[Home is Where You Believe You Belong] -- [Open]

[kirktastic]

(OOC: This is meant to be the Enterprise making planet side on Risa, so feel free to post here, do your own post, whatever you decide!)

"Welcome to the Risa Space Dock. We hope you enjoy your stay."

More welcomed words Jim hadn't heard in a good, long while. Had it only been a year since the Enterprise limped to this very same space dock after taking damage from the Klingons? It seemed like a lifetime ago he had seen the planet on the forward view screen, and with only a glance around the bridge, it seemed most of his crew was thinking the same thing. He gave an easy smile, knowing that on the planet below was the home he shared with Bones, the chance for everyone to spend their holidays not worrying about space and enemies and crazy things happening, and some time to just be himself instead of Captain.

So much had changed in a year. Jim was pretty sure he would never take any of it back. Well, maybe some of it.

He would be one of the last to leave the ship, so he took no effort to get up immediately. "You're all dismissed once you've shut your stations down. Enjoy your holidays." He leaned back in his chair, giving a smile and a goodbye to each person who did the same. Even if he wasn't the biggest fan of them, he knew his crew loved this time of year. It was a chance to think of family, friends, life.

Jim planned on a lot of riding, eating, swimming, sunning, camping, and sex. It seemed like the perfect vacation to him. Also, the idea of everyone getting together at some point... didn't hold the fear he felt for it last year. Maybe... he could manage it. He also wanted to see if he could get an extra special guest to be brought to Risa for Bones, but it would be tricky managing it. He'd sure as hell try, though.

Comments

[jana-in-space.livejournal.com]

After making sure all the docking procedures had been finalized, Jana closed communication with space dock and powered down her console.

And now they were at Risa.

She didn't get to work often with the captain, though he'd always been kind when their paths crossed, and she'd managed to show him that she was a better than average navigator. "You have plans for the vacation, sir?" she asked as she stood, making sure everything was in place before leaving the bridge.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Sure do," Jim said with a lazy grin. "Surf, sand, sun. Not be sir or Captain for at least a week." It was a light tease back at her 'sir' to him. "What about you? Anything exciting?" Ever since Pasha decided to go back to her own universe along with her Sulu, getting a replacement he properly liked for either station was rough. Jana was proving herself to be a good one, though.

[jana-in-space.livejournal.com]

"There is a bikini I bought few months ago that has yet to see sunlight of any sort," she told him, a forlorn look on her face. "I hear the beaches are fantastic."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"They're everything you've heard them to be." Jim chuckled at the forlorn look on her face. "Are you a beach bunny or a surfing kind of girl?" He asked, curious.

[jana-in-space.livejournal.com]

"I like my beaches with a chaise lounge chair and a fruity drink in my hand," she told him, grinning widely. "Watching the surfers splash around is enough of a workout for me."

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Psssh," Jim said with a hint of tease in his voice. "The lazy type I see." He chuckled, highly amused despite. "Everyone on this crew better come back with a good tan. Minus me," he sounded mournful, looking down at his skin, "who just doesn't tan very well."

[jana-in-space.livejournal.com]

"You need the right accelerators," she told him, smirk all over her face. "My mom was like that, and it would turn her practically golden."

"And I'm not lazy, I'm sensible," she countered. "My suit's too nice to get wet, cost me too many credits. Just give me a drink and a handsome man to rub my feet. That is my idea of Risa."

The bridge was clearing out, and she waved to the crew leaving. The captain looked like he was on his way out as well. "I'd better go now. Maybe I'll see you on the beach?" she asked.

[dctr-mccoy.livejournal.com]

On one hand, it was difficult, the idea of leaving his Sickbay, his own little kingdom on board Jim's ship. But after chasing away the last of the medics, Bones sat in his office, finishing entering some private data.

As in a hurry he was to get to their beachfront home, Bones knew that Jim wouldn't be leaving until every one else was gone, so he had some time to complete the last of his paperwork before heading to the transporter pads with his bag. This time, he hoped they would arrive home together.

Picking up his communicator, he pressed the button. "Sickbay to the Bridge - Captain, you up there?"

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Captain here, sure am Bones. Sickbay clear yet?" Jim let his eyes close as the last of the bridge crew drifted out, leaving him alone on his beautiful bridge on his gorgeous ship. She would get a cleaning and a fixing up while she was in dock, getting more of the latest like she deserved.

[dctr-mccoy.livejournal.com]

"Just me," he answered, kicking back in his chair. "Almost done here, though. How much longer for you?" he asked, reaching in his drawer and pulling out a couple lollipops.

Hmm, cherry.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Until everyone else decides to get their ass off the ship? Won't go down until the last of everyone does. Least the people who haven't told someone they're staying behind to work on something or another." Jim's voice had a roll of his eyes built in. He couldn't imagine wanting to stay behind and work when there was beautiful Risa below them waiting.

[dctr-mccoy.livejournal.com]

"Well, you let me know when you're ready," he replied, pulling the wrapper off his candy. "You think off anything else you want me to go get from our room, anything you forgot?"

Most of the things they wanted had been packed up, sent down ahead of them. Bones just had his little travel bag with him, things he threw in that morning he hadn't wanted to forget.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Was that crinkle a candy wrapper? "I've got everything I need packed, just need to run down to our quarters and grab it before hitting the ..." Jim hesitated. "You okay beaming down? I could fly us down you know..."

[dctr-mccoy.livejournal.com]

Fifteen minutes in a shuttle, the thickness of the hull separating him and the darkness of space less than the size of his pinky finger, or fifteen seconds of having his atoms blasted apart, billions of molecules transporting across space and reassembling again, hopefully in correct order.

It took him a moment to decide. "I can beam," he said, his voice sounding braver than he felt. "You'll be there, right?" he asked, reaching into his desk for a glass and his bottle.

Liquid courage always came in handy.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Jim would have flown them down in a heartbeat and never thought twice of it, but beaming would be easier and get them right to their home in a matter of seconds. "Of course I'll be there. If you can wait for me, I've got the coordinates to the beach in back of our house and we'll beam directly there. Sound good to you?"

[dctr-mccoy.livejournal.com]

"Sounds great to me. Give me a holler when you're ready to go." He poured himself a light drink, more for the taste probably than the actual need to feel drink it. "Don't take too long finishin' up there," he added, his face starting to break out into a grin.

Tonight they would be on Risa.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"If you're done down there... you know the bridge is completely clear, just little old me up here all by myself..."

Nope. No tease in his voice. Not at all. He wondered if Bones would even take him up on it or would want to wait until they were down below.

[its-uhura.livejournal.com]

Once the final transmission had been sent, Nyota shut down communications for all but essential messages, ensuring they would be routed appropriately before she closed her console down. She was in no particular hurry to leave, preferring to wait until the first crowd of crew members had dispersed before transporting to the planet.

Turning in her chair, she observed Jim with a smile, knowing he would be among the last to leave. "Do you need anything before I go, Captain?"

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Jim chewed on his lips, then nodded and leaned forward on his elbows. "There is something, but the chances of this working out are pretty slim. I want you to send a message for me to one Jocelyn Hat- ...no, Treadwell. I've already got it stored in the ship's computer." He showed her where the file was located, still wondering if this was a good idea.

[its-uhura.livejournal.com]

"Of course." Nyota set up an outgoing subspace transmittal and attached the file, directing it to Jocelyn Treadwell as instructed. Once it was sent, curiosity got the better of her. "Planning a surprise?" She couldn't think of any other reason Jim would be contacting Leo's ex-wife just then. Maybe he wanted to try to set up a time for Joanna and Leo to talk.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Got me all figured out," Jim said with a laugh. "I'm hoping to do that, but well, I'm pretty sure that when she and I last talked it ruined most of the chances I had to pull this off. Still, going to try for Bones' sake." He gave Nyota a hopeful look. "No telling Spock if you can manage keeping it from his prying fingers? I want to keep it a surprise."

[its-uhura.livejournal.com]

"Hopefully she's cooled off by now," Nyota replied with a smile. Whatever he was planning, she hoped the woman would go along with it. She knew Leo missed his little girl terribly. "I won't tell," she promised. It was important to Jim, she could see that. And even if she had wanted to tell, Spock had yet to return from his mysterious assignment. She hoped he would be there soon - it would be nice to spend a few weeks unwinding.

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Are you heading down now or waiting?" Jim asked, sprawling in his chair like he owned the place. Not too far off from the truth, that. "Just hope Bones is going to actually wait for me this time. I want to see our place together.'

[its-uhura.livejournal.com]

"I'll head down soon," Nyota told him. "As soon as the crowd thins out a little. There's nothing urgent for me to finish before leave, but I'm not in any particular hurry, either." She shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "Have you talked to the actors lately? Chris was asking me all about Risa the other day," she chuckled.

[joanna-mccoy.livejournal.com]

Jo decided to find Jim for what she was wanting. Also she had a batch of cookies specifically for Bones, but she had a feeling Bones would eat them right away and they wouldn't have any for the rest of break. But anyway, she wanted to get a couple addresses off them and Bones didn't always get the vast gap between her and Jocelyn, and she didn't want to cause any angst before the vacation even started.

Finally finding Jim after her civilian bag, and her camping duffel bag were packed and over her shoulders, cookies in hand, she called out to him. "Captain, wait up?"