The Cold Winds of Icecrown - Part Two

Posted on Tue Mar 17th, 2020 @ 3:18am by Division Admiral Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs & Fleet Captain Marie Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Various Locations - Starbase Vanguard (47)
Timeline: 1800Hrs - June 9th, 2393

Captain Celeste Yamaguchi-Hobbs was in the shower, she was simply handling the day's worth of crud that had built up on her body from work and sweat, she also liked nothing better than to relax under the burning hot water of a good shower. Yamaguchi-Hobbs had few likes and interests these days as the demands of her son and the other kits she had in her company, tended to sap down her enemy and keep her busy.

Yamaguchi-Hobbs recalled that the Andorian twins she had raised were nowhere near as demanding as the three kits she had now, as she turned the water off before she ran her hands over her body, to sluice off the extra water so it would go where it belonged and not onto her bathroom floor, she then stepped out and grasped a towel as she went. Yamaguchi-Hobbs went into the master bedroom with her towel in hand rather than wrapped around her frame, but then she was alone as Brianna was not yet home from work and the kits were looking after themselves and Jackson in the main sitting area.

Yamaguchi-Hobbs smiled, she was happy that she had the kits along with Pasha and Pava in her life. She was a good mother but at times, it scared her to death, the thought of coming home to her own flesh and blood, at times, just terrified her because of what had happened to Celeste herself when she was a teenager.

Yamaguchi-Hobbs finished drying herself off before she began to don her evening wear clothing which consisted of her usual underwear, then over that went a simple shirt and a pair of shorts as Celeste was nothing if not practical before she stepped out of the master bedroom. Suddenly the doorbell rang while Yamaguchi-Hobbs was busy recycling her towel that she had used to dry herself off.

"I got it, mom," Kaleen commented with a smile, the small Caitian female went over to the door and on the other side stood a woman who looked much like Celeste herself and a woman who shared her looks but was also very Cardassian in origin too. "Hey sweetie, is your mom about?" Marie inquired with a smile.

"Aunt Marie!" Kaleen squealed.

Yamaguchi-Hobbs turned her head. "Marie, yes, her mom is here. Come on in. Gilora. Its great to see you, sweetie. What. Oh, congratulations!" Celeste's almost guarded mood evaporated like a snowball of water ice on Vulcan's forge as Yamaguchi-Hobbs spotted Gilora's rather sizeable baby bump. "Come in!"

Moments later, after greetings and hugs were exchanged. Marie nodded to Gilora. "Gilora and I thought we'd drop by because I was in the neighborhood and Gilora wanted some perspective on motherhood. I thought who better to ask than you." Marie explained. "I'm about to become a grandmother!" Marie added, a wide grin on her face.

"Well. Congratulations!" Yamaguchi-Hobbs responded, a wide smile on her face.

Marie knew her sister too well as she knew about the incident that had taken place between Celeste and her mother, the previous evening and she had no wish to add fuel to that burning building. "Gilora here is due in... What was it again sweetie?" she asked her eldest daughter.

"A little over two months from now." the Cardassian-looking female explained, a gentle smile on her lips. "Adrian and I were not expecting it but I'm going to complain either. We'll give this little one the best home and life as we can." the younger female sounded determined, even if she was also afraid.

Yamaguchi-Hobbs nodded. "Well, sweetie. Looking after a little child means your life is no longer your own, you'll grow to hate the sleepless nights, the constant and I mean constant demands for attention from the little guy or little gal. You'll get no time off, no time to yourself. Everything you do in life is no longer your choice alone anymore." there was something in her tone, was it regret or sadness?.

Marie noticed but Gilora didn't but now was not the time to ask about it. Yamaguchi-Hobbs indicated the infant nearby who was playing with two of the Caitian kits. "That's Jackson and he's growing up quickly. He's eating solid food and mostly sleeping through the nights nowadays. But he can be demanding, he's not as bad as he used to be, however." Yamaguchi-Hobbs paused a moment. "But I get no time off for myself. The kits have been a great help but I can't even go to the bathroom, if he wants something, it means right this second, not five minutes from now and not whenever you can. It means right now... I'm sure you already know most of this..."

"I do but I don't mind the reminder. Adrian and I got married a few months ago and now we're considering our assignment options, a new child means that we have to leave the Constance. She's not fitted for children." the Cardassian young woman simply shrugged her shoulders. "We're considering a Starbase or a planetside posting. We're actually considering settling here."

"This base is so brand new. I can still smell the paint fumes and many sections are still under construction but the Taurus Reach has many good postings in it. Along with all the ships present, many could use your skills. But, I confess. I wouldn't mind having you and Adrian present, even if I've never met him."

"Oh, you'll love him. I'd never have been able to get through this without him."

Yamaguchi-Hobbs felt a pang of jealousy and regret before she pushed them both away with an effort.

Marie watched her sister, with a concerned look when she felt someone demanding her attention, Marie looked down as she spotted her nephew. "Hey Jackson!" and with that, she gently picked up her nephew. "Ma!"

"No. I'm your aunt Marie." before she giggled at him as she touched his nose to hers, she was playing with him before she turned him in her hands to face Celeste. "That's your mom." as she indicated Celeste.

"Yuu loo' 'like ma'," Jackson answered.

"We're sisters, sweetie. We're supposed to look alike. Though your mother is the pretty one. I'm the old one." Marie grinned at her nephew as if confessing a deep, dark secret before she handed him off to Gilora. "Here, you hold him for a little while, see what you are getting yourself in for."

Gilora accepted her cousin as she smiled. "Hi little guy!." she paused. "Oh, he's part Klingon."

"Yes. That's thanks to the guy who donated, for the cause." Yamaguchi-Hobbs did not wish to explain that her son was a product of rape, especially not in front of her son. "Let's just say that and leave it there."

Marie did not know the full story of what happened to Celeste in regards to how Jackson came along and she decided that she had to ferret this story from her baby sister sooner rather than later. But what she did know was that this was not a tale that needed to be told here. "Yeah, a wise plan." Marie agreed. "So. Gilora. Think you are in over your head yet?"

The Cardassian female smiled. "I don't think I am, just yet." she paused. "Should I be?" she added a moment later.

"You should," Celeste responded with a slight smile. "But you are not alone in all this drama. You got Adrian and you got us and we'll help you make it work," she added, a wide smile on her face as she watched her niece gently hold Jackson in her arms.