Laura’s Family Home

His feet propped atop a small table in front of him, his cold lemonade on a table beside him, and a book he had purchased earlier at a local bookstore. The writer was local, he was a friend of his wife’s family. The premise seemed good, but the storyline took a left turn in chapter 12. It had been almost a month since he had graduated from the Academy, and he was enjoying his downtime. Jacob had made a career of attending school, but Star Fleet Academy was something completely different. His limits were severely tested like never before. He was mentally, and physically exhausted.

His wife Laura was from Nebraska, her father made a career as a ranch hand, and later ranch foreman. His home had been in his family for over a hundred years. Much different back then, it consisted of a small cabin, on a acre of land. Over the past decade, he acquired land around his property boosting his land to just over 30 acres. He built a new home closer to a lake adjacent to his property. Fishing is something Laura was raised on. It was something he could not enjoy for his constant watching out for snakes. The isolation reminded him of his early childhood, and not having a lot of friends. Bad memories aside, it was peaceful. He and his wife had been staying in the original cabin to have privacy from her family. That wasn’t working out too well. Before his graduation, she traveled home to help out at a local clinic. She knew the owner, as a matter of fact, the clinic’s owner is the reason she became a doctor.

Jacob grabbed his glass, and began to drink… “dangit!” he yelled. He was startled by a bird that had nested in a bush beside the porch. Most of his lemonade was on him. “The great outdoors, hmm.” He set his book on the table and began to brush the ice a liquid off of him as best as possible. He looks over at the book and sees the pages are wet. Oh well, he thought, it was time for something else.

Just as he stood up his PADD began to chime, who could this be? He picked the PADD up and accepted the communication. “This is ENS Mandrake.”

“Sorry to bother you sir, on your downtime.” The chief paused, as he looked over his reports.

“Think nothing of it, I needed a change of pace. What do you have for me?” Jacob sat back down and waited for the Chief to finish looking through his PADD. 

“Sir, you were assigned to the U.S.S. Gladiator. With a report date of April 22nd correct?”

Jacob nodded, “Indeed chief.”

“I am contacting you to let you know your orders have changed. You are being assigned to the Fourth Fleet, Star Base Bravo.”

“The Fourth Fleet! Isn’t that close to Klingon space?”

“It’s also close to Romulan space as well, but I wouldn’t worry it’s a pretty powerful base, with a more than capable crew.”

“Just tell me anything, huh? Have you ever been there?” Jacob asked with a puzzled look on his face. This was the worse news he could get. Neither he nor his wife was a space brat like a lot of the other couples they’ve been double dating lately. Listening to their stories Laura had a fear of Klingons. Neither of them had ever met, nor saw a Klingon in person.

The chief chuckled, “I see your point, sir. I have never been, I was just trying to brighten up your sports. Your new report date is April 11th, there will be transportation leaving in the next couple of days I can set you up with one.”

Jacob gripped his head in the palm of his hands. This was even worse than the reassignment. “I’m going to be divorced!”

“Excuse me, sir.?”

“No, no I was talking to myself. Thank you chief I will make arrangements from here.” The chief nodded at closed the communication.

Clinic

The clinic was busy today, Laura hadn’t had time to sit or take a break in hours.  A fractured bone, burns, and the worse case of dysentery she had ever seen. That was just the last 2 hours. Laura quickly turned around, she was startled by an elderly lady, she clutched her chest and let out a breath of relief. “I’m sorry you startled me, how can I help you?”

“Where am I?” The woman asked in a confused state. “How did I get here, my son was suppo…”

Laura touched her on her shoulder. “Everything is alright, you are safe. I am a doctor, and you are at a clinic. Do you know your name?”

“Sarah, Sarah, yes that is it my name is Sarah.”

“Oh my god, I am sorry doctor. I turned my back, and she was just gone.”

Laura looked at the young nurse, not with anger but with extreme disappointment. “We will talk about it later for now do not take your eyes off of her.” She turned back to the lady and placed her arm around her. “Come let us get you back to the exam room.” At that moment she saw her husband being led into the exam area. “Nurse take Mrs. Sarah back to her exam room I will be there in just a minute. She placed her tricorder in her pocket and went to her husband. They embraced, and he placed a kiss on her cheek.

He pulled back from her with his hands on both of her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Can you take a break?” This was usually her lunchtime, he brought turkey sandwiches, and fruit salad in hopes they could sit in the courtyard and talk.

“No I don’t have time, but I am starving,” she said as she peaked at the bag he was trying to conceal behind his back. 

“We have a lot to discuss.”