Prelude To Titanic || Book VIII ~UNDER SERIOUS EDITING

17| I Can Do Zat: Part I ~UNEDITED

*Time jump; occurring earlier that same day, just a little while after classes at the Academy have ended for the day.

*Russian terms italicized. Translation in boldface.

Paulina Chekov's POV

After clearing the smartboard of the day's lesson, I collapse into my desk chair with a huge sigh of relief.

Exams ended last week, but since there are a couple weeks until commencement, Admiral Roddenberry sent a message to all professors the previous night, instructing us to have extra lesson plans prepared as 'busy work' for tge cadets.

I, known for being a huge procrastinator, haven't made out a lesson plan, but instead decided to wing it until the end of the term.

I think of what my students have been saying about some of my other coworkers's activities; mainly the Rikers:

'Admiral Riker gave us this scenario where our ship had crash-landed on this deserted planet in the middle of Romulan space, and our life support systems were down. We had to come up with ways to save the lives of the crew and personnel, even if it meant risking our own lives in the process'. Cadet Winslet, a third-year, had recalled to me during fifth period.

'Today Professor J.Riker took us to the Holodeck, where we created our final constellations for the school year. I created Socrates, my favorite Greek Philosopher, said Cadet Palmyr, a talkative fourth-year in third period before illuminating the room in a sea of stars.

"The Rikers are on the roll this veek," I comment, "although I can't say I'm surprised. Jean-Lucus told me in first period Deanna has her fourth-year Diplomacy students finishing up those peace treaties they were writing."

I then think to two of my best friends, Trenton McCoy and Han Sulu, both who, like Jacob Riker and I, decided to take jobs at Starfleet Academy instead of leaving for space with the rest the Class of 2390 graduates.

Trent, from what he told he when I'd asked him that morning, has got a bunch of un-dissected specimens lined up, as they'd be going through the rest of the year's supply of Gorn today.

Han has his cadets competing against one another in fencing matches over at the recreation facility (which is completely irrelevant to piloting, his field of specialization), or battling with German fighter planes in a Holodeck simulation of World War Two.
Then it hits me. Instead of planning some boring review questions from those ancient textbooks down in storage like I had been thinking, I decide to come up with soemthing a little more hands-on.

"Computer," I say, "reserve a program on Holodeck #6, under ze name ChekovMaria16570P."

The computer beeps in response.

"OK, first off, I'll need a Constitution Class ship, I von't go into specifics, so just give me something similar to ze Enterprise NX-01, commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer back in ze 22 century."

"Next, I'll need twenty-five copies of ze blueprints to Zephram Cochrane's original warp engine as well as ze materials needed to replicate it. Zat'll be for ze fifth years. Zey vill work on these for ze remainder of ze year."

"For fourth years, I'm gonna a modern Klingon Bird of Prey, along with an updated versionsm of the Klingon warp core and a generous amount of the dilithium crystals that will be needed to power it."

"And for ze third years-"

"Correction," the computer says, "modern Klingon starships use a tritium intermix in their reactors, which has to be-"