Disclaimer: Yes, I am aware that Tattooine is a Star Wars planet, but the name sounded suitable for my purposes. I do not own anything in this story except for my Amanda and her actions. I'm sorry if my lack of knowledge of the Star Trek universe has Trekkies in an uproar – for now, this is just based on when little I have in my gradually expanding repertoire. Let me know if I've overlooked something important and if its really integral I'll attempt to change it. Thanks!

Chapter 1 – She Owes Me

"Captain, not that I am questioning your decisions, for I know that they are made with the utmost care, but I do wish you would explain our detour to this outlaw planet." Spock's forehead was creased with concern as the Star Fleet officers wandered the streets of Tattooine.

Kirk smiled. "You can't stand not being in on the joke, can you Spock?"

"A joke, Captain?" Confusion clouded the Vulcan's features. "A joke implies some kind of trickery for the pleasure of-"

"Yeah, yeah Spock – I didn't mean it like that. It's just – we're here to pick up some supplies."

"I didn't notice any shortages on the cargo manifest, Captain."

"Yes, this is more of a – an unexpected commodity."

"I cannot estimate how this planet contains anything of value for our purposes."

"Trust me, Commander."

Kirk led the way to a run-down bar at the end of the street. Unsavory characters of all shapes and sizes were milling around, taking turns entering and exiting the building. Smoke filled the air, and Spock's keenly attuned ears picked up the sound of piano music from inside. It was called a Cabaret.

"The object we need is in there, Captain?" Kirk nodded with a distracted smile. "Are you certain?"

The captain had already entered the building, with Sulu at his heels. Calculating the slim likelihood of their ability to remain out of trouble, Spock chose to follow swiftly behind.

On the inside, the Cabaret was dark and musty. Aliens slung around tables in what, in any other venue, would have been an interesting cultural exchange. The captain snagged a table and the three men settled in.

"So, Captain," Sulu began, "when exactly are we entitled to kno-"

He stopped short to stare at the stage. Spock's eyes followed his to see a beautiful and shapely woman standing there with a microphone. She said hello and introduced herself in a variety of alien tongues – Spock couldn't help but notice that her dialect was exquisite. She was called Amanda, she told them, and began a musical introduction.

Thirty minutes later, Spock was convinced that Kirk had detoured their ship for the sole purpose of scantily-clad female entertainment. "Captain, I must insist that we return to the Enterprise at once. This is absurd."

"Absurd?" Kirk asked with raised eyebrows. He lifted a hand and pointed across the room, to where the Cabaret host was lounging against the bar with a drink in her hand. "Notice anything special about that girl?"

Spock pondered the question. In truth, there was something special about her, and just the kind of thing that he expected Kirk to notice. She was beautiful – he wondered if she could be part Deltan. He finally concluded that it was not possible – a Deltan would be taller. She was petite, with brown hair pulled up into two buns on either side of her head. She had pale skin but with rosy red liveliness in her cheeks. This girl was definitely human, but there was still something off about her. Not off in a negative way, he decided. He wasn't sure what Kirk was looking for. "She seems rather young to be employed in this kind of environment."

"She's twenty-two." Kirk informed him, leaning back in his chair. "And at one time, she attended Star Fleet Academy and consistently obtained the highest scores in all of her courses that the academy has ever seen. She was the youngest cadet ever to achieve Captain ranking coming out of the Academy, at age seventeen. I'm a bit ashamed to say, she may even be better than me."

Spock raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Yes." The captain nodded. "She has several qualities that I feel make her a necessity to have aboard."

"She hasn't completed her training?" Sulu asked. He'd been relatively silent for most of their journey, and both Spock and Kirk seemed surprised to hear him speak.

"Yes, she has." The Captain contradicted. "She left the academy the day before graduation but had already been issued her final report. The most decorated student to graduate."

"Why is she not with Star Fleet?"

"Seems that it was not the life she desired."

"And what makes you think she will reconsider her decision now?"

Kirk looked at him with disdain, "Commander, look at this place. Who wouldn't be dying to get out of here?" He took a long sip from his drink. "Besides. She owes me. She's my sister."

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