"What's with the hobgoblin?" She nudged Bones and gave him a look.
Jamie had been working in the computer lab with Gaila and Spock on the solutions to the Enterprise's programming issues when Bones showed up to drag her home. Pike and Spock had convinced the yard manager that there was an issue with Ramsey and the man was suspended pending an investigation. In the mean time, the ship still had to be fixed and finished. Spock was asked to oversee everything and Pike was looking into letting him be the project manager, as it stood now, Spock commuting back and forth. They asked Jamie, Gaila and Uhura to assist getting the ship to where it was supposed to be. The three cadets wondered why other officers weren't offered the job but Pike assured them that they were the best people for it because they didn't worry about politics and they did their best because they loved their jobs.
"Hey now, Bonesy. Uhura likes him so be nice. He's not even here anymore, I think he finally asked her out," she told him.
Spock and Uhura, Uhura and Spock. The Vulcan must've taken what she said to him with some measure of seriousness because she spotted them sharing tea a few days ago. Spock was one lucky guy, there were a lot of people trying to get Uhura's attention; chief amongst them was Thanas, the Andorian they beat at the survival course. He was an arrogant ass and neither Jamie nor Uhura gave him the time of day. Gaila was civil with him but she made it clear that she wasn't interested either. Bones looked at her and smiled as she rattled on about her friend's admirers.
"Come on, darlin', let's go home and admire each other," he whispered in her ear.
The next day found Jamie sitting next to Gary on a shuttle headed to the Starfleet Academy Desert Survival Course, February rolled around quick. They had Christmas with the McCoy family and it was as interesting as all their other visits. People, food and gifts. Mama Ella made her cry when she handed Jamie a code on a little slip of paper. "You have free reign of the house, even if Leo isn't here." Getting her own code to the door was like being handed a key to the kingdom. Bones just smiled, "Told you they love you."
They went out there for her birthday too; Pike thought it was a good idea since they all knew that next year she wasn't going to be that lucky. It was now two days before Valentine's day and a week before their next training cruise. Jamie wasn't surprised when they found out that they weren't going to be together for this one. This cruise was a month long and set up on smaller ships, Jamie, Glorak and Braxim –Yea! Team Delta- were going on the USS Sawyer together, Bones was going with Uhura and Kelso on a medical ship called the USS Hope, a science ship called the USS Hawking was getting Gaila, Sulu and Chekov, and Gary wasn't going at all, he just got back.
"You ready to do this?" Gary asked from her left, Jamie nodded.
She was going to fill the first year cadets in on the race this year. Kevin was among the group, she warned him to be careful of the obstacles. She took a breath and jumped up onto a boulder, "Alright people, welcome to the Starfleet Academy Desert Survival Course. This is where we learn who's the best of your class and who everybody else is. Your mission is to be first to the finish line. There are no grades, no rewards and the only place that counts is first place." She held up the phaser, "On my mark. Two, one…" she pulled the trigger and watched them all bolt.
Jamie paid attention to everyone but she kept track of Kevin as best she could, it was a good thing too. He was towards the front of the pack when he slipped coming down the cliff, unlike the guy who fell during her race, he wasn't getting up.
"It's not as bad as it looks," the kid told her.
Jamie glared at him, "You really don't want me to respond to that, Kev." He rolled his eyes and tried to get back up, he couldn't.
He sighed, "Ok, it's bad." Jamie and Gary managed to get him to the medical shuttle and Bones took over. Jamie watched as the grumpy doctor patched her young friend up.
"It's broken, we'll have to fix it back at the academy. He'll be fine, Jim. Kid is as tough as you are." Bones was trying to make her feel better and it was working, if only a little.
"Talk to me, Jamie," Kevin said to her. She looked at him and asked what he wanted to talk about during the ride back. He got Bones to explain his neural grafting project. Griffin had put Bones' research up for a commendation and when he explained to them, she understood why. Jamie usually couldn't keep up with medical stuff but Bones had talked about this so much that she got most of it, it was pretty cool.
A week later, Kevin was walking normally again. He went with them to the shuttle bay before they left, "I'll be fine. It's not like you can stay anyway. Go learn some stuff."
Jamie hugged him, "Stay outta trouble while we're gone. If you need anything, Gary and Pike are still here. Love you, Kev."
He laughed, "Love you too, mom. Later Doc." He let her go, waved at Bones and headed to his next class.
"I'm not babying him am I?" She looked at Bones.
"A little, but he's 17 and after everything you guys went through, he gets it."
She nodded, "Well, I guess this is it."
Bones pulled her into his arms, "Yea, it is. Stay out of trouble."
She nodded and kissed him, "I will, I promise. Love you, Bones."
"I love you too, darlin'." He gave her another kiss and headed to his shuttle. Jamie wasn't too worried about Bones, Uhura and Kelso promised to keep an eye on him.
Each ship was getting six cadets, in addition to Jamie, Glorak and Braxim, they also had Panak, Carney and Jackson. How she ended up as the only woman in this group, she had no idea. The shuttle ride was uneventful; Jamie sat with Glorak the whole way.
He whispered to her while they were still in the shuttle bay, "Kirk, this place is tiny." Jamie nodded, the Sawyer was a survey ship, they did science and surveillance missions, there couldn't be more than forty people on this ship at any given time, there just wasn't enough room.
"Cadets, I'm Commander Cassidy, the Sawyer's XO and security chief. Captain Randolph will introduce herself when she gets a chance. So, let me be the first to welcome you. I'm sure you've all noticed that this ship isn't very big, our compliant is usually thirty crew members, there are only twenty-six people on this tour, including the six of you. I don't have to tell you that a lot of us have multiple duties around here, ship's too small for anything else. We have a planetary survey on deck and a scan of a few nebulae. Cadets Kirk and Braxim, you'll be working with Lieutenant Commander Pell, our second and tactical officer. Cadets Glorak and Jackson, you'll be with the Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Scott. Carney and Panak, our science officer is Lieutenant T'Pek and you'll be with her. The pairs I just named will also share quarters. I hope that isn't an issue, Cadet Kirk, you are the odd woman out."
"Fine with me, sir. Wouldn't be the first time I've roomed with Braxim," she smiled. Jamie and Brax practically lived together at this point, the only person she saw more of was Bones.
"Good, saves me the headache of finding you another room," Cassidy explained that most of officers went co-ed but it was always a toss-up when the cadets came aboard. He gave them a little more information before heading to the bridge.
"Let's hope it isn't like our last tour. I don't know if we can fight off more hijackers," Braxim said to her after Cassidy left them.
Carney's face lit up, "So, it is true, you guys stopped someone from taking the Republic? I thought that was a rumor." Jamie, Braxim and Glorak looked at each other.
The Xannon cadet answered his question, "It's true. Kirk went command on us, issued orders, retook the bridge and even stabbed the guy in the hand."
Jamie shrugged, "His own fault, he had a phaser to Pike's head. I just relieved him of it." Carney and Jackson looked at her with wonder in their eyes; Panak didn't seem to care either way. They all ended up getting commendations for 'going above and beyond the call of duty and saving the USS Republic and her crew.'
Everyone made it to their quarters and changed uniforms; since the ship was so small, there weren't any turbolifts. Because they got around on ladders, the women wore the unisex duty uniform with shorter boots. Jamie was glad she had been warned beforehand.
"Such a waste," Braxim said from his locker.
She looked at him, "What?"
He shrugged in a very human manner, "You have nice legs."
AN: As much as it hurt to split everyone up, they needed it, they are Starfleet after all. And before anyone asks, there will be no love triangle with Braxim.