Stardate 2254.359
Caernarfon, Earth, Sol System, Alpha Quadrant
"Ravi's personal log, Stardate... I don't know—two and a half. Computer, what's the stardate? I said it in an earlier log, too."
"Today's stardate is 2254.359."
"Right. Okay, take two..."
Ravi ran her hands over her face and spun in her chair. The setting sun had cast her room in a dim glow and the snow outside gleamed like tiny little crystals. From downstairs came the sounds of old Earth Christmas music and several voices singing out of tune. On her desk sat a half-drunk glass of champagne and beside it, a plate of fruit cake that Ravi found inedible.
"Stardate 2254.359. It's Christmas. Mr Davies is drunk again and he's singing more out of tune than usual. Mrs Talbot's carrying the tune this year—I think she took my advice last time and practised in the shower. Jóhann's been passed out on my bed four an hour now. He tried to get away with sneaking sips of champagne in here, but he passed out and got caught the second I walked in. I don't think I'll tell mam. It's Christmas after all.
"On another note, today marks four years, three months and twenty-four days that I've been training on Vulcan. I'm already twenty-one. Jóhann's nineteen. He got it in his head that he was going to join Starfleet with me this summer. I don't know where that came from. I think he might just want to keep me company. He couldn't follow me to Vulcan and beat up anyone who spoke ill of me, so I think he's trying to make up for it."
Ravi looked over at her brother and smiled. He looked so peaceful when he slept.
"I'm happy he at least got to spend his teenage years at home. I might live for two hundred years, but he won't. I'm happy he was here for mam too. But now both of us are leaving next June... I feel bad. She and Elias gave me everything I could ever have hoped for and I repay them by spending four years on Vulcan and leaping out to Starfleet Academy at the first chance. I know mam wants me to pursue my dreams but... sometimes I wish I was just a little less ambitious... a little less attached to my past."
Ravi stared at the tin of green candies on her desk and sighed.
"Maybe the Vulcans were right."
She chuckled under her breath and shook her head.
"Never would have thought that last year. I suppose the Vulcans did leave some trace of themselves behind. Now, if that had happened last year I think I would have lost my mind. Maybe when I think about this tomorrow I'll hate it. But right now... I'm all right with that. I think it may be the Christmas spirit."
Ravi took a candy from the bowl and twirled it in her fingers.
"I do look forward to meeting one Vulcan, however. Commander... Spork? Spook? Spock? Spock, that's it. Seriously, Rav, what human mother would call their son 'spork' or 'spook', honestly."
She rolled her eyes and ate the candy. Its sourness made her tongue tingle.
"After meeting Vulcan's ambassador to Earth this morning, I finally figured out who the other hybrid was. The ambassador's wife is human. She's really pretty, too, Sarek's got good taste.
"I wonder what this Spock will be like. I imagine he'd get on my nerves—he is Vulcan, after all. Sarek was rather... dry. I hope he takes after his mother. He did turn down the Vulcan Science Academy for Starfleet, after all... That could be something. Ah, I wish I could have been there to see the councilmen's faces when Spock rejected them. I might have shed a tear."
Jóhann stirred and Ravi stood up to drape her green knitted blanket over him. She brushed some hair away from his face and smiled, then looked towards her computer.
"I can tell you one thing computer... I'm excited for May."
Stardate 2255.149
Caernarfon, Earth, Sol System, Alpha Quadrant
"Why the hell are we going to Iowa?"
"You were excited about this just yesterday. Don't you want to see the newest Starfleet flagship before heading off to the Academy?"
"Well, yes, but why is it in the middle of a cornfield? Don't they have industrial parks where cows aren't a threat to the workforce?"
"Since when are you afraid of cows? We have some in the barn."
"Since I read that one of the workers at the Riverside Shipyard got trampled by a cow last month!"
Jóhann bent over in laughter and Ravi knocked him over by tossing a shoe at him.
"Ravi's afraid of cows, Ravi's afraid of cows!" Jóhann sang through his laughter.
"I will end you!" "Ravi shouted as she dashed towards her brother. Jóhann laughed and ran out of the room. "You know I can! I don't know seven different types of martial arts for nothing!"
Ravi pursued Jóhann down the stairs and she kicked him in the butt once they'd reached the bottom.
"Mercy! Mercy!" Jóhann laughed. "Mam, she's going to kill me!"
"Nonsense."
"I'll fight back!"
"You? A puny little engineer?"
"Fair enough," Jóhann said with a shrug. He continued in a dramatic voice, "Death is near!"
"How old are you?" Ravi chuckled. "Are you sure you're old enough for the Academy? Maybe there's a Starfleet Kindergarten you can attend."
"Children!" Sian shouted from another room. "Ravi, stop bullying your brother! Jóhann stop thinking you can best her in a fight—she could break us both in half. Now, both of you go finish packing. The Starfleet shuttle is leaving London in two hours."
Ravi sent a pointed look to her brother and they both laughed. She helped Jóhann to stand and they both returned to their rooms. By the time they'd finished their packing, Ravi and Jóhann had to get Sian to fetch the anti-grav luggage cart in the basement. Ravi easily helped her get it up the last steps and she took care of putting the heavy suitcases onto the cart.
"You know, for someone who's afraid of cows, you're sure as strong as an ox," Jóhann chuckled.
"I'm as strong as a Romulan, you veruul," Ravi said with a roll of her eyes. "Not a cow. And I am not afraid of them. I am... concerned."
"Concerned about cows?" Sian asked, looking amused. "What about those in the barn?"
"They're fine. I know those cows. The rogue cows at the Riverside Shipyard, however, I don't trust."
"Rogue... cows?"
"One of them trampled a worker a while back," Jóhann explained. Sian looked scandalised. "Oh, not you too! They're just cows!"
"Murder cows!"
Jóhann rolled his eyes and sighed, then pushed the anti-grav cart outside. Sian and Ravi looked at each other and laughed. They followed Jóhann outside and Ravi took over pushing the cart when he struggled to hold it up while going down a small hill.
When they got to the London shuttle landing, Ravi, Jóhann and Sian forewent the long goodbyes that the Romulan had been accustomed to. The Academy was only a few transporter trips away and, by the end of the summer, that number would be reduced to two. Jóhann had been following Starfleet's ability to extend transporter range—come August, one trip from San Francisco to Montréal and then off straight to Caernarfon. If Ravi and Jóhann had the clearance, they'd be able to visit Sian every weekend if they wanted to. However, Sian suspected that both of them would be far too busy to come in person more than once a month.
Sian left the area as soon as she'd gotten a chance to hug her children goodbye. Then, Jóhann and Ravi made their way onto the shuttle landing pad, where a man in Starfleet uniform was waiting by two shuttles. Several dozen other potential cadets lined up before him and Ravi couldn't help but be nervous. As she and Jóhann arrived at the front of the line, Jóhann gave his name and he was shown the door to the shuttle on the right.
"Isaacs, Ravi."
The officer punched a few buttons and pointed to the shuttle on the left.
"Is that one headed to London, as well?" Ravi asked, trying her best to sound like a calm Vulcan.
"No. Paris."
Ravi rose an eyebrow expectantly. The officer sighed.
"I was given orders to send you to Federation Headquarters in Paris before you went to San Francisco."
"Why?"
Jóhann had stuck his head out of the other shuttle pod. Ravi waved a hand at him dismissively.
"Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure they just want to... clarify a few things before I get to the Academy.
Jóhann pulled a face but he retreated back into the shuttle.
"Thank you, sir," Ravi said, nodding at the officer. "I apologise for delaying the others."
Ravi glanced at the other shuttle for a moment before going to the one headed for Paris. She put her baggage into the hold and as she sat down, the shuttle jerked and lifted off the ground. She watched the surroundings grow smaller and smaller as they went up into the air, and soon, Caernarfon was only an amorphous grey square below. Ravi watched the atmosphere go by for a short while before she sighed. She waited for the shuttle to stabilise and maintain its altitude before she stood and began practising a meditative form of martial arts.
Paris, Earth, Sol System, Alpha Quadrant
Ravi didn't notice the time go by. Hundreds of kilometres had gone by without a single disturbance or message from the shuttle pilot and by the time they'd landed at their final destination, Ravi was so focused on her meditation that she didn't notice the ship was about to land. As it did, she lost her footing and toppled over, landing on her back with a loud thud. Ravi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She exhaled loudly and stood, annoyed, just as the door to the shuttle opened up.
"Leave your things here," the pilot said as he came round the back. "You'll be back in an hour to leave for San Francisco."
Without another word, the pilot left expecting Ravi to follow. She rose an eyebrow at him, slightly irked, but followed him nonetheless.
Ravi wished her first time in Paris would have been under different circumstances. She followed the pilot through the streets, occasionally glancing at her surroundings. From what she could see, the city was beautiful. Trees and shrubbery lined the streets and parks in geometric patterns with fountains and little ponds sparkling in between them. Up ahead, the Federation building gleamed nearly white in the light of the sun.
At the door, Ravi was led inside by two other officers. She would have stared around excitedly if she was in the building for different reasons than an earful. Everyone walking around looked so focused on their duties, tapping away on PADDs. Ravi would have loved to get a tour or asked the information desk for permission to wander around. However, she was led past doors inaccessible to the public and towards a large conference room with an oval table at the centre. An Andorian woman was sitting at the end of it, with two humans on either side.
"Ravi Isaacs?" the Andorian asked.
"Yes, ma'am," Ravi stated, straightening herself.
"Take a seat."
Ravi nodded and took the seat opposite the Andorian woman. She slowly and quietly took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Today wasn't a good day to allow her Romulan emotions get the better of her. However, if she'd managed to fool the Vulcans, then there shouldn't be a problem doing the same with them.
"I am Pellan Fel, President of the United Federation of Planets," the Andorian said, sounding irritated. "I apologise for taking you away from your transport to San Francisco, but these Starfleet officials wished to have words with you beforehand. As I have no reason to deny their request, I am here to monitor their line of questioning."
"I appreciate your concern," Ravi said plainly. "But I have nothing to hide. I will answer their questions."
The two men on either side of Pellan Fel leaned forward onto the table. Ravi was amused. It was funny to see these veteran humans trying to intimidate a twenty-two-year-old civilian.
"I'm Admiral Alexander Marcus," the older man said. "This is my associate, Commander Gregory Hill."
Ravi politely inclined her head towards them. Commander Hill pulled out a PADD and a stylus, and waited for Admiral Marcus to begin.
"I have no intention of wasting your time," the Admiral began. "I'm sure you're eager to get to San Francisco and begin your time at the Summer Training program."
"I am looking forward to beginning, yes," Ravi said honestly.
"How was your time on Vulcan?"
"It was... enlightening."
Admiral Marcus waited a moment, expecting more to that answer. However, Ravi had learned that Vulcans rarely gave more than what was necessary even in pleasant conversation.
"Care to elaborate?"
"I pursued the studies required for my attendance at Starfleet, Admiral," Ravi explained. "Is there anything else you'd care to know?"
"I'd care to know if that training was successful."
Ravi rose an eyebrow at him.
"Are you questioning the Vulcans' ability to teach one of their own?"
"N-No, we simply—"
"Simply want to know that the training has... taken," the Admiral interrupted the Commander.
"I can assure you, Admiral, that I have complete control over the emotions the Vulcans deemed problematic."
"We'll see," the Admiral said.
"With all due respect, Admiral," Ravi began, rising slowly from her seat. "I have undergone the training that would get me into Starfleet and the Vulcans came to the logical conclusion that I must have purged the emotions necessary to satisfy the High Command."
Ravi put her hands behind her back and stood straighter. The look in Admiral Marcus' darkened.
"I hope, Admiral, that you aren't suggesting the Vulcan High Command is... lying."
Immediately, Commander Hill's face went from calm to nervous. Marcus seemed a little defeated. Implying that a large government body of the United Federation of Planets was lying was an offence that usually started wars, or at least caused severe tensions between nations. He knew better than to challenge her. President Fel, however, seemed slightly amused.
"No, Miss Isaacs, I'm not suggesting the Vulcan High Command is lying," Admiral Marcus said. "I meant no offence."
"There was none taken, sir." Ravi took a few steps towards the door. "If there's nothing else, I believe I have a shuttle waiting for me."
"Actually—"
"That will be all, Miss Isaacs," President Fel interjected. She smiled at Ravi and stood, then extended her hand. "It's an honour to have been in the presence of the first Romulan to serve Starfleet and the Federation."
"Please, Madam President," Ravi said. "It's an honour to be able to serve."