For the Good of Others

Posted on Mon Feb 24th, 2020 @ 1:23am by Admiral Jake Yamaguchi & Lieutenant Commander Meslina Amakawa & Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen

Mission: Mission 10: Holding on and Letting Go
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 400
Timeline: 1230Hrs - May 9th, 2389

Captain Jake 'Atin' Yamaguchi sighed softly as he lifted a glass of orange punch before he drained it. "Rachael, Phoenix and I were talking and she explained a couple of things to me.... Her and Lieutenant Dvald are willing to give you a second place to live in case things with your mom gets out of hand."

"It'll help... I don't want to be a pain Dad... I love it here."

"I know.. I can see it in the way you fly... in how you live and how you do things here."

"Thanks Dad." the teenager responded as she noticed Ensign Meslina Amakawa nearby, Rachael smiled as she waved the older woman over. "Dad, meet Meslina Amakawa." she turned to Meslina. "Meslina, meet Jake Yamaguchi, my dad... pull up a chair and join us."

Moving over to where the younger Yamaguchi was Meslina gave a small smile at the girl as she remembered the training that they had together. "Hello Rachael, and hello Sir it's an honor to meet you. Your daughter has helped me feel at home here which I am highly thankful for." Looking at the man before her she didn't know if she was interrupting their conversation and felt that it may be slightly rude if she did just pull up a chair so out of respect she waiting until the older man said it was fine to join them.

Jake Yamaguchi regarded his daughter before her turned his attention to the Ensign who was in uniform, he assumed she was younger because she wore the rank of Ensign, as he indicated the seat across from him, he noticed the lines around her eyes, he realized she was older. "The honor... is mine... have a seat."

Taking the sit that was indicated to her she sat down, "Thank you, Sir. I'm sure that this will be a new and fun assignment for me." As she looked at Jake she noticed that he was studying her to get a feel of this new Ensign that was now seated just the opposite of him. "I have not had the chance to eat today so if you don't mind I will be getting something," she told the two Yamaguchi's.

"Okay then I will have a omelet with some fried rice and a Vanilla coffee," Meslina told the waiter. As he left with her order she noticed that they were looking at her kind of funny, "sorry I have developed a weird appetite when I've been stationed from place to place. But no matter it's something that helps me remain calm when I can enjoy the simple things." Meslina gave a small laugh that was kind of nervous at the same time, she felt that sitting at the same table with a Captain was something that was only reserved for higher standing personnel.

As her food arrived she pulled out a small container from her pocket, Rachael looked at it and then her father who gave her an unknowing shrug, "Meslina what is that you have?" She asked her before she had the chance to open the contents.

"Oh this," she said "it's something that I picked up on Earth when I was at Starfleet Academy...Kind of stupid I know." Opening the container she pulls out a pair of chopsticks, "I don't know why but I like the feeling of using chopsticks to eat rather than a fork or spoon, though I still need a knife to spread butter," she gave a small pout but then smiled happily.

Jake raised an eyebrow. "I sometimes prefer fingers myself... fries are so much easier to eat.. but chopsticks can be handy too." he raised an eyebrow. "There is nothing that's stupid Meslina." he regarded her.

Rachael nodded. "I prefer a fork and spoon rather then a fork and knife." the teen explained.

Laughing a little at Jake's comment of nothing is stupid she is reminded of her father. "That sounded just like my father back on Trill whenever I would ask him questions." A small frown crossed her features before she could hide it again with a smile.

Looking to Rachael she nodded, "yeah sometimes it's just easier to use a fork and spoon. I know it's much easier to use your fingers to eat Gagh," she said looking back to Jake. "And soups you need a spoon for regardless."

The food finally arrived and she had clapped her hands in front of her before she expertly cut the omelet into smaller pieces before picking it up and taking a grateful bite. "This is surprisingly good for station food," came her response after taking a small sip of her coffee as well.

Rachael raised an eyebrow as a smile appeared on her face. "True... but you should try the food on the Courageous." the teenager commented. "Over there the replicators work much better."

Jake chuckled softly. "My crew eats good food, Mike Walshingham and I both saw to that." he regarded the youthful looking woman. "So... tell me about yourself... and how you two met.." he then looked at his daughter who turned a shade of deep chocolate.

Watching Rachael changing colors as amusing as it was it was not the time to do so as Jake was waiting for an answer. "Well to be honest there isn't much that I can say about myself other than what's in my records, I still have a long life ahead of me... or at least I hope I do, and with in that time I hope to make more of a name to myself so that there will be something to say rather than what I've done in the service of the Federation."

"As for how me and Rachael meeting, well that's just pure chance really. I had just arrived on the station and finished my meeting with Dr. Romans and Ensign Jiao Anderson, whom explained to me that Commander Torilla was off station at the moment. So with nothing really to do other than unpack and explore I decided that I wished to go find a holosuite to get some exercise in." Taking a small break to finish off the rest of the omelet and coffee she had wished that she didn't drink the coffee as fast.

"As I was waiting for the turbolift to arrive I was thinking about how my new post was going to turn out and if I was going to enjoy it. That's when I meet Rachael since she too was on her way to the holosuite to get some training in for the morning. I made the suggestion that we spar together sometime and she welcomed me to join her in her training, after a few amusing bouts we parted ways in hopes that we would meet yet again, and now here we are." Meslina finished with a smile.

Jake smiled as he took a moment to enjoy his daughters apparent discomfort as Rachael took a moment to pull herself together. "Yes... it was educational."

Jake chuckled softly. "I'll bet..."

Looking at the exchange between father and daughter Meslina thought of home, "you two seem to get along very well. It's nice to see that still even in large star bases where it's almost a high chance that the parents will be off on a mission." Still watching the two Meslina had thought of something else, "Rachael didn't you say something about having siblings? I just remembered that since I'm a only child I wouldn't mind meeting some of your brother's and sisters."

Rachael nodded as a smile appeared on her face. "Indeed.. I'm the youngest at present." she commented. "Elizabeth and Gabriel are at the academy... they won't be back here for another several weeks... but until midterms." she commented. "I'll let you know when Gabriel is around..." she then smiled. "So you can hide from him."

Jake chuckled. "Or maybe Elizabeth might try hitting on you."

Tilting her head to the side a little, "I'm sorry excuse me?" But inwardly Meslina wasn't too upset at that idea. Looking back between the two of them trying to get a read off their faces.

Jake Yamaguchi smiled. "My children are on the adventitious side." he explained.

"Yes... Paul, my boyfriend met Beth when she started hitting on him..." the teen smiled at the memory.

Meslina couldn't help but laugh at tiny bit at the comment, "though Rachael don't forget that I'm 37 so I don't know if your siblings would want to hit on me. Even though I look a lot younger because of my height and build." Thinking about it more Meslina shook her hand at the idea, then again she thought, it might be nice to have a family again...even if it is a big one.

Looking back to Jake she asked, "So Sir, how long will you be able to stay on the station?"

Captain Yamaguchi raised a eyebrow. "I'll be here for a few days while I wait for my next set of orders." he commented. "Probably another patrol assignment."

Meslina nodded, "that's good at least I will have the chance to meet you again and maybe once I stop getting lost all the time on the station we could all get together and have some more time to talk and possibly get to know each other better."

Rachael smiled. "Sounds good."

Looking down Meslina smiles a bit, then looks back up to Jake and Rachael and makes sure that they know that she is sincere. "Well I hate to call this short but I have to go report for duty soon so I will see you two again sometime. Also be careful out there when you go back out Sir." With that she stood and gave a quick salute and turned to leave.

Yamaguchi nodded. "I'll do that Ensign." and with that he stood up as he returned her salute with one of his own. "You take care Ensign."

Rachael remained seated as she didn't wear the uniform and thus, was not required to give a salute when on was given to her, plus she though the idea of a salute was archaic and unusual but she wasn't about to question it.