Disclaimer: I own not the song "One Day More" nor the play "Les Miserables."
Stephanie sat in her room typing the next chapter of What You Have Chosen is at Hand when suddenly she felt the strangest sensation. It was as though she was… dematerializing. Then she saw the sparkling blue lights… and understood that her dream came alive at last.
Nathan was reading a post by Admiral Kinkade when the screen started to get blurry. Blue lights were blocking his vision. In a second, he too understood that what he had forever longed for was in his grasp.
Rachel controlled the futuristic vehicle in the third level of the Kim Possible game when her hand started to lose control of the mouse. She saw little blue sparkles around her hand and then understood.
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy stood in the transporter room and watched the three teenagers materialize on the transporter pad. To their credit, they were a little bit ready for it… at least for twenty-first century humans. That is to say, Stephanie only staggered into Nathan and only staggered into Rachel. She was the only one who fell.
"Hello Captain Kirk!" Nathan said cheerfully. "I am Nathan Black, this is Stephanie Calhoun, and Rachel East. Live long and prosper, Commander Spock, hello Doctor McCoy." He and Stephanie both made the Vulcan hand gesture.
"We have been monitoring your telephone conversation-" Spock began, but he was cut off by McCoy.
"Please tell me not all teenagers spend all their time on computers, frequently use inside jokes, and fall in love with green-blooded computers," he muttered. Stephanie glared at him while Nathan, Kirk, and Rachel laughed. Spock however was looking very thoughtfully at the blonde human.
Changing the subject, Stephanie said, "Just think Nathan! We will be able to actually join Starfleet, go to Vulcan, boldly go where no one has gone before…!"
"What about me?" Rachel asked.
"Um… you do not have to turn in that annoying literature paper Wednesday?" Rachel rolled her eyes.
"Who said anything about staying?" Spock asked.
"Spock…! No! You have already violated the Prime Directive, besides, we knew about you anyways. You cannot send me back- I would rather vaporize myself!" Stephanie cried.
"Are you depressed?" Kirk asked.
"No, you think?" Nathan asked sarcastically. "You are always like, 'Oh, I want to kill myself, I hope Iraq bombs America and kills everyone, there is no point to life-"
"Nathan. Shut up."
"It is true."
"So?"
"Arguing is illogical when we must decide what to do with you children," Spock said. "Captain, I suggest we hold a meeting in the conference room."
"Agreed. We can just transport there." Five seconds later, five humans and one Vulcan were seated at the table.
"Let us stay! You can get back to your time… with us… and no harm done because we will not say anything! Captain, do you not remember Gillian?" Stephanie said.
"Gillian?"
"Must not have happened yet. Shi… skabobs!" Stephanie said. "We will even just repopulate the uni-" Rachel slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Not in front of… everyone!" she hissed.
"What!? I like that joke!"
"Captain."
"Spock?" Kirk responded.
"I believe that these children will be valuable assets to us. I suggest we let them stay. There is certainly more to them than meets the eye."
"You are just saying that because someone actually likes you," Bones said, unable to resist a chance to argue with Spock. Spock raised an eyebrow and Stephanie muttered something about McCoy being Rachel's favorite character, although Bones could not understand why he was being referred to as a "character."
"I think they should stay too," Kirk said. "However, we cannot let the crew know that there are three twenty-first century teenagers running amok on the ship."
"Oh my… Amok Time! Has it happened yet?" Stephanie asked.
"Has Amok Time happened yet? Look at when we are!" Bones said sarcastically.
"No! I mean… Spock… what is the current situation with… um… T'Pring?" Spock and Kirk both gaped at her.
"You know what… happened… on Vulcan?" Kirk asked.
"Yes! Well, what happened on Vulcan was very sad, but at least now…"
"Spock is available," Nathan supplied dryly. Stephanie blushed, but did not deny it.
"Does Stephanie always dominate your conversations?" Spock asked.
"No, Nathan does. But Stephanie is definitely the most formidable presence," Rachel supplied.
"Back to the topic of keeping you three secret, at least for now," Kirk said loudly. "We can obviously not get guest quarters if this is to happen. Therefore…" he trailed off.
"Closets?" asked McCoy with a laugh.
"Rachel has sleepover-phobia," Stephanie said.
"Thank you for telling the entire world," Rachel said.
"You are very welcome."
"Now kiddos, denial is…" Nathan began.
"A very bad thing!" all teenagers recited.
"How are we in denial?" Stephanie asked.
"Because I said so," Nathan replied. Stephanie slapped him lightly on the side of his head.
"Must you three constantly have inside jokes?" Bones asked.
"Lasagna," Stephanie replied, which brought a glare from Rachel and a confused look from everyone else. Bones groaned once more.
"Okay, right," Kirk said. "Each of you will sleep in one of our quarters, on the couches there. Bones: Rachel, Spock: Nathan, myself: Stephanie."
That brought happy looks from Nathan and Rachel and a slightly disappointed look from Stephanie.
"Okay people, I will give the order to warp around the sun, and then we can work out the rest of the necessary orders of business. Dismissed." Kirk said.
"She'll be coming 'round the sun when she comes," Stephanie sang softly. Rachel and Nathan just looked at her.
"Sorry- bad joke… as usual…" she said, slightly annoyed.
Two and one half hours and twenty-six arguments later, Stephanie and Nathan had on Starfleet uniforms, due to the wonderful medical technology, Stephanie and Rachel no longer needed contact lenses, Rachel and Doctor McCoy had already used their combined illogic against Spock, and the Enterprise was back in the twenty-third century.
Currently, the teens, who had begun to refer to themselves as the Trekkie Trio, for what reason the three officers had no idea, were gathered in Spock's quarters. Stephanie was singing an excerpt from "One Day More" and looking at Spock's Vulcan candles, Nathan was browsing the computer databases, and Rachel was annoying Spock with very illogical arguments.
"I never lived until todaaaaaay!" sang Stephanie.
"Oh my ears!" Nathan moaned. "You are so off pitch!"
"So I sing badly. Lasagna to you." She resumed singing, modifying the song slightly. "Now I can live sine you are here! Today you are not worlds awaaaaaay! And with you, my world has started!!!"
"You should never have gone to see Les Miserables."
"I loved it. There was romantic tragedy."
"Stephanie… it is about 2200 hours. You and Rachel probably should go now."
"Fine, be that way!" She stormed out, but stopped briefly to give Nathan a teasing grin, inform Rachel, and bid Spock good night. The doors shut behind the two girls.
"Are you thinking that scene at in the parent trap- with the molasses?" Stephanie said.
"Nathan is going down," Rachel grinned.