Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Skeletons in the Family Closet (Tag Juliet)

Posted by Ensign Juliet Anders (Security Officer /RTF) in Skeletons in the Family Closet (Tag Juliet)

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Skeletons in the Family Closet (Tag Juliet)
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

*Ah the rage and distrust, she could cut it with her knife, that was always at her side, to Ryder’s chagrin. She sighed, waiting outside the door wasn’t going to make this go away. Casela needed to know if she was after her or someone else on the ship. That was all there was to it. She hated what Juliet went through, if that was all true. There was no way Juliet didn’t know she was there and so she rang the chime and when the door opened. “I think it’s time we cleared the air.”
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS (Wondering how far Juliet’s deception will hold)

Juliet was so caught up in her head, and pacing, that she hadn’t heard or felt Cas’ arrival. When the chime rang and snapped her back to herself, she growled. “Enter!” Thre word coming out a bit more of a snap than she meant it to. She moved to the desk and set the knife down, aware that it probably wasn’t a good thing to have in her hand.

She stood there, about ten feet from her supposed cousin, wearing loose fitted blue plaid pajamas bottoms, cinched at the waist, and a black tank top. She was barefoot and jet hair unruly from being tousled out of the towel. “I think it is, too. Who are you and why are you here? In one record you’re dead, in the next you’re fine but there’s missing time.”

She hadn’t even bothered to wait for Cas to step into the room so the door would close before firing off her questions. She was braced for a fight. But if Cas scanned her surface thoughts, they warred with themselves. Caught between a scared child wanting it all to be a lie, and an adult enraged at having been deceived.

Juliet
(Lost)

Casela stepped in, the NEs walking by hearing the loudly flung questions, and seeing the hot-headed counselor and RTF regent was the target, they paused. Everyone knew there was more to Casela than they saw. That was true of everyone on board. But somehow, despite her previous reputation, the crew was endeared of her. The crew looked and seeing she was unperturbed, continued on their way, but with an ear out for any sound of a fight. Those that lived there knew it was Juliet’s quarters and wondered about the uncanny similarities of the two.

Cas was in her regular, teal blue medical uniform. Her hair in a very tight fishbone braid. As the door closed she allowed her arms to fall to her sides as she leaned back casually against the bulk head. Resisting the urge to cross her arms for self comfort. She studied the girl..no she nor Juliet were girls anymore. She took note of the knife on the desk unconcerned. If Juliet remembered even half of what her father and uncle taught them, she didn’t need the knife and Casela didn’t need the one in her boot.

“Those are there for the same reason you changed your name and had your eyes surgically altered.” If she was here for Casela she already knew too much, but the confusion flowing in waves from Juliet almost convinced Casela that the coincidence of them being stationed here was real. But Casela was infinitely aware to be careful because she wanted her cousin back desperately. “I am Casela Synthi-er, currently detached to the USS Leviathan as ship’s counselor from Section 31. I was thought to be dead in an explosion that killed my whole team in 2384. I wasn’t dead, I was captured. During the following year I was tortured and 6 months later I got myself out and spent months recuperating.” She eyed Juliet coming to some conclusion. “Computer display medical record Synthi-er, Casela. USS Centurion. Stardate 2385. Authorization Sigma 958827 Valkyrie alpha. Confirm voice recognition and biometric pattern.” The computer trilled and then on Juliet’s screen appeared the visual record of her arrival on Centurion. Bruised and battered, but more startling was the sickening state of her body from the endless cuts, from shoulder to knee, that weren’t healed and obviously infected. The scenes were gruesome. Each worse than the last. The doctor’s logs spoke of the difficulty of clearing the infections and trying to close the wounds. Her anger and inability to willingly cooperate. A Vulcan was eventually brought in along with another Betazoid to try and calm her with no effect. There were gigabytes of information. “You’re welcome to check the authenticity. My death was left on record to protect my parents.”
Lt Synthi-er CNS

Juliet was shocked. Part of her wanted to rail at what she saw. Seeing Cas’ broken body and shattered mind reminded her of her own past. Had she looked that way? Had she seemed feral? Was that why she was never adopted… never wanted… never sought?

She stepped sideways a couple paces and scrolled thru a bit of the reports. After a moment, she spoke up. “You said your death was kept in place to protect your parents. From what?” She looked at Cas. “And are they still in danger?” She still wasn’t sure she believed it. But she had to know.

Juliet

Casela missed her parents. She got sporadic updates on them. Last she had heard her father was very sick and the doctors didn’t know if they could help him. Fey had offered to find out, but Casela hadn’t wanted to risk it. So she waited. “From the man who had me. I blew the compound on my way out, but explosives have never been my strong suite, and,” she waves towards the screen, “as you can see I wasn’t exactly sane. Later reports never indicated if he died or escaped, so it was deemed best to continue to report me as dead, so no one would come looking. As for if they are still in danger, considering my job, and the fact that there are several seeder individuals who would like me dead, I would have to say firmly, yes they are.” She wouldn’t apologize for it, she did what she could to keep them safe. She’d know in a few weeks if Mad Man was still alive or not and then she could move forward.

Casela

Juliet sighed mentally. Externally she gave no sign of reaction. “So that’s why you are ‘dead’ and at your last rank.” She said it matter of factly, as if just clarifying what she had just learned. She had changed her name and background for similar reasons. She had done it so her family line couldn’t be traced. Though she had no family to protect at the time, so she thought, the powers that be thought it best.

Casela nodded her head firmly and decisively. Yes that was why and she had her reasons just as Juliet had hers. They did what they had to do.

She still wasn’t sure she could trust Cas. She was at such odds it wasn’t funny. Who did one talk to when the Counselor was the one you were questioning? And how much could she trust the other Counselor not to go to Cas with her report? Cas was their supervisor, after all. Right?

She turned her back on Cas and went back to the window. Of all the places, and all the times, why here and now? “I haven’t contacted anyone since…” she paused realizing she had never contacted anyone. She figured they were all dead or moved on. “Well, you don’t have to worry about me saying anything. All right?” She turned back, her arms crossed in a defensive and protective pose. She just stared. Part of her mind tried to place Cas in the role of childhood confidant, cousin and best friend. The other part of her brain kept seeing a plant. Someone to keep an eye on her, make her mess up, and put the final report in her record that would resign her to a life of solitude in shame outside the Fleet.

And for several moments, neither side was winning. And the pain and confusion showed on her face.

Juliet

Casela, finally, leaned back against the bulk head, a relaxed posture, and crossed her arms across her chest, a defensive one. “I’m not worried about you saying anything. Either you will or you won’t, and I’ll deal with the consequences of either.” If Juliet was a plant it didn’t matter what information she got from Casela. She already had it or her superiors did. Casela had one of two paths to take, but the decision could not be made until she knew why Juliet was there. “Let’s get to the heart of the matter. Who sent you? And were you sent to break me or to kill me?” And deep down she wondered, but did not dare to hope, have the gods seen fit to return you to me. Have I finally paid penance for the deeds I have done? Though the thought was deeply hidden, Juliet would still feel the slight surge of optimism and hope against her questions.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

As Cas took a defensive posture, Juliet stiffened. She was in her own quarters, so she had weapons within easy reach. The question was, what did Cas have on herself that she could reach faster. When the woman proclaimed she didn’t care one way or another what Juliet did with the information, she thought the statement would be finished with because you aren’t gonna be in any shape to tell anyone. But then something shifted. Shifted in both tone, and miniscule posture tells in the woman across from her.

And Cas asked if Juliet was there to break or kill her.

The reaction was so immediate, she couldn’t stop it. Sheer surprise and a stunned look filled Juliet’s features before she could school them quickly enough. Cas thought she was a plant. Was it a ploy? A way to get her to admit something cause she had been caught so off guard? Trouble was, she wasn’t either. So the question got a completely different reaction.

Juliet broke into laughter.

“Wait… you thought I was brought here to kill you? Why would I do that? You are on a ship that’s more highly guarded than anything I’ve ever seen. I’m here cause I’ve been booted to the ass end of the universe to a ship of hardasses who are waiting for me to screw up again so I can be sent to retirement without provocation. If anything, I’d think you had the scoop to watch me for instability or my first misstep in judgement and send me packing.” She shook her head and sighed. “I’m not here to kill you, or break you. I’m here to mess up cause I’m in an impossible situation.” She shrugged unable to think of anything else to add.

She had been told one more screw up and she was gone. When she got here, and glanced at the roster, she had two impressions. One was that she was sent to the most regimented ship in the far flung reaches of space, with no way out, because it meant she would do something horribly wrong in her first week. Or that this was the place screw ups were sent to be ‘forgotten’ as fodder. Used because they had to go ‘somewhere’, but not mourned if they were lost.

Juliet
(lost and on the edge)