The Gates

Posted on Sun Feb 23rd, 2025 @ 1:17am by Captain Taiga Aisaka

995 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Younger Years

There it stood like a palace in front of her. The pearly white buildings that stood against the baby blue sky and shite fluffy clouds. This was no ordinary complex of buildings, they were far more than steel, concrete and glass. Indeed, for these buildings changed the life of everyone who walked through those gates, some for the better, some for the worse. But it was guaranteed that your life would change opnce you take your first step onto this hallowed sacred ground.

There she stood, a young woman, her light brown hair running down her back and her hazel eyes twinkled as she stood in awe at the size of the buildings that stood in front of her. This was the start she had been working forward to for many years, to put that first foot in the right direction. Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum, striking against her ribcage as the fire in her stomach began to build up. What was she going to find beyond these gates?

She repositioned the duffle bag that was being carried by a shoulder strap. Even though she hadn't packed many of her personal belongings, it was still heavy and strained the muscles in her shoulder. However the adrenaline was running hot through her veins and she found herself walking. With ever footstep she gained closer to those gates, ever meter she travelled brought her closer. Her eyes remained fixed forward as she approached the tall gates, and the buildings beyond.

It was as if she was transfixed on her destination. A strange urge was pushing her forward along with the rest of the people on this long paved path. She was being pulled like a magnet towards those gates, as if this was where she was meant to belong; where she was meant to be. This was her destiny.

All the years of abuse, the lonliness she could put behind her. Those dark shadows were still tethered to the souls of her shoes. She could feel them pulling her back. Their smoke and darkness scratching at her heels, digging into her legs, ripping open her skin as they prevented her from walking forward. Those shadows tried to hold her back, but her detemination and strength was far too great. Those old shadows clawed at her, tried to hold her back, keep her contained within their darkness and despair. However the light of those gates called stronger.

As she walked, one step a time towards the gates. She could hear those shadows call out to her. Calling for her to come back, for her not to head towards the gates. She wasn't a child of light, she was raised in the darkness. All she had evern known was the despair, the lonliness and the abuse. The cruel world that had been formed around her. She had nothing to lose, yet those shadows continued to claw at her skin. Their nails and long sharp bones ripping through her pale skin, her blood running down her arms and legs as she pushed forward.

She stopped.

The darkness still cluthing to her heels tightened its grip. It seemed to enevelope her, like it was some sort of warm welcoming blanket. A familiar scent, a familiar warmth... yet that warmth was cold. It was far from comforting, and it was more of a restriction that she had always worn on her shoulders. It now tried to snuffle her, as if trying to suffocate her, stop her from breathing and turn her back to the defenceless little thing she was trying to escape from.

No longer!

She reached and grabbed the blanket, tugging it free from her shoulder. With one rip she sliced it in two and dropped it to the ground. The blankets disappeared in a haze of black mist, evaporating like water the moment it contacted the floor. She didn't even look back and she continued her slow struggle towards those gates. The dark shadows would not get her this time. This time she was going to call her own shots, this time she was going to prevail and nothing and noone could stop her.

The light from inside the gates blinded her as she approached. They seemed to get larger, dwarfing her and those around her. She began to feel smaller and smaller compared to the large columns and metal gates that stood proudly in front of her. The people in front of her were being greeted by others at the gate, then shown through into the vast complex of buildings. It was some sort of meet and greet, but it was in the light.

Light was better than darkness, and she felt her legs speed up. The adrenaline burned through her veins as she stepped away from those dark shadows, leaving them in her dust as she approached the gates. One of her hands slipped down and into the pocket of her skirt, rumbling around looking for something. Then she found herself face to face with a uniformed person. The person was female, Human and smiled. Out of her pocket she pulled out a single isolinear chip, just like everyone else. Hers was yellow, with a few numbers on it. Others she could spot were red, blue, grey and even a few green ones. However hers was yellow, the colour of light, the colour of purity and the colour she may one day wear upon her body.

The smiling human woman gently took the chip, pressed it against a PADD and smiled again. She watched as she tapped a few times then gestured for her to follow. She looked back, those dark shadows were fading in, still clawing at the pavement and trying to get back to her, but she simply turned away from them and took her first steps through those gates. It was then that the other woman spoke.

"Cadet Taiga Aisaka. Welcome to; Starfleet Academy. Your Starfleet journey starts today."

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