Chapter Five: The Tests

Author's Note: As long as I get one review I'll keep writing. I don't own Star Trek but Zorek is mine! Mine!

"Two hundred and forty beats per minute!" A human doctor shouted in surprise.

"That's normal." Zorek replied.

"That would kill a human."

"Have you any experience? At the very least Vulcan? Or Klingon? Or even Reman? We share some similarities with all of them."

"No never. This is my first time studying aliens."

"You have a lot to learn then." Zorek smiled. "Go ahead ask me a question."

"What's with the ink on your face?"

"It's symbolic for grieving." Zorek replied.

"And what are you grieving?"

"My lost home, my lost crew."

"Sad. Yet, maybe you could make a new home here?"

Zorek looked sad, "Maybe."

"How old are you?" The doctor asked out of the blue.

"Ninety five."

"Ninety five? You don't look that old."

"Because I'm still young. We live generally until two hundred, but there have been many cases of living to two hundred and twenty."

"Two hundred and twenty?"

"That's right I said two hundred and twenty."

"How's that possible?"

"Science, medical advancements, natural selection."

"Natural selection?"

"We generally don't allow children with flaws to live. We weed them out leaving only the strong to survive."

"That's terrible!"

"That's life."

(Star Trek. Star Trek.)

"Next thing you do is the fear test." An admiral explained.

"And the purpose of this?" Zorek asked curiously.

"To see how well you handle under pressure. All members of Starfleet take this test except those incapable of fear like the android."

Zorek sat in the room waiting but didn't expect for his long dead wife to appear. She looked sickly and was holding a newborn boy who was equally sickly. Then they died before Zorek could say a word. Zorek then realized his fear. Losing loved ones. It happened again and again and again till Zorek was reduced to tears. Then the test ended.

"Congratulations Zorek, you've passed the test!"

(Star Trek. Star Trek.)

"Your final test is the command test. Pass this and you get the rank of commander."

The command test required some studying, but Zorek was prepared. He had learned all the functions of a starship and how the chain of command worked. He passed after only the first try as he was willing to die for his crew or even send a crew mate to death. It wasn't easy but he was more than prepared because of his training when he was still a part of the Romulan Star Empire.

Now only one test remained. Serving on a starship.

Author's Note: So? More? Please review and tell me what you thought. No flames please.