The World is Young - Part One

Posted on Fri Oct 9th, 2020 @ 6:58am by Captain Torilla Yamaguchi & Lieutenant Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi & Admiral Deela T'Lar

1,310 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 107 – Recovery
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 400
Timeline: Time Unknown

Captain Torilla Yamaguchi walked down the hallway towards the airlock to the USS Essex, where she found her middle child, who was once her youngest as she was speaking with a dozen engineers, her gentle dulcet tones carried towards Torilla's ear as Ripcord was explaining what she wanted doing and how she was going to go about it.

"Alright, any questions...?" Ripcord asked her guys which were all standing in a circle with Ripcord in the center, nothing like an old high school safety brief to really set one's mind at ease.

There was silence. "Alright then... go to it then guys... I'll join you all shortly." and with that, the master chief for engineering clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone, report to your posts, let's go!" and with that, the gathering began to disperse. Like sailpods scattering in the wind.

Within moments, everyone had gone as Torilla smiled as she gently gave her daughter a hug. Ripcord hugged her mother back as she felt a sudden surge of emotion.

Torilla felt the same surge as she sighed. "You did well out there..."

"I didn't save-" Ripcord began.

"You saved those who could be saved." Yamaguchi answered as she regarded her daughter. "You should have been an engineer... red does not suit you."

"I thought about it..." Ripcord admitted.

Deela had just come out of sickbay on the Essex. She had hit her forehead when the ship rocked violently during the battle but it wasn't anything serious...just a cut. As she walked out of sickbay, she could see the damage that the Essex sustained.

Deela was a bit upset that this battle to get Starbase 400 cost the lives of some of her crewmen. This wasn't the best time to be Betazoid. She could sense the anguish among the crewmen around the ship. She tried to shake off the feelings she was experiencing as well. It was hard but she managed to use her Vulcan abilities as well to keep her emotions at bay.

Deela made her way to engineering. As she walked, there were already people assessing the damage. One stopped to ask her a question which she declined to answer at that time. She wanted to go check on Rachael. On her way to engineering, she was met by the engineering crew and she asked about Rachel, trying to find out where she was. They told her that she was still there. Arriving at her destination, Deela entered engineering to find not only Rachael but someone she hadn't seen in a while. She had a look of surprise on her face, "Torilla."

"Admiral." Yamaguchi turned to address the other woman. "Its been a long time. How've you been?"

"I have been doing okay, as well as a person can be under these circumstances." Deela looked over at Rachael, addressing her properly as Rachael was still under her command, "Lieutenant Yamaguchi." Deela knew what she was thinking and feeling but wanted her to express how she was doing, "Sending you back here was a choice I didn't make lightly. But, it turned out to be, the correct one." She smiled, "You did well."

"Thank you, Admiral. I'm sorry for what we lost." Ripcord answered quietly.

Yamaguchi knew that Rachael had never lost anyone before and this experience would be an educational one for her.

Deela shook her head, "It was not your fault. Bad things happen sometimes to good people. Unfortunately, we lost some good crewmembers today. If anyone is to take the blame, it would be me since I am the Captain of the Essex." Deela walked over to Rachael, "You did what you were supposed to do and you kept the rest of us from dying at the hands of our enemies. And for that, I thank you."

"It was... touch and go for a while..." Ripcord paused. "Is command always like that?" she inquired. "long stretches of boredom punctuated with moments of raw terror?"

"Not all the time, you took command in a chaotic situation in a major battle... One of the largest of this war... You were trained well and you kept your head in an ugly situation, all things to consider..." Yamaguchi explained. "Your dad is going to be so proud of you, but not as proud as I am."

"Thanks, mom." Ripcord answered quietly.

"Your mom is correct." Deela thought for a moment, "When it is time, I think you should consider a command position. But then again, it's entirely up to you." She could see the potential in Rachael.

"Thank you, Admiral. mom... That means a lot to me and I will consider it... But not today... Do we know when our memorial service is yet?. I'd like to say a few words about the guys we lost."

"Admiral Bremer has not decided yet but as soon as I know anything, I will let you know." Deela added, "I appreciate that you want to pay respect to those fallen crewmembers."

"They are the real heroes," Yamaguchi answered. "The ones who gave their last full measure."

"Abraham Lincoln," Yamaguchi answered. "I thought you hated history."

"I do," she answered. "History was what brought me Saki."

"Ahh... Your dad sends his regards and wants to know if he can send Saki back to you."

"Best to wait until this region is declared secure mom... We don't need to evacuate and I lose her in the evacuation." Ripcord paused. "If the Pact decides to counter-attack... now would be a brilliant time... almost one-third of the fleet is down in the yards, the base is damaged and so is much of the rest of the fleet..."

Deela caught a name that she had never heard before, "Saki, that is quite an unusual name." She had no clue but assumed that it was a pet or something of the sort, "Family pet?"

"Grandchild actually," Yamaguchi answered, with a rather soft smile. "She is Rachael's daughter," she commented

"Yeah... Saki is still just as Saki as ever." Ripcord answered. "The family pets is Nymeria and Grey Wind, along with Noble team," she explained. "Seven cats and two King Shepherd dogs in all."

"Your child? When did that happen?" She was still getting used to her being older than she was when she left...much older, "I guess congratulations is in order. A child."

Ripcord grinned. "When you meet Saki. Ma'am... I hope you can connect with her, the way you did with me... That's if Saki will let you, she needs a telepath's touch... as she's having issues with her time of bloom."

Deela smiled, "I would love to meet her. If she lets me, I would be happy to help her."

Ripcord smiled. "I can hope she lets you... If anything she will be able to tell that you are a formidable telepath... Plus you and I get along well, so that should count for something..."

"It sounds like a challenge and I am always up for one." She had a feeling that she would certainly be that.

Rachael raised an eyebrow as she fought to keep a smile off of her face, however she failed. "Oh... Saki will keep you on your toes."

Deela raised an eyebrow, "Do tell. Do tell."

"You recall how I was when I was a teenager.?" Rachael commented, a rather sly grin on her lips. "Saki is worse actually, she needs structure and stuff to do... She is also wondering who her father is... and considering my list of bedmates is rather lacking... I have a couple of candidates... But I need to look into the matter first before I mention anything to anyone." Ripcord explained.

"Great, she's you on steroids then. Again, I am up for the challenge." She smiled.

"Alright. I have a feeling she will be a challenge for you." Ripcord answered with a gentle nod of her head.

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