Tom Lasky, Besieged

Posted on Fri Mar 13th, 2020 @ 8:18pm by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky & Post Captain Plataea "Phantom" Lasky

Mission: Mission 91: The Sum of All Fears
Location: ACSF Noble - High Orbit over B Kayor.
Timeline: 1430Hrs, August 15th, 2392

Commander Tom Lasky walked beside Commander Plataea Yamaguchi, the tall female was wearing a wide grin on her face as she seemed to be in an irredeemably good mood. Lasky noticed as he, in turn, started smiling. "What?" he inquired of the tall female beside him.

"I'll tell you over dinner." was her only response. He raised an eyebrow. "What about this place?" he indicated the restaurant along the massive promenade that the two were walking down, the area felt more like the downtown area of an English seaside town more than a large ship of the line.

"This place is huge." Unal grinned.

"It's large enough for me to drive a Galaxy-class starship down here," Lasky responded, in a light tone of voice. "The height, however, would kill it." he sighed. "It would never fit inside here," he added.

Unal regarded Lasky as she knew she needed to ask him about what he was really thinking about but this wasn't the best time or place for that conversation as she sighed, before she came right out with it. "You're worried about Kurt." it wasn't a question.

"Torilla didn't catch it and Elizabeth didn't know. But Kurt is a special needs child and I'm going to have to give up my career to look after him and raise him."

Unal's eyes slowly widened as she realized what he was saying. "No wonder you've been acting like you're walking on eggshells around me recently."

"It's not your fault." Lasky was quick to assure her of that fact.

"No." Unal agreed with him in a gentle tone of voice. "But that's not the point, is it?" the tall female regarded him with a gentle smile. "When something goes wrong Tom, we want to assign blame for what's happened."

Lasky sighed softly as he spotted a nearby park bench. Unal noticed too so she sat down next to him. "We'll get through this somehow Tom."

"Well, I gave up my career once before," Lasky admitted. "But that was after the Dominion War." Lasky paused. "But I was a different person then and." he stopped as he huffed a long and deep sigh. "I don't want to give up this time." Lasky looked into Unal's eyes as he spoke. "Kurt needs more specialized care then I can give him and in order to handle it, I have to sacrifice again.."

Unal knew what this conversation was costing him. "I know, it'll be okay. I mean these Akurians might be able to resolve his issues and cure his Down Syndrome."

"If Elizabeth or Torilla had caught it sooner," Lasky responded the angry bitterness in his voice was clear. "Then Kurt-" was as far as he had gotten before Plataea opened her mouth and interrupted him "Would still be alive and well. Elizabeth didn't catch it because she was too busy handling things and Torilla didn't catch it because she didn't make the attempt to bother to catch it." Unal explained. "This is not Elizabeth's fault, don't blame her for the bad genes that your son inherited," Unal responded quietly. "Don't blame Torilla because she was stupid and fucked up with this..." Unal paused, upon seeing the look in his eye and on his face. "Oh, I'm not excusing her fucking up here Tom, don't think that I am."

"Why?." Lasky responded. "Everyone else doesn't seem to mind her fucking up, why should you be any different?" he regarded her.

"Because I am her, from another reality where I had a life far worse than she ever did and yet, she's the fuck up and I'm the one who's got it all together," Unal answered in a flat deadpan tone of voice. "No. Torilla's mistake was assuming she would not pass along her bad genes to anyone. All her children have their issues because of them."

"Yeah. Tressa, Paul and Diamond too." Lasky added before he sighed a second time.

"Oh yes. I've seen their medical reports and them, they will be first to be cleansed of their bad genes. Rachael and Saki are next, then Kurt and Torilla." Unal explained. "Kurt's issues are curable. Anzan and his people are already working on the case." the tall female explained. "Maybe they will surprise us," she added.

"Plataea, you shouldn't get my hopes up like that," Lasky admitted.

"Don't worry so much. The Akurians have medical care far better than the Federation." Unal slowly smiled. "Besides. I have some news of my own and it's involving you."

"Oh?" Lasky regarded her. "So whats that?"

"I said I'd tell you over dinner. Besides. I'm hungry and I know you are too." Unal answered as she selected a restaurant and she went inside. Lasky followed in silence.

The hostess was standing at her post, she regarded Lasky and Unal with a look of trepidation. "Seating for two?" she inquired.

"Yes please?" Lasky responded.

The Hostess led the two of them over to a nearby table that was more or less away from anyone else. "Alright then. Chandra will be your waitress for this evening."

"Thanks," Unal responded quietly as the hostess turned and departed, leaving Unal alone with Lasky. "You ever think that maybe we're both in the wrong jobs?" Unal inquired.

"I sometimes have that thought. I mean you are stuck in Intel, serving as... What exactly?" Lasky inquired as he looked at her.

"I have no idea and I'm more or less unable to really do anything of any real importance which is annoying to me. I am an expert in small unit tactics. War.." Unal sighed softly. "It's all I've known and its all my girls have known and... I'm tired, Tom. I'm sick of fighting with others."

"There is no shame in retiring from warfare Plataea. But find something you can love doing. What about Engineering?" Lasky informed her. "We need more of everything anyway so it doesn't matter really."

"I know." she paused. "I am not the Torilla that's native to this reality and I'm not going to get a command or a promotion anytime soon so honestly. It doesn't matter at this point what I do." the newly pregnant female commented. "She'll be up for promotion long before I am." Unal shrugged. "I've been a Commander so long that, to be honest, I don't really care if I get promoted or not."

Lasky nodded his head. "I can see why you'd say that. Considering what you've been through since you arrived. You got it on with a Deltan who can't control her abilities and Jake at the same time, you've dealt with Ethan Duval and you've also been informed after they took your service record apart from both sides that you could serve in our Starfleet."

"Yeah," Unal answered. "Now I'm being told that I am the last hope for this family.. and maybe an entire species. It's a lot to process."

Lasky nodded. "I know, I'd like to help you. If you'd let me."

"You have been helping me since you came into my life. I mean you allowed me to claim your son as my own. I didn't carry him or give birth to him but that matter is academic in any case." Unal paused. "Besides. I have some news for you.." she paused. "Now before I share the news, understand that I do NOT have Torilla's issues in any way, shape or form. I checked and had the Akurian Doctors go over my DNA with the largest fine-toothed comb they have in inventory."

Lasky was confused. "I don't get it, why go to that length of pre-" he stopped. "Wait.."

"Yes. I am pregnant with your child." Unal paused. "I was unsure how you'd take it." Unal regarded him. "Considering..."

"Yeah. Kurt." Lasky sighed softly as he gently took her hands in his. "It's still a good thing, it's great news.." Lasky added quietly while trying to smile at her.

Unal regarded him, a strange look in her eye. "Don't worry Tom, we can celebrate things later after Kurt's issues get resolved."

Lasky nodded. "I'm sorry Plataea."

"You owe me no apology. Besides." Unal smiled "We came to get away from life and celebrate my pregnancy." she added.

"Yeah. " Lasky answered. "We did." he breathed out and then back in again as the waitress came over. "Hey, what can I get you guys to start?" the young woman inquired.

Lasky and Unal both ordered a glass of water each as they both opened the menu, Lasky flipped through the menu as he settled on what he wanted as Unal smiled. "We're ready to order."

"Okay then. What'll ya have ma'am?" the waitress inquired of Unal, she placed her order before she turned to Lasky as he placed his own. The young woman smiled. "Alright. I'll go give these to the chef. I'll be right back with your drinks." and with that, she withdrew. Leaving Lasky and Unal alone to themselves.