Emotionless (Spock Love Story) -COMPLETE

Distress

"You know I've got better things to do than watch you embarrass yourself for the 3rd time. I'm a doctor, Jim. I'm busy."

"Bones, it doesn't bother you that no one's ever passed the test?"

"Jim, it's Kobayashi Maru. No one passes the test. And no one goes back for seconds, let alone thirds."

"Maeve passed it," he pointed out.

"Actually, no. I didn't. I just found a way to do the most I possibly could in that situation. And I'm not allowed to talk about it, Jim. And neither is Bones, so don't even try."

"But you're the closest anyone's got."

"I managed to save my own crew and get some members of the Kobayashi off their ship before I was 'killed,' but I still, overall, blatantly failed the mission."

Jim rolled his eyes before he patted Bones' shoulder. "I've gotta study," he told us before he ran off.

"Study, my ass," Bones muttered.

"That's probably much closer to what he'll actually be doing," I told him, only partially joking as we headed to the mess hall together for dinner.

~:~:~:~:~

Everyone had heard of Cadet Kirk's stunt by now, and Spock communicated to all of my professors that I would not be coming to my classes until it was discovered how Kirk had hacked the system, and they were to give me the notes and information I missed in the meantime. So that's where I had been until 1530, when we found the subroutine, we figured out exactly what had been done to the system, and we were required to report it to the board.

And that's how we got landed here.

"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter. James T. Kirk, step forward," the chair began as Jim stood, walking slowly to the podium at the front of the room.

I sighed slightly and shook my head from where I was sitting at Bones' side.

He glanced at me, "something tells me Jim won't be too happy with you."

"Or Commander Spock," I added.

"Who?" he was cut off as the chair began again.

"Cadet Kirk, evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuing to regulation 17.43 of the Starfleet code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin, sir?"

"Yes. I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly?" My heart dropped as Spock gave me a small look before standing. I stood with him.

"Step forward please. This man is Commander Spock. He is one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobayashi Maru exam for the last 4 years," he introduced. "And this young woman is Cadet Maeve O'Grady. She was invited to learn computer sciences as well as aid the Commander in his duties programming the test, as she is noted as the Commander's most notable and successful student to date. She has been aiding him for the past few months."

"We've been acquainted," Jim said. I felt Jim's anger, disappointment, and most of all, his betrayal, as he stared at me. I couldn't meet his eyes.

"Commander?"

"Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test."

"Your point being?"

"You cheated, James," I told him with a small glare out of the corner of my eye.

"Let me ask you something... I think we all know the answer to. The test itself is a cheat, isn't it? You programmed it to be un-winnable."