Aer'omn
George rolled out of bed, yawning. He was slower to get up these days…the three of them all were…but that’s what happened when you were getting old. He couldn’t believe he was older than his Dad had been when he was born. Didn’t regret for a minute the fact that they’d had the kids while they were still young. He’d gotten to enjoy so many things his Dad had been too old to enjoy with him.
He grinned at Chris, as he looked out the window. It was good to be back on Earth, even if he preferred space, and their ship. The family ship…so many arguments from the Admirality not only of extreme nepotism on the Enterprise, but of stealing all the best young officers…even if that had proven extremely fortuitous.
“Let’s see if we can beat the kids out to the horses,” Chris said challengingly.
“Lazy laggards are probably still asleep,” George laughed as he shoved his jeans on and his feet into cowboy boots. “Like our girl.” Winnie was still asleep of course…they’d let her sleep in. It was safer. “C’mon my Captain. I want to ride Whiskey before the sun gets further up.”
“Richard called while you were out with Jim and Junior,” Chris said, as they were walking to the paddock, where Chris called in their favorites in with an ear piercing whistle. Whiskey and Zulu came trotting up and nosed them for treats. “He’s sorry he’s missing us but he couldn’t get leave.”
“Starfleet,” George nodded. “Besides, Chrissy couldn’t make it either so…” George would have liked to see both his kids by Chris and Winnie. He fought down the feeling that it was almost like they didn’t exist, so far from home.
“So let’s go ride, before the kids get up,” Chris said, as they lead their horses to the tack shed.
They beat the kids for their ride, by the entire ride, waving at them as they finished brushing Zulu and Whiskey before letting them back into the paddock. Jim and Sam were leading the pack…Jimmy would make a good Captain in a couple years. Chris and him would probably have to break in a whole new crew then ‘cause the kids were a good solid team already.
The other Captains shouldn’t complain…if their XO had spent twenty five years teaching, and they themselves spent a good four, they would have known which cadets were the best of the best. As it was, they’d scooped Spock up years ago, and Dr. McCoy was Jim’s best friend so of course he was going to join them. George just barely managed to snatch Uhura to lead the communications department…he was fifty one, he didn’t need to lead a department and XO for Chris…he had nothing to prove anymore. The others were lucky choices, but even Winnie’s pet engineer would make a great CEO when the old folks left in a couple years and these times that they all hung out together on shoreleave would only bind them into a tighter, more cohesive unit.