Fic: Life Changed on a Shuttle. (5/?)
Title: Life Changed on a Shuttle (5/?)
Author's Name: pixelmayhem
Pairing: Kirk/McCoy
Rating: PG-13
Chapter Summary: Classes begin and Jim is, well, Jim.
Warnings: AU, Language, Less Joanna, Lots of Smart!Kirk? Un-beta'd
Word count: 2,433
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. I just like to see them all bendy. I promise to return them.
Series Summary: McCoy boards the shuttle with Joanna and they start a not so nuclear family as Jim talks to her while her dad freaks out.
Cross-posted at
st_reboot
newtrekslash
kirk_mccoy
A/N:Sorry it took me so long to get this out everyone! Thanks for all the wonderful comments. This section feels a little off. I can’t tell if it’s the fact that there is very little Joanna in this one or if I messed up the flow somehow. Hopefully it’s all in my head, I hope you all enjoy.
Lots of Smart!Kirk within. Joanna will play a larger part in the next chapter. As always un-beta'd lemme know of any problems.
Previous Parts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 6
Jim slides into the open seat next to Uhura and smiles at her exasperated look.
“Advanced Romulan?” the disbelief is heavy in her voice.
When she speaks next her words are slower. ”Look, just because you think you’re some hot-shot doesn’t mean you can do whatever you like. This is a 3rd year class.”
She had spoken in Romulan with a perfect accent.
“And yet you’re here.” He replies back, accent just as crisp.
She narrows her eyes at him. “With instructor permission.”
He shrugs. “I’ll get permission.”
She gives a bark of laughter. “God you’re something else. Instructor Balel’ hand selects his class.”
“I got it covered.” He flashes her a disarming smile.
She’s unaffected, deigning to lift her eyebrows with a wicked grin. “Oh this will be interesting.”
Before he can even begin to think of a suitable reply the instructor walks in and sets a stack of Padds on the table in front. He has salt and pepper hair and a craggy face that seems to define ‘hard as nails’. Jim takes a liking to the implied challenge immediately. The instructor looks up and scans the class and his eyes zone right in on Jim.
“Cadet!” He barks “Come down here.”
Jim stands and catches the smug look on Uhura’s face. Flashing her a smile he hopes conveys ‘I still got this.’ He navigates the isles to stand in front of the instructor at attention.
The instructor let him stew for a moment before asking, “Are you lost Cadet?”
“No sir.”
The instructor gives him a considering eye. “This is a permission only class.”
“I am aware of that sir. I would like to be considered for permission.”
“I’ve handpicked everyone for this class. What makes you think you can make the cut?”
”While I may not be fluent in Romulan, sir. I have it on good standing that I am more than adequately proficient.”
Instructor Balel’ gives a bark of laughter. ”Well you’ve certainly got attitude.”
”Among other things, so I’ve been told.”
A grin spreads over the instructor’s face. “What’s your name Cadet?”
Jim can’t quite repress a grimace. “James Kirk, sir.”
When the instructor doesn’t change facial expressions Jim finds himself respecting the man immensely.
“Well Cadet Kirk, you now have permission to join this class.” He makes a note on a Padd on the table and Kirk’s own Padd pings. “Now sit down and let me get started.”
Jim grins. “Sir, yes sir.”
Returning to the seat next to Uhura he notices she is pointedly ignoring him.
“Sooo,” Jim murmurs, “looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of each other this semester.”
“You’re a fucking menace.” She hisses at him.
He likes this class already.
-------------------
Jim’s next class is Xenobiology with Bones, which is just as entertaining as he had been hoping it would be.
The instructor believes in hitting the ground running and starts firing off questions as soon as introductions and instructions are handed out. Bones is determined to ignore Jim, even if they are sitting right next to each other.
Of course Jim, being Jim, can’t let that happen. There’s no way he’s going to just play nice to Bones’ hissed “Behave” from when he first sat down.
But instead of bating Bones directly, he decides to make it his mission to bother him discretely.
When Jim realizes Bones’ can answer, and intends to answer, all questions the instructor asks, and how about that, talk about suck up, Jim takes it as his duty to answer all the questions first.
“The human body’s unchecked absorption of Iron is called?”
“Hemochromatosis.” Bones smirks at Jim with a look that says ‘You think you’re so clever.’
Jim is un-phased by the look and returns it with his own that clearly states ‘I am so clever.’
“Yes! Now this is a natural condition of the…”
“Trill species who have a higher ratio of iron and copper in their blood. The excess absorption allows them to better commune with their symbionts.” Jim answers with a lazy smile.
About 5 minutes into the class a silent war has been declared and Jim is answering questions before the instructor has time to get the whole question out. Bones, Jim can tell, is determined to not let Jim beat him here and soon they are answering questions at the same time.
“Very good! Now coming back to Hemochromatosis, another species that benefits from the excess of Iron in their blood…”
“Are the Klingons. Excess Iron allows their organs to protect them from severe injuries in battle.”
“Are the Klingons. Excess Iron allows their organs to sustain their lives after severe injuries in battle.”
Their classmates are struck dumb, staring at them like they are particularly frightening. The instructor looks elated and a bit disturbed by the proceedings.
Bones and Jim don’t care. At some point it becomes less of a challenge and more banter. They are grinning, on the verge of laughter by the time class ends.
As class dismisses Jim grabs his Padd and clasps Bones on the shoulder on the way out.
“That was fun! I’ll see you later. Gotta run.”
“Wait, where are you going? You don’t have a class this period. I thought we’d grab lunch?”
“Yeah…about that. Change of plans. I have a class for today. We’ll grab lunch next time. I’ll see you at dinner!”
“What do you mean you have a class today? Where’s it gonna disappear to?”
Jim just winks before he runs off, calling out behind him, “Seriously! Gotta run. Dinner?”
Bones, already used to Jim’s quirks just rolls his eyes. “Dinner!”
-----------------------
Jim’s been waiting for this moment all day. Well all class. He’s been sitting in Warp Core Mechanics for half an hour now, bored to tears while the instructor drones on about WC basics.
“Now, Lithium is most commonly used in Warp Core engines, due to it durability. However, in order to achieve maximum Warp output from the engines, Dilithium is a much more valuable element because of its ability to control the amount of power generated in the reaction chamber.* Dilithium is not commonly used now because of its value versus its deterioration factor.”
‘Yes!’ Kirk jumps at his opportunity “Excuse me instructor Hanold?”
The instructor gives a little jolt at the interruption and spins to face the class. “Yes Cadet?”
“Dilithium is not used because it decrystalizes in the engines. Since dilithium is rare, and there is no method of recrystalizaton, it is considered a waste of Federation resources to supply it to Constitution-class vessels. However, isn’t it correct that the process of recrystalization has been mildly successful in some lab-level research experiments? In that case, isn’t it true that if a reliable method is replicated, all vessels may switch to using dilithium crystals?”
“That’s correct Cadet. The deterioration of Dilithium is the main reason it is a better use of resources to rely on lithium at present. However the recrystalization of dilithium and the theory of Warp Core resources is an advanced level class. Why aren’t you in my Advanced Mechanics Seminar?”
“It’s only open to students who’ve completed this class, or have instructor permission, sir.”
“Well consider yourself granted permission. What is your name Cadet?”
Jim resists laughing. It’s only the first day of class, the third day he’s been in San Francisco and he’s already tired of that question.
“James Kirk, sir.” A ripple spread through the students. This was a much larger class than the others he’s been in today; it being a 1st year seminar. Jim knows his actions will be campus gossip by the end of the day.
The Instructor is nodding and making notes on his Padd, another familiar sight, and soon Jim’s Padd pings.
“You’re added. I’ll see you tomorrow in class Cadet. Now get out of here and let me finish my lecture.”
“Yes sir!”
--------------------------
Jim is waiting at the end of the day just outside of the daycare. Bones should be along any minute now to pick up Jo.
As Bones walks up to the door which has Jim leaning beside it, he doesn’t even raise an eyebrow. “I’m not even surprised. Let me guess-you hacked into medical and made sure to have them update you on my work schedule as well.”
Jim just waggles his eyebrows and opens the door, gesturing for Bones to head on in.
As they head across campus with Jo skipping along between them, Bones shakes his head at all the greetings Jim is pointedly getting.
“Started a fan-club already Jim?”
“I’m just a friendly guy!”
“Mmhmm. Friendly like Denobulan pox. Spread easily through a variety of contact, particularly virulent, and with an inflated reputation compared to the actual symptoms.”
“Was that a compliment?”
Bones just gives an enigmatic grin and looks down at his daughter. “So Jo-Jo how was your first day at daycare?”
“Fine! Tory and I built clay models of human organs after we read an anatomy book. Lena showed me her favorite hiding spots and we snuck away from nap time to build puzzles instead. We overheard Babs sayin’ that Jim’s got his instructors eating out of the palm of his hand. She said that ‘he always could come out of any situation with more luck in one hand than shit in the other.’” Both adults stumble. “What did she mean by that Jim?”
Jim takes a second to close his mouth and looks down into her face. Seeing a spark of mischief well hidden in the depths of her eyes he grins. “Uh-huh. I know that look and I’m not falling for that one Jo-monster. I patented ‘uncomfortable, leading questions.’”
Bones looks torn between laughing at her audacity and reprimanding her for cussing. Jim, not torn at all, just starts laughing. The sound of it breaks Bones out of his stupor and he growls “Joanna!” as Jim picks her up and spins her for a moment, her laughter is sharp and melodic and echoes across the quad. Setting her down he places her feet on top of his and they all proceed to the mess for dinner, Jo giggling with each ‘giant step.’
--------------------------
Classes, life, starts to settle into a comfortable pattern within the next couple days. Jim knows that the peaceful pattern can’t last so he’s not entirely surprised when he finds himself hobbling into the medical center on the fourth day of classes with his arm around Commander Sung, who is obviously limping.
They are both laughing, though it is muted to avoid further pain in their ribs. They sign in and settle down into the emergency waiting area. As they wait, Jim can’t help humming to wash out the familiar sounds of the emergency room.
It’s a slow day and they aren’t waiting long before they call Sung to be seen. Jim waves him on as he sees Bones stride in through the doors and start across the lobby. It must be time for his shift to start. As Bones is about to walk past him, Jim calls out.
“Hey Bones!”
Bones pauses and, rolling his eyes walks up to Jim. Looking him up and down, he huffs. “Well, come on then.”
He grabs Jim by the wrist and Jim can’t stop a small hiss. Bones doesn’t change his glide but he does slide his hand higher up Jim’s forearm. Dragging Jim into an exam room he shoves him gently on a table and grabs a tricorder and some gloves from a drawer.
“Don’t I even get a hello?” He tries for a pout but stops when it makes his face ache.
“You look like shit.” Is the grumbled reply.
“It’s good to see you too.”
Apparently Bones is not in the mood to banter. “You picked a fight with the head of hand-to-hand still injured from a previous fight?”
His tone implies that he thinks Jim is a special brand of idiot, maybe even a variety of idiot that has yet to be defined due to the magnitude of his idiocy. It’s comforting in its cynicism. The tricorder beeps with it’s reading. Glancing at the results Bones starts to gather supplies from various drawers.
Jim hisses as Bones fusses over his mangled hands. “He said if I wanted to get evaluated and move to a higher class it was today, right after class or never. Anyway he’s just one guy, the previous injuries were from a group of them. Who, I might add, I could have taken but it was an off night. Besides, this isn’t too bad. Nowhere near the worst I’ve had.”
Bones glowers at Jim “You’ve fractured a rib, your bruises have bruises, you have two black eyes. Every time you speak your lip starts bleeding again, stop it by the way, and you can’t even make a fist with your right hand. How is that ‘not too bad’?”
Jim grins widely, he knows it’ll piss Bones off, which is worth it even as he tastes copper. “He made me assistant instructor!”
He starts wrapping Jim’s ribs.
“Paid?”
“Well no.”
“Well then how did that help you? And I said to stop talking.”
“Well then stop asking questions.” Jim says grinning even more cheekily.
“I don’t know what’s worse. That you’re an infant, or that you seem to be a masochistic infant. Or maybe it’s the fact that I find myself spending time with you, and on occasion, enjoying myself.”
“Aw Bones, why don’t you tell me how you really feel. I know I’m irresistible.”
Bones grins at him and then proceeds to jam a hypo into his neck.
“Ow! Fuck.”
Running a dermal regenerator swiftly over his lip and then hands Bones puts everything away and snaps off the gloves.
“There, hypo for pain and some antibiotics. Now get the hell out of here and let me do my job, the one where I help sick people.”
Jim is too busy grimacing and rubbing at the injection site to make a snappy reply. A hypo shouldn’t hurt more than a cracked rib, should it?
“Oh by the way, my shift’s gonna run a little late tonight, can you pick up Jo and get something started for dinner?”
“I’d be glad to Bones but I can’t pick up Jo unless my name’s been specifically added to the guardian list.”
“It has been. I officially added you yesterday.”
Jim feels his heart stop for a moment before restarting at a quicker pace. “Oh?” He tries to say casually.
“Yeah, you’re stuck with us kid. Better get used to it.”
Jim’s pretty sure he can live with that.
Part 4 | Part 6