"You remind me of myself when I was a kid," Tee Gar said, suddenly, reading the padd while leaned back into the chair from his lap.
Loki looked toward Tee Gar.
"What were you like?" Loki asked.
Tee Gar grinned placing the padd on to the table.
"Studying," Tee Gar said.
"You spent your childhood studying!" Loki exclaimed.
"Yes," Tee Gar said. "And very ambitious. Except you"- he gestured toward Loki-"don't need to study."
"All I need to do is learn to write a essay," Loki looked down toward the padd.
"A really good essay!" Tee Gar laughed. "You are going to make a great one for the history books."
"Did you study at the academy?" Loki asked.
"No," Tee Gar shook his head. "I studied on my home planet. But, I was a few years older than you were."
"What did you study with?" Loki asked.
Tee Gar got up to his feet then went to a drawer, opened it up, then returned to the table with a bulky yet rounded white and blue object. The panels seemed to have been well worn even aged to a point. The bright theme had been replaced by a dull gray and a faded blue that contrasted against the bright theme within the academy. It was very old but very well kept. The thin cracks that formed from being dropped had unique lines indicating that it had been super glued back together whenever it had accidentally broken into pieces.
"Earthlings call this a speak n' say," Tee Gar said. "This is a translator to every alien species in the federation."
Tee Gar slipped up layers of pages that were thick with different faces that ranged in facial features differences. He came to a stop at the back then twirled the button on the speak 'n say device then pressed it in. A strange series of unique crystal clear whistles came from the machine.
"Hello," a woman's voice came out of the machine.
"That was in Bobicki," Tee Gar said. "She just translated what it said."
"It is beautiful," Loki said. "I never heard anything like it."
Tee Gar whistled.
"How did you do that?" Loki asked.
"Practice," Tee Gar said. "A lot of it."
"Is your first tongue . . ." Loki started.
"In Standard?" Tee Gar asked. "No."
"So you are a alien," Loki said.
"So are you," Tee Gar said. "It's very different compared to this language."
"My language is similar to standard," Loki said, putting the speak 'n say back where it had been taken out of. "That could mean my family have to speak with people who communicate standard on a daily basis."
"If so, that is a reasonable theory to go on," Tee Gar said. "It's a start."
"A good start," Loki said. "Now," he looked at the padd. "Does this sound a little funny?"
Tee Gar looked at the screen then nodded.
"You haven't continued writing," Tee Gar said. "It sounds funny because you've dropped your train of thought."
"Or I lost it," Loki grimaced.
"You can find it again," Tee Gar said.
"Just like my past?"
"Finding who you are is a process. It's almost a never ending search through out your lifetime," Tee Gar said. "However short or long. There are situations that are available to you. Search yourself if you want to go there."
"If I can't find it?" Loki asked.
"Search really deep, Loki," Tee Gar emphasized. "If you get the answer there then you what to do."
"I will," Loki said.
"Then take those opportunities," Tee Gar continued. "The first step forward into a situation is a step in knowing what you want to be and how you want this event to be shaped. It's shaped by experiences." Loki nodded in agreement. "Some good, some bad, and some are in-between. Memories are a funny thing, Loki. You should ask Laura about that."
"If I get accepted to the academy I will ask her," Loki said. "How is my essay?"
"You got the introductory paragraph in. You got the next two paragraphs down to a tea about the benefits of a child remaining around the people who rescued them," Tee Gar turned his attention toward Loki. "The next two paragraphs. . . I don't know about that but it is all up to you."
Loki looked down toward the padd for the longest time.
"I don't know what to write next,"
"You are stumped,"
"What's a stump?"
"It is part of a tree that blocks a path,"
"Is it dangerous?"
Tee Gar laughed, shaking his head, bemused.
"Harmless," Tee Gar reassured. "It does nothing but be in the way."
"I get it!" Loki said.
"Uh huh," Tee Gar said. "Loki, how about you start off with differences and go from there."
"We all have different superpowers," Loki said.
"That's a good start," Tee Gar agreed.
"I am not a tree stump anymore," Loki said.
"Good," Tee Gar said. "You did mention abut being different in the first paragraph so it will work."
"How different are the rest of blue team one compared to me?" Loki asked.
"Adrian can be underestimated and be seen as a non-threatening life-form. She has her intelligence to use as a weapon. If needed." Tee Gar leaned back into the chair and his hands behind his head, clasped on the back, his elbows pointed outwards as his attention was fixated on the cieling. His lowered his attention down toward the young boy. "I have the strength of my ancestors in my blood, in my muscles, in my very being," Tee Gar continued. "Laura and Chris have a mind link because they are psi-positive twins. And that's about it. We're like the Avengers in all respects except no one recruited us."
"I got a idea how I can go from here," Loki said.
"Keep up the great work, Loki," Tee Gar said, placing his hand on the child's shoulder. "I know they will allow your admission."
"Doctor Soom please report to Sick Bay 1," came from the intercomn. "Please report to Sick Bay 1."
"I will be right back," Tee Gar said.
Tee Gar got up to his feet then walked away from the table.
"You can do this, Loki," Loki told himself as the door closed from behind him.
Loki turned toward the door, curious, then back in the direction of the padd.
"The first step forward into a situation is a step in knowing what you want to be and how you want this event to be shaped."
Loki looked up from the padd then a red star sparkled from his eyes so he vanished into thin air.