man, I can't wait to go into space! " Jim said dreamily and then with a friendly pat on McCoy's shoulders he said " It was nice to meet you Bones , see you tom?"
Bones rolled his eyes again at the name but smiled back " See you tom, kiddo". And when he was almost out of Jim's earshot McCoy quipped " And go easy on poor Ivanov".
Jim looked at McCoy with surprise but the doctor was already on his way out.

Kirk's first day went pleasantly. He found most of his classes challenging enough and he liked his classmates. The girls showed extra interest in him as usual and he enjoyed that good naturedly.

In the evening when he returned to his room, he peeked into his roomie's bedroom and found him deeply engrossed in his PADD. Jim hesitated for a second but the door had been left open so he knocked politely and Ivanov looked up startled. Jim slid into the room and asked " How was your day? "
" It was not bad Mr. Kirk. "
" Hey...we are buddies... Call me Jim." he smiled with what he hoped was the right amount of tact.

Ivanov refused to meet his eyes though and started fidgeting.
So Jim soldiered on " Ummm...did you already eat? If not we can go together".
The Russian shook his head, eyes fixed downwards and said " I eat early Mr. Kirk. Thank you for asking. "
Jim sighed. The kid was either brought up in some aristocracy or for reason which Jim could not understand; he just couldn't relax in front of Kirk.
" Its Jim. Well, I am starving...so I will go and eat some. I may go for a walk later. So...goodnight then Ivanov."
Finally the slender young Russian looked up and managed to reply " I will be going out with my phriends. Goodnight...Jeem" and at that he again turned beetroot red.

As Jim left him alone, he realized with relief the boy had managed to make friends after all and so Jim really did not have to take it on himself anymore. Besides, he clearly wasn't helping!

After dinner, Kirk went for a stroll around the meticulously kept grounds. Almost every one of his classmates had gone bar hopping across the city, and some had invited him but he was really not into the whole party scene. Occasionally yes. But not regularly though he knew his looks and mannerisms caused people to assume the worst.

He was actually excited to walk to the famous Golden Gate bridge and watch the spectacular sun set. He stood over the flowing waters till the sky turned dark and he could make out the few stars above and the lights from the space docks above the city.
James T. Kirk was happy. He had finally found a place under the stars where he could be learning all he wanted and his lifelong dream was within his reach.