Sulu

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Jaylah sat at the counter of Mr. Sulu's kitchen while he efficiently chopped up various vegetables. Unlike the rest of the Enterprise crew, and herself, Mr. Sulu had his own private home. He had a family here on Yorktown. A husband, and a daughter. Ben was at work, and Demora was at something called an after school activity.

He didn't say much. Jaylah liked that. It was refreshing compared to Montgomery Scotty, James T, or Lt. Uhura. She enjoyed Montgomery Scotty's jokes, James T's stories, and Lt. Uhura's easy conversation, but sometimes it was nice to just sit in quiet. There were so many people on Yorktown, and they were all always talking. It could be overwhelming. She was enjoying watching Mr. Sulu chop his vegetables into neat, even pieces. Her stomach grumbled eagerly. She shouldn't get too excited. Human food was not very good.

"Uhura told me you're not a big fan of spices?" Mr. Sulu asked, drawing Jaylah from her thoughts.

Jaylah shook her head "They make too many things happen in my mouth."

Mr. Sulu laughed quietly, nodding. "I'll limit the spices to salt and pepper, okay?"

"I do not know what this salt and pepper is." Jaylah stated, pressing her hands flat onto the counter.

"They're spices. They're probably the plainest spices I can use." Mr. Sulu answered.

Jaylah didn't bother asking why he had to use spices at all. Every meal she'd eaten with someone so far had involved people telling her which spices were the best, and which ones she would like the most. Insisting she try different things. She had yet to find anything she truly enjoyed eating.

"Humans like exciting food." Jaylah said instead.

"Yes, we do." Mr. Sulu agreed, moving the vegetables into a pot on his stove.

Jaylah looked around the sleek kitchen. "Will Ben and Demora be back in time for eating?"

Mr. Sulu nodded. "They should get home right when dinner is served."

Jaylah smiled. "I used to fight my parents every night when it was time to eat. I wanted to play with my machines. I did not think I had time to eat and build, and so I wanted only to build."

Mr. Sulu smiled at her. "Demora hasn't quite reached the rebellious age yet. I'm hoping she holds off on that until after the five year mission is over."

"You want to be there when she is full of anger and arguing?" Jaylah asked. She'd never had the chance to be that for her father, but she had seen Keelah behaving that way.

Mr. Sulu shrugged. "It's not something I'm looking forward to, but I'd rather not leave Ben to deal with it alone."

Jaylah tapped her fingers on the counter. "She will be very lucky to have you. Even if she is full of rage."

Mr. Sulu paused from his cooking for face her fully. "Yeah, that's actually why I invited you over tonight. I wanted to thank you for everything you did for us."

"You are the one that flew my house away from that place. I should thank you." Jaylah answered.

Mr. Sulu shook his head. "No, Jaylah. If it wasn't for you, none of us would have made it off that planet. We never would have been able to stop the attack on Yorktown. You saved my life and my family's lives."

Jaylah shook her head. "I would still be there if you all did not crash there."

"Jaylah, if you hadn't fixed as much of the Franklin as you did, we'd still be on the planet and my daughter would never have had the chance to get to her rebellious phase." Mr. Sulu reached across the counter to grip her hand in his briefly before releasing it again. "And I can never repay you."

Jaylah looked away from him, feeling thick with something she didn't recognize. "Your family is lucky to have you, Mr. Sulu."

"Thanks, but I'm the one that's lucky to have them." Mr. Sulu answered, turning back to cooking his dinner.

Jaylah leaned onto her elbows, staring intently at the counter. She knew, technically, that she and the Enterprise crew had saved each other. Independently, neither of them would have made it off of Altamid. It was only through both her and them working together that they were able to escape. She did not like the events of that day being put wholly onto her. That also meant, though, that Mr. Sulu was right. They would never have been able to save Yorktown without her. Ultimately, she was happy that Mr. Sulu's young daughter would grow up, and do it with two fathers that loved her. She didn't need to think any more on it.

The time passed quietly, with Mr. Sulu's cooking soon filling the room with a delicious smell. It didn't have the sharp sensation that much of the cooking she'd encountered on the station had. Mr. Sulu was telling the truth when he said he wasn't using spices, which she appreciated immensely. She began watching him as he moved about the kitchen. He had the same quiet dignity that her father had, and she knew without doubt that he would make all of the same choices for Demora that her father had made for her. She was both deeply happy, and deeply envious, of Demora for it.

Soon enough she was helping Mr. Sulu set the table, and the front door was opening, with his family coming inside.

"Daddy!" Demora cried, running over to Mr. Sulu and throwing her arms around him.

Mr. Sulu smiled broadly, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "Hey sweetheart, did you have a good day?"

"Elodie punched Daphne in the face during lunch hour, so she wasn't allowed at dance practice today. It was really awful. I had to practice our routine without her, and now we might not be ready in time for the recital. And Daphne bled all over hopscotch." Demora spoke rapidly, pulling away from Mr. Sulu, who took the opportunity to plant a quick kiss on Ben's lips.

"Is Daphne okay?" Mr. Sulu asked, "And take a seat, dinner is ready."

Demora and Jaylah sat down, while Mr. Sulu and Ben set to work getting dinner served. Jaylah noticed them speaking quietly to each other from her seat at the dining table. Demora continued to talk about Elodie and Daphne, and it was all so… domestic. It was something Jaylah had longed for, but given up on ever having.

"Anyway," Demora continued, long winded, "Daphne put a stink bomb in Elodie's backpack, so she deserved it."

"Nobody deserves to get punched in the face, Demora." Ben stated firmly as he handed both Demora and Jaylah their dinner plates.

"But she put a stink bomb in Elodie's backpack!" Demora insisted.

"And that was wrong," Mr. Sulu answered, "but that doesn't make it okay for Elodie to punch her in the face. What if Daphne got really hurt?"

Demora sighed dramatically. "You just don't get it."

Jaylah nodded in agreement. "It is necessary to surprise the enemy with different tactics to end a battle efficiently."

"Exactly!" Demora motioned widely at Jaylah across the table. "Daphne started it!"

Mr. Sulu gave Jaylah a stern look, before turning back to Demora. "Violence is never okay. Use your words."

Demora sighed heavily. She looked across the table at Jaylah, rolling her eyes widely, and taking a large bite of her food.

Jaylah suppressed a smile, and looked down at her plate. There was chopped vegetables and meat, and fluffy white mush. "What is this?" Jaylah asked, taking a forkful of the mush.

Demora giggled. "It's mashed potatoes."

"Mashed potatoes." Jaylah said slowly, before taking a bite. Of all of the foods she'd tried since arriving on Yorktown, it was easily the most appetizing. It did not have several different flavours battling for dominance, and the texture was smooth. It would likely be easily digested, and its simple flavour spread pleasantly through her mouth.

Jaylah quickly took a second forkful of it for a second bite, and speaking through her mouthful, "Mash potatoes are delicious."

Demora giggled again. "You're not supposed to talk with your mouth full."

Jaylah looked from Demora's face, to Ben and Mr. Sulu's, before swallowing her food. "That is considered rude?"

Mr. Sulu smiled kindly at her. "To humans. If you ever find yourself eating with Tellarites, it would be rude to chew with your mouth closed."

Jaylah smiled back at him, taking the opportunity to try the other foods on her plate. The meat was okay, and the green vegetables were edible. The orange vegetables were tasty, though. They were sweet. "What are these orange things?"

"Carrots." Ben answered.

"I like these carrots." Jaylah stated. "Your cooking is better than most humans, Mr. Sulu."

"Thank you, Jaylah." Mr. Sulu said.

"Papa makes better sweets, though." Demora stated.

Mr. Sulu laughed. "Baking isn't my strong suit."

"I still get nauseas when I think about that birthday cake you made when we were dating." Ben smiled fondly across the table.

Mr. Sulu shrugged. "Hey, I tried."

The conversation flowed easily throughout dinner, with Demora leading the way through most of it. She talked about her upcoming dance recital, her math test from earlier that day, and about how the drama between Elodie and Daphne had started when Elodie had chosen Demora as her science fair partner instead.

When dinner was finished, and Ben and Mr. Sulu began cleaning, Demora turned happily to Jaylah. "Do you want to play a game with me?"

Jaylah eyed the girl warily. "I do not know any games to play."

"I'll teach you!" Demora enthused, jumping up from her seat and running around the table to face Jaylah. "Please?"

"What game will we play?" Jaylah asked as Demora grabbed her hand and pulled her into the living room.

"Let's play checkers. The rules are simple, so it's easy to learn!" Demora answered, pulling a box off of a shelf.

Jaylah sat on the floor at the coffee table while Demora set up the game. "Do you want to be white, or black?" Demora asked.

"White." Jaylah answered, examining the board and pieces. "What are the rules?"

Demora quickly explained the rules as she set up the game. "Do you really agree that Daphne started it?" Demora asked as they began to play.

Jaylah shook her head. "Your father was right. You should always use your words. Daphne should have told Elodie that she was sad they weren't science fair partners. Elodie should have said she was angry about her backpack."

Demora sighed, unhappily. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm just mad the hopscotch court got ruined."

"Tell me what is hopscotch?" Jaylah asked, moving her piece forward.

"It's a game. You throw your rock onto the court, and then hop to catch it. You put your feet in every square, except the square where your rock lands. We can play when it's day time, if you want."

"Okay." Jaylah nodded.

They played three rounds, with Demora winning twice. Both times she won resulted in her doing a victory dance, and getting reminded by one of her fathers to be a graceful winner. Jaylah enjoyed the dancing.

"Okay, kiddo, it's time for bed." Mr. Sulu interrupted before they could begin a fourth game. "You have school in the morning, remember?"

Demora frowned. "Just one more game, please?"

Mr. Sulu shook his head. "I already let you stay up an extra half hour to finish the last game. Go get ready for bed."

"Will you tuck me in?" Demora asked.

"If you go brush your teeth right now." Mr. Sulu answered, bending over to kiss the top of her head.

"Okay." Demora sighed, standing up from her position on the floor and leaving toward the bathroom.

Jaylah watched her go as Mr. Sulu cleaned up the game. "I like your daughter very much, Mr. Sulu."

"I'm glad." Mr. Sulu said, putting the box away on the shelf, "She likes you too."

"She is very full with joy." Jaylah continued, standing up. "She makes me feel happy."

Mr. Sulu paused, before approaching Jaylah. "It's not Demora making you feel happy Jaylah. You're just feeling happy."

Jaylah laughed. "Maybe, but I feel happy more around her."

Mr. Sulu grinned widely. "Yeah, me too."

Demora came out of the bathroom in her pajamas. "I'm ready to be tucked in!"

"Say goodnight to Jaylah." Ben said, getting up from his seat on the couch.

"Goodnight!" Demora grinned widely.

"Goodnight." Jaylah answered.

Mr. Sulu turned to his daughter and picked her up, quickly twirling her around, eliciting a high pitched laugh from her. He carried her quickly into her bedroom, followed by Ben. Jaylah considered waiting in the living room, but slowly wandered over to Demora's open bedroom door. By the time she reached it, Demora was lying in bed, with a father sitting on either side of her. They were talking quietly, with Mr. Sulu and Ben occasionally leaning down to kiss her forehead and cheeks.

Jaylah watched from the doorway. She could remember when her parents would sit by her bed at night. She hadn't had a family for a very long time. She missed her parents and her sister every day, and watching Mr. Sulu with his family was a stark reminder of everything she'd lost. She helped him save them. She helped save many families. While the sight before her made her feel deeply envious and sad, it also made her feel proud. She helped so many people avoid the loss that she suffered, and that was something good.

Mr. Sulu and Ben stood up, wishing Demora a good night, and Jaylah fell back into the living room with them. Ben smiled at Jaylah. "I need to get some work done for tomorrow, so I'll be retiring to the office. Jaylah, it was wonderful having you. I hope you'll come over again before you leave?"

Jaylah nodded. "Yes, Mr. Sulu makes food that does not confuse my mouth. I would like more."

Ben laughed, leaning over to give Jaylah a quick hug—which she stood stiffly for—and kissed Mr. Sulu quickly before going into his office.

"Would you like a drink?" Mr. Sulu asked, motioning to a cabinet in the corner.

Jaylah nodded. "I like whiskey."

"Then you're in luck." Mr. Sulu pulled two glasses out, and a bottled with amber liquid inside. "Have you decided if you're going to take the offer to attend the academy?"

Jaylah shrugged. "I would like to fly with you all. I need to go to the Academy for that, yes?"

Mr. Sulu nodded, handing Jaylah a glass of whiskey. "Yes. You need to be a member of Starfleet to fly on the Enterprise. One in good standing, too."

"I would need to do very well." Jaylah expanded, sipping her drink. She liked the way it burned in her throat.

Mr. Sulu led her over to the couch to sit down. "With the recommendations from all of us, if you do well, you could do whatever you wanted once you graduate."

"I want to be on the Enterprise." Jaylah stated plainly.

"And the Enterprise wants you on it." Mr. Sulu answered quickly. "But four years is a long time, and you might discover there's something else you want more."

Jaylah shook her head. "The Enterprise crew are the closest I have been to belonging since my family died."

Mr. Sulu reached over and gently rubbed Jaylah's shoulder. "I think you'll find that you can belong anywhere you choose to settle down. You could belong at Starfleet Academy, if you want to."

Jaylah smiled. It was a pretty thought. "Four years is not so very a long time."

"You'd do great there. It'd give you an opportunity to do amazing things." Mr. Sulu encouraged her.

Jaylah wrinkled her nose at him. "I do not like the dresses."

Mr. Sulu laughed. "I don't like the shirts!"

Jaylah laughed with him. "The ugly outfits are worth it?"

"Most definitely." Mr. Sulu agreed.

"I think I would like to go." Jaylah admitted, for the first time. It painted a pretty picture. She would learn more things than she ever considered before. She'd be surrounded by people who all wanted to learn, and eventually fly on ships like the Enterprise. He was right. She could belong there.

Mr. Sulu smiled at her. "I think we'll all feel safer on our mission knowing you're studying to join us someday."

Jaylah stared into her glass. "I admit I am worried that you will all forget me."

"Not a chance in hell of that happening."

Jaylah looked up to see the same firm look he'd given her at dinner. She wasn't sure she believed him, but it was nice to hear.

Mr. Sulu's stern look melted into a friendly smile. "How could we forget you? You'll have a lot of catching up to do at the Academy, Jaylah. I imagine you'll be calling us all the time for help with your homework."

Jaylah laughed. "I will not need help! I am too smart."

Mr. Sulu rolled his eyes dramatically, reminding her decidedly of Demora. "No wonder the Captain likes you."

Jaylah smiled broadly. "James T has good taste."

"He sure does." Mr. Sulu nudged Jaylah gently.

"Tell me more about the Academy, Mr. Sulu." Jaylah requested.

Mr. Sulu contemplated briefly, before launching into a story from his first year in Starfleet Academy. Jaylah listened intently, wanting to absorb every detail she could before she left. She'd need to leave soon, if she was going to make it to Earth for the start of the school year. She chose to think on that later.