The celebration of Frontier Day was happening across the universe.  The Academy at Mellstoxx III was no exception.  Classes had been canceled for the day, and preparations had been underway long before Natalie Harris had considered returning.  She’d met up with Phil for breakfast, and they’d talked about their favorite ships and captains to fill out the morning.  Harris kept the Enterprise-A close to her heart since childhood, and Goldsmith had an unusual love for the Enterprise-C.

“The Ambassador Class?  She’s like…a mash of the worst parts of the B and the D.” Natalie was sitting in the auditorium next to him as they watched the various events for Frontier Day playing across the screen.  The Enterprise-F was slated to leave Spacedock, and Admiral Shelby would make remarks about the evolutions and improvements that had been made in fleet action.

Phil frowned, “She was a classic…gone too soon.  Who knows what great things Captain Garrett would have done if she’d been around longer?”  He’d done his freshman essay project on her life story and the incidents and accidents that had led to her death and the destruction of her command.  He’d been disturbed when her statue had been attacked and destroyed recently.

She reasoned, “We can agree that the B was an excellent adaptation of the Excelsior skeleton?”

Goldsmith agreed, “She was big and bulky – that profile lets people know Starfleet was around, and you don’t mess with the big ones.”  He watched the screen, “What do you think of Admiral Shelby’s new…program?”

Harris had read the available details on the program.  She’d originally thought it was a brilliant idea to network all the ships together and enable the formation of a fleet against an enemy.  As time passed, she’d started to question it.  Starfleet had brought a similar proposal to Harris Transport, and her mother had firmly refused any networking of their ships and stations.  She’d wearily smiled when Natalie asked her and answered, “The advances they’re talking about could be turned back against us…I’m sure their security programs and networks would protect them…but we don’t have that infrastructure…and I don’t want that for us.  We built our business on the freedom of travel and trust in our captains and crews.  I’m not going to let that change.”

Phil gave her a nudge, “You gonna answer the question?”

Natalie sat back in the chair, “I studied Admiral Shelby’s record.  She was one of the sharpest minds in Starfleet.  Her record with the Borg was unquestioned.  You couldn’t find someone more motivated to stop the Borg than her.”  She glanced around.  They were sitting in the seats up against the wall, far from anyone else.

He gave her a look, “You said ‘was,’ Natalie.”

Harris sighed, “It just…I’m an engineer.  I grew up with a brother who was old school.  My family’s business is still as old school as possible – it’s an intentional move.  The whole thing feels very…Borg-like, you know?  How does someone go from being the biggest fighter against the Borg to someone who gets our ships to act like them?”  She threw up her hands, “And yea, I know.  I’m young, reckless, and thinking I know everything or better than an Admiral who’s built her experience in the field against the enemy.  I know.  It…just…something feels off, you know?”

“As a science cadet, I can see you reasoning.”  She turned to him and raised her eyebrows as he finished, “But I think you’re thinking like a Starfleet Officer enough.  Like you said, you’ve been working on that ranch for a long time.”  He shrugged and turned his attention back to the screen as the Enterprise-F soared out of spacedock.