“Of course,” the counselor responded to her request as she approached the replicator. “One water, chilled.” She grabbed the glass once the shimmer had ended, chuckling to herself at the number of people who chose water. She set the glass on the end table near Amy and then seated herself, crossing one leg over the other and looking at the daisies.

“I agree,” she said, brushing a finger across a petal. “‘Common white flower’ they chose to call it, but it evokes something in almost everyone. That is uncommon.” She turned back towards the young cadet and eyed her. “Relax, Amy,” she said with a smile. “You wouldn’t be here if Starfleet didn’t think you were ready. That’s not what this is. This,” she spun a finger about the room, “is for me to get to know you, so I can best help support you in your time on the ship.”

She sipped her cocoa and lifted the PADD she had been reading, more it seemed as a gesture than to actually read it. “I have, of course, already read your file, but that’s just… data,” she said, dropping it back on the side table. “So, lets start with… your brother, Joshua. Siblings in the Academy at the same time isn’t unheard of, of course, but twins is. What was that like?” she asked with a grin.

Lt. Cmdr. Lofton - CNS

Joshua. Of all the things she could start with, it had to be her twin brother. Amy took a sip of water out of her glass and set it to the side. “The first word that comes to mind is challenging.” Amy began as she crossed her legs and settled back to continue speaking. “Being a twin, there are many similarities between us, but the differences are staggering. My brother is very outgoing and somewhat boisterous in his actions. Of course, that always lead to tension between us, especially during classes that we had together.”

After a small pause, she continued. “Josh has an unfortunate burden upon him, though. He carries this expectancy of being a ‘tried and true’ starfleet officer just like our father. Josh practically lived in the shadows of him while growing up.”

-Cadet Amy Anderson / Science - USS Challenger -