Bravery Comes in All Shapes and Sizes Part One
Posted on Tue Jan 24th, 2017 @ 5:22am by Ensign Jonathan Forrest
Edited on on Wed Jan 25th, 2017 @ 8:55pm
Episode:
Out of Sequence
Location: USS Venture
Timeline: Sixteen Years Ago
=/= USS Venture, 2374, 16 Years Ago =/=
Alex held his mom's hand tightly, his eyes staring down at the deck plating of the transporter room. The boy didn't know what was going on, only that his mom, Jennifer, was nervous. Something was wrong.
They stepped up onto the platform. "Energizing," the transporter chief reported. A beam of light blinded Alex momentarily as the transport room changed around them and a tall woman in Starfleet red with commander's pips appeared alongside another six-year-old boy on the other side.
"It's good to see you," Jennifer Samuels released her son, Alex's hand to his distress as she embraced her wife. Decorum be damned.
Alex looked uncomfortably over at the other boy. He knew he had to be Jonathan, his brother, but they saw one another so infrequently, he was like a stranger. It didn't help that they looked so different from one another. Where Jonathan had light skin, Alex's was darker. Where Jonathan's short hair was straight, Alex's was an unruly mess of curls. Alex stood a little taller than Jonathan and wore a pair of glasses on his chubby face that obscured the one thing that connected the two children: they had the same hazel eyes.
Jonathan hadn't been holding on to mommy's hand. Not with others around anyway, He'd been standing not far from her, but he had been far more interested in the model shuttlecraft he had been playing with. Not content to just hold it, or stand still for that matter he'd been dancing around his mother moving the ship up and down, almost letting it crash into the floor before pulling it back up from crashing into the planet's surface. He'd also been making "zzoh, zzoh, zzoh," sounds.
Then he saw his brother. The other boy had to be his brother. He'd seen a picture in the holocube in the cabin he shared with his mother, and of course, he was standing by his mom.
Rushing over to the dark haired boy, he called out. "Hey Alex, do ya want to play shuttlecrafts? I got another one in our room. Do ya want to be the good guys or the bad guys?"
Marcie was always one to stand on protocol. She had to be strong, she was the Executive Office on the Venture But, this was her wife. So, she relented and hugged the other woman back whispering in her ear, "I love you."
"I love you, too. How soon do you have to get back?" Jennifer asked, hoping, desperately, that she could still a few moments of her wife's time. With the Dominion War in full swing she didn't know when she would next see her.
"We've got the next six hours all to ourselves. After that, I have to be back on the bridge. Your transport leaves in eight. And my yeoman, Topher, he'll watch the kids while we're busy. He's good with kids, has a little toddler of his own."
Alex was entirely caught off guard by Jonathan's exuberance and rapid fire questions. He wanted Francine, his favorite stuffed animal, a big gray elephant, to hold, but Mom had made him pack her away until they reached the transport. "I don't....h-how do you play shuttlecrafts?" he asked, his voice barely carrying.
"It's easy," Jonathan replied confidently. "One of us are the Cardassians, they're kinda ugly. The other is the Federation, they're the good guys ya know. Anyway, one of us chasetes the other one. Shuttles have phasers ya know they can defend themselves."
"Chases," Alex corrected. "S-some shuttles have phasers, but not all. But that's a runabout. It does," he assured his brother. "They're fast and have thick shielding, too. I'll play, but can I be the Federation? I don't want to be ugly."
"Chases, chasetes, I don't see the difference, but okay, you're the boss. And sure, you can be the Federation, "Jonathan said," Mommy said Uncle Topher, he's her yeoman would keep us in his cabin till we had to leave, he's got a little girl you know. Anyway, we can play shuttlecrafts there. How come you know so much about 'em?"
"Oh, so this is that kind of visit," Jennifer purred, grateful that she'd get some time alone with her spouse. "Let's drop them off." There was a lot they had to talk about before they departed, but it could wait an hour or two.
"The sooner the the better," the young Executive Officer replied.
"Alex, Johnny, come along," Jennifer told the children as they left the transporter room bound for Topher's room.
Alex followed along. He really missed Francine. "I read some about them and Mom works on them sometimes. I got to ride in one once, it was a little Type 6 though. This is a really big ship," he remarked, a little overwhelmed by the size of the corridors and all of the people passing by.
"It is, really big," Johnny agreed as he took Alex's hand. "And mommy is the number two boss, she gets to order people around and have the Venture shoot Cardies and you know those, those other bad guys. I want to be a boss of a ship one day too. What about you. Oh and you're not ugly, you're my brother."
Marcie shook her head at the boys' antics. "That's why you have to take them home, it's safe for them there they don't need to be in space now. Not with a war going on."
"I know, but I don't like the idea of you being in harm's way while I'm stuck at home. If it didn't make too much damn sense for the commanding officer to be in the field and the engineer working in the shipyards, I would argue you for it, you know," Jennifer said.
"I know you're no coward and as crazy as I am, and yes I know you would be arguing with me. But it does make sense and it's the right thing. That's why we're doing it."
"What I mean, is you owe me one. I don't want to hear anything when I take on a dangerous mission and leave you with the kids," Jennifer teased but was also very serious.
Her career was important to Marcie, but her marriage was more important, "Noted and logged. The next time that happens, I won't make any complaints," she said as they walked to the nearest turbolift. As they stepped inside she lowered her voice conspiratorially she finished., "pinkie swear."
Jennifer smiled at her and wrapped her pinkie around Marcie's for a moment. "Pinkie swear."
Marcie hadn't been able to smile in a long time, but, as they stood there in the lift looking at each other while their two boys played beside them, she did so. "I love you, Jennifer Samuels," she said softly as the lift came to a stop and the doors started to open.
Jennifer responded with the kiss she had been holding onto. She kissed her wife hard enough, the taller woman bumped into the side of the turbolift and closed her eyes, all sense of decorum and of station lost for a moment.
Then she heard a giggle. A pair of officers, one of them the chief science officer, were standing outside, waiting to enter the turbolift. Besides the giggle, the pair went quiet as Marcie looked their way. "Commander," the CSO greeted, struggling to hold back a smile.
Marcie blushed slightly, clearing her throat before replying. "As you were."
Alex was grateful to have physical reassurance again as Jonathan took his hand. "Jem'Hadar," "Captain," he supplied into the appropriate parts of the conversation. "I don't think I'd like being a captain. I mean, not for real."
The sandy haired boy nodded. "Jem'ha 'Hadar, that's right, that's what I meant. And yeah being a boss. Er Captain, is hard work mommy says and dangrous. But I don't mind danger. I want to be a hero. Do you want to be a hero? Not all heroes have to be Captains ya know."
"What else can heroes be?" Alex asked, more curious to hear more of his brother's unique worldview than needing an honest answer to the question.
"Well, Mom is a hero too. She helps build ships for mommy and other Captains and Security, they kill bad guys and doctors, they save the lives of good people, so they can be heroes. Oh and good mommies and daddies can be heroes too. Anyone who stands up to bullies, or Cardis, or other bad guys like Jem' Hadars is a hero."
"Then I want to be a hero." Alex didn't like bullies. He had, unfortunately already had to deal with a few, but wasn't good at standing up to them. "But I don't want to hurt anyone."
"I don't like hurting people either, but sometimes you just gotta hurt them, leastwise if they're a bad guy. The only ones, that don't have to hurt a bad guy is a doctor or counsler. Doctor Cross, he says they have to take a hypocritical oath."
"I don't think that's what it's called," Alex said, thinking about all that his brother had said.
"Hippocratic Oath is what you're looking for," Jennifer said. "That was close, Johnny." She turned towards the boy, as grateful to see her other son as she was Marcie. She hoped that Marcie would give Alex some attention before they departed. He hadn't seen her in some time and Jennifer didn't want him to forget his mother. "And you're right about good guys having to stand up to the bad guys. How'd you get to be so smart?"
Jonathan gave his mom a smile "Okay, it's Hippocratic Oath, cool." Then looking up at Marcie before returning his gaze to Jennifer, he said, "From my other mommy. And my daddy. Mother says Alex and I have two mommies but only one daddy."
Then looking back and forth between both women, then at his brother, he said, "What's our daddy like?"
"Not now Jonathan, we can talk about your father later. Right now your mom and I need to have a debriefing."
" 'K mother. Mom, can I hugs you?"
"Of course, baby." Jennifer crouched and hugged Jonathan tightly, ruffling his hair.
"Thanks, Mom I love you." he said, a bright smile on his young face.
Alex looked awkwardly up at Marcie but made no move towards her.
It hurt her that Alex made no move towards her, but she wasn't going to let anyone see that. Nor was she going to try to ask him to come to her. She did, however, move closer to him and looked down at him with a smile, offering her hand to him to hold.
Alex took her hand. She could feel his fear and uncertainty in the tight grip on her fingers. Then he gave her an uncertain hug, wanting the support but being too worried to ask for it.
She bent down and hugged him tightly. "I love you my little Alex, you have no idea."
Alex hugged her tighter, glad that what he was doing wasn't wrong. "I love you, too, Mommy. I wish you could come with us," he voiced, all too aware of what was happening.
"I know Alex," she said, "but I'll be okay here and your mother and Jonathan will be with you and you'll be safer there. I want you to be safe. I will always love you my little one."
Alex squeezed her tighter. "Please me safe," he encouraged.
"I love you, too." Jennifer smiled wide back at Jonathan. She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Will you do me and your mommy a favor? Will you look after your little brother while we're at our debriefing? He gets nervous sometimes and it would help if you can be big and strong for both of you. Can you do that for me?"
A big smile crossed his face. "Of course mommy. I'm a big boy now. I will take care of Alex. I promise. You can count on me."
"I know I can." Jennifer kissed her son's forehead and then stood and pressed the door chime to Topher's room.
Jonathan held tightly to Jennifer's hand as the door to Topher's quarters slid open.
A tall broad shouldered, ginger haired and bearded man with a three-year-old girl held in his hands stepped aside so they could enter. "Come in, come in," he said, "Hey Johnny, and hello young man, you must be Alex. How are you?"
"I'm--I'm okay," he said to the man, his eyes drifting over to the little girl in her arms. "Hi, I'm Alex," he greeted, even though she was a real little kid, it seemed the polite thing to do.
She gave him a dimpled smile, safe in her papa's arms. "I'm Calley," she replied.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Calley," Alex greeted warmly. He looked up at the redhead holding her. "And you too, Mr. Topher."
"I echo that sentiment," Jennifer said with a smile. She offered Topher her hand. "I hear you're the one keeping my wife out of trouble."
"It's Herculean task at times," he replied with a conspiratorial wink, "but I'm up for it."
"Hey babe," another older man said as he came in from what must have been a bedroom. "Oh, hi, I didn't know our guests had arrived. Do you want to take Calley?"
"Hey, Uncle Will," Jonathan said as he ran towards the man wearing a red tunic.
Marcie gave both men a brief nod and took Jennifer's hand. "Come along love, we have a lot to catch up on."
Jennifer spared one last, loving glance at her children, and then eagerly followed her wife.
As soon as the door closed, Alex started to feel overwhelmed. There were two men here he had never met before, a little girl, and Jonathan, the brother he barely knew. Where Jonathan ran and hugged Will, Alex took a step back. He looked around the room, noting the elements that were familiar: the kind of furniture, the replicator in the wall. And noting the ones that weren't: toys spilled out on the floor, the art, the large monitor on one of the walls. He wanted Francine again so he had something familiar, some anchor to latch onto.
Jonathan released his grip on Will and started to run over to tell Topher his latest idea about how the Federation could win the war when he remembered the promise to his mom to be the big brother and to protect Alex. So, he detoured away from the yeoman and over to where Alex was standing.
"I'm just going to sit her down," Topher said to his partner.
When he did sit her down she ran over to both boys taking hold of each of their hands.
"Can you play with me?" she asked.
Alex looked at Jonathan uncertainly and then back down at Calley. "Yes. What would you like to play?"
"I don't know, the three-year-old replied, "we could watch a holovid, Zootopia 26, or Jon Jon plays horsey with me, or we could play with my toys or my dollies. What do you want to play with, what is your name, are you new to the ship, will you be staying with us, you're kind of cute, what's your name?"
Jonathan just shook his head and grinned.
Her rapid-fire questions caught Alex even more off guard, as did the comment about him being cute. He decided to start by addressing her questions. "I'm Alex. I'm--I'm Johnny's brother. We're just here for a little while. I've never played horsey or with dolls. How do you play?"
"Oh, well horsey…." Jonathan started to say before Calley looked up at him putting one tiny finger up to her lips.
"No, Jon Jon, me tell him." Then as Jonathan rolled his eyes good naturedly at her, she turned and looked up at Alex, "Well I'm the jockey Alex. Jon Jon is the horsey and I get on my back and we ride around, but he makes funny horsey sounds. Do you want to be the horsey? I could ride on you, I bet you make better horsey sounds than Jon Jon."
"I don't think so. I make a pretty terrible horse." Where most of his male classmates made great sound effects of animals and phasers and starships, Alex's sounded terrible and were barely recognizable for what they were intended to be.
Calley frowned, just for a moment. "Well, we could play with my dollies then. Jon Jon doesn't like playing with them much. "But there's Sarah, and Emily, and my favorest one Katey. Would you play with me? We can have a tea party if you want. I'll even let you pick the dolly you want to play with."
Jonathan shrugged his shoulders and mouthed the words, "You don't have to if you don't want to."
"It's okay," Alex said aloud. "Sure," he told Calley who grinned with delight and dragged Alex over to the pile of toys.
He knelt down beside them and started looking at the mess of dolls and stuffed animals. He picked up the doll who had dark skin and curly hair, a lot like his mom and him. "What's her name?"
"Oh, that's Katey, my favorest one. But you can play with her. I'll play with Emily and Jon Jon can play with Sarah." Twirling around a couple of times, she bent down and got her other two dolls. She handed Jonathan an Asian appearing doll and and kept one that looked Vulcan for herself.
"Okay," she explained, "All the dollies are friends and they are all going to meet in the Starnight Lounge, and sit down and have tea and crumpets. But I don't know what crumpets are, daddy hasn't told me yet. Do you know what crumpets are Alex?"
Jonathan was doing his best to be polite, but he couldn't help but roll his eyes, as he rather reluctantly took the offered doll and held it in his hand awkwardly.
"Crumpets are like cakey biscuits. You dip them into your tea," Alex supplied, pushing his glasses higher up on his nose. The young boy seemed to have no feelings about playing dolls one way or the other. He wasn't displeased like Jonathan but he wasn't eager and excited like Calley. "Okay, so who should arrive at the lounge first, Sarah, Katey, or, Emily?"
She thought for a minute and pointed at Jonathan. "Sarah should go in first. Then Emily and Katey because they're best friends and they're cousins.
Alex smiled. He didn't argue that a Vulcan and a Human weren't likely to be cousins or that a Vulcan wouldn't be named "Emily." "So Sarah should go in first and place an order," Alex said to his brother, both he and the toddler looking at him expectantly.
"Hhmph," the young boy said, but walked oft to one corner, carrying the doll.
Calley took hold of Alex's hand. "Can the dollies hold hands?" she asked.
"Of course, they're best friends, aren't they?" It wasn't easy to do one handed but Alex brought the hand of the Katey doll to the Emily doll's hand and held them together between his index finger and thumb. "Emily, I'm thirsty," Alex began in a slightly higher pitched voice, bobbing the Katey's doll head as he spoke. "Can we get a drink somewhere?"
Calley grinned hugely, "I'm thirsty too," the toddler responded, "why don't we go inside and get some tea. Sarah is suppose to meet us there."
Jonathan was trying to be polite, and he did like playing with Calley. Just not dolls. Without changing the pitch of his voice he said, "Hi girls, I've been saving you a seat."
"Why thank you, Sarah." Alex walked his doll over and moved her as if she was taking a seat. "I think I'll have the green tea...."
TBC
Ensign Jonathan Forrest
Helm
USS Highalnder
Special guest appearance by Kristine Chester as Alex Samuels