By Fire we Burn - Part Two

Posted on Thu Feb 27th, 2020 @ 2:09am by Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Commodore Siaxx "Bluemoon" Dvald-Vaxx MD & Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan

Mission: Mission 16: Hoist the Colours
Location: Various Locations - USS Roanoke
Timeline: 2350Hrs, December 11th, 2390

The night was dark as Rachael lay on the biobed, she felt a measure of trepidation and fear as all around her was silent, she couldn't feel her mother anywhere and it bothered her.

She heard a sound. "Mom?" Rachael whispered

“She’s talkin’ ta the Co an’ likely security folk,” Phoenix answered very soberly as she sat, looking worried about the child before her. She was pale from sick-ridden guilt and sweaty from being so nervous.

"Hey..." Firebird greeted her flight leader, her teacher and mentor. "Whats going on..." she asked quietly.

“Gonad is dead. An’ folks are sayin’ he was murdered,” Phoenix answered just as quietly, but took Rachael by the hand as if to console both of them. What she really wanted, was a very stiff drink.

Rachael looked at Phoenix as she whispered. “Where’s mom?”

“Siaxx tells me she’s bein’ questioned by security folks.” Phoenix swallowed hard, as the guilt was becoming unbearable. To stare at this innocent child. “Tane’s tryin’ ta keep it in-house. So your mom won't get in trouble.”

Rachael looked like a small and terrified child. “Wait… mom killed Gonad?” she said very quietly.
“I can’t believe it..” and with that she began moving as she slowly moved across the biobed until she was sitting with her legs hanging off of the biobed, her face a study in shock and horror.

“She did it to protect you,” Phoenix tried to explain, with tears falling out of her eyes. “To hurt a mother’s young, is to bring a mother’s wrath… She would die for ya. As would I, ta see ya safe.”

Rachael looked at Phoenix, she could feel the other woman’s darkness, her fear and her failure but what really jumped out at her was the guilt, it was overwhelming so she climbed into Phoenix’s lap as she felt the other woman gently gather her into her arms.

Rachael rested her head on Phoenix’s shoulder. “I’m sorry..”

Meanwhile in a darkened corner of sickbay, Siaxx Dvald watched quietly, a wide smile on her face a she watched the scene play out before her, tears streaming down her own face. “Jill...you’d make a great mother… if only I could make you see…. now I need to get you off the booze… and keep you off of it forever..” she whispered to herself.

Phoenix wanted to apologize but found she could not. Not to such a gentle soul like Rachael. Thus she did the best thing she knew to do. Which was to cuff the girl into a secure hug and just hold her until the girl felt safe and secure.

“Today was the best day….ever… I got to fly out of spacedock….” Rachael commented with her eyes closed. “I got to fly on your wing…. and then this happened.” the teen shifted ever so slightly. “Stop blaming yourself Mom for the misdeeds of others.” and with that Rachael gently kissed Phoenix on the cheek.

“I was supposed ta protect ya,” Phoenix spoke with a knot in her throat, while caressing Rachael’s hair.

“You did..” Rachael whispered. “in the fight. you covered me… letting me showcase my skills and sharpen them… What happened wasn’t your fault Jill..” Rachael had her eyes closed as she felt at ease in Phoenix's arms. “You’re blaming yourself…. I can feel your guilt… don’t… I hate it when you are hard on yourself…”

“I treat ya like you’re a peer too much. An’ I forget too often that you’re young,” Phoenix spoke with a sniffle. “Your dad made me promise him ta keep you safe an’ I did not.”

“I don’t think Dad will hold Gonad attacking me against you..” Rachael whispered softly. “Dad would have killed him in mom’s place.”

“Lots of folks woulda killed ‘em in your mom’s place,” Phoenix admitted very protectively, like Firebird was her own young. “Cause you’re loved by many here. Boomer. Siaxx. Your mom… Tane, I suppose.”

“I know…” Rachael commented softly. “So are you Jill… are you going to start drinking again?” she inquired. “It doesn’t suit you…”

“I agree. But ta tell ya no, would be a lie I don’ wanna make with you,” Phoenix admitted somberly.

“Jill…please don’t…” Rachael asked softly. “You’re a much nicer person when you don’t drink… and blaming yourself for Gonad being an asshole is too much…” the teen said softly. “don’t let him bring you down to his level…. he was a coward and a drunk… besides… you have Siaxx and Mom…” she commented. “for as long as Mom is around before they send her to jail…”

“She’s not goin’ ta jail.” Phoenix made that sound like an absolute. Mostly because a part of her felt like she should take responsibility. To go to some military jail for negligence in command. To pay for this injustice in some way. For not just Firebird was hurt.

With watery blue eyes, she hugged Rachael even closer to her chest. “She aint goin’ ta jail, hun. Ya got my word on that.”

“Alright.” Rachael responded quietly. “I hope not…. I can’t lose her…”

“You wont. Just rest, Sweetie,” Phoenix spoke as she tried to soothe the girl. Her eyes wandered a bit and gradually found Siaxx. Her girlfriend’s smile made her feel a bit better.

Rachael quietly sobbed until she fell asleep, as Siaxx watched Phoenix put the teenager ever so gently back to bed, she gently glided across the floor as if she had become a ghost, she gently slid her arms around Phoenix’s form. “Jill...I’m so proud of you…”

“I never did anythin’ special Siaxx,” Phoenix whispered with a perplexed expression. “She sat on me an’ hugged me. I just returned it.”

“Which is what a good mother is supposed to do.” Siaxx commented softly. “Jill… you’d make one hell of a mother…. if you’re half this good with our future children…. then I think our children are in the very best of hands..” the Bolian smiled warmly as she wiped her face before she gently kissed Phoenix on the lips. “Just… don’t hit the bottle… thats all I ask of you… I know you want a drink…. but what you really need… is a good fuck…”

“I can’ refuse that,” Phoenix agreed with a small smile. “But… Sex don’ take that cravin’ away, Dear.”

Siaxx nodded. “I know….its time to detox you from alcohol.” she commented softly. “that craving will destroy you if we let you..”

“Sex first,” Phoenix insisted, for she did not want to think about the withdrawal symptoms.

“I know…” Siaxx smiled. “Tomorrow… I’m off so we can clear the air then okay…. but tonight… I’m gonna get a couple of hours of sleep in my office… that way Rachael has someone close by if something goes wrong.” she explained.

“I agree,” Phoenix nodded in agreement, and went back to watching Rachael breath heavily in her sleep.

Siaxx smiled as she gently kissed Phoenix on the cheek before moving off in silence, giving Phoenix time to be with the child she had accepted as her own in all but name.