"This is totally
unfair…I cannot reroute these Trition signals anywhere!" Ian groaned, and
he looked at his instructor. The slim-female came forward, sighed, and
showed her student how it was done.
"You are more
of a computer-programming person, aren't you?" the woman snorted as she
smiled at Ian. Ian just rolled his young eyes.
"Isn't that what
Engineers are?"
"Well…only the
best Engineers have pushed themselves to know this by heart…until they
have programmed it into their behavior."
"So…what's your
point, Lt. Mito?" Ian frowned, and he looked at the instructor.
Lt. Mito rolled
her own eyes, and she pointed to the LCARS simulant. "Look…right here.
Now, if you were looking for a cloaked ship in the area, you wouldn't have
found it because you didn't reroute correctly…"
"I didn't reroute
at all…"
"Exactly my point.
You would have been DEAD by now…" Lt. Mito groaned. "You have got to learn
this. When are you planning to pass this simulation? Before your even considered
for placement in the Fleet…you have to pass this!"
Ian cracked a
smile, "Is it recorded how many times I've tried it?"
Lt. Mito shook
her head, "Get back to work. This Academy ship is going to rendezvous with
Betazed in about an hour. We are hitting orbit soon. Once we do, you cannot
practice this test anymore. Is that clear?"
Ian thought for
a moment, and he found his mind wandering off to the subject of Betazed.
"Isn't that the planet with the mind-readers?"
Lt. Mito's eyes
widened, and she made sure no Betazoids were around when he blurted the
phrase out. "Cadet! I bet you haven't even passed your basic diplomatic
skills assessment…have you?"
"Well…" Ian looked
down and smiled widely. He brushed his hand through his thick hair. "Maybe…"
"DID you, or
DID you not?" Lt. Mito frowned, and she leaned back into standing position.
Ian chuckled,
"Relax…I'm doing it."
Lt. Mito heaved
loudly, and she walked away without a further word. Ian was left at the
lit up station. He sighed, and he stared into the symbols of the Federation.
The bright logo beamed in the left hand corner, and he noticed that the
lesson was ready to re-begin. He didn't feel like going through it again.
Everytime…he messed up. He just wasn't a cloaking sort of guy…
"Incoming message
via subspacial channel for Cadet Ian Troi…" the computer on his desk inside
his Cadet-student quarters beamed to life.
Ian rolled over
in his bed, and he looked up at the computer. He moaned. In the darkness
of his room, he could see the light shining. He rubbed his eyes. "Come
in. Computer, recite message. None other accepting, Message One protocol…"
The computer
stopped for a moment, and then began. It was the voice of a solemn, older-sounding
man. Ian frowned at the mention of his father's name, and he suddenly felt
a terrible dread in the deep recesses of his soul.
"Cadet Troi,
we are unfortunate to have to alert you of this serious news. Your father,
Philip B. Troi, suffered a massive cardio-vascular failure due to a lethal
snakebite while on mission in the jungles of Unoja'te, located in the United
Embassy of Kenya. He was held for three hours in a critical care unit,
and antidotes were administered. Unfortunately, he died approximately at
0100 hours, Eastern African time, Stardate approximately 45624.5…"
Ian's eyes snapped
open…He didn't hear the rest of that message. He saw a flashback of the
lush greens in that same jungle, from so long ago in his memory. For a
moment, he even thought that he could smell the fresh Blue Vervain plants,
and the beautiful but lethal Foxglove....
He sat straight up
in his bed, and he screamed until he found no more air to suck into his
laboring lungs.
Lt. Mito sighed
as she sat in her quarters, and she registered Cadet Ian Troi's medical
file. Everything in his past had been fine.
Now, the USS Tornato
was docked at the newly built Betazed shipyards, and Lt. Mito was living
well as the ship was being revamped with the latest of everything. She
sipped a nice cup of cherry-flavored water, and she reread her favorite
student's file over and over.
"Ian Andrew Troi…Cadet.
Born in the National State of Oklahoma. Father is Philip B. Troi, mother…deceased
Ireanne C. Maghiss. Bloodwork always normal…psychological evaluations,
normal. Passed all but Diplomatic assessment and Basic Cloaking 101…."
She stopped. "What the hell is his problem!?"
Lt. Mito crossed
her arms, and she sighed, "Cadet Troi…not speaking to anyone. Psychological
report states he's in trauma…but from WHAT? That son tells me everything.
Why not now? Computer! Do a trace on all subspace files…"
The computer
buzzed, "Incorrect authorization. You must have the rank of Lt. Commander
or higher to achieve a search or archive on subspace communication records.
Please restate."
Lt. Mito felt
her face growing red, "Computer…blow yourself up."
"Command unknown.
Please restate."
Lt. Mito rose,
brushed herself off, and began to exit her quarters, "Computer, go to hell."
Before the computer
could respond again, she was out of the doors, and off to Cadet Troi's
quarters.
Ian sat on the
floor of his quarters, hugging his knees to his broadening chest. He stared
at the carpet blanky, and when Lt. Mito forced entry into his living space,
he looked at her as if he was seeing straight through her.
"Lt…I need two
weeks off," Ian started shakily.
"Oh…now my boy
begins to talk…Cadet, stand up. That's an order."
Ian drug himself
to his feet, and he stood before her. He haunched over, and his eyes looked
old. The once eager and excited 22-year old Cadet suddenly looked like
a dying Romulan leader. His dark features only made his inherited thinness
show even more.
"What is the
matter with you, Cadet?" Lt. Mito demanded. She bore into him with her
light blue eyes. "What is this business about you
skipping your first testing session? Do you realize that you are in Starfleet
Academy violation?"
Ian seemed to
sniff, "It doesn't matter anymore. Who cares what I do."
Lt. Mito stepped
forward, and she looked at Ian Troi. She took her hands, and fixed his
collar and pips. He was still in his uniform, even though they had been
off duty for 2 whole days now. "Get yourself together! Now I know something
has happened, and I'm not going to force you to tell me. BUT...you cannot
let little personal matters affect your performance in Starfleet! Now..did
you break up with a girl? Don't worry…there's a whole planet Betazed untouched
by Troi down there. Did you find a gray hair? THAT just happens…"
Ian looked down,
and after a moment of silence, he whispered, "My father's dead."
Lt. Mito barely
heard him, but when she did, she stopped, and she dropped her hands. She
looked at Ian, and she suddenly took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"Is that Philip B. Troi?"
Ian nodded. He
couldn't find anything else to say.
Lt. Mito, on
the other hand, took a step back, and she collected her thoughts..Philip
was…DEAD? The whole concept seemed unreal. Philip had been one of the best
Science officers Starfleet ever had. He had even been the Science Bureau's
main researcher. But…when his wife had become ill and pregnant with their
son, Ian…he dropped Starfleet and settled. Philip had began to make a living
through zoological-research on various xenological hotspots that Starfleet
was interested in…But unfortunately, his wife, Ireanna had died, leaving
a baby Ian and an adult gruff of Philip B. Troi alone in the world.
"Oh…Ian, I am
terribly sorry," Lt. Mito sighed. "Who in Starfleet knows about this? How
come no one else does..?"
"The counselor
I spoke with…Admiral White, the the main Science Bureau of Starbase Space
Nine....No one knows because his actions on the mission are under investigation,"
Ian spoke. He didn't even show any other emotion then a silent despair
and desperation. Lt. Mito tried to ignore her emotions…but she barely could.
Phil had been loved everywhere, even though the man had his character faults.
She sighed, and she looked Ian up and down. She suddenly saw Phil's features
in her young student's shape and form. His dark eyes…his lavish sheen of
black hair…it was all there. Even a small cowlick-tuft of hair stuck up
in the back of his bold head.
Lt. Mito collected
herself, and she tried to lead Ian to the door. "Come on Ian…you can hang
around my place…I'm beaming down to Betazed tomorrow. I want you to come
with me."
Ian just shrugged,
and he left his quarters, with a silent dread in his spirit.
