1. The Cadet
For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be… higher.
When I was younger, I used to stare up at the night sky as the wind brushed gently against the sand in front of my nyumbani, wondering what was hidden in the depths of the infinite darkness of space, dreaming of the day I would no longer be looking at them from afar, but when I would be among them.
It started with the stories my father and uncle used to tell my siblings and me, stories of discovery, mystery and love: A tale of the stars and their adventures in Starfleet.
Every word my Baba uttered, every breath that left his mouth, spoke of his love of space, a love that he passed on to me.
"That's why your name is what it is," Baba had said, his warm brown eyes gazing lovingly at me, the earthy scent of sandalwood clinging to his clothes, "it's because I knew that one of my children would be as I am and I waited patiently for that day to come. When your sister was born I wasn't sure if it was her, but I could see as she grew older that she took after your mother, that she would be a lover of words… of peace. Then, came your brother, a right scoundrel he is; a replica of your Uncle and a lover of math. But I remained patient, for I knew that my time would come. Then, low and behold, my kipusa kidege, my little bird, you were born and as soon as I saw you I knew that it would be you. That is why I named you Nyota Samara Uhura."
He held up one finger and I begin to recite it with him, the words I'd heard from infancy.
"Nyota," we began together, solemnly, "for a star that shines brightly in the darkness. Samara, a prayer for Munga's protection, and Uhura, one who is ever a lover of freedom."
I smiled at him as we quietly finished the ritual, then I sighed and snuggled into his massive chest. All was right in the world; all was good and fair in his strong arms.
My Baba's words inspired me in a way that nothing else ever had: I wanted to go to the stars, to experience all that he had and more. And when, at the tender age of five, I voiced my desire to be in Starfleet, no one in my family was surprised.
I started researching in earnest, entreating my father for help in finding an avenue that would allow me to get into Starfleet. Baba told me that though difficult, the way was simple: To be accepted into Starfleet I would have to be the best of the best, to shine the brightest amongst all the other candidates.
It didn't take me long to figure out just how to do it.
My older sister, Sakina? She could speak in such a way that would have two bitter enemies sitting down together in peace. My brother, Desta? He could understand the most difficult of mathematical equations, and my younger sister, Ayah, had all the makings to be a extraordinary doctor.
But me? I was good at math too, but my true skills lied elsewhere: I could hear, could imitate even the most complex of sounds… and I knew computers.
And I would use these skills to my advantage.
Language would be my ticket, and communications, my the transport, to be a bridge officer on a Federation starship.
Just like my father.
Dogged in the pursuit of my goals, I tackled my schoolwork with a passion that surprised and pleased my parents and teachers. It was difficult at first. There were so many other things that I wanted to do. Wonderful things! There were parties I wanted to attend, friends I wanted to hang out with… boys I wanted to ogle. In those times when temptation was greatest and I began to lean toward the decision of putting off my studies, I'd look to the sky and force myself to turn away from the fun, from the frivolous recreation that would provide only fleeting pleasure. I did not have time to do those things, I had to work to get into Starfleet… and work I did.
I studied every language that I could gain access too.
No Federation language was too hard, no dialect too obscure: Betazoid, all three dialects of Romulan, Vuhlkansu, it didn't matter; I studied them all. It was extremely involved work. They were all so very different that it took an incredible amount of time to keep them all straight in my head.
Yet I did it; the more I practiced, the easier it all became and my heart soared as I realized that I could do it, that I could achieve my dreams.
But my determination came at a heavy price.
My friendships suffered and my growing reputation as a no-nonsense schoolgirl made making new friends all the harder. While I liked the fact that I was perceived as smart and hardworking, it saddened me that the other side of my personality was unknown. I loved fun, very much so; hanging out, laughing and having a good time were all favorite past times of mine just like any other girl my age.
But there was never any time to show that side of myself, no one who had met that Nyota.
When I did have free time, or was forced to relax by my Mama, I often found myself alone and seeking the company of my siblings.
It was then that I began to understand the beauty and necessity of balance.
It was a lesson well learned, but one that had come too late. By the time I realized its importance, my friends had given up on having me around and had gotten used to my absence.
They had moved on without me.
Now, with only my siblings as close companions, I delved even deeper into the world of languages. At first, it had been a means to an end; a way to get into Starfleet, but then I began to realize languages' significance. I was learning life, to relate to and communicate with others. It dawned on me that my position on a ship was more than a mere niche that needed to be filled; it was vital—however much this more liberal field was disrespected in Starfleet, a place where hard sciences were considered the best sciences— and could mean the difference between life and death.
That was when I truly fell in love with linguistics.
I learned to love everything about it. Phonology, morphology, syntax… it was all beautiful.
One language I didn't have to actively learn was Standard; we spoke it regularly in my household and it is just as much my native language as Kiswahil. Knowing Standard was a huge advantage as it is the universal language of business and politics within the Federation. It also made it easier for my family to move from Kenya to America which we did when I was about ten years old. Though the adjustment was difficult, I couldn't begrudge my father the move; none of us could.
My father, Alhamisi Uhura, was in Starfleet and had been for a long time. He had made it his career, his life's work. Starfleet wasn't just a job to him; it was a way of life. For a while, despite the difficulty and strain on him, he had commuted between Africa and America. But then, though much desired and welcomed, he was promoted to Starfleet's Command division which only meant that he would be spending more time away from home, not less, as Starfleet Command was based in California. And while living away from his family when in space was one thing, to live without his family while planet side was simply too much.
So, we packed up and moved from the hot, dry sands of Kenya to the blue, sparkling waters of California. It was different, very different, but like all people, we adjusted. Life continued and as it did, I continued to excel in school. Before I knew it, I had finished high school and was officially applying to Starfleet Academy.
Getting in was hell.
Admission into the Academy began with the acceptance of a candidate's application. Once that was done, the candidate underwent the Academy's competition exams that determined whether those admitted had the best scores among the group of candidates competing to gain admission. Getting into Starfleet meant being better than your neighbor and the test was quite effective in significantly decreasing the candidate pool.
The exam itself was kick ass. It tested hyperspace physics, dynamic relationships and other things I had no idea I had to prepare for. Not only that, they gave the much feared "psych test," making the candidates face their greatest fear while allowing the threat of random, unannounced tests to hover over our heads, tests that could take place at any time.
After the competition exams, the qualifying candidates were enrolled into the Starfleet Academy Preparatory Program which consisted of six weeks of summer classes designed to prepare prospective cadets for the Starfleet Academy entrance exam. In the Program, applicants were required to perform satisfactorily on tests examining stress reaction, spatial orientation and deductive reasoning. By passing the Program, a candidate's admission was ensured saved they passed yet another test, the Academy's final entrance exam.
See? Hell.
But I completed all the requirements and was confident that I would get into Starfleet… well, as confident as one could be when their hopes and dreams were on the line.
I waited through the summer in nervous anticipation, my heart leaping every time the 'ping' signaling an incoming email sounded on my PADD. Then, it happened; I received the message.
I can still remember running into my Mama and Baba's room with stomach knotted, hopping from one foot to the other with the official email on my PADD and butterflies fluttering wildly in my belly.
I remember how my Baba held up a hand to calm me as he took the PADD from me, Mama gazing at me in amusement from a rocking chair nearby. I remember watching as Baba pressed a button on the PADD, opening the mail.
Tears began to well in my eyes as my father's face suddenly fell and for a second, my world titled on its axis.
Everything I had done until now, all of my dreams were dependent upon my entry into Starfleet. If I hadn't got in, what would I do…?
But then my Baba's face brightened and a wide smile split his lips.
"Congratulations, baby," he said, his voice warm and proud, "you are now Cadet Uhura of Starfleet Academy."
All I could do was stare at him, my mouth agape, my eyes now filling with tears of happiness.
I crashed into my Baba and he lifted my slender frame easily, engulfing me in a bear hug that I happily returned.
My Mama grinned from ear to ear, lovingly chiding me for my lack of faith and confidence in my own abilities.
My family celebrated my entry into Starfleet for a week with even Sakina and Desta returning from their respective obligations to attend.
That summer I was on cloud nine, I was so happy.
I had succeeded! All of my hard work had paid off. All the nights of studying and watching former friends congregate outside whilst I remained inside working, had paid off. I had been accepted into Starfleet: I was following in my father's footsteps and would experience all the wonders that my father had.
I was in. All I had to do was continue in the same vein as I had been and I would reach the stars.
Nothing could stop me, nothing would stop me.
I would make sure of it.
#*#*#*#*#
Starfleet Academy was like a dream to me.
When I arrived, I could only stare at the teeming campus in wonder as I walked toward my dorm.
I had never seen so many different species of off worlders in my life and it was incredible… and a bit mind boggling.
Although humans are always flooded with information concerning our Federation allies, the truth is that, for the most part, off worlders are rarely seen. The biggest influx of non-humans is always concentrated in specific areas; those of great business, commerce and political importance.
For all that we lived in California and relatively close to Starfleet Academy, the place where we was fit none of these categories: We only saw the occasional Betazoid or Delta—humanoids that could easily pass off as Humans unless examined closely.
But the Academy? It was like all the off worlders that I hadn't seen growing up had been there all along: Bajorans, Andorians, Caitians, Tellarites and more! So many species, so much life… so much brilliance.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit intimidated at first.
To get into Starfleet, you had to be the best of the best and although I had done well against those competing for entry, I was still a wet behind the ears cadet.
I was at the bottom of the totem pole: I knew nothing and I knew that I knew nothing. But I was determined it wouldn't remain that way. I was going to make a name for myself, claw my way to the top. It was the only way to gain a highly coveted position on a starship, the only way to reach the stars.
And I would do whatever it took to get there.
I threw myself into my first year with enthusiasm and vigor, careful to start my career in Starfleet off correctly. Schoolwork was my world and I poured my all into it.
That first year was enlightening. There were so many new things to learn and it was those things that finally gave my major—Xenolinguistics—and chosen profession—Communications Officer—definitive shape and meaning.
I learned that one could be a Communications Officer without being a Xenolingustics major—however impractical that was—indeed, that one could major in any subject and become a Communications officer as long as they had been admitted for that track.
More importantly, I learned what I would be doing as a Communications Officer and how vital the position was. I learned how to receive and translate subspace transmissions, I learned the art of combat and I pushed myself hard to learn everything there was to know about duotronic computer systems.
And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
By the time first year ended, I had a firm grasp on the expectations of my field, an appreciation for how difficult and stringent the academia was at Starfleet Academy and knowledge of how blessed I was for being accepted.
I did manage to come out at the top of my class, but it was extremely difficult to do. I was not the only dedicated student in Starfleet and I wasn't the only one looking to gain a position on a starship. Sure, there were some slackers on campus, but they were quickly weeded out as Starfleet couldn't afford to cater to those who were anything less than dedicated; lives would be dependent on the work of these future service people, so anyone who had come to the Academy looking for a good time was either whipped into shape or whipped out of service.
That's not to say that we did not have fun, because we did, but time management and prioritizing were key and separated those who succeeded from those who washed out.
I went home that summer proud of my accomplishments and the fact that I was starting to make a name for myself in the midst of such competition. While proud as well, my Baba cautioned me to remain vigilant, for if I was this happy to be at the top of my class, someone else was equally unhappy that they were not which would only make them work harder next semester.
It was these words of wisdom that I took with me into my second year. Much like my first, I dived into my studies with enthusiasm, determined to maintain my grades, but taking a bit more care to schedule relaxation time. I had learned early not to study to the exclusion of all else, and I remained mindful of being consumed by it all and forgetting that important lesson.
By the time second year had ended I had firmly established myself as an exemplary student, my name becoming synonymous with academic excellence.
Third year passed much as the second and I could not be more proud of myself for being so focused. I was steadily on my way to the stars, to continue my Baba's legacy. I was driven, determined, and only a few years away from the starship of my choice.
Everything was going just as I had hoped.
But then everything changed in my fourth year.
Something happened that I never even considered, that never even crossed my mind. It was so far off my scope that it completely blindsided me, hitting me with the force of a blast from a star gone supernova.
I fell in love.
End of Chapter 1: Please review
Chapter 2: The Commander: This is how a mind is blown.
Swahili: (1) "Nyumbani" means home. (2) "Munga" means God. (3) "Kipusa kidege" means beautiful little bird.
A/N: Okay, this is my first Star Trek fic and I hope you guys love it. Please review if you do. I'm going to tell you guys now that reviews are really important to me. If you love it and you want to read more, then please let me know. I hope you enjoyed this. Also, later chapters should be longer. Happy reading.
WrittinInStone
