Coming aboard

[ElaineDelgado 0]

I stood there, holding my bags in various ways, one strapped onto my back, another over my shoulder, and still another being held in one hand, my other hand being shook by various family members. This entourage including my mother, my grandfather, on my aunts, and two of my cousins. I looked over to one of my cousins, a friend, who had agreed to take care of my pet until I got permission to have one onboard.

“Don’t feed Charlie, okay? Not for another few months.”

Curt Delgado smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of… it.” He chuckled. “I don’t intend on having any procreation going on in your absence.”

I looked at the five people standing around me. “I should probably catch my transport. I don’t want to be late.”

My grandfather, Salok, stepped forward. He had been so quiet during all of this. I had hoped he would say something. He clasped my hand in his, then said, “Live long and prosper, my child.”

I smiled at his serious face. “Live long and prosper, Salok.”

I turned and walked away from my family, towards my future.

Not once did any of us cry while we said goodbye, but when I sat down in the transport a single tear slid down my cheek. I took a deep breathe at released it.

I reminded myself of what I had to look forward to: a new career; meeting new people; being on a ship again.

I was looking forward to being on a ship again. It had been more than a decade since I had last lived on one. Dad, I thought. Another tear slipped down. Come on, Elaine! Not here…

I looked over my orders for the twentieth time, read where I would be staying on the ship, looked over the ship specifications. Then the transport operator told me that I had arrived at my destination.

I looked up to see a ship as we came close to dock.

U.S.S. Excalibur.

It looked so big.

I was informed, upon arriving, that the rest of the crew would be aboard within a couple of days, being on shore leave. I nodded to the ensign who had told me, and decided to take my bags to my quarters… to my new home.

Edited July 5, 2004 by ElaineDelgado