DISCLAIMER: I'm just having fun with the Star trek characters but the story is my own and can't be copied except for personal use. It may not be posted at another site without my permission. Edited SDerkins. ©2006.
WARNING: This is also a romance between two women and written for adults. Please feel free to read something else if this would offend you. Not much vulgarity except here and there. So don't say I didn't warn you.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Starfleet Academy Mystery
By Golden_ruhl
Part Three
B'Elanna was beyond bored. She was attending her third class at the Academy and working on Wang's postulate in her head. It was the only challenge she could give herself. Temporal Mechanics had been interesting in her original freshman year but now was old news. The class was strictly a lecture and she had nothing to do but to pretend to act interested and bite her tongue.
When she came to the Voyager she had already received a good grounding on the theories. She hadn't been an expert but she understood more than most of the cadets. Then while she was under the command of Captain Janeway she discovered how little she knew in comparison to the older woman.
The Captain's Doctoral thesis had been on Wang's postulate and took tutoring the Maquis engineer upon herself, seeing B'Elanna as a kindred spirit. B'Elanna didn't know it but many in Starfleet had wondered why such a talented woman in the sciences would pursue a command rather than work in the sciences. A few had wondered if it had been because of her father. The truth of the matter was that as a cadet Kathryn Janeway did something by honest effort that no one else had ever done. She had lasted longer than anyone at the Kobayashi Maru test had. She hadn't cheated like the infamous James T Kirk. During the exercise she had taken a total of 16 ships with her before being 'destroyed' in the simulation. With a galaxy class starship she had crippled/destroyed 7 more ships than anyone else in the history of the test did.
After the results of the test reached Starfleet Command there was nothing they wouldn't do to cultivate such a natural tactical genius.
Captain Torres sighed quietly and pretended to be as lost as most of her fellow cadets. It wouldn't do to have the instructor notice her after all these years. Falling asleep would also be a bad idea. She continued to work on her calculations and almost missed the introduction to a surprise guest speaker. It was the hum of the class that made her sit up straight and look up—right into the startling blue eyes of Seven of Nine.
No, it couldn't be. She had fallen asleep and was fantasizing. Then Seven spoke and the clipped tones jolted her into reality. She would know that voice anywhere. She joined the rest of the cadets in staring slack-jawed at the comely female wearing the dusty blue pantsuit. Apparently the Admiral had neglected to tell her everything.
B'Elanna was so stunned and lost in her own thoughts that she had missed something. Many of her classmates were looking at her in a combination of envy or pity. Had someone spoken to her? She looked to Seven in hope that she'd help her out.
The former Borg saw the glazed look then puzzlement in her friend's eyes and realized B'Elanna hadn't heard what she had previously said.
"Cadet Torres, is it acceptable to meet with me after the end of this class? I understand you had requested additional tutorage when you signed up for the semester."
"Um, yes, after class will be fine," she stuttered.
The instructor cleared his throat and gave a more detailed introduction of Seven of Nine's background then stepped from the podium so she could begin speaking to the class.
B'Elanna listened to Seven's clear voice and drank in the welcomed sight of her former shipmate. Until this moment she hadn't realized she had missed the young woman who had fought with her about everything under the sun, often convincing the engineer that Seven did it just for the fun of it. Their friendship had been a slow process as they began forming a respect for the other's abilities. There had been a time when B'Elanna would have missed the sparkle of amusement in those gorgeous blue eyes.
She drank in the sight of the former drone. Seven was wearing a tailored pantsuit cut in the modern style. A pity it wasn't as snug as her biosuit although B'Elanna suspected the biosuit's circuitry was built into the soft materials. Her thick blonde hair was still in its customary French roll but it didn't distract from Seven's beauty. The half-Klingon was startled with the thought. Why hadn't she noticed how lovely Seven was before now? She shook her head. They had a mission to do and this wasn't the time to get distracted.
B'Elanna activated the door chime to the Instructor's office and the clipped 'Come in' said by Seven reminded the half-Klingon exactly why she didn't spend a lot of time missing the blonde. Social niceties just weren't in her vocabulary and had often scraped on the engineer's last nerve.
Seven gave B'Elanna a short glimpse then returned her attention to the PADD in front of her.
"I'll be with you in a moment, Cadet Torres," she said curtly. The hybrid gnashed her teeth and stood at parade rest until the tall blonde finished with her notes. Seven handed over the Padd to B'Elanna then clasped her hands behind her back, her own posture ramrod straight.
"These are the times available for tutoring," she clearly then lowered her eyes towards the instrument so B'Elanna knew to read it now. It said: 'This is not a secure place. I will meet you at your dormitory room in three days when I begin lecturing full time.'
She spoke once the Klingon finished. "Will any of these times be acceptable, Cadet?" Seven asked, raising her Borg eyepiece inquisitively.
"Yes ma'am. Any of the available times will be fine."
"Then you are dismissed, Cadet."
B'Elanna nodded politely as would be expected and left the office.
She didn't feel like returning to her room. She felt restless and knew her assignments would take very little time. What she wanted to do was find a hologym and swing her bat'leth at some holodeck opponents but she didn't want to risk anyone walking in on her. Perhaps a walk would get rid of some of her excessive energy.
The day was sunny as she walked at a good clip around the vast gardens and fields. She was passing a playing field where quite a few cadets were involved in a game. She thought about the archaic term and remembered it was called 'baseball'. She watched with interest at the motions of the game as she stood in a sunny spot, enjoying the warmth of the sun. Earth tended to be a bit chilly after growing up on Kessik IV.
"Heads up!" someone shouted. B'Elanna glanced up and saw a white ball coming down towards her. She easily caught it barehanded and looked at the stitched sphere.
"Good catch! Now can you toss it back?" the closest person asked. She knew from watching that it always was returned to the man standing on the mound so she tossed it in his direction. The man caught it then stood there, as did the rest of the players, no one speaking for several long seconds. Then the man who had first spoke to her asked excitedly, "Want to join our team?"
The half-Klingon was perplexed. She didn't realize her throw was equivalent to the far outfielder throwing to home plate.
"C'mon, say yes," the young man begged prettily. B'Elanna was confused and didn't know if he was joking or not. She glanced at the other people and saw several waving her towards them.
The young man walked towards her and placed his gloved hand against her shoulder, kindly urging her towards the other team members.
A young Vulcan woman was strolling towards them. The man next to her said softly that T'Saarik was the team captain. The woman stopped a polite distance away.
"You have a remarkable throw for a human female. The others have expressed a desire to have you join the team. Would you consider this?"
"You're joking, right? I've never played the game in my life. I wouldn't have a clue what to do," B'Elanna scoffed.
"That is easily correctable. The rules are quite simple although the game has many complexities regarding strategy. I am sure you would learn the basics rather quickly. So, will you consider joining the team?"
"Well, I guess it depends on the time requirements to play I suppose."
"Our practices are from 10:00 to 12:00 on Wednesdays and Fridays. Our actual competitions are scheduled so they will not interfere with exams or Academy exercises. Is this acceptable?"
The last of her excuses were taken from her. Besides, she didn't know where she might pick up answers to her investigation. Perhaps the females on the team could provide clues or be allies.
"Yes, I think I'd enjoy it," B'Elanna said with a quirky smile. The players around her cheered and welcomed her to the team. She spent several hours getting to know them before heading back to her room.
She opened the door quickly stepped inside only to stop suddenly when she faced a huge leather-clad wall. She looked up at a middle-aged Klingon wearing casual armor but his height was what gave her pause. He was easily over seven-foot tall in addition to wearing 4 inch boots, contributing to his already impressive height. No wonder K'trina was so tall. Neither Klingon paid any attention to her entrance.
"I am your father and you will do as I command!" he was shouting.
"I will not!" K'Trina shouted back.
"If you wish to join the military then attend the Klingon Academy on Kronos and join the Klingon Defense Forces, not this human infested Starfleet."
"It was you who left me in the charge of humans, father. I am now of legal age and well past the age of Ascension. I may do as I please," she sneered.
Her father stepped closer and glared down at his rebellious daughter. B'Elanna didn't even try to step in. K'Trina wasn't likely to be struck by her angry father, this was only a typical Klingon squabble. Klingon males did not normally abuse their children although they did expect obedience from them.
The female Klingon suddenly noticed her roommate standing there and B'Elanna knew it was too late to politely walk away. K'Trina's father straightened and gave the puny human a glare as he walked out of the room. He wasn't in the mood to have her kind watch him being disobeyed.
"So that was your father, huh?" B'Elanna spoke then regretted it. She had revealed that she understood at least some tlhIngan Hol.
"How is it you speak Klingon, human?" K'Trina asked, not wishing to speak of her father.
B'Elanna stuck to her fabricated background. "Well, I picked up a few words from my cousin. She's half Klingon and half human. You may heard of her, her name is B'Elanna Torres," she offered.
"Heard of her! She is a great engineer and why I wanted to join Starfleet. Can I meet her?" the young Klingon woman asked excitedly.
B'Elanna was glad her complexion and the dimly lit room helped hide the blush pinking her cheeks. 'Why do I open my mouth?' she thought to herself, feeling a headache coming on.