"A fluff Piece"
Star Trek is not mine, characters are...you know the drill. Enjoy.
It was Culture day at Deep Space 23 School. All the students had brought in some food from their culture, and boy did it show. The table was teaming with Vulcan, Human, and even Bajoran dishes.
T'Jok's parents escorted him and his gagh in. "T'Jok! You brought food. Ooooh...What is it?"
"It's called gagh. It tastes real good. Want some?
"If it's okay with Ms. B. She says all food goes over there. Wait 'till you see what I got. It's so yummy!"
T'Jok's parents hesitated as the outspoken young girl pulled their son away. The teacher approached. "Well, you wanted to him become less shy. I paired them together for one of our projects. They actually kind of comliment each other quite well. She has been good to him."
"Who is she?"
"Her name is Taryn. She is one of the biggest handfuls I have ever taught. Your son has calmed her down some, though. Why don't you stay and watch them."
The pair settled in near the back. "Here let's paint a sign for your gagh. I have an idea for one that will be so prettiful. We can put gagh on it, you can write that since you write neater anyways, and
I'll draw something for it, okay?"
"Yes." They worked together to drag out a piece of paper, and Taryn got the paint while T'Jok got scissors. "We should make it square."
"With round corners so we don't hurt anyone. I once got a paper cut and my mom said it wouldn't have happened if the corners hadn't been sharp and it got infected and we had to stick it with a needle and it really hurt."
T'Jok nodded and told her of a cut he once got. "See mine left a scar."
"Ouch. Does it still hurt? I got one on my hand and it really hurts sometimes because it didn't heal right because our doctor messed it
up and we couldn't have it fixed. Mom says we need to wait till my hands are done growing." He nodded and began cutting out the sign.
Taryn waited as he carefully made her round quarters and wrote the words "Klingon" and "Gagh" on it.
Taryn got to work on her part of the job. Carfully she drew the worms, making them in cup, as T'Jok had suggested. They posted the sign and Taryn grinned at him. "What did you bring?"
"I brought burgers and chips. My grandma helped make them cause Mom was to tired. She says I am good at making burgers." Taryn smiled at T'Jok and turned to the back of the room.
"Who are you looking for?"
"My grandma. She said she'd be here."
"Cool. She will watch as you hand out your burgers?"
"Yes. We made your's rare. She said you guys like your burgers like that. I didn't know Klingons liked burgers but she said some do if you give it to them right. Only I don't know how to that so if I do it wrong will you take it still?"
"Of course." T'Jok's parents began to relax. While Taryn was as different from their son as could be, it was obvious she cared about him. The teacher called them over to her. Several Terrans seemed to make a point of sitting as far from the Klingons as they could, but Taryn sat right next to T'Jok and his parents. She waited as the teacher gave word for food to be handed out. She sprang up as her name was called and gave everyone a burger and some chips. As she handed T'Jok his, she smiled at him. "Will you please try this?"
"Yes." To prove it T'Jok took a large bite. He smiled. "This is good. Try a bite Mom, Dad."
They did as she finished handing out her burgers. T'Jok got up after a few other kids and began handing out his gagh. Taryn was the only one who didn't even hesitate to dig in. They, and T'Jok, noticed not too many others even tried it. T'Jok sat down. "T'Jok this is great. Even better than my grandma's burgers. They tickle! what's wrong."
"They don't like it."
"Well, those doofies don't know what they're missin'. I think they are great. You want some? Maybe we can put them on a chip."
T'Jok looked at her, a smile showing on his face. He relaxed, seeming to forget about the rest of the terran's as he handed Taryn a chip. She piled gagh on it and ate it. T'Jok did the same. "Mmmmm." Taryn looked around and saw her grandma.
"Grandma. Look at what me and T'Jok did. We made something that's both Human and Klingon. Isn't it cool? These are T'Jok's parents. The girl is his mommy and the boy is his daddy. This is my grandma. She watches me when Mom is busy."
"Hello. So you are T'Jok's parents. Your son is welcome to come over whenever he wants. Taryn has been talking about him almost nonstop."
"We will send him over one time."
"I hope you send him over more than one time. I mean one time is so few. It's not even two. Please?"
"You can all come over for dinner tonight. If you want to bring some of that fishing bait."
"It's not bait, Grandma, it's gagh. You'll like it. Can you come? Please?"
"Yes. We'll come at seven."
