Entanglements

Part 16 - The Blue Jay

"All hands, this is the captain. I know that you know – today is one year since we were thrown back. A lot has changed since then. I'd like to talk about, about the positive things that have happened. We all know there are some negatives. Let's try not to dwell on those today," Jonathan stood to continue speaking. It just seemed like time for a real speech.

After all, Sandra was still in custody, and Ethan was still comatose. In the past three weeks or so, neither of them had budged.

"It's been our great pleasure to take part in four weddings so far – Judy and Michael, T'Pol and Tripp, Tracey and Oscar, and Karin and Josh. And everyone knows that Tracey and Oscar's baby girl is due later this year. What you don't know is that she's going to have a playmate, for Judy Kelly Rostov is also expecting." He smiled. This part, he could be happy about, and without reservation.

"We've claimed two planets, Amity and Paradise. We've started growing crops on both, and we can see from the camera on Paradise that we're going to have oranges. The wheat and barley are coming up nicely on Amity, too. We can all be proud of that."

He paused for a moment. "And we've learned something about the wildlife on Amity, where it seems that backbones might never have evolved. Procul are graceful swimmers but lumbering beasts on land. They also make good sandwiches. Malostrea seem to have a primitive form of communication, and appear to live communally. Today, Diana Jones and Andrew Miller will go with Travis and me to the surface, where we will release Thing One and Thing Two and return them to their home. Hopefully, they'll be kind when they tell their friends and family about us."

He took a breath. "We also made friends with the Xyrillians, and were on our way to making friends, even, with Xindi. We are a good and kind group of people, and I am certain that it was circumstances that prevented our friendship with the Xindi sloths from truly blossoming. It may have ended up as a failed experiment, but I don't believe that that time was wasted one bit. We all gave it the old college try, and we were able to set aside our gut reactions and our obvious differences. I think that bodes well for our future."

He sighed a little. "I don't have to tell you that some things are," he paused, "not always so easy. But you have all done an amazing job improvising and making the most of what we've got. People have gotten creative, and have really stepped up. I know we've got a long way to go before we return to 2154. Together, we can make that century-long journey a pleasant and productive one – one that is well worth making. Thank you."

=/\=

In her quarters, Sandra snorted. "I see you failed to mention that you're detaining someone without trial and without charges. Nice little set up you've got here. Give me my goddamned trial!"

From outside, her guards heard her. Gavin Prentice yelled back, "Shut up in there! No one asked you!"

=/\=

In Sick Bay, Phlox sighed a little. He leaned over Ethan's body. "How are you today?" he asked.

Ethan, comatose, made no sound, but there was slight movement by his left foot. "Ah, an autonomic response," Phlox mused, "Better than nothing, but certainly not anything you intended, I'm sad to say. All that matters," he clicked a bit and the display above Ethan changed a little, "is that right there." He pointed. "That's your brain activity. You most definitely have it. And it has not diminished. You have less at night, too, as if you were following circadian rhythms. I could almost swear that you were dreaming, and just riding out this time and remaining removed from it. Ethan," he came closer, "don't be afraid. It is safe to wake up."