STF

Like We Always Did

Posted Nov. 23, 2020, 8:47 p.m. by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) (Jennifer Ward)

Posted by Ensign Juliet Anders (Security Officer /RTF) in Like We Always Did

(snip)

Juliet nodded. “I’m sure you did what you could. We were kids. No amount of or dad’s trainings could change that.”

It’s all right, her mind whispered. It was a feeling if forgiveness, but the words wouldn’t come out. Not yet.

“We have to tell the Captain. And our Department Heads. At least them.” She looked down at her hands, fiddling with her nails. “I don’t know what else to do, either.”

Casela started to say she’d talk to the captain about it. But then she wanted to ask about Juliet’s name: Anders. She had to have changed it for some reason. Had she been adopted or was there some more nefarious reason for that? If so was it safe to put it to paper that they were related. If it was safe from Juliet’s end that didn’t mean it was safe for her from Casela’s end. Nothing, when it came to the section, was ever safe. And there was Shadow Man out there waiting for her to make a mistake.

She was the first to crack. A single tear, landing on her hands, made her look at it. Realizing what it was broke the tentative hold she had on control. It was an almost mentally audible crash as all her shielding fell at once. “I thought everyone was dead,” she whimpered, her voice cracking, as she covered her face, shivering with the tidal wave of emotions that slammed into her mind and gut all at once. Her sobs punctuated by small choking gasps as she tried to fight them.

Jewels
Sec/ RTF

She started to get up at her words, but hesitated. She wasn’t sure Juliet would want her to come closer. Then Juliet was sobbing and Casela couldn’t stand it anymore. She got up, walked over, and wrapped her arms around her. “I know, Sorellina, I’m so sorry. I should have done more.” Her own voice cracking as she began to cry. If she was wrong about Juliet then it was worth it. For her Sorellina it was worth it. Just like when they were kids she stroked her hair once and then pulled it back as if to put it in a pony tail. It’s okay. We’re both here now and we can only go forward. You can never go back. That’s what Dad and Uncle always said. Keep moving.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Juliet had stiffened in Cas’ arms as she felt them around her. Decades of training telling her mind she was being attacked or subdued. But the words broke thru the training and she soon went limp in her older cousins arms. Weeping like she had as a child with a nightmare. Isn’t that what this was? A nightmare? Moments spent just missing one another? Clerical errors the cause of being lost in the system?

Only then, to change her name and lose herself, almost completely, to a streak of destructive behavior. All of it leading to this, her and Cas SSI wrapped up in fear and suspicion that what should have been a happy reunion had been days of hell and pain.

After several minutes, Juliet managed to regain some sentence of control. She released the death grip she realized she had on the front of Cas’ shirt and tried to wipe her eyes. “What do we do now? Everything’s fallen apart. I’m supposed to be human. But too many people saw, and felt, yesterday. They’ll know we’re cousins, now. It won’t be secret for long. Ops will be furious. I screwed everything up yesterday. Maybe for both of us. I’m so sorry, Cas.”

She looked down at her hands and shook her head. “I need to ask for a transfer…” she whispered, thinking it was the only choice left.

Jewels
Sec/ RTF

Casela let go of her not wanting to make her feel trapped. The four gods knew she would have felt that way. But she listened and then she couldn’t help herself, she started to laugh. “Oh Juliet, you don’t need to do that. And NO ONE will think that was you. They all think it was me. I’m not known for my telepathic control. And everyone thinks I’m a reckless hot head that does whatever her temper tells her to do. No one thinks you are anything other than what you appear. The few that might suspect won’t say. This crew is....special.” Casela sank to the floor thinking. “Ops? Spec Ops? That’s where you’ve been?”

Juliet nodded silently.

Casela sighed, “Light years apart and still so much the same. I joined Section 31 after graduating the academy a year early. I’ve been running small team, but mostly solo ops, until I came here. I was on Triton, but that was just my cover. This ship is water tight. Ops doesn’t have to know unless you want them too. The captain and XO will back me on that. You don’t have to leave, unless you want to.” Casela did not want her to leave but she understood if she wanted to. Casela, before coming to Leviathan, would have followed that instinct without a second thought. But Leviathan, the crew, changed her, and though she wouldn’t admit it, she liked how she’d changed. “If it matters at all, Juliet, I want you to stay.”
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

She didn’t have to leave?

Perhaps the first good thing to come from so this, apart from Cas, herself. “Are you sure? The Captain and Doc know what I am. They always know, in case something happens. But the others? They won’t tell?”

Casela shook her head. “This is a ship of misfits, Juliet. We’ve all screwed up in some way. Except the XO, if you ask him. Command didn’t think we’d make it. For awhile I didn’t think we would either. But everyone is loyal and a good officer. We just tend to do things our way. Honestly after all the people I’ve gotten into physical fights with, and Cobb hasn’t chucked me off, yesterday won’t appear on your record. Miiiiiine on the other hand.” She shrugged. She was giving away too much. But her instincts told her it was okay. But maybe she wasn’t the best judge now. But nothing she said was going to be something she wouldn’t have access to. “Trust is a strange thing here. No one trusts new comers, but no one will break your trust till you give them reason to. This crew was forged in fire and blood. We don’t give up what is ours. And whether you want to be or not the moment you stepped on board you were ours.”

She found it hard to believe that the group she’d staggered would melt think it wa Cas. She looked up at her cousin, a curious look on her face. “Yesterday, when I…” she didn’t want to say attack, “the was one person. A guy. He just… stood there. I don’t know how, but my guess is he knows it wasn’t you. What if he says something?” She didn’t know any of the others from last night. No introductions had been made and she hasn’t stuck around to apologize. Just as well, in hindsight.

Jewels
Sec/ RTF

Casela grinned, “Noticed him did you?” She nodded, “Derrick Trainor. 2nd RTF Squad, Black Devils, Squad Marksman. Scary good. He’s also an incredible tactical officer when not doing his RTF duties. He’s quiet and nothing, and I mean nothing phases that man. He’s totally cool no matter what. Well....I take that back. When Dave, our worst anomaly held on board, got out. I asked him if he had the special projectiles used to shoot Dave. He just laughed. Like happy go lucky going on a picnic laugh. The man likes to shoot things.” She shrugs, “Can’t say I blame him. I like my weapons too.” She tilts her head to the side, “That suprised me too. He didn’t even flinch. But then again, that’s Trainor for you.” She takes a deep breath. “But no. No one on the Black Devils will talk about this. If they were going to, we’d have heard from Manhattan or Cobb already.”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS


Posts on USS Leviathan

In topic

Posted since


© 1991-2024 STF. Terms of Service

Version 1.15.9