More seriously, though, he hoped it would work out for McCoy. As much as he would have liked to pursue something with Janith-Lau himself, he’d be content to see his old friend find happiness with her.

Chapter Seven

Starfleet Academy

Zirani Kayros frowned at Vekal in disbelief. “You’re kidding,” she said over the background chatter of voices in the dining hall. “Rakatheema didn’t really say that, did he?”

“I was present at the time,” the Vulcan youth replied. “The commander did indeed indicate that he was open to broadening the traditional role of the Warborn to include combat on behalf of the Federation as a whole.”

Nearby, Targeemos shifted uneasily in her seat, glancing across the room at the tables where the Warborn sat, still keeping apart from the other students. “I can’t believe that. It would defeat the whole purpose of them being here.”

“Or perhaps you were misled about what that purpose was.”

Next to Kayros, Michael Ashrafi smirked and peered at Vekal. “What were you even doing in a combat class? I thought you were this committed Vulcan pacifist.”

Vekal narrowed his eyes in annoyance that was not as well contained as he probably thought it was. “The core curriculum is mandatory. Taking that course in my first semester happens to be part of the most efficient allocation of the core courses for my purposes.”

“Nah—if you ask me, you wanted to keep watch on the big Warborn and his scary lady friend. You’ve been giving them the evil eye from the start.” Ashrafi chuckled. “Or maybe you’re interested in Portia for another reason, huh?”

“I will not dignify that sophomoric insinuation with a reply.”

“Sophomoric is next year. I’m just freshmanic.” He shrugged. “And if I flunk my exams, I’ll be freshmanic-depressive.”

Vekal ignored him. “We should file a protest. Recruiting the Warborn to serve in combat is incompatible with Starfleet ethical principles. They should be expelled before this goes further.”

“Hey!” Kayros protested. “Don’t blame them for it. If Rakatheema does want that, it’s on him.”

“She’s right,” Targeemos said. “This is meant to be for their benefit, to offer them a constructive role. At least that’s how Rakatheema sold it to the public back home. We wouldn’t have agreed to it otherwise.”

Kayros stood. “In which case, I say we go over and hear their side. This is about their future, so their opinions matter more than ours.”

Vekal was skeptical. “They will follow where they are ordered to go. That is their conditioning.”

“You assume. Where’s the logic in refusing to find out?”