Blast From The Past (Part 1)

Posted on Tue Nov 28th, 2023 @ 6:12am by Captain Taiga Aisaka & Captain Kagami Izumi & Captain Minori Kushieda & Lieutenant Commander Ryuuji Takasu

1,793 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Christmas Time
Location: Starfleet Academy - Female Dorms - October 2378

[Starfleet Academy - Female Dorms - October 2378]

"Are you ready yet Taiga?!" a voice called through the door. At age just sixteen, Taiga Aisaka was one of the younger cadets on the campus. However she wasn't alone. Luckily for her, attending High School wasn't a mandatory requirement in Japan so instead she had worked hard to get into Starfleet Academy. Tonight there were plans to head out on the town to have some fun, they had been invited to one of the clubs in San Francisco.

Taiga was a little worried that the door bouncers wouldn't let her in. She still looked younger than she actually was, it didn't help that she was so short in stature. She did however have her Academy ID on her, and although she couldn't drink alcohol, cadets were allowed to drink synthehol.

"Yeah. I'm almost ready!" she called back as she finally finished zipping up her dress and pulled on her shoes. She emerged a few moments later to find one of her new friends standing there. The other girl, also sixteen had long purple hair and was dressed up nicely.

"About time, come on. We don't want to be late!" she said as she took Taiga by the hand.

To be continued...
"Calm down Kagami, we'll get there!" Taiga said as she was dragged along. She wasn't the 'going out' type, but that had changed when she had met Kagami Izumi only the month before. Both of them had been placed in the same dorms too and both were on the Security & Tactical course at the Academy.

It didn't take long for the freshman cadets to reach the club. They could hear the music booming away inside. It was a popular spot for most Starfleet Cadets, and even allowed the younger cadets entry. The line outside the door wasn't very long as three large bouncers stood at the door. Two of them was Human and one of them was an Andorian. They wore protective vests and also high visibility jackets so they could easily be seen.

"I don't know..." Taiga said. "What if they don't let us in?"

"Don't worry. We've got our Starfleet ID. This club lets cadets in." Kagami replied as they joined the line. Taiga couldn't help but feel nervous as she lined up behind Kagami. She eyed the people around her, many of them were older and some of them already seemed like they had been consuming alcohol. Of course she was only limited to synthehol, it had the same taste but didn't have the same effects as alcohol beverages.

Soon they had made their way down the line. Kagami being much taller got in easily, however the large Andorian put his arm out to stop Taiga. "Excuse me. You're too young to go in." He said simply. "You need to leave."

"I'm a Starfleet Cadet!" Taiga exclaimed. She could feel her temper starting to emerge.

"I highly doubt it kid. I suggest you go home!" The Andorian said now blocking her path. Taiga could feel the anger inside her starting to build up. She wanted nothing more than to knock this Andorian on his ass.

"Listen here!" she protested.

"Excuse me." A gruff voice said from behind Taiga. A much taller man was standing behind her. He looked Japanese apart from the strange narrow eyes and pupils. He towered over Taiga and also had a few inches on the Andorian. He stared at the Andorian as he stepped beside Taiga.

"What?" The Andorian asked changing his attention to this man.

"This club accepts Starfleet Cadets does it not?" the man asked, it was more of a statement than a question. The Andorian nodded in response. "Then if this young lady here is a Starfleet Cadet she should have a Starfleet Identification Card on her shouldn't she?"

The Andorian seemed a little taken aback by this man suddenly stepping in. "You should check it then. You don't know what species she is, for all you know she is just naturally short. Don't reject her before you check!" he told him. His voice was stern and his words were sharp. He didn't sound like someone who would take any nonsense from others.

The Andorian huffed and lowered his arm. "Starfleet ID Then!" he said grumpily. Taiga pulled it out of her pocket and held it up. He looked at it briefly and then let her in. "Go on then." he said. The man next to Taiga kept his gaze locked on the Andorian.

Taiga stepped through the doors into the club. The light level was lower and the music could be felt in her chest as it played away loudly. She turned to the man that followed her in. "Erm... thanks..." she said.

"No problem" the man said. He extended his hand out to her in a formal greeting. "Ryuuji Takasu. Operations Cadet."

Taiga smiled as she took his hand. His skin felt rough, like it had seen lots of physical and hard work. "Taiga Aisaka. Security/Tactical Cadet." she replied back giving him a small smile. "I'm sorry to ask, but are you also Japanese?"

Ryuuji nodded. "Yeah I am. You seem part Japanese yourself."

Taiga smiled. "I'm technically half Japanese. My mother is English and my father is Japanese. I have no place to go, so I turned to Starfleet." she explained to him.

"Ah, I see." Ryuuji replied. His voice still a little rough, but it did seem softer. "Its nice to meet you Aisaka," It was at that moment that Kagami rejoined them. She was already holding two drinks in her hands.

"Oh, who's this?" She asked.

Ryuuji looked at the purple haired cadet who had joined them. "Ryuuji Takasu," he introduced himself. "Operations Cadet."

Kagami gave him a slight bow. "Kagami Izumi. Security/Tactical Cadet. First time here?"

Ryuuji nodded at her. "Yeah. I've never been in a place like this before. I was 'encouraged' by someone to come out and meet up with them. I don't suppose you happen to know a cadet by the name of Kushieda?"

Kagami smiled. "Actually I do. She's invited a lot of people out tonight. It seems like she's a bit of a party goer." She laughed. She pointed towards the back of the club where a gathering of cadets were crowded amongst several tables. Amongst them a young woman with bright red hair and laughing as she spoke with others.

Taiga noticed that Takasu was blushing as he looked at Kushieda. "Lets go join them!" Kagami suggested as she pulled Taiga and Ryuuji along. For the rest of the night Taiga observed how Ryuuji was looking at Kusheida, however he seemed nervous or distant to go and talk or interact with her.

[Several hours later]

Taiga had taken a break and stepped out back of the club. It was coming close to midnight and she spotted Ryuuji also taking in some fresh air. The club had a balcony that overlooked the San Francisco bay. The moon cast long silver phantoms on the calm waters of the bay, the golden gate bridge was lit up like a christmas tree and the Starfleet Academy campus could be seen on the distant shores.

Ryuuji was leaning on the fence looking over the bay. Taiga couldn't help but smile as she approached him and leant against the fence too. "Nice night isn't it?"

"Huh..." Ryuuji said, he had been deep in thought. "Oh yeah, I suppose it is." He said. "You're Aisaka right?" he asked.

Taiga nodded. "Yeah. I'm surprised you nearly forgot Takasu." she said to him with a smile. "Actually, I have a question for you..."

"You do?" Ryuuji said as he turned to look back over the water. It was like he was watching for something to come into the bay, like waiting for an ocean liner to make dock.

"Yeah. I've been watching you Takasu. You like Kusheida don't you?"

Ryuuji was suddenly surprised as he jumped back from the balcony fence and turned to face Taiga. "What... What makes you say that?"

Taiga smirked as she turned to face the man. "Well, I saw it in your face. Every time you look at her, your eyes follow her every move. You blush when she gets too close, but you remain distant from her. I see how you've been looking at her... The big question is. What are you waiting for? She seems like a nice girl..."

"I'm that easy to read huh..." Ryuuji replied. "Well, yeah you're right. We have a few classes together and I fell for her the day I met her. I don't even know why..."

"Having a crush is normal." Taiga said.

"Yeah, but she's well out of my league. She's popular and social. I find it hard to make friends. Most people are turned away by these strange eyes I have. Most people think I'm some sort of thug." Ryuuji told her.

"I don't. I'm not running away. I thinik you may just be misunderstood." Taiga told him as she turned to look out over the water. "Truthfully, I'm a misunderstood too. I have a bad temper, I can be a bit stubborn and frankly I can be a pain in the ass at times. My parents hate me, and I have no home to go to. I suppose its why I'm here..."

Ryuuji smiled. "Well, you can make a new family in Starfleet. I've heard that some crews become closer than family when they've faced life and death together. Who knows, maybe one day you'll make Captain?"

Taiga began to laugh. "I doubt I'd even make Lieutenant. I'm here with no options and no future to look to, hell; I bet the kick me out before I even graduate... I can't say I didn't give it a go though."

"You can't be that bad. At least you have guts Aisaka. I can't even ask out the girl I'm crushing on."

"How about we make a deal?" Taiga asked.

That seemed to get Ryuuji's attention. "What sort of deal?"

"Well, I'm a girl. So how about I help you build up the courage to ask out Kushieda? In return, you can help me from getting kicked out. If I lose this, I might as well just give up." Taiga said as she looked down at the water averting her gaze.

She was met with silence. After a few moments she looked back up at Ryuuji who was now smiling. "Lets help each other Aisaka." he held out a hand to her much like he did before. "Shake on it?"

Taiga instead held out her pinky finger. "How about a prink promise?"

Ryuuji laughed as he looped his little finger around hers. "Deal!"

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