USS Soulwolf,
Currently docked at Earth Station McKinley
"Coffee, hot, three sugars."
"There are ninety-eight varieties of Terran coffee programmed," the computer said, its tone sounding insufferably smug to the tired captain. "Please specify."
Thankful that the trade conference was finally over and wondering why on earth he'd needed to be part of it in the first place, Captain Alexander Corbus had called for beam-up, returning to the sanctuary of his quarters onboard the Soulwolf. Certainly, protecting the trade routes was important but listening to the bickering of the politicians and diplomats for several days, he'd rapidly come to the point where if he ever heard the word Quadrotriticale again, he thought he might scream.
Corbus sighed. It had been a long day and he just needed a drink. Other officers might have reached for the whisky bottle, or maybe even the still illegal Romulan ale after a day like this, but he just wanted a cup of coffee and some peace and quiet. Instead he was having an argument with his replicator! "Just a plain coffee, medium strength. No khest'n mocha, espresso, cappuccino or latte." He didn't even notice that he'd used a Klingon curse word. He'd served as part of the joint Federation/Klingon fleet at Starbase 24 for long enough that he'd picked up more than a few bad habits from his Klingon colleagues.
The computer was silent for a second or two as it ran through the matching options and made a selection. A faint whirring sound followed by a bleep indicated the arrival of the beverage. "One Americano. Temperature: 95 degrees Celsius. Sugar: 12.6 grams."
He was probably just tired, Corbus thought, but was the computer disapproving of his sugar intake? Yes, he knew it was a lot. The doctor told him that on a regular basis, but he liked it that way and it wasn't like he was overweight. Shrugging, he retrieved the coffee and making his way to the sofa, he placed it on the side table and settled himself down to relax for a while. Just for a moment, he allowed his eyes to close…
"Kehlan to Captain Corbus."
"Ugh!" He hadn't meant to fall asleep. Rubbing his eyes, he got up and moved across to his desk, activating his comm. system and accepting the incoming call. "Corbus here, what can I do for you, Fleet Captain?"
Kehlan's face appeared on the viewscreen. She studied him for a moment. "Did I wake you?"
He nodded, waiting for the teasing to start. He and Kehlan worked extremely well together on duty. Captain of the USS Endeavour, Starbase 24's flagship, she was also the senior captain of the Rapid Response Fleet that operated out of that starbase. Corbus had been a part of that fleet for a couple of years now and he had nothing but the utmost respect for his commanding officer. Off duty, however, he and Kehlan had become good friends, the type that would bicker and tease each other mercilessly. Not today. If anything, she sounded a little nervous. "Sorry, Alex, I know it's been a rough day. I... wanted to ask you something"
Taking his cue from her, he offered her a smile, addressing her by name rather than rank. "What is it, Kehlan?"
"I have been challenged to take the Kobayashi Maru," Kehlan told him. "I have accepted and will sit the test this evening."
"The Kobayashi Maru?" Corbus did not quite understand. "Why would you be challenged to take that test? You must have taken it when you were in the academy, right?"
Kehlan shook her head. "You forget, I am a Klingon Defence Force Officer. I never attended Starfleet Academy"
Alex blinked at this, but swiftly recovered himself. Of course, the Klingons wouldn't have sent one of their trainee officers to undergo Starfleet exams. He was so used to seeing Kehlan in Starfleet uniform and on the bridge of a Starfleet ship that he'd forgotten her origins. "I see...well, all I can say is good luck, you'll need it."
She smiled slightly at that. "So I understand. I believe only a small handful of individuals have ever passed the test."
The young captain couldn't help the slight smirk that crossed his face at that comment. "It's not about passing the test," he reminded her. "Captain Kirk… well he was cadet Kirk at the time of course, was one of the only ones to beat the scenario, but he cheated and reprogrammed the simulator, You'll need all your wits about you when you take that test on."
She nodded. "I am told that I may select my own crew. Interested? I could do with a good first officer."
He was quiet for a minute, considering her request. When he looked up at Kehlan, a small smile graced his features. "I'll be glad to help you with the Kobayashi Maru, as your first officer. I reserve the right to question your orders though."
Kehlan smiled and nodded. "Agreed."
"Okay then," Corbus said. "What time can I meet you? We should probably talk over the Kobayashi Maru and do some planning."
"I take the test at 21:00 hours," Kehlan said. "I am meeting Rhiana for dinner at 19:30. She has agreed to be my helm officer for the test. Khetara has agreed to join us as well, but she can't make dinner, so she will meet us there. Why don't you eat with us?"
Alexander nodded as he checked his timetable. "Sounds good. In that case I'll see you in the officers' mess."
"I will look forward to it!" She smiled, her mood much lighter now that she had a crew. With a typical Klingon abruptness that he had never quite got used to, she cut the call, leaving him staring at a blank screen.
"There you are, I was about to dispatch a search party," Kehlan joked, looking up with a grin as, a little later than planned, Corbus finally managed to make his way to the table.
"Sorry, I got a call about some cargo transfer issues that needed my attention. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long?" He placed his tray down, offering a nod of greeting to Rhiana who reciprocated with a faint wave that indicated the food in her mouth that rendered her momentarily unable to talk.
"I know that feeling all too well," Kehlan acknowledged ruefully. "Sit yourself down."
The Terran captain obeyed, pulling out a chair and making himself comfortable. Reaching for the salt, he sprinkled a little of it on his food and picked up his fork, ready to tuck in.
"A Klingon, a Romulan, and a Human sit down for dinner." Rhianna quipped with a small but wicked smile, finally able to talk. "It sounds like the start of a joke."
"Well, at least it's not a bar," Corbus said, laughing. "That's how those jokes usually start."
"Can you imagine what our respective governments would have said not fifty years ago? What a scandal!" Kehlan said, imagining the chaos that scenario would have caused.
"It's a good thing that progress has been made since those days, otherwise we'd all be pointing salad forks at each other by now." Corbus couldn't help chuckling at the mental image, one of the most ridiculous ideas he had ever heard of. His comment ignited more laughter from his companions.
After a few moments, the laughter calmed, and attention turned back to their food, Kehlan enjoying her favourite Earth dish - stuffed-crust pizza, smothered with pepperoni, onions, and jalapeños. In contrast, Rhiana was enjoying a vegetable moussaka. Since her marriage to one of the Vulcans working at Starbase 24, she very rarely ate meat. Not particularly hungry, Corbus had settled for a small carbonara and a portion of fruit salad. For a while, they ate quietly, enjoying the meal, but they had a lot to discuss, and eventually, the conversation resumed.
"So…" Rhiana addressed Corbus. "Did Kehlan tell you she's invited us to play games on the holodeck?"
"Well, I wouldn't call it a game, but yes. The Kobayashi Maru scenario." Corbus shuddered slightly at her irreverent dismissal of what was, for a final year cadet, one of the most anticipated and feared tests they would ever take.
"It's apparently considered a very good test," Kehlan commented. "And allegedly, its impossible to defeat."
"That can't be right," Rhiana muttered, waving her spoon in the air dismissively. "It sounds like the kind of myth or tall tale told to encourage trainees to work harder."
"I'll grant you it does sound a bit larger than life," Corbus agreed, taking a sip of water before he continued. "The thing is, though, it's true. The test is designed to make sure that the candidate will fail. The matrix in the program will counter any tactic a cadet attempts, and cadets have been trying for over a century to defeat it. Technically speaking it has been beaten but only because the cadet in question cheated."
"That would be Kirk, of course?" Rhiana commented, suppressing a smirk when both Corbus and Kehlan stared at her in surprise.
The Terran captain narrowed his eyes. "And you just happened to know that?" It was not that he had a problem with Rhiana. The Romulans were no longer the enemy, even if they were not yet true friends. But he'd spent too much of his career patrolling the neutral zone to be completely comfortable.
"I was a Tal Shiar officer," Rhiana reminded him with just the faintest hint of sarcasm. "Kirk is… was, rather… known to us. He was one of the most note-worthy and infamous officers in your fleet's history; how could it not have been him?"
Frowning, Corbus started to comment, but forestalling an argument, Kehlan got in first. "So… the Kobayashi Maru… Corbus, you'll be my first officer, of course. Rhiana, I want you on helm, and I've asked Khetara to fill in on tactical. Now…" and she focussed on Corbus, "I understand we will be facing Romulans. D'deridex cruisers, I would guess? I've been briefed by Reilly, but I don't trust him. I rather have your views on the subject."
"Ed Reilly?" Corbus grimaced. He'd been at the academy at the same time as the other Captain, although not in the same year group, having been a first year cadet when Reilly graduated and some of the pranks Reilly had pulled had gone down in academy history. "I wouldn't trust anything that joker told you."
"My thoughts exactly," Kehlan muttered. "So… tell me what to expect."
Corbus obliged and Kehlan listened carefully, mentally comparing his words with what Reilly and the other captains had told her and was pleased to find they more or less tallied. When they got to the description of the enemy ships, Rhiana took over the briefing, succinctly giving Kehlan some highly classified technical data about the D'deridex class that, had the Tal Shiar known she was disclosing, would probably have got her arrested for treason.
Finally, finishing off the last bite of her pepperoni pizza, Kehlan got to her feet. "I suppose I'd better go and get ready" she said with a grin, "I need to decide what to wear."
At Rhiana's raised eyebrow, she continued, "Well, what do you suggest... the battle armour or a Starfleet uniform?"
"Well personally I'd go for the battle armour," Corbus said and Rhiana immediately nodded her agreement.
"You're serious?" Kehlan asked in bemusement. Her question had been facetious and not intended to be taken seriously. She was a Starfleet officer; of course, she'd wear her Starfleet uniform.
"This is a first," Corbus explained. "A Klingon Defence Force officer taking the Kobayashi Maru? It would make it a bit more memorable if you are in full battle gear."
"My thoughts exactly," Rhiana said. "Oh, by the way, since we are going up against Romulans, if anyone asks then I'm a Vulcan. Having a Romulan on your bridge might complicate things."
"Now that I can't wait to see," the Terran captain said, laughing as he finished his cup of coffee and gathered up his empty bowl of chicken soup. Rhiana was far too lively and animated in her behaviour to be convincing as a Vulcan, for all she'd been married to one for several years.
Pushing his chair back from the table, he stood up and made his way to the replicators to recycle his dishes. "I'm going to take a quick shower, I'll meet you at the holodeck."
"Not a problem," Kehlan said, following suit and disposing of her own plate. "Alex, Rhiana, I'll see you both there, a few minutes before nine."
Kehlan was thoughtful as she headed back to her quarters to get changed. Both Corbus and Rhiana had surprised her. Well, maybe not Rhiana, that one had always had a rebellious streak, but she'd expected Corbus to insist on Starfleet uniform.
They were right, though, she decided. The battle-armour was appropriate. She was a Klingon officer, a captain in the Klingon Defence Force, even if she did currently hold a position of some responsibility within Starfleet. Plus... she was going into battle, even if only a simulated one, and the Kobayashi Maru test was said to be unbeatable. Yes, the battle-armour was appropriate.
She glanced at the time. Half an hour to go. Quickly she got showered and changed into the heavy, formfitting, leather armour before heading back down to the academy simulators where the test would be held.
A big thank you to Stefan for allowing me to borrow Captain Alexander Corbus for this story and for his input into the way Corbus thinks. I hope I have done him justice.
A big thank you also to JDC0 for their kind review of the previous chapter.