Vehemence

Chapter 2

Enterprise

"Hi." The Captain, himself, greeted me as I walked out the shuttle that flew me to the Enterprise. "Hi." I said airily, grinning at him, "Good to see you, Captain Kirk."

He was in complete uniform, hair fixed back and face clean shaven. He had a lot more professional stance today than he did yesterday. A small smile was tugging on his lips that felt welcoming and excited.

"Good to see you too, Lieutenant Nova." He said with a quiet chortle. He gently placed a hand on the small of my back, escorting me through the halls while he tries to make small talk. "Are you ready for your first day?" He asked, briefly giving me a glance. "Nervous," I breathed nervously, "but I'll be okay soon... Still adjusting."

"I'm sure you'll adjust well and fast," he said confidently. He cocked his head a little to the right, like someone inviting you to some secret place. "Let's go here, I'll have you meet someone."

We walked through what felt like endless halls, well-lit with smooth-looking surfaces from ceiling down to the floor. The Captain would tell me a little detail about every significant person that we saw on our way and I would just nod quietly to signal I was listening and mentally taking notes. Finally, we stopped in front of an entryway towards an enclosed room that looked like an office.

"Good morning, Spock!" The Captain shouted with an intention to be heard without repeating himself, and at the same time knocking on the door once before letting himself in without giving the other person inside the room any chance to even say, 'come in.' He motioned for me to follow after him with yet another slight tilt of his head. I hesitantly followed, standing right next to him in front of a desk. I was greeted with a look of... just nothing from this man with pointed ears and pointed eyebrows as well.

Strange... I usually could guess emotions but this man had none. And he seemed awfully familiar. I thought, wondering to myself.

"To what reason would the Captain be going here for, unannounced?" He asked, looking at the Captain and then at me. His voice was deep and monotonous, also something I've heard before. I wondered even more what his relationship was with the Captain, because, to me, his statement sounded so cold and unwelcoming, like he didn't want the Captain interrupting whatever he was doing, and he didn't exert the slightest effort to even hide it. They had to be pretty close for him to be that comfortable to say things like that.

As I raked my brain for answers, a memory popped into my head and the itch was solved: Ah! Professor Spock. Vulcan Studies. How could I not remember --- I laughed mentally, What is there to remember when I would always fall asleep in his class? I snorted, causing both of them to look at me.

I cleared my throat and mumbled an embarrassed "sorry."

"Lieutenant Nova, I am making you a Science officer and you will be under this nice man right here, Commander Spock." The Captain said enthusiastically, gesturing at the professor. "Commander Spock, this is Lieutenant Nova, a very well trained, straight-A graduate, recommended by the Admiral himself. I put her into your responsibility." He continued on, introducing me to the professor.

"If I may speak, Captain, another science officer would be totally unnecessary, especially one under my care, as I did not ask for and do not require any assistance in any form, especially not from a --- forgive me for a lack of better word --- newly graduate with no significant amount of experience. "

I scrunched my nose. Everything he said was true but I found it insulting that he had to say it right at my face. The apology was no use at all.

"That's exactly your duty, Spock, to give her experience. Come on, we all start at nothing." The Captain pushed persistently. "I'm sorry, Captain, but is there anywhere else I could be placed? I believe my presence would only be unacknowledged in this office and as he said it, he does not need any assistance." I said, trying not to make rude comments at the professor.