Dinner and Thanksgiving

Posted on Mon Dec 1st, 2025 @ 6:11pm by Captain Mira Rodale Lance & Commander Kevin Lance & Lieutenant Betaras K'ner

3,044 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Death before dishonor
Location: USS Chuck Norris
Timeline: Present

On:

{USS Chuck Norris, holo-room}

Mira had decided she didn’t want to leave the ship to have dinner. So many problems had taken place on the base and she just couldn’t bring herself to deal with anything else. She wanted a quiet family dinner and maybe do something on the holodeck afterwards. Kevin was looking into that again, she didn’t want to make anymore decisions either. Just some normal down time. Mira placed the last dish on the table.

Kevin had used the ship’s computer to turn the ship’s holo room into a comfortable, inviting dinning room. “This good?” He asked her.

“It’s perfect, you’re ok with staying on the ship another night? I am just not ready to deal with anything right now.” Mira told him honestly.

Kevin gave a smile. “Of course. I rather like the idea for avoiding trouble on the base and we have so many choices for after dinner entertainment. We could do a holo novel or a movie. Or…..”

Before he could list more, the door slipped open and Kolar ran in excited to see them. “Moma!” he yelled, running to her to get a hug.

Zimia frowned as she walked in with Ashla on her hip and holding Shan’nara hand.

After giving Mira a hug he ran to Kevin. Mira eyed Zimia. She could feel the tension. “Zimia, is everything alright.”

“Kolar is acting up a little. Seems he didn’t want all of us to come to the ship together.” Zimia told her. It was a little Vague, Mira was sure there were more details, but it looked like she didn’t want to talk in front of the kids.

Turning, Mira raised a delicate eyebrow. “Kolar? What did you do?” Asking while as she took Ashla from Zimia to hug and kiss her little girl. Ashla was a little angel and giggled.

“Mama, I don’t want to get rid of Ashla . She is the princess 5th Element, the supreme ruler.” Kolar told her looking like that was perfectly simple, like that made sense.

“Supreme being, dork.” Shan’nara rolled her eyes at him. Like he was a baby and didn’t know anything.

Mira just raised an eyebrow. Well, she was sure there was a story behind all that but turned to Zimia. “Sorry, I’ll handle this, you look tired.” Mira said, a little worried.

Zimia shrugged then nodded, “I could use some sleep. Kids had a blast and your Nephews are fun. But, for some reason, Kolar thinks there can be only 2.”

Mira nodded not sure she knew what that was all about.
“Awal, Dianna, and Venus will be joining us.” She added.

Zimia smiled. “Oh, like a real family dinner! The kids might not be too hungry, we ate warrior meals with the Doctor and K’rath.”

Kolar giggled. “I want to play more with uncle K’rath and aunt K’ner. I love them!” He was really excited, they must have made some impression on him, Mira thought.

“OK” Mira said, surprised. Then she turned to Shan’nara, giving her A smile and hug. “You ok?”

Shan’nara nodded quickly her eyes darting around the room.
“Good, you can take your seat right here.” Mira handed Ashla off to Kevin to sit in the highchair. Kolar was right next to his father. Venus would be on Kolar’s other side, then Dianna, Awal at the other end of the table. She nodded, that should work. Mira took her seat on the other side of the table leaving Kevin to sit at the head of the table and Ashla next to both of them. Shan’nara would sit to next her then Zimia next to Awal.

“So why would you think we would be giving up your sister” Mira folded her hands on the table and waited for Kolar to tell her some crazy, off the wall idea he was having.

Kolar frowned at Shan’nara, then looked at his mom. “You said you only wanted 2 of us.” He held up two fingers, like maybe mommy couldn’t count. “When I asked for my brother.”

Mira smiled, laughing lightly that had been the night Kolar asked for a baby brother, or at least someone might have put him up to asking. She thought it was Uncle Thor. “I said I had two perfect children.” Mira confessed she hadn’t planned either one of them but she loved them dearly.

Kolar nodded. “So we can’t have her.” He pointed to Shan’nara who stiffened at the suggestion of her having to leave.

“Kolar Rodale Lance! I told you that your daddy and I would always love and take care of both of you. Nothing will ever change that, but we promised to take care of Shan’nara.” Mira placed her hand on Shan’nara‘s shoulder. “Everything is going to be fine, hun. Ok?” She told Shan’nara softy. “We will keep you safe.”

“Your uncle K’lar has three sons,” Kevin pointed out to Kolar, “He didn’t feel the need to get rid of any of them. Why is this different?” Of course, K’lar’s sons had all been conceived and born in the traditional manner.

“But mama didn’t keep my brother.” Kolar told them as folded his arms over his chest and pouted.

He said this just as Awal walked in with the family.

Dianna smiled. “Are you expecting?”

Mira eyes were wide “No!” she shook her head, looking at her son. “Kolar, what brother?”

Kolar frowned “Jason. In the bad bad place. He had hair and eyes like Ashla. Can I have him back, now? He could be the 6th element.”

“The Matrix?” At his nod, she frowned. She had been pregnant eight times in the Matrix and in eight different scenarios that year. It had been only a year, so she had just assumed each pregnancy was Ashla and then the scenarios would go wrong and those creepy aliens would dump them in a new program. Could it have been a possibility of twins? Kevin and Kolar had both sworn she was having a girl but she had been under the impression it was a boy. If so, where was he? She didn’t want to think about it right now.

“We will talk later, Kolar. But Shan’nara will be staying in our lives.”

“But I don’t want to kiss her.” Kolar whined. Kevin smirked at the typical response of a three-year old.

Mira laughed. “I don’t want you kissing Shan’nara, either and I am sure she does not want you to, also. When you, Shan’nara and your cousins grow up then we can talk all about that.”

She got up to hug Dianne. “I have missed you.” Kevin greeted Awal with a forearm clasp.

Taking their seats, Mira put a little bit of everything on Shan’nara plate. “You don’t have to eat everything, but I would like you to try new foods. One day you’re going to be a head of your House and give dinner parties. You should know what all the foods taste like.”

Shan’nara nodded.

During the meal, Kevin kept an eye on the children, evaluating the dynamics between the three. Kolar was his usual boisterous self, eager to engage anyone’s attention. Shan’nara was much more reserved, acting aloof as she picked through the food on her plate, replying to the adults in a guarded, respectful tone. Ashla was quiet, her eyes darting between Kolar and the Klingon girl. A casual observer might assume that she was intimidated or scared but Kevin could see the gears spinning in her head. She was shrewd, gathering and assessing information. Kevin gave a little smile of pride.

He was wondering how Thyra would fit into the group when Mira interrupted his thoughts with a question.

“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head, “Would you repeat the question?”

“I asked if you could pass the mashed photos. Ashla ate all hers or is wearing them.” Mira smiled then turned to look back at her food. She was hungry, but when things went bad she just couldn’t eat. Her stomach was just starting to loosen up from the knot it was in when Kolar brought up Jason . Had they left him? Was he ever real? Ashla was real. Could someone have taken him off the base before it was destroyed? Her fork pushed the food around on her plate .

“Mira? Do you remember. … him. ” Zimia asked her.

“I am not sure. I have been having a disturbing dreams that I can’t fully remember when I wake up. I think my symbiont might be blocking something or trying to tell me something. I will need to try again to reconnect to that time in the Matrix.” She gave Kolar a smile. He was eating but his full attention was on what was being said.

“The desert world? The one we were all alone?” Mira asked him. That was what She had been dreaming about.

He nodded yes “but we had Toc and that scary man. The one that carried you home. I told him only dada and uncle Awal was allowed to do that.” He gave a pout.

Mira nodded. “Mama needed the help little man. If he hadn’t helped me I would have died. “ she gave a frown as she tried remember details.

“It was a hot desolate area. We found a cave, a little water and all we could find to eat was roots.” Mira told them “Vaytoc found some kind rat thing he could eat but is just made Kolar and I sick. I found out I was pregnant making things even harder on us.”

Kolar smiled, “ you hunted for food every day mama! And made us root pancakes.”

Mira grinned the roots had been so hard she crashed them with a rock and mixed water in them then cook them on hot rocks. “they weren’t to bad right?”

“pizza is better.” Kolar laughed “then you took so long to come back one day.” Kolar frowned “I was worried mama.”

“I went into labor. I couldn’t make it back to the cave but I did find a little shade and thought …. “ her eyes went Kolar’s face . She thought she was going to die but couldn’t say that with Kolar listening. “this wasn’t good. A man showed up helped me with the baby then carried me back to my cave. He just kept saying you shouldn’t be here. Like I had a choice in being there.” Mira told Kevin and gave a little shrug. “We never saw him again but there was food left just inside the cave for awhile. The baby was a boy.”

Zimia frowned “maybe that’s why you was so sure you were having a boy?”

“Maybe” Mira said frowning or it could have just been that crazy Matrix.

Ashla giggled she was at the stage she was trying to feed herself but just making a mess. By all that was holy she couldn’t imagine two of them.

“We will need to go over the records. All the ship’s that left the Matrix came here for help before leaving. “ Zimia told her. “Someone should have seen a red headed baby with spots!”
Mira nodded wondering if any of this could be true.…. Her eyes meet Kolar’s. He seemed convinced he had a brother. By all that was holy what if there was another baby and she just left him?

{Medical Bay}

K’ner nodded as Billingsly wrapped up her report. Having another provisional member for the Haz Team had become handy on more than one occasion, and selection was so very hard from any given candidate. More failed than ever made it through the pipeline.

“Thank you. Take some downtime while you can. We’ll be shoving off soon and you know how even our ‘milk runs’ always turn out eh.”

Billingsly gave a crinkle of her nose as she nodded. “Oh yeah chief… I know… Don’t stay up too late.”

K’ner heard the outer door open and close and other than the two on night shift, she had the place to herself. Other than suiting up and walking the hull, this quiet stillness didn’t really happen too often, especially on the smaller ship.

Opening up her terminal, she reviewed the data so far on the wispy entity that had hitched a ride back with them. Interesting inroads in communications, but it looked like the clarity of mind was a little scattered. Hopefully they could piece together enough information to set up a liaison with whatever they deemed the force on the planet and see how many of the colonists could be returned, or wanted to.

Next on her list was the canister they had retrieved. That had proven more impervious to progress thus far. K’ner had her own thoughts on the matter, but that would wait.. for now…

Bor’quem was setting up another holo-excursion for the teams, once the station backed off on the semi-lockdown after the bombing. As she looked over the syllabus, she added a couple of things to the list and sent it back. If they were lucky, they could get in one more training junket before being dispatched to the next expectantly simple but in-the-end-impossible calamity on the horizon.

This was the USS Chuck Norris… and banal was NOT its way. . .

{Holo-room}

“What do you think our next assignment will be?” Awal asked.

“Well, the Norris hasn’t had a proper shakedown since coming out of spacedock,” Kevin reasoned, “So I would expect a short, low risk mission to test out her systems and work out the bugs.”

“Short and low-risk?” Dianna replied with a twinkle in her eye, “Pray tell, what are those, Commander?”

Kevin shrugged. It wasn’t entirely undeserved. Perhaps only the Enterprise got into more scrapes than did the Norris. Of course, Enterprise had been on active duty much longer.

“What is this?” Shan’nara complained as she stared askance at a spoonful of white slurry, dripping with brown and yellow liquid.

“It’s mashed potatoes and gravy,” Mira answered as she tried to clean cranberry sauce away from Ashla’s mouth.

“It’s vile,” Shan’nara pronounced, “and the meats are overcooked. I do like the stewed gagh.” She indicated the helping of green bean casserole on her plate. Kevin didn’t feel the need to disabuse her of that fact.

“The turkey and ham are cooked to perfection,” he judged, “Earth meats required more cooking than targ.”

“What is the purpose of all of this food,” Shan’nara asked.

“We are celebrating an old Earth holiday,” Kevin explained, “It is called Thanksgiving.”

Shan’nara processed the information like any six-year old might, then asked the obvious question. “Why?”

Kevin smiled. Kolar hadn’t reach the age to ask incessant question but it wouldn’t be long. Not with Shan’nara’s example. “Every year, humans take a day to gather and celebrate all that they are thankful for.”

Shan’nara crossed her arms and sat back. “That’s a dumb tradition.”

Kevin shrugged. “Many races have a similar tradition to express gratitude. It might interest you to know that the human tradition partially sprang from a great and bloody war that humans once fought.”

This caught the Klingon girl’s interest. “Really?”

How to explain this to a Klingon, Kevin thought. “A great leader of men was caught in a long and brutal struggle against a tyrannical group of rebels to sought to enforce bondage on their own kind and tear their great nation apart. At the lowest point, his generals secured two key victories over the rebels and the leader announced a great day of thanksgiving where the people could reflect upon what they were grateful for.”

Shan’nara brighten a bit. “Like the Day of Honor,” she pronounced.

“ta” Ashla slapped her hand down on her plate and giggled.

Mira nodded with a slight smirk on her face at Kevin’s description “Something like that. You will find that many groups have odd traditions but while they might not be important to you or myself we honor them. You must keep an open mind.”

Mira rolled her eyes As she tossed the napkin down giving up trying to clear her daughter “you are a messy little girl Ashla.” She bit her lip “Wonder if we could just drag the baby and highchair into the sonic shower to clean them both?” it seemed like it might work better.

Zimia Laughed at the idea. “Mira you have a container that was delivered to the ship yesterday from that Vulcan doctor you went to.”

Mira raised an eyebrow “Dr Skalvunn of the Tal’kir?”

“Yes him. He sent you something it was large so I had it put into the cargo bay area after it was scanned. “ Zimia told her still putting food on her plate.”

Mira sat back surprised ‘why would the doctor send me anything? I’ll take a look at it later.” Mira told her before she got up to walk to the side table still laden with dishes. Coming back she placed a tray of Klingon food, Bregil lung, Gladst, krafa leg, mollusk and pipus claws than picked up Shan’nara’s plate “you did well. I wanted you to try new things. Some you may not like others you will. Trying is all I ask. When I was young food I didn’t like was all I had to eat. I learned to adapt. How eat what you like.”
She took a few slices of krafa leg and added it to hers and Kolar’s plate.

Kevin sighed and took his own "no thank you" helping of the Klingon fare. He hated the taste of the stuff but wasn't about to let a six-year-old show him up.

OFF:

Lt Betaras K’ner
Hazard Team Combat Medic TL-B / CMO
USS Chuck Norris

&

Captain Mira Rodale Lance
CO USS Chuck Norris

and

Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

 

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