Chapter 2: The Enterprise

Isara

I had never been on a bigger ship. As I trekked my way through the long, white corridors towards the hospital bay, I struggled to drink in every aspect of the Enterprise. The lighting shifted from bluish white to yellowy white and back to a neutral green-white with hints of purple. The gravity field had been switched on low even though we were still in dock, which caused a slight increase in G-force. Everywhere people were rushing around in red and yellow shirts, the Starfleet logo visible on all of them, but I had yet to see anyone in a blue tunic like mine. All that I had to guide my path was the rudimentary map that I had done my best to memorize in the days after graduation.

I passed engineering, where I could hear Kirk arguing with someone who had a strong Scottish accent. I hurried past and continued my quest to find Bones. Up stairs, elevators, even ladders, and I finally realized that I was lost. I took deep breaths to calm my racing heart as I turned in circles looking for any kind of landmark, but I was in a completely unmarked hallway of barracks. I had no idea which way to go, there was no one around to ask for directions and no signs on the walls, and I was really starting to panic. What if I was lost in this ship forever, or I was so incredibly late to my first assignment that they locked my in the brig, or what if I was needed in the med bay and I wasn't there-

"Isara?"

I spun around to see Bones sticking his head around the corner, and I closed my eyes and sighed in relief. Usually that sort of anxiety was under control, but my first real space mission was not the time to have things messing with my head. By the time that I opened my eyes he had come into the hallway with me and was approaching almost cautiously, his head tilted to look at my face, his puzzlement clearly visible.

"Isara?" he asked again. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't find the med bay," I replied sheepishly with a small smile.

"No, I mean, what are you doing on the Enterprise?"

I quirked my head to one side. "What do you mean? I was assigned to train under you here, and no one switched my assignment after the Harrison thing." I could see him wince at my careless mention of the incident, and I mentally berated myself. Of course, he had worked under Pike when he had been captain of this same ship.

"Right, I know that, I got the order two weeks ago. But it was cancelled this morning, didn't anyone tell you?"

"Wha-?" I tried to form a sentence but my jaw fell slack halfway through the first word. My orders had been cancelled? And no one had told me? So I had to get off the Enterprise before we launched or I would be counted as a stowaway? Yeah, I decided, that was pretty much the gist of it.

Without waiting to say goodbye to Bones, I made a mad dash around the corridor, but too late- the floor gave a slight tremor as the engines kicked in and Bones grabbed my arm.

"You can't get off now, they will have removed the boarding hallways." I panted heavily, wishing that he would release his tight grip on my arm so that I could go do something about the fact that I was stuck here. Then the ship gave an almighty jump and tossed me into the wall with Bones landing on top of me.

I was slumped against the wall with Bones sitting almost in my lap when I realized the absurdity of the situation, much as I had two years ago when I had had my first conversation with him. I chuckled, then giggled, then laughed and laughed. Bones, however, didn't respond like he had before. He picked himself up as quickly as he could, gave me a frown, then offered me a hand so that I could haul myself to my feet.

That was when I realized how much older and more serious he looked. I was sure that his old self would have laughed along with me, but this new him with its lined eyes and tired expression stayed silent. My laughter tapered off abruptly and I stood up straight.

"Sorry." I looked steadfastly at his feet. I was an illegal stowaway and I didn't recognize my best friend. Brilliant.

"Look Isara, let's get to the med bay and I'll send a signal back to the fleet. Maybe they can change your assignment back." He hesitated for a brief moment, then reached over to put a hand on my shoulder. "Don't mistake me, it's good to see you again. It's just a bad time right now, for everybody." I nodded and followed him towards the hospital bay.