OMG, we're getting so close to the end. So, I'm trying something new before I finish this story. It's just a quickie while I work on a hopefully satisfying ending to our journey.
The Home Front
Uhura couldn't put off her confrontation, or rather her confession, to her family much longer. The ship was gradually bringing nonessential services back online for the crew. There was no excuse not to at last check in with the family and let them know she was indeed alive and well.
She fired up her data padd and logged into her personal messaging service. Subspace video transmissions were still down except for ship to ship so she had to use text chat.
Uhura entered the family chat and read the back and forth between her brothers and parents. She was the main topic of conversation, since she had been incommunicado for some time. So she stormed into the conversation like nothing happened, as if she hadn't been MIA for the better part of a month.
Nyota:
Hello Everyone! Time for an Uhura family roll-call!
Jabari:
Who Dis?
Omari:
Sis U Alive?
Mother:
Nyota Uhura, where have you been? Do you know we've been worried sick about you? Why haven't you answered my calls?
Dad:
Hello baby girl! How are things?
Well, it seemed everybody was awake and eager to chat. Uhura felt awful about making them all worry but she didn't have the strength to deal with them and Spock's trial at the same time. She didn't know if she wanted to deal with them now but she owed them some explanation. Just not the truth. Not yet. So she typed her response, keeping her tone casual.
Nyota:
Hello everyone. I am alive and well and I miss you all like crazy. The Enterprise ran into a little trouble(as usual) and we're out of subspace communication range, but I'm now able to chat.
Mother:
What trouble?
Dad:
Are you okay, baby girl?
Nyota:
I'm fine. We had a little run-in with some Orion pirates. It's probably all over the news streams, but don't worry about me. I'm fine. The ship's engines and communication systems are damaged, so we have to put into port. I'll contact you when we reach Vulcan.
Mother:
Vulcan? Why not Earth? When are you coming home?
Jabari:
Orions! Oh, sis was anyone kidnapped?
Nyota:
Why would you ask that?
Omari:
Orions are known to make slaves of their captives.
Nyota:
Well, we kicked their butts back to where they came from. No captives.
Jabari:
Cool!
Mother:
It is not 'cool'! Your sister was almost enslaved!
Nyota:
(◔_◔)
Dad:
She's okay. Aren't you sweetheart? 3
Nyota:
Fine baba. I promise. I do have some big news I want to share though.
Mother:
What big news? What's happened to you?
Nyota:
I can't tell you everything over this chat. But I have been seeing someone.
Mother:
Are you back with Kevin?
Nyota:
NO! Why would you pull his name out of thin air?
Mother:
You were dating him last I checked.
Nyota:
That was 3 years ago. Long years.
Mother:
How is he?
Nyota:
Why would I know? He's out of my life and lives on a different ship.
Mother:
You liked him. I thought you two might settle down.
Nyota:
Liked. Past tense. Old news.
Dad:
So what's his name?
Nyota:
Who?
Dad:
The one you like. Present tense. Recent news.
Nyota:
Um... His name is Spock.
Mother:
Spock? Is that his surname? What's his given name?
Nyota:
Just Spock. I can't pronounce his surname yet.
Omari:
Why does that name sound so familiar?
Jabari:
Yeah, I know that name.
Nyota:
I'm sure I've mentioned him. He is my...
colleague
Mother:
What kind of name is too difficult for you to pronounce? Can't you spell it?
Dad:
What does he do?
Nyota:
He's the... Science officer onboard.
Dad:
Oh, a smart one?
Nyota:
Yes baba, he's very smart.
Jabari:
Have we met him?
Nyota:
How would you have met him?
Omari:
The name is very familiar, sis. What does he look like?
Nyota:
Perfect. Tall, dark, handsome, smart...
Jabari:
He looks smart?
Nyota:
Yes, he does.
Omari:
Send us pics, along with family name, rank, serial...
Nyota:
I will do no such thing. You'll just have to meet him.
Jabari:
Meet? You must really like him?
Nyota:
＼(^o^)／
Jabari:
So it's serious?
Nyota:
Yes!
Dad:
Good for you.
Jabari:
Congrats, sis!
Omari:
So when do we meet this Spock?
Mother: ...
Nyota:
I'll fill you all in when we have subspace communications again. You'll meet him soon I hope.
Mother:
What's the hurry?
Dad:
Great. I'm sure he's a good guy.
Jabari:
He better be baba. Or else Omari and I will make him.
Nyota:
Make him what?
Omari:
Speak for yourself, kaka.
It's getting late here. I love you Ny.
Nyota:
love you too!
Jabari:
love you guys!
Dad:
Love you all more!
Mother:
Take care of yourself!
Nyota:
I will mama. Bye!
Uhura closed the chat app and stared ahead at nothing in particular.
She'd done it. Laid the groundwork for telling her family she was married and with child. It was going to be okay. They didn't know about Spock or the trial from the news. Thank goodness for that. The twins were probably scouring the net right now, digging up info on anyone named Spock. So it would not be long before they found the whole sordid story.
Uhura hoped she reached Vulcan before that happened. She'd be light years away from earth and wouldn't be able to hear the fallout unless she chose to. She'd be safe.
The thought of returning to Vulcan was a welcome one, like she was going home after a long journey. Hard to believe a few months ago she'd almost sworn she would never return to that hot ball of sand under any circumstance. Now she couldn't wait to return. There was so much she wanted to explore and learn about Spock's home. Possibly her home too. Home was where your heart was and where you were loved, and her heart was with Spock and their baby. Wherever they settled, that would be her home and her family would just have to deal with that. For now, all she could do was wait until she got to Vulcan.
Brother=kaka
Father=baba