Tib woke up for his next shift the following day. He remembered talking to Danny about being up all night and ordering him to get some rest. Today was a big day, and while most probably would have preferred to spend it home, the Rubidoux was a workhorse, and as such, she was doing what she did best. Work.

Dinner chow was scheduled to be the Christmas dinner. And he was going to be serving along with the rest of the senior staff. It was a time-honored tradition dating back to Earth’s earliest militaries. Tib went through his morning routine and spent some extra time concerning his dress uniform. But before he did, he wanted to write home.

“Computer, begin recording and transcribe for transmission to my parents.”

The computer chimed acknowledgment and then chirped when it was set and began recording.

“Mom. Dad.

It’s the holidays again. I wish me and Danno could come home, but we’re in the middle of a patrol and can’t make it back in time. I’m gonna miss the family dinner on New Year’s. Well, me and Danny are both. But I think Danny will probably miss it less. You guys know how he gets about being in quiet and isolated places. Give him a project and you’ll never see him till he’s done with it.

Which coincidentally I have, actually. We’ve been investigating a temporal anomaly and encountered a problem that needs his expert touch. He’s such a machine, but man, it’s great to see him in his element. If only it didn’t need to come at the expense of everyone else’s rest. We’re working on setting boundaries there. And he’s adjusting as well as he could. I’ve debated on trying to shove him at Daystrom again, but after what’s happened, I’m not sure they’re such a good place for a mind like his. He’s somewhere he can explore science, not build imaginative super weapons. I don’t know how you guys managed it.”

He sighed and paused.

“Sometimes I wonder. I wonder if we’ve lost our way. The borg attack on fleet day, and now we’re dealing with lost tech on the black market, and none of it is good, let me tell ya. It’s like, I just sit back and wonder… who thought this up? Who thought this was a good idea at all? Or was it a case of let’s build it just to see if we even can?

I worry it’s the last one. And I worry more. That’s the kind of environment Danny would find himself in. So that’s why I keep him with me. So I can keep an eye on him. Protect him from folks with less than good intentions for a mind like his. I may not be as brilliant as Danny, or as naturally talented as Kyle and Erin, but protecting my sibs is something I can do much better than them. Besides, I’m the oldest. It’s part of my job description, right?

Hopefully, the farm feels just as homely and busy as it always does on the holidays. I’m sure the twins will keep it lively. Have a drink for me and Danny. Love you guys. Tib out.”

“Computer, end recording and transmit.”

He leaned back with a sigh. Given how far out they were, and the load on subspace message relays this time of year, he figured his letter home would get there roughly just in time for New Year’s Eve.

He finished getting dressed and headed for the mess hall to prep for later. He took a lot of pride in the holiday meals and wanted to make sure the crew happily fed. It was important to keep morale high, especially around holidays like this, when his crew couldn’t be home with family. Life was about the small things and giving them something like this back usually went a long way. He settled in and got to work. It was going to be a good day.