The BLTS Archive - Academy Years
by Quadrantje (quadrantje@hotmail.com)

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Disclaimer: the universe and all that's in it does not belong to me, neither 
am I making money of this. So if you're not here to read and review, you have no 
business here. 

A/N: this is a companion piece to Academy Days, though it works as a stand-alone 
too. Academy Days is almost three years old, and I never meant to write a sequel 
to it, but I guess going to university myself urged me to write something of this 
nature. Enjoy.

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As I dismiss my students for their coffee break, hearing them erupt into chatter 
almost immediately, I start going through my notes for my next class. Though I 
usually don't pay attention to the conversations of the cadets – it feels too 
much like eavesdropping and most of it's not too fascinating anyway – today I'm 
suddenly interested. I don't know whether it's the whisper in their voices that 
catches my interest or their collective talk about a 'her'.

At first I think they're talking about me, that half awed, half fearful tone 
reminding me of my first days on Voyager. But when I look up I see they're 
talking about another 'her'.

A girl, about the same age as my students, but without a Starfleet uniform on, 
her eyes and dark hair immediately letting me know who she is, is sitting on the 
front row, seemingly undisturbed by the mutterings of those around her. But I 
see how stiffly she holds herself while pretending to review her notes, and I 
know it's a pretence.

When most of the cadets have cleared out, I go to her. She looks up just as I 
reach her desk, and her face breaks into a smile.

"Oh hi, Seven! Mom told me to invite you to dinner with us and dad tonight." I 
tell her I'd love to see the Captain and Commander again, at which she laughs.

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The End