Pike tried not to get frustrated but this was a very infuriating ten year old. He’d barely learned anything in the half hour since Jim had dropped her at his quarters aboard the Enterprise with a smirk and a good luck. Should have known that a mini-McCoy would be just as obnoxious as the older version.
“Listen, Admiral,” Joanna stared at him. “We both know why you’re here. You’ve been assigned by Starfleet to determine if I’m being well cared for on this ship. There are members of my mother’s family as well as undoubtedly anti-Starfleet folks who are agitatin’ for me to be taken off this ship. Momma’s family is saying Daddy is borderline abusive, emotionally neglectful, physically neglectful and probably spends every night drunk off his ass.”
Pike nodded. “There have been suggestions.”
“Well, they ain’t true,” Jo said firmly. “Daddy is there for me, and if he’s not around then there are eight hundred other folks who’re on the ship who can take care of me if I need it, which I don’t. My education is far advanced of any offered on any planet, especially now that Earth is gone. Furthermore, I would not stay with anyone you placed me with. I’d leave. I know how to too.”
“You are every bit as stubborn and willful as two cadets I taught,” Pike informed her.
“You mean Daddy and Uncle Jim,” Jo smiled. “I’m not gettin’ into fights though.”
“If there was a bar that would let you in, I don’t doubt you would,” Pike muttered.
“Listen, Admiral,” Joanna stared at him. “We both know why you’re here. You’ve been assigned by Starfleet to determine if I’m being well cared for on this ship. There are members of my mother’s family as well as undoubtedly anti-Starfleet folks who are agitatin’ for me to be taken off this ship. Momma’s family is saying Daddy is borderline abusive, emotionally neglectful, physically neglectful and probably spends every night drunk off his ass.”
Pike nodded. “There have been suggestions.”
“Well, they ain’t true,” Jo said firmly. “Daddy is there for me, and if he’s not around then there are eight hundred other folks who’re on the ship who can take care of me if I need it, which I don’t. My education is far advanced of any offered on any planet, especially now that Earth is gone. Furthermore, I would not stay with anyone you placed me with. I’d leave. I know how to too.”
“You are every bit as stubborn and willful as two cadets I taught,” Pike informed her.
“You mean Daddy and Uncle Jim,” Jo smiled. “I’m not gettin’ into fights though.”
“If there was a bar that would let you in, I don’t doubt you would,” Pike muttered.
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