The red cadet jackets are lined with something gloriously soft. They’re well padded too, although a little uncomfortably so in the warmer months. It’s not an uncommon sight to see them tied a little awkwardly around people’s waists as they lounge on the grass, studying and socialising. Though even when it’s too hot to appreciate them, nobody ever forgets how closing one around you almost feels like being wrapped in a hug.
But the first thing anyone ever notices when they put one on is how unexpectedly heavy the shoulders are.
New cadets receiving their first uniforms excitedly change into what now marks them as a member of Starfleet, the sign of an enormous, exciting step taken towards their futures, and with a shock feel the full weight of the garment as it settles. Even those forewarned by friends and family still falter their posture slightly.
It’s like the weight is there to remind of your responsibilities. No matter what track you study, you’ll be responsible for lives in one way or another by the time you graduate. It’s not something you’ll ever have the luxury of forgetting, even if you never actually work onboard a starship.
But it’s a warm weight too. A comfort as much as a stern reminder. Like a proud hand resting on your shoulder, someone saying that they’re proud of you, you’ve come so far. “Look at you, with the universe ahead of you, you’ve got so much potential, you’ll do amazing things.
Joining Starfleet is no simple feat. Be proud of yourself.”
It’s just a red jacket. Soft on the inside, padded for comfort in the cold and there is a persistent weight sewn into the shoulders. But it’s also a reminder to hold your head up high, because you’re a part of something bigger now, with all the glory, the wonder and responsibility that entails.
You’re part of a family now.
And wherever you go, however far you travel, you know you won’t forget this. None of you will, even if you don’t consider yourself the sentimental sort.
Staring into the mirror before your first class, staring up at the endless stars that night.
That first day dressed in red.
