Astro Sciences, Friday

[not_a_whiner]

Class was held in a regular classroom, no fancy stuff: just the holographic whiteboard Kaidan had set up, Kaidan's desk, a bunch of desks for the students and some maps of the galaxy at the back of the class.

"Hey," Kaidan began, sliding his eyes over the students present. "I'm Lieutenant Commander Kaidan Alenko. Welcome to, uh, Astro Sciences class. I know the title's a little clunky, but we're going to be covering a lot of different disciplines during this class."

Teaching. He still didn't quite have the hang of it; it didn't feel natural.

"We're going to kick off with astronomy, which is the study of celestial objects. That means... everything you can see when you look up at the sky at night, and a whole lot you can't. Planets, stars, comets, solar systems... even galaxies. It's the first field of science to be dedicated to the study of the universe-- we've been doing it for thousands of years."

He cleared his throat. "So that's going to be one thing we'll be doing," he said. "We'll also be covering xenobiology, the physics of space, and a whole range of other topics. It's gonna be mostly the basics for each of those topics - we can maybe go into depth in another class." He rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, and... at the end of October, I'm arranging a field trip for this class and anyone else is interested-- we're going to the Citadel, the hub of galactic society-- in my universe. Get you all a lesson on actual aliens."

Kaidan sat back in his seat. Right. Go on from there. "But right now we're just doing introductions," he said. "Name and class, and... tell me something about your experience with-- well, space." He realized as he said it that that was kind of... vague.

Thought about it. Took a breath.

"When I was a kid," he said, "Humanity... hadn't really gone very far beyond the Sol system. I remember looking up at the sky at night and wondering what was out there-- what we could find if we could just go a little further, you know? Would there be aliens? How would they live? Space... it seemed like it could be this amazing playground, this place full of wonder. I mean, imagine going... not just to an entirely different planet, but to a different system, meeting people who are nothing like you...

"And then we did," he continued, "We found the mass relay system and we explored the hell out of everything we could reach. And then the aliens came to us, the grand adventure... except as it turned out the aliens made laws and built cities and argued and traded... not quite like we did, but close enough. Not only that, but none of them ever looked out the window and went, 'Wow. We live in this giant, exciting, terrifying universe'... here I'd spent all my life wondering about what it would be like out there, only to find out that the people who already had 'out there'-- didn't even care about the view."

That had been something. He'd told Shepard once. Now he was using it here. Helping me again?

"But I still care about the view," Kaidan finished. "And about the dangers. And I think anyone who gets the chance should go off-planet, just once, to appreciate it."

Comments

Sign In!

[not_a_whiner]

In SPACE.

Re: Sign In!

[hasadestiny]

Lex Luthor

Re: Sign In!

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

Percy Jackson

Re: Sign In!

[dollpocalypse]

Topher Brink

Listen to the Lecture

[not_a_whiner]

Take notes, or talk very quietly among yourselves.

Introduce Yourself

[not_a_whiner]

You know how this goes! Name, class, something that jumps to mind when you think about space.

Re: Introduce Yourself

[hasadestiny]

"Lex Luthor, senior, and I got caught in a meteor shower when I was nine."

Re: Introduce Yourself

[not_a_whiner]

"A meteor shower?" Kaidan asked, raising his eyebrows. "How'd that work out?"

Re: Introduce Yourself

[hasadestiny]

Lex pointed at his head. "I used to be a redhead."

Re: Introduce Yourself

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Percy Jackson and I'm finally a senior," he said, sounding relieved about that. "As for space, I tend to think about Apollo and how he's probably never driven among the stars."

And then he laughed because it was fun to make fun of the gods sometimes.

Re: Introduce Yourself

[not_a_whiner]

Okay, that was a little... weird. "You like Greek myth, huh?"

Re: Introduce Yourself

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but I'm also kind of part of it?" It was hard to phrase so he didn't sound like he was gloating and hey, he was actually making an effort there. "I'm actually half god. Poseidon's my dad."

Re: Introduce Yourself

[dollpocalypse]

"Hi," Topher said, offering a little wave. "You know me. Topher, junior, and... space bugs that bite your hand when you're just trying to look at them."

Topher, let it go.

Re: Introduce Yourself

[not_a_whiner]

"Space bugs," Kaidan echoed. "You went into space and that's what happened?"

He was kind of disappointed in your lack of reflection here, Topher.

Re: Introduce Yourself

[dollpocalypse]

"Yep," Topher confirmed. "They're called kreetles. They suck."

Damn it, Bender.

Re: Introduce Yourself

[upmysleeve.livejournal.com]

"Ace; I was in your other class, and I'm still a junior, however that's supposed to work." Considering her option back home was 'expelled sixth former' she wasn't complaining, just expressing her lack of familiarity with the American system. "Space is amazing." She did have to add a lemonfaced wine, though, and, "Even if I've only been to the boring bits so far."

Re: Introduce Yourself

[not_a_whiner]

"And, uh, what would you consider the boring bits?" Kaidan couldn't help it - some of his amusement at that answer filtered through.

Re: Introduce Yourself

[solarhippie]

Karolina gave a little wave, though a little more subdued than in yesterday's class. Get you all a lesson on actual aliens, yeah, that may have struck a little close to home.

"I'm Karolina Dean and I'm a junior," she said. "And... Stars. I didn't really think about space when I was little, but I remember I liked looking at the stars, whenever I could."

Which was not always, for someone who'd lived in a major city with lights all over.

Re: Introduce Yourself

[not_a_whiner]

"You don't have to think about space as... a thing... to enjoy stargazing," Kaidan agreed. "But I can tell you, it's one of the privileges of being on a starship - getting to see them all bright and sharp. Nothing like if you're taking a look from Earth."

Re: Introduce Yourself

[robinonadderall]

"I'm Stiles and I'm a junior." There was a dorky little wave. "And when I think of space I think of Space Battles. It's a movie series. Just in case you didn't know."

Re: Introduce Yourself

[not_a_whiner]

"I know Space Battles," Kaidan said. "I'm almost surprised I haven't heard that one before, actually."

Re: Introduce Yourself

[nonelikemesince.livejournal.com]

"Anakin Solo, junior," he began, and from his expression he was bored with the introductions thing already. "And someday I'll be able to beat my sister in a starfighter race."

Keep dreaming, Anakin.

Re: Introduce Yourself

[not_a_whiner]

"You want to be a pilot?" Kaidan asked, raising his eyebrows.

Talk to the Teacher

[not_a_whiner]

Kaidan's there, hanging back and... well, thinking, mostly.

OOC

[not_a_whiner]