<USS Avalon> "A Holodeck Picnic"

 
 
"A Holodeck Picnic"
Skyler, Tavi and Moreya
 
((Takes place before Friends and Lovers))

Looking at Moreya Skyler  smiled. "You're not that late. We were
just sitting down to eat. So you are  right on time. Isn't that right Tavi?"


Tavi was a little surprised at being the object of an apology for  lateness.  
She didn't quite know what to say, but grinned. "It's true," she  agreed with 
Skyler.  "Late would be after we finished."

"Well, thank you both.  I wouldn't want to hold up the meal any  further -- I 
am hungry myself!" 

"Ok Miss Chef, why don't you pass out the food. After all you did fix  it."

"I replicated it," Tavi corrected with a giggle, and passed around  the 
individual containers of food.  "But some time maybe I can learn to  cook."

~Should I worry about you being around a hot fire?~
 
"Cooking is an amazing, wonderful skill," Moreya said.  "Also a very  good 
way to spread pleasure and joy."

Blinking, Tavi paused with her fork  in hand, and gave Skyler an incredulous 
look.  ~I said cooking, not  primitive survival.~ "Maybe there is somebody on 
board who could teach me,"  she said aloud.  "Some of the
science officers were saying cooking can  be kind of like math.  I like math."

"It can indeed be like math,"  Moreya said.  "I'm not unskilled as a cook, 
and I'd be glad to teach  you."

Chuckling Skyler looked at Tavi. ~ You never know when you  might need 
primitive survival~ "I seem to recall some bread that you had  made Moreya. It 
was 
rather tasty if I do say so myself."

Such an offer,  coming from Moreya -- who was clearly busy, with many 
responsibilities -- gave  Tavi a funny warm feeling.  It was the same feeling 
she had 
when Skyler  expressed that they were a family.  It was a feeling of being  
accepted.  Of belonging.  "Thank you," Tavi said softly to  Moreya.

"You are most welcome," Moreya replied, then turned her attention  to her 
container of food.  "Are there any chopsticks among the utensils?"  she asked. 
"That's how we traditionally eat this dish."  Looking through  the basket 
Skyler 
finally found a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Moreya.  "If you don't 
mind my asking could you tell Tavi something about Delta IV? I  think she 
would find it interesting." I know I would.

Tavi  nodded agreement.  She didn't say anything because her mouth was  full.

Leaning back Skyler slowly drank her tea. She was enjoying watching  the 
interaction between the two people she cared the most about.

"Well,  let me see," Moreya said, deftly working the chopsticks to scoop up 
bites of  food.  "Geologically, Delta IV is still a quite active planet.  The  
tropical zone is fairly wide, and the climate is often stormy.  Many parts  of 
my world have been left to wilderness, and are beautiful to visit -- although 
 the storms, and the wildlife, can make things a bit dangerous."

"Aren't  all planets a little dangerous?" asked Tavi, who had never lived on 
a planet at  all.

"Perhaps so," Moreya said.  "Some more than others."

"Some  planets are more turbulent than others. Either due to the environment 
or the  people living there. For now you are perfectly safe...as long as you 
don't fall  out of that tree. You little monkey."

"I've never lived on a planet,"  Tavi voiced her thought.  In fact, she had 
only set foot on planets a  couple times in her travels, and only long enough 
to stow away on another  ship.

Moreya's eyes widened slightly.  "Truly?" she said.   "Well then, you have 
quite a range of experience awaiting you."
 
Skyler got quiet for a bit. She hadn't really stepped foot on a planet  since 
her sister left and before that it was many many years ago.

"I  dunno," said Tavi.  "I might be afraid."  Maybe not.  But she  might be.  
It was something she'd have to
think about.

"I will be  right there with you Tavi. We can experience it together. If that 
is something  you might want to do?"

"The unknown can be frightening," Moreya  said.  "But perhaps in time, with 
those you trust to look after you, it  will be worth it."

"I guess..." Tavi answered them both.  But her  thoughts were wandering 
elsewhere.  Holodeck scenes like this one were  supposed to be like planets, 
but 
there was still the underlying knowledge that  it was just a holodeck...So Tavi 
wondered how it would feel to sit in a place  like this where the arch of sky 
was *really* far far away...

~  What is wrong little one?~

~Just thinking.~  She  answered Skyler quickly, and took another bite of her 
food.

~Do you  want to talk about it later?~  Skyler wondered what was bothering  
Tavi. Part of it had to be the changes that had suddenly  occurred.

~Maybe.~  Tavi turned to Moreya.  "You said  you brought something with you," 
she tried to change the subject.

"Certainly," she said, setting aside the container of food she'd just  
finished.  For a replicated recipe, it was quite good. From a pocket, she  
produced 
a small cloth bundle and handed it to Tavi.  "This is a gift for  you."

For me? Tavi wondered.  "Thank you," she remembered to say,  taking the 
bundle and gingerly unbundling it.

Inside was a strange  looking thing -- it appeared almost like a triangular 
piece of netting, with  small beads strung into it, a small loop at one end, 
and a large loop at the  other. The beads sparkled when their facets caught the 
light.

"That is  very nice Moreya. Just what is it?" Skyler didn't want to sound too 
 dumb.

"What is it?" asked Tavi, examining the object at all angles.   Then she 
wondered if it was a religious object of some sort, and if asking what  it was 
would be rude.  She giggled when Skyler asked too.

Moreya smiled warmly.  "It is a piece of jewelry," she said. "On  Earth, it 
is sometimes called a hand-flower.  I can show you how to wear  it.  Let me 
have it -- and whichever hand you'd like to wear it  on."

Tavi held it out, with her left hand.

Moreya took the  hand-flower, and stretched the large loop, until it fit over 
Tavi's hand.   She let it go and the loop fit snug, but comfortably.  Moreya 
stretched the  smaller loop, and slid it over Tavi's second finger. The 
triangular netting now  lay neatly across the back of Tavi's hand.  "There you 
are," 
Moreya  said.  "Very becoming."

Nodding her head in agreement Skyler replied, "Yes, it makes you look all  
grown up."

That sounded a little silly -- as if a piece of jewelry could  make her look 
grown up!  Tavi blushed and giggled.  "Thank you,  Moreya," she said more 
seriously.  "It really is pretty."

"You are most welcome," Moreya said.  "Did someone mention there was  cake?"

Tavi scrambled to take the single-serving containers of cake from  the picnic 
basket and pass them out.  "Chocolate cake," she  affirmed.

"Chocolate," said Moreya appreciatively.  "One of the finest plants to  
evolve anywhere in the galaxy."

"What, no ice cream to go with it?" Smiling at Tavi Skyler felt at peace.  
She was with family and it felt good.

"Do we need ice cream?" Tavi asked,  pausing before opening her serving of 
cake.

"No, we don't need ice cream.  I'm just teasing you. This is fine just the 
way it is."

"Very good cake,"  Moreya agreed.

The girl relaxed and began to eat her cake.  It was indeed very  good.

After finishing her cake, Skyler laid down and looked up at the  sky. "If you 
are real quiet you can hear the fish in the pond  playing."

"Do they play?" Tavi asked in a very quiet voice.  She could hear  little 
splish-splash sounds that seemed like playing, but it might not be  playing if 
that's just how fish were.

"Sure they do. All creatures have  somekind of play. It gives them time to 
relax and enjoy themselves. Just like  you were when you were in the tree."

Moreya added, "For many creatures,  play is a means of learning as well.  
Earth's felines, for example.   Their young learn hunting skills through play 
with one another."

Tavi was  silent, thoughtful.  She had, she thought, missed out on a lot in 
her young  life.  Some things that could never be made up. But she had so much 
to be  thankful for, too.

"Tavi, if you are done you can go play. I will clean  up this mess. And that 
gift really does make you look grown up." Skyler smiled  at the girl.

"Thank you," Tavi said automatically.  Her feet carried  her back toward the 
tall tree, and she started to climb once  again.

Skyler was quiet for a while before she spoke. "Something is  bothering her 
Moreya. Something I don't know if I can help with."

"She has had to endure a very difficult life, before you met her,"  Moreya 
said.  "And many, many changes since.  It will take time for  her to integrate 
all of it.  But I am sure if she needs your help, she will  ask."

Looking at her friend she nodded her head. "I am not worried about  that. 
Just before we left to come here she started to 'hear' my thoughts and I  could 
hear hers. That has never happened before."

The Deltan's eyes  widened.  "Remarkable.  Given your Betazed heritage, a 
certain amount  of telepathy is to be expected -- but I'm not so familiar with  
Tavi."

"Neither am I. In fact just before you got here we were talking  and she 
hesitated for lack of a better word. I asked her what she was doing and  she 
replied she was getting permission from her friend to tell me about
her."  Turning Skyler watched as Tavi climbed up the tree. ~Please be   
careful.
I don't want anything to happen to you.~
 
Tavi's response was a wordless acknowledgment as she kept  climbing.

"Her friend?" 

"Someone named Meg. She is the niece of another crew member. I'm not sure I  
understand what is going on. What are the chances she is part Betazoid or some 
 such thing?"

"There are a great many species in the Federation who have  telepathic 
capability, and other psychic gifts as well.  I doubt there is  anything to be 
worried about, but you can always talk to Meg, of  course."

"I suppose. However I think I would rather talk to Tavi first. I  don't want 
her thinking I am going behind her back. I'm still trying to build  the trust 
factor. It just threw us both for a loop."

Moreya nodded.   "That's very wise, to speak with her first.  I certainly 
don't blame you  for being surprised."

"I'm still learning this parenting stuff. And to  think I always thought my 
parents were so mean. I guess it's all in your  perspective." Skyler hesitated 
a moment before speaking. "Are you sure you don't  mind
coming tonight?"

Moreya smiled and said softly, "Mind?  My dear, I'm very much looking  
forward to it."

"I must admit I am as well. Although I look forward to  spending anytime with 
you."

Skyler looked at the tree, "Hey tree monkey.  You ready to head back?"

Tavi was near the top of the tall tree.  It  took her a minute to scramble 
down.

"That was an enjoyable picnic Tavi.  Thank you for suggesting it. And Thank 
you Moreya for joining us. It made for a  pleasant afternoon."

"I had fun, too," said Tavi.  She gathered up the few things that  Skyler 
hadn't already picked up.  "And thank you very much for the  present," she 
added 
to Moreya.

"I'm glad I could come and share the  picnic with both of you," Moreya said.  
"And you are most welcome.   Enjoy it."

"Ok turkey. I think it is almost time for bed and you look like you  could 
use some sleep. I will see you later Moreya." Together Tavi and Skyler  walked 
out along with  Moreya.









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