The Mission Begins Stardate 2258.33+

Spock stood and announced that the Captain was on the bridge. Scarlett was at the science station, Scotty was at the engineering station, Elyse and Sulu were at the helm and Nathan was at tactical. McCoy was at the medical station and Kaia moved to the communications station. Everyone was standing and facing Kirk as he approached the Captain's chair. For a moment Kirk just looked around the room and only the audible 'ping' from the sensors and the hum from the Impulse engines was heard. The bridge was alive with light.

"Kaia, patch me through to the entire ship," Kirk said. "Your on Captain," Kaia said.

"Each and everyone one of you worked very hard to be here. Starfleet's trust in you is warranted and so is mine. I am...honored to be your Captain, as we have experienced life and death together. Our mission is not an easy one but I know you all will do your best and you are the best of the best," He said then made the cut off sign to Kaia.

"Commander, have you ever commanded a starship out of spacedock before?" He asked Elyse When she said that she hadn't Kirk smiled. "Well there is a first time for everything. Take the con Commander," Kirk said. Elyse looked around the room herself before she moved up to the center seat and sat down. Kirk moved around and then stood behind and to her left. Spock sat in his XO chair and then everyone sat.

"Mr. Scott, we will be going to warp," Elyse said. "I, sir," Scotty said and began signally his engineers. "Kaia, please inform the station we are ready to depart," she said. As Kaia did she turned and nodded to her. "Starbase control, release docking clamps," she said. The ship suddenly shifted slightly. "Docking clamps released," Sulu said. "Mr. Sulu, Engines reverse at 1/4 impulse," Elyse said. "Engines at 1/4 sir," Sulu said and the ship began to slowly back away from the station. "Mr. Sulu, come about to 257 mark 190," Elyse said as she tapped their first destination into the side panel of the captain's chair. "Course laid in sir," Sulu said as the ship finished its turn. "All ahead full Mr. Sulu," Elyse said and he punched up their impulse speed. As they pulled away from the starbase Elyse got a green light from the proximity buoy. "Warp 5 Mr. Sulu," she said and everyone smiled. "I sir," Sulu said and pushed the throttle forward. The ship lurched into warp drive.

"Thank you Commander, return to station," Kirk said and Elyse got up and sat down at the helm again. McCoy was smiling at her and he gave her a little wink before he turned back to face his panel.

Traveling in warp was actually a very boring affair. If anyone could say traveling faster than the speed of light was boring. But most of it was monitoring what there was to monitor and make certain all systems were operating. They would not reach anything for several days though the science department were constantly using the long range sensors to look ahead of them to anything and everything that might be of interest.

2100 hours....

Beta shift relieved Alpha shift and Lt. Davies would once again take the Center seat. Everyone was exhausted but hungry and so most of the officers and crew were together in the cafeteria or the bar. Kirk went straight to his room to get something to eat as did Spock. Nathan stopped Scarlett though. "Hey, how bout that drink?" Nathan asked.

Elyse had been thrilled to be able to take command of a Starship leaving a space dock. She had never had the opportunity before and while she was excited, she was also a little nervous having her Captain standing right there next to her. She prayed she wouldn't screw something up. Thankfully, everything had gone very smoothly and Elyse was rather proud of herself. As she went to sit back down at her station she saw McCoy smile over at her and give her a little wink. 

For hours they were in warp and for the most part the bridge was quiet as everyone monitored their stations. Finally, though, they were relieved by the Beta shift and once the Beta shift was quickly brought up to speed at each station the Alpha shift exited the bridge. For a brief moment, Kaia thought about following Kirk to his quarters, but she decided against it. If he wanted her there he would contact her. Otherwise, she would leave him be to rest.

Scarlett watched Spock walk off and she sighed to herself. She was thinking about going to the cafeteria, but at that moment Nathan approached her and asked her about going to get a drink together. She thought about it briefly and then smiled a little at him. "I would like that." She had no intention of becoming involved with Nathan, but having a friend in him was something she would like.

"So, one moment you're on a Starbase and the next, you're hurdling through space at Warp," Nathan said as the bartender came down to their side of the bar. "Can I get you something?" he asked them. 'Uh, just a beer, thanks," Nathan said and then looked to Scarlett. One she gave the man her order the bartender brought over menus and set them down along with black placemats, and rolled silverware.

"Commander Turner's a third...or maybe fourth generation Starfleet officer. I think commanding a starship is in her DNA. And Lt. Fox...Kaia, she's a wizard with languages. She'll be invaluable when we try to make contact with a new race if the UT doesn't work," Nathan said. He was trying to act natural but Scarlett was so gorgeous. He was looking at her more than he should be, he knew and so he decided to just turn a bit and face forward.

"I know something about everyone, including you, if ya don't mind me sayin," Nathan said allowing his English accent to come through mmore strongly.

Scarlett ordered a cocktail. It actually used a liquor made on Vulcan. It was her favorite drink. She listened as Nathan told her a little bit about both Commander Turner and Lt. Fox. She heard a bit of fondness in his voice as he spoke about Kaia and she wondered if he possibly had feelings for her. The bartender returned with their drinks and placed them down in front of them. She smiled a little when Nathan said he knew something about her too. 

"And what do you know about me?"

"Well, quite a bit actually," Nathan began then took a sip of his beer. While on duty the bar made drinks with synthahol. It tasted just like you'd expect when used in a drink but with none of the inebriation effects.

"I know Spock was one of your instructors and that He Mentored you while at the academy," Nathan said. He had a suspicion about them from the start and he being the security officer, he had...'seen' things that maybe he should not have. But, he didn't begrudge her anything. Her or Spock. It wasn't his place and besides. It was something that 'had' happened. It appeared that she wasn't with him anymore.

"And that you two...were close," Nathan said in a very knowing way. Nathan cringed. "Oh don't look at me like that. "It's my job to know things...And I was asked to do a thorough background check on you," he said. "Spock was adamant about it," Nathan said.

As Nathan began to tell her that he knew about her relationship with Spock that had happened while she was at the Academy, her smile slowly began to fade. She didn't understand how Nathan could have learned that information. And what irritated her was that Spock had ordered a thorough background check on her as if he didn't know her at all. She found that she was beginning to become upset about it. She downed her drink and then she suddenly stood up.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. I need to talk to him. Thank you for the drink," she said as she walked out of the bar.

Nathan tried to get a word in edgewise but Scarlett appeared to be getting mroe and more upset by the moment. In the end she rushed away from the bar, almost in a run. 'What did he say?' Nathan didn't know and he scratched his head as he tried to figure it out.

Spock was in his quarters meditating. He was getting close to that time in his life when he would need to mate. The Pon Farr was nothing to be taken lightly but he had everything he would need to go through it without actually having to go through it. He had Vulcan music playing, incense burning, the medicated tea and he was on his knees. His door chimed and he tried to ignore it. It chimed again and he sighed. "Computer, stop music," he said and the music stopped. He stood and moved and unlocked his door. To his surprise Scarlett was there. "Lt. Wright, is there...anything I can help you with?" Spock asked as if she were just another officer he worked with.

Scarlett did not anger easily. She was a naturally happy person who enjoyed the company of others. However, today...today she was angry...very angry at the man she loved. She reached Spock's quarters and she rang the bell. At first there was no response so she chimed again. She was about to ring the bell again when suddenly the door opened. She hated the way he referred to her as Lt. Wright, even though they were alone. She didn't ask to be allowed in, she just walked in. Spock would never have seen her angry like this before.

"How does Nathan know about our relationship back at the Academy? It was supposed to be a secret and I know I didn't tell anyone, so how does he know about that?"

Spock looked at her for a moment, taking her in. All of her though his eyes never left hers. "I guess you are referring to his background check. He asked me specific questions and I gave him specific answers. It was his duty and I was not going to lie to him," Spock said. "I take it, you're upset that he knows? The man is quite resourceful and reads people well. Perhaps, it would be better not to over react to such things," Spock said. "It is important to mind your passions, they could be your undoing Lieutenant," Spock said without any emotion at all.

Scarlett was going through an emotional rollercoaster in regards to Spock. The man made her want to scream and yell sometimes just to get a reaction out of him, and yet at the same time she wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him passionately. 

"I would rather go through life fully experiencing my emotions than trying to subdue them Spock. You shouldn't speak of minding passions when you were the one who first kissed me back at that party. You were the most passionate man I had ever met. But now...now you cover and hide your emotions because you think it makes you a better person. Well, it doesn't and I think one day you're going to finally realize that. I just hope it isn't too late."

Spock didn't get angry often but he was beginning to feel anger now. She barges into his room, and tries to dictate who he should be? Did she not understand him at all?

"Then maybe you mistake me more than you think. I wanted to experience what being in a relationship was like and you helped me do that. For that I will always be grateful. But that is not who I am. You had expectations and so I showed you passion and emotion when you needed it of me. Here, on this ship, I am not that man. I am a Starfleet officer. Your commanding officer Lieutenant. I will not be compromised by you here, not on this mission. Here I expect you to do your duty and stop baying about like a lovesick school girl. You are a grown woman, act like it," Spock said and opened his door.

"Now, please leave Lieutenant," Spock said.

Scarlett just stared at Spock for a long moment as the anger she felt was replaced by a pain she had never hoped she would ever feel again settled in. She had been heart broken once before by a man who had cheated on her before she attended Starfleet Academy, but this pain was far worse. She didn't want to believe what Spock said, but his words stung. Spock would be able to see from her eyes just how hurt and upset she was by what he had said. She felt numb and like her heart was crumbling at the same time.

She started to leave, but then she stopped and reached up and removed the necklace he had left for her before he had been assigned to the Enterprise. "I guess I don't need this anymore since I'm not someone you care about," she said as she put it into his hand. She then left and didn't look back.

The next morning she got a message from Doctor McCoy to come down and get her physical over with. He had finally had a chance to look over her records. He had one of the nurse's have her disrobe and put on a white gown and get up on the bed. When she was ready he came in.

"Well, Hello Lieutenant, I'm doctor McCoy, Leonard McCoy," he said as he looked at her digital file. "You had a few injuries while doing your field work but nothing that would cause a chronic condition," he said. "Now lets have a look at ya," He said in a very southern accent. While he was working he was very professional. He knew she was beautiful, he'd have to be blind and dead to not see that but he had a job to do and wanted to gain her trust as her doctor.

"Ok, just lay back so we can get a scan of ya," he said. When she did the bed took all of her vitals and indicated possible issues. "That knee still feeling stiff?" he asked. She had taken a spill off of a hill right onto a rock. "Nurse, flag that for monitoring," McCoy said as he asked her to sit up. "Looks like you might have a cavity, Nurse we'll have to schedule that," he said.

"So, how are you doing otherwise? I mean mentally, emotionally. Anything that might affect your job performance?" McCoy asked.

Scarlett had barely slept that night. She was so upset about what had happened and not having that necklace around her neck was like losing an arm. That necklace had gotten her through some tough times emotionally when she was on Beta Circini 3, but now...now it was gone. She began to wonder if Spock ever had really cared about her, or if she had always just been an experiment to him. That thought made her feel sick because she knew that she had been...and still was in love with him.

She finally fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion and the morning came too soon. She was scheduled for her physical and so she reported to the sickbay. She had to disrobe and put on a white gown. She was sitting on the edge of the bed with Dr. McCoy came in. She let him look over her medical file. She had had a few injuries while doing her field work, but nothing too serious. Every so often her right knee would get stiff, but she didn't consider it a problem. She allowed Dr. McCoy to look her over thoroughly. It didn't surprise her to learn she had a cavity. She couldn't exactly see a dentist regularly while doing field work. Thankfully, it wasn't anything too major. She began to think the exam was over, but then McCoy started questioning her about her mental health. She would have to be lying to herself to say she was fine after what had happened yesterday between Spock and herself, however, she wasn't going to tell McCoy about that.

"No," she said with a little shake of her head. "I'm feeling relieved that my field work is finished and my paper published. That was causing me a bit of stress, but nothing right now."

"Well, alright then. That's good to hear. I mean, if every patient was as easy as you are Lieutenant, I'd be out of a job," McCoy said lightheartedly. "Everything looks good. If you need anything for the knee, just come and see me, we'll take care of it,"; He said. "We're all set, you can get dressed," McCoy said then stepped into his office. As she began to get dressed she overheard McCoy and a nurse talking.

"Doctor, that medication...for the Commander has been synthesized," she said. "Oh, that fast? Well make sure he gets it and ask him if he'll need more because it takes time to make," He told her. "Yes doctor," she said.

Scarlett smiled at McCoy and agreed to come talk to him if her knee started acting up. She started to get dressed, but as she was putting her uniform back on she overheard Dr. McCoy and a nurse talking. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but when she realized it was Spock they were talking about she began to listen. They didn't say much else, but she couldn't help but wonder what this medication was that they were making for him. 

She finished getting dressed and was dismissed and she headed up to the bridge to report to her station.

As she went up she was met by Nathan who had an irritated look on his face. "Well, I want to thank you for the ass chewing I just got. Have you ever seen Spock angry? I think I'd rather be in a pit filled with starving Targs than that again. "You really screwed me over Scarlett. Now Spock thinks I'm trying to," he began but several crewmen were moving past them so he paused in what he was saying until they were down the hall. They all took a good look at her and at him. The women that passed did anyway.

"What the hell did you say to him? He came down on me like a hammer on an anvil. I don't know what you're used to where you came from, but here, there are 'us officers' and then there is everyone else. If I knew you were going to blab to him about every little thing I said I wouldn't have invited you for a drink," Nathan said.

As Scarlett got into the turbo lift she found herself face to face with Nathan, who looked pissed. She blinked when he began to chew her out over the reprimand he had just received from Spock regarding what he had told her. Scarlett felt her emotions being pushed to the breaking point. As they got to their level she pulled him into an empty room and shut the door. She then decided to just tell him everything.

"I'm still in love with Spock. I never stopped loving him, but yesterday he ended things between us in such a way that it has caused me to wonder if he ever did actually care about me or if I was just an experiment to him. I'm sorry I got you into trouble Nathan, but no one was supposed to know about our past relationship and I was angry that he hadn't told me that he had told you." 

She looked away from Nathan and wiped away a tear from her cheek. She then closed her eyes and shook her head. "I never should have agreed to take this job."

Nathan was quite taken aback by what Scarlett had just told him. Here he was 'trying unsuccessfully' to find someone and the bloody VULCAN had the prettiest woman he had ever seen. Nathan now began to feel bad about what he had said. Like it or not, his big mouth had caused this. Could he find a way to help her?

"Well I don't know about all of this 'Vulcan' and no emotions business but Spock was angry, furious. He smashed my desktop screen...with a fist! And I thought he was going to smash me. I don't know what you said but I highly doubt he's 'over' you or has no feelings for you. Something strange is going on. I've asked around and no one has ever seen him like that on this ship. I can only assume its got some connection to you since you just came aboard," Nathan said. "You sure it was 'he' that ended things with you? Only time I ever saw anyone that upset was when they were on the receiving end of that," Nathan said.

"I know he's half Vulcan but, come on Scarlett, an experiment? An experiment for what? He could have experimented with any woman. Why do you think he picked you? Someone in his own department with the most chance of getting caught? No, he's into you, ofcourse he is. I mean, sure some men would risk alot for a woman like...uh...for a woman, but Spock? Mr. Logic? The man loves you Scarlett, that has to be it," Nathan said.

Scarlett was quite surprised when Nathan told her that Spock had already smashed his desktop screen with his fist. She had never known him to become that angry...ever. That, plus the medicine, was starting to make her wonder what was going on with him. She sighed and shook her head. "He's never once said it. He's never once ever expressed out loud any of the emotions he ever felt for me. Well...I'm tired Nathan. I've loved him for four years, but now it's over. I cannot keep this up. My emotions are wrecked and I have a job to do. If he's still in love with me he's going to have to actually find a way to say those words to me because I'm tired of giving without receiving anything in return." 

She looked away from Nathan and then back at him. "I'm sorry about your desktop screen. I will pay for the replacement," she said, feeling a little guilty about him being on the receiving end of Spock's anger.

"Already fixed, its on Starfleet's dime, don't worry about it. Hey, I won't give you advice, that's not my place but if you love him....its just odd is all. I don't know much about Vulcan...stuff. But I bet the Doc does," Nathan said. "I mean, it is odd him telling you he has no capacity for feeling and then he nearly knocks my head off...isn't it?" Nathan asked but then shrugged and left her to her own devices.

On the bridge Spock looked at her when she entered and calmly looked back down at the arm of his chair. He was typing something into it. Kirk was signing the digital ledger and everyone was doing their own thing. They were supposed to be coming up on a possible 'M' class planet soon and everyone seemed eager for that.

Scarlett took a few moments to gather herself before she proceeded to step through the doors and onto the bridge. She saw Spock look up and at her for a moment before looking back down at the arm of his chair. He was typing something into it. She had heard that they were approaching a possible 'M' class planet and she thought that could potentially be very interesting. She walked over and took her seat at her station and began to double check the instrument panel. She was doing anything to keep herself busy so she wouldn't look back over at Spock.