The New Normal
Posted on Wed Sep 9th, 2020 @ 1:03am by Chief Petty Officer Leslie Calhoun & Staff Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters - Calhoun
Edited on on Wed Sep 9th, 2020 @ 1:20am
2,011 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Transporter Room 2 - Deck 4 - USS Pionner
Timeline: MD006 1300 hrs
Billy took his cap off and ran his hand through his hair. Jen had not arrived yet, and neither had his kids for that matter. He laughed to himself at the thought of his kids. They were all adults... Let's see Robert and Mackenzie were coming in on the transport ship SS Stewart, T'Ving would be coming via the Vulcan Science Vessel T'Pau, Talia is coming aboard the IKS Chal'Doch and Melek is arriving via his own shuttle. This should be interesting. Billy thought as he ticked off the names of his children and how they would be arriving at the Pioneer.
Calhoun paced the transporter room a number of times as he waited and his anxiety built. He hoped he made the right decision inviting them all to meet Jen. "You know sir, I can get you a nice soothing cup of tea if you need to relax." The transporter Chief said with a grin. "When all of your adult kids from multiple lifetimes come home to roost then you can tell me how to relax." Billy replied sarcasticaly.
Jenn straightened her uniform as she was standing outside the transporter room. She had skimmed through the files of Billy's children. But it didn't make her feel better at all. Some of them were even older than her aunt. She had to constantly remind herself this was a meeting. She already impressed the most important person. That was Billy.
She took a deep breath and walked in to the transporter room. "so are they here yet?" she tried to hide the nerves in her voice. She wasn't sure what she was more nervous about. Meeting his kids for the first time, or her aunt leaving Earth and attending her wedding. She sighed. "My aunt will arrive somewhat later. But she requested Commander Myles meet her and give her the tour. Something about the son she never had. But whatever."
Billy rushed over to Jen and hugged her tight, it was his way of showing exactly how nervous he was. "Not here yet. I expect T'Ving to arrive first. You know Vulcans and being precisely on time..." His voice trailed off as he contemplated exactly how to put the next few sentences. "...You have to understand that I have not seen them in years, and in some cases decades. However, they all seemed to have wanted to meet you. I am not exactly sure how this reunion is going to go."
"We should have a dinner later," Jenn suggested. "I think there is no better way to bond than over dinner. I think T'Ving would be fine with everything that's presented at the dinner, how are the others with replicator food?" She grinned nervously.
"As far as I know they are ok with replicated food. Well we should check with Chloe and see if she has any fresh gaht on hand. Talia has a taste for it, the fresher the better..." Billy spoke just as nervously to Jen and was cut off by the transporter chief. "Chief, Ma'am the T'Pau has just signaled that Dr T'Ving is ready for transport."
Billy glanced at Jen one more time and then at the transporter chief. "Bring her over Chief." Billy said as he straightened his clothing. The transporter effect completed and a rather tall and statuesque Vulcan woman stood there, she wore typical Vulcan robes. Her eyebrows were slanted and came to a point, however, her ears were more rounded than a Vulcan. This gave away her mixed heritage. She raised the Vulcan salute. "Live long and prosper. Father"
Billy returned the salute and in an even tone replied. "Peace and long life daughter. Allow me to introduce your soon to be step mother Jennifer Masters." T'Ving said nothing she simply raised an eyebrow.
Jenn took a moment to gather herself and then said, "Jennifer is alright. I am not that difficult." She looked over to Billy and then back to T'Ving.
"Then Jennifer it shall be..." T'Ving replied evenly and devoid of emotion. She made no move to shake Jennifer's hand or to touch her in anyway. "Tell me has any of my siblings arrived yet?"
Jenn just put her hands behind her back. "You are actually the first, but we are expecting them any moment."
The Transporter Chief interrupted "Billy, the Imperial Klingon Ship Chal'Doch is signalling that their Weapons Officer is ready to transport." Weapons Officer? When did Talia join the Klingon fleet? This is going to be worse than I thought. Billy thought to himself. "Very well let's keep the reunion going."
When the transporter effect faded a busty, curvy, yet below average height Klingon female stood on the pad. She wore the uniform of the Klingon fleet with the rank insignia of a Major. She looked at those assembled and smiled to her father, a brief look of disgust passed over the Klingon woman's face as she glanced at the Vulcan. When her eyes fell on Jennifer all expressions left her face. "Father I see living the soft life with the Federation has changed you. The eye of the Warrior is not as prevalent as it once was. " She stepped off the pad and toward Billy raising her arm in a right hook as she did so. Billy Calhoun sidestepped the punch and jabbed her in the ribs. "I may be old but a Warrior's heart still burns in these bones." He smiled at his daughter as he embraced her. Her slightly smooth head ridges betrayed her mixed heritage and came to rest on his shoulder briefly.
"Major Talia daughter of Brellor allow me to introduce Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters, my mate." Billy spoke strong and proud as he knew the Klingon woman would accept nothing else.
Jenn was no stranger to Klngons, but this was the first with such a high rank. She stepped forward with her head up. "Major, it's an honor to meet you, please join us for dinner, I would like to exchange stories of your victories and there will be bloodwine."
Talia laughed heartily. "Yes but first I know that you will regail me with tales of your honor and glory in battle. I am sure there will be some family business to discuss as well." The end of her statement was shrouded with a hint of distaste. However, Talia followed the Klingon way of things and she would not disgrace her father, it would be dishonorable.
Jenn nodded. She wasn't looking forward to meeting up with her sister again, and her husband. But most of all her aunt. "Yes well, I don't think it can be quite avoided."
The doors to the Transporter Room slid open revealing a large, lumbering Cardassian male. He was wearing a well tailored suit in the standard Cardassian fashion. His cranial ridges were slightly less pronounced, however, he did have the wide neck indicative of his species. His eyes like his sibling's eyes, and his father's eyes were a dark black almost like the void of space. This gave the Cardassian an ominous appearance despite the broad smile on his face.
His hand extended almost as his future step mother collided with him. The Vulcan and the Klingon present looked upon him with a small amount of disdain. There was definitely no love lost between these siblings. "Ah, you must be Jennifer Masters the woman who melted the cold heart. I am Melek but I would assume you already knew that."
The short, the much shorter Jennifer took his hand and said with an almost gleeful smile on her face, "Ah I see my reputation proceeds me. Yes, Melek, so nice to finally meet you."
Billy scowled at the gathering of his children thus far. This was entirely not how he wanted this to go. However, so it went. He tried to run interference before any of his children could cause an issue on the ship, or worse yet cause Jen to call off the wedding. However, before he could say anything the transporter chief spoke up again. "Chief Calhoun we have one final transport request for you. The SS Stewart is off our port side and they have a Mackenzie and Robert Calhoun to beam over."
Billy's shoulders drooped for a moment. A fleeting moment he thought that this gathering was perhaps the largest mistake of his life. He sighed heavily before he spoke again. "Very well beam the last of my children over." When the transporter effect settled a woman who stood the same height as Jennifer stood on the transporter pad next to a man who stood about one inch taller than the woman. The woman was fair skinned with brown hair and black eyes. She had an angular jawline much like her father's and her mouth was curled into a perpetual smirk. The man next to her was the spitting image of his father. Mackenzie and Robert Calhoun were full brother and sister. She looked almost exactly like her mother, and he like his father.
Mackenzie stepped off the transporter pad and embraced her father. "Dad it has been way too long. It seems this fleet of yours is determined to keep you away from Earth." She turned to Jennifer, "This must be mom..." Mackenzie smiled softly as she embraced Jennifer and whispered. "Don't let this motley bunch overwhelm you they are just posturing." Then Mackenzie stepped back and spoke in a more audible tone. "Where are my manners this man here is my brother Robert and I am Mackenzie, but you can call me Mack." She addressed Jennifer.
Robert stepped off the pad and hugged his father and then Jennifer in turn. He was all smiles but true to his form he was of little words. Robert liked to take it all in before he spoke.
"Well..." Jenn was a bit overwhelmed by all this. Mom? "Mack, Robert, thank you for coming," She finally said, "Please don't call me mom just yet. I am not quite sure if I am there." She laughed nervously trying to decide if the Klingon, the Cardassian and the Vulcan were overwhelming or the fact that Mack, a woman most likely her age called her mom.
The transporter room had been getting a bit crowded, not to mention loud with all of the Calhoun children trying to talk over one another. Billy put on his best paternal voice, a tone that was aimed to get the attention of his children or anyone else who would follow his orders. "That's enough... Now we can all get acquainted at After 11. If you are going to bicker or otherwise argue you can just return to your ships. Do you get me?" He did not wait for an answer, but his children did fall in line. Billy lightened the tone of his voice. "Chief thanks for all of your help." He said to the transporter chief. Billy proffered his arm for Jennifer to take and led the way from the Transporter Room.
Jen accepted the arm, glad to be leaving the transporter room.
The small army of Calhoun children followed their father out of the transporter room. There was a lot of catching up to do and a lot of introducing to do.
A Joint Post By
Staff Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters
Chief Intelligence Officer, USS Pioneer
Chief Petty Officer Leslie Calhoun
Data Systems Analyst, USS Pioneer
T'Ving of Vulcan
Molecular Biologist, Vulcan Science Academy
Talia Daughter of B'Relor
Weapons Officer, IKS Chal'Doch
Melek
Author, Cardassia Prime
Mackenzie "Mack" Calhoun
Musician, Earth
Robert Calhoun
Civilian Securities, Earth
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