Starfleet Academy, San Francisco, Earth

Cadet Daria Morgendorffer entered her room, tossing her PADD onto the bunk. She knew that she should start turning the notes she took in Commander La Forge's warp theory class into a paper right away, but she had been on the go since 0600, and she decided to have a shower and dinner first.

She was about to pull off her tunic and head for the sonic shower, but she decided to take care of some housekeeping first. Dammit! I wish the dispensary could come up with a formulation of Retinax that didn't make my eyes itch, she thought as she sat at her desk terminal and adjusted her glasses.

"Computer. Reserve a half hour for me tomorrow evening in one of the microgravity courts in the gym." She was going to have to put in some extra time if she was going to pass her course in Zero-G combat.

#You have a reservation tomorrow at 1930, court D-5,# the computer answered.

"Great."

#You also have an incoming call from the Federation News Service.#

"Not another one. I thought the novelty of 'The Girl From The Past' had worn off by now," she muttered. "Put it through. Let's see what this one wants."

A figure in the screen replaced the graphics. "Miss Morgendorffer," the young dark-skinned man said, "I'm Jake Sisko, a reporter from FNS. I've gotten permission from your company commander to contact you." He held up a PADD that featured a story about Daria's return to Earth from the cryoship, with a photo of her being greeted by the mayor of 24th century Lawndale.

"I've been following your career since your revival from suspended animation, and I'd like to do a followup on how you've adapted to our era and your decision to enter Starfleet Academy – with your approval, of course."

"Excuse me a minute." She blanked the screen, and switched to the orders of the day. Sure enough, there was a message from Commander Sanderson.

To Cadet Daria Morgendorffer: Change of orders. All other assignments suspended for 48 hours pursuant to collaboration with FNS reporter re: interviews. Daria read an addendum at the end of the message: Make the Academy look good, Morgendorffer.

It's good to know that the spirit of Ms. Li lives on, she thought wryly.

She switched back to Sisko. "It seems that I'm yours for the next couple of days," she said. "Where should we meet?"

"Great!" Jake answered. "My grandfather owns a restaurant in New Orleans. I'm sending you the coordinates now. I'll leave the time up to you."

"Give me...two hours." That should give me some time to shower and unwind.

"It's a date, then. See you soon!" He cut the connection.

"Date?" Daria stared at the screen, which had reverted to her Mütter Museum screensaver. Her roommate thought that it was gross - but being that she had leave of her own to visit her mother whose starship was in port for a refit, she wasn't around to complain to Daria about it.

Well, he was easy on the eyes, Daria thought. Then she caught herself, reflexively expecting one of Jane's merciless jibes at any hint of romance coming Daria's way. Which reminded her once again that Jane had been dead for centuries. How welcome she would find teasing right now.

She turned to her roommate's Flotter doll on the bunk across from hers. "What the hell are you looking at?" she told it. If there was one thing that Daria's hibernation made her glad for, was that she missed the Flotter craze that had swept the planet years ago. Out of curiosity, she had read a couple of the stories (Flotter Meets The Invincible Invertebrates?) and even participated in a holotale at her roommate's insistence.

But for the life of me, she thought as she got up and headed for the shower, I still can't figure out how a turquoise troll has become as popular as teddy bears had been in her own time.