Author's Note: I will be focusing more on Carol in this fic. There have been many other wonderfully written fics and expositions of Jim Kirk's possible dysfunctional childhood out there, but I haven't seen a fic about Carol's early life yet. Also, I realised something a couple days ago; as a new trekkie I keep hearing about 'replicators' in various fics. So, why would the Tarsus IV colony starve if crops fail? Thankfully Memory-Alpha cleared that up for me. Therefore, going by what MA says, I'm assuming during this time there is only food synthesiser, and it's not something that is a common everyday item yet.
Title is taken from George Orwell. If you like please leave a review, they are very good motivator for me :)
01: Freedom Is Slavery, Ignorance Is Strength
Tarsus IV Colony, Stardate 2246
It had been close to a year since Carol Marcus arrived to Tarsus IV, and three weeks since the rationing started.
Carol truly enjoyed her time in Tarsus IV, the unique education system of Tarsus IV Academy suited her. In the Tarsus IV Academy, students were assessed and put into the appropriate level of education based on their capabilities, so there could was a huge age range in one class.
It was wonderful to stop hiding, to be free spending her days discussing or arguing whatever newest postulations, theorems and research she fancied with her peers. Furthermore, the attitude of the people around her were very understanding and encouraging. For the first time ever Carol felt that she truly belonged.
The food rationing happened suddenly, one night they were served their regular warm, delicious dinner from the dorm's cafetaria, and the next day they woke to find the strict rationing imposed on all colonists. It was started due to concerns of the crops failing while the team of scientists and agriculturists work together to figure out the cause and try to tease a solution.
It was barely noticeable, but Carol could already see the strict rationing affecting her weight, her slim figure was thinning—borderline on looking too thin for a healthy teenager. It affected her next room dorm-mate and close friend, Martha worse. Her other friends, Tom and Lenore, both who are local inhabitants to Tarsus IV, escaped in slightly better conditions as their family have some food stored to supplement the ration.
Martha's stomach growled, prompting Carol to send her friend a sympathetic look.
"At least I only have to put up with this for two more days." grumbled Martha ominously. Martha's family lived in a different Federation colony. The last time they communicated via video a few days ago, her family expressed their wish for Martha to return as they were worried that she had lost too much weight. Martha was booked to leave in the shuttle the day after tomorrow.
Carol was careful to only communicate by sub-space messages with her mother ever since the rationing started in order to keep June from worrying. Carol loved being in Tarsus IV, and she feared that June would demand that Carol return, like Martha was by her family. It would be lonely without Martha in the room next to her, but she would still have Tom and Lenore.
The gossip chain in Riverside Central was lit by its usual customer: the local bad boy.
You don't mess with James T. Kirk.
Kirk acted silly, but several people could vouch that he was as sharp as a knife and sly as the devil. The female population added fuel to the fire with the fact that Kirk was good looking, and wasn't ashamed to flaunt that fact.
The one thing that the general population of Riverside Central have to hush up was about his father. Everyone knew of his father: the late George Samuel Kirk Sr., a decorated Starfleet officer and tragic hero of the USS Kelvin.
The first person who mocked Kirk about his birth immediately got a fist in the face and a trip to the hospital for a broken nose. The next person had to stay a few days in the hospital. After that, people with the sense of self-preservation learned to stay away from that particular piece of Kirk's background, at least when you were within Kirk's hearing range.
The adults in Riverside would shake their heads sadly, recalling the nice, obedient boy Kirk was when he was small, saying "He had so much potential."
Kirk himself had learned to stop listening to what other people thought about him. Listening to other people and being a good kid had got him nowhere but neglect. He was stranded in the hellhole called Riverside, Iowa, because Winona Kirk preferred the stars than staying with her sons. She left them with her brother, Frank who was abusive and ill-mannered.
That sense of abandonment was further reinforced by the betrayal he felt from his brother's running away, after the initial panic had abated. Winona couldn't bear to look at Jimmy and see him for her son who needed her, and George Samuel Jr. had given up in protecting him from Uncle Frank.
Kirk's first act of rebellion gave him his first taste of freedom—that sensation of weightlesness and limitless possibilities. For a moment, he could forget about the anger and disappointment he felt towards his life. George had mentioned that he 'couldn't be a Kirk in that house'. Maybe, this was what George meant by being a Kirk?
"Come on, Carol." Lenore urged Carol. The younger girl was holding a glass of water to Carol, who was lying prone in bed, her pale face beaded with perspiration and too weak to move.
Since Martha had left, Lenore invited Carol to stay with her and her father, Kodos the governor of Tarsus IV. Everything had seemed to go great; Carol seemed relieved to be with them, and Lenore's father was impressed by Carol's manners and intelligence. This was until Carol fell sick.
The symptoms Carol was showing was similar to the symptoms that had broken out among the general populace and claimed many fatalities: extremely high temperature, delirium, internal haemorrhage, and a burning sensation inside their bodies. The moment Carol started showing symptoms, Lenore was always by Carol's side, caring for the sick teen. Even Kodos had shown concern on Carol's condition by visiting daily and bringing Carol what medicine they have left.
As Carol stayed in bed in delirium, she missed Kodos' colony-wide announcement of the crop failure. She also missed the colonials horrified realisation as the regular four month shipping from the nearest starbase failed to come.