Thanks to everyone who read! Disclaimed: I don't own Star Trek:2009.
Chapter Two
One Year Later
"The Enterprise." Leona's breath seemed to leave her chest. "I'm assigned to the Enterprise?"
"Your performance has been exemplary." Commander Stalker said crisply. "Clearly, you are of above-average intelligence. Graduation after only one year of training is highly unique, especially for a girl of your age."
"Thank you, sir."
The Commander nodded a few times. "Effective immediately. A shuttle leaves from the dry docks in two hours. You'll be one it."
"Yes, sir." Her heart was pounding very quickly. "I will be."
The Enterprise loomed suddenly into sight, a vast white dot against the empty darkness of space, and Leona pressed her palms to the sticky glass window of the shuttle.
"That's really it." She breathed. Beside her, another cadet scoffed.
"What's up with you, kid? You look too young to serve aboard a ship."
"I'm not."
"How old are you, then?"
"Sixteen."
The cadet, a middle-aged man with unruly blond hair, rolled his eyes. "God, I feel safe now." He cast a quick glance at her red uniform and laughed. "Then again, you're as good as dead."
"How so?"
"Redshirt."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"First to die on missions." He laughed again, dryly. Leona glared at the man, fighting to keep a snarky remark at bay. The man's own shirt was blue. He was a doctor.
After graduation, she had heard plenty of rumors about redshirts and their ill-fated missions to strange planets. Everyone claimed that redshirts were always the first to die, and somehow Leona didn't doubt it.
When the starship docked, she shouldered her Starfleet-issue bag and stood, stomach fluttering a little.
The others filed off, into the loading dock, and Leona followed them, her breath quickening as she inhaled the clean, deep smell of space. They stepped into a long white hallway, nearly empty save for a couple of uniformed officers. Leona's friend from the Academy, an older girl who had graduated a year before, had sent her periodic letters from the USS Farrow, recounting various experiences in space.
According to Milla, cadets found themselves in a hectic environment; hallways crowded with people and sound. She had written of receiving room assignments and making new friends who were also redshirts.
Not so for Leona. She had graduated ahead of her classmates, far earlier than anyone had anticipated and largely due to her high intelligence.
She was the only cadet on the shuttle; the others were all officers or others returning from ground leave on Earth.
"Ponderly, Leona." A sharply-dressed woman approached, her boot heels clicking on the smooth floor.
"That's me." Leona straightened up, ready to snap a salute, but the woman gave her a kindly smile.
"At ease, Ensign."
She relaxed a little, and the woman tapped her PADD a few times.
"You'll be sharing a room with Ensign Burke. I'll show you around."
"Thank you."
The woman nodded crisply. "My name is Lieutenant Aberson." She took off down the hallway, and Leona hurried after her. The others had disappeared by now, vanishing into the depths of the ship.
Lieutenant Aberson gave Leona a brief tour of the ship, speaking about every room in a crisp, clear voice.
"This is the cafeteria. Meals are three times daily, at 0600 hours, 1200 hours, and again at 1700 hours. Don't be late." She gave Leona a small smile that seemed friendly enough.
They continued at a quick pace, and Leona began to sense that maybe the Lieutenant didn't really want to be giving her this tour.
"Our communications room. The Medical Bay." She gestured to a long room lined with hospital beds and medical equipment. A young man wearing a redshirt was sprawled on one of the beds, groaning. His arm was mangled terribly, a bloody mess.
Leona felt her eyes widen. "That guy...what happened?"
"An incident in Engineering. He'll be fine."
"Yeah. Of course." Leona nodded. When she saw a young woman dressed in blue sweep past and begin to disinfect the man's arm, she felt a little pang of longing.
"We should move on." Lieutenant Aberson said. Leona nodded again.
"Yes. Of course."