THE COLOURS OF MY LIFE

VOLUME I- TESS

Despite the fact I am nothing short of what's called a child prodigy, I find that people do not take me seriously. Okay, so most eight year olds cannot tell you the first 156 digits of pi by memory, or explain the diatomic mass of the Earth, or research equations as a hobby, but at least I have social skills on my side. Clearly, I'm no ordinary eight year old, not compared to real humans anyway. These people fascinate me. Some amuse me, some intrigue me, and some scare the stars out of me, but all of them I've learned from. Not that aliens aren't interesting too, I should know- I am one. I now know that because of this, people will probably give me funny looks for the rest of my life. Father says it's because I'm special. But really, it doesn't take that much brainpower (especially for me) to work out that patterned skin, pointy ears, and hair that changes colour all the time makes me something more than "special".

My appearance is without fail, always the first thing that causes surprise on first impression. While like other children, I carry the genetic traits of both my biological parents, it is the combination of their heritage that makes me very different, and prone to more attention that I think necessary. Let me explain: Galactrian beings, like my father have always been physically taller than the average human, meaning I have always stood higher than other children my age. My eyes, although grey from a distance, are in fact more than one colour, dotted with blues, greens, browns and golds; unlike my Galactrian cousins whose eyes are pure silver. And, like all Galactrians, my skin is marked with symbols of my ancestry; pale brown imprints patterns from my pointy-eared head down to my hands. And then there is my hair- my most interesting and noticeable feature. It never stays the one colour for too long; always changing according to what predominant emotion I feel. There is a whole colour scheme our people identify feelings with, but because I am so young, my hair is often one bright shade at a time. I won't explain all of that further though, because it's complex. Mother calls it 'rambling'.

Identifying with Earth culture has never been difficult; thanks to my human mother, but in many ways I am a Galactrian in spirit. I doubt many humans have heard of Galactrians before; a population of thirty two million eight hundred-thousand living on a planet the size of Earth's moon is not much of an empire. And fascinating as both planets are, it's nothing compared to travelling through space itself. Since my parents joined Starfleet, the discovery Starship U.S.S. Phineas has been our family's home for nearly two years. It's incredible. We've discovered lots of strange technology and natural phenomenon's, which I won't go into. I might ramble again.

I know in many ways, I am different to other children. But being part of Starfleet makes everything in life seem different. I should know. It's changed my family's life.

...

Chapter 1- Tainted Beginnings

My feet hit the floor. Success. Thirty metres of corridor crossed by climbing only the parallel railings had my hair glowing violet with pride. A nearby pair of ensigns glared at me from their work station, prompting me to quickly slide under their desk and around the next corner. Navigating the buzzing Science sector of the Phineas was no easy task, so climbing up and around the more crowded levels of the ship was usually my best (and more entertaining) option. A few of the friendlier science cadets greeted me in the main corridor, who were used to my frequent comings and goings. Passing more familiar desks, my ears detected the sound I'd been searching for all afternoon; my mother's voice. Her back was turned, her attention directed towards three people huddled around some microscopes. I tip-toed extra quietly towards them, my white shirt and grey pants blending into the washed walls perfectly, my gold plait swinging behind me like a lioness' tail. I put a finger up to my lips when Ensign Baird, standing beside my mother, noticed my silent movements. He kept his head down in obedient ignorance, a smirk playing on his bearded face as my mother continued to talk. Silent as a mouse, I was now within reaching distance, ready to pounce, ready to roar, ready to-

'And it appears Tess has come to join our investigation.'

I froze as my mother turned on the spot. The ensigns around her chuckled at my failure and returned to their work as Mother's brown eyes twinkled triumphantly at me. My arms dropped and my hair turned bright red.

'Muuum! You were meant to be surprised!' I whined. She only kept smiling, a gesture I could almost never retaliate against. My Father struggled the same way; he said the only reason he could never argue with Mother's smile was because it was so beautiful.

'I'm sorry, sweetheart.' she replied, 'I'm sure I will be in for a fright next time around.'

'How did you know?' I demanded. Mother had always been good at reading people, something she did with me all too often. I had learned early in life the pointlessness of lying to my parents; my hair made a terrible poker face.

Mother cupped my head and pulled me in for a hug. 'This is a small ship, dear. You're never too far away from me.'

I huffed into the crook of her arm. 'Baird gave me away.'

Baird's booming laugh neither confirmed nor denied this. 'Never, Tess! Never!' he insisted, sticking both hands up innocently.

Not knowing how else to respond, I stuck my tongue out at him. 'I'll get you back.' I told him.

He only grinned again. 'Only if it's at old-school table tennis. How's that sound?'

At once, my hair was yellow as my Mother's. Table tennis was an exciting game. 'Sure thing!' We high-fived to our challenge just as our Captain's calm Southern lilt filled the PA system overhead.

'Attention all crew, this is Captain Louden. I am pleased to report that we will be arriving in Caleebra Sector Four in approximately thirty minutes. Operations Officers from the boarding party are required on the bridge for a briefing. We may expect representatives from the Caleebri High Council to join us on-board when the boarding party return, so best behaviour, ladies and gents. That is all, thank for your time.'

With some final instructions to Baird, Mother led me away to her small office. As second-in-command of the Phineas' large science crew, her office was a small space of privacy away from the hustle-and-bustle of the workstation decks. I knew Mother wasn't usually busy at dinner hour, so with no work until my next stargazing tutorial, a whole half hour was perfect. Speculating what I had in mind, my mother pulled out her PADD.

'What book shall we read this evening, then?'

I thought over my options. 'Pride and Prejudice. I haven't finished that one yet.'

Mother smiled her classic smile again and nodded agreeably. 'It's still one of my favourites, you know. I've read it more times-'

'-than you can count, I know Mum.' My mother held very true to her European roots. Old Earth history fascinated her as much as it intrigued me. Things were so different back in 19th century Earth, everything was so strange. The way people talked and behaved and dressed, so conservative and formal. Like a completely different world, so my father claimed. But then again, he didn't know any better, for most of his life, Earth was a different world. We settled on the squashy office couch and began to read.

...

It was less than half an hour later that the alarms started wailing. The ceiling lights dimmed and the hallway flashed red. My hair went bright pink in surprise and I nearly fell off the couch as Mama quickly left my side. PADD in hand, I followed her out, watching from the door as crew ran up and down the hall in frenzy. Some were yelling orders and panicked words I couldn't understand. It all seemed strange; the boarding party had barely left the ship, my father, the ship's navigator, among them. What could have gone wrong? With no warning, the ship suddenly lurched sideways, and I slid into the door's edge. Beside me, Mama gripped a railing to keep her balance. She stopped a group of junior officers tapping into their station screens.
'What's going on?!' she called.

'Caleebri rebels have taken over the city, ma'am!'

'They confronted the boarding party. And they're others!'

'We're being fired at, ma'am! We've just been called to battle stations!'

As the ship gave another almighty lurch, Mother reached inside her office for her communicator. Immediately I knew who she was calling.

'Moretti to Renko, Moretti to Renko. Come in, are you safe?! Sweetheart?' There were only two people my mother ever called sweetheart, and that was me and my father. I heard a crackle on the other end.

'Renko to Moretti. I'm still on the bridge.' I heard my father reply, his deep voice laced with distress. On the surface, my father appeared calmer than most Galactrians, even if his hair colour showed otherwise. But I knew this time, something was truly wrong. I didn't move from the doorway. 'Stay where you are, Claire.' he ordered. 'We're under attack. I've taken the helm, we're trying to return the boarding party to the ship now. Are you and Tess alright?'

My mother nodded. 'She's with me, love, we're fine.'

I heard a sigh of relief on the other side.

'What's going on?' my mother whispered.

'The Caleebri High Council was under siege by the hands of Sector Four rebels. The planet Malkyvia has also joined the revolt and occupied the area. We had no idea of the situation; consequently the Captain and boarding party were caught unawares. The Phineas has been ordered to retreat, but the compromise of negotiating the return of the boarding party is of utmost importance.' There was a pause as Father called to someone on the bridge. 'We are currently being fired at from all sides.' he added calmly. I shouldn't have been able to hear the conversation, but my pointed ears were alert and able to hear my father's line from the bridge. The thought of foreign forces attacking us turned my hair maroon in worry. We hadn't done anything wrong; we were only on an investigative peacekeeping mission. 'Listen Claire,' my father explained, 'We're lingering on the edge of Caleebra's atmosphere, but we must retrieve the Captain. We've called battle stations and the U.S.S. Numerance for assistance. I'm going in with the rescue party.'

My mother gasped. 'No, you are not going out there! Renko, they'll kill you!'

'I'm the only one with working data of the mainland; I will be able to navigate the location of the boarding party.' My father's voice was very firm now. There were only a handful of senior officers left on-board, my father was virtually in command. 'We must rescue the Captain and the boarding party, no matter what.'

But Mother would hear nothing of it. 'Even at your death? Sweetheart, don't go! Evacuate the crew if that's what it takes!'

The ship rocked to one side again, sending a few people outside tumbling to the floor. I watched Medical staff rush to help the injured. In the vague distance, I heard the intercom's repeated distress call to the U.S.S. Numerance. Would they even make it in time to help?

'Storage and Engineering's been hit hard, we're losing power!' a man shouted from the bridge. With a groaning shudder, the lights started to flicker and out of nowhere, the ceiling at the far end of the corridor began to crumble. I felt my mother's clammy hand pull me away from the doorway and into her office.

From her communicator, I heard my father's voice calling orders for someone else to take the comms.

'Sweetheart, I have to go.' he insisted. 'We need to beam down now. I'll be back soon, I promise.'

'Don't go. Please, Renko…' my mother pleaded, clenching the edge of her desk, clutching me to her side. Her face was white.

'Claire, we must not argue. We've called for evacuation, you need to coordinate and move the crew now. Miss Kingston from Medical is coming to get Tess and the Cameron children; they'll be safe together. Little love,' I raised my head the sound of my father's name for me. 'I know you are listening.' he murmured. 'You must be strong; stay in your Mother's office until Miss Kingston comes. Stick together and for your mother's safe, be safe. If you want to hear me, you only need to reach a thread out to my mind. I love you so much.' I swallowed an uncomfortable lump in my throat, my hair flickering maroon and fearful shades of pale blue. I didn't want him to leave. I wanted him to stay at the helm, safe. He shouted a faraway order to somebody on the bridge then returned his attention back to us. 'I have to go, my girls. I'll be back for both of you both. I will.'

.

The line went dead. There was another crash, and another rumble rattled the ship. My mother pulled me closer and held both my shoulders, guiding me down to the floor by her desk. I gazed up at her. I had never seen my mother truly afraid before, but something about the gleam in her eyes alone told me she was. It terrified me even more.

She shook my shoulders. 'Esther, you heard your father, I need to help the evacuation. You will go with Miss Kingston and the Cameron children, and I'll contact you as soon as I can. Wait for them here, where it's safe, and don't you dare move anywhere else. Understand me?'

I nodded my acknowledgement, knowing that to lie or do my mother wrong was the worst thing I could possibly do. She blinked away a threatening tear from her wide brown eyes, and pulled me in for another hug. She butterfly kissed my head, which I responded to in turn. Even when stressed and frantic, her touch was the gentlest feeling I'd ever known. With that touch over my check, we shared one more "I love you", and then the feeling left me.

The door was sealed tight. I was alone. Scrunching my eyes shut, I tried with all my might to reach out a psychic link to my father, attempting to block out all the noise and feelings around me, like he had taught me to. Another blow to the ship forced my eyes open again, and I saw through the door what was left of the transport corridor. Cadets and officers ran through the shattered debris, clearing all space from their desks and cramming together in the safety labs across from me. My eyes searched the disaster for Miss Kingston, the crew-lady sent to mind me. She wasn't anywhere.

I waited for what felt like ages, and then I smelt it. The air. The air was different. It smelled of smoky material, strong rubber fumes, and nasty chemicals. It was only then my genius brain finally joined the dots; I was in the science sector, near labs full of burning materials and exploding chemicals.

I had to get out.

With the door sealed shut, logic told me to either deactivate the code or throw something until the door broke. Experience told me to work my way out instead of using force, so I punched in the door code, which surprisingly, worked. Remembering my PADD was still on my mother's desk; I grabbed it and made my way back to the party-destroyed hallway. I followed a group of medical officers up to the engineering decks and tripped towards the first abandoned computer I found. My PADD wasn't programmed with many of the ship's communication devices, but the engineering computer was. If I could stabilise the controls, I knew I could see where my parents were, and how I'd get to them. Before I could finish typing in the camera's authorisation code, an explosion from behind me pushed me to the cold metal floor. Everything seemed fuzzy and quiet. My head throbbed; I heard my heart pulsing in my ears. I couldn't see through the dark clouds of smoke, but I felt a railing near the computer body, and I held on. The deck was getting hot; I heard the crackles of fizzling surfaces and screaming voices somewhere nearby. The smoke was thick and raw and dry, it stung my eyes and made me cough. I didn't want to cry, and I didn't want to be scared- it seemed stupid and pointless. But everything hurt, and I wanted to see my parents, I wanted to hear them, I wanted it all to be alright. I didn't know any probabilities about attacks on Starships or survival rates in space, none of it seemed important. I missed my parents; I wanted them back, and I wanted this to stop. And after what felt like hours of blurred pictures, dull noises and burning heat, I stopped trying to hear my father's mind and my mother's voice, and just let go.

...

I'd never thought dying would be comfortable, not in a warzone at least. It was warmer and a lot softer than I'd imagined it. But I wasn't imagining. This was most strange, even my genius eight year old brain told me that something about this was weird. Whatever this was. Somewhere further away, I heard a voice. It was accented and deep and calm. It was human, male, and… European… Eastern maybe? I couldn't be sure; everything was still dark and heavy, even breathing felt like an effort. The European man kept muttering, other voices joining him.

'Her hair's not black. She's still with us.' one of them announced in a low whisper.

'But, sir,' a woman said. 'I've never seen a colour like this before. I didn't even know pale green meant something.'

'It means she's sick.' the European man told them. 'It will probably stay so until she wakes up. You'll know when she does; she should be a brunette by then.'

'Remarkable.' the woman whispered.

'You're telling me. It's a wonder we got her back to Earth alive, let alone off the Phineas. The engineering deck was a wreck.'

'Have you heard anything from…?'

The beeping and blaring of machinery cut him off, louder than anything I'd heard since waking up. Around me, I heard the raking of something being pulled above me and the dull pattern of footsteps. The European man sighed.

'I must go. Parks and I have more inquiries to follow up.'

'What about your son? He's still waiting in the hall.'

'He can't come with me. He'll have to stay here.'

'In a hospital? With all these survivors?'

'Let him stay with the girl. He can keep her company.'

The man's voice faded somewhat, but soon enough, he returned with heavy footfalls and whispered to someone.

'That's the girl, Pavel. Her name is Tess.'

The voice that replied was soft and small. 'What's wrong with her, Papa?'

'She got very sick when the Phineas was attacked. That's why her hair has turned pale. I'd like you to stay with her when she wakes up.'

'Will she talk to me?' the boy called Pavel, asked.

'I don't doubt she will. She's a smart girl, you know, nearly your age. I'm sure you'll have plenty to talk about.'

'Okay, Papa.'

The quiet conversation was interrupted by a call from further away. 'Lieutenant Chekov! Victorivich Chekov! Report to Lieutenant Parks now!'

The man sighed deeply again. 'I will be back soon, Pascha. Be good.'

All of this I heard in the dark, but in my head, I felt the smallest pull of another mind near me, tugging gently at my subconscious like a soft woolen thread. It must have been the boy. I had no energy to reach out to him, but I knew he was there. Some boy called Pavel Chekov.

A/N: Yo, so this is the up-teenth edit of this chapter, and I am happy to say with my education over (for now), I am currently editing and rewriting every chapter uploaded so far. It will likely take a while, but your reviews have kept me going, so thank you! This is still one of my favourite pieces of work, so Tess and Pavel have a lot ahead of them.

G.