From Hell's Heart

Posted on Thu Feb 27th, 2020 @ 5:43pm by Commander Tressa Brislan-Antilles & Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Yamaguchi-Solusar & Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen

Mission: Mission 23: Foundations of Stone
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 0900Hrs - January 25th, 2391

Ensign Elizabeth Yamaguchi was sitting on the sofa, she had opted to share this counseling session with her younger sister who was pregnant, the least she could have done recently is show her family that she cared.

Beth gently held Shonax in her arms as the Bengal kitty gently touched her nose with his own, clearly he had bonded quite well with the massive woman as she listened to Rachael talk.

"I don't know how to put it really... " Rachael was explaining that she wasn't sure of how to tell Paul Harrison that he was going to become a father at age sixteen.

"It isn't an easy thing to say," Tressa said gently. "It's nice to see you again Elizabeth, I'm glad you could join us today."

Elizabeth Yamaguchi who was actually larger and more massive then either her mother or her father simply shrugged. "I'm here because Rachael over there asked me to come with her." she commented with a smile. "I'm serving as her bodyguard and her moral support... Besides Siaxx wanted me to spend some time with Shonax... I have no idea why the angry Bolian made the request of me... and I didn't ask either..."

Rachael merely smiled at the comment from Elizabeth.

"I've never had a feline in session before," the counselor said with a laugh. "But there's always a first time."

"I'm not involved in Siaxx's dispute with anyone." Elizabeth commented as Shonax hopped out of her arms and made his way across the office before leaping onto the table where Tressa was sitting before he meowed loudly at her.

Elizabeth simply smiled but it was Rachael who spoke up. "Y'Know how nice it is to have family around.... someone other them mom.... even if she is insane."

Elizabeth simply raised an eyebrow. "I protest.. I resemble that remark.."

"Ladies I must warn you, I am not a fan of that term," Tressa said. "Counseling is valuable for all of us, it is helpful to talk to someone about our thoughts and feelings, that doesn't mean that we are unable to function in daily life."

Rachael and Elizabeth shared a look, the way a married couple would. "Its also something I have been accused off a great deal in recent days.." Elizabeth commented with a smile. "The term does exist and while I myself despise the term.... its something I have had to deal with..."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well thats because I found the Captain in bed with my mother.. the rest of it is... complicated.." she commented.

Rachael turned her head as she regarded her older sister. "What I did was... insane.. it was unforgivable.."

"Do you perform your duties as scheduled, Elizabeth? Are you able to take care of yourself, to eat and sleep, cleanse your body? Do you maintain relationships with family and friends?" Tressa asked calmly.

Elizabeth slowly blinked her large eyes. "I do... I look after myself... and those close to me." the larger woman commented. "I just had a hot shower not two hours ago, seriously... there is nothing better then boiling, scalding water running over your skin to really make your day complete.." she slowly smiled. "as for dinner... I've not eaten much of anything other then a bowl of chili with two slices of garlic toast..... Kam Solusar was a wonderful dining companion."

Rachael sighed softly but otherwise didn't say anything.

Elizabeth regarded her sibling as in many ways, it should have been Elizabeth who was pregnant and not Rachael, both women however were going to keep this opinion to themselves.

"Well since you seem functional, healthy, and grounded in reality, I'm going to declare you 'sane,' so no more discussion about that, okay?" Tressa said with a smile. "Now Rachael, you said are unsure how to tell your child's father that you are pregnant. How do you think he might react to the news?" she asked gently.

"I don't know." Rachael commented. "It was an accident... I never intended for any of this to happen.."

"But you won't be alone in handling this situation Rachael.." Beth commented quietly, meanwhile Shonax complained at Tressa that she wasn't fussing over him.

Rachael smiled. "Well... pet the cat..."

"I'm sure he didn't intend for this to happen either, and if I had to guess I would say he might react the same way you did. Maybe scared, overwhelmed, probably apologetic?" Tressa said. "Try to put yourself in his place; he cares about you, I'm sure he doesn't want you to go through this without his support."

Rachael regarded Tressa. "I don't know... I find its easier if I don't speak for him. Less for me to worry about and less for me to think about..."

Elizabeth regarded her sibling with understanding in her large brown eyes. "But you've not told him...." Elizabeth inquired

"I thought you were here as my support.." Rachael shot back.

"I am.... but I won't coddle you Rachael.." Beth responded. "Everything will be alright in the end... so long as you are honest about it.... to everyone else.... and to yourself..." the larger woman explained.

"I understand that it isn't an easy thing to talk about," Tressa said.

Rachael sighed. "I don't want to distract him while he's at the academy." the teen responded.

Elizabeth regarded Tressa. "This is what brings her to you..."

"Do you want him to know?" the counselor asked.

Rachael paused. "I do actually.... I just don't know how he'll take it..." she admitted.

Elizabeth regarded her sibling in silence.

"You won't know until you tell him, Rachael, or until someone tells him. It would be worse for him to find out from someone else," Tressa said.

"I guess...." the teen admitted.

"If you'd like we could message him together," the counselor added.

Rachael nodded. "Sure... but it'll have to wait... until I come back... I'm on a resupply mission that departs in two hours..." she commented. "I'm the pilot."

"We could do so at our next meeting. Before that I have a homework assignment for you," Tressa said with a smile.

Both Elizabeth and Rachael shared a look

"I would like you to compose a letter to Paul... but you aren't going to send it. Write a letter telling him about the pregnancy. Think you can do that for me?"

"Okay.... I can do that..." Rachael commented.

"Excellent. So how is the pilot training going?" the counselor asked.

"Its going well." Rachael responded. "I got my wings... and a temporary commission from Phoenix and the Captain... as a cadet recruit." she commented. "in many ways... I'm so far ahead of the other pilots that I shoot them down in sims..."

Elizabeth sighed softly before she looked away, Rachael however didn't notice her siblings sudden discomfort.

"Simulations are excellent practice, but reality is always different and often worse. I'm glad you are doing well," Tressa said with a warm smile.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Were it so easy?". she commented as she watched the cat sitting on the desk before Tressa as he complained at her before he turned, in silence he went over to the edge of the desk and leapt across to the next item in the room, which was the two person loveseat where Rachael was sitting, he then went and curled up in the teenagers lap.

Rachael smiled as she gently greeted Shonax who meowed at her.

"You don't agree?" Tressa asked Elizabeth.

"No." Elizabeth responded. "Had you been anywhere else. you wouldn't have been given the opportunities you have here... and you know it Rachael..."

"Yeah..."

Elizabeth decided to come right out with it. "You make it look easy.. you, Mom, Gabriel, hell even Savannah... You all make it look easy...I've had to work like a dog for the last several years and I get assigned to the fleets broken down clunker."

"This ship is not a clunker.."

"Don't argue with me, you know why I'm saying this.."

"No... I really don't... why don't you come out with it..."

Elizabeth decided to do just that. "Okay then. Fine... last time I saw you, you were just a kid... and whatever else you might be Rachael... you are still a child..." Rachael interrupted as Elizabeth just steamrolled on right over her siblings objections. "No... you had your piece...now you're going to listen to mine." Elizabeth then continued. "Last time I saw Mom... she was contemplating retirement while being assigned to a piece of crap Starbase in the middle of nowhere." she added. "Now she's here on the fast track back to her own command... and then there is Gabriel and Savannah... they have it all... The happy couple and they even have a fucking baby with a second on the way..."

"Beth...why are you telling me this?"

"Why you?.... because I should start somewhere... I don't know where I fit in anymore..." Elizabeth explained. "So.. you tell me... where do I fit in.." she turned to Tressa. "Where do you fit in in this teenager's life."

"Who do you want to be Elizabeth?" the counselor asked.

"I used to know.... now... I haven't got a clue.." Elizabeth responded evenly. "I'll settle for Doctor Yamaguchi..."

"You'd like to go to Medical School?"

"I've been to medical school.." Beth responded. "I graduated, fourteenth of a class of some two hundred students," she explained.

"You practice medicine? I haven't seen you on the Medical Staff roster?" Tressa asked.

Elizabeth's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Oh really?" she inquired. "Check again... you'll find me near the bottom of the list.. which is fine considering I'm an Ensign... But I got my commission almost three years ago."

Tressa smiled, "I haven't seen it since I boarded and then only briefly. So you are practicing, its a big responsibility isn't it?"

"It can be. yes." Elizabeth commented. "I'm still doing research... for general practitioner and general surgeon."

"So you can be a real help to your sister and her baby, I'm sure she'll appreciate it," Tressa said with a nod towards Rachael.

Rachael regarded her sibling with a smile as Elizabeth nodded. "I do want to help others..." she indicated Rachael with a nod of her head. "But I also want to become a Chief Medical Officer someday... and eventually get a command of one of those Tranquility Class medical ships...."

"High aspirations are good, I will warn you that the responsibilities are difficult on family life. It takes years of Command training in addition to experience as a doctor to attain a ship."

"Well... I'm not in any serious rush at the present time.." Elizabeth smiled. "I have Rachael and Mom, both need me... and there is Kam..." she paused.

Rachael smiled. "Now that's just romantic.." she commented. "Elizabeth and Kam in a Tree, K'I'S'S'I......ummmm..." she stopped as she noticed the acidic look her sibling was giving her.

Elizabeth merely raised an eyebrow as she looked at her sibling. "Tressa... you see what I must deal with?" she inquired with a cheery smile.

Tressa smiled indulgently. "Youth is indeed wasted on the young."

Elizabeth chuckled softly while Rachael glowered at the other two women in the room as Shonax decided to make his presence known by waking up from where he was curled up next to Rachael, he announced himself with a loud meow. "I heard that Hakaya has several kittens.... you thinking of asking for one?" she looked at Tressa. "Or two..."

"Oh no, my home is hectic enough with the twins!" Tressa said with a laugh.

"It'll teach them some responsibility..." Rachael smiled. "I know Xavier will never leave the cat alone... Kaylee will love the kitty though..." she paused. "Did they behave with Shonax when you visited sickbay?"

"I'm sorry I missed it." Elizabeth commented. "Siaxx has Shonax in sickbay with her all the time... All the medical staff have gotten to know him."

"I'm not averse to having a pet but we've only just arrived, the kids' lives have been turned upside-down enough. They both have several after-school activities as well and I wouldn't want the cat to be alone most of the time," the counselor said.

"A fair point, you could always drop him off somewhere with Siaxx or me... and we could look after him for you while you're off at work... or you could have kitty with you while you work... same as Siaxx has Shonax with her.." she paused. "you are your own boss after all and a Kitty would help your patients feel more at ease... that's why Siaxx has Shonax in the first place."

"Perhaps," Tressa said indulgently. "I prefer to be one-on-one with my clients though."

"I'm just saying that a cat would help you break the ice... they'll be more interested in playing with the cat then they will in resisting you." Elizabeth smiled as she explained her plan. "Because when you start asking questions.. they'll answer because they are more relaxed thanks to kitty."

Rachael regarded her sibling with a smile. "Elizabeth... remind me to never piss you off."

"Not everyone is comfortable around animals, and they are a responsibility," Tressa said.

Elizabeth nodded. "All true." she commented. "But it would still be a help..." she paused. "When the time comes I'm going to see Commander Teval about getting two of his kittens." from the smile on her face, she was clearly looking forward to it.

Rachael raised an eyebrow as her hand ever so slowly moved to her abdomen where her unborn child slept. "Well... I did grab two of them already..."

Tressa laughed. "The Roanoke Zoo?"

"Knowing Mom.... she'll want at least one more... apparently two is not enough.." Elizabeth commented. "I will want two of my own and I can see Tienn grabbing one as well."