Family Reunion

Posted on Sat Jul 18th, 2015 @ 2:11am by Lieutenant Hope Beckman & El'Shar Blackhorse

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Vancouver, Washington, Earth

* * * Earth, Vancouver, Washington -- Beckman Residence * * *

The trip to Earth had been exhausting for Hope. Captain Schulton had done everything imaginable to try and make her time on the USS Hidalgo as comfortable as he could, but she felt nothing but dread the whole way there. She felt such sorrow at not being closer to home when the news had arrived. According to her sister, Serena, there was nothing any of them could have done. Her parents had died instantly.

Going over the information she had with El’Shar, the entire ordeal sounded ridiculous, something that just didn’t happen in this day and age. But happen it did. Her parents, Evan and Marina, had been doing something they had done all of their lives, even with the children when they were growing up: out on a boat on the Columbia River. They were actually headed back to their personal dock when a privately owned shuttlecraft began experiencing engine trouble, which rapidly turned into engine failure, then a total loss of control. Somehow, the stars were aligned just right and the shuttle began to veer toward the river. The shuttle owner, and his young son, did everything they could to try and divert their shuttle from the more populated area of the city and thought ditching into the river was their safest bet. For the most part, it was a sound decision. But once they managed to divert the shuttle they lost all control of the craft and couldn’t control where it was going to land. It landed squarely on Evan and Marina’s boat, killing them instantly, sinking the boat and the shuttle with it.

The shuttle was airtight and able to keep most of the water out, and enough air inside, until rescue crews could pull it from the water. The owner had a concussion and blacked out. His young son received fractures to his face and trauma to the chest, but they were both quickly whisked away to a medical facility and survived. The bodies of Hope’s parents were pulled from the water and pronounced dead at the scene.

“Of all the shitten luck,” Hope said at one point. Neither she nor her siblings felt an ill will toward the shuttle owner or his family. They would have done the same thing had it been their shuttle instead of someone else.

There had been a large amount of hugging, consoling, tears, long conversations and reminiscing between Hope and El’Shar throughout the trip. But finally, they were on Earth and Hope had taken a few cleansing breaths just before being beamed down to the sidewalk in front of the house and before she rang the doorbell.

El thought it odd that Hope didn’t just enter, but realizing that she hadn’t been home in almost four years she realized that Hope must have felt like a stranger in her own childhood home.

Her brother Ronald opened the door and, upon seeing her, immediately grabbed her and hugged her tightly. Once inside she received more hugs from her sister and from her brother-in-law, Thomas. El’Shar had stood back from the group, feeling a bit awkward due to the circumstances.

“Oh, where are my manners?” Hope asked as she wiped a few tears. “This is El’Shar Blackhorse, my boss’ fiancee. He very much wanted to come as well to pay his respects, but I wouldn’t let him. So, El said she would come with me.” Hope took El’s hand and brought her in closer around the family. “She helped me so much on the ride here.”

“Your boss?” Ronald asked. “He’s an admiral, or something?”

“And he was going to come with you?” Thomas interjected. “Wow, Hope. He must really like you.”

El’Shar nodded. “He does. We all do. With respect to you all, we see her as family, not just another officer in the fleet. It was the least we could do to make sure she was okay, at least until she was around her own family.”

Serena wasted no time and hugged El’Shar. Pulling back she smiled. “I’m so glad she has people who actually appreciate her and look after her. We were always so worried that she didn’t really have anyone out there, wherever she was. A support group, I guess you could say?”

Ronald even shook El’s hand. Hope smiled, knowing how suspicious he normally was of everyone.

“Have you eaten yet?” Thomas asked. “I just made some shepherd’s pie, not long out of the oven. I can warm it back up for you two.”

“I’m starving,” Hope said. “El, are you hungry?”

With a nod she replied, “I could definitely eat.”

* * Two Hours Later * *

The sorrow that had initially been felt in the household had been replaced by more stories, smiles and the sounds of laughter as the siblings all told stories meaningful to them about their parents and growing up as a Beckman. El’Shar sat quietly and enjoyed listening, even bursting out into laughter at some of the tales that were shared. At one point Ronald had stopped the storytelling, curious as to why a Vulcan was smiling and laughing. So El was even able to share a few stories of her own life, bringing some of her own funny stories to the group.

As the group made their way to the family room to discuss the arrangements for their parents, Hope stopped El’Shar.

“I’m not running you off, by any means, but didn’t you want to go visit your family?”

“I did, but I didn’t want to leave you so soon in case you needed me for anything.”

Taking El’s hand and squeezing it, Hope replied, “You’ve done so much for me, El’Shar. But I don’t feel right keeping you from your own family now that I’m with mine. I’m okay now that I’m home. Please, go visit your parents. I’ll be working on this for a few more days. And if you need a place to stay, there are plenty of rooms here. You’re always welcome.”

“Thank you, Hope. If you’re sure you won’t need me for a while, I think I will go. It’s been ages since I’ve seen my family as well. But I have my communicator, so you just yell if you need me, or if you’re ready to leave.”

Hope nodded. “Enjoy your time with them. There is a transport facility on Lower River Road, it’s less than a mile from here. They’ll be able to zip you up to Canada in no time flat.”

El’Shar said her goodbyes to Hope’s brothers and sister and left, making her way to the transport facility. She hadn’t told her parents that she was coming and wanted to surprise them. Now that she was on her way, she could feel the excitement of seeing her own family and then sadness at what Hope must be feeling knowing that she would never see or talk to her own parents again.

Closing the door and returning to the family room, Hope sat in her father’s old chair.

“She seems like a very nice person,” Serena said. “And it was very nice of her to come with you. Not many people would do that.”

“She is a great person. So is Admiral Wegener. And when she said that they treated me like family, she meant it,” Hope said with a smile. “I never imagined I would meet such nice people. But don’t worry, I know where my real family is.”

“Damn right,” Ronald said as he walked in from the kitchen with a bottle of wine and some glasses. “But still, it’s good to know someone is out there looking after my harebrained sister.” He playfully slapped her on the shoulder as he sat in a chair next to her.

“Did I mention that, with all of my training, I could probably kick your ass now, Ron?” Hope asked with an evil grin.

_________________________

Lt. Hope Beckman
Capt. El'Shar Blackhorse (ret.)
...and family