Chapter Text
“ButtonsButtonsButtonsButtonsButtonsButtonsButtonsButtons!” chirruped Britt’nii as the turbolift door opened onto the bridge; she was held from behind in Puck’s tight embrace while she calmed down a little bit.
“Please don’t touch the buttons.” Sulu whimpered from where he sat at his console, looking to the Captain with pleading eyes.
“Buttons!” she squeaked, just before Puck pinned her to him with one arm and gently covered her mouth with one hand, biting the inside of his mouth to prevent himself from laughing.
“Come on Brit-Brit, calm down yeah? If you don’t behave they’ll have to send you home; and we’d all be sad if that happened.” Blaine chided softly, moving over to her and rubbing her shoulder in a soothing manner.
“dwanmagrehme llbeygrdbln.” She mumbled from behind Puck’s hand.
“Say that again?” the reptilian teen said, releasing her mouth.
“I don’t wanna go home, I’ll be good… but there are so many buttons, and they’re all so shiny and pretty.” The Orian said, taking a deep breath and linking her pinky finger with the tip of Santana’s tail when it wiggled next to her hand.
“Promise me, that you won’t touch anything, Brit-Brit. Not one single button – not unless one of the officers says it’s ok first. Puck’s going to keep hold of you until you promise.” Blaine said, his words firm but not spoken harshly. It took a few moments, but the Orian relaxed and calmed down.
“I promise. No buttons.” She whispered, looking sad.
“We’re not mad at you Britt’nii, just make sure not to touch any of the consoles, yeah?” Kirk said, standing from his chair and moving over to the group. “Scotty’s already claimed Hummel, and you already know everyone here. Sam and Puck – you two can stay up here for launch and then the Security Team are going to collect you once we’re moving – everyone else, go and stand with your mentors please.” Without a comment, the teens did as they’d been told.
“Okay, welcome to the Bridge of the USS Enterprise, unless specifically given permission to do so: do not touch anything. Everyone with me on that?”
“Yes Captain.” They chorused.
“Okay, we have a few minutes to wait, the Yorktown was cleared to launch first, so we’re going to let them go – get to know your mentor or mentee a bit more while we wait for Space Dock to give us the go-ahead.”
“Yes Captain.”
“Anderson, take a seat, but don’t get too comfy – you’re going to have to let me have it back when Dock Control comms.” Kirk said, gesturing to The Captain’s Chair. Blaine gaped like a fish at the Captain, his eyes as wide as saucers in shock.
“Jim, did you break one of them already?” McCoy chuckled from where he sat at the console, Tina and Artie standing behind him.
“Blaine? Are you in there?” Kirk asked, waving his hand in front of the teen’s face.
“You’re letting me sit in The Chair, Captain?” Blaine whispered, still shocked.
“Yep, for about five minutes – so hurry up and park your ass down before Space Dock comms. Do I need to make it an order?” Kirk said with a grin.
“No Sir, I… can I get a picture please? My Dad isn’t going to believe this if I don’t have some evidence.” Blaine whispered, approaching the chair and gingerly sitting down at the very edge of it.
“Yeah, we can get it from the security footage… but only when you’re actually sat properly, not hanging off the edge like a canary on a perch.” With a little reluctance, Blaine settled himself properly.
“Oh. My. God.” Blaine whispered, gently running his fingers over the locked-by-the-Captain consoles on the arms of The Chair after getting a nod that it was safe to do so.
“Yeah, how does it feel?” Kirk asked, standing behind The Chair and looking down over it at Blaine.
“Kinda scary, if I’m being honest, Captain.” Blaine replied.
“Yeah. Lesson one: anyone who sits in The Chair and says they aren’t scared is lying to you.” Kirk said softly, squeezing one of Blaine’s shoulders in reassurance as the younger man nodded nervously.
~
“So, Candy Stripers… God I remember those days: all the stuff nobody else at the hospital wanted to do three nights a week after school and on Saturdays too. The place I was at was a small-town hospital; and it seemed to me that most of the Doctors had amnesia when it came to recalling what it was like to be standing at the bottom of the ladder not even able to reach the first rungs.” McCoy said, not turning to look at Tina and Artie as he watched his console.
“Wait a minute…” Tina said, giving the CMO a strange look, “… you said that you remember what it was like; but that most Doctors didn’t…”
“And as the Flagship CMO, you’re not exactly falling into the category of ‘most Doctors’ are you, Sir?” Artie continued, catching Tina’s eye, daring to look hopeful.
“Dr. McCoy, does that mean…?” Tina trailed off, twitching with silent excitement.
“Maybe there’s hope for Star Fleet Medical after all. We can’t exactly let you lose on real patients, but I think a holo-simulation or five might be on the cards if you make a real good effort with the crap jobs we all love-to-hate in Med Bay.”
“Yes Sir!” they said together, grinning widely before the Doctor gave them a playful scowl that cooled them off.
~
“Sorry, the ear piece isn’t suitable for your physiology, Santana.” Uhura apologised after fiddling with the equipment and being unable to make it stay in the Catian’s ear properly.
“It’s fine, I can hear most of it and watch the screens with this one.” The feline shrugged, her tail swishing in mild annoyance. The message from the engineering deck caused the two linguists to grin.
“Go on, report the status” Uhura whispered.
“What do I say?” Santana breathed back, not wanting to raise her voice
“Well, not what Commander Scott said, it isn’t appropriate for the Bridge; just tell the Captain that Engineering reports ready.”
“Engineering is Reporting Ready, Captain.” Santana said confidentially, earning a smile from Uhura.
“Thank you very much, Lopez – just the right level of bossyness without being rude to be a communications officer.” Kirk winked and Uhura rolled her eyes as all the teenagers giggled.
Kirk was pleased to see Spock patiently explaining the various screens that demonstrated the ship’s status.
“Ooooh, it’s Graph Porn.” Britt’nii said, wide eyed and amazed. Spock blinked four times; rather than commenting, the First Officer simply continued with his explanation, a slight green tinge to his cheeks. Across the bridge, McCoy was chuckling quietly.
“Sulu, how are we looking?”
“The Yorktown has cleared Spacedock. Dock Control reports ready. Course laid in.” Smoothly, the helmsman’s fingers danced over the controls to ready the ship.
“Interns, have you all got good a good view?” Kirk asked, turning to where the other teenagers stood, speechless, they nodded.
“Anderson, out of my seat,” As Kirk sat down, he unlocked the armrest panels and took an almost unnoticeable deep breath. “Sulu, Punch it.”