Destined | Christopher Pike

Chapter Two

Emma found the whole meeting the Captain for the first time very...awkward. She had heard only good things about Captain Pike, but the glorified Captain seemed quite the opposite. He seemed distant, nervous. Then again, Emma did not know a single thing about him. Just about his achievements within Starfleet. Instead of pondering it further, she shook it off and vowed to make a better first impression next time she saw him.

Her quarters, well more like her bunk bed, was located on one of the lower floors. Since she was only a cadet she didn't have the luxury of having her own room just yet. She would be sharing a small space with about six other people. Hardly anyone paid her any attention as she walked into her designated bunk room. They all seemed busy either unpacking or going about their normal duties. She looked around at the gray, steel walls and suddenly she realized everything was very real.

She was aboard a Starfleet ship instead of her warm, inviting room back in California. She walked closer to where the bunks were and searched for one that was open. There was of course only one and it was on the very bottom. She didn't mind, but getting out of bed after sleeping all night could boast a small problem. They were issued standard sheets and a pillow that were folded neatly on the bed.

Emma placed her small bag on top of the bed and put away her Starfleet Academy issued clothing in the drawers next to the bed.  She slid her bag into the designated compartment before taking the time to make her sheets. Finally, she was able to look at her data pad and figure out where she would be stationed for her first rotation. She hoped that she would be with the science division first, but those hopes were diminished when she realized it was engineering.

She didn't mind working in engineering. It still involved some science. It just wasn't her favorite department. It was better than the medical department. She did not do great around blood and it was the rotation she was least excited for. Emma let a shaky sigh as an attempt to gather herself before starting the walk to the engine room. She felt so...unworthy to be aboard the Enterprise suddenly. She should have been excited for her rotations, not nervous.

She found the engine room bustling with people running all around, trying to get the ship ready for departure. She gazed around the room, trying to figure out who was the Chief Engineer. Finally, her eyes landed on a Aenar male. She didn't know much about his species other than most of them were blind, but they were able to adapt and sharpen their other senses. They were also known to be very selfless people.

"Um, hello." Emma said after she walked up to him. "I'm Cadet Coleman. I was assigned to engineering."

The Chief Engineer took one look at her and she wasn't sure if he was annoyed, happy or angry. His face remained totally emotionless. "I'm Hemmer, the Chief Engineer. We need to make sure the Warp Engine is ready. There should be a checklist on your data pad. Follow it carefully."

Emma was slightly baffled that they were already letting her do something so important such as making sure one of the engines was in working order. She pulled out the data pad and opened the directions. She read over them carefully for a few minutes and just as she was about to start, she heard Hemmer say her name.

"Cadet Coleman?"

"Yes, sir." Emma turned to look at him.

"Do make sure you follow every step. If you don't, you could cause the entire crew their lives." He reminded her.

No pressure, she told herself before starting. She was surprised at how self explanatory the entire checklist was. Whoever created it did a thorough job and made it easy to follow along. She still checked every step multiple times. The last thing she wanted to do was make a bad impression her first day on the Enterprise. Just as she was finishing her checklist, she heard the chimes for the announcements go off.

"This is your captain. We're a little early out of the gates, so I hope we didn't catch anybody with your hair wet or your pants down. As you're all aware, Starfleet sends out a first contact team whenever our deep space probes detect signs of a working warp engine. Six days ago, the signature of a functioning warp drive appeared on Kiley 279. The USS Archer went to say hello. We have since lost contact. Our mission is to find our people and bring them home. And maybe if we get lucky, make some new friends. Nobody dies. This mission will not be anybody's last day. Captain out." Captain Pike spoke before it cut out.

Emma could not help, but notice how somber his announcement sounded. Most Captains, no matter what mission they were going on, were a little more upbeat. She stepped back from the engine just as she felt the ship rumble to life. She smiled to herself. Now, her journey with Starfleet could really begin. She walked over to Hemmer who stood at the main control board for the engine room. Part of her wanted to know what job he would like for her to complete next, but the other part of her had a slightly more personal question.

"Sir, is it okay if I ask you a question?" Emma spoke.

"Only if you stop calling me 'sir,' and start calling me by my name." He said without looking at her.

Emma blinked rapidly. "Okay...Hemmer. Is the Captain also so...ominous? I met him briefly in the elevator and he hardly spoke three words to me and his message just now, it didn't seem like him. I know I don't know Captain Pike personally, but I've heard so many great things about him. He just seems so different."

"Well, you might be right. I honestly do not know if something is wrong with the Captain. The only thing that I could think of is that his Number One is missing. Perhaps he's worried. Now," Hemmer paused and pulled out his own data pad. "Let's let Captain Pike do his job and we do ours. We need to take inventory of a couple of supplies."

"Of course." Emma said and forced a smile. Even with his Number One missing, she still found the Captain's behavior odd. However, it wasn't her place to say anything.

Christopher could feel himself panicking as he made a mad dash towards his private quarters. It was all so much being back on the Enterprise and seeing what would be his future wife. No, he reminded himself. He wasn't going to fall for her. He didn't want to leave her behind to mourn in case his death really was set in stone. He needed time to focus on finding Una, but he felt like he was suffocating. Even after his talk with Spock.

He leaned against the table in his room and stared at ground. He knew he was bound to meet her. He just didn't know it would be so soon after he knew his fate. She seemed nice and part of him felt guilty for barely even speaking to her, but she wouldn't understand. There was no way he was going to tell her the truth. Part of him was curious about who Emma was though.

"Computer," Christopher spoke with some reluctance. "Give me everything you have on Cadet Emma Coleman."

"Processing your request, Captain." The computer spoke to him with it's animatronic voice.

Seconds later, a photo of her from Starfleet Academy and everything he could ever want to know about Emma Coleman was in front of him. He never knew her last name until today, so he didn't have the resources to search her. She had a nice, familiar smile. It was one he had seen in his brief look into the future. She was younger than he anticipated, only 24. What struck him the most was who her parents were. He had never pieced together the last name.

Her mother was a well known Admiral for Starfleet and her father was an ambassador for the Federation. Meaning, she had probably heard of him at least once in her lifetime. He was surprised that they had never met prior. If they did, he probably had not notice. He took a few minutes to flip through the available photos of her. She liked hiking and the ocean and trying new foods. She was an only child. She had taken extra classes at Starfleet Academy which he found impressive. The Academy was already tough enough without adding in more work.

Christopher stopped himself. He shouldn't have been learning about her. He was trying to avoid her, not find a reason to fall in love with her. He let out a growl of frustration and closed his computer out. It was going to harder than he thought to avoid her.