Nyota sighed as she entered her shared quarters with Gaila. Much to her relief, her ivy-complected best friend was home on a Friday night for a change. She was lounging on her bunk with in her typical home attire, or lack thereof, since it was usually just a frilly bra and underwear. Honestly, it's pretty great how comfortable Orion women are with their bodies and their sexuality, even if most other species find the extent alarming at first. It definitely took some getting used to on Nyota's when they first became roommates. Gaila noticed her presence after she came from behind the small partition that separated entry space from the limited living space that cadets were allowed.

"Hey, what's up?"she said warmly, smiling her characteristic broad smile.

"I'd say you don't wanna know, but we both know you do. How about you tell me how you are before I start my rant? I'm honestly surprised you're home!"

"Yeah, me too," she flipped her long auburn curls out of her face and over her other shoulder, "I was actually supposed to go on a date with this guy, but I figured that I'm just not excited enough by him to get dolled up after the bullshit that was field training today."

"I feel it! I didn't spend a single minute at the gym between semesters. Big mistake," Nyota said as she disrobed until she was in a similar state of undress and flopped on her own bunk gracelessly.

"Soooo," Gaila started, "What's got you all blah tonight?"

"Ok, so you remember how I'm lucky enough to be in another one of Commander Spock's classes this semester?"

"Hell yeah, I do. A second semester with 'Commander Hot Stuff.' You basically died of joy when you got your schedule!"

"Well, I've come up with a way to spend some more time outside of class with him," at this, Gaila leaned in further. She was definitely interested.

"Girl, I didn't think you had the balls. Making moves toward not only a commander, but a Vulcan commander," she smirked, "Couldn't have done it without me, babe. I think I'm having a good influence on you!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

"I mean, you won't be catching me with nighttime companions on the regular. You do well enough on your own,"

"But I have turned my gorgeous roommate into a fearless queen," she said proudly, "You're welcome. Anyways, out with it. What happened?"Nyota sighed.

"So after he was done teaching for the night I went in and asked if he could help me translate the teachings of Surak. We made a pretty good dent in it and then I convinced him to have dinner with me-"

"Shut up!" Gaila interrupted, gaping in mild shock, "You got him to go out with you?"Nyota nodded with a cheeky grin,

"Yup! I'm going to count it as a date even if he doesn't know we were on one… yet," she replied with a mischievous smirk. Gaila was so proud of her roommate turned best friend. She's finally going out and getting what she wants.

Took long enough, Gaila thought to herself. "Okay, so you got Commander Hot Stuff to go on a date with you, huzzah, but you're still not telling me what put you in the sour mood you came home in…"

"Oh yeah… Well guess who showed up in the middle of our dinner?"

"Who?" Gaila asked, giving her friend 110% of her attention.

"Jim fucking Kirk," she replied flatly, returning to the fuming she had come home doing, Gaila felt bad for her. Of all the people that could have crashed the "date," it had to be one of the most likeable freshman, able to charm the pants off of any girl, guy, or other he wanted, if he wanted to. Hell, she had a short fling with him last semester… Not that she would ever tell Nyota. That would be bad news. Nyota continued her rant, "and Spock didn't even think to shoo him away! Kirk just waltzed on over and took a seat with us as if he belonged there! It's kinda like I just fell off the face of the Earth, ya know? Spock was all focused on the newcomer… as if he hadn't just spent over an hour and a half alone with me. It's honestly bullshit." Nyota buried her face into her pillow in frustration. Gaila grimaced at the scene her friend laid out for her. She knew what was up. She didn't think Spock had any non-platonic interest in Nyota… Maybe that could change? If he had really just shifted his attention that easily and let Jim intrude on a more or less private outing with her gorgeous best friend… maybe, just maybe, he might be interested in him and not Nyota. She can't blame Spock, but it still made her angry because she can easily see Nyota getting herself hurt.

"I'm sorry, girl…" she moved to Nyota's bunk to perch herself on the edge and rubbed circles into her back in an effort to comfort her friend, "What are you gonna do now?"

"I don't knowww," Nyota groaned into the pillow. She was silent a while, thinking of what to do. Suddenly, she rolled onto her back and sat up quickly to face Gaila, eyes alight with determination, "I'll try harder! I am going after a Vulcan after all. I'm not gonna let one little fluke stop me from getting what I want."

"You sure you want to do that?" Gaila asked uncertainly. She didn't have a good feeling at all. Nyota got up and walked to their floor-length mirror, examining herself closely.

"Yes," she replied, "I don't know what Kirk is up to… or if he's even up to anything regarding Spock,"

No, it's the other way around. Maybe Spock is up to something regarding Kirk?, Gaila thought, eyes narrowing.

"But if he is, two can play at this game. Vulcans find intelligence attractive… I'm pretty smart. I work hard both in school," she paused, turning in front of the mirror, appraising herself from different angles, "and in the gym." The dorm's lighting bounced softly off her mocha skin. Nyota knew she was attractive. Having an Orion as a roommate and a best friend taught her to be less… human in the respect that it wasn't exactly necessary to be humble about the fact that she's probably more attractive than a lot of the female student body being tall and slender. Much like the models she saw in old Earth magazines from the 21st century. She received quite a bit of attention from the guys around here, not that she gave most of them a second glance. She had eyes only for the tall, light, and handsome Vulcan commander. We're probably the best looking set of roommates in the academy, she mused internally, looking at the buxom red-headed Orion in the corner of the reflection. Then again, she had never come across an Orion woman with anything other than a perfect body. Maybe that's why they are all so okay with wearing next to nothing when given the opportunity?

"Well, you do speak the truth there," Gaila replied, "If you still want to be part of the chase, then I say go ahead. Maybe he'll even find the fact that he's being competed over hot and it work in your favor!" She winked at her friend in the mirror. Nyota moved back toward her bunk, a new fire alight in her at her friend's words.

God, I love her! she thought proudly."It's barely past 2200 and it's Friday," she started, in a great mood, "let's out for a drink and some dancing!" Gaila beamed at this,

"I thought you'd never ask!" and hopped out of bed. The two beauties immediately started getting themselves dolled up to celebrate boldness and the new chase.