Wake Me When Mom Returns - Part One

Posted on Mon Mar 2nd, 2020 @ 1:11am by Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Fleet Captain Torilla Yamaguchi & Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen & Director Tienn Gyce

Mission: Mission 38: Last One Out, Get the Lights
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 1000Hrs - July 23rd, 2391

Rachael Yamaguchi smiled as she beamed aboard the USS Roanoke as she was thinking of her daughter whom she missed terribly, she looked down as she caught the blur that was Saki out of midair as her nine-year-old was crying uncontrollably.

"I'm here Saki. I'm home.."

"Mom... How could you leave me like that!" Saki replied angrily.

"I had to get my education done... and they weren't going to let me do it the way I wanted to... I had to do it... I'm sorry."

Saki glowered angrily at her mother as Torilla stepped forward to welcome her youngest turned middle child home. "Hey sweetie. We're going to have to bunk you over on the Tranquility because we've had some very serious damage here with our life support system" before she gently took Rachael's pack off of her. "You should talk to Gyce.."

Rachael regarded her mother. "Lovely.. Alright."'

"Come along Saki.. Let's give your mom and Gyce time to chat... we're going to the lounge and they will catch up.." Torilla explained

Rachael went outside and found Gyce walking towards her.

"You have been missed," Gyce smiled brightly. "You did well in boot, I take it?"

Rachael regarded the Bajoran woman before her with a warm smile. "I did yes... I get a week off then its off to driving school to get my wings..." she explained. "Mom is being coy.... but whats going on?" she indicated the nine year old training after Torilla in silence, her rage filling the air the way pollen does after the summer sprouting session on Bounty.

"She's..." Gyce lowered her voice and walked slower so she and Rachael could talk. "She's exhibiting signs of PTSD in the the form of over-aggressiveness. First with a fight against a school bully, then being cruel with some tribbles."

"Elizabeth told me about what happened... Mom did too." Rachael admitted. "What else is going on Gyce... whats happened?"

"That's the problem," Gyce spoke as she ran a hand through her hair. A sign of stress. "She's not articulating how she's feeling. And she's very angry because Phoenix punished her over the tribble incident, plus and upset because no one has the time on this ship to watch her when shit hits the fan."

Rachael sighed. "Aww shit.." she covered her face with her hand. "I was afraid of this happening.." she sighed a second time. "Dammit... what are we gonna do now?"

"She needs to feel safe... Best the group of us could come up with, was you talking to her and helping her adjust. And getting her some counseling," Gyce informed grimly. "We do have a really good counselor that Captain Olmos gave us, now."

"We do?" Rachael inquired with an inquisitive look. "I've not heard..." as she moved down the hallway beside the taller Bajoran woman.

"She's not been here long," Gyce replied. "But she's good. Managed to hypnotize Tane from not drinking and medicating."

Rachael blinked, this was a surprise and the look on her face said as much. "Wait.. what?" she paused. "I'm positive I didn't hear that right."

"It's not that hard to hypnotize an already relaxed mind," Gyce told the young mother. "Tane of course, doesn't know. Just keeps asking for water, when you offer her a drink or a hit."

Rachael blinked, still having issues processing that detail. "I'll try to remember that." as a smile appeared on her face. "Mom also said something about the skipper being really great with kids... apparently Saki loves her.. which... I honestly did not see coming."

"Tane introduced Saki to water balloons," Gyce half-smiled. "A good distraction, but also a bad idea to put in any kid's head... I would not be surprised to see wet heads from dive bombs."

Rachael facepalmed. "Oh fuck me..." she sighed. "and people wanting to kill Saki."

"Tane means well," Gyce supplied. "Got through to the kid in ways her family hasn't been able to... Then again, Phoenix has been a bit nervous, since punishing Saki the other day. Don't thinks she's used to being a stern parent."

"Lovely." Rachael sighed softly. "Well I have a week to myself and my kin before I get to leave to go to warrant school." she sighed. "Is Saki going to be alright with that?"

"I think it best if Saki picks who she wants to take care of her while you're gone. Maybe giving her a choice will help... But also, spending time with her as much as you can and helping her to feel safe on the ship," Gyce suggested. "Between the fights and the tribbles, she's not feeling very safe."

"Sounds like a wise plan." Rachael responded. "Thank you so much for everything on her and my behalf." she explained. "I know she's been a handful for you."

"I don't mind," Gyce insisted. "She needed someone that wouldn't spoil her rotten or coddle her because of her experiences."

"Saki speaks well of you... I know mom recorded a few video messages from her and all she ever talks about is Gyce this and Benice that and Gyce likes Tienn and I'm invited to the wedding and..." Rachael smiled. "She's not subtle... is she?"

"Nah... But as much as she likes me, she also knows I'm not her parent," Gyce admitted. "Still... I do what I can to help her."

"Oh she knows.." Rachael responded as she reached Torilla's quarters so she could drop off her duffel as she looked around. "No cats... what happened to them all?"

"We had a tribble problem... Had to evacuate nonessential personnel and pets," Gyce informed the younger woman.

"Ahh..." Rachael responded. "I guess I'll be billeted on the Tranquility then." Rachael responded. "Since I am nonessential."

"Ennis would like to see you too," Gyce pointed out with a wink. "He misses you."

Rachael slowly smiled. "I've missed him too." she responded as she picked up her duffel and she slung it over her shoulder. "Shall we?"

"Family or boyfriend?" Gyce asked. "And are you going to introduce him soon to your folks?"

"Both." Rachael admitted. "We've been taking it slowly... and he's old school on various things.."

"Sounds like quite a catch," Gyce mused. "Not many gentlemen aboard this vessel, at any rate."

"It was a surprise for us both... thanks to Peeves." Rachael responded with a cheery smile. "You remember that incident... Elizabeth ended up with Fives... and I nailed Ennis... it was not how I wanted to meet someone but.... I can thank Peeves.." she growled the name both times. "I hate that thing."

"I hate him too," Gyce agreed with a laugh.

"What happened to you during the Peeves incident?" Rachael inquired.

"I was too engrossed with casework to notice anything," Gyce admitted with a half-grin. "I suppose my life isn't very interesting."

"That's a matter of opinion." Rachael responded. "For me... it was overwhelming... same with Elizabeth and Mom too." she paused. "Mom was almost mentally fried because of it.. she mentioned something about Nalla and being abused by someone named Allana.." she paused. "Apparently Lieutenant Furban transferred a lot of her memories to mom..." Rachael then shook her head. "I think you... might wanna talk to mom about that..."

"I want to catch bad guys, My Friend. But I'm limited by the statue of limitations to certain laws," Gyce admitted bitterly. "If it's not within the last ten years, I can't touch it."

Rachael nodded. "So... Allana get away scott free... that's not right."
the young woman sighed. "Anyway...lets head on down to the lounge.."

"If there was an attack more recent, I can prosecute that... That, or new evidence or a confession from her arises," Gyce pointed to Rachael. "They hand use a badge and a gun. But we are not allowed to shoot the gun unless the law allows us to. Else we become the judge, jury, and executioner. And that's too much power for one person, no?"

Rachael nodded. "Yeah,.... too much.." she responded. "Justice is blind and unyielding. We need to temper her rage with wisdom.... why was the crime committed."

"That, is a question worth exploring, though I suspect Doctor Furban has said nothing, because the trauma is still very fresh and too fearfully debilitating to her to act," Gyce noted with sympathy.

"It very nearly destroyed my mother..." Rachael responded quietly. "Nalla had to finish what others interrupted... gaining a lot in the process... my mother also gained a lot too."

"You sound almost envious," Gyce looked to her friend curiously. "You want to touch Ennis that intimately too?"

"I do." Rachael admitted. "and... yes I am envious."

"But your mom doesn't bed Furban often, does she?" Gyce asked with curiousness.

"I have no idea... I don't ask and she doesn't tell." Rachael responded. "We don't discuss our love lives..."

"Well you can be as close to him, regardless. You can read his thoughts as well as talk to him telepathically," Gyce told her friend. "The only thing he cannot do is read what you don't want him feeling. So maybe being open telepathically to him while bedding him, will give you something akin to what your mom gets with Furban."

Rachael raised an eyebrow. "Lieutenant Furban is Deltan... Ennis is human." she sighed. "it wouldn't be the same."

"You're the only one not open in the act," Gyce tried to explain to her friend. "You can have near-close to what your mom has with Furban, if you make the suggestions I gave."

Rachael smiled. "I'll mention it to him.... I don't want to force him into something he's not used to." she responded. "if he's willing... I'll try it."

"I'm glad you could share this with me... I would not of expected to have this friendship with you four months ago," Gyce laughed in irony. "I thank you."

"You mean because of the fact that you arrested me for indecent exposure all those years ago.?" Rachael chuckled. "Looking back it was funny... but at the time it was a stupid thing to do." as she chuckled softly.

"I did some pretty stupid things with my brother, at that age too," Gyce admitted with a humored grin. "We all do silly things from time to time."

Rachael regarded the older woman. "You never speak of your family but then... I can understand why..." she paused. "maybe its something you and Tienn can chat about over a meal..." she smiled. "Saki really doesn't know how to keep anything to herself.."

"She doesn't, no..." Gyce admitted. "I intended to court Iteela slowly, and then ask to bed her, given the right time. But she's very damaged in some areas. So I was always hesitant on even asking to court her."

"Considering what happened to most Bajorans during the occupation of Bajor." Rachael pronounced the world with the old style of Badge'or. "I can't say I'm surprised.." a sigh escaped the younger woman's lips. "Honestly... I say as soon as you get her out of the brig, the two of you go for a swim... and you have your way with her poolside... but lock the door."

"I don't know... seems like a gal who's had little respect," she implied sadly.

"I think she might appreciate it... it will show her in no uncertain terms that you want her in your life... and it'll give her some good memories... because its you who's asking her in the end... she just wants to be loved and appreciated..." she paused. "there are many levels to it. You don't need to be 'I'm going to help you even if it kills me', all of the time..." Rachael explained. "It was like that for me and Froststorm... she was interested and so was I... we have a great time together and I consider her one of my best friends..." she smiled. "Iteela has had so much shit happen to her that if you showed her in the most basic way you wanted her... it'll give her something good to enjoy... she'll appreciate the fact that you want her for her... not for sex or just because you feel sorry for her... which you wanna avoid.. Don't feel sorry for her... that'll piss her off..."

"So how to I approach her then? Gyce asked in frustration. "Because I don't want to seem like I'm belittling her."

"Start with sex... everything flows from there... long moonlit walks along the beach... meals together and the like... Do you have chemistry together?"

"I like to think I do," Gyce blushed. "I know I feel younger again, around her... and I often can't stop thinking about her."

"Age doesn't mean anything." Rachael responded with a smile. "It's just how long you've been around..." she waved Gyce's age comment away. "you're interested... does she yet know?"

"Suspects, yes. But as an actual fact, probably not," Gyce answered after she pondered the question several seconds.

"Iteela doesn't come across as being subtle... so make sure she knows... if that means you pin her up against the wall while spending a moment making out with her then do it... but make sure she knows in no uncertain terms how you feel about her.."

"I can do that," Gyce laughed in agreement.

"That's all you need to do... the rest will attend to itself." Rachael smiled. "What do you say we go eat...?"

"I believe Ennis wanted dinner with you later tonight," Gyce winked at her.

"Oh I know..." Rachael grinned at the older woman. "I expect to be... unavailable for probably two days or so... while Ennis wines me and dines me and makes me scream in bed." she smiled. "I've been looking forward to it for weeks."

"I think he wants to love you," Gyce guessed. "You're both single parents though. So he wants to know his kids love you as much as he does."

"I make it my mission to get along with his children... I don't want them calling me Mom because they feel they have to... I want to earn it.. Sarah will be loyal to her father over me.... which is fine, she don't know me. Ask Saki about her... and prepare for a lecture on the subject."

"Oh I've met her," Gyce smiled. "I tutor them throughout the workday, when I don't need to do patrols or meetings."

Rachael smiled. "Saki speaks of her often.." she explained. "Elizabeth has mentioned her name to me too." as she smiled.

"I sometimes invite Saki's aunt to come along with her and Sarah when they want to do something in the holodeck," Gyce explained. "Generally Saki has to have an excellent day on the behavior front for it."

"So you have her on a behavior system for it." Rachael responded. "I can see the merit in such a system..." she regarded the other woman. "But does she have outlets....?"