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“Mike, Seb?” Astraea said. She’d had this idea brewing for a while. She knew Mike would be onboard. Sebastian was a bit less certain. She had just come to the conclusion that Seb wouldn’t snitch on them, even if he chose not to participate. “I’ve got an idea.”
Mike and Seb suddenly looked on guard, which Astraea felt was a bit insulting. She hadn’t even told them the idea yet.
“Stop being such wimps,” she said. “If the two of you get me some chocolate, I’ll get you some alcohol.”
Mike scoffed. “You’re three quarters Human. Why would anyone give you alcohol?”
“I’ve convinced Uncle Scotty it doesn’t affect me. Really I have to have three or four to every one of Uncle Scotty’s. By the time I start seeming tipsy, he’s too far gone to notice. And you’ve heard the stories. Alcohol doesn’t affect my sa-mekh at all, but he got totally trashed from just a small amount of chocolate.”
They still looked skeptical and she huffed. “Come on. Can you imagine growing up on a ship full of Humans when you’re not allowed to have chocolate?”
“Oh fine,” Mike said, “But you’re not getting the chocolate until I see the alcohol.”
§§§
“Keenser! Uncle Scotty!” Astraea called out.
“Ow!”
Astraea laughed when Uncle Scotty pulled himself out from underneath a control panel, rubbing his head. “Whaddya need, Bump?”
Astraea decided it was better not to argue the nickname today. Particularly considering it bothered her less when Scotty called her that than pretty much anyone else.
“Dad sent me down here to get some scotch,” Astraea lied.
“Why would he send you?” Uncle Scotty asked, even as he headed for his office—and his liquor cabinet.
“I think he’s planning something for Sa-mekh. There was some fancy chocolate on his dresser and he was digging through his panty drawer,” Astraea said.
Uncle Scotty froze. “Did you say panty drawer?”
Yes. Astraea knew that would come in handy—no matter how traumatized she still was. “Yeah,” Astraea said. “Didn’t you know? Daddy wears panties because it turns Sa-mekh on. Add in the chocolate and the scotch, and I’m planning on staying with Sa’mekh’al tonight.”
Uncle Scotty took a slug of the scotch before handing her the bottle without another word.
Apparently ‘Captain Kirk wears panties’ was even more effective than Astraea had predicted.
§§§
“Sweet!” Mike said when he saw the bottle of scotch.
“I still say this is a bad idea,” Sebastian said, even as he accompanied Astraea and Mike to the least used holodeck on the ship. It spoke volumes that Seb was the one carrying the contraband chocolate.
§§§
Jim was acting rather… giggly. “Jim,” Spock said, “Are you ill? Have you been drinking?” Neither was likely. The only thing Jim wanted to do when he was sick was sleep. And when Jim got drunk, he tended toward loud and horny—not that Spock complained.
“No,” Jim chuckled. “I just…” Suddenly he frowned. “I am going to kill them.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I haven’t been drinking. Astraea has been eating chocolate. And there are only two people on this ship able and willing to give it to her,” Jim replied.
Spock stood and went to the computer terminal on the wall. “Computer, locate the following: Astraea Kirk; Michael Marcus-McCoy; and Sebastian Marcus-McCoy.”
“Astraea Kirk is located on holodeck four. Michael Marcus-McCoy is located on holodeck four. Sebastian Marcus-McCoy is located on holodeck four.”
Before Spock could move, Jim said, “No, Spock, wait.”
“Why?”
“Teenagers—Human teenagers, at least—need to rebel, so they can figure out who they are,” Jim answered.
“She knows who she is. Astraea Eirene Kirk, daughter of Spock, member of Clan Surak, the first quarter Vulcan-three quarter Human in history,” Spock replied.
“No,” Jim said, “She needs to figure out who she is in her heart. Who she is independent of us.”
“But—”
“Spock,” Jim said softly. “I ran away from home and participated in a dangerous, experimental, medical study during my rebellious phase. You went against your father’s wishes and joined Starfleet instead of the VSA during yours. Our rebellious stages totally altered the course of our lives. If Bump’s rebellion is nothing worse than eating chocolate on a holodeck, we can count ourselves lucky. Particularly since she can’t shield very well. If this turns into a habit, we’ll know.”
“I suppose,” Spock acknowledged. “But it is illogical to allow her to break rules set in place for her safety. Not to mention, while I have no doubt that while Michael and Sebastian were complicit in this, it had to have been Astraea’s idea.” She was very much Jim’s daughter; a leader, not a follower.
“Strict parents create sneaky kids, Spock,” Jim said. “If we let her think she’s gotten away with this, she’ll be less likely to do something even more dangerous and long-reaching.”
Spock supposed that was logical—to some extent. As logical as his Jim ever got, at any rate. “Very well, Ashalik,” Spock said. “But I would like to add I’ve only agreed because Astraea’s poor shielding means we’re always aware of her mental state.”
Jim smirked. “And if she were to start shielding me without explanation, it would be an even bigger red flag.”
“Exactly.”
§§§
Astraea couldn’t believe they’d gotten away with it. Halfway through her first bar of chocolate, she’d realized she wasn’t shielding her mind from Dad. And she was already too tipsy to start without him noticing.
So she had figured if she was going to get in trouble, she might as well make it worth it.
But Dad and Sa-mekh didn’t say a word about it beyond, “If you’re going to stay on the holodeck with Mike and Seb all night, let us know next time, okay Bump?”
“Okay…”
Her heart thundered in her chest. They had actually gotten away with it. They had gotten away with it when her parents had thought to check in on her location.
Of course, since Chrys, Lennie, and Asha had been with Sa’mekh’al last night, Dad might have been otherwise occupied.
Astraea winced. She’d just have to see what happened if she and Mike and Seb got drunk again. But since she never shielded against Dad, it might be more suspicious to shield than just to risk discovery.
But they’d gotten away with it this time. As obsessively rule-oriented as Sa-mekh was and as overprotective as Dad was, there was no way they would just let it go if they knew.