Prologue

Stardate 47927.62
(Saturday, 5 December 2370)
New Haven, CT, Earth

The menorah had arrived at my dorm via interstellar post, not from Data, who I'd be with in less than ten days, but from his mother, Juliana Soong. Our relationship had been a little rocky, at first, but in the six months since then we'd settled into conviviality. I wrote to her, telling her of my adventures as a sophomore at Yale, and she wrote back with "baby stories" about my fiancé.

I knew that there had been tension between Julianna and her own mother when she'd fallen in love with Data's father, Noonian Soong. He was significantly older than she, and already had a reputation for being somewhat eccentric. But what had surprised me about their story was that her Catholicism and his Jewishness were an issue, not only for them, but for their families. It was rare for religion to be anything but a positive thing in the contemporary Federation, after all.

"So how did you handle it?" I asked in one of our infrequent subspace chats.

"Oh," she said, "we found common ground. The year we married, Christmas and Hanukkah overlapped, and we realized that my Advent wreath and his Menorah might have different meanings, but what they had in common was the use of a tiny flame to symbolize so much more."

"That's really lovely!" I exclaimed.

"Does Data follow any religion?" she asked me, a little tentatively.

"We haven't really discussed it," I said. "And we probably should, especially since we're planning a Chapel wedding. He knows my family is Episcopalian, and that I go to mass once in a while – mostly on holidays or special occasions – " I lapsed into a rueful chuckle.

"Has he attended with you?"

"Christmas Eve, last year and the year before, he came to services on the ship." I said. "He joined in the singing."

"I didn't know he could sing!"

"Oh, his voice is a really gentle tenor," I smiled. "You should come on a shuttle trip with us sometime. He's quite a fan of the road-trip sing-along."

The older woman had laughed at that.

And the menorah had arrived a week later.

Of course, the first thing I did was contact my partner. "The note said this belonged to your father," I explained holding the silver candelabra so he could see it. "Juliana says she took it with her when she left him, intending to send it back some day."

"But someday never came," Data observed.

"Sadly, no." I set the menorah aside. "Should I use it? There are Hanukkah celebrations in the dining halls for the entire eight days. Lots of students bring their own menorahs, since we're not supposed to light candles in our rooms."

"I am quite certain my mother intended you to participate in the holiday," Data said.

"But… I'm not Jewish."

"No, but you have an appreciation of history and ritual, and you enjoy being in community with your fellow students. Perhaps that is enough."

"I'll think about it," I said.

"I will be eager to hear what you decide."

"Eager, huh?" I teased. "Is that all you're… eager… for?"

"You are well aware that I anticipate your return to the Enterprise for your winter break, and our return to… intimate… behavior." Data couldn't blush, but I'm pretty sure the ellipses in his response represented amused embarrassment.

"I can't wait," I said. "I should go. I love you. Talk soon."

"I am devoted to you, dearest." There was a pause as he lifted his hand to the viewer and waited for me to mirror the gesture. "Data out."

Notes: Takes place in early December, 2370. Yes, I know Crush III: Sostenuto hasn't quite caught up with this, but it's been burning in my brain for a couple of years.