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Ch. 7 Steps Back
Slowly, but surely life on the Enterprise became enjoyable for Alana. Though she would never tell anyone, she was fond of all the crew. There was one she was particularly fond of. She would never admit it to him or even herself.
"Russia!" Alana called smirking. The Russian officer turned around.
"Ves?" Chekov said.
"Where you going?" Alana asked still smirking.
"Going to my room," Chekov told her. Alana was surprised that he got over stuttering when around her. She found it nice.
"Oh," She said smirking. "Are you inviting me back to your room, Russia?"
"vhat, no?" Chekov said horrified. Alana chuckled
"I was joking," Alana chuckled. "Though if you're interested, I wouldn't object,"
"No, thank you," He said blushing.
"So, what part of Russia are you from?" Alana asked taking pity on him.
"Pushkino," He said.
Alana nodded and smiled at him. She looked the officer up and down trying to decide something. Chekov took this silence as a bad thing and looked anxious. He was about to back away when she called him back. Her tone lacked the teasing that it normally did. It was softer, and much kinder then her usually tone.
"You know," Alana said kindly. "You're really a really good navigator, the crew would
be lost without you."
Chekov shock his head at this, "No, I would be lost with the crew,"
"They're like your family, aren't they?" Alana said knowing the answer. All he had to do was smile to confirm it.
"So," She began awkwardly, "What do you do on your off time?"
"Read, practice vencing, and sometimes I go to my secret spot," He admitted blushing at his openness,
"You have a secret spot?" Alana asked interested. That surprised her because the idea of there being a place on the Enterprise that James T. Kirk didn't know of was unheard of.
"I go there to be alone sometimes," He explained.
"Can you show me?" Alana asked shyly. She felt like she was asking very personal question.
"Promise you won't tell?" He asked Alana nodded. He looked at her a moment. Before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her hand. Anyone that knew Alana would find it strange she didn't protest.
It took a while to reach Chekov's secret spot. She found it was an unused storage area. She looked around. In the room, there was a futon, a table that had magazines and books on it. The only thing that covered the wall was a lone poster. On it was a man flying in the air. The Poster was apparently of a circus.
"The Russian Circus?" Alana asked him curiously
"My dad took me when I was 7," He explained
"Are you close with your dad?" Alana asked.
"Yeah, we did a lot of stuff together when I was a kid," Chekov said sadly. "I haven't seen him in a year,"
"You must miss him?" Alana said sympathetically. Chekov smiled sadly and sat on the futon. Alana followed moments later.
"I'm an only child, so my parents spent a lot of time with me," Chekov said. "Mom always helped me with my homework, and dad supported me joining Starfleet."
"Sounds like great parents, they must be very proud of you," Alana said distractedly. She looked deep in thought.
"Vou ok? Chekov asked concerned. She smiled, and shook off the thoughts that plagued her.
"So why come down here?" Alana asked trying to dissipate the awkwardness in the air.
"I come down to be alone, and just have a quiet place to think," Chekov shrugged. "It's noise in my living quarters, I share with Sulu." He said as if his last sentence as if it explained everything. Alana smirked. She knew the helmsman was notorious for being a chatterbox.
"Do you sometimes…" Alana said. "Get lonely?" Chekov thought about this for a moment.
"I never really had friends before Starfleet," He said looking thoughtful. " Even though most of the crew are older than me, there still my friends," he looked down. "Though I wished I had a friendship like Kommander Spock and Keptin Kirk have,"
Alana smiled. "Funny thing, a friendship can be. You know Doctor McCoy hates being called Bones, but let's Kirk call him that anyways," Chekov smiled and looked away from Alana.
"You know," She said biting her lip, "Don't tell anyone this but I never really had a friend either,"
"Vell you have one know," He said blushing and looking away.
Alana smirked. "Oh don't lie! I know you bring all the girls down here,"
"No," he said shaking his head. "You're the only I shown this place to,"
"Well, thanks" Alana said smiling. "I'm honored."
Chekov smiled. "I think we should go back, it's getting late," Alana nodded. Neither would forget what had just happened between them. One in particular spent a restless night playing the conversation over and over again.
Spock tried calling his father again, and again was unsuccessful. Deciding it was pointless to try again, he left for his shift on the bridge. He was surprised to see his young charge at his command station waiting for him. She usually showed up just in time, so being here before him was unusual.
"Good Morning, Commander!" Alana said politely.
"At ease Cadet," He said. Alana relaxed at his words. She looked very tense, and had subtle signs of sleep deprivation.
"So what's on the schedule today, Sir? Need me to file something, or clean something, I'm sure there is a lot to be done," She said eagerly.
Spock raised his left eyebrow, showing confusion. First the Cadet showed up before him, looked exhausted, but was still ready to work. No, not ready, wanting to work. This was highly usual for the young female Cadet.
"Are you well Cadet, you're acting unlike yourself,"
"Yes, Sir," She said a little too quickly. "I just would feel better getting to work,"
"Very well, I trust you won't find these tasks difficult," He said passing her the list. For a moment his fingers lightly touched hers. Suddenly thoughts and emotions won't his own. He felt overwhelming feeling of guilt, fear, and sadness. He was also was able to make out a single thought. I don't want to do this. Spock looked at the Cadet in surprise. Words that would help describe what he was thinking at the moment, eluded him.
"W-What was that?" Alana said obviously feeling his presence in her mind.
"I'm sorry Cadet…" He began.
"I better go get a head start on this list," She said not looking at him. "Permission to do so, Sir?"
Seeing that it would be unwise to press what happed anymore he said. "Dismissed Cadet," Cadet Green nodded relieved. Spock watched as she went, with a strange, unfamiliar look on his face.
Kirk yawned and stretched as he sat down in his Captain's barracks. These back to back shifts killed him. There were several times he almost feel asleep on the bridge. He never liked sitting in the chair for too long. Longs shifts almost made him get anxious. There were several times while on missions, Bones threated to give him a shot if he didn't calm down. He planned on resting before going back. He felt he earned it. Before he could do so however, he heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," He said. He was surprised to see his first officer enter. Spock didn't normally seek out his company while off duty.
"Captain, I was wondering if I could speak to you about Cadet Green?"
"Please Spock its Jim, were not on duty," He said patiently but frowned. "What happened with Alana?"
"Jim, Alana's behavior today, troubled me," He said. It took him a minute to get over Spock calling her Alana.
"How so?" Kirk asked. "She did everything you asked didn't she?"
"Yes sir,"
"Then what's the problem?" Kirk asked.
"Well she seemed on edge, very anxious," Spock told him. "It seemed that something was troubling her. When I gave her, her daily assignments, my fingers accidently grazed hers and I…" If Vulcans were able to show shame, it would be helpful in this moment.
"I'm sure, she didn't find you intrusive," Kirk said guessing what happened. He had known him long enough to know. "She probably didn't understand what happened."
This did not ease his friend. "Jim, there is something else…." Kirk gave him a look that told him to continue. "
"I was able to hear a thought," Spock admitted. "I heard clearly, I don't want to do this…"
"Don't want to do what?" Kirk asked confused.
"I don't know," Spock said.
"Maybe it was nothing…." Kirk said.
"I also found something interesting in her file," Spock said. "She had near perfect scores in her classes at the academy and up until three months ago, hasn't had any indiscretions," Kirk took the file from Spock and read through it. Kirk frowned afterwards.
"Well it's not unusually for Cadets to start acting out suddenly," Kirk said thoughtfully. "Stress, and personal issues might have contributed to her acting out."
"My thoughts exactly sir, but the more I look at it the more strange it seems. She had high marks in her classes. Why would she risk expulsion just to rebel so suddenly? Her advisors expressed shock in the notes taken during her hearing at her recent change of behavior,"
"It was that recent?" Kirk said frowning not liking the sound of that.
"Most said she was serious about her classes and respectful to authority,"
"Wait… Alana… respectful…." Kirk said in disbelief.
"Her advisor tried to reach out but Green would not take any communications…"
"Ok," He said absorbing the information. "I would be lying if I wasn't um… intrigued, but there isn't much we can do and I know for certain Alana would react the same way if we questioned her,"
"So we do nothing?" Spock said. Kirk was taken aback at his tone. The stoic Vulcan seemed to be fighting to keep a stray emotion in.
"You're worried about her," Kirk said shocked.
"Not in those terms sir, just…." Spock began then stopped. If he was human the phrase Oh, What the hell would come to mind to describe the look on his face. "Affirmative Captain."
"Officially we can't do anything…" Kirk said biting his lip. "But unofficial we can look more into her records. Maybe there is a clue…" Kirk suddenly had a thought. "You know… I don't think she has ever mention anything personal, at least with me,"
"And neither with me," Spock said. Kirk always thought there was something about their new crewmate that bothered him but never could figure out what. He now realized he knew nothing about Alana Green; which, what was bothering him all along