𝙲𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗'𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚐, 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎 1533.6. 𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚎𝚞𝚟𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚘 𝚟𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚕 𝙰𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚜. 𝙸𝚝𝚜 𝙲𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚞𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚞𝚜𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛.

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𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 Kirk set out to the transporter room to meet the captain of the Anteres and his first officer. And alongside the two officers was said to be the sole survivor or a ship crash in the middle of an alien planet; Charlie Evans.

Introducing themselves, the three men tried to make conversation. However, Charlie kept interrupting with questions.

"I'd like to see your ship now. All of it. The people and everything," Charlie impatiently said.

"You keep interrupting, Mister Evans. That's considered wrong," Kirk said.

Surprised by the authoritative figure correcting him, he apologized. "I'm sorry."

The officers went back to their exchange until the two visitors had to say their goodbyes due to their busy schedule. Charlie roamed around the room in curiosity.

'They surely won't find me here,' he thought. He jumped by the sound of the door opening, revealing two beautiful yeomans.

One had perfectly styled blonde hair with blue almond eyes that looked through his soul. The taller one holding a device had a short dark brown bob that complimented her brown upturned eyes that looked at him in curiosity.

He stood there, entranced by their feminine features. This was way different from the previous ship filled with unfriendly men. The Captain approached the three after bidding farewell to his guests.

"Yeoman Rand, yeoman Dan, this is Charles Evans. Rand, show him to his quarters and drop his records off at Doctor McCoy's office, if you will."

"Yes, sir. Come with me, please." Janice took a few steps and turned around to see Charlie switching focus between her and Neomi.

"A-are you girls?" He turns to the Captain in complete fascination, "Are they girls?"

Kirk smirked and nodded. "They are girls."

The two women exchanged glances before Janice pulled Charlie to his quarters. Neomi turned to the captain in confusion, and he only responded with an amused expression.

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: .
* ˚

𝐓𝐡𝐞 USS Enterprise has taken aboard an unusual passenger for transport to Colony Alpha-5; Charles Evans, the sole survivor of a transport crash fourteen years ago. Not only has he survived from the age of three, but has grown to intelligent, healthy adolescence.

"Tell me. The ship's supply of food concentrates couldn't have lasted fourteen years," McCoy said. Charlie has just finished his checkup with the doctor and has reached the highest possible score in the fitness examination.

Charlie replied by saying he sustained himself with the planet's vegetation and educated himself by talking to the ship's tapes.

"That, that Captain. Kirk?," Charlie asked, standing from his seat.

"Yeah"

"Why does he call me Mister Evans?"

"Because that's your name."

It was obvious the teen does not know about the basics of social etiquette. He would need to learn if was ever to fit in with society.

"He's not, well, he isn't like Captain Ramart."

"Well, no. Captain Kirk is one of a kind, Charlie," McCoy said, knowing that the captain would be the best male figure to teach him.

"Do you like me?" Charlie stopped and turned to him. McCoy shrugged, "Why not?"

"Some, the other ship, they didn't like me. I tried. I'm trying to make people like me. I want them to like me," the boy looked down, anger bubbling inside him.

"Most seventeen year olds do. Come on, let's go. I'll show you to your quarters."

The two were about to leave the med bay when Margarita entered with a cup of coffee on either hand.

"Ah, nurse Dela Vega. Just place mine by my desk over there. Appreciate it, sweetheart," Bones said.

Margarita rolled her eyes at the nickname and continued on walking, noticing the boy that has been staring at her the entire time. After he dropped the boy off, Bones made a bee line for his still warm cup of coffee.

"Thank you, nurse. You remembered the sugar." He sighed in content after a sip and leaned back on his desk chair.

His assistant nurse didn't respond to his praise as always. Instead, Margarita took a sip of her dark coffee while leaning against his desk front.

"That boy. Who is he? He kept an eye on me since I first entered."

Bones explained to her about Charlie's origin and went on and on about his unusually perfect health for a boy in his situation.

"I think that's good enough, doctor. Didn't need a whole background check on him," she grumbled while avoiding eye contact.

"My, my, sweetheart. What got you waking up on the wrong side of the bed?" he asked playfully, feeling more energetic from his drink.

"I am not angry, doctor. I was just simply asking who the boy was. Not his whole life story."

"Background information is necessary for patients like Charlie. And I didn't say you were angry now, did I, sweetheart?"

Margarita, feeling her pent up frustration getting bigger, took a deep breath and said, "Dr. McCoy, calling colleagues nicknames such as 'sweetheart' is inappropriate. I ask you to never call me like that again and more like how a professional should be called.'

She was gritting her teeth at this point. First thing she woke up to was a call from her family saying one of her younger sisters were sick. After that, she got teased by some female officers for bringing the doctor coffee like some assistant. Now, putting up being called a nickname she never wants to hear from a man again.

Bones' smile dropped and sat up straight. He could read from her body language that she was pissed, but was never this pissed before. He thought that acting more casual around her would make her feel more comfortable working with him, but it may have just made it worse.

"I apologise, Dela Vega."

The ringing of silence was too much to bear.

"I...need to powder my nose."

Keeping her back faced to him, she walked out of the room. All he could hear now was the ship's engine vibrating through the walls and through her half empty cup of coffee.

The doctor sighed at himself. "Way to go, Bones." He took his last sip before making his way to the bridge to hopefully find a question he can answer.

˚ ✶

: .
* ˚

"𝐈'𝐦 telling you Sky, that boy was looking at us like a kid's first time in a candy store," Neomi ranted.

In all the time she spent with people with different personalities, he was the one that weirded her out the most. Sky was making her way towards the bridge when her friend pulled her in to gossip about her recent encounter with Charlie. By the way Neomi described it, she almost felt pity for the boy.

"Let's not get into conclusions, girl. We've never even properly met him yet"

Neomi shook her head. "oh you'll get it when you do."

As they were making a turn, they saw an unusual sight. Speak of the devil. it was Charlie chatting with yeoman Rand, but both seem to be in a not-so-happy mood. They quickly hid behind the corner, posing like they were in a conversation themselves, but they were all ears somewhere else.

"—Don't be angry. I didn't—I wanted," he stumbled over his words.

"Charlie, you, you, you just don't go around slapping girls on the—" He looked at her like a dog under a storm. Even when he gifted her that perfume, he couldn't seem to earn her affections.

Janice felt bad for yelling at him. She didn't see any bad intentions in him. "It's okay, but er, just don't do it again."

The teen felt his anger bubbling up again. She forgave him, but told him to tell the captain or Bones about what he did to which he agreed. Once again, he failed to make friends with the person he wanted to the most.

Meanwhile, the two women were stunned by what they heard. Neomi knew he had a little crush on Janice, but now she couldn't find the courage to face either of them. But Sky was absorbed by the situation at hand, or 'tea' as she datedly called it. She was just as curious about the boy as she was with what's between him and Janice. But work had to be attended to.

Sky pretended to say goodbye to Neomi as she walked pass the saddened teen not even giving her a glance. She rushed towards the lift both due to tardiness and excitement to know more.

"Bridge."

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: .
* ˚

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 the bridge, Spock and Dr. McCoy were deep in conversation about the existence of Thasians, a species that is said to have lived on the same planet as Charlie.

These were information that Sky didn't care to eavesdrop. Rather, she was more interested about the miracle survivor that Neomi has been ranting about and first-handedly witnessed with her. She used to think that he was just some poor, inexperienced boy, but she suspected there may be something more than a survivor's tale.

"-I'd like you to give him the necessary medical orientation on the problems of, um, er, adolescence," Kirk said to McCoy.

But the doctor persuaded, "Well, don't you think it'd be better for a strong father image like you? He already looks up to you."

"The job is yours, Bones. Flattery will get you nowhere."

The discussion about Thasians continued until Spock and McCoy were engaged in another argument, which didn't faze the assistant communications officer across the room. She's seen similar situations between the doctor and his nurse, whom she considers a friend, anyway. In her perspective, all she could see is an old married couple arguing about petty things.

But it seemed today was a bad day for everyone. Earlier today, Sky saw Margarita pacing out of the med bay with a gloomy expression before she could greet her. To relieve her friends' tension, she planned on inviting them to the recreation room at room 6, deck 3.

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: .
* ˚

𝐈𝐭 was around lunchtime and most of the crewmen on break would be in cafeterias or recreation rooms, and it was the latter where Margarita and Lonei were being pulled towards by their chatty friend.

"Come on, girls. When was the last time you enjoyed yourselves for once?" Sky was leading the way while the two were dragging their feet.

"I was enjoying myself in the lab with a possible breakthrough, but your sudden entrance pulled me out of my focus," Lonei said with a sigh.

She was about to do a procedure that would have effectively detach the plant's leaves from it's stem through the node. It is where the stem's sap would divide as it extends towards the leaves and flowers. With her meeting with Spock, it could give her some leverage in defense for her project, but it seems her plan had to be delayed.

"Just be sure that McCoy isn't in there. I don't want to see his face for the next hour," Margarita grumbled. She will follow Sky anywhere if it meant she had time for herself away from the object of her annoyance. Her two companions looked at her but shrugged it off as another one of her moody days.

They arrived to the recreation room just in time to hear Spock tuning his Vulcan lyre. Fearing to be approached by her superior, Lonei hid her small self beside Uhura and a science officer she's seen before. They were playing cards with Janice and Neomi, who noticed her quiet friend.

"Oh, nice seeing you here, Lonnie. This is Dr. Kaitlyn by the way." Neomi motions to the woman across from her.

"Pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Neomi is a friend on mine," Kaitlyn said.

Lonei nodded, remembering her from occasional visits to the med bay. "You are Striik, correct?"

Kaitlyn nodded. "Yeah, but I don't bite. If you give me another drink." She chuckled, seeing that the girl took her joke seriously and gave her a glass of champaign.

While her companions were preoccupied, Lonei looked towards the Vulcan on the other side of the room. She sensed he was too preoccupied with his instrument so she slowly relaxed into listening to his tunes. It has been a while since she's heard music from her homeland, and even longer since the last time she sang her favorite songs.

Speaking of which, Nyota hummed to herself, distracting Spock's focus and stopping his playing. As she was apologizing, Sky gave out snacks and more drinks to her companions to which Margarita, Neomi and Kaitlyn quickly downed, but Lonei refused.

"Lighten up, Lon. It's just mango juice," Sky winked. Her and Margarita knew Lonei does not drink alcohol nor does she feel it's effects. But with sweet, Earthly fruits such as mango, it was a night to remember. It was a surprise for both of them to see their stoic friend blushing and smiling like she was drunk on alcohol. Fortunately, Lonei forgot what had happened that night.

Her ears perked by the name of her favorite earthly fruit. She took a sip, momentarily forgetting the first officer noticing her behind Uhura.

Spock stole a quick glance at Lonei before playing a familiar song that was popular among her people. She recognized the tune by the first few notes and looked at her right to see Spock's eyes staring back. She gulped and looks away, instead paying attention to her companions playing cards. Uhura, noticing Spock looking her way, winks at Janice before singing a song.

"Oh, on the starship Enterprise'
There's someone who's in Satan's guise."

The girls grinned and giggled at Uhura's bold move. Lonei silently thanked her for that.

"Whose devil ears and devil eyes
Could rip your heart from you!"

Spock shook his head as the crowd laughed but continued playing.

"At first his look could hypnotize,
And then his touch would barbarize.
His alien love could victimize..."

Her rendition of the song was quite far from the song's true meaning. It actually describes an Aidean's near death experience and him hearing a beautiful song from his 'soul,' which inspired this song. Such topics fascinated him as Aideans were very rich in culture and art.

"And rip your heart from you!"

Uhura clanked glasses with Kaitlyn and Neomi while putting a hand over Lonei's shoulder, indicating her to join in. Lonei shook her head in amusement, feeling the Mango's sweet effects calming her nerves.

"And that's why female astronauts
Oh very female astronauts
Wait terrified and overwrought
To find what he will do."

Uhura pointed at Spock and laughed along with the crowd. By that time Charlie entered the room and saw Janice. He tried getting her attention but she was too invested in her friend's jamming session.

"Oh girls in space, be wary,
Be wary, be wary!
Girls in space, be wary!"

Uhura paused dramatically and looked at the petite blonde. Lonei couldn't stop herself from smiling and finished the song.

"We know not what he'll do."

Spock felt a miniscule smile appearing for a second at the sound of her mellifluous voice. He was quick to wipe it off. The people applauded and went back to their usual activities.

The group of friends giggled at the theatrical performance. Who knew all they needed was a mango smoothie to get their introverted friend to let loose. Apparently Sky did.

"Looks like we got a singer over here," Marg said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Nice one, Lon." Sky said. She pats her friend on the back, but upon noticing Charlie's arrival, she went up to Neomi's side to investigate.

"One more time," Janice requested, not minding the boy beside her. Nyota smiled at him who looked uncomfortable by the attention.

"Now from a planet out in space
There comes a lad not commonplace
A' seeking out his first embrace.
He's saving it for you."

He felt humiliated that his feelings were being sang in front of Janice who then turned to him in question.

"Oh, Charlie's our new darling,
Our darling, our darling."

"Poor guy. He looks uncomfortable," Neomi pitied. "Maybe I was wrong about him. All of this is probably overwhelming."

Sky shook her head. "I don't know, girl. I'm still getting a weird vibe from him," she whispered.

"A weird what?"

"Charlie's our new darling.
We know not what he'll do."

Nyota made her way to Spock as she sang. Suddenly, a force stopped her voice from coming out. The harp also stopped playing its music like they were on mute.

"Oh my- did you-" Neomi's eyes were wide, thinking that she was hallucinating.

"I saw," Sky answered. Her suspicions were getting bigger. She saw where Charlie was looking and it was too much of a coincidence for Nyota and Spock's lyre to both become mute at the same time. The two women each other as they eavesdropped at Charlie and Janice's conversation.

"Want to see something?" Charlie asked to which Janice nodded.

Charlie showed her three cards and faced them down the table. "Turn them over."

When she did, all three cards showed pictures of Janice all in different poses.

"Well, how did you do that?"

Sky was dumbfounded. If she didn't know any better, she would've thought it was some supernatural being's doing.

"Well, what do you see," Neomi questioned while her back faced the two. "Sky?"

He looked to be more confident when he impressed Janice. He did another trick but with four ace cards. After he showed her, he threw two away over his shoulder and waited. She looked at him before feeling something on her cleavage. She pulled out one of the cards and the crew crowding them laughed.

"What are you-" Neomi stilled, feeling something under her uniform. Pulling it out, it was the second card. She turned to see Charlie confidently smiling at her, far from what he looked like a couple minutes ago.

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: .
* ˚

The group later parted ways to return to their duties, which left Lonei to ascend up the ship's botanical labs. Only a sparse number of officers enter the lab, much to her satisfaction.

The warm temperatures keep her comfortable compared to the chilly rooms of the ship as they accommodate to human body temperature. The UV lights gave the dimly lit lab an ambient feel whenever she works. It was like a little piece of "heaven" in her eyes.

She felt the leaves on her fingertips as she passes by plants until she found her most treasured succulent.

Its transparent, dome container imitates the planet's arid climate and rocky terrain. It was placed away from direct light sources, thus being safely kept on her neat desk.

She double checked all files regarding her research of the succulent in preparation for her commander to arrive. She can't let one mishap happen. The Ai'sh'tuk has been harvested and consumed the traditional way for thousands of years, yet unable to make it easily available for everyone in need. Her stubbornness wouldn't stop her making it a possibility.

Lonei heard the doors slide open, revealing the commander walking in, stoic as usual.

"Good afternoon, Commander Spock. Shall we begin the inspection?" she asked.

He nods, walking closer to the enclosed succulent. "The Ai'sh'tuk. An ancient medicinal plant. To this day, the possibility to disassemble or modify it is an enigma." He turns to her. "Yet, you wish to tackle this experiment alongside your other duties. Why?"

She hands her full report of her research to him. Her eyes move from Spock to the plant as she recalls vivid memories of her home. "My mother was a scientist. As a child, she would personally teach me about plant life and medicine. We would grow and sell dozens of Ai'sh'tuk in her greenhouse for research and rituals, but no breakthroughs came. Since her passing, I wanted to finish her goal of assimilating it to mainstream medicine." She told her explanation as Spock walked around her work space, occasionally flipping through notes of the plant's development.

"Then your inclination towards the experiment is caused by your emotional attachment towards your mothers unfinished objective." He raises his eyebrow. "Do you understand the complexity of achieving what scientists have been struggling with for hundreds of years?"

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. "Do you think I do not? I would not have done all of this if I knew it was a lost cause."

There it is again. He has noticed how humans, particularly females, would answer questions with another question, which boggles him to this day. It would not be a surprise for an Aidean to pick up such a habit, considering how emotionally similar they are to humans. He shook his head and approached the woman who has her arms crossed as though in defiance.

"It was not intended to question your knowledgeability, miss Lonei. It was a matter of ensuring if you are really up for the challenge of bringing such an outcome."

She relaxed from her stance and nodded. "I have made up my mind a long time ago, sir."

They kept silence, both losing their train of thought as they maintained eye contact.

Spock turns his head towards the Ai'sh'tuk and asked, "May I?"

Lonei nods and opens the metallic container. Fog and perspiration comes out from the heated pot as it reveals the plant glowing a faint blue from its bulbs.

"It is almost blooming season. The outer layer was beginning to thin a few days ago," she explained.

It was a rare sight for most Vulcans to see it in full bloom. Mostly native cave-dwelling Aideans were privileged to see a field of them illuminate a whole cave when in-season .

"Fascinating," Spock said.

His face drew closer to it, the glow illuminating his sharp features in the darkness. She too takes a step to admire it, unknowingly brushing her knuckles against his own, generating a surge of electricity against their hands. Feeling an unfamiliar curious emotion enter her mind, Lonei jumped in surprise and looked at her hand, but quickly straightened herself.

Spock, who felt a similar shock, took a few steps back. He cleared his throat. "I suppose I do not see this personal experiment impeding on your work, Junior Lieutenant. However, I may ask to make occasional visits to supervise you and other science officer's progress. That is all."

She felt glad to have her efforts be validated. "I am thankful, commander. Goodbye." She subconsciously rubbed her knuckles that were shocked as she watched the first officer take his leave.

Before exiting, Spock turned to face her again. "And miss Lonei." He paused in thought before finishing. "Good luck on your efforts." He then left the dim room.

She was left with wide eyes, struggling to process what she just heard. Maybe he realized the potential of it after all. She made a small smile whilst still looking at the door and went on with her day with those words replaying in her mind.

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                                                       *   ˚

"𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙓: 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙄"

ᶠⁱⁿⁱˢʰᵉᵈ ᵒⁿ: Oct 9, 2020
ʷᵒʳᵈ ᶜᵒᵘⁿᵗ: 3861