Storytime with April - Part Five

Posted on Fri Feb 28th, 2025 @ 6:35pm by Franklin Armstrong & Grand Admiral April Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 120: All Along the Watchtowers - Part Two
Location: Various Locations - Canmore, Earth
Timeline: 1920Hrs - February 3rd, 2394

"Don't let any of that fool you," April commented softly. "We lost thirty-nine starships of the forty that was present. Including the Admiral as well. But fortunately, we were able to buy time for the Enterprise and her crew to pull a rabbit out of their hat and stop the Borg at Earth." she paused a moment. "They were able to recover their beloved Captain as well, and with him back in Starfleet care. The Enterprise was able to figure out how to stop them and they did. Saving everyone else." she sighed softly. "But the cleanup was insane. The Klingons left behind supplies and support gear but most of their ships didn't stick around. A few birds of prey did. Just in case another Borg ship showed up." she explained. "But one of their older ships began assisting us with evacuating survivors from the most damaged hulks." she paused. "They were performing Ak'voh."

"Ak'voh?" Torilla asked of her mother.

"Ak'voth is an ancient Klingon tradition wherein, after a warrior had died in battle, his comrades stayed with the body to keep away predators, an act which allowed the spirit to leave the body when it was ready for the long journey to Sto-vo-kor. The beleived they had failed us by not being there for fight alongside their greatest allies in their darkest hour." Yamaguchi smiled softly.

Kimora regarded her mother in silence. But it was Torilla who spoke up. "Did Starfleet send any help?"

"They did. Several ships would arrive over the course of the next few days. The Hood, the Chemeti, the Nautilus... Various others. They would receive wounded and evacuees from the Endeavour before departing. The Chemeti and the USS Resolution would both remain for almost a week, going over every hulk, looking for bodies." she paused. "It was a grim task. Body recovery always is. But it's one thats essential. They were given the task and by all accounts. They did it well." She then sighed. "But don't let it fool you. Its a hard task to perform, one of the hardest... You'll see things you won't wanna see. You'll find friends, comrades, loved ones... Even your own kin."

"Recovering the fallen is always a grim task. But it's one that we do because the families of those who fell have a right to have their fallen returned to them, for whatever ritual their culture or people dictate for them." Franklin took that moment to interrupt. "April. The floor is yours."

"Thank you," April answered. "We were able to recover many thousands of bodies of our fallen. But there were many thousands missing whose fates went unknown for years and in some cases, decades later," she commented. "Starfleet mourned our dead and lamented what we'd lost. The Federation had to come to terms with the fact that it was no longer king of its own land anymore. The golden age of exploration had ended in fire and blood. Our blood." she then sighed. "I was able to escape, along with many others from the Yellowstone. But we still lost about a third of the crew for various reasons. Others were wounded, some quite badly and I was one of the latter." she paused. "Radiation poisoning." She noticed the confused looks in the eyes of her various children. April raised a hand to catch their attention. "Don't worry though. I was healed but that came much later on." she smiled. "Long before I had any of you guys," she added.

"Is that good or bad, mom.?" Raymond inquired from the woman he had come to call his mother, even though she had no genetics with him on any level whatsoever.

"It is what it is, son. I was contaminated with a massive pulse of X-ray energy from the Borg cutting beam. Everyone on the bridge was. I and two others survived where everyone else didn't make it." April then sighed. "Starfleet took time to learn from the experiences. It was obvious to all concerned that what they were doing didn't work." she paused. "What was also obvious was that the golden era was truly over. People were scared. Billions of people were in mourning for our dead." April explained. "I was among the wounded and mourning for my mother who had been lost. No trace of her was recovered for decades later. But that is a tale for another time." April closed her eyes for a moment but then she reopened them a moment later. "The next few years were an intresting time for all of us. Starfleet learned much from what was done right, what was done wrong, and we lacked the capability to do." she paused as she considered it. "Starfleet Engineering was told to go back to work on new ship designs but with older methods in mind. More armour and more firepower. Bigger guns and could run faster." she added.

Franklin smiled. "The start of what would later become the modern Starfleet."

April nodded. "The first step to dealing with a problem is admitting there was a problem. Starfleet did that but it was slow and painful," she commented. "For all of us. It was a dark time but Starfleet learned. The Federation also learned much." she paused a moment. "What we didn't learn then, we learned over the fullness of time." she slowly smiled. "My greatest defeat was the same as the Federation's greatest defeat. My greatest wish and hope is that you all never face the kind of pain I suffered at the hands of the Borg."

Franklin nodded his head, now it was time to break up the party. "Alright, guys. Tales over... Questions?" he asked, knowing there would be many.

As expected all of the kids began to shout over each other, demanding to be first to have their questions answered. April lifted her drink to her lips, she then drained a mouthful as she got comfortable. This was going to be good.