Meet the Teacher

Posted on Fri Apr 25th, 2025 @ 9:31pm by Commander Scarlet Blake & Civilian Lily Blake & Civilian Temas Latham

1,518 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: To Boldly Go
Location: School Room
Timeline: Day 11 - after the crew board Fenrir

ON:

Temas Latham smiled to himself as he stood in the classroom. For now it was empty and, one of two classrooms. He wasn't the only teacher here, thankfully, but it was still daunting in a way. A starship. And as such it did have the look of one too. He looked at the desks set up and tilted his head as he considered it. Fine for later years, but a bit impersonal for the youngest students. He would need to talk to Bedi about that, see if they could change it up. At least the room's walls were configurable, with the back wall being a screen.

He walked over and accessed the console, deciding on the views of a calm ocean for the backdrop. Even the gentle sound of waves against the shore was added and he stepped back to watch it.

Meeting the students was exciting. But since the age groups were so different, he wanted to meet them all one by one, with their parent or guardian. And one thing he had learned was to start at the top.

Which meant the Captain of this ship, and her daughter.

He had already looked at Lily's academic records, found the things she was good at, the level she was learning at and what she was struggling with. A bright child who could clearly be distracted easily by imagination. He could try and use it as a tool, harness it to make subjects boring to a child more interesting. It could work.

It should work.

He turned as the doors opened and smiled, his hands going behind his back out of habit. He never knew what do to with his hands, so clasped behind his back was the easiest way to hide any fidgeting. "Captain Blake...and this must be Lily. I'm Temas Latham...one of your teachers."

Lily watched him with questioning blue eyes, biting her lip thoughtfully as she kept a hold of her mother's hand. When she'd been told that the lady in the ship wouldn't teach her anymore, she'd been less than impressed. But when she'd heard that it meant she'd have different teachers, and a real classroom with other children in...well, her curiosity had started to bubble. "Do I have to call you Sir?" she asked, keeping close to her mother's leg as she studied him with interest.

"No," Temas shook his head, looking at Scarlet before he crouched down, to be more at Lily's level. "Although you should call me Teacher Temas, if you really want to get my attention. I'm really excited to be teaching you, Lily. What's your favourite subject?"

"Oh! Music...no! History...no! Stories..." the girl offered him a shy smile, her hand still grasping her mother's...but she moved a little closer to him with curiosity. "Is this where we learn now?"

"It is," Temas said with a friendly smile, nodding as he watched her. "You'll have your lessons in here, except those where we...need a different room. There's going to be other children too, and another teacher as well. And sometimes..." he lowered his voice a little. "I am going to ask some of the officers to show us what they do. Just because it's fun to know all of those things on a ship. I need to learn too, I've never lived on a ship before."

"Oh, I always lived on a ship," Lily wrinkled her nose with a soft laugh before shaking her head energetically. "'Cept when we didn't...then we came back to a ship, cos we didn't like it...." she looked up to her mother with a wide smile, clearly pleased with the arrangement. "But...I've not done this," she admitted, her voice dropping to a more thoughtful tone. "Does this mean the Lady in the Ship won't teach me anymore?"

Temas smiled gently as he watched her, shaking his head. "Not in the way it was before. Doesn't mean you can't ask for some information if there's anything you're really interested in," he said and stood, watching the girl. "Sounds like I have to come to you for advice on ship-life. Would you give me advice, Lily?"

Lily's smile widened at that, enjoying the idea of being able to help someone as important as a teacher. She absently let go of her mother's hand so she could move to him, nodding quickly, as if he might change his mind otherwise. "Sure! Hm...one...when the red light flashes, our ship is telling off the bad ships, so sit down in a safe place...um...two...if you get lost, ask for help from uniform people or the Lady in the Ship....and er...three...if you get lonely, take a friend with you..."

The girl untucked a soft toy from the crook of her arm, holding the red and gold dragon up to her new teacher with pride. "This is Sir Puff-A-Lot! He likes flying...treasure...and, er...bubbles."

"Well hello there, Sir Puff-A-Lot!" Temas smiled as he waved at the stuffed toy. "And that is really good advice, I have to make friends here so that I can take a friend with me." He looked at Scarlet, a slight blush rising in his cheeks at being watched while he was...well, in his primary school teacher mode. "So, Lily...I'm half Betazoid. It means that I can feel...some emotions, if they get really big. So sometimes, if you are really excited, or worried...I might talk to you about how you're feeling. But I want you to know that I don't look on purpose."

"Ooooo, you have space magic!" Lily tucked the dragon under her arm so she could clap her hands together with her excitement, rocking up onto her feet.

"Lily," Scarlet gave her a look...not overly stern, but most definitely a look. "We've talked about this, Cub," she gave her daughter a slight shake of her head, not wanting her to cause offence.

Lily looked back to Temas, trying to judge for a moment...she finally gave him a warm smile and a knowing nod. "Space magic," she whispered, nodding as if sharing a secret with him.

Temas laughed warmly, nodding as he looked at her. "Space magic," he said, because he liked that idea. That there was something magical. She was young, he could ruin her with xenobiology at a later time. Right now, the magic was precious. "So, I am going to be teaching you a few subjects, and the other teacher, he will teach you some more. I have had some books sent here, for my students to use. Old books, not PADDs. If you haven't handled one before, I'll show you."

"I have a book!" Lily declared with a bright smile, keen to share something with him that he might like. She moved in closer to him, forgetting the safety of staying closer to her mother. "It's big...and has pictures with the story. It's called Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...it's a very silly book."

"Silly? It isn't silly, it's fun," Temas said with a warm smile, nodding as he looked over at Scarlet. "Sometimes, you can learn a lot of good lessons from books that seem silly..." he looked back at Lily. "And I bet the pictures are beautiful. I'm so glad you have a book, it means I don't have to show you how to open one."

The girl became a touch shyer with the pride that came from the praise. She wasn't usually a shy girl, far from it...but on a new ship with new people, it was a lot for the young girl to take in. "But can I...can I still look at your books?" she asked with hope. The promise of new stories and pictures were clearly pulling at her.

Temas nodded quickly, making sure to show his enthusiasm when he sensed she was getting a bit more withdrawn in herself with her nervousness. “Of course! It is for my pupils to enjoy and you are one of my pupils, Lily. I have many books suitable for your age…with adventure in them.” Some were classics, others more unknown. But he had made sure he had books suitable for every age.

"Do you have one with dragons...?" she looked up to him with a hopeful smile, something close to mischief in her eyes at diving straight for a fun story rather than something with sneaky learning in it.

He made a show of thinking about it, making thoughtful noises before he smiled. "I do. And also one with a lion, a witch and a wardrobe..." he said before he nodded. "We'll find you loads of books to read, Lily. And lots to learn as well from them."

Lily's smile widened at the promise from this funny new teacher. She looked back to her mother, grinning as her eyes shone with a mixture of excitement and hope. Maybe the whole school thing wasn't so bad afterall.

OFF:

Temas Latham
Teacher
[PNPC Hanlon]

&

Lily Blake
Civilian Child
[PNPC Blake]

&

Commander Scarlet Blake
Commanding Officer

 

RSS Feed

Comments (2)