Space Isn't Just Darkness

Chapter Four

I was about to go down to the cafeteria to pick up a snack for lunch,  seeing as Carol had raided my stock of snacks in our room. However I was stopped when an announcement on the intercom came on and declared a mandatory hearing for all the Academy to attend. I was immediately disinterested but knew I would have to go. I made my way over, with a bagel in hand and managed to find Jim and Bones. We filied in with the other students and I sat next to them in the maroon colored chairs.

I glanced around the room as it began to fill up and wondered what exactly was happening.

Who was in trouble? And why did they have to interfere with my homework schedule!

About ten minutes later, when everyone was seated and all the council members had appeared, they started the hearing. My eyes glazed over as the president started speaking and thanked us for coming. However I was soon brought back to reality.

"Jim Kirk, would you please come down in front of the first podium?" The president of the council suddenly announced. I turned to him with wide eyes but he looked perfectly calm.

Bones and I shared the same expression.

What had he done now?

Jim made his way down to the podium and stood confidently.

"An incident has occurred today that concerns the entire student body. Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to regulation 17.43. Is there anything you care to say before we begin ?" The man in the center of the table of council members asked as I listened closely.

"Yes sir, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly," Jim insisted.

A figure to my right stood up. I recognized the sharp haircut and pointed ears instantly.

Spock walked with confident strides down to the podium next to Jim. I squirmed anxiously in my seat, unable to keep still. Jim was a smart fast talker but he had no chance against a Vulcan.

"This is Commander Spock, one of our most distinguished Graduates. He has programmed the Kobayashi Maru test for the last 4 years," the president of the council claimed.

Shit! It all made sense now. Jim had cheated!

I had to do something quick. They were going to kick Jim our of Star Fleet! Without thinking, I stood up. The entire room turned to me and it took all my self control not to melt at the sudden attention.

"Sir, I am a sibling to the prosecuted. I respectfully ask to assist in his defense?" I asked loudly. Bones looked up at me with surprise splashed across his face. My sudden confidence  surprised even myself.

The council president looked it over with his other colleagues who seemed to simply shrug in response.

I could feel every pair of eyes on me as I made my way down the stairs and prayed I wouldn't trip. My heart was pounding in my chest but I willed it not to show.

I glanced once again at Spock as I walked past him. His dark eyes seemed to look straight through me.

"Cadet Kirk. It is obvious you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine thereby changing the conditions of the test" Spock began curtly.

"Your point being?" Jim asked curiously.

"In common vernacular, you cheated" The president of the council replied.

"Are you trying to claim that my idiot brother managed to hack into a program made by a theoretical genius?" I asked clearly in an attempt to shift the tables.

Jim looked at me with a furrowed expression but said nothing.

"Every clever idiot has his lucky day" Spock claimed, holding my gaze.

"And I suppose every genius has his bad days too," I replied and that caused the audience to murmur in either excitement or suprise. Maybe both."That being said, perhaps you are no longer qualified to program the Kobayashi Maru."

"You resist in defending the true crime. Jim Kirk has deliberately cheated a federal exam," Spock argued, not put off by the verbal jab.

"The test itself is a cheat Isn't it?" Jim asked.

"Your prosecution determines that the test is a no win scenario," Spock said.

"I don't believe in no win scenarios," Jim stated.

"Then not only did you violate the rules but failed to understand the true purpose of the test" Spock claimed. I couldn't really defend against that.

"Then please enlighten me," Jim shrugged.

"You of all people should know, a captain cannot cheat death," Spock said and that certainly struck a certain chord.

A tender chord.

For the first time, I looked away from Spock.

However, I wouldn't allow him to have the last word.

"It's not cheating, it's improvising," I began, making an effort to address the council. "The U.S. Marine Corps once had a saying, 'Adapt and Overcome'. This is a prime example of that principle which our country was founded upon."

Jim nodded his head in agreement

"The Marine Corps was an organization created to fight wars. Starfleet is intended to Explore. The deviation is unmistakable," Spock replied swiftly, his dark brown eyes unwavering.

My mouth twitched in agitation. He wasn't like other people. I couldn't silence him with a few smart words. I might have even enjoyed our verbal debate if it didn't personally involve my brother.

"Yet still trancedenet," I replied with no hesitation.

"Mrs.Kirk," The councilmen, said and I quickly averted my gaze away from Spock's. "Your purpose is to assist the prosecuted, not assume his defendant."

I nodded once. "My apologies," I replied but Jim took the opportunity and put a familar arm over my shoulder.

"Don't apologize. We are one part of the same whole sir," He said with a charming grin that could win over most people but unfortunately, the council men looked unswayed.

"You se- Pause for a moment" The council president commanded as a new man walked up from the side and said something to him that was too quiet for me to hear.

The council president then stood up. "We have received a distress signal from Vulcan. With our primary fleet in the Lorentzian system I hereby order all cadets to go to hangar one and await their assigned ships. Dismissed."