By Diane Klepper
(Author's Note: The first step in every Starfleet career is applying for the Academy.)
Why do you want to join Starfleet?
She stared at the screen on her computer and sighed. Why was that one question giving her so much trouble? She knew why she wanted to join Starfleet┘didn't she. From the time she was a little girl her parents told that her that she could be anything she wanted. Both her mom and dad felt pressured by a parent to follow the career plan that their parent picked for them. She smiled at that thought and said, "Computer begin:
Why do I want to join Starfleet? I guess you can say I was born into this life. Most Starfleet brats I know were born at Starfleet Medical in San Francisco. I was literally born between two quadrants. My Mom went into labor with me as our starship was crossing from the Delta Quadrant into the Alpha Quadrant through a Borg conduit while we were being chased by the Borg Queen. My Dad couldn't be with her because he was flying our starship home. I know my Dad regrets not being present at my birth but my Mom told him to go fly the ship because she knew he was our best chance of getting home safely.
Even though my parents thought I would end up growing up on a starship I did get to spend a lot of my life on Earth as well other starships and space stations. Even though my parents tried to get assigned together that wasn't always possible and sometimes my Mom and I were separated from my Dad for months at a time, which was always hard. But luckily I had a lot of family there for me throughout my life.
I'm very close to both my grandfathers. My Grandpa Owen is a Starfleet Admiral and even though he is semi- retired he still teaches part- time at the Academy. I remember when I was little and my Dad was on a mission he would take me to the park and the zoo. I loved when he told me stories about my Dad when he was little but sometimes he got really sad and I know he was remembering when him and my Dad were estranged for many years. In fact, when my Dad first left Earth, him and my grandfather weren't speaking. I know about my Dad's past and the accident he lied about which caused him to be cashiered out of Starfleet. I also know about him being in prison. Admiral Janeway who was a Captain then, got my Dad out to go on a mission that was suppose to last for three weeks but it lasted seven years.
My Grandpa Owen said even when Voyager was declared lost and all members of its crew were declared dead, part of him always hoped that my father somehow survived and they could reconnect as father and son. He often says one of the happiest days of his life is when our ship came home and not only did he get his son back but he was introduced to a daughter- in- a -law and a granddaughter.
My Grandpa John left my Mother and my Grandmother Miral when she was only a little girl and for a long time my Mom refused to let anyone get too close to her. After our ship came home my Mom reconnected with her father and Grandpa John also became an integral member of my family. What I love most about Grandpa John is that he told me to embrace my Klingon side because it made me who I am. He told me that he didn't leave because my mother was too Klingon, he left because he couldn't make his marriage work and he didn't want his daughter caught in the middle. After he left my Grandmother Miral wouldn't let him contact his daughter and every letter he ever sent was turned back unopened.
I'm very lucky in the family department. I have two families, my birth family and my Voyager family. I consider many members of the Voyager crew to be my second family. Admiral Janeway who is also my godmother is sponsoring me at the Academy. The Emergency Holographic Doctor is my godfather. Many people still consider him not to be fully sentient but to me he is real as any other member of the crew. He delivered me, he gave me every physical I ever had and he even makes house calls.
Whenever Uncle Harry visits he tells me stories about how my Dad chased my Mom for months until she finally agreed to go out with him. Mom told me it took a near death experience for her to admit to my Dad that she loved him. That doesn't surprise me knowing how stubborn both my parents are. I see other members of the Voyager crew at the yearly reunion, which my family attends whenever we are on Earth. One advantage of being born on the day Voyager returns is that nobody ever forgets my birthday. Last year Uncle Chakotay gave me a necklace from his home planet for my seventeenth birthday. He told me that each of the different colored beads represents a year that Voyager was in the Delta Quadrant. He says it brings good luck to whoever wears it. As he put it around my neck he smiled at me and said, "Anybody who joins Starfleet needs all the luck they can get?" I haven't taken the necklace off yet and I'm hoping I can wear it under my uniform once I enter the Academy.
I guess I have been rambling. I think that is probably one of my worst qualities. The biggest reason I want to go to the Academy is because I want to make a difference in the universe and help people. I know a Starfleet officer has to make many sacrifices to help other people. Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant because Captain Janeway in good conscious could not let the gentle Ocampa people be destroyed by the Kazon, That decision cost the Voyager crew seven years in the Delta Quadrant. But from all the stories I heard throughout my life a lot of good came from that decision. I know if Voyager came back right away my parents would of never fallen in love. My Mom would of been sent to prison for being a member of the Maquis and my Dad would have been sent back to the Penal colony to finish out his prison sentence.
Uncle Harry told me about a trip where he went to an alternate universe where him and my Dad never went of Voyager. In that universe my Dad was a bum at Sandrine who spent his days drinking and hustling pool. When Uncle Harry told my Dad about the other universe he didn't believe him but in the end he helped Uncle Harry and even got blown up in a ship because he wanted the other life so much.
My Mom often told me that she joined Starfleet to get away from her mother who always told her she wasn't Klingon enough. Even though my Mom left the Academy in her second year I know how much she loves working on Starfleet starships. When I was little I sometimes watch her fix a ship and even though she would often curse in Klingon I could tell she was enjoying himself. My Dad is the same way with flying. Even though my Dad talks about how his father pressured him into going into Starfleet I know how much he loves it. Even after he became first officer on Voyager he would often find some excuse to take the helm or pilot a shuttle just to keep in practice. I know deep in my heart that neither of my parents would have been happy fixing or flying civilian ships. They were both meant to be Starfleet Officers and with the help of fate and a Captain who saw something special in them they both reached their dreams.
I guess you can say being part of Starfleet is my dream too, but not because of my parents or my Voyager family. I want to join Starfleet because I know I can go boldly where no one has gone before and I want to meet new alien species and learn about other cultures. I know at the Academy I will have to work harder then I ever had in my life but I know I'm up for the challenge. I just hope I can live up the traditions of the great Starfleet officers of the past like Archer, Kirk, Spock, Sulu, Picard, Sisko and of course Kathyrn Janeway and make the universe a better place.
"Computer end."
She was about to hit send when she heard a soft knock on her door. She turned to face her door. "Come in."
The door opened and a tall balding man smiled at her. "Miral┘your Mom and I are going to bed. Don't stay up to late you have school tomorrow."
Miral stood up. "I won't┘I was just finishing my essay for the Academy."
Tom Paris smirked at his daughter. "Your Grandpa Owen made me rewrite my essay five times until it met with his approval."
Miral laughed. "You want to read my essay?"
Tom opened the door fully and let it close as quietly as possible so he wouldn't disturb B'Elanna who was already asleep across the hall in their bedroom. After being married to B'Elanna for eighteen years he knew he shouldn't disturb her when she was asleep unless it was an emergency. B'Elanna was usually very cranky when she didn't get enough asleep and when she was unhappy she usually took it out on him. Tom entered his daughter's room and said, "No Miral┘I'm sure its fine. I know you will make a great Starfleet officer."
"Dad what up I mess up?"
Tom walked over to the desk where Miral was standing. He took her into his arms and hugged her. "Miral┘Starfleet doesn't expect its officers to be perfect┘Just do you best and always tell the truth."
Miral hugged her Dad back, "Thanks Dad┘I needed to hear that."
Tom kissed her on her right cheek. "Just try not to take any seven year missions without calling home."
Laughing Miral said, "I'll try."
Miral watched her father leave her room. She smiled and said, "Computer send."
Miral walked over to her bed and picked up her stuffed Targ and hugged it to chest and smiled, "Starfleet here I come."