A Welcome Departure

The California sun shone high in the sky and down on the blue green waters of San Francisco Bay and Starfleet Academy. With the Golden Gate Bridge hanging in the background Terix walked rapidly across the neatly manicured ground of Starfleet's long standing institution where officers such as Kirk, and Picard had walked their first steps toward illustrious careers.

Terix himself had no thoughts of cavorting across the galaxy just now though. He had been directed, for what seemed like the hundreth time, to report to the Academy security office. The Romulan also knew that he was being summoned, not because he had done anything wrong, but because he would inevitably be interviewed by an officer from Starfleet Intelligence...again.

Starfleet's information gathering organization had hounded Terix since the moment he submitted his Academy application. They questioned, investigated, and questioned again his every movement and he sometimes believed his own personal thoughts. He was honestly surprised they hadn't employed a Vulcan or a Betazoid to try and read his mind. Each time they found nothing, no subversive motives or covert actions, and no sabotage or ill intent, just a Romulan trying to make his own way in the galaxy.

Nor would they find anything, with Romulus destroyed any record of Terix either before or after Hobus went supernova was just as gone as the people he once belonged to. Still, Terix indulged the probing questions and occasional inflammatory remarks from the "intelligence" officers mostly because he had no choice. It was made perfectly clear to him that if he refused to participate he would simply be expelled from the Academy and left to fend for himself on Earth.

So once again he walked past the two armed security guards and entered the security office stopping in front of the reception desk to announce himself. "Cadet Terix reporting as ordered." The human woman seated behind the desk looked up from her padd and acknowledged his presence.

"Yes, Cadet Terix, please go in, the commander is expecting you."

Terix nodded and and walked past her desk and through the door beyond. Inside there were two humans both wearing uniforms bearing the rank of commander waiting for him. One with neatly combed light blond hair who Terix recognized as the Academy security chief Commander Garity and the second had short black hair whom Terix knew as Commander Ryan of Starfleet Intelligence. Both men looked toward him as he entered the room, and Terix stopped in front of them and stood at attention.

"Cadet Terix reporting as ordered Sir."

Terix tone was neither overly submissive nor did it have any fear in it. It was the respectful tone that he had learned long ago Starfleet officers expected to hear when they were addressed.

"At ease Cadet," Commander Garity responded.

"Welcome back Terix," Commander Ryan said with a friendly tone as Terix relaxed his posture clasping his hands behind his back.

"Ah Commander Ryan," Terix responded "Good to see you again Sir."

"Is it Cadet?" Ryan responded

"Of course Sir," Terix replied dryly "I do enjoy our meetings, how many is it now? Twenty? Thirty?"

"Cadet," Garity interjected "You are speaking to a Starfleet officer, and if you hope to be one I would watch your tone."

Ryan held up a hand.

"It's fine Mike, Cadet Terix and I are well acquainted, aren't we?"

"Far better than I would prefer...Sir." Terix replied

"So," Ryan said "the Commandant tells me you are transferring to Lotus Fleet Academy for your senior year."

"Yes Sir, I am."

"That's quite the prestigious place to be finishing out your studies."

"That is my understanding, yes."

"You know they've had trouble with Romulans there."

"I was not aware Sir."

Ryan nodded

"It seems Sela and her troops tried to take over the base."

Terix did not react to the Commander's statement, but in fact he detested Empress Sela at his core. She represented all that had been wrong with the old Romulan Empire.

"I presume since I am going there that they didn't succeed." Terix replied.

Ryan smiled

"No, they did not. Does that bother you?"

"No Sir. Why would it? Because I am Romulan? Sela does not represent all Romulans Sir."

The human nodded again.

"I see. Well, that's good to know. Did your family serve the Empire Cadet Terix?"

"I believe we have talked about this before Commander. You know my father was a security officer."

"Yes, I remember now," Ryan replied nonchalantly. "what about you, Cadet? Did you serve the Empire?"

It was question Ryan had asked Terix multiple times and Terix gave the same answer each time.

"Not to the best of my knowledge Sir."

"You don't remember?"

"I did not serve the Romulan Star Empire Sir."

This was the game that Terix and Ryan had played over and over. Sometimes the questions were the same and sometimes they were slightly different, but all of them had the same goal. Ryan and Starfleet Intelligence were trying to get him to admit that he was a former Romulan Empire officer or perhaps even an agent of the Tal Shiar. They had no proof, not one iota of data to support those suppositions but they made them just the same, and wanted desperately to get him to admit they were right. Terix was unphased however, and he knew that deeply frustrated Ryan.

The questions droned on, covering all previous covered topics. Where had he come from? What did he do before coming to Earth? How did he get to Earth? All answers that Terix had given dozens of times to the point that they almost sounded rehearsed when they came out of his mouth. Terix endured it however until finally Ryan conceded.

"Alright Cadet, I think we are done here. I believe you have a ship to catch."

Terix came to attention again

"Thank you Sir, I will miss our meetings when I graduate."

"I'm sure you will," Ryan replied "you're dismissed."

Terix made a precision about face and left the office, leaving Commander Ryan with no more knowledge than he had four years ago when they had their very first meeting. Terix made his way back across the Academy grounds to his dorm and retrieved his duffel bag that held the meager personal possessions he had and his cadet uniforms. Then he proceeded to transporter room in the Academy's main wing. Terix waited his turn before handing his orders to the trasnporter operator who looked at him and then the orders.

"Please step on the pad while I contact the ship."

Terix complied and stood on the transporter pad for several minutes before the operator finally addressed him again.

"The ship will beam you aboard, stand by."

Before Terix could ask the operator why he wasn't beaming him to the ship a beam gripped him and when he re materialized he was on the bridge of a Starfleet vessel. Like most Starfleet ship's the bridge was pristine, several holographic displays were lit up with various data overlays, and officers milled about accomplishing their assigned tasks. Terix was standing directly in the center of the command area and seated in the command chair in front of him was a Bajoran captain who smiled at him.

"Cadet Terix I presume." the captain said rising from his chair.

Terix came to attention as he knew he as expected to.

"Yes sir, reporting as ordered."

"Good, we can get underway then. Have a seat Cadet." the bajoran gestured to the open XO's chair. "I am Captain Oseno, welcome aboard the USS Discovery. I apologize for the abruptness, but we have a time table to meet. Mister Hunter," Captain Oseno said to the human at the ship's helm "punch it."