All About The Holodeck Stardate 2259.205

Elyse had not ever really enforced the full extent of her authority, but she was going to now. Kal was her friend, but she was a Lieutenant Commander and Kal needed to learn that this wasn't the Academy. "Lt. Marshall, you are an officer in Starfleet, not a child. I put my trust in you and you've disappointed me. I won't be making that mistake again. That was my personal command code. If an enemy got a hold of that code they could take over this ship. Do you understand what that would mean? There are rules here that must be followed and I'm sorry if you don't like them. Technically I should go to straight to the Captain and inform him of what you've done, but I think a better punishment would be for me to simply take your program from you." 

She held out her hand and the look in her eyes would tell him not to mess with her. When he handed it over she stepped up to him. "And if you ever pull something like this again I will throw you into the brig myself. Do I make myself clear?"

Kal didn't understand. "Elyse I'm sorry," he tried to say but she went right on. Elyse was so angry and now he knew she was serious. He looked down at his disk and frowned in confusion. Slowly he handed it to Elyse. He looked at her with hurt and embarrassment then snapped to attention in a defiant way. Elyse was not his friend any longer, he got that. She was a superior officer. And he had fucked up. But it didn't change that a divide was being forged. He had thought that she was one of them. But he had been mistaken. He stiffened. "Yes ma'am," he said as looked straight ahead and his frown turned into a troubled one. "Permission to leave," he said plainly.

Elyse's insides felt like they were being torn to shreds. She hated having to come down on Kal like this. He was her friend after all, but he had crossed a line and he needed to understand the consequences of his actions. However, she also blamed herself for agreeing to give him access to the matrix in the first place. This had been a bad decision all the way around, and now she had lost a good friend over it. 

"Granted."

Kal stepped away down the hall and he did not look back. The next day Kal did not even look at her and he held a frosty demeanor on the bridge. Fiona was wondering herself, what was wrong but she would not be able to talk to him until lunch. The Enterprise was orbiting a 'K' class planet and Scarlett and Spock were busy taking readings from the probe they sent down. There was very little for them to do so Kirk had them go to lunch. Kal stepped out into the hall and slowed for Fiona to catch up to him. Leonard had arrived to take Elyse for lunch.

"I like 'K' class planets. Not alot for us to do," He said but noticed that she wasn't in a very good mood. "Well are you coming? I'm starving!" he said with a grin.

"Kal, you've been acting strange all day," Fiona asked. "I don't want to talk about it," Kal said.

Elyse had gone back to her and Leonard's quarters, but the romantic evening had been ruined and she just ended up going to bed early. The next day, on the bridge things were frosty and tense between Elyse and Kal. They usually chatted a lot, but neither of them said a word to each other all morning. They were orbiting a 'K' class planet and there wasn't a lot for anyone to do...expect Spock and Scarlett who had their heads close together as they discussed the readings from the probe. 

Kirk eventually dismissed them for lunch and Elyse waited for Kal to get up and leave first. Leonard was waiting on her, but she watched Kal leave with Fiona on his heels. Elyse walked over to Leonard, but she didn't smile like she usually did and she was unusually quiet.

Fiona was surprised by Kal's response and she blinked. "Ok...sorry...."

Amara had noticed the iciness between Kal and Elyse and she walked over to James. "Do you know what's going on between Elyse and Kal?" she asked quietly.

"Is everything alright Elyse?" Leonard asked. "You've not been yourself all day," he said as he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.

"It's not...I'm sorry Fiona...It's. It's something I did," Kal said as Fiona paused in the hallway. "But it doens't matter now. It's clear who she is and she's not one of us anymore. She's above us," Kal said.

Kirk looked at Amara. "I thought it had been a bit quiet in here but I have no idea what is going on, what do you think it could be?" he asked.

Elyse sighed and she stopped walking and Leonard did too. They stepped into the ready room and she looked at him. "Kal did something and I had to come down on him for it. It was the first time I've ever had to use my authority like that and unfortunately it was with a good friend. I'm pretty sure we're not friends anymore."

Fiona looked at Kal. "Well, she technically is above us. Unfortunately that's the risk you take when you're friends with someone who has authority over you."

Amara gave a little shrug. "I'm not sure, but they haven't spoken a word to each other so something serious must have happened. I'm sure they'll be fine. It's just kinda weird."

"Well that sounds serious. But knowing you, he deserved it, whatever it was. Is there anything I can do? I could talk to Jim about him," Leonard said.

"Well...I thought she was different Fiona. At least, I hoped she was," Kal said. "I feel like something spicy for lunch, any suggestions?" Kal asked.

"Is there anything you can find out Amara? Two of my best officers feuding is not a good thing for us," Kirk said.

Elyse sighed and shook her head. "No, I've handled it and I'd rather not get Jim involved." She was quiet a moment before looking at him. "Let's go get something to eat."

Amara looked at James. "I can try and talk to Elyse. She may or may not tell me what's going on though."

"Well, Spock and Scotty are satisfied the holodeck is ready. Maybe that will help the general mood," he said. "In fact, Spock believes Elyse is ready to start Command training and he's built a program for that. I can't divulge what the training is about but he says its unlike anything he's ever done," Kirk said. Spock and Scarlett were not listening to them, they were trying to add in more scans before the probe's power gave out.

Amara was intrigued. Spock had programmed her tests and she had been impressed by that. She figured he had done something equally as impressive for Elyse's training. After Elyse returned, Amara and James headed to get something to eat. Elyse started to head to her station, but Spock called her over. 

"Yes Commander?"

"You had...expressed the desire to take the Commander Training Commander Turner. It begins tomorrow morning," he said and handed her a data chip. "Here are the texts that you need to become familiar with. I am opening the Holodeck for the crew as myself and Mr. Scott have completed our disagnostics on it," he said. "You will report to the Holodeck at 1800 hours tomorrow and every other evening there after for training," Spock said. "You can ofcourse, request to delay the training but once you begin, if you want to quit you may but you will need to start over when you're ready to resume. Shall I expect you?" Spock asked and Jim paused to hear her answer.

Elyse listened to Spock and she took the data chip he handed her. She hadn't known when her Commander training would officially begin, but a lot had happened recently. She was both excited and nervous to actually begin, but this is what she wanted and she felt ready to begin.

"Absolutely Commander."

Amara had paused to wait for James and she smiled when she heard Elyse's answer.

Jim smiled at Amara and they left to go to lunch. Mccoy was very excited for Elyse and he told her that he would support her in any way he could.

The next day was more of the same. Kal did not speak to Elyse unless he had to for bridge operations. Fiona looked at them with concern. Kirk noticed it too but he said nothing. Spock noticed nothing ofcourse.

At lunch McCoy sat with Elyse. "I can only imagine what Spock has programmed into that infernal...holo...thing," McCoy said as he ate a piece of apple. "But, I know you're going to do great," he said. "Is this what you want darling? I mean...not your father, just you," McCoy asked.

Spock and Scarlett had gathered as much data as they could from the probe before it stopped transmitting. They then spent the rest of the day going over the data and writing up a report. 

The next day, Elyse and Leonard were able to have lunch together again. It didn't happen everyday, depending on what was going on, but when they could get together they did. Elyse was a little bit nervous about the start of her training, mostly because she just didn't know what to expect. She looked across the table at Leonard and nodded a little. "I've given this all a lot of thought. I'm not doing it for my father, or because I feel I have to. I'm doing it because I truly want to."

Leonard smiled. "Then I'm as excited as you are. Since I have no intention of taking this test, maybe you could tell me a little of what goes on," Leonard said. "Or, maybe I'll have to...get it out of you...somehow," he said with a grin.

At 1800 Spock was there inside the holodeck. He had a PADD under his arm and he moved when she entered. "Commander Turner, as I said before, once you begin you are commited. You can choose to stop at any time but if you do, you will have to wait at least one full year to retake the testing and you will have to begin from the beginning. Since this is the first time this test is using the holodeck, I will allow you some dispensation...but not much," Spock said.

"You will be given a series of problems to solve. Standard problems that a ship Captain might have to deal with. How you preform will be graded by me and your performances will be recorded and sent to starfleet for critique, stand ready and remember, it is important to take these tests seriously. A Captain may face life and death situations, come face to face with dilemmas that the Captain of a starship could actually face. There are solutions to every test Elyse, this is not an extension of the Kobiashi Maroo," he said then shifted over to the holodeck controls.

"Once again, stand ready," he said. then activated the program.

Elyse found herself on the bridge of a ship. By how it looked, it was a Smaller, much older destroyer. She was standing right in front of the Captain's chair...her chair and one look at her uniform told her that she was wearing the rank of Captain. There was Sulu, Chekhov and Uhura at Communication and Spock at the science station. A contingent of Andorians had landed on the planet weeks ago and the Vulcans had beamed troops down to remove them. SO far, they've been unable to, the Andorians are to fortified.

"Captain our Ambassidor and the Vulcan Ambassador's shuttle crashed but we're receiving their lifesigns. They insist they can continue to the coordinates the Andorians had given them for the talks," Spock said. Elyse had read about this in the text book Spock gave her of Starfleet history. The nearby Planet was called Weytahn and the Andorians and Vulcans had been fighting over it for centuries.

"Captain, The Vulcan Ambassador wishes to be picked up by another shuttle but the Starfleet Ambassador insists that they can make it to the coordinates, what shall I tell them?" Uhura asked.

James had some reports to work on so Amara decided to leave him alone. She wanted to talk to Dr. McCoy anyway. She walked down to his and Elyse's quarters and pressed the door chime. When McCoy answered she looked at him. "Could I talk to you?"

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Elyse met Spock at the precise time he indicated. She was in her Starfleet uniform. She had seen the holodeck, but she had not seen it in use yet. She was curious what these tests would entail, but she felt she was up to the challenge. She listened to what Spock said carefully and then nodded in understanding. She prepared herself and as the program was activated everything around her shifted and changed and she suddenly found herself on the bridge of a ship. She was wearing a Captain's uniform and was standing in front of the Captain's chair. A quick glance around her showed her her crew and when Spock began to speak she listened carefully. She had read through the texts that Spock had given her yesterday and she knew that the Andorians and Vulcans had been fighting over the nearby planet of Weytahn for centuries. 
There was something that troubled her however about the information she had received.

"What was the cause of the crash?" she asked Spock.

"Oh, Hello Amara, certainly, what can I do ya for?" Leonard asked.

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"The Pilot that is with the Ambassador's said that the shuttle had been fired upon. It is unclear to him by whom, there's alot of fighting between the Vulcan's and Andorians," Spock said.

Amara stepped in and let the door close behind her. "I know that James asked you to destroy the data you collected from my test, but I was hoping that maybe you looked at it before you destroyed it."

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Elyse took in the information that Spock gave her. She couldn't make speculations in this situation. She turned in her chair towards Uhura. "Lieutenant Uhura, have the second shuttle on standby and instruct the pilot to proceed with caution to the designated coordinates."

"Captain 2 more Anndorian warships just warped into the system. Thats three Andorians and two Vulcan battlecruisers. I think there's about to be a battle to happen soon Captain," Sulu said. "Captain The Andorian Captain is wanting to speak to you...wait, and the Vulcan Captain," Urhura said.

Elyse didn't like the sound of all of the warships and battlecruises that were appearing. She knew this was a very tense situation that would need to be handled delicately. She didn't want a battle to break out. She looked back at Uhura.

"Lieutenant, put them both up on the screen," she said. She was going to have to turn into a mediator she had a feeling.

"My name is Captain Torth of Vulcan,  and  we do not recognize the Andorian occupation  of this planet. We're sending a troop transport down," he said. "Any  transports  or shuttles of  any kind will be fired upon!" The  Andorian  Captain said. "If you fire upon us, that will be an act of War!" Torth said. "I've heard enough," The Andorian said. "We've got you out numbered...Vulcan, we're claiming this planet!" He said.

"Captain the Andorian ships will arrive in 12 minutes," Spock said.

This situation was escalating quickly and though this was just a simulation, Elyse found her heartbeat increasing slightly. She remained calm though and realized she knew the name of the Vulcan captain, but not the Andorian captain.

“I’m Captain McCoy. May I have the honor of knowing who I am addressing?” she asked as she looked towards the Andorian side of the screen.

McCoy frowned at Amara and he paused in what he was going to say. “Amara, Jim gave me a direct order to destroy the data...He, doesn’t know you’re here, does he?” He asked with a sympathetic grin.

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The Andorian Captain narrowed his eyes at her. “My name is Captain Moshan of the Andorian Imperial Guard, what are YOU doing here pink skin? We consider this an interior matter and we will not allow the Vulcans to use this planet as listening post and invasion staging area any longer!” he said.

Elyse would know that right now, they were both in the Federation but long ago the Vulcans had used one of their ancient monasteries as a site to house a listening post. Admiral Archer had been the one to discover that listening post in fact and he was the one that sent the Human ambassador down there with the Vulcan. The Vulcans, for all of their logic and arrogance were actually the aggressors and in the wrong for keeping that listening post. This planet, being so close to Andoria, poses a real threat to the Andorians if the Vulcans used it for espionage or a staging area. Being in the Federation, there is an expectation to at least vie for peace if they are to remain in the Federation. Both races would not want to be expelled.

Amara sighed and shook her head. "No, he's working on reports right now. Besides, this is my body and I want to know what was done to it." A few tears came to her eyes. "James and I are never going to be able to have children because of whatever they did."

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"It's a honor to meet you Captain Moshan. As for the reason why I'm here, it's to prevent war and keep both Vulcan and the Andoria in the Federation. Captain Torth, there was a listening post that was discovered in an ancient monastery by Admiral Archer. A listening post this close to Andoria poses a possible serious threat to the Andorians. At this point we have a Vulcan Ambassador and a Starfleet Ambassador heading to a designated area for peace talks.  If both Vulcan and Androia wish to remain in the Federation I would strongly suggest backing down and allowing the talks to happen."