Moving Day
Posted on August 2nd, 2017 by T'Lira

“How many boxes of books can one kid have?”

Elena laughed as Eddie grunted while lifting one of several boxes of books.

T’Lira glanced over at the pair and drily stated, “Perhaps you should invest in PADDs in the future. They are far lighter than the paper books you insist on gifting Taril. I do not see the point in them.”

Shari Kyon snickered, “It’s a human nostalgia thing. They like their old books, old… what’s that two wheeled thing you drive, Elena?”

“It’s a motorcycle, Shari, and it’s not old, it’s vintage!” Elena protested, putting the last box by the door.

“Is that what we’re calling it?” Shari retorted.

“Why would Aunt Elena’s vehicle not be vintage if she says it is?” Taril asked, tugging Shari’s sleeve. He’d grown since T’Lira had last seen him, a fact that she pushed aside for now. She had had a duty, but it would not interfere any longer.

“Because your Aunt Elena is silly and her vehicle is about three hundred years old,” Eddie noted.

“It is not! The parts are only five years old, it’s the design that’s three hundred. I only built the thing five years ago,” Elena rolled her eyes.

“You mean Bril built it five years ago. She wouldn’t let you touch it,” Shari smirked.

“I do recall that,” T’Lira noted, “I also recall it was because your first attempt at constructing the vehicle ended with you in Starfleet Medical.”

“Oh please, I singed my hands is all.”

Eddie scoffed, “You had second-degree burns on your hands, arms, and face. Why is it you gold shirts always downplay your injuries?”

Taril tipped his head to the side, “I think I remember that. Your face was all covered and I could only see your eyes.”

“That would be accurate, yes,” T’Lira nodded before glancing at Eddie, “Do not drop that box.”

“Why do you use my place as storage, anyway?” Nadel Teralyn’s voice asked as the admiral in question leaned against the doorway, grinning. Behind her was her young daughter, Taerys, who seemed suddenly shy.

“Because you’re the only one with a place. We all use it as storage… speaking of which, did Jon mess with my bike?” Elena looked over.

“He fixed the exhaust pipe, he said something was wrong with it… by the by, who is Caroline? Red shirt, lieutenant, apparently from your boat?”

“Oh… darn,” Elena glanced at Taril and Taerys, apparently reminding herself to mind her language around the children, “Yeah, she’s my helmsman. I told her to let me know if Command called… buuut I may have left my combadge on the ship.”

Eddie chuckled, “That makes two of us.”

“Go and speak with your officer. We can manage,” T’Lira gazed at Elena. The other woman looked like she wanted to protest, but didn’t, instead slipping past Nadel and Taerys, headed for the foyer.

“How did you wind up with such a nice place, anyway?” Eddie asked.

“I’ve lived here since I was a cadet,” Nadel grinned, “About eight of us lived here, which meant this place was insane… Jon uses the term ‘frat house’. But then we graduated and only two of us had Earth-based assignments. And then she moved out and it was just me. Then Jon showed up and, well, you know the rest.”

“We sure do,” Shari smiled.

There was a moment of silence before Taril looked up from carefully labelling a box for transport and asked, “What is a frat house?”

The resulting silence and adults exchanging awkward glances didn’t seem to answer Taril’s question at all, so he reached for a PADD, which was promptly intercepted by Eddie.

“That’s a question we’ll answer when you’re older, kiddo.”