First Meetings: Kirk
It was Jim's first day free of the hospital after the whole Khan incident, and all he wanted was to get drunk and find passably pretty girl to take home with him that night. In order to keep the media, fans, or haters from mobbing him, Jim wore a hoodie jacket he borrowed from Sulu, and one of Bones' old baseball caps he nabbed from his best friend's apartment that afternoon. As he sidled up to the bar, ordered his drink, and gazed around the room to size up his options, he could not help but wonder how this night would end.
For Ariella "Ari" Mayfield, the night at the bar was just to satisfy the demands of her Felinian roommate. Kityona was humanoid female with several feline features like cat-like ears poking up through her silky smooth, waist length, black hair; slit-pupiled, bright green, slanted eyes; and a long, dexterous black tail. She had a perfect hourglass figure, flawless skin, and legs that went on for days. She was, in short, everything the guys wanted.
Ari, on the other hand, was a normal human. At 5 foot 3 inches, she was short, and while she, like Kityona, was thin, she lacked her roommate's sensual curves. Her hair, which could not decided if want to be curly or straight, also could not decide whether it wanted to be pale gold, ginger, or light brown. The resulting color was the nondescript, pale reddish-tan color of a field mouse. Her eyes also could not make up their minds on what color to be, causing them to be a muddy hazel that was somewhere between green and brown. A liberal sprinkling of freckles from hours outside working on dig sites both on and off world dusted across her nose, cheekbones, and shoulders.
Jim Kirk had just finished his first beer when Kityona and Ari drifted into the bar. He watched as the sexy Felinian wearing a deep red, sparkling mini dress, black strappy stilletto heels, and immaculate make-up and hair nearly dragged her human friend to the bar. The human did not really look like she had planned on a night on the town; she was wearing well-worn jeans, scuffed, brown, knee-length boots, and a thick, caramel colored sweater that look at least two sizes too big. They sat at the bar a seat away from Kirk.
"What can I get you, ladies?" The bartender asked.
"A Carrrrrdassian Sunrrrrrise for me," the Felinian purred, making her r's roll.
"A Sunrise for the knock-out; what about you, doll,?" the bartender looked at Ari.
"Just a club soda, please," she answered.
"Designated driver, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," she answered. "Though whether or not I'll have a passenger is yet to be seen." She sent a pointed look to Kityona. The bartender chuckled and moved get their drinks.
"What?" Kityona asked, feigning innocence.
"Oh, don't give me that, Kitty; you know exactly what." She rolled her eyes.
"But Arrrrrrrri!" Kityona pouted.
"Don't 'But Ari' me," she lighting elbowed her friend. "You know I won't stop you from doing whatever you want; I'm only here in case you get bored or turned down, I know that."
Their drinks arrived, and they sipped them. Minutes later, Kityona finish off her Cardassian Sunrise. "Arrrri, what do you-"
"Oh, go do your prowling, Kitty," Ari smiled good-naturedly. "I know you would rather do that instead of making small talk with me."
"You surrrre, Arrri?" Kityona touched her friend's arm.
"Go on, tigress" Ari lightly shoved Kityona. "Put all that work on dolling up to good use." Kityona rose, and winked at Ari over her shoulder, and disappeared into the crowd.
Jim chuckled as he silently observed them. They were like himself and Bones, except Ari, the Bones counterpart, did not openly complain so much as Bones did.
As Jim mused, Ari took a small, personal PADD from her purse, opened the latest publication of her favorite archaeology journal, and began perusing its contents as she continued to sip her soda.
He watched her try to read, sigh, then pull a pair of archaic glasses out of her purse and perch the half-moon spectacles on her nose. In the stark light of the PADD, Jim could see the freckles on her nose and cheeks. She was no beauty, but she was...cute. Quite cute, actually, with those nearly ancient-styled glasses.
"Whatcha reading?" he asked, nudging her boot with his toe.
She looked up at him, startled, then returned to her PADD. "An article on the ancient civilization on Alpha Centauri V. A recent dig uncovered the remains of an ancient temple there," she answered dryly, not looking at him.
"Didn't the people on that planet participate in ancestor worship in centuries gone by?" he asked.
"Yes, they did." She looked up slightly impressed a random guy at a bar actually knew that. "However, this newly discovered temple pre-dates ancestor worship by a thousand years."
"Wow, that really must be a find, then," Jim nodded. "The articles we read at the Academy said they had pretty much always worshipped their ancestors."
"Well, that wouldn't be the first time the Starfleet Academy was wrong about something in the history realm." she chuckled.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jim asked, now annoyed. "and what makes you think I was talking about Starfleet?"
"First of all, in the grand scheme of things, what other academy is there?" she answered frankly.
"Touché," Jim nodded.
"Secondly, Starfleet is all about science and space exploration; history isn't exactly its strong suite."
"And I take it you know a thing or two about history?" Jim replied.
"Well, I certainly hope so," she said wryly. "Otherwise, that article of mine the Journal of Xeno-Archaeology and Anthropology published is complete hog-wash."
Jim shook his head in wonder. "You're a published historian?"
"An archaeologist, yes," she answered. "I have a doctorate in both xeno-archaeology and xeno-anthropology." She held out her hand. "Doctor Ariella Mayfield."
" Jim." He took her hand, then paused. "Wait, Ariella Mayfield, as in the one who found the Epgytian-style pyramids and temples on Lamba Zeta IV and connected the names mentioned in the ruins as ancient gods and goddesses? That Ariella Mayfield?
"Yes, I see you read my article," she answered. "What do you study at the Academy?"
"I studied in the Command and Tatical tracts."
"So, you've already graduated. Can't see a officer reading history magazines for fun."
"Gotta keep up with the extra-terrestral developments somehow," he grinned. "Believe it or not, what you guys do on other planets can dictate my next mission."
"Oh?" Ari raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah," Jim nodded. "In fact, the Explorer was sent out to Lamba Zeta IV not long after your article was published."
"I see," she replied. "Maybe they're starting to smarten up."
"Excuse me?" Jim sputtered.
"A people who doesn't know its history, Jim, is doomed to repeat it," Ari said. "We're just trying keep history from repeating itself when we insist you kiddos pay attention in history class."
Just then, Kityona returned. "Who's your friend, Arrrrrrri," she trilled with mischievous gleam in her large cat-like eyes. She slinked into the seat between Jim and Ari, sending him a seductive grin.
Jim flashed the gorgeous Felinian his trademark "Hello, Beautiful" grin. "Name's Jim," he answered.
"He's a Starfleet officer who reads history journals in his spare time," Ari added conversationally.
"Oh? So he's smarrrrt as well as handsome and brrrrrave," Kityona purred, leaning closer to Jim.
"I actually do a lot of different things in my spare time, Miss Kitty," Jim grinned back.
"Actually, I prefer to be called Yona," Kityona said, "Something my Arrrrrri always forrrgets."
"Oh, you know you love me anyway, Kitty," Ari piped up abscently as she returned to her PADD. She knew when Kityona had her sights set on someone.
"Yona, then," Jim conceded. "What are you drinking, Yona?"
Kityona put her elbows on the bar and lean even closer. "You'rrrre smarrrt; why don't you take a guess?" she countered slyly.
After that, Jim and Kityona each had a shot of whiskey before leaving for Jim's apartment. However, as they left, he stole one last glance at Ari. She was just as she was before he spoke to her. With her PADD in one hand, and the other hand subconsciously playing with her chin length, dirty reddish-blonde hair, she intently read with her half-moon glasses perched on her nose, occasionally sipping her soda. She sat turned slightly with one elbow on the bar. She was not classy or sensual, she was practical, comfortable, genuine.
The next morning, when he woke to an empty space where Kityona had been the night before, it was not the sexy Felinian or his interactions with her Jim comtemplated. It was the little mousey haired human with passion for her field shining from her hazel eyes, honest words falling from her tongue, and on her freckled nose, the oldest set of glasses he had ever seen.
Kityona is one of those feline girls seen in Into Darkness. I don't know what that species is called so I made a name up.
Review? Please?
Please check put my poll and cast your vote. There's a tie right now, so let your votes be known!