The BLTS Archive - Mother Knows Best
by Quadrantje (quadrantje@hotmail.com)

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Published: 02-19-06

Updated: 02-19-06

Disclaimer: I'm sad to say none of this is mine. But then again, you
didn't expect anything else, right? No infringement of copyright
intended, no money made.

Author's Notes: this one's for Bart

Whoehoe, the holidays have started!

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It was a fairly quiet party. Only a few people were talking, no one
was dancing and most of those present were merely sipping their
complementary wine or champagne nervously. Even the music seemed to be
holding its breath. Gretchen had always hated these Starfleet
functions.

But the night was about to take a turn for the best as she heard the
grand doors slam open. The whole room became even more silent than it
had been and thankfully the music stopped. Every eye in the room
turned to see who had just entered. Gretchen smiled. Kathryn always
did know how to attract attention.

Gretchen herself didn't turn around. If she knew her daughter, Kathryn
would make a speech before anything and she had a perfect view of the
stage from where she was standing, so there was no sense in moving.

Soon the room erupted in applause and it didn't take long before
Kathryn appeared in Gretchen's line of view, indeed heading towards
the stage. She was closely followed by a tall man with a tattoo on his
temple and a great butt – hey, her hair may have been grey but that
had nothing to do with her eyesight! – and a whole crowd of people in
uniforms, her crew no doubt.

The crowd hung on her every word as Kathryn made a short but to the
point speech – that was her Katie! – about their adventures in the
Delta Quadrant and her great crew, but Gretchen was more interested in
seeing how her little girl looked. Hmm. . .  she might be a bit thin and
her eyes had terrible bags under them, but all in all she looked quite
happy. Gretchen gave an approving smile. Someone had been taking good
care of her daughter. And if she wasn't very much mistaken, that
someone had brown eyes and a Maquis rank bar.

Kathryn's speech was already finished and she exited the stage under
another round of thunderous applause, moving skilfully through the
masses.

"Mother." She greeted her, her smile open and warm.

"Oh, my dear Katie," Gretchen whispered back while hugging her
precious daughter to her, tears glistening in her eyes. They gently
eased out of the hug, staring at each other. "It's so good to have you
home again!"

Kathryn grinned. "It's good to be home. And I want you to meet
someone, mother. This is –" She smiled up at the man behind her and
reached out a hand to pull him into view, but Gretchen didn't let her
finish.

"Your lover! Well, Katie, you certainly did pick a looker!" It was
amazing, Gretchen reflected, how little these Starfleet functions had
changed in the more than fifty years since her own mother had said the
exact same thing when she'd first introduced her parents to Edward.
Just like then the whole room instantly became quiet and her daughter
blushed scarlet red. The only change was that, unlike Edward, who had
been shifting nervously from foot to foot and had kept his eyes
determinedly on the floor, Chakotay didn't seem to mind her
exclamation at all. Instead he gave her an impish grin – revealing
some delicious dimples – and wrapped an arm around Kathryn to pull her
close.

"I guess the cat's out of the bag."

As if on cue, a wolf whistle sounded, coming from somewhere around the
stage, and a voice that sounded very much like that of Owen's son
shouted a heartfelt 'finally!'. This seemed to be the sign for overall
celebration. And, though some of the brass still looked stunned, a
great amount of cheering erupted. A few journalists were zealously
taking notes or photo's.

Kathryn though, still didn't quite seem to grasp the situation. "But,
how. . . ?" she muttered.

"Oh, don't be naοve, Katie!" Gretchen exclaimed, "I'm your mother! Of
course I know!"

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The End