━━ The Circle of Idiots
System Loading... Bethany O'Neal... 14%
To say Bethany was irritated with James T. Kirk was an understatement. The sound of the intercom going off in her dorm was the voice from hell as he asked for everyone to join him in council hall. The brunette had looked to Reagan for an explanation, but she just shrugged and mouthed the idiot's name.
"What happened with his test?" She asked as she pulled on her boots.
"The idiot passed."
Bethany blanched, "Bull shit."
Reagan laughed, "And you say my language is horrid."
"That's because it is."
The two women followed the rest of the cadets to the council hall where Leonard waved the two down. Bethany glared at Jim from where he sat on the left of the good doctor. Reagan sat on Leonard's right tugging Bethany to sit beside her. Jim tried to give Bethany an innocent smile, but she refused to look over at him.
"Did you tell her?" Jim hissed at Reagan.
"Would you rather I didn't and then she found out this way?" Reagan shot back.
"Will you idiots be quiet? Barnett is about to speak."
The two quieted at Bethany's snappish tone. Neither of them wanted to be on her bad side. Leonard shifted in his seat not liking being in the middle of the circle of idiots. Bethany refocused her attention back on Barnett as he addressed the current cadets in the room.
"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter." Barnett began. "James T. Kirk, step forward."
All eyes trained on the man, but Bethany refused to give him the attention that apparently he craved. She had hoped he might beat the Kobayashi Maru test on his own with no outside help, but it appears she was wrong. Jim made his way down to address the committee while Bethany watched somberly.
"Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council, suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to Regulation One-Seven point three of the Starfleet Code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin, sir?"
"Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly." Jim answered.
Bethany half expected Reagan to step forward and put the man in his place, but another rose from the audience. Bethany had never met Commander Spock, but assumed this was him when Reagan scoffed and muttered his name slowly under her breath, followed by a few curse words. Bethany placed her hand on Reagan's and leaned her head over trying not to fall asleep.
"Language, Bubba."
"Don't start Pookie."
"Step forward, please." Barnett gestured to the other podium. "This is Commander Spock. He's one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobayashi Maru exam for the last four years. Commander?"
"Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine to the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test." Spock looked over at him.
"Your point being?"
"In academic vernacular, you cheated."
Whispers coursed throughout the hall like a tornado and Bethany, Reagan, and Leonard sank lower in their seats. Just by association everything they have done leading up to that point would come under fire. Bethany looked across the room to find Nyota staring at her. The girl put her hands up in mock surrender and Nyota could tell that she was saying 'I had nothing to do with this.'
"Let me ask you something, I think we all know the answer to." Bethany slapped her hand on her forehead at Jim's accusatory tone. "The test itself is a cheat, isn't it? You programmed it to be unwinnable."
"Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario."
"I don't believe in no-win scenarios."
"Then, not only did you violate the rules, you also failed to understand the principle lesson."
"Please, enlighten me."
"You of all people should know, Cadet Kirk. A Captain cannot cheat death."
Bethany's breath hitched at Spock's implication of Jim's father. She knew the story well, not only from the reports, but from the son he left behind. She knew how private Jim was about his feelings when it came to his family, especially his dad. She had seen him at his worst and the fact the commander was using his dead father as a training tool was angering her.
"I of all people?"
"Your father, Lieutenant George Kirk, assumed command of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not?" Spock asked, already knowing the answer.
"I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test?" Jim stated, trying to redirect the conversation.
"Furthermore, you have failed to divine the purpose of the test."
"Enlighten me again."
"The purpose is to experience fear. Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is a quality expected in every Starfleet captain." Spock answered.
Bethany squeezed her hands into fist as she tried her best not to get violent with the instructor. It was one thing to use their own personal experiences as a teaching method, but to publicly use another man's tragedy. It disgusted her that the Vulcan thought this appropriate and the council had done nothing to stop him.
"Excuse me, sir."
Bethany watched as a message was delivered to Admiral Barnett and the crowd watched. Bethany looked over at Jim to find him looking at her. His body language was full of confidence, but she could see it in his eyes. He was hurt. A wound that had just begun to heal had now been reopened for the world to see and judge.
"We've received a distress call from Vulcan." Barnett announced. "With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hangar One immediately. Dismissed."
Bethany stood along with everyone else and made her way down to where Jim had stood unmoving. She placed a kind hand on his shoulder and he reached up to grasp it. The brunette looked over her shoulder to find that Leonard and Reagan had followed her, watching as Spock disappeared into the crowd.
"Who was that pointy-eared bastard?" Jim asked.
"My commanding officer." Reagan answered.
Bethany shook her head, "He just got on my bad side."
"You don't have a bad side." Jim said, looking at her.
"I don't know, but I like him." Leonard said, clapping his hand on Jim's back.