Boothby In The Garden

Guest Poster: Boothby

As Head Gardener of Starfleet Academy, I have to keep an eye on all the greenery around here. It can be had with these young Cadets here. I tell you they have absolutely no regard for plant life. Those in the classrooms are taught to respect all forms of life, but when it comes to some daisies or a beautifully shaped plant, you can forget it.

I tell you what happened this morning, I went to start and found that an area in a secluded part of the garden had been squashed flat! A couple of young whippersnappers making out together after a party, no doubt. Some Cadets think they come here just for the partying, and that learning how to be in Starfleet is just a small interruption between them.

Things have always been like that, though. That Jean-Luc Picard was one of the most troublesome partygoers I ever knew at the Academy. How he ever got to be a Starfleet Captain is beyond me. Virtually every night he would stagger across the lawns drunk, or I would find him the next morning on a flowerbed, having passed out.

"Hi there, Boothby, Nice to see you." says a female voice.



It's Beverly Crusher. I must say, I always had the hots for her when she was the young Cadet Beverly Howard. She still has great pins. A redhead always looks gorgeous in my book!

"Err...hello Doctor Crusher." I say, reddening slightly, "What brings you to the Academy?"

"Oh, I'm here to give a Surgery lecture at Starfleet Medical." she replies, "Besides that, I can get a bit of shopping done at the Mall. Good to see you still keeping the Academy Gardens looking beautiful, Mr Boothby."

"Yes, well, no one else would do it right." I say, "So I maintain it. If these young whippersnappers only kept off the grass and fauna, my job would be a lot easier."

"Ah, yes." Beverly smiles. "I know Captain Picard wasn't always on his best behaviour as a Cadet, but he asked me to apologise for him."

"That's fine, Doctor Crusher." I tell her, but don't mention that I saw Beverly and Picard kissing six months ago in the Japanese Gardens.

Quite a few rare blooms lost their lives as a result of what followed afterwards!

Beverly smiles and strides off. Ah, if only I were younger.....