Uhura studied her handful of meal-tapes, as she stood before the lonely replicator.
"Can I get you something?" Yeoman Rand entered the room with her own collection of tapes, which the women compared.
"If you want," shrugged Uhura, "I just can't wait to have a real Christmas dinner!"
"At the starbase?" Rand confirmed, inputting a tape for cakes and coffee.
"Oh, yes. Dress uniforms and everything."
Rand shrugged:
"Mine's nothing special. Some extra ribbon on the collar is all, I think."
With their trays, they moved to a table and sat across from one another.
"Can't remember the last time I wore mine," Uhura added, "Whenever we last had the Andorian delegates on… it must've been at least a year ago."
The yeoman set down her cup and eagerly stood.
"I'll be right back, okay?"
Uhura nodded, and resigned herself to a quiet meal. Before Rand returned, she refilled both mugs.
"You brought a friend," mused Uhura. Rand arrived, holding a silver crate, with Nurse Chapel following behind.
"Our uniforms, more importantly."
She set down the box, and took their stacked uniforms from the top. Then, while Uhura gave an approving smile, she spread a spectrum of threads, jewels, and strips of fabric on the table. Chapel took the seat beside the lieutenant, who rushed to prepare a third beverage. Tea with honey.
All three smiled, quietly staring at the unfolding project.
"I've never sewn a thing in my life," Rand offered, reaching for a shimmery swatch of green fabric.
Chapel agreed, forgetting to mention the ancient surgical techniques the Academy taught her.
"I'll show you," Uhura promised, finding a packet of needles and distributing them to her students.
In the end, Uhura proved to do the most actual sewing. Rand sorted through the materials and found creative ways to use the 'prettier' ones – Christmas trees cut from the green fabric, stars made from white circles, and square patches attached to represent gift boxes. Ranks and divisions were shown there, based on the box color and the ribbons tied in careful bows on top. Chapel spent the evening fitting stretchy bands to the tops of their boots, then pinning jingling bells to each one. Uhura promised to sew these on properly, when time permitted.
"And it's all regulation," Rand said, holding her finished piece up to admire, "Ranks and everything."
"I don't think they'll like the tree pattern," offered Uhura, with a giggle.
"Oh, but the captain will," Chapel nodded.
"We'll wear them the day before we all beam down, then," Rand decided, "Just to double-check."
"Should we decorate other uniforms, too?" Chapel began, "As gifts?"
"I don't see why not," Uhura said.
They listed their shipmates, and divided responsibilities evenly.
"I'll need another box," Rand said, gesturing at the leftovers on the table.
"Two," said Uhura.
"Three," said Chapel.
"And a lot more coffee," Rand promised, as she stood.
Hark how the bells,
Sweet silver bells,
All seem to say:
Throw cares away.