Lataro was laying in bed, K'Lara laying next to him. The darkness of the room relaxed him and the woman who he knew he loved, and now she knew it, slept next to him. It had been over a month, and the reality that Jonathan Lataro was going to be a father was just now sinking in through his hard head. He wasn't sure as to what he was going to do, but one thing was for sure, Lataro was going to be good father and a good...well, he wasn't sure of that just yet. Until a few hours ago Lataro hadn't professed, verbally, his feelings for K'Lara and as perceptive as he thought he was, Lataro sensed a little resentment coming from his future-baby's mother. Maybe I should tell her how I feel or I just might lose her, he had regularly thought, and finally he came to a conclusion. Over a romantic Christmas Dinner that the two of them shared the night before came the greatest gift that he knew how to give: the simple three worded statement that could either bring joy to a heart...or fear. The phrase "I love you" came over a bottle of champagne...
...the crystal goblets glistened from the artificial light candles that made the centerpiece of their table. A roaring fire was going in a holographic fireplace which took hours to plan. Lataro had spoken to Lt. Loran, who set up a makeshift holoprojector against the wall. It was unorthodox, but original, and Lataro wanted this night to be perfect. Christmas Day, the day of Jesus' birth, was also going to be a day of a new beginning for Lataro and K'Lara, or it was going to be an end. Either way, Lataro could no longer go on without letting her know how he felt.
After a perfectly cooked Terran turkey, unfortunately replicated, and all the trimmings, Lataro poured the bottle of champagne. So far the evening was perfect, just like he had planned it. By the light of twin candles, K'Lara was as beautiful as ever, so beautiful and mesmerizing, Jon had overfilled one of the goblets. The coolness of the champagne shocked him causing him to jump. K'Lara laughed. "Jon, I think the idea was to get the drink in the glass and not on the table."
He smiled. Finally, after drying his hand, he handed her a goblet and sat down. "My dearest K'Lara. Amongst the galaxy, I have seen beautiful sights: a colored nebula; a red, red rose; but none has ever come close to that which is sitting in front of me now. Until the time I came on board, the rose had been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, but a passing in the corridor changed that forever." K'Lara smiled and dropped her head demurely.
"Now you have created a feeling in me, one that I haven't felt for a long, long time a feeling of worth, of being wanted and even..." He paused. "...of love! You see the times of my youth were times of loneliness on a desolate planet. I had no family, no one but me, and it has made me independent and self-reliant, but now all I can do is think of you and your well-being. I have learned to feel something in my heart that I never imagined I could feel. That of being loved and giving love." Jon raised his goblet and looked her in eye.
"To the mother of my child and love of my life." He sipped his wine and looked at K'Lara. "I love you!" She sat there in awe. K'Lara couldn't believe what she just heard. Something that she wanted to here for a long time, and finally she did. She smiled. Lataro saw the light of the candle glisten on something that trailed from her eye. A tear? he thought. No. Not from K'Lara.
K'Lara, understanding the custom of a toast, took a sip and smiled not taking her eye of Jon. Once she sipped, she placed the goblet down and walked around the table. Jon looked up and saw that the glistening on her cheek was in fact a tear: one small tear that had traveled down. She grabbed his head with both hands and kissed him passionately. After a few moments, she pulled away and softly whispered, "I love you, too." Lataro got up and pulled her close and held her tightly.
"Jon," K'Lara said smiling. "Careful. You will hurt our child." They both laughed.
Lataro wiggled out from under K'Lara and put on his uniform. It was 0230 and his turn for the early morning Gamma shift. So he put on his uniform and made sure his pips were on straight. In the bathroom, he looked at the red command uniform. Damn. I sure look good in red, he thought, admiring himself in the mirror. He still hadn't gotten used to the uniform. For a long time, Lataro wore the gold tunic or the black jumpsuit trimmed in gold, but the red trimmed jumpsuit or red tunic seem to suit him better. He liked the color, and from what K'Lara had said, she did too.
Lataro stepped out from the bathroom and bent over to give K'Lara a kiss. She stirred slightly. "Good morning," she said softly. "Where are you going?"
"I have to report for duty. It is my turn to have Gamma watch," he said as soft.
"'Duty calls' again, huh?" K'Lara asked sadly.
"Yes, Dear."
"Okay. You be good."
"I always do."
"Sure. I hear that Ensign Jakir in Science Lab Two has the hots for you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You better behave yourself."
"K'Lara. Of course, I would never jeopardize are happy fa..."
"What, Jon?" K'Lara shooting up very interested in what he was about to say.
"I have to go. I will see you when I get off?"
With her attention peaked, she let herself down slowly. She smiled. "Of course, as a matter of fact, I will be right where you leave me, right here in bed completely naked," she said trying to seduce him, talking him into staying.
"Stop that!" Lataro said. "I have got to go. I will see you when I get off." He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss. "I love you. Now go back to sleep. You are sleeping for two."
"I love you too," she said with a smile.
On the bridge, Captain Maruu was sitting at his chair. He was looking over the previous day's reports when Lataro walked on to the bridge and sat down in his chair next to Maruu. Immediately, Maruu noticed that there was something heavy on Lataro's mind. Which was true. All the way from his quarters to the bridge, Jon was thinking, contemplating, the results of actually raising a family on board a starship. He knows it has been done, after all he was, but this time it was his family: his son or daughter and his wife? His wife? The question of the century. Should he or should he not, "to be or not to be...that is the question." He didn't know, and both in command... that is another question.
"Jon," Maruu said interrupting his First Officer in deep thought. "You okay?"
Shaking his head from an imaginary fog, he focused on the captain and his statement. "Sir, can I ask you a few things?"