<USS Avalon> "Avalon or Bust. Part Two"

"Avalon or Bust. Part Two"
By. Ensn Melanie Redgrave

The late evening sun washed the white row town house in a warm reddish orange 
glow. It almost made the house seem like something out of a story book or an 
old movie with it’s cast iron garden gate, cobble walk path lined with soft 
orange colored tea roses, and the contrasting red door with it brass lion’s 
head 
door knocker. Melanie opened the garden gate noticing the it no longer 
squeaked. ‘Mister Dodger must have finally fixed it.’ She thought to 
herself as she 
walked through the front garden towards the house’s front door. The front 
garden had never changed must over the years, the colors changed according to 
the 
season, but the lay out and types of flowers were always the same. "People 
expect the front of the house to look in such a way. It’s comforting. Not 
many 
people like change." Her mother would tell her when she’d ask why they always 
made the front garden look the same year after year, but the back garden was 
never done the same way twice. 

Melanie smiled as she traced the cool brass door knocker with her index 
finger. When she was a little girl she always thought of the little lion’s 
head as 
her home’s guardian, and she was sure that no one could ever come into her 
home and hurt her family as look as Max was on the door.  "Hello old mate." She 
whispered as she opened the font door slowly. As soon as Melanie walked into 
the foyer she was bombarded with things that could only mean she was home. Her 
mother’s straw gardening hat hanging on the hook next to the mirror that hung 
on the foyer wall. The rain booties next to the umbrella stand all lined up in 
a neat little row. A lone ratty old tennis ball in the corner just where 
Patches liked to leave it. The smell of freshly cut flowers, ginger bread, and 
Sunday night’s pot roast and potatoes dinner all mingling in the air. Melanie 
took 
a deep breath filling her lungs with the scents as she sat her duffle bag on 
the floor next to the stairs. She loved the feeling of coming home. 

"Mother." She called out as she headed for the drawing room. There was no 
answer and no one in the room. The same thing happened as she walked though the 
living room, dinning room, library and kitchen, no reply no mother. ‘Maybe I 
should have told her I was coming.’ She thought to herself as she finally 
began 
to make her way up the stairs. She called out once more as she walked down the 
second floor hallway which ended with the attic door. It wasn’t until she was 
nearly on top of the door that she noticed it was opened a crack. As 
carefully as she could Melanie opened the attic door and crept up the stairs. 
Half way 
up she heard the soft playing of the best of the London Philharmonic, and as 
she reached the top of the stairs she could hear the soft lilt of her 
mother’s 
humming along. Melanie stood at the top of the stairs and smiled as she 
watched her mother painting on what looked like a pretty newly started canvas. 

When Melanie was little she could never understand why some of her class 
mates had been scared of their attics. She had just assumed that everyone had 
an 
attic like hers, with large windows and skylights and a sink, and stereo, a 
potter’s wheel, and tons of other art supplies. It didn’t bother her at all 
however when she found out that the other kids had dark scary attacks with 
monsters and boxes, it just reconfirmed that her family was something special. 

"Still working with water color? What happen with the oils?" 

The tall woman who had been standing at the easel with her long silver gray 
hair which was held back in a long flowing pony tail jumped. She spun on her 
heel with a paint tray in one hand and a paint brush which was now pressed 
against her chest in the other. Her striking gray eyes flashed with surprise 
before 
fixing on the young woman who stood at the stair smiling. 

"Good havens child! I swear you just cost me five years of my life!" The 
woman scolded as she caught her breath. 

Melanie smiled brightly as she walked towards her mother. "I didn’t mean to 
scare you, Mother, just surprise you." Melanie watched as her mother’s 
eye’s 
twinkled. She picked up a cloth from the table next to the easel and handed it 
to her mother so she could wipe the bit of jade green paint from her chin. 

"I believe you need to check the definitions of the two meanings my love." 
Juliana said as she wiped at her chin with a chuckle. "Needless to say however 
it was indeed a very nice scare. I wasn’t expecting you home this weekend." 

Melanie had managed to go though the two and half weeks since her transfer to 
the Avalon had been approved without telling her mother about it, but seeing 
as how her transport would be leaving in a weeks time, time was no longer 
something she had the luxury of having on her side. "I’m on a weeks lay over 
before my next rotation starts." Melanie said with a lop sided smile. No need 
to 
tell her mother now that that next rotation cycle would be on a star ship.

Juliana smiled at her daughter as she enveloped the girl in an embrace. "Oh 
how grand! A whole week before you have to go back to the Pitts." 

"Right the Pitts." 

Melanie managed to get through the rest of the evening, dinner, and even 
brandy by the fire without saying a word to her mother about her up coming new 
assignment. She wasn’t sure but she had a feeling that her mother knew 
something 
was up. Every time Melanie looked over at her mother she was sure her mother 
had been giving her that look of hers. The look that told Melanie she knew 
there was something up, but she was in no hurry and would wait her out. 

She slept through breakfast and had barely made it down to the garden for 
brunch. Melanie sat in the cast iron chair with her legs drawn up to her chest 
and her long white night gown pulled over her knees with a cup of tea in her 
hands. The stillness of the back garden was one of Melanie’s favorite places. 
It’
s where she came to recharge, to reconnect. She wondered how long she’d have 
to be away from this. Once she was on the Avalon weekends at home would be out 
of the question. She’d have to wait until the ship came back to Earth before 
she’d have a chance to come home. Was she ready for that? Could she handle 
letters and reordered messages as her only contact for months on end with the 
only family she had? ‘That’s what your trying to fix.’ She reminded 
herself as 
she sipped her tea. ‘The Avalon’s going to help you find the rest of your 
family.’ For the briefest of moments Melanie felt so totally alone. 

"I was starting to think you were going to sleep the day away, Ducky." 
Juliana said as she walked out of the French doors that lead back into the 
kitchen. 
She kissed Melanie on top of the head and then began to make herself a cup of 
tea. 

"It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to sleep in. Works been jumping like 
mad the last few weeks." Melanie replied as she watched her mother make her 
tea the same why she always did. Pour it slowly through the silver strainer, 
add 
a dash of milk and two and half cubes of sugar. 

"Mrs. Cromwell left a plate of bangers and eggs in the warmer for you. Did 
you eat?" 

Melanie shook her head as she sipped the remainder of her tea. "You know I don
’t eat meat, Mother. I did however have a lovely bowel of yogurt and 
peaches." 

Juliana sighed and shook her head in much the same manner that her daughter 
had done. "It’s a wonder your so pale, Ducky." 

"I’m pale Mother because I’m English." 

‘Am I?" Melanie thought as she looked out into the yard. ‘Or am I Polish, 
or 
German, or Russian, or American, or Betazoid, or some other humanoid.’ Her 
mind often wandered off in this direction. It started when she found out 
she’d 
been adopted, the questions, the longing, the need to know who they were, how 
she got on that outpost, who was she with, what was the name of the woman who 
gave birth to her, did she have any brothers? No, a sister she’d always felt 
she needed, wanted a sister. 

"Melanie Love? What is it Dear?" 

Melanie looked over at her mother as she shook herself from her thoughts. 
"What is what, Mother?" 

"What’s been on your mind since you walked through the front door? You have 
something to tell me no?" 

"I asked for a transfer. I’ll be starting my new assignment in a week." 

"Why did you ask for a transfer? You liked it at the P.M.E." 

Melanie nodded then took a deep breath. "I do, I did, but it’s time to move 
one. I’ll be an ensign forever if I stay planet side my enter career." 
Melanie 
gave her mother the whole bag of bullocks about it being the best thing for 
her career. When she was finished she just sat there and watched her mother’s 
reaction and wondering if her mother had been able to read between her lines.  

"I understand child and I hope you find what your looking for out there." 
Juliana said softly as she stood. "Just remember to be careful. I don’t want 
you 
hurt." 

Melanie stood and walked over to her mother and hugged her tightly. "Nothing 
I find out there will change who you are to me, Mother. I just need to know." 

Juliana returned her daughter’s hug and kissed her cheek before heading back 
into the house and calling out over her shoulder. "Don’t linger out there all 
day Ducky we have the Wakefield dinner party this evening."  

"Yes Mother."

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