TBC: At the Academy

by Becky Miller

STAR TREK

  TO BE CONTINUED...

  At the Academy

  1. A very good friend

  Cadet Nommi Jarr and Ensign Romyana Casparian are on their way to Starfleet Academy on Earth. It had been arranged for them to be taken there by the Federation Starship USS Ascension, which was already bound for Earth after completing it's mission in the Gamma quadrant. Picking up the two from the station would only be a minor delay for the ship.

  Nommi and Romyana were given guest quarters adjacent to each other and they were now dining in the ship's mess.

  "How long do you think it will be until we arrive?" Nommi asked.

  "I was told we are almost there. First we have to slow down to impulse speed for the approach, then we dock at the space station." Romyana explained.

  "We will beam down to the Academy then?" Nommi asked.

  "Yes. To San Fransisco, the city. And finally we will take the monorail to cross the campus grounds." Romyana replied.

  "Oh, I hope we don't make any mistakes and get lost." Nommi worried.

  "Don't worry, I've done it before. I've lived in this city for years. We won't get lost." Romyana reassured him. Then they were hailed with the message that the ship was only twenty minutes away from it's destination and they were told to prepare to disembark. When ready they were invited to come to the bridge to see the approach to Earth on the view screen. So they left the mess-hall and returned to their quarters to get ready. Meanwhile Nommi continued the conversation.

  "I am curious to see what your planet is like. It is blue, if you look at it from space, isn't it?" he asked.

  "Yes, it is. Hey, do you think the doctor won the Carrington award? He should be back about now." Romyana remembered suddenly.

  "Carrington award, why do you think of that all of a sudden? Anyway, I don't know. I haven't heard anything about it, though I am not really interested." Nommi said.

  "Oh." Romyana said somewhat disappointed.

  "So what is it with you and the medical officer?" Nommi asked teasingly.

  "Who? Dr. Bashir. What do you mean?" Romyana asked.

  "Well, you keep talking about him and you meet him every Thursday at Quark's. Are you dating him?" Nommi provoked her.

  "No, Nommi. How could you think that! He is an officer." Romyana denied.

  "It sure looks like it, from my point of view." Nommi laughed.

  "Look from a different point, then." the Ensign sneered, "We spend our break together just to pass the time, have a nice drink and some good conversation. That's all." she explained.

  "Smalltalk, I'm sure." Nommi remarked.

  "Serious things, mostly medical innovations or other science, politics even." Romyana said with some agitation.

  "Wow, heavy stuff!" Nommi said.

  "True, there are not many people who like to talk seriously about those things during brakes." Romyana commented.

  They had arrived to their quarters now and just outside they halted for a moment.

  "Still I think there is more going on between you two." Nommi continued.

  "No, Nommi stop it!" Romyana said angrily, "I can just get along with him very well. We like each other ?, just as I like you, as a friend." she said.

  "Oh, well. I know where I stand now, then." Nommi said mockingly.

  "A very good friend." Romyana said.

  Both entered their guest quarters, gathered their belongings and went to the ships bridge to see the spectacular view of Earth growing bigger and more beautiful, as the USS Ascension moved closer toward the blue planet.

  2. Jealousy

  "Well, this is it. The first year student dormitories. My room is in the thin high building over there. The petty officer will fill you in on the rest." Ensign Casparian said to Nommi when they had arrived to the entrance of building FD3 on the Starfleet Academy grounds.

  "So, where are you going now? You still have some free days left. How will you spend them?" Nommi asked her.

  "I haven't thought of that yet." Romyana said.

  "Maybe you can visit your family. They live in this city, you told me once." Nommi suggested.

  "I don't know, I think they are not very eager to see me." Romyana said a bit disappointed.

  "And you? You must have missed them. Just go and see them while you can." Nommi said convincingly.

  "All right then. See you tomorrow!" Romyana decided to follow Nommi's advice. He had lost his father a few years ago and he used to tell that you don't realise how much you love a person until he is gone, then it will be to late.

  So Romyana gathered all her courage and went to see her mother and father. They work at Starfleet Headquarters, that is where she went first. It was right next to the Academy campus, she walked there through the park. It was a calm and sunny December day and it had been snowing the day before, so the grass was all covered in snow. It had been long since she had seen snow and her nose felt all cold by the freezing air. At that moment she felt very contempt being back on Earth.

  It took the Ensign a while to find the whereabouts of her father and mother. Father had a free day and was at home, in the centre of San Fransisco. Mother was in her office, some floors up in the Headquarters building. Romyana went to see her first, for it was nearest.

  When she announced herself to the secretary, she was told to wait. The Ensign took a seat in the waiting lounge, but it took more than an hour before she was called inside the office.

  "The Captain will receive you now." the secretary said.

  Anxiously Romyana stepped inside the office and approached the desk. While doing so she noticed the stern expression on her mother's face didn't change. The Captain didn't show any sign of gladness of her daughter's return. About halfway to the desk Romyana halted and said carefully, "Hi mom."

  "Have you forgotten how to salute an Officer, Ensign." her mother said sternly, with the emphasis on Ensign. For she wanted to remind her Romyana was already ranked Ensign before even completing Starfleet Academy, instead of the usual, Cadet.

  Once, some years ago Romyana's mother was proud of her daughters accomplishments and her admittance to the Academy, just as her husband and herself had been. But this pride turned to jealousy when Romyana surpassed her mother's results, not only in grades and speed, but also the extra subjects on the side of the curriculum, Romyana did successfully. After two years she had not only passed her curriculum courses for those years with flying colours, but she had also already finished some fourth year subjects. Because of this achievement and with some influence of her father, Romyana was promoted to Ensign and given the possibility to go to Deep Space Nine, just as she wanted. Father's involvement was not approved by mother and they had heavy arguments about it. In fact she still does not forgive him, though it is no longer discussed, at all. Nor did mother forgive Romyana for leaving to Deep Space Nine and apparently she hadn't forgotten either.

  The Ensign stood at attention and saluted her mother, who was a Captain in rank.

  "So tell me, they have sent you back home because they couldn't use any inexperienced students out there." mother said nastily.

  "No, Ma'am. I have returned to finish the third year exams, Ma'am. And I thought I might as well come and see you again." Romyana said hopefully.

  "You might as well. Ah, has it been a year already then?" mother replied dryly.

  "More." Romyana corrected.

  After a short tense pause, her mother spoke.

  "You have seen me now. Thank you for the announcement, you are dismissed. Ensign."

  Romyana was shocked, it was not the welcome she had quite expected. Despite this she kept her head high, saluted and calmly left the room. Her mother remained ever emotionless.

  As soon as the En
sign closed the office door, tears came to her eyes. Part angry, part disappointed she marched out the building into the park and sat down on a bench, in a quiet corner near the water. There she sat motionless for a while, staring across the water surface.

  "Romyana?" she heard a familiar voice say in the distance. The Ensign look back over her shoulder and to her delight she saw her father approaching. Now, this was a happy reunion. He had always supported her and favoured Romyana above her brother, Kyle.

  He sat down next to her on the bench.

  "Well." he said curiously, "How was it out there? Did you like it?"

  "Oh yes. It was wonderful, just as you had always told me. I met many people and different cultures, most are very kind. And I've learned so much." Romyana said with glee.

  "The adventure you have been waiting for so long, hey? I am glad it was as you expected." father said.

  "It was better than I expected!" Romyana said.

  "So you are doing your third year exams now. Have you prepared well?" father asked.

  "Yes, I am confident about them." Romyana said confidently.

  "You have had a lot on your mind there, I'm sure. But you must try to score highest." father encouraged her.

  "Yes, I know. I will still go for top grades." Romyana said reluctantly.

  "Oh I'm sure about that. I don't expect any less." he said, which only increased the pressure for Romyana to do well.

  "Why are you out here? You don't have to work today." Romyana wondered.

  "I thought I'd come and see your mother. I was planning on taking her out to lunch, and it is so beautiful to stroll through the snow." father explained.

  "Oh, well. I have to warn you then, she is in a bad mood today. She still hasn't forgiven me." Romyana remarked.

  "You have paid her a visit then? In that case, a good lunch is just what she needs." father laughed the matter away.

  Romyana laughed too but she was not amused.

  "Well, I must be going now. I don't want to anger her too. Oh, and do come by to have a drink or something. Your brother will be pleased to see you again. Goodbye." he said whilst getting up from the bench and kissing her on the cheek. Then he marched away along the yellow path in between fluffy white and sparkling snow. Romyana sneezed twice, she thought it be best if she went inside her dormitory before catching a cold.

  3. Last chance

  Ensign Casparian had just been to a lecture of one of four courses she still had to attend after doing the Engineering exams. To her it had been a boring lecture at the end of a long day. She was going down some corridors on her way to her room when she spotted Nommi walking ahead of her. He was talking to another boy, also a cadet of the same age. Quickly she caught up with them and greeted Nommi. Nommi was very glad to see her but his friend was startled by her. He saw her uniform with rank and shot to attention. Romyana was amused by this reaction.

  "I am not an officer, yet." she said and pointed at the pip on her collar. The boy felt embarrassed and looked at Nommi for some explanation.

  "She is a crewmember on the station where I lived. She is finishing her third year now." Nommi explained and introduced the two to each other. They went to a place where they could sit together and talk.

  "So, how do you like it here, Nommi? I see you've already made friends, what do you think so far?" Romyana asked.

  "Oh I enjoy it. I like almost every subject. I is not easy, but I'm going for it. And the people here are so friendly." Nommi said eagerly.

  "Almost every subject, you say. Which one do you not like then?" Romyana wondered.

  "UFP-languages." Nommi said with discontent sounding in his voice.

  "Oh, well that is indeed a difficult subject, but if you like I can help you. If you have any problems, come by my dormitory and we will practice together." Romyana promised him.

  "Do you have time for that then?" Nommi asked.

  "Oh, yes. I have finished the Engineering exams now and I have only four courses to attend for a couple of months. This is my last chance to help you on your way and I will gladly take it." Romyana said.

  "I have troubles with the drawing course." Nommi's friend added carefully.

  "You can come to me for that too, no problem." she assured him.

  "What kind of courses do you have to attend, then? More exams?" Nommi wanted to know.

  "No. Just attendance is enough, but that is why I can not do them from the station. I have to stay here for two more months until these courses have finished. I do wished they would hurry up, but the other students have more things to do, so I don't blame them. Though I do miss the station, much will have happened I don't know of." Romyana said. "But what irritates me most of all is the teacher. He is always so exited about it all, while he says nothing to get excited about. I get all tired just watching him hop around the college room!" Romyana nagged.

  "Well, you will just have to bear through it, won't you?" Nommi joked, "It gives you time to be with your family, that's a bright side."

  "I don't think so. My mother wasn't pleased to see me. She still blames me for leaving so soon." Romyana said.

  "I am sorry to hear that. And your father?" Nommi asked.

  "Yes, he was happy to see me. He has invited me to the house, but I'm not sure whether I shall go." Romyana said sadly.

  "What?!" Nommi gasped. "You must go. Once you get commissioned you will not be able to see them very often, so make the most of it while you still can. It will also be your last chance to make friends with your mother." he advised. His council came from the heart, because both his parents died a few years ago and he would give anything for some more time to spend with them.

  Romyana knew this sad history and it made her consider the invitation seriously.