Gaila broke the silence, "The guy's a jerk, Nyota; don't think about him for a second longer!"

"Gaila, I would love to get that... that... creature off of my mind, but... I just can't. I just don't understand. He's despised me for the entire time that I was his student, and now he is practically forcing me to work in his stupid little research team," Nyota responded as she sat head-in-hands on the edge of Gaila's bare bed.

Gaila walked over from the closet to her friend and stared sadly at her huddled position and the letter beside her that made her so upset.

"Well, you're brilliant, for one," she said lifting Nyota's head and kissing her cheek.

Nyota sheepishly laughed at her friend's comment. She felt as though she was lacking in the friend department by sulking over the sudden change in her summer plans, instead of giving Gaila the proper last farewell before school in the fall. Even though she tried very hard, she just didn't have it in her.

Nyota was chosen to do an extensive research study with a highly acclaimed archeologist. Benjamin Tilney was one of the leaders in the field of archeology. When he needed assistance with changes in his book about ancient civilizations, he contacted the the academy directly, asking for the assistance of a highly qualified xenolinguistic student. Of course, Nyota Uhura's name was given. She would have her name published in the book, travel with him, the whole enchilada. Now, she had to kiss all of that goodbye.

"Let me see this thing," she said as she picked up the letter. "Blah blah blah, highly and strongly recommended that you collaborate over the summer, blah blah blah blah blah, your dynamic character will certainly make a great addition to the team, blah blah blah, et cetera, et cetera, and so on and so forth."

Nyota looked up at her awaiting her reaction.

"Wait, why would the academy refer you to that author, and then give you this? Especially on such a short notice?"

"If I knew, I'd tell you. Well, actually," she exhaled, "the research team here may be more advantageous than working with Benjamin Tilney. He's a great translator of course, but he only works with Terra languages. As fun as it would be to work with him, it would probably be more beneficial for me to research on the professor's team; which I wouldn't mind so much if he didn't hate me."

"I'd do it if I were you, the research team I mean. Just grin and bear it, you don't even have to grin. It'll look so great on your résumé."

"I've thought about that too, but still..." she absently hit the mattress and sighed, "He could have saved both of us the trouble by inquiring for someone else with an academic standing close to mine." Gaila snorted, making Nyota involuntarily smile. "That way, I wouldn't even have the option. Even if Benjamin hadn't contacted me, I'd still have second thoughts about the research team... I'd rather even do something entirely out of my league, like the summer internship for Pike."

A transmission came through that Gaila's taxi would soon arrive. She and Nyota picked up Gaila's suitcases and began descending the five flights of stairs.

"The internship that has nothing whatsoever to do with xenolinguistics? Oh yeah, that would suit you perfectly, Nyota. Then maybe I could take your place with the xenolinguistics research study."

"Well, it would make us very well-rounded individuals," Nyota laughed, playing along. They carried on for a while in silence which was broken by Nyota, "You really didn't have to walk down all of these stairs with me... I wouldn't mind if you would have taken the elevator."

"No, it's fine. I had planned on talking to you until the bitter end," she laughed. "I really wish that I hadn't spent so much time cramming this week. I had no idea you were so stressed. Now, I'm leaving you all on your own."

"It's fine, Gaila. You're always there, so I know that you would've been there if you could have. If you would have studied with me all those nights during the semester, there would be no need to cram, but that's another story..." Nyota smiled.

"Ha! yes, an entirely different story."

"I'll get through this, I hope. I just really cannot stand him."

"Look, Nyota, honestly I would be even more pissed off than you if I were in your shoes; but, I've known you long enough to know that these obstacles that you face only make you stronger. After you overcome them - because you always overcome them - we laugh about them as if you had never even fretted about them. I don't see how this one could possibly turn out any differently."

Nyota smiled and dramatically said, "That, my dear friend, struck my heartstrings."

"Well, that's my job, Ms. Nyota Uhura. Listen, when I get back, I want to laugh about all of this evil professor business, OK?" she asked as they set the bags down in the lobby.

"Certainly," she said while visibly crossing her fingers in front of Gaila's face who wrestled them apart. "Hey I want to laugh at them too, but I make no promises... we'll find something to laugh about though."

Gaila made a face at her, and was returned an equally ridiculous face from Uhura.

"You'll make it, Nyota. You'll pass with flying colors, as you always do... and you'll look great doing it." Gaila pondered for a few seconds, "Especially if you wear those cute boots that I got you for your birthday."

"I'm pretty sure that those wouldn't cut it as uniform," Nyota laughed.

"Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot about all that uniform business, and will continue to forget until September," she said while doing the "School's-Out" dance that Nyota had come to know so well (and almost memorize) over the years.

"Oh my gosh," Nyota shook her friend by the arm, "one year closer to graduating!"

"I know can you believe it?!" Gaila exclaimed while shaking Nyota. "This year went by so quickly... too quickly."

"I don't know about that. The sooner I get on board The Enterprise, the better," she said as the taxi pulled up. She picked up two of Gaila's suitcases and started to head out of the door as Gaila followed suit.

"Now, Nyota, enough with this sulking around. You've forced me into being the clever one, and honestly, it's not my thing."

"OK, we can go back to our old selves now." She took a deep breath, "I think that I - we - have made a decision," she said with a smile. "Hey, how did you do on your math final?"

"... Eh, I passed."

"With flying colors?"

"You know, the colors seemed to prefer walking over flying."

Nyota stared at Gaila with her eyes narrowed.

"What? It was 7:30 in the morning! I didn't even have classes that early, Nyota. How do these professors expect students to perform on exams properly when they just got out of bed ten minutes beforehand? It's a conspiracy."

"Sure, Gaila. Anyway, the joke would have been better if you said, 'running' instead of, 'walking.'"

"Ah, how I love Earth and its crazy idioms... and people," she said as they put the last of her luggage in the taxi.

Nyota mocked gasped. "We Earthlings are a bit crazy," she said in perfect Orion. "So what would you say instead of 'running colors' on Orion? I'm curious now."

Gaila hugged Nyota and got into the taxi.

"We say 'running colors' too," she laughed.