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

(snip)

She breathed, rolled her shoulders, and relaxed. “Hey, I’m tough, I can take it. The last two decades have been…they sucked.” She moved, she didn’t know why, but she did and started catching what Jewels was throwing and tossing it back. She needed an outlet for frustration and simply tossing packing material wasn’t going to get it. So Casela, not really thinking about it, playing goalie. Juliet was good, always had been, but so was Casela. It was fun, or it was for her. “You need head space and physical space, I get it. I do. Not too long ago…okay I’ll be honest, I’m still that way, but this crew is....my mentor, my trainer, she told me once that I’d find a crew, they’d become family and I wouldn’t even realize it. It wouldn’t be the family I wanted, but what I needed. And it irks me to say it, but that old half Vulcan Irish biddy was right. I’m learning. It’s hard, but don’t let me or anyone else rush you.”

So step back Casela. Talk shop. “Jewels? Call sign right? Mine’s Valkyrie.”
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Jewels caught the packing material without thinking. She threw it again but Cas blocked it. She frowned a moment then let it go and listened. “No one every mentions family around me once thru know what my story is. Or rather the the that’s in my records. Orphaned during Dominion War. Parents lost in combat. Kinda true, I guess. But it’s hinted they were Federation soldiers from Earth. Not civilian casualties.”

“Never did around me either. But sometimes things work out strangely. Sometimes it’s easier to let them believe the assumption than talk about it.” It had been a hard day, mentally exhausting so Cas didn’t press. If you ever want to know about…after… She let the offer hang there not expecting a response, just letting Juliet know she could.

She threw two in succession and managed to get one past the woman, but it missed the box. “One of my Team dubbed me ‘Jewels’ and it stuck. Said my hair was like coal and my eyes like diamonds. So the before and after of going threw pressure. They all thought I was so cold and emotionless because of the things I’d endured. The pressures I’d been thru. They were right, not not for the reasons they thought.”

Casela thought the name appropriate then, but was sure that ‘Jewels’ like ‘Valkyrie’ hated the name to some degree. “Don’t know how much you know of Earth’s Norse culture. Valkyries are women who die in battle and are brought back to the be the …judges, angels of death, avenging angels, protectors of the innocent…the list goes on. After my first mission…” She blocks another piece of packaging, stalling, “I showed up … 8 month later. They thought I was dead.”

She suddenly threw a large armful at Cas, impossible to catch all at once, and a small burst of laughter tumbled from her lips as she watched Cas try and react.

Jewels
Sec/ RTF

Casela dove, trying to use her whole body to block the mass of packaging and failed, she didn’t care. She landed with a dull thump on the floor, and at Juliet’s laugh, she grinned, and then started laughing. But as so often happens when things are stressful and you find laughter, eventually you find the tears. And those tears were working their way into sobs.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Juliet didn’t hesitate. Whether it was the laugh, or the tears, it only took a moment for her to land on her knees beside Cas and pull her into a hug. The rolls reversed, it was Jewels who was doing the soothing this time. “It’s all right. I’m here. I’m safe.” The words came out over and over, trying to calm the woman who had held her just moments before.
Without realizing it, her mind reached out as well. It’s all right, Lala… I’m here… it’s ok.

She shifted her seat so her legs wouldn’t go to sleep and she closed her eyes and held her cousin. How cruel the universe could be. And how pleasant and giving when it chose. Both girls had been thru their own gauntlets. But in the end, their prize had been in coming full circle, back to each other.

Jewels
Sec/ RTF

Memory, instinctual memory, drove so much of Casela’s life. Honing skills based on instinct to react without though without hesitation. And how ingrained those early connections become no matter how later event mould a person’s body and psychi in unexpected ways. So that now, the circle having come back around they clung, like small teenagers to each other. Just as they had in their bedroom, in Casela’s house, the night they’d over heard their fathers discussing, planning, arguing about the Dominion that had landed in the capitol city and were marching their way towards their village. They’d been inseperable then, instinct formed and forged over 10 years, connecting them. Back then Casela would have swore that nothing and no god could make her leave Juliet behind. And in the end had been the Dominion that did it. Juliet might be alive and here now, but she’d never get over the guilt.

Lala? I never thought I’d hear that name again. It made her feel small, like a child again. Watching that black diamond eyed, raven haired toddler wobble after her. Casela hugged her hard, somewhere there must be gods because she never though she’d find Juliet. But even sitting she had to crane her head just a bit. “When did you get taller than me?”
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Juliet adjusted her hold on Cas till she was mostly leaning on her, her hands twined with her cousin’s. With a shrug and the sweet smell of whiskey on her breath, she answered. “Late teen years, I guess. When puberty hit, I got really sick. Doc said it was something to due with my mixed genetics. But without mom’s medical history, he couldn’t tell what it was. I’d grown a handful of inches in just a couple years after that. Pretty much settled around this height halfway thru the Academy.” She sighed realizing just how much they’d missed about one another.

Cas nodded. “I might be able to get access to Aunt Olivia’s medical records. I guess you changed your name you don’t want to make a direct inquiry? Not have it connected to you?” She hugged Juliet again and then wiped her face. If anyone finds out about this, they’ll never let me forget it. She took a steading breath. I won’t tell if you don’t. Wasn’t that always the rule? Not that it worked with telepathic parents, but it had been fun to try.

“Hasn’t changed my name till Ops. But I never looked. Doc just said they couldn’t get her records. Didn’t know enough at the time to ask why. Never thought about it afterwards.”

Wanting desperately to change the subject before either of them cried again, she asked quietly, without turning to face Cas. “So who is he?” She grit her teeth trying to keep a wicked teasing grin off her face.

Jewels
Sec/ RTF

Cas had been reaching towards the necklace, hidden under her shirt. It had become an unconscious habit that no one had brought her attention to, rather grinning behind her back about it. But she paused and raised a very Vulcan looking single brow. Her mouth twitched slightly. She felt very young and girly at the moment, and that made her feel uneasy with herself. She whispered, “Cmdr Raauhl....” She glanced at Juliet and grinned turning beat red.
Lt Synthi-er

“THE XO!?” It was true they couldn’t hide much between them. But Jewels was so shocked she hadn’t even tried. Caught between laughter and a growl, she shook her head slightly. “Lords and Ladies, Casela! Does anyone else know? He better not be taking advantage of his rank!” She went from surprised to confused to defensive in less than the heartbeat it took to express the questions.

Part of her was suspicious of the XO. But she knew that was just a projection of her own insecurities. With the color of Cas’ cheek, she guessed the woman was happy. She’d always trusted her cousin’s instincts towards people when they were kids. She’d have to trust it now.

The Security Chief was right. This was a different type of ship than Juliet every could have imagined.

Jewels
Sec/ RTF
(picking her jaw up off the floor… least her cousin has good taste in men)

If she had been drinking she would have spit her drink across the room at Juliet’s reaction. “Yes the XO, that Cmdr Raauhl. Yes people know. They’ve suspected for awhile, but we’ve been…careful. Our jobs over lap a lot.” Then she glared at her. “Oh honey, you don’t think I’d let any man force me around, do you?” There was a slight edge there. Not towards Juliet, but something she hadn’t told her cousin about, but then it was gone. “Besides…ask around. Everyone knows I beat the crap out of him.” She grins. “We got into a very out of control sparing match. I won.” She glances at Juliet and can tells he’s not quite buying it. There is a whole lot more to that story. “I will never admit to this, but the way that man fights could start the Great Fire again all by himself.”

She puts her head down for a moment and groans. “I don’t think he would even know how to take advantage of rank. He’s…” She would never admit it to herself....but Juliet was aware she’s was going to have a field day teasing her cousin.
Lt. Synthi-er