Arbiter

Posted on Sat Oct 11th, 2014 @ 8:12am by Captain Torilla Yamaguchi & Lieutenant Colonel Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan

2,195 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Mission 86 - Discovery
Location: Promenade - Starbase 400

"Arbiter"

Captain Jake 'Atin' Yamaguchi
Major Jillian 'Phoenix' Sullivan

Guest Starring
Lt Commander Torilla Yamaguchi

***** Promenade - Starbase 400 *****

Captain Jake 'Atin' Yamaguchi turned his head left and then to his right as he regarded the hustle and bustle of the promenade as something he had to tolerate but not enjoy as he almost smiled.

He smiled as he regarded his wife who had come to greet him, she had another woman with her as Jake approached, rather then embrace her as he usually would do, he waited for the introductions.

"Phoenix, this is Jake Yamaguchi. My husband."

"Hello," Phoenix greeted with a simply nod, wearing the top of her pilot's flightsuit tied around her waist.

Torilla turned to her husband. "Jake, this is Phoenix. She's presently training Rachael in various forms of combat."

"Good to meet you Phoenix." he didn't inquire about her given name and he knew his wife well enough to know how she thought, he also noted that Torilla didn't mention his rank but Jake also helped that issue by wearing a pair of black cargo pants, white sneakers with a sweatshirt which said. 'First in, Last Out' and on the back was an odd looking symbol which looked vaguely like a red sunbird with twelve fighters heading out in all directions and over that said. 'Rogue Leader'

"Rogue Squadron," Phoenix noted with mirth. "I'm a bit jealouse I don' have a shirt like that."

Jake nodded. "Well this sweatshirt was a gift from Talon, she got it while on assignment, its quite literally one of a kind." he then smiled. "Yes, I heard... Rachael speaks highly of you and she seldom speaks well of anyone." he commented evenly. "So... where we off to.?"

"Well.. we're off to lunch... "

Jake nodded. "May I join you?" he inquired, he wasn't just going to interrupt lunch simply because Torilla was his wife, she had her own business to conduct on the Starbase.

Phoenix's answer was an indifferent shrug. Who was she to deny a couple a meal together.

"I would not presume that I am invited Phoenix." he commented evenly.

"I don' mind," Phoenix insisted.

"Fair enough." Jake responded as he fell into step with his wife. "So.. Jake what's new?"

"Not much. The Courageous is presently in for resupply and shore leave." he explained. "I want my crew to get some leave time and.... I want you to spend some time with your grandson."

A smile graced Torilla's lips. "Sounds great..." she responded as she turned to Phoenix. "Is Siaxx going to be making that legendary Shepherds Pie of hers again?"

"I dunno..." Phoenix answered honestly, for Siaxx and she had not been as close. Seeing Siaxx become so aggressive towards folks was part of the reason. "We spend most our meals at my mom's, really."

Jake and Torilla shared a look before Jake commented. "Fair enough." he really found that he couldn't say much else as they reached the destination restaurants. "Interesting choice." he commented.

Rather the stress had finally began to wane, or Phoenix was going through a new stage of grief, it was unclear. What was easily transparent was Phoenix's willingness to try to get along with folks, but it was not due to any major effort on her part. She was not so much as guarded in her thoughts, but more quiet. Observing, as she had normally been. Only without the brooding, angry temperament she typically carried.

"I'm guessin' you folks wanna know what I'm trainin' your kid to do on our long weekends in the holodeck?" Phoenix asked as she followed the pair into the restaurant.

Jake nodded. "I had that thought." he commented. "indeed... I'd like to know."

Torilla kept her silence as a waiter came over. "just three?" he inquired. "okay, if you'll follow me."

Torilla led in silence as her husband and Phoenix followed.

"I'm trainin' her ta be an elite combat pilot," Phoenix answered, then thought to elaborate further as she stayed close behind Torilla. "Good flyin' is only part of what makes a combat pilot an' I want her in my wing - more specifically, in my squadron by next year. So ta do that, I'm makin' sure she gets elite simulator experience and elite ground combat trainin' without overwhelmin' her."

Jake and Torilla shared a look, this was clearly a surprise to them both. "That might be a challenge for her.... she does have other training she needs to do." Jake explained. "Her psionic abilities need to be honed as well."

Torilla nodded. "Also she needs to do her martial arts training as well."

"Martial arts is a training that takes a lifetime ta master, which is not a requirement for pilots. It is basic hand-to-hand, which she already has," Phoenix corrected both of them. "Thing you two have ta realize is that she's a natural with a stick. An' it's a skill that leads to a successful career path if she's got tha leadership. An' if she's got the necessary survival trainin', combat trainin', an' other auxiliary skills before others in her flight squadron, then 'at puts her top of class. Means she can choose her first plane an' posting."

Phoenix let that sink in before she added, "...Means she can be here, without havin' ta attend Flight Academy on Earth, and be here with your family, where she can continue to hone her other skills that really aren't all that necessary for a pilot of her caliber."

Torilla smiled. "Very nice. I'm sure she will appreciate you considering her family as well as her in your plans...."

"Does she know of these plans?" Jake inquired as he regarded Phoenix.

"She's agreed to these sessions so she can become an officer, early," Phoenix both answered and evaded. "Pretty much don' want her knowin' she's as good as she is, in flyin' cause it'll get her shunned by her peers. An' if she wants it bad enough, she'll devote most her spare time to the trainin' I'm givin' her.""

Torilla nodded. "Makes sense... she isn't large for her age and she does tend to attract attention with her looks."

Jake raised an eyebrow as he added. "She's always had a good grasp of flying, even if she's not flown the real thing by herself yet.... she's flown them with me though... so she has been in the real cockpit."

"Combat pilots are trained very similarly to special forces, due to the fact we see wingmates blowup in front of us all the time in high-risk missions," Phoenix explained very carefully. "Though I will admit, I'm givin' her the same spec ops skills I learned in Starfleet, an' from back home as an additive for my new squadron."

Jake nodded. "I'm glad that you feel you can teach Rachael anything." he commented. "and that she is a good student."

Torilla meanwhile listened to the conversation but she wasn't thinking about Rachael, she was thinking about the two life forms, sleeping deep inside of her, developing and waiting to be born.

"It's more ta do with making sure she don' get killed," Phoenix amended. "Lots of good pilots die.. Only reason I aint died yet is cause of luck."

Jake raised an eyebrow, he was never a firm believer in luck. "Fair enough." he regarded the human woman before him. "Do you think she has skills in the cockpit?" he flagged down a waiter as he inquired.

"Don' know... Until I get her in tha real seat," Phoenix answered honestly. "Thought about lettin' her be my reel until she's got more hours in a real plane."

Torilla blinked, this for her was a major surprise and the look on her face said as much, however it was Jake who explained. "Rachael has had an affinity for math and piloting since she was a little girl. What gave it away was that she has a flawless sense of direction... she was at home in space more so then any of our other children..."

"Yeah... But now ya gotta put her in a pressure cooker," Phoenix pointed out very soberly. "An' nuggets don' really get that in combat flight school... Suppose I could fool her into thinkin' she's in a live situation. But I'm pretty sure it's illegal ta do with minors."

Torilla nodded. "It is." she then smiled. "Rachael will probably want to rely upon her abilities so you may need to look for a way to negate them, don't tell her she can't use them as she'll simply ignore the requirements." she paused a moment.

Jake regarded his wife. "You are not about to do what I think you are about to do?.." he inquired. "Torilla, be reasonable."

Torilla looked from Phoenix to her husband. "You and I both knew we would need to teach Rachael how not to use her abilities..." she looked back to Phoenix. "A regular psionic blocker should do it."

"What I'd like ta do is put her in a holodeck program, after she's asleep. An' then run her through a scenario where she wakes up with a simulated head injury," Phoenix suggested. "She'll think she can't use her skills cause of a bad bump on her head and push through the no-win scenario of survivin' an overrun station."

Torilla nodded her head, clearly she thought it was a good idea as Jake regarded his wife and then he looked at Phoenix. "Don't forget that she is thirteen..."

"Boys her age were squires during the Medieval age," Phoenix countered. "She's not lost very often... She needs to know how ta handle that, when it's clear she's gonna lose in a very bad way."

Jake paused, he sighed softly. "Alright...."

"...But if she fails this badly, I admit I'm not sure how ta handle kids," Phoenix frowned. "Tis why I'll need one of ya, if she goes nuts... I mean, I get she wants ta be treated as an adult. But maybe my treating her as such might not be what she needs after this test?"

Jake nodded. "I'll be there. I can reason with her when she realizes she was lied to." he commented as he looked at his wife. "Torilla.... you might want to be off the base with Gideon so she doesn't have a go at you.... let her take her rage out on me." he turned to Phoenix. "When are we doing this?"

"After my trip with Siaxx, I assume," Phoenix guessed. "Will give me some time to mull over the scenario and make it as realistic as possible. An' I'll pull in Tressa to be the medical officer in the observation room... Ta monitor the stress levels. Just like any special ops course is mandated."

Jake nodded. "A wise plan." he commented with a smile. "let me know where and when."

"Really..." Phoenix added as she went through the drink list to find an alcoholic beverage she liked most. "When you think about it, it's best to know now, than when she's in her mid-twenties and loses her edge mid-mission. Cause she can bounce back before she's got a career. For pilots like me, once we lose it, Brass rarely lets ya have another shot."

"Fair enough, I wanted her to have several options she could choose from with her preference to a career." Jake commented. "I wanted her to develop flying as a hobby but she seems to have taken it much further then that..." he paused. "Has she flown in your simulators yet?"

"Tech chief has logged her four or five times in the simulator. Better than most beginners in a Valkyrie, but not a standout against the better full-fledged flight cadets," Phoenix admitted. "Then again, I aint really put her stats up against others in their first month of combat flight... Don' want her ta worry 'bout numbers."

Torilla nodded. "How does she handle losing?" the older woman inquired.

"Dunno," Phoenix shrugged aside. "Simulator training is very different than competitive sports. You get shot down or crash, you start all over again. I aint ever seen her compete in martial arts matches, but you do. So you're the better judge there."

Torilla shook her head. "No. My judgment is clouded, while she is an excellent student, my judgment in the matter is clouded at best." she commented.

Jake nodded. "I too have seen her compete and while she is very competitive, she knows not to push it too far...not to let things get to her on the mat while she's fighting with others."

"Then all's left is for me to constitute a program for her to test in, then," Phoenix nodded, satisfied with the conversation.

Jake nodded. "Sounds good." he commented. "Torilla?" he regarded his wife, distracted wasn't doing the term justice as Torilla blinked. "Mm... what... sorry.."

Jake raised an eyebrow as if to say that he would ask her whats going on, but here and now was not a good place. "you still here?"

"Yeah... I was just thinking..."

"That much was obvious... so... Rachael...?"

"Yes... she does need to be tested... she's going on as if she can't be defeated or taken down by anyone..."

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