Hello everyone and welcome to my first story here in a very long time. I moved myself over to AO3 and have a few stories there, but I decided to share this new Star Trek one here as well.

This one is completely unrelated to my other Star Trek stories, and focuses on a quasi-oc (which gets explained as the story goes on) but many of the main crew members will play roles, particularly Scotty. This is building towards a cross-over, but the actual cross-over will likely occur in a seperate story, but you will see clear hints as to which fandom will get involved.

I hope you enjoy the chapter.

I own nothing

As always, the room was white and indistinct, the only clear things being the steps down into a shallow pit ringed with sofas that surrounded the circular table containing a holo-projector.

Carefully, he approached it, and an image flickered up, of him but not him, piloting a strange craft like it was second nature, a feeling of comfort and familiarity as he operated the odd controls. His voice, or not his voice, speaking with unclear words to another voice that he felt a sense of connection to. A memory of his that he could not fully recall.

Except it wasn't even his.

"Virgil."

A steady voice echoed through the room, one he knew well and pulled him from the projector and the image it showed. He turned and walked away, the room fading to black as he returned to a more conscious state and then opened his eyes.

The very familiar guidance offices of Starfleet Academy greeted his vision, and he looked to the elderly Vulcan sat cross-legged across from him, watching with his people's trademark-controlled expression.

"You brought yourself back from those memories most efficiently Virgil."

Virgil, wearing the red of a cadet, nodded respectfully, his brown eyes gleaming with pleasure at his success.

"Thank you Tekav. Your lessons have really helped."

The Vulcan returned the nod, "Indeed, you now have a much firmer control of your inherited memories, and that control will allow you to make them a tool, as opposed to an obstacle." Tekav's mouth twitched very faintly, "Though you have already gleaned much from them despite the problems they could cause."

Virgil grinned and ran his hand through his short black hair awkwardly, "I guess, but their problems were starting to outweigh the benefits without your lessons." He frowned, "Though I'm not sure where I would be without them, they're the reason I got into the academy and will soon graduate after all."

"Do not discount your own achievements." The Vulcan lightly admonished, "While the engineering knowledge those memories hold gave you a solid foundation, they related to older forms of technology. What you have learned since has been a result of your own hard work and skill."

Virgil smiled ruefully and nodded, "Thank you."

There was another minute twitch of a lip, "Though your superiors do remain concerned at your specialty in creating explosives, from the most illogical of materials. In fact, Admiral Beckett was heard to proclaim that you were, and I quote, 'the most genius and most destructive youth' he'd ever met."

Said youth coughed, "He never got over me passing that practical test by blowing the door off instead of bypassing it."

"I believe he was more concerned by the way you created an explosive from scratch from whatever you could find lying around." Came the pointed reply.

Virgil chuckled for a moment, before the two of them fell into a comfortable silence.

Virgil was one of Starfleet's ongoing mysteries. The whole purpose of the organisation was to explore the unknown, but that didn't mean they couldn't be surprised when one of those mysteries landed almost on their doorstep. A meteorite, coming from nowhere and not being noticed until the last moment had crashed almost on top of Starfleet Headquarters. No one had been harmed in the impact, but the lawns still had a noticeable dent in them from where it landed. The meteorite had been some sort of craft, designed to endure almost anything and had likely been flung like a cannonball, leaving the lack of resistance in space to handle the rest of the trip through continuous motion. This glorified suit of armour had contained an equally robust stasis-pod, within which had been Virgil himself.

All examinations had placed him at roughly the same level of physical development as a human sixteen-year-old, however, five years later, he was still at the same level of physical development as a human sixteen-year-old.

His blood had been discovered to contain some odd, biological anti-aging cells. They did not survive when his blood was removed from his body and appeared to do nothing more than keep his physical development in a sort of half-stasis. The fact that removing them rendered them useless for study meant they knew little, but the theory was that they were designed to hold his development in place until his actual age caught up with his physical 'age'.

In short, he was likely going to be sixteen for several years yet, and he was technically about five.

When they'd opened the pod and woke him up, he'd been a series of contradictions. He'd not been able to speak or understand language but had instinctively known how to fix certain things. He had no knowledge of his own history or general history but could play one song on the piano despite not knowing what a piano was. His first year of life had been spent running through a basic education, which he cleared in record time since he seemed to learn very fast, and it wasn't until the second year that they found out why he learned so quickly and knew things he shouldn't.

He had the memories of someone else, another 'Virgil' with a very different life.

It came about when he'd been caught up in an accident. A careless driver had crashed into another vehicle while he'd been nearby with Admiral Archer. There had been no deaths or serious injuries, but like a switch had been flicked, Virgil had taken control of the situation, displaying intimate (if outdated) knowledge of handling an emergency. In the aftermath, Archer noted that it was like the boy he'd taken out for a trip into town had turned into a trained, confident responder, becoming an entirely different person.

Virgil himself couldn't say where the knowledge had come from, in fact he'd initially thought he'd blacked out and it was at Admiral Shane's suggestion that they brought in a Vulcan expert, skilled in dealing with abnormalities in the mind. This was his first meeting with Tekav and, with his permission, the Vulcan initiated a mind-meld, discovering that Virgil had memories of an adult 'Virgil', living in an entirely different time and a different life. His theory was that these 'memories' had kicked in during the accident, like muscle memory that he'd never done the training for, as well as speeding up his basic education since he was less being taught and more 'reminded' instead.

They had several theories on where these memories had come from. Some believed that the other 'Virgil' was maybe an ancestor, and the memories had somehow been inherited through his DNA. Others thought that Virgil was a clone of the man, a possible failed attempt to keep him alive indefinitely by transferring or copying his memories into the clone, then rejected when not all the memories stuck.

Whatever the case, now they'd been effectively unlocked, Tekav was concerned that he could develop a split personality and suggested that he teach Virgil techniques to separate his 'inherited' memories from his actual memories. Thus began the last four years of jointly studying at Starfleet Academy and carefully separating and then learning how to access his inherited memories without issue with Tekav.

"Have you been informed of your posting once you have graduated?" Tekav enquired.

This was another aspect of their sessions. To begin with, Virgil had always had difficulty 'putting the memories away' as it were, and the Vulcan would ask him questions about what was happening in his life now, focusing his mind on his actual memories instead of the inherited ones. That wasn't as necessary anymore, but it made a nice wind down of their sessions.

"Actually, yes."

While cadets about to graduate couldn't necessarily dictate where they were posted, they could express preferences, such as wanting to be on a ship, starbase or planetary post, as well as if they wanted to join family (if they had any in Starfleet). Not everything could be filled precisely, but generally most would end up roughly somewhere they wanted to be.

Virgil shifted a little, both proud and a little awkward about what he was about to say.

"I've actually been assigned to the Enterprise."

Tekav actually raised an eyebrow at that one but didn't comment as the cadet continued.

"It's a bit of a surprise really, I thought that, with my age and stuff, they'd put me somewhere a little closer. The Enterprise is off on a five-year mission, usually on the edge of known space, considering I'm still a bit of a mystery, I just thought they'd want to keep me closer to headquarters."

"Perhaps they believe you're more likely to find answers there, considering that the Enterprise is frequently exploring the unknown. With lack of answers over the last five years, it is logical to assume that they can be found beyond Federation space."

"I guess."

Tekav eyed him knowingly, "But that is not your only reservation."

While initially there to assist him with his inherited memories, Tekav had become something of a councillor as well, giving Virgil advice on multiple subjects over the last five years. As well as knowing how he thinks quite well due to multiple mind melds being performed.

"It's just, the crew of the Enterprise are basically legends now, between the Narada, what happened several months later and then Yorktown, they're heroes." He bit his lip, "I guess I just worry that I look like an upstart kid, the technically five-year-old with the weird memories doing engineering on the famous flagship."

"I do not believe that you would be assigned there if they did not consider you suitable." Tekav responded, "Also, as I said earlier, your work is not diminished by your inherited memories. They were a base and everything else was built by your efforts and learning, you have not glided through the last five years with enormous ease."

Virgil grimaced, remembering some of his most difficult lessons, "That is true I suppose. It took a lot of work just to get warp theory in my head."

"Indeed." The elderly Vulcan nodded, "And I believe the crew of the Enterprise will understand that, remember that one of their famous members was only seventeen when he proved himself in a crisis. I do not see them forgetting that fact easily."

Virgil frowned, "It sounds like you know them?"

Tekav merely inclined his head, "Not personally, but I have heard much from others who have."

"Dammit Jim! Why the hell is Starfleet sending a child out here!?"

Jim Kirk, having anticipated this particular rant, looked up from his desk at Doctor McCoy, his friend holding a PADD on one hand and waving it about pointedly.

"Bones, Ensign Virgil's engineering skills are very impressive, and he is noted for thriving under pressure, something that is very valuable out here."

"He's five Jim, five!"

With graduation having just occurred back at Starfleet Academy, the information on any new crew members being assigned to the Enterpise had come through. Naturally, as CMO, McCoy had received all medical information needed on their new ensign, including their age which, unsurprisingly, had set the cantankerous man off.

"Technically, five." The captain stressed, "Though it is pointed out that he very much looks and acts like roughly a sixteen-year-old. That's not much younger than Pavel was he was assigned to the ship." He gestured to his own computer that also had a copy of the ensign's information, "He's done the full curriculum at the academy and is completely caught up on basic education, he's intellectually beyond most others his physical and technical age."

"He's still a child!" The Doctor snapped.

"I know Bones." Jim sighed, "But his situation is fairly unique, and to be honest, I don't think anyone could've convinced a basically sixteen-year-old to sit around twiddling his thumbs for another eleven years when he's already capable." He gave him a knowing look, "I mean, did you really think someone didn't try to talk Pavel out of joining Starfleet at thirteen?"

McCoy growled, but calmed a little, "Fine, but I still do not like this. There are some things you can only learn through experience, and some of those experiences a child shouldn't have to face too early, regardless of how intellectually capable they are."

Jim didn't really disagree with him on that one, space could be harsh and cruel, and everyone in his crew had experienced that first hand. There was always something that could go wrong, the chance of someone taking the violent or crazy route, even more so when dealing with unexplored space, he wasn't fond of this either.

Unfortunately, though he could raise concerns, he couldn't flat out refuse someone being assigned by Starfleet, and it had already been decided. In all honesty, McCoy knew this as well, he just needed someone to vent to and assure him that they'd do the best they could.

"Well, I don't plan on sending him out on lots of away missions or anything. He is skilled, but he doesn't cover some specification that another crew member doesn't who can go instead." He smiled, "It's not ideal Bones, but we can minimise the possibility of him ending up in a situation he's not ready for."

In this regard, Virgil's skills worked in their favour, he was very similar to Scotty in that he excelled in jury-rigged repairs and workarounds. Useful on away missions, but not nearly as useful as having him in Engineering where being able to cobble together something to keep them going could be vital. It also meant that he would be somewhere where there would be someone else to help him, unless things had gone really wrong, so they could let him fully exercise his skills while keeping him in a relatively safe environment.

This seemed to appease McCoy a little, though Jim had really just confirmed what he'd probably been hoping for, and the doctor sighed, "Fine, but I will hold you to it."

"I know you will Bones."

Gossip on a ship was rarely kept secret, and it didn't take long for news on the new ensign to circle the Enterprise when the knowledge became public.

He wasn't the only new crew member they were getting, several cadets who'd been on security and science tracks were also being assigned to the ship, but Ensign Virgil was the most talked about. His unusual origins and current situation didn't help matters, Chekov had been assigned to the bridge at seventeen and proven himself indispensable, but there was a difference between a clearly talented teenager and an equally talented five-year-old. Physically and mentally sixteen he might be, but he was still technically five, placing his assignment in a legal and moral grey area.

Obviously, Starfleet couldn't run on a purely human system. The Federation incorporated many planets and cultures who could all serve, and they all had varied ideas on childhood, adulthood and when someone could be considered capable enough to work. However, five was pushing it for any species.

All in all, there were a great many opinions amongst the crew on the matter. Some fell into the 'age is just a number' camp, where even though he was technically five, he, for all intents and purposes, was sixteen and clearly capable, so how was it different from Chekov? Others thought that, skilled or otherwise, someone that young should not be in active service and why send him out to them, where danger was far more likely. Others thought he would be a brat, some thought he'd be annoying, the list went on.

Regardless, he was arriving with the other new crewmates, and they just had to deal with what happened.

Jim led the party that was greeting the new crew at the transporter room.

Thanks to Scotty's trans-warp beaming equation, they no longer had to trek back from the edge of known space to receive new crew members. Instead, people could daisy chain along several ships to eventually reach them wherever they were (within reason). In this manner Starfleet could send newly graduated officers out to their new posts without calling multiple ships back. Since they had to stop at each ship along the chain, it might take the officers themselves longer to reach their new posts, but it prevented the ships from being temporarily pulled away from their missions. It would leave the new officers with what was basically beaming jetlag for a day or two, but on the whole the system let them take on new crew more regularly than might have previously been allowed.

Accompanying him was Spock (to greet the science officers) Hendorff (for the security officers) and Scotty (for the one engineer). The four of them waited patiently for the Mayflower to confirm they were ready for beaming, and the transporter technician nodded to Kirk, "They're ready Captain."

"Thank you, Lieutenant, energise."

At his command, lights whirled on the transporter pad, and seven forms manifested into the newly graduated cadets. As they stepped off and saluted in greeting, Jim took stock of who had arrived.

There were four redshirts, and three blue, most in red were primarily security officers, though they would have secondary focuses as well. The three blueshirts were science officers, two biologists and a geologist, if he remembered their files correctly, and the final redshirt was their young engineer.

Having gone through their files personally, Jim could identify his new crew on sight, and spotted Ensign Virgil swiftly, but even if he hadn't, he probably would've identified him as the youngest.

He wasn't noticeably smaller than the others or anything (in fact he was taller than a couple and possibly going to grow more if his odd antibodies eventually let him age), but he had a youthful look around his face and eyes that was unmistakable. His black hair, cut reasonably short and in a small, natural cowlick added to his youthfulness, that was further enhanced by the black earring in his right ear. He was also noticeably tenser than the others, like he was trying too hard to appear 'professional', and there was a faint tremor of nervousness in his body. Letting his eyes appraise the other six, he began their welcome.

"Welcome to the Enterprise. I am Captain Kirk and I'm sure you know that we'll expect the best from you." He gestured to Spock, "This is Commander Spock, First Officer and Chief Science Officer." He nodded to the three scientists, "He'll be taking you three through the rest of your orientation." He gestured to Scotty, "This is Lieutenant Commander Scott, our Chief Engineering Officer." He looked to the four redshirts, "While three of you are mainly Security, you will be working under him for your engineering rotations, and you'll be reporting to him primarily Ensign."

The four nodded in understanding, Virgil with more nervous enthusiasm than the others, though Jim did note how the boy's eyes slightly lit up with excitement when Scotty was introduced. There was a spark of hero worship there, and the captain managed to not crack a wry smile when he noticed this.

Looks like Scotty had a fan.

He finally gestured to Hendorff, "Lieutenant Hendorff is our Chief of Security, obviously, three of you will mostly report to him."

Introductions done, Jim finished the welcome, "For now, they'll show you to your quarters, you'll need to recover from chain beaming across multiple ships. Tomorrow, they'll take you through your expected duties and orientation and you should be on full-time rotation within a couple of days."

He grinned and gave them a wink.

"You might even have a vague idea of how to find your way around the ship by then."

Though space had no real 'days' the Enterprise aligned itself with Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco for it's day-night cycle. Obviously, there were crew active at all hours, but an artificial night was established for much of the ship, and it was well into the 'evening' of the following day that Scotty reported to Jim in his ready room.

"How was our new ensign's first day?"

The engineer sat down across from him, "Quite well actually. The laddie is a keen study, an' might even know more about the warp core than some o' our own crew."

Jim raised an eyebrow, Scotty was notoriously proud of himself and his team, saying something like that was unusual.

"Though it's a bit of a struggle tae get him tae show it."

The captain frowned in confusion, "Meaning?"

"Don't get me wrong, if ye ask him, he'll answer." Scotty clarified, "But he'll no bring the information forward himself. There was a few times Ah think Ah was telling him stuff he already knew, he just didnae want tae say so and risk looking arrogant."

"So, he is very knowledgeable and likely skilled, he's just worried about showing it too obviously in case he's seen as the bratty kid genius?" Jim summarised.

"Aye." Scotty leaned on the desk, "Ah've no doubt he'll be a fine worker, but Ah think he might try a little too hard tae be 'professional'."

This had been something Jim had expected, Virgil's file had painted a picture of a boy with a keen mind, impeccable courtesy, and not even a whiff of a harmless prank on his record. It wouldn't be surprising that the pressure of being the youngest cadet, alongside an odd origin, would cause him to overcompensate on the 'being professional' side. Chekov had been somewhat similar, always a bit shy in bringing forward any unorthodox solutions to their problems, and he'd had leeway in being a member of the ship's command crew. As a low-ranked engineer, it wasn't surprising that Virgil would err on the side of caution with making suggestions to his superiors.

Though it used military rankings, Starfleet wasn't as iron-clad with it as historical militaries. The ranks were there to give an order to ship life and a chain of command in a crisis, but everyone was to be encouraged to bring forth ideas and suggestions on how things could be done, not just obey blindly and without question. Jim personally had encouraged independent thought and alternate solutions perhaps more so than other captains, but then he tended to swing towards the unorthodox and out-of-the-box thinking himself (along with situation-specific insubordination from time to time).

The captain thought for a moment before answering, "Well, hopefully he'll become more at ease with time, once he's become used to ship life." He looked to Scotty, "How are the other three? Hendorff was positive about their security role, but how does their engineering hold up?"

"Well." Scotty answered, "As expected, they can carry out their duties pretty well, but they're no as skilled as someone who is dedicated tae engineering." He grinned, "There is'nae any secret geniuses amongst them. Not that that's a bad thing."

This was normal for crew with priority in security, they could cover most of the basics of the requirements for an engineer but weren't well versed in the more advanced repairs and theories that someone like Scotty was. They had once or twice found a security focused crewmember who had actually shown a lot more talent for the engineering side, the Academy curriculum just hadn't been the best fit for them to showcase it.

"That's fine." Jim returned the smile, "I'd expected as much when I saw their physical scores and evals, did you know that all three of them are proficient in at least one form of hand-to-hand combat, one of them even has a bit of knowledge about Vulcan neural pressure techniques."

"Ye mean the nerve pinch!"

"It doesn't specify." Jim clarified, "But I wouldn't be surprised."

"Either way, Ah bet Hendorff is happy, they sound like they might even give him a challenge in sparring matches."

The captain chuckled at that, being caught up in multiple missions gone south had led to their Security Chief being very good at hand-to-hand, particularly in regard to improvised weapons and techniques. This caused him to now be well-renowned as the undefeated champion in the more competitive spars during training.

Satisfied with the chief engineer's report, Jim nodded at him, "Thanks Scotty, don't let me keep you from your free time any longer."

"Nae bother." The engineer stood and nodded at his friend, "But don't ye go and eat intae yer own too much, McCoy will have ye if he thinks yer overdoing it."

His response was an exasperated sigh, "I know, but I only have a couple of reports to finish, and I'll be off shift as well. Before Bones appears to drag me away." His eyes flicked back up to Scotty, "Maybe keep a particular eye on Virgil, as Bones said, there are some things that can only be learned through experience, and we need to be watchful in case those lessons start to overwhelm him, intellectual competence aside."

As McCoy had pointed out, there were things that could happen out here that the academy didn't prepare you for, and it didn't prepare you for the potential emotional or mental toll that could be paid living out in the black.

Scotty seemed to understand, as he responded firmly, "Aye Captain, Ah intend to."

So Virgil is now serving aboard the Enterprise. We will delve more into his history as the story goes but until then, please let me know what you thought and I'll hopefully update soon.