Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh. My. God. It turns out I've named my planetoid after the Croatian word for "whore". But, I mean, it kinda fits. You'll see why soon.
And you, KennaWynters, I'll have you know that I will let it slide because your review made my life. You now have my eternal gratitude, devotion, and first dibs on my first born child. Never will I allow anyone to smack you upside your lovely head.
Alright guys, here's the new chapter. I've rewritten it probably five times now and still can't seem to get it how I want it. I'm still disappointed with it, honestly. Alas, I'm tired, my vision is blurring, and I'm so I'm posting it anyways.
Thank you to everyone that has read, is still reading, or has favorited and followed this story. It means so much to me to be able to share something with you. You guys rule.
If you review, I will love you for ten times longer than forever. Think about it. That's a long time. Just throwing that out there.
xoxoxo,
K.
"We'll still talk every day," Lina promised as she stood on the tips of her toes, a gentle smile on her lips despite the tears in her azure eyes as she peered up at Leonard, finding strength in his embrace. He offered her a small smile as he dipped her head, knotting his hands in her hair as he captured her lips in a soft, lingering kiss.
"Every day," he echoed in a promise, brushing her tears away with the pad of his thumb as the organized chaos of the Savannah Shuttle Yard faded into a distant hum, the pair neither seeing nor hearing the other loved ones and well wishers that had come to see off their interns. "Even if it's only an email."
"No matter what," Lina assured him, trying her best to be strong when all she wanted to do was fall apart and have him take her home. "Every day."
"Shuttle 827 now boarding."
The monotonous, electronic alert struck the couple with its ugly truth, reminding them just how short their time together was and that it was fast coming to a close. Soon they would be separated by an unfathomable distance, the cold expanses of space between them with only video calls and emails to bide the time. Leonard crushed Lina to him, the tightening of her arms around his neck momentarily calming the panic building inside him.
Every fiber of his being wanted her to stay with him, but he knew he could never deny her her dream of interning off planet, no matter how much he needed her beside him. He hated himself for taking so long to figure out just that: he needed her. "Don't forget about me while you're living the dream, okay?" he half joked, cradling her face in his hands, "come back to me."
"Of course, I will," Lina promised as if it were the simplest thing in the world, her eyes tearing up again as the shuttle yard announced the last calls for boarding. She gripped him tighter, burying her face against his neck, finding comfort in his familiar scent. "I'll be home as soon as I can."
"I'll be right here."
A cold, emptiness settled deep in his gut as soon a Lina slipped from his arms and disappeared into the shuttle. His heart hammered painfully in his chest as he watched her go, even more so when he spotted her teary eyes through one of the shuttle's windows before it began its steady ascent.
"I love you," he admitted dumbly, knowing she could no longer hear or see him, as if the confession could somehow keep her there. It didn't, and he stayed long after the platforms cleared, long after the shuttles were out of sight. Please, he prayed to anyone listening, please, be careful with my baby.
The last day of leave before shipping out on the Enterprise passed by in a blur of last minute medical examinations and clearings for the crew and was over before Bones could turn around. Much to his dismay, the irate doctor soon found himself back in the chaotic uproar of hangar bay seven, bidding his goodbyes to his precious planet Earth.
"Five damned years," he muttered to himself as Jim and Spock joining him in navigating through the cacophonous swarm of crewman as they scrambled to board their respective shuttles.
"C'mon, Bones!" Jim clapped the grumbling doctor on the shoulder as the men boarded the officers' shuttle, that feeling of dread already building in McCoy's gut. "This is exciting!"
The shuttle itself was plain in comparison to the goliath that was the Enterprise, then again, most were. The small transport vessel contained twelve rows of seats, each comprising of three seats that faced the row in front of it so that officers could comfortably socialize on the short voyage.
"Exciting, my ass," McCoy bit back, not sharing Jim's enthusiasm, as they shuffled down the shuttle's narrow aisles, receiving various greeting and pleasantries from the other officers. Despite his unease in them, McCoy navigated the twelve rows of seats with a fervid expertise as the doctor stalked his way to his comfort zone. First row behind the cockpit, facing the rear of the shuttle, the aisle seat so that he could make a mad dash for the bathroom if need be.
"Such a mission has never been undergone before, Doctor," Spock noted mildly behind McCoy, "our feat is one of prestige."
McCoy's bitter reply died on his lips when his eyes found Lina seated in the second row closest to the cockpit with a radiant smile lighting up her face as laughter bubbled from her full lips, her small shoulders shaking in her mirth. Even in the dim light of the crowded shuttle, she was stunning; Lina was a portrait of poise in her black operative's uniform, her long golden hair drawn up in a ponytail and showing off her sculpted face. Her eyes were lined, making them looking larger and brighter than usual and they flamed like cold stars as she grinned at something Sulu said. Sulu.
The pilot sat in the window seat directly across from Lina, leaning forward in his seat a satisfied smile that whatever he'd said had resulted in Lina's harmonious laugh. A sour taste formed in McCoy's mouth as he watched them laughing and joking like old friends, only looking away from each other to greet Uhura as she sat in the seat next to Lina, hugging her tight around the neck, crossing her legs and joining in on the conversation effortlessly, clutching onto Lina's hand like young school girls at the lunch table.
Jim punched McCoy harder than necessary on the shoulder, bringing the doctor back to the present. "You gonna sit down?" Jim brushed passed McCoy with a sigh to take the aisle seat.
Only then did Bones realize he had stopped dead in the center of the aisle, causing somewhat of a traffic jam in the process.
"You seem distracted, Doctor," Spock commented lightly, following the doctor's line of sight with his scrutinizing gaze, "am I correct in assuming you have encountered Dr. Darnell before?"
"You know what they say about assuming, Spock, 'makes an ass out of you and me'," McCoy retorted with a raised brow, muttering to himself as he shuffled into the group of seats, abandoning his usual seat to plop down beside Sulu with a self-satisfied smile.
The corners of Spock's mouth tilted slightly upward, almost imperceptibly as he took the seat opposite Jim, settling in next to Lieutenant Uhura who quickly claimed the science officer's attentions.
"Mr. Sulu, I see you've met our newest addition," Jim greeted the pilot with a nod of his head, offering a polite smile to Lina, "Ms. Darnell, you excited to return to space?"
"Very much so, Captain," Lina returned his smile, straightening in her seat as she readied to fasten the restraints across her chest, exchanging a polite nod with Spock as she did so. With Sulu watching her every move, McCoy noted with narrowed eyes as he fastened his own restraints. "It's been two years too long."
"This is shuttle pilot Lawrence, we are prepared for takeoff," the pilot announced over the com, followed by a slight jostle as the shuttle lifted from the hangar, whizzing smoothly through the air on a course it had travelled many times. It wouldn't be long now.
"I was just telling Lina about the recreation room aboard the Enterprise," Sulu told them proudly, emphasizing the use of Lina's first name. "It turns out she knows her way around the fencing court."
"Only a little," Lina replied modestly, a smile in her eyes as Leonard glared murderously at an unsuspecting Sulu, "I'm much more comfortable using my hands rather than a sabre."
Stabbing Sulu with his eyes proved to be an effective distraction from the flight as the only nausea McCoy felt stemmed from the infatuation in the other man's eyes as he gazed at Lina.
As if he felt the burning rage being seared into the side of his face, Sulu glanced over to be met with the doctor's intense glare. His smile faded instantly and the pilot leaned back in his seat with a raised brow, swallowing hard, "Doctor McCoy?"
"Sulu," McCoy replied simply still eying the pilot. He had nothing against Sulu, hell, he even liked the guy. Bones sure as hell respected him. Hikaru Sulu was a good worker, didn't waste time whining, and had proven to be quite formidable in the short hour that he had been promoted to acting captain the prior year. But seeing the young pilot ogling Lina had struck something in McCoy, and though he knew that he had no right to stop Sulu from pursuing her he also knew that he sure as hell didn't have to watch it.
Lina shook her head, a knowing smile gracing her lips as she turned her gaze out the shuttle's small window. He'd always been so damned overprotective. She'd only just met the young pilot a couple of days ago at the gym when he'd complimented her advanced Krav Maga technique. They struck up conversation and she discovered he, too, was fond of fencing and antique weaponry. They're conversations had been short and innocent and yet Leonard's poorly hidden jealousy caused a blush to rise up in her cheeks.
Leonard's scrutiny of Sulu and the contented conversations of the other officers behind her faded into a distant blur as Lina gazed out the window, her breath nearly hitching in her throat as the shuttle approached the distant space station.
Space had always had a hold on Lina, calling to her with its celestial siren song ever since she could remember. Part of the lure was the unknown, the adventure of the exploration of strange new worlds hidden amongst the stars. There was a thrill in exploring its natural, untamed depths and yet the sight of the USS Enterprise docked at the station caused butterflies to rise in her belly, a stark contrast of the raw power of space surrounding the ingenuity of man.
The Enterprise itself was an engineering marvel. At 674.4 meters long, the Enterprise was powered by independent nuclear reactors that could power the massive shuttle for up to fifteen years without being refitted and was well equipped the handle her own in a fight with an arsenal of eighteen phasers and three photon torpedoes. Each of the ninety-two officers and six hundred fifty-eight crewmen had their own quarters to ensure that each individual functioned at optimal efficiency; each room equipped with top of line technology and security systems. In emergency situations, of which the ship had seen many, she could take on up to four thousand passengers safely. She was a beautiful thing.
Lina nearly sighed at the sight of the massive starship, shining through the darkness like the northern start welcoming her home. She couldn't explain it, but somehow she felt like she belonged onboard the Enterprise. Maybe it was a residual emotion from the demise of the Moffat during the Romulan attack on Vulcan but as the transport shuttle glided into the Enterprise's receiving bay, Lina found herself overwhelmed by a sense of arrival.
McCoy was having a harder time keeping his eyes off of her, especially when she practically pressed her nose against the window s she gaped at the Enterprise, looking like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Isn't she amazing?" Sulu's damned voice interrupted his thoughts as the other man noticed Lina's excitement.
"Incredible," Lina agreed, her eyes shining as she reluctantly tore her gaze away from the window in an attempt to compose herself as the shuttle docked and the doors opened.
McCoy made quick work of unbuckling his restraints and tearing out of the shuttle, "Reporting to the med bay," he growled over his shoulder, not giving a damn if anyone heard.
Kirk narrowed his eyes at McCoy's retreating back as the doctor practically fled the shuttle. He'd known the man for many years now and though the doctor was usually disgruntled about something he was never moody. Disgruntled was his mood and it remained a constant. There was something up with Bones, something more than his aversion to the idea of spending five years in space. He'd have to get to the bottom of it later, maybe over a drink in the officer's lounge. As for now, duty called.
The captain and his other officers exited the shuttle, each giving a nod and salute to Kirk before reporting to their respective stations until only he and Lina remained.
This was her first time aboard a starship without rushing to make sure the medical bay was properly put together and as Lina wasn't technically a member of the Enterprise's security team, she found that she felt quite lost. She was a crewman without a station and it must have showed on her face as Kirk quickly bid her to follow him.
"I know this is odd," he told her as they navigated the halls where he would occasionally stop to sign off on tasks completed by the engineering or operations departments, "High Command only informed us of their decision a couple of weeks ago."
"I feel like I'm in the way," Lina admitted with a frown, speaking freely in front of the charismatic captain, "Aboard the Moffat I knew what I was supposed to do, what am I here but a glorified note taker?"
Kirk chuckled and paused in front of the elevator, allowing Lina to enter before him, "Well, you're qualified to work in the med bay and Doctor McCoy said he wouldn't mind an extra pair of hands on occasion."
Lina was thankful that the captain continued talking as it provided a cover for the surprised choke that escaped her at the thought that she could possibly work beside Leonard again.
"You're certainly qualified enough to work with the security teams," he commented idly, not commenting on her surprise if he had noticed it. "And I saw in your file that you even dabbled in mechanical engineering? Mr. Scott is always looking for an apprentice."
"I did, sir," Lina confirmed as the elevator doors whooshed open, revealing the awe inspiring sight of the Enterprise's bridge.
"Can I just ask you something?" Kirk pressed a button and the door silently closed again.
"Of course, sir," Lina raised a brow, praying he hadn't noticed Leonard's hostility towards her interactions with Sulu on the shuttle.
"Why?"
If possible, Lina's brow shot up even higher. "I don't understand," her confusion was evident in her voice, "Why what, Captain?"
"Why does a doctor train in eleven different types of combat, obtain degrees in mechanical engineering and xenobotany?" The captain turned to face her, his fierce blue eyes sweeping over her face, "What are you hiding from?"
"I'm not hiding from anything, Captain."
"Bullshit." The captain kept his penetrating gaze leveled on her, "You already obtained your medical degree and practiced at Starfleet Medical. You had a full time position pulling 72 hour shifts. I understand the self-defense, you're a single woman living in a big city, it makes sense to know how to defend yourself but obtaining expert status in eleven different types of combat and pursuing extra degrees on top of that, that's insane. No one stays that busy unless they're hiding from something in their past."
"I assure you, Captain," Lina folded her hands behind her back and tried to keep her tone even, anger evident in her eyes, "my past will in no way affect my performance aboard your ship, nor will it impede on anyone else's."
The captain nodded and reopened the elevator doors, "Good. Shall we?"
The bridge of the Enterprise was a portrait of synergy. Science and data officers sat at their stations along the east wall, readying their sensors for the voyage. Operations officers sat on the other side, pouring over their various screens of radio transmissions, security alerts, and the starship's weapons system. The captain's chair was positioned in the exact center of the large room, two stations directly in front of it. Sulu (who offered her a broad smile) sat at one with another man, well, a boy with unruly hair and the face of a cherub at the other.
"Keptin on ze bridge!" Announced the cherub, his young voice heavily accented.
All activity stopped as their entrance was announced and it did not resume again until Kirk gave a nod of his head. "Ms. Darnell you are free to do as you please," Kirk told her as he stepped onto the bridge, "but if I were you, I would definitely want to see this."
The captain's eyes were aflame with excitement as he clapped Spock on the shoulder, clearly in his element on the bridge. Lina found she liked the young leader more and more, as much as she didn't like having her life dissected.
"Spock, where should we go?"
"I believe I shall defer to your good judgment, Captain," Spock replied with a nod of his head, taking his seat at his station.
A disgruntled Leonard McCoy entered the bridge, his eyes hard and his mouth drawn tight in a thin line of frustration. "Buckle up, Bones!" Jim clapped the doctor on the shoulder, much to his chagrin.
"Five years in space," the doctor muttered with haunted eyes, as the captain gave Sulu a set of coordinates and command of 'warp factor 4' "God help me."
Lina smiled as she watched him sulk, the ship seamlessly shifting to warp beneath them. He either hadn't noticed her yet, or was doing a damned good job of ignoring her. Lina frowned and forced herself to look away from the surly doctor who looked far too good in his blue shirt.
Lina hadn't seen him or even heard from him since she'd called him the night before last and, well, she'd missed him. Lina hated how he managed to reenter her life and having her pining for him after just a few days, but that didn't change the fact that he had. She knew he cared about, knew without a doubt that he had been truthful when he said he would be whatever she needed him to be. Lina just wished she knew what she needed him to be. Of course, she would always want him to be hers but that didn't change the fact that he had been hers once, if only for a little while. And look how that turned out.
Lina suppressed a sigh and moved to stand behind Kirk's chair with her arms clasped respectfully behind her back, resolving herself to track Leonard down after the crew had retired for the night, if only just to hear him gripe about his day.
Lina was drawn from her thoughts by Kirk beginning a shipewide broadcast over the com, "This is Captain Kirk, welcoming all of you back aboard. We've been tried and, against all odds, we have endured. The Enterprise and our crew have been rebuilt, better than ever, but not without the consequence of memory. This voyage marks the first of many during our five year mission, during which I am sure we will be tried again and again, we will not falter. We arrive at the planetoid known as Kurva in less than eight minutes and I will lead a small landing party to the surface after a short rest period. Let's settle in for the next five years, shall we? Kirk out."
Kirk cut the connection and stood from the chair, leaving Lina feeling awkward standing behind the empty throne.
"Bones, Spock, Uhura, and Darnell," Kirk addressed them all at once, not continuing until all of the officers stood around him, "Get some rest, I need all of you on your toes when we beam down to Kurva. Make sure you're well equipped, we don't know what's down there," he directed the last part to McCoy who nodded stiffly.
"I'm sure it's all unicorns and rainbows, Captain."
Lina purposefully stood next to Leonard as the captain addressed them, allowing her arm to brush against his as Kirk gave his instructions. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw his expression relax a little, his displeased frown dissipating to a more neutral expression, his eyes softening.
They were instructed to meet on the transport pad at 0600 with PADDs ready and phasers set to stun. That gave them roughly eight hours to rest and regroup before beaming down, a courtesy Lina knew not to grow to expect.
The ship arrived at the destination, seamlessly shifting from warp to idle, and the crew was met with the first glimpses of what they would beaming down to. Lina frowned, not quite sure what she had been expecting but it sure as hell wasn't what she was faced with. It looked like a wad of muck from a horses stall had been balled up and tossed into orbit.
Kurva was a small planetoid with a color pattern of murky brown and moldy green, dotted in placed with thick white clouds. Lina could make out faint bodies of a water like substance on the surface. All signs pointed to a planet that supported some form of life.
"Yep," McCoy mumbled beside her, peering out the display with unsurprised eyes, "unicorns and rainbows. As usual."
I know, this one feels like filler, right? Don't you worry, the next chapter will contain plenty of fluff and near overdoses of drama and angst. Ye have been warned.