Starfleet Academy, 2403

Steven was unsure of what to do next, the young eighteen-year-old Vorta stood in front of Starfleet Academy. The young man in the bright yellow uniform was shorter than the average human, at about 1.68 meters and only about 58 kilograms, the young vorta was not destined for a future in security. He had decided long ago that like his mother he would be an engineer. He had studied hard for the position, and he had gotten good grades, along with tutoring from his mother K' Lara he knew he could do it. He made his way through the large doors of the academy looked down in wonder and said to himself "This is the same place that all the greats went to and today I will join them" He then came to a line to a table that said admissions, luckily the line was moving fast. While waiting, he could hear the murmurs of people passing by "What is he doing here?" "They want to join Starfleet now?" "He's a dominion spy". This disheartened him a bit, but it was nothing he hadn't heard before in his short life. After a few minutes he came to the front of the line where a tall black male Caitian looked at him with confusion for a split second before asking "Your name sir?" Steven smiled and said, "Steven Stevenson sir" The Caitian replied, "Oh yes there is a special note on here, the superintendent of the academy wants you to come to his office as soon as possible" "Where is that?" The Caitian gave clear instructions for where to find the superintendent's office and Steven thanked the man and made his way to the office. The superintendent's office was at the other end of the complex labyrinth of offices and classrooms until he came to a door with a window labeled "Superintendent Strauss" He opened the door and found himself in a small lobby with a few chairs and a large receptionist desk Infront of a large sliding door. He approached the desk and asked the Andorian secretary who was typing at a computer "Hello ma'am I'm here to see Superintendent Strauss" She looked up from her computer and asked "Name?" He gave her his name and said "Ah yes just have a seta he is in a meeting" Steven nodded and sat down in the lobby and waited.

Lindbergh Strauss was fifty years old, but he looked much younger, maybe it was his mostly jet-black hair, perhaps it was his youthful determination, but he was far from inexperienced. "Jean Luc, I am happy that you dropped by but everything is under control" Jean Luc let out a slight smile and replied "I know Lindy, if I didn't think you were up to the task, I wouldn't have recommended you, your grandfather would be proud of you and were you are right now" Strauss then instinctually rubbed the right side of his face witch while looked healthy had a slight discoloration like his skin had been damaged and replaced along with an eye patch over his left eye "I don't know if he would, him being such a lead from the front kind of man would probably not like me riding a desk, at least it's a nice desk" Jean Luc bowed his head "Yes you are right he probably would" Stauss sighed.

"Well it's better than shuffling through reports and being patronized too by well-meaning consolers, the past two years have been fulfilling at the very least" He then leaned to look out his office window to see a squad of senior cadets running drills, crawling through mud with loaded equipment under mock laser wire, running the obstacle course, and phaser rifle target practice. Strauss then turned back to Picard "Maybe my grandfather was right, the age of exploration is long gone, we have been pushed too far to go back" Picard looked down in reflection "With everything that has happened over the last half a century, it's understandable. Wolf 359, The Dominion War, The Romulan diaspora, The Mars incident, the rogue changelings, and Fronter day, maybe Richter was right, and we were too complacent to see" "Well it good to see you Jean Luc, how are Beverly and Jack" Picard smiled "They are both good Beverly is doing well and Jack is still on the G doing well, how is your family?" Strauss leaned back in his chair a bit and said "About as good as can be, Garas is doing fine, she took another leave of absence to Andoria, and she's still trying to figure out her father's medical problems she took Kilir and Lacey with her, she still bugs me about the eye, I keep telling her that I have lived with one eye for twenty-eight years, I have lived almost as long without both eyes than with them, I will not be getting a cybernetic eye" Jean-Luc nodded "I understand, everyone had their preferences"

Steven waited outside the office for several minutes when the door to the office opened and a figure dressed in black shuffled out, He looked at him not recognizing him at first. The old man took a look at Steven and then replied, "Oh hello cadet always nice to see new species join Starfleet" It was then that Steven recognized who he was but before he could say anything back Jean-Luc Picard exited the office. A few seconds later the secretary turned to Steven and said, "I think he should be ready for you now" The inside of the office was very rustic unlike other parts of the academy it looked like it hadn't changed for over two hundred years. Physical books were scattered about, and pictures and other things hung up on the wall. "Please sit" The superintendent waited for the young man to sit down and then for a few seconds he looked at him as if he was trying to read him which made Steven very nervous. It was then the Superintendent winced looking a bit embarrassed and said, "Give me a second cadet, I have to hit the head" The man then picked up the cane that sat just under his desk and made his way to the back of the office were a door was, this most likely was the bathroom. All along the Superintendent leaned on his cane as it appeared his right leg had trouble supporting its weight. When he was gone Steven was left alone in his office and glanced around the room. He squinted as he could read the books on his desk and bookshelf. Among the selection were "Diamonds Are Forever", "Infanterie greift an" "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" and many more. Steven looked at his wall which was decorated with many pictures taken at various points in the superintendent's life. One of a young man in a Starfleet cadet uniform standing next to a much older man in an admiral uniform, more pictures that looked like him at various times in his life but very few recent pictures. One that stood out was a simple picture of a young woman wearing the blue Starfleet uniform, it was the only picture of her he had. What shocked him the most was in the corner of the room on some small shelf was a Christopher Pike Medal of Valor, almost tossed aside like it didn't matter, very strange for someone as dedicated to Starfleet to toss it aside.

After a few minutes, the door to the bathroom opened and he made his way back to his chair and said "I must admit when I first looked over your application I was surprised, very good grades, only a few incidents at your lower schools, but I was not expecting a Vorta until I saw the photo on your application" Steven drew in a deep breath and said "I know me being a Vorta might an issue but I want to tell you, sir, I am as dedicated as a member of any federation species would be. The superintendent gave him a neutral expression almost as if trying to read the vorta's soft violet eyes. "Well, we in Starfleet welcome anyone of any species that is willing and able to serve, but I must ask, why do you want to be in Starfleet?" Steven paused for a moment "It's because I want to do right in the world, my mother served in Starfleet for serval years, she was the kindest person I ever met. I also want to set a good example for my species, not many people get the chance to meet a vorta in person, and often they prejudge me based on what happened long ago. I cannot blame you for doing this as Starfleet and the vorta have had a violent past that isn't easily ignored, but I think I can do some good" This seemed to satisfy the superintendent because he replied "Alright I understand, I think it's good that you have ideals, but those can only get you so far, you will have to work for the rest of the way" "He then grabbed Steven's hand and replied "Welcome to Starfleet Acadamy"