Chapter Two – The Second Night
Stardate 47952.51
Monday, 14 December 2370 / 25 Kislev 6131
New Haven, CT, Earth
"On the second night, we were disbelieving, for we had been through too much to hope for miracles." ~ Jadzia Axelrod
Monday had brought with it icy, pelting rain and my first final exam of the year. "Perspectives on Galactic Citizenship," wasn't just a requirement for my major, but something I'd thought would be interesting. After all, I counted giant spiders, sentient cats, and Vulcan-Betazoid hybrids among my circle of friends, not to mention that I wasn't actually from Earth, myself.
What I found was that, despite the general privilege that's attached to being a student at Yale at all, most of my classmates had never been further than Luna Colony, and even those visits had been school trips or brief family vacations. I tried to keep a low profile, but I was certain our professor scheduled the exam for 8:20 on Monday morning just to spite me.
When I got back to my room around 11:30 in the morning, there were messages waiting from Data and an invitation to join Wire-Whiskers and Bright-Star for dinner after the Hanukkah candle lighting on Friday. I accepted the invitation immediately then did the math required to figure out it was an appropriate time for return my partner's call.
"Chag urim sameach," Data greeted me, his gold face looking brighter than any candle, at least to me.
"Thank you. You, too." I said. "I want you to know that celebrations of another sort are in order. I successfully completed my first final of the year, and I'm pretty sure I aced it."
"I was certain that you would, dearest," my partner said. "Did you attend the chanukiah lighting yesterday?"
"I did, and I was surprised that Bright-Star led the ceremony. She said she'd explain her connection to the holiday, and I'm invited to dinner Friday evening, so I'm assuming she'll tell me then."
"I am curious to learn what she says," Data said.
"I wish we were going together," I grumbled. "I mean, I know I'm going to be on the Enterprise for Christmas, but…I feel like this is something we should be exploring together."
"But we are," my fiancé said, his tone gentle. "I went to the quartermaster and had this replicated today." He held up a rectangular piece of pottery, decorated in a mosaic of blues and white, turning it around to show me all the angles, and pointing out the nine candle holders on the top.
"That's gorgeous!"
"I hoped you would approve. It is traditional on starships to light Hanukkah candles at the moment of sundown where one's family lives. I have calculated the equivalent of sixteen-eleven hours in New Haven and will be bringing this to Ten-Forward at that time. Guinan always designates a table for the holiday, as you know."
I smiled, thinking about the way those overlapping holiday celebrations on the ship I considered my home seemed absolutely right and appropriate. I also remembered that I thought Data has been lost to time the first time I'd experienced a Ten-Forward holiday. All I said, though, was, "I know."My voice came out husky, and I'm pretty sure Data could guess where my thoughts had gone.
"Dearest, are you alright?"
I smiled. "I'm fine. I was just thinking… Hanukkah is supposed to commemorate the miracle of oil lasting for eight days, but I've experienced other sorts of miracles. Like you sending me gifts through time and space."
"As have I," Data said softly. "Though I do not believe I would ever have considered them so, before you were part of my life."
"Can we maybe table any talk of specifics until we're in the same room?" I asked. Heightened emotions were tricky for me to shield, still.
"That would be wise," Data agreed. "I must return to duty now. Enjoy your evening, Zoe."
"You, too. Love you."
When we had completed our personal ritual of touching hands via our comm screens, I turned everything off and went to the window of my room. The freezing rain had turned to snow, and I was glad I could get from my room to the dining hall without having to go outside.
Despite the fact that it was finals week, and most of us students would be gone by the weekend, several of the windows had Christmas lights glowing, and a few of them had blue and white lights arranged into six-pointed stars. Even though it was still daylight, the gray sky made the lights glow and twinkle, and I felt that old childhood belief in magic bubble up inside me.
I was still feeling that way when I joined everyone around the Hannukah table a few hours later. The group had grown, I noticed, and now included a couple of Vulcan students as well as an Andorian and someone who looked Bajoran.
Notes: The gift Zoe refers to comes from the story, "Bedtime Story," which references the events of "Time's Arrow."
"Chag urim sameach" is translated as "happy festival of lights."