Drama and Regrets - Part Seven

Posted on Fri Sep 30th, 2022 @ 5:13am by Commander Ennis Cullen & Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen & Sarah Yamaguchi-Cullen

Mission: Mission 108: Grains of Sand
Location: Various Locations - USS Heart of the Tiger / Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 1030Hrs - December 3rd, 2393

Commander Ennis Cullen went into the nearby turbolift. He was about to collect his two eldest children from the ship's school which was operating more as a limited form of daycare these days, due to the lack of any students. He knew he was going to start a truly unholy shitstorm with this effort. However, he wanted Sarah and Saki to have a choice in picking out their rooms.

Cullen arived at the local school where there were almost a dozen or so children of all ages. This used to be a place of almost sixty students at one time but was now down to about twelve. The younger children were out on a field trip to the holosuite. But some of the older children were late on their classwork. Ennis knocked on the classroom door. The teacher answered before she stepped outside rather than have him enter. "Doctor. What can I do for you?"

"I need for you to send Sarah and Saki out to me. Is Daniel present?" Cullen asked.

"Daniel is part of the group that went to the holosuite. Sarah is working on her math work and Saki has been utterly miserable. Anything you could do to lift her spirits would be lovely."

"Well. Heather. Here is where we say goodbye. My new assignment came through and Rachael and I are leaving you."

"Really?" Slater answered with a smile. "I'm so happy for you. My new assignment is on Starbase Vanguard. It starts at the end of this crew's leave so hopefully, we can move on and put all of this drama behind us." she looked up at Cullen. He was half a foot taller than she, herself was.

"Nice," Cullen answered with a gentle smile. "You will still see Saki and Sarah then," he explained. "You may yet continue to teach Sarah and Saki," he added.

"Oh, now that's just wonderful news," Slater answered. "I will collect them for you." With that, she withdrew into her class. "Everyone. Can I have your attention please?" Slater had given out this speech over three dozen times now and she had her own rendition of the goodbye speech. "Could Saki and Sarah come to the front of the class, please? Gather your things girls, your father is outside. He has been reassigned to the Starbase." Slater commented.

Saki paused before she began packing away her things without protest or comment. She had spent all morning drying her tears and now she was tired. She had nothing left to cry about. Sarah turned to her classmates as she made her farewells.

Slater knew that this was always a traumatic time for children. "You will see each other again children," she commented as she gently gave Sarah a hug after she came to the front. Her bag was packed and she was clearly eager to go. "Thanks, Ms Slater. For everything."

"Thank you, Ms Cullen. For being one of my best students in this difficult time." Slater answered softly. She gently guided the young woman to the classroom door and out the door. Sarah went, into the embrace of her father. Sarah hugged her father before she let him go. "So. It's today then?"

"Yeah," Cullen answered softly. "We knew this was coming. Why do you think I told all you guys last night?" he paused. "I take it Saki needs a moment?"

"That's one way of wording it. Nothing I do lifts her spirits. I dunno how to help her." Sarah answered quietly.

"Saki needs to find her own path. She's going through a major transition. As you are." he gently smiled.

Meanwhile, back in the classroom. Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen slowly rose to her feet. She gently wiped her face as she made her farewells. She had no idea if she would ever see these people ever again. Her pain was turning to anger and she wanted words with her parents. Yamaguchi-Cullen hefted her bag over her shoulders. She went to the front of the room where her teacher gently gave her a hug. "Saki. You've had a long and rocky road to travel. You have come such a long way from when I first met you. When you came here, you were hardly able to count. But now I can count you among my finest students. You have learned and endured so much."

"Thank you, ma'am," Yamaguchi-Cullen answered softly.

"Today honey marks a new chapter in the story of Saki Yamaguchi-Cullen. Soon you will become the care of a new teacher and new classmates. This is the downside to life in Starfleet. Always on the move, always sowing seeds like dandelions." Slater resumed her speech. She tailored each one for each student who came into her life and who would later leave it. "I will not say, do not weep, for not all tears are an evil.'."

"Lord of the Rings. Gandalf says it to the Hobbies in Return of the King."

Slater smiled. "You know your lore. Very good Saki," she commented. "Your father waits for you outside. Now, be brave honey and go on. Don't look back... Otherwise, you'd never leave."

Saki gently hugged the teacher a second time. Before she sucked in a deep lungful of air. She closed her eyes and drove the terror from her mind. She started forward. "Goodbye everyone," she said softly. That said. Saki then walked out of the classroom in silence.