Many Meetings

Posted on Fri Feb 28th, 2020 @ 2:58am by Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen & Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan

Mission: Mission 30: All Thats Left
Location: Planet Surface - Yeneer G1
Timeline: 0830Hrs - March 14th, 2391 - Time Dilation: 6 years, 3 Months

It was late evening and the sun had set over an hour ago, the light was fading and the stars were coming out from their celestial hiding places.

Saki Yamaguchi was sitting on the ground as she regarded the Runabouts fine lines, she had no idea whatsoever to make of this funny looking thing, sitting on the ground before her. "Mom... what is that thing?"

Rachael Yamaguchi who stood in at 5'7 and was deeply tanned, looked at her daughter. "That.... is a Starship.." she explained. "Its a ship that can go between the stars.."

Saki paused. "Fly among the stars?"

"That's where Siaxx came from," Phoenix answered the kid as she waddled out of the runabout with her repair manual and toolbox.

Saki regarded the older woman. "Who are you?" she inquired straight out while not moving.

"Phoenix. Who are you, Kid?" the pregnant pilot ashed before she went about to repair the nacelle.

"I'm Saki Yamaguchi." the small child seemed somewhat intimidated.

Rachael went over to Phoenix. "Hey Phoenix... Hows life?" she inquired as she grinned at the older woman.

"Hi Firebird," Phoenix spoke without looking, but then turned around and double-took both of them. "Wait a minute... That's your kid?"

"Yep.." Rachael smiled. "Named after Saki Kishimoto... She saved me."

"You takin' care of your mom, Saki?" Phoenix asked with a wink.

"Yep." Saki rose to her feet as she came over. "She's also taking care of me too." she regarded Rachael.

Rachael sighed. "Her sense of humor is a work in progress... How bad is she?" Rachael inquired about the runabout.

"Not too bad, but the temporal anomaly futzed the computers. So it burns fuel far too quickly to make it out of atmo," Phoenix admitted.

Saki regarded Phoenix with a look, as if intimidated by the older woman. "So.. you're ship can't leave the ground?" the small child asked, clearly inquisitive and highly intelligent.

"Correct," Phoenix answered, then pulled out a chocolate-covered ration bar and handed it to the kid. "I'm stuck here until Captain Tane's folks thinks of something clever to pick us all up... Which could be several more years for us."

Saki regarded the package as she sniffed at it, then she slowly took a bite as she sat down because she wanted to eat in some measure of peace. "Mmm.. Mom what is this stuff?"

Rachael accepted the ration from her while Saki gently took a small bite. "Ahh.. its chocolate..." the young woman smiled. "Enjoy these Saki... they are treasured, mostly because it never survives long before someone eats it."

Saki regarded the chocolate bar with a measure of apprehension as she slowly ate a second bite. "Its different." the small child admitted. "Thank you Phoenix."

"You are very welcome Saki," Phoenix added with a bow of her head. "My communications works, but it'll need to be reconfigured ta reach Roanoke. Once I patch the nacelle we'll talk to Teval, I'm thinkin'."

Saki followed her mother in silence as Rachael nodded her head. "I can assist with your engineering... if you want... I'm sure I can remember how its done.." she paused. "I've missed you Phoenix.."

"I'm only sorry your mother missed Saki's birth..." Phoenix noted with a hint of sadness in her voice. "It is good to see you as well."

"It wasn't her fault." Rachael responded with a smile. "Elizabeth wasn't there either... I wanted them all present. But I got over it." she smiled up at Phoenix. "Saki is bored... I have no other information for her other than what we can replicate..."

"I'll replicate her some toys if you like," Phoenix offered while she began to read the repair manual.

"Actually... if you could replicate me some reading material... that would be just fantastic." Rachael responded. "we tried to teach her as best we could."

"An' what do you know, Saki?" Phoenix asked with true interest.

Saki regarded Phoenix. "Me thinks that the lady doth protest too much about thy lack of manners." she indicated Rachael as she said it.

Rachael chuckled softly. "She's quiet too... has the ability to appear and disappear almost at will... we have to keep tabs on her..." she turned to her daughter. "Saki...?"

"Yes mom?" the small child inquired as she regarded Phoenix and her mother with equal measure.

"Go and find Siaxx.. she should be in the cave... go help her."

"Okay." and with that the small child turned and fled.

Rachael watched her go as a soft sigh escaped her lips. "She is bored out of her mind... she will read the Lord of the Rings as a case study in boredom."

"I'll replicate a sports ball of some sort for her ta play with then," Phoenix promised.

"That sounds great... I can teach her two touch soccer," she explained. "I just need an area for her to play in.." Rachael sighed. "Have I mentioned how much I despise this planet?"

"So we'll cut some trees. Make a field an' let her play," Phoenix explained. "It's not that complicated, what with the kitten clan next door."

Rachael raised an eyebrow. "It cold be arranged." she paused. "You got any juice in the engines or the phaser's... enough to move the runabout, turn and disintegrate the trees?"

"As long as we're talkin' 'bout low altitude, sure," Phoenix agreed. "But I'd need ta turn off tha chronometer and run on thrusters only."

Rachael paused. "Ten feet off of the deck.." she paused. "It'll be nice to shoot something again.." the younger woman admitted.

"Ten feet is too low. We have to clear the tree lines. That's at least fifty feet," Phoenix spoke as she began to take notes on the op.

"I want to remove the trees altogether." she explained. "Chop them all down in one smooth motion." the young woman commented . "I'd like to have this place carpet bombed."

"Done... But you need ta study soft an' hardeck procedures again," Phoenix cautioned to Firebird. "Can probably go over a lot of it when ya got spare time."

"I have all the time in the world Phoenix." Firebird responded. "Other then looking after Saki... I don't get to do a lot..."

"You may as well read that too," Phoenix offered as she passed the repair manual to Racheal. "Gives you ways to patch common technical issues."

Rachael accepted the manual. "Nice... thank you." the younger woman responded.

"Don' lose it. Cause I may need to read that too at some point," Phoenix smiled to her protege.

Rachael chuckled softly. "I might read this to Saki.... my daughter spends all of her time being bored out of her mind... if you don't mind... I'm going to replicate her some new reading material."

"I don' mind at all," Phoenix agreed. "Kid needs imagination."

Rachael nodded. "Well she's not getting that at all but sitting here on this planet." the younger woman sighed. "I'm going to look into it.. "

"Harry Potter is a great one for her age. First two books anyway," Phoenix suggested. "My mom read those ta me when I was young."

"There is also a few other book series I can introduce her to." Rachael smiled as she turned before heading over to the replicator, she then selected the two books along with Chronicles of Narnia and the Darkest Rising Sequence." Rachael paused. "Wait... Saki can use a bow.... she'll like the Robin Hood stories.."

"My mom read to me every night when I was a kid," Phoenix noted bitter-sweetly. "She'll love books if you get her used to them now."

Rachael regarded the older woman with a smile. "I usually read to Saki anyway.... usually something from Lord of the Rings or whatever else I can scrounge... now at least she'll have something totally new to enjoy."

"So she was raised with the kittens, I take it?" Phoenix asked out of curiosity.

"No...I raised her alone with Siaxx helping me." Rachael responded. "at times its been a challenge.."

"We're gonna get out of here," Phoenix told her young friend. "We have ta believe that, ta not be burdened."

"I've believed it since the day my guys and I arrived." the younger woman responded evenly. "I've always known that rescue would come..." she sighed softly.

Phoenix hugged Rachael tightly. "It'll be all right."

Rachael gently hugged her back. "I should have known you'd come." the younger woman responded. "I'm going on a nice vacation after we get off this ship... probably a beach... teach Saki how to swim."

"Kid will probably love it," Phoenix agreed. "Let's hope your mom's twins turn out OK too."

Rachael regarded Phoenix. "If you don't mind... I'd like to be there and assist Siaxx with the childbirth... you have rather specific rights..."

"We'll be off here by that time," Phoenix spoke with defiance.

Rachael regarded the older woman. "But what if we're not." she inquired. "What then?"

"Thinkin' like that admits defeat. An' I won't do that," Phoenix spoke a bit angrily, more with herself.

"You once said to me that not having a backup plan is like having a dull sword." Rachael gently took Phoenix's hand in her own. "There is no shame in admitting defeat so long as the spirit is unconquered.. and besides... Siaxx and I will be there... and so will Saki... I think my daughter likes you."

"I've no idea why she would," Phoenix admitted with a look of confusion. "I aint tha more personable."

"But you are new to her.."

"So what are ya askin' me ta do?" Phoenix asked to her young friend.

"I want you to join us at the camp site.... you're all alone out here and Saki likes having you around... she finds you fun to be around... lord knows why?"

"I aint livin' in that cave," Phoenix spoke very shortly. "But I will look into landin' tha bird close enough ta the site."

"Fair enough." Rachael responded. "I can see Siaxx moving in here with you... but I need to share some details about recent events... I'm worried about Siaxx... she's not adjusting well to Greywolf's passing and... she seems to have become something of a wild one herself... she takes more risks and the like... but... she asked me not to tell... so officially I'm not here and we never spoke... Okay?" Rachael responded. "Besides.. If it were anyone else... but you.. I would not be saying this..."

"I'll try an' get her in touch with herself again," Phoenix promised.

Rachael smiled. "Alright... Thanks." the younger woman responded.

"Your mom will be glad ta know you don' blame her for what happened," Phoenix told Rachael with small smile.

Rachael looked at Phoenix. "How is mom doing?" she paused. "I'm worried about her."

"She's not tried to kill people yet... So she's good for tha moment," Phoenix answered honestly.

Rachael regarded Phoenix, a expression of fear and concern on her face. "Yet..." the younger woman sighed. "Jill... that's terrifying me."

"It means she's got someone ta keep her balanced. An' it aint me that's doin' it," Phoenix tried to console.

Rachael paused. "Does the com system work at all?" she paused.

"It does... But this temporal anomaly don' transmit live. Best ta send out in recordin's to tha ship," Phoenix suggested.

Rachael regarded the other woman. "Alright... mind if I record a message for my mother?"

"Go ahead," Phoenix agreed. "I'll give ya some privacy, if you like."

"Thank you. How does it work.... anything special I should know about?" Yamaguchi inquired.

"Just talk in front of tha holorecorder," Phoenix answered. "Once you're done, put your name on it an' I'll send it to Ro once I finish assessin' the ship's problems."

Rachael nodded as she took a moment to make sure that she was presentable, then she sat down and began recording her message, she started it with the usual preamble. "Hey Mom." she spent a few minutes explaining their situation and reassuring all involved that she and her daughter were both well, if somewhat bored. She then carried on saying how much she missed her family and that she was sorry that everyone else never got to see Saki.

It was the average letter a young woman sent home to her mother but it clearly was a lot longer than normal and when she was finished she turned off the recorder and then saved the file. "Thanks Phoenix... I feel much better now."

"Send as many as you like. With the kid, just you. As long as it helps," Phoenix suggested lightly.

"I'll send another tomorrow... I'll bring Saki too..." she paused. "Saki deserves to know her grandmother same as mom should know her granddaughter."

"I'll be sendin' one to Torilla about the twins as well," Phoenix agreed with a paling complexion.

"You're gonna have them here..." Rachael responded. "Phoenix... There was nothing you could have done... Mom will understand.... even if she does go batshit insane.."

"Stop sayin' that," Phoenix spoke with angry eyes. "You admit defeat, an' I refuse ta give up hope."

Rachael responded. "What would you have me do!" she snapped back. "I've been stuck here for six years! and nothing is happening... We're stuck here..."

"I aint givin' up hope," Phoenix reminded the younger woman.

"Well.. thats fine..." Rachael responded, now starting to calm down. "But unless we can find a way to break orbit... we're stuck here.."

"We'll worry 'bout that rod once we reach it," Phoenix promised.

Rachael regarded the other woman. "On thing at a time..." she responded. "The Tolkien is a write off and so is Leadfoots bird." she responded. "This one and Taffy's bird are the only decent ones we have."

"Who'd of thought a clown squad idiot coulda landed a plane without fuckin' it up," Phoenix noted with true bafflement.

"I've been teaching her how to fight against Orobirds too... she's learning... but she's already been wounded once." Rachael responded.