For Those We Love

Posted on Mon Mar 2nd, 2020 @ 3:00am by Commander Ennis Cullen & Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen

Mission: Mission 40: Thirty Pieces of Silver
Location: Various Locations - USS Tranquility
Timeline: 1830Hrs - August 2nd, 2391

Saki Yamaguchi regarded her mother as she blinked her eyes. "Mom!" as she placed the bowl of soup by her bedside. "Vegetable soup with extra beef." Saki announced.

Rachael slowly peeled her eyes open as she regarded her daughter. "Hey.." before she slowly sat up in bed, wearing a night dress.

Saki climbed onto the bed with her mother. "What happened, mom?"

"I don't know.," Rachael responded. "It was a simple training flight but... something was horribly wrong and... a lot of people got hurt because of it."

"I don't get it." Saki responded. "Something must have happened.."

Rachael lifted the bowl of soup as she lifted a spoonful to her lips. "Something did.... A missile went off and exploded... but its warhead did not detonate.." she paused. "its fuel cell did it instead."

"So... the end result was still the same?" the nine-year-old inquired.

"Yeah.. an explosion that caused a fire.." Rachael responded. "Fire is the most dangerous threat to a ship, and the people aboard her."

Just then, the bedroom door opened as Saki gave her mother a hug. "I'm glad your alright mom."

"You and me both sweetie.." Rachael smiled over at Ennis who looked at her and Saki.

"And how are my lassies doing?" Ennis smiled to Saki, then he smiled warmly at Rachael.

Saki looked at Ennis. "You're not about to kick me out... are you?"

"He's not... but I am... I need to get out of bed sweetie.. take a shower.. get dressed... and I'll be out in twenty minutes.." she responded. "Go on... I'll not be long..."

"Okay." and with that Saki gently climbed off of the bed before she departed. Rachael smiled at Ennis. "Saki and Sarah both watch and check on me nearly constantly. I'm not used to it.." she admitted.

"They are a good but sneaky team," Ennis laughed before he offered Rachael his hand. "And Saki is settled here, I think. Granted, you're here, so that makes it easier for her to settle."

Rachael gently took his hand. "Saki enjoys hanging around Sarah... she gives Saki many outlets that she would normally not have had before."
she gently steadied herself as she regarded Ennis. "How long before you head off to work because I need a shower... I'm sure I stink..."

"About an hour. Why? You need a hand?" Ennis asked with genuine concern.

"I just want to know how long I have you around before the ole ball and chain comes to demand you," Rachael responded. "Saki worries endlessly over me...Sarah does too... and I'm starting to think of your kids as my own... is that a bad thing?" Rachael inquired.

"You are my intended... I want the kids to eventually see you as what you want them. Just as I want Saki to evidently accept me as her dad," Ennis explained in a very patient, positive manner.

Rachael slowly smiled as she turned her head to look at the wall, as her eyes glassed over. "Saki does think of you as her dad... even though she knows your not." as she brought her attention back to Ennis.

"Then I think we've got little to worry about," he spoke with a sparkling grin.

"I am worried though.... about Saki... she mentions quite often that she has nightmares because of the plasma conduits on Roanoke... she keeps going on about the Shard-hornets that we encountered on Yeneer G2." Rachael sighed softly. "God I hated those things... similar to hornets from Earth except.. twice the size and a lot meaner."

"The only way for her to get used to the noise is to have her sit in front of it for a short span, maybe once or twice a day," Ennis pointed out. "That's how the counselors here try to rehabilitate people with PTSD that still want to go back out into combat."

Rachael regarded Ennis. "I'm not sure I wanna do that to Saki though.." she admitted. "But its worth considering..." she admitted.

"I would only support such an idea if Saki wanted to confront the fear," Ennis spoke with concern.

Rachael slowly smiled. "Works for me." she responded.