New Students
Posted on Sun Oct 11th, 2026 @ 9:06am by Major Blez Dralis & Bellamy Ghazi
1,607 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission: Prologue
Bellamy Ghazi sat at one of the desks with a PADD in hand, reviewing the curriculum notes for the age groups they had been given so far. The classroom was quiet around them, already prepared as much as it could be before the children had actually used it, and Bellamy had learned long ago that files and plans only ever told part of the story. They could map out reading levels, subject requirements and expected progress as much as they liked, but the real work would begin once they knew the children themselves.
Major Dralis and his three children were due soon. Ten years old, all three of them, with the usual basic intake information listed beside their names. Jhaen, Dhomynik and Kaedens. Triplets one could assume, although Bellamy knew better than to assume that meant they would learn the same way, settle at the same pace, or need the same things from the room.
They made one more note, more for themself than anyone else, then glanced towards the door as they heard movement outside. Their PADD lowered slightly, attention shifting from the curriculum to the people about to walk in.
Blez entered first followed by Jhaen, Kaedens with Dhomynik at the rear.
"Hello," Kaedens greeted.
"Hi," Dhomynik and Jhaen spoke together, Dhomynik waved softly.
"Good day, I'm Major Blez Dralis and these are..." Blez began.
"Jhaen."
"Dhomynik."
"Kaedens."
Each one introduced themselves, and Blez continued. "And..."
"Can I be called Dom?" Dhomynik requested.
"I prefer Kade, please." Kaedens stated.
Jhaen smiled at his new teacher. "Jayn, ma'am," he added.
"Dom, Kade and Jayn," Bellamy said, nodding to each of the children as they smiled. "I am teacher Bellamy Ghazi. I don't use ma'am. It is really nice to meet you three...why don't we sit down and you can tell me about your...favourite lessons?"
The boys went to the chairs while Blez remained standing behind them and put his hands behind his back.
They explained that they enjoyed most subjects, Jayn wasn't that thrilled with social sciences while Dom didn't quite feel confidant with math and Kade was average in most subjects.
Bellamy listened as the boys answered, nodding here and there while their PADD rested lightly in one hand. It was useful, in the way intake information was useful, but only as a starting point. Children often gave tidy answers when they first met a teacher, especially with a parent standing behind them in full responsible-adult formation, and Bellamy had long ago learned not to mistake tidy for true. Not dishonest, just careful, trying to be good before they knew what good meant in this room...especially in Starfleet. Jayn not especially thrilled with social sciences, Dom less confident with maths, Kade somewhere in the middle. None of that worried them. Subjects changed shape depending on who taught them, how they were approached, whether someone had decided too early that they were bad at a thing and then carried that thought around until it started to feel like fact.
“That helps,” Bellamy said, making a small note beside each name before lowering the PADD enough that it no longer sat between them and the children. “But favourite lessons only tell me part of it, so I’m going to ask something else. If you had an hour in here and nobody was grading you, testing you, or expecting a perfect answer, what would you choose to do?” Their smile came easily, warm at the edges as they looked between the three boys rather than settling too hard on any one of them. “Read something? Build something? Draw? Work on a puzzle? Take something apart and then look deeply innocent when someone asks why there are screws left over?” They winked at the last one, because they had seen that particular expression on enough children to recognise it on sight.
Jayn shrugged at the same time Dom's expression shifted to pensive but Kade glanced downwards. It seemed two of them were considering their future while Jayn probably hadn't once. Living in the moment kind of boy.
Blez had recently thought of what he wanted to do with the rest of his life with the real possibility that they may not return to the Federation anytime soon. Of course contributing to the ship's Ground Forces will continue but during his free time, that's where he really wondered about his life.
Studying to learn how his sons could someday be joined had stirred interest in the Sciences and Medical Sciences to a higher degree than other subjects. Maybe Blez should ponder on the teacher's question further for himself later. He walked around to come to stand to the side of the teacher's desk.
"This is something that isn't set in the stars my sons. If you have the drive to be what you want to be, you can seek whatever purpose you wish whenever you wish. Provided you understand that purpose as best as you can." He told them in that rare moment that parents sound wiser than they really are. Blez blushed as he turned to Bellamy. "Sorry that just came out of me," he stepped back but stayed to their sides at a comfortable security stance as if he was Bellamy's security detail.
Jayn, Dom and Kade took a few moments to eye their father but each of them had a different smile. It seemed they took all that to heart but they each shifted into different thinking poses.
"I am the flow," Jayn said. "I guess I'll try everything once."
Dom rolled his eyes. "Then you overthink about everything afterwards."
"I like to know all I can about everything I try." Jayn shot back.
"Shut up," Kade chided his brothers. "Sciences may be your track then, Jayn."
Jayn hummed as he pondered that advice.
Kade smiled. "Like Jayn, I too like to try everything once, but I seem to be the only level headed one out of these two." He gestured to Dom and Jayn.
"You do know what to say, maybe helping people is your thing?" Dom asked Jayn, the two seemed to ponder that.
Blez watched his boys with pride.
"That just leaves you." Jayn said as he looked to Dom. "You are such a dramatic and buoyant," he laughed, mostly at the word not at Dom.
Dom joined in, he began nodding after a few moments. "I did know everyone and love being the center of attention back at that Starbase. So many activities and events to do, most of my friends kept putting me in charge." He laughed.
He recalled this but thought Dom was just popular, maybe he knew how to command others. Blez started to think on all the times he had been told that Dom was captain of sports teams and after school clubs. A future Captain perhaps he mused.
Bellamy watched the three boys with a small smile, letting them talk it through rather than rushing to fill the space. That told them more than the intake notes had. Jayn wanted to try everything, Dom liked people and attention in a way that could easily become leadership with the right guidance, and Kade had already found the comfortable role of being the sensible one. That was useful, but it was also something to be careful with. Children could grow into a role very quickly if the adults around them kept naming it.
“Well,” Bellamy said, glancing between them, “that is much more interesting than favourite lessons.” Their smile warmed as they lowered the PADD a little. “Trying things is good. Being curious is good. Being good with people is good too. But none of you need to decide what you are going to be today. You are ten. Your job is to explore, not have a five-year career plan before lunch.” They shifted slightly, giving the boys the full weight of their attention. “So we’ll start simple. Each of you can pick one thing you already know you like, one thing you want to try, and one thing you are absolutely convinced will be boring.” Their smile crooked slightly. “Sometimes boring things are boring. Sometimes they just need the right angle.”
Blez chuckled. "Sounds like you 3 have a lot to think about, unless," he looked at the teacher, "did you want their answers now or can they think on them?"
All three of the boys seemed to not be focused on the teacher or their father but staring off elsewhere, and at different directions from each other.
Bellamy watched Blez for a moment, a little more serious. "Whatever they are most comfortable with," they said, which was the truth. And realised the boys were...literal. "Of course, if you want to go home now, I understand. I just wanted to meet you before we started lessons."
"Was there other questions you wanted to go through, Miss Ghazi?" Blez inquired, interested in what the teacher wanted to know.
"Just Ghazi or Teacher Bellamy," Bellamy said, shaking their head with a small smile. "I do not use Miss or Mister. And no...if you boys are all happy, then I am happy. And I will see you all tomorrow for class?"
Blez smiled. "Understood, Ghazi," the father stood.
"See you tomorrow, Teach," the boys said in unison with smiles.
Bellamy smiled, watching the children and Blez go. They let out a soft breath once the doors closed, looking around. They made a simple note...to make sure the children got to explore what they wanted. No pressure.
OFF:
Bellamy Ghazi
Teacher
USS Guinevere
Major Blez Dralis
GF Provost Marshal
USS Guinevere
Played Dom, Jayn and Kade
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