"Five Klingon Warbirds decloaking and ready to fire." Said Remus. James merely shrugged and made himself for comfortable in his chair.
"Don't worry about it." Said James. The other cadets looked up from there consoles at him with shock and disbelief.
"Are you ok?" asked Sirius looking at him strangely.
"Yeah." Said James. "Don't worry about."
Behind the mock bridge the other tester commanders muttered along themselves, "Is he serious, is he even taking this simulation seriously?"
"Warbirds are targeting us." Said Sirius,
"That's fine." Said James.
"Three more Warbirds decloaking and targeting our life support systems." Said Sirius looking at James with a concerned expression.
"But, I suppose that isn't a problem either." Said Sirius. James smiled and span around in the captain's chair.
"You're right, it isn't." he said.
"Warbirds are firing sir." Said Remus, on the screen in front the simulation was showing a Warbird firing a photon torpedo. "I guess that's alright to." He said turning to look at James who merely nodded.
"Alert Medical bay to receive all crew members from the stricken ship." Said James pointing at a random female cadet who actually had quite a nice arse, he'd probably get her to come back to his quarters later.
The blonde turned round, "And how do you expect us to rescue them when were surrounded by Klingons?"
"How do you expect us to rescue them when were surrounded by Klingons…Captain." Said James with a grin. "Oh, and alert medical." The blonde made a derogative noise and turned back to her console.
"Shields are at 60%." Said Remus,
"I understand." James rummaged into his bag and pulled out an apple and took a huge bite.
"Well…shouldn't we, I don't know, fire back?" asked Sirius.
"No." said James through a mouth full of apple.
"Of course not." Said Sirius in a lofty voice. The console suddenly went static, the screens went blurry and the red alert siren died down with the light flashing, everyone looked around to see where it was coming from, everyone except James. The simulation then began to run again and the red alert siren blaring out.
"Hmmm, prepare Photons to fire on all enemy ships." Said James confidently.
"And how are we supposed to do that when there shields are still up?" asked Sirius.
"Are they?" Sirius looked down at his console, a surprised look on his face.
"N-no." he stammered, "There not?"
"Fire on all enemy ships!" said James, he turned to Remus. "One photon each should do let's not waste ammunition."
"Target locked and acquired." Said Remus not quite believing it himself. "Firing now." Everyone in the room looked on in disbelief as the simulation showed photons being shot at the Warbirds which blew up. James fired a fake gun at the screens as they blew up as the rest of the make shift crew looked on in awe.
"All-all ships destroyed." Said Remus,
"All ships destroyed, captain." Said James with a smug smile and getting to his feet. "So, we successfully saved the enemy ships, rescued everyone on board, without anyone getting injured, and the recovery of the USS Kobiashi Muru is now underway." He looked up at the assessor's window. One of them turned round.
"How the hell did that kid beat your test?" he asked seriously.
"I do not know."
"This session has been called to settle a troubling matter." Said Admiral McGonagall. The whole lecture theatre was full with the murmurs of other cadets. "James Potter, step forward please." James looked around and stood up and made his way towards the small podium at the front of the lecture theatre.
"Cadet Potter, evidence has been submitted to this council that are in direct violation of the Ethical code of conduct relating to regulation 1743 of the Starfleet code." James stood at the podium readying himself, mentally preparing his defence.
"Is there anything you'd like to say before we begin?"
"Yes, I feel I have the right to face my accuser directly." Said James. Admiral McGonagall looked over towards one of the commanders and nodded. James turned to face them to see who stood up. From the very end a red headed girl got to her feet. James instantly felt to breath and hunger to fight leave him. She was drop dead gorgeous, her long red hair which was loosely curled framed her face which housed bright green eyes that where eyeing him as she walked down towards the podium to his left. Her black commander uniform hugged her body which projected her confident walk towards him. She stood in the pulpit next to him, she looked at him briefly, then face the front and moved some stray hair behind her ear.
"This is Commander Evans." Said Admiral McGonagall. "She is one of our most distinguished graduates. She has programmed the Kobiashi Muru Exam for the last four years." James afforded another look at her. "Commander."
"Thank you Admiral." She said, her voice was enticing, sharp but with a loving nurturing side to it.
"Cadet Potter, you somehow installed and activated a subroutine code, therefore changing the circumstances of the test." James looked down at the pulpit.
"Your point being."
"In academic vernacular. You cheated." Said Admiral McGonagall.
"Let me ask you something." Said James, "I think something we all know is true. The test it's self is a cheat, isn't it?" he asked. Evans didn't look up at him. "It's programmed to be unwinnable."
"You suggest the possibility of a no win scenario." Evans said.
"I don't believe in no win scenarios." Said James looking up at the council.
"Then not only have you violated the rules, you've failed to understand the principle lesson." Evans said.
"Please. Enlighten me?" asked James with a trace of annoyance. Commander Evans looked over at James.
"You of all people should know Cadet Potter, a captain cannot cheat death." James looked down at the pulpit.
"I of all people." He said quietly.
"Your father, Lieutenant Alec Potter, had assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, was he not?"
"Heh, how long did it take for you to look that up?" he asked not looking at her directly.
"How long did it take for you to program the virus to allow you to cheat?" she asked. Her expression never wavered.
"I don't think you like the fact I beat your test." Said James forcefully.
"Furthermore you've failed to define to true purpose of the test." She continued as if he hadn't interrupted.
"Then enlighten me again."
"The purpose is to experience fear." She said, "Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear and maintain control of one's self and one's crew." She studied him for a moment. "It is a quality expected in every Starfleet captain."
James looked away from her, beautiful as she was she had a way of getting underneath his skin, he'd only known her for less than five minutes.
What made her tick?
The debate was interrupted by someone walking into the theatre. They walked straight to Admiral McGonagall and whispered something in her ear.
"We've just received a distress call from Vulcan." She announced to the theatre, "With our primary fleet engaged in the Leretchin System, I hereby order all cadets to report to hanger one. Dismissed." With a bang of her hammer the cadets began to file out of the room. James turned his head to see commander Evans walk away. James felt Sirius pat him on the shoulder.
"Unlucky mate." He said, "For what it's worth I thought it was really clever." James wasn't listening, his attention fixated on the bob of red hair that was walking away.
"Who was that stuck up bitch?" he asked.
"I don't know, but I like her."