A Traditional Christmas. Part One.

Posted on Fri Dec 27th, 2024 @ 2:31am by Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis MD & Lieutenant Seth Travis

Mission: Family
Location: Travis family quarters.
Timeline: Family

"Shas will you help me pleeeese?" Shon begged as she attempted to get the seven foot replicated fir tree in through the door and was stuck halfway.

"Neither in nor out Mrs Travis." exclaimed the boy who was Shasta's current beaux. He rushed over to help and easily managed to drag it in. "Whatever is this?" he asked.

"Well I have been researching how Christmases were celebrated several hundred years ago, and, apparently families used to go out and cut down their own trees to bring them into the house and decorate them. So, this year as it is Sage's first birthday." Shon stood and put her hands behind her back and stretched. "So, this year we are having our own old fashioned family Christmas. Sam's given me a few days off although I am on call at night."

"Is this why there are strings of lights all over the window?" Shasta asked as Shon and Rollo helped manhandled the tree into a large bucket and attempted to get it straight.

"Yes, with the main lights off it is supposed to be warm and festive." shon replied. "Shas don't just stand there bring the bags in from the hall. I was hoping to get it decorated before your father arrives."

Seth had been on a conference call dealing with some trade issues between the Vulcan and Earth and deciding on proper compensation for the Vulcans. He looked at the chronometer and say he was running late. He tapped his combadge ."Seth to Shon. I am running late sweetie. The call took longer than I expected. I'm headed home and should be there within ten minutes."

"Oh no!" Shon said. "I'm not going to get this done before he gets home. "Then she had an idea. "Shas go meet your father, tell him something.....oh....anything to delay him. Tell him you want him to watch your ballet recital."

"You do ballet Shas?" Rollo began to laugh.

Shasta went red..."Not since I was eleven..mom!" she exclaimed. "Come on" she took the boys hand we'll think of something on the hoof but it might not be long, hurry." Shasta set off at a run pulling the boy with her. After a couple of minutes they saw him coming out of the turbo lift. "Dad Rollo wants to see your office?"

"Do I?," he replied nonplussed.

Shasta looked at him her eyes motioning him. "Yes, remem ber you wanted to see what a diplomat's office looked like?"

"Oh yes, I remember now I did...I mean yes I do.... Sir."

Seth stopped as he saw Shasta running toward him, literally dragging Rollo behind her. "Hi Shasta darling, hello Rollo." He looked between the two teenagers, "It's an office Shasta, Nothing special about it, four walls, a door, a desk and a couple of chairs. Oh, and paintings."

Rollo laughed and Shasta threw him a look, Rollo decided in an instant he did not want to get on the wrong side of a Travis woman. " Sir I would love to see the paintings?" he asked.

Seth cast a disbelieving eye at Rollo and then looked at Shasta. "Alright you two, what going on?" He asked even as he turned and headed back to the lift to take them to his office.

“Nothing Dad, anyway I’ve not seen your office for a while, anyway Rollo mentioned your paintings a while ago.” Shasta’s went red and Rollo put his head down scratching at something on his trousers.

Seth eyed Shasta suspiciously but said nothing for several seconds before he sighed and said, "Right, let's go."

"Sounds great Dad," she nudged Rollo and rolled her eyes.

"Oh yes, right, thank you Sir." he said.

A few moments later trio got out of the lift and made their way to the diplomatic complex and then to Seth office. It was a good size office with a sofa, and two chairs in front of his walnut desk where a photo of Shon, Shasta and Sage sat on the desk. There were also several paintings on the wall. Some of old-time sailing ships progressing up and including the space shuttle and earlier starships. The Federation charter was on display on the wall behind his desk. On a third wall, were paintings of nature, all vivid and bold.

"Okay Rollo, you wanted to see my paintings, have a look." Seth told the teenager.

Rollo thought he would be bored but he was immediately captivated by the old sailing ships. "wow" he breathed. "These are beautiful, did they really sail on the ocean? they look so...fragile."

"Thet sure did Rollo and they were extremely fragile, the ocean floors of Earth are littered with wrecks of sailing ships through the years." Seth replied.

“It must have been incredible to have sailed on one of those Sir.” Rollo seemed entranced by the pictures. “Are these photographs sir?” He asked whilst Shasta began to look bored.

Seth nodded, "Sure is Rollo. A picture of the three most important ladies in my life." As he cast a quick eye at Shasta and saw she was growing bored. He shifted back to Rollo, "If there is nothing else, I'd like to head home."

Rollo looked at Shasta who nodded her head imperceptibly. "Okay Dad, Rollo is staying for dinner." They watched as he once again locked his office. "There is a problem with our door Dad it has be opened manually from inside, but Mom says that the engineers are on it." Rollo rolled his eyes and wondered why he had gotten involved with Shasta.

Seth noticed the eye rolls of Shasta and Rollo along with the almost imperceptible nods and he wondered if they though him blind or stupid or maybe both. However, he decided to forgo asking, for that would just lead to an argument and hurt feelings. Instead, he took the diplomatic way out and simply said, "Glad to have you Rollo." He finished as he locked the office and headed to the lift with the two teenagers following.

Shasta led the way as she always did, boundless energy yet a gentleness which people found pleasing, sometimes, however she shared too much. "Rollo did you know Mom is pregnant again?" she said loudly as she led the way along the corridor weaving between other crew members.

Seth shook his head at Shasta's announcement. "Shasta." He said softly. "You don't need to broadcast it to the entire ship."

Shasta had the grace to look mortified. “Sorry Dad.” She said and they walked in silence until they came to the Travis quarters. Shasta again took charge. “Now because the door is broken Mom will have to open it.” She pressed the chime and waited.

A minute later the doors opened into darkness.

Seth peered into the darkness and looked over at Shasta. "Shasta, you didn't say anything about the power being out. When did this occur?""

Suddenly the room was lit up by a thousand sparkling lights around a huge tree that glittered every hue of the rainbow, hung with coloured balls and whirlygigs twirling in the light. The windows were filled with sparkling lights imitation stars going nova. To compliment this the smell of fir tree hung heavy in the air. “Happy Christmas to us all!” Shon exclaimed as a choir began to sing old carols. “Come in gang, there’s food for everyone!”

Seth stood there in open mouth stunned silence, then suddenly a bright smile spread across his face "Oh my gosh! This is amazing!" He glanced at Shasta and Rollo. "And you two were in on it. Good job Shasta, Rollo on delaying me." As he looked at the bright, cheery tree. It brought back so many wonderful memories.

Shon rushed over to him, “I am so glad you like it, I managed to speak to your parents and they told me you used to love the Christmas tree you had at home. She took him in her arms and kissed him. “I love you,” she whispered. Sage was in her cradle wearing a Christmas hat fast asleep. “Now, everyone, this is a Christmas for your father so the food is different. Tomorrow I will be cooking,”

“Mom, you know you can’t cook.” Shasta complained.

“I have been practising Shas, roast turkey sent from earth, carrots, sprouts, peas, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, stuffing, cranberry sauce and to follow Christmas pudding or trifle and them mince pies.” Poor Sam has been my taste tester and she has advised me. But, for now there is mulled wine, sausage rolls, yes there is a vegan option Rollo and you will be welcome tomorrow. Now, enjoy I will sit down.”

Shon walked over to Sage, checked her and picked her up, sat down and put her feet up cuddling her small daughter.

Seth hugged Shon to him. His eyes aglow with happiness at the scene before him. "I don't just like it Shon, I love it and I love you and your thoughtfulness. You have done an amazing job." He kissed her softly, "Are you up to cooking everything you said was going to be on the menu? That's a lot of food to prepare and you need your rest as well." He said looking at Shon's stomach. "I'll be glad to help you, you know." As his eyes wandered back to the Christmas tree. "Amazing and beautiful." he whispered. "You have already made this a Christmas to remember, you, Shasta and Rollo are all to be complemented on the job you did."

"I just knew you would love it and I wanted to do it before Shasta grew too old for this. I have loved doing it and, if you notice there is a present wrapped for all of you. As for the cooking it is all prepared. I was peeling potatoes in the office. All I have to do is put it all in." she nudged him, "Look at them?" Rollo had his arm round Shasta's shoulder and her head was on his shoulder. "He seems a nice boy and this is the longest relationship she has had."

Seth nodded and smiled, "You know me so well Shon. What you did was amazing, simply amazing." He looked in the direction of Shasta and Rollo. "I don't like it. I mean I like Rollo and he seems nice but Shasta seems to be growing up way to fast.' He looked back at Shon. "I sound like an old fuddy duddy don't I?"

“Oh Surak no Seth, I completely agree with you. We have had the mother daughter talk and she tells me that they are not sexually active and that she does not want to be.” Shon laughed. “And you, my love will never be an old fuddy duddy whatever that is? Shon looked at Sage, “Sage has been so good during all this, so quiet.” She yawned, “I’m tired however, I wonder how your mom managed all those years? You know she told me how excited you got when your dad brought the tree in. I’d love to have met the ten year old Seth.”

Shasta walked over crumbs on her jumper and at the corner of her mouth. “This is fantastic Mom, Rollo has never seen anything like this as his parents are both from Mars Colony. Dad,…..there is a Christmas Market on the holodeck and Rollo and I are going to meet some friends there, it it okay if we go?”

Seth smiled at Shon. "Glad you had a talk with Shasta and that she isn't sexually active and thank you for saying I will never be a fuddy duddy." He kissed Shon's forehead. "You would have liked ten-year-old Seth. He was a dynamo." He stopped as Shasta walked over to them and talked of her plans. "Sure Shasta." He said secretly sad; she wasn't going to spend it with the family. "Don't be gone too long. You have presents to open, we all do."

“Half an hour Dad, that’s all. Rollo’s Dad has a stall, apparently he makes cheese!” She took His hand and they left.

“She will be back in time Seth, here hold your daughter, I’m going to change out of this uniform and hope I don’t get called tonight. With most of the crew off the ship on leave……..” she walked away “I’m not saying it.” A couple of minutes later she returned in a red off the shoulder dress her hair down and barefoot. “Would you like a drink love?” She asked.

Seth held Sage and softly cooed and sang to her as she slept, and Shon went to change. When she returned, he smiled at her attire, "Very nice Shon. "I think I would like a drink and then just sit here with you in the quiet and admire the Christmas tree."

Shon brought him a drink and made herself a hot chocolate with something called a marshmallow. Sitting down next to Seth she put her legs up and cuddled into her husband as they sat in the dark watching the lights on the tree. “I would like to make this a Travis family tradition?” Shon said.

Seth draped an arm over Shon's shoulders holding her close.
"I think that is a wonderful idea Shon darling." He nodded, "Yes. tonight marks the beginning of a new Travis family tradition."

"I still think about Andrew you know, wonder what that woman is doing with him but wherever he is I hope he is happy, just like we are." she ate a marshmallow. "You know I was talking about maybe leaving here, doing something else, well I love my family both here and on the ship. I am a physician, it is all I know how to do and I love it. So, lets stay here if you are okay with that?"

Seth was silent as Shon mentioned Andrew. Then he spoke, "I do too Shon and I hope he is happy and I hope he knows we love him." he grew silent again as Shon revealed she wanted to stay on the ship. "I think that is a marvelous decision Shon and one I support fully."

The door opened and Rollo and Shasta entered chatting excitingly. “Told you we would be back soon. We brought some cheese that Rollo’s father made. It’s called Stinky Blue.”

Shon sighed, their quiet time was obviously over. “Don’t wake the baby.” Shon said.