She stood transfixed. Staring. Watching.

She couldn't move. Her shoes were glued to the floor. The vessel was huge, could fit about thirty-five people in it comfortably. Or so Lario said.

Insisted.

"Come on, Amanda." He sounded exasperated, hanging from the vessel door by his long arms. "In order to get to the Starship, you need to board this one."

"I know," she squeaked.

"We will be on our way soon, are you sure you're going to be all right? You don't have to go, you know."

She shook my head. "No, I have to. You don't happen to have some tranquilizers, do you?"

"What?" He looked confused.

"Knock me out, you know-"

Lario sighed. "That won't work and you know it."

She knew it. Damn it.

Lario got off the platform jumped down towards her. "It's perfectly safe. Do you know how many flights this thing has done? How many people it transports weekly? It's perfectly –"

"Safe. Yes, you've said that about a million and one times. Say it again and I will throw something at your head."

"You don't have to go, Amanda."

"Yes, I do," she whined. She was starting to sound like a three year old and she hated it. She was glad Sarek wasn't there. "My family – they need me."

Lario stood in front of her, about two feet taller because he was standing on the platform. "Yes, they do."

She looked at his hand. Of course, they needed her. The people around her were going to be in danger because of her. They believed her when no one else would. She could do this small thing. This small, miniscule, huge, grand thing.

She nodded before she lost her nerve and stepped up to the platform. Right as she took his hand, the Ambassador rushed into the hangar.

Amanda always noticed how his posture exuded authority, how everyone around him seemed smaller, even if they were the same height. As he made his way through the hangar and to the small ship they were standing next to. As his eyes fell on both Amanda and Lario, she noticed his jaw locked.

The smallest, briefest expression of emotion and yet, she noticed it.

Was she the only one?

"Is the ship ready, cadet?"

Lario nodded. "Yes, sir. The captain has fired her up, she's ready to go."

He quickly brushed by them, "Let us be on our way."

Lario turned to her. "Ready?"

Amanda nodded. "Now or never, I guess."

Lario tugged on her hand as she stepped up to the platform. She noticed how tightly he held her. She was glad of it, she would have run away.

Stepping into the ship proved to be one of the hardest things she had to do. She held her necklace tightly in her hand and stepped onto the small ship. It felt like it was alive. She felt the rumbling course through her and her nerves turned into a ball in her stomach. Yet, she managed to sit down, put on her seat belt and sit perfectly still.

The captain spoke though the intercom. "Doors shutting. Ready for take-off."

Amanda shut her eyes tightly. She heard the clanging of the door closing. The engines rumbling louder still. She heard the captain give the final commands just before she felt herself being lifted.

She shut her eyes tighter still, feeling her weight being lifted higher and higher. The ship dipped a little just before making a tight turn to her right.

Her world was spinning, she was beginning to sweat profusely. When the ship dipped again, she put both her hands on the arm rests of her seat. Her clammy hands touched two very cool ones. When she looked up, she noticed that she was between Lario and no other then the Ambassador.

She looked at Sarek. She couldn't tell anything from his face. Not pity not even amusement. Lario, on the other hand, looked thoroughly amused.

He was even laughing. "You really weren't kidding, weren't you?"

Amanda felt bile rising in her throat. She hadn't felt like that in years not since –

"This isn't funny," she managed out right before she threw up all over his shiny cadet shoes.

Yes, short. I know. But I'm hoping more will come soon. I've been caught up with work, and my new Mary Kay business. (Houses are pretty expensive, you know? Trying to buy my first home with my soon-to-be husband :D ) And well, I hope you like it. More to come soon!