Stuck on this Shuttle with Nowhere to go.

Posted on Thu Oct 17th, 2013 @ 11:30pm by Gregory Monroe [Lane] & Katie Monroe [Lane] & Lady Ebele [Mabrade]

2,255 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: The Enemy Within: Typhon is Missing!
Location: Shuttle, waiting for the return of Typhon
Timeline: Just before Typhon's arrival

Gregory sat in the small common area of the shuttle, his kids tucked safely into their beds in the family's shared room. There were a number of other civilian adults aboard, but he was the only family on the large passenger shuttle. His wife had arrived on the station over a month ago, he and their kids close behind. But the starbase had gone missing, and his shuttle, as well as several others that had arrived since, were here, waiting for reports. They hadn't been told anything by Star Fleet, but the captains of the shuttles had decided to wait it out, hoping the base would return. Since the shuttle's replicators were designed with large capacities, they would be fine for supplies.

Ebele came out of her small room; large by comparison to some of her accomidations in the past, she had planned to arrive ahead of her things that were booked for a 'supply ship' to Typhon. Which she feared her things would be late if the Captain of the supply ship decided not to wait. That would not be the case as the ships would all go back and her things were on a Federation ship and not Private merchant.

She had the 'essencials' in a ateamer Trunk that when upright was like a small dresser. She had packed her good clothing yet when things were looking to be in a holding pattern she decided to 'replicate the base materials and have her clothing 'tailored to her.

"I see the children have had story time and are in bed Mr. Monroe? She said while getting a glass of white wine from the replicator. "You know if you input the replication sequense you can get quite authentic wines and spirits, in small quantities of course."

Greg smiled. "They have indeed, after three stories they are asleep again. It's been so hard lately, being away from their ma and all." Greg looked at the replicator and motioned for Ebele to sit.

Ebele took a seat across from Mr. Monroe; she had worn the floor length Blue Skirt and the cream; what might be called 'antique' colored top with flowing sleeves, the modest cut of the neck line was for elegance.

"By the way your children are delightful, though I must admit I wish they took the dominoes a little more seriously." It was more to lightened the mood. "You are fortunate to have such a large family."

"Thanks, they really are good kids. Jade and I love 'em. I just hope she's alright on the station. She did say she'd arrived before I left. I try not to worry around the kids though. You'll have to show me the trick for that later, I'm not in the mood for a hard drink right now." He motioned to a cup of hot chocolate that he had brought out with him. "I think I've picked up some of the kids' habits too. You ever considered a family?"

"I have a family." Ebele replied. "They are my Professional family. I take care of my employees as though they are my family." She sipped her drink. "But to have a family is something no one has asked me before." She nod. "Seems it is a question only from men who understand commitment, and those are usually taken." She chuckled.

Greg smiled and laughed a bit too. "I see your point there. I've never heard of a Ferengi who was so caring to their employees though, as to call them family. You are certainly unique, first Ferengi I've been able to introduce to my children without worries actually." He smiled, hoping that came out as the compliment he wanted it to be. Just then, a little girl poked her head our of the door. Greg frowned and beaconed her over.

"Daddy, will you tell me another story?" Katie said walking over with her hands crossed behind her back and her head down. "Ruka kicked me in his sleep..."

Greg pulled the ten year old onto his lap, balancing her on one knee. "I don't know if I have any more stories tonight..." He looked questioningly to Ebele, wondering if she had one. The only stories he had left were the ones he told only to the eldest two of his four children, or that he had already told to them that week. And he knew that little Katie would protest a repeat.

"I ran across in my travels a legend of sort." Ebele said with a smile. "It is of a small princess who was of two lands." She smiled. "There were two kingdoms that were close to one another and while her mother came from the tyrant King her father was from a kind and gentle king, a Knight of renown who while wounded found a beautiful Princess that helped the Knight to health." She winked to Mr. Monroe. "It seemed the two were in love but forbidden to be together." She glanced to the little girl. "Should I continue, it is a tale you might find interesting?"

"More!" The little girl demanded, bouncing on her father's knee.

"The girl was not aware she is a princess as the Evil Tyrant would not acknowledge her as his daughter. Eventually he sold her to a Pirate that happened by since he would not allow her to be a part of his kingdom he thought this would be best for her?"

"Pirate! Was he a good pirate? With a big hat!? I be she loved his hat." Katie said, excited.

"You have to know that a Pirate can be either good or bad depending on where you are in space?" Ebele joked. "He was a Gentleman of a Pirate with a brimming hat of course." She took a sip of her wine. "Taking the girl he taught her all that he knew of how to be a Pirate, she learned the shipping lanes, the worth of an object and how to treat a crew to be loyal to her." Ebele glanced to the young girl. "Do you know how you keep a crew loyal even among pirates?"

"You gotta be good to them, or else they will hate you. And give them lots of latinum. They like latinum." Katie said smiling gravely.

"Treat them fairly and if they try to cause trouble they walk the Plank." Ebele joked a little. "With Pirates the Princess learned that being cute and kind is one thingbut being able to make sure no one took her ranking as a Pirate from her comes with a price." She smiled. "A 'Pirate Princess' is not like most princesses, she knows how to fight for herself, she does not get to be pampered because of her birth; she gains her being a princess among pirates the oldest and best way in the universe, she earns it from her crew."

Katie stifled a yawn. She was getting sleepy. "Did she ever get rid of the evil guy?" She tried to stay awake, it was a good story, and she had not heard it before.

"The evil King that sold her still sails around and if the Princess ever finds him she will be sure to enact some well deserved justice, she is a kind person at heart. That is what makes her a good princess." Ebele was speaking softer so to make the story nearer an ending for the little girl. "That is why she is out there to one day be able to show that Princess Pirates are as good as any Male that set sail." She noticed the girl had faded into sleep. "They must be a handful?" Ebele smiled before taking a sip of her drink. "Anytime she wants to know the story I would be glad to add to it for her."

"A handful, both of joy and of worry." Greg said, lifting the sleeping girl and carrying her to her bed in the next room. She stirred sleepily, but went right to sleep after he left.

"I'll have to introduce you to Jade. She's great, I'm sure you two would get along well." Greg smiled.

"I look forward to it." She sipped her drink. "But it might seem forward, yet, I would like to know what your wife is like?" She knew loving husbands could not resist telling what they loved of their wives. "I have met you and the children but she is a strong infleunce and she I do not yet know?"

"She's great. Every since we were in college, she loved children. She's a teacher, for the station. That's why we have such a big family, her love of children. Infinetly patient, Jade is. Beautiful too." He sighed, wishing she were here in person.

"A loving heart is; without a doubt, the most valued to have as a gift in the universe." She took a sip of her drink. "I do not deal in matters of the heart, I just admire those with such exchanges with envy, you are a blessed man Gregory Monroe." She smiled. "Tell me more I do so love a great love story."

"Please, call me Greg, everyone does. I'll tell you of when we first met then. Everyone loves that story." Greg smiled. "It was the third day of biology our freshman year. A dreaded class that everyone who wasn't going into science, and half of those who were, hated, but required as a general ed class none the less." Accompanying this were a range of hand motions, just a perk of his stories, something that had cropped up as a technique for keeping the children interested as they listened, and stayed for the rest of his stories too. "Anyways, day three, we were both sitting in the middle of the lecture hall, bored out of our minds. I was recording the lecture for later on my PADD, and about halfway through, the girl next to me, Jade as it so happens, drops her PADD and shatters the screen and the whole thing goes crazy. She had let out a string of curses under her breath that would make a klingon flinch. Of course, I was the only one that could hear, but it set me to laughter. After class, I had felt bad for her, since she couldn't go over the lecture later, and offered to give her a copy of my recording. Might not sound very interesting, but we got on quite well after that, and almost always shared notes. We actually had a lot of classes together. All the guys were so jealous of me, they all thought she was too cute for me. But we really liked each other."

"It is said that most of the best couples were not planned." Ebele smiled almost brightly. "Judging by the size of your clan you are good for one another." She sipped her drink. "From an outside looking in I can only envy and hope that one day the handsome prince will share a padd with me or even just some of his time?" SHe almost laughed. "One might be surprise how much time I can put aside for the right man." She nod. "But being a 'business woman' and half Ferngi; the odds are slim I will find such affections. I run a fine eating establishment but with a Lounge that serves real liquor the stock of potential are not so desirable."

"Well, I do wish you luck in finding the right person. There's got to be someone out there. Until then, well, you must always be surrounded by people right? Running a business and all." Greg thought a moment. "Do tell me about it, I've never been much of a business man, like Jade, I am more into teaching. Though not actively employed as such."

"I am what they call the Service Industry on Earth; it is a restaraunt with a Lounge; some might call it a bar, to wait for seating in the restaraunt. I hope to have a safe haven for good food and conversation of all types." Ebele explained. "As I cannot have Profits by Ferngi Traditions; though I am not under any of their laws for a multitude of reasons, I strive to have no Profits and keep out any undue involvment from the exhalted Grand Nagus." She smiled and took another sip of her dwindling drink. "It is a place you could; if it works out as I hope, bring your family for dinner type place just do nto go in the lounge as they tend to get rowdy,"

"That's good, a bit of both worlds, I'll have to see what happens." He smiled.

She giggled. "Restaraunt for respectable and of course children should nto be in a lounge anyway as I do not intend to serve the Synthale but be known for the real stuff." It was almost pride in her desire. "Balancing two worlds you might say but utmost is to be able to have good conversation, business or other wise, under the roof of 'Kindness' Place."

Greg yawned. "These early bedtimes for the kids get to me. Is it ever that way for you, when others sleep you get more tired?"

"I tend to sleep odd hours so when others are sleeping I am often awake working at my place of business." She smiled as she drain the last of her wine. "You could say that I am awake when most others are asleep."

Gregory Monroe
Parent

Katie Monroe
Child

Lady Ebele
Business Owner.

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