"Alright, Mr. Spock, the coordinates to your home address have been established and authenticated. Now I see you only have one person on your authorized transport list. Can you review their information and verify everything is correct?"
Spock gazed at the woman on the opposite side of the desk as she turned her computer monitor to face him. His eyes scanned Nyota's information, hunting for errors, and finding none, he folded his hands in his lap and said, "I affirm everything is correct."
"Well then, you're all set. Transporter operations begin on the first of the month and you can find the associated fees by the door."
"Thank you for your assistance." Spock rose to his feet and left the small office within the shuttle port bay.
He didn't bother to read the fee schedule as the woman had suggested because he'd already committed it to memory. Nyota would be able to visit him in his quarters for a fraction of what it would cost to take a shuttlecraft to another municipality and acquire lodgings.
It had taken him a full day to research the logistics and legalities of the Federation's ruling on civilian use of transporters. Starfleet's transporter systems were heavily monitored and all activities carefully logged, but due to Federation privacy laws, civilian transporter logs were not a matter of public record.
It had taken another four days to clear a routine background check to register his quarters as a destination for transport. He could have opted to file his comprehensive security clearance from Starfleet and avoid the process, but he had no interest in drawing Starfleet's attention to his activities.
His relationship with Nyota was not expressly prohibited. Starfleet's policy on fraternization only described "direct student-teacher relationships within Starfleet Academy and other training organizations" as inappropriate. As he was not directly responsible for her grades, performance evaluations, or potential disciplinary actions, it was logical to conclude their relationship was permitted.
Yet it also seemed prudent to follow Lieutenant Akamatsu's advice from two months earlier and not "go around putting it on display." Regardless of Starfleet's policies, he and Nyota were private individuals who preferred to keep their personal relationships at a distance from their professional lives.
He boarded the transport shuttle to return to campus and pulled his small, personal PADD from his back pocket and prepared to send her a message, notifying her that she was now cleared to transport to his quarters. Just as he initiated the dictation software, he received an urgent memorandum from Captain Ghagan, the head of his department.
All faculty members without prior commitments are to report to the main auditorium today at 1430 for mandatory training. Those unable to attend must notify me immediately to make arrangements for an alternative training time.
Very respectfully,
Capt. Ghagan Rhi'x
Computer Engineering Department
Starfleet Academy – San Francsico
Spock glanced at the time, noting he only had twenty minutes to make the return journey to campus. Since no students had notified him they planned to attend his office hours and his afternoon class had been cancelled, he'd used the free time in his schedule to complete the transporter registration process.
He was not in the habit of running personal errands during the duty day, but many of his colleagues often did, and it had seemed the most efficient use of his time. He was leaving later that night to meet with Captain Pike and tour Enterprise and would depart from there to the Wolf 359 space station to command the opposition force for the senior class' two week training exercise.
He hadn't spoken to Nyota since they'd returned from Florida the previous Sunday, though she was never far from his mind, always lurking at the fringes and weaving her way through his thoughts. He'd spent several hours each evening in deep meditation, trying to confront his affection for her. Touching Nyota's subconscious had taught him much about her, and himself.
When he'd first begun to suspect he cared for her beyond the bounds of a professional relationship, he hadn't been able to determine how deeply the sentiment went. Following their mind melds and his exhaustive meditation, he still couldn't adequately assess the sentiment, but he was aware his affection was far more profound than he'd initially supposed.
He didn't understand the precise source of his intense attraction, but he didn't reflect upon it for very long, because the existence of logic in mate selection was purely coincidental. Finding a mate was not done logically, and whatever the reason, he was quickly becoming attached to her.
Spock stepped from the shuttle at the far north end of campus and proceeded on foot to the main auditorium. He took long, swift strides and attempted to clear his mind through light meditation, but it was difficult to remove her from his thoughts.
When he was twenty meters from the main building, red-uniformed cadets began emerging through the double doors. Many nodded and offered some form of scripted greeting such as "good afternoon" or "good day" – a tedious custom – and just as he made his way through the entry and turned left, he ran into her.
Nyota's features were frozen into an expression of neutrality and her complexion was an unusually ashen. For a brief instant, their eyes met. He wasn't sure how he knew, as he often found it difficult to interpret complex human facial expressions, but she was afraid. He was certain. She walked next to Cadet Gaila, who grinned and waved, exclaiming, "Hi, Commander Spock!"
"Cadet." He nodded and walked past them both, trying to discern if there were any logical means of deducing the source of Nyota's distress.
Several members of the faculty were already sitting toward the front, so Spock made his way to the first row and took a seat next to Lieutenant Agatha Bautista, who was chewing on the end of a digital stylus and taking notes on a large PADD. She looked up and smiled when she saw him.
"How's it going, Commander Spock? You ready for this training exercise next week?"
"Hello, Lieutenant Bautista. I am well. And yes."
"I heard you're commanding the opposition this year," she mused, nibbling on the end of her stylus.
"Affirmative."
"Any chance you got a copy of the operations order?"
"I received a copy four weeks ago to begin my preparations," he replied, wishing to avoid small talk with her while he considered possible causes of Nyota's fear.
"Care to share?" she winked.
"It is not permitted." Not only had he been given express orders not to divulge the contents of the operations order to anyone, but also Lieutenant Bautista was an observer controller for one of the four starships.
"I know," she responded, twirling the stylus in her hand. "I'm just joking with you, Commander."
"I inferred that from your laughter," he remarked.
"Well, I'm looking forward to it. It's actually my first time serving as an observer-controller. I was supposed to for last semester's reconnaissance training mission, but I guess you know what happened with that."
"Yes," he replied. Lieutenant Bautista had been scheduled to be an observer-controller on the Dalton II but had come down with Andorian shingles the day before departure and Spock had replaced her on short notice.
"Hopefully we'll have better luck this time," she murmured, giving him a thin smile.
He was about to make a comment about the illogic of luck when she said, "Speaking of luck, Cadet Uhura picked up a faint Romulan transmission last night in the long range sensor lab."
Spock didn't want to involve himself with Nyota's education on principle, but he was intrigued by the news. Had her fear been related to this unanticipated discovery? "Explain."
"It turned out to be an eighty year old routine message about readings from a nebula in the Azure sector. She turned it over to Starfleet operations right away – that's how I ended up getting a call at 0130 from the station chief at headquarters – but she had it completely translated and logged in under fifteen minutes. That's faster than the communications officer on duty at Starfleet headquarters did it. She's got a real gift."
"I am aware," he replied. "As you know, I was her initial advisor. I do not believe her discovery had anything to do with luck."
"Yeah… the girl with the golden ears," Bautista grinned. "Sorry, I like to brag about my students, but you're right, you were her advisor before I was. You'd be proud to know her program works, by the way. All she has left is data collection."
"Pride is illogical," he explained. "Furthermore, the work has been hers."
"Do either of you know what this is about?" interrupted a voice to Spock's right. He shifted in his seat to see Commander Riegelman slumping into the chair next to him.
"One of the students who sat through the briefing right before this one said it's about the new fraternization policy," Bautista explained.
"It's probably just a knee-jerk reaction to Lieutenant Ahn," Riegelman muttered.
"Yeah, can you believe that?" Bautista sneered.
"To what do you refer?" Spock inquired.
They both gave him peculiar looks. Bautista replied, "You didn't hear Lieutenant Ahn was temporarily suspended last night pending an investigation?"
"Oh come on, Aggie, you know Commander Spock doesn't gossip like the rest of us," Riegelman grinned.
"Of what is he accused?" Spock asked.
Both women raised their eyebrows. "Maybe he likes gossip more than you realized," Bautista laughed.
"I was simply attempting to understand how it relates to your earlier remark about a new fraternization policy," he explained, working to suppress budding anxiety.
"I don't want to spread rumors," Riegelman said.
"He was dating two of his students and one accused him of threatening to fail her if she broke things off. Allegedly," Bautista blurted. "I can't believe something like this would really happen here at the Academy, but I guess you never know. Lieutenant Ahn is such a nice guy, but if it's true, I hope they throw the book at him."
Spock didn't have time to reflect on the unusual euphemism – what purpose would throwing a book at Lieutenant Ahn serve? – before Lieutenant Commander Johar, who happened to be sitting in the row behind them, interjected, "I heard he was dating three students."
"No…" Bautista murmured, turning to face Johar and lowering her voice. "Did you hear any names?"
Spock sat forward in his seat and gazed at the stage straight ahead. It was illogical to speculate about the contents of the new policy, but it seemed reasonable to conclude his relationship with Nyota was no longer in a "gray area," as humans liked to say.
"I don't know who in their right mind would date a student," Riegelman sighed.
"Oh come on," Bautista laughed, looking back from her quiet conversation with Commander Johar. "I've heard rumors about lots of the faculty. Most people are just smart enough not to go around broadcasting it. The policy's always been really unclear and a lot of people really take advantage of it. But I agree, dating students is ridiculous. Why risk your career if things go wrong?"
Several moments of silence passed, culminating in a smile on Riegelman's face. "You're awfully quiet, Commander Spock."
"I have nothing to add to the conversation which has not already been said."
He was spared from explaining further when Admiral Barnett, the Commandant of Starfleet Academy, entered the room and they were called to attention. He stepped to the podium, told them to take their seats, and introduced several individuals from the Adjutant's Office and Personnel Resources.
"I guess by now most of you have either heard or figured out that we're here to discuss Starfleet Academy's new fraternization policy."
There were a few soft murmurs throughout the auditorium and the commandant glanced around before continuing. "This policy is long overdue and has been in the works for several months now. I'm not here to spread rumors, and I hope each and every one of you has the professionalism to do likewise. You're all commissioned Starfleet officers – I would expect no less."
Admiral Barnett paused again to make eye contact with several individuals sitting near the back. Bautista turned, ostensibly to see who he might be looking at, but Spock remained facing forward.
"Personnel resources has forwarded a copy to all students and faculty," Barnett continued. "You will read it, digitally sign it, and return it to Personnel Resources by close of business on Monday. Now I know it's a bit out of the ordinary to call an instructional briefing for a new policy, and if we did it for every change of policy we'd never get any work done, but I wanted to make sure there were no questions about just how serious this is. So do I have everyone's full attention?"
"Aye, sir," they replied in choppy unison.
"I have a meeting in ten minutes, so I'm going to keep this short," Barnett drawled. "I'm not going to tolerate fraternization at this school, period. I've seen discipline and professionalism slipping in the last few months, and it's going to stop. Just this morning I heard a cadet addressing a senior member of the faculty by her first name. That's not acceptable and it never has been."
Barnett scanned the first row and Spock saw Commander Riegelman fidgeting in her seat out of the corner of his eye.
"And what's worse is I hear rumors about the faculty dating cadets," Barnett added, his voice growing louder. "Dating. I can't tell cadets that they're forbidden from having personal relationships while they're here at the Academy, but I certainly can tell them they're not going date members of my faculty. Those cadets are here to learn to be Starfleet officers, and it is your responsibility to teach them, mentor them, guide them, mold them. Not date them."
Barnett leaned back from the podium and surveyed the assembly. "Looking around this room, I see some nervous faces, and that makes me nervous. Look, whatever little romances or flirtations you have going on with students, it stops right now, today. If you are currently in a questionable relationship with a cadet, you have three options: you can resign your commission, that cadet can drop out of the Academy, or you can put it off until you leave my school, because frankly, what you do when you leave here is no longer my business. So don't ever let it be said Admiral Barnett wants to stand in the way of 'true love.' Is everyone clear so far?"
"Aye, sir," they answered.
"Great, so Lieutenant Sebold from personnel resources is going to come up here and walk you through each line of this new policy, provide some examples, and answer any questions you have, and I'm going to run along to my meeting, but before I go, I'm going to leave you with one last thing," Barnett announced. "Let me catch you, folks. Let me catch you in an inappropriate relationship with a cadet, and I promise you, you will have no doubts about how seriously I take fraternization."
Barnett backed away from the podium and as he headed toward the exit, they all rose to their feet again, only for him to wave dismissively and shout, "Carry on." They resumed their seats and Lieutenant Sebold displayed a slideshow on the screen behind her to begin her training. Spock pulled out his personal PADD, linked it to his work messages, found the policy, and started reading it for himself.
Starfleet Academy Fraternization Policy
Purpose
Starfleet Academy is committed to providing an environment for students, faculty, and staff that is respectful and free from conflicts of interest, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, and favoritism. In order to avoid the aforementioned breaches of professional standards, Starfleet Academy has provided the following policy on fraternization.
Definitions
For the purpose of this policy:
· Consensual relationships are those of a romantic, dating, and/or sexual nature entered into with consent of both parties.
· Supervisory or evaluative authority is the power to directly control or indirectly influence another person's academic advancement, future assignment, promotion, discipline, extracurricular participation, grades, assignments, supervision of dissertations/theses, or professional recommendations.
· Other prohibited interpersonal relationships are those that are not romantic or sexual in nature but may be considered inappropriate because they cause an actual or perceived situation that negatively impacts good order and discipline.
Policy
Consensual relationships
· Consensual relationships are likely to interfere with a faculty member's supervisory authority to make decisions impartially and without favoritism. Even if the faculty member is able to avoid being biased, the perception of bias may persist, leading others within the professional or learning environment to see themselves as being less favored and disadvantaged by the consensual relationship. Therefore, consensual relationships between students and faculty are expressly prohibited at Starfleet Academy, with limited exceptions for pre-existing relationships.
Nonconsensual relationships
· When a faculty member uses supervisory authority to coerce another person to enter into a nonconsensual relationship, the damage to the student, Starfleet Academy, Starfleet, and the Federation is evident and likely to be long lasting. Examples include but are not limited to creating a harassing or demeaning environment and quid pro quo arrangements. Nonconsensual relationships between students and faculty are not only expressly prohibited at Starfleet Academy, but are unlawful within the Federation. Policies and procedures for reporting nonconsensual relationships are available online and at personnel resources, student advising offices, campus security offices, and medical facilities.
Other prohibited interpersonal relationships
· Any relationship that compromises the chain of command or faculty member's supervisory authority, results in the appearance of favoritism, or otherwise undermines good order, discipline, or morale may be considered a prohibited interpersonal relationship. These relationships are difficult to characterize, but they become a concern when they have the effect of impairing work; harassing, demeaning, or creating a negative working environment; disrupting the smooth and orderly flow of work within the professional environment; establishing quid pro quo arrangements; or harming the goodwill and reputation of Starfleet or the Federation at large. Notable examples include but are not limited to gambling, ongoing business relationships, financial transactions, and insubordination through excessive familiarity and disrespect of rank. Whether the contact or association in question is a violation depends on the surrounding circumstances. Formal allegations must be made to Personnel Resources and will be investigated by the by the Office of the Commandant.
Procedures for Exceptions to Policy
On occasion, a faculty member will have a romantic relationship with an individual who then becomes a student, or an individual with a preexisting relationship with a student will join the faculty. It is the obligation of the faculty member to disclose that relationship to the Office of the Commandant. It is the obligation of the commandant to take steps that he or she deems necessary to ensure that the educational experience of the student, and the student's peers, is not significantly affected by the pre-existing relationship.
Noncompliance and Sanctions
If allegations of fraternization have been confirmed through a formal investigation by an independent review board, disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with relevant disciplinary procedures contained in Starfleet's Organizational Code. Disciplinary actions include but are not limited to, written warnings, loss of privileges, mandatory training/counseling, demotion, expulsion from Starfleet Academy, and termination from service/employment.
Forty-five minutes later Spock filed out of the auditorium, able to infer what had unsettled Nyota but unable to contrive any way his relationship with her would be officially permitted to continue. The most logical course of action would be to break off all contact with her until she graduated in two months and twenty-six days. Though he rationally understood he would be able to see her more regularly once they were both assigned to Enterprise, he was having difficulty suppressing his irrational emotions about this unanticipated temporary separation.
"Hey, Commander Spock?"
He turned on his heel and discovered Lieutenant Nowak trying to cut his way through the crowded hallway outside the auditorium.
"Yes, Lieutenant?" he asked, turning back around to resume walking once Nowak caught up to him.
"Do you have some free time this afternoon to come take a look at the Kobayashi Maru simulator?"
Spock had assigned Cadets Chekov, Gaila, and Maloney to overhaul the Kobayashi Maru's program following the glitches during Cadet Kirk's most recent test and given them orders to report to Lieutenant Nowak if they had any concerns. Christopher Nowak had once been his subordinate, but after his romantic disagreements with Holly Akamatsu, he'd transferred to programming operations and no longer taught classes.
"As my afternoon class was cancelled to allow the senior students time to prepare for their training mission, I am available now," he replied. "What do you have to report?"
"I think the simulator might have been hacked," Nowak said, scratching the back of his head.
"What gives you cause to believe so?" Spock asked as they left the main building and turned left to go to the Tarkington Computer Engineering Building.
"Chekov spent all weekend going through the code line by line and couldn't find anything out of the ordinary and even ran several full simulations without incident, but when Maloney started looking at the backup files on the tertiary mainframe, he found a few inconsistencies."
"Were you able to trace the source?"
"No, unfortunately," Nowak sighed. "I can't tell you who did it, when it was done, where it was done from, or even exactly how it happened. Whoever did it was an artist. From the tertiary backups I can definitely say it happened at some point this term but not within the past month. That's the best I can do."
"Have you reported your suspicions to the Academic Honesty Office?"
"And say what?" Nowak shrugged. "I'm not even a hundred percent certain anything was done intentionally, but I can't see how the system would back up an erroneous copy of a simulation file onto the tertiary mainframe. Where would it get that file in the first place, you know? That's why I thought you might have some insight, because the Kobayashi Maru is your program and you're the one with the A-7 computer expert classification."
They walked into the west entrance of the Tarkington building together and up the stairs to the observation room of simulator 6. Halfway up the stairs, the upper door burst open and Cadet Gaila emerged. Her big eyes grew larger when she saw them and her mouth fell open, but she quickly turned her expression into a smile and slinked towards them.
"Commander Spock, Lieutenant Nowak," she grinned. "How are you gentlemen this afternoon?"
"Adequate," Spock replied.
"Oh, we uh, I- you know," Nowak blushed.
Spock gazed at the young lieutenant, inferring from the reddening of his complexion and the altered pattern of his speech that Nowak was nervous. It was logical to conclude Gaila's presence was the catalyst, though he couldn't be certain whether it was due to her physiology or Nowak's opinion of her. Spock's eyes darted back to Gaila, observing the pronounced sway of her hips as she walked down the stairs and the fluttering of her eyes, which culminated in a wink as she squeezed past Nowak on her descent.
"Why were you in the observation room?" Spock asked.
"Huh?" she blurted.
"Yeah, what- what were you uh… doing?" Nowak mumbled.
"You tasked me with debugging the simulator," Gaila replied, grinning and making eye contact with Nowak.
"Which Lieutenant Nowak informs me you have completed," Spock replied, folding his hands behind his back. "You and the rest of the senior class were given the afternoon off to prepare for next week's training mission, so why return here?"
"I… left something upstairs and came back to get it," Gaila explained, glancing in Spock's direction.
"Oh, ok," Nowak mumbled, his cheeks growing a deeper shade of red.
Gaila whirled around to continue her journey down the stairs, but Spock asked, "What was it?"
"What was what?" Gaila responded.
"The item you came to retrieve?"
"You're awfully curious today, Commander," Gaila replied, smiling and biting her lip.
"And your hands are empty," Spock retorted.
"Oh, right," she laughed. "Turns out it's probably back in my room, because it's not here."
"I see." Spock's eyes remained trained on her, and her expression hardened slightly.
"Well, I should be going," Gaila sighed. "I have to get back to my room and help my roommate pack. She's very stressed, you know. We're trying to get ready for this mission and then we had to go to that fraternization training."
The change in her tone was curious, as was her deliberate mention of Nyota. It was illogical to presume she was making a threat, particularly when he couldn't understand her motivation for doing so, but Gaila wasn't a great admirer of logic.
"Certainly," Spock replied.
Gaila gave Nowak a warm smile and then stalked down the stairs, bouncing slightly with each step. Spock was surprised to discover his heart rate had become slightly elevated from its standard 240 beats per minute to 252 beats per minute, and worked to regain control of his physiology.
He didn't have time to reflect on the unusual interaction however, because the moment they arrived in the observation room, Nowak launched into an explanation of the work he and the cadets had done during the week.
They spent the next several hours pouring over Cadet Maloney's findings. Two versions of the Kobayashi Maru simulator currently existed: the one Gaila and Chekov had restored and the one that Maloney had discovered on the tertiary mainframe. When Spock began comparing the two, he found very minor discrepancies in the subroutines for the photon torpedoes and shields, but it was nearly impossible to derive the purpose of the changes just by looking at the code.
He was certain of one thing though: the changes weren't his. Spock was the original author of the program and though other people had installed updates to it during the past three years, Spock had also written the updates. Yet the stylistic differences between his program and the new subroutines were obvious. There were spaces after semicolons, unnecessary breaks in the lines of code, and annotation backslashes with no text describing the subroutine's functionality. On the whole, the new subroutines were sloppy and difficult to read.
When he restored the altered version of the program to the main system and ran a diagnostic, it came back with no errors, and he ran through the simulation twice with Nowak and it appeared to function normally. He returned to the observation room and prepared to take the program offline again, but was struck by a fleeting memory when he glanced down at the communications station.
Nyota had been sitting there just a week ago, working competently and efficiently. It had been the last time the simulator was used; it had been during Cadet Kirk's unorthodox second attempt. His mind teased at the memory, trying to weave logic through speculation.
During Cadet Kirk's last attempt, he'd opted for an unusual strategy to rescue the stranded crew of the Kobayashi Maru when he disregarded both logic and protocols and elected to cross the Neutral Zone without raising his shields. Then he'd ignored escalation of force measures by ordering the deployment of photon torpedoes before utilizing phasers. Had it been a tactical scenario, Kirk would have failed due to negligence, but the Kobayashi Maru was designed to test composure in the face of death, not assess military strategy.
When he and Nowak ran the altered program a third time using Kirk's tactics, a very unexpected thing occurred. For the first time since it had been put in service three years earlier, Spock defeated the Kobayashi Maru simulation by successfully rescuing the stranded crew and returning to Federation space.
"I didn't think it was possible to beat this test," Nowak laughed as they powered down the program.
"It was not designed to be beaten," Spock admitted. "Given the evidence, it is logical to conclude these subroutines were inserted as a means of overriding automatic failure algorithms."
"So who put them there?"
Spock didn't immediately reply. The most logical conclusion was that Kirk had installed them, but he had no proof aside from the cadet's irrational decisions during his most recent attempt at the simulation. Nowak had spent days trying to locate the original source of the code in the altered version of the program but had been unsuccessful. Furthermore, the altered program had been on the tertiary mainframe for more than a month and according to records, nine command track students had attempted the Kobayashi Maru during that time.
They spent three more hours going over access logs and records, and still Spock could not obtain enough convincing circumstantial evidence to implicate Kirk. It was obvious the culprit had managed to temporarily place the altered version of the simulation on the main computer system, most likely via a flaw in the backup system, and had neglected to erase the evidence in the tertiary mainframe, but Spock couldn't even determine how it had been done.
He wanted to investigate further, but it was already 2100 hours and he was due to meet Captain Pike at the orbital space dock in an hour. He notified the Information Security Office about the suspected breach in the Academy's main computer system, dismissed Nowak, and secured the observation deck, leaving the lieutenant with instructions to keep all students out of the simulator until he returned from the senior training mission.
He left the corridor with the simulators and walked toward the expansive building's east exit. The halls were deserted and the overhead lighting was dimmed due to the late hour, but he paid little attention. His mind was active and full, pondering his imminent visit to Enterprise, the upcoming training mission at Wolf 359, the Kobayashi Maru hack, and most prominently, his looming separation from Nyota.
He was halfway down the main hall en route to the exit when the door to a stairwell creaked open and Nyota emerged. His heart emitted an unanticipated palpitation but he continued his stride without faltering.
"Sir," she murmured, turning to walk down the hallway in the same direction.
"Cadet," he replied. "Your presence in the building was unexpected at this late hour."
"Oh, I was down in the long range sensor lab collecting data for my thesis," she said quickly. "It's hard to get dedicated time on the array during the day because the lab's schedule conflicts with mine."
"I see," he said. "Lieutenant Bautista informs me you intercepted a Romulan message last night."
The muscles in her face twitched an expression of satisfaction, but she said, "It was just was an old transmission. I almost mistook it for Vulcan at first, but when I realized what I was picking up, I got a little excited and notified Starfleet before I knew what I had. It's kind of embarrassing really, being the overeager cadet who imagines she's intercepting something relevant and important like Romulan invasion plans."
"On the contrary, you acted diligently and according to regulation," Spock explained. "Lieutenant Bautista was impressed with your discovery. I also consider it impressive."
Nyota murmured something unintelligible, and then the only sound that remained was the clicking of their footwear on the tiled floor. They walked side-by-side at a moderate and purposeful pace, head and eyes straightforward. He considered the optimal way to broach the subject of the afternoon's briefing on Starfleet Academy's new fraternization policy, but she beat him to it when she muttered, "What are we going to do?"
Her words were so quiet he wasn't certain he'd heard her correctly, but when he glanced in her direction, he saw the evident worry and longing in her eyes. He didn't want to be parted from her, and for a brief moment believed he would accept the risk to his career to continue to be close to her, but logic immediately prevailed. There was more than just his career to consider, there was hers.
"How do you wish to proceed?" he asked quietly, looking away from her.
She didn't answer. They walked out of the east exit together and were immediately confronted by Lieutenant Akamatsu who was entering the building through the same door.
"Commander Spock," she declared, before eyeing Nyota and adding, "And Cadet Uhura. You two certainly seem to be thick as thieves, always sneaking around together at late hours."
"I was investigating problems with one of the training simulators," Spock explained. "And Cadet Uhura was performing work in the long range sensor lab. Our meeting was coincidental, much like our meeting with you."
"Right, actually, I wanted to talk to you, sir," Akamatsu said, glaring at Nyota.
"Yeah, I was just heading back to the dorms anyway," Nyota announced. "It was good seeing you sir. And ma'am."
Spock didn't take his eyes from Akamatsu's face, though he could see Nyota walking away in his periphery. He suppressed the illogical urge to follow her and asked, "How may I assist you, Lieutenant?"
"I was wondering if you'd given any more consideration to my interest in being assigned to Enterprise?"
"I am due to meet with the Enterprise's captain within the hour," Spock explained. "I do not work in Personnel Resources and do not know what postings are available."
"All I wanted was a recommendation."
"I haven't had the opportunity to speak with Captain Pike since we last met at the bistro."
"But you're meeting with him in an hour," she pressed.
"I am," he replied. "I need to return to my quarters to pack the necessary supplies for my visit to the ship and the upcoming training mission."
"Yeah, sure," she mumbled. "I just- I get the feeling you're brushing me off. Pavel Chekov and Richard Maloney both told me they received orders to Enterprise at your recommendation, so I'm just trying to figure out why you'd choose students over your colleagues."
"In approximately three months' time, those cadets will be our colleagues," he reminded her. "Captain Pike tasked me with selecting twelve cadets who'd expressed interest in an assignment to the vessel. As you are not a cadet, your name was not included."
"Right," she replied sharply. "But I have to wonder, I heard Nyota Uhura got an assignment through your recommendation also."
"Hers was one of the twelve names I submitted to Captain Pike, due to her exemplary record and class rank."
Akamatsu blinked. Spock did not.
"I know she was on that disastrous training mission with you last term," Akamatsu finally said. "I guess being stranded on a planet after being attacked by pirates, that can bring two people closer together."
"You imply the experience bolstered my sense of camaraderie with Cadet Uhura," Spock countered. "Perhaps it did, though that regrettable event also allowed me to gauge her performance in a non-simulated environment. Adding weight to your theory is the fact that I also recommended Cadets Sulu and Chekov, who were on the mission as well."
She scowled and nodded. "I don't mean to imply you're picking favorites. Chekov is easily my best student: I would have chosen him too."
"If you have no other concerns, I need to return to my quarters," Spock stated.
"I don't mean to pester you," she said. "But please, consider me when you speak with Captain Pike."
Spock nodded as a courtesy but didn't reply. He turned and walked the short distance to his quarters, collected his bag, and proceeded to the Academy's official port at the far end of campus. He arrived right on time for the shuttle's departure and walked toward the small vessel at an accelerated pace.
The door flung open as he reached it, revealing a Tarkalean flight chief who was evidently startled by his sudden appearance. She sneezed unexpectedly, hurling thick mucous all over his face and neck. He closed his eyes, took a heavy breath, and tried to suppress his disgust.
After wiping and sanitizing his face and listening to numerous apologies, the shuttle left Earth and arrived at the orbital space dock twenty-four minutes later. He saw Enterprise very briefly upon their approach, noting robotic instruments gliding over the ship's duranium hull. Their docking was hindered by the USS Farragut, which had been towed in for repairs by the USS Walcott following a disastrous mission at Tycho IV. When the shuttle finally docked, Spock found Pike waiting to greet him.
"Have a good trip?" Pike asked.
Spock thought back to the Tarkalean crewman and replied, "I have arrived alive and without injury."
Pike grinned. "Well, it's good to have you here. It's pretty late so I figured we'd start with the tour tomorrow, but are you up for a brandy in my quarters?"
"I do not consume alcohol," Spock reminded him, as he'd reminded him every time they'd met since he'd graduated from the Academy.
"Then are you up for some water while I have a brandy?"
Spock didn't see how he could refuse. It took twenty minutes to traverse the kilometer-long space dock and arrive in Pike's quarters aboard Enterprise. Pike showed him an identical room next to his own which would serve as Spock's private lodgings. The room was much smaller than his current living situation but still quite spacious for a starship. His next thought was that Nyota, as a new ensign, would likely share a room with another junior officer.
"You seem different than the last time I saw you," Pike remarked as they entered the captain's quarters.
"Explain."
"When I saw you in your office a month ago, you looked like someone kicked your puppy."
Spock canted his head at the unusual turn of phrase, attempting to decipher its meaning. "I do not have any pets, canine or otherwise."
Pike chuckled to himself and glanced up at the ceiling as he pulled a bottle of brown liquid from a cupboard in the small kitchen at the opposite end of the room. "I mean you looked sad, in a Vulcan sort of way. Now you… don't."
"I do not experience sadness," he insisted. "I do not now and I did not then."
"Well, there's a replicator right there if you want something to drink," Pike said, pointing to a slot in the wall at the entry of the kitchen.
Spock tucked his hands behind his back and approached the device. He considered the programming options on the replicator and selected the option for kaasa juice, a blue-green beverage popular on Vulcan.
"What is that?" Pike sneered.
"Kaasa juice."
"Well, it certainly smells very… potent."
Spock took a sip and raised his eyebrows. He actually found the replicated drink to be rather bland, but it was a passable approximation.
"So, I got your list of recommended cadets and had their orders pushed through," Pike announced, taking a seat in a lounge chair near the front of the room. "I haven't had a chance to read their files, but I trust your judgment."
"You explained that when you assigned me with the task," Spock replied, considering Akamatsu's request and deliberating whether to recommend her to Pike.
"I did have one question," Pike added. "Are you familiar with James Kirk?"
"I have become acquainted with his name only recently," Spock admitted.
"His name was on the list from personnel resources. Why not recommend him?"
Spock hesitated. Kirk had been a highly qualified candidate, but there had been others who had performed better. He decided against telling the captain about his suspicions regarding Kirk's academic dishonesty, rationalizing that humans tended to confuse accusations with confirmed guilt, and since he had no definitive proof, slandering Kirk's character at this juncture would be prejudicial.
"When I made my decision, I compared his scores against his peers on the command track, and I believed there were others with better records."
"Come on, Spock," Pike sighed. "There's more to people than just metrics. I've heard you're one of the toughest graders in Academy history, so I assumed you cared more about performance and actual competence than data."
"You assume correctly," Spock confessed. "But since I've made my recommendation, I have come to know more of Cadet Kirk and stand by my initial assessment."
"Why?"
"I observed his performance in the Kobayashi Maru simulation, and not only did he violate a number of Starfleet protocols, he was reckless and poorly organized."
"The Kobayashi Maru was your senior project," Pike laughed. "Are you sure you're not just being critical of his performance because you're sentimental about it?"
"Emotional attachment to a computer simulation is illogical," Spock retorted.
"How bad could he have done?"
"Will you permit me a query, captain?"
"I thought you knew me well enough that you shouldn't feel you have to ask," Pike replied, taking a sip of his drink.
"What is your interest in this cadet?"
Pike took another long draught and answered, "It's… complicated."
"Based on my observations, I do not believe Cadet Kirk takes service in Starfleet seriously. His grades suggest he possesses the necessary competence, but his attitude leaves much to be desired."
"I respect your opinion, Commander Spock," Pike replied. "Kirk is arrogant, but he's young. We all have our character flaws. Anyway, enough about that. What's new with you?"
The sudden shift in conversation turned his thoughts back to Nyota.
"Did you just smile?" Pike laughed, a look of astonishment spreading across his face.
"I am Vulcan. I cannot express emotions that I do not feel," Spock replied, before answering Pike's question by adding, "I am departing directly from here on Sunday for Wolf 359 to command the opposition force for the senior training exercise."
"Oh, it is that time of year, isn't it?" Pike grinned. "Well, if I get the chance, maybe I'll stop by and see how my future junior officers are doing."
The comm on the wall buzzed and Pike went to answer it. A minute later, Spock's personal PADD vibrated in his back pocket, and when he extracted it to read the new message, it was a single line from Nyota that read, "I don't want to stop seeing you if you don't want to stop seeing me."
"You just did it again!" Pike exclaimed, slumping back in seat and narrowing his eyes.
"Clarify."
"You just smiled."
"I assure you, you are mistaken."
Pike took a small sip of his brandy and asked, "So who is she?"