Broken Hearts

Posted on Fri Feb 28th, 2020 @ 12:53am by Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Yamaguchi-Solusar & Lieutenant Colonel Pollux "Jetfire" Knoxx & Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan
Edited on on Sun May 16th, 2021 @ 3:16pm

Mission: Mission 28: Those who Remain
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 1600Hrs - February 23rd, 2391

On rare occasion, Phoenix had walked out of sickbay, dressed and clean. She had picked up Aryssa at the school room and walked with her to the Green Dragon.

Aryssa was dressed in her usual garb. Navy hoodie and jeans, with a set of earphones on that was hooked in to some sort of communication device. Her intent was to ignore Phoenix, for she really did not want to spend time with her birth mother.

"Your teacher told me you were doin' better in your readin' assignments. Even said your book report on War on The Western Front was acceptable," Phoenix noted with a smile to Aryssa.

Aryssa's only response was a shrug of her shoulders. Miserable, far more than ever, now that Siaxx had gone on her medical conference. As such, Phoenix chose not to press the issue. After all, Aryssa had a knack for ignoring anything she said.

"You wanna eat burgers or ya wanna get desert?" Phoenix asked as they entered the lift with Elizabeth distantly following them and entering in the rear.

"Don' matter to me," Aryssa shrugged, adjusted her tan messenger bag and kept the silent routine going.

Elizabeth followed at a discrete distance as she almost winced, for her the quiet anger building before her was hard for her to deal with as it was coming at her in waves, battering away at her psionic shielding.

The tallest Yamaguchi found herself missing her younger sibling as a sigh escaped her lips, her medkit was hung over her shoulder as she watched mother try to co-exist with her daughter and the teenager was having nothing to do with it.

To Elizabeth, this was intolerable.

At last the eerily silent turbolift stopped and Phoenix walked out with Aryssa on her side. Elizabeth followed from a distance, which did not bother Phoenix so much.

"You made any friends yet?" Phoenix asked out of concern.

"Nope," Aryssa answered as they walked into the pub and found a table by the window. "I got Rachael. That's it."

A waitress came by and handed Phoenix and Aryssa a menu. "You gals know what you want to drink?"

"Orange cream shake, tallest glass possible. Double cheese burger, sirloin if you got it. Onion rings with honey mustard," Phoenix ordered as she smiled at all the goodies on the menu.

"Orange cream shake as well. Just a large order of mozzarella sticks," Aryssa ordered as well.

"Should be no more than ten ladies," the waitress promised and went off to fulfill the order.

Aryssa went back to her music. Jetfire however, walked over to the table and clapped his hand on Phoenix's shoulders.

"You taught Firebird well, Phoenix," he began with a huge grin. "Never seen a kid like that fly so well."

"When she gets back from her assignment, we'll have to get the squadron together and sim. I may pull her from my reel spot, and give her a plane, at the rate she flys," Phoenix admitted proudly.

"So who is this?" Jetfire asked as he indicated a very disgruntled Aryssa.

"She's..." Phoenix paused as she locked eyes with Aryssa. The warning glare told Phoenix not to claim her as her own. "She's my little sister, Aryssa Sullivan."

"I hope to see her in the junior cadet corps then," Jetfire smiled to Aryssa, which caused the teen to blush. "If you're anything like your sister, I've no doubt you'll be an ace like Phoenix."

Jetfire walked off, with Aryssa feeling both good and bitter. And that bitterness was not lost on Phoenix.

Elizabeth paused as she winced. "Ouch.." she sighed softly.

"What's botherin' you?" Phoenix prodded gently.

Aryssa gave Phoenix that oh-so-annoying teenage shrug-off. Phoenix knew there was something massive bugging her daughter, regardless. The problem was that the pilot honestly did not want to press, out of fear of screwing up again. So the both of them sat in uncomfortable silence until their shakes and food arrived.

The meal itself was entertaining to watch. A pregnant woman eating for three, finally realizing she was very hungry and scarfing everything down. Aryssa had a look of disgust as she watched Phoenix eat so fast.

"That is somethin' botherin' you Aryssa," Phoenix finally said as she sipped slowly on her shake. "If it's somethin' I can fix, I'll gladly do it."

"Doubtful," the teen countered bitterly. "You've got a kid of your own, it seems. I'm just tha kid you never wanted."

"The twins aren' mine," Phoenix repeated calmly.

"So how many hours have you spent with Rachael in that holodeck and sims?" Aryssa asked with a stinging red tinge to her eyes.

"She wants ta be a combat pilot, Aryssa." Phoenix chewed on her bottoms lip a moment as she finally realized what Aryssa had been boiling over the past week or so. "I just helped her attain what she's worked hard for."

"So you'll spend time with peoples' kids, but not me." Aryssa's pain in her voice nearly melted the alien steel on Phoenix's hand. "I'm a child of rape, so I must suffer your indifference."

Phoenix swallowed hard as the words continued to hit her like a knife through the heart.

"You love Rachael more than me, an' 'ats unfair," Aryssa finally spoke with tears in her eyes.

"You never told me you wanted to be a pilot," Phoenix answered when she had control of her voice. "If I had known, I woulda given you the same amount of time."

"So wantin' ta be a pilot is the only way I get time with you?" Aryssa countered bitterly. "That right there tells me ya don' want anythin' ta do with me."

"That's not true. I-"

Aryssa cut her off with, "It is. Because Mom forced me on you. That's why I'm here. You never wanted me."

"I'm tryin' ta be a good guardian," Phoenix almost whimpered. "I don' know how to repair the rift. But I truly am sorry I lied to ya all these years."

"Whatever," Aryssa brushed aside and went quiet. Very quiet. The only thing she wanted to do was finish her shake and leave at that point.

"Hit me," Phoenix at last suggested. Gently, and accepting.

"What?" Aryssa blinked in confusion. "Why?"

"Because I can' think of anythin' else to build a bridge with on ya. You feel you can' trust me an' rightly so. I can' apologise to ya, no matter what. So cause I hurt ya, I'm giving you a free shot," Phoenix spoke more directly, her nose red as well. "Hit me."

"I need to do a book report," Aryssa sighed in frustration and stood up to leave.

Phoenix grabbed Aryssa by the forearm, which caught the attention of others close by. "I said to hit me. Cause you aint goona let this go until you've made everyone miserable."

"Fuck you," Aryssa spoke and jerked her arm from Phoenix.

"I think I see the real reason Mom sent you here," Phoenix shouted rather harshly to Aryssa's departing backside. "You're a needy, lyin' bitch that syphons all you can get from folks before ya leave 'em. Ya broke Mom's heart 'cause of your selfishness."

That got the desired reaction Phoenix wanted. Aryssa marched back over to Phoenix and belted hard in the face once. So hard, Phoenix herself had not expected. And the force of the blow threw Phoenix on the table, where it broke on impact.

"Go get drunk an' sleep around as tha whore ya are, Jill." Aryssa spit in Phoenix's broken and dazed face.

It all happened so fast that Elizabeth almost missed it as she shot to her feet and came over. "That... is enough out of you Aryssa." she tapped her combadge. "Yamaguchi to Security. Fight in the lounge." she reported.

Sheridan's voice came back. "On our way."

Elizabeth growled, then she stuck two fingers as she let out a loud whistle, the sound was ear piercing and Elizabeth also projected that noise into the minds of everyone in the room, the equivalent of a psionic flash-bang.

Right then, two security officers came into the lounge with Sheridan in the lead. "Easy guys... Phoenix is the victim in this situation.... arrest her." she pointed to Aryssa.

Sheridan blinked, this was a shock. "Alright, young lady.. You can come along peacefully or in pieces, the choice is yours."

"I don' care where we go so long's I aint with her," Aryssa noted as she glared at Phoenix one last time before submitting to the security guards.

"Bets off then, boys."

That caught Phoenix's attention, and that was not a good thing. She began to dust herself of while she thought about all the unpleasant things she wanted to do to those idiots casting bets on her.

Smithson gently cuffed her as he spun her around. "Alright.. lets go."
as Sheridan looked around "Betting... on a pregnant woman.." he growled. "I should arrest every single one of you Boneheads.... but I'd have to space the lot of you..."

The bartender suddenly screamed. "All of ya'll, get the fuck out... this place is now closed... get your sorry carcasses outta my sight..."

Phoenix gently got off the ground, holding her bleeding nose. She watched with tear-stained eyes as Aryssa went so willingly with the cops.

Elizabeth turned and went to Phoenix. "Easy Colonel. Let me check you over." she commented as she produced her tricorder, before opening it as she started her scan. "Why didn't you hit her back?" she inquired gently. "I don't understand it... you let her hit you."

"Cause she's soo mad at me an' nothin' else I try got through ta her," Phoenix sniffed and then sneezed blood from her nose.

"You tried Phoenix.." Elizabeth tended to the other woman's wounds. "I'd never dare talk to my mother like that.... the way she talked to you.... I'd never dream of raising a hand to my mother..." she looked horrified at the thought. "I'd never be able to forgive myself." she paused. "I need to fill out some paperwork for security... you know what's coming through."

"She's made it clear I aint her mom. Mom is," Phoenix told the younger woman, and winced when the dermal regenerator ran over her broken nose. "I'm her sister... The more I push for tha former, the worse she gets."

"So... don't... let her come to you... you tried showing her you care.." Elizabeth commented with a sigh. "If she wants to be ungrateful then let her... you can't fix everything.."

"She use ta be such a good kid though," Phoenix admitted with much guilt in her expression. "An' she's not ungrateful. Just really angry with the decisions I made for her."

Elizabeth regarded the smaller woman before her. "What happened... between you two... if you don't mind my asking...?"

"My mom raised her as her own. It's all Aryssa knew. I was her big sister and..." Phoenix sighed and tears ran down her cheek. "...And my mom could not bare livin' that lie forever. I should've come clean ten years or so ago, but I didn' because I feared I'd fail badly at parenthood."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "At the end of the war?" she inquired. "Phoenix... were you so different back then to what you are now?" she paused. "because I was five years old... I was a very different person.."
she sighed. "fear is a normal thing to have.."

"So how do I finish raisin' a kid that don' want ta be raised by me?" Phoenix asked in defeat.

"You ask for help in dealing with her.... You also give her time and patience in the matter." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Mom was in a similar situation with me.... " she sighed softly. "She didn't teach me how to use my skills... preferring to let me find out myself.. one of the school bullies was beating on me... there were three of them in all... and so I used my untrained skills and abilities to hurt them," the taller woman sighed. "yes my situation was different... but I have an understanding... mom never told me about my abilities..."

"How'd you forgive your mom after that betrayal?' Phoenix sniffed.

Elizabeth indicated the pair of chairs. "Well..." she commented as she too one of the seats, leaving the other for Phoenix. "She didn't know how much of her abilities that Gabe and I would inherit. I went heavy into the telepathic side of things while Gabe became a telekinetic." she smiled. "the various kids on the Courageous very quickly learned to stay away from us and leave us be... Dad stripped two Ensigns and a Lieutenant of their commissions because their kids were beating me and Gabe up."

"You have a great dad," Phoenix noted with a hint of envy. Aryssa's dad was a jerk and Phoenix knew she could never give her a father figure.

"It was around the same time that mom and dad both were in the middle of teaching myself and Gabe in the martial arts. Aunt Talon got involved and she took our training into high gear..."

Phoenix nodded. She honestly did not see the connection but she patiently waited for it.

"It took some time... and much training... but in the end I realized I was holding onto anger against mom for no decent reason... but it took a couple of years to get over it.."

"So I should teach Aryssa something that requires discipline?" Phoenix asked in understanding.

Elizabeth nodded. "Something that belongs to you two alone.."

"When I deliver these evil things, I'll try to teach her parkour," Phoenix sighed with frustration. "Can' fuckin' do much in this state, an' takin' her to a simulator would only drag up the jealousy she had ta your sister."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Rachael isn't here... " she frowned. "come to think of it. We've not heard from the Runabout in almost a week now... I hope they're alright.."

"We could ask Tane ta check into it," Phoenix agreed. "I dunno if I should teach her ta fly though. She aint really shown much interest in it up until now."

"Jill... do you have any interest in her hobbies... Rachael mentioned something about her liking holosports.. she also mentioned flight... so why not?" she responded. "I'll ask the skipper to look into the matter of the Runabout."

"I tried to get into Aryssa's quidditch shit, but beyond that, no." Phoenix actually laughed at it. "It's a broom that hovers above the ground a few feet an' interacts with holodeck programin' to make it seem like it's flight... Stupidest thin' I've seen yet."

"Rachael used to fly an old pre-Dominion War Peregrine class support courier, in a shoot-em-up program that Dad got for her because it was too old for training. Fast forward five years and she has her wings, a uniform and a callsign of her own... and she's respected by one of the fleets greatest top guns..." Elizabeth smiled. "I'd call that.. a win."

"Maybe... But Aryssa's also right, in that I didn' offer ta train her. Suppose I could. Might be able ta scrounge an old Valkyrie for her ta learn ta fly in if she truly wants ta fly," Phoenix surmised.

"We did retrieve a fair amount of garbage in the last assignment..." Elizabeth admitted. "But before you fix up an old warbird. Give her a training program first... See if she's worth it."

"Once I figure out how ta cohabitate with her, sure," Phoenix agreed, though there was a deep sadness and fear there on the issue.

"You don't have to... if you don't want to.." Elizabeth answered.

"I want ta... I just go so much goin' on in my head right now, I can' handle her by myself," Phoenix admitted guiltily, and started to leave the bar.

"Then let us help you with her." Elizabeth explained. "Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is your relationship with her.... you want to give her what she's never had but she has to want it too... and you can't just rush into it..." she explained. "besides... if all else fails, she can move in with me and Kam."

"I'm not tryin' ta rush it," Phoenix corrected with much frustration. "I just want a civil atmosphere... Suppose for now, Siaxx is the only one she tolerates."

"Siaxx isn't here Phoenix... Neither is Rachael so... she's stuck making the best of a bad choice." Elizabeth countered quietly. "If she hits someone else... it won't go well.."