Ensign Mercedes Carpenter Assistant Medical Officer USS Chimera NCC 96899 = Mercedes’ Quarters Mercedes lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling. The past couple of days had been long and arduous. Now that they’ve finally discovered a cure to treat the injured, Medical was working even twice as hard as before to get them back to health. She hardly any time to herself besides to eat and sleep, and all her belongings still remained packed up. Since her arrival on the Chimera, Mercedes had been thrown directly into the heat of things and she couldn’t wait until this was all over, just so that she could take a day off to relax and recover. But she knew that this was what she wanted and was the reason why she ran away from home all those years ago. She didn’t think back then it would be so tough, but along with the good times there were always tough and trying times. = On a ranch outside Houston, Texas = Several years ago “I’m not sure about this,” Mercedes whispered in the darkness of her room. “It’s too late to back out now!” Jack urged her. The window was open and the top of a step-ladder peek out above the window ledge. Mercedes looked at the small suitcase that sat beside her bed. She felt scared and guilty, just running away like this. She was afraid what her father might do when he found out. But she couldn’t stay cooped up on the ranch forever; she didn’t want to become like her mother who had to give up her dream to raise a family. “They’ve accepted our applications, and all we have to do is go write the exam. Then we’re in!” “Sshh,” Mercedes said, placing a finger over her lips. “You’ll wake them.” Jack lowered his eyes and stared at the floor for the moment. “You’re my best friend and I love you to death, but if you’re not coming with me I’m going by myself. I’m not prepared to give up on my dream because your father is a jackass.” “I know, I know,” she protested. There was a moment of awkwardness between them, and Mercedes didn’t know what she’d do if her only friend left her behind. She looked out of the window at the moon. Faintly through the clear night sky, a small dot was visible on the lunar surface. It was Copernicus City, a place she always wanted to visit. Her aunt lived there and had sent her many holographs when she was a child, telling her what it was like and how she would love to have her visit. Until her father found out and forbade her to ever speak to her aunt again, saying she was putting foolish ideas in his daughter’s head. “I have to go,” Jack said. “My friend is waiting in the hovercar.” He reached over and hugged Mercedes, then gave her a kiss. “I’m going to miss you very much. I promise to send you a holocard from the Academy. Take care of yourself.” Mercedes was frozen still as she watched Jack get off the bed and go to the window. His body was framed by the moonlight as he looked at her, then leaned out through the window and started climbing down the ladder. For a moment she closed her eyes. Was this it? Was she going to spend her life on this ranch, raising cattle and being verbally abused by her brothers? Was she going to watch her best friend fulfill his dream and leave her behind? Hell no! “Wait!” she almost shouted, grabbing the suitcase and running to the window. Jack was down the ladder by now. “I’m coming with you!” In the faint moonlight she could see him smile. She heaved her suitcase over the ledge and he caught it, landing with a thud on his backside. Mercedes swung her legs onto the ladder and shimmied down till she reached the ground. “I know you’d change your mind. You ready?” Jack asked as he took her hand. “As ready as I’ll ever be!” she laughed nervously, and they started running through the tall grass to the woods where Jack’s friend waited with the hovercar. =