Hello everyone, thank you so much for reading, favoring, alerting, and reviewing.
As always the characters and worlds belong to the creators and owners. I own Charlie.
Please Read and Review!
Charlie had arrived to the shuttle before Kirk or Spock and had seated herself in the second row. The reports on the attacks had been filtering in and she was currently hunched over her padd trying to analyze the information and find something that had been missed. Anything that could give her the edge over Khan, Marcus, or even Kirk would be needed.
Khan and Marcus were her enemies, but Kirk was the unknown. Charlie couldn't get a good read on him and how he would react when all the pieces of the puzzle were finally revealed. He was a true believer in what Starfleet stood for and to have those ideals tarnished by Marcus, his superior and someone he was supposed to be able to trust, would force him to choice what kind of Captain he would be. The arrogant, playboy mask he wore could fool a lot to people, but Charlie knew that behind the mask lay intelligence, compassion, loyalty, and moral compass of what's right and wrong. Charlie had read about what he had done to become the Captain of the Enterprise, provoking Spock into a confrontation and using Spock's very nature against him, while not the smartest plan in the universe, it served a purpose. Kirk did not use Amanda Grayson's death against Spock just to be cruel and just take control, but prove a point and make the call that no one had the courage to do, face Nero head on in a battle that was impossible to win. But look what happened and what was accomplished: Earth was saved; Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise were beginning their adventure.
Yes, Kirk was the wild card and Charlie would have to be careful.
The reports Charlie had spent the last few hours reviewing were the standard bullshit that Starfleet put out when they didn't know how or why something had occurred. Charlie quickly scrolled through the meaningless lines of dialogue, all saying the same thing: we don't know why or how it occurred, but Harrison successfully attacked two important and strategic points of Starfleet and managed to escape. She was looking for what Marcus didn't want to be seen or found, the missing pieces of information and classified portions of the reports. Charlie rolled her eyes that the Starfleet security software Marcus had his secret little minions create; she could break the code in less than a minute, but why waste her time when she could just use Marcus's personal code and password.
The reports held no new information that would help in Charlie's quest to stop Khan and Marcus. She was just about to hack the Section 31 mainframe when she was interrupted.
"Excuse me."
Charlie glanced up from her padd to see who had broken her concentration: male, tall, dark hair, science officer by his blue uniform, and focus in medicine by the med-kit he held under him arm.
Charlie shifted allowing the man to pass. He sat two seats over and placed his med-kit between them, pulling out a scanner and leaning forward between the seats in the next row.
It was then that Charlie realized that shuttle had begun to fill with other occupants and her new Captain and First Officer were sitting in front of her.
The man next to her continued his scans, replacing one instrument to pick up another. He obviously knew Kirk, as the blond Captain shot him a look of annoyance but didn't stop him.
Charlie found the interplay between Kirk and Spock fascinating. One dictated by logic the other by instinct. One reserved the other bold. One following his head, the other following his heart.
Charlie could see that their friendship was still forming; they were still trying to understand each other. They were completely opposite from one another but were two sides of the side coin, they just couldn't see it yet.
Spock was currently reminding Kirk that no man should be executed without a trial, even if his guilt was obvious. Charlie wondered which side Kirk would win out, the need for revenge or the need for justice.
"Bones, get that thing off my face."
Charlie grinned and then realized who was sitting next to her. The famous Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, another important piece to the Enterprise family and the only man who could balance Spock and Kirk's need to goad one another while keeping them on task. While Charlie wasn't a medical doctor she had great respect for Doctor McCoy and his accomplishments, plus dealing with Kirk for 4 years at the Starfleet Academy and then having to deal with both Kirk and Spock, anyone who could do that and survive almost mentally stable was a walking saint as far as Charlie was concerned.
There was movement at the entrance of the shuttle and Charlie caught a glimpse of blond hair and a blue science uniform and began cursing under her breath in every language known to man and a few that weren't. Charlie couldn't believe that Admiral Marcus would send his own daughter on a suicide mission; the man had reached an all time low.
"Captain Kirk?"
If Charlie hadn't been so pissed off she would have found it funny that at two simple words all males in the shuttle turned to face the pretty blond. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy were no exception. What came out of the woman's mouth shocked Charlie and secretly pleased her as well, not that she would ever tell anyone that.
"Science Officer Wallace, I've been assigned to the Enterprise by Admiral Marcus."
Well hell, seems daddy doesn't know his pride and joy was sneaking out and taking a joy ride around the galaxy with the universe's biggest playboy. Charlie was sure she was grinning like a mad woman, oh if she could see Marcus's face when he found out what Carol had done.
Though Carol had probably just made her day, that didn't mean that Charlie would let the woman off the hook. Charlie knew exactly why Carol was trying to get abroad the Enterprise and she would be having a little chat with her as soon as they were alone.
"These are my transfer orders."
Charlie rolled her eyes she could just imagine the look on Kirk face as he reviewed the orders.
"You requested an additional science officer, Captain?"
Charlie could have sworn she heard a little bit of hurt in Spock's question but she was probably just imagining things.
"I wish I had."
Ah, there was the famous Kirk bravado and wit.
"Lieutenant Carol Wallace, doctorate in applied physics, specializing in advanced weaponry."
Charlie would have laughed if it wouldn't have drawn attention, Carol looked very uncomfortable with Kirk reading her credentials, and Spock and McCoy were both leaning forward trying to see if they could get any more information.
"Impressive credentials."
Charlie could almost hear some respect in Spock's words.
"Thank you."
"But redundant now that I am back aboard the Enterprise."
And who said Vulcans couldn't be jealous or arrogant.
"And yet the more the merrier, have a seat Doctor."
Charlie could hear the unease in Kirk's words, seems that her new Captain wasn't as trusting as he may seem. Good, though Charlie, that will help keep us all alive a little longer.
Carol sat between the two men and Charlie just rolled her eyes, this was going to be a long mission, between Kirk and Spock and between Kirk and Carol. Charlie just hoped they would stay on mission long enough to stop whatever Khan and Admiral Marcus had planned.
Please Review!