Thank you to everyone who read or reviewed the last set of conversations. You are all wonderful. Your encouragement keeps me writing.

Day 261: Starfleet Email is Weird (along with everything else)

From: Mommy_Susan

To: SuluHG2260

Time sent: 11/10/2260 01:10:01

Subject: Of course, I'm going to be in the wedding.

I find it quite strange that it took me 13 days to get your email even though I'm now lying down in the room where you probably wrote it. (Just like you told me, it was pushed to my PADD right at midnight.) You know unless you wrote it in your little living room. I'm a bit jealous that Enterprise has enough space for you to have a small suite. I like this ship.

Although maybe it's for the best that the message was delayed. I don't think I was in the right headspace to read it right when I got back. I kind of want to wake you up and hug you. You should be in here sleeping next to me, but for some dumb reason, you're on the couch tonight. Which is ridiculous because that couch is hard as a rock.

You will probably see this email from me in the morning and realize that I'm not sleeping, but that's OK. I'm sure the fact that my pillow always ends up on the floor is enough of a sign that I'm not sleeping. I don't know why you are trying to be a gentleman again. Just crawl into bed with me. See, then I would sleep.

I thought if I can't sleep, I might as well check my email. Ben and Liz wrote back. Your boyfriend is totally cool if we fuck, so I think he would be OK if we sleep in the same bed. I think he is planning a threesome for New Vulcan. I love your future husband. Mostly platonically, but he is cute. Too gay to be into me, but might be into watching us.

From my earlier ranting, you also know that I finally got the email that you wrote when you found out about my kidnapping/hostage situation. I'm kind of glad you didn't delete your original message. It was nice to hear you talk so freely and so frivolously. I'm so happy I'm your best woman. I'm going to be there no matter what.

I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to take the job offer. I don't know if I want to be on the Hamilton again. The rooms are small, and I think half the people on board kind of want me dead. Why I don't know other than rumors and nepotism. Or rather rumors of nepotism. Perez wrote again. She wants an answer soon in the event I do say no, and they must find someone else. I could understand why they wouldn't want Scotty as acting captain long term. The Archer puppy incident has left scars.

If I don't take the job, I would probably be at Yorktown. Which means I would already be there for the wedding. I could also help with all the planning and organizing. I may be one of the few people that can stand up to the Queen B of wedding planning sister of yours. I did keep her from completely taking over the baby shower. She originally wanted actual storks involved. I still think it's a small miracle that your proposal turned out the way it did.

Also, Yorktown means a fresh new work environment with, I hope, people that don't want me dead. Trust me, I know all about the communications team. I know the Enterprise transplants won't kill me, but I have serious doubts about the rest of the ship after what happened. It's not a good sign when 15% of your former colleagues are now in the brig. Can you command a ship like that? Should you? I don't think you can.

Liz and Ben are both team Yorktown. Does that surprise you? Although maybe it's because I ranted to them more than you. Liz, because she's my sister and Ben because he's not really Starfleet.

On the other side of things, you and I would make a spectacular command team. If we can raise Desi together, we can take care of a ship, even if it's stuck during the terrible twos. I just wish it would be a ship other than the Hamilton. I checked, and the Hamilton is my only option to become a captain anytime soon. Field promotions are tricky things. Mainly when said field promotion is triggered by your captain handing you over to the enemy.

Do you think Ben will extend freebies if we're stationed together? I feel like Ben would say yes. Especially if at some point it could be the whole family together.

Or how about more cuddling time? Seriously, why are you sleeping on the couch? Did Gina say something to you? She kind of gave me a look when I told her that we were sharing a bed. OK, and Gina kind of called me crazy for being so close to you even though you're engaged to someone else. OK, she called me crazy for lusting after an engaged gay man. I haven't exactly explained our relationship to her. Probably because it's kind of hard to put into words, at least in standard.

Jim told me there's this Vulcan word that Spock calls him, T'hy'la. Loosely translated, it means this person is simultaneously your friend, lover, and family. While it uses brother, I think family might be the more accurate translation. I think that's us.

I wish I could've shown Gina parts of your letter. We're family. A different type of family, but still a family, and I need that right now.

Xxx

"Yes, Gina did, and I definitely should have listened to what my boyfriend said over her," Hikaru said as he walked into the bedroom.

"You should always listen to Ben over everyone else. He is the smart one in your relationship." Sue joked as she slid over in the bed to let him get in.

"Definitely the smartest man I've ever dated. Apparently, we have unlimited cuddling or sex privileges. He would like pictures, but he is totally convinced your mom is monitoring our correspondence."

"Apparently not anymore. Mom kind of stopped after she read that message where Ben offered me hook up privileges the first time." Hikaru snorted at her words. "How much of my dictation did you hear?"

"Enough to know not to sleep on the couch again and that we're probably going to have to explain things to Gina but not anytime soon. Ben should probably be there."

"Ben should definitely be there." Sue smiles at him.

"I also heard your debate about your career dilemma."

"Of course, you did." Sue rolled her eyes at him.

"You were sending me the message, so I would've read it eventually. Also, Perez sent me an email as well. So apparently Starfleet wants us both on the Hamilton."

"And what do you think of that?" Sue asked.

"If you're going, I'm going with you. I'm not letting you go to the wolves alone."

"Which will make the rumors about our relationship so much worse. Also, it's never a good sign when you refer to my colleagues as wolves."

"I don't care what those people think about us, and Ben just wants pictures. He's the only one that matters," Hikaru smirked at her.

"We will be the first command team with a kid together. That's going to be a different dynamic. Although I feel like that will probably work in our favor. If you can raise a kid together, you can raise a ship."

"More like the first acknowledged command team with a kid together that's biologically their child. I feel like Jim and Spock have kind of already beaten everybody to it. Peter is totally their kid, and Starfleet knows about him."

"Yep. The Spock-Kirk family is kind of adorable together." They had dinner together the day before. Or, considering it was after midnight, two days ago.

"So adorable."

"I don't want to go back to the Hamilton." She told Hikaru, being completely honest. "Even with all the Enterprise transplants, I don't think I'm ever going to feel completely safe there. You can't command people you don't trust."

"So, don't go back." Hikaru placed an arm around her. "Nobody would blame you."

"I want to be a captain. Or at least I like the idea of us being a team together. I wouldn't even consider it if that weren't on the table."

"I don't think this is a one-time offer. We officially qualify for tandem assignments now. When the moment is right, it will come around again, but maybe you need a break right now."

"So, you're saying stop doing things I don't necessarily want to do?"

"I feel like that's great life advice in general. If you're not going back to the Hamilton, you can stay onboard Enterprise for a while. Apparently, we have better rooms." She giggled at that. "At least until the family meets up on New Vulcan. Then you can hitch a ride back to San Francisco. Maybe you could go back to the Academy for a while."

"Teaching was miserable. That is not an option."

"I feel like that was the case because you were really really pregnant," he remarked.

"I had to go through all the exams right after giving birth. It was miserable. However, I would still rather go through pregnancy again than teaching. At least I got a cute kid in the end.

"Would you still prefer teaching again over the Hamilton?" Hikaru asked.

"That's an evil question. The answer is, of course, yes, but still, that is an evil question. Besides, I have a better option, apparently, Liz let me know that if I don't take the Hamilton, I get Yorktown, and Liz gets to come too for the semester. She's also burnt out on Starfleet for the moment."

"She's not the only one," Hikaru mumbled under breath.

"I know I need a break and probably coffee time with Dr. Reyes." She's probably going to be seeing her therapist daily for the next few weeks.

"I wasn't going to say anything. Although I do think Yorktown is where you should be."

"You mumbled it under your breath." Sue shot back.

"I blame it on the lack of sleep. That couch really is ridiculously uncomfortable."

"Like all Starfleet executive furniture, it looks good, but it is not functional."

"I feel like there's a metaphor there for the whole organization."

"Go to sleep." She said, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

Xxx

Starfleet priority message for cadet Elizabeth Chan from Commander Ling-Chan

Subject: You are not allowed to speculate about my sex life

Gina is bad enough. She got most of the actual story of baby D's conception, although maybe I missed a few critical parts with her. Gina kind of thinks I'm a lovesick fool pining after the unavailable gay best friend. We're going to have to enlighten her eventually, but we realize we probably need Ben there.

Although it is reassuring to know that mom didn't read past the permission to hook up email. It kind of got more graphic from there. We are both adults, and therefore I think we want to keep all discussions of our sex lives private.

I may need your babysitting services when on New Vulcan. I'm not asking Gina. I love my best friend, and I know she's looking out for me, but I am an adult here. If this is a mistake, it's still better than my last relationship.

Sulu and I talked last night. I was already leaning toward not going back to the Hamilton. After talking, we decided that I'm better off at Yorktown for the moment. I need some time to heal after what happened.

I really want us to be a team together, but not on that ship. I can't go back there. I tried to find out if taking over a different ship was an option right now, but that's not possible. I think Perez was only giving me command of the Hamilton as a "sorry we fucked up" present. It's not a present I can take right now, nor is it one I want. However, finishing up on Yorktown with the kids and Ben would be better. I wish Hikaru could join us, but we have a better shot of seeing him on Yorktown than we do if we're on Earth.

Write your next response the usual way. I think we've already done too many of these rapid messages. I need to stay in Jim and Spock's good graces because I'm going to be crashing on their ship until at least Christmas.

XXXX

Starfleet priority message for Dr. Benjamin J. Sulu from Commander Ling-Chan

Subject: Most conversations with my mom go badly

I have a complicated relationship with my mother. I love her, but sometimes a lot of yelling is involved. Especially right now. I know she's worried, but it's a lot. The worrying is a bit overwhelming now.

You're right; I'm not ready for the Hamilton. I didn't even go back there for my personal stuff. Jim brought it over. More importantly, I let him bring everything over. If I were really planning to go back, I wouldn't have done that.

So, after a post-midnight conversation with your fiancé and my baby's daddy, we have decided I'm going to Yorktown. I think it will be good for as much of the family to be together as possible. We can work on the wedding together. BTW we should probably just get one large apartment on Yorktown for us anyway. Liz can live next door during her internship/semester on Star Base a.k.a. mental health break.

I asked her to babysit while we're on New Vulcan. I was hoping for a fun time, but you're probably going to have to help me explain to Gina that I am not some hopeless moron chasing after the unavailable gay guy. Although considering he got me pregnant, he is not that gay. I think he is maybe a little demi-sexual when it comes to women. He is reading this over my shoulder and doesn't entirely disagree with me. I think my mom was right and I did accidentally end up in a kind of poly relationship. Still better than the last one. We are not telling her that ever.

Anyway, since I don't want to hear your commentary about my mom too soon, write the usual way next time. I look forward to seeing you on New Vulcan. Bring chocolate. I've been told that stuff is a controlled substance there. Although you can get pot everywhere. It's their version of Tylenol. Vulcans are weird.

To be continued

I almost waited until tomorrow to post this chapter. I'm having a somber day today. For those of you that have been reading my stories for a while, you may remember a time in 2015, where I lost two family members to cancer within a week of each other. That was a tough couple of weeks. Yesterday's loss of Chadwick Boseman hit me hard because of that. I hate cancer so much. We've lost so many great people to fucking disease.

But then I remember how many of you have told me that the story helps you deal with many things, so I'm updating. Although I'm really thankful, this is a Star Trek week. Also, I'm grateful that I finalize during the week because I definitely don't have the energy today.