𝙲𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗'𝚜 𝙻𝚘𝚐, 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎 1535.8. 𝚄𝙴𝚂𝙿𝙰 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚕 𝙰𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚜.

˚ ✶

: .
* ˚

𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 the spotless corridors and closed doors are where bustling engineers keep the ship running at optimal condition. On the lower levels of the ship was where ensign Bridges entered the engineering room and proceeded to her station with a worn out ceiling speaker in hand. It has been sounding rather washed out lately and almost incomprehensible when far enough from it.

As she was focused on her work, she didn't see one of her crew mates, Kat, observing with scrutinizing eyes.

"What are you doing with that speaker? Are you even allowed to work with that?" Kat asked.

"Im repairing it, and yes, I am. I asked permission," Andreana replied, not looking away from the cables.

"Then shouldn't a technician be handling that instead of an ensign?"

"Uh huh."

Silence ensues and the worker gave up to just rolling her eyes and returning to her seat.

"Don't even bother, Kat. She's a lost cause," said one of the male crew mates.

Everyone was left alone except for some officers giving the occasional joke or two. It was the usual to her. Her unintentionally ignoring everyone and them leaving her in her own world, and she liked it that way.

The door slid open to reveal Lt. Commander Wales visiting her for the second time this week. The nearby crew stopped and gave each other knowing looks and eye rolls and went back to ignoring the pair.

Andreana stood straight from her seat. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"Well, since I know you are knowledgeable about the ship's security systems, I was wondering if you could work with the security department and an engineering team for some enhancements of the ship's surveillance."

Her eyebrows raised. "May I ask what kind of enhancements, sir?"

"Oh, facial recognition, and identification based on the computer's officer records," he casually replied.

Her eyes widened at the request. Such a large task would require at least a dozen crewmen, not considering the larger areas of the ship. She felt a swell of pride that her mentor would entrust her with such a duty. She opened her mouth to accept his offer but hesitated. She wasn't sure if they would allow her to be permitted to handle personal files of every officer on the ship. As much as she wanted to please the superior officer, she couldn't risk tarnishing her reputation.

"Erm, but sir, shouldn't more experienced officers handle such a job? Not to disrespect your decision, of course," she babbled.

"I understand your concern, Ensign, but take it as a learning experience for your future position," Wales whispered. "You have chosen which division to work in, right?"

Even when their conversation was barely above a whisper, Andreana couldn't help but to look around if anyone heard it. They have been planning on her transfer for almost a month now. After a few years of commendable service, guided by Wales, of course, her mentor would try to convince the captain in transferring her to the security department.

"You know I take much consideration of your offers, sir. But I just think maybe I should start with—" she looks at her unfinished speaker "—safer tasks at the moment."

"But Bridges this could be an—"

Before he could further persuade her, the two heard a Scottish voice greet him.

"Lt. Commander Wales. What a surprise to see you down here for the third time this week," said Scotty. He stood between the two.

"Second time, actually," Wales corrected.

"Didn't know you were counting."

"Anyway, I was just inviting Ensign Bridges to partake in the security upgrade as you well remember."

The chief engineer crossed his arms. "Aye, I do. But I don't remember allowing Ensigns to handle private documents or man high tech security systems."

Andreana fidgets with the hem of her shirt uniform as she looks at the two men having a stare down. She nervously laughs at herself. "I apologize, sir but I have to decline your offer. I should probably get back to work."

He nods in defeat. She makes her way back to the table and sees the two of them quietly debating over the matter. She goes back to focusing on the cords and wiring of the speaker. It is not like she is the type to break rules for her own benefit. She prefers gaining the favor of higher-ups to better her chances of climbing the ranks. She did it as long as she can remember so it can't be that hard during her five year mission, right?

˚ ✶

: .
* ˚

"𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭?"
'What?'

Both captain Kirk and Sky were confused of Janice's situation. Only, Kirk was the one talking to her as Sky was overhearing their conversation.

The yeoman found out Charlie's infatuation over her and she was in a dilemma on how to confront the boy about it. So now, she went to ask for the captain's guidance while basically letting everyone in the bridge hear about their exchange.

"I talked to him about the swat."

Janice shook her head. "It's not that. Captain, I've seen the look before, and if something isn't done, sooner or later I'm going to have to hurt him. Tell him to leave me alone, and that wouldn't be good for him right now. You see, I'm his first crush, his first love, and his first—"

Kirk cuts her off. "Yes, Yeoman, I'll talk to him. I'll look into it."

Janice visibly relaxed by the captain's reassurance. "Thank you, sir."

After she exited the bridge, Kirk still stood there deep in thought with an amused smile on his face.

He remembered a time when he was still in his teen years. A time without the weight of hundreds of people relying on your every command and just enjoying the freedom like any other teenager. Only it was obvious Charlie was a different case.

"Lieutenant Torres," Kirk started.

The said officer turned to face her captain still on the same spot.

"What is your take on the matter?"

Sky mentally panicked. "Sir?"

The captain smiled like he knew of her furtive act. "Well, as a younger person, I thought you could give me some insight on how to confront kids more your age."

She looks away for a split second before masterfully changing the subject. "We usually don't like confrontation at all." She giggled. "And for the record, I wouldn't say you're a day over 20."

Kirk bashfully grinned before turning to a yeoman to sign something.

Sky was proud of her talent in deflecting questions. If deflecting unwanted questions was a sport then she would've been an olympic medalist by now.

Uhura leaned over to Sky and whispered, "Kids your age?"

Sky chuckled under her breath, looked around her and whispered in reply. "My beauty regiment is strictly classified."

Uhura was one of the few that she could trust in telling her real age, and she was about the same age as the woman in question. Though no doubt she was quite satisfied of her own appearance, Uhura couldn't help but feel a little envious of her friend's smooth hands.

"If I give away some secrets about my hear treatment, care to tell me the name of your hand cream?"

"Deal."

The two smile at each other.

˚ ✶

: .
* ˚

𝐍𝐞𝐨𝐦𝐢 was sitting inside her quarters finishing some late hour paperwork when her comm beeped. "Dan speaking."

"Neomi, it's Janice. Could you come stay in my quarters for a while. I can't focus in here alone," Janice said with a sigh. It was clear that Charlie's insistent confession was getting to her head.

"Should I change?" Naomi looked down at her night clothes. It was a spaghetti strap, ocean blue silk gown that reached to her calves. Maybe if she walked fast enough she won't bump into any of the crewmen still awake.

"No, it's fine. I'm already in my nightgown, anyway. Just rush over here, please."

Neomi knew doing her work at Janice's quarters would result in a semi-sleepover, so she took her beauty kit before exiting to her room. She looked around for any passerbys before rushing to a room a few doors from hers. She knocked on the door and heard a "Come in."

Janice notices a box of beauty products on one hand and a PADD on the other. She smiled and thanked her for being a good friend.

"Anything to get your mind off of things—and have a sleepover."

The two exchanged from writing their work to painting each other's nails with glossy pink shades.

"And he just ignored her because he wanted to talk to me," Janice explained while Neomi was doing her lipstick.

"What am I going to do, Neomi," she sighed.

The brunette finished her nail before looking at her in the eyes. "Janice, Charlie isn't your responsibility. You are not his mother and certainly not his girlfriend. You shouldn't feel guilty for something that wasn't your fault."

Janice looked down at her newly done nails and said, "I suppose you're right."

Her friend put a hand over her's. "And don't worry. Captain Kirk's got it under control." Neomi wiggled her eyebrows by the sound of their captain's name, which made her friend playfully swat her shoulder. It was no surprise Janice secretly took a fancy for her superior. He had this natural charm that many women fell for, but his heart was already committed to his ship and his position.

The two continued their grooming while working until the door was unexpectedly opened by none other than Charlie. They stood from their seats. Neomi was on the other side of the desk nearing the comm's button to the bridge.

"I have something for you." Charlie smiled and handed out a pink rose to Janice. But she stood still, her face devoid of any reaction which made his cheery expression fall.

"Pink is your favourite, isn't it?"

"You don't walk into a room without knocking," she said pointedly.

"Don't ever lock your door on me again, Janice. I love you." He wasn't like the nervous boy they knew a few hours ago.

"I'll lock it when I please. What is it you want, anyway?"

"You. Both of you" He approaches the two women. "I only want to be nice to you. I can give you anything. Just, just tell me."

"We want you to get out," Neomi said. She flipped pressed a button that was on Janice's desk, turning on the comm connecting to the bridge.

"But I only want to be nice to you."

"Get out, Charlie. I cannot make it any plainer than that." Janice's voice rang through the bridge, halting everyone from their duties. Lonei, who was next to the captain's chair, instantly recognized it was from Rand's quarters.

"Spock," Kirk called, and both men ran towards the lift where the Aidean was already waiting inside.

"I love you." Charlie caressed Janice's cheek

"You don't know what the word means." Janice turn her head away and moved next to Neomi, but he grabbed her by the arm.

"Then show me."
"No!"

Soon the doors slid open and in ran Kirk and Spock ready to fight the boy. But then Charlie used his powers and an invisible force shoved the two of them to a wall.

"Jan, don't!"

Before Neomi could hold her friend back, Janice slapped him hard. Within a few seconds, Charlie made her disappear, leaving the brunette shaking in fear. His face morphed from sadness to anger. His gaze locked on to Neomi who freezed on the spot.

"Why did she do that? I loved her, but she wasn't nice at all."

He approached her and held her arms in a strong grip. "Would you do that?! No, no..."

He thought back when she tried to stop Janice. "You tried to protect me right? You have always been nice to me."

He then faced the two men still on the ground, face hardening. "What you did wasn't nice either, but I still need you, Captain. The Enterprise isn't quite like the Antares. Running the Antares was easy. You have to be nice. All right?"

He gave the captain a shock of pain as the said man groaned. Lonei, who was hiding herself in the corner the whole time stepped in.

"Stop."

Charlie's head jolted to where the voice came from, surprised he did not feel her presence. His eyes rolled to the back of his head again, but it did not seem to affect the woman. She felt a painful sensation in her head but she tried her best to block it. Instead, she slowly placed herself beside the captain protectively. He had in incredulous look from what she did, but kept up his tough act until he left the room.

Now, Charlie was controlling the ship with an iron fist. The only person he wouldn't seem to hurt was Neomi who was being dragged wherever he goes.

Spock and Kirk had a plan in trapping him in a force field. Lonei was standing close behind the Vulcan as he noticed that she seemed to be slightly immune to his powers. He knew Aideans can extend a mental shield to nearby targets. Although, it's an ability that compromises their energy and emotions depending on the duration.

They were able to successfully trap him and Neomi in a force field, but their hope dwindled when he made the wall disappear. He proceeded to use his power to hurt them but it just rendered the men immobile while Lonei remained the same.

˚ ✶

: .
* ˚

𝐀 few hours have passed in the bridge and captain kirk's patience was wearing thin. "I've waited long enough. I'm going to take him on."

"You don't have any special immunity. Not anymore. Pushed far enough, he'd send you off to oblivion, too," Bones said.

'There's got to be a way to stop him,' Kirk thought. "How about Lonei? She proved to be immune to Charlie's powers the whole time." He turned to gsu first officer. "Mister Spock?"

"Out of the question."

Kirk furrowed his eyebrow at this. Bones saw and sided with the Vulcan. "Look at her, Jim. The poor woman's exhausted and can barely stand on her own two feet."

The captain looked to where Lonei was supporting herself on Sky's chair. Her eyelids forced themselves to stay open as she gently swayed. She turns to him.

"I'm quite alright, sir. I can still keep my shield up for a while longer," she murmured.

He raised his hand apologetically. "No, you've done enough, Lieutenant."

After a moment, he had noticed something."Wait a minute. Does Charlie? Now, wait, Spock, has he done away with anybody since he took over?"

"Not so far as we know"

"Maybe he can't. Could be he's overreached himself. It's a big ship. He's taken full control. If we could tax his power, turn on every device on the ship, every circuit, every light, all of it, and while he's fighting that, if Lonei and I could distract him, maybe you could tranquilize him, keep him under until we reach Colony Five."

"Risky, Jim," Bones said

"If we don't try, Doctor, he'll get rid of us anyway. There's no choice, gentlemen, none at all." Kirk looks at Lonei and she nods.

"I'll do my best, captain."

Not a moment later, Charlie came stomping inside the bridge with Neomi trailing behind and sat on the command chair. "I've got your ship, Captain."

Bones and Spock went to the console, ready to turn on all devices in the ship.

"Maybe, Charlie, but I don't think you can handle any more." Kirk nods and the two science officers switched on every button in the console, exhausting Charlie's power. "I think you've reached your limit and can't take on one more thing, but you're going to have to."

Kirk proceeded throw Charlie off the command chair and onto the floor, approaching him to deliver another hit. However, Charlie used his powers to give him another wave of pain as he watched the captain crumple on the floor. Kirk could feel an unbearable pain throughout his body, but it was gone seconds later. He looked up to see Lonei standing in front of him and staring down at Charlie who looked mortified.

"Stop it," Charlie said. "I said stop it!" Kirk ran and held him by the collar, ready to punch.

"Captain, the navigation console is clear now. The ship is answering the helm," Spock said.

Kirk sat on his chair with Lonei following, who was still eyeing the boy.

"Sir, something off our starboard bow. The message says they're from Thasus," Uhura reported.

After saying that, Yeoman Rand appeared out if thin air, confused and still wearing her pink night gown. Through the screen revealed a green, ghost-like image of a ship.

"No! Oh, no, please, don't let them take me. I can't live with them anymore. You're my friends. You said you were my friends, remember? When I came aboard," Charlie exclaimed.

A green apparition of a head appeared from the other side of the bridge.

Charlie walked towards the captain and looked at him pleadingly. "Please, I want to go home. Take me home."

No one said a word, their expressionless faces telling him everything.

The head explained that he was one of Charlie's guardians and they came bring him back. They brought everyone and everything back to normal as an apology. Charlie continued to plead that he will be good. Even Kirk tried to ask the Thasian if he could go back home with them, but they said that Charlie was too much of a danger for human kind; He will either kill them or they will have to kill him.

"Come Charles," it said.

"Oh, please, don't let them take me. I can't even touch them! Janice, Neomi, they can't feel. Not like you!"

Neomi and Janice held on to each other protectively while the doctor in front of them held them back.

"They don't love! Please, I want to stay." He began to fade away, his last word echoed until he was gone.

"Charlie's back on board the Thasian ship, sir. They signal they're leaving," Uhura said with a saddened look.

Everyone felt bad for Charlie. Even Lonei pitied him despite the destruction he's caused. Rand and Neomi were both crying next to her and she gave them an awkward pat, trying not to notice their braless outfits poking her side.

Speaking of which, the Lonei's vision blurred as she started to lose balance. The exhaustion from putting up her shield for the past hours have caught up to her. The women yelped as Bones quickly ran up behind her and held the unconscious Aiden.

"It's alright girls. It's all over now. She'll be alright," Kirk comforted. He ordered Bones to take her and the yeomen to the medbay. The only way to move now was forward. They quietly went on with their duties as the ship drifted on to the endless void.

˚ ✶

: .
* ˚

‧＊˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊‧

┊       ┊                 ┊       ┊

┊       ┊       ★       ┊        ┊

┊        ☆                   ☆           ┊

★          𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞          ★

˚ ✶

: .
* ˚

𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐤 calmly walked through the corridor, nodding at some passing officers who would greet him. He took a right turn and stopped in front of the medbay's entrance. He took a breath and walked right in only to see an empty medbay with one occupied bed. He looked around and walked towards the sleeping patient.

He had known Lonei ever since the start of their mission. Only meeting each other during status reports, breaks or, more recently, inspections. But he has never seen her like this up close, though some people might see it as creepy to observe her while she slept. He couldn't help it. He had known only few Aideans outside planet Vulcan and they would always be accompanied by Vulcans, or at least others of her kind. She looked like any other Aidean with her light blond hair, fair skin, cerulean eyes, and long, pointed ears, but it was her curiosity and boldness that made her fascinating.

His thoughts were dismissed when he saw Lonei begin to shift and slowly open her eyes.

"What...happened?"

She would have just sounded sleepy to anybody, but they both knew the after-effects of her ability were showing.

"You fainted due to fatigue."

"Oh," she said monotonously. "I apologise for being a burden."

Despite Vulcans wanting Aideans to act more like them, it made them uneasy to see their cousin race have their emotions taken away from them. Once their telepathic abilities drain out their energy, a part of their brain shuts down their ability to display emotions as a result.

"No, you were anything but. I actually came here to thank you personally. On the captain's behalf, of course. He requested you to stay rested as long as you deem fit."

She looks away for a second and back to him "Does that mean..."

He raises his eyebrow. "But you will immediately return to your duties once you have rested sufficienly."

She shrugged and leaned back down on the pillow. "Fair enough."

At least she still has her sense of humor.

The two didn't know what to say afterwards, only enjoying the moment of silence away from work.

Spock cleared his throat and put his hands behind his back, straightening himself. "I must return to my station. Rest well, lieutenant."

She nods and watched him exit towards the hall. On the way out, he bumps into nurse Margarita who he silently greeted before walking away.

Margarita looks at the retreating back of the first officer and turned her head towards her patient. "Why was he here?"

Lonei shrugged. "He came to visit."

The nurse squinted at her, thinking it was something more than a visit. "You kids trying to get into trouble this days," she sighed.

"You know I am older than you."

"Doesn't look like it. Now sit up, it's time to take your shot...

...Hey! Stop pretending to sleep. I know you can hear me."

˚ ✶

: .
* ˚

"𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙓: 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝟮"

ᶠⁱⁿⁱˢʰᵉᵈ ᵒⁿ: ᵈᵉᶜᵉᵐᵇᵉʳ 21, 2020
ʷᵒʳᵈ ᶜᵒᵘⁿᵗ: 3691