Emotional Wounds That Will Scar (Part 2) [Backpost]

Posted on Tue Apr 29th, 2025 @ 5:55am by Lieutenant Commander Kurumi Ebisuzawa & Yaeka Sakuragi & Lieutenant Commander Brennyn Scott M.D.
Edited on on Tue Apr 29th, 2025 @ 6:07am

1,251 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Indivisible
Location: Dr.Brennyn Scott's Office, USS Myogi

Previously on Star Trek Myogi:

Kurumi pulled her in tight, she knew that she was remembering what had happened at her family home. "Hey there. You're safe now. Remember to focus on my voice." She said to her in a hushed reassuring tone. "Come on Yaeka. Calm down now. Calm down sweetie."

"I'm sure you're doing your best," Bree replied directly to the little girl. She didn't want to express direct disagreement with Kurumi, understanding the encouragement to calm down was meant to be soothing, but she also didn't want the young girl to think she had to suppress her reactions, as that would only make them stronger. Scott did agree with one of the other woman's suggestions, however. "I wonder if besides our voices, there's anything else you can hear? Or maybe see or smell as you're in this room?"

Yaeka seemed to come around. She stared busy at Bree for a moment. "My mummy and daddy are gone." She said.

And now the continuation...

It was not the response she was expecting, but Scott was encouraged she was continuing to engage and seemed once again aware of her current surroundings. "I know," Bree offered softly. "Would you like to tell me about them?"

"Mummy and daddy were kind. They helped people." Yaeka sniffled. She seemed hesitant to say much more, the sign of emotional pain was heartbreaking on the face of such a young child. "But the house was on fire. It was hot. I could hear screaming. I could hear shouting. Then..." she stopped. "I... I..." tears began to flow down her cheeks again as she stumbled on her words.

"Yaeka," Bree replied calmly, "You're safe here on the Myogi. I know it feels like you're back at home right now, but you're here with us. Focus on my voice, Yaeka, and look atound this room with me. Will you tell me what you see?"

Yaeka looked up at Bree, the tears still shimmering in her eyes. "I am... on a spaceship..."

Bree nodded in encouragement. "That's right. You are on the Myogi right now and you are safe. Will you tell me what else you see?"

Yaeka slid out of the chair and skipped over to the window. "The stars are going by very fast." she said as she stared out into the blackness of space.

"I see that too," Bree replied. "I wonder, do you hear anything in particular?"

Yaeka shook her head. "No." She replied quietly.

"No?" Bree asked brightly. She closed her eyes for a second and offered, "I can hear a slight hum of the deck beneath my feet." Opening her eyes, the counselor asked, "What about things you can feel with your sense of touch right now? Is there anything in particular you can feel?"

Yaeka shook her head again. "No" she replied as she continued to look out into the voidness of space. Kurumi looked over at Bree in concern. It seemed obvious that little Yaeka was blocking out much of the world around her.

Bree lifted a hand ever so slightly to reassure Kurumi. Yaeka wasn't completely dissociated and that was a place to start. "That's okay, Yaeka. Tell me more about what you can see."

"The stars are zooming past." Yaeka said. "Are there people on planet's by them all? Can they see us too?"

"Hmm...I'm not sure," Scott answered. "What do you think?" It was an honest answer, but more importantly, the counselor was hoping it would help draw the young girl out.

"But. We're going so fast." Yaeka said simply. "Can't we slow down to say hi to them?"

The counselor grinned. She was encouraged the little girl was still open to meeting new people even after all she had been through. "Sometimes we do, when Starfleet tells us we can or if we learn someone needs help. I'm wondering, besides saying hello, what else might you say?"

Yaeka seemed to ponder for a few moments. "Be nice.”

Scott placed a finger on her chin and contemplated that answer for a moment. “I think that is a very reasonable expectation. Tell me, what does being nice mean to you? In other words, how would you know if they were being nice?“

"Don't hurt mummies or daddies. And don't burn down people's houses. And don't hit little girls or boys." Yaeka said with a sniffle.

Bree nodded. "I think those things are very reasonable, Yaeka. I wonder, if any of them were to do those things and they knew they were being mean to us, what might we say to ourselves about that?"

Yaeka turned to look at the counsellor and cocked her head to one side. "Huh?" she replied.

It was then Bree realized she was thinking more like an adult than a child. “Sorry, I know that was confusing, What I mean to say is, sometimes when people do bad things to us, we wonder if we did something wrong to cause them to do those things. I wonder if you ever had those thoughts?“

It took a while for little Yaeka to process the question. "I guess..." she said. "They said we were wrong because we were Japanese."

“What do you think about that?” the counselor asked.

"Its not nice to say that." Yaeka replied softly.

“No… No, it isn’t,“ Scott replied. “Do you think they were telling the truth?“ The counselor genuinely wanted to understand what the little girl believed because it would be her thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that would inform her well-being and behavior going forward.

Yaeka simply nodded. "That's what they said. All Japanese people are bad."

"I imagine it was important to believe what they said and to do what they said, yeah?"

Yaeka looked back. "Mummy and daddy didn't do as they said." she said tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. "And they... they... they..." she began to cry, tears running down her cheeks as her emotions started to take control over her.

Bree looked toward Kurumi before offering to Yaeka gently, "You're safe here, Yaeka, and you're in charge. Would it feel better to draw it? Or would you prefer a hug or something else?"

"Kurumi..." she cried out. Kurumi rushed forward and embraced her, pulling her in tight. As Yaeka cried into her shoulder she looked up at Bree, giving her a look that could only be read as 'I think that will be enough for now'.

Bree merely nodded. She hated seeing anyone cry, especially a child, but she also knew talking about her trauma and its effects was important for healing. "Thank you for talking to me, Yaeka. You are a very brave and strong girl."

Yaeka nodded continuing to sob into Kurumi's shoulder. Kurumi hoisted her up and stood up carrying her close. "I'm going to take her home. Let her get some rest." She said quietly to Bree. "Thankyou counsellor. I know this might take a while, but she needs it."

"I'm here, for you both," she added with slight emphasis, "for as long as you need.”

Kurumi nodded as she ran fingers through Yaeka's hair to comfort her. "Thank you again counsellor." She said softly. It was going to be a long road for both of them, wounds this deep will take a long time to heal, and even then they will scar.

Posting by:

Lieutenant Commander Kurumi Ebisuzawa
Chief Security/Tactical Officer

Lieutenant Commander Brennyn Scott M.D
Chief Counsellor

Yaeka Sakuragi
Child

RSS Feed