February 2258

Starfleet Academy Grounds

"Three months til graduation," Jim commented as he and Arianne jogged around the perimeter of the Academy campus in their reds as rays of the sun peeked over the pink morning sky. "Crazy, huh?"

Arianne nodded as they reached the small hill where the Starfleet flag flew from a metal flagpole atop a stone monument that had been built to remember the founding of the United Federation of Planets, "I still don't know what postings I'm eligible to apply for yet," she replied in a tired voice. "I should…"

"Your dad's Captain of the Enterprise," Jim replied in a tired voice. "You're guaranteed a posting there."

Arianne sighed as she stretched, "My last name doesn't matter, but my grades and comments from instructors do," she replied in an anxious voice. "I've not been the best example for people lately and I won't be surprised if it comes back to haunt me when it comes time to get an assignment.

"Oh, come on," Jim replied in a disbelieving voice. "You've never been on academic probation or done anything remotely against what most competent instructors expect out of cadets at the Academy."

Arianne scoffed, "I've gotten under Admiral Archer's skin a fair amount of times and he's the head of Starfleet Command, or have you forgotten that?" she replied softly. "He can make or break careers."

"I said competent instructors," Jim replied in an amused voice. "Archer's not a spring chicken…"

Arianne's eyes widened in shock and Jim sighed, "Sorry," he replied softly. "That was inappropriate."

"It's all right, Jim, really," Arianne replied as she checked the chronometer that was above the plaque explaining what the monument was. "It's already 0700 and we've got that huge symposium today."

"I don't care where I get posted and I seriously doubt that anyone cares where I'm posted," Jim replied in a semi-agitated voice as he sat on the monument and checked his PADD. "I don't care if Sam takes notice of the email I sent him about the Deneva project or not; I'm just getting sick of everything."

Arianne looked at Jim curiously, "You sent Sam an email?" she asked in a curious, confused voice.

"Yeah, he's smarter than I am and could do some good on Deneva if he were interested in Starfleet at all," Jim replied in a tired voice. "I just want to be on some ship somewhere away from Earth…"

Arianne nodded and gently patted Jim's arm, "Jim, would it help if I told you that I'm not sure if anyone will take me seriously as a command officer?" she asked in a gentle voice. "They see me more as a counselor since that's what I've been doing since before the Academy. Command is something…"

"You're so much like Captain Pike," Jim commented tonelessly. "Always trying to help me feel better."

Arianne shrugged, but didn't say anything and Jim was quiet for a moment before he burst into laughter.

Academy Command Building – 1000 H

"Welcome to the Starfleet Symposium," an automated voice spoke over several ceiling loudspeakers.

Arianne sighed as she and Jim stopped at the front 'Information' booth where Gaila and Christine were sitting behind a small stack of styluses, "Do you want a map?" Gaila asked sweetly as she grinned and winked at Jim. "We have maps of where everything is at the symposium. The maps are free."

"Sure, we'll take a map," Jim replied, giving Gaila a mischievous grin as he picked up a stylus.

Gaila winked at Jim and smiled at Arianne, "Your boyfriend's speaking at a workshop promoting Starfleet Medical in a few minutes," she said in a sly voice. "There's a rumor that he's getting a posting soon."

"Really?" Arianne replied in a shocked voice. "I thought we weren't being given postings until April?"

Gaila grinned, "The people who already have qualifications on top of their Starfleet skills are being offered their post-grad assignments between now and April so that they aren't tempted to let their skills go to waste outside of Starfleet," she explained in an eager voice. "I'm excited to see what posting I'll get offered since I help out with the Kobyashi Maru testing on top of all the classes that I'm taking…"

"You help out with the Kobyashi Maru?" Jim asked in a curious voice. "I thought the instructors…"

Gaila shrugged, "I know more about programming than a lot of those pencil pushers in Academy Command, except for Commander Spock, that is," she replied in an amused voice as a group of cadets came into the building and up to the booth. "Would anyone like a free map of the symposium?"

"You should check out the workshop that Bones is running," Jim whispered as they moved into the large arena-like room that was full of booths or rooms hosting symposiums. "He'd want you there for him."

Arianne looked surprised, "Jim, I want to spend some time with you too," she replied in a surprised, amused voice as they looked over all the booths. "Leonard doesn't always want me by his side."

"You're not an embarrassment to him," Jim commented as they spotted an Academy Postings booth where a bored looking Pavel was sitting with a stack of PADDs next to him. "Isn't that Pavel?"

Jim nodded and Arianne led him over to the booth, "Velcome to ze Starfleet Acedemee Job Postings Booth," Pavel said in a toneless voice as he looked up at them with a stone face. "Vould you like to hear about ze many opportunities zat are at ze Starfleet Academy after you are graduated in Apreel?"

"I don't know if I want a job at the Academy," Jim commented absentmindedly, not noticing Pavel's crestfallen expression because he was looking at the map. "I was born in space and I would kinda…"

Arianne quickly held out her hand for a map, "I'll take a map, Pavel," she said, seeing Pavel's crestfallen expression over Jim's comments. "I thought you were going to talk to Admiral Archer about that?"

"I haff messaged heem many times," Pavel replied in an upset voice. "He never giwes me an answer."

Arianne frowned and quickly looked at her map, "Jim, can you stay with Pavel for a few minutes and maybe get some attention to his booth?" she asked, seeing that Admiral Archer was in one of the boardrooms with the rest of the Command staff in a 'top secret' meeting that was almost done.

"Where are you going?" Jim asked in a worried voice, seeing her determined expression. "Arianne…"

Fury filled Arianne's heart as she stormed through the room of booths and into the corridor to the conference rooms were being used for workshops and other official meetings that were happening that day since classes were cancelled. She found the room the meeting was in and waited patiently.

A moment later, the doors slid open and several Admirals came out in a single file line and only a couple of them noticed Arianne. Arianne sighed and made her way into the room where she saw Admiral Archer standing at the front of the room working on a computer that sat on an elevated podium.

"Lieutenant Pike, what can I do for you?" Admiral Archer asked in an official tone even though his eyes were focused on the computer and not on her. "I'm in a bit of a hurry, so please make it brief."

Arianne scowled, "I want to discuss your mistreatment of Pavel Chekov, Jon," she replied in a fierce tone, suddenly remembering that Jonathan had always been very stubborn. "It is going to stop."

Admiral Archer's eyebrows raised as he looked up at Arianne, "Excuse me?" he asked softly.

"Mistreatment of cadets over situations that are beyond their control is against the Federation Code," Arianne replied coldly, refusing to back down. "You've been bullying Pavel ever since you found out ever since he told Professor Khan about his father and that it contributed to Andrei Chekov's murder…"

Admiral Archer was silent for a moment and then sighed, "Long periods of time in space can make people lose their minds sometimes and what lives they know," he replied softly. "Long before Andrei Chekov had a family, he was a space explorer for a bootleg science corporation in Russia and he and his colleagues were neither friends nor enemies to Starfleet, but their work was monitored just in case anything out of the ordinary happened. During one of their expeditions, they came across this garbage freighter that was called Botany Bay and had frozen humans in it. Anyway, their curiosity got the…"

"Andrei Chekov was responsible for Professor Khan coming to Earth?" Arianne asked softly.

Admiral Archer shrugged, "I don't know how Khan got to Earth from wherever he was found and where the freighter is now, but Andrei freed him from his frozen state," he replied worriedly. "The short story is that Starfleet disassembled the bootleg corporation and gave Andrei a compensation for his trouble, but that only turned him into a violent drunk. I'm guessing that his wife and young Pavel suffered…"

"Ah, so you're punishing Pavel because Andrei did some stupid things in space and you've never forgotten that?" Arianne asked in a fierce tone. "Are you worried that Pavel will repeat history?"

Admiral Archer nodded, "Come on, Jonathan," Arianne snapped. "Pavel Chekov is a genius, yes, but he's also very kind, gentle, and compassionate; he's nothing like his father and he wants to succeed if Starfleet will just stop seeing him as a kid and give him a chance. I was given a chance, wasn't I?"

"You were," Admiral Archer replied, suddenly realizing that Arianne had changed from the person he had once knew into a person whose moral integrity overshadowed her desire to be a success.

Arianne nodded, "I'm not the same that I once was in that I now care more about people than I do about exploring and solving problems," she explained gently. "It's not fair that a mistake by the father should punish the child and we both know that. Don't let the past get in the way of your moral code."

Before Admiral Archer could reply, Arianne left the room and didn't stop until she reached the Academy Postings booth where Jim was standing on the outside of a small crowd of female cadets including Nyota that surrounded the booth, "The ladies can't resist Pavel for some reason," Jim commented as he looked at Arianne and saw the determined expression on her face. "Did you punch Archer out or something?"

"Nope," Arianne replied in a steady voice. "Jim, why don't we go attend Leonard's workshop?"

Jim was silent for a moment and then nodded, "Okay," he replied softly, suddenly very worried.

"…As you can see, Starfleet Medical was kind enough to provide a few test dummies and a good build of a starship Sickbay for this workshop and all of you who are wanting to serve on a ship can get a good feel for what you'll be working with," Leonard was saying to a small crowd that had gathered by the time Jim and Arianne arrived at the workshop. "You can either work on your medical skills or run through scenarios by programming the dummies. Just don't break anything or I'll be in deep crap."

The crowd slowly broke apart as everyone went looking around the Sickbay setup, "How's being in charge going, Bones?" Jim asked casually. "Christine said you were running a workshop; does that mean you're gonna be the Chief Medical Officer on one of the ships after you're done at the Academy?"

"With my record, I'll be lucky to get posted anywhere off of Earth," Leonard replied in a gruff tone as he picked up his stylus from the podium. "People who try to off themselves on the recruit shuttle don't exactly get posted to the best Starfleet assignments. Anyway, Puri was already picked as CMO…"

Arianne sighed, "Don't start that crap again, Len," she replied firmly. "I'm so tired of hearing it."

"What?" Leonard asked, shocked by Arianne's sudden firmness. "What are you talking about?"

Arianne scoffed, "Don't let the past get in the way of what you can do now and in the future," she replied in a gentle voice as she crossed her arms. "You're at the top of your classes, right?"

"I'm not sure where I stand outside of the classes, though," Leonard replied in a nervous voice, ignoring the shocked look Jim was giving him. "Those who are judged as exceptional by Academy Command in both inside and outside academics are getting word on their postings early and those who aren't will have to go through personal interviews with both Academy Command and the captains of each available assignment to see where they're best suited. They'll look at academic records and other things…"

Jim's eyes widened a bit and Arianne felt her heart sink a little, "Now, I've got a workshop to supervise and make a report on," Leonard commented firmly. "If you're not going to participate, just behave…"

"I'm going to take whatever position in Starfleet that they'll give to me," Arianne said in an exasperated voice, wondering what repercussions there would be for her talk with Admiral Archer. "I'm surprised that nobody in Academy Command has given you an assignment yet. You're at the top in Command…"

Jim chuckled as they left the room, "In classes," he replied in an amused voice. "Outside of class, I'm known as a renegade, an overgrown, hyperactive brat, and severely accident and trouble prone."

"Speaking of trouble, where are your glasses?" Arianne asked softly. "You should wear them."

Jim sighed wearily, "I forgot them because I slept in this morning and was in a hurry," he admitted in a sheepish voice as he shrugged. "Are we supposed to stay at this thing all day or can we go get them?"

"We can go get them if we hurry," Arianne replied in an anxious voice just as the door slid open and Leonard came out. "I wonder what Len wants? He's supposed to be supervising the workshop."

Jim turned and nearly bumped into Leonard, "You forgot these," Leonard said in a less terse voice as he reached into his pocket, took out Jim's glasses, and handed them to Jim. "Please try to remember…"

"Thanks," Jim replied nervously as he took the glasses and put them on his pale face. "Bones?"

Leonard raised an eyebrow, "Yes?" he asked, wondering what Jim wanted to ask him. "What?"

"I just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day, buddy," Jim commented in an amused voice.

Arianne was silent for a moment and then sighed, "You should get back to your workshop," she said in a quiet voice, not expecting Leonard to remember the day since he was so busy preparing for this. "Jim, I'm going to go and explore the symposium for a little while, but we can meet for lunch later, okay?"

"I want to go by the information booth and talk more with Gaila," Jim replied slyly. "See you later."

Arianne nodded and silently walked off. A moment later, Jim did the same, leaving Leonard alone.

Portable Canteen – 1200 H

A tray containing a small turkey sandwich, apple, a bag of chips, and a box of juice was what all cadets and officers attending the symposium were being served, but Arianne didn't mind; the canteen was rather quiet because a lot of cadets had either come and gone to the Academy canteen for lunch or they would come after lunch. Classes were cancelled that day, so she assumed many were also off campus.

"Lieutenant Pike, would you be adverse to myself and Lieutenant Uhura joining you?" Arianne suddenly heard as Spock and a disgruntled looking Nyota approached the table, both of them holding trays.

Arianne silently looked at Nyota, who wouldn't meet her gaze, "If neither of you are uncomfortable being around me, you can sit down," she replied calmly, wondering if Nyota would make a scene.

"I am not uncomfortable being around you," Spock replied tonelessly as he took a seat across from Arianne and set his tray on the table. "Lieutenant Uhura is free to do as she wishes for her meal."

Nyota was silent for a moment and then she sat down next to Spock and silently placed her tray on the table, "I must go exchange this sandwich for a vegetarian item," Spock said in a toneless voice, picking up the wrapped sandwich with his hand as he stood up. "I will return to the table momentarily."

As Spock wandered over to the table where the wrapped sandwiches were kept, Nyota leaned in close to Arianne, "So, Arianne, you're really not in love with Spock?" she asked in a curious voice.

"No, I am in love with someone else," Arianne replied softly. "He's a fellow cadet and also he's a…"

Nyota smirked, "Doctor?" she replied in an amused voice. "Are you talking about Leonard McCoy?"

"Is it that obvious?" Arianne asked in a hushed voice. "He knows I love him, but we're taking it slow…"

Nyota smiled, "Slow is good," she replied in an amused voice. "That wat neither of you feel pressured."

"Why are you talking to me, Nyota?" Arianne asked softly. "I thought you hated my guts."

Nyota looked surprised, "Look, I've spent a lot of time talking with Spock about you and it's obvious that you're not the kind of girl who messes around with professors for good grades and special privileges," she explained in an apologetic voice. "I started doubting that back when Elizabeth Dehner started trying to stalk Leonard even though he had made it very clear that he didn't want any relationships, and I…"

"I don't want to talk about Elizabeth," Arianne replied in a nervous voice. "She triggers bad memories."

Nyota was quiet for a moment and then nodded, "Not many want to talk about her anymore, but I've heard rumors that she's going to be moved off of Vulcan for some sort of rehabilitation therapy," she stated in a soft voice. "I sometimes work in the long range lab and I picked up a transmission…"

"As long as Elizabeth isn't moved back to Earth, I hope the therapy is successful and she has a productive life somewhere else," Arianne stated softly. "It would absolutely kill Leonard if she ever came back."

Nyota nodded and suddenly realized that Spock had left the cafeteria, "I guess Spock wanted us to talk and reconcile our differences," she commented, seeing that Spock's tray was still there. "He was strangely quiet last night and didn't eat much besides a cup of soup. I hope he's feeling all right."

"According to the information map Gaila and Christine gave me, Spock was one of the key organizers of this symposium because he knew that cadets needed to be aware of the many options they had available to them after graduation," Arianne explained as she picked up the map and offered it to Nyota.

Nyota took the map and skimmed the info page, "If Spock's was stressed about planning this thing, how come he was coughing last night in his sleep?" she asked in a worried voice. "Before I left his house this morning, I asked Spock why he was coughing, but he told me that it was normal for this time of year."

"Coughing in one's sleep isn't normal, especially for a Vulcan," Arianne replied in a concerned voice.

Nyota nodded, "I was wondering if you might want to check Spock over and convince him to go see a doctor," she stated in a worried voice. "You're in the Medical Track and you know how to diagnose…"

"I'm not an M.D., though," Arianne spoke, cutting Nyota off. "I can only examine and share concerns."

Nyota pouted, "You are one of the few, including me, that Spock actually trusts," she replied in an anxious voice. "I know you have a basic medkit in your dorm. Couldn't you just examine him a bit?"

Arianne was silent for a minute and then sighed, "I can examine Spock and try to convince him to go see a real doctor, but I can't do anything more than that," she replied softly. "Is that okay with you, Nyota?"

"Yes," Nyota replied in a relieved voice, grateful that Arianne was going to help. "When can we go?"

Arianne sighed as she bit into her sandwich, "I don't know where Spock would be at this time of day if he isn't staying around the symposium," she replied in a concerned voice. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Spock either spends his time at his office, his townhouse, or teaching," Nyota stated in a worried voice as she looked at the stylus. "Since there are no classes today, he most likely will go home to be alone."

Arianne nodded, quickly finishing up the sandwich, "Do you think Captain Pike will care if we blow off the symposium?" Nyota asked in a nervous voice. "We're supposed to be here for a while, I think."

"Nyota, you asked me to help you help Spock," Arianne replied softly. "Let's just get out of here."

Nyota's eyes widened at Arianne not being concerned about following the rules, but she kept quiet while Arianne got up and then followed her friend from the cafeteria, leaving a mess on the table.

Command Residences – Academy Campus – 1300 H

There was no answer when Nyota pressed the doorbell that was next to the front door of the townhouse where Spock lived, "Spock's home," Nyota hissed in a frustrated voice. "I know it."

"Just wait a moment and try again," Arianne replied softly. "Or use the override code to get in."

Nyota frowned, "Spock's a professor," she commented in a confused voice. "He doesn't have…"

"All professors have them and they're wired into the doorbell set to be triggered by a pressing the bottom part of the doorbell three times consecutively," Arianne explained gently. "I've lived on campus with my father most of my life and he's taught me everything I ever needed to know about it."

Looking slightly impressed about how humble Arianne seemed when sharing information that put her a step above other cadets, Nyota nodded and pressed the bottom of the doorbell three times as gently, but as quickly as she could. Almost immediately, the front door beeped and quietly slid open.

"In case of emergencies, each door of the command housing units are programmed with the manual override code," Arianne explained, following after Nyota as she entered the house. "Spock?"

There was silence and Nyota frowned as she saw that Spock's instructor jacket was hung on a hook by the door and that his boots were on a rack beside the door, "Spock, where are you?" she called out in a concerned voice as she moved over to the stairs. "Arianne, check the kitchen. I'll check upstairs."

Arianne nodded, but before she could walk into the kitchen, Spock appeared at the top of the stairs in a black pantsuit and black slip-on shoes, "I must question as to how you two were able to enter my home without me giving you access," Spock stated in a toneless voice that was clipped, but full of tiredness.

"I was concerned about you not being well, Spock," Nyota replied softly. "I asked Arianne to help me."

Spock raised an eyebrow, but he looked at the medkit that Arianne was holding, "I am not in need of medical assistance at this time," he commented tonelessly. "The coughing spells I experienced last night were part of an episode of anxiety that occurs on certain occasions and rest serves as a remedy…"

"You had a panic attack, Spock?" Arianne asked, cutting Spock off. "May I ask why you had one?"

Spock was silent and then broke into a coughing fit so severe that he had to sit on his stairs, "It is an unfortunate aftereffect of a forcibly broken bond," he stated in a toneless voice, unable to say more because he was coughing. Arianne quickly opened the medkit and pulled out a hypospray.

"This will help with your breathing," Arianne explained as she held out the hypospray for Spock to see.

Spock eyed the hypospray, gave a nod, and sighed as Arianne injected it into his neck, "What do you mean about a forcibly broken bond, Spock?" Nyota asked in a concerned voice. "And why do you not have these panic attacks all the time? Why do you only seem to have small ones during holidays?"

"Not all holidays trigger the anxiety attacks, Nyota," Spock replied as he got up and walked down the stairs to his living room. "When I lived on Vulcan, I had been betrothed to another Vulcan as a child…"

Nyota's eyes widened in shock, "However, when I chose to associate myself with Starfleet, the bond was broken by the other involved in a very painful manner," Spock explained in a toneless voice. "The aftereffects of such a thing are sensitivities to extreme cold and a vulnerable immune system during the times of year that are most associated with romantic overtures and expressing the emotion of love."

"You're sick because it's Valentine's Day, Spock?" Nyota asked softly, suddenly feeling compassionate.

Spock offered a nod, "Your analysis is crude, but accurate," he replied tonelessly. "Had it not been for the symposium today, I would have acquired a substitute instructor for my classes and spent the day in meditation. Captain Pike knows of my condition and would have granted me a day of absence."

Nyota frowned as Spock broke off in another coughing fit, "Because I did not meditate and focus on self-wellness today, I now have a painful cough that will most likely linger for several days," Spock explained in a toneless voice. "There was no need for you two to break into my dwelling."

"Well, excuse me for caring about you, Spock!" Nyota snapped. "I don't want anything to…"

Spock sighed and sank down on to the couch, "The aftereffects will disappear once I am bonded to someone in a secure way," he explained tonelessly. "Anger towards my self-neglect is logical given that we are in a relationship, but I do not want our relationship to progress until you are graduated."

"You want our relationship to progress after I graduate the Academy?" Nyota asked in a confused, but excited voice as she sat next to Spock on the couch. "Even if we end up doing different assignments?"

Not wanting to intrude on Spock and Nyota's personal discussion, Arianne silently left the house and silently walked back towards the Command building. She intended on spending the rest of the day browsing the booths, attending whatever workshops she could, and then going to the library to study.

There was a sudden beep and it took Arianne a couple of minutes to realize that her communicator was beeping, "Yes?" she asked in a tired voice as she pulled her communicator from her pocket.

"It's nice of you to answer your communicator, Lieutenant Pike," her father's voice replied. "Please report to my office immediately and expect to be here a while. We need to have a discussion."

Arianne sighed, "On my way," she replied in a slightly exasperated voice. "Lieutenant Pike out."

Swallowing hard, Arianne closed her communicator, pocketed it, and began the long walk towards the Command Building; she fully expected to be reamed out for approaching Admiral Archer about Pavel.

Captain Pike's Office – Starfleet Command – 1400 H

"You asked to see me, Captain Pike?" Arianne asked as she entered her father's office and saw that not only was her father sitting behind his desk, Pavel was sitting in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk looking very nervous. "Pavel, what are you doing here? I thought you were at one of the booths…"

Pavel shrugged, "I vas reliefed of zat job," he replied nervously. "I vas told to come here instead."

"Admiral Archer messaged me about an hour ago and informed me that you should be given a commendation for advocating for a fellow cadet," Chris explained as he gestured to the empty chair.

Arianne's eyes widened as she sat down in the empty chair, "Anyway, Pavel can't be assigned to just any starship because he is still technically a minor and still will be when he is set to graduate," Chris stated in a firm, but compassionate voice. "Pavel, if something were to happen to you out in space, I would have to be contacted immediately because I am your legal guardian for another year. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir, I do," Pavel replied softly. "Eet vas sveet of you to try and help me out, Lieutenant Pike."

Arianne nodded, but before she could reply, Chris sighed and picked up a stylus, "However, since I am your legal guardian, that means I also have input on what you'll be doing after graduation and I think you're too much of a gift to be left planetside," he explained as he held out the stylus to Pavel. "I've been keeping an eye on your grades and skillsets and I think that a Navigation position would suit you."

"Nawigation?" Pavel asked as he took the stylus and read it. "Zees says I am on ze Enterprise, but…"

Chris nodded, "At least until you turn 18 and then you can decide for yourself where you want to be," he replied in a reassuring voice. "The Enterprise's commissioning ceremony will take place at graduation."

Pavel nodded, "Now, Pavel, I want you to spend some time getting to know your way around the ship before then, so I've enrolled you in a Bridge Training Course that will start next month and is specifically for those who will be serving on the Bridges of the newer ships," Chris stated, smiling at how gleeful and shocked Pavel looked at having a ship assignment. "I would now like you to go enjoy the symposium."

"Sank you," Pavel replied as he stood up and looked at Arianne. "Are you going to ze symposium?"

Arianne shrugged, "I'd like to talk to Lieutenant Pike for a few minutes, actually," Chris spoke up in a gentle voice as Pavel walked over to the door. "I want you to go enjoy yourself for the rest of the day."

Pavel nodded and silently left the office, "I understand you and Cadet Kirk stopped by the Medical workshop earlier?" Chris asked in a curious voice as he turned his attention to Arianne. "How was it?"

"Doctor McCoy mentioned something that concerns me," Arianne replied softly. "He said that those who are judged as exceptional by Academy Command in both inside and outside academics are getting word on their postings early and those who aren't will have to go through personal interviews with both Academy Command and the captains of each available assignment to see where they're best suited. They'll look at academic records and other things and that makes me worry about my future."

Chris nodded, "McCoy's right, but you don't need to worry about your future," he replied in a reassuring voice. "The interviews are not going to serve as interrogation boards; their purpose is to review a cadet's academic and extracurricular records within Starfleet and to also review their medical and psychological profiles to see what posting would be best for a cadet now and in the future."

Thoughts of Leonard suddenly filled Arianne's mind and she knew that Leonard would have to re-face what he did in his early days at the Academy and that it might hurt his chances at success, "Dad, is there anything I might be able to do to help cadets make a good impression on the interview board despite any hiccups in their first year here?" she asked in a worried voice. "The past should stay in the past."

"Doctor Puri will be asking for your help in conducting updated reviews in the next several weeks because Starfleet's short on psychologists and I trust that you won't have any problems being professionally objective," Chris replied in a trusting voice. "He'll conduct your review, of course."

Arianne nodded, "In the meantime, why don't you try and mix a little socializing with all of the hard work you've been putting in since you came to the Academy?" Chris suggested. "It's Valentine's Day and I would assume that Cadet McCoy's got something nice planned for the two of you this evening."

"Actually, no," Arianne replied in a confused voice as she got up. "He completely forgot what today was, but I don't blame him for that because he's working really hard to redeem himself from his early days."

Chris's eyes widened at that, but he offered no comment, "Anyway, I think I'm going to walk around the symposium a little bit and then maybe go for a long walk somewhere," Arianne said in a tired voice, not wanting to talk about Valentine's Day anymore. "Happy Valentine's Day to you, Dad. See you later."

Nodding, Chris was silent as Arianne left the room and then he immediately went on to his computer.

Dormitory – Boyce Hall – 1700 H

The dorm was empty, which meant it was quiet. As Arianne sat at her desk looking over the notes from the classes that had been cancelled that day, she was well aware that the campus was probably filled with cadets that were celebrating Valentine's Day with fellow cadets whom they had an interest in.

A chime at the door caused Arianne to look up from her computer, "The door's unlocked," she said in a toneless voice, figuring it was either Jim come to talk about his latest fling or Christine coming to get ready for a date or talk about a date. She heard the door open, close, and heard male breathing.

However, when Arianne turned in her chair, she was surprised to see a nervous looking Leonard standing there in his cadet uniform with a small bouquet of fake flowers in one hand, "Would you like to go out to dinner at the canteen or somewhere off campus?" Leonard asked in a nervous voice as he held the flowers out to her. "The workshop did its last session two hours ago and I've written the report…"

"Len, you must be exhausted," Arianne commented, seeing that Leonard looked ready to go to bed.

Nodding, Leonard set the flowers down on the table, "I went off campus about an hour ago and found a florist that had some flowers that wouldn't die due to the cold," he explained as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, which he offered to Arianne. "I also got you a little present."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Len," Arianne replied as she stood up, her eyes widened as Leonard immediately got down on one knee. "Leonard Horatio McCoy, what are you doing?"

Leonard sighed as he opened the box, revealing a small necklace that had a small heart in the middle of it and a silver chain, "It's not a proposal," he explained as he got to his feet. "When I do finally get the nerve to propose to you, I'm gonna do it somewhere more romantic than an Academy dorm room."

"It's lovely," Arianne replied, deeply relieved that she wasn't being proposed to. "Thank you, Len."

Leonard smiled as Arianne held her hair up and he gently put it around her neck and fastened it above her Vulcan necklace, "It's a promise necklace," he explained in a gentle voice. "It's a hope that we can progress in our relationship after we're both out of the Academy. You're the first and only woman I've truly loved in a long time."

Arianne responded by letting her hair down and gently pulling Leonard into a tender embrace that quickly progressed into a passionate kiss, "I want to marry you and I know you want to marry me, but we should wait til we're finished the Academy," she replied as they pulled apart. "You complete me."

"I agree with everything you just said, darlin'," Leonard replied, smiling. "Where should we go?"

Arianne smiled, "Maybe just to the canteen," she replied, knowing Leonard had almost no money.

"Yeah," Leonard said in a gentle voice as Arianne's communicator suddenly started vibrating.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne released Leonard and pulled out her communicator, "Yes?" she asked.

"Arianne, it's Christine," Christine's voice spoke. "A bunch of us girls are getting together with dates and we're going to a place off campus to celebrate Valentine's Day. Did you and Leonard wanna come?"

Arianne looked at Leonard, who shrugged, "What kind of a place?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"Just a restaurant with dancing," Christine replied casually. "We're all going in our cadet uniforms."

Arianne sighed, "Where can we meet you?" she asked in a gentle voice, smiling at Leonard.

Mantra – San Francisco, California – 1800 H

A large window with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the setting sun was the first thing Arianne saw as she and Leonard entered the restaurant. The second thing she saw was Jim and Gaila standing near the maitre'd podium with a nervous looking Pavel and a dark-haired cadet who was next to him.

"Jim, I thought you weren't allowed off campus?" Arianne asked as they walked over to the window.

Jim grinned, "I offered to play chaperone for Pavel and his date tonight and Admiral Archer lifted my ban until midnight," he explained in a pleasant voice. "Of course, Captain Pike pulled some strings too…"

Zees ees Ireena," Pavel commented as he gestured to the dark haired cadet. "Ve are friends."

"Irina Galliulin," Irina said softly as she smiled at Arianne and Leonard. "I'm in the Science Division."

Pavel grinned, "Irina vas nice enough to invite me to zis party as a friend so I could haff fun on Walentine's Day," he explained in an excited voice. "She eez a top student in ze Science division and is involved in ze…"

"I am involved in a club that is headed by a Doctor Sevrin and helps us to theorize, locate, and pursue the mysteries that are in space," Irina explained in a smooth Russian accent. "I wouldn't expect you…"

Pavel scowled, but said nothing as Christine came into the restaurant with a handsome young cadet at her side, "Hello everyone," she said in a cheerful voice. "This is my steady boyfriend, Roger Korby."

"You must be the Doctor McCoy I've heard so much about," Roger said, immediately noticing Leonard.

Leonard's eyes widened nervously, "Excuse me, Roger, what are you talking about?" Arianne asked.

"Do you think everyone's forgotten about what you did on the shuttle for new recruits, McCoy?" Roger asked in a shocked voice as he ignored Christine and Pavel's horrified expressions. "You were dressed like a hobo, had a small flask in your hand, and mixed the booze with some powder and almost died…"

Christine covered her mouth and quickly turned away from Leonard, as did Irina, "You better shut your mouth right now, Roger Korby," Arianne hissed in an angry voice. "Unless you want me to reply."

"That's just the disabilities in you talking, Pike," Roger snipped as he looked around for a maitre'd.

Swallowing hard, Arianne cast a glance at Leonard, who was deathly pale and staring at the floor and then she looked at Jim, who was giving Roger a murderous glare, "You know what, I'm actually not all that hungry," Leonard commented in a barely audible voice before he turned and quickly left.

"Len," Arianne whispered in a shocked voice before she turned and looked at Christine, Roger, Gaila, Irina, Jim, and Pavel. "Christine, I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I hope all of you enjoy your evening."

Christine turned to Arianne, "Wait, Roger's just a very headstrong individual," she said in an anxious voice, following after Arianne as she left the restaurant. "You should join us for dinner anyway."

"Christine, I want to make sure Leonard's all right," Arianne replied softly. "I know that Roger's in all of Leonard's classes and is jealous because Leonard's at the top, but Roger's remarks went too far."

Christine nodded and sighed as Arianne held up her arm for a cab and a yellow hovercab quickly pulled up to the curb, "Make sure Jim behaves himself," Arianne said as she got into the back of the hovercab.

Arianne nodded as she closed the door, but she already had her communicator out and was trying to contact Leonard. Unfortunately, he was either on his comm or was choosing not to pick up.

Starfleet Medical – 2200 H

The foyer was dimly lit as Arianne came in and quickly slipped behind the desk to see if the computer could help her find Leonard. She sat down and was so busy searching that she didn't hear footsteps.

"Ahem," Arianne suddenly heard a voice say in a concerned tone. "Hacking into a hospital computer?"

Arianne looked up and saw Dr. Piper standing at the desk in a medical uniform with an amused expression on his aged face, "Lieutenant Pike, I'm surprised to see you here," Dr. Piper commented in a pleasant voice. "I thought you would be celebrating Valentine's Day with your Southern sweetheart."

"We went to a restaurant with a few other cadets and one of the cadets brought up Leonard's past," Arianne replied in a somber tone as she stood up. "Leonard got very quiet and walked out."

Dr. Piper sighed and nodded, "You might want to report Cadet McCoy's disappearance to Captain Pike, then," he replied in a somber tone. "Captain Pike is the commander over all cadets at the Academy…"

"I don't want to do that and make my father think that Leonard fell off the wagon," Arianne replied in a nervous voice as her communicator suddenly buzzed. "Oh, I wonder if this call could be Leonard."

Dr. Piper nodded and was silent as Arianne pulled out her communicator and opened it, "This is Lieutenant Pike," she said in a concerned voice, silently praying that Leonard was safe and well.

"Lieutenant, please report to my office," Captain Pike's voice spoke. "I wish to speak with you."

Swallowing hard, Arianne shut the communicator and silently walked over to the emergency transporter that was just behind the desk. Dr. Piper followed her and watched as she stepped on to the pad.

"I hope Cadet McCoy is all right," Dr. Piper commented as he programmed the transporter properly.

Arianne nodded, "Me too," she replied in a barely audible voice as she sighed. "Energize."

Captain Pike's Office

Arianne materialized on the transporter pad in the corner of her father's large office and was both shocked and pleased to see Leonard sitting on the couch with his arms wrapped around himself while her father sat behind his desk looking tired and concerned, "I walked back to campus and was trying to figure out what to do when Captain Pike spotted me," Leonard spoke tonelessly, not looking at Arianne.

"I was out on my usual evening walk when I spotted Cadet McCoy coming on to campus half-frozen and looking as if someone had been shot," Chris explained in a concerned voice. "He wouldn't tell me what happened, so I convinced him to come back to my office, warm up, and talk to me if he wanted to."

Leonard silently nodded and looked down at the floor, "Roger Korby is dating my roommate and he made some rather callous remarks about Leonard's past," Arianne explained in an angry voice, relieved that she had not lost control and decked Roger. "Leonard left and I left shortly after to look for him."

"I will talk to Cadet Korby tomorrow," Chris replied in a tired voice. "In the meantime, Cadet McCoy, why don't you call it a night and I also want to talk to you tomorrow if you're feeling up to it, all right?"

Leonard nodded, but said nothing, "Len, let's go," Arianne said in a gentle voice as she walked over to the couch and gently offered her hand. "I'll walk you back to the dorm and stay until Jim gets back."

"Okay," Leonard replied in an unusually quiet voice, taking Arianne's hand as he stood up and allowed her to lead him over to the office door. "Sorry to bother you so late at night, Captain Pike."

Chris sighed, "It was no bother," he replied reassuringly as Leonard and Arianne silently left the room.

Dormitory - Cochrane Hall – 2300 H

"This should help you sleep," Arianne commented as she handed Leonard, who was sitting on his bed in his cadet pajamas, a large cup of steaming liquid. "It's Vulcan spice tea and it will help you sleep."

Swallowing hard, Leonard sniffed the tea and cautiously sipped it, "It's good," he replied softly as he took a few more sips and sighed. "I'm going to see if I can get in to see a counselor starting tomorrow."

Looking thoughtful, Arianne silently sat down on the bed next to Leonard, gently picked up one of his sock-clad feet, and gently massaged it, "Get a good rest and some food into you before you work on the emotional stuff, Len," she said in a gentle voice as Leonard finished off the tea. "Give me the cup."

Leonard sighed sleepily and handed Arianne the empty cup, "You seriously left the party to look for me?" he asked in a tired voice as he took Arianne's free hand. "You could have stayed and had fun."

"Of course I left to look for you," Arianne replied gently as she set Leonard's one foot on the bed and started massaging the other foot. "I was incredibly close to punching Roger after you walked out."

Leonard looked slightly amused at that, but he also yawned, "I'm so beat," he replied in a sleepy voice as he struggled to stay awake. "Thanks for helping me get through another Valentine's Day, Arianne."

"You're welcome," Arianne replied in a soft voice as Leonard closed his eyes and slowly relaxed.

For a moment, Arianne sat there quietly and set Leonard's foot back on the bed. She then stood up and carefully laid Leonard down so he could have a comfortable rest and covered him with a spare blanket that all cadets kept on the edge of their beds in case of emergencies before moving towards the door.

Taking great care not to wake Leonard, Arianne silently left the dorm and as she walked towards the exit doors, she saw Jim and Gaila leaving a tired looking Pavel at his dorm. Gaila waved, but Jim was too busy talking to Pavel to notice her; it was fine with Arianne, however, as she was exhausted from the day.

The night was thankfully clear and quiet, so Arianne found no trouble in walking down the footpath to Boyce Hall and getting back to her dormitory. Christine wasn't back in their dorm yet, so Arianne quietly changed from her reds into her pajamas before grabbing a PADD from the shelf and getting into bed.

As Arianne lay in bed reading until she fell asleep, she thought about how blessed she was and silently hoped that even after she was done the Academy, none of those blessings would suddenly become out of her reach.

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