In Memory

Posted on Fri Feb 28th, 2020 @ 2:26am by Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen & Chief Warrant Officer Ryi "Taffy" Amlari
Edited on on Fri Feb 28th, 2020 @ 2:26am

Mission: Mission 29: Songs Around the Campfire
Location: Planet Surface - Yeneer G1
Timeline: 1100Hrs - March 10th, 2391 - Time Dilation: 5 Years, 6 Months

The Bonfire was roaring outside the cave mouth where the away team plus their recent additions were living. Saki Yamaguchi regarded the Blue skinned woman with the odd looking things sticking out of her head, she suddenly recalled the woman was named 'Taffy'. She could also tell that all was not well.

"Whats wrong Taffy?" Saki inquired.

"Hello Saki. I just miss my home." Taffy told the girl. "I know this is your home and you might like it here but I belong somewhere else."

Rachael meanwhile was watching her daughter who seemed to be interested in talking to the Andorian Shen who had joined them a couple of months ago.

"Did you enjoy dinner Saki?" Taffy asked.

"I did." Saki responded. "Tell me about your home...?" she inquired. "Just because I live here doesn't mean I like it here." the small child seemed immensely pleased that she said that.

Rachael smiled but she said nothing.

"We'll, I have a lot of friends there." Taffy answered. "I have one friend, a girl named Eight Ball, she sleeps in the same room as me. Then there is Toshnarr. He is really big and strong. He can kill a terror bird without any weapons. He could also eat it all be himself."

"Cool." Saki answered. "Tell me about Toshnarr.?"

Rachael adjusted her position on the ground. "Go ahead... explain." she indicated Saki. "I can share my memories with Saki... but I can't share yours with her..." she sighed. "I wish I could."

"Toshnarr is a wonderful person." Taffy told Saki. "He likes candy. He even gave me a chocolate bar." Taffy stopped. "I still have it, wait here." Taffy told the girl as she went back into the cave. She came back out with a candy bar. She opened it up and gave a small piece to Saki. "Here, try it."

Saki accepted it as she popped it into her mouth. "Mmm..." she paused as she decided not to chew it, after her mother mentally prodded her.

"Tastes good, doesn't it?" Taffy asked.

"Its... different." Saki allowed while thinking something completely different.

Rachael snickered. "Taffy... Saki here has never tasted chocolate before.. and...I doubt she likes it.. wanna make her smile, give her an orange."

"I don't have an orange!" Taffy explained. "All I have is candy and junk food."

Rachael smiled. "Well... what other junk food do you have?"

"Andorian tuber chips, fried targ cheese puffs, Bajoran onion crisps. Any of those sound good?" Taffy asked.

Saki frowned. "Nope... its okay." she responded. "Cheese puffs.... never heard of them before."

"You've probably never had cheese before, that is why." Taffy told Saki.

"Nope.... Mom however has shared the memory of cheese with me before..." Saki explained.

Taffy turned to Rachael. "You really out to bring Saki back to civilization. She doesn't even know what cheese it."

Rachael looked at Taffy. "I'm open to suggestions.."

"Do I look like an egghead?" Taffy asked Rachael. "I'm a pilot, not an engineer."

Saki raised an eyebrow. "We have no way to call for help.... no way for them to know where we are or we're even alive." the small child explained. "I';m open to ideas."

"Why don't you find some fuel for my fighter?" Taffy suggested. "It would just take one of us to get out of here to send back help."

"There was the gravametric sheer to worry about... you might not survive reentry.." Rachael commented.

"I'm willing to take that chance." Taffy told her.

Rachael regarded the other woman. "We have no fuel to give you."

Taffy sighed. "Yeah, I know. I'll probably never have another milkshake again."

Saki jumped back into the conversation again. "Whats a milkshake?"
the small child inquired.

Taffy smiled at Saki. "It is a wonderful blend of ice cream and milk with some other flavor added, like chocolate or strawberry. They taste very good and they are my favorite."

Saki again shared a look with her mother. "I wish I could try some.... Oh how I hate this wretched place.." the small child commented. "I hear the outside world is a wonderful place and yet... I'm stuck here in this pit of hell..."

Rachael wanted to laugh but she found the irony just too mind numbing.

The look on Rachael's face did not go unnoticed by Taffy. She turned to Saki. "Don't worry Honey, we'll get out of here soon enough."

Saki sighed softly. "I hope so... I keep hearing about all of these wonderful things out there and..... I have no idea of what they are like.."

"You'll find out Saki. I promise." Taffy told Saki.

Saki nodded. "Okay." her response was simple as she regarded the fire before her.

Taffy went over to Saki and hugged her. "Don't be down. People here love you."

Saki wrapped her small arms around as much of Taffy's torso as she could, but she held on as if she dear life. "I hate it here... its always so boring..." she whispered.

Rachael however caught everything.

"When we leave here, your life will be wonderful." Taffy whispered back to her. "You can even get to see your Mom pilot the type of fighter I flew in on."

Saki's eyes opened wide. "Really?" she asked.

Rachael nodded. "Oh yes.... Nothing beats the feeling of power you get when you're flying a Fighter..."

Taffy nodded at Rachael then turned back to Saki. "And when you get old enough, you can go through a flight simulator."

Saki looked at Taffy. "Whats a flight sim-you-lat-tor" she tried the word out for size, having never heard the word before.

Taffy thought for a moment. "It's when the computer helps you play pretend. Sort of." Taffy told Saki. "It is very realistic."

Saki slowly smiled. "Cool..." the small child responded.