Strange New Worlds VIII Read online

  Hikaru could tell she was pulling her punches, but damn, that one really hurt. What’s gotten into her? He couldn’t believe it; now he was actually trying to run away from her. She came in close again and stared him straight in the eye.

  “Come on, Tiny!” She then planted a firm, but restrained punch onto his nose.

  That did it. Hikaru didn’t care that it was his own mother, or that perhaps she had gone temporarily insane. Who was she to call him Tiny? He let out a gut-wrenching scream and charged his mother, posed in a defensive posture. Just as he got close enough to tackle her, she grabbed his arm, and in one swift move flipped him flat on his back.

  The floor shook as Hikaru’s body smacked down against the wood parquet floor. He was starting to get used to having the wind knocked out of him.

  “Get up, Tiny!” Mom yelled.

  “Don’t call me that!” Hikaru yelled as he got up and lunged at her again. This time, Mom juked to the left and with one quick sweep of her foot under his, dropped Hikaru square on his rump.

  Hikaru glared up at her, trying to catch his breath. He was beyond confusion now; he was downright angry.

  Mom stood above him with one fist drawn to her chest and the other poised to strike. “That’s right, get angry! Use it to make you do something besides sitting on your butt feeling sorry for yourself!”

  Angry. Yes, that’s what he was. Hikaru was angry; not so much at his mother—he knew there must be a lesson for his benefit in all this madness—but at feeling like a victim. It finally dawned upon him that he was most angry with himself, for allowing Eric to make him and others believe that he was a worthless, helpless little Japanese boy. He took all that pent-up rage and aimed his eyes at his mother, who had now moved across the room to the doorway. She was smiling, nodding her head and taunting him. Hikaru wiped the sweat from his brow and gave his mother a menacing look. Then he charged her with all his might.

  Just as he was about to make contact, she pulled out of the way and he went flying through the open doorway. He would have surely hit the wall in the hallway had his father not shown up.

  “OOF!”

  Dad caught Hikaru’s head right in his midsection and they both fell to the ground. Hikaru could hear his mother laughing out loud at the sight of them lying on the ground.

  “What is going on here?” Dad demanded.

  Mom casually fixed her hair and walked up to the heap that was her son and husband. She smiled and patted them both affectionately on the head and answered, “Just a little life lesson.” And with that, she walked down to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

  It took some effort, but Hikaru finally managed to get up, with his father’s help.

  “What was that all about?” Dad asked.

  Hikaru rubbed his sore back. “I’m not sure, but Mom nearly killed me! I thought Sulus were philosophers and artists, not fighters!”

  “Sulus, yes. But your mother is a Tanaka by birth,” Dad answered, patting his son’s neck.

  “Where did she learn to fight like that?”

  Dad answered while examining Hikaru’s face and body to see if anything was broken or bleeding. “Let’s go out to the backyard and I’ll tell you all about it.”

  * * *

  The sky was filled with so many stars that Hikaru imagined he could just scoop up a few hundred and keep them in a jar. Sitting in a lawn chair next to his dad, he watched shuttles rise up across the bay from Starfleet Command and disappear into the heavens. Since he was a little boy, he had found the occasional sparkle of a starship warping out of the system more exciting than spotting a shooting star, which everyone knew was, in fact, just a meteorite skimming the atmosphere.

  “So what else don’t I know about, Mom?” Hikaru asked, taking a sip of hot tea.

  Dad looked up into the sky and sighed. “First of all, being the only girl in her family, she learned martial arts from her brothers.”

  “Tell me about Grandpa Tanaka,” Hikaru said. Mom rarely spoke of him and this always puzzled him.

  “Well, Karu,” said Dad. “It’s hard for your mother to talk about him, because it makes her sad.”

  “Mom? Sad?” Hikaru could hardly imagine her being anything but tough as duranium.

  “Her father served in Starfleet not long after the Federation was first formed. He was rarely home. In fact, when she was born, he was on a deep-space assignment near the Romulan Neutral Zone.”

  Hikaru’s eyes widened like ancient silver coins. “Wow, Starfleet!”

  “He never got to meet her until she was four years old. And then he was only home every few years for a short time. He died defending a Federation outpost during the First Klingon War, and his body was never recovered. For that, she always hated Starfleet. To this day, I’m not certain she’s forgiven him for leaving her.”

  “Why didn’t you guys ever tell me any of this?”

  Dad turned to face him and put his hands on Hikaru’s shoulders. “There’s more—more she didn’t want you to know about. But we think you are old enough to know and understand now.”

  These revelations were both exciting and frightening to Hikaru, who desperately wanted to know everything about his parents’ mysterious past.

  “Come on, Dad! Tell me!”

  The look in Dad’s eyes betrayed pride in his son, yet there was a melancholy that Hikaru didn’t quite understand.

  “I was also in Starfleet.”

  Hikaru leapt out of his lawn chair, mouth gaping wide open. “I knew it! The model ships you built with me, all the history lessons, your old friends who served in Starfleet . . . ” He pulled a fist down, excitedly. Hikaru grabbed his father’s arm and shook it eagerly. “Were you a captain? Did you fight Romulans too? Come on, Dad, you gotta tell me!”

  A nostalgic smile spread across Dad’s face. “No, I didn’t do any of that. When I just graduated from the Academy, my commanding officer, who was an old friend of your mother’s family, introduced me to her. To make a long story short, we got married.”

  “Well, what ship did you serve on?” Hikaru begged. “Did you ever fight Klingons?”

  “I was a shuttle pilot and about to be posted on the Lexington . . . ”

  Hikaru’s mouth simply hung open, as the word “wow” silently floated out.

  “But your mother refused to marry me as long as I served in Starfleet. She didn’t want to become a ‘Starfleet widow.’ So I resigned my commission and became a civilian.” Dad exhaled in such a way that Hikaru could detect regret and relief. “You see, Hikaru, she didn’t want you to know all this when you were a little boy, because she didn’t want your head full of dreams of joining Starfleet.”

  Hikaru’s heart sank just as quickly as it had taken flight. “But . . . but why?”

  “Try to understand, son. She’d already lost her father; she couldn’t bear the thought of her baby flying off to the ends of the galaxy.”

  “So what’s changed your minds? Why are you telling me this now?” Hikaru then felt a warm hand on his shoulder. When he turned around he found his mother there, eyes shimmering with tears—something he’d rarely seen from her.

  “You’re growing up into a fine young man,” Mom said. “But when we saw how broken your confidence was, by a foolish bully like Eric Monroe, we decided that you had to know who you truly are, before you could confront him.” She turned to her husband. “I’ve already robbed one Sulu of his destiny and greatness. I’ll be damned if I do that to my son!”

  Dad held her tenderly. “You did no such thing. I gladly gave it up to be with you and to raise our Hikaru.”

  The awe that filled Hikaru’s heart seemed to make his breath short. As long as he could remember, he had dreamed of exploring the galaxy like his hero, Jonathan Archer. And while his parents never outright discouraged him, their lack of enthusiasm or response to his daydreaming had always meant that it wasn’t something to be considered. Hikaru felt a weight lifted from his chest; he was so happy that he felt he could surely fly into the heavens! Sudde
nly, thoughts of Eric Monroe and Jenny Faulkner seemed to shrink in significance.

  * * *

  Over the next few weeks, his father began taking Hikaru to Point Reyes with his old hovercar for flying lessons. Of course, Dad knew Hikaru was still a few years shy of getting a permit, but that was what made it all the more exciting. He looked forward daily to being regaled by Dad’s Academy stories.

  Mom spent the afternoons teaching Hikaru martial arts and how to use his slight stature to his advantage by means of maneuverability, agility, and stealth.

  But Hikaru’s heart was in the stars. He managed to duck out of Eric’s way at every confrontation. It didn’t bother him the least bit now when Eric, winded from repeatedly swinging and missing, would call him “chicken” for leaving the scene of a fight with him. Hikaru could tell that Eric was frustrated by the other kids’ giggling at his inability to catch him. All he could think about was getting home and taking flying lessons. He took the karate lessons from his mother seriously, but Hikaru’s first priority was becoming a pilot—something Dad was all too happy to help him with.

  * * *

  The end of the school year had arrived, and Hikaru had finally grown two more inches. Practicing had gotten him to the point where he could take his mother on in a sparring match. And Dad called him a prodigy, because in a few short months he’d become very adept at piloting all kinds of air- and spacecraft. Hikaru would never forget the midnight joy ride he took with Dad to the Lunar Station and back in Uncle Yasu’s shuttle. Uncle Yasu, a veteran Marine Corps pilot and a MACO, affectionately referred to Hikaru as “Cadet Sulu”; he loved it.

  Eric Monroe had all but given up on harassing Hikaru. And though it mattered very little to Hikaru now, Jenny had long since broken up with the bully because of his cruel ways.

  But on this, the last day of school, Eric had broken from his routine of hurling insults at Hikaru from across the street and started following behind Jenny and her friends instead. Hikaru didn’t want to care about what might happen, but he overheard some of the commotion and turned back to look.

  “Let go of me!” Jenny shouted.

  Eric gripped her arm firmly as he yelled back. “You never return my calls! What’s the matter with you?”

  “Don’t you get it, you idiot? I don’t want to see you anymore!”

  Eric didn’t let go. He tightened his grip even harder, causing Jenny to cry out in pain.

  “You’re hurting me, Eric!”

  “And your ignoring me is supposed to tickle me?” he yelled. “Nobody treats me like that! Nobody!”

  All of Jenny’s girlfriends ran away, leaving her with Eric and struggling to break free. Hikaru wanted to turn his back and leave as well. After all, if she was stupid enough to get involved with someone like Eric, didn’t she deserve this? This wasn’t Hikaru’s problem, was it?

  It amazed him to see dozens of other children walk away from the scene, trying to pretend they weren’t seeing Eric hurting the girl Hikaru had been enamored with for as long as he could remember. Just as he began to judge them for turning a blind eye, and deeming them cowards, he heard his father’s words in his heart, clear as the day itself:

  Sometimes you have to fight, even though you know you can’t win—because it’s worth fighting for, even dying for.

  So far, Hikaru was confident in his ability to evade and avoid Eric Monroe, but having to fight him was an entirely different story. Why did he have to deal with this, on the last day of school?

  Once again, Hikaru heard Jenny squeal in pain as Eric twisted her arm and shouted more insults and threats. Hikaru wanted so much to turn away and pretend this wasn’t happening. But then he thought of Grandpa Tanaka, who died defending innocent people he never knew. What kind of Starfleet officer would he ever be if he turned away from a call for help?

  “Hey, you big pile of targ crap!” Hikaru called out as he walked toward Eric.

  Eric turned toward Hikaru and sneered, still gripping Jenny’s arm. “Well, well. If it isn’t the little flea himself.”

  Hikaru tried his best to appear unafraid, but in fact, he was trembling. Seeing Jenny afraid and in pain, however, caused his blood to boil. He focused on that anger and it seemed to calm his shaking.

  “Let her go.”

  Eric snorted. “Or what?”

  This was the moment of truth; the next words from Hikaru would commit him to the first real fight of his life.

  “Why don’t you let go of her, and find out?”

  Eric threw Jenny to the ground, and she let out a pained grunt. He then started for Hikaru, beating his fist into his other hand, making sure to corner him as best he could.

  “Okay, Tiny! I’m gonna give you a chance to tuck your tail between your legs, and run like the little rat that you are.”

  Hikaru stood unflinching. He knew that if he ran, Eric would keep bothering Jenny all summer. And Jenny would lose what little respect she might have had for him.

  Eric was nearly upon him. “Go on, Tiny. Run!”

  Hikaru remained where he was and fixed his eyes upon Eric’s, which seemed to make Eric uncomfortable. The bully turned slightly to avert the steady gaze, just as he threw his first punch at Hikaru’s face.

  Jenny let out a startled shriek, but Hikaru quickly moved just out of Eric’s reach and shuffled behind him. He gave Eric a swift kick in the rear.

  “We don’t have to settle it this way!” Hikaru said tensely.

  Eric spun around swinging, but was unable to land a solid hit because of Hikaru’s stealth. “Oh, so you wanna talk this over, huh?” He took another swing, but Hikaru slipped past his punch and struck Eric square on the jaw with his palm, pulling his punch.

  “Trust me,” Hikaru said. “It’s better than fighting!”

  “Hold still, so I can hit you!” Eric let out a primal grunt and lunged for Hikaru.

  But Hikaru simply stepped a couple of inches to the side and winced as Eric ran headfirst into the trunk of a tree. He looked over and saw Jenny, now joined by a growing crowd of kids from school, cheering him on.

  Eric took advantage of that momentary distraction and grabbed Hikaru in a choke hold. Hikaru tried to call out, but he realized that the air wasn’t able to flow in or out of his lungs. He saw Jenny’s smile turn into fear.

  Eric began laughing madly. “You think you’re fast, but you’re still just a little flea, Tiny!”

  Hikaru tried with all his might to pry Eric’s arms off from around his neck. But even with both hands pulling, Hikaru could not free himself. His vision began to blur and he thought he might black out in a matter of seconds. Hikaru felt his two arms fall and dangle flaccidly. Eric was not very smart, but he was strong. In the last couple of seconds of consciousness Hikaru knew he had left, he considered the fact that his hands and feet were still free. So in a split second he took all he had learned from his mother about fighting, and combined it with all he had learned about the laws of physics, from flying with his father. He wrapped his two feet behind Eric’s legs and pulled quickly, collapsing them by bending them at the knees. Both boys fell backward onto the ground, and upon impact Hikaru drove both elbows into Eric’s midsection. Falling on his back with all his and Hikaru’s weight, as well as the impact of Hikaru’s two elbows, winded Eric.

  Hikaru’s vision then became clear. He realized that he was breathing again and that Eric had released his grip. Hikaru got back on his feet and noticed that Eric was also getting up, though he was holding his gut and panting heavily.

  Looking around the floor at his feet, Eric spotted a fallen tree branch, about the size of a baseball bat, and picked it up. Before Hikaru had a chance to consider the new threat, Eric charged him, brandishing the wood stick.

  “You are so dead, Tiny!”

  Hikaru realized that one blow to the head with that tree branch, and Eric’s threat would become reality. He could see by the madness in his eyes that Eric was well beyond reason. How could this be happening? Hikaru had come so far, since that first
day his mother had taunted him into standing up for himself. He recalled that day with clarity and used the lessons to his advantage.

  Just as Eric came within striking distance, Hikaru grabbed the arm wielding the branch. He swung the branch into Eric’s face, and then used his attacker’s own momentum to throw him forward, flipping him over onto his back. Hikaru grabbed the sharp end of the branch, pointed it at Eric, and thrust it down, stopping just short of his opponent’s throat.

  “Stop . . . please . . . I give up . . . ” a dazed Eric sputtered, as his head dropped back onto the ground.

  Jenny ran to Hikaru’s side and held him tightly, as they both looked down to an utterly defeated Eric.

  “If you ever touch Jenny again . . . ”

  “I won’t, I promise . . . ” Eric groaned, holding up his hands in surrender.

  Hikaru turned from Eric and motioned for Jenny to start walking ahead of him. He then turned back to Eric, who was stunned and motionless on the floor, save for his exhausted breathing.

  “Oh, and one more thing,” Hikaru said, as he lifted the stick over his head and thrust it down so that it impaled the ground, millimeters from Eric’s head. Eric’s eyes widened in fear as he looked up at Hikaru, who spoke in a cool, even tone.

  “Don’t call me Tiny.”

  Morning Bells Are Ringing

  Kevin G. Summers

  To: Captain Jean-Luc Picard, U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-D

  From: Marissa Flores, U.S.S. Chamberlain, NCC-56810

  Subject: Scared

  Dear Captain,

  I’m not sure if you remember me. My name is Marissa Flores. My father is Lieutenant Peter Flores; we used to live on the Enterprise until about a year and a half ago. Anyway, I’m writing you today because I don’t know what else to do. There’s been a terrible accident on the Chamberlain. Everyone is frozen. Not frozen cold; it’s like they’re frozen in time.

  I don’t know why or how, but I’m the only person who can move around or do anything. Really. I walked right up to my dad and poked him in the ribs, and he just stood there, staring at nothing.

  I’ve been wandering around the Chamberlain for two-days now. She’s an Excelsior-class starship, not as nice as the Enterprise, but Dad says she’s a classic. I don’t know about that, but I do know that most of the ship’s systems are still online—the replicators and the artificial gravity still work, anyway. It’s a good thing too. We ran an antigrav program on the holodeck one time, and it made me pretty sick.