Chapter 10:

Homecoming

Back on Star Base 3, in the same crew quarter corridor, Alexander sees Davidson chatting up a female cadet.

"Davidson!" Worf steps up and grabs Davidson's shoulder, swinging him around.

Davidson looks over in disgust while the female flees the oncoming conflict.

"Alexander, son of Worf. What brings you here?" says Davidson in a derogatory tone.

"I'm here to regain my honor!" states a righteous Worf.

"Predictable Klingon," Davidson laughs, noticing now his classmates behind him. He slyly gestures his head toward them. He adopts a sarcastic glare with wide eyes. "Alright, well how do you suggest we sort out you regaining your 'honor'?"

As Worf goes to answer, Davidson pushes him into the waiting arms of Scotson. Scotson levels the unprepared Klingon from behind with a clothesline to the back of the head and Worf lands hard on the ground from the blow.

"Idiot! You didn't think that I wasn't going to find out you accessed my dad's console? I'm going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget, Klingon." Davidson marches up and grabs Worf by the head. Davidson then feels a tap on his left shoulder.

"Mind if a Betazoid, Human and Vulcan join in?" Picard says, kneeing Davidson in a soft spot just as he turns to look up. He gasps, bends over, and then takes a punch to the jaw. O'Connor throws a hook at Riker but Spock catches his arm in mid-air. With Vulcan strength, she then lifts him clear off the ground. O'Connor flails around like a fish out of water while trying to break free from her grip. Spock raises him higher before throwing him hard against a corridor conduit with a smash. Riker then steps up beside Picard to deal with Scotson. Together a synchronized combination of well placed kicks and punches brings the oversized cadet to the ground. Kirk, meanwhile, leans on a bulkhead and observes from a safe distance the ensuing chaos.

"...have times changed?" he chuckles to himself.

After dispensing some rough justice, Picard walks over to deliver one final humiliating kick into Davidson's rear side as he retreats. Kirk smiles back at her as she walks past him.

"Exciting?" states Picard.

"Tell me about it," replies Kirk, standing casually, before Worf walks up to confront him.

"Why!" barks the Klingon. Kirk returns a mystified glare at Worf for directing his displeasure at him, something that seems to be happening more often of late.

"What did I do?" he says.

"Glorious battle is two against three. You were supposed to fight them with me. They were not to interfere!"

Kirk lifts himself off the bulkhead. "You mean these three roughing them up for you isn't good enough? You'd prefer that the two of us get beat up instead?"

Worf grinds his teeth. "For honour and glory!"

"Didn't you just see that? They did an amazing job! I witnessed plenty of honourable and glorious battle."

"You don't understand, they're just... girls."

"Women," corrects Picard.

"Who can handle ourselves," adds Riker. "Clearly."

Kirk smiles as he shrugs his shoulders. Worf grunts angrily.

"I don't like you, Kirk!" Worf yells back as he faces Kirk.

"Boys, boys, boys" Picard interjects between them. "Calm down, there has been enough fighting for one day."

"I'm not going to calm down. Kirk is responsible for my dishonour."

Kirk rolls his eyes.

"Worf, you need not worry, for your honour is intact," Spock steps forward, hands clasped calmly in front of her as if the prior conflict didn't happen.

Jonathan and Genevieve look over awkwardly at Saren with confused faces.

Saren is unfazed and softy approaches Worf.

"Allow me to elaborate," she says. "You, a heroic Klingon, knowingly entered into battle against insurmountable odds for the greater glory of the empire. Your mission was to create a diversion by engaging an enemy of superior number. You revealed the truth of your honour and strength of your character by willingly enduring immeasurable pain. Your sacrifice proved vital in extracting information crucial to the success of the mission and delivered victory to your comrades. They are, now, and forever are in your debt. However your adversary was cruel and jealous of your accomplishments and cowardly attacked from behind. Having witnessed the bravery of your heart and the treachery of enemy, three loyal and strong female warriors, intercepted and crushed the spineless petaQ..."

Riker interrupts with a chuckle.

"... whom will never speak of such an embarrassment ever again," finishes Spock.

Impressed with the speech, Picard raises her eyebrows in awe of Spock's ability to create Klingon battle lore.

"Satisfactory?" asks the Vulcan.

"Very," replies Worf, while attempting to maintain his hefty composure.

A voice interrupts the cadets over the communicator in the corridor.

"Commander Tuvok to Team Sigma, acknowledge,"

"Yes commander," answers Kirk. "Go ahead."

"Team Sigma, I am here to inform you that you have been accepted into Starfleet Academy Executive officer's core for immediate instruction and training. Congratulations."

"Acknowledged Commander," replies Kirk as he exchanges grins and smiles with the others.

"Further congratulations are in order for Cadet Picard, who now is your team leader."

"Team… leader sir?" says Kirk, his expression shifting.

"Yes, Cadet Picard's investigation into the coolant quantity irregularities during Enterprise-F's construction led your team's discovery of its special capabilities. Starfleet recognizes this effort and has awarded Cadet Picard bonus credit towards her overall standings. Her sum total is the highest among your team. Therefore she is now your team leader. For further instructions, please report to my office at 08:00 sharp. Tuvok out,"

Genevieve's eyes widen as she straightens up in enthusiasm. Marina who is right next to her becomes ecstatic and pounces onto Genevieve in an embrace. However, Jonathan's broad smile shrinks as he considers the news.

"You were saying," Worf berates, giving him a mean grin. Jonathan turns to him and can't hold himself down.

"You of all people should know there is no honour in kicking a man who's down. I always knew your nonsense was just a charade. Behind all that honour is just a nasty Klingon,"

Jonathan, expecting an angry response, tenses up. But his words are music to Alexander's ears who responds with a terrifyingly Klingon laugh followed by a stiff slap on back. Meanwhile Riker tries to hug Spock who is less than receptive and tries altogether not to make any physical contact.

"What?" Says Riker as she grabs Spock. "Come on, we did it!"

Genevieve nods at Saren in encouragement. Saren cautiously wraps her arms around Marina.

"Oh..." Riker remarks as she grabs Spock and hugs her tightly. Genevieve, Marina, Spock and Worf head towards a turbolift. However, Kirk is cement.

"Kirk!" yells Picard. Jonathan remains in a trance-like state. Genevieve waves off the others to go on without her and walks back to him.

"Jonathan," she says smiling, though concerned. "Jonathan?"

Reality sinks in for Jonathan when he hears her voice.

"Shall we?"

"Shall we, what?" he asks, having a hard time looking up at her.

"Drink, of course,"

"Of course, captain," he says.

"Oh," she responds, looking down and stepping back a bit. Jonathan sighs.

"This doesn't have to be awkward," she touches his shoulder.

"It isn't awkward, it's painful," he replies.

"Maybe not playing 'captain' will be fun for a change. But let me tell you this. If I ever wanted to serve a captain aboard a federation starship, I would choose you in a heartbeat, sir."

"Well I won't be. You will,"

"Wow, what a glowing endorsement!"

"No, no, I know you will be an amazing captain, Genevieve," Kirk then returns as he was, staring aimless at the ground.

"A wise man once told me that the only thing that matters is that we are together,"

"Jonathan," she says, as she reaches her arm out to him. "All I ask is a tall ship..."

He takes her arm and finishes the poem. "...and a star to steer her by."

"And she's waiting for us out there,"

THE END