Letters
Concept by Rick
Edited and compiled by Cybermum
Written by: Voyager Season 7.5 writing staff

"Naomi?"

"Naomi. I know you're here."

"Aw Mom, I was just at the good part."

Samantha Wildman peeled off her uniform jacket and tossed it onto the couch as she made her way across their living quarters towards her daughter's room. She leaned against the doorframe and tried to suppress a yawn. Naomi was sitting up in her bed, a large PADD clutched in her hand, a half finished glass of milk and the crumbly remains of a bedtime snack on the table beside her.

"What...?"

"B'Elanna Torres lent me this really neat novel, Mom. All about Klingons and honour and Sto-Vo-Kor and stuff..."

"Are you sure you should be reading that at bedtime, Nomi?"

"Aw Mom." Naomi repeated the mantra that seemed to her mother to be a constant refrain these days.

Samantha suppressed a frown and went over to her daughter's desk. She picked up a PADD that was lying there and glanced at it quickly.

"Did you finish your letter? The datastream is going out soon."

"No, not yet." Naomi replied. "Give it to me and I'll do it right now."

Samantha debated mentioning that it was past her daughter's bedtime and that she should have completed the letter hours ago. Instead she approached the bed and handed her daughter the PADD in exchange for the one that her daughter still held.

Her reward was immediate and welcome.

"Thanks Mom." Naomi grinned at her.

"Not too late, Nomi." Her mother said and bent down to plant a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"Aw..."

"Mom." Samantha finished for her.

Naomi grinned again.

"Night Mom."

"Good night, Naomi," Sam replied with a smile as she backed out of the door, which closed behind her. She sighed. Where was her little girl disappearing to so quickly? It seemed only yesterday she spent every spare moment on the holodeck with Flotter and Trevis; now it was novels with "good parts." And something that B'Elanna had lent Naomi? What sort of novel with "Klingons and honor and Sto-Vo-Kor" would B'Elanna want to read? Suddenly curious, Sam flicked on the PADD.

She rolled her eyes and groaned as she read the title, "Bonds of Blood and Passion." Terrific. A Klingon romance novel. Just what her 6 year old daughter needed! First Tom's 20th century action movie obsession, and now love and death, Klingon style!

Sam shut the PADD off, then hesitated before setting it on the table. She really didn't have much planned for this evening, and her own letter to Greskrendtregk was already in the data stream queue . . .

Settling herself onto the couch, Sam turned on the PADD to immerse herself for a few hours into the romantic adventures and battles of that star-crossed, meant-for-each-other pair, Valdis and Graltok.

From: Naomi Wildman Captain's Assistant U.S.S. Voyager NCC-74656
To: Greskrendtregk
Router Heading: Sector 007; Earth 176322741
Stardate: 54382.4

Hi Dad,

I'm sorry I haven't written to you in a while, but I know that Mom always tells you what I'm doing.

I'm fine.

I've been really busy recently. Seven of Nine has been letting me help her in the Astrometrics lab and I'm really enjoying that. She doesn't scare me the way she used to - I guess now that we've had so many Borg on board Voyager, I'm kind of getting used to them. As a matter of fact I miss Mezoti and Azan and Rebi - they were the other Borg kids who were with us for a while. They left earlier this year - Captain Janeway found Azan and Rebi's people and we made a special detour to drop them off. Mezoti decided she wanted to go with them. I understand, I think. They had been together for so long that they belonged together. Icheb stayed though. He's the other Borg on Voyager. At least he used to be a Borg. I think he's mostly just a boy now. And I'm glad he stayed. He's my best friend on Voyager. Him and Neelix.

Speaking of Neelix, I had a great time last night. He and I stayed in the mess hall after the last dinner shift and we made chocolate chip cookies. And just when they were finished the Captain came in. Neelix got out some chocolate ice cream and we had a real feast. The Captain said that I deserve to be her assistant! That anyone who can make chocolate chip cookies like that deserves a promotion!

I've been studying really hard recently. Icheb has been helping me. He's really smart. I'm thinking of taking the Starfleet entrance exams. Don't tell Mom. I think she thinks I'm still just a little girl. But I'm not.

Dad, I wish you'd tell Mom that Ktarians are more mature. It would help if you did. The other night Lieutenant Paris ran his movie program in the holodeck and Mom wouldn't let me go. She said I was too young and that it was too late. Icheb said the movie was archaic and illogical, but entertaining.

I guess that's all for now. I'll try and write more often. Last night the Captain promised we'd get home soon. And I really believe her. So I'm going to say I'll see you soon.

I love you Dad.

Naomi

It was a rare thing to have time alone. And rarer still to know that he had at least an hour of it. Both his bunkmates had taken additional duty shifts, trying to earn extra replicator rations. They had lost a fair number of them last week betting on a shipwide pool tournament. Perhaps, he mused, they should make pool one of the events in those upcoming Olympic games. There certainly were enough players on board. Maybe he would suggest it to Lieutenant Paris the next time he saw him. Or maybe not. He still wasn't quite comfortable enough to try to be 'one of the guys'. Maybe in time he would feel differently.

But he knew exactly how he planned to spend this precious hour. He cleared a space on the couch. His roommates were okay, he thought. But they weren't the most organized guys in the cosmos. He pulled a PADD out from under the remains of last night's evening snack and activated it.

From: Cwmn. Noah Lessing, U.S.S. Voyager NCC-74656
To: Miss Hannah Lessing
Router heading: Sector 001; Luna Colony; 1862045488
Stardate 54382.4

Dear Hannah,

First of all, honey, it's all right if you want to use your step-father's name. I wish you could see my face instead of just these words so you would know I mean it. I understand, I really do. You're a whole new family now, what with your baby brother and all, and it makes sense that you would want to have the same name as your mother and brother. It doesn't mean you've stopped loving me; it just means that things have changed.

And no, I don't blame your mother at all for getting married again.

Remember, the Equinox had been missing for more than six years before word got back to her that I was alive and on Voyager. She thought I was dead. I'm glad she found a man as good and as generous as your stepfather to take care of you both. He sent me a letter, did you know that? He told me that he couldn't love you more if you were his own little girl. He knows how lucky he is to have you. It's going to be a long time before I'm back, maybe not until you're all grown up, and I can rest a little easier at night knowing that you and your mom are safe and happy.

So tell your mom and step-father it's okay to go ahead with the adoption if that's what you want. Just promise that you'll keep writing to me. I miss you so much and I think about you all the time. It seems like only yesterday that the doctors let me hold you for the very first time and you looked up at me with those big, beautiful eyes. Your mother and I were so thrilled with you.

But I shouldn't be talking about your baby years. You're going to be ten years old this month. I told Gramma Rose what I wanted to give you, and she'll see that it's delivered on your birthday. Oh, I wish I could be there. Maybe you could send me a holophoto next time, if there's room in the data stream.

You asked me why I'm only Crewman now instead of an officer. Well, it's a long story and it has to do with some things that happened when I was still on the Equinox. I was so anxious to get home to you and your mother that I did some things that now I wish I hadn't. The important thing is that I learned from my mistakes. It may take us longer to get home, but you'll be proud of me again. I'll tell you all about it sometime, but not today. I want this to be a happy letter.

Life on Voyager isn't too different from life on any starship in the Alpha Quadrant, except that we're out here on our own. And don't worry, I do have fun. The ship's cook is always throwing some kind or party or another, but to be honest I'm not much of a party person and I don't know all the people on Voyager that well. There's an airponics garden and I putter around in that sometimes. And we can use the holodeck when we want to. I don't do that a lot, though; it seems kind of pointless. They're talking about having Olympic Games on the ship and Lt. Paris says everyone is going to have to do something, but I don't know. I'm just trying to keep my head low and get my work done, and I'm getting to old to run the hurdles any more. Maybe I can be a judge or something.

There's a little girl on the ship. Her name is Naomi and she was born on Voyager, but she's part Ktarian so she's about the same size you are. Sometimes she comes to the airponics garden while I'm puttering around and she lets me show her how take care of the plants. I like to pretend a little that she's you, and that we're in the garden behind our house in Atlanta. It's silly, I know, but it makes me feel a little closer to you.

I have to finish up now. Tell you what - at noon on your birthday, you close your eyes and think about me. Because at that same exact moment, I'll be here on Voyager, with my eyes closed, thinking of you. I love you, Hannah, and it doesn't matter what your last name is, you will always be my little girl. I miss you.

Dad.