You got Schooled

Posted on Sat Feb 29th, 2020 @ 5:03pm by Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen & Director Tienn Gyce

Mission: Mission 33: Losing the Peace
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 0800Hrs - May 17th, 2391

Music Soundtrack: Halo 3 ODST - Skyline

Rachael Yamaguchi sighed softly as she pinched the skin between her eyes, a sign she was getting stressed about the upcoming test that she was to take the next day.

Saki noticed her mother was stressed as she came up behind Rachael before giving her mother a hug from behind, this instantly improved Rachael's mood as she turned and hugged her daughter back.

It was that moment the doorbell beeped. "Its Open!"

Rachael however did not move from her embrace of her daughter.

"Thought you might like company," Gyce smiled as she entered Rachael's quarters. "I know I have been cramming a lot of information at you, and I'm sorry."

"Mom, it'll be okay." Saki tried to reassure Rachael that all was well. "You'll be fine." and with that Skai disentangled herself from her mother who let her go.

Rachael turned to Gyce. "Right.. come on in..." she responded. "Saki knows I'm stressed about it."

"You know the material," Gyce spoke with confidence. "You only need to score high on your math, which is the best portion of the practice tests we did. Everything else, you just need the minimum passing scores in."

Rachael nodded her head. "Yeah... I just hate waiting... I've never liked it..." the younger woman sighed softly.

"Math is the only thing your flight instructors will look at," Gyce pointed out easily. "This will be a cinche."

Rachael regarded the other woman. "I wish I had your faith on the matter.." the younger woman responded. "but... I will do my best however."

"Just take a few deep breaths before you start to answer any question," Gyce smiled. "Trust your gut too. Your first instinct is usually the right one."

"Alright.." Rachael responded with a smile. "Thank you for everything Gyce," she paused. "Would you mind watching Saki for me tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night... so I can get things sorted out.."

"I'd be honored to," Gyce agreed and smiled to Saki. "I may even teach you to play springball, if you like."

Saki regarded the Bajoran. "Umm... sure...I've never heard of it before."

Rachael chuckled softly. "You'll enjoy it.." she turned to Gyce, a look of concern on her face but she didn't say it.

"I'll call you if anything happens, and I'm sure Saki will want to have a discussion before her bedtime," Gyce assured. "Right now, you focus on you."

Rachael smiled. "Alright.. and I know she will..." she regarded her daughter. "But first... lets get you off to school young one." she smiled.

"Must I?"

"Yes... you must.."

Gyce got down to Saki's level, albeit a bit stiffly with her bum leg, and placed her hands on the young girl's shoulders. "I know you don't like those kids, but it is only because they don't understand you. You're unique."

"They're mean and tease me, they call me funny names.."

"People always dislike what they can't understand and what's different to them." Rachael explained. "They never had the problems we had while you were growing up." which was a true understatement of epic proportions.

"If you can be good and ignore the kids, I'll take you to the holodeck after school," Gyce promised the girl. "That, or you can come down to the security office and play with some of my spy tools again."

Saki smiled. "Cool... Alright.." she paused. "I will ignore them.."

"Just remember... if you have to pretend to be like them, you aren't yourself. Never be afraid to embrace who you are," Gyce suggested to the girl.

Rachael turned her head. "Alright... knife check." she commented with a smile. "Turn em over.."

"What!?"

"Saki... you don't need to carry knives anymore, it's irresponsible of me for letting this go for so long and you know better.... so come on, turn em over.."

Saki sighed as she produced the blade from her hip and she set it on the table, as her mother smiled. "Saki.... I mean it.."

Saki sighed as she produced the one from her left boot and then the one from her right boot. "Now the bag..." Rachael commented.

Saki sighed as she produced several more including one rather evil looking kukri blade that made Rachael smile. "A half dozen no less... I might keep this one... for myself." she picked up the Kukri blade. "You've been spending too much time with Captain Tane..."

"She was teaching me about their... uses.." Saki admitted

"Lovely.." Rachael Paused. "Give me the blade from your back pocket..."

Saki paused before she did so, and even she was impressed at the small collection of blades. "Nice.."

"Nice and dangerous.... You won't need knives anymore... if someone picks a fight with you, simply disable them enough to be able to run away.."

"If your principal wants me to arrest you for bringing weapons to school, you do realize I have no choice but to do that. Right?" Gyce asked Saki.

Saki sighed as Rachael added. "I would be most displeased with you.." she regarded her daughter. "You were raised better then this Saki...I know you spent your days gutting and cutting dead animals... but.. we don't need to do that anymore."

Saki sighed. "I'm hungry.." and with that she went over to the replicator, before replicating a chocolate bar which she ate quickly.

"No Ma'am," Gyce pressed as she gently took the chocolate. "That is something you when you've earned it."

Saki had only eaten half the chocolate bar. "Fine.." before she turned and picked up her bag. "I hate school anyway.."

Rachael raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"The teachers are boring and the kids... they are mean.."

"Kids bully you, I want names." It was not a request, but an order of the most serious kind. "I want their names so I can haul them in my office along with their parents and make them understand it's not right to treat you and your pack badly."

Saki raised an eyebrow as she looked at her mother, Rachael in turn handed her a PADD as the child began jotting down names, taking her time to make sure the spelling was correct. When she was finished there were eight names on the PADD. Saki then handed it to Gyce in silence. "Those are the school bullies... The ones who pick on me and Sarah."

Rachael raised an eyebrow. "You could always ask mom to go with you... nothing like having rank on your side if the parents get nasty.." as Rachael smiled, she could almost hear her mother laughing ever so softly. "Oh I think Mom wants to help..."

"I wasn't aware," Gyce admitted honestly as she took the names and put them in her messenger bag.

"Because I just told her about the situation..."

"I'll let her know then," Gyce promised. "Hopefully by pulling in these bullies and their parents, they'll understand that their behavior will not be tolerated."

"Sounds good to me." Rachael commented. "I don't think Mom wants to step on your turf but.... she won't tolerate people picking on her granddaughter." the younger woman sighed softly. "I am however.... worried about Saki... she doesn't seem to be settling into school properly.. she says she hates it... and she has come home with bruises a couple of times now....." she paused. "While I'm away at Boot... would you mind taking her in... she likes you and gets on very well with you... I would ask members of my own family but... I want someone with an outside view of my rather ample family... and Saki does not need to be spoiled..."

"Are you fine with that, Saki?" Gyce asked the girl.

Saki was no fool as she regarded Gyce with alert eyes. "Yes...I don't mind Phoenix but... she spoils me rotten... I don't like it..."

Rachael nodded. "I will speak with her about it."

"All right." Gyce smiled down to Saki. "We'll set you up in my room for the moment."

Rachael regarded her daughter. "You alright with this?"

"I'll be okay.." Saki responded. "You were always there... now you're going away.."

"I have to go... to get my education sorted out.. and then I have to go learn how to fly at flight school... that alone will take a long time.." Rachael sighed softly.

"Your mom will call often," Gyce promised. "And you have your gran and the whole clan here too."

Rachael nodded. "Indeed I will.." she smiled at Saki who gave both of them a dour look. "I still hate school..."

"I know you do," Gyce admitted. "Try to stay a little more positive. Sometimes kids take a while to come around to other kids different from them."

Saki regarded Gyce. "When you deal with these kids...thats impossible to do... these guys are worse then the animals we used to kill."

"Let me figure out something clever, and I'll try to help you put an end to your bullies," Gyce suggested after a long thought.

"Alright.." Saki responded.