Surefoot 35: Mission to Kinderzeit

(Author's Note: this is a Surefoot Christmas Special, taking place some months after the end of the last one, Mother's Cub, so the next one you read, My Summer on Vulcan, will take place between Mother's Cub and this one. Maybe a few others. But this one is still canon, and what is revealed here will have a sizable impact in the future. Confused? Just have some hot cocoa, put your feet up and enjoy!

And please accept my most sincere thanks to all of you, for your reading my stories, your support, and your comments over the years! They mean more to me than anything I can put into mere words...)

"Captain's Log, Stardate 50018.12, Captain Esek Hrelle, Commanding: We have commenced our Away Mission as per Admiral Tattok's authorisation, and have begun collecting the cargo and personnel from each of the appropriate ships in the Thirteenth Fleet. The shuttles we're employing are on Silent Running, keeping energy signatures and communications to a minimum so as to avoid detection. Commander T'Varik has assured me that our success probabilities are at 96.7% given known parameters.

I wish I had her confidence. Though I have been on duty for some time, performing my assigned tasks as well as mentoring the latest group of cadets to board, this feels like my first real mission since my recovery from... what happened to me.

My CMO assures me there are no problems with my neural reconfiguration, my Counselor, Wife and Better Half has helped me face the anger and guilt from being a victim of attempted murder, my niece and Chief of Security is keeping me on my diet and exercise regimen, Captains from the rest of the Fleet have sent messages of support, and even my best buddy Weynik has been visiting, helping me relearn many of the fighting skills I seem to have lost following my surgery... and teasing me about money I allegedly owed him but have since forgot about.

But I'm feeling... feeling like a cub fresh out of the Academy and getting his tail wet on his first mission, rather than what I really am: some old cat with over thirty years in Starfleet.

Well, not exactly old. Maybe late middle aged.

Early to late-"

"What are you doing?"

He started, mentally kicking himself for not hearing the cockpit door slide open and his wife enter. He turned in his seat to frown at her, waiting for the door to slide shut again before protesting. "It's rude to interrupt a Captain when he's working on his Log."

Kami stopped and stared at him, her eyes saying everything.

He glared at her defiantly. "Yes, I just realised how that sounded out loud. How's the cargo?"

"Fine. The transport from the ships was successful, there's been no disturbances." She drew up into the co-pilot's seat, feeding her tail into the hole in the back and looking out the cockpit window. "How long now?"

He could already instinctively tell, just from looking at the planet that was rapidly growing in the centre of the starscape. But he checked the navigation panel anyway. "Twenty minutes. Why?"

She smiled at him. "Oh, I don't know. I thought you might like to go back into the sleeping quarters and fool around a little before we arrive and go to work."

"What? Are you crazy? With what we've got back there, and Klingons in the neighbouring sector threatening to cross over-"

She raised a finger to her snout and made a shushing sound. "Calm down, Sugartail, I was just teasing. Look at you, your tail's twitching like it was on fire, and not because of the thought of a Bumper Call! What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," he lied, pretending to be distracted by something on a panel in front of him, while he focused on calming his tail, before he spoke again. "Kami, will you be honest with me?"

She lowered her hand. "You are kidding, aren't you?" Then she asked, more softly, "I will always be honest with you, Husband of Mine. What is it?"

He breathed in, amazed at his reluctance to open up to his own wife even after all this time. "Have I changed since my brain was reconfigured?"

She seemed to consider the question, even though she always appeared to know the answer. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Esek, but: yes, you have." She rose and knelt beside his seat, taking his hand in hers. "Those pesky little Nanites rummaged around in that cluttered attic inside your skull, rearranged things here and there... and took away a part of you that you thought that you needed, but one that you didn't like.

Having the Beast in there was like having a gun in our house. You convinced yourself that it was safe, that you would only ever take it out and use it when it was needed. And I know the Beast served you well, and I defended his existence to others...

But he scared me, Esek, having him in there with the kind, gentle, loving man I married. And, like an actual weapon, there was always the possibility of a terrible accident happening.

I'm glad he's dead.

And though you lost most of your fighting skills as a result, you also lost the horrible memories behind how you gained those skills."

She tightened her hold on him. "I see other changes in you too, and they're not bad things. You've stopped drinking coffee, for one."

He grunted. "Can you blame me? The last coffee I had was a literal killer."

"And you've thrown away all of your Secret Snacks -- even the ones you think I didn't know about -- and are genuinely focusing on your diet and exercise."

He shrugged. "I'd asked Doc Masterson to give me some treatments to quicken the process, but he refused."

She nodded. "And I agreed; it's standard procedure to encourage patients to work for the weight reduction the hard way; it takes longer, but it's more likely to stay off and is emotionally more satisfying. Did I leave anything out?"

He pretended to consider the question, though he already had the answer. "I feel... cold. It runs through me every so often, like I was back in the Archipelago in the dead of winter, a cold that runs through your fur and into your bones. Or maybe those times I ended up in space, without a suit. I find myself shivering, for no good reason. The Doc says my brain's temperature regulation is working fine but-"

"Feeling cold is more than just about feeling a lower temperature," she informed him. "For many, cold represents bleakness, vulnerability, uncertainty. And, as you have just pointed out yourself, it represents your childhood home, where your surgery has had the unexpected side effect of releasing some early, potent memories you haven't recalled in decades." She raised his hand and placed it on the side of her neck as she purred, her vibrations reaching up to travel through the rest of him. "But you know, I can warm you up without our leaving the cockpit, Sugartail."

"Hmm?"

She drew his thumb close to her mouth. "Mmmm... cockpit... I'm sure that word has a very innocent origin... but right now..."

The tip of her tongue darted out and drew around the tip of his thumb.

Hrelle purred. And stirred.

Just as his communications panel chirped, and the voice of Captain Weynik filled the air. "Moonstone to Sureswift, come in please."

Kami burst out into raucous laughter, helping herself back into her seat as Hrelle let loose a volley of curses, before opening the channel. "This is Sureswift, you little prick!"

The Roylan's voice was laced with confusion. "Huh?"

While Kami continued laughing, Hrelle growled, "You stumpy, ass-high, rotten, interfering little munchkin fart Squab stroke-off-"

"Wow, Wide Load, cutting down to three meals a day is harder on you than I thought it'd be."

Now Kami leaned closer to the microphone, her laughter ebbing but still echoing in her voice. "Ignore him, Weynik. What's up?"

"I was just informing our Strategic Operations Officer that the shuttles Galway and Setar have joined us, and we'll all reach the rendezvous point on time."

Hrelle merely continued to growl, leaving Kami to reply, "Thank you, Captain. Sureswift out." As she closed the channel, she looked to Hrelle, saw his expression -- and started laughing again, wiping her eyes. "Mother's Cubs, I laughed so hard I peed a little! I need the toilet!" She rose, swaying a little... but then leaned in and rubbed the side of her muzzle against his. "I owe you one, Sugartail."

He still growled, until she departed, and he focused on running another tactical scan of the planet they were approaching. The target, designated for this mission Kinderzeit, was a class-M planet in System N-03L, uninhabited, and based on the reports from the initial surveys and the more recent probes from the Fleet while looking for Klingons, it would make a suitable colony world for the Federation... or the Klingons. Or maybe the Dominion, depending on how the next few years turned out.

Hrelle shook aside such thoughts, needing to focus on the mission. He had suggested it to Tattok, after all, and so it was all resting on his shoulders.

No, no pressure there.

*

Once in orbit, the planet proved just as beautiful to the naked eye as the probe data: a virgin ball of blue and green and brown, all oceans and continents and islands, some areas basking in the bold white sunlight from its motherstar, others covered in thick, dirty-white clouds. Hrelle had taken the Sureswift around the nightside of the planet, noting the complete lack of any lights or artificial power sources below. He relaxed, a little -- but still kept the sensors focused on tachyon and other particle surges indicative of Klingon cloaks.

Kami had returned as they met up with the other shuttles from the Fleet: the Moonstone from the Starsong; the Setar from the Lynx; the Kolejo from the Philadelphia; the Galway from the Dragonheart; and the Grabthar's Hammer from the Minotaur. He allowed himself a brief smile as he opened a channel to them. "Sureswift to Kinderzeit Task Force: we're on schedule, so just follow us down to the landing point. Keep it as smooth a re-entry as possible, we don't want to disturb the cargo. Hope you brought your winter woolies with you. Hrelle out." He looked to her. "How are they?"

"Fine, no problems, Sugartail." Then she smiled at his expression. "What?"

"Do you still intend to try the Bridge Officer's Test?"

"No, I intend to pass the Bridge Officer's Test. With our new role as an ambulance ship, we're all pulling double duty, and I could use the qualifications if you still want me to head the Medical staff. Why?"

He sighed. "Just a heads-up: you don't get to call me Sugartail in front of other people once you're officially in the chain of command. Understood?"

"Oh, of course, Sir, Captain, Sir!" She puffed up her chest and raised her chin. "Shall I drop and give you Twenty, Captain, Sir? If so, you'd better tell me what you want Twenty of, Captain, Sir, because if it's what I suspect, I don't think you have the stamina for that."

Hrelle rolled his eyes. "That'll teach me to sleep with one of the crew."

*

The descent went more smoothly than he had expected, emerging from the thick cloud cover over the northern continent, to reveal a vast region of dark green trees, billions of hectares of them, tightly packed together and rising straight upwards; beyond them lay a vast clearing and a gentle slope, both covered in snow, and Hrelle aimed for this, his gaze constantly checking on the readouts -- and on what he could see outside. The probe data told him that there were no major predators, at least none beyond the deeper parts of the forests. Good.

The actual landing was bumpier than expected, prompting him to say, "That'll have awakened at least one of them we know. Best go back and keep them there until I've cleared the site."

She rose, offering an old-fashioned salute. "Sir, Yes, Sir, Captain, Sir!"

He offered a salute of own, less regulation-friendly and involving only one finger, before he rose as well, requisitioning a phaser from an adjacent locker and attaching it to the connector on the side of his uniform. When Kami was in the rear, he opened the cockpit hatch, breathing in the crisp, cool, morning air, watching his breath ghost before him as he stepped out, his boots sinking into the ankle-deep snow on the soft slope as he strode forward, ignoring the cold. Actually, this didn't feel so bad.

He looked out. The shuttles from the other ships in the Fleet had landed, forming a wide circle in the clearing, and he watched as their hatches rose up or slid aside depending upon their vehicle class, and personnel exited, adopting standard security positions or moving pieces of equipment together for assembly.

"Hey, Wide Load."

He turned to see the diminutive Roylan draw up to him from the Moonstone, struggling a little with the snow and his little legs. "Hey, Short Round. Listen, sorry for making the airwaves colourful before, you caught me at a bad time."

Weynik grunted. "You're lucky I wasn't present, I have a squirt bottle filled with water for naughty cats like you."

"Keep your sex stories about my cousin and you to yourself."

Then Weynik noticed the phaser, and nodded to it. "A little overcautious, aren't you? We've all scanned the planet, and the rest of the system; we're the only ones here."

"Famous last words."

"When did you get so paranoid?"

He indicated his own shuttle. "Since we started carrying such precious cargo. How's yours?"

"No worries getting them here." He tilted his head as he regarded his friend. "Esek, I know you haven't been feeling the same since your operation, and I know you had the idea for all of this, but maybe you should have handed it over to me or one of the other Captains, given yourself more time."

He shook his head. "That thought had occurred to me, Wey-ney, but I'm essential to the proceedings." He looked up at the thickening clouds, how they fought with the growing light of the morning sun above them. "And our time here is limited, we have to make the most of it-" Then he picked up a familiar scent. "I want a security team between us and that forest. See to it."

"Scared about bears coming to take your picnic basket?"

"Scared about any of our VIPs wandering out there. Get it done." He started off towards a number of younger personnel, quickening his pace as his eyes and ears confirmed what his nose had told him, and he smiled. "Ensign Ner-Ner!"

Neraxis Nemm turned, her bald blue Bolian head darkening as she smiled back and approached him. "Captain Hrelle! It's great to see you again, Sir-"

The rest of her greeting was lost in a rush of breath as Hrelle rushed up and hugged her Caitian-style, before setting her down again. "Sorry about that, Ensign. Completely inappropriate, I know."

She nodded, laughing. "With respect, that's how I know it's you, Sir! How have you been? I heard about what happened to you, are you okay, Sir-"

He waved off her concerns. "I'm fine! But what are you doing here? Last I heard you'd been assigned to the Armstrong."

She nodded. "There's been a lot of redeployment since the War heated up, they needed experienced personnel closer to the front lines... and apparently someone wrote an impressive note on my record."

He shrugged, laughing. "Only told the truth. Where have they posted you?"

"The Dragonheart, Sir."

Hrelle nodded back. "I know Captain Alvarez, I'll make sure he takes good care of you, or else."

"Sir!" She laughed again. "Actually, there's a few of us from the Surefoot out here on different ships: Rrori, Thykrill, Kit, Yeager, Beaudine-"

"Jonas?" Hrelle ventured.

She grinned, pointing to where some personnel were assembling a towering mechanism; Hrelle peered and recognised Jonas Ostrow directing the others, his scent following past his image. "On the Featherwind. Field promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade, and moved into Second Assistant Engineer position, after he managed to get their new warp core online in half the time the Engineer promised."

Hrelle laughed again. "Good for him!" More soberly he asked, "Are you two, uh... should I even ask-"

He stopped as she reached under the collar of her uniform, drawing out a metal chain, on which hung a silver ring with a hexagonal pearl diamond. "Captain Alvarez won't let us wear jewellery on duty."

Hrelle beamed, filling up with joy on behalf of his former cadets. "That is... wonderful! Wait until Kami sees that. Have you two set a date yet?"

She tucked away the ring again. "Not yet. We thought we'd wait until the War was over."

His joy ebbed a little. "Maybe... don't leave it too long. Sometimes, the Universe Has Other Plans." He patted her on the shoulder, shaking off such maudlin musings. "Better go see the young man myself, make sure he knows to treat you proper. You'll be breaking Misha's heart, by the way. You've always been one of his girlfriends; now he'll only have four or five to fall back on, including your youngest sister Alazia, if I recall." He smiled. "You'll have to explain it to him when he pops out."

*

"Mama?"

Misha was sitting up when Kami entered, glancing around the darkened interior of the aft section of the runabout, suddenly aware of the eight other children with him, asleep but now stirring awake.

Kami smiled and raised the lights, squatting down beside him and stroking the side of his head. "Good morning, my darling!" She looked up at the others, who were beginning to sit up, rub their eyes, and obviously wonder why they weren't in their beds. "Good morning, all of you! My name is Counselor Shall, of the USS Surefoot. Some of you know me as Misha's mother, when we've visited your ships on playdates and for school assessments."

One eight-year-old human girl with straw-coloured hair and a fearful expression sat up and asked, "Are we evacuated? Did the Klingons kill everyone?"

"No, Diane! Your Mom and Dad, everyone is perfectly safe, I promise!" She smiled. "When all of you were asleep, they arranged to have you beamed over to our runabout to bring you here! They all agreed to let you go on a wonderful adventure!"

"Adventure?" Misha echoed, eyes wide at the very thought of it.

"Yes!" She looked around them. "Right now on Earth, they're about to have an ancient wintertime holiday. Does anyone know what that is?"

A young boy beamed. "Christmas!"

"That's right! And traditionally, part of Christmas for many humans has involved being around snow. Hands up, how many of you have seen snow, falling from the sky?"

A couple raised their hands.

"I mean, for real, not on a holodeck?"

The hands dropped.

Kami smiled. "Well now, just behind you there is a hygiene chamber to get freshened up, and in these boxes beside me are winter suits and boots replicated by your families for you. And if you hurry and get ready, we can get the day started."

*

"Lt Ostrow, I presume?"

Jonas turned; he had shortened his silver-white hair to a more professional level, and he kept his chin raised, as if to better display the Lieutenant's pips on his collar, but the smile and the animation in his eyes were still the same as when Hrelle last saw him. He drew up to him, adopting a formal pose. "Good morning, Captain! Hope you're well, sir!"

"I'm fine, Jonas, thanks!" He resisted the urge to hug the young man in front of his colleagues, offering a furred hand instead. "Congratulations, on the promotion and position, and on the engagement!"

He flushed a little now as he accepted the handshake. "Oh, uh, thank you, Sir. Hope I'm worthy of all my good fortune."

Hrelle beamed, slapping him on the shoulder. "You are, Jonas. You are." He nodded to the weather modification tower. "Is it ready?"

The young man nodded, looking to it. "It'll be easier than I thought; it looks like the sky's ready to open up anyway, this will just give it the nudge."