The First Snow of Winter - Part Two

Posted on Wed Nov 30th, 2022 @ 6:11am by Grand Admiral April Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 116: All Along the Watchtowers - Part One
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 12
Timeline: 1720Hrs - December 11th, 2393

Yamaguchi gently placed her left hand onto his right hand. "But I have no right to ask for you to call me anything other than by name... Your dad is Jacob Durden... He will always be your dad." she explained with a gentle smile.

"I know..." Durden answered softly. "But it's not just that... I never had a real mother before... She was little better than a surrogate." he sighed. "She had me and then stuck around for a couple of years before she departed. Dad never said what happened to her... He also never spoke about her either... I was going to press him for specifics... But I never got the chance."

Yamaguchi nodded her head, she understood what it was that was bothering Durden. He might never get any answers to some of his most basic questions and there was little she could do to help with matters. "I have an idea for you. I can ask that you donate a DNA sample and then I can have one of my guys run it through the Starfleet database... If your mother ever served, we can then track her down and maybe, we can find out where she is..."

Durden blinked, this was a thought he had never considered. "Can...Could I have some time to think about it?" he asked softly.

"Of course honey. You don't need to rush into this... Something like this is something you should think about at length..." Yamaguchi smiled warmly at him. "Even if you do and all goes well, you know you'll always have your own space at my dinner table. We take care of our own."

"I know... Let's face it, you've been more of a mother than anyone else in my entire life... You should have the title that goes with it. Your kids don't treat me as an outsider, they seem to like having me around... I'm the cool, big brother." Durden explained. "With Kris and Paige gone, the kids tend to listen to me..." he commented.

Yamaguchi knew of where he spoke. "You have been a great help to me and Franklin around the house... Franklin stuck in his notice to retire... It takes effect in two weeks..."

"That's awesome," Durden answered. "Uncle Franklin hated the uniform."

"I know," Yamaguchi answered as she huffed a sigh at him. "He only stuck around because I asked him to handle a few assignments for me. Now that those have been resolved and the issues inherent were dealt with. He asked me to let him retire from active duty. I knew that he was miserable and since I had the people present. I thought it best that this is dealt with quickly and quietly." she explained. "I didn't have the alternative before but now I do... So Franklin can retire now if he so wishes... I know that's been one of his biggest wishes... I fear I have kept him in the service too long."

"What do you mean mom?" Raymond asked.

"Franklin is never happy when he's in uniform. He served his time and then he felt he was promoted beyond his capabilities... I disagreed and so did others... But he was happiest commanding a ship of his own... But he's decided he wants to open his own kitchen and handle the dinner rush for a time..."

"Maybe Franklin will seek his own path... Everyone has to go their own way." Raymond paused. "It's... Something dad once said."

"He was right... " April agreed with a smile. "Others think he might come back... Maybe in time, he will return to Starfleet but... I know how my husband thinks... Once he leaves the service. That's it, forever... He's done..."

"Maybe... That's for the best then... Franklin is always hanging out with all the kids... Including me." he slowly smiled at her. "Besides. I have no complaints..."

Yamaguchi grinned at him, she had always tried to encourage him whenever she could. "Well. I'm happy to know that... Living in a house with five young children can be demanding..." she paused. "Especally considering whenever I have them, I tend to have sets of twins."

"It's not bad at times. Noisy but it's a nice distraction... When it was just Dad and me, the house was always too quiet... and Dad was gone a lot, always working on his career or his flight capabilities and I was often left to my own devices... Here. I don't have that issue as I've always got someone to talk to or something to do." he expalined.

Yamaguchi listened in silence for a moment, she knew how much work that she and her small brood of children tended to create on a daily basis. "I know... It's why I never get on your case about cleaning your room or helping with others..."