Five Long Years

Posted on Sat Mar 7th, 2020 @ 1:52am by Captain Daniel "Karass" McKnight & Commander Patricia Kingston & Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Yamaguchi-Solusar & Division Admiral Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs

Mission: Mission 73: Near Misses and Close Encounters
Location: Various Locations - USS Dreamcrusher
Timeline: 0900Hrs - March 21st, 2392

Commander Patricia Kingston regarded the report she was reading, her left hand was holding the PADD that had been left on her desk by one of her aides and in her right was a cup of coffee, the older human female slowly smiled as she was reading Elizabeth Yamaguchi's final report which was due in a couple of days but Elizabeth had elected to deal with it as soon as she could, considering the task had been a hard one and she would have been forgiven if she had taken longer then the average rather then get it done in one night.

Kingston gently placed the mug of coffee down onto the table as she finished reading the report. "Mmm... Yes Elizabeth. It would seem that I was right to place my faith in you." she smiled as she sat back, as she considered what her next move would be.

After a moment of thinking. Kingston decided to make her move as she abruptly sat forward, before she tapped the display on her desk. "Computer, put me through to Doctor Celeste Yamaguchi in sickbay."

"Working. Please stand by." came the dry monotone from the ship's computer.

Kingston smiled as she got comfortable while she settled in to wait for the computer to do its slow assed job, moments later however the face of Celeste Yamaguchi appeared on the display before her. "Patricia. Whats up?"

"Have you read Elizabeth Yamaguchi's final report?" the inquired of he dark skinned woman before her, one could be forgiven for thinking that Celeste and Elizabeth were mother and child but nothing was further from the truth. They were cousins at least twice removed as their common ancestor was their great grandparents.

The Doctor slowly smiled. "I did yes. I found it enjoyable.... " the pregnant human female responded with a soft chuckle. "So... Whats your verdict?"

"Give her the certification... I'd say she's earned it.. Also.. I want to promote her to Lieutenant. Elizabeth Yamaguchi has a been a great help to me and I beleive to you as well."

"Yep.. She's a certified Doctor, a full blown veterinarian too and now a counselor too... I'll sign off on your request but you'll need to speak to Karass about it."

"I will.. If you do the same." Kingston responded with a gentle smile, tugging at her lips. "I'd say she's severely overdue."

"Oh, count on it." Celeste responded. "Yes.. Four years as an Ensign was a little over the top... I wonder why that happened.." she sighed.

"I have my suspicions... But no solid proof." Kingston sighed softly. "Dammit... anyway we'd best talk to the Exec about it."

"Yeah... You submit a request and I'll call him.. The two of us saying the same thing... He'll have no other choice but to agree with us." the pregnant female commented as she shifted her position in her chair, this had the effect of making the pins and needles in her left foot go away. "Ahh... better." Celeste grunted softly.

"You okay?" Kingston inquired, a curious look in her eye but she also knew what the other woman was dealing with as Kingston herself had been in this position three times herself. "The little one being demanding?"

"No.. pins and needles in my feet." Celeste explained, before adding a soft sigh.

"Ahh... Well I've been there, three times of my own... so I know how that feels." Kingston responded with a smile.

Yamaguchi smiled softly. "Alright.. Well.. I'd best go get a glass of water while I talk to the Commander... How long before you can send that request?"

"I can send it right now... I anticipated your request and came prepared."

"Excellent." Celeste responded, a wide smile on her lips. "Well. I'd best get off of here... I need a moment to make myself look pretty... The Exec worries about me.."

Kingston laughed at that statement but it was easy to see why the Exec worried about Celeste, she was not having an easy time of her pregnancy so his worries were well founded or so Kingston thought to herself, however she did not speak these thoughts. "Alright. Let me know how things go... Kingston out." and with that she tapped the display on her desk. This sent her report to the ships Exec to be read at his discretion.

As the screen went black, her thoughts turned to her three young children who were presently living with their father who was commanding Deep Space Eighteen, a smile graced her lips as she recalled their faces, from her eldest Michelle who now would be about six years old to John who was a year younger then his elder sister then to her Larkin, her youngest child who was about three years old.

Kingston tapped the display, her mind made up as she sought to talk to her husband who she had not seen in too long, she then placed her call to Starbase DS18 as she settled in to wait.

Meanwhile in sickbay. Celeste Yamaguchi sat back in her chair as she brushed her hair out of her eyes, a soft sigh escaped her lips. She tapped her combadge. "Yamaguchi to McKnight..?"

"Go ahead Celeste. Whats up?"

"I want to run a promotion request past you... Could you come down here?" Yamaguchi responded.

"Sure.." McKnight had just finished reading the report from Kingston regarding Lieutenant Elizabeth Yamaguchi, a smile as he rose to his feet, he went around his desk before he departed his office. McKnight liked Celeste Yamaguchi and he had his share of concerns about her, but that was mostly because she was dealing with an unwanted pregnancy and the issues that came along with it.

Karass walked into the turbolift. "Sickbay." he said softly, the lift started moving as McKnight stood in silence while he turned his thoughts to his rather sizeable family. Suddenly the door opened as McKnight stepped out of the turbolift, before entering sickbay.

Moments later he was sitting in the office of Celeste Yamaguchi. He regarded her with a smile. "So.... How ya doing?"

"Oh, fine." Yamaguchi responded in a light tone. "The little one is demanding of my body." she added with a little light banter. She knew that McKnight meant well and that he was worried and concerned for her, both in equal measure.

"Thats to be expected. Hows your back?" Karass inquired of the pregnant female before him.

"No serious worries at the present time." Celeste responded. "I called you here to look at a matter that has come up with Elizabeth Yamaguchi."

"Elizabeth Yamaguchi." McKnight regarded the woman before him. "Has she done something stupid?"

"No.. She spent four years at Ensign. I don't know why she wasn't promoted and while I have been looking and everything disappears six levels above her instructor... Somewhere about the level of Commodore Rayne Stone... Who doesn't like any of us Yamaguchi's... She got into my way when I was a trainee except then she was a Lieutenant and not a flag officer." Yamaguchi regarded McKnight. "Would you mind asking a few of your buddies to look into this... I have a feeling about this... and maybe I'm being overly paranoid but-" Yamaguchi then suddenly stopped as she smiled sardonically at him.

McKnight nodded. "Just because your not paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you... I'll ask a few of my guys to look into it... It'll take awhile.." he responded. "So.. About Ms Yamaguchi... what has she done to warrant promotion to Lieutenant?" he inquired, as he knew that Yamaguchi, the woman before him had many reasons of her own. He also knew that Kingston had her own desires regarding the same woman that he was now discussing with the ships Chief Medical Officer.

"Elizabeth is this ships Veterinarian, she's also been helping as a Doctor and as if thats not enough... Patricia wants to get Ms Yamaguchi her certification as a full blown counselor... Elizabeth had been assisting her with her considerable workload even while training with Patricia for her certification."

McKnight receved a PADD from Yamaguchi, his eyes skimmed through it before he slowly re-read the information that Celeste had bothered to write down for him. In truth she had already sold him on the benefits of a promotion from Lieutenant Junior Grade to Lieutenant.

Yamaguchi regarded him as Celeste watched him read the information. "So?" she inquired when he set the PADD down onto the desk before her.

McKnight nodded. "Make it happen. I'll stick in the paperwork for her.. She can assist in three separate departments and work flawlessly in two of the three.. For the next two weeks... When she will get her certification as a Counselor. She's earned it."

A gentle smile appeared on Celeste's face. "Alright.." she responded before she tapped her combadge. "Yamaguchi to Yamaguchi.. Elizabeth.. Could you step in here please when you get a chance?"

"I'm on my way Doctor." came the response.

A moment later the door opened and in walked a tall woman in uniform with the skirt and calf high boots, she wore her uniform with the teal undershirt, with a smile on her face. "You called for me Doctor.. Commander." she greeted McKnight with a nod.

"Yes... Your sins have finally caught up with you Elizabeth and it falls to me to pronounce your doom."

The younger Yamaguchi simply raised an eyebrow as a smile graced her lips rather then lose her mind or fall apart. "Indeed... Well.. Should I donate my body to science."

McKnight began to chuckle softly as a rather wide smile appeared on his face. "Ahh Lieutenant... I see you have a sense of humor.." he said lightly. "I was also lied to."

The elder Yamaguchi rose to her feet before she turned to look across the desk, in her left hand she held a small black box and within lay one single golden pip. "Elizabeth Yamaguchi. I hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant. Due to your work which has been sensational, but also your time and the fact that you were cheated out of at least one promotion years ago."

Elizabeth blinked as she gently shook hands with her cousin before receiving the small black box from her right hand to Elizabeth's own, her right hand went to her rank insignia, she then pulled off the single black pip and replaced it with the single golden pip, she then handed the single black pip back to Celeste Yamaguchi. "Thank you sir."

"You did the work Elizabeth and you earned this." Celeste smiled at her younger cousin.

"Congratulations Lieutenant." McKnight then stood as he gently shook her hand with his own. "People have been talking about you and from what I hear... Patricia wants to adopt you."

"The Commander is far too kind sir." The younger Yamaguchi responded with a smile. "I have been helping out with her workload... and now I can assist with all of her other issues, when I'm not helping someone's booboo's and sick pets." Elizabeth responded with an easy smile.

McKnight nodded. "You will go far Lieutenant but... Don't let it go to your head... You still have so much to learn, to see and to do... and you will... Congratulations again Lieutenant..."

"Dismissed Elizabeth... You'd best get back to it."

"Yessir." and with that the younger Yamaguchi, turned and departed in silence.

McKnight regarded Celeste. "Come on... Lets go get a cup of coffee and you can regale me with tales of sex with your wife."

Yamaguchi gave him a rather critical look. "Has anyone ever told you that you have a very boring existence?"

"Yes.. repeatedly." McKnight answered in a rather dry tone of voice.

"Yes.." Yamaguchi answered. "Well my sexual escapades with my wife honestly...are none of your business.."

The two of them walked out the door as Yamaguchi added. "You need to get laid... and no. I am not offering this time... You were far too abusive with my tender body the last time I let you bed me.." Celeste gave him a pointed look.

"No... say it ain't so." McKnight answered in a light tone.