Star Trek: Uncharted Territories

Chapter Five

"It's a good day today," Captain Kirk began, "We celebrate the accomplishments of one of our newest crew members, as well as the fact that we'll be landing near this new planet in 1 hour. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor as the captain to present Cadet Hadley Stanley with her red engineering uniform, and promote her to 2nd Class Cadet alongside Commander Spock as they serve the Starship Enterprise. Congratulations."

Our hands shook, and the crowds cheered. It had been 4 months since I had come on the ship, and I was already being promoted so quickly. The first thing I did was change into the engineering red, very proud of myself. Bones was smiling like a fool the entire night. All the attention realIy was amusing and highly flattering, as well as slighty embarrassing. The party wound on for ages, the dining hall getting emptier as the party wove on.

"Mr. Spock." I greeted, seeing him in the corner eating a small salad by himself.

He looked up, his light surprise fading from his eyes. "Good evening, Cadet Stanley."

I couldn't help but hear the tone of his voice. I raised a questioning eyebrow. "Commander, you don't seem happy to see me." I sat down across from him.

"One from the planet Vulcan can not feel those feelings, as they are against the Vulcan ways." Spock responded, looking back at his food.

"Yes, just because you don't show them doesn't mean you don't feel them. Our minds aligned, Mr. Spock. I saw inside of you just like you did me. Did I do something to upset you?" I lowered my voice now, seeing Bones looking at us with a questioning expression.

"It is..." He trailed off, his eyes meeting mine, "It would be unwise of me to speak what I am thinking."

"But you are thinking something, and I'd like to know." I pressed.

"It would be illogical to damage your feelings with my thoughts."

"Commander, with all respect, I watched my sister get torn to pieces in front of me. It takes a lot to damage my feelings."

Spock met my eyes for a brief moment and nodded, "Very well. I do not think it fair you were promoted so quickly, Stanley. It takes several years to obtain that sort of title and one does not simply get it after four months. If I may, I feel as if Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk were playing... favoritism if you will." He waited for my reaction.

I kept my face clear of emotion.

We stared at each other for a moment, and I opened my mouth, "Thank you, Mr. Spock, for informing me of your thoughts. If I can say, you did warn me, and my feelings are a little bit hurt that you would think I'd be promoted into something and not deserve it. I worked very hard, sir, for 16 long weeks. If I did not feel I deserved it then I would not have accepted the title." I tried to keep my voice calm, not wanting to show the Vulcan how much his comment had offended me.

As if reading my thoughts, he responded. "I fear I have hurt your pride, Cadet Stanley. If you say you deserved the title then I believe that you did. Congratulations."

"Thank you." I stood, feeling like myself again. If there was one other person I got along well with on this ship besides Bones, it was Spock. We always had these formal discussions, and one of us always got offended, but we never stopped."And Commander, don't ever hold anything back from me. I understand you and you understand me. Agreed?"

Spock looked at me almost boredly, "Agreed, Cadet."

"As you were." I spoke jokingly, copying the captain's tone.

He raised one of his straight brows up a little higher, and gave me a hint of a smile. I knew better than to call him out on it, last time I did he refused to admit he actually did smile.