Chapter Two

                How weird was that?  This was the thought that plagued me for two weeks after my first official class with Commander Spock. I had his class twice per week, and since the first class he had not been inclined to start another discussion with me. Possibly he lost interest. Possibly he just didn’t care enough to ask further questions. Somehow I didn’t think either of those conclusions were remotely accurate in this situation. He was probably just trying to figure out who I was and where I came from just as much as I had for years after my so called return to Earth. I highly doubted that he would find anything. I certainly hadn’t found anything for years, which is why I gave up.

                I guess you could say I lied to him a bit when I said I didn’t care what was so special about me. I really DID want to know, but hey, somethings just aren’t possible. Besides, I was an orphan, with no background prior to being on Vulcan. I hadn’t even known my own name until I was told that is was Aila.

                I mean, what kind of name is that anyway? Aila. Aila Mor. I looked it up once, trying to figure it out. It had taken awhile, since it is of Scottish origin. The translation being: Aila-resilient place, Mor: great. I guess my name meant great resilient place. Or great resilience. Funny thing that, seeing as how my years in the orphanage were…complicated to say the least. But I didn’t think about those years anymore. They were behind me. I was a Starfleet cadet now. With a promising career ahead of me. Even though I hadn’t quite figured out what exactly I wanted to be. I had been taking classes in pretty much every subject humanly possible…and maybe not quite so humanly possible. I did have a very extreme course-load. After Vulcan studies and before lunch was my only free period.

                I spent most nights up very late doing homework and studying. Thank goodness for having and eidetic memory. I only had to read something once to know it. And oddly, I would actually understand it too, not just memorize it. Apparently it works verbally too though, because I assumed that’s how I learned the Vulcan language. Which brings me back to thinking How weird was that? That last encounter with my professor that rekindled my desire to understand my young past.

                “Aila! You’re still studying?” Tasha asks incredulously coming through the door seeing me on my bed surrounded by books and PADD in hand.

                “Well, yeah. I have twice as many courses as every other cadet I know. So, I’ve kinda gotta keep up if I want to graduate at the same time.” I explain, again, as I have many times before.

                “I still don’t know why you were so determined to take so many classes at once. I didn’t even know that the academy allowed cadets to take so many courses.” She sighs an exasperate sigh, as she always has for the past two years-once a week like clockwork.

                “They don’t-normally.” I repeat to her the same line I always do. “But I had really high test scores, so they let me try it out for a term, and since I was top in all my classes they let me continue.” This time I sigh. “I don’t know why we have to have this discussion once a week like clockwork. You know I’m devoted to my studies. I know you’re going to ask me to go out with you tonight, seeing as it is Friday, and we both know I am going to say no again.”

                “Well, I think you should go out. You need to interact socially amongst your peers as well. Think of it as a learning exercise. You need to know how to interact with other people, aliens, whatever if you want to be assigned to the Enterprise.” This line of logic from her was new tonight, and I hated to admit it, but she actually had a good point. “How well are all your degrees going to be if you can’t talk to people other than me?” She asks, taking a moment to actually look up at me from digging in her closet.

                “Well, I must say, it took you a couple of years, but you have finally made a very reasonable and logical argument for which I cannot think of a rebuttal at the moment.” I reply, going full Vulcan response on her, just to piss her off. I know she hates it, but it amuses me to no end.

                “Hey now, just because you have like a superbrain doesn’t mean you need to get all Vulcanized on me!” She picks up one of her shoes and throws it at me, not hitting me on purpose. We both start laughing.          

                “But seriously, you need to come out with me tonight, because honestly, I don’t think I can take another one of Karen’s sex-capades. I hate going out with her and walking home alone. She always gets picked up by guys!” She complains, as she continues to rummage through her closet to presumably look for something to wear out to the bar tonight.

                “I am NOT going out to a bar. I’m technically not even legal yet, you know that!” I argue with her, knowing full well she will win in the end, only because I admitted to her that she made a logical reason for me to go out.

                “Yes. Yes, you are.” She says sternly, looking up at me dress in hand. “And you are going to wear this.” She throws me a red piece of clothing, one of her dresses, although to me it seems more like a scrap of fabric with strategically placed holes. “And you’re going to look sexy in it because after you take a shower, I am going to do your makeup since you don’t even know how to put on eyeliner.”

                “Yes, mom.” I say, giving in early is the only reasonable thing to do here, considering she is right about the makeup part, I don’t even own anything other than a tube of brown mascara and clear minty lipgloss. “But I AM wearing my minty lipgloss, and you can’t make me not!” I say in retort, allowing myself to save the work on my PADD and get up out of my bed.          

                “You shower first, I’ll take longer, but your hair takes longer to dry.” She reasons. And she’s right. Where she has a short blonde pixie cut, I have dark thick and curly-wavy hair. Honestly, my hair is the one thing I love being vain about. I never let it down around anyone besides Tasha, and I don’t exactly know why, but it just makes me feel safer when no one else sees it down. I feel like my hair is part of my soul. No one else besides my best friend should ever see my soul.

                “Fine. Gothca. Going to shower now.” I get out of the bed and resign myself to taking a quick shower, minus taking care of my hair.

                Not too long after entering I finish with my shower, brush out my hair and take the blow dryer to the room to use while Tasha starts taking her shower. It takes her thirty minutes to shower and me just as long to blow dry my hair. I then start to braid my hair into a single French braid dragging it over my right shoulder when Tasha comes out yelling.

                “No. No. No. You are NOT wearing your beautiful hair in a braid. You are wearing your hair DOWN.” She says sternly, and I almost agree with her. Almost.

                “You look ridiculous trying to boss me around in a towel.” I point out, trying to avoid the subject. “So this red, skimpy red dress is what you want me to wear?” I ask, trying to make sure she stays off the subject of my hair while she starts to pull her dress on.

                “Yup. And you’re going to wear these heels with it too.” She picks up a pair of black stiletto heels. By all means they are pretty plain to look at, except that they are about six inches tall and I have never, I repeat never, worn heels with that much heel before. In fact, the only heels I have ever worn were wedges on the day of my high school graduation. And the only reason I wore those was because every single person in my graduating class was about four inches taller than me-seeing as how I was only about fourteen when I graduated high school.

                “Ugh. I’m only going to allow you to put those death contraptions on my feet if I can wear my hair in a braid.” I say, trying to bargain with her. “You know how I feel about my hair.” I point out, by this time she has gone into the bathroom and started applying her makeup, which sadly, won’t take near as long as her shower, considering she is an expert.

                “Hmmm.” I hear her consider loudly, as if to make a point. “Fine, I’ll let you continue to be weird about your hair feels like a physical representation of your soul and blah blah if you wear the heels.”

                “Good. Now, let’s get this torture over with that you call doing my makeup.” I say, going to the bathroom, taking a chair with me, noticing she is putting on the final layer of human paint on her face.

                “Good. Now sit.” She says, pointing at the chair I’ve brought with me.

                So I let her do my makeup. I try not to make any complaints. After about fifteen minutes she says she’s finally done giving me a makeover and orders me to go put on the dress before she will allow me to look in the mirror. I do as she bids.

                “Now open your eyes and turn around to see the magnificence that is you.” She says rather dramatically.

                I turn around and don’t even recognize myself. I mean, it’s me, but it’s not me. I look older, just a bit. I look mature. I look, well I look hot. She did honestly do an excellent job. She knew just how to accent my features, and my eyes. The thing that astonishes me the most, is that she didn’t go overboard. I look natural. The main difference is the eyeliner and smoky eye effect she has added to my face. I can’t help but to admire myself looking like this. It’s a new feeling.

                “Wow.” Is all I can mutter.

                “Yup, I know, you’re welcome by the way.” She flashes me a huge grin before returning to the room. “Now get out here and put on your heels and grab your s**t. We are going to go rock the house and you’re going to steal all the attention away from Karen and make her uber jealous.”

                “Alright fine let’s go.” I say, putting on my heels and then grabbing my stuff. She hands me a little black purse and I put my minty lipgloss in it along with my I.D. and card that has my credits loaded on it.

                When we finally get to the bar I feel like I am in another world. There is loud music playing and the lights are so dim that I can’t help but squint a little. Is it supposed to be purposely darker in here? I wonder to myself. Tasha walks up to the bar to order drinks and I follow suit, not knowing what to do exactly, and thanking the powers that be for stools being at the bar. I needed to sit down, the heels were killing me.

                “So, what’ll it be ladies?” The bartender asked, peering at me in particular with what I could only assume to be lustful eyes.

                “Ummm..” I started, not knowing what the heck to say, because I know if I said water I would be appropriately chastised by Tasha, and I didn’t know what would be the least alcoholic thing I could order.

                “I’ll have a Cardasian sun-rise and she’ll have a glass of Klingon blood wine.” Tasha quickly interjects, saving me from the embarrassment of not knowing what to order.

                “Alrighty. One Cardasian sunrise and one glass of Klingon blood wine coming right up!” The bartender repeats the order back to us and quickly turns around to start making our drinks, not using a replicator.

                “So ladies, how are you tonight?” I hear a leering voice ask from behind me.

                “Oh we’re doing just fine, how about you, Jim?” Tasha answers while I turn around to see the face that belongs to the slightly drunk sounding voice.

                “Oh, I’m just fine babe, as I can see you are too, why don’t you introduce me to your new friend?” He asks boldly, not realizing he knows me.

                “Well, Jim, my friend here has a name. I’m kinda surprised you don’t recognize Aila, and I don’t think your pick up lines are going to work on her, sorry.” Tasha responds in kind. Then she plasters on a sly grin. “Though, you know that already, don’t you?” He blanched, she laughed.

                “S**t. I didn’t, I’m sorry Mor, I didn’t even recognize you. I mean, you’re wearing MAKEUP and s**t and god I’m an idiot.” Kirk rambles.

                “Yeah, kinda, Kirk, but that’s why we love to hate you. I’ll just sit here and drink my wine.” I say, just as our drinks arrive at the bar. I take a drink of my wine and notice that its quite strong, but I think I’ll need it to stay relaxed in this crazy place.

                “You wanna come dance with me, Tasha?” Kirk recovered finally and slipped back into a flirtatious mode. Typical Jim.

                “Maybe, If Leo’s with you anyway.” She smiled slyly.

 “I mean, just leave me here all alone, why don’t you?” I say sardonically, knowing that she’s just messing around and won’t actually go off with him. Not Kirk anyway. Leo? Maybe. She’s been in love with Leo for forever.

                “Yeah, I think she’s right, Kirk, I don’t think I should leave her here by herself.” She mocks, looking at me then back at him. “So you should probably go and try to pick up someone else. Better luck next time?” She winks at him.

                “I’ll get you yet Tasha.” He winks back at her. He’s joking, well, somewhat.

                “So, enjoying your wine?” Tasha asks me as he leaves, wryly.

                “It’s a bit strong, but I do actually like the taste.” I reply, looking back down at the glass I notice in this short amount of time I’ve pretty much downed almost all of it. Luckily the bartender comes back around our way just in time.

                “Another round?” Tasha asks the bartender. He complies and turns back around to busy himself with his job.

                “So why did I have to come out with you tonight if we are just going to sit here and drink?” I ask.

                “Because tonight is karaoke night. And you’re going to come out of your shell. You’re going to sing, get drunk, sing some more, and all the while talk to people. Because they are going to want to talk to you.” She replies confidently. “But first, we’ve got to properly prepare for karaoke. Which means drinking more first.” Ahh so that was what the loud horrible singing was when we came in. Drunk people attempting to sing.

                “I don’t see why I have to sing.” I reply, just as our next round of drinks comes up.

                “Because I say you do.” She says. “So, you know that was Captain Kirk, right, of the enterprise?” She asks, knowing full well I had deduced that fact. “You know he’s probably here with some of his crew. I heard they were having a little get together tonight.” Ahh so that’s why she wanted me to out tonight and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She wanted a wingman that wouldn’t try to steal her big crush from her.

                “I get it. You want to try and snag up the doctor. McCoy, right?” I ask her, knowing full well that is exactly who she wants.

                “Maybe. Maybe not.”

                “Well don’t let me stand in your way. I just sit here and enjoy my wine.” I was already halfway done with my second glass, and I was definitely feeling it.

                “Go put up a song. Don’t argue. You have a beautiful voice; I’ve heard you sing to yourself. Just go.” I don’t even bother arguing with her. She’s started to become intoxicated as well, and sober she is a force to be reckoned with trying to debate. I wouldn’t dream of it now.

                “Alright. Fine.” I say. I down the rest of my wine and walk over to the karaoke machine. I look for the song I want to sing and punch my name in next to it. I’ll be up in two songs. I walk back over to our seats to notice that Tasha has left the bar, new drink in hand. Presumably to go talk to McCoy and flirt with him shamelessly.

                “Can I get you another blood wine?” I hear the bartender ask.

                “Yeah, sure, thanks.” He turns around, quickly gets my drink and brings it to me. I start to get a bit nervous about singing. The person who is singing now sounds wonderful. I look up and note that it is Lt. Uhura, the best linguist known to Starfleet at the time. I guess she still hung out with the crew of the Enterprise, even though she’d been assigned to the Farragot after the Khan incident. Everyone heard the rumors about her transfer. She’d requested it apparently because she didn’t want to be on the same ship with her ex-boyfriend-the Vulcan. Commander Spock. Then again, there was a rumor that Kirk had requested her back and she’d accepted after a bit. There was also a rumor going around that she was dating him, or hooking up or something like that.

                I drink the rest of my blood wine just as I hear the automatic voice from the karaoke machine call out my name and song.

                “Aila Mor singing the band Sugarland’s Something More.” It announces.

                “WHooooo!” I hear cheering throughout the bar. But I’m no longer nervous. Guess Tasha was right about the alcohol. Liquid courage has its merits.

                I start to sing as if I didn’t realize there were actually people in the bar. I love the song and it’s perfect for my voice range. When I finished there was a very loud sounding round of cheering, and some people requesting an encore. I step off the mini stage and head back to the bar, noticing Tasha standing there chatting with a man.

                “Great job! You really do have a beautiful voice.” Tasha says, looking at me with drunk eyes. How many drinks have you had in the past few minutes? Shots presumably guessing by the little glasses on the bar next to you. Good lord.

                “A voice great for country music after my southern gentleman’s heart.” The man chatting with her looks at me and says with a very pronounced southern accent. Yup that’s Dr. Leonard McCoy alright.

                “Umm…thanks.” I reply sheepishly, not used to accepting praise like that. I turn around to the bar and get the bartender’s attention. “Can I get another glass of blood wine? Thanks.”

                “So some of the crew’s gonna go out to the condo in a bit, ya’ll wanna come too?” Dr. McCoy asks. An after party of the bar party? Yeah, no I don’t think so.

                “Yes! No, don’t look at me like that Aila, you’ve got to come. You only sang one song anyway!” Tasha looks at me with pleading puppy dog eyes.

                “I need to get back to the academy soon. I still have homework and stuff to do.” I tell her. I may be drunk, but I’m not stupid. I have work to do tomorrow.

                “Ugh, you and your stupid class load.” She grunts.

                “What are you majoring in again?” Dr. McCoy asks, although drunk, he is still coherent and sharp. Obviously used to drinking.

                “Oh the better thing to ask her is what she isn’t majoring in. Which the only answer to that is Medicine. Because she already has a degree for that before she decided to join Starfleet.” Tasha says, almost jealously.

                “Oh really? You look a little young to be have a doctorate in medicine.” Dr. McCoy says, studying me intently now.

                “Yeah, I am. But I graduated high school really early. Medicine seemed the logical choice. Then someone convinced me to join Starfleet one night and I just said, why the heck not?” I responded, then gulped down half of my wine in one drink.

                “Well damn, smarty over here has it all going for her. Beauty, brains, best of both worlds.” He says, looking at me intently before turning back to Tasha to give her a kiss on the cheek.

                “Um, yeah, thanks. But honestly, I think I need to get back, at any rate.” I say, hoping that Tasha takes the hint in her drunken stupor. She’d been drinking Cardasian sunrises and shots of something else the whole time.

                “Do you think you can make it back by yourself? I really want to go to the condo with them.” Tasha asks, again with puppy dog eyes, noting that I wouldn’t agree to go with them, even in the state that she’s in now. You really want me to go back alone? Seriously? Fine, alright then.

                “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” I reply. I’m upset, but I realize she’s finally gotten the man of her dreams clinging on her and how could I screw that up? “I’ll just take a cab back to campus.” I wave the bartender down so I can pay for my bill and grab my communicator out of my-Tasha’s-purse. I need to call a cab.

                “Well, have a goodnight you guys. It was nice meeting you outside of the academy Dr. McCoy.” I say, nodding in his direction, amazed at my ability to stand up straight.

                “Call me Leo, hun. Have a good night.” He says, then looks at me more intently, “you sure you’ll be alright catching a cab alone?” He looks more serious.

                “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I already punched in the code for one. Should be here soon. Have a good night you guys.” I reply, a little dismayed that Tasha is just going to stay with them, but happy for her nonetheless. I head out the door from the bar and noticed a cab waiting outside. Damn, that was pretty fast. They must have them on standby or something.

                I open the door of the cab and climb inside. “Starfleet academy, third year cadet dorms please.” I say, knowing that he probably knows exactly where to go having shuttled many cadets there in his time.

                “Sure thing missy.” He replies, not even bothering to glance back as he shifts the car into gear and punches in the destination, letting automatic drive take over.

                We finally arrive at the campus and I pay the driver his due. It’s just a short walk from the drop off, through the courtyard, and into the dorm area. It’s actually nice and peacefully quiet out. I look up at the night sky, looking at the stars. The lights in the courtyard make it a little harder to see than if it was completely dark, but I love looking at the stars anyway. Pretty soon I’ll be up there. Soon I’ll soar through the stars.

                “Hey missy, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone at night?” I hear a voice say as I’m walking through the courtyard. I stop frozen in place.

                “Walking home, thanks.” I say, seeing a man come out from the shadows of the two buildings on either side of me. Creep.

                “Well, allow me to escort you home, beautiful.” He says, obviously drunk.

                “I’m good, thanks.” I say, finding the courage to resume walking, I do. I look down at my digital watch and notice that it’s about midnight. Five hours until I need to get up and start my daily routine. Well I guess I can push it to six. Tomorrow is Saturday after all. Lost in my own thoughts, walking towards my dorm area, I don’t even notice that creepy dude is following me until he speaks again.

                “You shouldn’t be out here walking alone so late little miss. Let me help you.” He says, and his tone sets a fear through me like nothing else. Because, just then, he grabs my arm pretty hard and continues walking, almost dragging me with him, but not in the direction I want to go.

                “Hey! Let go of me.” I yell. Trying to get his hard grip on my arm to loosen. It doesn’t. “Let go!”

                “I don’t think so little lady. A girl like you isn’t out here all alone unless they want to be found.” He says, seriously scaring me now, leading me away to a building I’ve never even bothered to notice before.

                “Hey, LET GO OF ME!” I say, swatting at him and trying to disentangle my arm from his grasp. All to no avail as he pushes me up against the wall of the building we had come to.

                “Naw, I don’t think so.” He says, and he’s so close I can smell the alcohol in his breath, putrid. He has me pinned against the wall and is in front of me now. I decide the only thing I can do now is kick him in the balls. Which I do. And he screams.

                “You little f*****g B***H! You’re gonna pay for that, w***e!” He slaps me across the face, hard enough to draw blood from my lip as I was trying to get away from him. This can’t be happening again. Not again. Please no.

                “Let me leave.” I say, oddly calm. Not even fighting after the slap I just received. He doesn’t let me go. Instead he starts groping me again. I shut down then. It’s happening again and all I can do is shut down.               

                “Come one now, little s**t!” He says as he starts to kiss on me. I just slump down. I’m not even trying to fight, I know he’ll lose interest “Hey now, where was that fire you had just a moment ago?” He asks as he slaps me again and grabs my arms to stand me up again. I don’t move. I allow him to stand me up, but I don’t respond. He starts to kiss my neck. I don’t respond. He slaps me again.

                “Come on, b***h fight back!” He says, slapping me again. I whimper. He seems to like that. “That’s right, make noise for me b***h.” He howls, loudly. I don’t move.

                Just as the guy starts to kiss on me again and grope on me and I think that it’s going to happen all over again, he gets torn from in front of me. I hear a voice but don’t move.

                “What exactly do you think you are doing to this young woman?” The new man says, I notice blankly that he has him by the shirt in the air and the creepy guy looks frightened beyond belief. I still don’t move though.

                “Uh-uh nothing, sir. Just having a bit of fun with the girl.” He responds, whimpering.

                “As I am sure, seeing as how she is standing there with a blank look, bloodied, and red handprints on her face.” The man holding creepy guy growls. “Are you a cadet at the academy?”

                “Ye-yes sir.” Creepy guy responds sniveling now, still in the air. The man puts him back on the ground but does not let go of him.

                “What is your name, cadet?” The man asks.

                “Robertson. Cadet Klye Robertson.” Creepy guy resonds, softly.

                “Well, Cadet Robertson. You will be going to the brig tonight, and tomorrow you will be expelled from the academy, as well as brought up on charges.” The man says, holding creepy guy with one hand now, and getting a device out from his pocket and dialing a number. He murmurs words into the device and not even five minutes goes by until a few people come up and grab creepy guy to pull him away with them. The man then comes up to me, still standing against the wall.

                “Cadet,” he says, looking at me quizzically. “Cadet Mor?” He asks, as if questioning me. I don’t look at him. I just keep looking ahead of him. “Cadet Mor?” He says again, this time grabbing my shoulders. I snap then.

                “Don’t touch me!” I yell, pushing him off of me. 

                “Cadet Mor you will look at me and tell me what happened.” He says pointedly. I look up at him and something in me snaps. I recognize him, I recognize what I must look like, and what he must’ve seen. I start sobbing.

                “Cadet Mor, look at me and explain what just happened. Why did you not fight back?”

                I look up at him through the tears, noticing he had let go of me. “Commander Spock?” I ask.

                “Yes. Tell me, why did you not fight that man off?”

                “They-they like it when you fight.” I say through the sobs. “It’s just easier to not fight. Less pain that way.” I say, dropping down to the ground.

                He looks at me with a raw look of anger. Something I never thought I’d see from a Vulcan. I can’t help but continue to sob. He pulls out his communicator again and starts yelling into it. I only hear the last part of what he says.

                “I do not care, Dr. McCoy. Give yourself a hypo and go to my condo. She is in no condition to go to the Med Bay.” He pauses. “No, she was not. She just needs a doctor and not to be in a room full of people. Just get to my condo as soon as possible.” He puts the communicator back into his pocket forcibly.

                “Ms. Mor, will you accompany me so that you might be taken care of? I assume you would rather not go to the Med Bay?” He asks, knowing it already.

                “Yes, thank you.” I say, getting up, still crying a bit.

                “Good. Dr. McCoy will meet us at my condo and examine you.” He says as he escorts me towards a building I’ve never been to before.