Chapter Text
Security Officer’s Log Stardate [2361.2] : As the Enterprise receives necessary repairs at Starbase One following the unprecedented outcomes of the Battle of Parnassus Beta, all landing party members of that mission have been called before open sessions of Starfleet and Federation leaders and scientists. The stated goal is to ensure the accurate dispersion of all known encounters with the Gorn race prior to a Starfleet revision of SOP for future interactions.
I know that if Starfleet finally hears what we have been trying to tell them about the Gorn, many lives could be saved, but I am skeptical that the Federation is so open to listening. However rarely I find my hopes regarding the actions of others rewarded, the captain has persuaded me to relent my objections and concede to a request to present in session.
~* ~* ~*
“I still can’t believe that you talked me into this, Captain,” La’an muttered, adjusting her uniform cuffs for what had to be the fifth time in as many minutes.
“Considering I was ordered to have you all show up for this dog and pony show, I’m not sure ‘talked you into it' is exactly accurate,” Captain Pike reminded her.
From the front of the auditorium, Admiral April’s deep voice rang out over the auditorium, “Everyone, we seem to have digressed into highly technical questions that will only prove relevant to pilots and flight engineers. If there are no more questions for Senior Helmsman Ortegas about her impressions about the implications of the aerial tactics of the Gorn Destroyer class ship on new Starfleet protocols, then we will leave any remaining questions for that specific breakout session.”
Admiral April paused for any responses and, when none arose, continued, “Then let us thank the Lieutenant and congratulate her once again on the successful piloting of a Gorn class ship in the rescue of the colonists of Parnassus Beta.” With some raucous cheering from many of those with piloting backgrounds, loud applause filled the hall while Erica made her way off the stage with an affable wave.
“Maybe after this, you will finally believe me,” La’an said sadly. Chris looked down at her in question as he politely applauded Erica’s return to her seat, but it was Una on her other side who squeezed her wrist and whispered to her, “You can do this. Ad Astra per Aspera.”
The admiral’s baritone rang out once again, “And now for our primary discussion panel on ‘Overall Gorn Tactics.’ I will remind any latecomers that while relevant to the topic at hand, further direct questions regarding the implications of ‘New Biological and Xeno-Anthropological Gorn Observations’ will be handled in the breakout session by our previous panel speakers Dr. Joseph M’Benga and Lieutenant George Samual Kirk.
“We are extremely fortunate, today, that the upcoming panel speaker has had direct combat experience with the Gorn on three separate occasions, serving within Starfleet, and has the sad distinction of being the only known survivor of a Gorn breeding planet following the Gorn raid of the colony ship USS Puget Sound, 20 years ago.
“Her rendered analysis of Gorn predatory behavior as the Chief Security Officer of the USS Enterprise has directly resulted in the combat survival of her crew both in space and on planet. Further, after assuming the role of Landing Party Leader following the abduction of said landing party along with hundreds of non-Federation civilians, her experience, intelligence, leadership, and combat skills resulted in the landing party’s successful overthrow and seizure of the Gorn Destroyer class ship, saving both her crew members and the vast majority of the civilians.
“She should be considered Starfleet’s preeminent Gorn combat strategist and is with us today to help guide our discussions of such topics as the so-named ‘Predator-theory’ of space swarm tactics, the analysis of Gorn trap setting, the use of light signaling in combat settings, and Human-Gorn hand-to-hand and close quarters combat scenarios,” throughout the Admiral’s speech, amazed muttering had grown into a quiet rumble.
The look that Captain Pike gave La’an, felt like a wave of sad pride. With the weight of all that they had been through, all that she had been through, it was no wonder that the one thing he had to keep trying to instill in La’an was hope.
“On these and all other related topics, please allow me the pleasure of introducing Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh,” Admiral April finished.
Perhaps, if La’an hadn’t been the last of the crew to be called up, it might not have been noticeable; the difference in the energy of the room, the sound of the crowd. Most of those present, having already been briefed on the outcomes of Parnassus Beta, applauded calmly, as they had to the others. However, for the contingent of voices that had been creating the undercurrent of noise, upon the Admiral’s utterance of La’an’s last name, it was like a burst of static interference pulsed the audio; a sudden sensation of sound followed by a jagged return in a more sibilant tone. Further, what had been unintelligible now carried clear words. All around the room low voices repeated, Noonian-Singh.
Better than many, La’an knew that the most open, least prejudiced people were often least aware of how rare those traits really were in the wider populace. She knew that Captain Pike’s self-view was so wound up with Starfleet, that he took for granted the fact that not all of its members shared his ability to set aside their preconceived notions and take situations and individuals on merit. He had the character of a true explorer in a way that even La’an envied. His endless wellspring of hope felt in turn inspiring and naive to someone who was so frequently disappointed by the world as she was.
La’an felt more like she was walking to the gallows than having her actions honored. She would have much preferred her entire ordeal to simply be recorded in her file and moved on from. However, the events at Parnassus Beta were now being hailed as a watershed moment in Federation-Gorn relations.
La’an had known what would happen when her name was said, it’s what always happened. She kept her back straight and her eyes away from the crowd as they adjusted to the idea that they were about to hear war tactics from the genetic legacy of a megalomaniacal tyrant. Announcing Lieutenant Noonien-Singh, though sounding less pugilant, was akin to announcing Lieutenant Hitler.
By the time La’an stood next to Admiral April and accepted his handshake the crowd had quieted to the silence of baited breath. Public speaking was not one of La’an’s favorite things but the fact that she’d long since stopped caring what others might make of her let her do so with self-dignity. She had prepared a small speech to get herself started and began:
“I am here today because the Gorn, as a species, has too long been doubted, underestimated, and mischaracterized by the Federation and by Starfleet. Their predatory nature, if not addressed properly…”
“What about your nature?” A voice called out belligerently from the crowd. “We’re really supposed to sit here and listen to an Augment lecture about Human-Gorn combat?” The voice continued derisively. He was dressed in lab gear and clearly a civilian Federation scientist.
“Actually, yes, that is the general idea of these things; To sit and listen. Why don’t you?” a second man’s voice rang out with an unexpected quip. This voice, however, La’an knew; Better really than she had any right. Lieutenant James ‘ridiculous middle name’ Kirk had decided to come to her rescue.
The man carried on, “You want to architect Starfleet’s policies for the Gorn around an augment’s reported success? Even if you choose to believe what this woman says, you can’t expect regular troops to be able to do what she can do? They’ll wind up dead while this monster gets a medal!”
An enraged Captain Pike stood and came to her defense, “She led the rest of her landing party and hundreds of untrained civilians captured by the Gorn to safety. Who is it you think she’s endangering?” La’an held back a cringe, appreciating his desire to help, but even she could see where that would go.
“You all are making my point for me! No normal person should be able to do that!” the man wailed. He had adopted a highly transparent beseeching tone.
“That’s some damn sticky circular logic,” Jim said the last words with bile, before he continued, his eyes meeting hers, “Lieutenant Noonien-Singh, as the Chief Security Officer of the flagship of Starfleet, do you feel it within your ability to assess what is possible and not possible of individuals of varying strengths, talents, training, and even races? And further to issue tactical recommendations on that basis?”
La’an held back an even more tart response and simply answered, “Why yes Lieutenant, that is, quite literally, my job.”
“And just to clear the air of any erroneous claims, Lieutenant Noonien-Singh, at the time of your acceptance to the Starfleet Academy were you completely cleared by a Starfleet medical doctor and geneticist of the possession of enhanced genotypic and/or phenotypic traits outside the standard deviation of normal population ranges?”
Wow, he had the legal definition of an Augment memorized. “Actually, no, Lieutenant,” La’an paused just long enough to see that she’d gotten the attention of a few more ears with that one, “...and yes. I was cleared by an entire team of Starfleet MDs, geneticists, kinesiologists, and biological statisticians both at the time of my rescue at age 11 and then again at age 17 prior to my acceptance to the Academy. Clearly, even the genes of an augmented genocidal dictator are subject to drift over more than 200 years,” La’an ended dryly, glad to have the opportunity to publicly denounce any idea that she might carry her distant ancestor in any positive regard.
By this time several MPs had reached the man and were attempting to escort him out of the auditorium. He seemed to decide to go with them willingly rather than be bodily removed. However, he was not going silently, “How do we know that exposure to something out in the reaches of space hasn’t activated latent coding in her genome? Has anything more rigorous than a basic medical scan been performed since Parnassus Beta? You will give her honors and she will rise in power and influence. Only then will you come to see the monster that she truly is!”
At this Admiral April stood back up and announced, “Anyone else who speaks out of turn will also be escorted out!”
But it was too late. The room full of scientific minds was buzzing again at the comment, the possibility. She wouldn't be able to get them back on her side, get them to listen, not while the entire room wondered if they were looking upon Khan Noonien-Singh reborn.
James was holding his tongue but hadn’t yet returned to his seat. She knew in this timeline he knew all about her name, but it still made her sad that he had seen the true weight of it. She wanted to live in a world where, regardless of her name, she spoke and people listened, and Jim looked at her knowing she’d helped to save lives.
Eyes still on hers, Jim just tipped his head and sat back down. He didn’t continue to try and save her; he trusted her to save herself. And it was that easy; she’d found a world to hope for and decided to live in it.
“You know I had very carefully written the speech I was going to give you all, that, very intentionally, did not include the word monster. Please allow me to tell you all why. To individuals like my captain and Admiral April using the word ‘monster’ shows that someone has given up on Starfleet’s ideal of empathizing and thereby making those who would become your enemy your ally. But to men like the scientist who just spoke out it is a pejorative they throw at something that makes them afraid. ‘Monster’ is the word you stick on the thing you need permission to kill.
“The Gorn murdered, ate, and reproduced inside the bodies of my entire family, my entire colony. And in recent years I have watched them attempt and sometimes succeed with my crew. I have every right to fear the Gorn. I have every right then, by that man’s usage, to call them ‘Monsters.’ To ask you to label them ‘Monsters’ and hand me a phasor so I can kill them.
“Before Parnassus Beta, I had referred to the Gorn as monsters just as I had referred to Khan Noonien-Singh as a monster. But after the events of Parnassus Beta, I cannot use that word anymore.
“As a people we have taught our children to fear those who would go into the very building blocks of life and alter what they are. As warm-blooded races, we are born with an ingrained apprehension for cold-blooded beasts. However, it is not our fear that makes beings like these monsters, that only makes our own prejudice,” La’an’s eyes met Una’s briefly and she just smiled.
“Does this then leave us only with the possibility that we must, as has long been taught, empathize with our enemy? I must empathize with a race of people who see us as food and sacks of jelly to breed their youngling drones in? No… and yes.”
“I do not, will not, cannot, empathize with the Gorn, but I can seek to understand them. And by understanding an enemy, by counting the teeth, studying their strikes, anticipating them and their actions I can name them. Today, we call Khan Noonien-Singh a dictator, a tyrant, genocidal and power-hungry. Today, we have defined him, so there is no need to call him 'monster', there are better words.
“Better words, because all ‘monster’ really means is ‘I fear you.’ To call someone ‘monster’ is to give them power over you. The power of fear. You can fight them, you may try to kill them, but part of the battle is already lost because you have given them your fear.
“So, I will no longer use the word monster, because I will not give strength to our enemy. That is why I am here today, because the Gorn, as a species, has too long been doubted, underestimated, and mischaracterized by the Federation and by Starfleet. We must stop giving them the power of the masks of ‘monsters’ and name them for what they are…
“Predators.”
~* ~* ~*
Her portion of the summit opener had been slotted two hours. La’an had done her best to lay out the bald facts of each of her interactions with the Gorn since she had joined the crew of the Enterprise. Further, what in her experiences led her to make the strategic recommendations she had. That had taken over half the time, with most spent attempting to differentiate tactics for younglings, then adult Gorn. Only briefly touching on new theories regarding the possible existence of a Soldier/Drone class Gorn and a separate posited ruling class.
Admiral April had been politely moderating digitally submitted questions from those assembled physically and through hologram. The first few questions seemed to ask her to rehash the same information she had just provided… a waste of time. Admiral April was clearly aware of this. When La’an paused for a sip of water, he asked Captain Pike if he had anything to add or change about the recounting.
Then La’an understood. They did not need her to repeat herself, they questioned her accounts to begin with. The seed of doubt that had been planted was taking root. She wasn’t sure if the growing look of annoyance on April's face was in her own head or not, but she had noticed him send off some kind of message part way through, which surprised her.
After that, the questions got better. Many were very good and forced her to stop and think about how certain variables may have tipped the given sorties one way or the other. She actually appreciated their analytical nature; it got her out of the emotional aspects linked to the Gorn.
It had only been in the last twenty minutes or so that Admiral April asked a kind but pointed question about her childhood experience on the breeding planet. La’an had known that it would be brought up and had prepared what she would say. She tried to remain clinical as she recounted what information could be considered tactical; mostly the details that she had recalled from Manu’s journal (though not publicly mentioning the mind meld, at Spock's request; which had been lost at some point on her ritual return to space. The revelation that the Gorn visual language was based in English, indicating it was acquired from invasion, and not internally developed within their culture. Finally, she gave a description of the tunnel system they had spent most of their time in.
“Admiral April, I really don’t have much more… about… that time. Please…” La’an said under her breath. She was trying to hide her stress reaction by clasping her hands behind her back.
“The intent of all of this was never to cause you pain, only to avoid more unnecessary death. If you say that is all you know about the planets… I believe you,” Admiral April said kindly to her, before turning back to the larger audience.
“We will call this session to a close now. We are already 5 mins past the allotted time,” La’an had thought that, whatever the mood her talk had begun in, things had improved by the end. However, after the admiral had made this announcement, grumbling broke out from several pockets in the room. It was clear a vocal minority was not pleased that something was not going to be addressed before things were called to a close, but La’an had done what she could.
“I would like to thank Lieutenant Noonien-Singh for being so open about such a difficult topic and for making herself available for the improved edification of everyone in this room,” Admiral April said, clearly trying to send a message in his subtext. La’an didn’t think it would land. “She is making herself available to go through hand-to-hand combat techniques this afternoon for security personnel and weapons engineers and will again be present for the final collaborative panel of these open sessions at the end of the week. Please let us, once again, thank Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh for her brave actions that saved hundreds of souls.” Admiral April indicated applause by beginning himself and enough of the room joined that the undercurrent of dissatisfaction was drowned out.
La’an was surprised for a moment to hear a hoot of congratulations. Until she glanced to the side and again saw a grinning Jim Kirk. His support did seem to spur on her fellow crew members, who joined suit. She couldn’t help but grin at them slightly, letting her severe mask slip for just a moment. She finally got back to her place next to Captain Pike, only to notice an oddly speculative look on his face. He quickly glanced between herself and the other Lieutenant Kirk, as the crew referred to Sam’s brother. Una’s grin was only one step to the pleasant side of wolfish at the whole thing.
It was to her that La'an muttered as she took her seat, “At least in the next one I get to hit things.”
~* ~* ~*
Jim sought out the crewmembers of the Enterprise following the morning's long open session. They were at a small private lunch being provided in a large conference room next to the auditorium. He gave an explanation to the MP at the door, that his ship had only arrived on Starfleet One late last night and that he’d yet to see his brother Sam, one of the landing party. A quick word was passed in and he was given permission to join.
Upon entering the room, he could see Sam approaching the door. Jim wasted no time pulling his brother into a strong hug. “Damn it Sam, I’m supposed to be the one who runs off into ridiculous, dangerous situations, not you,” Jim joked, after releasing him.
Sam grinned back at him, “Auralan has banned me from landing parties for at least 6 months.”
“Only 6 months?”
“I talked her back down from a lifetime ban. So, the Farragut was close enough to attend this shindig in person?” Sam asked.
“Yeah, the admirals felt there needed to be a greater Starfleet presence at the week's event. Federation civilians were due to outnumber us to an outrageous degree. Some isolationists got a representative elected to the Federation Council and he’s been causing all kinds of headaches for them. The whole “Prime Directive” renaming was, apparently, not enough to calm them down. Starfleet recalled as many ships as they could without sacrificing priority Alpha missions.”
“Gotta say, we’re glad for the support. Especially after today. Could you tell where all that was coming from during La’an’s bit? It couldn’t have been Starfleet,” Sam stated, but with a note of worry in his voice.
“I hope that's true, but I don’t think we can rule it out entirely,” Admiral April said, walking up to the brothers. “Lieutenant James Kirk, as happy as I was to have Lieutenant Noonien-Singh’s record set straight, I can’t quite commend you on your little display of logic. However, the questions you sent in to get back on the topic of tactics were much appreciated.”
“Is the utter absurdity of the questions before that why you're concerned about Starfleet’s stance as a whole?” Jim asked.
“In large part,” the admiral said obscurely.
“The message you sent out about 35 mins in… it was to discourage questions about my genetic heritage, wasn’t it? How many theories about activated junk DNA got floated before you shut it down?”
“You guessed?” April asked sadly.
“I surmised, honestly, I half expect it any time I’m given public credit for anything. It’s why I argued to have Captain Pike take that section instead of me,” La’an confirmed. She tried to keep her tone neutral, but he could hear the dejection. Jim had finally gotten a real sense of what she must have faced her whole life to get where she was today, and it left him slightly queasy and with a sour taste in his mouth.
“The Federation requests that made their way to the Admiralty made it clear that as Chris could not speak directly to either the events on the Gorn ship or the breeding planet that he would be… insufficient,” April said carefully.
“So, someone highly placed within the Federation wanted me on that stage today?” La’an asked, her look sharpened.
April paused for a moment, but then replied, “It would seem so, though a wide range of motives could have been at play. Not limited to the stated one; that you were the ranking officer for the team that escaped from a shielded cargo bay, fought through a crew of adult Gorn, took over the bridge of a Gorn Destroyer, and not only used it to escape but turned the weapons system back on the Gorn fleet, thereby startling them into retreat.” Admiral April ended slyly.
“Haven’t we gotten the recap enough today?” La’an said uncomfortably, “And it was really just poor design on the Gorn’s part. Placing captured prisoners that close to the bridge.”
“I guess they didn’t want to be too far from the kitchen in case they wanted a midnight snack,” Sam added darkly.
La’an had successfully diverted the conversation, but Jim thought he’d actually caught a blush under her freckles at the praise. He’d been planning to wait for a less public location, but the desire to pull her pigtails, as it were, was too much for Jim. He bent down and pulled a startled La’an into the same crushing hug he had his brother, except he actually lifted La’an off the ground and spun her once.
La’an let out a startled shriek of laughter, “James!”
“Nope! Not nearly enough recaps. Thank you for getting Sam's butt back out of there alive,” Jim said genuinely. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed quite a few shielded grins. He thought he heard Ortegas say something about a 'new Enterprise Bingo square' and made a mental note to investigate exactly what that was later.
"Sam did more than his fair share. He and Dr. M’Benga were the ones who figured out how to use one of the nitrogen grenades to get us through the cargo room’s gangplank,” La’an said as she fought to regain her composure, but Jim thought the entire room could see that at least a little bit of the shadow that had followed her off that stage had lifted.
“Actually, Lieutenant, I would love to hear exactly how you managed that. It could be quite useful if a slight alteration could make the grenades double as breaching charges,” Admiral April turned his focus on Sam.
Jim felt a hand land firmly on his shoulder. Captain Pike’s voice came softly from behind him, “Jim, a word if you don’t mind.” A pressure exerted a clear direction towards the far side of the room. It was only once they were both in a corner with relative privacy, that Jim was able to turn and meet the other man’s eyes.
“Captain Pike, what…” Jim started.
“Seeing as I’m about to ask you a favor, I think you can call me Chris again for a while.”
“A favor?” Jim asked, a bit surprised.
“Yes, I’m assigned to be in on the admiralty meetings all week, along with the rest of the ship COs on station. While I can’t be around, I want you to stick around Lieutenant Noonien-Singh,” Chris said good-naturedly. It sounded like such a simple request and something Jim was so inclined to do anyway he had almost agreed before he even thought. But then he did.
“She can handle her own physical security… You want someone who could stand a fighting chance to overrule anyone but those people who are already at your meetings,” Jim reasoned. Chris grinned slightly like he wanted to pat Jim on the head like a good puppy. “But why me? Why not send Number One? She’s an LC, I’m just a Lieutenant managing to box above my weight class.”
“Because I’m now an outed Illyrian and it would be counterproductive when the idea is to get people to stop thinking about DNA modification around La’an,” Lieutenant Commander Una Chin-Riley’s voice chimed in, in her odd dryly upbeat way. “I’ll be hanging around in the wings in case someone with more clout than you can counter without damaging your career tries something.” Jim did not exactly like the look of the impish smirk she finished with.
“Do you have odds on that? Not that I’d mind terribly considering La’an just saved my brother, but I’d like to be prepared,” Jim said with a frown.
Number One and the captain looked at each other and seemed to have some kind of telepathic conversation. Jim was just starting to wonder if that may actually be within the power of one or both of them when Chris spoke, “Low, the concern is more disgruntled junior officers who feel passed over and could be manipulated by more powerful Civilians.”
“Oh, well anyone that fits that description would already hate me on principle,” Jim rationalized. He saw the smirks reappear on the faces across from him. “I mean I’ll do it, but we all know La’an cares about Una more than what any other entity in the galaxy thinks of her, so again, why me?
Una’s smile got a bit soft, in a way that told him he’d pleased her. Chris got more serious and answered his question, “Because we need as many people as possible to listen to her when she tells them about the Gorn. I’ve faced them with her, and SHE is our best shot at policies that could actually save lives,” the captain said, voice going low and his eyes never leaving Jim’s. “And…” Chris paused.
Jim would have agreed on that alone, hell, had already agreed on less, but that one word ‘and…’ rang in the air. He knew that he was about to hear the real reason Pike had come to him and suddenly a part of him was terrified to hear it. He had to know all the same, “And?”
“Jim, I’ve been trying to teach that woman how to lead from a place of hope since she set foot on the Enterprise. I’m sad to say, that most days she couldn’t find hope on a map, let alone lead from it. She tries. She pretends to do it... until today up on that stage. And unless I missed my guess, you were the one that led her to it. My people are more important to me than my ego, and I think you two can help each other get further than I could help either of you,” he spoke those words like he knew a secret none of the rest of them were in on and he spoke like it was a bone-deep certainty he’d only just stumbled across.
He had been a bit right to be scared of this truth, Jim thought. For the first time, he thought of the personal ramifications of spending a week shadowing a woman that made him feel the way La’an made him feel. It was not the best way to stay loyal to Carol; the future mother of his child with whom he was going through a very complicated patch right now.
“Chris… nothing is going on between…” Jim started.
Chris interrupted, “Gah! Nope, not remotely the point. I don’t want to know. I was talking about leadership and hope. Not feelings or more than feelings. I…”
“Chris. I’ve got this from here,” Una stopped him.
“Oh, thank god,” was all he said before walking away.
“Una, nothing…” Jim started.
“I am aware,” was all Una said.
“Aware?” Jim was bated into asking, exactly like she wanted.
“La’an needed to talk… and for once actually did… to me. I am excellent at secrets,” she finished. Jim felt his eyes go big. He was under strict instructions from Carol not to spread their news any further than he would want to unexplain it.
“So you…?”
“Are aware,” Una said again. “And I could care less, as long as you can look me in the eyes and make me believe that you can set everything aside and be her backup.”
“Can I ask…” Jim hesitated, glancing over to where Captain Pike had moved off to, “you and Captain Pike.”
“Spend more time together, trust each other more, and communicate better than any romantic couple I’ve ever met. We are a team and built more together as one than we ever would have managed if we’d given into any passing thoughts over the years,” Una said boldly.
“But then you have thought abo…”
“I’m Number One, Jim, not dead… what’s your point?” Una rolled her eyes and continued, "Feelings are complicated, and you can’t always control them. Anyone who expects you to is either naive or lying to you, themselves, or both. If you are lucky you get to choose your actions, but never your feelings.
“There’s a chance that, if you ignore feelings long enough, they go away or at least soften around the edges. There is also the chance that they get so big that you decide to put them out into the universe, and they get squashed,” Una said pointedly. Jim cringed a bit, knowing she was talking about La’an,
“All I want to know right now is if you think your feelings will prevent you from acting in a way that is best for Starfleet and incidentally my friend?”
Jim did her the honor of stopping to think. As Una said, giving in to feelings was a choice. Honoring his commitment to Carol was a choice. He thought of standing by La’an through the 'slings and arrows' that were on their way towards her and Starfleet. He thought of his child.
“I think you just defined duty,” was all Jim said.
Una looked surprised and then thoughtful. “You are a good man, James Kirk.” was all Una said.
~* ~* ~*
La’an was warming up with M’Benga in the room provided for the hand-to-hand demonstration when she felt eyes on her back. She didn’t register it as a threat, which felt odd until she turned and saw James Kirk leaning in the doorway. She knew her distraction had caused her to hesitate when she felt her legs being swept out from under her. M’Benga quickly had her pinned.
In a whisper quiet enough for only her to hear, M’Benga said, “Do you need a minute to flirt with the cute boy?”
“If we didn’t have this ridiculous demonstration in 15 minutes, I’d get you for that,” La’an replied, tapping his arm for a release.
M’Benga’s only response was a knowing grin as he got up, releasing her from the hold. “He’s been standing there for ten minutes, and you only just saw him? Getting sloppy madam security officer,” M’Benga teased.
She wanted to rebut but… “Ten minutes?” she asked.
M’Benga’s expression changed, and the teasing had stopped, “La’an I should let you know that the captain asked that I not leave you alone until Lt. Kirk or Una arrived. He wants a gold shirt around you as much as possible.”
The small part of her that glowed when he looked at her had hoped for a brief second that he’d searched her out on his own, but M’Benga’s words and the reality of his personal complications came swiftly back and snuffed it back out. “Thank you for telling me. As much as I hate to admit it, it’s probably for the best in the current climate.”
Jim had approached when it became clear he’d been spotted and heard the last comment, he said, “Oh good, you know. Good to see you again Doctor. I wanted to get here early and talk with La’an before it looked like I was stalking you this week.”
“When Una is in meetings?” La’an asked.
Jim cringed, “I had hoped I wasn’t going to be the one to have to tell you, but Number One and your Captain have decided it’s um, not the… right look to have Una too close by.”
“Not the right look… Oh, forget that. Everyone can get stuffed if they…” La’an started.
“La’an! Everyone agrees that it shouldn’t matter, but your last name shouldn’t matter either. The mission is to build confidence in your reports on the Gorn before Friday, not change small minds that are stuck centuries in the past in four days,” Jim ended.
“You‘re hoping that looking at this week like a landing party rather than a political dog and pony show will get me to cooperate,” La’an returned, more calmly.
“Is it?” Jim asked.
“Marginally,” she paused to think, “I won't object to Una hanging back, but if anyone drags Illyrians into the issue it's a different equation after that.”
“Fair enough, I’ll back you on that,” Jim agreed.
M’Benga cut in, “You know I haven’t heard many people on board with an open mind towards Illyrians who weren't involved with Una’s Trial.”
“I have a… friend interested in terraforming so I’d heard about their alterations in a different light than most. Also, after shadowing Lieutenant Commander Chin-Riley for a week and listening to her Gilbert and Sullivan, it’s hard not to be open-minded,” Jim explained.
Both smiled at him. M’Benga added, “I don’t know what you are talking about… I don’t sing.”
“And the First Officer of the Farragut didn’t waltz with Una,” La’an joked.
Jim just shrugged and threw back, “And we have no idea that under her prickly exterior, the Enterprise's security officer has quite a lovely voice.”
La’an felt a blush rise up again. No one else talked to her like that. Jim must have noticed and been thinking along the same lines because he noted, “You clearly do not get enough compliments.”
La’an muttered something about adjusting the mats and wandered across the room, but not before hearing M’Benga chuckle saying, “We’ll have to see to that.”
She was glad she had turned her back to the door when she had, as the first early arrivals started showing up and she had time to tamp down her blush.
~* ~* ~*
All things considered, the demonstration progressed well. M’Benga had utilized sparring cushions and various weapons to mimic various Gorn appendages one was in danger of when fighting in different developmental states. La’an showed how one might survive each, emphasizing these techniques were nearly useless without being supplemented by modified phasors or nitrogen bombs.
Jim had always intended to be here, favor or no favor, and had several techniques to think about after the lecture.
Catching sight of Una standing in the back of the crowd, Jim was just thinking that she and the captain had, perhaps, underestimated the station's ability to move on from her name when the other shoe dropped.
“Are you using your full strength?” came a woman’s voice from the back.
La’an seemed to take it at face value, “Right now for a demonstration? No, but if you were actually performing this maneuver, yes, you would want…”
The voice interrupted again, “Are you as strong as a Vulcan? Stronger?”
He could see the strain grow on La’an’s face at the woman’s bald question, replying, “As Gorn strength is significantly greater than that of either Human or Vulcan, these maneuvers are more focused on either getting inside their reach as a final resort or disabling them to get outside of it for…”
“Why won’t you answer the question?!” she called, the crowd having parted for Jim to see another civilian scientist was at the same game as the man from the assembly.
“She won’t answer the question, because you are being rude and disruptive,” M’Benga chided. Jim was glad the doctor was weighing in, it meant he could be held in reserve for a bigger hurdle than a civilian scientist…
“Or maybe it's because she doesn’t know exactly,” came a different voice, cold and deep. Jim turned to see who had spoken but couldn’t identify him. Until he began to speak again, “I was one of the Doctors who assessed her prior to her admission and was stopped before I could reach a final conclusion. The other doctors rubber-stamped her file without my agreement,” he finished.
The man looked to be in his late 40s, average height, with short brown hair and the pale laboratory skin of a scientist. He was stockier than the usual reed-thin build of most lab rats. Another body shifted and Jim could finally see his uniform clearly. He was in a blue medical tunic and wearing a Lieutenant Commander's insignia.
Before he had said his last sentence, Jim had looked back to see how La’an was taking this latest blow and his stomach dropped. The rest of the room might not know how severe La’an’s reaction was, but even after their short acquaintance, he knew it was wrong. La’an had frozen. The phrase “deer in headlights” came to mind; Not a muscle in her frame twitched, but her eyes had gone wide. This was La’an as he had never seen her. She was afraid and her brain had bypassed flight or fight.
Jim noticed M’Benga still eyeing the man distastefully. He hadn’t seemed to notice La’an yet and instead glanced at Jim, raising his brows seeming to ask, 'Are you taking this, or am I?'
Jim only responded by subtly jerking his chin towards the stunned La’an at M’Benga’s side. He waited only long enough to see M’Benga react to her in concern. Jim knew he had to get the attention off of La’an while she gathered herself. Fortunately, distraction was his middle name.
“So you waited 15 years to bring this to anyone’s attention?” Jim said loudly, stepping forward slightly, “If you were so concerned, why wait until now to say anything?”
The man redirected his attention towards Jim, “I couldn’t let Starfleet determine its posture towards the Gorn based on the word of…”
“You want to be really careful how you finish that sentence. Showing the color of your bigotry?”
“It’s not bigotry when Earth’s laws and Starfleet regulations support my opinions, Lieutenant,” the man added a tone to Jim’s rank that made it clear he had no idea he was talking to the youngest first officer in Federation history. Off of the Farragut, his ability to buck rank was limited, but there was a reason Captain Pike had asked him to do this. Jim wondered how deeply he could get this man to bury himself.
“So, you are claiming that Starfleet has been knowingly harboring an augmented human?” Jim asked the man.
“Augments aren’t human,” He felt the need to spew, “and no not knowingly. They are relying on inferior science,” he countered carefully. So, he doesn’t want to burn bridges with Starfleet.
“But, you said earlier that Starfleet ignored your data?” Jim pressed. This was a dangerous fishing expedition, but if he really did have some kind of proof, it would come out one way or another.
“They stopped my research before I could reach the necessary conclusions!” He bit out.
“So, you are claiming that you are the only scientist capable of identifying Augmentation Markers in a human genome?” Jim asked, making his tone overly incredulous. Maybe if I get him to insult the entire medical community…
“No of course not, not in a normal case, but this is a Noonien-Singh we are talking about. He would have engineered his Augmented genes to persist longer and to remain hidden!” The man explained excitedly. Clearly, this was what he had built up in his excuses for not finding anything before. Jim was about to counter when the mirror of his argument came from a different source.
“Yes, because my thrice-damned ancestor was known for his subtlety and need to remain hidden,” La’an’s voice came from the front. I was still shaky to Jim's ear, but the bite to the comment meant she was regaining herself.
“Dr. Chillings, does this mean you didn’t lose your medical license after all?” La’an continued, “Have you stopped illegally detaining and incapacitating minors?”
Jim’s gut clenched. What? Who was this man?
“They didn’t believe your lies then and they won’t believe you now, Augment!” Chillings threw back.
“I warned you to take care how you finished your sentence, sir. Lieutenant Noonien-Singh, would you like for me to open a case of slander against the Lieutenant Commander here with the Admiralty?” Jim asked, looking back at La’an for the first time.
She blinked in surprise for one moment before grinning at him slightly, replying, “Thank you, sir, I would greatly appreciate that.” Her 'sir' sounded drastically different than his had, Jim noted.
“You uppity little…”
Jim interrupted, “Little Command First Officer, actually. I have the right to open cases. And you, sir, just hurled a legally defined class as a pejorative at an officer of subordinate rank in a room full of people, with the stated goal of ruining her career and credibility. If that isn’t slander, I don’t know what is,” Jim finished.
“It’s not slander if it’s true!” Chillings threw back.
“You are correct there, but that's for the admiralty to adjudicate, and since you couldn’t prove that the Lieutenant met the legal definition 15 years ago, doubt you have a leg to stand on. Lieutenant Commander, I would highly recommend you get out of here before I get more creative with my charges. You will be hearing from your commanding officer soon,” Jim finished and turned his back on the doctor.
“The Demonstration is finished,” Dr. M’Benga announced, “Everyone you are free to go about your evening.”
Jim made his way over to La’an and M’Benga as the room emptied thick with discussion. To her, he said, “La’an, I hope I just did the right thing there. You clearly had a history with that man, I…”
“You did the right thing, Jim,” La’an said, still shaky and not meeting his or the doctor’s eyes, “He’s been popping up to ruin my chances at a future since I was 11.”
Jim was afraid to ask, but he had to, “What you said about illegally detaining and sedating a minor?”
La’an nodded, “I was talking about me.”