Final Christmas Gifts

Posted on Tue Jan 10th, 2023 @ 7:24pm by Fleet Admiral Mike K`Wor Bremer
Edited on on Thu Jan 12th, 2023 @ 1:09pm

1,446 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 114 - A Time and Place for Everything
Location: Starbase 400
Timeline: MD1 2145hrs

ON:

Standing in Ops, Mike was eager to hear from the team of scientists on a solution. He’d paced, written a couple of reports, drank a couple of cups of raktijno, and paced more over the last few hours. In a way, he felt helpless now. His expertise was in command and tactical, and this scientific crisis was way outside of his wheelhouse.

His thoughts drifted back to his conversations through out the day with Fleet Admiral Casey from the past, older versions of his sons, and of course Janice just before she had been killed. As upsetting as those conversations could be, they were still a blessing…and unexpected Christmas gift. Looking at it that way brought a sense of peace to the aging warrior.

Mike didn’t say anything, he just gave a nod to K’Temoc as he entered the turbolift. A few moments later he entered his quarters. He removed the kur'leth Janice had given him when they talked, his mek’leth he always carried, his baldric, commbadge, rank insignia, then his uniform. He took a long hot shower, preferring the water variety over a sonic one. After, Mike shaved then wrapped a towel around him as he walked into the bedroom.

Mike laid back on the bed with his hands behind his head for a bit. He glanced over to the corner of the room and admired the Christmas tree there…then suddenly realized he never put that tree up this year. That one was Janice’s that she would always put up when November arrived on Earth and it would stay up until January 6th, Epiphany. Mike sat up and stared at it for a few moments. He examined the lights and ornaments, then his eyes found a single gift wrapped under the tree.

Mike stood and walked the few feet over to the tree. He picked up the box and card, looking them over almost suspiciously. After a moment Mike walked back to the bed and set the box down while he opened the card. It was from Janice. It was an old Earth style Christmas card wishing for a wonderful holiday season and new year. Janice had then written a sentiment of her own. She explained that K’Wor, Becca, and Christopher had helped her put the tree up as well as decorate the rest of the quarters. Mike had been so exhausted when he came in with his head down that he hadn’t even realized the decorations were up. She expressed how proud of them she was and how proud she was in Mike and how much she loved him. Mike could feel a tear roll down his cheek. After a moment he picked up the box and unwrapped it. Inside was a old style photo album filled with pictures of the Bremer family from Mike and Janice’s wedding up until the week before her death. Along with it was some personal things Janice had kept aboard the USS Durga that she wanted Mike to keep. With them was her gold wedding ring with a note that said ‘When Christopher finds that special lady…’. At the bottom was a small gift just for Mike.

After a few moments of collecting his thoughts and emotions Mike settled a little. He put everything from the gift box in its proper place. He allowed a small smile to cross his lips, then turned around to get out of the towel and dressed in a clean uniform. However Mike was met by a man standing just a couple of meters away from him with a slight smirk on his face.

“Q!”

“Greetings Admiral.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Mike asked.

Q smiled, then snapped his fingers. In a bright flash he was dressed as Santa Clause and Mike was back in uniform including his insignia, commbadge, baldric, mek’leth, and kur’leth. “Does this help a little?”

This wasn’t the first time Q had appeared as the jolly old elf before Bremer. During the Dominion War around Christmas time of 2373, the Pegasus-A had been damaged in battle and was limping home. Q appeared on the ship as Santa Clause and passed out Christmas gifts. His final gift was repairing the ship completely.

Mike looked over Q for a moment as he realized he was also fully clothed again, “Why are you here Q?” Mike then answered his own question, “This whole thing, the temporal anomaly, it’s all you.”

Q nodded. “Ho ho ho.”

Mike narrowed his eyes for a moment, “Why?”

Q snapped and returned to is usual appearance with dark hair and a matching uniform to Bremer’s. “It’s the season for giving for you Earthlings, and what more of a gift could you of asked for?”

Mike thought for a moment, and realized that he’d been so preoccupied in his off duty hours over the last several months with thoughts of the Janice, the past, and hopes for his kids’ future, and now here was Q giving him exactly what he’d wanted.

“For mortals, you have some very bright people here, they’ll figure out how to get everyone back to where they belong, and none of them will remember this ever happened.” Q added.

“Will we?” Mike asked, almost like a child asking his parent a question.

Q nodded.

“Thank you Q.” Mike said, very sincerely.

“This will be the last time you see me. I can’t promise Q2 won’t pop in sometime, or Q3 for that matter, but for me this is au revoir.” Q replied.

Mike cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

Q started to snap, then paused, “But, before I go, I have one last gift for you.” Q smirked, snapped, and in a flash of light he was gone.

Mike took a deep breath. He’d encountered Q nearly a dozen times in his life. Not as many as Janeway or Picard, but in those meetings there had always been a lesson learned…and if Q was right and this was the last time he’d ever encounter him…he was a little sad about it.

Mike pushed the thought out of his mind, he still had to focus on making sure everyone got home, even though Q said they would find a way. However before he could step toward the door his commbadge beeped.

“Fleet Admiral Bremer, Blackthorne here. Can you please report to Level 138, Upper Observation Lounge 8.”

Mike tapped his commbadge. “On my way.”

A few minutes later Mike arrived at Level 138, Upper Observation Lounge 8. He saw Blackthorne by one of the large windows looking out into Starbase 400’s internal docking bay. His face showed confusion and surprise.

“What’s going on?” Mike asked as he walked up.

Blackthorne was speechless, all he could do was shake his head and point, “I, I don’t know.” He looked out the window again.

Mike looked out the window and was shocked with what he saw. Sitting beside the USS Pegasus-C, in all her glory, was the undamaged and fully operational USS Pegasus-B.

“She was in storage bay two with the external drydocks. We haven’t had a chance to do anything with her in a while, not since Cameron Wayne was able to extract and repurpose a few things for you and install them in a runabout for you. At first we thought it was the Peg-B from another time brought here by the anomaly but scans show she’s from our time, all temporal scans confirmed. I had storage bay two checked and it’s empty. I had the runabout checked, it’s stripped clean. This is the real deal Admiral.” Blackthrone could barely believe what he was explaining.

“Damn Q.” Mike said.

“Sir?” Blackthorne asked.

Mike shook his head, “Nothing.” Mike took a moment to look at his old ship. “Get a team aboard, check her out stem to stern.”

Blackthorne nodded, “Yes sir.”

A few minutes later Mike was on the bridge of his old ship. She was spit and polished clean and everything was working perfectly. As he walked, he glanced down at the right side arm rest on the CO’s chair and there was a tiny notch in the wood caused during the Pegasus-B’s last battle when Mike had stumbled from a torpedo impact and his mek’leth hit the chair arm.

Mike took a seat in the CO’s chair. Obviously he couldn’t keep two ships on active duty with the same name, but knowing the old girl was whole again brought him joy. “Thank you Q.”


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