Chapter 3: Not in Blood but in Bond
Star-date 2258.141
"The moron! So what happened then?"
"What happened was that I told the stupid idiot where he could stick that hypospray instea-"
"Hey Tiger! Bones!"
Layla Pike did not grow much during the past three years in height. At seventeen going on eighteen she only now stood at 5'4". However she'd lost most of her puppy fat and finally grown proper curves appropriately sized for her petite but toned build. Her hair was still long but cut in slightly choppier layers bangs was currently tied in a small messy side ponytail that couldn't quite pull back the tiny short raven wisps from her forehead.
She quickly made to brush them away from her icy eyes she and Doctor Leonard McCoy turned back to see the tall familiar figure of James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk run towards them from the lobby doors behind the steps they were standing on.
"So how was your Anatomy lecture?"
"We just handed in our assignments." Leonard scowled still grumpy from the earlier conversation. He hadn't changed much either aside from the lack of the smell of alcohol on his person.
"And that's bad how?" Jim frowned at Layla who sighed.
"It's not Jimmy. Leo just has had a little trouble with some stupid first years at the infirmary this morning"
"Ouch Bones! Talk about a bad wake-up call"
"Tell me about it" Leonard rolled his eyes. No matter how many times he'd tried to stop them, both Jim and Layla had caught on and stuck to the stupid nicknames. He had long ago given up hope of ever stopping them.
He could not help but sigh as he looked the younger man up and down.
"So what's up with you? Why are you so happy?"
"I don't know what you're talking about?" but even as he said this Jim's grin only widened.
"Of course you don't" Layla quirked a brow sceptically as she eyed her friend's crooked smile and the bright twinkle in his blue eyes. To most others this would've been seen as a very happy expression. But after three years of solid friendship, Layla knew that if Jim was wearing that expression, trouble and mischief was definitely brewing.
"Hello ladies" the young man whistled low under his breath as two rather attractive female cadet's passed, their hips swishing oh so naturally as they passed him.
Layla rolled her eyes fondly as the women passed out of sight only to pinch her nose as a couple of passing male cadets made to wolf whistle and cat call in her direction.
"Whoo! Check out the ass on that one!"
At once Jim's head snapped around towards the speaker, his eyes flashing fiercely at them as Leonard growled gruffly.
"Hey clear off if you know what's good for you!"
"Agh! Do guys ever grow up?" Layla groaned, gripping the hem of her short red skirt and trying her best to tug it lower down to cover herself better.
"Not until they're over thirty sweetheart" Leonard snorted as Jim hardened his glare on the men who immediately shrunk back and skulked off quietly.
As soon as they were gone Jim turned back to his friends, his mischievous smile returning.
"I'm going to take the test again"
"What test?" Layla frowned.
"The Kobayashi Maru" Jim shrugged and Leonard groaned.
"You gotta be kidding me"
"Yeah, tomorrow morning I want you both there"
"Argh! Jim" Layla sighed heavily pinching the bridge of her nose as Leonard made to prattle on in exasperation.
"You know, we've both got better things to do than watch you embarrass yourself for a third time. Besides I'm a doctor I'm busy-"
"But Bones, doesn't it bother you that no one's ever passed the test?"
"Jim It's the Kobayashi Maru" Layla scowled "No one is meant to pass that test at all! That's what a training-for-failure simulation is all about!"
"Yeah and no one goes back for seconds let alone thirds" Leonard added but Jim's grin only widened as he patted the doctor on the shoulder.
"I gotta study"
And without so much as a second glance back at either of his friends, Jim Kirk strode across the courtyard and out into the open sunlight.
"Study my ass" Leonard muttered under his breath as he watched the familiar head of blonde hair disappear behind a group of people.
"I don't know about you Leo but I don't have a good feeling about this" Layla grunted only to look down at the PADD in her hand as a message pinged into existence.
"What's up?" Leonard looked down at the girl as she scowled at the screen.
"Nothing" she clipped icily "My Dad's calling me into the office for a bit"
"Anything wrong?" Leonard's brow furrowed but Layla just shrugged.
"Who knows? But I gotta go. See you at dinner" she lightly punched the doctor on the shoulder before quickly dashing off into the crowd.
Leonard winced at the hit and rubbed his arm hard to soothe it. No matter how small she was Layla always seemed to be far stronger than even most of the burliest male cadets. The gruff doctor often wondered if she was part Vulcan or any other stronger humanoid species, but so far every single test he'd performed she appeared to be completely human.
How could she be so human and yet be so strong unless…
Leonard McCoy's brow furrowed as he made to look back down at his arm experimentally rubbing at it again. But then he quickly shook his head.
Nah…that's just crazy! Agh! god I need to have a sit down!
Christopher Pike had watched many Cadets graduate Starfleet Academy over the years, both as a student and a mentor.
He had seen the best and brightest shine all the way to glory. He had seen the greatest pricks fall at the drop of a hat under the tough circumstances. He had seen young minds flourish and produce astounding breakthroughs that would forever change the history of the universe they all lived in.
But nothing could've prepared him to watch his own fifteen year old daughter thrive through a sea of young adults as smoothly as a knife through soft butter.
The concerned Captain and father leant back in his chair he poured over a PADD in his hand as he sat behind his office desk, flicking through the young teenagers results from the most recent of assignments. All her lecturers and commanding officers had written stellar reports, particularly her combat instructors.
Only one professor actually had any negative thing to say and that was Commander Holly Novella.
Christopher's brow furrowed as he read made to open up the personal message delivered to him from the lecturer herself just last night.
Dear Captain Pike,
I am messaging you to inform you of my concerns regarding your daughter's latest assignment in Advanced Military History.
Before I say anything else sir may I make it quite clear that young Miss Pike is a very diligent hard worker and produces good results and I wouldn't be sending you this message if I wasn't so disturbed by what she has just submitted.
As you know the students of this class are expected to produce a full 80,000 word thesis on a past military movement or war of their choosing with a chapter solely dedicated on an important personality of that time period.
Your daughter being the more ambitious of my students decided to tackle the topic of the twentieth century Eugenics Wars, and has chosen for her historical figure head, the infamous Khan Noonien Singh.
Ordinarily I wouldn't be objected to cadets voicing their own opinions on controversial topics. However it is of concern to me and the faculty when we read such a radically unusual perspective that seems to put Augments in the place of victims and humans in the place of the oppressors when we all know for a fact that it is the other way around.
Whilst this thesis is well written and correctly submitted under all guidelines, I on account of moral principle cannot condone myself to grant this work a mark.
I have tried to reason with Cadet Pike to perhaps tweak the assignment here and there but she refuses stubbornly to change her stance on the topic, for if she doesn't she won't get her marks and she won't be able to pass this course. So I politely ask of you now sir if you as her father, could perhaps try to make her understand her predicament and help her come up with a sensible solution.
Yours sincerely Commander Holly Novella
Christopher sighed heavily as the voice of the secretary outside the captain's offices made to call over the communications link into the room.
"Captain Pike, Cadet Pike is here to see you"
"Send her in" Christopher said but no sooner had the last word left his mouth the door to his office slid open and a familiar short young woman stepped through.
"Hey" She smiled at Christopher as he made to get up from his desk to hug her tight.
"Hello Layla. It's been a while"
Layla rolled her eyes fondly.
"Only two weeks Dad."
"Far too long in my opinion." Christopher smiled down at her before gesturing to the two chairs before his desk where they both sat down.
"So how are you?" Chrisopher asked when Layla settled herself down.
"Not bad" Layla smiled. "Just handed in an assignment today? What about you?"
"A bit older and a bit greyer" Christopher smirked though it quickly turned into a sigh. "I have received a message from one of your lecturers. Commander Holly Novella"
Layla stiffened at once in her seat.
"Oh…yeah her…"
Christopher nodded quietly. "Yes. She says your material for your thesis is highly controversial and morally un-markable"
At this Layla gave a very loud un-ladylike snort of derision.
"Typical hag. She just can't take the fact that in my last assessment I ended up beating her tactical simulation on the first go. Would've thrown a hissy fit if I hadn't produced the ample evidence to support my methods"
"So I take it you and Commander Novella do not get along?" Christopher's eyes narrowed and Layla rolled hers.
"Get along? Dad she can barely stand being in the same room as me, and let me tell you the feeling is mutual. She only gives me the marks because I produce the results AND because I'm your daughter."
Christopher had to frown at this.
"what does you being my daughter have anything to do with her giving you the marks your work deserves?"
Layla pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Dad, no offence but you've never had to deal with the bootlicking morons that want to get into your good books. Commander Novella is hoping to get into a chief tactical position under your leadership on board the new constitution class, a spot that I myself have applied for and might be getting."
"A chief tactical position" Christopher's eyebrows rose in astonishment "when did this happen?"
"Just a month ago." Layla shrugged "Admiral Barnett himself called me into his office to discuss the details. He says if my average stays at its current A+ average by the time I graduate he might consider sending me in on the command crew of USS Enterprise for the five year deep space missions"
"But that's…that's great news" Christopher spluttered his face splitting in a wide smile "why didn't you tell me sooner"
"I wanted to surprise you when mum came in for her seminar next week" Layla blushed with slight embarrassment before coughing quickly to compose herself. "But anyway, the point of this whole matter is that I know for a fact Commander Novella is using my thesis as an excuse to put a roadblock in my way so that she can get ahead?"
"And how do you know this claim is valid?" Christopher asked as he leaned back in his chair.
"Because I accidently overheard her when Kenina and I were passing by the senior officers lounge this morning on our way to first period." Layla rolled her eyes "I swear she and Commander Lloyd wouldn't know discretion even if it was slapping them in the face."
Christopher nodded slowly
"Well…I guess that settles it then. If you have another witness besides yourself you can complain about unfair treatment when it comes to your marks and I as your senior officer could get permission for you to have your assessment marked by another faculty member that is impartial in judgement. However" and Layla stiffened as her father's eyes turned stern "you are still walking on eggshells. The Eugenics wars are still a rather touchy subject matter even nowadays. To side with the Augments is a politically dangerous move and-"
"What? Side with the Augments?" Layla frowned in confusion "I never sided with either side of the battles in my thesis. I simply pointed out the flaws in the negotiations tactics of the Terran human diplomats of the times as well as highlighted some of the Augments better war strategies."
"And what of Khan?" Christopher leaned forwards his face still grim. "what are your thoughts on him?"
"Well…" Layla bit her lip thoughtfully "if you put aside the hostility of his race aside, Khan's actually a master of manipulation. When it came down to creating his empire he used his power and his charisma to win himself negotiations rather than overt shows of force. He turned himself into a cult figurehead for his people to worship, and oddly enough in spite of severely curtailing the freedoms of his subjects he managed to keep massacres and wars of aggression to a minimum during his reign. You see unlike his other Augment contemporaries he understood that love and belonging could bring people closer and make them more willing to co-operate for a united cause than if they were afraid of him…and from a tactical point of view you have to admit that is rather brilliant psychological strategy on his part. Dad…Khan and these Augments…They were all designed to be smarter than humans and when they were wiped out they left behind golden freaking nuggets of valuable information. We'd be fools not to use such data to help aid us against those who may wish to do us harm."
But even as she came to a final stop Layla saw to her dismay that her father was looking rather concernedly at her.
"You think I should re-write it don't you?"
Christopher paused for a moment before shaking his head.
"No I don't. I agree with what you say and I will grant you permission to re-submit your assessment to another lecturer of your choosing. However choose wisely, no matter what Agent Novella says this is still a very delicate topic and I would hate for you to miss out on a chance at a good career on board the Enterprise, just because of one thesis"
Layla smiled softly.
"Thanks Dad"
"Don't mention it" Christopher smiled before quickly looking up to the antique clock on his desk.
"It's getting close to dinner time." He muttered "have you eaten yet?"
"I will after I drop my stuff off at my dorm" Layla grunted as she stood up and stretched. "Boy I wonder what's on the menu tonight. I hope there's something chocolate for desert"
"You know the Senior officers and their families usually get good dibs on the food" Christopher smiled "You could join me if you wanted. Nobody would really mind it if you do"
"Thanks Dad. But I'll have take you up on that offer later. Jim's suddenly decided that he wants to retake the Kobayashi Maru again and I've gotta feeling he's up to something."
"Keep both of yourselves out of trouble then" Christopher smirked as he watched her leave the room with a small wave.
As soon as the door was shut behind her his face fell at once as a voice in his head hissed.
Too close…she's getting far too close Chris
"Oh Jim…I think I love you" a female voice groaned breathlessly as the man above her made to move his mouth sinuously over her neck.
"That is so weird" hut muttered as he paused and the woman frowned beneath him.
"Lights"
There was only one second before the lights in the room flickered back up to a hundred percent to reveal the figure of a ruffled Jim Kirk laying over a green skinned, red haired Orion girl, both of them in nothing but their underwear on a bed.
"Did you just say that's so weird?"
The orion girl was frowning confusedly up at Jim as she sat up and quickly sensing her shift in mood Jim crawled back.
"Yeah I did but-"
"You don't love me too?" she smiled flirtatiously leaning in for another kiss at his mouth just as two voices made to speak from outside the dorm room door. They were the voices of two very concerned very worried young women.
"Klingons? But that doesn't make any sense"
"I know, I'm still trying to figure it out myself-"
The Orion girl with Jim gulped as she heard the sliding door open behind the screen that, thankfully, shielded the room from the corridor. "Oh crap my roommate"
"but I thought you said she was gone for the night?" Jim frowned.
"Well obviously she's not, quick get under the bed" the Orion girl hissed slapping Jim's arm sharply and gesturing towards the side of her bed.
"Get under the bed" Jim rolled his eyes. This was such a terrible horrible cliché one that he had often laughed at when other cadets had been caught in the same predicament. Now he couldn't have been more mortified even as he was pushed down onto the floor the Orion girl still hissing at him softly.
"Quick just go down"
"oh come on -"
"Jim just-You can't let her see you"
"What why not?" Jim snapped and the Orion girl rolled her eyes.
"Because I promised her I'd stop bringing guys back to the room"
Jim's eyes bulged with slight alarm at this.
"Wait what how many guys have you-"
"Just get down! now!" she snapped forcing him to lie flat and roll underneath the shadows of under the bed before she quickly settled herself to lounge on her side on the mattress and peruse a PADD she'd quickly snatched up from the floor.
From his spot under the bed amidst a few boxes made his best to peer out as two sets of very human legs made their way before his vision. One pair was dark skinned and larger than the more petite, very disturbingly familiar pair that currently made to stop as its owner sat down on the edge of the other bed.
"I'm home" the sarcastic voice of Nyota Uhura wafted into Jim's ears and he stiffened uncomfortably, but nothing could've prepared him for the dread that came with the next speaker's voice.
"Hey there Gaila you finished for the day?"
Shit I am royally screwed.
Jim shut his eyes as Gaila made to reply to Layla Pike's question with an overly enthusiastic nod of the head.
"Uhuh! Got let off early. So how about you two what's up?"
"Oh nothing much." Layla shrugged "Uhura was the one having all the fun today"
"Yeah well not so much fun as it was weird" Uhura shrugged as she began to take off her boots "I was in the long-range sensor lab"
"I thought all night" Gaila suddenly blurted out and Layla frowned a little in confusion, though Uhura didn't notice anything as she continued to prattle on about her day.
"I was tracking solar systems and I picked up an emergency transmission."
"Really?" Now Gaila really was keen on listening as she tilted her head to the side.
"Yeah from a Klingon prison planet" Uhura nodded much to her roommates confusion as the latter made to look at Layla.
"Is she serious?"
Layla nodded her face grave.
"She just replayed me the computer's translation. There really was a Klingon armada destroyed, forty seven ships in total"
"Wow…that's'…wow" Gaila whistled low under her breath and Layal nodded.
"I know tell me about it."
"So…do you know what caused this?" Gaila frowned but Uhura just shook her head.
"No but I'll need more time to decipher the-"
But Gaila quickly cut across her. "So you're not going back to the lab tonight?"
And there in that moment something like a soft inhale reached Layla's ears.
She rolled her eyes and raised her brow at the Orion girl pointedly.
"Gaila who is he?"
"huh?" Gaila blinked trying her best to look innocent only Layla was quick to notice her twitch in her fingers as Uhura spun around quickly in confusion.
"Who's who?"
"The mouth breather hiding under her bed" Layla shrugged.
"You can hear me breathing?"
Uhura's eyes widened with sudden fury mixed with horror as Jim Kirk suddenly seemed to pop out from behind Gaila's bed clad only in his white briefs.
"YOU?!"
As the three women stared at him his eyes were quick to wander over Uhura's body which like Gaila's was only clad in underwear. The only one fully dressed was Layla and she was currently rolling her eyes and sighing with heavy exasperation.
"Jim seriously-"
"What? I was just looking for some winding down. We've got a big day tomorrow remember"
"Jim how many times do I have to tell you that you cannot pass that test! No one can!" Layla pinched the bridge of her nose as Jim blatently ignored her in the desperate scramble to get his clothes from the floor, winking at Gaila as he did so.
"Gaila, see you around"
"Get out!" Uhura growled her hands flying over her exposed body as Jim turned his attention to her.
"Hey if I pass will you tell me your first name?"
"No" Uhura glared reaching down to grab his discarded pants from the floor and flinging them into his grinning face.
"You know I think the fact that you picked up a transmission is very interesting-OW! OWOWOWOWOWWOW! LAYLA!" He cried out loudly as Layla growled under her breath.
"Just shut up"
She then turned towards Uhura and gave what she hoped was an apologetic grimace on her otherwise furious face.
"Sorry about this I'll deal with him"
"Please do" Uhura nodded with a glare as she watched Jim being dragged out by the ear into the corridor.
"Layla-ow-would you please-" Jim spluttered in pain as he was tugged painfully just into the room across the hall, which was empty.
Once the door was shut Layla tossed him forwards and he and his pile of clothes landed on the bed.
"Ow" Jim groaned clutching at his ear as he sat up to glare at the smaller girl before him "What the hell was that for?"
But Layla did not answer. She had turned her back on him to hunch over.
Jim frowned as he saw her entire body was shaking as she made to speak…or rather giggle?
"Goddamnit Jim you are absolutely unbelievable" she snorted turning back to him and his eyes widened as he saw that she was grinning from ear to ear. "Hiding under the bed. Are you auditioning for a twentieth century Romantic Comedy?"
"Hey it wasn't my fault Gaila forced me down there" Jim cried out before suddenly blinking "And what would you know about twentieth century romantic comedies? I thought you hated those"
Jim quirked a brow and Layla rolled her eyes as she made to walk behind large folding screen set by the side of her bed.
"I do. My mother on the other hand loves them, for reasons I can not yet fathom"
"Maybe because you've never been in love before" Jim snorted as he saw the skirt and top of her red cadet uniform be draped over the top of the screen, before their owner popped her head over the top to glower at him.
"Have you?"
Jim paused for a moment, swallowed and then said.
"…no I haven't… but that doesn't mean I want a relationship. I'm pretty happy with my current situation"
"No you're not" Layla sighed and Jim could see her silhouette through the screen as she leaned against the wall behind her. "Jim, I may be younger than you by a fair bit but I know exactly what you're doing. You're different to everyone else, separate, and as a result you feel alone, even when you're in a crowd. So you do things that you feel will make people take notice…or accept you. Like your stunts you pull with the female cadets."
"And you figure this out how?"
"Because I used to do the same thing too…"
Jim looked up as Layla stepped out from the screen, dressed in a full set of gym gear all matching with black material and light blue stripes over the contours of her sides.
Her face was grim as she made to brush out her raven hair over her shoulders trying to tie it in a plait.
"and let me tell you it wasn't pleasant" Layla tried to sound casual, but Jim could hear the hollow derision seep straight through her voice like wine through white cotton.
"Your fighting…back in school." he murmured and she nodded.
"It was the only physical contact I could get from other people. Literally. No one wanted to touch me otherwise. Like I was infected by some sort of bacteria."
"What? Why?" Jim frowned concernedly.
"Because…" Layla said simply and without further ado she picked up a small metallic silver replica of the Golden Gate bridge she usually kept on her bedside table and squeezed it tight.
The sound of a loud metallic crunch rent the air about them and merely a few seconds later Layla held out her hand. In it was now only a clump of worthless shapeless metal.
"Layla…"
Jim gaped at her. He knew that Layla was strong, he had been taken down by her in combat classes, but to take something made out of solid metal and destroy it by just clenching her hand…
He quickly came too just in time to see his friend's face fall despondently at his reaction.
"There…now you know" Layla said tensely as her eyes dropped to the carpeted floor.
"L-Layla" Jim spluttered like a fish "Layla…how on earth did you…"
"I don't know" Layla snapped before quickly composing herself with a deep calming breath before muttering softly. "but over the years I've gotten stronger, and thanks to training with Starfleet I've been able to learn how to control it better…but there are times when I feel stressed or frustrated it just…I never wanted to show anyone this but I'm afraid if I didn't then I'd be living a lie to everyone and-"
"Hey, it's ok. Layla it's fine. In fact"" Jim quickly reached out to grab both of her shoulders "it's all fine"
His heart could've almost broken in two as the young girl's face before him split into a wide smile, her icy eyes bright watery wells of gratitude, relief and joy as she breathed.
"Really?"
"Uh yeah I wouldn't be saying it otherwise. Maybe yes you are different to a lot of other people…but it's a good different…not a bad different. Now come here" Jim grinned holding his arms out before swooping out to grab her in a playful headlock.
"Agh! Jim!" Layla whined as she felt the young man's knuckles rub over the top of her head completely ruffling her hair from its tie.
Jim just laughed louder as she managed to tug herself out of his grip, pouting grumpily up at him. He couldn't help it. It was such a funny look, more than ten times better than when she was sad.
Dinner was a cheerful affair down in the mess hall. Not many cadets were in tonight seeing as it had been an assignment day for many of them, so Layla, Jim and Leonard got first pick of the good stuff on the menu.
To Layla's great happiness there was a chocolate soufflé which she promptly dug into happily whilst Leonard decided to treat them all to a small drink. During his first semester as a cadet he'd successfully (and very strictly) weaned his own way off of his reliance on alcohol and now after two years he was starting to allow himself to indulge himself every so often.
So when Layla told both him and Jim about Admiral Barnet's proposition to her he did not hesitate to get the necessary requirements to make a small toast.
"I know it's not much. But regulations state that we can only consume so much alcohol on campus so it will have to do" the older man gruffly grumbled as he filled his and Jim's glasses with a small serving of scotch whilst Layla poured the last of her bottle of soda into hers.
"So what are we toasting again?" Jim playfully asked only to get glowered at by the irate doctor next to him.
"Your stupid blonde head, that's what"
"Boys" Layla raised her eyebrows though she looked very much on the verge of cracking up.
"Alright then" Leonard coughed and straightened up a little in his seat before speaking clearly "Layla. When we first met I will not deny I wasn't exactly sure that you would actually make it in this shindig. Maybe it's because I was looking through the eyes of a concerned adult with paternal experience, or maybe I was just another stupid idiot like everyone else. But either way I think it's fair to say that you've surprised me with how far you've come so far...and I don't care what nobody else says or does otherwise but I'm proud. So hears to you Layla, congratulations on getting promoted"
"Possibly promoted" Layla corrected him with a small smile "and let me just add that you also have done well, for a Paranoid-guy with an accent who's afraid of flying"
Leonard smirked fondly trying his best not to look too smug as Jim cried out in mock hurt.
"Hey what about me? Haven't I changed for the better?"
"yes you have" Layla snorted before adding with a small smile "but you are also still an incorrigible idiot that gets himself into trouble nearly every day"
Jim had to chuckle at that and raised his glass high in the air
"Hears to us."
"To us" Layla smiled clinking her glass with his before raising her eyebrows at Leonard who rolled his eyes and joined her with mock reluctance.
"To us. And may god have mercy on us all in that ruddy test tomorrow"
"Amen to that"
And there we have it! things are just about starting up.
Hope you enjoyed and keep R&Ring for more