To Be Astrid

Prologue

"It is quite the honour to have you with us, Astrid", the professor sat down in front of the young woman, her application in hand.

"Why, thank you, Professor, I was hoping you'd say that, since I have no references and no direction", Astrid shrugged with a small smile.

"Your essay is rather impressive, though. And to know that you have been taught by the Doctor and the Oracle themselves. That is quite the reference", he closed the file and put it down to look at her again.

"She said you'd say something along those lines", Astrid admitted.

"But no direction? You don't know what you want to study?", he folded his hands.

"Everything. I want to learn everything. You have a grip on them, you know what I'm trying to live up to. My parents went to the Time Lord Academy for decades. Studying everything here is as close as I can get", she started twiddling her thumbs.

"What would you intend to do with it?"

Astrid looked up with scrunched eyebrows, "I don't understand the question."

"Well, you will leave with a degree at some point. What will you do then?"

"One problem at a time. My dad always says that. Though I think he usually solves at least fifty three problems in the back of his head while he voices only one", she pondered.

"You don't know."

"Solving it in the back of my head while I voice my problem of wanting to get a spot in your programmes", she smiled.

He smiled back, somewhat amused, "Well, Astrid, don't let it be said I turned away a Time Lord when I had the chance."

He moved over to a cabinet and picked up a different file and something that looked like an advanced comm-device. He walked back over and put it on the table in front of her and showed her each of the papers.

"Your array of courses this semester, choose wisely by the end of the week. Your student ID gets you into most places, including your room, which you will be sharing with one more person. Comm device, for communication across the premises."

"Thank you, Professor", she picked up the files and moved to get up and away.

"You will have to find a designation at some point, though. You can't get a degree in nothing", he mentioned when her hand was on the doorhandles.

"I understand. But with all due respect, I'm nineteen years old. Time Lords my age can't really do much else yet. I have all the time in the universe", she smiled.

"Very well then, Astrid. I hope you'll have a good time with us", he replied, picking her file back up to move to the archive.

"Thank you, Professor. So do I."