The Family Arrives

Posted on Sat Oct 11th, 2014 @ 2:42am by Lieutenant Colonel Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan

4,246 words; about a 21 minute read

Mission: Mission 86 - Discovery
Location: Airlock/Siaxx's Quarters

It did not take long for Phoenix and Siaxx to wash up and arrive in time for meet the pilot's family. What took so long was the fact the transport unloaded at least a hundred folks. Siaxx could see Phoenix growing more and more anxious as well.

And so it was that at the very end of the line, the handicapped folks and their companions filed out. The Sullivan clan were in the middle of this group. And Misses Sullivan contrasted the most. Gaunt from an illness only the Sullivan clan and the SB400 medical staff knew about.

Her hair was probably all gone, given that bright vibrant red, curly-haired wig. She walked with dignity and grace, despite having to lean so much on a cane. Dorothy's smile was infectious as she found Phoenix in the waiting crowd.

"Mom! Dad!" Phoenix completely forgot about Siaxx standing beside of her, as she ran up to them.

Blake, also elderly and immaculately tall and a gaunt face. He had a powerful grip, nonetheless as he and Dorothy hugged Phoenix.

"Who's the blue gal?" a young teenage girl pointed out as she spotted Siaxx. Aryssa. Very healthy looking but gangly. She looked the most like Phoenix though her attire was a bit baggy, in jeans and a hoodie.

The youngest of the clan carried a guitar-like case over her right shoulder along with a few other bags for her weakened grandparents.

Siaxx had remained motionless as she felt it best to let Phoenix or Jill as she had tried to call her a few times met her family alone, she was more of an outsider here then anything else. "I am Siaxx Dvald." then she inclined her head in a customary Bolian greeting as she extended her hand as if for a human handshake, but with the palm down and the fingers curved part way. It was meant to symbolise a connection she wished to make.

Aryssa sat the duffels down so she could shake hands with Siaxx. "I'm Aryssa an' the old lady is my mom Dorothy. An' the old chap is my dad Blake. An' you know my sister Jill," the teenager spoke in a very rehearsed way. As if Dorothy might of had a sit down with the girl prior to unloading.

"You're almost as tall as I am, Aryssa," Phoenix finally spoke as she turned to look the girl over. "Siaxx is also a friend of mine and has prepared a meal for all of us."

There was that warning look in Phoenix's eyes, to Aryssa after explaining.

"Well you can call me Dorothy, Siaxx, Dear," the Sullivan mom spoke as she labored a bit to walk over to Siaxx. "You'll also have to tell us all about Jill's misadventures. As I do love good stories."

Siaxx nodded as she gently shook hands in the human style as she greeted Jill's family. "Pleased to meet you Dorothy, Blake, Aryssa." she smiled at the three arrivals. "Alas my quarters are some distance. will you be alright with distance?" she looked at Dorothy.

"I can handle it," Dorothy stated, very proudly.

Aryssa and Phoenix exchanged glances, like some top-secret sibling language. Then the teenager looked like she wanted to say something, but Phoenix shook her head in the negative.

"Mom can lean on me if she gets too tired from her trip," Phoenix offered in a manner that suggested Dorothy's condition was jet-lag and nothing else.

"So why aren't we going to your place?" Aryssa asked with an evil grin. "It too much a mess for Mom?"

"Something like that," Phoenix both answered and evaded, then returned to Siaxx and took the Bolian's left hand in her prosthetics's hand. "I don' really live there much these days. An' I'm sure you wanna know more about the menu than my quarters."

"What is for dinner?" Aryssa blurted as she walked with the group at the rear. A sort of personal guard, making sure her parents moved all right.

"Shepards Pie with extra sauce." Siaxx responded. "I wasn't sure."

"Well you didn't have to go all-out for folks ya hadn't met before, Miss Siaxx," Dorothy pointed out very humbly. "Why I could of cooked for all of us easily."

"But you'd be beyond exhausted, Mother." Phoenix carried a very reverent tone with Dorothy, which was a very different side of her, compared to how she treated her other superiors and elders.

"Nonsense Jill," Dorothy laughed. "All the same, I thank you both." Phoenix's response was a blush.

"I'm traditional. Whenever guests are coming... I try to make them a meal to welcome them." Siaxx responded with a smile. "I am a medic by trade... so if you have any issues or concerns... I am available all hours of the day or night."

"So are you an Jill lesbians?" Aryssa asked in a very typical, very random teenage bluntness as she adjusted her hold on Dorothy's bags. This caused Phoenix to stop abruptly and nearly choke on air.

Siaxx seemed to be expecting the question. "There is a time and a place for everything, young one.... this is not the time or the place.." the Bolian then smiled.

"You don' seem like Jill's type," Aryssa observed. "She mostly-"

"Enough," Phoenix stated as she turned around and looked sternly at the younger woman. "Aint rightly sure what your angle is, Kid. But you'll behave, or I'll belt ya for that disrespect."

"Sheesh. It was just a conversation, Jill. Nothin' mean by it," Aryssa answered in fake-confusion. Phoenix gave a very dubious expression though.

"I believe the fact Miss Siaxx being a doctor is a wonderful thing," Dorothy spoke to break the tension with Phoenix and Aryssa. "I may take you up on that offer at some point. Though Blake an' I already made an appointment to see Doctor Brislan. I reckon anytime she's busy, you'd be more than welcome to look us over."

"You're already booked in to see Tressa?" she inquired. "Then you're in excellent hands already, she is an outstanding doctor." she commented. "shall we go?"

"You are an outstanding doctor too, Siaxx," Phoenix pointed out to her lover as they led the way.

"Well I suppose I can have Doctor Dvald look me over and let your mom see Brislan, if Doctor Dvald cares so much about our family," Blake said in his deep baritone.

Siaxx saw the conflict of interest looming before her. "No... if you're booked in to see Doctor Brislan then I won't get involved... she is my superior after all and I don't wanna piss her off."

"So is Jill getting along with folks here, Miss Siaxx?" Dorothy prodded happily as she watched Phoenix walk with the Bolian hand-in-hand.

"Jill does get along with the people here..... most of the time, she tells them what she wants and they generally give it to her, fear her or remain out of her way.." Siaxx explained. "she did win me thirty bars of latinum once.... It's best I don't tell that story here, the owner of the establishment in which it happened is right over there."

"Not the wild lady I used to hear stories about," Dorothy chuckled, happy to hear her daughter was starting to find her way.

"But yes, Jill tends to get along with everyone... the problem however is weither or not the soft skinned people that populate this base can handle it."

"So do we get to meet your family at some point? Or does Jill an' you not go for the in-law stuff yet?"

Phoenix pulled on her collar uncomfortably. Why did teenagers have to ask the most annoying, personal things. Worse than Torilla's nosey, youngest offspring, the pilot surmised.

Siaxx chuckled softly. "Mostly because my family is scattered across the astral winds of space... getting them here would require a lot of work and I see no need to bother them just yet." the handsome Bolian responded.

"Err... Meeting her folks, is up to Siaxx. When she's ready," Phoenix answered as she cleared her throat.

Siaxx smiled. "Indeed... but it won't be for awhile.."

"So you're lesbians," Aryssa stated as fact.

"Bolian culture don't really have that word, or one like it. We are a couple. Like any other," Phoenix corrected as she turned around and looked very sternly at her younger counterpart.

"I think it's cool," Aryssa stated, smiling brightly. "Having a lesbian sister-in-law would be awesome to tell folks about."

Phoenix smacked her forehead in resignation and continued on, taking Siaxx's hand in hers once more. How to approach that subject? Phoenix did not see marriage down the road. Feared the implications of a heavy, monogamous commitment.

"And you wonder why I don' like the runts?" Phoenix whispered dryly to Siaxx.

Siaxx's response was simple "Mmhmm." she turned her head. "Young one... you have so much to learn." she commented with a smile. "Where are you manners... you are aware its rude to speak so in public?" she inquired.

"Some teenagers just don't listen, no matter how much you ground them," Dorothy sighed in resignation.

"Could always cut her holodeck time," Blake spoke very warningly to Aryssa.

"Well it's not like there's a whole lot to talk about," the teenager half-complained, half-protested.

"Not true. Mom tells me you went to enlist in the corps," Phoenix countered.

"That's old news. They labeled me 4F because I could not read very well," Aryssa spoke with a wave of her hand. "But a lot of athletes get into the pros without good read'n skills."

"And how does the daughter of a former uni professor, rank such poor reading skills?" Phoenix spoke very angrily as she stopped abruptly and turned on Aryssa.

"It's not a big deal. I can work on my Quidditch skills an' get on a great league team very easily," Aryssa explained like a seasoned used car salesmen.

"You had other folks do your work, while you sneaked around and played in the holodecks?" Phoenix asked very directly, her normal hand shaking in rage.

"Why do you care about what I do with my life? You never really wanna hangout with me. It's Mom an' Dad you wanna spend time with," Aryssa countered just as angrily. "If I wanna become a professional Quidditch player, I can an' you don' tell me what to do."

And then it was a tense, staring contest. To learn her own flesh and blood was illiterate because of some fantasy sport fixation. If looks could kill, Phoenix would of murdered Aryssa ten times over.

Siaxx raised an eyebrow as she finally put her foot down. "Guys... enough." she growled, dark menace implicit in her tone. "This is not the time or place for this..." she turned as she tapped the call button of the turbolift they had been standing at the fir last two minutes.

Moments later the doors opened, the five of them went inside in silence as Siaxx called the destination and because Phoenix didn't say anything, the lift hurtled downwards to its destination. Mostly due to the fact Phoenix was beyond livid with Aryssa. It took all her willpower not to beat the girl to a pulp.

Minutes later they were in Siaxx's quarters which was coloured in pastoral greens and blues, generally warm and welcoming colors. "Now... lets try this again... Aryssa... how do you come to have such weak reading skills?" Siaxx inquired. "I'm not quite getting it... your parents are university professors..." she commented.

"Computer reads everything to me on my digital media player," Aryssa shrugged. "Makes it much easier for me to train when I don' have to read things... An' the 'rents thought I was letting the computer proof my stuff so they never knew."

"Hell I wish I had one of my parents with that skill.... maybe then I would have gone into another profession then medicine which is where everyone in my family goes..." Siaxx growled loudly, this was quite possibly a whole new side that Phoenix had never seen before.

"I do care about you," Phoenix finally spoke when she had regained some self-restraint. But she as well was eying Siaxx. Aside from Dorothy, Siaxx was also one of the most educated people Phoenix knew. "And you, Mom. Why didn't ya see this?"

"You leave your mother out of this, Jillybean," Blake warned in a manner that suggested a valid, but private reason Aryssa fell through the cracks.

"Mom's been puking a lot, past five years or so," Aryssa answered very defensive as she stood in front of Dorothy. "You'd not know that though, with you being here. It's why we came to see your station doc so she can fix Mom."

"That's enough, Aryssa. Go sit our bags down and sit on the sofa and keep you mouth shut," Blake barked out irritably.

The result was Phoenix looking to Siaxx with a dumbfounded expression, while Aryssa set the duffel bags down and plopped on the sofa, put her headphones in, and attempted to mellow out.

Why would her folks keep her from knowing about Dorothy's illness? And why would Aryssa rebel in such a way, as to take advantage of that illness to do as she pleased?

"Once she passes out for the night, we will explain everything," Dorothy promised. "But had we known she was putting her extra circular ahead of her education, she would not be at the crossroads she's at now, Dear."

"I would like a stiff drink, Siaxx," Phoenix noted just barely on a calm tone. "Should we fix drinks for the rest of the family?"

Siaxx nodded. "A good idea..." she responded. "I obtained a few bottles of Orion Whiskey from various people, two bottles of Chateau Picard from Torilla and one bottle of the Emissary's Vintage from Bajor." she explained as she looked from Phoenix to Dorothy.

Suddenly it hit her. "Where is she getting her education from?" she inquired as she took note of what Dorothy looked like as she very quickly realized the real reason that Jill's parents where here today as she silently poured four drinks, and she handed one to Phoenix, she handed the other two out and kept the strongest for herself. "Well dinner is in the oven, are you guys ready to eat now or later?"

"I wouldn't mind sitting at the table and and chatting," Dorothy smiled brightly. "An' I'd not take Aryssa so personally. She's been irritable and dour since she was turned down by the enlistment board... I'd of tutored her through her grade school years, really, if the Warden hadn't put me in charge of the prison's produce gardens."

"So she was schooled by the colony's tutors?" Phoenix gently prodded as the adults all had a seat at the dinner table for a chat.

"We did want to send Aryssa to you a few times, but your mother thought that would create more problems than this family could handle at the moment," Blake spoke very apologetically.

"Aint damage that can't be repaired," Phoenix spoke after a long sip of her booze.

"She don' want help. Don' see the need in it," Blake countered. "An' she's an adult by Federation law."

Phoenix looked again to Siaxx with lost eyes. She truly had no idea how to help Aryssa, or her mom for that matter.

"At age Seventeen, no she ain't" Siaxx responded evenly. "As for this Warden character I keep hearing about..." she paused as the look on her face spoke volumes. "Well.... you get the idea." was what she said instead.

"Trick is getting her to want to go back to school... which she don' want," Blake added, looking back at Aryssa to see the girl playing something on a small hand-held holo projecting game.

"How the hell does Torilla do it... handle children I mean... I've seen her handle everything from scraped knees to skinned shins, from crying infants to men with broken hearts.... and she makes it look so easy.... I've known her for less then five minutes and I'm already angry...." she sighed. "that's gotta be a record for me."

"I think my pissing the Elf off beats yours," Phoenix teased.

"No... Normally she's the angry one... I'm the happy one." Siaxx responded evenly as she polished off her drink as she felt the booze instantly go to work on her. "I've had people complain that I never get angry..." she paused. "You could enroll her here in the Starbase school system.... I know people who would be willing to help her."

"It's like AA, Dear," Phoenix spoke as she gently took Siaxx's hand into hers. "Aint gonna do much good if it's forced."

Siaxx raised an eyebrow. "Megszakad a szivem" she sighed softly. "You might not have a choice." she commented. "she'll never get a job anywhere with that level of reading..."

"Let's wait until morning then before we tell her the good news then," Phoenix winked devilishly.

"Oh I have no intentions of telling her anything whatsoever.." Siaxx responded evenly as she proceeded to pour herself a second glass as she smiled. "She'll try Starfleet and they'll turn her down... it'll piss her off even worse or it'll break her." she added. "she Needs to get her education.."

"I'll enroll her in the morning, while your mother is at the doctor's office," Blake promised.

"Siaxx can do the school physical," Phoenix suggested with a small grin, knowing Siaxx was finally understanding why Phoenix feared being a parent. Teenagers were mean and stubborn by majority.

Siaxx nodded. "It won't take me long at all... five minutes..." she commented as she was indeed seeing why Phoenix disliked children in general. "I hope all goes well with Doctor Brislan..."

"Well regardless of the outcome, we want to stay here a while so Jill can spend time with us," Dorothy noted a bit sadly. "It's cruel we hadn't seen much of each other. But I am happy that she has you to support her. Jill needs all the support she can have."

There was a secretive look she shared with Siaxx, before Jill interrupted, "I aint a pathetic puppy dog."

Siaxx noted the response. "Jill doesn't need any support really... she's one of the strongest people I've ever known and while she might not be the most popular person on the base... she is respected because she isn't the Wing Commander for nothing." Siaxx explained. "Aryssa needs to come to terms with who Jill is... she got here through damned hard work, proving her critics wrong... and there are a lot of critics who tell her it can't be done... I tell her otherwise.."

"You think this attitude of hers stems from her being used to being an only child?" Phoenix blinked as she took in Siaxx's comment.

"Its possible but then I'm only guessing.." she sighed. "I've never had children of my own and no prospects either... I can't stand being around pregnant women in general... I don't think I want to be around me when I become pregnant." she paused. "also the living conditions had a big part of that. She could see herself as a victim of circumstances outside her control."

That comment made Phoenix feel worse. The matter in which she gulped down her glass confirmed it.

"It's not your fault, Jill. You had to fight a war," Dorothy tried to console.

"Don' erase the fact I never volunteered to take her off you guys afterwards," Phoenix countered bitterly.

"You suffered so much, Jill. Tommy's death has always left a hole. And you sacrificed a lot for the little comforts our family has received, in the colony," Dorothy noted with much sympathy. "She's just angry. And teenagers go through that phase."

Siaxx looked at Phoenix. "What happened wasn't your fault... you had your own demons to face and deal with... there are some battles we all must face alone and we must win them."

"I say we play a friendly, non-gambling game of twenty-one," Blake suggested as he got into his pocket to pull out a worn deck of cards. "We should all be celebrating."

"And I want to hear about Jill's new girlfriend," Dorothy smiled as she looked over to Siaxx. "Not often she tries a more straight and narrow relationship."

Siaxx released the breathe she didn't know she was holding as she sighed softly. "Alright, sounds good..." the Bolian responded as she set aside her drink because Bolian's in general could handle maybe a third of the liquor that humans could. "We will deal with Aryssa in the morning." she added. "So.... with that said... what do you wish to know of me?"

"It's generally a human tradition to share stories. Funny ones, mostly. But stories that give us some idea of who you were as a child. Maybe who you were as a young adult. And maybe something funny you took part in recently," Dorothy prodded gently.

"Well... for my recently birthday party, Jill did splatter me with a coconut cream pie by accident... she was aiming at Torilla Yamaguchi, a friend of ours... you'd like her... but she got me... and now I love the taste of coconut."

"You did that to her without swelling up?" Dorothy spoke with wide eyes, knowing Phoenix was allergic to coconut.

"I never eat it so it don' hurt me," Phoenix snickered. "Was funny."

"It was funny... Now every day I'm eating coconut pie for desert... I'm addicted to it.... which sucks considering she's allergic to it." she indicated Phoenix. "Torilla meanwhile was eating a slice of pizza as someone drizzled chocolate on it, she still ate it.."

"It looked like she needed something sweet to eat," Phoenix whistled innocently.

"Well considering she is pregnant. I'm not surprised, what did surprise me was that she wolfed down half the entire pizza after you put chocolate on it." Siaxx commented with a shrug.

"I ate a lot of pepperoni and colby-jack with Aryssa... Never knew it was a pregnancy craving though," Phoenix spoke quietly with a shrug.

Siaxx nodded. "I'm going to have to watch her carefully as she's a Halanian and her husband is human... it muddies the picture somewhat." she explained.

"Sound likes an interesting mix," Dorothy commented as she took a sip of her drink.

Siaxx nodded. "her children are a mix of both species but they have their mothers various abilities to some degree or another." she explained. "Jake is as human as you are..."

"And how serious is your relationship to my daughter, then?" Phoenix could only blink as she heard her mother's question. Clearly Dorothy wanted to make sure Phoenix would not get hurt too much if things went sour.

Siaxx raised an eyebrow but otherwise showed little surprise. "We're taking it slowly for now, seeing where things go. I've had bad luck with relationships in the past and so has Jill..." she explained.

"And what do you want with Miss Siaxx, out of your relationship, Jillybean?" Blake asked very respectfully.

"I..." That was a very good question. Phoenix and Siaxx shared similar pains, true. But beyond that, there was not a whole lot of commonality Phoenix had yet to discover. "Getting to know her quirks, her know'n mine. Can' really know what I want 'til we know one other better."

"Well it pleases me you both are taking it slow," Dorothy smiled brightly. "I'd of liked a son-in-law from you Jill. But I also want what makes you happy."

"So you two aint like... engaged yet?" Aryssa asked as she quietly joined the adults at the table.

"I don' see marriage in our future," Phoenix answered civilly.

"Great. Your asshole brother carries the line then," Aryssa shook her head in disgust of the man.

"Don' have ta be blood to carry our legacy. An' you, Aryssa, are more Sullivan than he," Phoenix commented wholeheartedly. This made the teenager very pleased about herself.

"If you hurt my sister, Siaxx, I will have to hurt you," Aryssa said in a very serious tone. As if it was some human tradition to let the outsider know that harming a family member carried a heavy price.

Siaxx raised an eyebrow. "You won't get the chance Aryssa... because she'll be the one to deal with me... Not you." the Bolian replied in a dark tone and if looks could kill, Siaxx would have killed Aryssa a dozen times over.

"Glad we got that settled then," Aryssa agreed without flinching, though Phoenix knew the girl was a bit intimidated by Siaxx.

"Good." Siaxx commented evenly as she slowly calmed down, it took a lot to anger her but Aryssa seemed to have the ability to make this Bolian's blood boil.

"Siaxx is not a bad person, Aryssa. But I appreciate you want'n ta stick up for me," Phoenix spoke with a smile.

Siaxx raised an eyebrow. "Aryssa.. A word to the wise... don't threaten me ever again..." the Bolian commented quietly but there was something in her tone. "sticking up for family is important, by all means yes... but... Jill here is a hell of a lot more dangerous then you are.."

Phoenix leaned in and whispered into Siaxx's ear as she caressed her arm soothing, "It's fine. She doesn't know ya yet. She just is making sure I'm all right."

Siaxx gently nodded her head as she calmed down. "Fair enough..." she responded quietly. "Now where were we?"

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