"Your first class will start at zero nine hundred thirty hours," Gampu said. "Until then do whatever you like."

"What ever I like?" Loki asked.

"What ever you like," Gampu said.

Loki turned away from the commander then looked down upon the manu-droid.

"Peepo, are you ready for this round?" Loki asked. "I am sure that I will win this time!"

"I was built to be ready!" Peepo replied.

"Come on," Loki went over toward the console across from the space monitor as Gampu had a small fond smile at the scene.

"Commander," Adrian said. Gampu turned toward Adrian. "There is a blackhole up ahead."

"A wormhole?" Gampu tilted his head then slowly joined her side. "In here?"

"It suddenly appeared," Adrian said.

"Hmm. ." Gampu tapped on his chin. "Suddenly." A old feeling of familiar fear and uncertainty sunk in at saying the word 'sudden'. Feeling this way wasn't what he liked as a commander nor as a officer. "This could be a hazard to the space routes. A unexpected pot hole in the road." He looked toward the screen walking around the console. "I recall a time where in science it was refereed to as a wormhole."

"I can't imagine calling that a wormhole," Adrian said. "A small pocket. Black as the abyss. Nothing in sight."

"Lieutenant Carbert, please call for Laura and Chris," Gampu said. "Adrian. . . I like you to be with Tee Gar when the new cadet arrives to the academy. They will arrive shortly after we leave so I like you to join me to the docking bay."

"But I was the one who discovered the black hole," Adrian protested.

"You did it spot it first," Gampu agreed. "But it will be very uneventful investigating it than it is studying geology, Adrian."

Adrian grew sheepish with a short nervous laugh.

"So my last solo mission is that wide known,"

"You need a little more time being in this uneventful line of events before you go out and explore another black hole,"

"I will be ready,"

"I want you to make this new transfer feel more welcomed unlike how Karman only had one greeter." His attention shifted toward the distracted Manu-Droid then back Adrian.

"Oraco," Adrian said. "Who is the other greeter?"

"Tee Gar," Gampu said.

Chris and Laura entered academy control side by side coming to the commander's side as Adrian exited control.

"Laura, Chris," the commander greeted the two. "I like you to see your very first black hole."

Chris and Laura looked toward the black hole.

"I heard it is more rounder," Chris said. "Not like a slot."

"Black holes come in different shapes and sizes," Gampu said. "But they always appear to have a black center."

"I wonder if there is a black hole in the shape of a octagon," Laura said.

"There is," Gampu said. "Located quite close to Qo'Nos. Appeared not just forty-three years ago."

"What's in that black hole?" Chris asked.

"Apparently it was a doorway to a alternate Qo'Nos," Gampu said. "The academy still has some former cadets over there studying the evolution of the Klingon-human culture taking shape." he turned away from the black hole. "Chris, I want you to hold the fort while Laura and I investigate the unknown black hole that has appeared."

"Oraco, Commander," Chris said.

Gampu took one last look toward Peepo and Loki then made his way toward the doors. The duo were staring at the screen competing against each other with intensity that would be reserved for a strategy. Investigating a black hole was always risky. There was certainty in Gampu's mind, however, that he was going to return from this field mission. Gampu tore his attention off the duo then resumed walking on going on to exit academy control and the door closed behind him.

The seeker passed by the departing seeker going toward the black hole. Jerome was seated in the chair slouching with his arms folded. The announcement coming from the front brought the young man awake from the slumber. He got up to his feet then smoothed his uniform and dusted it off. One of the pilots opened the door as he walked toward the exit. All the unsure feelings about being here were withdrawn and forced into a small container then closed shut by his hand and squeezed so that the feelings couldn't spill out. He walked out of the seeker linking his hands behind his back coming to a stop a few feet from Adrian and Tee Gar.

"Hello," Tee Gar said. "Welcome to the academy."

Jerome looked around the docking bay with curious eyes.

"I imagined it would be bigger," Jerome said. "Very clean here."

Tee Gar lowered his hand then withdrew it.

"It's really well kept by the staff," Tee Gar said. "I am your doctor. Doctor Soom. Everyone calls me Tee Gar."

Jerome's eyes shifted on to Tee Gar.

"Isn't it correct to refer to a physician by their title?" Jerome asked.

"He is different," Adrian said. "Adrian Pryce-Jones. Lieutenant."

"Lieutenant Paul Jerome," Jerome said. "I was told the mascot was supposed to be greeting me here."

"Peepo is pretty busy right now playing a game with Loki," Adrian said. "He is just as a newcomer as you are."

"Except he is a little adventurous kid," Tee Gar said. "I remember when I was his age."

"I can't imagine growing up here," Jerome grimaced. "I bet it must be falling apart."

"The academy isn't secretly falling apart, Lieutenant," Tee Gar said. "He is well taken care of."

"Takes care of him and he will protect us to the best of his ability," Adrian said.

"I was under the impression that military installations didn't refer to their places with pronouns," Jerome said. "So different from Seto."

"We are one of the few," Adrian said.

"Seto?" Tee Gar asked.

"A new Earth colony," Jerome said. "The same one Karman came from."

"So that's where they came from," Tee Gar said. "I was starting to think the other cadets came from a factory."

"Very funny," Jerome said, dryly. "It's one of the things I dislike being about a clone. Not one of us look different from the other."

"The differences do stand out. Not in looks." Tee Gar said. "After some time being around them, their mannerisms that stand out and make be different from the other." He had a small smile. "You look different to us compared to Karman."

"You do," Adrian agreed.

"The name Seto is starting to catch on," Jerome said. "I like to meet the team captain."

"Right this way," Tee Gar said, with a smile then was the first exit the docking bay. Adrian and Jerome followed suit from behind in a line from behind him.

Loki sat in his quarters, on his bed, arms folded while pouting. There was a distinctive silence that filled the air for the first time that he had been allowed. No Peepo or Commander Gampu were around him. Loki closed his eyes then began to perform what Tee Gar had advised him. Meditation. The position that he was in was comfortable at best and did not bother him being in the same position. Loki's figure relaxed and ease losing all the tension, frustration, and anger plaguing at hm. He closed his eyes seeing the image of a seeker drawing closer toward a black slot contrasting against the starry canvas.

The craft hit something that damaged the tip of the seeker. The seeker was twirling quickly before his eyes throwing the commander and Laura from side to side within the seeker in their chairs. The seeker fell into the abyss. There was not just a void from outside but it was from the inside. Loki was sweating, uneased, having lost what had been a relaxed demeanor. He dug into his pant leg squeezing on to his knee curling his fingers against the comfortable fabric to the pants.

For the first time since coming to on Zalon, Loki was scared. His heart was racing and his hands were now on his knees. He stared at the wall, helplessly, as if having seen something that had happened before his eyes. It was a mental image. His gut screamed that it was not the case. Something had gone wrong. Very wrong. It pertained to the commander who set out to explore the black hole.

Loki looked around the room noticing how empty that it had became.

There was silence. Complete uncomfortable silence. And there was nothing that he could do to help.