Christine's Christmas Present
Dr. Christine Chapel feels that fate played a bad trick on her. For the first time in years, she had tried to spend Christmas on earth. Together with Nyota she planned this month ago. They had rent a cabin in the Colorado Mountains. They had send invitations to all their friends long weeks ago. What they have had in mind was a Christmas celebration and a big reunion party with all of the old friends. Sulu, Chekov, Janice Rand, Scotty and Leonard McCoy would be there and even Jim Kirk had agreed to this event. They all would be there. Except herself, if not a miracle would happen. Three weeks ago, Christine gets an order from Starfleet Medical Headquarters. On Space Station K4 many crewmembers got ill with an unknown virus. Chapel and her team have a rough time, to got the disease under control, but eventually, they got the remedy.
Christine stays a few days more, to be sure that all of the sick Crewmembers are on their way to recovery.
To going back to earth as soon as possible, she booked a trip on a private liner spaceship. She was looking forward to this vacation, the Christmas holidays and the meeting with her friends and comrades. Short before the departure from K4, she has had a communication with Nyota. Uhura promised her, that she would take things in her own capable hands. She would bring Christine's Luggage to the cabin. And she told her friend what plans she had made and what kind of shopping she had done. And also, that there was a surprise for Christine, a very special surprise. The big grin on Nyotas face told Christine that the communication officer wouldn't betray her secret and so she didn't tried.
It had be could so good, if not the spaceship got caught in a Plasma Storm. The Captain of the vessel wasn't inclined to make a big detour and changed the course only a fraction. It was too marginal to escape the significant effects of the storm without damages. The drive was broken, some passengers injured, few of them gravely and to resume to warp speed was an illusion.
After Christine helped out in sickbay she repaired to the bridge to get information to the state of affairs. The conclusion was daunting. There was no really danger for the vessel and its passengers, but they wouldn't be back on earth in time for the Christmas Celebration.
Back in her quarters she was throwing herself on the bed, her fists drumming on the pillows. Again she would spend the Christmas days on a star ship, like the five years before. It was either a star ship or a Space Station, a foreign planet or a Sience Station on a far away and scary place. And now, just this year, where there was the opportunity to meet again with all the old comrades from Enterprise, she hangs in a battered vessel alone, without someone on her side, someone who knows her and cares for her.
She had has thought of the pleasure they would have together in the snow. Uhura has told her the weather forecast promised snowy and sunny days. She had has looking forward to quiet conversations, relaxing by the fireplace, drinking punch or something other. Leonard McCoy would be there, they haven't seen another for nearly four years, Janice, Sulu, Chekov and Scotty, with them around it would be great fun. Jim Kirk, her former Captain and also a very good friend. Nyota, her best friend for many years. They never lost contact, but it's had been two years, that they haven't seen one another.
Just for a moment, Christine thought of Spock, the Vulcan. She had tried to reach him, but he was nowhere to be found. The effort to reach him telepathically was without success either. Since a couple of years ago Spock had melded with her on a rescue mission. From then on, she always had the feeling, to know, where he was, how he get along. Sometimes she felt if he was injured, because she feels the pain, and after that his reassuring thoughts, that she don't have to worry, that all was right. But now, that she thought about it, there wasn't any contact for a couple of time. Maybe something happened to him, something really bad? No, she was sure, that she just would know it, she always feels it, if something was wrong with him. It weren't words at all, more a kind of sensations and always she was sure, that this sensation was caused from him.
Eventually Christine gets off her bed. She was acting like a spoiled child. Instead of sulking, she should take things as they were. With this resolution she was ready to go to the mess hall, drinking a cup of tea, and maybe learning something new from the people who would be there.
