Babysitting

Posted on Sun Feb 23rd, 2020 @ 10:54pm by Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen

Mission: Mission 6: Q-ualty Time
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 400
Timeline: 1900Hrs - February 8th, 2389

Xavier groaned when his speeder crashed yet again; this game was all the rage among the boys in his class and he was determined to get better. "Reload," he said, and a new vid appeared on the screen.

Kaylee never much cared for vid games, preferring to read her storybooks instead. As Xavier sat on the floor trying to guide his speeder to victory she was seated next to Racheal on the couch with a favorite, Charlotte's Web.

"I'm hungry," Xavier complained as he crashed again.

Rachael raised an eyebrow as she looked at the vid game that Xavier was playing. "You're letting your right turns be a little too tight and your left isn't right enough." she commented as she looked at the younger children, she had been looking after them since their aunt was off the base, presently serving with her mother on the USS Venator.

She looked at Xavier. "Okay... well it is almost Sixish... time for dinner I guess..." she commented. "So.... what are we having guys?" Rachael was careful not to treat these two as if they were children because she was still very much a child herself as she treated them with a great deal of respect.

"Chicken!" Xavier shouted enthusiastically from the floor.

"I like chicken noodles," Kaylee offered, looking up from her book.

Rachael looked back at Kaylee and then over to Xavier. "You my good man have had chicken every night for the last four nights..." she replied with a
smile. "Lets try something else..." she added.

"Can we have baked potatoes?" the girl asked hopefully.

Now Rachael felt she was getting somewhere. "Sure... now we need meat to go with it.." she turned her attention to Xavier. "What about you big guy?" she
inquired as she watched him drive off a cliff because the turn was too sharp and he couldn't keep up.

"Ham!" the boy said. "Reload." He switched to a red speeder and started another race.

"Ham.." Rachael echoed as she looked at him. "Tell me something.... do you know anything about proper nutrition?" she inquired as she watched him race. "Not so much to the left.... you're overcorrecting..." she commented as
she turned to the replicator and started ordering food for dinner. "Say, Kaylee.... could you come give me a hand please?"

The girl smiled and left her padd on the couch as she joined Racheal at the replicator. "Can I set the table?" she asked softly.

Rachael smiled down at her, she knew exactly why the little girl was uneasy around her. "Sure, don't let me stop you." she commented as she picked up the large bowl of mashed potato's in one hand and the platter with ham in the other. "Xavier, Dinner will be in five minutes..." she looked at the older child as he crashed his racer again.

Rachael thought at times he was trying too hard and at other times, he didn't try hard enough.

"Five minutes to ham!" Xavier said as he crashed. "I hate this game, load Pack Track." The vid screen changed and a construction loader and ship appeared. He happily began to run the loader, fitting differently shaped containers into the spaceship.

Kaylee carefully set the table, feeling Racheal's presence. The sensations she felt were sometimes overwhelming. Xav, did you feel that?

Feel what?

Nevermind.

Rachael looked at Kaylee as she finally figured it all out. "Kaylee.... that energy surge you felt... was me." she commented quietly. "Because of your abilities, you are sensitive to me and my abilities." the larger child explained.
"However.. I am still very much a child myself and I am as yet, untrained." she smiled at the smaller girl.

The seven year-old blushed and her jaw dropped.

"You are stronger psionicly then your brother is as you are more Betazoid then human.... Your brother is more human then Betazoid... he won't sense me as easy as you will."

Kaylee looked over at Xavier who was clearly enjoying his familiar vid game. She looked back at Racheal. "Is that bad?" she asked softly.

"No.... no sweetie, that's not a bad thing..."

The child sighed with relief, carefully placing a fork on the table. She liked each place setting to match perfectly. She moved closer to the teenager.

"Xavier and I can talk like that. Aunt Tressa can't but I can feel her sometimes," she said softly. "Feel her feelings."

"Your Aunt loves you both very much, never doubt that or question it." Rachael commented with a smile. "However she is fully human and doesn't have the abilities that you have... or that I have." she turned as she extended her hand and a glass from the nearby table came to her hand. "My abilities are rather special." Rachael commented.

"Special?" Kaylee asked.

"Different people can do different things..." Rachael explained to Xavier and Kaylee. "Your aunt.... your mother knows this.."

The girl looked at each place setting to make sure they were all exactly the same. "I don't want to be different," she said.

"From the outside, you're as human as I am.... I'm part Halanian where as you're part Betazoid. In time, you will gain the training to use your abilities.." she explained. "It doesn't make you different. Just unique.... For you are Kaylee Brislan, there will never be another person like you... " Rachael explained. "Same with Xavier over there.... if he's even paying attention.."

Never another person like me. Kaylee tried to wrap her mind around that very big idea. She felt for the reassuring touch of her brother's mind.

'I'm here.'

'I know.' The girl decided to try something new.'Racheal? '

'I'm here too...' The Teenager was suddenly struck by the silence of
empty space as she felt Kaylee and then Xavier both reach out to touch her own mind. That tickles as Rachael smiled.

Both children were looking at her now; Xavier loved his vid games but this was much more interesting. You can hear us!

Aunt Tressa is near! Kaylee grinned and ran towards the door.

Yes, Indeed I can hear you.. Rachael grinned at him I can help you to learn these skills.... if you wish... she added as she touched his mind with her own as she turned her attention to the doctor who was approaching Guys, the Doctor is having a bad day.... as Rachael raised an eyebrow as the door opened and in came Tressa Brislan, her face looked like something other then her normal chipper self and this did not bode well. "Hey Tressa." Rachael greeted the other woman.

"Hello!" Tressa said, bending down to hug Kaylee. She stood with the seven-year in her arms and walked into the kitchen. Xavier ran over and hugged her as she held his sister. "How are you, Racheal? Dinner smells good!"

Rachael smiled at her. "We're good. Xavier can't drive but he is improving.." she explained. "dinner is ready...I thought it best if dinner was kept simple..." she explained. "Also.. these guys need training for their abilities." she added quietly.

"Crashing speeders again?" the doctor asked as she ruffled Xavier's hair.

"It's so hard," he whined, sitting down at the table.

Tressa put Kaylee down so she could take her seat. "You are right, Racheal. They need some guidance and I certainly can't provide it." The doctor still seemed sad as she reached for the plate of ham and began to serve the children, then passed the plate to the teenager.

Rachael could feel the seething witches cauldron's brew of emotions radiating from the Doctor as she accepted the last plate. "Thanks... I can help Kaylee and Xavier here to understand their abilities..." she smiled.

"They certainly love you, and I would appreciate that," Tressa said with a smile.

"Consider it done" she commented with a smile as the touched the two children's minds with her own If... you two are interested, I can't force either of you two... it has to be up to you

It's not homework, is it?

Xavier! Yes, we can do it!

Alright, then its agreed. Rachael thought as she added verbally. "It'll be fun."

Tressa smiled again as she cut into a thick slice of ham. "Thank you Racheal."

"More ham, please," Xavier added. Tressa put another slice on his plate.

Rachael smiled as she picked up her knife and fork and then started on her food.

Mmmmm ham!

Kaylee just giggled.

Rachael chuckled softly as well as she finished her mouthful