Lehana sat, looking out of the window, watching her fellow students celebrate another end of academic year, while she looked on from the outside. One more year and she would graduate, to where she didn't know, but she wanted to travel more than anything else. She had elected to stay here in the academy during the summer, returning home was not an option and she had nowhere else to go.
Sighing, she returned to her books and notes, wishing she had the courage to join in, and regretting her cowardice at remaining on the edges of her group. A knock at her door broke into her concentration and answered sharply at the 1st year cadet waiting outside in his grey uniform. He handed over his note to her outstretched hand, and then beat a hasty retreat before she could apologise. She took the note and retreating into her room, opened it and read "Your presence is required at 09.00hrs in the Commandant's Office. Please bring your record book with you."
It was signed by the Commandant's Aide, Captain Jenkins. Her heart sank, what had she done. Being requested to attend the Commandant's office along with her record did not bode well for the future.
She spent a solitary evening, racking her brains as to possible causes and apart from a few minor infringements of the rules, she had come up with nothing that would cause him to carpet her. She pressed her dress uniform, until the creases were razor sharp, and the brass buttons shimmered boldly under the lights. Her shoes were polished to such a degree that they provided a reflection in the mirrored surface and her cap was brushed to eliminate any stray dust or hair that dared settle.
By 08.30hrs she was ready, dressed and uncomfortable in the tight neck of the stick collar. She had checked and doubled checked her appearance for imperfections and finally she could delay no longer. Each step felt like her boots were full of lead and her heart was heavy, what was to happen to her dream of being a traveller, was it about to die a death of dishonour? The interview was brief, and shocking. She was to be posted to a star ship called the Enterprise, under the command of Captain Archer, with a brevet rank of Ensign. Her studies would continue on board, with her final exams being taken at a suitable time and place in the future.
She was speechless, why? Why her? Why now? None of these questions would be answered, true to service rules, theirs to order, hers to obey so when she was asked if she had any questions, she replied "No Sir." and was glad to see her voice had not given her away her runaway emotions. She was dismissed and she gave a crisp salute and marched out of his office. Resting up against a wall outside the building she felt like throwing her cap in the air and screaming her joy to the world, but she allowed herself a smile before making her way back to her quarters.
In 3 days on 29th September, she was to report to Enterprise and begin her new life. On her return to her quarters, she was handed a parcel from the warden containing two uniforms and one dress uniform for her new position. She was to return the cadet uniforms on her way out of the academy. She was permitted one duffle bag of personal items, to include her uniforms. Well that was going to be easy, she had nothing personal to take, other than herself and one book that her grandmother had given her when she had helped her to 'escape' the family to the Academy. It was a notebook that had been handed down from mother to daughter for over 150 years, containing family information and useful information. Lehana had no idea why grandmother passed it to her rather than to her mother but she felt like it was the one remaining link with her family and put it carefully into the bag.
The three days remaining went by in a flash and then it was the day, she dressed in the new uniform a dark blue jumpsuit with a circular flash of the Enterprise on her left arm and black trim on the uniform denoted her rank and presumably occupation. She looked in the mirror and saw the stranger facing her, the high cheekbones giving a shadowed slant to her eyes, which almost looked black in this light and the hair hanging over her ears. Her ears. She pulled the hair aside and looked at them, pointed and non-human. Despairingly she pulled her hair tight over her ears, hiding them from sight, and tied it neatly in a coiled loop that kept it off her collar.
Transport was waiting for her, the Warden communicated through the intercom. She hoisted her duffle on her shoulder and made her way down the stairs. Excited and nervous at the same time, and yet no-one to share it with. Feeling a little stupid at this last thought she shrugged it off and continued down.
Enterprise
A shuttle ride had taken her to the crew entrance. She boarded under the watchful eye of a loader and directed to the Captain's quarters. She stowed her kit outside the quarters and knocked. A voice directed her to come in and she did so, coming to a halt and saluting. Captain Archer returned her salute and stood looking at her. She continued to stare straight ahead and ignore him the best way she could until he spoke "At ease Ensign .Solomon." She relaxed into a stand easy position, with her hands lightly clasped behind her back and waited for him to continue. His voice was quiet and controlled, he welcomed her to the ship and gave an outline of her duties, she was to be the most junior officer on the crew and would be involved in all the areas, in rotation starting with assisting Dr Phlox in theMedSection. She was dismissed with instructions to find her bunk and stow her kit and then attend Dr Phlox in the MedSection. She saluted and about turned, and marched out.
She went to pick up her duffle and head off back the way she had come. As she did so she felt a push, which knocked her to the floor. She dusted herself off to hear apologies from a male voice, which introduced itself as Ensign Mayweather. Careful not to try and set off on the wrong foot, she introduced herself to him and made a short, stilted conversation. He showed her where she was bunked, a good job she wasn't claustrophic. There was barely enough room to turn around and to use the desk meant folding the bunk away flat against the wall. Still at least she didn't have to share the space with anyone.
She shipped her duffel and then reported to Dr Phlox, who gave her a brief introduction to the main areas in the section. He was obviously disappointed to be assigned a trainee who knew nothing about his area, but he was too good to say it out loud. She liked him already and would try hard to improve her studies.
The next couple of days went by like routine, she was introduced to the other members of crew by Dr Phlox and also he took her on a tour of the ship, surprisingly compact and yet not too cramped either. The only officer who seemed to have a problem with her, was Sub-Commander T'Pol, a full Vulcan and would have all the information on the crew. So another person had racial intolerance, it was a certain thing that her heritage was going to be a problem between her an T'Pol. Why her grandmother had a pairing with her Vulcan grandfather, she would never know, but she regretted it deeply and selfishly.
They were due to ship out the day after tomorrow and she was working on checking the inventory against the stores list when she was called over the communications system to meet a new arrival at the crew entrance. By now she was familiar with the short cuts and was there in double quick time. She saluted the new arrival before she recognized the figure before her, it was Dr Callaghan, from the Academy.
"Can I take your bags for you Lieutenant?" and waited for a response, "Thank you, ..." she introduced
herself "Ensign Solomon, Sir" reaching down for the bags. "Your berth is along here.." leading the way and then opening the door to a cabin on the assigned deck. It was larger than hers, but that was to be
expected, rank does after all have its privileges.
