2. Sulu

The first time Sulu noticed the young navigator was in the Starfleet Academy's cafeteria. A few years before The Day that bound them in a bond tested with fire (and blackholes.)

Sulu looked over as a commotion started a table or two behind his own where he sat with his own friend.

"Beat it squirt. This is our table. Go find the kiddie table yeah?" The smirking group of tall and muscular cadets, who were obviously partaking in the Combat division, were grouped around a table with a single slender occupant.

Instantly the thought that crossed Sulu's mind was: "poor sod" as he saw the cadet who was sitting down was way out numbered, out muscled, out of support and… you get the picture. Sitting alone like that at mid break tome was just asking for trouble. Sulu shrugged sympathetically and turned back to his meal.

Soon afterward a scuffle was heard as apparently the lone student had refused to move. "Oh no. Kid's in for it now." Sulu's roommate and friend Anderson "call me Andy" Flitter murmured with a grimace, his eyes directed over Sulu's shoulder but not towards the unfortunate table.

Sulu turned back to around see what drew his friend's attention and was just in time to see a small figure lifted off the floor by the scruff of his neck by a burly giant of a cadet, and thrown into the decorative water pool.

Sulu turned back with pursed lips to his own meal amidst the cacophony of laughter; only giving a glance at the single meal sitting alone on the now abandoned table. "The kid should've walked away." Andy grumbled, directing glares at the group of laughing cadets. He was holding onto his fork tightly with whitened knuckles. "Poor Chekov...he'll be late for class again now. Everyone picks on the poor lad. A genius the professors say. But so young. Shame on those gits." Andy continued to mutter to himself as Sulu tuned him out.

Sulu knew that what happened was out of line,(and he had every intention of reporting the bullying cadets.) But he also knew that one must make their own way in Starfleet. Weak willed people or people who couldn't stand up and hold their ground quickly find that they have no place or respect among the cadets. They all had to earn their place. Even the small cadet. Sulu remembered still how he had to out fight and out smart five cadets before they let him be.

Thi kid will find his place. Sulu was sure of it.

It was only when the young navigator plopped in to the seat next to him on the Helm of the brand new Enterprise that Sulu got an idea of just how young Chekov was. "'Ello. I'm Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreievich, ze navigator!" he introduced himself with a enthusiastic grin and shook Sulu's hand; like everything was sunshine and roses and Russian songs in his world. "Lt. Sulu, Hikaru Sulu. Pilot...uh replacing the original one uh...pleasure to meet you."

Chekov grinned.

After the whole Narada incident was over everyone was bone tired. Horrified at the devastation one vengeful insane individual has wroght, surprised at self sacrificing idiot superiors, grieving for their lost friends..what was left of the crew was in a state of limbo. Victory came at a very high price; a price that crippled the federation and cost so many brilliant young minds.

Three fourths of the Federation's cadets were gone, among them some of the best minds of the generation. The planet of one of the Federation's founding members was gone, More than 6 billion lives of one of the most tolerant and intelligent beings were lost. The survivours of both Starfleet and Vulcan were grieving for their comrades. For the Vulcans their home…

So many lives just… gone.

It was a turmoil filled trip back to Earth. Losing the Warp cores meant that they only had sublight engines which the impromptu head engineer and, suprisngly for most, the new Captain, did their best to improve, the sick bay was choke full and all cadets who were free for a moment reported there to help in any way they could. The Vulcans were silent, their eyes were the only way fir one to see their torment. But what could they do to help? What does one say to a people who lost...everything?

Chekov had disappeared into the belly of the Enterprise after chrting the most efficient way to Earth. The young man was positive that he had a theory to help improve the remaining engines and ran out the moment the chart was plotted. Sulu, as the most skilled pilot onboard was left to bring them home safe.

Home. Sulu couldn't wait to go home.

Sulu was unsure what exactly happened on the ceremony they held to commemorate The Day and all the lives lost and saved. All he remembered was how empty the hallways were. The tears and cries when the long list of names were read. (Heroes, the speaker said...Friends, Sulu corrected in his mind.) They called Andy as Anderson. He'd be miffed. Sulu was sure.

After the ceremony Sulu took a seat on the stairs that led to empty grounds. He and Andy used to check out the cute cadets from here, but never could gather up the courage to go up to them and chat. Andy was always too shy for that. And there was a girl who always sat under the willow tree reading at lunch. And a group of first year cadets who threw a frisbee to each other and bet on how far they can throw it. They must be still here.. only the top three years were called out that day right?

After being lost in memories for who knows how long, Sulu felt a presence at his left. Chek...Pavel, sat down beside him on the stairs in the lawn, with a glass of water clutched in his shaking hands. Hikaru suddenly felt a fierce joy that his young friend was with him; here. And not lost to the void. He looked at the red eyed ensign looking at him and returned the faint smile given to him.

They would heal..with time. And maybe Andy's favourite genius kid would be a good friend too.

It was inevitable really. They work in adjunct stations that their shifts were always together. The only time they were apart from each other was when their shift was over...which was, admittedly a lot of time, but the time slot didn't count when they inevitably gravitated towards the mess hall where The Alpha Crew (as the Enterprise staff body had taken to calling them) gathered together.

At first it was silent and a bit awkward when they all realised that they were sittiing together, but with time Cap..Jim's foot-in-mouth character (Sooo….are you gonna finally give me your first name? We did defy death together!), Dr. McCoy's grumbling about their food choices (Only Sulu has some sense in what he eats! And NO! Sandwiches are not aa all-incluive food group Montgomery Scott!) and Lt. Scott's long rants about the shiny new warp cores and engineering paraphranelia with occasional input from Pavel, Jim and Spock, the unease was forgotten. And they began their friendship that tied them for years to come.

Pavel became their energetic, intelligent, engaging hyper little brother of their patched up family and the only one that Hikaru made his business to look out for. Such sentiment was unusual to Hikaru "the-only-chlid-in-the-family" Sulu but welcomed the feeling of family it gave him.

They went to mess together, bunked in neighbouring rooms upon the Enterprise, worked together on complementing stations, and managed to smuggle a bottle of vodka (For special occasions! Promise!) under the nose of their commanding officers, rigged the replicator to wail and page Dr. McCoy when Jim ordered more than 5 coffes a day (much to his horror and McCoy's glee);in short Pavel became the little kid brother for whom Hikaru never had but now couldn't imagine life without.

The next time Hikaru saw a cadet pick on Pavel in the line to the replicator in the Enterprise mess, ("you must have done something to get your post eh squirt? Or someone...?" the cadet leered) Hikaru Sulu got up from his seat and punched the living daylights out of the offending slug under the approving look from the Captain ("I have to write you up for insubordination cadet. You deliberately antagonised a senior officer.") and the mildly reproving gaze of the Commander ("I will write the report personally Captain").

From that day everyone knew not to invite the Pilot's wrath by picking on the young navigator. After all he was Sulu's kid brother. He'd found his place.