The holidays come to New Romulus

"Okay load those crates of entertainment provisions," Naomi Wildman, Commander of the space station Deep Space K-7 said to her crew. "Once those are loaded the crew members who are coming with me report to your transports. Our current departure time is 14:00 hours station time."

"I've always wondered what was in these entertainment provisions," asked her long time friend Icheb as he walked up behind her.

"Oh you know," she said. "Streamers, candy, music files, holodeck programs. Essentially everything Neelix ever got us to help replicate whenever he wanted us to help out when we were kids."

"I was never a child while on Voyager," Icheb snorted.

"I have plenty of stories that say otherwise."

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me to Earth Space Dock?" Icheb asked changing the subject. "Q said he's added some things to his holiday festivities this year. Some thing about making the snowmen more interesting to promote co-operation between the empire and the federation."

"I'd love to go," Naomi said. "But this is more important. Maybe I'll get the Captain of the Ishka to come back via the transwarp conduit so I can at least say hello to good old lower case."

"Not visiting any of your family?"

"Believe it or not with the Neutral zone being quiet they're all busier than I am this year," Naomi explained. "We've all made plans to meet each other on New Years instead."

"New Romulus isn't exactly noted as a holiday destination though."

"That is why I'm bringing the holiday to them," Naomi said with a smile as the last of the crates were loaded.

The most efficient route to New Romulus crossed into Klingon space. While most people on both sides laughed at those in power who still called for conflict between the Federation and Empire the political situation was still strained and there had yet to be a formal cease fire. Thankfully for Naomi the Empire's interest intersected with her own on this matter and thus they had given her an escort. The massive bortasqu cruiser dwarfed the freighter and it was making the Ishka's Bolian captain nervous.

"The Tribble Skinner," the captain said after the universal translator had translated the ships name. "The last time I ran into her I got stuck in her brig for a month. General B'eane is pretty interesting though still treats tribbles and cardassian voles as the greatest threats to the empire."

"They're hailing us and giving us the correct codes," the captain's tellarite first mate informed her. "They wish to speak to Commander Wildman."

"On screen."

"It's is good to see like the Romulans you to have decided to turn over a new leaf and act in an honourable manner captain," said the tall looking Klingon woman in mismatched armour.

"I told you general I had no idea we had that contraband aboard and I have since turned that particular crew member over to Federation authorities."

"Good," the Klingon said. "Now Commander Wildman you are aware that I need my crew to inspect your cargo."

"Yes Lieutenant general," Naomi said. "You'll find nothing but gifts and party supplies for all that are helping New Romulus become a home world both Romulans and Remans can be proud of. Maybe not the equal to Qo'nos but..."

"Qo'nos is a dump," the Klingon said. "Mol'Rihan has already surpassed it and that is why I to am also bringing gifts to the Romulan people. Although mine are more practical, automated defence systems calibrated to tribble and vole biosigns to protect their new crops. I only wish I could isolate the dishonour which causes a Romulan to side with the Tal Shiar. Then I could get those responsible for putting the tribbles there in the first place."

With that the communication cut off.

"See what did I tell you?" the Bolian captain said. "Possibly the only Klingon that joined the KDF because of stories about the great Tribble Hunt."

The rest of the trip to the Tau Dewa sector was uneventful and Naomi had managed to catch up on some reading and had begun drafting a letter to her friends that remained in the Delta Quadrant. She felt the ship drop out of warp and stowed her personal things away. When she reached the bridge on the view screen there was a beautiful sight. Hundreds of ships, federation, Klingon, Reman and Romulan. All co-ordinating their efforts to build a new home world for not one but two species. It reminded her of her own childhood aboard Voyager and to her it was the galaxy as it should be. People putting aside their differences for good common goals. She contacted her people aboard the other ships, all of which had taken different routes in order to pick up more supplies and contributions. They were to begin beam down everything to the staging area and rope in everyone who was free to set up and commandeer the warehouse if it was possible. She herself had to meet with the leader of New Romulus and thus was able to beam to a location close to his office in the still being constructed city.

Inside she could hear slightly raised voices.

"D'Tan they are still your people," a female voice said. "They deserve a chance to come in from the wilderness, so to speak."

"I'm just not sure if we should allow that without them offering us information about Tal Shiar activities first," a male voice replied. "Worst yet what if this plays straight into the Tal Shiar's hands?"

"Still we need to outline at least the bare bones procedure if we do have agents of the Tal Shiar wanting to become part of the true future of Mol'Rihan."

"Agreed," the male voice said.

Naomi pressed the button on the door that would act as a door bell.

"Come," the male voice said. The door slid open and revealed a Romulan man and an Andorian zhaan both adding stuff to a standard issue Starfleet PADD.

"Ah Commander Wildman," the Romulan man said as he looked up. "I believe you and Ambassador zh'Beane already know each other."

"Hello Ambassador," Naomi said with a smile.

"Framed that apology yet commander?" the Ambassador asked.

"Not yet," she sighed. "Its really hard to find the right type of frame style."

"I must say when I heard about your holiday plans I was impressed," the Ambassador said. "Its those kind of grass roots actions that makes my job worth while.

"Thank you Ambassador."

"I'll send the draft of the amnesty arrangement for former Tal Shiar operatives to my Klingon counter part and we'll all meet to discuss it tomorrow."

"Very good," D'Tan said. "I would also like to discuss giving hunting rights on one of the other continents to the Hirogen. I want both the Federation and Klingon opinion on how far we can pressure them into not hunting sentient life here."

The Ambassador nodded as she headed out the door.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person Commander Wildman," he said.

"The same to you D'Tan."

"I must admit I am still wondering just what we plan to celebrate, and exactly how," he said with a hint of worry. "Even as a child I didn't celebrate what few holidays Romulus had and the few Vulcan holidays we learnt about in the reunification movement aren't exactly suitable at this time."

"The how is easy. Just let me turn Warehouse alpha two into a permanent party for the next few days," Naomi explained. "The why is simple enough. Think about all the good things we've achieved in the past month, why not celebrate?"

"Then I have an idea about what we are celebrating," D'Tan replied. "The co-operation of everyone. So perhaps co-operation day or something like that. As far as I can remember none of the old Romulan holidays ever occurred in this period when every other planet seems to at least have one. It would be nice to share that with the rest of galactic society."

"Perhaps have a competition to find a slightly better name," Naomi suggested. "In any case there will be entertainment, drinks and food, traditions from holidays from all over the Alpha and Beta Quadrant to participate in. So there should be something for everyone and the warehouse is large enough for all that."

"I shall like to maintain a presence in the surrounding country and our scientific studies should remain ongoing," Romulan leader said. "We don't want the Tal Shiar remnants or worse taking advantage."

"Of course," Naomi said. "That's why I shall keep the party going for several days so everyone gets the chance to attend. I'll leave the details of duty shifts in your hands and those representatives of Starfleet Command and The KDF."

"Very well commander," D'Tan said. "I'll send word to the warehouse and I look forward to attending the party."

The hardest part of setting up the party had been finding the control to extend the roof over the shuttle landing area's of the warehouse, as Naomi found many eager helpers waiting for her when she arrived. Most were the children of the Reman and Romulan settlers glad to finally have a way to contribute to their new home. Soon the tables she had bought were spread with a feast and decorations from the far flung corners of the galaxy lined the walls. Even one or two of the Wildman family's personal ornaments that had come from the far off delta quadrant and at least one gamma quadrant curiosity some one had purchased from the illustrious Quark enterprises decorated the scene. Soon she opened the doors and D'Tan dropped by to official open the event with a short speech. Soon the party was in full swing, Klingon were comparing their dk'tags to Romulan honour blades. Bolians were warning everyone which concoctions were specifically for them and poisonous to everyone else. Everyone one was excited to be able to taste both cooked and traditionally raw targ. Music from every planet in the Federation both live and recorded was played. Naomi herself joined a group that headed out to see once and for all whether it was the KDF or Starfleet that was better at catching and tagging the native creature called an epohh. No conclusive winner was found. She only heard the dare being made to a young tellarite woman who was drunk on bloodwine but she did hear she had been successful in draping tinsel on several creatures in the Paehhos crater but had trouble with the portion that required her to set a full decorated Christmas tree on the mother nanov's head.

And so it continued for several days until supplies began to run out and increased Tholian activity in the ruins meant they could not justify keeping the party going even if they did get more supplies. They had a surprise guest to finish the party with a speech. Obisek, de facto leader of the Remans, was on planet to discuss supply lines to the space station nick named the vault which still housed many Reman and Romulan refugees. He had taken a break to attend the party before it ended and one of his Klingon friends had convinced him that as a Romulan had started it it was only traditional for a Reman to finish it. Although in in a much less violent manner than previous instances.

"I am happy to celebrate with all of you," he said. "To celebrate the continuing good work here on Mol'Rihan and all the various traditions of those working for the future of not just the Reman and Romulan people but that of the entire alpha and beta quadrants. So I wish you all happy holidays, whichever you celebrate and here's to the year ahead."

With that he downed the sizable goblet of Romulan ale he had been holding to the cheers of the crowd. After a day of rest Naomi rounded up her young helpers from earlier in the week and cleaned up the Warehouse and soon it was ready once again for the vital cargo required for colonising a world. She gave each of her helpers a Christmas present, each one received a globe of their home world and a star chart of the Tau Dewa sector blocks.

Naomi realised she still had a few days until she officially had to start heading back to k-7. Thus she volunteered some of her time to getting scans of the bridge left over from when Romulans had first landed on the planet during the time they had only recently split from the Vulcans. She was surprised no one had devoted much time to studying it yet many people had no qualms about using it despite its advance age. She could see two woman hiking towards the waterfall in the distance the one with slightly green hair seemed to be being lead by the one with vivid pink hair. She had seen them playing fizzbin at the party earlier in the week. It was the first time she had seen anyone with any Iotian ancestry, as was the case with the woman with the slightly green hair, lose but a few Romulans seemed to be talented at the game. The rumour was that Kirk himself had taught some one's ancestor or great aunt the game and the family had enjoyed it ever since. Her musing was cut short by that annoying sound she could only call an audible flash.

"Hello lower case," she said to the omnipotent being stand behind her.

"Please call me Q," he pleaded.

"Sorry you know I can only ever really think of your dad using that name," she said. "Just remember its still a lot better than junior."

"You're right about that," he admitted. "Anyway its time for you to quit stalling and for you to come to my holiday party. I even promise a separate version with no one else and no snowman menace. Just you, Icheb and your friends. Mezoti a couple of people you managed to keep in touch with from Quorra. Aunty Kathy's pet hedgehog even said something about making a holiday version of Leola rot stew, perfect for any planet's winter or an Andorian summer."

"Okay," she said. "I'll come just promise to flash me back here to this point in time, I know you were trying to be helpful last year but flashing us straight back to k-7 caused Icheb to set off the stations anti-boarding defences."

So Commander Naomi Wildman had bought the holidays to New Romulus and in the years to come they had a holiday party about the same time every year and continued to do so even when the world finally had official holidays. Her reward for doing so was simple, the best Leola root stew she had eaten since leaving the Delta Quadrant, seeing Azn and Rebi frozen for an hour by Q's Snowman overlord and the company of good friends both old and new during the holidays season. That she decided was the best reward of all.