Chapter One

Third Person POV

"River, are you awake?" came, in Riverʼs opinion, an extremely annoying voice over the com of her door. "If itʼs not an emergency, no." she replied, rolling over and trying to go back to sleep. "What if it is an emergency?" they replied. "Then you wouldnʼt be so calm." she retorted. "What do you want? Itʼs my day off." she added, sitting up in bed and running a tired hand through her short, boy cut, platinum blonde hair.

"Come on, River! You donʼt have time for your big brother on your day off?" he whined .River groaned and flung the covers off her small body and wobbly stood up. Walking over to the door, she pressed the button for the door to slide open and revealed a tall, muscled, brunette who looked completely opposite of his sister standing on the other side. "Not when said brother wakes me up early." she retaliated.

"You needed to get up early anyway." he said, brushing past River. "Whatʼd you want, Jack?" River asked, shutting her door and following her brother. "Well, actually, I was sent to inform you that weʼre headed back to Earth and weʼll be there in about two hours." Jack said, sitting down in one of the two chairs at the table outside of the small kitchen.

"Whyʼre we headed back so soon? We werenʼt supposed to be back for another two months." River asked, sitting across from her brother and crossing her right leg over her left. "Donʼt know. Heard Captain Pike had something to do with it though." Jack said, crossing his left leg over his right with a smirk. River rolled her eyes and got up, mumbling something inaudible under her breath as she walked over to her dresser.

Jack sat quietly while River went into her bathroom and got dressed. Ten minutes later she came out dressed in her Medical Blue Starfleet Uniform and was running a brush through her unruly hair with a huff. "Well then, letʼs go." she said, throwing her brush onto the bed and fixing her slacks. Jack got up and followed after his sister to the bridge.

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"Captain." River greeted, walking onto the bridge. "Commander Green, whatʼre you doing here? I thought it was your day off." Captain Gibson asked as River went and took her position behind his chair, giving John a bad look before turning her full attention to the Captain. "Lieutenant Commander Green informed me that weʼd be arriving back at Earth in less than two hours. I thought it would be better for your First Officer to be here, rather than sleeping in." she answered with a grin.

"True, but Iʼm sure Commander Green was just making sure you were prepared for our arrival." Captain Gibson said with a grin before going back to his report update with Ensign Bryson while Jack took his post at the Security Station. "Commander, I was wondering if I could get your assistance with this report." Doctor Michaels asked, walking up to River with a smile on her face. "Of course, Doctor. Whatʼd you need?" River asked as they left the bridge and headed for the Sick Bay.

They both walked into Riverʼs office and sat at their respective places, River behind the desk and Doctor Michaels opposite. "I need you to fill out the last of Ensign Tylerʼs transfer papers. As shipʼs counselor, you have all the information on why sheʼs transferring and it needs your approval." she explained, handing River a PADD with all of Ensign Tylerʼs transfer paperwork. "Of course, Olivia. Iʼll have this done by the time we make it back home." River said with a smile.

Doctor Michaels smiled brightly and left the office, leaving River alone to her thoughts and paperwork. Pulling out another PADD with Ensign Tylerʼs psychological report, she began to fill out the transfer papers to the USS Monterey when her com started beeping. "What?" she asked, signing her name to the transfer work. "Weʼve about to arrive at the docking station, Commander, and the Captain has requested you be with him when he departs from the ship." Lieutenant Cooper said.

"Very well." she said before shutting off her com and leaving her office. Before leaving the Sick Bay, she stopped in front of Doctor Michaelsʼ office and left the PADD sheʼd been given on her desk.

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"Was wondering when youʼd show up." Captain Gibson joked, smirking down at the shorter woman. River couldnʼt help but smirk back as she walked up to the Captain. "Well, you know, doing doctor things, Stephen." she jabbed back. He let out a light laugh and motioned for her to go ahead of him into the shuttle craft. "Captain," she said once they were in the shuttle with an unknown Ensign. "Why exactly are we headed back to Earth?"

"Iʼm not too sure, but we were ordered to come back. Anyways, we were headed back in a few months anyway." he told her, sitting down in one of the control chairs while River and the unknown Ensign sat in the other two.

The ride to the docking station was short and quiet, but River did learn that the Ensignʼs name was Maria Church and she was an Engineer.

"Doctor River Green, Iʼve heard some wonderful things about you." came a voice from behind the three once theyʼd exited the shuttle craft. Turning around, the three of them of them were greeted by Admiral Francis. "Captain Gibson, Ensign." he also greeted, shaking both of their hands before turning back River. "Doctor Green-" he started, but stopped. "I prefer Commander, Sir." she interrupted.

The Admiral gave her a tight smile and nodded while Stephen tried to stifle a laugh. "Commander Green, I apologize for the suddenness of this meeting, but it was necessary. If youʼll follow me to the board room, the meeting can proceed." he said, all politeness to his tone gone after River had interrupted him.

"Iʼll be there shortly." she said, giving him a slightly mocking smile of her own because she knew how much it struck an Admiralʼs cord when she didnʼt do things right when she was told. Admiral Francis nodded curtly before heading into the board room himself. "I donʼt understand." River said, turning back to Stephen once they were alone after the Captainʼd dismissed Ensign Church. He only shrugged, crossing his arms and leaning on the wall. "I donʼt know. All I know is that when I got the message, I was told that you were wanted for this meeting and I couldnʼt tell you anything because you have a bad habit of going against what a superior officer tells you." he explained.

"Psh, no I donʼt." she defended, crossing her arms over her chest. "Okay, fine. Maybe I do, but that has nothing to do with this." she defended when Stephen raised an eyebrow at her. "Fine. Iʼll go. But I wonʼt be happy about it!" she added before stalking off to the board room. When she walked in, she was surprised to find it empty. "Where is everyone?" she asked to herself.

After a few moments of waiting for something to happen, she jumped when the door she came through slid open. Turning around, a huge smile formed on Riverʼs face. "Sorry Iʼm late, River. Got a little tied up talking with Captain Gibson." Captain Pike said, mirroring her smile. "Christopher!" she squealed, rushing over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Hey, kiddo." he replied with a smile in his voice, returning the hug.

After a few moments and finally realizing what sheʼd done, River quickly pulled away and composed herself. "Itʼs wonderful to see you again, Sir." she said professionally. Christopher looked at her funny for a moment before bursting out laughing. "What?" River asked defensively, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "River, I know you better than anyone, besides your brother. I havenʼt seen you in four years, since you graduated from the Academy, and you donʼt need to act professional around me." he told her.

"Iʼm sorry, Sir, but it doesnʼt seem right now that Iʼm not at the Academy anymore." she explained. Christopher nodded in understanding and then grinned at the younger girl. "Well then, itʼs not a request anymore. Itʼs an order."

Riverʼs eyes narrowed slightly and then she sighed in defeat, "Fine." Christopher grinned even more and motioned for River to sit in one of the chair around the round table. They both sat down and River took this chance to ask what the hell was going on. "Chris, whyʼm I here?"

"I need your help." he answered, causing River to roll her eyes. "Yeah, I kinda got that part, but with what?"

"Look, I'm going to ask you a huge favor, one that Iʼm not so sure youʼll accept, but hope youʼll consider all the pros and cons before completely rejecting the idea." River couldnʼt help but surprised and, more than anything, curious. "Is it that bad?"

"Well, as Iʼm sure you know, first years will be starting at the Academy in about a week. Thereʼs someone I want to try and recruit. If I can get him to agree, I want you to be one of the Instructors at the Academy so that heʼll be in your squad. Heʼll need the discipline." Christopher explained.

"Why not put him with Spock. Heʼs been at the Academy for a year now as an instructor." River said, disbelief in her voice from what Christopher had just asked of her. "River, you were one of my best cadets. Donʼt tell him, but I think you did a little better than Spock. Iʼm asking you because I think youʼll be good for this guy. He needs guidance and I think you're the officer to do it."

River sighed and let her head drop. She didnʼt want to go back to the Academy for any reason what-so-ever. In her experiences, it had sucked. It hadnʼt helped that her older brother had started two years after her either. Her race was smart, they had photographic memories and started schooling at the age of one. When sheʼd finished with her schooling at the age of twelve, she went to Earth to join Starfleet. She was the youngest First-year in the history of the Academy and everyone made sure to remind her of it.

Now at nineteen, she was ships counselor and First Officer on the USS Lexington. She didnʼt know who Christopher was trying to recruit, but if it meant that she could help a new cadet get somewhere in their future and it meant this much to her old instructor and friend, sheʼd do it.

Sighing in defeat, River looked up at Christopher and gave him a smile. "Iʼll do it. But only because even though I have no clue who this guy is, I want to help him." she told him. Christopher smiled and stood up. "Iʼm surprised you didnʼt put up more of a fight." he joked, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze. "So, when do we go after your recruit?" River asked after a moment. "Tomorrow night. Iʼve already informed Captain Gibson that you wonʼt be going back to Lexington." he explained with a smirk. River looked up at him in disbelief. "What if I hadnʼt accepted?" she asked, crossing her arms. "I knew you would." he smirked before leaving River alone in the conference room.

Just as she was about to get up, Christopher poked his head back into conference room. "By the way, thereʼs a shuttle waiting to take you down to the planet when youʼre ready."

"How thoughtful." River replied sarcastically, running a tired hand down her face. Christopher gave her a playful wink and left her alone in the conference room once again.