Jim sat on the shuttle that transported them from Earth to Vulcan. He looked at his roommate and friend, "So will it be hard?"

"Will what be hard?" The cadet responded.

"Vulcan training, you have BEEN to Vulcan right, Mutt?" Another cadet said as he laughed.

This caused the entire shuttle to laugh. The young cadet just sighed and fell into a deep period of silence. He was not looking forward to this exercise for more than just the fact he was the outcast among humans. In this case he would also be the outcast among Vulcan's and that disturbed him more.

"Ignore him. He won't be laughing when you are serving on the best ship in the fleet." Jim said as he gave the jokester a glare.

The young cadet just looked at his friend and then back down to his lap where a picture of his family sat. He longed to see his mother, but with his tight schedule he was sure it would not be at all possible.

"Your parents?" Jim asked as he looked at the picture.

The cadet nodded. "My mother and father, I have not seen either of them since I joined Starfleet." The one fact he regretted.