It's Written In The Stars (A Star Trek Fanfic)

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Riiiiiing...
Riiiiiing...

"Ugh!! Can I please practice my goddammed speech for...ten minutes?!" I groaned to an empty room, completely exasperated. "I'm not that special."

Tomorrow was my graduation day and I had yet to finish a speech for the ceremony. I'd studied at Starfleet Academy for just under four years, and at long last been given a Major in each of the classes I'd taken. Obviously, that was a really big deal. Even more obviously, I was seriously stressed out.

I brushed my dark hair away from my eyes and reached for the vibrating phone, accepting the call. "What?!"

Nobody ever called me; I wasn't even sure anyone knew my cell number beside the academy office and my parents, who never bothered to call anyway.

"Miss Quinn?" I couldn't mistake the voice on the other line. Admiral Jennings - headmaster of the Academy - was calling my cell phone at six in the afternoon!

"Admiral Jennings?!" I asked hesitantly, hoping I had incorrectly guessed who was on the other line but knowing I hadn't . What fresh hell was this?

"Yes, this is he." His voice was cool; clipped.

"I-I am extremely remorseful for answering the phone in such a disrespectful tone, Admiral. Disregard it, please; It won't happen again. I'd just become a tad frustrated with the ceremony tomorrow, Sir, although I know this is not a valid exc -"

"I certainly accept your apology, Miss Quinn. I understand the pressure that you're under."

"Thank you, Admiral. I appreciate the sympathy." I swallowed a sigh of relief. "To what pleasure do I owe this phone call?"

There was a pause, and then he cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I have some rather...disappointing news for you, and I'd like to explain in person. I would also like for you to meet me in my office."

Hell. They were going to keep me for another year so that I'd meet regulation, or only let me major in one subject. A couple of years ago another student had bypassed the norm and graduated in three years instead of four... maybe they thought they were being too lenient with the rules. I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the tears that immediately welled up there. "Now, Admiral?"

"Yes, It's a very urgent matter."

"Give me five minutes, Sir."

"Very well. I'll see you then."

The line goes dead.

"I hate it here!" I cried to an empty room. It wasn't true anyway. I loved Starfleet, even though I was alone here. In the three years that I'd been enrolled, I hadn't made a single associate. I'd been too engrossed in my work. Of course there were a few people who bothered to stick around for the articles and interviews, but no one whom I could really consider a friend. I didn't mind the solitude; I just couldn't stay here for another year. I wanted to belong to a crew and explore those stars that I'd spent years studying.

I snatched my worn Starfleet blazer up off the floor and shrugged it on, walked out of my dorm room, into the hallway, down the stairs and out onto campus grounds.