Chapter 8 – Blended family

          "Jean Luc, why did you and I wait so long to do this?"  Beverly walked next to the man as they left the restaurant, heading for the docking ring to return to the Enterprise.

          "I have thought about that for the last three days while waiting for you to get here.  The proud male would want to say that the two of us found duty more important than anything.  I would like to think that myself, but I find that I can't say it."

          "Then don't.  The only thing that I could not handle is you lying to me.  For right now I don't really want to know either.  Let's talk about something else.  Something more along the lines of how long are you staying here?  Even though the new schedules for medical assistance for Cardassia will involve me I think I can arrange to do most of it here on the station.  So I don't think I'm going anywhere for a while."

          "Unfortunately I can't say the same.  We will be here about another week, I hope.  The only one that really needs to be here is Commander Buckley.  I don't know all the details yet, but some how she managed to come up with a compromise that truly set the Bajoran religious sector on its head.  She is truly amazing."

          "Sounds like you just adopted another little girl."

          "I think I just have at that.  So why don't we go back to the Enterprise and play house ourselves."

          There was a lusty smile on her face as she took him by his arm.

          "I think I now know how you managed to impress your captain, Lana."  Commander Vaughn sat beside his 'niece' in Quarks.  After hearing what she had devised as a settlement among the Bajoran people had flattened him.  It was in fact elegantly simple, yet it had taken years for someone to think of it.

          "Oh, Elias.  What is that?"

          "Well for one, you have guts.  I don't think anyone else would have come up with something that sounded so out in left field but made perfect sense.  I know your dad will love to here about it."

          "When I get the chance to tell him I will.  Right now I am going to have to show these people how to begin to build what will seem to them as an entirely new religion until they learn that what they are truly doing is taking the old and venerating it to the point that it becomes new."

          "You know, when you came aboard the other day I swore that you acted just like your mother.  I was right, but I think you truly got your dad's chutzpa.  Only a Talmudic scholar could see what you did and make it look effortless."

          "Effortless my butt.  I spent the entire night before trying to find my old college papers and compare my conclusions with the databases of the Talmud.  After that I still had to figure out how they applied here.  I don't want to admit this but the whole idea was a leap of faith."

          "Lana I don't think it was so much a leap of faith as it was your own faith in yourself.  I know your family too well to not believe that somewhere in the back of your mind you had the answers to begin with.  Sometimes it just takes looking at things differently to know what you are looking for."

          She contemplated the idea for a moment.  Then she turned the conversation on him.  "I think that that goes for both of us.  I am glad to see that you are happy Uncle.  This place suits you.  Didn't I see Prynn walking around earlier?  I haven't seen you in years and the last that I heard the two of you were on the outs with each other.

          "Like I said sometimes it takes looking at things differently.  That's why I am glad that I chose to be here.  I was ready to try to see things from a different standpoint.  Now enough counseling.  I just want to spend the time with you before you leave."

          "Well I am not going anywhere for a couple of weeks.  The Assembly has requested that I stay as an advisor for at least two to three weeks.  The Captain has granted me temporary duty to do it.  So you will see me for a while."

          "Am I interrupting?"  Geordi LaForge came to the table.

          "No Commander, Commander Vaughn and I were just catching up on old times."  She introduced them.  "Elias Vaughn this is Commander Geordi LaForge, chief engineer of the Enterprise.  Geordi, my 'Uncle' Elias."

          "Geordi, I haven't seen you in a while."  Elias smiled.

          "Commander Vaughn."  Geordi was a bit put out by seeing the man.  It had been a couple of years.  Both times he had been in the company of the man prior to this had been during very unpleasant times.  Now he wasn't quite sure what to say, but Alana had asked to meet him as soon as he finished his shift for the day.

          "I'm sorry, do the two of you know each other?"

          "Not well Lana.  I have been on the Enterprise a couple of times."  Seeing the discomfort of the two youngsters he saved them from the awkward moment.  "Why don't I leave the two of you alone.  I am a little old for the shenanigans of the young."  He bent over to kiss Alana on the cheek as he left.  A small whisper came out of his mouth as he did.  "I definitely approve Lana."

          She was blushing as he left.  Geordi noticed and smiled.  "What brought that on?"

          "Let's just say you just got the 'uncle' seal of approval."

          When Buckley returned to her ship she was exhausted.  It had taken nearly a month, but she was laid the foundations for the Bajoran people to finish their quest on their own.  All she wanted tonight was a quite dinner in her quarters, and fiction book to get all the information out of her head, and her bed.  First however she had to deal with all the dispatches that had piled up while she was gone.  Most of them had been forwarded to her on DS9 but there were probably several that had been missed.  Surprisingly there was only one.  It had been dated only an hour before she arrived.

          LaForge's face filled the screen.  "Alana, meet me in my quarters at 21:00."  That was it.

          Now what is this about?   They had talked almost every day that she had been gone.  The Enterprise had been on fairly routine missions so what had been left had just been the normal day-to-day talks of friends.  She was fairly certain that there would be more when they were together again.  There was a flutter in her stomach as she changed to meet him.

          The next night brought another shock.  After her first day back Alana had been pleasantly tired, and looking forward to a repeat of the previous activities when Geordi paged her.

          "Buckley here."

          "Alana, are you planning anything tonight?"

          "No, do you have something in mind?"

          "Actually I do.  Dr. Crusher is leaving tomorrow to return to DS9 herself and I thought it would be a good idea for one last poker game.  You up to it?"

          "Where and when?  And how about a private game ourselves after?"

          If she could have seen him she would definitely have seen the blush.  "I think that can be arranged."

          Sitting at the table Alana looked around her.  For the first time since she had meat these people every one of them was happy.  Worf had found a bit of a catharsis in talking to Dax.  He was still lonely but he was definitely ready to start again.  He had his duty and again he had found his home again.  The Captain was the happiest she had ever seen him and practically glowed with the joys of newly acknowledged love.  Dr. Crusher, who she had only met recently, shared her beau's glow.  Alana knew that if anyone looked they would see the same glow on her and Geordi's faces as well.

          She dealt the cards.  She wasn't quite sure why shy said it but for some reason this choice of words seemed apt.  "Five card stud, nothing wild, and the sky's the limit."