Striker found his quarters finally and entered. He was amazed at the simple ,yet compared to the academy almost luxurious rooms he found himself in.

He walked over to the replicator.

“Rootbeer, ice cold.*

He took the beverage, sipped it and placed it on the small round table.

He placed his holdall next to the cup and opened it.

He took a small photo-pad and looked around the room for somewhere to place it. He figured on the shelf opposite him would look good. The photo-pad flickered to life and slowly flicked between images of his family and friends from the academy.

John momentarily became lost in thought as he saw Cadets Brenham & De Souza flash up both grinning widely at their third year party.

John realized he had allowed his mind to almost go there and so he returned his attention to his holdall

He took a small black box with the Starfleet logo on top and carried it into the bedroom. He stuffed the box into a recess inside of a cupboard door.

It dawned on him that since all of the various appointments he’d been required to make that he was actually very tired.

He threw himself onto the bed and drifted off to sleep.....

• Ens Striker (Sec)