Authors Note:

This is my first Star Trek fanfic so I'm not sure how well I've done. I have been a Star Trek fan for a good while though and have been interested in Tarsus IV since I've learned about it. I finally decided to use all of my ideas in a fanfic.

Disclaimer:

I don't own Star Trek or it's characters

There was a problem right away. My hands were filled with coffee but I really need to push the button to open the door. I decided to look through the window in a vain attempt to make eye contact with Bones who could hopefully read my mind and open the door for me. No such luck as I spotted my favorite doctor intently listening to the lecture. How dare him. Fortunately, I remembered elbows as I carefully held up my arm and pressed the button. The door slid open allowing me to walk through the room allowing everyone's judgmental eyes to land on myself.

I walked towards Bones who already looked disappointed in me. However, I saw a flicker of happiness in those eyes as he saw what was in my hands. "Coffee?" I asked holding the drink out to him.

"You're a damn life saver." Bones said. His quick hands snatched it and poured the warm liquid down his throat. I could almost see him become more awake.

"Perhaps I should be a doctor." I said, sitting down.

I began to tune into what the lecture was about as I began to type the professor's words quickly. There was something about tonight and the auditorium. Then he continued to speak about guests who will being showing up in the new few weeks to answer any questions we may have for our essay. Oh no an essay. I don't even know the subject. I'll have to ask Bones over what the topic will be about. I can study it quickly before I began.

Bones took a break from drinking to say, "You're seventeen minutes late to class." Before he returned to his cup.

"I got the good coffee."

Bones nodded still drinking. "Hmm mm." he agreed. "Alright. I'll send you my notes."

I sighed with relief. "Thanks." I said before going back to listening to the lecture. There was a small ping that I quickly muted before clicking on the notes I was sent. Three pages. Bones types faster than me. I was about to look over it before the light was switched off in the room distracting me for a moment.

"Be sure to be in the auditorium at 2100 as we watch the documentary appear on television." Professor Gill said in the darkness before there was a click and a screen appeared.

"Oh sweet a movie?" I whispered.

On the screen Professor Gill clicked through some videos as he looked for a specific one. I leaned forward.

"Not gonna be very enjoyable." Bones said. "We're discussing Tarsus."

I recoiled away from the screen no longer fascinated about what we were about to watch. No no no. "Why?" I asked, sounding similar to a child who just got in trouble and doesn't understand the reason. I grabbed my coffee wondering if I could just walk out. Would that be abnormal? I have left class early before…. Not right after I showed up though.

"Read the notes I sent you kid." Bones said. I clicked through the notes again now looking over what he had typed. Tarsus IV. Shit it's true. My eyes scanned down the page. Half the population were executed under the order of Kodos due to the lack of food obtained because of the "Well hell you actually seem interested, for once." I looked up to see Bones was watching me as he was seemingly amused over the situation. I didn't find it very amusing.

I clicked the page away and sat back attempting to breath normally – to do everything normally to be normal. I couldn't let Bones figure out something was wrong. It's just a short video. I didn't even need to watch it I could close my eyes… Well then Bones would wonder why I'm closing my eyes.

"After the trailer, we will discuss the survivors that will appear on the documentary and which ones will be showing up here to speak." Professor Gill said before he stepped back and the video began to play.

There was a quick shot of a boy sitting in a chair looking at someone behind the camera. He had on a blue hoodie in which he stuffed his hands on their pockets. He had a nice shy smile. It was the smile that made me recognize him. Kevin Riley. "It was the perfect place. My parents loved it there. I thought it was finally a place we would call home." He said.

Then the screen went black. It stayed black for a bit before white words appeared that read out

Sixteen kids on their own.

Seven eye account witnesses.

The last part stood out to me. Where was the other one? Nine of us made it. Where was the eighth?

The screen went to a woman sitting down now – Francine. She looked beautiful with her dark hair down in a low ponytail on her side. "Things changed so fast." She said. The camera didn't stay on her long as it was now rushing through the woods perhaps to give the impression of running. I didn't care for it. I ran through the woods enough I didn't need to relive the feeling.

"None of us knew what we were doing. We just knew we had to get out of there." I couldn't tell who the voice belonged to. They had made it into a voiceover as the camera was showing places we had hidden when we were on the run. There was a quick shot of a field. The field we lost some people…

It showed photos of some children looking wide eyed at the camera. They were skinny and bruised. The photos fell on top of each other before staying on a photo of the group a bit longer than the others. The photo was of Kevin, Thomas, Evette, and Donovan when they had been rescued.

"They just hunted us down. A lot of us didn't make it." Another voiceover. This time female.

The screen was black again followed by white words

Chilling stories

A redhead appeared that would have seemed unrecognizable would it not have been for the fact she was the only one in the group with that color of hair. She had been so young. So little. Thomas and myself took turns carrying her when she had been injured. "I thought we was going to be caught, but we were so hungry we needed the food." Evette said.

A photo of the soldiers with their weapons flashed on the screen.

"I still can't believe how lucky I was at the time for him to have found me." Another voiceover as a blurry photo of an injured skinny kid looking tired that I recognized as myself. My eyes cut to Bones to see if he caught anything. His eyes remained on the screen.

Black screen white words

Reports from Starfleet Members

A Starfleet member I didn't recognize was now talking to someone a little behind the camera- why did I find that annoying. "There was so many mistakes. Mistakes that had cost many lives." She said. Her voice was professional and somber. It reminded me of Pike.

"We had no idea it could get that bad." A voice said over a photo of civilians before the massacre. They were smiling and looking happy but the photo was now black and white for dramatic purposes.

Then the video slowed when it stayed on a different person saying their account. He was a man close to my age with handsome features of dark hair and one dark eye that was actually looking at the camera – the only person that has so far. Even if he wasn't wearing an eyepatch I would know who he was. Thomas.

"It never should have happened." He said.

And for the last time the annoying black screen and white words said

The Tales of Tarsus IV

The light went back on in the room with some sighs of relief. The video must have affected more than just me. I'm going to hate this essay.

Walking out of the building with Bones we were both noticeably quieter after the video. It must have been less than two minutes long but the photos were disturbing to look at. We both carried our coffee out the door but Bones was the only one still drinking from it. My minds wandered to the possibilities of how I could rush through the essay and get it over with.

"We have to watch the show tonight. Not gonna be late are you? Should I save you a spot?" Bones asked.

"Yeah." I said. I'm not quite sure what I just agreed on.

Bones must have sensed that my mind was elsewhere because he stopped me. "In case you don't go over the notes in time, you have to pick a kid to write an essay about. It doesn't have to be one of the seven eye account witnesses. It can be any of the nine survivors… So. Pay attention." He said before stepping away and departing to his next class.

I continued to stand there, dreading that night.