Cupcake

Chapter Four

During their time at The Academy, Hendorff's life interacted with Cadet Uhura's in the way that student's usually do…on occasion they studied together, were assigned to joint projects together. It was a fact that there was a lack of really personal interaction with Cadet Uhura for she did not view him in any way measuring his adoration of her.

In his mind, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She was brilliant, talented, pleasant to all, and apparently, unattainable. He never saw her paired with anyone except her roommate an Orion, who in contrast with 'his cadet', spread herself thin in areas of pairings. His roommate Lee just happened to be one of her 'regulars'.

He had no idea of how he could approach her. Just looking at her left him 'tongue-tied' and his brain devoid of intelligent thought. He dreamt about her, some of these were quite inappropriate, but he was after all a Terran male with a healthy body, and unfulfilled desires. He noticed other females eyeing him, wondering about him, but he thought to himself how such a relationship would be like dust in his mouth, when what he wanted was the 'gourmet meal', Nyota Uhura.

He was standing next to her as they read the announcements posted on the board…

To: All Star Fleet Cadets

From: Captain Christopher Pike

MEMO

I HAVE SCHEDULED RECRUITMENT DRIVE. TO INDICATE YOUR INTEREST, FILE AN APPLICATION BY THE END OF THIS WEEK. DETAILS WILL BE FORWARDED TO THOSE SELECTED.

With her PAAD held alluringly against her breasts, where of course, he wished he could lay his head, he looked down at her and asked,

"What do you think?"

"It would look good on our school records…"

He seized on the opportunity for further association by saying,

"Let's download them now."

Pointing to a bench to his left he said,

"We can sit and fill them out over there."

He had never sat this close to her; her perfume was perfect, light and airy just as he visualized her like a whisper on the wind.

Both of them had their finger raised to send their applications at the same time and looking at one another they both sent off their applications at the same time and smiled.

The best way Hendorff could explain their relationship was they were pals. There was easiness about this relationship…it allowed him to be close to her, to even protect her if necessary. In his heart of hearts he wished such an opportunity would present itself. He would wish that she could in some small way view him as her hero, her savior, perhaps he could build on that. That thought emboldened him to search for opportunities to carry out that plan.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

On the shuttle to the shipyard they sat together and his heart stopped when in her sleep, her head lowered to his shoulder. He exhaled a shuttering sigh.

'Man, she smelled so good.'

She repositioned her body so she had her arms around his biceps and he thought for certain he would lose it right there in the shutter. His bubble burst when she opened her eyes and registered shock,

"Oh Hendy, I am so sorry. I must be really tired to have invaded your personal space like that."

She started brushing off his uniform sleeve as she said,

"Good as new. I would have been thoroughly disgusted with myself if I had messed up your uniform with my drool."

His mind screamed,

'No it is not good as new—my dream was to have you do that willingly, consciously.'

But his mouth said,

"No problem."

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

The recruitment drive was a success. As a Communication major Uhura was all over the exhibit, engaging in animated conversations with Terrans and other species. He noticed the eyes of some of the applicants eyeing various parts of her anatomy and he fought to suppress his anger.

The bad part was she appeared to be so dedicated to her task that she was unaware of the unwelcome attention. After the last session the cadets made their way to the local dinner/bar to eat or drink as the case might be.

It was while inside the establishment he became aware of a situation that might be able to elevate him in her eyes. He gathered the males that were at his table, which included Lee and made their way to the bar where he found Nyota in an almost one way conversation with a 'local'. He was sort of skinny guy who might have had a little too much to drink,

He inquired,

"Is this 'townie' bothering you?"

She assured him,

"Nothing I can't handle."

Then this blond kid had the nerve to address her statement,

"You could certainly handle me, that's an invitation."

Rage rose in his chest as he accosted the poorly dressed fellow.

The fellow then patted his check and told him that it was just a joke. That was bad enough but then he addressed him, as as 'Cupcake'. His rage boiled over. Hendorff mentioned that he had backup, the total number was six. The fresh mouth kid then told him he needed reinforcements. It was a challenge and fists started flying. Unbelievably this kid could hold his own, but once his 'buds' held him he was able to deliver some really well-directed blows.

He heard Nyota's pleas,

"Enough, he has had enough."

But instead of stopping Hendorff slammed the taunting youth's body onto a table and continued his assault on his face. In his 'hero' mode he was oblivious to Uhura's pleas and then came the piecing sound of the captain's whistle and then the command,

'Out of here, all of you.'

As they scurried toward the exit there were cries of, 'I just ordered a drink', I haven't finished my drink', etc., etc. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the captain go over to the table and look into the face of the blond and then assist him to a seat.

Hendorff wondered, 'Did the captain know the person he and his buds had just beat the…..This did not look good for him and his friends.'

Secondly, he had noticed the look of repulsion on Nyota's face as she viewed the townie's bloodied face and he wondered if in his pursuit to be her 'hero' he had carried it much too far. Was she repulsed by the young man, or his condition...one that had been brought about by his personal onslaught?

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0

Kronos...

Captain Kirk handed them clothing and told them to 'suit up'. This was going to be a great gamble. Kronos, surrounded by Klingons and finding this Harrison person.

Hendorff remained in shock after Commander Spock had allowed all those onboard to witness the most bizarre conversation between him and Uhura. She accused him of being suicidal and not loving life. How would she know that? Then she brought up the subject of the volcano on that doomed planet, stating he had felt nothing…as she said, 'about us'. Her words were like a kick in the gut. Us! Us! Nyota and that Vulcan male were addressing one another and for a Vulcan in the most intimate of terms, in a public setting. Commander's Spock assurance to her was that he did indeed care for Nyota…deeply. Cupcake's head was reeling.

How could he compete with what the commander could offer her? What could he offer her that could challenge her intellect, her advancement, feed her curiosity about the 'unknown'? His life's dream was shattered, but his estimation of her was in no way lessened, she still was his friend and he would give up his life in her defense if that was ever necessary.

`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`0`

These memories came to Hendorff's as he lay with his head in Uhura's lap… on a bloodied battlefield. His security team's effort to rescue Uhura had proved successful and her tears fell on his face and then her lips touched his cheek, and her hair fell like a curtain across his face.

"Hendy, Oh Hendy," she sobbed. Her shoulders were shaking with her racking cry, one of his hands were upon his blooded chest, the other at her face.

He whispered, with a wry smile,

"This is the end of a beautiful friendship."

Hendorff's last thoughts were,

'His detailed rescue plan had worked perfectly, Nyota was safe and maybe in some recesses of her mind she would regard him as her hero, so this sacrifice was worth it, she was safe.

His last movement was to grasp her hand and kiss it.

A/N:

I did some research on Hendorff at Star Trek Alpha and the final posting about him was that he was killed by a Klingon wielding a batileth (Klingon weapon). Although Kronos turned out to be a battle with the Klingons, it was not the Star Trek crew that owned the battle, it was Khan. So, in my AU, this event, (Hendorff's death) took place at another time.