CH 32 Buzzing the Tower
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HANGAR BAY
As they enter the turbo, Kate smiles devilishly at John "Hey can we go have some fun, not around the parental units?" John watches as Kate changes the direction of the turbo from going up to Deck E to down to Deck T. "I thought maybe we could hang out in the place. I really like the privacy but it needs a better name," Kate says. "The place sounds so lame. Back home we had some cool names for place. What do you think about,"
John listens as Kate rattles on about exotic places she has been. Even if they are lies, Kate is a great storyteller. The tales of planets filled with all cities reaching to the stars and forest worlds so dense the inhabitants live in trees sound like they are from movies; yet the detail in which Kate describes them is remarkable. As she talks, John also finds it remarkable that most of the crew have such a hard time engaging Kate. He can't shut her up once she starts talking. "Oh and we once went to a place called Bespin," Kate lets her voice trail off as someone comes out of the shuttlecraft hanger. Stopping she stares at the shuttles like they are long lost family. "It was a city in the clouds," she finishes her sentence in a soft whisper. When the door closes, Kate sticks her foot out until they automatically open again. The smell of grease and the sound of compressed air make her homesick.
"Kate," John says concerned with the dream like expression her face.
"I love hangar bays. Back home that was my secret place. Do you think we are allowed to go in? I won't go in farther than the door I promise." John wants to tell her no. Letting Kate in a hangar full of shuttles is the worse idea imaginable. John rubs his neck uncomfortably thinking of a way to tell her no. When the door closes and John still hasn't responded, Kate has her answer. "Don't worry about it," Kate shrugs working hard to force a smile. "I don't want you to get into any trouble. Even I am not stupid enough to believe the adults when they tell me I can go anywhere on the ship. They were just being polite like you are."
Kate begins to walk down the hall. The spring in her step is gone and so is the excited chattering that filled her on the way down here. If looking at shuttles makes her happy, what harm can there be in looking at them. The adults keep telling the kids to help make her happy. "Come on Sparkles," John opens the hangar door walking in. "This is stupid. This is stupid," a voice screams in his head.
Kate plows into the back of him pushing him forward slightly as she races into the hangar not expecting him to stop suddenly. "Are you sure we are allowed to be in here?"
"Yes, as long as you don't try to steal a ship and fly away we are fine. You aren't planning on stealing a ship and flying away are you," John pretends to be serious. "Yes, she is a moron. Get out before she gets you both in trouble," the voice lectures him. As he watches the spark return to her eyes and the smile creeping across her mouth, John pushes the voice to the back of his mind. For the first time ever, John feels the uncontrollable urge to make a girl happy. He will do anything and everything just to see this look on her face. True to her word, Kate has not pressed John to go farther in than the door. She leans back against the wall closing her eyes letting the smells and sounds fill her. At least with her eyes closed, Kate can imagine she is home.
Spying a shuttle with a sign stating UNDER REPAIR DO NOT FLY John gets an idea. "No. No way John don't do it. You are insane. John, are you listening to me," the voice comes back as John says. "We could see the inside of that one if you want," he tells Kate. "We just can't touch anything."
"Are you serious?" Kate throws her arms around John's neck jumping up and down. The hug chokes him but he doesn't' complain. "I love you," she says excitedly giving him a peck on the cheek before taking his hand and pulling him to the indicated shuttle. Her spontaneous kiss makes his head spin. Blindly he follows Kate as she steps on the shuttle heading directly for the cockpit. She slides into the pilot's seat and begins to survey the control panel.
John's heart begins to race. "Um… remember no touching anything. Pretend this is a museum," John suggests hesitantly taking the co-pilot seat.
"Oh come on touching is the best part," Kate winks at him. "And my Mom and Dad loved taking me to those hands on museums. I touched everything and I rarely broke anything." Kate gives him a sly wink as she circles a finger over the controls.
"Yeah, but there is a huge difference here Kate," John watches her carefully. "Your dad doesn't own the ship like Han does."
"I'll be careful," she assures him leaning back in the seat. "Back home I used to fly everything. Swoops, pod racers, Starfighters, patrol crafts, freighters...Han said I could fly a cardboard box if it had wings. Life is so different here," she sighs looking at the men in overalls walk about the deck making repairs and leaning against the shuttles swapping jokes. Kate always felt happiest around these type people. These type people did not hide sugary lies behind false smiles. They liked you or they didn't. If they didn't they told you outright. When things settle down, Kate plans to make friends with the men that work in the hangar. Nothing is worse than being stuck in space and having no idea how to fix it.
"So you want to be a pilot one day," John asks. "I might be able to find you a spot on my senior staff but you will have to fight Erika for the helm position." Kate gives him an odd look, which John returns with a sheepish grin making her stomach flutter. Part of him feels silly telling Kate about their little game. He doesn't even remember how it started but if she is going to stick around, Kate will find out. "Okay, so a while back we all were talking about our futures. Ronin wants to join the military like my dad, Cameron loves anything electronic, and Jo is our mother hen. We joked about how cool it would be to get our own ship one day so the E5 was born. With you here it is now the E6 if you are up for it."
Kate smiles and looks out the shuttle window while she talks. "So you have all the positions filled except Captain,"
"Not comms," John interrupts her. He may think Kate is cute, but he is not going to give up his dream of being a captain for any girl. He has to find another position for her on the team she will like. "I heard my Dad say you know like ten languages. You could be our Uhura."
"I only know five Sport. I speak Huttese, Shyriiwook, Selonian, and Rodese. I am only passable in Illodian and Traders Argot. Few more weeks here and I can add Klingon, Vulcan, and Romulan to the passable list with the rate you are learning it." Kate looks back at him then acts embarrassed. No matter what she says, it always sounds like she is bragging. By no stretch of the imagination are these kids dumb. "I am not one upping you or anything. I just have an ear for languages." Kate looks back out the window not wanting to see the eye roll she knows is coming.
Sensing her uneasiness, he quickly changes the topic. "So comms it is," he smiles. "I can see it now. Solo open a hail to the incoming Klingon ship and be sure to tell them we are going to kick their ass if they don't get out of the neutral zone." Kate breaks out laughing and wrinkles up her forehead. As if he can read her mind, John answers her question before she asks it. "You are Kirk's kid so whether or not you like it your legal last name here is Kirk. What you don't seem to get in that thick head of yours is we don't care what your last name is. I will call you Bobble Blue Duck Feet if that makes you happy, but by the time I get that out in an emergency, we could be dead so pick one. Solo, Kirk, or Bobble Blue Duck Feet," John says in a serious tone.
Kate turns in the seat to face him. To her, a last name is not as important as it is for most people. Kate has gone by Shan, Pike, Organa -Solo and now Kirk. Last names to her are just another alias to add to her list. "Can I think about it and let you know later? Same with the future career plans. I respect Uhura, but I don't myself sitting around all day listening to space chatter. Like you, I want to be a Captain one day only on my own ship. I love flying. Before I could fly, I would sit in the cockpit of the Falcon and pretend I was flying. It made me happy. It made me feel free. I spent hours imagining all the places I could go." Her smile falters some as waves of homesickness crash into her like waves in an ocean. "Even that is taken away from me here." Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Kate turns the mood around. She sits up straight as if she is actually working the control. "Centerpoint Station this is the…Slice of Heaven," Kate quickly comes up with a name for her pretend ship. "My co-pilot and I are requesting a landing vector."
"The things I do for this girl," John sighs to himself. "This is Centerpoint Station… Slice of Heaven we have you on radar," John replies in a twangy tone. Although he is too old for pretend play, Kate's grin is worth him feeling like a jackass. "Captain Solo your approach vector is 45.67 and slow down this time. Last visit you gave the space chief a shock. Glad to have you back with us."
Kate breaks out laughing and slumps back in her seat. She looks at John with a soft smile. If she was going to be here a long time, John O'Neill would be someone she would have to keep at a distance. He is cute, funny, and makes her feel safe. Over the years, Kate has learned to avoid people like him. They always require some sort of commitment. Most of the time it is only friendship, but as she has aged, Kate realized that friendship can become deeper. It did with Kyle before she knew it. Not wanting anything to complicate her life further, Kate decides to play around with him, but not let him get in her head. "One day I will really take you there. Centerpoint Station orbits Corellia where I was born. We would also have to go to Kashyyyk, Coruscant, and Nal Hutta." The thought of never seeing these places again threatens to pull her out of her happy mood. No one wants to be around sad people so she changes the direction of the conversation. Talking about home will only break her heart. "Where would you take me, O'Neill...John O'Neill," Kate says wistfully.
"Earth, Deneva, and Risa," John says quickly before switching back into his fake radio controller voice. He has to keep her with him and not dwelling in the past. It wasn't that long ago the thought of Earth almost made him cry. "Slice of Heaven... Are you bringing cake? Over."
Kate goes back to the pretending. It is silly but fun. "Yes, this delicious knock off of Correlian air cake called Angel food."
"Copy and 1/4 impulse engines only," John's nasally twang takes a stern quality. "I am warning you, Solo. We will pull your license if you buzz the tower."
Kate avoids telling them they don't have a tower on Centerpoint Station. One day she will explain the spherical metal moon but not today. Today she just wants to live in the moment. "Let's buzz the tower," she gives John a devilish wink.
"I wouldn't do that Sparkles," John pretends to be her co-pilot. "Remember the last time we came here. They swore to never let us come back and I want to catch the hockey playoffs."
John's game of pretending shows Kate just how little she knows about this life, which is not as bad as she is making it out. If she has to be stuck somewhere for a few weeks, the Enterprise is not the worst thing ever. Instead of moping and crying, Kate needs to get her shit together and learn as much as possible about this galaxy. "I would love to take this for a spin," Kate says running her fingers lightly over the display. The glass panel feels cool and alien to her touch. The capital ships in the New Republic have touch screens like this but the freighters and starfighters she learned on were full of buttons, toggles, and levers. People that know a damn thing about ships like it that way. It is far easier and cheaper to repair a broken toggle switch than an entire plazcrystal panel. As her fingertips brush the cool glass she accidentally turns something on. Suddenly lights begin to pop on as more and more systems turn boot to life. Oh shit," Kate's eyes get wide as she looks at John.
"Whoa, Kate what did you do," John sits straighter looking over the brightly colored display. He punches a few buttons attempting to shut it down. "I told you not to touch anything."
"Just turn it off," Kate snaps as the ship comes on line.
"Kate I'm 12. I don't know how to fly a shuttle," John protests in a slightly angry tone. This is not entirely the truth. John and all the kids know how to use a shuttle for an emergency evacuation. Since they were only supposed to use a shuttle in emergencies, Sulu never taught them how to turn it off. John takes a deep breath and relaxes. He has to think and not panic. If he hits the wrong sequence, they could launch. His foolish attempt to make Kate happy is going to earn him a one-way ticket to Grounding Ville or worse.
"What do you mean you don't know how to fly a ship? You live on a ship. What happens if you have to get off and the transporters don't work," Kate almost shrieks. The thought that only a few people know how to fly these shuttles sends Kate into panic mode.
"Because they are only meant for us to get away," John wishes Kate would just shut up. If she would give him a minute, he knows he can figure this out. "The plan is to get off the ship and then someone will rendezvous with us in space. Besides Scotty would never let the Enterprise go dead in the water." John's fingers punch in a series of commands the powers the ship down. Kate slumps back dramatically in her seat before laughing as the tension leave her body. "You think this is funny," John cocks an eyebrow at her as if he is a parent.
"Yes," she giggles holding her stomach. "How can you not. I mean I have never been so scared in a shuttle that is safely docked in a hangar where no one was shooting at me in my life."
Her comment makes John give her his lop-sided smirk making her heart skip a beat. Kate is right. According to the readouts, the engine is shot so there was no chance for lift off. "Come on Giggles," John makes a sweeping gesture to the door. "You are going to get me in trouble and I have plans this weekend."
"Okay Dad," Kate winks standing up. Her smile fades as she sees Hyden and Slayton entering the back of the shuttle. Kate steals a quick look over her shoulder at John before she addresses them. "Oh…hi," Kate works to keep her voice neutral. She has seen the look in Hyden's eyes before. Ouris Dover gave her the same look her when she did not meet her quota. It was the same look Zala Tsu Kate gave Kate when she beamed over to the Beacon of Light. Kate is about to be hurt and she has to make a decision. She either fights back or takes her licks. She makes her decision in an instant. Bruises heal and her new mission objective is to fit in. "We were just,"
Hyden's hand darts forward like a viper locking an iron grip on her arm. His fingers bite into her flesh producing an instant stinging sensation. Instinctively Kate jerks back but John pushes her forward trying to put himself between her and the men from security. The pushing and pulling makes her feet slide on the slippery surface making Kate lose her balance. "Shut up," Hyden pulls Kate forward before she can get her footing to walk. Falling to the floor, her hip strikes the deck with a dull thunk. Kate lets out a low grunt as Hyden drags her to the center of the shuttle where there is more room to manuever.
As John bends down to help Kate up, Slayton comes up behind him. "Move away from her John. We got this," he says yanking John off Kate by the back of his shirt. The fabric of Kate's shirt slips through John's fingers as he is tossed behind Slayton and Hyden.
"You want to steal a shuttle. How about I show you what happens to thieves in the Federation," Hyden yanks Kate to her feet by the front of her shirt. It happens so fast, she doesn't have the chance to fight back.
"Whoa whoa whoa it was my idea, not hers," John yells approaching Slayton and Hyden. "Get your hands off her. She's not a Klingon you big oaf and she wasn't stealing a shuttle. It was my idea to,"
Slayton blocks John's attempt to reach Kate and his view of the situation. "Get off the shuttle O'Neill. This doesn't involve you. You are lucky we got here in time to save you," Slayton sneers pushing John backward hard. Not expecting Slayton to be stupid enough to touch him, John stumbles backward a few steps from the push.
"When my dad finds out about this your ass is grass and he'll be the lawn mower if you touch us again," John threatens walking forward. There is no way John can take Slayton but he can inflict injury. Rage starts to build in John seeking Kate dangle from Hyden's grip. He is slightly confused as to why she is not fighting back.
"I didn't mean it. I pressed the wrong button," Kate squeaks with a wild look in her eye. Her comment is enough of a distraction to pull John's attention from Slayton to Kate. She has to buy time and think about how to get out of this situation.
"Sure you didn't you little bitch. You have done nothing but cause trouble since the second you got here. Why should we believe a damn thing you say," Hyden snarls. Kate feels her feet lifting off the ground as Hyden yells.
"Leave me alone," Kate swings her feet trying to find some solid ground accidently kicking Hyden in the shin.
"Fucking little shit kicked me," Hyden spins slamming Kate face down on the deck. Her cheek is pressed into the icy floor by a hand on her head as he restrains her by placing a knee between her shoulder blades. Kate feels her lungs burn as she fights to breath as Hyden's knee forces the air from her lungs.
"I think that qualifies as resisting arrest," Slayton lets an evil smile spread across his face as he stares at John.
"She did not. You were choking her," John lunges at Slayton throwing right hook that connects with the security officer's jaw. Using the few seconds of distraction, he lunges at Hyden.
Hyden swings his shoulders as he feels John try to pull him off, Kate. "Get his ass out of here," Hyden snaps as Slayton grabs John's shirt whipping him around to the shuttle entrance. A strong shove by Slayton sends John tumbling down the ramp. "And you," Hyden whispers hotly in Kate's ear as she watches John get thrown from the shuttle. Kate lets a tear fall off the bridge of her nose. If she was a real Jedi, she could snap their necks or strangle them but she is not. She could protect her and John but she can't. For some reason, she can't access the Force. She is a helpless nobody just like she was on Sernpidal. "You are more trouble than you are worth. I am not getting screwed or killed because of you. No one believes your innocent act. With the Jedi traitors gone, who is gonna save you now..huh. My guess is no one."
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READY ROOM
"Hey, McCoy…Jack," Sulu says to the two men entering the ready room. "How's she doing?" All the people in the room stop talking fixing their attention on the doctor and security chief. Kate might think she is off everyone's radar but that is far from the truth. Every adult on the senior staff has eyes on her almost 24 hours a day. They keep it subtle by showing up in the gym, mess hall, or rec decks under the guise of needing to be there themselves. When they can't have eyes on her, their children do. Texts and comm calls keep everyone abreast at what Kate Kirk is doing. It is not that they don't trust her. They are only doing it in case she needs someone and doesn't know it.
"As good as can be expected," McCoy slides into a seat at the long table. "She is pretending to blend in."
"Pretending?" Chekov looks at Jack confused.
"It is that what we thought she was going to do or, at least, hoped she would do," Jack confirms McCoy's statement. "She is talking more and sometimes says something honest."
"So she is actually being pleasant enough someone wants to talk to her or was this person about five feet tall," Jim asks dryly taking his seat. He covers his mouth with a cup of coffee trying not to care about the answer. It is no secret around the table that Kate and Jim have a strained relationship. He wishes it could be different and clings to the hope that things will turn around as McCoy has promised. It just hurts that Kate is turning to everyone but him.
"I am over five feet and she loves me," Scotty grins, "even after that point of failure comment about the engine." If anyone other than his blonde daughter made that statement, Scotty would still be holding a grudge.
"Although I have not had had much direct contact with your offspring, she does not seem adverse to speaking with me," Spock adds. "I could try to engage her in a topic she finds appealing to test your theory. I am over the five-foot height parameter."
"And they say Vulcan's lack a sense of humor," Jack replies in his slow drawl.
"She and I don't have issues talking. She just hates you both," Bones laughs drinking his coffee. "Maybe if you both weren't riding her ass all the time,"
"Riding her ass," Jim almost yells. How his best friend can make such a statement infuriates him. Hell, he is getting all his parenting advice from Leonard and so far it is just making things worse, not better. He needs to set the record straight. "For your information Kate doesn't like any of you." The shocked looks for the senior staff make Jim have to explain. "According to Kate I abandoned her and Lauren, Jack here shot her friends, Bones stabbed her with like three hypos, and Sulu blew up her ride home. We are not batting a thousand here people. I have no idea why she wouldn't like us."
"Asshole," Bones mutters followed immediately but Jack's protest that he was doing his job.
"She dunna seem to be the whirling dervish ya claimin' her to be first of all," Scotty jumps to Kate's defense.
"Oh she's got charm Scotty," Jim takes a swing of his coffee. "It's just hidden under that tough as nails exterior."
"Tough exterior," Jack jokes shaking his head. "Her skin is like Kevlar and her mouth would make a sailor blush."
"I am sure given time she will succumb to that Kirk charm," Uhura smiling softly. "I mean if I saw the fun, happy side she can't miss it. She'll warm up."
"You know Keptin once the Jedi are gone she vill relax some. It must've bin hard for her vith dem lurking in space," Chekov says
"Yeah well that is why I called this impromptu meeting. According to her, there is another ship other there full of Jedi and we need a plan that doesn't involve turning my ship into Swiss cheese," Jim says dryly getting down to business. He doesn't mind the friendly banter about Kate. Before she arrived, Jim often held staff meeting solely for the kids benefit. He recognized that just like any member of his crew, the kids needed shore leave. Often he would poll the adults as to what the kids were mentioning they wanted to do and find a planet suitable for it. It was not always possible, but Jim tried his best. Once this Jedi thing is in the past, he will start it again. Right now, however, he needs a plan to keep everyone safe.
"We could just let them on board and then space them from the hangar," Jack says. The table looks at the security chief stunned. "You want clean and efficient and that is clean and efficient."
"So is a concentrated dose of thallium oxide. Odorless, tasteless… hell, they would not see it coming. If I were in the nefarious business of killing people on sight that would be my choice," Bones drinks his coffee calmly.
"Arg matey," Sulu takes on a pirate voice. "There be a pirate in you yet Bonesy my boy." The table erupts in laughter causing Jim to shake his head. The stress seems to be affecting everyone now even his senior staff.
"What is this? 101 ways to kill a Jedi," Jim quips. "I need real answers people, not jokes or,"
"Von might have a tragic beaming accident say into the water supply tubes," Chekov grins broadly interrupting the captain.
Both Scotty and Jim look at him and say in unison, "That is so not funny." The young navigator's comment cause more chuckles to occur from everyone but Jim and Scotty.
Jack looks at the faces around the table smirking and leans forward. "What am I missing?"
Rather than fight it, Jim explains. "That is how we got Scotty aboard from Delta Vega."
"Aye, and what Mr. Dashing has neglected to include was that the only thing between me and the turbines was my ability to imitate a salmon swimming upstream. The bloody bastard sat arguing with Spock over there while I fought for ma life," Scotty hooks a thumb at Jim who is smiling sheepishly.
"You make is sound so dramatic. You had like 2- 3 seconds before you were going to be crushed. I saved you with plenty of time to spare," Jim chuckles taking a drink of coffee. "And it was Spock that almost killed you spouting off regulations. If you remember I chased your ass all over the place making sure I didn't lose sight of you."
"At that time, trans-warp beaming was only theoretically possible. Your unexpected arrival on the ship was deemed a clear and present danger," Spock defends his position. "I had to confront the Captain for the safety of the ship."
"Yeah, two guys in Starfleet uniforms are such a huge threat," Jim blows off his XO. "I mean I would have been so worried about us instead of the insane Romulan heading for Earth."
Jack whistles sharply as everyone begins to Monday morning quarterback the event from two years ago. "Kids don't make me turn this car around," Jack warns playfully. Having the table focusing on him, Jack lightens the mood with another suggestion about how to deal with the Jedi. "What if we replicate like a bazillion lightsaber casings and fill their ship with them as a cover. You know. It would be like the needle in the haystack thing?"
"Or ball pit," Sulu says with disdain. "Ever have to wade in to retrieve a small child. Damn plastic balls are like quicksand and make you fall like ten times. Let's flood the ship with those little plastic balls and see how agile the damn Jedi are."
"Why not go for the whole experience and pump in the techno crap they play at Chuckie cheese. Makes me want to lose my mind," Bones confirms.
"I suggest we dispense with the levity and begin to formulate a viable plan to secure the ship," Spock attempts to return everyone to the topic. Of all the human emotions he struggles with, annoyance is the hardest one for him to control. He has the sneaking suspicion it is because of the company he keeps.
"I like Jack's first idea, but I say we give them a shot. Have them try to board the ship through a ship using a rocket pack and not open the hatch until the last second," Jim says to Scotty.
"Captain I was busy," Scotty looks at Jim in horror. "The bloody bloke had a gun on me and I was only armed with my wits."
"Yeah and I was wearing a cracked helmet, hurtling through space, with no display at a hole the size of,"
"It was roughly two meters," Spock adds helpfully.
"Khan incident," Jim again places the event for Jack before he can ask what they are talking about.
"No wonder why Bob Macon retired. Has there been a time you haven't tried to kill yourself," Jack asks Jim?
"No," the table says as a resounding group.
"So Uhura, you have any ideas," Bone smiles at the communications officer. "In my experience, you want a good revenge scheme always turn to a woman for help."
"I am not sure that is a compliment but," Uhura leans in conspiratorially; "I would contact the Klingons and the Romulans and tell them there is a derelict vessel loaded with dilithium. This would bait them into a fight. Now we have killed three birds with one stone. Not only would we get rid of the Jedi but we would also get intel on all three weapons systems from a safe distance."
"Lt. that is quite creative and scary you have it planned an event to such detail," Spock raises and eyebrow at his girlfriend.
"Bones is right women are good at plotting revenge schemes. We do it starting at puberty," she smiles with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
"I will be sure to remember that when I have knowingly upset you," Spock attempts to show his humorous side openly at the table.
Before the jovial banter can continue, Hyden's voice rings out of Jim's shirt comm ending the meeting, "Captain we caught Kate attempting to steal a shuttle."
A split second later, John's anxious voice follows up from Jack's shirt comm with the desperate message, "Dad I need you in the hangar bay immediately. Hyden and Slayton are hurting Kate."
"Say again," Jim demands already on his feet heading to the door.
"Security team to Hangar Bay," Jack says on Jim's heels. "Son of a bitch I warned them about her."