Posted by Fleet Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Academy Flashback - A stroll for two
“So the trajectory of any object follows a predictable path,” the professor drew a wide arch on the console PaDD before him at the podium, instantly appeared on the large wall PaDD behind him. The man’s voice droned on and on reminding Kelly of the environmental control unit. It was low and on some level comforting yet just loud enough you could not drown it out and fall asleep. Astro 781 Planetary Atmospheres was required but a mind-numbing course for most in the command track.

For Kelly Shultz, the lesson was completely losing her interest. Leaning to her right, she whispered to Dante, “Hey, what are we doing this weekend? Should we hit up the Lost Albatros again? I am pretty sure they won’t remember us from last time?”

“How drunk were you Kelz?” Dante paused and looked at her. “You think they won’t remember us after you made me ride that bull and you made Ric sabotage it to move at double speed? After we entered the apple bobbing contest and you lobbed a flash grenade into the Klingon’s bucket and I told him it was a matter of honor for him to continue?” He shrugged. “Yeah you’re right, they probably won’t remember us.”

“When an object moves in the predicted path several things may occur.” The monotone voice continued adding X’s and circles to the arc.

Dante stopped and looked at the screen, then leaned over to Kelly and drew an X on her PaDD among the X’s and O’s she had already drawn. “Three in a row, I win.”

Leaning to her left, Kelly whispered to Nash, “Yes you impact sed object. Hey, you up to going out with us on Saturday?”

“Do you sing like Cupids song-bird?” Nash deadpanned, and kept his head down and he studied the lines that the instructor was making. Then he frowned. Damn Dante, now all he could see was noughts and crosses.

“Now when the intended object is dis....lodged,” the professor stopped talking as the doors to the room opened creating a small disruption all eyes turned to the cadet walking in wearing medical blue. As if she belonged there, the student moved up to the podium and began speaking to the professor.

The interruption did make Nash look up and glance at the person that walked in, then look down again. Then, almost immediately, he looked up quickly.

“Hey Nash, is that,” Kelly snapped her fingers in rapid succession as she swatted to the side hitting Dante. For whatever reason the young red-head’s name was escaping her but she looked way too familiar.

“Huh?” Dante said absently. His eyes were on the redhead but the lights in his head weren’t on as he watched her walk. “Oh! um. Foxy.... Fox. That’s right? Right? Eeeeeeeemily Fox?” He drew out her name as if testing the sound of it.

“Yes Emily Fox,” Kelly nodded hearing the name. Turning her attention off of Dante and Emily now talking to the professor who seemed to be gesturing in the random direction the trio was sitting in. “What is your spring fling doing up there?”

Cadet Kelly Shutlz

“Oh my spring fling was a Sandworm whose name translates in English to Gertrude,” Nash said and at the same time, slid the PaDD into his satchel. “You should meet her, she’s a little cranky before meal time but after that really enjoys her belly rubs.”

“That,” Nash said still watching Emily. “Is the woman who stole something from me and hasn’t given it back yet,” he looked at Kelly and smiled. “Shut up, not my virginity. I can see the snark in your eyes. You think I’m a total prude just because I won’t do the fountain frenzy with you two, I know.”

“She’s here because I made her a promise.” That was true, the night in the hot tub on the desert cliff had gone on far longer than their soak in the tub. There had been dinner and dancing as well, in between Ethan making sure she believed his answer to the promise she asked him to make. “And she is here to collect.” That thought made him smile, in part because this was the first time he had seen her since she had come back from Arakis, and partly because she hadn’t left his mind since he had returned to the Academy.

Cadet Ethan Nash