Alright, so I've changed the entire class structure of the Academy. Instead of a high-school structure with set classes every day, I've gone for a university structure where you have two classes per subject at random times. Instead of going through the first day, we'll be following Zia through her first week.
o.O.o
Chapter 2 – First Week at the Academy Part 1
Cadets had the entire day to themselves before starting classes the very next day. Once they were settled, they gathered in the lobby for orientation. Zia particularly liked the library and the swimming pool. She walked with Tara, drawing a few strange glances.
On their first day of classes, Zia stared at the maroon cadet uniform she wore. Thick winter jacket and pants. It was the end of winter, so hopefully she wouldn't have to wear them for long. She glared at her eyebrows and ears and pulled her hair back in a high ponytail, away from her ears. It was good that she wasn't the youngest person at the Academy; there was one boy who was sixteen called Vinson. Most cadets were in their twenties.
"Come on. You don't want to miss breakfast," Tara said from the doorway. Zia took a deep breath and left the room, walking straight-backed through the corridors with Tara to the Cafeteria. This wasn't something she was looking forward to. They lined up, grabbed trays, collected food and sat at the far side, closest to the windows. All first-year cadets sat closer to the windows where they were exposed to the elements – cold, snow, rain, hail and heat. Tara and Zia sat together and were both too nervous to talk.
Zia ate quickly. Her first class started in twenty minutes. Once she was finished she dumped her tray and joined the throng of cadets heading to get their things. She made a quick stop to collect four textbooks from text hire: one on physics, one on math, one on history and one on biology. Only first-years needed textbooks, as the drop-out rate was so ridiculously high that it didn't warrant giving first-years personal PADD's for class.
In her room she brushed her teeth, packed the books in her satchel along with her notebooks, pens and tricorder. She slid the strap over her shoulder and stared in the mirror again. The mirror reflected the terror coursing beneath the surface and she bit her lip.
"I can do this," she whispered. An obvious lie.
She was the first to arrive to PHYS 101. She slipped inside the classroom and took a seat near the front, taking out her Introduction to Physics textbook and a notebook, flicking her pen cap and leaning back in her chair. The door banged open and a group of cadets entered and took their seats around the room. Chatter sounded around the classroom and Zia flipped open her map.
There were four distinct blocks to the Academy. Block-A was where all the theory work happened – physics, languages, literature, mathematics, history, genetics and many more. Block-B was where all the hands on stuff were found – astrophysics, navigation, computers, mechanics, chemistry, biology, geology, engineering and more. Block-C was completely dedicated to the study of medicine and botany, with greenhouses, virtual environments and the infirmary to boot. Block-D was more commonly used for the athletics program, the combat and self-defence classes; complete with a gym and pool, but it also had virtual ship environments where cadets could get used to the idea of what it was like to serve aboard a Starship. There were four different sets of dorms – two for men and two for ladies – and were organised by seniority. The building that joined everything together was the Cadet Union Building, which was where every cadet went to collect supplies, textbooks, and it even had a bank so they could collect money when they decided to go out.
Zia decided that she liked the Academy. She liked it very much.
A bell rang out, signalling that classes had officially started for the year. Another group of cadets raced through the door and took seats near the back, where they could observe the whole class. Zia tapped her knee with her pen and stared at her desk, waiting for the professor.
The chair next to her was pulled back and a Bolian sat there. Zia's eyes widened. She'd seen pictures, but that was nothing compared to seeing a real one. His skin was midnight blue, a ridge ran from the back of his head to his nose and he had no hair.
"Hello," he said warily, "I'm Blair Turon."
"Zia Abbott," she replied smoothly, reaching out her hand. He couldn't be much older than her, but with Bolians you couldn't be sure. "What do you think of the Academy?"
"It's pretty cool," he shrugged. Then he got a better look at the pointed ears. "You're VULCAN?!"
At his shout, all eyes in the classroom turned to her. They stared freely at her arched eyebrows and pointed ears. Vulcans were rare at the Academy, since they generally stayed on Vulcan and joined the science programs there. Not that anyone minded. People called her an emotionless robot; a pointy-eared, green-blooded hobgoblin. Then they'd been shocked at the destroyed look on her face. Zia had not gone through the rites of passage that other Vulcans had gone through. She was… different.
She said nothing. Just looked back down at her desk in shame.
Blair lowered his gaze, his cheeks darkening. Right at that moment the door to the classroom opened again and the professor strolled through, a hood drawn right up to cover their head. They brushed snow from their shoulders and turned, hanging it on a hook made specifically for jackets. Zia kept her eyes down as they stepped up to the lectern. Whispers broke out all around her and her paranoia kicked in. They were talking about her. They were plotting against her.
"Welcome to your first year at the Starfleet Academy," the professor began. "I am Professor Spock, and I am your physics professor. When I call your name, please put your hand up." There was a rustling sound as he probably brought out his list. "Abbot, Zia?"
She raised her hand silently, not looking away from her boots. She just wished that her social life wasn't in constant jeopardy because of her race. Thankfully she could always devote herself to her studies, like she'd always done. That was the main reason that her aptitude test results had been so high, eventually getting her accepted into the Academy. A slight smile played across her face and she finally looked up at Professor Spock. Wha…?
Her physics professor was a Vulcan.
Okay. That's weird. Breathe, just breathe. She took a deep breath and focused on him. No wonder why the whispers had broken out. With a Vulcan professor and classmate, there was the risk of favouritism. However, from what little she knew of Vulcans, that would not be the case. She was just another cadet.
After he finished attendance, he tugged a pile of papers from his satchel and handed them out to the class. "This is your course outline for the term," he said. "It gives you a general consensus of what is required for this term of work."
Course Outline: PHYS 101
Week 1 – Classical Physics
Week 2 – Atoms
Week 3 – Mechanics
Week 4 – Heat
Week 5 – Light and Other Radiation
Week 6 – Sound
Week 7 – Electricity
Week 8 – Magnetism
Week 9 – Properties of Matter and Energy
Week 10 – Assessment on previous nine topics
Zia received hers and stared at the single sheet.
A groan emanated through the class, but Zia remained silent. They had two classes a week and classes were two hours long. That gave them four hours to study each topic, not including study time.
"Excuse me, Professor?" One of the other cadets raised their hand. "What is the general exam schedule?"
"All exams are two hours long," Spock explained. "They will take place over the space of a week, with several being sat in one day. Quite often, there will be exams before and after class hours to accommodate the number of courses. As there are sixty courses per year, not including Starfleet Medical Academy, the whole Academy is under a strict regime for the entire week. In the weeks before assessment, I will be letting you know what is accepted for your physics exam, as the other professors will be doing with your other classes."
After he finished, Professor Spock pulled the lectern aside and flicked the projector on, sending images scattering across the wall behind him.
Professor Spock pulled the lectern aside and flicked the projector on, sending images scattering across the wall behind him. He began to talk about the formation of physics on different planets throughout the Federation, emphasising Earth and Vulcan. His voice was melodic, and every word imprinted itself into Zia's mind.
"Now, what are the three laws of motion that are widely accepted among Federation physicists?"
The sudden question caught Zia off-guard and her mind went blank. It was Blair who raised his hand.
"The first law states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest and that an object in uniform motion tends to stay in uniform motion unless acted upon by a net external force. The second law states that an applied force on an object equals the rate of change of its momentum with time. The third law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."
"Good work Mister Turon," Professor Spock said impassively. "Can anyone tell me the effects that these laws can cause?"
Before she could talk herself out of it, Zia punched her hand in the air. "This kind of physics is meant to be universal," she said quickly. "For example, the second law applies both to a planet and to a falling stone. The vector nature of the second law addresses the geometrical relationship between the direction of the force and the manner in which the object's momentum changes. Before these laws, it had typically been assumed that a planet orbiting the sun would need a forward force to keep it moving, but instead that all that was needed was an inward attraction from the sun."
Professor Spock kept his eyes on her face the entire time, listening to her without a change in expression. He was silent when she finished. Had she gotten it wrong?
"You are very well informed, Miss Abbott," he said, slowly and purposefully. He seemed to see right into her, to pick through her mind as their gazes were locked. Then the connection was broken, and he looked down at the lectern, taking up the Introduction to Physics textbook. "Would Miss… Lenika please read page three, paragraph six."
The cadet in question began to read and the rest of the class passed in a daze. When Professor Spock assigned them homework Zia almost didn't hear it, but she focused just in time.
"Homework: one page on the theory of classical physics and its properties, to be expected on Thursday." The bell rang, and Professor Spock turned around to gather up his things. Zia blinked and shoved her own things inside her satchel. She'd taken several important dot points in that lesson and hopefully they would help her with the exam at the end of the term. There would be four exams for every class, one at the end of each term, and her average would be decided on how well she did on each of those exams in every class.
Classical physics and its properties… She would have to go to the library. Zia zipped up her satchel, slung it over her shoulder and pulled up her hood. A cold wind blew through the corridor and she went to the library to fill up the next four hours until her next class. She completed the homework task in twenty minutes and spent the rest of her time reading her physics textbook. When it got close to two o'clock, she left the relative safety of the library and made her way to the Compound. She couldn't see much sun through the white sky, but it had darkened considerably despite how early in the afternoon it was.
The pool was the biggest Zia had ever seen. She knelt beside it and dipped in her fingertips. The water wasn't as cold as it was outside. She joined the other cadets in the lockers and sat quietly in the corner, waiting for everyone to change and leave. It often shocked her how women could be so open and unashamed of their bodies. Only when she was the last one in the locker did she finally change into her swimmers and wrap a towel around her middle.
When she emerged into the larger Compound, she marvelled at the countless different activities. There were cadets playing volleyball, doing weights, running, exercising on the mats and doing what she wanted to do. The Athletics Program allowed them to do any physical activity they wanted in the Compound. All they had to do was reach a certain energy output and they'd met the requirements for the class.
Sliding into the pool, Zia marvelled at the sensation of the smooth water against her bare skin. Compared to other cadets, she was as pale as the moon; unblemished marble. Not even the heat of Utah could give her a tan that many of her peers so desperately wanted. She hated it. Her porcelain skin was just another of her Vulcan features and no amount of time in the sun could change that.
She got into a lane and sprung off the edge, moving into a smooth butterfly stroke, her arms reaching over her head, plunging into the water and coming back out in a rhythmic circular motion. The constant, familiar movement was relief from a tense day. She knew better than anyone that first days were the worst. Things were supposed to get better towards the end, and she believed that. Her education was ending, and the Academy was the deep breath before the plunge. Where things would be better. Energy surged into her veins, seemingly bottomless. This was normal for her. When she swam, she was tireless, but once she got out the fatigue would set in and she would feel tired. For now, though, she enjoyed the empowerment. Water was her element – the place where she went to escape from everything. Ocean, lake or pool: it didn't matter.
Time had no meaning and she continued to swim, up and down, up and down, up and down, until a sound penetrated her consciousness. Confused, she stopped mid-stroke and rubbed her hands over her face.
The last echoes of the bell disappeared, and the other cadets scrambled to get to the change rooms first. Zia waited for the rush to finish and floated aimlessly in the water. She dragged her hand along the surface and watched the ripples spread across and then dissipate. Once she'd judged it had been long enough, she left the pool and went to the empty showers.
She sat alone at dinner that night. That was nothing new. The steamed vegetables were tasteless in her mouth and she swallowed the rubbery food with difficulty.
Day one down.
o.O.o
At midday, Zia entered her anthropology classroom and slid silently into a seat. A few people glanced at her ears but looked away quickly. The professor entered seconds before the bell rang and put her bag on a table to the side. She was aged, unlike Professor Spock's obvious youth, her black hair peppered with grey and her face lined.
"Good morning," she said brightly, "and welcome to Cultural and Social Anthropology! I am Professor Moriarty, and I will be your professor for the term. Let's start by calling out the roll." She opened a book. "Abbot, Zia."
So, it was going to be like this every lesson. After the roll was called, Professor Moriarty began their topic for the week – Ferengi.
Course Outline: ANTH 101
Week 1 – Ferengi
Week 2 – Axanar
Week 3 – Betazoid
Week 4 – Bolian
Week 5 – Orion
Week 6 – Romulan
Week 7 – Andorian
Week 8 – Bajoran
Week 9 – Klingon
Week 10 – Assessment on previous nine topics
"Ferengi culture is characterised by a mercantile obsession with profit and trade, and their constant efforts to swindle unwary customers into unfair deal," she began, handing out some photos. "They are also known for their business acumen and for rampant misogyny. Their home planet, Ferenginar, is the centre of the Ferengi Alliance and it governed by the Grand Nagus and a Commerce Authority made primarily of the Council of Economic Advisors, formerly Board of Liquidators. Like most of their culture, their religion is also based on the principles of capitalism: they offer prayers and monetary offerings to a 'Blessed Exchequer' in hopes of entering the 'Divine Treasury' upon death, and fear an afterlife spent in the 'Vault of Eternal Destitution'. Our main focus for this week is the development of the Ferengi culture…"
o.O.o
The professor for her Introduction to Federation History class was a Betazoid, identifiable by his ink-black eyes. He was friendly and had the entire class laughing. Even Zia cracked a smile. He assigned them a one-thousand-word essay on the first contact between Earth and another species and they had until Thursday to complete it. Dinner was at six and she wolfed down some food and returned to her room to do the essay.
The room was empty, which she was thankful for, and she sat cross-legged on her bed and poured over her textbook for the relevant information.
Tara hadn't returned by the time Zia finished her essay. She closed her notebook and stared at the wall absently. The silence ended when her communicator vibrated on her bedside table and she pressed it to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey honey, how are you?"
"Mum! Hi! Yeah, I'm good. Just finished my second day."
"I can't tell you how proud I am," her mother said. "Patty! Come here, I got a hold of Zia."
Her father's voice came over the communicator. "You tell her that her old man is proud. Sweetheart, don't let anyone let you down! Your mother and I will support you no matter what, and we're so proud of you for making it into the Academy. Do our family name good."
"I will dad."
"So how were your first couple days?" her mother asked.
"My roommate is nice. Her name is Tara Dillard. I liked my physics class and I haven't had a chance to do biology or maths. The library and pool are amazing. I wish you were here." Unexpected tears pricked the edge of her eyes and she wiped them away.
"There, there honey. You wouldn't want us old folk to spoil your time. Just do us proud and bring back your top marks and don't worry what other people think! Will you be coming home for spring break?"
"I'm not sure yet. But I'll let you know what's happening."
Her mother's tone softened. "You take care of yourself, you hear?"
"I will, mum."
"Good. Well, it's getting late and you probably have work to do. Good night honey!"
"Good night mum."
"Night sweetheart!" her father yelled.
"Goodnight dad."
Her communicator switched off and Zia sighed and got ready for bed. She laid there in darkness for hours and was still awake when Tara returned just before midnight. She helped her tipsy roommate into bed and returned to her own. Only then did she fall asleep.