A Kestrel for a Star (Star Trek fanfiction)

Chapter 9

 Kirk looked venomously at his accuser knowing that they had never met before.

“Cadet Kirk, this is Commander Spock. He is one of our most distinguished graduates and he had programmed the Kobayashi Maru test for the last four years.”

Spock proceeded down the hall until he was stood at the podium next to Kirk, never once breaking eye contact until he spoke firmly, “Cadet Kirk, upon careful review of your performance in the simulation, it became clear that you activated a subroutine that had been embedded in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test.”

Kirk swallowed sharply and took up a defensive tone, “Your point being?”

“In academic vernacular, you cheated.” Admiral Barnett injected coolly.

Kez groaned again and slumped further down in her chair.

“Oh come on, Kez, you knew it wasn’t all gold dust.” Bones murmured back in less than a whisper.  

 “Yeah, but I didn’t want it to be true.” Kez shot back spitefully.

“But you still knew it.” Bones shot back then sat back in his chair when a few cadets around him stared at them with questioning expressions before turning back around to watch the proceedings.

“Respectfully,” Kirk shot back, “The test is a cheat, isn’t it? I mean, you programmed it to be unwinnable. That itself is a cheat.”

The Vulcan didn’t show any kind of emotion when he responded, “Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario.”

Kirk glared and shook his head, “I don’t believe in no-win scenarios.”

“Then not only have you cheated but you have also failed to understand the principle lesson of the test.”

Kirk stood straighter and gripped the podium in front of him in frustration. Who the hell did this idiot think he was?

“Please, enlighten me.” Kirk snapped venomously.

“Gladly. The inevitable must be met with as much skill and resolution as possible. When winning is impossible, the objective must be to preserve and protect as much as one can. That is  captain’s task and that is the task set for those who take the Kobayashi Maru test. To achieve – not to evade.” The Vulcan levelled his gaze, “A captain cannot cheat death. You should know that better than anyone Cadet Kirk.”

Ohhhh, Kez felt the dig hit her but probably not as hard as it hit Kirk.

Kirk got ever more defensive, feeling the carpet slowly being pulled out from underneath him, he was losing the argument and failing to prove his point.

“Maybe you just don’t like the fact I beat your test.”

Just then an unexpected officer strolled into the assembly hall and moved quickly over to Admiral Barnett before whispering something into the admiral’s ear. The admiral immediately rose from his chair and addressed the hall.

“This is a Red Alert – all officers are to report to duty stations. All graduating cadets, report to your officers in hanger one for immediate assignment. This is not a drill!”

Everyone in the hall shot to their feet and Bones began making his way to the front to get to Kirk. Suddenly someone caught his sleeve and he turned and looked at Kez in the commotion.

“What?”

Kez gestured to Kirk, “You get him. I need to go talk to someone, okay?”

Bones nodded then watched as his friend just disappeared. One moment she was there and then she was gone. Sometimes Bones wished he was a Sytrox, then he could just port away from places . . . not that he had anywhere to go.

Finally he got to Kirk who was still stood looking stunned, “Who the hell was that Pointy eared bastard?”

Bones chuckled, “I don’t know – but I like him.”

Kirk rolled his eyes and followed Bones from the hall.

Kez had learnt over the years of getting used to porting that she didn’t just have to port to places. She could port to people as well. Granted she could only port to people she knew well – if she had never met the intended person the port was impossible. Same for if she tried to port to somewhere she’d never been.

So, in the middle of the crowded assembly hall, after telling Bones she wouldn’t be following him, she fixed one person’s image in her mind, and ported.