I'm Seeing Red

I’m Seeing Red

Prologue

I walked out over the field of destruction the pieces of starship littering the streets. I heard the screams of the people as the burned and perished, as their future and their dreams were crushed. I walked over to a large piece of the ship touching the outside of it lightly USS Enterprise was printed onto the metal. I moved around the sparking piece of metal stepping into the remains of the ship. I walked through the damaged ship stepping into what was left of the bridge. I saw crewman leaning over their stations as they breathed their last breath. I walked over to the captains chair seeing him breathing heavy blood running down the side of his face.

“James Tiberius Kirk,” I said bending down towards him. “Who did this to the Enterprise?” I asked touching his hand.

“His name was. . . his name was Khan,” Kirk breath out with his last breath. I stood up looking at the destruction around me one single tear sliding down my cheek before I lifted my teleporter watch and turning the dial backwards and hitting the side button opening a portal full of bright light next to me. I slowly stepped inside the portal before being thrown through time landing softly in the year 2254 outside the San Francisco Starfleet academy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over the next year I enrolled in the Starfleet Academy becoming an engineer and quickly gaining respect for my knowledge. I kept the real secret of who I am only giving my name ,Clara Oswald, to those who asked. When on leave I would inspect the where a bouts of each future Enterprise crew members but now they would all start coming together at the Academy started with Jim Kirk meeting Uhura at the Warp Trail bar in Iowa.

I walked through the doors of the loud bar smiling at the cadets drinking before their trip back to Starfleet.

“Clara,” Uhura called out waving me over to her, “I didn’t think you were going to come and drink with us,” She smiled hugging me softly.

“Well I couldn’t resist,” I smiled waving at some cadets.

“You can help me grab the drinks for everyone,” Uhura said pulling me towards the bar. “Hi. I’d like a Klabnian Fire Tea, two Cardassian Sunrises and three Earth beers, no slim-shots, anything on draft,” Uhura told the bartender.

“That’s a lot of drinks for two women. Wearing clothes like that,” A voice said beside me. I turned to face the man only to be slightly shocked that Kirk was already here and drinking heavily.

“And two shots of Jack, straight up,” Uhura added calling out mine and her favorite drink.

“Make it three — their shots are on me,” Kirk smiled to the bartender.

“The shots are on us. Thanks but no thanks,” Uhura said looking over at him.

“What about you sweetheart?” Kirk asked turning his attention to me.

“It is rare for her to even be here drinking in public so she is also fine without you,” Uhura said defending me.

“Don’t you want my name before you completely reject me?” Kirk asked feigning hurt.

“I’m good without it,” Uhura replied curtly.

“You are good without it. It’s Jim. Jim Kirk,” Kirk replied staring at Uhura, “If you don’t tell me your names I’m going to just have to make them up,” Kirk continued looking between us.

“Uhura,” she replied.

“I’m Clara,” I smiled softly as Uhura gave me a glare.

“Uhura and Clara? No way — that’s the name I was going to make up for each of you. Uhura and Clara what?” Kirk asked being sarcastic.

“Just Uhura and Clara,” Uhura replied for me trying to leave.

“They don’t have last names in your world?” Kirk asked making Uhura angrier.

“Uhura is her last name Mr. Kirk,” I said freeing Uhura from his gaze. Uhura then took that moment to escape with the drinks leaving me alone with Kirk.

“So Clara you’re a cadet. Studying. What’s your focus?” Kirk pushed sipping his drink.

“Physics and Engineering,” I replied looking at his strong gaze.

“Very nice,” Kirk smiled. “Do you work with those teleporters that beam people up and down from the starships?”

“Yep,” I mumbled looking over at Uhura who smiled and waved back as I glared at her. “Look Mr. Kirk I-“ I started to say but a large cadet cut me off.

“This guy bothering you?” He asked as Kirk looked over at him.

“Not really, nothing I can’t handle myself cadet,” I replied looking at him.

“You could handle me. I don’t know if you would be able to keep up,” Kirk smirked as my jaw dropped. This was the man thats death caused the destruction of the universe, it was pretty sad but you have to give him a chance, this was before starfleet.

“Hey. You mind your manners when speaking to 2nd Lt Oswald,” The cadet said as he spun Kirk to face him.

“2nd Lt? You said you were a Cadet,” Kirk said ignoring the cadet and turning back to me.

“I never said you implied,” I said as the cadet pulled him back to him.

“At ease, Cupcake, it was a joke. Like your hairline,” Kirk said to the Cadet trying to push him away. I looked around noticing the rooms silence as other cadets readied themselves for a fight.
“Hey, Jim that’s enough,” I said placing a hand gently on his shoulder.

“What was that?” The Cadet asked getting in his face.

“You heard me, Moonbeam,” Kirk pushed as the cadets walked closer.

"You know how to count farm boy? There’s five of us. . . and one of you,” The cadet smirk.

“Okay, so go get some more guys, come back and it’ll be an even fight,” Kirk replied cockily. The cadet swung his fist but Kirk headbutts his hand breaking it. Another cadet punches kirk, then throws him into a table, which Kirk flies over landing hard. I cringe at the sight as another cadet grabs him up, Kirk slams five fast punches in the cadets face sending the cadet back just as another cadet punches Kirk. One of the other cadets grabs Kirk and the last punch is continued four more times.

“THAT IS ENOUGH!!” I yelled but no one listened to me. Another punch and Kirk flies to the floor, he’s out of it but still trying to put up a fight. The cadets unleash on him and really pummel him where he lays. I try pulling on of the cadets off of Kirk but he simply pushes me off knocking me to the ground as a loud ear splitting whistle is heard causing everyone to stop and turn to the door where Captain Pike stood.

“Outside, all of you! NOW!” Captain Pike commanded as he walked towards me. I picked myself off of the floor dusting myself off. “I want you to stay here Oswald,” Captain Pike commanded. I nodded as we walked over to Kirk who layer on the ground bleeding. “Y’alright, Son?” Pike asked leaning down towards Kirk’s battered self.

“You can. . . whistle really loud, y’know that?” Kirk said right before passing out.

“I tried stopping them but they never listen to me,” I sighed as we picked him up off the floor.

“That is because you aren’t loud enough also you don’t look very scary,” Pike laughed grabbing some ice. “If you want to become a captain some day, you will have to start threatening people,” Pike added as I wiped some of Kirk’s blood away.

“I’m not interested in becoming a captain, I’m a red shirt for a reason,” I reminded Pike who was walking to talk to the bartender. I watched Kirk for a few minutes before he started to come to again.

“God it feels like I was run over my a rhino,” Kirk said as he held his head in his hands.

“That might have been better,” I smiled as he looked up at me holding out two tissues for his bloody nose.

“Thank you,” he mumbled grabbing the tissues and shoving them up my nose. “Why are you still here?” Kirk asked as I sat down next to him.

“Captain Pike asked me to stay,” I said looking at him closely.

“So, you aren’t as mean as Uhura I see,” Kirk said making small talk.

“Nope, but she is a good friend,” I smiled at him. Kirk smiled back but stopped when pain set in.

“She doesn’t seem very friendly to me,” Kirk muttered looking around.

“That’s because she doesn’t like pompous assholes,” I smirked leaning back in the chair.

“So what is your full name anyway,” Kirk asked blowing right through my comment.

“It’s Clara, Clara Oswald, nice to meet you James Tiberius Kirk,” I said holding out my hand but Kirk just stared at me.

“I never told you my full name,” Kirk stated pulling away from me.

“I. . . I got it from your file, Captain Pike asked me to look you up,” I lied trying to save myself.

“Oh. . . I have a file?” Kirk asked leaning forward again.

“Everyone has a file,” I replied thankful he bought my lie.

“And what does your file say?” Kirk asked as Captain Pike walked over.

“That is something for another time,” I smiled as Captain Pike sat down next to me and across from Kirk.