Palisade Manor
Mountain Home, Idaho
Earth
─•~:~•─
"Miss Rain! That isn't right, you're supposed to put the pineapples on after the sausage, not before!" Kayla shouted to her closet friend.
Everything had to be perfect.
This dinner party was Kayla's idea after-all.
The whole family was coming over tonight.
Kayla had spent the entire week getting all the details right. With Louis' help, she had picked the plates, the table settings, the linen on the table itself, the drinks, and even the desert.
But now, the pizza was in danger of not being perfect.
That was something Kayla couldn't tolerate.
"I'm sorry little one. Here, let me start again," Rain replied, removing the offending pineapples from the crust and putting the sausage in it's place.
Miss Rain had come back three days ago, and even brought Kayla a brand-new blue dinner dress for the party from a shop in Paris.
Paris was in France, across the Atlantic Ocean, not as far as Ukraine but still a long swim.
But strangely, Miss Zelina hadn't come with Miss Rain, as she usually did when Miss Rain came to visit.
And Kayla couldn't help to notice that Miss Rain seemed very tired.
Kayla sighed, "That's okay, Miss Rain, I know you're trying your best. Look, once your done with the pineapples, I'm gonna put the pizza in the oven, you can put out the glasses."
"And remember, the forks need to go on the right side of the plates, okay?"
Rain smiled and patted her daughter on the head.
It was strange to think that she was in fact only ten years older than this girl.
Technically, she wasn't legally old enough to adopt her, let alone continue to serve in the Federation Marines to pay for the various tutors that she had hired for Kayla to make her a Marine officer one day.
But there was no sense in dwelling about it now. Anna McClair had promised that the adoption would stand.
Besides, the forks needed to be placed correctly.
"Alright, I'm on it, never fear Kayla," Rain said confidently, as she walked out of the kitchen into the dining room.
Rain started placing the glassware on the indicated places on the table.
She stopped for a minute when she reached the place opposite of the window, looking out into the large backyard.
It was the same place where, just a week before, Zelina had sat.
Rain let her mind recall the exact moment.
Her long, blonde hair was shining brightly against the frigid winter sun of Idaho. Her facial tattoo, the series of black dots starting from her lower eye and stretching around the back of her head, looked as sharp and fresh as the day they were first applied. And her blue eyes, as deep as the Atlantic Ocean, looked beautiful and deep, but also sad.
And Rain's own eyes were sad.
After Avalon had arrived back at ESD, Zelina was nowhere to be found. She had been ducking all of Rain's attempts to contact her, and none of the Avalon crew were any help in finding her.
Kayla was still permitted to visit the battle cruiser for Computer Studies, but unless Rain had officially signed Marine papers for official business, she was not.
Not above doing so, she had forged such papers several times, just to find Zelina, but the Captain was never anywhere to be found.
Maybe she's made her choice after all.
As Rain was about to start crying for the third time today, a Starfleet transporter beam materialized in the dining room, and Zelina Bakay appeared, wearing her lovely red ballgown.
Rain instantly smiled, "I realize that the words 'dinner party' had an air of formality, but a ball gown is somewhat excessive."
Rain herself was wearing a quite simple blue dress, similar in style to Kayla's.
The only difference was her Marine duty belt, with an assault phaser and PFC Mr. Pingu on either side of her waist.
Zelina scoffed, "You look nice too, Kohkna,"
Kayla came running out of the kitchen and hugged her fiercely, "Miss Zelina! I was worried you weren't gonna make it!"
Zelina gently patted her shoulder, "Vybach, Kayla. I was busy getting changed, do you think this dress was too much?"
"Naw, you look like one of my dolls! But we can look at your pretty dress later, okay? Miss Rain needs help with the table settings, she's taking too long!" Kayla replied as she made her way back to the kitchen.
Rain passed her a pile of napkins, "Thanks for coming, Zelina. It means the world to my daughter that you made it to her dinner party. It's all she's talked about for the last three days."
Her happiness aside, Rain dared not use any romantic formalities with the Starfleet Captain.
Technically, their relationship could be construed as statutory rape by the particularly brutal LA Jessica Nyless, who had reverted to her mother's maiden name after her second divorce to Justin Reams, now serving twenty five years in New Zealand for corruption charges.
Much to Rain and the FMC's anger, Jessica was the front runner in the recall election for Federation Legal Adjutant.
Despite Anna's other assurance that neither Rain nor Zelina would face charges for their affair, Rain would not trust any lawyer as far as her phaser would shoot.
"Correction, our daughter. My name is still on the papers, you know. And I promised you that I would be there for her," Zelina replied, placing the forks carefully on the right side of each blue plate, with the napkin folded neatly at nine o'clock.
"You know I can't ever forget it, but I appreciate it," Rain replied, before deciding to take a gamble, "Have you made a decision about…us?"
Zelina sighed, "Nyet. There's been too much on my mind lately. The entire Tholian Assembly just disappeared into thin space. We're all quite freaked out. But-" she sighed, then offered a smile to Rain, "It's not nyet forever, either. That's the best I can offer right now."
Rain took a napkin to wipe away a tear forming in her eye. I
t wasn't the answer she was hoping for, but it was better than the worst option she had come up with, "One day at a time then. I can live with that. Shall we start with dinner then, and see how things go from there?"
Zelina nodded, placing a beer glass down at the indicated spot, "Da. Dinner it is."
While the two women continued placing the settings around the table, Evelyn entered the dining room and smiled at both of them, "Good Evening, Captain Bakay. It's a pleasure to see you again in Kayla's home."
Zelina walked over and gave the Governess a one-armed hug, her other still grasping cutlery wraps, "I would not have missed this for all the graphite in Chernobyl."
Evelyn politely returned Zelina's hug and looked at Rain, "Miss Rain? Miss Kayla's guests will be arriving shortly, would you be so kind as to escort her to the front door so she may greet them properly?"
Rain nodded, "Sometimes I wonder who is actually being governed around here. We'll be along in a few moments."
As Evelyn respectfully bowed and left the dining room, Rain offered her still stiff right arm to Zelina, "You are the senior officer on deck, Captain. May I have the honour of being escorted to the front door?"
Zelina smiled, and took Rain's arm in hers, "It would be my pleasure, Major."
─•~:~•─
"Okay, is everything ready in the dining room?! This has to be perfect guys!" Kayla said, pacing the foyer.
"Oh stop fussing about Little One, you'll ruin the floor," Rain replied, kneeling and helping Kayla adjust her magic cap.
Even with a blue formal dinner dress on, Kayla had insisted on wearing the combat cap.
She never went anywhere without it, even if monsters weren't real.
Beside Kayla, Miss Rain and Miss Zelina, Comrose sat patiently awaiting the arrival of new people.
Her master had instructed her that she had to be perfect as well, and Comrose intended to keep her vow to her master Kayla.
Her purple Tholian silk collar was freshly cleaned, and she wore a lovely yellow flower above her right ear.
If Comrose had behaved, Master Kayla had promised her the treat of a full sausage roll after dinner, not to mention a long walk.
The big red door opened, and Mark Castle was the first person to step through.
He had taken the effort to wear a Class-A dress uniform for the party, since his invitation had stated formal dress required.
He knelt on one knee, his right considering that his left ankle still hurt like hell, and smiled at Kayla, "Hey Squirt, how's it going?"
Kayla hugged her 'uncle', as the man had insisted on being called, "Uncle Mark! I'm glad you're here. And Miss Rain said you can only have three beers tonight, no whiskies or rum!"
Mark laughed, "No worries, Kid, I'll be straight. Has Rain started you on guns yet?"
Rain scoffed, "When she learns to shoot, Kayla will do so under proper supervision, which means you'll have nothing to do with it, Mark."
Mark pointed at a purple haired woman, wearing a white and gold Starfleet dress uniform, "Hey Kayla, I want you to meet my uh…my girlfriend, Alesha."
Alesha knelt and hugged Kayla, "Oh ain't you just the cutest little thing in yer blue dress?!"
"Hi Miss Alesha! Your hair is so cool looking, can I do mine like that?" Kayla asked, admiring the Captain's purple hair.
"Sure thing hun, if your mom says its okay!" Alesha said with a wide smile.
When she stood back up, she whispered in Mark's ear, "I want one Mark!"
"What, a blue dress?" he whispered back
"Nuh uh, a cute little girl o' my own in a blue dress," Alesha whispered back.
Mark found the idea utterly terrifying and quickly stepped aside to allow the next guest to enter Kayla's house.
Mor stepped through, wearing only his standard MDU.
He refused to dress well for any reason, but he offered a friendly greeting to the host on one knee, "Hail to you Kayla, Daughter of Rain, of the House Kaimeao."
Kayla hugged Mor, and felt herself being squeezed tightly by the Klingon's massive arms, "Hi Grampy Mor, but please don't squish me, we still have to eat."
Mor released the small girl and instead gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Kayla had always called him 'Grampy', a term used by humans for 'Grandfather'.
Kayla Kaimeao was as close as the old bounty hunter would ever get to a granddaughter of his own, and he took care whenever he could to help her.
During her Phys ed studies, he had argued loudly with Vorax, her trainer, and ripped down the large ladder in her gym when Vorax insisted she could not climb fast enough.
Kayla's Governess had insisted he pay for the repair cost, a woman who would have otherwise made a fierce warrior.
The next guest entered, and Virnas looked down at Kayla.
He too had dressed in a Class-A dress uniform, no matter how inefficient it was to work in.
Mark had once again threatened to sell him to the Daystrom Institute, this time as a walking coffee machine, if he didn't, "Hello Kayla Kaimeao. According to my records, you have made a 16% increase in your achievement level during history studies. As always, my offer stands to hack said grades if you desire, at minimal cost to you."
Kayla lightly punched him on his leg, "That's cheating Cousin Vir! We don't cheat here!"
Virnas sighed and pointed at the final guest, "As you desire. May I introduce my own friend who will be joining us for the event you have designated as a dinner party? Kitty, please say hello."
The holographic girl stepped inside the house.
She wasn't much taller than Kayla and looked like she came from a cartoon, "Hi Kayla. My name is Kitty, I'm an artificial intelligence program aboard Kitty Hawk. I can help you with computer studies if you want—"
Kitty was interrupted by Comrose, who walked over and immediately started sniffing the strange girl in the blue shark hoodie.
Without being able to understand what it was she was sniffing, Comrose stepped back and barked once at the hologram.
"No, I'm real, but no chasing me around!" Kitty said, placing her finger on the snout of the border collie.
Comrose barked twice more, to which Kitty responded, "Yes, your collar looks cute and so does your flower"
Kayla was wide-eyed, "You can speak dog?!"
Kitty smiled, "Of course, it just takes proper signal modulation. I would teach you, but human ears cannot support this function."
Mark laughed, and looked at his extended family, "Well kid, what's for dinner? I'm absolutely fu—" A sharp look from both Rain and Alesha caught his tongue, "—uggin starving."
Kayla smiled brightly, "Me and Louis have made seriously the biggest pizza any of you have ever seen. Like, it's almost as big as the table! You're all gonna be so impressed!"
As Kayla led the group into the dining room, Virnas whispered to Mor, "That is not a logical statement. Such a pizza would not be able to support itself on this—"
Mor cut him off with a stiff elbow, "Be silent, you machination of terror! This is her home, and if you should dare argue with her, I'll remove your one good eye with my bare hands!"
Everyone found their seats at the large oak table. Mark sat next to Alesha, across from Rain and Zelina.
While he was holding hands with Alesha, Mark's keenly trained eye noted some tension between Rain and Zelina.
Obviously, the "private party" between the two on Avalon hadn't been so solicitous. Mor took a spot next to Alesha on her left, closest to Kayla and facing the door, both to get the first slice and to protect his adopted granddaughter.
To the right of Rain, Virnas sat doing some strange analysis with his implants.
To his right sat Kitty, and even though she didn't eat, she had taken the cue of proper manners and lowered her holographic hoodie.
Finally, to her right, Comrose sat calmly next to the holographic girl, and despite the tension that Kitty felt, she calmly patted the border collie on her head.
Evelyn entered the room and provided everyone with their preferred beverage selection.
Mark had a Moosehead, Alesha a Coors, Mor a flagon of Warnog, Zelina a Vodka Tonic, Rain – surprisingly – a glass of water, the same for Vir, and finally Kayla with old-time, hand-made root beer.
Mark raised his bottle and looked at his niece, "Hey kiddo, you're the host, how about a speech?"
"Speech!" came the reply from everyone around the table.
Blushing slightly, Kayla stood on her chair and raised her own mug high, "Okay. So, a year ago, my mommy and daddy died on Tranbir Nine. I had to hide in the closet of my old house, and I was really scared. I…I thought the monsters would get me too. But the closet opened, and Miss Rain was there to help me."
Kayla looked at Rain and continued her speech, "And Miss Rain was so nice. She gave me the magic cap, which I'm wearing right now, and she told me that the monsters would never find me as long as I had it on my head."
"So I traded her Mr. Pingu for it because Mr. Pingu can warn you if there are monsters coming as long as you stay really quiet. Those are the rules, and Marines don't break rules, right guys?"
"Here, here," Mark responded.
The present company being the exception, he thought to himself.
"And Miss Rain let me meet you guys, and even though I miss mommy and daddy a lot, you guys are all my friends and my new family at the same time. So tonight, I wanted a dinner party with all my new friends, so we can all be together for once."
"So you guys are gonna eat this massive pizza I made, and then we're all gonna take Comrose for a walk to Lethbridge, Alberta. She wants to see the train tracks!" Kayla finished as she sat back down in her seat.
Rain raised her glass, "To family!"
"To family!" everyone replied.
Louis brought out the massive pizza.
And even though it was not the biggest pizza ever made according to Virnas, it was truly gigantic, filling up most of the table.
Everyone ate, laughed, and celebrated together, as a family.
Two hours later, when the pizza was finally finished, Kayla jumped from her seat and called out to her friends, "Okay, that's dinner! Let's go, guys, we have to get to Lethbridge before the sun goes down!"
The group rose, put on their coats, and stepped out to the front yard.
Kitty was first out the door, with Comrose chasing hard after her, "I thought I said I didn't like dirty little dogs chasing my avatar around!"
Mark laughed and held on tightly to Alesha's hand.
And he remembered those same words from Bath'lor as they all began the long walk to his hometown of Lethbridge.
Home isn't where you're born. It's where your friends are in that moment.
─•~:~•─
The End
The Federation Marines will return in;
Wrong Us, Shall We Not Revenge