AO2 - Academy Lounge / Cafeteria / Gardens

[Maddie Allen]

The lounge / cafeteria is a large complex where meals are served and where cadets can come between assignments to relax and interact with others.

The gardens provide a peaceful environment for study and conversations.

No alcohol is served in the lounge / cafeteria, and it is strictly forbidden for cadets to consume the same on campus.
 
== This area is an open posting area for use by Star Fleet Academy (SFA) cadets, faculty, and administrators. Cadets may post outside of their training holodecks here and interact with each other and SFA staff in an informal environment.

All standard posting format rules apply here; posting here is a good chance to practice these skills.

To post in this thread a cadet must be current in their training. There should not be an academy post in your holodeck waiting for your reply while you are posting here. Same goes for Academy Instructors (AI) please. No posting done in this location will be taken into consideration when evaluating final exams or opt-out exam status.

Individuals found in violation of these simple rules will be reminded politely to make training their priority. Subsequent violations may result in loss of posting privileges in this thread.

This can really be a fun environment for you to practice posting skills that will be invaluable once you’ve graduated and entered the ‘real game’ so use this thread wisely and to your advantage. Any questions, please contact me.

This thread will be pruned monthly. ==

[Ava Baldwin]

The Academy Lounge was full of cadets and staff as usually. Ava often came here to sit and think. She found noisy areas stimulating and as often happen when she concentrated on the cacophony of sounds, the noise would disappear and in that inner silence she would begin to concentrate on a particular problem or circumstance. Today her inner silence began to concentrate on herself.

I am a Vulcan by birth and a Human/Vulcan by nature. Yet, I have never been to Vulcan. My entire life has been spent on earth.

Ava considered how strange it was that she was a Vulcan who had never visited her ‘home’ planet. Among all the Vulcans she knew and associated with she had never met anyone like her. All the Vulcans she knew were born on Vulcan and grew up there.

I am unique!... she smiled and realize that the statement proved to some extent her realization. But that thought disappeared very quickly when another thought charged into her inner space.

Each species is unique and each individual was unique.

But, still, I AM unique, just like everyone else.

Ava sipped her coffee and experience what she understood was pleasure, at that thought.

She truly was unique.

[Ava Baldwin]

Ava was truly unique.

Yes, everyone IS truly unique. This is one of the basic principles that govern the United Federation of Planet, and thus Starfleet.

Ava sat sipping her coffee.

Coffee. It was one of the good things about humanity. Ava had enjoyed coffee all her adult like. Many Vulcans did not appreciate its flavour and bitterness.

Ava's favourites coffee was a half strength Latta with one sweetener.

The noise of the cafeteria remained constant but Ava was oblivious to it as she continued to explore the position that everyone in the universe was truly unique. But training as security officer taught her that she may have to take the life of one of these unique individuals. She had read several ethical and philosophic dissertations on this subject. Ava found some of them of no use in practical scenarios. When someone was pointing a phaser at you, discussing ethics or philosophical understandings of the situation are of no use. One thing she was sure of though, the less number phaser shots you have to fire will win the day! Another way of putting it was applying only the least number of phaser shots or apply the smallest amount of physical violence that will achieve your goal. If iviolence is required at all, that is.

At that moment a Vulcan Cadet approached Cadet Baldwin.

"I am wondering why you do not sit with the other Vulcan cadets when in the cafeteria?" he said.

"For the same reason” Ava replied, “I do not sit with the human or any other of the species here in the cafeteria.” Ava answered slowly and deliberately. “I like to sit by myself, sip coffee and meditated on various subjects that take my interest. Perhaps you would like to sit with me, sip coffee and ask me more questions. You would be welcome at this table."

"I do not sip coffee. Besides I would not want to disturb you in your meditation."

"You have already done that!" Ava replied. Her assumption about the reason this cadet came and spoke to her seemed to be accurate. All he was trying to do was to depreciated her because she was not as fraternal with the other Vulcans as he thought she should. Ava had experienced this from Vulcans many times.