Stories by Julien Gregg

 Copyright © 2025 by Julien Gregg 
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The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

Star Trek Lexus
By Julien Gregg 



Chapter Five 

Kirk Personal Log Stardate 57826.3

Tonight we'll be attending a party at Stafleet Command to celebrate the end of mid term exams. I along with Chad and Quinn have been asked to attend the party in uniform. I'm not sure what this means. It seems that Kathryn and the others know but aren't telling. Admiral Paris made it sound like an achievement to be going to the party in uniform by congratulating Quinn when he informed him that he should wear his uniform to the party.

I have to admit that after the intense adrenalin rush of the exam itself I am happy to be winding down. I'm not sure if I should be excited about this party or not. I have no idea what to expect. The unknown has become such a part of my future since Lexus arrived in this timeline. I can't say that I'm comfortable with the unknown but I know that I'll have to take each day and event as they come. 

"Cadet James Randal Kirk, Starfleet Academy, Junior Grade," the computer intoned when he put his thumb to the scanner. He walked inside and stood just to the side of the door as his friends made their way through the security.

"Cadet Chadwin Michael Dodds, Starfleet Academy, Junior Grade," came the voice of the computer and then Chad was standing beside him. They smiled at each other. Their nervousness showing in their eyes.

"Cadet Quinn Janeway, Starfleet Academy, Junior Grade," said the computer and then Quinn was with them.

"Kathryn Janeway, Starfleet Command, Vice Admiral," came the voice of the computer and then Kathryn was leading them into the banquette hall to join the party.

They saw many officers in uniform but only seven other cadets were in uniform. Jim was happy to notice that Anthony Barclay wasn't one of them. However, Johnathon Barclay was in uniform. They were talking to Admiral Kissant as Jim and his group walked by them.

"Well whatever the uniforms mean, Tony isn't in on it," Quinn said once they were away from them.

"I'm told he nearly failed his Quantum Physics exam," Kathryn informed them. "Don't repeat that."

"Of course not, Admiral," Jim said formally, smiling at her as they came to stand in front of a table topped with glasses of juice, tea and various other drinks.

"Mr. Kirk," she said, smiling at him.

They separated after that to mingle with everyone. As had happened at the award banquette the night before the term began Jim and Chad were soon talking to various Admirals and Captains about Lexus. Jim did his best to answer every question put to him. He was only slightly uncomfortable when he crossed paths with Captain Sparks. She looked at him with a smirk on her face as he answered a question about the Arminians in Andromeda.

"I see you're finally in a cadet's uniform, Mr. Kirk," she said, stopping in front of him as he talked with Captain Pollock.

"And I see that you are well," he replied, smiling at her.

"No thanks to you," she snapped.

"Captain Sparks," said Captain Pollock. "I don't think rudeness is called for tonight."

"You don't have the past relationship with this young cadet that I have," she replied hotly.

"Be that as it may," he said, stonily, "this is a night of celebration. Why don't you move along?"

"Oh I will when I've had my say," she said, glaring at Jim.

"I'm quite certain that you've already had your say, Captain Sparks," said Admiral Aaron as he stepped up to them. "I believe I had a discussion with you just this afternoon about leaving Mr. Kirk and Mr. Dodds alone tonight."

"Of course, Admiral," she said, wincing.

They watched her move off into the crowd silently. Admiral Aaron turned and smiled at Jim when she was safely out of hearing. He told him to have fun and not to worry about Captain Sparks.

"I'm starting to think that the stress of command is getting to her," he said with a big grin.

"She has reason to be angry with me, Admiral," Jim replied.

"Not anymore she doesn't," he said. "Have fun, Mr. Kirk."

"Yes, sir," replied Jim as the admiral walked away.

Jim walked away as well. He was furious with Captain Sparks for the way she'd acted. He couldn't believe she was still carrying a grudge over what had happened in the Delta Quadrant. They were home now. At least a version of home. Why couldn't she let it go?

"I see Captain Bitch found you," Chad said, coming from behind Jim.

"Yeah," he sighed. "She's a real piece of work."

"Well you did put her in the brig," reminded Chad, smiling. "As well as her First Officer."

"What did she expect?" gasped Jim. "Did she think I was going to just let her take over the ship?"

"Of course she thought so," laughed Chad. "That's what makes you throwing her into the brig so funny."

"Stow it," Jim said with a small smile on his face. "That's not what we're here for."

"No it isn't," said Chad, tugging at the neck of his uniform. "I wonder when whatever it is that's going to happen will begin."

As if that was the cue for Admiral Aaron to tap his glass and get their attention he did just that. He was standing at the very podium that Jim and Chad had accepted their awards for service at the beginning of the term. He scanned the crowd and found the boys, smiling at them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Officers and Admirals," he said. "We're here tonight to honor our Junior Grade Cadets at Mid Term. I'm proud to announce the placement of this years Junior Grade. At the top of the class we have James Randal Kirk. He is followed closely by Quinn Janeway and Chadwin Michael Dodds."

Applauds could be heard around the room but Jim saw Anthony Barclay glaring at him. He smiled at the attractive young cadet and turned his attention back to Admiral Aaron as the man continued to speak. Anthony Barclay wasn't worth being upset over. He had far more important things to worry about.

"I'm sure you've all noticed the young men and women walking around the gathering wearing their cadet uniforms," said Admiral Aaron with a smile. "It has been tradition at Starfleet Academy since 2372 to choose a group of elite cadets for The Red Squadron. This year we have two groups of the elite and so we'll be naming two completely separate squadrons. Cadets, as I call your names please come to the podium.

"James Randal Kirk, Junior Grade," he said, smiling.

Jim made his way to the podium on shaking legs. Kathryn had said that the Red Squad received special training. He wondered what that special training entailed. He supposed he was soon to find out as he came to stand beside the admiral, smiling as the man shook his hand and congratulated him. He stood still as Admiral Aaron placed one red pip on the left side of his collar. He followed it by a black pip and then shook Jim's hand again.

"You are now Captain James Randal Kirk of the Red Squadron Alpha Team," he said, smiling. "These pips signify your cadet rank in the squadron. Tomorrow you will be issued the actual uniform for the Red Squadron."

"Thank you, sir," replied Jim, smiling. It was the actual command he wanted but it was a start.

He made his way back to where Chad was standing and found that he was now joined by Quinn, Kathryn, Annika and Axum. He smiled at them as he reached them and was immediately hugged by Kathryn.

"I'm so proud of you, Jim," she said into his ear as she embraced him.

"Thank you, Kathryn," he replied, squeezing her tight.

"Chadwin Michael Dodds, Junior Grade," said Admiral Aaron.

Chad smiled at Jim excitedly and made his way to the podium and Admiral Aaron. Jim was happy that they'd be on the same team. He hoped that Quinn would make his team as well. He didn't want the three of them to be separated in any way.

"You are now Lieutenant Chadwin Michael Dodds of the Red Squadron Alpha Team," said the Admiral as he put pips on Chad's collar as well. "These pips signify your new cadet rank."

"Thank you, sir," replied Chad, shaking the admiral's hand.

Next it was Quinn and Jim was happy to know that they would be together in whatever the Red Squad had in store for them. They were joined by Johnathon Barclay, Travis Mitchel, Ryan Scott and Jason Miller. The group stood together for photos while the Bravo Team was announced.

They stayed together for the most part throughout the rest of the banquette. Before they left the banquette hall both teams were lined up according to rank for one last photo and then they were shaking each other's hands and leaving with their parties. They'd been told that on November first when the second term of the semester began they would meet with their team coordinators at 0800 in the Science Lab of the academy's main campus. They had the rest of the week off from classes and Jim, Chad and Quinn would be spending that time at the apartment with Kathryn.

They'd each made plans to hang out with the other members of the team. Getting to know each other was a good idea according to Kathryn. They'd be together quite a bit in the near future. She wouldn't tell them anymore about what was coming for them with the Red Squad. She just continued to smile at them and tell them how proud she was.

"Red Squad," said Tom Paris the next afternoon when he came to the apartment to visit. "That's quite an achievement boys, congratulations."

"Thank you," said Jim, smiling at him. "We have no idea what to expect. Kathryn won't tell us anything."

"Well we're not actually supposed to tell you anything until you meet with your team coordinators," she said, stopping Tom from saying anything. "You'll receive your orders then."

"I heard that so many cadets made elite status that they had to create two Red Squad Teams," said Tom, looking at Kathryn.

"That's true," she said, smiling. "We have one gifted bunch of cadets this year. They're giving the Senior Grade cadets a run for their money."

"I don't think there's ever been two teams in Red Squad before," said Tom, smiling at Jim.

"There hasn't," Kathryn said, smiling wide. "Admiral Aaron had to do some fast talking to make this happen. He's very excited about it though."

"Well with Jim, Chad and Quinn from the Lexus on one team I'd be very excited too," said Tom. "This is going to be a semester to remember."

"We have to get the boys over to the academy to be fitted for their new uniforms," Kathryn said, stopping Tom for going further into what there was to be excited about for the team. "Then I thought we'd take a little tour of the Lexus."

"Ooh," said Tom with a smile. "I'll call B'Elanna and have her meet us at the academy. She can't wait to get a look at that ship."

"Make your call," Kathryn said with a smile. "Boys, ten minutes."

Fifteen minutes later they headed out in the ground transport vehicle to the academy. Tom assured them that B'Elanna would be waiting for them when they got there. Once there they were fitted for six uniforms. The uniforms were dark red one piece jumpers made from a shimmering fabric that Jim and Chad had never seen before. Black turtlenecks of the same shimmering material went under the jump suites with the pips on the collars of the turtlenecks. They were also issued enough pips for each of their six uniforms.

Afterward they met up with B'Elanna and headed for the ship yard to take their tour of Lexus. Jim and Chad were excited to be going back to the ship they both now considered home. B'Elanna couldn't wait to get a look at Main Engineering. She was fascinated by the slipstream drive and couldn't wait to look it over.

"This will be your first time back on the ship if I'm correct," Kathryn said as they arrived at the ship yard. Lexus stood tall, white and gleaming among the other ships in the yard. She was an impressive sight for each of them.

"That's right," said Chad as they walked over to the officer in charge of the ships in the yard.

They cleared their tour with him and signed the logs before heading into the small transporter station beside the office. Jim was anxious to board the ship as he stepped on the transporter pad with his group. When the technician transported them he sighed with contentment.

There was a crew of fifty walking around various parts of the ship. Their job was to make sure that systems were contained and that nothing was taken from the ship. Jim and Chad were silent as they left the transporter room and headed for the lift that would take them to the bridge of the ship.

"So far it looks just like Voyager," said B'Elanna as they stepped inside the lift.

"Deck One," Jim said, smiling. It felt good to be home. His entire body felt more relaxed.

They stepped off the lift on the bridge and Tom and B'Elanna gasped. The bridge of Lexus was not like that on Voyager. It had been altered on the holodeck to make it more like the bridge of a Galaxy Class Starship. Things were a bit squeezed together but it was the best thing Jim and Chad had seen in many months. They both went straight to their stations and sat down.

"Feels good," said Chad as he ran his hands over the Conn console, smiling as he noticed that it had been changed to a standard Starfleet console. Now that he knew how to fly a Starship he no longer needed the video game based enhancement.

"Like home," agreed Jim as he looked around the bridge, imagining the others at their stations.

"You spent the better part of a year on this ship," said Kathryn as she smiled at Jim, who was sitting in the Captain's chair. "Of course it feels like home. I felt the same way the first time I returned to Voyager after we returned from the Delta Quadrant."

"So many things happened on this ship," Chad said, turning to face them. "Memories."

"Not all of them are as bad as we thought they would be," Jim said, smiling.

Rising, he led them into the Captain's Ready Room and smiled as he saw all of his belongings still sitting where he'd left them. He walked over and sat on the sofa, looking around that room at the pictures of their twenty-first century all over the walls. Being there was like salve on an old and tired wound.

They left the bridge and made their way to Deck Eleven and Main Engineering, making B'Elanna happy. She looked around at the entire room with wide eyes. There were so many differences to what she was used to. Almost nothing about this room was like Voyager's Engineering. She walked over and ran her fingers over the consoles, smiling at the strange warp core as it thrummed. She saw the twin towers that glowed red instead of blue that was the slipstream drive and began to access the systems that controlled it. She was fascinated.

"You say that this slipstream can run for eight hours?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the console.

"Well that's what we discussed on the holodeck with Lieutenant Kendrick," said Chad. "Annika and Icheb worked on it while we were in the Delta Quadrant and got it to sustain the stream for fifteen hours."

"Fifteen hours?" she asked, turning to look at him with wide eyes.

"Yes," he laughed. "They worked day and night and had most of us awake throughout the first night. When they finally succeeded we ended up in front of the Enterprise orbiting Earth."

"I think Q had a bit to do with that though," said Jim, remembering.

They went from Engineering to Deck Thirteen and everyone marveled over the Borg Deck. They went from station to station looking at everything. B'Elanna knew a little about how to use each station and accessed systems at one station after another.

Kathryn looked at everything with a slightly revolted look on her face. Jim wondered if the deck was bringing back bad memories from her time in the Delta Quadrant. He supposed it was. He couldn't imagine facing what Voyager had faced. What Lexus had faced was bad enough.

"How many Borg drones were liberated?" she asked him after looking at the regeneration chambers.

"Ten in all," he replied. "Axum was one of them."

"That's remarkable," she said. "Your ship's EMH did this?"

"With Icheb and Annika's help he did," said Jim. "It was happening during the Ocampa and Kazon War."

"It's so strange to think of the Ocampa in ships," she said, shaking her head. "Q meddled too much this time."

"Well I don't know that the Ocampa of this timeline have even left the surface of the planet," he said. "So much is different here than it was there."

They left the Borg Deck and headed back to Deck One and Jim's quarters. He sighed when he stepped inside and saw that his twenty-first century apartment was exactly as he had left it. Tom's eyes grew large as he looked around the room at everything.

"This is my kind of place," he laughed, looking at Jim.

"It was like home to us," said Jim, smiling at him. "We came from this."

"God I wish I could have seen it for real," he said.

"Tom has a fascination with all things twenty-first century," explained B'Elanna. "It used to drive me insane."

"Does the television work?" Tom asked, ignoring his wife for a moment.

"It's actually a computer, but there are movies from the twentieth and twenty-first century programmed into the computer," explained Jim. "Six hundred of them actually. You can call up any by asking the computer."

"I'm sold," he laughed. "B'Elanna, I want to live here!"

"I don't think so," she laughed. "I've had enough of Starships for a while, Paris."

When they were back on the ground and readying to leave the ship yard Jim turned to look at his lady one last time. His heart was heavy as he looked at the ship and remembered his time in command of her.

"Goodbye great lady," he said softly.