Chapter 2 – A Break with Tradition

"Lili!"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Don't forget to take your homework with you!"

"But Mo-om!"

"Don't you say that to me, young lady. You're going to visit your grandparents and it's going to be a nice visit but I still expect you to do your homework."

"But I don't understand it." Nine-year-old Lili O'Day came out of her room, clutching a child's version of a PADD.

"Grand-mama and Grand-papa will help you," said her mother, Marie Helêne. "Now make sure to take the cake with you."

"Yes, Mom."

"And give me a kiss! Honestly, child." Her mother bent down and Lili kissed her on the cheek. "Why don't you want to see your Ducasse grandparents?"

"I dunno. I thought Daddy and I would go fishing or something."

"Well, maybe when you get back, all right? Go on, he's waiting for you in the car."

"Bye!" Lili ran out, making sure to keep the cake carefully balanced on its plate as she tucked the PADD under an arm.

"That child," Marie Helêne chuckled to herself and turned to get lunch started.

In the car, Peter O'Day turned to his daughter. "Now I don't want to hear you complaining. Your Ducasse grandparents are nice people."

"Yes, Daddy."

"And then next weekend you'll see your O'Day grandparents." He had a Massachusetts accent, and dropped most of his Rs.

"Next weekend?"

"Remember? Your mother and I are going to see a show in New France. We'll be out late."

"Oh. I thought we were going fishing."

"We can do both," he said. "Here we are." He pulled into the driveway at his in-laws' house. "Bye my little ghost," he said, referring to her light-blonde hair and crystal blue eyes.

"Bye, Daddy."

She skipped into the house.

Then the dream jump-cut, and it turned from a memory to something she had never actually witnessed, but had thought of for over three and a half decades.

It was a kitchen fire. The old-fashioned gas stove had flames shooting out of all four burners and even the knobs, making it impossible to turn off the gas and extinguish the flames. Marie Helêne was trying to put it out to no avail. Peter ran in and grabbed a pot. He filled it with water from the sink and threw the water onto the flames but it didn't matter; the flames just jumped over and onto the curtains.

There was a loud cracking sound and a beam split and fell on them. Peter fell upon his wife, one last ditch effort to protect her.

And Lili stood there and watched, dumbfounded, suddenly no longer nine, but forty-six. She felt her chest heat up and looked down. She, too, was in flames. She yelled, "Fire!"

And awoke.

=/\=

Susie Money, a MACO, was Lili's current roommate. "You okay?"

"Huh?"

"You yelled 'Fire!'"

"Oh, yes, that nightmare again. Uh, Deb should've told you that I talk in my sleep. Sorry I woke you up."

"That's okay. Wanna talk about it?"

"Uh, well, it was a long time ago. I was orphaned because of a house fire."

"Were you there?" asked Susie. The alarm went off. She leaned over and shut it off.

"No, I was visiting my grandparents in New France."

"Where's that?"

"Titan, where I grew up. I ended up living with them."

"Oh." She yawned.

"I bet a part of the dream was a hot flash. I've been getting more and more of them lately. Oh, and sorry the alarm is set so early. It's so I can get in and serve breakfast. Then we've got the big game today."

"You nervous about that?" asked Susie.

"Can't you tell?"

=/\=

Both shuttle pods landed on Paradise. They were each packed with the two teams. Travis was piloting the shuttle that contained the Starfleet team. Before the hatch was opened, Chip said, "Now, remember, you don't want Lili playing. Complain a little, but not too much. Let's make this look good; don't even throw to her while warming up."

"I hope I can live up to the hype," she said.

"You'll be fine. I figure it'll be good for at least one pass through the order. They might even pitch to Hoshi in order to get to you, and maybe even Willets.," Chip said. "Everybody ready? C'mon, let's do this!"

The field was set up well, with flattened carton pieces pressed into service as bases. The scoreboard was a primitive affair, made of a spare section of hull where more carton pieces were hung. Tristan Curtis and Gary Hodgkins stood near the scoreboard, ready to adjust it as needed.

Seats were set up for twenty spectators, with benches for the two teams. The pitcher's mound was stacked dirt and the field was dusty with no grass, but at least there were no rocks.

T'Pol stood at the front of the field. "We will follow all of the standard rules for professional baseball. In the event of a question, we will check the video," she referred to a video unit that Hoshi and Shelby were setting up.

Meredith Porter and Victor Brown then got up. "All rise," he said.

"What for?" asked Major Hayes.

"We didn't think it made any sense to sing an anthem," Meredith said, using a voice amplifier, "so instead I'm gonna sing 'America the Beautiful', even though not everyone is from there and this place certainly, er, isn't America. But it is beautiful here."

"Take off your cap, sir," Susie said to Jay.

"Oh, uh, you're right." He did so.

"Oh beautiful for spacious skies …"

=/\=

"Play ball!" yelled T'Pol.

Two innings went by before Lili was up. She walked to the batter's box, looking down and trying to look as nervous as possible. She whiffed and was out. Chip nodded at her a little when she rejoined the bench. "Well?" he asked.

"I struck out," she said, "er, I do that, yanno."

"Okay," he said quietly," actually, this'll make it look even better."

When they fielded for that inning, a ball was hit between second and third. Brian and Jonathan nearly crashed into each other. She swooped in between them and caught the call, which had been hit by Dan Chang.

He sneered at her. "Lucky break," he said under his breath. The catcher, Azar Hamidi, just crouched and smiled, seemingly oblivious. It's all going according to plan, he thought to himself.

Two more innings went by, and the game was still tied at none all.

She was up again, with Hoshi at third. Walter Woods was getting tired. He took a look at her – easy out. The other members of his team moved in closer. He tossed at about one hundred KPH – a lot less than his normal pitching speed, which was closer to one hundred and forty KPH.

Lili saw her chance, and lobbed it toward first, where no one was standing.

"Go! Go!" yelled Chip as she rounded first. Hoshi headed home quickly. Lili ended up sliding into second as MACO Julie McKenzie threw to their second baseman, Rex Ryan.

Lili straightened up, blinking. Woods stared back at her. "Holy cow," he said softly.

"Mister Woods!" T'Pol called, "You are in danger of a balk."

"Oh, sorry," he said. Brian struck out and then Josh was walked. Captain Archer then singled, so the bases were loaded and Lili was on third.

I'm the weak link, she thought to herself. They're gonna do some sort of force play.

Azar Hamidi, the cleanup hitter, strode to the plate. He tipped his cap ever so slightly to Maryam, watching from the sidelines. But he was overconfident, hitting almost directly at Susie, who was at first. She threw back to Jay, the catcher.

Lili took off for home. It was the only thing she could do. Jay blocked the plate as she ran. To her, he looked huge. Head down, she ran, cap flying off her head, exposing her light, almost white blonde hair. She leaned her left shoulder into his chest as he blocked the plate.

He stepped back slightly and then they both fell, her on top of him, and he tagged her. T'Pol came over. "You are out," she said calmly.

Lili blinked several times. Most of the spectators were standing, craning their necks, trying to see what was happening. Victor Brown, who was one of the two announcers, said, "And we may have an injury on the field. Stand by."

Jay helped her up, and she winced. "You okay?" he asked.

"I think so. Maybe."

Chip came over. "Can you play?"

Andy came over. "Let me take a look." He pressed on her left shoulder and she involuntarily cried out. "Get to Sick Bay. I don't have anything to treat you with here."

"You sure?" asked Chip.

"Yeah," said Andy, medic training kicking in. "Lili, follow my finger," he said, moving it from side to side and in front of her face.

She stared at him.

"Huh," Andy said, "Phlox needs to check if there's a concussion. I don't think so," he said to her, "this is just a precaution."

"Okay, um, Jennings, get in here for O'Day. You're batting ninth and covering second," Chip said.

"Got it," said Preston Jennings.

Captain Archer came over. "Are you all right?"

"Mostly I just got the wind knocked out of me, sir."

"It's more than that," said Andy.

"Do you want someone to go with you?" Jonathan asked.

"I'm okay."

"You need to beam up, Ensign. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," she said, moving off to the side. She flipped open her communicator. "O'Day to Phlox."

"Yes?"

"Did you see what happened?"

"I did," he said, "are you coming up?"

"As soon as they can beam me up, Doc."

"All right, now, don't delay," he said, "Phlox out."

Malcolm came over. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"You took quite a hit. Are you going to Sick Bay?"

"Yeah, I have to beam up. I hate that thing."

"The transporter?" she nodded. "It's not so bad," he said, "here, you go first and I shall go directly after you, and take you to Sick Bay."

"You don't have to," she said.

"Nonsense, I want to be certain you're all right."

"All right," she said, flipping open her communicator again. "O'Day to Torres."

"Yo," he said, once he realized it was her.

"I need to beam up, and then Lieutenant Reed is beaming up, too."

"Got it," he said.

The transport felt odd, like all transports do, a little tingly and itchy and strange. She waited for Malcolm to materialize before she began walking toward Sick Bay. "Are you in any pain?" he asked as they walked.

"A little. My shoulder's bugging me."

"Then it is a good thing we're going to see Phlox, right? Ah, here we are." The Sick Bay doors swished open.

"Ah, Ensign O'Day, do join us," Phlox motioned to the scanner bed. Ethan was sitting up on a bio bed nearby, propped up with pillows. He had the game's video feed on his PADD and was watching it intently.

"Okay," she said, but before she lay down on the scanner bed, she went over to Ethan. "How ya doin' there?"

"Oh-okay."

"Didja see my play?"

"Yeah," he said, "R… B … I."

"Yeah, I guess I got one. We score any more since I left?"

"May … cohs … are … up."

"Thanks," she said. She started to get onto the scanner bed but winced as she put weight on her left arm.

"Here, let me help you," Malcolm came over. "Just lean on my arm."

"Okay," she said, pushing down a little on his shoulder as she got on.

Phlox first used a handheld scanner. "Ah. I see the problem."

"Oh?" asked Malcolm.

"Lieutenant," said the Denobulan, "the Ensign might want to have a little medical privacy."

"Oh, that's okay. So, uh, what are you seeing?"

"There's a hairline fracture in your left clavicle."

"What about a concussion?" asked Malcolm.

"I'll know once she gets on the scanner bed. Kindly lie down, Ensign."

"All right."

Phlox set the bed in motion into the imaging chamber. He clicked around a bit, taking notes, and then reversed the bed out of the chamber. "Well?" asked Malcolm, a little anxiously.

"I don't believe that there is a concussion," Phlox said, "but I'd like to keep the Ensign overnight for observation."

"And the fracture?" asked Lili.

"You'll wear a sling for a week, and won't do any lifting with that arm for a month."

"Huh. But I can still chop, so I can work. I just need Brian or Craig to lift the flour sacks. Right?"

"I suppose so," said the doctor, "but tonight you'll stay here."

"Hear that, Ethan? You'll have a roommate tonight," she said.

"Sn-snore?"

She laughed. "I do not snore. But I do talk in my sleep."

Malcolm brought over two chairs and they sat on either side of Ethan's bed, watching the game with him. "You know," she said, "you could go back to the surface and watch the game in person."

"Oh, that's all right," he said, "Besides, you can fill me in a bit. Mister Brown and Miss Porter seem to assume that everyone knows everything about the game."

"Huh, well, maybe they're not the best announcers," she said, "It's their first time. I'd cut 'em a little slack."

Phlox, too, pulled up a chair, and they watched as Jay Hayes hit a home run, which also brought in Oscar Tiburón.

At the seventh inning stretch, Meredith Porter got up to sing again, and led them all in a rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

"Did you know that Crewman Porter could sing?" Phlox asked.

"No idea," said Malcolm, "I suppose we're all rising to various occasions."

"Being out here," Phlox said, "it is a requirement, I'd say."

"Certainly," Malcolm agreed, "what with Crewman Miller studying under you, and Crewman Delacroix studying under Ensign O'Day here."

"Well, Brian is really studying more under Chef than me. And there's Craig Willets; he's been a godsend in terms of getting the replicator to create a lot of things we would never be able to grow on either Paradise or Amity," Lili stated.

"Ha, Haroun," said Ethan.

"Oh yes, Crewman Haroun," Phlox said, "She is studying Communications. I have a question, actually, and it's about her."

"Well, I don't want to gossip," said Lili.

"Of course not," said Phlox. "It is, you see, a few months ago, she asked for my assistance in what has proven to be a rather difficult matter."

"Is she okay?" asked Lili.

"Most certainly. But she is looking for a husband. There are only two male Muslim members of the crew – Azar Hamidi in Security and Ramih Azar, in the MACOs. Can you tell me your impressions of them? I am trying to help her, but it's all so subjective. It's difficult to determine whether what I am looking at is something that would be meaningful to a human woman."

"Doctor," Lili said, "don't you know by now that all of us human women are anything but alike? This can't be one size fits all."

"Understood," said the doctor, "just, if it were you, what would you be looking for?"

"Me? Huh, well, I would want someone interested in me for myself," she said, "someone who wasn't just desperate. And I suspect that's difficult to determine right now."

"Yes," Malcolm said, "seeing as there are thirteen single women right now. I suppose I would want someone who could appreciate the things I don't show to the rest of the world."

"Be … myself … with."

"So you'd all be interested in personal compatibility," Phlox said.

"If I were picking between the two of them," Lili said, "I think I'd pick Crewman Hamidi."

"Why?" asked Malcolm.

"He seems willing to step outside himself, and do things that maybe are uncomfortable to him. At least, it seems that way. Look at how he went for it today on the field. He didn't succeed, but at least he tried. Ramih Azar could have played, but he didn't. He didn't even try. And Azar Hamidi also seems to try to help everyone," she explained, "There have sometimes been rivalries between Security and the MACOs, but not for him. He doesn't seem to take sides in that matter."

"I, well, I am one of the causes of that rivalry," Malcolm admitted, "at least, I suspect I am. The Major and I, we don't get on very well."

"Look … they … won."

It was a score of two to one; the MACO team's runs were from Jay Hayes's home run in the sixth.

They watched as the shuttles were loaded with people, and provisions were beamed up. Some of the people were beamed up as well.

Several minutes later, the Sick Bay doors swished open. It was Jay Hayes. "How are you feeling, Ensign?"

"I, uh, I gotta stay here tonight."

"Oh. Well, I'm really sorry you got hurt."

"It's –"

"Major, it's enough," said Malcolm.

"What?"

"Let the Ensign alone. She's had a long day."

"I came here to see how she was and to apologize."

"And you've done that," said Malcolm, a little sternly.

"Look –"

"Fellas! Fellas! Time out," she called out, putting her hands in the shape of a capital T. The act caused her to wince in a little pain. "I appreciate your both being here, but Ethan's gotta rest. Ethan looked over at her, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Oh, sorry," said Jay, "Look, I can tell you'll need some help in the galley. I can get someone to do KP duty."

"Isn't that a punishment, like you punished Dan Chang last year?" she asked.

"Yeah, it is," he said, smiling slightly. "I could, uh, get someone on, I dunno, something."

"Trumped-up charges?" she asked.

"Yeah, trumped-up charges of whatever."

"Thanks," she said.

"Gentlemen," Phlox said, "The Ensign is right; Crewman Shapiro needs to rest."

"Actually, Malcolm," she said, "Can you swing by the galley and ask Craig to get some dinner for all three of us? I know there's turkey. And I know Doctor Phlox likes turkey."

"Certainly," he said, "Major, let's go."

"Uh, okay. And I'm, again, I'm sorry. She'll be all right, right?"

"Yes, she will be fine," said the Denobulan.

They left.

=/\=

Outside Sick Bay, Malcolm turned to Jay. "What did you think you were doing?"

"What?"

"Going and doing that? She is, what, a third of your size?"

"So?"

"So this isn't professional ball. This is a, a lady. I mean, what you did, is it even allowed in the rules of baseball?"

"It is," Jay said, "the catcher's allowed to block home plate."

"But really! She has a fractured shoulder, and perhaps even a concussion. And it's because of you."

"Lieutenant," Jay Hayes fought to stay calm, "She ran straight into me. You all saw that. She knew the risks, even if you didn't. Now I gotta go."

He left Malcolm who stood there, a little dumbfounded and angry, until he remembered to contact Craig Willets.

=/\=

In the hall of D deck, Jay walked along, fast, trying to get some of his annoyance out, but without going to the Gym, where he figured Malcolm might be. He shook his head and talked to himself slightly as he strode. "Damn, I do not need this to crop up again."

Sandra Sloane was in the hallway with Security Crewman Deborah Haddon. "Ladies," he said.

Sandra eyed him. "A home run. Impressive."

Deb saw Chip, her boyfriend, and went over to talk to him briefly. Sandra added, in a much lower volume, "You like to score?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Yeah, I suppose I did," he said, "You have an escort and a roommate."

"My roommate can take a walk. And you can be my escort."

He snorted a little. "I don't think so."

"Ha, just as I figured. You are such a fag."

He laughed a little. Before Deb returned, he said, "I may not wanna drink out of a cup that's been used by a bunch of other guys. 'Cause, you know, it's dirty and used. But it doesn't mean I don't like the juice in that cup."

He got out of there, shaking his head, wondering how he was going to shake his bad mood that had just gotten worse.

Deb turned to Sandra. "What was that all about?"

"Oh, I'm sure I dunno. Do you know who's guarding me tonight?"

"Curtis, I think."

"Good," Sandra said, smiling to herself.

=/\=

Jay Hayes's Personal log, September thirtieth, 2038

That baseball game was like a good news, bad news joke. The good news is I hit a homer and we won. I guess I still have some skills. Archer is also good; you can tell. And, surprisingly enough, so is the assistant chef, O'Day.

The bad news is that we had a play at the plate and a collision. Now O'Day's got a fractured shoulder, and maybe a concussion. And it's because she ran into me.

She smelled just a little bit like peaches.

I can't be thinking about that right now. I gotta deal with Reed, who is angry with me and thinks I did it deliberately. I can tell, this is gonna be trouble.

And then there's Sloane, coming onto me. I don't need this nonsense, not right now. I don't need to be the star of Rumor Central.

=/\=

Rex Ryan's Personal log, September thirtieth, 2038

I had no idea Meredith could sing! I'm gonna ask her to my quarters, play my guitar for her, and see what happens.

=/\=

Phlox's Personal log, September thirtieth, 2038

The more I think about it, the more I realize that Crewman Hamidi is a better choice of mate for Crewman Haroun. I shall try to speak with her soon, and see if she agrees.

Crewman Shapiro is improving. Having a little company tonight is, I feel, making him feel better, especially when Ensign O'Day kissed him good night on the cheek. She does not appear to have a concussion and I will likely release her tomorrow.

=/\=

Charlotte Lilienne O'Day's Personal log, September thirtieth, 2038

Ow. That is all.