Star Trek: To Boldly Go Where No Girl Has Gone Before (TOS Fanfic)

Chapter 1 - Follow Your Star

08.01.2020

Grace was no ordinary girl. For as long as she could recall, she had always been deeply fascinated with space. She was retro and nostalgic and futuristic, all entwined into one single person. And above all, she loved Star Trek with her whole heart, particularly the Original Series. 

Growing up, she had often been labeled as a nerd and bullied because of this, always feeling misunderstood by everyone for having different tastes in music, books, fashion...you name it. Her dad, it seemed, was the only person in the universe who shared these things with her. At a young age, he had introduced her to classic rock, old television shows, and The Beatles. But the biggest thing they shared was their love for Star Trek among other sci-fi films and shows. It was on this particular night in which she passed her dad who was completely absorbed in an episode of Space 1999, reliving his childhood. Typical. She rolled her eyes in jest and headed outside for a walk to clear her head. 

Ever since finishing college, Grace had moved back home to her small midwestern town of 500. Grace was an Iowa girl, born and raised. She had made the trek down to Nashville to kick start a career in music but had come home beaten down, defeated and unemployed. Grace never wanted it said that she was a quitter but city life was competitive, expensive and not-so-kind to a simple farm girl like Grace. She had left so young, so cocky, so passionate and ambitious, ready to conquer the world, to shake her dusty little town in Iowa off her feet and see the world...to no long be a big fish stuck inside a fishbowl. Instead she had come crawling back tired, heartbroken and aged ten years in three years time, a little fish neglected in the Great Barrier Reef. Nearly all of her peers, it seemed, had headed off to Iowa State to study agriculture or medicine or something "practical" after high school. Either that or they were going into education. It was always Grace, why don't you follow in your family's footsteps and be a teacher like your father or your grandfather? That would really make a difference! As if the world didn't need art or music. Grace heaved a heavy sigh. The fact was, she wasn't interested in "making a difference." All she wanted to do was to create. She was starting a full-time office job next week to start paying on her student loans. The plan was, if she worked extra hard, Grace hoped she'd have enough money saved up to move out in a year or two. But to where, Grace had no idea. She just knew that she wanted out of Iowa. 

As her sneakers padded lightly through the freshly cut grass, Grace took in a deep breath of fresh air. As much as she wanted to leave her town, it wasn't all bad. In fact, though she'd never admit it, Grace had been homesick a lot of her time living in Nashville. She never thought she'd miss the sunsets and cornfields of her little town, but she found herself daydreaming about them often. There was a big field at the end of the street Grace lived on and this was one of many nights she loved to come out and take long walks there. Usually she'd come out with her fellow artist and best friend since first grade and they'd talk into the late hours of the night but unfortunately tonight, her chum was tied up at her dead end job so Grace pressed on alone. It was a full moon that evening and the skies were clear and full of constellations, the perfect night for shooting stars. Grace had seen many but it seemed that more of them happened when she wasn't looking. 

She settled down on her favorite spot in the dirt, where she liked to lie down and gaze at the night sky. The night was silent except for the occasional cricket and fireflies permeated the empty field, each shimmering at slightly different times and thus creating a sparkling effect like something out of a Disney movie. 

Grace smiled. Here was one of the only places she felt truly at peace. These days, it had been difficult for Grace to wake up in the morning. She had been home and unemployed for months now and depression had begun to set in. Grace struggled with bipolar disorder and because of this, she was easily swayed by emotion. Of course this didn't mean she couldn't lead a normal life as it was a large spectrum and Grace was diagnosed on the more mild side. However, that didn't mean that for her life was a consistent cakewalk. Change was difficult for Grace as she liked to be in control of things and micromanage every aspect of her life. Because this was impossible, Grace had learned how to cope and it had gotten easier the older she got. It still pained her to know that everything she had planned for, everything she had dreamed about for years and worked so hard to achieve seemed so far out of reach now and because of this, she felt like a failure and her life was spiralling out of control. She tried to look on the bright side. At least she had a job. At least she had a home and a family who supported and loved her. At least she was alive. The last thought made her tear up without even realizing it as there had been times in her life in which she had contemplated suicide. Though she had never actually made attempts of any kind, it didn't take a lot to see that Grace was not living her best life. Tears burned her eyes and she cursed herself for thinking that way again. Stupid Grace! She thought. You have to pull yourself together! Stop having these negative thoughts. You should be glad you have the chance to wake up every morning. Be glad that there is beauty in life.