Disclaimer: Star Trek does not nor will ever belong to me. I only own Sonja Laxely, De'Lite, and Nikki. Bradford Hennigan - the cadet from the bar at the beginning of the 2009 movie - makes an appearance. Other than the name, I do not own him.
A/N: Work has been kicking me around and physically beating me up (actually I'm just ramming into a lot of things), so the creative juices haven't exactly been flowing as greatly as I wish they would. I'm still thinking about the prompts you all have given and am working on getting them down to paper then out for everyone to read. Until then, this is something that I wrote...oh, about two years ago? If Sonja appears at all Mary Sue, I apologize.
The First Time
She Saw Him
It'd been the first break they were allowed in months. After all the studying and overkill training, nothing said relaxation more than loud music and alcohol on a small on-planet joint in Iowa.
They were still in uniform, however, and were repeatedly reminded that every single action reflected not only upon them but on Star Fleet as well. For the most part they'd all understood. It was those few knuckleheads in a group that had to go and ruin it for everyone.
The music had been pumping rhythmically as friends sat around tables and guys tried their luck by talking with girls. Rounds were continually ordered and flirtations steamed the building up.
Sonja Laxely sat at one of the circular tables, thoroughly enjoying the company of her fellow cadets, laughing at a pathetic joke told terribly wrong when a boy a few years younger than her pulled up the nerve to ask her to dance. The table immediately erupted in teasing 'oohs' as if they were back in high school or even junior high. Sonja ignored the jabs and accepted the boy's offer.
"But," She shouted over the music and stared at the girls sitting next to her; her eyes alight with mischief. "These terrible dancers are going to have to join us so you won't complain about my dancing."
One of the cadets, her name was De' Lite, dramatically slammed her drink on the table top and lifted her violet eyes to Sonja's. "I accept your dancing challenge! Prepare to look the fool! Come on Nikki, let's go." She grabbed the hand of the girl next to her and the three followed the boy to the dance floor.
With the strobe lights flashing and so many bodies thrashing, Sonja began to lose herself in the moment and temporarily forgot about the boy until he grasped her hand and spun her around.
In the dark he didn't seem to be as young as she'd first guessed, but before she could strike up any conversation, the sound of crashing furniture and startled gasps caused the music to suddenly stop and the strobe lights to flicker off.
Nikki rushed forward through the crowd to see what was going on as De' Lite stepped to Sonja's side.
"Sounds like a fight," She muttered, disappointment clear in her voice. "Ten bucks it's one of us."
Clicking her tongue and slightly shaking her head, Sonja excused herself to the boy before grabbing De' Lite's arm and heading towards the door.
She could hear punches over the crowd and shouts for guys to stop. What slowed Sonja's pace for the door was the dreaded realization that she knew the voice shouting for them to stop.
De' Lite halted her steps entirely after catching a glimpse of the brawl. "Come on," she muttered before pulling Sonja closer to the spectacle.
A high pitched whistle erupted from the entrance, freezing everyone where they stood.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Sonja dropped her head to the side and glowered at the floor.
"Outside, all of you." Captain Pike ordered; his voice strong and clear. "Now!"
"Yes, sir!" One cadet exclaimed before everyone broke into movement.
Sonja waited a fraction of a second to make sure her suspicion had been correct. And, sure enough, Cadet Nyota Uhura was walking through the broken glass, a dazed expression on her face as she passed the poor soul the other cadets had beaten on.
She hesitated only a moment longer to glance over the beaten man and wondered if maybe he'd gone and committed blasphemy by hitting on Hennigan's precious Uhura. After all, that would make it his fifth brawl over the woman's "honor."
De' Lite pulled on Sonja's arm, effectively moving her feet and leading her out the door.
The rest of the night and onto the next morning, cadets buzzed about the brawl as if it were the most interesting occurrence on the planet.
As Sonja boarded the shuttle back to the Academy, De' Lite and Nikki seemed just as eager as the rest to keep the flame from the night before alive. Having not gotten much sleep, Sonja settled for only half listening to their conversation as she strapped herself into her seat.
"You owe me ten bucks by the way." De' Lite spoke matter-of-factly, a satisfied smirk on her lips.
Leaning her head back and shutting her eyes, the woman replied, "I'll give you twenty to stop talking about last night."
"Each?" Nikki piped up hopefully. As always, she sounded too energetic for the morning hours.
Sonja considered paying for the silence of both her friends but then decided she had better things to spend her money on. "Nah," She said flippantly.
De' Lite sighed dreamily, which caught Sonja's interest greatly since the woman sighed like…never.
"I wish every night were that exciting." She admitted, her violet orbs hazy with desire.
Closing her eyes once more and turning her head away, Sonja made an offer. "How 'bout I go wrangle you up a farm boy so you can take with you? That ought to keep you occupied." A smile crossed her lips as she chuckled at the humorous idea.
Her good humor was cut abruptly short by a sudden sharp nudge to her shoulder from De'Lite's sturdy elbow. Eyes once more open and slanted sideways at her companion, Sonja caught the Tarmene's alarmed widened gaze. At the sound of a metallic whack and slight grunt, Sonja turned in the direction and felt the confusion visibly cross her own face.
The farm boy from the previous night, still bloodied and clad in a worn black leather jacket, entered the cockpit.