The Cadet

Flower Crowns

I was surprised to see his eyes so emotive. Vulcans were generally known for their stoicism and lack of emotion. Commander Spock seemed almost angry.

" What are you going to do? Bully me?"

" An extra three months of detention." He said quickly, his jaw twitching.

" Holy hell-" I mumbled, cursing myself and how bold I had been. Foolish.

Commander Spock ignored me and continued marking the papers in front of him. I took this time to study him. His ears were less pointed than other Vulcans, and his strong features did not maintain the stoicism of their kind. As I theorized in my head, the time went along faster, neither one of us saying anything to each other.

The door behind me opened, and Dr. McCoy walked through. I was slightly relieved to see him, he added some life to Commander Spock's dull office.

" Hey, Pointy, I need so-" McCoy stopped when he noticed me and smiled, " Oh hey Sparkle, am I interrupting something?"

" Just an impossibly boring detention." I replied, a sarcastic smile plastered on my face.

" Aw don't worry kiddo," he said, tussling my curly hair, " Pointy isn't that bad of company."

I swatted his hands away, " Careful Bones, I am very skilled with scissors."

He laughed, distancing himself from me. " Don't I know it." He said, turning to Commander Spock. " I need those transcripts that I was telling you about."

Commander Spock shuffled some papers and handed them to him, " I expect those back." He said, avoiding eye contact.

" Sure thing Pointy. See ya tomorrow Sparkle." McCoy said, giving a wave before slipping out the door.

I turned back to Commander Spock, who had not looked away from his papers. I sighed, leaning forward in my chair.

" Listen," I started, splaying my hands out on his. He visibly stiffened, his eyes glancing at my hands before training them on me. " I don't like you, you obviously don't like me. Why make this harder on both of us by forcing us to spend time together? " I said, tapping my fingers on the desk.

" Because, Cadet, you must learn discipline." He said, his eyes watching my fingers.

" I've been to seven years of med school. Trust me, I'm disciplined."

He let out a short breath as my hands left his desk. Commander Spock glanced up at me, his face tinged green.

" There is no trace of discipline from you." He said, standing from his desk. His tall form loomed over my much smaller one. " You are dismissed, Cadet."

I stood, gathering my books. I stopped just before the door, turning to look at my seemingly flustered professor.

" Evelyn McLaren."

He looked at me, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

" It's my name. Use it." I explained before slipping out the door.

ΩΩΩ

I sat down next to Mikael in the quad, bubbling with anger.

" What's wrong, love?"

" He's an insufferable ass." I said pulling my PADD from my bag.

" To be fair, you haven't given him a reason to be kind." Mikael said, twisting some flowers together. I loved that I didn't have to tell him who I was talking about, he already knew.

" But he's that way to everyone! He told one of the engineering students in my class today that he should get a refund because there was no way he was graduating." I said, scrolling through my emails.

" Harsh. But probably true." Mikael admitted, continuing to weave the flowers. " Your problem, cherie, is that you don't like being told what to do. You don't like organization. You're rough around the edges and quite spontaneous. Commander Spock is the pillar of authority, he is very logically sound. He doesn't do spontaneous." He said, finishing his masterpiece and placing it on my head. The flower crown was made of dandelions and small white flowers I didn't know the name of. " In fact, he might do better taming the wind than trying to 'discipline' you."

I chuckled at him, my mood lifted from his description of me.

" But he is hot. You have to give him that." Mikael joked, elbowing me slightly before nodding across the quad.

Commander Spock marched with a purpose, his long legs carrying him quickly. His hair was stacked neatly on his head, and his shoulders were impossibly straight. Before I could reply, I noticed a group of students in the middle quad. They were throwing a bookbag around, it's contents flying with every throw. In the middle, chasing the bag helplessly was a much smaller man wearing a blue science shirt. He was frantically picking things up, only to have them snatched away and thrown again.

Without thinking, I stood and marched up to the group, catching the bag mid-air.

" Don't you boys have something better to do other than pick on someone half your size?" I scolded, ripping a book from the hands of another student.

One laughed, stepping forward with a smug look on his face. " Are ye offerin' sweetheart?" He asked, his Scottish accent thick.

" I'm out of your league." I quipped, leaning down to help the other student pick up papers.

" I don't know, I'm seein' some places I'd fit in rather nicely, right lads?" He joked, his eyes trained on my ass.

" Like the hospital? When I'm done kicking your ass?" I said, handing the books to the kid next to me.

" Oh hi! A fiesty one! I love a smart mouth on a woman!"

I rolled my eyes at him and helped the other student pick up more papers, as they had been scattered across the green. I felt a sharp smack to my behind as I bent down. I turned on the Scottish man, appalled at what he had done.

" Cadet!"

We all looked to a certain pointy-ear professor storming his way through the quad.

" Commander Spock, Sir!" The man said, straightening his posture immediately.

" You will not lay another hand on this student, do you understand me?" Commander Spock said, glaring down at the cadet, who nodded. " You are dismissed, and do try to keep it in your pants, Cadet."

The entire quad burst out laughing as the Scottish student went flaming red. I turned to help the other student up, offering my hand.

" Evelyn McLaren. I don't think you'll have to worry about them again." I said, brushing the dirt off of his shoulders.

" Alec McCreedy. Thank you." He said, pushing his wire-rim glasses up the bridge of his nose.

" Don't mention it. I'll see you around, Alec." I said, winking at the obvious first year. His cheeks burned brightly and he skittered away.

" How come, McLaren, I am getting a sense that you will always be in the midst of trouble?" Commander Spock commented, his face stone-like.

" I like trouble." I joked, a smirk finding its way up my face.

" Yes, it seems so." He said, glancing curiously up at the flower crown that rested on my head. Damn you Mikael.

" You used my name." I stated, brushing the dirt from my shirt. " I'm beginning to think you like me."

" All you humans look the same. Can't go around calling all of you 'Cadet'."

" Why did you help?" I asked, eyeing him suspiciously. I was expecting a deflective comment, but instead he just looked at me.

" Contrary to your opinion of me," he started, handing me a small book that had been left on the ground, " I do not like bullies."