The Hopper The following story line is mine. Don't try to copy it cause I'll get mad
In a like vain, Star Trek and all characters are the sole property of someone other than me.

++"If you only knew what it was like to miss your life"++

"I've contacted Starfleet about your...predicament. They do have records of your popping in on Captain Archer's Enterprise and several other instances as well" Kirk said, "You've had...problems with most of them" Deneb nodded. They were sitting around a table in a room just off the bridge. Spock, McCoy, and Scotty were there as well as a young man named Checkov. He was apparently ship's historian. He didn't know his history very well, in Deneb's opinion.
"They would like to know where you would like to be...stationed. Back to Earth?" Deneb was startled.
"You mean....leave?" she asked.
"Yes, of course. You can go...anywhere you want. To the Deneb system perhaps?" Kirk smiled charminly at her. She frowned at him.
"I've....I...." She stopped and shook her head, not sure how to respond.
"I've never left the area where I hopped to" she told them, "I don't know if I can, truthfully"

"Well, if you could...where would you like to go? Earth?" Kirk asked. He talked with his hands. Not always, but sometimes, Deneb had noticed. She'd already been on the ship for nearly three days. Uhura and Rand had helped her to make some clothes in the latest fashion out of material in stores. She wouldn't go for the short skirt and go-go boots (too 60's. Guess it was true that all fashions came around again) but she was outfitted in a cat suit with a nice tie-dyed over coat that went down to her knees. (The cat suit was black) They'd tried to convince her to put her hair up but Deneb had always worn it down her back and, because it wasn't excessivly hot on the ship, she stuck with the tradition. As Deneb reflected on the attire, she realized how different everything was. Not so different from her last stop, no. But much much more different from her home time. Go back to Earth?
"I haven't been to Earth since...well since first contact. And I wasn't there that long. I still think of Earth in terms of the time I grew up in. I can't go back to Earth. I'd lose the only home I can still cling to"
"Of course" Kirk agreed understandinly. He leaned back in his chair, out of ideas.
"Where, then, would you like to go?" McCoy asked. Deneb shrugged.
"I don't know. I don't know anything about this galaxy. I don't know anything about any planet, I don't know anything about....anything! I don't think I could function" Deneb cried. This whole idea of leaving the Enterprise had her very perplexed. It made her feel panicky, as if she were doing something she knew she shouldn't be doing and the consequences would be dire.
"The logical thing to do, in such a case" Spock was saying, his fingers steepled, "would be for you to remain where you were somewhat familiar with your surroundings"
"The only place I'm familiar with is the Enterprise" Deneb said absently.
"Spock...are you suggesting she stay here?" Kirk asked, leaning forward in his chair again.
"I believe it would be the logical course of action, Captain" Spock replied.
"I think you're right, Spock" Deneb was nodding to herself, "I get a panicky feeling every time I think of leaving this ship" She looked up. All four men were looking at her as if she'd just said something completely inane and nothing to do with the point. She gave them a hard look.
"I've learned to trust my feelings" she told them, "And I believe the fact that I've never before left the area to which I hopped is a good basis for the staying arguement"
"I don't mind if you stay" Kirk emphasized the 'I', "But I'll have to check with Starfleet Command"
"Do you have any idea how long you'd be staying?" McCoy wanted to know.
"No" Deneb answered immediately, then thought again, "But it has been getting longer. At first it would only be a few days, but lately I've been staying weeks. The last place almost two months, come to think of it!" She didn't like to think of it. The time between Archer's Enterprise and Kirk's Enterprise was not anything she treasured.
"Two months! Well, if you're going to be here that long we had better find something for you to do!" Kirk exclaimed. Deneb nearly gaped at him.
"Do? Are you /kidding/ me?" What was he thinking?
"Sure! What do you do?" he asked as if she were just some new officer he'd been assigned, but he wasn't sure what her speciality was.
"I was /sixteen/ when I started hopping! I hadn't even finished /high/ school yet! I don't /do/ anything!" she exclaimed right back.
"Well, you must be good at something" McCoy argued, "What do you like to do?"
"I like to...write. I like to....act, direct. I'm good at music. I don't see how any of those things are going to do any good on a starship" Deneb sighed in displeasure, "I mean, what do you want me to do? Start a newspaper? A theatrical club?" There was always something about everywhere, every time, wasn't there? Here, they try to kill her, there they try to "study" her, then they want to pick her brains of any historical knowledge she had, now? Now they aren't torturing her, no, but she was facing two or more months on a starship, perfectly healthy, well cared for, and /bored/!
She was missing something important. Kirk was giving Spock and McCoy a look.
"That's not a bad idea" the Doctor said, "The crew are always looking for a little entertainment, some distraction in their off time"
"Spock?" Spock raised an eyebrow.
"It would serve as a moral booster" the Vulcan admitted.
"I think it's vonderful idea, sir!" Chekov said exuberantly. The senior officers looked at his happily expectant face.
"Very well. Deneb Darling, you are our new moral officer. You may start a newspaper, direct plays and musical events, as long as they don't get in the way of any of my officer's duties" Kirk announced prosaiclly, as if he were bestowing a great honor which she should grovel and thank him for. She just rolled her eyes.
"Gee, thanks" She sounded displeased, but already the wheels in her head were turning. She'd do "A Midsummer Night's Dream" first, because she loved that play, and she'd have to start scouting for musical talent. Perhaps a Mozart night, then a jazz night, and some good old rock'n'role. As for the newspaper, she'd have to start looking for good stories. Perhaps do crew profiles, stories about any performances of course, maybe even a continuous short story? She could probably find a woman to do a fashion column, and did the men still pay attention to sports? Well, if they didn't then there was probably something else they paid attention to. Her mind was spinning with ideas. Maybe this could be a good thing!