Winter Wonderland

Commander Wildman sighed as she finally made it to the turbolift after the twelve and a half hour security briefing. Even with the Klingons finally ready to resume diplomatic relations there were still many threats to the safety of the Federation and its allies. In fact it had been the increase in borg activity that had forced the Klingons into talking.

"Hold the Turbolift," some one called. Commander Wildman did so because she wasn't even sure were she was heading to. Ideally back to her quarters on Deep Space K-7, but that was a long runabout trip.

"Naomi, I'm glad I caught up with you," Lieutenant Commander Icheb said as he entered the turbolift.

"Lt. Cmdr. May I remind you..."

"That you went off duty an hour ago?"

"Oh sorry Icheb I didn't realise," she replied. "That briefing just dragged on and on. All if the borg do this how will X react. They even spouted some hare brained stuff about 8472. And then some one actually had the guts to present projections of Iconian responses, assuming they aren't behind this recent increase of incursions from the collective.

"It's okay," he said. "I'm glad my lecture on genetic sequencing only went for three hours. So did you get any leave for the holidays?"

"No," she replied. "And I just don't know how I'll tell Gres Six I'll be missing another Christmas. I'm not even sure Gres Seven remembers he has an Aunt."

Icheb smiled knowing that what he was about to do would cheer up his friend and commanding officer.

"You need a break and I have just the place in mind," he said.

"I can't take a break," Naomi lamented. "I have to be back in my office by thirteen hundred hours tomorrow for a meeting with Ambassador Zh'Beane."

"I heard about that," Icheb said. "She and her staff really think they can get the klingons to apologise for cloaking our station during the conflict?"

"Zh'Beane believes it could be an important step in normalising relations further," Naomi said. "Besides I kind of like the idea of the hard copy hanging on my office wall."

"Well okay," Icheb said. "I promise this little break won't take more that a few hours. You'll be back in plenty of time."

"Its not Club 47 again," Naomi groaned. "It's nice and all but the current headache I have doesn't suit the music."

"Main Deck, Admiral Quinn's office," Icheb instructed the turbolift.

The turbolift slowed and the doors opened. Naomi was shocked to see a familiar face by the fountain outside the admiral's office. With a flash the pink haired woman with an ensigns insignia he had been talking to turned into a pink pony. The woman with slightly green hair and a captain's insignia beside the transformed woman rested her head against her palm.

"Oh don't be like that Captain Nee," q said. "Now go have some fun, you both like ice skating don't you. Or perhaps you could both find somewhere private and you can teach our friend the really fun rules of Fizzbin. The ones our mother thinks you never learnt!"

With a flash the two women disappeared.

"No way? Is that lower case?" Naomi asked.

"Hey q-ball," Icheb said as he waved at his omnipotent friend.

"Hey itchy," q replied and then he saw Naomi. "You're right she does look like Aunt Kathy before she's gotten her morning coffee."

"So it's all been arranged?" Icheb asked.

"They're already waiting," q said with a smile.

With a flash the surrounds of earth space dock disappeared. Replaced by a replica of Voyager's mess hall set into a side of a mountain that overlooked a veritable winter play ground. Neelix was already cooking in the kitchen while his family set the table. Mezoti and Seven of Nine were decorating a tree. Admiral Janeway was talking to Samantha Wildman about family. Azn, Rebi and her father Greskrendtregk were discussing plans of attack against the mighty snow fort of B'eane daughter of B'nea, proud engineer of Klingon empire. Finally Gres Six, his wife and their son Gres seven just stared for a moment and then pulled Naomi into a big group hug.

"Glad you could make it sis," Gres Six said.

"I told you Dad," Gres Seven said. "I told you Santa would know a Q who could help."

"Santa is a great guy," q said as he flashed in. "Stay as long as you like I can return you to the exact time you left. Drop by outside later if you want to try some of my games, oh and drop by the little green fellow. Knife beats borg after all."

With that he flashed out again.

Naomi looked over at Icheb and mouthed the words thank you.

"Aunt Naomi will you help me win a scarf?" Gres Seven asked. "We can go out and race around on the ice and then you get scarf."

"Later little Gres," Naomi said. "Let me introduce you to all my friends from the delta quadrant first."

Gres Seven's face light up like lake Armstrong on a clear day as Naomi took his hand and lead him over to the Christmas tree.

"Hi Mezoti," she said to the slightly older woman who still looked younger than her. "This is Gres the seventh. Mezoti here is a professor of entomology."

"What's that mean?" the boy asked.

"It means I get to catch bugs," Mezoti said. "Do you like bugs?"

From his place down near the finish line of the race track q smiled. Perhaps he would join his friends and family a little later on. His thoughts were interrupted by a curious Starfleet captain.

"Okay I've got to know," she asked. "Every time she goes "turn me into a pony" and every time you do, why?"

"Because for some reason Dad is afraid of ponies," q explained. "And that my dear Bea is reason enough."