Challenge: write a Star Trek fanfic that contains 1701 words, the first word beginning with N, the middle word (851) beginning with C, and the last word beginning with C.
"Now Ensign!" Her CO barked at her, making her jump as she hastened to complete the sequence to avoid the phaser fire that was being projected towards the ship. She was a second too slow, and there was a long tone to signal the defeat.
"Computer, end simulation." The calm voice from the command chair asked. She stayed in her seat, looking down at the navigational computer console with a frustrated sigh.
"Ensign, why were you unable to carrying out orders promptly?" She was asked.
"I hesitated sir." She replied, making sure to not let her voice shake.
"Why?" He persisted.
"I was momentarily frozen." She said. Better then any other answer she could have said. She had truly been confused with her orders, but no one tells their CO that they're confusing.
"You panicked?"
"No sir, I just didn't react quick enough." She replied. Why be scared during a simulation? She was just as calm as the man in the command chair right now, minus the dressing-down that she knew she was going to get any second.
"You need to practice your response time." He told her.
"Yes sir." She said. What she thought, however, was 'duh.'
She used her peripheral vision to watch the man leave the command chair to go look at his usual station. His long stride was there in a moment, and the ensign currently assigned had been around long enough to know that Spock liked to keep an eye on the science station himself, just in case he noticed something.
The Vulcan was obviously engrossed in his work, so she turned to the man at Ops next to her.
"Was I that bad?" She inquired.
"No, not many make it that far their first time." He told her, smiling.
"What do you mean?"
"Spock designed that test to just get harder, it's a no-win situation, unless you find out the trick."
"So it's just another way to test what kind of officer we are?" She asked.
"Pretty much, but there's always the challenge of figuring out the trick."
"Do you know it?"
"How do you think I got moved up to Ops?" He asked.
"I guess that answers that question." She said to herself.
"What answers what question Ensign?" Spock asked. He must have been through with his check of the scans and instruments.
"I was asking about the simulation sir." She replied.
"I forgot humans have a need to know how well they preformed in the eyes of other officers." Spock said.
"I'm fairly sure I'll do better next time." She replied confidently.
She caught the raised eyebrow out of the corner of her eye and forced herself to hide her smile until Spock had stopped staring at her.
When she was relieved as the morning shift came on duty, she was one of the last ones to leave the bridge and was forced to wait for the next left. Unfortunately for her, so was Spock. He took the opportunity to start a conversation that she wanted no part of.
"How can you be so confident about your next performance?" Spock asked.
"Because I plan to practice like you told me, sir." She replied.
Finally another lift arrived, but she had to endure the ride with him.
"Sir, permission to speak freely?" She asked.
"Granted." Spock said.
"I've been only recently added to the bridge officers, but I intend to do my best. My older sister is first officer on her ship, so I have a lot to live up to. I give everything I do 110% percent. I may not be as perfect and logical as a Vulcan, but I'm still going to be one of the finest officers in Starfleet, bar nothing."
For her boldness, two eyebrows went towards the ceiling.
"Just be sure your ambition doesn't hinder you in the long run ensign." Spock said.
"It has got me this far." She replied. Then hastily added, "sir."
When the lift finally stopped on her deck, she got out and headed towards the mess hall she planned to meet her friends in. Her friends all lucked out with the afternoon shift, so the only time they could meet was during the morning or evening shift. Since some of them liked to take double shifts, they had agreed to meet for breakfast in order to keep up with each other.
"Hey, Lisa, over here!" Garret called. He was a boisterous young ensign who worked in Engineering. He was really intelligent, just very energetic. The chief engineer quickly realized Garret could not be stuck sitting in front of a computer console very long, and had assigned him more active duties.
Sitting with Garret was Marcia, of Latin decent who was a security officer. She was tough, but really pretty, and Lisa was always trying to get Marcia to do something with her beautiful, wavy hair that went very nicely with her dark complexion.
The last person waiting was Owens, a medical assistant. He loved working in sickbay and was growing close to his CO, unlike any of the others.
Lisa found she just couldn't stop a sigh escaping as she sat down
"Rough night?" Marcia asked.
"Spock made me do a simulation towards the very end, after I was already pretty tired." She said. She rested her head on her hand and Garret slid over a cup of orange juice.
"How'd it go?" Owens asked.
"Well, I was told I did good for a first-timer – better than most, but I still feel like I want to do better."
"You're not going to stay up all day to study are you?" Garret asked. Lisa was notorious for over-achieving to the point of obsession, but she shook her head.
"I may look up a couple things, but I don't think I need to study, I just need to be more focused." She said.
"Try some yoga or something before your shift." Owens suggested.
"Next you'll be telling me to take a nutrition supplement to not get so active." Garret said, rolling his eyes.
They continued to chat until the other three had to leave to get ready for their shift. Lisa went back to her quarters, trying to figure out how to beat the simulation.
"Captain? May I ask a question?" Spock asked. Scotty had taken over the bridge so Kirk could go down to breakfast and Spock had sought out his commanding officer, still confused about the Ensign's attitude.
"Sure Spock, but can you sit down? It's hard to talk to someone I have to bend my neck up all the way to see."
Spock complied, and waited for his Captain to finish a bite before posing his question. He explained about the simulation and the Ensign's attitude in the lift.
"I do no understand how she can feel so confident."
"She sound's over-confident." Kirk said.
"She does not seem to be though, just certain that she'll eventually get it right."
"It's a good attitude to have, I wouldn't condemn it."
"But is it wise to put her through the simulation again?" Spock asked.
Kirk paused. "I always liked that simulation, because its wonderful practice for bridge officers, though the trick might eventually get around."
"I did intend officers to discover the trick. Five have already. What I am concerned about is her taking it too seriously." Spock said. "Her record shows her to be an over-achiever. She's been known not to sleep the night before exams, but she always earns the highest marks."
"It's a controversial trade-off. Do you want an officer who always wants to have the right answer, or the officer who actually sleeps at night?" Kirk thought out loud.
"What do you prefer?" Spock asked.
"Neither and both. I prefer different kinds in different departments. I'm very concerned that my engineers know what they're doing and do it exactly right, but I don't want my navigational officer falling asleep at her post." Kirk said.
"I see. Perhaps I should not put her through the simulation again."
"It's up to you Spock." Kirk said. "The night shift is more familiar to you, so you should call the shots."
"Call the shots?" Spock echoed inquiringly.
"Make the decisions." Kirk said.
"Very well Captain, thank you for your input."
She was determined to get it right. She sat alert at her post, waiting for Spock to begin the simulation again. She knew he wasn't human, but a part of her wondered if he was taking so long in order to put her on edge. He had hardly spoken to anyone all night, and she was beginning to become bored.
Then came the order.
"Computer, begin simulation Spock-0121." Spock said.
"Romulan ships appearing on the port side sir." She called out.
"Are you certain?" Spock asked.
She was certain. She had checked the scanners before making her announcement. "Yes sir." She responded crisply.
"Very well, bring us about ensign." Spock said.
She did so and waited for further orders.
"Fire ensign."
She paused. They were Romulan, but that didn't mean they were unfriendly. It just meant they were encroaching on Federation territory. "Without hailing them sir?" She asked.
Spock's eyebrow went up. "Very good ensign. Computer, end simulation."
She couldn't help smiling at her success. She hadn't even thought about the rapid order to fire before, but now she realized it was against standard procedure to fire without attempting to hail a ship.
"Ensign?" Spock called.
"Yes sir?"
"You will make a fine officer."
"Thank you sir."
The rest of the shift went smoothly, and when Captain Kirk and the morning shift came to relieve them, Lisa felt better then she had in awhile. Again, she was one of the last one's off the bridge, and was forced to share a lift with Spock. This time, however, she didn't mind so much.
The ride was a quiet one, but when she met with her friends, she was bursting with pride when she told them.
They shared a look after she told them. "What?" She asked, concerned.
"We knew you would do it." Owens said.
"We had this made for you." Marcia said, bringing out a cake. In big letters on the top was written 'congratulations.'
No idea where this came from. Just thought I'd put things from a younger officers POV. I thought Spock was an interesting addition as well. Anyone else take this challenge?