Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Side Sim - No, I’m not!!

Posted by Ensign Juliet Anders (Security Officer /RTF) in Side Sim - No, I’m not!!

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Side Sim - No, I’m not!!
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Juliet’s check ins had gone as well as can be expected. Except for an incident here and there of ‘wow, you look just like her’, it had been a fairly typical check in day. But now she wanted to lose herself in stretching and hopefully hitting something with enough force to work off the pent up energy of a long shuttle ride, check in and lack of sleep that was keeping her from settling down to crash for the night.

With the main holodeck being used, she managed to find one that was ‘open’ to anyone to join. Seeing a training program on the list, she stepped into the RTF training holodeck and turned immediately to the wall to set down her water bottle and towel. She was rolling her head and swinging her arms to start loosening up when she froze like some creature being sighted down an energy scope. If anyone had checked, her heart had actually skipped a beat and she had to force herself to breathe once more.

IT WAS HER

Here was the woman who had confronted her this morning and swore she was someone she wasn’t. Arur wasn’t a part of her anymore, hadn’t been for years. And her family was dead, so that only left one possibility in her mind. She had been sent here and there was someone who knew her past and was set on her to watch and report back to Spec Ops on her behavior. Technically, she was still an on call operative. The question was, at least to them, was she still capable of performing her duties if called upon? She tried to turn and leave, but found her feet rooted to the spot as she watched the woman move in the center of the room with a grace that actually, much to her surprise, impressed her.

Ensign Juliet Anders
Security/RTF

Casela wanted to freeze in place and stare at the woman. But years of training kept her going and moving through the forms she was practicing. She’d heard the door open, the foot steps not one that belonged to any other person on the Black Devils. They were always the first to arrive. She grinned, becasue she knew they did it to tray and suprise her the same way she did them their first night training together. But despite the foot steps not being familiar the feel of the mind entering the room was, and as loath as Casela was to admit it, it nearly broke her. All this of course hidden behind a mental barrier and strength that would not be cracked. Juliet…Sorellina (little sister)…after all this time. But why? Did the section find her? Train her and send her here to watch her, tame her, break her? Was it something else? Was it Mad Man? Had he gotten ahold of Juliet and turned her? Casela moved away from that though before her stomach tried to rebel at the thought. She knew how hard it was to resist Mad Man’s ‘persuasions.’

Casela continued to move through each form working from simple all the way to the complicated. Putting on her ‘mask’ and slipping into instructor mode she spoke, “Anders, right? You’ve been assigned to RTF and your in security. I haven’t heard from Cpt Manhattan on what your specific role for RTF will be but this is just general training so it won’t matter at the moment. We’ve been working with Tonfas because they are very similar to the Mark VII batons RTF is issued.” She points over to the left wall where there is a rack of wooden dipped foam rubber tonfas. They are paired and can be chosen by size. “Feel free to grab a pair and experiment if you want, or whatever you feel like doing. Training starts in 45 minutes so it’s open mat till then.”

The room had several heavy bags hanging along one wall, storage lockers with equipment along the back wall and plenty of matts around the room to work on. Casela wasn’t sure if Juliet would stay or not, and her body language nor thoughts would betray her, but deep, where she had thought she was dead, (before she met Cobb, okay honestly before she met Ryder), she hoped Juliet was really still Juliet. And then she cursed the crew, forgave them, and then cursed herself for being stupid.
Lt Synthi-er CNS/RTF

A momentary touch to her mind, then nothing. Blank. Black. Or rather, lack of blackness.

That’s what Juliet felt. She was used to people’s minds being chaos or hums of chaos. She was used to other minds being calm. Or training minds humming with counts and moves and counter moves. But this woman was different. She was … or more to the point… she wasn’t anything. Cas didn’t have the shields up enough to make herself disappear to psyonics, but she was certainly walled up enough that not a shred of thought was gleaned from the surface of her mind after that initial touch. Juliet just stared. For a moment, she panicked. Had she been watched? Was she being scrutinized? It didn’t matter. She was here to do her job, earn her place back and retire with the black marks as footnotes, not blaring headers in her record.

Thankful for the nonchalant greeting, she nodded. “Yes, Ma’am. Ensign Anders. Call me “Jewels”. Easier on the tongue.” She moved to the rack of weapons and chose a pair before moving to a corner and setting them down to begin stretching. She sat on the mat and began there, grateful for time to gather her own shields and thoughts around her. Her legs wouldn’t have held her very long if she had had to be in a formation at that moment, or even square off against the woman. Averting her eyes to keep from staring, Juliet worked on her own stretching for as long as she dared without seeming like she was stalling. She them took up position at one of the furthest practice dummies and began her own kata moves with the tonfas, her back to Cas so she wasn’t distracted. Unfortunately, being overly tired, and anxiety ridden now beyond what her fatigued body and mind were used to in a long time, her own surface thoughts could easily be read if Cas listened hard enough.

Casela didn’t smile, she resisted the urge. Jewels she said. A call sign maybe or a nickname? It suited her. Juliet had always been beautiful, inside and out. From the moment she opened her eyes the day she was born. Casela had been fascinated at first by the small bundle of person and blankets in Aunt Olivia’s arms. Then she’d gotten to hold her, her father helping of course, and she’d looked into those shinny obsidian eyes....but they weren’t black anymore. They were startling blue now. Temporary or permanent? And why? Why had she....Casela sighed, too many questions. “Jewels” she said trying it out. “It’s really nice to meet you.” She didn’t bring up the meeting on the counseling deck. She didn’t offer her name. Casela as a unique name, her last name was as well. Juliet didn’t seem to be ready to acknowledge her or she’d been told not to. Gods she hated her life, and the person the section had made her into.

No… it can’t be. She’s dead. They’re all dead. That’s what they said. Mom and dad, my young body standing over them. The others, too. Uncle, Auntie, Lala, Nephi, Jaden… all of them… dead. She growled under her breath and struct the dummy a bit harder than she should have as a flare of rage welled up a moment then was quickly squelched. “NO!” the word growled out between her grit teeth in a huff as she damped the anger down as swiftly as it had risen.

Jewels
Security

Casela didn’t use her talents on her crew. People of suspicion those she was after, sure, but not crew. Now granted she wasn’t sure about why Juliet was suddenly here, but she was family. But Casela did hear, probably because she was hyper aware of her cousin in the room, so close but so far from her at the same time. Lala she’d forgotten that. Juliet couldn’t say Casela and had called her Lala when she was really little and starting to talk. Nephi and Jaden she’d found their bodies herself. She’d missed getting them out too. The guilt and the anger getting to her she spun a hook kick to the bag and nearly knocking it off the chain if the holodeck safeties hadn’t been on. Casela turned at the sudden outburst and waited. It was unwise to walk up to someone that angry. She took a calming breath and walked over. Ignoring her outburst she maintained topic to training. “The tonfas can feel a little unwieldy at first. I’m here. I’ll help if you need it.” Was it coincidence that was what Cas had told her when she first started showing her how to control her telepathy? Yes it was, but it was the same exact words none the less.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

“Thanks…” was all she said to the comment of meeting. She wasn’t sure if she was all that ‘glad’ to meet the other woman. So she let it slide without another thought.

Always aware of what was around her, even in rage, even with her back turned, she felt and heard the overly hard thud of Cas’ attack on the dummy. She paused, never turning, as she felt the nearness of the CNS behind her. I’m here. I’ll help if you need it. It had been a mantra to her young ten year old mind when she first started realizing her telepathy. Cas’ constant presence in her mind from that point. Even when she couldn’t reach out to talk back. Nights in bed, sensing Lala a few houses away. Knowing no matter what, she wasn’t alone and what she was learning wasn’t anything new to others who had gone before. “Thanks,” was all she managed, though she didn’t resume her training. “How long have you been on the Leviathan?” Since she was worried, why not find out if it was warranted. After all, it was an innocent question. Wasn’t it?

Jewels
Sec/RTF