On Dark Wings

Posted on Thu Mar 5th, 2020 @ 3:53am by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky & Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Yamaguchi-Solusar

Mission: Mission 57: The Northern Lights
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 2000Hrs - January 12th - 2392

Lieutenant Elizabeth Yamaguchi smiled as she gently held the baby that she had given birth so in her arms. "Hey sweetie." she smiled as she gently kissed the sleepy baby. "Come on... Let me put you to bed."

She rose to her feet as she gently carried the infant over to his bassinet before she gently put him to bed. "Here you go sweetie." and with that she gently kissed him on the forehead before she rose to her feet. "Sleep well little one." and with that she returned to the living room, as she produced a PADD so she could look it over.

Elizabeth sighed softly as the door opened and in came Lasky followed by Zara.

"You enjoy yourself?" Zara asked happily, but quietly so as not to wake Kurt.

"I did... but I have something of a confession to make." Elizabeth rose to her feet as she handed Zara the PADD in her hand. "I can't do this anymore.." she admitted. "I keep thinking that he is my son... and he's not..."

Lasky regarded her, as he knew where this was heading. "You still feel attached?"

"I do. Considering what I went through for you and mom on Kurt's behalf." the taller woman responded. "I can't come here anymore... He's my half brother.... not my son ... Yet I carried him and I gave birth to him.." she turned back to Zara. "I already stuck in a request earlier with Commander Celeste Yamaguchi and thats my formal request to you for reassignment out of the battlegroup." she paused. "Kameron has also requested reassignment as well..."

"I understand," Zara nodded with sympathy. "I'm sorry you have to go through this. I truly am."

Elizabeth indicated the bedroom. "He's in there... and he's sleeping.." she sighed. "but I keep thinking he's mine.... Considering the work I put into it..." she shook her head. "It's best if I leave.... and not come back until I get this issue sorted out."

"I imagine when you and Kam get a little one, you'll start to heal," Zara spoke hopefully. "If you do need anything, call us. You're still family."

Elizabeth nodded. "I'll do that." she responded. "and Kam and I are already planning our future children." she added quietly.

"Well if you're anything like your mother, I hope you and Kam have a whole pack of children," Zara spoke with a huge grin.

Elizabeth smiled shyly. "I'd like nothing better..." before she indicated the door. "He.... is not mine... but I wish that he was..." she sighed softly.

"He is still your brother Elizabeth.... That'll never change."

"I know... He's mom's flesh and blood... and mine too... more or less." the tall woman sighed. "I will only ask for one thing?"

"Anything," Zara pressed wholeheartedly.

"Take care of him....Raise him to be a good man... Thats... All I ask..." as she frowned. "Don't teach him to lie like you did with Saki..." Elizabeth gave her a rather potent look.

Lasky turned. "Zara.... mind explaining that?"

"It's bad... and I know it now, but I didn't mean to turn her into a silver-tongued underworld boss," Zara spoke guiltily. "...She wanted the truth 'bout her dad and no one was telling her. So... I told her what to do to find out."

Elizabeth regarded Zara in silence. "I understand... " she answered softly. "I do... but while she is my niece... I am not getting involved. Its for her mom and herself to deal with.."

"...I should go apologize to her then," Zara groaned and started rummaging around for her bike helmet.

Elizabeth watched in silent amusement as Lasky raised an eyebrow. "Zara.... what are you doing?"

"You can't underestimate Elizabeth's clan," Zara said as she rummaged through her closet. "Half of them throw things, some of them break things, others break and throw things. And others use trickery... So I'm trying to find my helmet."

Elizabeth listened to Zara's statement. "Zara is not wrong sir..." she commented.

Suddenly the door beeped.

Elizabeth slowly smiled. "Its Rachael.... Would you like me to get the door?"

Lasky paused. "No. I'll get it." and with that he answered the door, also as expected Rachael Yamaguchi looked up at him, a dark frown marring her classical good looks. "Sir... is Zara about?"

"I will let you speak with her... if.... you behave?"

"Funny you should mention that.." Rachael responded. "I've always been the level headed one... unlike the tall one over there." she indicated her sibling.

"A fair point, come in."

Rachael followed Lasky into his quarters. "How's Kam?"

"He's good... Hows Ennis?"

"He's also good... Wanting to get our family started." Rachael responded.

"I know the feeling.. Kam has been on my case about it too." she responded to her sibling's question. "I think we both now understand how Gabe felt when Savannah wanted to start things off for them."

Rachael nodded. "Mmmhmm.." as they both regarded Zara Tane wearing a bike helmet. "Zara." Rachael addressed her. "We must talk.."

Elizabeth added. "I am staying out of this one."

"Yeah...." Zara sighed and closed her eyes in preparation for a verbal lashing.

Rachael regarded Zara with the helmet on but she only said. "Why did you teach Saki how to lie to me?" she inquired gently.

"She wanted to know her father," Zara spoke with sympathy. "She did not like being kept from him... and I hopped her finding her dad would be a good thing."

"So... Saki wanted to surprise me..." Rachael responded. "Was this... your idea... or hers?"

"Bit of both..." Zara sighed. "My intention was never to turn her into some silver tongued underboss."

"She's good at lying." Rachael responded evenly before she sighed. "Alright... Well... shouting and screaming will help nobody."

"Saki causing troubles?" Elizabeth inquired.

"She's nine years old." Rachael responded. "She's getting to that state.. the preteen... and she's angry with her biological father for what he said and did... Besides.. Ennis is helping as best he can by spending time with her, reminding her that she does have a father, one who might not be hers by blood.. but Ennis is her dad in every respect." the shorter Yamaguchi sighed softly. "I'd like to give him a piece of my mind on the matter though... Paul Harrison that is.... but I have no idea of what to say.."

"Then don't" Lasky responded. "Write it down... and send him a letter.. that way you have time to consider what to say.. and how you wish to say it."

"Thank you Commander." Rachael responded with a smile. "I will do that." she turned to Zara. "You do not need the helmet."

Elizabeth smiled with amusement in her deep brown eyes but she said nothing.

"I am truly sorry for causing her this level of pain," Zara spoke as she looked guiltily at her hands. "I never had a good father before Zeth Tane decided to mentor me... I only ever wanted to help her connect with her dad."

Rachael paused. "Your heart was in the right place.." she responded. "I can't fault you for wanting to help... Neither Saki or I saw this coming though... her dad being an ass.." she paused as she pawed in one of her pockets for an isoliner chip. "Here is what was said.."

"So she too is plagued with a terrible sperm doner," Zara frowned after she looked at the chip's contents.

"Yes." Rachael responded. "She is..." she then sighed. "It's... all so stupid.."

"If there's anything I can do to fix this situation, let me know," Zara spoke apologetically.

Rachael paused. "Don't worry about it... Saki is my daughter and she is independent of me... But she likes you.." she paused.

Elizabeth added. "Saki is herself... she won't change for anyone.."

"If you wish me not to hang out with her very much, I can respect that," Zara suggested with tears.

Rachael shook her head. "No. I won't decide Saki's time for her. I will talk to her about things but all in all... Things are alright.. Saki is capable and she can choose for herself... That was my greatest gift to her... and you have been a true friend to her."

Elizabeth smiled. "You give her the time of day."

"That's mostly because I sit on my thumbs most of the day," Zara pointed out with a frown.

"Is that bad?" Rachael responded evenly.

"It's not the job I wanted," Zara both answered and evaded.

"Ahh.." Rachael paused. "Wanna trade jobs?"

Elizabeth paused before she face-palmed. "Rachael..."

"I doubt Phoenix would let me fly her birds... She gets very maternal about her wing," Zara smiled and laughed a little.

"I noticed." Rachael responded. "She tends to worry about me a lot... thinking that if I get a hangnail, then my mom would kill her or something."

Elizabeth smiled softly. "Mom tends to worry too much."

"Nah... Phoenix just sees a lot of herself in you," Zara explained. "She used to not be psychotic... Then she lost various friends and pilots during the war and she became angry."

"Phoenix used to be like me.... Well.. that's a scary thought.." Rachael responded evenly. "Besides... Phoenix isn't too bad.. most of the time."

"Motherhood has been good to her. Straightened her head out," Zara agreed.

Rachael raised an eyebrow. "Only because under all that armor she wears, Phoenix does still have a heart. She still cares.." she paused with a sigh.

Elizabeth heard a child cry out as everyone else heart the cry too, she turned and slipped into the bedroom. "Its Kurt, he needs changing."

"I'd suggest switching to ship driving, but I think Phoenix would kill me," Zara frowned. "She's aggressive. Overly so when passionate about something."

"Then you didn't tell me." Rachael responded. "I know nothing." she added as she regarded her sibling who brought the infant out of his bassinet and into the main sitting area.

"Have you met your new brother?" Zara asked to Rachael, like a glowing mother.

Rachael simply shook her head no. "I'll wait for her to finish." as she indicated her sibling. Elizabeth meanwhile gently placed him on the table, with some uncertainty she began changing Kurt.

"He's not of my blood, I know.... But I love him just that same," Zara spoke with glowing pride.

Elizabeth gently cleaned off Kurt before she gently placed a new diaper on him. Rachael commented. "You got it on backwards."

Elizabeth quickly disposed off the soiled diaper before she cleaned her hands. "What?" she responded. "How would you know?"

"Hello... I have an eight year old remember?" Rachael responded. "Plus I have an eighteen month child I look after..." she regarded her sibling. "or did you forget all that?"

Elizabeth simply blinked as Lasky gently retrieved his son from the woman who carried him to life. "Easy. I got him..."

Elizabeth turned to Rachael. "You... are not funny."

"I wasn't trying to be funny.... I have three children already and Ennis wants more... you have had one, which you carried for mom...." Rachael responded. "When you get three of your own... you'll understand why I already have grey in my hair.. and lines on my face."

"We can take care of that in sickbay you know."

"Yes... Modern medicine can do all sorts of wonderful things these days... but you do not understand what I deal with on a daily basis... Zara over there is learning what it means to be a mother." Rachael indicated Zara with her thumb. "You have a great deal of thinking to do Elizabeth and getting angry will be your downfall..."

"I am not getting angry." Elizabeth responded, in a rather dark tone. "Well.. I wasn't but.. I am now."

Rachael simply stood, impassively. "Then you have failed... Could you raise Kurt?"

"I could." Elizabeth responded. "I carried him."

"Elizabeth... You were mom's last hope for that child-" she indicated Kurt as she spoke "-to know what life was... "

"Yes.. or mom would have aborted." Elizabeth responded.

"Did you ever ask yourself... why you pushed so hard to give Kurt that chance.... Why you had to prove that you could do it..." Rachael pressed ahead. "Was it something you were proving to yourself.... to mom... to him... or to us all?" she spread her hands. "Think on it...."

"I think Elizabeth will make a fantastic mom," Zara interjected.

Elizabeth regarded Rachael. "I did what I had to do... You weren't exactly available and neither was anyone else... so it was either me.. or nothing."

"Because of what you did to Phoenix-" Rachael knew the moment she said those words, that it was the wrong thing to say, she had just lit the fuse on a rather massive warhead and it was set to ignite in her face.

Elizabeth's temper fused white hot before she hauled off and belted her sibling as hard as she could, she backhanded Rachael across the face before she hauled off and smashed her fist into her chest, dropping the smaller woman to her knees.

It all happened so fast that had Lasky not been watching, he would have missed it. "Okay, thats enough... Rachael why did you have to say something stupid like that."

Rachael hauled herself to her feet as Elizabeth glared darkly at her sister. "You have no right... ever.." the snarled. "to talk to me like that... Mom, Dad, Phoenix and her" she indicated Zara. "Have the right... you... however do not..."

"You're out-"

Elizabeth glared at her sister who promptly closed her mouth. "You like egging me on... don't you." and with that, Elizabeth hauled off and hit Rachael, the smack of flesh on flesh making contact was loud as Rachael went crashing into the wall.

Lasky handed Zara their son before he went and separated the two sisters. "Thats enough you two.."

Rachael hauled off but Elizabeth caught her fist in her hand. "That... was a mistake.." Elizabeth growled softly.

Lasky pushed the two away from each other. "Ladies. knock this shit off.. Rachael.. what is with you?"

"Ask her.!" Racahel snapped back.

"Elizabeth?" Lasky obligingly inquired

"My burden... Is between me... and Phoenix.... Nobody else.."

"It's gonna be OK Kurt," Zara spoke soothingly to her son as she rocked him in her arms. Clearly the babe did not like raised voices.

Elizabeth turned to Lasky. "I should go."

"You always run Elizabeth!" Rachael goaded her.

"You should hope that she leaves... because you keep running your mouth.. it'll be me who hits you next time because you are now pissing me off... Is this about Saki?" Lasky snarled.

"No.." Rachael growled

"Then explain yourself... you come into MY home and you cause trouble with MY friends and people who are helping ME with various issues."

Rachael found she had no decent answer. "Fine... then get out.!" Lasky's temper finally broke.

Rachael turned and departed in silence. Elizabeth was fuming as one could almost see the smoke escaping out of her ears. "My issues... are between me.. and Phoenix only.... nobody elses business.." Elizabeth said quietly.

Lasky regarded the taller woman. "I know." he responded quietly. "You still want me to file your request?"

"I do... the sooner I depart.... the better..." she paused. "I need to let go of the past... and I can't do that here." Elizabeth responded.

"What is the deal with you and Rachael?" Zara asked with total confusion.

Teval walked up to the door and noticed that the door was still open. Looking in the room he noticed it was a total mess," OK. whats with all the noise, and Zara, why are you wearing that incredibly goofy helmet?"

Lasky regarded Teval. "Come on in..."

Elizabeth paused. "When I stuck in my request with Celeste... I mentioned it to Rachael and mom. Mom was supportive, as was Dad but Rachael thought I was running away from my issues.... which I more or less am.." as she regarded the small infant. "I think of him as my own son... and he's not... thats why I have to do... I need space.. She doesn't see it like that" the taller woman explained.

"I guess we all sometimes forget that Rachael had to grow up fast on that planet she was stuck on," Zara thought aloud. "No different than a street urchin. Lives for survival... and with a kid to boot. Probably thinks you have it easier."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "I did have it easier." she responded bluntly. "I don't have children, plus I wasn't stranded in funny places with people I don't really know.."

Teval completely didn't follow Elizabeth, forcing him to reply," Elizabeth, slow down, I have no idea what you are trying to say."

Elizabeth paused as she left out a sigh. "Rachael thinks.. that I'm running away from my issues... and I'm not... I'm making a choice to move on with life." she paused. "my life to be specific."

"Then don't let her feelings demean those decisions," Zara suggested sagely.

"I won't." Elizabeth responded. "My choices are mine... and mine alone." she slowly blinked her eyes. "Kameron understands this."

Lasky nodded his head as he sighed softly. "You will always be welcome here Elizabeth.. He is your brother."

"I know... But I need to separate the two... I carried him for mom because she couldn't do it." she regarded him. "My task is concluded.. Now I need to move on."

Lasky found he had no argument for her. "I understand... I do.."

"Okay... and yes I will remain in touch... As much as my next assignment lets me." she turned to Teval. "What can I do for you?" Elizabeth inquired.

Teval answered in a very simple manner," Just don't do anything stupid."