Need no education

Posted on Sat Feb 15th, 2025 @ 1:05pm by Captain Rovak & T’Shan

945 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: The Serpent's Tooth [3]
Location: 0600 - MD02
Timeline: CO's Quarters, DS13

"The school tells me you have not submitted your electives for the upcoming semester. When will you provide them?" Rovak asked his daughter. They sat having a slow breakfast by a steaming pool on the balcony of their holographic patio, overlooking sunrise over a frozen moutain range below. It was a very convincing holographic recreation of the Zhai clan cabin in the Aitanovar ranges of Andoria.

She was drinking a smoothie she'd made from individually replicated ingredients. It still wasn't quite exactly like the real thing, but it was close enough. For her it was balmy in the snowy sunrise, she wore a t-shirt. "I would remind you father that I graduated with honours from the Shi'kahr advanced secondary educational institute. By Vulcan or any other species' standards, I am ready for tertiary education." T'Shan responded.

Rovak put down his padd. He was eating a macronurtient-dense breakfast burrito with his other hand. "You are 14, T'Shan. School is about more than academics."

"And I can learn those things at Starfleet academy. I have all the necessary educational credentials, all I need is parental consent and a referral from a Starfleet Captain who isn't a family member. Ambassador Velt has already offered to write one for me." T'Shan explained.

"You do not have parental consent." Rovak said plainly.

"Do you think me immature, father?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. You perhaps the most mature person of your age I have ever known. But you are still 14. Even among Andorians the age of majority is 15. You are in a legal sense, still a child. And while I raise you, you will adhere to the Vulcan age of majority, which is 16. Once that age is reached, you may make whatever decisions you choose." Rovak explained, taking a sip of the Risan juice Nurse Sharsa had recommended. He found it sweet, but agreeable, with all the best notes of Earth's tropical fruits.

"The age of majority is a specious and traditionalistic standard. Some are not so developed at 25 as others are at 16. Many 14 year olds outpace their intellectual peers from beyond Vulcan." T'Shan countered.

"Perhaps, but the age of majority is not a certainty of completeness so much as an adequate opportunity to learn. Some will never learn. I am confident you are not one of them. The academy will still be there when you become an adult. You are not there yet. And you have the wane of your childhood yet to experience. Do not be so quick to discard it in exchange for professional development." Rovak responded.

T'Shan was quiet for a long moment, though she sipped on her smoothie. "If I'm to attend a Federation school I will already have all the information they seek to impart."

"Then you can use it as an opportunity to help your classmates to learn. That is an effective premise for social interaction and development of interpersonal relationships." Rovak explained.

"You acknowledge that I will not be learning anything from this school experience?" T'Shan asked.

"Those are your words, T'Shan-kam. I think you will learn a great deal. Besides, Ambassador Creon's daughter will be in the same class. Did the two of you not get along at the opening of the spot?"

"We did, yes. She was nice, she had a nirrl-emerald ring. I had never seen one that glowed like that. I didn't think she would go to school. Or she'd go to a Romulan school." T'Shan responded, considering it.

"The Romulan school is a weekend-only optional facility. All the children in the Romulan population go to the Federation school." Rovak explained.

"I will submit my elective choices later today." T'Shan said after considering it for a few minutes.

"Very good." Rovak said, finishing his burrito, and standing. The cold of the morning was bracing, even if he had the thermal settings on his uniform up. "Do not be in a hurry to grow up. You will look back on these days with great significance as your life unfolds."

"I know, father."

"What are you doing today?"

"I have a scheduled a visit to the gym, amvhuii practice with Chief Aitrell, lunch with Ensign Meche at one of the new Klingon places. Then I'm thinking of going to the holostadium, they're doing a best of 22nd century holocinema. But I may visit hydroponics and begin a plot instead." T'Shan said. "You are going into the anomaly this morning, correct?"

"I am. Who told you?" Rovak asked.

"Nobody. I went past the Excalibur on my run, saw everybody going aboard. You're on the manifest as in command and departing at 0935." T'Shan explained, also standing as she finished her smoothie. Her antennae seemed to stretch as she tried to get the last dregs out.

"Quite astute. As you know, if anything should happen -" Rovak began, but was interrupted.

"I know. After three months I go and live with Shurlok on Haumea. I have no desire to lose you father, but I am very ready for the move. I am glad to live with you here on DS13, but it is difficult to control the feeling of regret at not being able to experience the beauty there daily as he does." T'Shan said, knowing well the plan for her to go and live with her half-brother should they fail to return from the other side.

"I will speak to you this evening." He said as he left. He saluted her in the Vulcan way, and she did likewise. Her antennae would coil and unfurl as she did so, just as her mother's had. He passed swiftly back inside the formidable cabin of metal and large transparent windows engineered into the mountainside.

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