ShiKahr, Vulcan: Stardate 2271.005 (4 years ago)
Georgiana Darcy resisted the urge to fan her face as she stood in a hallway overlooking the lobby of the Vulcan Science Academy. The thick beige robes she wore covered her from her neck down to her shoes, and were definitely contributing to her flushed cheeks and sweaty forehead. It also did not help matters that her long, wavy blond hair was down at the moment; maybe she should consider a haircut after this appointment.
San Francisco's temperate weather seemed downright heavenly compared to the arid climate of her home planet. Although she had eventually acclimated to the scorching temperatures here when she was a child- with the help of consistent hyposprays- the last 5 years on Terra had effectively negated that adaptation.
Of course, her brother had attempted to use this knowledge to get her to stay in San Francisco. Although he repeatedly claimed he approved of her decision to apply to the VSA, it was clear he was baffled by her choice, as evidenced by their conversation that morning.
'I do not understand why you are committed to joining the VSA. Starfleet's exobiology department is far more superior-'
'I know you do not understand my reasoning. I'm barely sure I understand it myself... but I'm homesick, Will.'
'Your home is on Terra, Georgiana, with your brother and cousins- your last remaining family.'
For a man who claimed he didn't let emotions control him, Georgiana thought, he sure is laying on the guilt thick.
'I do not have an adequate explanation for my actions, Will. Nonetheless, I would appreciate any encouragement you could give me.'
If her brother had the inclination to express emotions, he would have sighed at her words. 'I fully support you in your endeavors. The VSA is an excellent academy, and the xenobiology department will only benefit from your input."
Georgiana jokingly hid her cheeks with her hands, although her brother couldn't see her, her voice laden with false timidity. 'You're making me blush with all those compliments.'
'I believe your flushed complexion is due to the dilation of your body's blood vessels in an attempt to decrease your temperature. Have you taken a hypo today?'
The human rolled her eyes. 'Yes, I took one just before calling you. It will take multiple weeks before I see a consistent change, as you are well aware of.'
'Perhaps you should increase the dosage-'
'Will, I'm fine. I actually have to leave or I'll risk being late. Wish me luck!'
'Luck is illogical. And arguably unneeded, as I have calculated that you have a 92.6% chance of being accepted-'
'Seriously, Will, I have to go! Love you.'
'I love you as well, Georgiana.'
Nerves and excitement pulsed through her stomach, and Georgiana took a minute to center herself. While, as a human, she did not require hours of meditation like her brother, she did find the habit soothing. Placing her hands lightly on the smooth railing along the passageway, she concentrated on slowly breathing in and out. The faint smell of incense permeated the air. She gently let go of the thoughts swirling around her mind and focused solely on the red desert sand she could see through the glass walls of the lobby. A lifetime of practice left her feeling calm and centered, and she used the remaining time until she was called in to survey the academy she would hopefully attend.
The vaulted ceilings and immense crossed beams seemed determined to intimidate visitors. Not for the first time in her life, Georgiana pondered the hypocrisy of Vulcans. Their culture revered practicality and reason above all else, but the architecture of the academy screamed of opulence. Honestly, how did they even clean most of this place? Just the ceiling of the lobby was dozens of meters above ground.
Her idle imaginings of janitors wearing jet packs were interrupted by a young Vulcan woman appearing at her side. "Miss Darcy, the council is ready for you."
Following her into a grandiose room that continued the lobby design of white walls and a glass ceiling, she stopped in front of the council. Each of the seven members sat on a raised dais that loomed over the academy candidates. Their ornate robes and stern faces did not daunt her as they would other humans; after all, she was accustomed to the typical Vulcan appearance.
The leader of the council, an elderly Vulcan with graying hair and cloudy eyes- whose name she was fairly certain was Svoss- began as soon as she finished walking. Standing with her hands softly clasped behind her back and her feet shoulder width apart, she gave him her utmost attention.
"Georgiana Darcy, your application has been of an interest to the majority of the academy. You are the first non-Vulcan to ever enter the final round of interviews."
The human responded with a short nod, as there was no question for her to address. Vulcans tended to not expect replies for statements of facts.
"While in school in ShiKahr as a child, you surpassed the expectations of your instructors, and your academic records from Terra are impressive, by human standards." Although the councilor's voice lacked any sort of contempt, Georgiana could understand the underlying condescension all the same. Perhaps he was trying to evoke an emotional response. Maybe he genuinely thought it was a compliment. She did have to study more than her Vulcan peers- classes were more difficult when one lacked an eidetic memory.
"I see from your records that you already possess a degree in advanced genetics. For what purpose are you furthering your academic studies on Vulcan?"
Georgiana couldn't exactly give the same reason to the council as she gave to her brother. Homesick was not an excuse that most Vulcans would understand. "I wish to see my community prosper, like the majority of the Vulcan population. As the only human citizen of this planet, I have the ability to offer a unique perspective. I feel like the xenobiology department in particular would benefit."
"You find the xenobiology department of the most prestigious academy on this planet to be lacking?" the dour Vulcan sitting to the right of Svoss asked incredulously, leaning forward slightly.
Usually, with her future on the line, Georgiana would've carefully weighed each response first before replying. However, she couldn't stop herself from retorting, "Any xenobiology department that consists solely of the one species that the department is not dedicated to studying is the very height of illogicality."
The Vulcan scoffed slightly. "This is a venerable institution, how d-" he began before being cut off by a sharp rebuke from the leader.
Turning to the woman on his left, Svoss announced, "T'Lii, as the head of the relevant department I will leave the ultimate decision to you."
T'Lii remained perfectly still while her eyes slowly scanned Georgiana in an assessing manner. Georgiana surprised herself by being able to return her gaze without flinching or fidgeting, despite her heart beating harder with each passing moment. After several seconds, T'Lii nodded her head toward the student.
"Miss Darcy, your application is hereby accepted. Information concerning your start date and other pertinent information will be sent to you. I personally look forward to seeing how your academic career here progresses."
Georgiana granted herself permission to release a slight smile. "Thank you for your time, councilors. Live long and prosper."
Transporter Room, U.S.S. Longbourn: Stardate 2275.309 at 0750 hours
Captain Bennet froze in shock. The combination of the surprise at unexpectedly meeting her commander's sister along with her restless night made her feel as if her mind was stuck in reboot mode. Did Darcy mean to keep her in the dark? Would he have said something if she had shown up on time? Was this a small form of payback for her rejection?
For what felt like an incredibly long time, but in reality was only about five seconds, Lizzie stood completely still, her mouth contorted in a polite smile while her eyes blinked rapidly. Next to her, Charlotte coughed slightly, and Lizzie flinched before offering her hand to Georgiana. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Georgiana," she stammered. The woman in question softly shook her hand, her chin tucked and a shy smile on her face. Lizzie wondered if she normally had trouble maintaining eye contact, or if she was just put off by her previous silence.
Turning back to T'Lii, the captain introduced her own staff in the room. Jane looked like her usual serene self, and Mary exuded her typical boredom, but Charlotte's eyes flitted back and forth between Darcy and his sister. Fitzwilliam vibrated with barely contained excitement.
"Your equipment has been transported to cargo room 4, in the suggested stasis field. Doctors Bennet and Lucas can accompany you and your team, if you wish to verify all the parameters are correct," Lizzie offered. If these Vulcans were anything like the one standing next to her, they were most likely perfectionists as well. "After that they can provide a tour of the Longbourn."
As expected, Dr. T'Lii gave a terse nod. "We would be most appreciative."
"Excellent. You all, of course, are welcome to the replicators in the mess hall at any time, but we were hoping that you and your team would join us tonight for dinner at 7 o'clock in dining room 2, if that's acceptable?" Although it was framed like a question, she fully expected the Vulcan to answer in the affirmative. According to her second-in-command, it was traditional on Vulcan to provide an elaborate dinner to guests the first day they arrived.
"That time is satisfactory," she agreed.
"Excellent," Lizzie acknowledged, perhaps with a bit too much enthusiasm, still feeling wrong-footed from the events of the morning. After dismissing the officers, Charlotte and Mary went to wait by the door, letting Jane pass by them.
"If you don't mind, T'Lii," Georgiana called quietly to her mentor as the Vulcans walked by, "I will join you in a bit."
Her mentor glanced at the commander before looking back at her student. "Very well." With that statement, the other members of the VSA team left the transporter room, but not before T'Hain paused to hold out her index and middle fingers out toward Georgiana. A tender expression crossed the human's face before she mirrored the gesture, brushing their fingers together briefly. Lizzie watched Darcy as he clocked the movement.
The ensign at the control panel, perhaps sensing the awkward tension in the room, trailed after T'Hain.
Lizzie was about to do the same but stopped, flabbergasted, at the sight of Darcy walking up and hugging his sister. The embrace was gentle, especially in comparison to the way her own family squeezed violently, as if their familial love was directly correlated to the power behind their hugs. Her mother was also known to add a loud 'mwah' of a kiss to their foreheads.
She has left several family reunions feeling like an anaconda spent the previous hours wrapped around her.
By contrast, the commander held his younger sibling as if she were fragile, his arms loose around her back. Of course, the delicate clasp is interrupted when Fitzwilliam, seemingly out of nowhere, walked up to give a bear hug, lifting both family members off the ground momentarily.
"We missed you so much, Georgie," he cried dramatically, his arms tight around the others' shoulders. Georgiana let out a happy giggle; Darcy just looked resigned.
Looking on at the intimate moment, Lizzie considered escaping from the room gracefully, but was stopped in her tracks as Georgiana turned her amber eyes toward her, wiggling out of Fitzwilliam's tight embrace. "It is such a pleasure to meet you, Captain. I have heard so many good things about you from Will." Her eyes flit upward as in thought, before she adds, "James, too. But mostly Will." Her silvery voice seemed to be louder now than it was a minute ago; Lizzie wondered if that's because she's more comfortable in the presence of her family, or if she adjusted her volume because human hearing is weaker than that of Vulcans.
"And I have heard lovely things about you as well," Lizzie replied. "Not a lot of things," she gestured toward the reserved Vulcan in explanation, "but the few things he has said have been only positive."
Georgiana nodded in understanding. "Will doesn't prefer to discuss his social life. The fact that he mentioned me at all is a little surprising; you two must be very good friends!"
The naïve assumption, as well as the delighted tone it's uttered in, had Lizzie flushing in embarrassment, the events of three days ago flashing through her head. Out of her periphery she can see Will stiffen, as if he had the same thoughts.
The flush deepened when she heard James snicker, "yeah, friends," under his breath.
Georgiana gracefully ignored the comment. "I was hoping we could get to know each other better. Are you available after dinner tonight?" she asked the captain hopefully.
"The captain is a very busy woma-" Darcy interjected, before Lizzie hastily cut him off, hating the way that the girl's eyes began to dim at the premature dismissal.
"I am free after dinner. I was informed that Vulcan courses don't include desserts; maybe we could share one in the mess hall?" The offer rolled off her tongue before she could really think about it. She did have a ton of work to catch up on, but even though she barely knew Georgiana she still thinks she would hate to see the girl disappointed. Darcy seemed to relax from his rigid posture, as if he was of the same thought.
Nodding rather energetically, Georgiana beamed at the older woman. "Excellent! Well I should probably head down the cargo room, but I will see you all for dinner!" The soft sound of her robes brushing against the floor disappeared as she hurried around the corner.
Lizzie didn't have time to contemplate whether or not her suggestion was a good idea, as Darcy immediately moved in front of her once his little sister left the room. "Captain, there are a few reports that require your signature. The PADDs are in your ready room." His words were uttered in a swifter pace than she had ever heard from him. Usually the information the commander conveyed was spoken in a steady and methodical tone; this time it was as if he was trying to distract her from her promise to his sister. Did he think she was going to suddenly run after Georgiana and cancel their plans?
The captain internally shook her head. The sleep deprivation had her overthinking every single action. Tonight she would get some sleeping meds from her sister. Why would he be concerned if she canceled her plans with his sister? "Yes," she replied as she started walking toward the hallway, the Vulcan effortlessly falling into step beside her, "I can do those in a bit. Before that, though, I wanted to discuss any etiquette expected tonight..."
The captain's voice, along with the sound of their footsteps, faded as the door to the transporter room closed behind them, leaving a slightly indignant James behind. "Nobody wants to hang out with me tonight? That's rude..."
"Captain, may I have a word?" Lizzie heard over her shoulder as she and Darcy walked down the hallway.
She turned at the question, moving off to the side as not to impede any of the officers walking past her. Stopping herself from huffing out a sigh of irritation at the blond man walking quickly toward her, she muttered to her commander, "Would you wait for me? Hopefully this won't take too long." It was her hope that the presence of the intimidating Vulcan would shorten her upcoming conversation.
Lieutenant Heath, by most measures of beauty, was an attractive man. Shiny, blond hair with just a slight curl, turquoise eyes, a jaw that could cut glass- it was a shame the man was so sleazy.
"Yes, lieutenant, how can I help you?"
"Well, I was hoping we could discuss the upcoming press release," Heath requested in his usual honeyed tone, turning slightly away from the commander in an unsuccessful attempt at privacy.
Gesturing behind her, Lizzie countered with an insincere smile. "I'm a little busy right now. Schedule a time with my yeoman," she stated before turning to move back toward her second-in-command.
Heath's entreating voice didn't grab her attention so much as the hand he placed on her forearm. "I will do that, Captain, but there's just one small thing I was hoping to run by you." Noticing the captain's pointed look at his hand, the lieutenant hastily removed it before offering an ingratiating smile.
It didn't work.
"Do you know Petty Officer Axos?" he inquired quickly, probably due to the impatient demeanor the captain now sported.
Unable to stop her sarcastic answer in time, Lizzie drawled, "This might surprise you, Lieutenant, but I do happen to be familiar with the crew members on my ship."
"Ah, yes, well," Heath stumbled on, "so you know Axos is Denobulan?"
"Yes, I do."
"I think it would be a good idea if-"
Even though he probably should've expected it at this point, his commanding officer's brusque interruption still managed to surprised the man. "Absolutely not.
"But you don't even-"
Darcy almost smiled at the way Lizzie quickly put a stop to Health stammering. "You want to have her in the background of my speech, presumably to further encourage the flow of Denobulan cadet applications."
"Yes!"
The lieutenant's enthusiasm at what he believed to be the captain's understanding was cut short. "It's not happening."
"Why not?" Heath recoiled a little in befuddlement.
Darcy watched with not a little admiration as his captain's voice took on an edge of steel even as her body language remained loose. "Given your request, I'm assuming you don't know Jimora very well."
"I don't but-"
"Because if you did," Lizzie continued over the lieutenant's objection, "you would know that she loathes crowds, and attention."
"But I'm sure she-"
"Oh, she'll agree to anything Starfleet requests from her, because she's a good officer. But it would be very difficult for her. Do you know what it's like, growing up in a one bedroom apartment with eleven other family members? To never have the freedom, the chance to physically be alone?"
Heath shook his head slowly.
"Most of us don't," Lizzie conceded, in an attempt to placate the ambitious man next to her. Maybe he would be sympathetic? Doubtful, but no harm in trying. "She does, and the experience you want to put her through? It would be... uncomfortable for her. And since it is not completely essential to the mission, we won't. Look, you can train me as much as you think is necessary," the captain offered, while brushing off an imaginary piece of lint off of Heath's immaculate uniform, "but let's leave Officer Axos out of it, hmm?"
If Elizabeth thought the command disguised as a question would surely deter the power hungry man beside her, she was wrong. Instead of the "yes, captain" she expected, the officer leaned in even closer while completely turning his back to the commander waiting patiently beside them.
The captain planted her feet more firmly, despite the temptation to step further away from the man who clearly did not know the definition of 'personal space'. Nobody was going to intimidate her on her ship.
"I think Admiral Jabara would disagree with your decision," Heath winced, as if he were trying to look out for his superior instead of coerce her.
Both the captain and the officer talking were unaware of Darcy taking a step back, as if Lizzie's upcoming explosion of wrath was going to have physical impact. His heightened hearing meant he could listen to the conversation from a safe distance. As an additional measure, the Vulcan averted his eyes to avoid any accidental eye contact. If he were a human, he might have started whistling innocuously at this point. Even with his scant social-awareness, Darcy almost winced when the captain's neutral expression morphed into a threatening smile.
Heath, however, seemed to have absolutely no survival instincts as he continued to lean toward his superior officer.
"Let's be blunt here, shall we? I know you P.R. people love to beat around the bush, but I don't," Lizzie replied evenly. The only sign of her fury was her twitching fingertips. "If you try to go over my head, you will regret it," the captain cautioned, her expression mirroring her officer's previous faux grimace.
Scoffing, Heath stepped back. It was clear that the discussion was not going as planned. The resulting loss of confidence loosened his tongue. "What, will you transfer me to another assignment?"
"No, no, no," Lizzie tutted quickly before her expression turned into a terrifying blank slate. "Because that would make my mission to teach you some sympathy that much harder. Since you seem unable to put yourself in her shoes maybe we should reconsider your living arrangements, hmm?"
Darcy gave an impressed look at the captain's back. He was able to enjoy her ire and wit much more when it was directed toward someone else.
The P.R. officer seemed able to find his sense of self-preservation again as he stepped away from the captain and simpered, "That won't be necessary, captain. I completely trust your judgement on the manner. If you'll excuse me." He waited for a slow nod from her before scurrying away like his ass was on fire.
Lizzie continued down the hallway, knowing that Darcy and his long legs would have no problems catching up. Her shoulders were still a knot of tension over the previous conversation, and she felt as if her fellow officer's silence was in disapproval over her reaction. She waited until they were alone in the turbolift before turning to her companion. "You're not going to report me, are you?" she asked, the flippant tone at odds with her grimace.
Instead, Darcy stunned her by tilting his ear toward her. "I'm sorry, captain, did you say something. For the past 4.95 minutes my hearing has been surprisingly subpar. Would you mind repeating yourself?"
Surprised at his teasing, Lizzie let out a bark of laughter, which loudened when she noted his very pleased expression. The turbolift pinged quietly as the doors opened to the bridge, but Lizzie stopped to pat Darcy's shoulder before walking out. "This is why you're my favorite, Darcy," she teased over her shoulder, leaving the baffled officer behind. If she had stayed a moment longer, she would've seen the corners of his mouth lift in a subdued, but satisfied smile before he followed her to the ready room.
Two hours later, Georgiana Darcy decided to search for her brother.
When she had found out the day before that Longbourn was being redirected in order to transport their team, she had been ecstatic. She rarely saw her brother or cousin, and she had some incredibly important news to tell them in person. Plus, she just missed being around them. Her brother had a quick, dry wit, and was always a steady and comforting presence in her life. James, on the other hand, was a spontaneous and outrageous person to be around. They were two of her favorite people, and damn it, she was going to spend time with them, whether they were working or not.
Unfortunately, James had a meeting with some of the other security officers in order to prepare for the mission on Tarkalea, but he had said that Will was probably free at the moment. Actually, his exact words were, "If Will isn't still following the captain around then he's probably doing nothing that can't wait."
T'Hain had offered to stay with her while she talked to her brother, but Georgiana was the first person- hell probably the only person- to admit that Darcy would never let his guard down around other Vulcans. She hoped that with time he would grow closer to T'Hain, but she wanted him to be as open and honest as he could during their upcoming conversation.
That morning Dr. Lucas had given the Vulcans a very thorough tour of the Longbourn, while unsubtly beaming with pride at several aspects of their ship. Therefore, Georgiana was able to easily locate one of the screens embedded on the hallway wall around the corner from their room.
"Computer, locate Commander William Darcy," she prompted, the panel lighting up at her words before a red dot appeared on the map.
"Commander Darcy is located in holodeck B on deck 5."
Georgiana turned toward the direction the arrow was directing her, but stopped to ask one last question. "Is there anybody else in holodeck B right now?" She would hate to accidentally walk into some sort of training class or something.
"Negative."
"Great! Thank you," Georgiana said cheerfully before walking away, ignoring the fact that it was nonsensical to thank a machine. Honestly, the voice sounded so much like a human woman it would've just felt rude.
Despite her thick robes, Georgiana could feel the chill seep into her skin. Eventually, with the help of hypos, her body temperature had adjusted to Vulcan climate, so at the moment she felt more like she was in a walk-in fridge than on a starship. Although Vulcans could consciously control their body temperature to a certain degree, she wondered how difficult it was for her brother on a daily basis. Will had assured her several times about how easily he had adjusted to his career, but personally Georgiana felt as if the sterile hallways of the ships and the cold beauty of space were enough to deter her from ever following in her brother's footsteps.
Also, she imagined her fear of shuttlecrafts would definitely pose a problem.
She followed the image of the ship's map in her mind, navigating the turbolift and hallways with ease to stop in front of holodeck B. Georgiana was fairly excited for a look at the new technology. The VSA only had one holodeck on the entire campus, and entry was limited unless you were conducting very specific projects. Pressing a few buttons on the keypad, she was unsurprised when access was denied.
Cracking her fingers, she began to scan the lines of code, easily picking out her brother's signature encryptions. It was the same type of encryption pattern he used on his door lock in their childhood home. While growing up he would frequently encourage her to hack the keypad, a sort of practical experience to supplement the classes she took in school. Oddly enough, the program currently in progress was only a string of letters and numbers, unlike the other programs listed under Will's name. It only took a minute or two before she successfully overrode the program lock.
Georgiana briefly considered not intruding on her brother in what was sure to be a professional matter, but that thought quickly fled her mind. After all, Will was prone to overworking, and it was her sisterly duty to bug him as much as possible.
Obviously.
The doors to the holodeck whirred open in welcome, and Georgiana instantly regretted her decision.
The blank gray walls and simple iron wrought table in the middle of the room shocked her a little bit. Weren't the holodecks used for more... elaborate settings?
But the real reason she almost turned and walked out was because her brother was not alone. Will and the captain both turned toward her at the sound of the door opening, and Georgiana had to stop herself from running away like a child caught with their hand in a cookie jar.
If she would've focused more on her brother than her own embarrassment she would've immediately noted his panicked expression, a reaction she had only seen twice in her life.
She took a step into the room, ignoring the door closing behind her, and started to stammer out an apology. "I'm so sorry- I was hoping to speak to you, Will, about something important, and I think your computer system is screwed up, because it said you were alone. I'm really, truly sorry-"
"Georgiana," Will halted her stuttering, "we can discuss whatever you want to later, I promise."
The sheer anxiety emanating from him finally broke through her self-chastisement, and her forehead creased in concern. She looked at the captain, thinking that maybe she would see some irritation or annoyance- some reason that would cause Will to be so eager to rush her out of the room, but was a little confused to see that the woman in question just looked vacant.
No displeasure, no polite patience, just...blank.
"We're still meeting after dinner tonight, Captain?" Georgiana asked slowly, hoping that she didn't ruin the chance to get to know the woman her brother had been ceaselessly talking about for the last several months.
Georgiana actually reeled back a little when the captain responded with a simple, "Hi I'm Captain Bennet, and you are?"
Quickly glancing at her brother for some help, her bewilderment deepened when he avoided eye contact. The tips of ears began turning a shade of green, and Georgiana took a closer look at the captain's empty stare.
It should be noted that on an average day, Georgiana was a smart person. In fact, one cannot possibly hope to stay sane at the Vulcan Science Academy if one doesn't possess (at the very least) some common sense and academic intelligence. So it's really not her fault that the reality of the situation conflicted so strongly with her vast knowledge about her brother's habits. When recalling the memory of this specific situation years later, Georgiana will admit she was a little embarrassed at just how long it took her to connect the dots.
The computer said that only the commander was present, the captain lacked any sort of recognition, her brother was clearly ashamed...
The tiny gasp escaped from her before she could stop it. She gingerly pointed her finger at the hologram of the captain before leveling the accusation at her brother.
"... That's not actually Captain Bennet, is it."