Breakfast Among Us

Posted on Wed May 27th, 2026 @ 8:55pm by Captain Taiga Aisaka & Lieutenant Commander Nyxala Valentine

2,035 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Flight Of The Valkyries
Location: Mess Hall, Starbase 43
Timeline: March 17th 2397

Nyx finally settled down in the mess hall of the Starbase's medical wing. She'd checked up on the Captain before coming down to grab breakfast, but there wasn't much new in the way of things. Taiga hadn't woken up yet, which worried Nyx somewhat, but the body had ways of healing that were still a mystery here near the start of the 25th Century. Her vitals were stable and holding, even without outside support, so they could have patience.

She looked down at what the replicator had spat out for her and paused. It was something she would consider normal for her, with eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, an english muffin and hash browned potatoes. Always start with a good sized breakfast was her rule, that way if lunch had to be skipped, it wouldn't affect her energy levels. Now, just one look at the sausage on her plate made her stomach flip three times in a row as she stared at her plate, then finally she just shoved it away and picked up the glass of orange juice instead. taking a drink of that unoffending item and pulling the bowl of cut fruit towards her as well.

"Thats a decent sized breakfast," A familiar voice said. Dawn Pallister, stood next to the table. Her daughter Rachel by her side, both holding trays of food. "Can we join you?" Dawn asked.

"Please do, and if either of you feel a bit more hungry than you thought, most of this is up for grabs." She gestured to the proteins on the plate she'd nudged away, "It sounded like a good idea for this morning, but I've changed my mind." Nyx gave the others a weak smile, "For obvious reasons, ma'am."

Dawn smiled as she set her tray down along with Rachel. They both took a seat. "So, I've been talking things over with Rachel. She has volunteered to do your check up." she added as she picked up her spoon and dug into a bowl of oatmeal.

Nyx gave Dawn an apprehensive look, she’d actually wanted to talk to the older woman about certain things, questions she had that no one on Tokyo could give her answers to. But, the prerogative of the Chief Doctor on a ship or station to farm out things to others, So she asked Rachel, “Has she told you what all’s going on and have you had a chance to review my file as of yet?”

Rachel munched on her cereal. "A little. But I'll only be doing the practical side. It seems as if mum here wants to do the pre-checkup herself." She explained simply.

"We'll have to make sure you get used to the whole thing even so." Nyx speared a piece of cantaloupe, "You have to remember that as a doctor, you have a need to know on anything that could affect the treatment of your patients. Maybe not the details of whatever they got injured on, but the injuries or conditions they have. For example, with me, you'll find a history of concussion, a few fractures, penetrating wounds and most important of any current conditions: Pregnancy." Nyx stated it all as if each one mattered just the same, no inflection, "Everything is important, especially to the practical examinations. And you may not have a patient that will willingly spell out everything they know of."

"Oh, I know," Rachel said giving Nyx a smile. "I fully intend to read your full medical file before I conduct your exam." she explained. "But, there shouldn't be any problems. From what I've heard and observed about you, you seem like the type of person who keeps on top of their medical needs."

"Next lesson," Nyx gave a sharp laugh, "Doctors make the absolute worst patients, because we think we know everything about our medical needs. We make mistakes and don't realize it until the consequences are already upon us." She gave Rachel a wry smile and a shrug for Dawn, "Don't take my file as being the end all be all, it definitely has all the major highlights, though."

Dawn let out a small scoff.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"She's not wrong." Dawn explained. "Ever since you became interested in medicine. You've been a royal pain in the ass. Ever since you were fourteen and started helping around in sickbay. You had the whole 'I already know that' attitude."

Rachel turned her nose up at her mother and looked away. "Well. I got through the Academy didn't I? And I have my Full MD now."

Dawn chuckled as she leaned in closer to Nyx. "She's still learning, she might only be a JG. But she still got a long way to go." she smirked. "But, she's good. I trained her myself."

Nyx brought a finger up and tapped it on her chin thoughtfully, "Maybe I should make myself a difficult patient then, just to show you what they can really be like." She winked at Rachel to let her know she would be no such thing, "But seriously, patients lie, even if it's with the best of intentions. Their bodies, however, never do the same. For example, Captain Aisaka, I was trying too hard to find something that would explain the necrotic heart tissue and the abdominal bleeding and the spleen issues. Instead, it was two different but simultaneous issues: Ulcers from stress and pregnancy, with that blood clot. I do want to thank you, Rachel, for reminding me that sometimes the simple answer is still the correct one."

Rachel nodded. "You're welcome. It never hurts to have a second opinion."

"Now, as for me, the reason I'm in a 'delicate condition' is due to my own stupidity: I forgot to take my birth control meds for three months. I thought I had, so I didn't think anything about it." Nyx shrugged, this time picking out a piece of grapefruit, "Now I'm in a pickle of my own making. But that brings up a question for you, Dawn: How did you do it? Or really, why did you do it? I've never seen myself in the position of being a mother or even wanting to be one, now?" She shrugged again.

"To be honest. Rachel here was also a little bit of my own stupidity." She laughed. "But, her father was assimilated by the Borg not long after I found out I was pregnant. Not that I knew that at the time. His ship just went missing."

Dawn paused for a brief moment. "Of course, back then I was only an ensign on my first assignment. Struggling to balance duty with my own condition. I knew that her father had always wanted a child. So I did it for him." she popped another spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth and swallowed it. "However, after twenty nine hours of labor. The moment I held her in my arms for the first time... I was instantly in love with her. She was all that mattered to me there and then."

She looked over at Rachel who was listening, but obviously she had heard this story before. "From that moment, I knew I had another purpose in life. Now, I couldn't think of not having her in my life. Oh and trust me, she's put me through hell. Everything from raging temper tantrums, to almost being killed. Once I nearly thought that I had lost her, and it was the most scared I have or ever will be in my life."

"Do you have to mention that Mum?" Rachel interjected.

"Of course I do. You see, this silly little idiot decided to run into an active warzone in the middle of a firefight." she said thumbing to Rachel. "She was sixteen at the time, but even though she took several phaser and disruptor hits, not to mention shrapnel. She pulled that dying officer out of the crossfire. Hell, she was stabilizing him before she even saved herself. Only when she collapsed of exhaustion did she stop."

"I saved him didn't I?" Rachel replied.

Dawn flicked her on her forehead.

"Ouch!"

"You know full well you should have never done that. Granted you saved that man. But you almost died on me. What did I tell you the moment you woke up?" Dawn asked giving her a stern look.

"That if I ever did that again. You'd patch me up, wake me up only to kill me all over again and ground me for the rest of my life..." Rachel sighed.

"That's right." She looked back at Nyx. "I think what I'm trying to say here is that no matter how many doubts you have about having a child. Once you have one, and you get to hold them. See how delicate and how much they rely on you, your maternal instincts kick in. And they never leave, you will find that you will die for your child. And you will want to give them everything in this universe. Even if they drive you bat shit crazy at times." Dawn smiled.

Nyx nodded soberly, but gave Rachel another look, one more calculating, "Remind me during my examination to tell you about some of my own 'adventures'." She told the younger doctor, "Because while it was probably rather dumb to run into a lightfight willy nilly, there is a proper way of doing it, much safer than that. That was my job for a few years and as you will see, I came through it reasonably intact." She gave a smile to Dawn, "Not that I'd recommend it for anyone, but if you have to, it's best to do it the right way."

The Betazoid finally reached over to drag the plate with the protein on it and started eating it, ignoring the twinge of nausea that crossed her face as she forced herself to consume it, "On another note, is there a pediatrician I can consult on a few things while I'm here on the starbase? I've got several questions about infant care that I'm sure would be useful for the future."

"Please don't give her ideas..." Dawn sighed. "And yes there is a pediatrician aboard. We have an entire children's department in the hospital complex." she added with a smile. "I can happily arrange for you to see one. Although, you'll be in the right area. That's where Captain Aisaka is right now along with her daughter."

"Would any of them want to transfer to the Tokyo, do you think?" Nyx gave a grimace while she ate, "You see, Taiga's not the only newborn on the ship. There are two others, plus a young child and quite frankly I'm in over my head with them all. Yes, I have other doctors aboard, but a specialist may not be a bad idea." She put her fork down and again pushed the partially empty plate away, "And is there a cure for this nausea? It started yesterday and it's horrible. I know they call it morning sickness, but it's morning, noon, night, all the time."

"I'm sure we can see if anyone wants to join your team. I'm sure there will be more than enough here. So I can always ask around." Dawn said. "As for the morning sickness. Try dry crackers and ginger tea. It worked for me." she smiled.

"Dry crackers and ginger tea.." Nyx made a mental note, nodding, "If it's like this the entire time, I may go insane. But on that note, I suppose I should ask when you wanted to get my exam over with? I'm available up until the Captain comes to, or some point after that."

"Well, we expect Captain Aisaka to regain consciousness sometime today. So, once you've checked your patient, we can go ahead and get it done." Dawn replied as she finished her breakfast.

"Sounds like a plan." Nyx finally stood and grabbed her plate and bowl for recycling, "I'll let you both know when I'm on my way down to see you?"

Dawn and Rachel exchanged looks. "Works for us," they said in unison.

Mission Post By:

Nyx Valentine
CMO
USS Tokyo

Dawn Pallister
CMO
Starbase 43

Rachel Pallister
Doctor
Starbase 43

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