A/N: sorry this took so long! a wasn't feelin it for the longest time. new chappie! enjoy!


Chapter 29: Welcome Aboard the Enterprise

"This is the last of them," Akiko sighed, setting an armload of Tribbles onto the transporter pad but keeping one in her hands. "I'm going to keep one, but I'm keeping it away from my food."

"Thank goodness," Scotty grumbled, sitting at the controls of the transporter room. "Get these things outta here."

"I hope the Admiral knows what he's doing," Akiko said, standing next to Scotty with another white Tribble. "Kristine told me about what happened the first time they visited Genon."

"That's right," Scotty suddenly remembered as light flooded the room then disappeared instantly. "I forgot about that. But I'm sure the Admiral knows what he's doin', so there's no need to worry."

Akiko nodded as he stood and entreated her with a gesture toward the door to head out of the room with him.

"Better report to the captain, eh?" he smirked as they headed out the door and into the hallway. "He wanted me to bring you with me. Said he and the Admiral had somethin' they wanted to talk to you an' Jacqueline about. What kinda trouble ye gettin' yerself into now?"

"They wanna talk to both of us?" she frowned in worry. "We didn't do anything!" Her eyes shot wide and she gripped his arm to pull him to face her. "Do you think he's going to talk to us about the Tribbles?"

"I doubt it, lass," Scotty chuckled through a smirk, patting her on the shoulder. "I was only kiddin' with ye."

Akiko gave a sigh as they continued down the hall, and she instantly grinned when she noticed Spock, Jacqueline, and Sulu heading toward them.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise," Sulu smirked as Akiko stepped to Spock's side and brushed her fingers over his hand to which he nodded his acknowledgement of the show of affection.

"Whatever," Jacqueline muttered, drawing Akiko's and Scotty's attentions to her with frowns.

"The Commander is taking us to the briefing room to meet the Captain and Admiral Pike," Sulu explained with a smirk at Jacqueline's irritation.

"I came to retrieve you, Mr. Scott, and you as well, Akiko," Spock explained, and she gave a small sigh.

"Scotty was telling me they wanted to speak to us," she recalled, looking to Spock for reassurance as she asked, "Are we…going to be disciplined for the Tribbles?"

"We found a solution for that," he reminded her. "If you were going to be punished for it, the Admiral would have told you by now."

Akiko gave a nod before Scotty wondered, "So, why exactly are we both bein' called?"

"I wasn't told," Spock replied as they all headed down the hall, Akiko petting her Tribble.

"I'm surprised you kept one," Jacqueline observed. "After having those things all over the place I don't wanna be around another one."

"Spock said I could keep one as long as I didn't feed it," Akiko replied and turned a smile to Spock, assuring him, "I've learned my lesson."

"A welcome development," Spock nodded, making her smile widen, but it dropped abruptly when they stopped at the briefing room. "I must head back to the bridge."

"You're not coming in with us?" Scotty asked, Akiko frowning worriedly and he shook his head.

"I was not asked to be present," he replied, making Akiko swallow as he looked to her to assure her, "I shall see you afterward."

"Ok," she nodded as Jacqueline sneered at the door, crossing her arms in rebellion.

"I just hope this isn't about Jim and I," she muttered as Akiko stepped closer to Spock. "It's not like there's a rule against dating on the ship, right?"

"I have no idea," Akiko shrugged before quickly pressing a kiss to his cheek when Jacqueline wasn't looking and he lifted a brow at her as she looked up at him with a smile before whispering, "I'll see you later."

Spock nodded and looked to the Tribble in her hands, advising, "You may want to leave that with me."

"Oh!" Akiko chirped as Spock offered to take it from her and she set it gently in his hands. "Thank you, watashi no ai."

Spock gave a small frown as she only smiled up at him but Sulu gave a small snicker, making Scotty and Jacqueline frown at him.

"What did-?"

"I'll tell you later," she assured him. "They're waiting for me."

Spock nodded and turned to head down the hall as Akiko watched him leave with a pout before turning to her three friends.

"So," Sulu chirped, gesturing toward the door, smiling, "Shall we?"

"Let's get this over with," Jacqueline sighed, heading toward the door and it swished open as Scotty, Sulu and Akiko followed her.

Kirk and Pike sat at the briefing room table, the Captain on one end, the Admiral on the other, and two chairs on either side. Pike stood and greeted the four with all professionalism, holding a hand out to each of them as they entered, greeting them by their ranks.

"Lieutenant Suzuki, Ensign Fabian, if you could sit to one side," Pike entreated. "Engineer Scott and Lieutenant Sulu, sit to the other."

The four frowned to each other but did as they were advised, Akiko and Jacqueline sitting in front of Scotty and Sulu.

"None of you are in trouble, so breathe," Kirk clarified, and as if on cue, all four gave sighs of relief at the same time, making Pike chuckle.

"Far from it," Pike continued, leaning sideways on the table with one arm. "We're here to review Ensign Fabian and Lieutenant Suzuki's performances aboard this ship."

The two cadets stared wide eyes at the Admiral, but he only looked to Scotty and Sulu.

"Captain Kirk has given me his opinions on the two of them, but I'd like to hear what the two of you have to say," Pike explained, nodding to Scotty, saying, "We'll start with you, Mr. Scott. How has Lieutenant Suzuki…shall we say, proved her worth?"

"Well, she's sharp as a tack," Scotty instantly replied casually, sitting up a little further to lean on the table. "She's always workin', almost can't get her to stop unless I give her a direct order to. She gets into scrapes once in a while, but she's proven strong throughout. She's a great asset to the ship, Admiral, and me engineerin' team."

"Thank you, Mr. Scott," Pike nodded, looking to Sulu as Akiko and Jacqueline frowned to each other before looking to Kirk but he only shook his head. They weren't going to get a response from him. "Lieutenant Sulu, Ensign Fabian has been shadowing you, yes?"

"Yes," Sulu nodded, his eyes shifting from one person to another in nervousness.

"And how has her performance been so far?" Pike asked.

"Well…" he trailed off, shifting in his seat before clearing his throat and replying, "She's a fast learner. Smart, brave, and ready for anything, really. If I was indisposed, you couldn't ask for a more capable helmsman…or, woman, even though she hasn't had a chance to show off her skills yet."

Pike glanced between the two before looking spinning in his chair and looking to Akiko and Jacqueline as they straightened to attention in their seats.

"Lieutenant, your file says you have aspirations in the science department," Pike remembered. "How are you liking it so far in engineering?"

"Well, Sir, you'd be surprised how much science is put into the mechanics of a ship," she smiled. "Physics and chemistry to be precise. I enjoy working with Mr. Scott immensely. And Commander Spock has been keeping my studies up in other sciences."

Pike nodded before looking to Jacqueline, who sat a little straighter as he began, "And Ensign Fabian, your file says that you would like to pilot a ship on your own someday. You think you've learned enough from Lieutenant Sulu to do that?"

"Absolutely not, Sir," Jacqueline replied, instantly. "I've talked big, but I have so much more to learn from the experience end of being, not only helmsman, but an officer aboard the Enterprise. And to be quite honest, Sir, I don't want to fly any other ship other than this one, even if temporarily once in a while."

Pike nodded again and turned his chair to face Kirk then shrugged, "Well, I see no problem with it."

"So I can ask 'em, then?" Kirk wondered, sitting up to lean on the table and Pike nodded as their subordinates frowned to each other. "Alright, ladies…"

The two girls shot their attention to Kirk when he trailed off and he grinned at them.

"How would you two like to stay here, aboard the Enterprise?" he asked, making the wide eyed looks on the girls turn from wonder to disbelief. They looked to each other before looking to Admiral Pike then back to Kirk.

"You…You mean it, Jim?" Jacqueline breathed, too shocked to remember propriety and he nodded with a smirk.

"We accept!" Akiko grinned, sitting forward. "Thank you, Captain!" She turned to Pike. "Thank you, Admiral!"

"We'll make it official when we get back to Starfleet after we pick up the Ambassador from Maunder Prime," he nodded, standing to shake their hands.

"Congratulations, girls," Kirk smirked, standing as well. "Welcome aboard the Enterprise."


Later...

Akiko ran down the hall toward Spock's room and skidded to a stop in front of it, pressing the button next to the door rapidly, and not stopping until the door opened. She launched herself into Spock's arms, grinning as he stumbled back into the room, the door shutting behind her and she began leaving kisses all over his face.

"Spock! I have wonderful news!" she grinned as his hands came down to rest on her hips, his eyes meeting her excited gaze in wonder. "Admiral Pike and Captain Kirk both agree that Jacqueline and I should stay aboard the Enterprise as officers! There's certainly some formal things we'll have to go over when we get back to Starfleet, but the important thing is that you and I will be here, together. Isn't that wonderful?"

"A welcome development, Akiko," Spock replied, and she noticed a flicker of delight in his dark eyes, making her smile widely as she lifted herself up onto her tiptoes and pressed a tender kiss to his lips.

"I'm glad I won't have to be apart from you," she sighed, contentedly and he leaned his lips to next to her ear.

"As am I," he murmured, and she melted against him with another sigh before he scooped her up and walked her toward the bed.

"You like doing this, don't you?" she grinned as he laid her down and he climbed onto top of her.

"What is that, exactly?" he questioned before leaning down to press his mouth to her neck.

"Sweeping me off my feet," she replied through a sigh. "You've been doing it since the moment I met you. Figuratively and literally."

"Does it not please you?" he wondered, still multitasking between talking and caressing her neck.

"Of course it does," she sighed, threading her fingers through his hair to pull him closer. "My question was does it please you?"

"Your reactions are…fascinating," he nearly growled in her ear, making her giggle before he pulled away enough to look down at her.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," she smiled before he pressed his lips to hers for a deep kiss, which she instantly melted into.

"Attention all decks," Kirk's voice came from overhead. "We'll be arriving at Maunder Prime in one hour. Kirk out."

"Plenty of time," Spock whispered, making Akiko giggle again before his hands slid under her tunic and undershirt to gently touch her bare flesh, the heat from his hands making her moan and arch into him.

"Plenty…" she grinned before he planted his lips to hers, passionately.


A/N: wait! we're not done yet! one more teeny...tiny...little adventure, huh? wuddya say? reviews?