Chekov was equal parts confused and pleased to see Hikaru sitting next to him.

"Vhat are you doing here? I zhought you vere assigned elsewhere?"

Hikaru briefly looked up from his console, "I was, Helmsman McKenna is sick, and I'm second in line…so here I am."

Chekov nodded at him, and went back to prepping the enterprise for warp. He could hear Captain Pike shouting out commands for mooring lines to be retracted.

He wanted to ask Hikaru more questions about this, but when he opened his mouth to question him he was cut off by Captain Pike.

"Alright everyone, we're ready. Full warp." He sat back smugly in the chair. "Punch it." He said looking at Sulu.

Chekov got chills. His first real mission. On a real bridge—with Sulu! It was a dream come true; equal parts exciting and terrifying. They were finally going.

Chekov watched as Sulu pushed the throttle forward, he could feel the hum of the engines firing, preparing to jump to warp. He waited and waited-except the ship didn't move. Huh.

After a few moments everyone looked around as Sulu let down on the throttle.

An exasperated Pike turned to Sulu, "Lieutenant, where's Helmsman McKenna?"

Sulu, still staring at his console took a deep breath, "He has Lungworm sir, I'm Hikaru Sulu."

"And you are a pilot correct?" Pike said with a smirk.

"Very much so sir, I just am not sure—"

"Is the parking brake on?" Pike asked.

Sulu let out a nervous chuckle, fiddling with the console in front of him. "No Sir. I just need to—"

"Did you disengage the external intertial dampner?" A voice questioned across the bridge. Spock.

Sulu paused for a moment before punching a few buttons at his console and looked up, determined not to look at Chekov or anyone else on the bridge.

"Warp available at your command Sir."

Pike let out a wry smile, "Punch it."

Chekov waited several minutes before he made his move, once everything on the bridge had settled down and they were comfortably at warp. Very slowly and deliberately he turned towards Sulu.

Sulu saw the slow chair turn out of the corner of his eye.

"Don't even say it."

Chekov pretended to be shocked. "Say vhat 'karu? I vas not going to say anything!" He gave Sulu his best innocent puppy eyes.

Sulu rolled his eyes in return. "Uh-huh, I'm sure. I'm sure you were just going to ask me how the flying is going? If I'm doing okay?"

Chekov nodded his head in agreement. "Da, zat eez all I vas going to say…And of course to remind you zat checking zee brake is piloting 101. I am not a pilot and even I vould know zhis. Wery concerning zat zhey did not teach you zhis in school. I am in fact vorried." Chekov said dramatically clapping his hand over is heart in mock concern. "Are you sure you are qualified?!"

Chekov snickered and Sulu rolled his eyes.

Sulu pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're never going to let me forget this are you?"

Chekov beamed. "Never!"

"You're such a punk, you know that right?" Sulu asked the bright-eyed teen.

Chekov nodded, "Da, I know zis!"

/

"Engines at maximum warp Captain." Sulu turned around and told Pike.

He nodded then stared at Chekov. "Russian whiz-kid whats your name? Chenko? Cherpov?"

Chekov turned to face him, "Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andrevievich sir."

"Fine, Chekov Pavel Andrevievich, begin ship wide mission broadcast."

Chekov nodded, "Yes zir."

Chekov turned to his comm panel, "Ensign Authorization code Nine Five Wictor Wictor Two."

"Authorization Code not recognized"

"Argh!" Chekov stated, a slight tinge of red embaressment flushed on his cheeks. He hated his accent. He took a deep breath and tried again, determined not to mess this one up.

"Ensign authorization code Nine Five W-Victor WVictor Two."

"Access Granted"

Zhank God, Chekov thought.

"May I haff your attention please," He began. "At twenty two hundred hours an anomaly was detected in ze neutral zone. It appeared to be a lightning storm in space. Soon after, Starfleet received a distress signal from ze Wulcan High Command zat zheir planet vas experiencing seismic actiwity. Our mission is to assess ze condition of Wulcan and assist in ewacuations if necessary. We should be arriving at Wulcan withing zhree minutes, zhank you for you time."

Chekov ended the transmission and took at deep breath. First shipwide communication was done, he was just still upset at his failed first attempt to access his code. Cautiously, he turned to look over at Sulu.

Sulu looked back at Chekov with a honest wide smile, as if he had just won a prize. Sure, he had messed up the parking brake, but Chekov had messed up his code. They were even now.

Chekov met Sulu's gaze and narrowed his eyes at his best friend. Sulu simply mouthed at him, "Wictor!" Chekov rolled his eyes, knowing he would not hear the end of this, just as he would not let Sulu forget his one mistake. They both made fun of each other not out of spite, but out of jest and support of one another.

Chekov was pulled out of his current thought by the sound of shouting and rapidly approaching footsteps. The voices got louder and louder until he saw none other than his fellow classmates, Jim Kirk, sprint onto the bridge. He was followed closely by a very pissed off looking McCoy.

"We gotta stop the ship!"