Chapter Text
Part One – Day One
Chapter One – Winds of Change
It’s windy in San Francisco.
Jim zips up his leather jacket as he gets out of the shuttle and the first cold gusts hit him in the chest.
He looks around the hangar and spots Pike talking to the pilot, then heading out through a gate, one apparently meant for Starfleet personnel, as he’s required only a quick retina scan to leave. Jim considers following him for just a moment, but quickly realizes he's supposed to join the pristine, red uniformed cadets lining up on the other side, entering through a different door.
Besides, there are burly guards near every exit who quickly dissuade him from doing anything stupid. His everything still aches from the beating he received last night, and he understands that it’s not wise to start his first day with another fight.
So instead of following Pike, he takes a short assessing look at the other recruits. After they all file out of the shuttle, they stand in the line in an orderly fashion and Jim follows along, staying back a little.
Up ahead, another bunch of black clad uniforms check the newcomers. Jim spots Uhura, who’s next in line. Her retina is scanned then they check her recruitment papers, match it up with what they have on file, and when everything is in order, she disappears through the gates along with a mushroom headed girl. Jim’s favorite new buddy, Cupcake, follows them next.
This might just present some problems for Jim because besides his ID, he has no other paperwork, and therefore probably should not be here.
As the line to the gate gets shorter and shorter, he notices McCoy and shoulders his way to him.
“Where are we going?”
“Hopefully somewhere warm,” grunts the man.
“Hey listen, so why aren’t you in uniforms? Did you sign up late, too?”
“Yeah, just last night. No time for uniforms, they said,” he shrugs. “Why?”
“I… uhm… this was a pretty last-minute decision, I gotta be honest.”
“More last minute than last night?”
“Last minute as in we didn’t head out on time because Pike was waiting for me?”
“Are you saying you didn’t actually sign up yet?” McCoy gapes.
Jim looks contrite for a second, but then tries for a charming smile instead. “Yeah, sorta…”
“Well, in that case, it was nice knowing ya, kid,” McCoy says as they get to the gates and he steps in front of the guard, who scans his eyes.
Jim does the same, but while for McCoy the device lets out a single little bip, and the gates open, on Jim’s side, the scanner shrieks two times loudly.
McCoy looks behind and waves a short goodbye to him as two security guards come up to Jim. One of them seems even younger than him, the other is older, probably nearing sixty. Out of the two of them, or even including the rest of the guards, this guy seems the most intimidating.
“Name?” the older, Swenson, if his nametag can be believed, asks.
“Kirk, James Tiberius.”
“Wait here,” Jim’s told, then pushed to the side while the other recruits keep filing in.
Suddenly, there’s a disturbance beyond the gates and Jim watches with a growing grin on his face as McCoy fights his way back to the shuttle bay.
“Keep going forward!” Someone calls to the doctor, but he ignores the guy and arrives next to Jim just as Swenson gets back there, too.
“Listen, I’m his doctor,” he says, petting Jim’s chest, although he talks to Swenson. “I know his papers have not yet come through, but it’s all my fault. He was lying half-dead on a biobed with a pretty bad head injury, when he handed me his papers, and I was about to file them, but then this emergency got me all distracted and by the time I sent it off, it was too late and office hours had just ended, I swear it will be here in a bit, can’t you just let him through I can ta – ”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Swenson asks, looking confused.
Jim thinks the lie was a pretty convincing one and enacted with such confidence that he almost believes it himself that they’ve met a long time ago and not on the shuttle just now.
“He doesn’t have his sign-in papers?” McCoy states with questioning lull to the end of the sentence.
“Bones, buddy, it’s alright, I’m sure this fine gentleman will quickly sort through any bureaucratic issue, won’t you?” Jim looks at the guy, he himself appearing as the embodiment of innocence, more like a lost puppy than a weirdo pretending to be a Starfleet Academy cadet of all things.
“Don’t call me that,” McCoy grunts under his breath then beams at the officer, too. “Surely, you can let him in with the rest of us. What’s the worst he can do, sneak into a lecture?”
Swenson has a deeply confused look on his face momentarily, then he shakes his head and presses a PADD against Jim’s chest, as he looks at McCoy with a frown and grunts, “And who the hell are you again?”
“Doctor Leonard McCoy.”
“Off you go, Doctor Leonard McCoy, you get your buddy back tomorrow, but he’s not authorized on campus yet.”
McCoy gives Jim an uncertain look. The fact that they aren’t sending him away eases Jim’s nervousness a little, so he nods at him. “It’s gonna be fine, Bones.”
“You sure, kid?”
“Yeah.”
McCoy gives Swenson a strangely distrustful look before he walks away. “And don’t call me Bones!” he shouts over his shoulder before he enters through the gates again.
Jim grins after the departing doctor then turns to Swenson. “Alright, so what do I do?”
“You go and fill out those,” he points towards a back entrance. “I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Jim takes the PADD and follows the green exit sign, that’s leading out of the half open hangar, which is continuously receiving shuttles of new recruits.
The gates this time don't require any sort of identification from him and open the moment they sense his approach. The back entrance leads to a corridor and Jim follows it until he reaches an open door. He peaks inside, curious, but finds it empty of people.
He walks in anyway and looks around. It’s a small room with a few tables and chairs, a small kitchen unit and a replicator. It must be just an average break room for the people working in this area.
He settles at the table and takes a look at the PADD. It’s a simple, official recruitment paper asking for his personal details. Lots of his personal details.
With a long sigh, he sets about filling it out.
He’s already on page four when he hears footsteps, then Swenson steps into the break room. He seems even bigger now in the small room. Shoulders wide, hips just a little narrower, he barely fits into the little nook where the replicator is.
“Good, you’re settled. You want some coffee?” he asks looking over his shoulder.
“Oh yeah, thanks.”
Jim gets his beverage and Swenson sits down next to him. “God, I remember these. It took me fucking ages to fill it out. What is it, like twelve pages?”
“Fifteen,” Jim corrects with a grin. “I’m pretty sure they asked me how far I can piss a few questions back.”
Swenson cracks a smile. He seems like a jovial guy, with a body that gives the impression that he may have been more athletic a long way back. Jim’s guess is on boxing, given the nose that had seen straighter days.
“Yeah, sometimes it’s like they care more about the size of your dick than what's in your head.”
Jim snorts into his coffee. This is definitely not how he imagined the Academy for sure.
“Who are you?” he asks, almost suspicious that he ended up at the wrong place.
“Can’t you read?” Swenson grunts, pointing at his nametag. “But you can call me Gus.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Gus. I'm Jim Kirk.”
They shake hands, then Swenson waves. “I know who you are, kid. Pike called ahead. Although his story was a bit different from what your pal was telling us.”
“Huh, yeah, weird…” Jim mumbles, then takes a sip of coffee.
The mention of Pike’s name eases out the rest of the anxiety and since there's a lull in the conversation, he continues filling out the paperwork question after question.
“Where is he, by the way?” he asks as casually as he can, although Gus doesn’t seem fooled.
He lets out a snort, then just says, “Not here. Pike’s a busy little bee, he doesn’t have time for cadets.”
“Where is he assigned now?”
“Do your own research, Kirk,” Swenson suggests with a challenging tone.
Jim looks at him and cocks an eyebrow. “Sorry, I asked,” he says not sorry whatsoever, then keeps the questions going. “So how do you know the captain?”
He taps away on the PADD in the meanwhile, attention split between Gus and the device.
“What’s it to you?”
“Just curious…” Jim shrugs.
“Then this is the place for you, plenty of stuff to learn here.”
Meanwhile, Jim's quickly tapping fingers finally find the info he's looking for. His eyes scan the page displayed on the PADD then he leans back, suddenly more serious. “I think you should tell me how you know him.”
Gus’ attitude changes straight away, too. The grin that spreads on his thin lips is like the cat’s that got in the canary cage.
“I’m his dad.”
“Try again.”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
Jim pushes the PADD towards him then crosses his arms on his chest. “You were on the Kelvin with him.”
“And with your dad.”
“Did everyone around here serve on that ship?” Jim asks dryly then leans forward as he whispers in a secretive voice, “By the way, the encryption on your database is not nearly as secure as you guys think it is.”
“Not everyone,” Swenson smirks. “I met Chris on the ship. Clever little kid, a lot like you. What else did you find in my file, huh, Jim?” Gus pushes the PADD back then adds, “Or could you not go deep enough?”
Jim’s reluctance lasts for only a moment, but he could never resist a challenge. He takes the device back in his hand. It’s almost child’s play how easy it is to break into the Academy mainframe and pull up the data on this guy.
Once he has it, he starts reading:
“You’re Guston Erik Swenson, born: Earth, Stockholm, 2195, got into the Fleet at the age of eighteen, summa cum laude, ensign on the Gatsby, yada yada, junior security officer USS Kelvin, back to Earth, Starfleet HQ Security officer, married in ‘40, congrats, two kids, a boy and a girl, very nice, then since ‘51 - oh shit.” Jim stops reading and looks up panicked.
“Oh, c’mon, finish it, kid.”
Jim knows he’s in big ass trouble. He sits up straighter and watches Swenson's smug expression. Well, he’s about to set the record for the shortest Starfleet career, that’s at least for sure.
“Then since ’51, Head of Security at the Academy,” Jim says, then swallows. “Sir, I’m…”
Swenson cuts in though with a wolfish grin. “You were saying about our security?”
Jim knows he should shut up, this is not the moment where arguing will get him anywhere, but he also knows that his time here has already ended, so what the hell, he has nothing to lose, he might as well go out with a bang at least.
“Well, you gotta admit, it’s shit. I mean how long did that take me? Five minutes?”
There’s stunned silence for the longest second in history, when Jim gets himself ready for a punch or at least to being thrown out this place, but then Gus bursts out laughing.
“My god, kid, you really are something!” he guffaws, slapping his thigh.
“I take it he got the job?” comes a familiar, deep voice from the corridor just outside the breakroom.
Jim looks up and to his horror, he finds Pike leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. He seems to ignore him though and watches Swenson instead.
Jim finds it better to just keep his mouth shut for once.
“Don’t ruin the surprise, Chris,” Gus says, getting up, too. The two men shake hands then they both look at Jim expectantly. After a moment, where Jim is just looking from one to the other, Swenson notes to Pike under his breath, “He’s not the fastest, is he?”
“Give him time…” Pike says, lips quirking a little.
Jim frowns, then it gets to him. “Wait, what job?”
“There he goes,” Gus grunts. “Well, you said our encryption sucks. So… make it better.”
“Me?” Jim gapes. “But I just got here.”
“How long did it take him?” Pike inquires softly.
“Five fucking minutes, can you believe that? And he was talking to me all the way through, the little shit.”
“I told you he’s good. So, what do you say, Kirk? Coding’s right up your alley, isn’t it?”
“Well yeah, but…”
“You want the job, kid?” Gus asks.
Jim hesitates for only a moment, but simply because he’s still not entirely sure he understands what’s happening. “Yeah?” he asks, then a bit more confidently, even states it. “Yeah. Yeah, I do!”
“Good,” Gus says as he plops down again. “You’re gonna be working with the online security team. I’ll get the lead to contact you tomorrow and bring you up to speed. You won’t get paid but this will give you academy credit. Plus,” Swenson adds with quirked lips, “it doesn’t hurt to have the Chief of Security owe you one.”
“Yes, sir,” Jim says, still not believing his luck.
“Keep the sir for Chris here, and just keep calling me Gus. Your daddy saved my life, Jim, but that’s not why you get this chance. And it’s not because of him either,” he points at Pike with a thumb over his shoulder who just rolls his eyes. “You’re a clever little son of a bitch. Keep doing well and we won’t have a problem.”
“Yes, s- Gus.”
“Good boy. Now fuck off, both of you.”
Pike pushes himself away from the door and Jim’s there next to him with two hurried steps, but then Swenson calls after him before he could leave the break room.
“Hey, Kirk,” he throws the PADD at Jim, who catches it easily. “And fill out your fucking application form, jesus! You’re starting tomorrow, for god’s sake.”
“Yes, Gus!” Jim shouts back grinning as he’s being led out of the room, back onto the corridor. They head back to the hangar, then straight to the gates that seemed so out of reach previously for Jim.
Pike nods to one of the guards and they are let in without a question.
Once outside the hangar, Jim is greeted with the view of the bay, now covered with gray clouds and more of the chilly wind. He shoves his hands in his pockets as he tries to keep up with Pike’s long strides across the green garden area just in front of the Main Building.
“Where are we going, sir?”
“We’re not going anywhere,” Pike says just as they reach the steps to the entrance. “You’re going in there. To your left, you will find the Administrations Office. You will explain to the pretty lady all about your situation. She will do everything she can to get you all ready for orientation tomorrow but don’t be surprised if you don’t get three sets of uniforms straight away, because you’re already stretching the meaning of last minute.”
Jim glances towards the entrance, then back at Pike.
“Hey, listen…” He scratches the back of his head before he continues. “I just wanna say thank you, sir.”
Pike appears honestly surprised at Jim’s gratefulness, but then his expression softens. “What for? The only thing I did was to let the Chief of Security know I have a stowaway with me. The rest was on you, Kirk.”
Jim knows that’s not entirely true, but appreciates Pike’s effort of keeping this simple. “You could have told me, you know. About Gus, at least,” he accuses with a rueful smile.
Now, Pike’s lips are curling up as well. “Why would I have done that? So you can pretend to care about authority and not hack into the database?”
Jim shrugs. That probably wouldn’t have stopped him, but at least he would have done it sometimes later, with the Chief of Security not sitting six feet from him – and thus missing out on the job, probably.
“Get going, Kirk,” Pike just says, motioning towards the main building then swiftly turns around and strides away, towards the main gates.
It’s only now that Jim realizes that unless Pike is responsible for recruitment, which he honestly doubts, the guy has no business here. While HQ is not far away, he could have easily headed there straight after their shuttle dropped the new cadets in the hangar bay.
Jim makes a mental note to look into Pike’s file as well, just to figure out what the man is up to, but before that, he heads to the Administrations Office to make sure he will have a place here starting tomorrow.
The building, like most of Campus for now, feels abandoned, despite the high-tech interior. As lectures will only start tomorrow, most of the cadets are still in the dorms, enjoying the last minutes of freedom before they must pay a lot more attention to their instructors than the pretty ladies wearing miniskirts all around the place.
With one last deep inhale of the cool air, he steps inside, feeling like he has committed to a lot more than just studying now.
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By the end of the day, Jim does get his three sets of uniforms, along with a monthly credit allowance, a list of subjects he’s required to take and another, longer list with those he can elect to study. The one thing Jim does not get however is a place to sleep.
He’s promised an available dorm room by tomorrow morning, and the pretty lady, Janet, her name is, suggests that if he has friends on campus, maybe shack up with them for the night, as rules on the first day aren’t yet upheld as strictly anyway. Since Jim doesn’t really know anyone outside McCoy, and he’s not really a friend no matter how he attempted to help Jim earlier, he opts for the other route, namely to go into town and find a hotel there.
He considers simply picking up Janet or some other girl for a bit of stress relief and a place to crash for the night, but then he’s forced to realize, he’s still wearing his bloodied t-shirt from last night and it’s not really making the best first impression.
So, keeping his leather jacket zipped up all the way, he throws his newly acquired duffle bag over his shoulder and heads back outside.
He makes it out just in time to catch the sun set over the horizon, past the gray waves of the bay. It’s not a bad sight, he thinks, especially after seeing pretty much nothing but miles and miles of cornfields and dirt for the last few years.
It should scare him, the distance between here and there, the crazy stunt he has just pulled because of a dare. Maybe he is crazy. Maybe this is as stupid an idea as driving a perfectly intact antique Corvette off the cliff just so someone can't sell what's not his. And maybe, a hateful little voice that sounds like Frank’s tells him, he’s going to fail as he does in so many other things that matter, but hey, he’s here now, far from his stepdad, from the dusty cornfields and dodgy dives, so at least he has that going for him for now.
As the cool wind blows into his face, for a moment he imagines going back there as a captain, all impressive and commanding, but then he quickly realizes that even if he returned home as the king of the universe, Frank still wouldn’t be amazed. Which is alright, because Frank’s a sleazy shithead whose opinion shouldn’t matter anyway.
He might get a wow out of Sam though, which would be cool to see. He should call his brother, make sure at least someone in the family knows where he is at.
As he watches the darkening waters, the roiling waves whipped up higher now by the strong currents of wind, he feels a momentary unexplainable distress regarding his own future here, but he manages to brush it away and focuses instead on the more urgent question of where to spend the night.
As he steps out of the Academy gates, the distant lights of the city center greet him, flashing and bright even from a few kilometers away. He thinks of walking to air out his thoughts, but then he spots a familiar face on the side of the road, and his heart thuds off rhythm for a single second.
Pike’s the embodiment of casual elegance as he leans against a bike facing the gates. He has changed clothes since their last meeting and now, wearing a brown jacket and dark jeans, he seems slightly younger, not that the slim black uniform didn’t suit the man.
With one leg on the ground, the other resting on the exhaust, he’s almost sitting on that beast of a machine, while holding on to an extra helmet, since his was placed on the seat next to him.
Unlike Jim’s, this bike is a new model with slim slits for the bright headlights and angry neon going around on the side.
Jim swallows hard, then changes his direction and instead of the city, he crosses the empty street and walks up to Pike.
The man doesn’t move until Jim’s standing right in front of him and even then, he just tilts his head a little to the right as if asking, so what now?
“I did get all the uniforms,” Jim says, hefting the sports bag further up on his shoulder. “But they’re fresh out of free rooms for the night.”
Pike nods as if the information hasn’t really surprised him much. “You got a place to crash?” he asks casually.
“Not really, no,” Jim admits.
“Couch okay?” the Captain offers still with that offhanded attitude.
Given the second helmet in his lap, it’s clear he’s been waiting for someone, and Jim only hopes he’s not about to screw over one of the lucky cadets or perhaps a future instructor by hitching their entertainment for the evening.
Despite all that, he’s not quite certain he’s reading this right. Would this be anyone else, his first thought would be that he was being hit on. Pike however gives off a totally different vibe and it makes Jim slightly uncomfortable. He knows how to deal with people who want something from him, may it be sex or a favor. He feels off-footed with those however, whom he cannot immediately read.
“What, Starfleet captains don’t get beds?” he asks, feeling out the waters.
Pike’s reply is immediate and cool. “I’m not taking you into my bed, Kirk.”
Jim’s not a stickler for the traditional to begin with and besides, this man could have him pretty much anywhere anyway. That answer is right there on the tip of his tongue, but he knows were he to utter those words, Pike would get on the bike and drive away, leaving him here without a second thought.
A little sore in the heart, he just shrugs, knowing he didn’t really have much of a chance there anyway.
“Glad we made that clear. Couch is fine, thanks.”
Pike tosses the helmet at him. “Get on then,” he says as he lifts his leg over the bike.
Jim hops on behind him and adjusts the helmet while Pike puts on his own as well. He turns back to his passenger and asks, “Ready?”
“Yeah,” Jim says, voice slightly muted through all the material keeping him safe.
He is ready.
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