Elnor closed the file with his completed astrophysics homework in it, hit the send button, then leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. A small smile played across his face as he contemplated what he would do next. As fascinating as he was finding the subjects he was studying at Starfleet Academy, there was an even bigger bonus to being on Earth.
He quickly shed his Starfleet uniform and donned his preferred attire, the black boots, trousers, shirt and long overcoat that he'd worn on Vashti. Somehow, he felt more himself in his old clothes. He would have preferred to add his tan qalanq, but he had discovered the hard way that carrying weapons on a mostly peaceful Earth was strongly discouraged. Slinging a small overnight bag over his shoulder, he left his room and strode across campus towards the nearest transporter nexus. A few of the students he knew, mostly his classmates, nodded to him as he crossed the campus. Elnor nodded back with a friendly smile, even venturing to say "Hello" to a few of those who seemed more friendly. Only one, a very young half-Human, half-Vulcan girl, returned his greeting. Despite being halfway through his first semester, he hadn't had much success when it came to making friends. Or even, he thought to himself, that much success with fitting in. That had become abundantly clear in his hand-to-hand combat class when he repeatedly defeated the instructor. Elnor mentally shrugged at the thought. There was little he could do to remedy the situation except to pretend that he was less capable than what he was. Pretending, at anything, was not something he found acceptable.
Crossing the plaza lit by the late afternoon sun, Elnor entered the transport hub and stated his destination. "La Barre, France," he said clearly, and a huge grin lit his face as the transporter sparkles whisked him away.
Stepping out of the transporter in La Barre, Elnor considered other transportation for the rest of his journey. Due to the 9 hour time difference, it was 3 am in France. However, Earth's single moon, which was something Elnor was still trying to get used to, was full and high in the sky. He decided the 6 mile hike would be invigorating and strode out feeling better than he had all week.
Soon enough, he found himself standing outside a side door of Chateau Picard. He raised his hand to knock, then remembered Laris' admonishment last time he had done so. "Elnor," she had chided, "I want you to immediately stop this horrible habit of knocking! Here's the combination to unlock the door. You're family here, so start acting like it!"
His heart full of warmth at the recalled memory of her calling him family, he opened the door quietly and let himself in. Even in the darkness inside the cavernous chateau, Elnor could see well enough to pick his way carefully to the room Picard had said was his. His! His very own room, right here in Picard's home where Laris called him family! He'd never dreamed he would get to spend this much time with Picard, be this much a part of his life. In the morning, they would eat breakfast together, and Picard would ask him how his studies were going. They would have all day to spend together, talking about and doing anything they wished. Although he had certainly been happy with the nuns of the Qowat Milat, especially Zani who was as much his mother as if she had given birth to him and loved him every bit as fiercely as she would have any child of her body, Elnor was now basking in the acceptance and love he had always craved from the man who was like a father to him. Although both of them recognized that Elnor was now a grown man himself, nothing was going to get in the way of them indulging in the father-son relationship both had desired.
As Elnor stepped across the threshold to his room, something small, dark, and silent darted out from nowhere, wound its furry body in a rapid series of figure eights around his still moving feet, then darted away disappearing as rapidly and mysteriously as it had appeared. Trying desperately not to injure the creature with his feet, Elnor found his body pitching forward and landed on his hands and knees with a loud thud and barely restrained yelp. What was that thing?
It was most certainly not Number One. Where had it come from and where had it gone? Was it supposed to be in the house, or was it a strange intruder? Since all was quiet again, Elnor decided he must not have woken anyone with his thuds and yelp. Deciding to trust that the chateau's security would have kept out any hostile intruders, he resolved to ask about the small, shadowy creature in the morning. Getting carefully to his feet, he brushed off his slightly bruised knees, shed his boots and overcoat, and slid into bed. He was asleep within moments.
In a nearby bedroom, Laris snickered quietly to Picard, "I think Elnor met the cat." Picard couldn't contain a quiet chuckle, "Indeed, I think he has."