It never crossed my mind this would be the destination the scotsman had in mind. Both of us could hear the roars of the crowd from inside. I glanced at the scotsman ,"This was your plan?"

He shrugged placing his hands in his one-suit pockets. He answered, "Well you didn't want a drink. If I remembered right, this is where we always went to back in the old days."

An upward twitch of my lip caught his eye. He smiled big, "I was at the end of my shift anyways so there is no harm done of stayin' with you."

I nudged his shoulder with my own. I mumbled, "Thanks."

His eyes looked where the campus start across the street. His sight didn't falter away from the campus. Red dressed cadets walked between buildings. Some grey uniformed officers mixed in. He spoke, "I also didn't want you to kill the captain or do whatever that pinch you Vulcans do."

I rolled my eyes while grabbing his arm to pull him inside, "I wasn't going to kill the captain. I'm more... disappointed in him than have wanting murder intent. If you wanted a date, one should ask the intended. It is all up to the intended if they want to go forth or not. If the captain were to ask instead of going with this rouse, I would have answered no. I have no feelings for the captain unlike it seem he may have for me."

Scotty nervously laughed while rubbing his neck. The roars of the crowd became louder as we entered the building.

"Burn him!"

"Saw him in half!"

My hazel eyes glanced at the arena seeing many other engineers and locals surrounding the caged area. Two robots are fighting to its death. One has a flame thrower equipped while the other has a chainsaw in its front. I breathed in smelling the heavy smell of oil and grease. Scotty saw a smile plastered on my face. He started to pull me inside of me pulling him. He guided me through the crowd and other robotics machinists to get to one corner. A corner that Scotty rented out for him and I during the old days. It may seem he never stopped paying for it. I studied the work station seeing it collected dust. Scotty released my arm and placed his two hands on his hips. He looked around the station, "It may seem we have a lot to work on before the tournament."

If I wasn't Vulcan, I am sure my eyes would've popped out at his statement. I asked, "You signed us up for the tournament? How much time do we have? And I might as well ask why did you sign us up?"

Scotty turned to me. He studied my person before he started to clean the area and checking the inventory by pressing his thumb print on the biometric of the toolbox. It was to ensure no one stole our equipment and materials. He finally answered, "You needed a break away from the Fleet. Also I am sure you want to get away from your brother. I thought this would be a great distraction for you not hunting down the captain as well as giving yourself a hideaway from everything else."

I had a hard time hearing him over the crowd cheering despite my acute hearing as his voice quieted. I stepped closer to the scotsman. I bent down to his level where he was searching through the bottom drawer. I asked, "What did you say? I didn't hear you over the cheering."

He repeated, "Especially what you went through with that Vulcan guy."

My face soften and I felt my heart fill with warmth. I surprised the scotsman by wrapping my arms around his upper torso. My voice barely came out as whisper, "Thank you, Scotty. You were always there for me."

Warmth filled the scotsman as he heard the words coming out of my mouth. He felt lucky that my mouth was close to his ear or he wouldn't have heard it. He turned his body so he can return the hug. His chin rested ontop of my head. There were times the Vulcan hybrid was there for him.

Huntsville, Alabama

Scotty's Point of View

I looked at the clock in the bar. Keenser nursed a small whisky. I was on my third scotch waiting for the lass. The door of the bar burst open revealing some big thugs. I should know the lass would be late due to her message about Captain Pike holding her back to go over the statistics of their career enrollments. What I didn't expect was it taking this long. My hazel eyes looked over at Keenser who met my sight. I mumbled in my scotch, "I know I know. I am worried too."

The thugs sat at the bar laughing loudly. Anyone in the bar could hear their voices as they didn't have a care who would listen. Like it was intentional. A brunette guy clapped his bruised and bloodied friend on the back, "You got beat up by a girl."

The two of us didn't hear what the hurt thug said as he mumbled into his drink. The brunette gestured to the rest of the guys as he tighten his grip on his hurt friend's shoulder, "We dealt with that black haired chick for you. She was surprisingly strong for the likes of her. She was a pretty thing though."

I turned me attention to the thugs. Keenser looked over at me before looking at the thugs. Keenser made a noise which I answered, "Aye, I think so too. Who else do you know have the strength of the lass?"

I hopped off his stool heading towards the thugs. Gaining the courage, I tapped the brunette on the shoulder, "Did the lass have pointy ears and possibly have a Star Fleet uniform?"

The brunette grunted as he torward me, "What's it to you? You her boyfriend?"

That answer was all I needed to know before I pulled my right arm back. My fist made contact to the man's jaw. Immediately that gave response to the mana's group to attack as well. Keenser started to head to the fight to help out his friend before someone caught his sight. Keenser hurriedly went to the person speaking rapidly in his language. The female looked up from Keenser seeing her best friend getting knocked around but not without putting a few hits himself. Keenser watched as the female went behind one of the men. Her fingers found the pressure point between the neck and shoulder. Instantly the brute fell to the ground as he was victim to the Vulcan pinch. The bigger guys except for one who kept to his drink turned towards their now-fallen buddy. The woman tilted her head before looking at me. My lip was split and My eye was starting to swell. It was getting hard to see through my right eye. Her voice carried on authority, "What is going on?"

Some of the men backed away as the woman headed forward. I had difficulty breathing due to what feels like a bruised rib. I leaned against the bar to gain stability. A thick hand grabbed the Vulcan hybrid by her shoulder. His gravely voice smelled of alcohol, "I wouldn't do that girly. This isn't a business of yours."

In a swift moment, the hybrid twisted his hand and arm. The brute's body clashed against the bar. Glasses resting on the table top stumbled slightly. Another guy started to head towards the hybrid but I pushed myself off the bar, "Oh noe you don't!"

My fist collided with the man's face. A thud resonated the bar. Patrons stayed at their seats as they watched what was going on before them. I wouldn't want to get in the midst of this either but they were saying bad things about my best friend that I couldn't let it fly. The man I punched was about to pull his hand back to punch me in the face. I closed my eyes awaiting the pain but it never came. I slowly opened my eyes or eye as now my right eye is now swollen shut. Another thud hit the ground. My best friend glanced over her shoulder seeing the man I punched on the ground groaning. A hand grabbed my own pulling me out of the bar. Once we were outside with Keenser trailing behind us, she broke down her barriers and turned to me. I could see her livid. I held up my hands in defense, "They were talkin' about this lass and it sounded like they harmed her. I couldn't let scum like that roamin' around."

Keenser pitched in which made her face soften. I felt arms wrapped around my torso which shocked me for a moment. Her chin rested on my shoulder. Her voice trailed to my ear, "Thank you, Mr. Scott. Thank you for having my back."

I pulled her away looking at her for the first time. I noticed a green bruising on her cheek and a couple cuts on her face. My hands went to her face lightly. My thumb ghosted over her pale skin. I breathed out, "So it was you they attacked."

A little frown etched on her lips. That told me more than I needed to know. I noticed she is out of her Star Fleet uniform and into comfortable clothes. I pulled away from her heading towards the bar again, "Let me at 'em! I'll kill 'em!"

I felt a pull on my hand making my feet stumble on each other. Her voice stopped me, "Stop, don't. I gave the guy who attacked me more of a beating. If you didn't notice the guy who was bruised and bloodied at the bar, that was him. What his 'friends' said was false if I am thinking for guys such as them say they dealt with me by raping me and such. The one who attacked me just wanted my money and..."

I saw her touch a necklace I haven't seen before. I felt my shoulders sag. Changing the subject, I groaned, "The captain is goin' to kill us or put us on suspension for fighting."

I noticed she haven't released my hand yet. She squeezed my hand as she spoke, "I spoke with Captain Pike about my situation before heading here. He called for no need for disciplinary action as I was acting for defense. Now you have to figure out what you are going to tell him if he asks. I cannot lie for you. It is not in my blood as you would say."

I tousled my hair looking down at Keenser. He shrugged. I hung my head in defeat, "I'll tell him the truth. I don't want to put you in the position where you have to speak to Pike about this."

She gave a nod. She released my hand putting them on her hips. Her shoulders released the tension. I heard her sigh. Her footsteps were the only noise that isn't by nature. She called out to me, "Mr. Scott we must take you to see the medical team we have on board. They would fix you up like they have done with me. There we should speak to the captain."

There was no way of escaping the inevitable.

I pulled away from the scotsman. I looked around the area mentally thinking what we need and have. Scotty continued what he was doing before I stopped him. He apologized, "Lass... Now I'm sorry I brought him up."

I spoke softly, "It's quite alright. The Vulcan council dealt with him properly. My father and brother are... They are content with the punishment held especially with Star Fleet's added punishment."

Scotty's brows went up. He paused in his ravaging. He asked in disbelief, "You don't say? Star Fleet also added to it?"

I nodded. A small twitch of a smile played on my lips, "I am not only Vulcan, Mr. Scott. I am a Star Fleet Engineering Commander."

Scotty nearly missed the light wink coming from me. He waved at the air, "I nearly forgot you are a Star Fleet Engineering Commander. I thought I was the only one."

I gave a light shove to the scotsman. His boisterous laugh ringed through my ears. He gave me a playful wink, "Lass I know you're a Star Fleet Engineer Commander. A great one at that! I am surprised is all. You knoe how Star Fleet is."

I gave a light nod. I pulled out a pad and pen from one of the drawers. As I was writing what we would need, I spoke, "The Vulcan Council insisted it was only logical for Star Fleet to help one of their own. It is known by the Vulcan Council with the amount of officers as well as cadets it is hard for the Star Fleet council to give a fair trial. I know someone cheated on the Kobayashi Maru and for that reasoning cheating in the Star Fleet academy is an issue that needed to be addressed."

Scotty rubbed his neck. Scotty placed a finger on his temple as to hold his head up. He asked, "Didn't you help create the Kobayashi Maru?"

I blinked at his question. I gave a slow nod, "Yes. Spock and I created it. It was one of our many creations we take pride in. It is as you would say is our child. Although that would be incorrect as I would never would want to have an offspring with my own brother."

Scotty shook his head with a smile on his face, "Lass that's just a sayin'. It's not taken literal."

I scrunched up my nose, "My statement still stands."

Scotty stood up dusting off his one-piece suit. He glanced at my pen and pad seeing a list of materials. He gave a nod of approval, "Let's get these later but let's eat now. I'm starvin'."

My stomach grumbled in response. I nodded in agreement, "Agreed."