Daughter of the Stars

That Damn Test

Stardate 2257.266

Sala was doing some independent research in the library. Her nose was buried in a book when a body flopped down into the chair across from her, letting out a sigh.

"I see you are done with the Kobayashi Maru assessment. How did you do?" Sala asked, already knowing the answer.

Spock was her oldest friend after all and he was a programmer of the exam.

"I failed it," Jim said gruffly, "Got my ship blown up."

"Well, there is no record to any cadet passing the exam yet," Sala noted, placing a bookmark in her book before closing it and looking up at Jim.

"But I was so sure that I was going to be able to beat that test," Jim said, leaning forward onto the table he was sat in front of.

"The exam is not meant to be easy nor simple," Sala noted, "And, you are only in the beginning of your third year in the Academy. Most do not attempt the assessment until they are near the end of their fourth year due to the reputation the assessment holds."

Jim was silent for a moment before speaking again, "Do people typically take the test a second time?"

"Most do not for they believe that they had been as prepared as they ever could have been for the exam," Sala recalled, "And passing the Kobayashi Maru is not a graduation requirement for Cadets on the Command track. It is only required that it is attempted at least once for those who have the intention of becoming a Captain or higher."

"But why wouldn't they take it a second time? They know what's going to happen! They could then plan their strategy from what they know will happen!"

"You are assuming that the exam is programmed with only one track. However, I have not a single doubt that the exam is reactive to what ever the test taker does within the simulation. Therefore, unless a test taker were to give the exact same responses to the exam, it is not likely that the exam will unfold the same way it would have the previous time the exam was taken."

Jim sat in silence once again, a fist propped in front of his lips with the elbow resting on the table. It seemed that he was processing all the information that Sala had relayed to him from her own conclusions.

"I'm gonna take that test again," Jim said simply, dropping his fist to the table.

"If you insist then I suggest that you take the test in two months, not within the next week," Sala said smoothly.

"How did you-?" Jim started to ask.

"You follow far more trends than you believe," Sala said simply.

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Stardate 2257.300

Sala, having a rare day off from needing to teach, was leisurely reading in the living room of her apartment. The silence of the room was broken by a pounding on the door. Sala let out a small breath as she put a bookmark in her book before closing it and getting up to answer the door to her apartment. She was greeted by a very pissed off Jim.

"Am I correct in assuming that you did not pass the test once again?" Sala asked.

"That damn test," Jim growled, before letting out a sigh, "Can I come in?"

"I suppose you being here is preferable to you being out by yourself getting so drunk you do not know what is happening," Sala said before stepping aside and gesturing for Jim to enter her apartment.

Jim walked in before collapsing on one of the couches in the apartment with a thud.

"I'm gonna find so way to beat that damn test," Jim said gruffly.

"Knowing you, Jim, you are going to plan do something rash. I would advise against it but, you tend to follow the trend of only taking the advise which caters to plans you have already created," Sala said, sitting on the love seat that was next to the couch.

Jim let out what was a mix of a chuckle and a sigh, "It's not fair how perceptive you are."

"You should be aware of the fact now that you need persons of reason in your life. This is why you have McCoy and myself as your friends."

"Yeah well, either way I'm gonna find a way to beat that test," Jim carried on.

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Stardate 2258.38

"I'm taking the test again. On the tenth," Jim said in casual conversation as he and Sala were walking across the Starfleet Academy Campus.

"A third time?" Sala asked.

"Yeah. I'm beating it this time," Jim said, as though the fact was obvious.

"Jim, I am not sure that your history with the exam suggests that your third time taking it will mean it is the time you succeed," Sala said softly.

"Is there any way you can be in the observation room for my test?" Jim asked.

"Why do you ask, Cadet? It is not as if I can assist you during the exam," Sala said, a lightly quizzical tone in her voice.

"Can you or can you not?"

"I can attempt, but I cannot guarantee."

"Great. If you do manage it, which, knowing you I think you will, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of my test," Jim said with a smirk.

And with that, Jim sauntered off, most likely to find McCoy.

Sala let out a sigh before shaking her head and heading off towards her apartment that was just off campus.

Much to Sala's surprise, when she approached the door to her apartment, she saw her childhood friend.

"Spock. I was not expecting you to be stopping by," Sala said once she had pulled her apartment key from her bag.

"I apologize for not saying something before my arrival. However, I had realized that is had been a while since we spent some time together outside of the Academy," Spock said as Sala unlocked the door to her apartment.

"I suppose that is not entirely untrue. We spent some time together for your birthday only a month ago," Sala noted as she opened the door and entered her apartment, Spock behind her.

"Even so, the time should be taken outside of campus to see each other," Spock said as he stood near the front door.

"I was not disagreeing with you, Spock," Sala said before sitting in her living room, motioning for Spock to join her, "Coincidentally, I was going to attempt to speak with you tomorrow."

"Is that so?"Spock asked, sitting on the seat adjacent to Sala.

"Yes. A former student of mine asked if I could make the effort to be in the viewing area for their attempt of the Kobayashi Maru exam. I said that I would make the attempt but that I could not guarantee anything."

"What is the name of the Cadet?"

"James T. Kirk. He was a student of mine within his first semester at the Academy."

"I will speak with the other supervisors of his exam but, I do not see an issue. I shall let you know what their opinion is."

"Thank you, Spock," Sala said with a small smile before the two Vulcans turned to more casual conversation.

The two old friends spoke for another hour or two before Spock dismissed himself from Sala's apartment for the evening, bidding her a good night.