"Introducing Ensign Paris," Admiral Janeway announced. Miral walked through the doors. There she saw all her friends and family, Her parents, Her mentor, Admiral Janeway, The still unnamed Doctor, Naomi Wildman, who she had become good friend with over the years, Chakotay, Seven, now going by Annika Hansen, Harry Kim and his three year old daughter, Jenny, and her academy friends, Charity Rance and Lenaris Astrek. She spotted a delicious looking Tarvokian powder cake in the corner of the room but was quickly interrupted by hugs and congratulations on her graduation from the academy.
"We're so proud of you," one voice said.
"Ensign Paris, has a nice ring to it," said another.
"So where are you going now, ensign?" Asked Chakotay. That's what was really on her mind. Where she was going. How would her parents react? They had always been a little overprotective since she was their only child. Especially her mother when it came to Klingons. Klingons. She was going on a deep space mission with Klingons.
"Miral?" Commander Chakotay asked again, "do you have an assignment yet?"
"Actually," Miral worked up the courage to announce,"I just learned about it last week, it's a deep space assignment to the Gamma Quadrant."
"Cool." Commented her Bajoran friend, Astrek.
"Miral, that's great!" Said her father.
She glanced over at her mother, she didn't seem too upset.
"We're actually taking two ships."
"Oh really, what's the other one called?" Asked the nosy doctor, "I'd probably know it."
"It's...a Klingon ship, the Gak'tah..." replied Miral.
Now her B'elanna looked upset. "That cake looks delicious!" Miral changed the subject. She was actually eager to spend time around Klingons, she knew so little about her heritage. Only that they only cared about honor and would kill each other over it, and that their holidays were stupid. Somehow Miral got the feeling there was more to it.
The rest of the party Miral spent avoiding her mother. She really didn't want to talk about and not being humiliated in front of everyone might be nice. She didn't care what anyone else thought, this was her life and she could do whatever she pleased with it.
Naomi congratulated her 4 times. The doctor disapproved of all the Uttaberry crêpes that were going around. Charity had 5 servings! Admiral Janeway wished her luck, and that really meant a lot to Miral, she had always looked up to Kathryn Janeway. She had done so many great things with her life. Janeway was a huge role model for Miral.
Soon the party slowed down. Chakotay slipped out the doors quickly before anyone noticed. They ran out of drinks. Everyone soon said their farewells and it was just the Paris family. Now, Tom Paris knew better than to stick around for his wife's anger to spill out onto Miral. He left to work on some broken down shuttles. Now Miral knew she was going to get it, but instead her mother said nothing.
"Let's clean up," she said.
Then it came. Guilt flooded Miral.
"Mom I'm really sorry if you're upset about the Klingons."
"It's fine," B'elanna lied. She was upset, she knew it, Miral knew it, but they both also knew it was inevitable that Miral would learn more about the Klingons. She was curious like that.