"How do they build these things without people?" Gavin asked, looking at the schematics to the watchtower station. For the first day, they stayed near the escape pod. Once Gavin had enough strength to move, they decided to explore. That was nearly two days ago.
"They don't. The fact that we haven't seen anyone since we got here has been bothering me. I hacked the logs but other than some worry about the neutral zone, there's no clue about why this place is abandoned... at least none that I have access to. Mom or Gaila would already be in the system," she said with a sigh.
"Don't doubt your mad skills. I can't hack anything, so you got me beat. What did you find?" he asked.
"Well, the automated parts of the construction are still working. This is the only section with power, oxygen, food and water. The shuttle bay is empty," Jim told him. "So, we can't go anywhere. Something very… odd happened here. I haven't seen a mass exodus in a decade."
"Tarsus?" he asked. Jim nodded. "Whatever sent the construction crew running doesn't sound like something we want to meet," Gavin muttered.
He was right about that. They found their way to the mostly completed crew quarters and decided to base themselves in what they figured out was the project manager's room. Jim was using the console in the room to figure out what the hell they were missing. And if they could somehow figure out how to get out of here.
"It's always something. I'm starting to think I made a mistake," she muttered. When he raised an eyebrow, she sighed. "Joining Starfleet."
"Even with us hole up here, you do realize that you saved the ship," he told her.
"After half the crew, including the captain, died," Jim said. A few people they both knew died but she wasn't going there. For a long moment he just looked at her, probably reading her expression like no one else –save Chris and Bones- has ever managed to do.
"That's not your fault. You think that wouldn't have happened if you weren't there?" Hendorff asked. She was right, he was reading her mind. "Hell, the whole ship would be gone if it wasn't for you. Axanar… that was all you. Me, Prescott and Mitchell just backed you up and followed your orders. I ain't even gonna get into Tarsus. You're a hero, Jim," Gavin said.
"I… That's really how you see me?" she asked.
"Of course, it's the truth," Gavin said. "I wish you could see what the rest of us see."
"What do you see?" Jim asked. Her curiosity getting the better of her.
"You're amazing. You make everyone around you want to be better so that we're operating on your level. You make me want to be better so…" he stopped himself.
"So what?" she asked her friend.
Jim could feel the tension in the room but she couldn't make herself back away. On the one hand, she knew there was something between the two of them. She was not nearly as blind to it as their friends think she is. On the other hand, she didn't know what to do with about it. It was easier to pretend that nothing was going on but Jim knew that could only last so long. She was both hopeful about and dreading what he was going to say.
"I…" Gavin started just as the alarm went off. Jim turned back to the screen. The handful of operational sensors showed her why the construction team left the site in a hurry.
"Romulans. Bird of Prey, if I'm reading the configuration right. That explains why the place is empty," she told him. Her hands flew over the console, she was trying to figure out if they could see what was going on, especially when they were being fired on. "Seriously!"
"Is that your new thing? Seriously?" Cupcake asked her.
"No. It's my brother's thing, I'm borrowing it," the blonde told her friend. "The imagers haven't been installed. We have no eyes. And their sensors are only telling me so much." She smiled, "Federation ship just dropped outta warp."
Gavin opened his mouth to say something when the familiar swirl of the transporter surrounded them. One second, they were on the empty station and the next, they were on a Starfleet vessel surrounded by a group officers. The security team that met them lowered their weapons as soon as they realized that Jim and Gavin were human.
"I'm Lieutenant Commander Rodis, chief of security on the USS Kongo," the man introduced himself.
"Lieutenants Kirk and Hendorff, sir. Farragut," Jim told him.
"I know. As soon as they got to Starbase sixteen, Commander Chenowyth demanded that the commodore send someone out here. Good thing too, the Romulans keep popping up, that's why the station was empty. The commander said you saved the ship," Rodis told them.
"It was a team effort, sir," Jim said with a sigh. She wanted to cry and jump for joy at the same time. Chenowyth got the rest of the crew to safety. The officer nodded and ordered some of his men to escort them to medical.
"We made it," Gavin whispered.
"Yea we did."
Being ordered to sleep and actually sleeping were two different things. Jim couldn't turn her brain off. Doctor Piper didn't have a reason to keep her in sickbay but he told her to rest. She was assigned quarters, took a long shower, had a quick meal and got the chance to talk to her mom, Chris and Bones. Now, she was staring at the familiar, yet unfamiliar, ceiling. She knew what her problem was… even if she didn't want to admit it.
"Enter," she said when the buzzer to the door went off. Hooray for solo quarters.
"Hanging out in the dark, Jim?" Hendorff asked her.
"Trying and failing to sleep, Cupcake. You okay?" Jim asked.
"Peachy. Doc said you should consider medic training. You did a good job patching me up, it won't even scar," he told her as he sat on the end of the bed.
"I'll add it to my to-do list," she told him. Jim looked at him in the dark, "You can't sleep either, huh?"
"Never been through something like that," Gavin whispered. "I thought we were goners for a little while there."
"Not me. I don't believe in no-win scenarios," Jim said. "There's always an option. You may not like the one you get, but you always have one."
"Does that apply to everything?" he asked.
"It can," she answered.
"Good to know. You should get some rest," the tall officer told her.
"So should you," Jim yawned. "You can stay… if you want."
"You sure?" he asked.
"Would I say something if I wasn't sure?"
"Nope. Scoot over."
Jim attempted to stretch out and remembered that she was not alone in the bed. Gavin's arm was tight around her waist, holding her against his chest. Jim didn't know what to do. It felt good to be held like this and the fact that Gavin was the person holding her only made it better. She shifted a little to look at him.
"Go back to sleep, Jim," he muttered against her shoulder, his arm pulling her closer.
"We have to…" she started.
"Do nothing. Even if we were on the duty roster, Doctor Piper ordered us to rest. We'll be on Starbase sixteen before we'll be back on full duty. Now go back to sleep," he told her, snuggling closer.
'Oh God,' she thought to herself. Why does he smell so good? A mix of regulation soap and him. This was not good. Why the hell did she tell him to stay? 'Because you wanted him to and it was the only way either of you would sleep,' her brain reminded her.
"Stop thinking and go to sleep, Jim," Gavin muttered against her neck. His breath against her skin was not helping. "Want me to go?"
"No," she said it faster than she probably should've. "Stay. I'm just…"
"Overthinking. It's cute and very you but you need to sleep. You've been awake for days, other than the two hours you just got. Sleep now and fret over cuddling with me later, okay?"
"I hate you," she muttered.
"Do you realize you say that to everybody you love?" Cupcake asked.
"I…" Jim was about to deny but thinking about it, he was right. She says to Bones, Sam and Chris all the time. "I guess I do."
