<USS Avalon> "Pass or Fail"

"Pass or Fail"
Lt. First Class Georgia Lewis
2006:11:27   
Class was over and Georgia was extremely  grateful for that. They had just 
finished finals and her grade would determine  if she could put MD behind her 
name or not. The instructor had already informed  the class that she wouldn't 
have the grades until the next day. One more day and  then she would know if it 
had all been worth it.
 
She had done all she could. Studied as  hard as she could, attended all 
opportunities for extra credit. She was almost  50% sure she had passed. Still 
she 
wasn't going to rest on her laurels until she  knew what was going on. Instead 
she decided to take this opportunity to try to  clear her mind.
 
Walking across the quad she noticed that  other students were studying or 
just enjoying the warm weather. The warm air  felt good on her face. It 
certainly 
beat the recycled air in the classrooms. She  realized that different races 
had different needs but she sure wished that they  had been able to open the 
windows. She took her time walking to her quarters.  She was savoring the 
weather. People would look at her as she passed by,  wondering what she was 
doing at 
the academy but she just let the looks  pass.
 
Reaching her building she nodded at a few  students as she made her way to 
her room. It was a small room, actually a  tad bit smaller than her quarters 
had 
been on the Avalon. She had made them  do. Anything was worth it, if it got 
her back to the Avalon as Dr. Lewis instead  of Nurse Lewis. She couldn't wait 
to be free of the academy and able to spend  time with Eliza Mae. She has had 
a taste for Pecan Pie and who better to make it  with than your best friend.
 
The only problem was that Eliza didn't  have a computer system in her home, 
so there was no real fast way to contact  her. Still she sat at her desk and 
wrote a letter explaining that she would be  visiting in the next few days and 
to make sure she had all the ingredients for  Pecan pie available. Pausing she 
thought back to the last time the two of them  had made a pie, it had become 
an arguing match. Each woman thinking that their  pie was the original. 
Finishing the letter she paged a courier  who would deliver it to Tennessee 
where Eliza was.
 
With that out of the way, Georgia took a  quick refreshing shower and changed 
into something more comfortable. Now that  she was comfortable she decided to 
go back out to the quad. She replicated a  dinner of fried chicken, mashed 
potatoes, corn and a salad. She also took a  pitcher of iced tea. Gathering her 
food she made her way to the quad and a quiet  place to eat.
 
As she was spreading out her blanket she  was approached by an elderly man 
who was dressed in green coverall's. "Ma'am,  you are setting your blanket on 
my 
freshly planet grass. Can't you see that it  is new grass?"
 
Chucking Georgia looked at the man who had  to be close to 100 yrs old. "Oh 
Boothby why don't you take a chill pill or  something. I'm not hurting your 
precious grass. In fact why don't you join me  for dinner. I have more than 
enough here."
 
"Woman I cannot be bribed. You need to  move your blanket immediately. You 
are killing the grass."
 
"I will move only if you join  me."
 
Boothby sighed, "If that is what it is  going to take to get you off my grass 
than so be it. He watched as Georgia  picked up her blanket and moved to a 
more appropriate place. At least according  to Boothby. Spreading out the 
blanket, again, she sat down and started to set  out the food. She motioned for 
Boothby to have a seat.
 
As the food was laid out, Boothby managed  to find a place to sit. Previewing 
the food, he nodded his acceptance of the  repast. He had heard of Georgia's 
cooking before she arrived and he was actually  looking forward to the meal.
 
Holding a piece of chicken in one hand and  a roll in the other Boothby 
looked at Georgia. "Aren't you a little old for the  academy? I mean no offense 
but 
it's not often we get someone your  age."
 
Laughing Georgia smiled. "No offense  taken. I returned to the academy to 
work on finishing my medical degree. The  time seemed appropriate so I took the 
opportunity and seized it. Hopefully I  will find out tomorrow if all the work 
has been worth it." What if I don't  pass and have to return to the Avalon as 
a nurse? Not that there is anything  wrong with being a nurse but I would have 
failed in my goal and that is not  acceptable. 
 
Nodding his head, his mouth full of  chicken Boothby looked at Georgia. After 
swallowing and taking a drink he  cleared his throat. 'I am sure you will do 
just fine. Where do you want to  be assigned once you graduated?"
 
"That is easy for me to answer. I am  planning to return to the USS Avalon-C. 
I have served on the previous two  Avalon's and I intend on serving on the 
third one. Admiral Ketchum informed me  before I left that I would always be 
welcome back. I have a few good friends on  the Avalon and I miss them 
terribly."
 
"So you know Keith Ketchum? I still  remember him from his time at the 
academy. He was constantly running from place  to place, never on time. I am 
surprised he even graduated. He did run in the  academy marathon and came in 
second. 
He would've come in first if he hadn't  fallen over that stupid rock. But that 
is another story. Now you tell me he is  an Admiral? The world never ceases 
to amaze me."
 
Laughing at the sight of Keith Ketchum  falling over a rock was more than 
Georgia could take. "He is a good man. I'm not  surprised he was promoted to 
Admiral. Nor am I surprised that his XO Skyler was  promoted to Captain. She is 
part of the reason I am here. I helped to raise her  when her parents were 
killed."
 
"Ah yes. Cadet Skyler. Moody one she was.  Always kept to herself. Never one 
to cause trouble like others I know. If I am  not mistaken didn't she graduate 
from Starfleet Medical? Now you say she is XO  of the Avalon."
 
"Yes she started out as CMO and with a lot  of hard work she managed to move 
up to XO. She has been fair and had her share  of troubles. She recently found 
out she had a sister she didn't know she had. It  caused her all kinds of 
problems but in the long run they became friends. Then  she became an Aunt, 
which 
was a totally new experience for her. Unfortunately  she hasn't had the 
chance to become acquainted with her niece as her sister left  the Avalon and 
returned to Earth. Any way enough of this reminiscing. It is all  well and 
good, 
but at times painful." Georgia looked far way as she thought of  Skyler.
 
Finishing his meal, Boothby stood up.  "Thank you dear lady for the wonderful 
meal. I am afraid I must leave and finish  my work. I am sure you did fine on 
your exams and that by this time tomorrow you  will be a Doctor."
 
"Thank you Boothby. I wish I was as  confident as you are. I will deal with 
whatever comes. I will be sure to look  you up and let you know the outcome." 
Georgia watched as Boothby headed back  across the quad. She remained where she 
was and contemplated what she would do  when she got the results.

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