Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Trek, I wrote the chapters a little
out of order (this is the 3rd chapter), so now I have to do research for
the 2nd chapter. Give me some time to gather the meat of the story...
Turkey Day
Alina Tucker made her way from her bed to her closet. She pulled back the door and gazed at her new holiday dress she was going to wear that evening. She was looking forward to a nice family meal since nothing had been the same since her father's accident in Engineering. Her brave, chipper father had been very sad and frustrated these past couple of months. He was slowly sounding like his old, joyful self and even making jokes about his present condition. No, the fact that he was now confined to a wheelchair for life wasn't about to beat down his spirits. Trip Tucker was known for being inventive in his engineering career and he applied those same skills to getting around day to day in his new lifestyle. Trip had learned a hard life lesson about being on time for important events and that "just five more minutes" could almost cost a person their life. The crew of the ship had rallied around him fiercely and made the ship accessible for him on every single deck. They added ramps to doorways, installed lower-placed door-activating button-pads, and installed three lifts in engineering alone; including one to the additional catwalks surrounding the warp core. Each morning a different member of the crew showed up to help with his shower, get dressed, and load up the backpack attached to the back of his chair with datapads he would need for his days' assignments. They even walked with him down to the Mess Hall and had breakfast with him. Usually he had an almost full table and the Captain hadn't been able to have a private dinner with him because of the younger man's new social schedule!
Smiling Alina thought of the crew and how they all got together to let her Dad know he was still a much-needed member. She pulled up a stool to her closet, stepped upon it, and reached up and got down her dress. She next pulled out her new, matching sweater from the lower drawer of her dresser. She laid them on her bed, and went to get dressed in her school clothes. After she was dressed she gathered up her books, and went to the Mess Hall to have breakfast with her Aunt Hoshi. Later in the evening, Alina wondered into the Mess Hall and went straight to the kitchen to help with mixing the cranberry sauce with Chef. He looked quizzically at her as she entered and blew air out through his tight lips. The Captain had actually ordered him to let the children of the ship be in charge of the whole Thanksgiving Menu and he was just astounded that he had ended up with this mission in his life. Alina pulled up a stool, reached for the cranberries, sugar, allspice, and ΒΌ cup of cream, and began mixing the ingredients. "You're doing that much too fast, slow down and get a good rhythm going .", commented Chef. "I'm doing a good job but I'll take you advice and think about it. Are you always so cranky?", pondered the small girl. "Only when I have unexpected guests in my kitchen." "Well, ya' better get used to it, pally.", a strong voice called out. "Daddy! You surpriseded me!", cried Alina as she bounded into Trip's lap and hugged him tight. "I know, sweetie. I thought you'd like some company that won't be such a worry-wort about his own personal space." "Chef and I get alone just fine, Pop. Remember when we made that birthday cake for Travis? It turned out super!" "It sure did, darlin'." Alina was happy to have her father and his friends, no their whole family, share this special day with her. As she climbed off her Dad's lap, and got back up on her stool to got to work on her cranberries. As she worked and finished that project, then moved onto the mashed potatoes, people drifted in and greeted them with supplies they had brought to decorate the Mess Hall with. Malcolm came in and carried out a stack of dishes for the tables. Hoshi dashed in after him, hollering about watching what he was doing, snatched up some tablecloths and candlesticks, and then dashed out after him. Travis came in, swooped up Alina, and gave her a big kiss on her cheek. She squealed and blew a raspberry in his ear, causing him to burst out giggling. Trip quirked his eyebrows at actually hearing a male crewman giggle and decided he somehow blackmail Travis about it later. Finally after Travis left with the wine glasses, Captain Archer came in and gave Trip a shoulder squeeze and Alina a gentle pat on the head. Yes, Alina was so happy to have such a happy, wonderful, emotional family. Even T'Pol was prone to let the little girl get behind her and brush her hair before her bedtime story. The celebrating a Traditional Earth Holiday was a good break in her life aboard a starship, even though she wouldn't trade it for all the stars in the galaxy...
Turkey Day
Alina Tucker made her way from her bed to her closet. She pulled back the door and gazed at her new holiday dress she was going to wear that evening. She was looking forward to a nice family meal since nothing had been the same since her father's accident in Engineering. Her brave, chipper father had been very sad and frustrated these past couple of months. He was slowly sounding like his old, joyful self and even making jokes about his present condition. No, the fact that he was now confined to a wheelchair for life wasn't about to beat down his spirits. Trip Tucker was known for being inventive in his engineering career and he applied those same skills to getting around day to day in his new lifestyle. Trip had learned a hard life lesson about being on time for important events and that "just five more minutes" could almost cost a person their life. The crew of the ship had rallied around him fiercely and made the ship accessible for him on every single deck. They added ramps to doorways, installed lower-placed door-activating button-pads, and installed three lifts in engineering alone; including one to the additional catwalks surrounding the warp core. Each morning a different member of the crew showed up to help with his shower, get dressed, and load up the backpack attached to the back of his chair with datapads he would need for his days' assignments. They even walked with him down to the Mess Hall and had breakfast with him. Usually he had an almost full table and the Captain hadn't been able to have a private dinner with him because of the younger man's new social schedule!
Smiling Alina thought of the crew and how they all got together to let her Dad know he was still a much-needed member. She pulled up a stool to her closet, stepped upon it, and reached up and got down her dress. She next pulled out her new, matching sweater from the lower drawer of her dresser. She laid them on her bed, and went to get dressed in her school clothes. After she was dressed she gathered up her books, and went to the Mess Hall to have breakfast with her Aunt Hoshi. Later in the evening, Alina wondered into the Mess Hall and went straight to the kitchen to help with mixing the cranberry sauce with Chef. He looked quizzically at her as she entered and blew air out through his tight lips. The Captain had actually ordered him to let the children of the ship be in charge of the whole Thanksgiving Menu and he was just astounded that he had ended up with this mission in his life. Alina pulled up a stool, reached for the cranberries, sugar, allspice, and ΒΌ cup of cream, and began mixing the ingredients. "You're doing that much too fast, slow down and get a good rhythm going .", commented Chef. "I'm doing a good job but I'll take you advice and think about it. Are you always so cranky?", pondered the small girl. "Only when I have unexpected guests in my kitchen." "Well, ya' better get used to it, pally.", a strong voice called out. "Daddy! You surpriseded me!", cried Alina as she bounded into Trip's lap and hugged him tight. "I know, sweetie. I thought you'd like some company that won't be such a worry-wort about his own personal space." "Chef and I get alone just fine, Pop. Remember when we made that birthday cake for Travis? It turned out super!" "It sure did, darlin'." Alina was happy to have her father and his friends, no their whole family, share this special day with her. As she climbed off her Dad's lap, and got back up on her stool to got to work on her cranberries. As she worked and finished that project, then moved onto the mashed potatoes, people drifted in and greeted them with supplies they had brought to decorate the Mess Hall with. Malcolm came in and carried out a stack of dishes for the tables. Hoshi dashed in after him, hollering about watching what he was doing, snatched up some tablecloths and candlesticks, and then dashed out after him. Travis came in, swooped up Alina, and gave her a big kiss on her cheek. She squealed and blew a raspberry in his ear, causing him to burst out giggling. Trip quirked his eyebrows at actually hearing a male crewman giggle and decided he somehow blackmail Travis about it later. Finally after Travis left with the wine glasses, Captain Archer came in and gave Trip a shoulder squeeze and Alina a gentle pat on the head. Yes, Alina was so happy to have such a happy, wonderful, emotional family. Even T'Pol was prone to let the little girl get behind her and brush her hair before her bedtime story. The celebrating a Traditional Earth Holiday was a good break in her life aboard a starship, even though she wouldn't trade it for all the stars in the galaxy...