Work Text:
“Science doesn’t work that way,” came a male but older voice over his shoulder.
“Well Mr Spock, not everyone is a genius at science,” Cadet Miller sarcastically said. “Knock it off, Trevor.”
The hair on the back of Miller’s neck stood up. The hair on his wrist froze as it too stood up. A cold chill went down his skin. It then occurred to the cadet that he was alone. Who was in the room with him? He didn’t hear the doors wooshing open. A part of him was terrified on whether or not to turn around. His heart started to race. Someone had somehow entered the shared quarters through the air vents. Trevor would be the only one crazy enough to do so.
One of his closest friends. Who knew how exactly to scare Miller. It was one of his specialties. Miller can feel the presence dissipated from within the room. Miller was frozen where he sat. It felt as though he would never move again. His bones did not cooperate with his minds command. His hand gripping on the stylist. His other hand on the table now cold almost covered in icicles. The temperature in the room began to heat up from the cold and cool air. Miller was unable to move. He had just spoken to a ghost. The doors whooshed open behind the man.
“Miller, you won’t believe what CARL IS DRESSED UP AS!” Trevor came over to the young man’s side. He plopped on to the neighboring bed. “he is dressed up as Merida. Looks like his curly ginger hair actually fit his costume for once,” the man had a laugh. “and Dorothy is dressed up as Dorothy. And Instructor Stevik is said to be in his ‘tin man’ costume.” Trevor laughed, with his legs crossed sitting on the edge of the bed. He noticed that Miller was not responding. “Hey, whats up?”
Trevor leaned forward in concern noticing the look on the man’s face.
“The Academy is haunted,” Miller said.
“You’re joking,” Trevor said.
“I don’t joke about the dead!” Miller turned in the betazoid’s direction once slapping the table. “That’s just unacceptable to joke about a place being haunted even for Terrans.”
“You sure you okay?” Trevor asked, concerned.
Miller stood up.
“Remember those stories we heard about the singing in linguistics? And the flying books in the library floating like someone was carrying them? Talking in one of the halls late in the morning? The mess halls being loud late at night when no one is there? Voices of people you never met calling your name out? Remember the stories that the security officers said? First year, first Halloween, I should have gone to the medical corps!”
“That was a prank by a admiral,” Trevor sad. “and that was just talk.”
“What if it wasn’t?” Miller asked,
“I am sure it is not,” Trevor said.
“I heard a old man’s voice while doing my assignment. I sensed his presence. I sensed his goddamn presence. He was hovering over my shoulder peeking at my homework! AND HE SAYS I SUCK AT SCIENCE! I am not the only one who thinks Science is not my strong suit. The dead agrees with me.” he paced back and forth in the room.
“And what did you say?” Trevor asked.
“You know what I would say.” Miller glared, rubbing the back of his neck.
“That’s just farfetched.” Trevor said.
“He didn’t reply, “ Miller stopped. “As though . . I called him out.”
“Come on,”Trevor stood up from the bed placing a hand onto the shorter man’s shoulder. “you need a drink,” he smiled, reassuringly. “there’s a bar across that is only open for Halloween days and reverts to its no cadets allowed stance.”
“Maye I do. . .” Miller said. “I have been studying up late.”
“Uh huh,” Trevor nodded. “you do.” he scanned the man. “Come on. Your roommate Jessica is dying to see you dance in that Santa’s elf costume.”
“It’s Legolas Greenleaf,” Miller corrected.
“I bet people will love your costume,” Trevor said, as he guided Miller out of the quarters.
Every year without fail, instructor Stevik would experience a prank in one form or another. Malevolent, harmless pranks. The Vulcan would be disgracing his mother if he claimed it was not amusing. The most amusing of his tenure in the academy was finding black cats lining his pitch black home. He found the color black aesthetically pleasing. Non changing, constant color. Not to bright on his eyes. Pumpkins decorating the entrance of his home and small pumpkins that multiplied like tribbles. Stevik looked forward to the prank.
The Academy was homely in some retrospects to the Vulcan. One hundred sixty three years old and the academy never got stale for him. In the next twenty years he will be ready to retire off and have someone take his place. Going to a mostly Earth like civilization that was identical in landscape to what Earth had been in the late 20th century and was actively using population control to keep the landscape and environment intact (Not that it was needed, most of the people went out into space to explore). The instructor entered the academy to see it was decorated in his favorite color. Black. And orange. The Halloween decorations were hanging on the walls, to the ceilings, and the windows. Some of them were set in the middle of the hall looking so incredibly life like.
Stevik nodded, approvingly.
Aesthetically pleasing.
“The decorations look well done,” came a woman’s voice.
Stevik looked over to see a cadet dressed up as Michael Burnham from the late 2250′s. The costuming was well done. The hairstyle was right on point. The light gray deltas on the side stood out like chainmail to the Vulcan. Her hands were locked behind her back in a military like style. Her eyebrows were thick and human like as though she was in the middle of the point in her life finding who she is. The cadet had gone deep into her persona. A pleased hint of a smile crept on the Vulcan’s face.
“It is,” Stevik said. “your costume is accurate.”
“And yours is very well done,” the cadet replied.
“This is not a costume,” Stevik said.
“A black dress that has shadow tendrils?” the cadet said.
“This is my usual evening-wear,” Stevik said. “my morning wear is mostly different to accept.”
“I can accept different,” the cadet said. “The Vulcan Academy never did for me.”
“We were bad back then,” Stevik shook his head. “I feel more mobile in this. My morning wear is different. . .” he looked back on toward the Halloween decorations. “I love Halloween. In fact if I could wear my morning wear every day for Halloween I would.”
“It looks terrifying?” the cadet asked, raising a eyebrow.
“The cadets say,” Stevik said. “some of them compare me to this fictional Snape and Morticia. Say black makes my skin stand out,” he looked over toward the cadet. “Is there a captains Halloween party I don’t know of happening tonight?”
“It is that time of year again,” was all she replied.
“Good,” Stevik said. “I am going as Terrel tonight.”
“Admiral Terrel?” the cadet repeated.
“Yes,” Stevik said. “we share some striking familiarizes.” The cadet looked up toward him with both eyebrows raised.
“You have hair, sir,” the cadet said.
“So?” Stevik asked. “I can shave it.”
“I don’t know about baldness agreeing with you,” the cadet said, amusingly. “There is a better star fleet captain you can go as.”
“Ooh?” Stevik said. “Do go on.”
The cadet stood on the tips of her boots then whispered into the instructor’s ear. Stevik raised his eyebrow at the suggestion then lowered it.
“Instructor!” came Mildred.
“Yes, cadet Mildred?” Stevik turned from the cadet toward the taller cadet.
“Why are you talking to thin air?” Mildred asked. Stevik raised an eyebrow in return, bewildered.
“I am not talking to thin air, this is cadet--” Stevik turned in the direction where the shorter cadet once stood and there was nothing there. He looked toward the taller cadet. “There was a cadet right here.” he gestured toward thin air.
“There wasn’t.” Mildred said.
“This was the annual prank, wasn’t it?” Stevik asked, glaring upon the taller cadet.
“No, Mr Stevik,” Mildred said, then turned toward the group of Andorians and then back toward the short Vulcan. “but be assured, the prank is not going to make you look crazy. Catch you on the flipside!”
Mildred finger gunned back at the instructor walking away backwards. Mildred was in a blue suit with a purple fabric poking out of the breast pocket. Stevik turned back in the direction where the cadet he had been speaking to. Stevik shook his head then carried on toward the classroom that he was originally going in. It was a unique experience. Perhaps the rumors were true. The Academy was haunted. At the least visited by Star Fleet officers from beyond the grave during the time of Halloween.
Mildred went into the library. A most magical place for a bookworm to be in even for someone seeking ideas to create a costume for a play or for a event where one dresses up for the occasion. It was quiet and large. Mildred smiled thinking of a perfect prank for the library for her final year. Her dark curly hair cascading on her shoulders. She had light brown skin and dark freckles decorating her face. She was dressed up as a wizard with the blue decorated long hat and the blue robes with stars patterned in. She had her wand sticking out of a pocket to the side. She looked in the books finding the perfect novel that could go with he costume just for the night. Her Andorian friends were preparing to prank the lot.
“I think you can go the recently discovered epic Merlin and the Magic Carpet’s adventure,” came a deep, staccato voice.
Mildred turned to see a white man with curly silver hair and a rounded build. His hands were behind his back. His dark instructor uniform fitting his figure snugly that happened to not have a sign of Halloween on it. The instructors at the academy were known to enjoy it. She had to attend to her class of the day in fourteen minutes. His hazel eyes were looking upon her, and on the other hand, he looked like a love-able eccentric grandfather figure. She raised her thin eyebrow at him.
“I have not heard of that,” Mildred said.
“Well, it’s just being introduced,” the instructor went over to the side then tipped out a novel with yellow stars decorating the blue frame. It was hard back. Her eyes started to widen. “Personally, I love it,” he slowly approached the woman. “Has the right amount of magic, beauty, world building,adventure, classic feel to it, friendship, and everything that would be expected for a Arthur and Merlin tale.”
“That good?” Mildred asked.
“Yes,” the instructor said. “I am a little biased but it would look good with your costume.”
“Thanks,” Mildred said. “I designed it myself.”
“What kind of fabric did you use?” the instructor asked.
“Captain’s gold, starry night, sea blue,” Mildred said, taking the novel. Her eyes became large as a chill went down her hands. “God, you are cold! I can see why you’re dressed up as a instructor. You’re dressed up as a cold instructor!”
“That I am,” the instructor said, with a nod.
Mildred looked down toward the novel flipping it over to see that it read: “You will enjoy this novel, Admiral. Enjoy it as I have with it. Signed. M. B.” she looked up from the novel to see that the instructor was miraculously gone. She blinked bringing it close to her chest. She looked both ways feeling a little spooked then turned around and walked away.
“What is bothering you?” Jessica asked, eying at the distracted cadet.
“Miller said there was a old guy in his room,” Trevor said, finally.
“Oh, don’t be surprised,” Jessica said. She was dressed up as Belle with the yellow dress on fitting her figure and performing a well done homeage even to her hair. Her bangs were well combed. She leaned forward making the dress swing forth. “He is stressed over the upcoming final.”
“I like to not believe him but he hardly ever lies to me,” Trevor said. “And he hardly imagines things like that when he is stressed.”
“Look at him dancing on the bar,” Jessica said.
“That’s him fully relaxed and intoxicated,” Trevor said. “when he is really stressed, he gets facts mixed up and the strain is hard on his eyes. You have no idea how many times this year we had to go to the doctor to get those nerve vessels repaired.”
“That has been. . . forty-three times,” Jessica said.
“THEY’VE TAKEN THE HOBBTS TOOO---” Miller sang.
“ISENGARD!” the other cadets finished, loudly.
“You keep track?” Trevor said.
“What is there to life if you find some predictably in the unpredictable,” Jessica said. “poor cadet,” Trevor picked up a glass and took a sip from it. “He is going to have a bad hang over.”
“TO ISANGARD!” Miller sang.
“Uh huh,” Trevor said. “I am going wait another hour until I take him back to your room.”
“Make sure he doesn’t puke on my bed,” Jessica said, in disgust.
“Oh, I sure will,” Trevor said, his attention on the dancing tall human. Trevor took a sip from the glass. “When I said to make him relax, I fully meant it.” and bobbed his head following to the repetitive song tapping his fingers against the wood.
Carl and Robert were in the morgue taking down the Halloween decorations. Dorothy had her miniature sehlat in the little basket who she was gently stroking. The small sehlat was smiling looking in both ways, curiously. The little sehlat had little curls decorating its dark furry body. There was a cold chill in the air that both of the officers were silently ignoring and were familiar to. The doors to the morgue opened and no came in. She turned in the direction of the doors. Her dark brown curled braids were laid on her shoulders.
“We should leave,” Dorothy said.
“It’s a malfunction,” Carl said.
“Don’t be scared,” Robert said, as she put the decorations into the box. “it’s going to be fixed tomorrow night.”
“I sure hope it won’t remain this way,” Dorothy said. “I have to work here for the donated bodies that science gave us.”
“Coward,” Carl said. “you should be used to this by now.”
“Would you?” Dorothy said.
“I would,” Carl said.
“I wouldn’t,” Robert said.
She rubbed her shoulder feeling small and cold while looking around. The morgue was set at a temperature specifically for the decline of decomposing. She was in a white and blue dress that had long sleeves that were checkered right down to the detail of the original costume. She gulped as the doors opened once again. This time for someone who seemingly was alive. Dorothy looked over to see the elder standing by her side. The air was cold between them. He was solid and still. Living, organic person with grayed bowl air cut and pointy curled ears. He was in attire reminiscent of a instructor who was hardly seen around. The academy had lots of instructors. The instructor made his way over toward the cadets. She looked down to see that he didn’t have feet. He was seemingly floating his way toward the two men.
“C-c---C-C--C-Carl,” Dorothy repeated.
“If harmless glitches like this happened every day to me I would be used to it,” Carl said.
“What if it got progressively worse every time?” Robert asked.
“Then I would be really terrified.” Carl said.
“So would I,” Robert said.
"CARL!” Dorothy shouted, as the elder placed the pumpkin into the box beside the gray table.
“What is it, Dorothy?” Carl asked, turning toward her.
“G-g--g---g--g-g-g-g-g-g--gg---gho--ooost,” She pointed at the direction of a uncovered metal berth.
“That’s it, I am taking you to the party upstairs,” Carl said, turning away from the cob web decorated door. He walked past the instructor feeling a cold breeze right by. Carl put a hand on the woman’s shoulder guiding her out leaving Robert alone. “There’s a non-alcoholic party I know that is just right---”
The doors closed behind the two.
Robert carefully unplugged the cobwebs off the doors placing them into the box with care. The elder who was standing behind him carefully aided. Robert glanced up noticing the elder seemed to be hazy at first glance. His green almost gray skin glowing as a sign of his age. She shrugged it off taking the cobwebs the elder handed over to her. The woman felt chilly. She had seen the elder for the past four years since her entrance into Star Fleet. The party in the morgue had ended an hour ago and the instructor who taught xenobiology wanted it gone before the next class as “morgue is terrifying on Halloween night, and it doesn’t need highlights.” The elder had been helpful when it came to studying Vulcan biology. It was sad that this was her final year.
“I am going to miss you,” Robert said, looking over toward the elder.
The elder looked over.
“Likewise,” the elder replied.
“I have never seen you leave campus,” Robert said. “you and your husband seem like a nice couple. I like to visit you some day after my first assignment in space.”
“Riverside, Iowa,” the elder said.
“What?” Robert said.
“‘That’s where we live,” the elder clarified.
“You take a transport here every day?” Robert asked.
“A bullet train,” the elder said.
“Those trains are unreliable,” Robert said. “Site to site transport is more reliable.”
“I prefer old, clear concise reliable ways over new corruptable manners of transportation,” the elder said. There was a sad look on his face. “now look what I have turned into,” the elder laughed at himself light heartedly. “I turned into Doctor McCoy.”
“He will get a kick over that,” Robert said.
“I am sure he does,” the elder said.
“T’hy’la!“ the instructor said, coming over. “Awww, kid’s not ignoring you.”
“That would be a disgraceful thing to do with an elder,” Robert said. “highly rude.”
“He is on my side with this,” the instructor added.
“Husband,” the elder breathed. “I have forgiven the cadet.”
“Hmm,” the instructor said. “we still have to figure out a way to terrify the cadets this week.”
“I have just the idea,” the elder said. He held his two fingers out for the instructor. The instructor returned the gesture raising an eyebrow in return with a curious expression on his face. “First, let’s help putting everything away.”
“I would love to,” the instructor said.
Robert and the two older men go in putting the decorations away. Robert placed the basket onto the table. The elder moved the basket onto the counter then took out a couple of treats handing them to the sehlat. The miniature Sehlat growled at the Vulcan attempting to act larger than it was. The sehlat snapped back at the Vulcan. The elder left the treats onto the basket. Robert watched the two men be playful putting the decorations away. The handled them with great care as though they were fragile. The two men seemed to be in tune with taking apart the decorations. As though they had done this numerous times together.
Anytime she accidentally touched their hands, all she felt was a bitter and hand freezing cold normally felt in the winter time. The two men were happily in love. Robert half wondered to herself why no one seemed to talk about them on campus or there being any awards about them for being ‘the most outstanding instructor couple of the year’. They looked familiar but she could not pick on what was so familiar about them. Robert helped finish the packing and stacked the boxes on top of another.
“What is your names?” Robert asked. The two men looked toward the woman.
The elder raised an eyebrow and the instructor seemed to wear a incredulous expression.
“Hey ruby slippers!” Carl called, entering the morgue. He stopped, looking surprised. “How . . did you. . .do. . all that?"
“What?” Robert said. “I didn’t do it alone, right, instruct---” she stopped mid sentence to see that no one was there. “ors. . .” She turned back in the direction of Carl with blood drained from her face. Her vision started to turn pitch black and she began to fall back.
"And she said there were these two old men who helped her clean up the morgue,” Carl recounted. “Then she fainted, Trevor. I mean, really, really, really fainted.”
“Uh huh and Robert is the kind who makes up stories,” Trevor said. “I’ll believe that Halloween story when the dead are alive.”
“It is not a story!” Carl said. “Look,” he slid the padd forward. “See?” he pressed play. Trevor looked over with befuddled eyebrows. “There is a invincible force moving all the decorations around.”
His jaw slightly fell as he watched the objects be moved. A part of him felt like it was odd to see something like that happen. Then he noticed that it was on the galactic tube. It had over thirty-three million views. There were faint shapes seen on the screen that followed with the movement. Trevor straightened his jaw. He rubbed his chin finding it intriguing. He eyed at the video that kept playing showing the boxes were only moved by Dorothy. He looked over toward the drunk human cadet who was sitting on the bench singing. All of Miller’s classes were just Halloween parties except for the last one that was going to be strictly xenobiology. He was doing a terrible rendition of ‘I will always love you’ during his worst opera voice. Trevor sighed in resignation.
“Does that mean the singing in linguistics is not a joke?” Trevor asked.
“That was an admiral’s practicing for singing against a historic replica of the USS Voyager’s CMO,” Carl said.
“At night?” Trevor said.
“It was the most comfortable place to do it and no one would be overhearing,” Carl said. “At least he thought so.”
“That makes everything a little bit more clear,” Trevor said.
“So yeah, everything else is true,” Carl said.
“It seems the dead are alive today,” Trevor said. “It is Halloween.”
Carl nodded in agreement.
“You should get Miller back to the bedroom and sleep off being drunk,” Carl said, looking over toward the singer who was gathering quite a crowd around him in front of the bench. There were people in various costumes enjoying his singing. “before someone records him doing this.”
“He’ll hate me if I didn’t get his butt out of a embarrassment,” Trevor said, then he started to get through the crowd. “excuse me, sorry, pardon me, coming through, the drunk is mine, Yeah sorry about that, ‘cuse me.” he slid his way over toward the cadet then came onto the bench as the man was reaching the climax. Trevor sensed the warm amused atmosphere from the cadets and a few instructors regarding the drunken cadet. He had already embarrassed himself in front of everyone. With that, Trevor applied his fingers in the points of the Vulcan Nerve Pinch. “Good night,” he held the man in his arms then turned his attention toward the crowd. “and that’s all folks.”
The surrounding audience applauded.
Jessica had her arms wrapped around her boyfriends and girlfriends shoulders. Arab and Louise laughing in synchronization. An elderly instructor came across them. Her friends were dressed up as Peter Pan and Jasmine respectively. The two cadets came to a a giggly halt as the elderly instructor looked at them curiously. A faint sign of recognition in the vulcan’s eyes.
“Last year, you made the floor slippery in the Instructors lounge,” the elder said.
“‘Uh huh,” Jessica said.
“Anywhere you go, it will be slippery,” the elder said. “Halloween is a time of fun and that fun was not fun.”
“Not like you slipped and fell,” Arab said, with a light hearted laugh.
“Ow, his glare is killing me,” Louise said.
“Someone my age could have slipped and fell and died,” the elder said, sharply. “You must not walk on wooden floors or cement floors for the next twenty-four hours. Grass is safe. You shall not prosper today.” and then in the next second, he was gone just like that. As though he were never there. It was spooking the cadets.
The three cadets shared a puzzled look with each other then went on their way. The cadets shrugged it off then continued on their way singing a ‘For He's a Jolly Good Fellow’. Mid-song Jessica slipped and fell once they entered the academy. And so did the other cadets unable to get up. It took some Andorian cadets nearby to help the two stand up to their feet. The cadets repeated what they had done only moments ago and then wheeled off to sick bay, Jessica’s mind was reeling away at what had happened. She searched her memory for any cases of instructors dying upon slipping and falling. There was no incident like that in the academy. If there were, it would have been wide spread rules and rules put into the academy regarding pranks. The doctor on call was Mildred who almost flew in to perform the scans of the three cadets. The outfit made Mildred look like a beautiful sorcerer. The book was halfway out within the large pocket.
“I have no idea what is wrong with you,” Mildred said. “your body is perfect.”
“We’re drunk,” Louise said.
“We’re buzzed,” Jessica said, her eyes feeling heavy and her mind still scattered at what happened at the bar.
“Really?” Mildred asked, raising her thick eyebrow. She lowered a white device that seemed to be old fashioned to her side. “The tricroder says otherwise.”
“It is the only logical explanation,” Arab said.
“Asides to that old Vulcan who popped out of no where and told us everything is going to be slippery,” Jessica said.
“Old Vulcan?” Mildred asked.
“Uh huh,” Jessica said.
“Did he have a short human by his side and happened to be old?” Mildred asked.
“Yes,” Arab said.
“Did they look like this?” Mildred held up her padd.
“That’s him!” Arab said, gesturing toward the image. Mildred lowered the padd.
“You got some Vulcan voodoo on you,” Mildred said.
“We have been cursed,” Jessica groaned.
“Not really,” Mildred said. “your brain thinks everything is slippery.”
“So what did he to us?” Louise asked.
“Psychically implant the idea that the floor is slippery?” Arab asked.
“If he is that powerful as telepathy, then yes,” Mildred said. “he must be a strong telepathic user.”
“We’re doomed,” Jessica said, placing her hands onto the sides of her cheeks.
Stevik came into the party wearing a goatee and no hair on his head. People tended to break away from his path in avoidance. Some preferred not to look at the hair style that he had given himself. The glare that he was giving easily easily he was not in the mood to talk. He was in a tuxedo that made him stand out more. He drifted his way over to a collection of chocolate where a couple betazoid women were talking and laughing. He was like a moth attracted by light only this time it applied to being nearby large quantities of chocolate.
“Who are you dressed up as?” Shady asked, her attention turned on the Vulcan.
“I have been told that Benjamin Sisko is a perfect Captain to have a costume based off of,“ Stevik said.
“Captain Sisko wasn’t in a tuxedo all the time,” Ellen said.
“But you do admit, it looks in character and very well done,” Stevik said.
“Anyone can have that replicated.” Lucy said.
“But?” Stevik asked.
“Did you really have to get your hair shaved?“ Ellen said.
“Your head doesn’t agree with you,“ Shady said.
“I have been told,” Stevik said. “many times.”
“I can see why,” Ellen said.
“Someone, GET MR STEVIK A WIG!” Lucy called.
Shortly after, a blonde curly wig was placed onto Stevik’s head.
“You look much better with hair,” Lucy said.
“You should go to Halloween parties dressed as yourself, instructor,” Ellen said. “I bet you can make someone scream by it.”
“I have,” Stevik said. “in fact, many times. People say its ugly.”
“No, it’s not!” Ellen said.
“Illogical as you have never seen it,” Stevik said.
“Knowing your fashion taste I can safely assume it’s not ugly,” Ellen said.
“Several cadets ran away screaming the last time I appeared and some of them refuse to speak with me because of it,” Stevik said. “think I can take a stick out and cast a spell on them. He took a cup of juice leaning against the table and decided to change the subject. “Did you hear about the ‘ghosts’ that the cadets have been seeing lately? I met one this morning.” he took a sip waiting for the women to protest against it.
“It is about time,” Shady said.
“We have some ghosts that reside here,” Ellen said. “then there are the ghosts that normally appear during Halloween to interact with the living. That’s a majority of them. Some of them are Star Fleet’s greatest officers. You see them dancing at night if you are lucky outside the academy,” Ellen smiled at the passing memory. She looked over toward the Vulcan. “Did this ghost give you costume advice?”
“Yes,” Stevik said.
“You don’t listen to ghost’s advice on holidays,” Lucy said.
“That’s a beginners mistake,” Ellen added.
“Are you meaning to tell me that Michael Burnham gave me bad advice?” Stevik asked, earning a slack jawed reaction from the three women.
Miller awoke to the bright colorful shade of the evening. He sat on the edge of his bed feeling sick and that he had to puke. The cadet stood up, quickly, his stomach feeling queasy. He saw a bucket beside his bed that was empty. Jessica was sitting on her bed reading something on her padd. He brought the bucket over then puked the contents of what he had earlier inside bucket. Jessica tossed a hypospray to him. It landed into his lap. The cadet yawned.
“Your class starts in ten minutes,” Jessica said. “Doctor Mildred wants you to put that into your elbow. Relieves your hangover,” the cadet groaned as he laid the bucket to the floor. “You are lucky. Really lucky.”
“Uh huh, and you’re lucky that you don’t need to go to the morgue,” Miller said, placing the small rounded hypospray onto his arm.
The smooth hiss of the hypospray was loud to his ears and sounded on repeat. He clenched his ears. His head pounding. Jessica rolled an eye at Miller’s comment. Miller tossed the hypospray to Jessica then it was tossed back into his hands. Miller put it away into his pocket. He made his way out of the shared room once getting his padd. He strolled down the corridor seeing semi-transparent figures. His head began to clear as he squinted the figures. He had to be drunk or at least high. He passed by cadets who were running from point A to point B. He took a unexpected turn into Kirk Memorial Hall. A firm hand stopped the cadet from going further.
“Steady there, cadet,” came the older man.
Miller’s eyes opened wide.
The man was older, grayed, and nothing like the photos of him back in the 2280′s. Closer to his late 2290′s photographs which showed a vastly different man from when he retired with his bondmate after returning the Enterprise A after three months in space. His brown hair a complete shade of gray. And there was something different. Perhaps it was that he was happier in the times the photographs had been taken. And he generally aged well because of it. His motor skills became lost standing in front of the legend. He saw ghostly apparitions around the man that he could see right through. The curtains were drawn blocking view of what was going on backstage. He couldn’t hear anything staring at the shorter, but large man.
“Admiral Kirk,” Miller’s skin turned white. “You-y-yoy-y-y-yoi---”
“Dead,” Kirk finished. “Been aware of that.”
“I’--i’m---i’m---” Miller was stuttering. “I--i-i-i-i-i--i-i’m a big fan of yours.”
“Still gettin’ fans beyond your death, isn’t that sweet?” McCoy came to the man’s side. Hardly a day over the age where he left the Enterprise A for the final time. Miller was frozen at the sight of his inspiration standing alive before him beside the Legendary James Kirk. His legs were trembling from side to side. He was dressed as himself in cadet reds. The doctor smiled back at him observing him. “Looks like red is back in style.” McCoy frowned, momentarily. “I hope the red shirts are not.”
“I-i-I-I-I-II-I” Miller was unable to complete the thought.
“I take as a ‘undecided’,” Kirk said.
“Frankly, I am glad this entire room is full of seats,” McCoy said. “sure makes gettin’ seats easier. Hell, the morgue was getting stuffy with the cadets comin‘ in, thought they were goin’ to see me.”
“They never see you leave,” Kirk said.
“What if they do and end up screamin’ at seeing a dead man walk out?” McCoy asked, concerned.
“The academy will deal with that when it comes across that,” Kirk said, patting on the man’s back. “I will join you momentarily. Go on.” Kirk directed him off to the seats then dismissed him in a lady like manner.
Words were unable to come out of Miller’s mouth. He was frozen where he stood in the center of the memorial hall. The seats were all a shade of red. They were well kept. Still looked brand new. Kirk turned away completely from the cadet with his back facing them then went on to join his friend. Miller felt like he was dragged out of the hall by a strong, resilient force. The doors closed before his eyes. Miller turned his attention toward the taller older man who nearly towered over him. No words were able to come out of the human’s mind.
“I solved that problem for you,” Spock said. “while you were resting, I applied some of my knowledge to fix that problem your mind was facing,” when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. “If you are going to a be a doctor, I shall not be required to help you cheat.”
Miller shook his head.
“Besides,” Spock said. “the doctor should help you with that.”
He tried to open his mouth only for ‘wha-what-wha’
“I read your file,” Spock said.
“I’m sorry,” Miller finally said. “I am sorry for how rude I sounded. it’s just so stressful to pass science now that they’ve put so many high goals to pass. Like, science is never suppose to be this hard! How can I be a doctor and be a scientist simultaneously if I can’t major in science? And Trevpr has been interrupting my study hours mocking me for studying so long and telling me that I made an error. Sorry, Trevor, it’s trial and error for something that hasn’t been graded yet.”
“Cadet Barbara Miller,” Spock said. “Perhaps you are studying in the wrong career. Maybe being a doctor or a scientist is not cut out for you,” the human considers it. “maybe your calling is somewhere else. Perhaps not in Star Fleet. You haven’t found yourself, and you’re not enjoying all the hard work to become a federation authorized doctor.”
“I am still finding that,” Miller said, rubbing his shoulder.
“What do you enjoy?” Spock asked. Miller slowly looked up.
“Hunting,” Miller said.
“Define your kind of hunting,” Spock elaborated.
“Thing’s that go bump in the night,” Miller said. “I just joined to be a doctor so I can help people and know how to it including aliens,” he looked down toward his feet. “I feel like I m never going to be a federation authorized medical professional. First year. . . I am going to flunk my ass of.”
“Do your best,” Spock said. “the most successful people fail at something in star fleet, cadet.”
Miler looked up from his hands toward the first officer.
“I guess so,” Miller said. He had a heavy sigh. “Maybe I made the wrong decision to join Star Fleet.”
“We all make mistakes,” Spock said. “The doctor can try to help you get through this year.”
“Nah,” Miller said. “I don’t want to cheat. I don’t need my efforts to be exaggerated.” he stepped back. “thanks for the talk, Ambassador.”
“You are welcome,” Spock replied.
Miller gave the ta’al. Spock returned the gesture. Miller nodded which he turned around then walked away. Spock walked over toward the two men in a long row of seats. He sat between them feeling pity for the human. A unknown future laid ahead of him and didn’t know where he belonged. A story that Spock was familiar to all too clearly. He looked over toward his partner then over toward his cherished friend who was patiently waiting for the show to start. The three men slowly vanished before the viewers eyes as the scene went over toward a drama group heading toward the stage.
The End.