Daughter of the Stars

What Is It to Be Human?

Stardate 2257.263

"Sala! Sala! There you are!" Jim Kirk yelled as he ran across one of the courtyards on the Starfleet Academy grounds.

Sala, upon hearing her name being called, turned her head to find the source of the voice. She was greeted by the sight of Jim Kirk running towards her.

"Cadet Kirk. What is it you need?" Sala asked, turning fully to face Jim.

"Sala, come on, we're friends. Do you need to keep calling me 'Cadet'?" Jim asked, as he slowed his pace and approached Sala.

"As we are still on Academy grounds it is only appropriate that I address you as such," Sala noted.

"Right. I forgot that you're still a stickler for the rules," Jim said with a sigh before continuing, "Anyway. The thing I wanted to tell you is that I'm taking the Kobayashi Maru test in three days."

"I commend that you are taking the assessment at this point in your academic career. Though, do you truly feel that you are ready for the rigor of the assessment?"

"Sala, is that concern I hear in your voice?" Jim joked.

"No, it is simply questioning your readiness for the Kobayashi Maru test."

"Well, I believe that I am ready for the test," Jim said confidently.

"Then I bid you luck on your examination," Sala said simply.

There was a brief pause before Jim spoke, "So, Lieutenant Commander, are you busy tonight?"

"Unfortunately, Cadet, I am. I have assessments of my own to complete grading," Sala said before starting to leave, stopping to speak again, "Tomorrow evening, however, I anticipate to have time to spare."

"Then would you join me for some time spent outside of the campus?" Jim asked with a sideways smile.

"Eight o' clock," Sala said simply with the ghost of a smile, "And, Cadet McCoy tags along as well. At least for a small time."

"Bones?" Jim asked, caught off guard the slightest bit.

"I do not wish to be the sole party responsible for watching you," Sala said smoothly.

Jim let out a chuckle before a smirk sat on his lips, "So I am rubbing off on you."

"And how do you surmise that, Cadet?"

"You're starting to give sarcastic remarks. So, eight tomorrow, bring Bones," Jim said with a nod before starting off towards his place of residency.

Sala gave a small shake of her head before doing the same.

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Stardate 2257.264

Sala was in her apartment, preparing for some time out with Jim and McCoy. Sala was placing simple silver drop earrings in her ears. It was not common for a Vulcan woman to pierce her ears, but even as a small child Sala admired the complementary aspect that her mother's earrings gave her. Because of this, one of the earlier things that Sala did after arriving on Earth was to have the lobes of her ears pierced. That was seven years ago.

Sala was adjusting her shirt over her jeans before she heard a knock at the door. Looking, at the clock, Sala saw that it read 8:03pm.

"The door is unlocked, Jim," Sala called as she finished fixing her hair. She heard the door open then a voice call out her name.

"Sala? I brought Bones along like you asked," Jim called into the apartment that Sala owned.

"Still can't believe that I let you convince me to come out," McCoy muttered after closing Sala's front door.

"I, however, am thankful that he did, McCoy," Sala said, stepping out into the main room of her apartment.

"You look stunning, Sala," Jim remarked once he turned around.

"Thank you, Jim. And, thank you for coming, McCoy," Sala said before reaching for her coat, "So where are we going to? Knowing you, Jim, I am assuming a bar of some sort?"

"Ah damn, I thought I could surprise you," Jim said sarcastically.

"If we are going to a bar, I'm picking this time. No more seedy places," McCoy said simply before nodding towards Sala, "You ready to go?"

"Yes, to the best of my knowledge I am," Sala said as she put on her coat.

After departing from Sala's apartment, the trio made their way to a moderate bar. It was not too expensive but it was not "seedy" as McCoy described. Jim had dived quite quickly into drinking for the night.

"This is why I asked that you came as well, McCoy," Sala said while gesturing to Jim who was flirting around on the dance floor.

"Yeah, I started to guess as much when Jim mentioned that we would be spending the night out with you," McCoy said, taking a swig of his bourbon.

Sala was taking another sip from her Malibu Beach when Jim sauntered over towards her and McCoy from the dance floor.

"Man some of these girls know how to move," Jim said, his voice slurring ever so slightly from his rushed intake of alcohol. Jim turned to Sala before continuing, "Are you still working on that Malibu Beach?"

"Yes. I do not have the intention of getting more than 'buzzed' as I have to teach tomorrow. You should be showing some restraint as well because you have classes tomorrow. And you need to make sure you are prepared for the Kobayashi Maru," Sala returned simply.

"Whatever. Even so, you should be on like, at least your third drink by now," Jim said before turning towards the bartender, "Get her a Between the Sheets, my good man."

"'Between the Sheets'? Really man? The gal's sippin' a Malibu Beach and you jump her right up to that?" McCoy asked.

"Yeah! Who knows, maybe she'll get tipsy enough to act more human than Vulcan tonight," Jim said with a smirk before looking to his right to face Sala, "Shouldn't be too hard since you're already half-human."

"And yet you have not gotten me to 'act human'. Though, what is it to be human?" Sala asked as she took another swallow of her drink.

"Well, she's being philosophical. I guess you're getting somewhere," McCoy said with a sigh.

The Between the Sheets Jim had ordered for Sala was set down between him and her.

"Right you are finishing both of those," Jim said, pointing between the drink in Sala's hand and the drink on the counter, "In the next fifteen minutes. Then you're gonna come dance with me."

"It is not wise to consume alcohol at such a quick pace, Jim," Sala said simply.

"You're doing it."

"No, I am not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I am not."

"Okay, well, you can either drink them yourself, or I can make you drink them by kissing you," Jim said, lightly flirting.

Sala let out a sigh, "Alright. I suppose I will drink the drinks by my own power."

After fourteen minutes, Sala's two drinks had been consumed as Jim was now pulling the barely tipsy Sala towards the dance floor. With much coaxing, Jim managed to persuade Sala to dance with him for the slower songs.

At some point, while Jim and Sala were on the dance floor, McCoy ducked out, leaving Sala to drag home a severely drunk Jim before she was able to return to her own apartment to sleep off the drinks she had consumed.