A Symphony of Fire and Frost - Part One

Posted on Mon Feb 24th, 2020 @ 4:57pm by Fleet Captain Torilla Yamaguchi & Commodore Siaxx "Bluemoon" Dvald-Vaxx MD & Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan
Edited on on Fri Mar 13th, 2020 @ 1:27am

Mission: Mission 14: Rage Rage Rage Against the Dying of the Light
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 400
Timeline: 1900Hrs - June 2nd, 2390

Lt Commander Torilla Yamaguchi made her way into Crum's establishment
in something of a daze as she blinked, she looked like she had been handed some news which was something of a shock.

She made her way to where Siaxx was sitting as the Bolian rose and gently gave the larger Halanian female a hug. "Hey... have a seat, we're just waiting on Phoenix now."

"Okay." Torilla gently guided herself into a chair as the Pilot arrived.

Phoenix was not long behind. Wearing her flight suit zipped halfway down, she found Siaxx and almost smiled brightly, had she not spotted Torilla. She had forgotten that the taller woman would be at this lunch.

Taking a deep breath, she sat down beside of Siaxx and she nodded to Torilla, "Hello again."

Torilla nodded at Phoenix. "Hey." she greeted the third member of their party in a cheerful manner but the tear streaks on her face gave it away that all was not well in the Kingdom of Yamaguchi.

"Should I leave you two to talk? Phoenix asked to Siaxx, for Phoenix never really knew what to say to distraught folks, aside from the grim truth.

Siaxx shook he head. "No... its okay..."

Torilla simply nodded her head. "Once I process the news and come to terms with my issues for the next nine months, I will be alright... the limited duty will suck.. and no martial arts.... I'll go insane from boredom."

Siaxx smiled. "I know you weren't planning for it to happen."

"I know... like I said.... I'll be okay."

"You could abort the thing," Phoenix suggested in a slightly insensitive manner. That's what she would of done anyway, had the pilot known she was pregnant.

Torilla raised an eyebrow as she regarded the pilot. "I thought about it." she admitted. "but... I'm Halanian and every child we have is precious." she sighed softly. "It was like that with Rachael.... so will be it with this one."

Siaxx raised an eyebrow. "So you did make up your mind then..."

"Yes... this one deserves a chance... same as Rachael did." she paused. "So.. how did meeting with your family go?" she inquired as she looked from Siaxx to Phoenix, clearly not waning her pregnancy to be the subject of chatter.

Phoenix exchanged glances with Siaxx for a moment, then fought very hard to keep her dour disposition. It failed though, for Phoenix very much enjoyed spending time with her folks... And Aryssa.

"Well, I suppose. Mom will be seeing Doctor Brislan soon for treatment." Phoenix then shrugged, "An' Aryssa wants to live on her own so I suppose I'll give her my pad."

"Fair enough, if you need anything, I'm here." Torilla commented with a smile.

Siaxx raised an eyebrow as it was clear that this was a statement she had not been expecting from Torilla.

"Aryssa is my bastard child... An' I've no clue how to be her mom. Don' rather think she'll see me as such, once Mom dies," Phoenix admitted rather gloomily. "She's almost grown though. I dunno what needs be teach'n to her at this point."

"The best thing that you can do... Phoenix." Torilla commented. "Is let her know that you are there and that you'll always be there.... those connections between mother and child are very hard to break." she paused. "you just need to decide if you want her in your life.."

"I'm a sour, angry, nasty drunk," Phoenix stated rather bitterly. Ashamed, really of the fact. "Everyone on this station knows I have a temper, an' that I'm an alcoholic. An' kids don' need that for role models. An' I dunno if I can be her mother, even if I tried to clean my act up. I lost that shot when I let Mom take her so I could fight the Fed's war with the Dominion."

"You are yourself... you take no prisoners, no mercy to your enemies." she commented. "If you and your daughter want to know each other then... simply give it time... besides... with Siaxx around, I think you'll be fine... you can always change your habits and you can always improve yourself but.... you have to want it for yourself..."

"When did she tell you she and I were seeing each other?" Phoenix asked out of curiosity.

"Actually she didn't." Torilla responded. "But we were chatting over lunch while on the Yorktown's shakedown." she explained. "and she mentioned how she was helping smooth off your rough edges, I knew she was leaving a lot unsaid but she didn't tell and I didn't ask." Torilla then smiled at the other woman. "I recognized that some things are not meant for public chat so I left it alone."

Siaxx nodded. "Which I really did appreciate Torilla." it was the first words she'd said in close to five minutes now.

"I prefer the station didn't think I was tame all the same," Phoenix reminded both of them. "Last thing I want is to be invited to more social events."

"Then... you don't need to do so." Torilla commented. "Even if you are invited, you can refuse."

Siaxx nodded. "Aryssa and you need to connect...."

"Yeah...." Phoenix shook her head skeptically. "I don' hang 'round kids all that much. I dunno how to connect with her. I dunno what kids her age like, aside from sex."

"Give it time..." Torilla commented. "If she wants to know you... she'll tell you straight out."

"So what are we eating for lunch," Phoenix said, no doubt looking for a subject change.

"Whatever you like." Siaxx responded as a waitress came over with three menu's. "Can I get you ladies something to drink to start you off?"

"Vodka on the rocks," Phoenix ordered without thinking.

"I'll have an Orange punch." Torilla smiled as Siaxx commented. "Bolian Spice Wine."

"I guess I'm just afraid I'll hurt Aryssa," Phoenix finally spoke once the waitress walked off. "I'm not even sure if I love her the way a parent should. Part of her reminds me of someone I really care not to see, yet another part of her reminds me of me."

Torilla nodded her head. "You make a fair point." she admitted. "but its not Aryssa's fault that her father was a complete and total asshole." she then smiled. "I'd like to meet this guy though... maybe I can... educate him." and with that a rather evil smile appeared on the larger womans face.

"Well another part of this whole drama is that she failed to even enlist in the marines because the prison colony's school system is extremely sup par," Phoenix spoke with a frown. "She wants to follow in my footsteps - which I detest everythin' political 'bout the Federation. An' she only has an eighth grade read'n level."

Siaxx nodded her head as she sighed softly. "So she needs an education." as Torilla added. "she might get along with Rachael.... then again, she might not... how old did you say she was again?"

"Seventeen in three months, I think," Phoenix answered with a bit of difficulty. "Not rightly sure she's into the things your kid is into though. At the moment, she's got this fixation with holo arena sports. And there is apparently an massive Quidditch League floating around that folks make bars of latnium on - which she wants to be a professional chaser for this league."

Phoenix frowned for she clearly did not understand how a holodeck program could be considered a sport. Nor did Phoenix understand the sport all that much.

"Quidditch?" Torilla inquired with a raised eyebrow. "I've never heard of it."

Siaxx also had a look of confusion on her face. "Wait... isn't that something from a kids book?"

"Her father paid for her holodeck time on the colony and bought her this interactive broom-thing called a Firebolt 1280 - which I have no idea what the significance is of it. Carries it in a guitar-like case," Phoenix added, just as confused as they are. "Personally, I think it's a silly new trend to play fictional sports and she's been sheltered by my folks and her dad. But since she's convinced she aint gonna be allowed into Starfleet, joining this professional holodeck league seems like her only hope."

"Well sounds like she's due for an education." Torilla commented. "Will she be remaining here on base or will she be departing with your family?" she inquired.

Siaxx raised an eyebrow. "So Holodeck sports are becoming popular... somehow I'm not shocked."

"I aint much a scholar teacher. So I doubt I can be much of a help. Starfighter Command wants ta put in a Junior Flight Cadet program on 400 though. But I wouldn't put her in a training fighter at her reading level, to be honest." Phoenix did not sound very happy about that thought. She wanted to help her daughter get her foot into the door, but knew it was too risky to put a person with a reading disability, in any sort of military vehicle.

Torilla raised an eyebrow. "Are there enough people to warrant such a program here?" she inquired. "I know a dozen people are going to try for the academy next year." she added.

"It is a program designed to let the top flight team's seniors of each Junior Cadet program, gain automatic entrance into Starfleet Academy," Phoenix went on to explain. "Some of the classes they take in the junior cadet corps program will transfer over to the Academy. And by the time the flight cadet finishes all four years of their Academy program, they'll be a much better, seasoned combat pilot."

Phoenix then fished inside her flight suit's pockets until she pulled out a PADD with a fully detailed outline. "They have to pass Basic Flight, Advanced Flight, and have two-hundred proficiency hours of simulator time in fighter combat before they can form their own flight teams and compete year-round. Considering the station has a massive civilian population and eager kids to join the ranks, Starfighter Command wants to bring a higher-interest to the Starfighter program by starting this program and getting kids in fighters."

"I wonder if Starfleet and the Marines are going to get a program like that going.." Torilla commented. "it would be helpful in building better cadets and officers."

"They don't need to, given the many infantry junior military schools," Phoenix spoke with a shrug. "It takes a long time to groom a pilot though, which is why combat pilots have the highest death rate in the fleet."

"With such a low chance of survival in missions... one wonders why people even want to become pilots." Torilla responded. "A multi-gigaton explosion will shred an entire squadron of fighters in formation."

Siaxx raised an eyebrow. "Didn't the Borg have a plan for some sort of mine that would simulate a massive explosion?"

Torilla nodded. "Yes... The multi-kinetic neutronic mine" she explained. "I don't think any Federation starship or even starbase for that matter could handle an explosion on that scale."

"How big are we talking?" Siaxx inquired.

"Roughly the equivalent of a star twenty to forty times the mass of Sol exploding."

"In Valens name...." Siaxx breathed. "Only the Borg would be retarded enough to develop a weapon like that."

"I could name one reason kids learn to be a pilot," Phoenix smirked. "The ion torpedo. Strips shields on the first direct hit. Renders the ship adrift on the next three to five... And the only vessel in the Starfleet flotilla that has the ability to launch such a torpedo is the Mach II Scorpion fighter."

And then, as if a child excited to open a Christmas present, Phoenix added, "And SB 400's wing is getting a nice order of those birds. One of which I intend to master and fly. Would also take the Borg several years to figure out how to combat against such a torpedo, even in mini form."