Star Trek Episodes

The doors opened and Alex stared at the bridge in awe, her hood falling off, but she didn‘t notice. Buttons were everywhere, in the middle of it all was the captain’s chair with Pike sitting in it. Different stations were everywhere, a huge view screen at the front showed the billions of stars and different planets. Everyone at the stations had different colored shirts according to their division, and all Alex could do was stare at it all. She couldn’t move. Spock and Katelyn already walked off the lift, leaving Alex there. Katelyn turned around and grabbed Alex’s arm. Alex slowly started moving, walking forward. Captain Pike turned around in his chair and saw the girls walking over to them. Kirk was standing next to him, Spock sat at his science station. A curly-haired kid was up front with the Asian whom Alex knew to be Hiakru Sulu. Alex didn’t want to know where Uhura was.

Pike waved at them. “Hello, girls,” he greeted.

“Hello, Captain,” they greeted after they’d walked over to him and Katelyn let go of Alex.

“Do you still have trouble finding your quarters, Harada?” he asked Alex, who blushed.

“No,” she answered. “I know where everything is now, Captain.”

At that, she beamed.

“You’ve never been to this part of the ship, have you?” he asked, his blue eyes staring at her.

She shook her head. “No, Captain,” she answered. “I respect Spock’s duty to be at the science station to help you, so I never come here.”

“Except today?” Pike asked.

Alex nodded. “As long as I don’t touch anything, I’m welcome here, as far as Spock’s concerned,” she answered and quickly added, “Captain.”

Pike nodded and let Alex walk around, not distracted by either one of them because Katelyn was always there anyway. Alex’s face seemed like it had a permanent smile upon her face as she walked around, admiring everyone at their work. She watched Sulu and Chekov clicking away at their light up keys and wished she could do that, but she had no idea what they were doing. She walked over to her Vulcan friend (if she could call him that) at his science station and sat on the floor next to him, staring up at him, watching his thin, long fingers clicking a few buttons and then looking over at his console viewer, the light playing on his face.

Alex wanted to lay on the floor, but she knew she’d be in everyone’s way, so she didn’t. She looked at Katelyn, who was busy trying to get Kirk to pay attention to her. She so badly wanted his piercing blue eyes to look at her and pay attention to her instead of Lieutenant Uhura. Alex knew well how much Katelyn wanted him, to play with his blonde hair without a care in the world . . . . Uhura was also busy at her station. Alex didn’t care what she did, but saw her looking at the back of Spock’s head. She wanted to smack her. Alex’s smile fell whenever she saw Uhura and just as quickly as it disappeared, it would reappear. She had an idea that would not only annoy Spock but perhaps annoy or anger Uhura. Alex was good at making people mad at her, intentionally or unintentionally.

The Asian girl stood up and walked the few inches between her and Spock, then stood over the science station console viewer. She acted as if she knew what was happening, but she really didn’t. Katelyn watched Alex as she stood near Kirk, who was busy trying to get a first name out of Uhura. Katelyn knew what Alex was doing and she smiled a little. She knew Alex would try to make Uhura mad.

“Spock, what are you doing?” Katelyn heard Alex ask the pointy-eared Vulcan.

“I am observing,” Spock answered in the shortest way possible, but knew it was a bad idea because it would just lead to more questions.

“Observing what?” she asked.

“Everything in space, little one,” he answered, nonchalantly adding a little nickname for her.

She frowned at him. “Don’t call me little one,” she said.

“You are the one that is frustrated now,” Spock said.

“Right,” she muttered. “Everything in space? Like life particles and whatever?”

Spock looked at Alex. “When ships come in range, I observe the ships. I am simply looking at space to see if a ship will come into range,” he answered.

“Interesting,” Alex said. “What about the buttons and the switches, what do they do?”

“They each serve a different purpose, to which I do not think you would understand,” Spock answered. “I am not saying that to insult you, I am saying that I do not think science to be your field.”

“It never has been,” Alex and Katelyn said in unison.

Katelyn was listening in on them and watching Uhura at the same time.

Spock continued as if the girls hadn’t interrupted him, “Each one is different. The switches with the numbers allow me to manipulate their shields. Each ship has a different code to allow someone to have their shields go down.”

“That’s cool!” Alex said and she was truly interested in this whole science station now. “I wish I was smart enough to do this.”

Katelyn looked at Uhura and noticed a frown upon her face to which Katelyn smiled a little, knowing that Uhura was jealous of Alex and Spock’s bonding. Kirk was still following Uhura around like a dog, trying to get her to answer his question of which he wanted her first name. She wouldn’t give him her name.

Alex continued asking more questions to Spock, starting with, “What does the console viewer do then? Specifically. I understand that you observe everything.”

“Specifically, I observe everything ships do, if they’re locking weapons upon us, their designs, every detail of the ships. I also announce how many hours or minutes and seconds we have till we reach the ship or if the ship reaches us,” Spock answered, now looking at Alex. He, too, noticed how interested she was in this now. “You are interested in this?” he asked her.

She nodded. “It sounds cool,” she answered. “Can I be here when you do this kind of stuff?”

Spock’s coal black eyes widened in surprised, which was rare, and only Alex saw it. She shrugged that off, though, knowing that it most likely wouldn’t happen again. Just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared. He didn’t know she’d be so interested in this part of the ship -- ever. She didn’t seem like a logical person at all. To Spock, her mind was more creative, imaginative and those minds didn’t blend well with logic and vice versa. He thought she’d bother the living crap out of him here, pushing buttons, causing havoc, like every other part of the ship he was in. But she didn’t, she was actually interested in this field. She was asking him useful questions and he was now not even annoyed of her. He wasn’t the slightest bit annoyed with all the questions like he thought he would be. He thought she’d push the buttons just to annoy him, but she didn’t and he didn’t know why. Alex was a curious creature to him, at least, because she was always pushing buttons, asking questions, looking through things that weren’t hers, and the like.

When Spock spoke to her again, his voice was low so no one would hear him say, “I am quite surprised you would be asking these questions.”

“Because I’m not logical,” she said, knowing where he was going with this conversation.

They were actually having a conversation with no annoyances. It was a first. Katelyn knew it, but she was the only one who noticed this. No one else did, but Katelyn wouldn’t say a word about it. She was observing Uhura again, now, and she noticed the jealousy was still in her eyes because they were bonding and she wasn’t bonding with him.

Spock nodded. “Indeed,” he said. “You are a curious young adult. You constantly push buttons and ask questions. You are always sifting through things that are not yours and trying to gain knowledge. But you do not seem logical. You seem more creative and imaginative. You find new ways to try to illicit an emotional response out of me. It is strange that you would want to know the logics.”

“Yeah, I know,” she agreed. “Can I?”

Spock sat there for a while, deep in thought, and stood up. “Follow me,” he said to her.

Alex followed slowly behind him and he reached for her hand so she could walk at a faster pace. She usually did. What the fuck are we doing? Alex asked herself.

As if reading her thoughts, Spock answered, “We should ask Captain Pike on his opinion.”

Katelyn watched Uhura’s eyes follow Spock and Alex walk toward Captain Pike. Katelyn’s eyes followed Uhura’s and saw what she saw: Spock and Alex were walking toward Captain Pike holding hands. But Katelyn didn’t think anything of it. Today her best friend was walking slow and she often grabbed Alex’s arm to hurry her when she was walking slowly. Uhura was jealous that Spock and Alex were holding hands, Katelyn could tell that much.

Alex didn’t understand why they needed to ask Pike because Katelyn didn’t, she just walked in whenever she pleased. But the more she shuffled along near Spock, she knew why all of a sudden. Spock was a respectful person and he wanted to respect Captain Pike by asking him if she would be allowed to be at his science station. Then she realized something after she glanced at her hand: Spock was holding her hand. She hadn’t even noticed until he let go. The pair stood in front of Captain Pike.

“Captain Pike, a word if I may?” Spock asked.

Pike nodded and stood up.

“Privately, if we may, Captain?” Spock asked again.

Pike nodded again and he looked at Kirk. “Kirk, you have the conn, but don’t go crazy,” he said and Kirk nodded.

Kirk loved sitting in the captain’s chair. Asking Uhura’s first name was abandoned and he sat in the chair as Spock, Pike, and Alex walked into the lift. Once the lift doors closed, Pike stopped the lift and Spock began to talk.

“Captain Pike, I would like to ask permission for Alex Harada to accompany me on the bridge as she wishes and pleases to on her own time.”

Pike looked at Alex, whose hood was pulled up again. Whenever she pulled that hood up over her head, she looked -- as impossible as it was -- smaller in comparison to before when her hood was off. Maybe it was the fact that if she felt too inferior that she hung her head low, slumping her shoulders and when she didn’t feel inferior, she stood a bit taller, her head held high. She acted more confident than she was.

“Harada,” Pike said and she looked up and he continued, “you would enjoy that idea?”

Alex nodded. “Yes, Captain, very much so,” she answered.

“Captain, it was her suggestion to join me at the science station after explaining some functions,” Spock added.

“Is this true?” Pike asked Alex.

She nodded. “I find it highly interesting, Captain, and I know it seems uncharacteristic of me to ask to join Mr. Spock at the science station, because I’m not at all a logical thinker, but I think it is interesting what he does,” she answered.

“When would Harada join you, Mr. Spock?” asked Pike to the Vulcan.

“I would assume when she wished to learn the science station’s purpose,” Spock answered his captain.

“On her own time?” Pike asked.

Spock nodded. “Precisely,” he answered.

Alex and Pike often wondered why he couldn’t say anything straightforward, but they knew it was his way. Alex’s hood was still on her head, but she was excited that she could spend time on the bridge now, too. She wouldn’t bother Spock at all about anything, not annoy him, but she’d ask questions because it was his expertise. She’d only annoy him outside of the bridge, as usual. Pike turned to the short girl.

“You will not bother him?” he asked her. “No annoyances or pushing of buttons, nothing?”

“I only wish to accompany Mr. Spock to learn more about his duty, Captain,” she answered. “I will not annoy him on the bridge, just when he is off of it, as usual.”

Pike nodded. “Very well, then,” he said. He turned to Spock. “Permission granted, then.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Spock and Alex said in unison and Pike pushed the button for the lift to continue on its way.

They stood there, the three of them, until it stopped on the bridge. The doors opened and they stepped off. Kirk abandoned the captain’s chair to annoy Uhura again and Katelyn backed off toward the lift. She pulled her friend aside as she and Spock made their way to the science station. Katelyn and Alex were standing aside from the lift. She wanted to know what Alex, Spock, and Pike were talking about. Alex pulled her hood off, smile still plastered on her face. Her smile almost seemed like it was too big for that small face of hers. Alex’s smile was so big, it was contagious, as Spock noticed earlier when he told her she could join him on the bridge. People always smiled at her when she was smiling and when she liked someone, and they smiled, her smile became wider, as impossible as it seemed because it almost seemed like her smile was as big as it would get. Katelyn noticed this smile.

“What did you talk about?” Katelyn asked in a low voice.

“I’m joining Spock at the science station now, well, on my own time when I feel like it,” Alex answered. “I know, it’s weird that I’m going to join him there, but it all sounds real cool. Spock was telling me some of the facts that he does. I find it interesting.”

“Wow, that’s weird,” Katelyn said.

“I know,” Alex agreed.

“Hey, I’m hungry,” Katelyn realized.

She hadn’t eaten since she’d woken up that morning and Alex even realized she hadn’t even eaten yet. Alex still had Bagel Bites in her room, so she and Katelyn decided to make their way to her room to grab a box. Alex and Katelyn often spoke about their friendship whenever they ate. It was the first topic they picked whenever they ate a meal together, just the two of them. They often laughed about how they first met, their first impressions, and everything that went with their friendship of theirs. They didn’t know why they kept talking about it, and they always asked that, but never knew the answer, a pointless question.

Katelyn remembered her first impression of Alex was, “Wow, she’s short.” And Alex remembered the first thing she said to herself about Katelyn, “Dude, she has really long hair. Oh and a kick ass tee shirt.” Katelyn had worn a band tee that day, one of which Alex knew of and listened to. The two were in the hallway, Katelyn’s locker was located there as well as several of Alex’s friends, who knew Katelyn, and it was the hallway Alex traveled to for a history class. Their mutual friends introduced them.

After eating some Bagel Bites, Alex wanted to bug Spock again, but didn’t know if he was still at the science station on the bridge or if he was in his room or somewhere else on the ship. But she decided to find him nonetheless. Katelyn followed Alex and the two stopped at the bridge, Katelyn stayed, but Alex left, noticing Spock left. Where could he have gone? Alex walked around the ship like she was lost, but she really wasn’t, until she ended up running into him -- literally. She bumped into him so hard that she fell backward flat on her back.

“Ugh,” she said, holding her hand to her head and trying to sit up.

“I did not see you, Alex,” Spock said to her.

“Yeah I’m hard to miss,” she said to him. “That hurt like hell.”

“Doctor McCoy should have a look at that,” Spock suggested.

“No, he shouldn’t,” she countered. “But it does hurt.”

Spock nodded. “Can you stand?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she answered. “Why did you leave the bridge? Where are you going or where were you coming from?”

“You ask numerous questions, Alex,” Spock stated.

Alex nodded. “You ignore them, sometimes,” she said, lifting herself up to stand and wobbled, grabbing Spock’s arm for support. “Hah, does that answer your question, Spock?”

“Indeed,” he answered and helped her to sickbay. “I needed a walk. I was on my way back to the bridge, if you must know.”

“Hey, guess what?” she asked.

He raised his eyebrow at her.

She laughed. “You raised your eyebrow!” she exclaimed. “That’s always cool to me and I don’t know why. But, but, your hair is perfect. Can I touch it?!”

“No, you may not,” he answered.

“Aw, why not? Come on, Spock-bear,” she begged.

“It is not to be touched,” he said. “What is that you call me everyday?”

“What? Spock-bear?” she asked as she looked at her hand that was pressed against her head.

He nodded.

“It’s my nickname for you,” she answered, but didn’t look at him as they wobbled on down to sickbay.

Spock never understood humans and their nicknames or emotions, even though he was half human himself, but he’d chosen the Vulcan nature over the human one. Alex didn’t understand why he couldn’t just keep in touch with both his cultures instead of just one over the other. Both are important because it was a part of him. She was half Japanese and half Korean but she didn’t favor one over the other. It’s not like she spoke either language, but she wanted to learn both, not just one. She learned about both cultures and liked them both equally, interested by both. Spock was someone she was highly interested in knowing more about. It was probably one of the key reasons why she annoyed him so much. She wanted to know what made him tick, among other things.

They entered sickbay and McCoy looked at them both, wondering what happened as he looked from Spock to Alex to Spock again. Alex was leaning on Spock for support.

“What the hell happened?” McCoy asked, walking over to the two and grabbing Alex’s arm. “I got it from here, Spock.”

Alex’s hand was still on her head until McCoy took that arm to help her, her hand no longer on her head. “My head hurts,” was all she said. Her other hand was on Spock’s arm.

“Alex, let go of Spock,” McCoy ordered Alex.

“Huh?” Alex asked.

“I must leave for the bridge,” Spock said to her.

She was confused and McCoy and Spock had to repeat it several times for her to understand. She finally let go of him and McCoy helped her to an empty bed.

“Bye, Spock-bearrr!” Alex waved to Spock as he left and McCoy used his device to find out Alex’s levels of health.

Spock wanted to roll his eyes, but didn’t and instead said, “I will see you when you are well.” Then he walked back to the bridge.

“Alex, what happened?” McCoy asked.

“Uh, I ran into him,” she answered. “Literally. And I fell on my back. Hit my head!”

“You must’ve hit it pretty hard for you to lean on that pointy-eared Vulcan for support,” McCoy said.

“I couldn’t walk, Bones, he helped me,” she said.

“That’s strange because he doesn’t really help anyone,” McCoy muttered.

“You’re just mad because I don’t come here as often as I used to,” Alex said. “Just make my head feel better.”

Silence fell upon the best friends as McCoy gave her medicine for the pain to subside. Occasionally he would give her instructions, like, “Lie back down.” or “You need rest.” She never protested because she wasn’t in the mood to argue. McCoy wondered if he really was just jealous that she was not spending as much time as she was here as she used to. He didn’t know why she wasn’t, but she was no longer spending hours at a time with him. Instead of hours it was minutes or seconds because she had to run off to annoy the hell out of Spock. It was like he was top priority to her.

Whatever happened to friends first? McCoy wondered to himself many times when she would run off to find the Vulcan-human hybrid. Was he really jealous? He shook it off and went back to work. Whatever he was feeling, he wasn’t sure if he liked it.