Ash and Cinder - Part Four

Posted on Sat Mar 21st, 2020 @ 5:09am by Admiral Jake Yamaguchi & Admiral Lil'yanna Olmos & Fleet Captain Racheal Yamaguchi
Edited on on Wed Mar 31st, 2021 @ 4:34am

Mission: Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Various Locations - Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 1715Hrs - September 10th, 2393

"How is Nalla doing these days anyway... You never said." Rachael Yamaguchi inquired with a gentle smile.

"Nalla is doing well, she is settling into command of the USS Salvation. Admiral Emerson had to make a few rather special allowances for her, her Exec is also the ships Commander and she handles medical duties as well as command duties." Olmos explained. "Her Exec is a Vulcan whom I believe you know. T'Qella."

"I remember her. She will take good care of Nalla, once she understands the particulars of the assignment." Jake answered evenly. "Commander T'Qella is a real strange one but she will fit with Nalla's style rather well," he commented. "However, we should return to the main subject at hand."

"Yes... You were angry because you never expected to see or ever know your child with Nalla. Right?" Olmos asked.

"She denied me a father's right to know my child..." Jake answered.

"She didn't deny you, Jake, it wasn't her, it never was... I was the one who denied you... Now before you lose it at me, let me explain first..." Olmos paused. "You needed time to process what you had been through... I know this because I helped create that thoughtscape where you were able to process all of those memories... and because of that, you denied the other Jake's right to exist... Had he been permitted to remain, he would have poisoned your very soul Jake..." Olmos sighed. "I still have nightmares about him... and what he did..."

"Lil'yanna... In my nightmares, I can still hear him... in my soul, I can still feel him..." Jake sighed softly.

"But he still has no right to exist, Jake, he never did..." Olmos paused. "You did the right thing by not permitting him to remain as a part of you."

"No, but his memories remain as a part of me," Jake commented.

"I know... That's why I feel I owe you an explanation... I also owe one to Elizabeth Yamaguchi-Solusar, her husband and another to Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs as well... Their assignments here was under false pretenses... I wanted them here to serve as a safety net for you. I felt it best that you have family present, in case something stupid happened. I also took the liberty of explaining your case to Heather Duval... Did you ever wonder why she has an almost motherly feeling towards you?"

"You should have told me all this," Jake answered. "It would have-" was as far as he got before she cut him off.

"Changed nothing Jake, you would still have felt besieged. I took these actions because I was and I still am deeply concerned about you. I know you tend to operate better with family close by, and Torilla can't always be present, I know how much you miss her... So I called in many of the favors I was owed to get you the checks you have... However, I am not at liberty to keep your family here so I hope they can help you overcome your enemies before they decide to move onto other assignments."

"What your telling me isn't easy to accept..." Jake admitted quietly. "I didn't know..."

"But you still have issues to resolve Jake... I can see it in your eyes... I know you better then you think..." Olmos answered. "Anyway... Just so you know, Bethany is presently asleep in the main bedroom. When she is awake and you are ready, then you meet her... But for now..."

"Yeah, let her sleep..." Jake answered quietly. "What about Siaxx?"

"She was assigned here for the same reasons, to keep tabs on you, she is fully qualified as are many of Roanoke's crew, those who know you will know what to look for." Olmos paused. "Do you know why Heather Duval refused your request to be demoted back to Captain and to leave her command?" Olmos paused, fearing this was going to cause the very thing she was trying to prevent.

"Heather said she needed me, that she was only holding the chair warm for me to take it later," Jake explained.

"She was not lying to you Jake, she truly sees greatness in you." Olmos paused. "She has a special place in her heart for you, someone who has faced so much, endured and lost much but came out stronger each time. You know how to lead and look after your people, what's more, is that you know how to be humble to them and you have a sense of humor, even after all the insanity you have dealt with over the last few years." Olmos explained. "You can bow to the absurd without getting angry, plus you have the ability to not hold a grudge and not pull the usual Admiral horseshit that some Admirals like to do." Olmos sighed softly.

"I was so sure that I was not ready for this job," Jake admitted. "I wanted to go back out," Jake admitted.

"That's understandable. But Jake, real leaders are rare and need to be looked after" Olmos explained evenly

"But you know how many regs you violated with regards to me..." Jake answered with a nod. "Not that I would mention this of course. This conversation never happened and we were never here," he added as he rose to his feet. "Do you mind if I check on her?"

"Sure," Yamaguchi explained. "The master bedroom is right over there, down the hall to the right."

Jake moved off down the hallway in silence as Olmos turned to her old friend. "Was it wise... What I said?"

"You told him the truth... He might not like it... But he will respect you for it... Plus you have good intentions at heart, you're looking out for him, I can't fault that..." she paused. "But the number of regs you violated... But then sometimes when the regs don't work, they deserve to be broken." the older woman in a young womans body, simply shrugged her shoulders as if to say she did not care.

Olmos nodded. "Exactly." she knew her old friend well.

Meanwhile Jake tapped the door release to his mother's bedroom and the style inside was much as he recalled it from his childhood, he nodded to the holonanny who nodded back. He moved over to the crib as he smiled down at the sleeping infant, who suddenly woke up. "Hey, sweetie... I'm your dad... Its good to meet you, at last."

Bethany simply smiled as she looked up into her fathers eyes.