STF

Shuttle - An Old Acquaintance

Posted Jan. 20, 2020, 1:04 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Jessica Teller (XO) (Kate O'Neill)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jessica Teller (XO) in Shuttle - An Old Acquaintance
https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf3/outpost42/notes/57971/

Jessica walked into the Starfleet hangar bay as if she owned it. On some level she did. She was the executive officer and only Mathias had more power than her. Today though she had enough pips to get down what was needed to get done. “I need a runabout, off the records, here is the clearance,” Jessica handed the deck officer a forged set of orders. She did not worry about the scrutiny of them. They would hold up to anyone but the office that issued them. She was no longer in the field but she was not out of the game. Too many people needed someone like her: someone that appeared squeaky clean but able to get the job done. While the universe could think what they wanted, Aedan kept Jessica out of all his affairs that were supposedly illegal. The supposed illegal connotation was because no one had ever been able to bring any charges against him; however, there was no way Aedan Teller could have made his climb to power given his humble beginnings or choice of friends. Whether or not he gave it all up to marry Jessica and settle down was pure conjecture. What wasn’t conjecture was what his past could do for Mrs. Aedan Teller. All she had to do was drop her name and the good people of society fought to give her what she wanted to gain favor. The less reputable people of society gave her what she wanted out of fear of her husband.

“Ma’am this is all highly irregular,” the young lieutenant followed her on her heels protesting but not stopping. “You can take any vessel you want. All you have to do is sign the line but you,”

“Don’t want to sign the line,” Jessica did not stop her steady progression towards the shuttle.

“So what am I supposed to do if someone comes up and says ‘where is the XO or Goliath runabout,” he whined still keeping up with her stride.

Losing all her patience, Jessica spun on her heel to face the Lieutenant at the door of the shuttle. “I don’t care what you tell them. A band of roving gypsies stole it, two ensigns in love went AWOL,” she offered in a commanding tone, “but do not mention me or you will be transferred to the deepest, darkest sesspool pit in the Federation and run your career out there. Understood,” she snapped. Not waiting for an answer, Jessica entered the shuttle and shut the door.

Looking around anxiously the young lieutenant nodded to the metal door before tucking the PaDD under his arm heading back to the console he was manning moments before.

Sitting down in the cockpit, Jessica launched the ship. There was no going back now. There never was with the agency or Lauren Shan. It was a pity they never recruited her or maybe they did. That was the beauty of intelligence. One never knew what or who was doing what if the game was played well enough. Circling around to the small moon that was set to be the rendezvous point Jessica waited. She had told Zachary that time was of the essence. Whether it was fear of Aedan showing up again or Zachary really needing to complete a mission, Jessica didn’t care. Once she gave Shaw his required fifteen minutes, Jessica would head home and spend the day at the beach with her husband and daughter. Propping her feet on the console, she leaned back, closed her eyes and waited.

The tinkling chimes of a transporter igniting behind her notified Shaw had arrived. There was no need to stand on ceremony nor worry about rank and file. This was off the books. “Took you long enough,” Jessica grumbled looking at the time. It was well past noon which meant she would have some explaining to do

“Miss me,” Shaw said sliding into his seat next to her at the controls.

“Not if I am aiming at you so don’t give me a reason,” Jessica said dryly setting a case on her console to run the data packet Shaw had promised to bring. There was no way she was taking the chance someone could run the subhistory on the shuttles’ computer and learn what she was connected to. “Gimmie the data packet and your codes,” Jessica motioned with her hand to Shaw as she simultaneously opened the case and began to input her end of the codes with the other.

“Such impatience,” he teased in a slow drawl. “You did always like to play it hard and fast. I see some things never change.” Shaw watched her as Jessica took the data packet sliding it into the side panel looking for a reaction. Toying with Jessica had always been a fun pastime.

“I changed and for the better. Don’t presume to know me. Might send you to the hospital again,” Jessica tapped in the codes required to complete the transmission.

“You are such a liar,” Shaw said rolling his eyes. “You may be fooling everyone in the universe including that hot, rich man you married but I know you,” he leaned over the arm rest slightly focusing a hard piercing gaze on her. “You never do anything without a reason. I am still trying to figure out what your reasoning was to hook up woth Teller. It will show eventually. It always does,” Shaw kept his laid back, relaxed stance in his seat as if they were talking about the latest movie or other mundane topics.

“Maybe because I loved him,” Jessica didn’t give Shaw the courtesy of looking at him when she replied.

“Nah,” he taunted blowing off her answer, “but we have a long trip so maybe you can come up with a few million more reasons other than the patented love at first sight you feed the tabloids,” he prodded her. Zachary Shaw knee it couldn’t be all about the money. He knew Jessica too well for that. She had the looks to score a decent life with any guy. There had to be more to it than that.

Jessica turned sharply in her seat to face Zachary. Seeing his face, she wanted to punch him in the mouth to wipe off the smirk he was giving her. The world might see her as a socialite but there was far more to Jessica Teller than the diamonds she now wore and the designer shoes that carried her in and out of rooms. As the console ran the codes, Jessica had some free time and needed the space from Shaw.

“Tell me when this uploads,” she stood and left the cockpit. Jessica could banter back and forth icy words with Shaw but that was what he wanted. He was baiting her. If she didn’t walk out now, she would say something she regretted and he could use as ammunition later for whatever underlying reason he was involved in this scheme right now.

Walking to the back of the shuttle, Jessica picked up the small bag she had brought with her carrying it to the small cabin. Unzipping it she laid out all the times it contained on the bed: Change of clothes, stacks of credits, several forms of identification, and an unregistered weapon. Nothing with Lauren was simple or easy. Regardless of the job, she couldn’t just stroll in wearing her Starfleet uniform or use her name.

Later, hearing the soft snick of the pneumatic doors rush open, Shaw spared a glance at Jessica. What he saw made him reconsider toeing that life and death line again of making a play for Aedan Teller’s wife.

Jessica was still as beautiful as he remembered but even more so now that she was off the market and had a child. The ring and pacifer were in stark contrast to the black leather singlet she was wearing with a weapon slung low at her hip. The neutral tones of her previous makeup had been replaced with dark colors creating smokey eyes and dark colored lips to match. It was a classic makeup technique to draw your eyes to hers and pray that she would allow you to kiss her and continue. Her long blonde locks were gone. In place of it, Jessica was donning a chin length dark brown bob. The chunky layers of the obvious wig gave her a soft feminine quality that blended with a hint of recklessness. It was short enough to let an admirers eyes trace the gentle curve of her neck but long enough to entwine your fingers in to give it a sharp tug in the right circumstance. Her walk was not that of a devoted mother and wife. It swayed just enough with each step to beckon they eyes to trail down her body taking in the whole view. The click of her heeled boots on the hard metal floor, signaled her approach like a mentrone. The sight caused Shaw take a deep involuntary breath which he let out slowly. This was the point however to dressing and acted as she did. Men were simple creatures or at least the men they would be interacting with. Keeping their minds focused below the belt kept them off the shell game she would be playing at eye level. If her husband hadn’t broken his knee cap twenty fours hours ago, Shaw might have made a play for her; he still might because life was too short and then you died. It was t like they hadn’t had chemistry years ago. “So my place or yours,” Shaw asked watching her slide into the seat next to him.

“Mine,” she replied instantly. “I am sure Aedan would love to see you again and it would take the pressure off me in having to explain to him where I went and why I was dressed like this. Gonna take one for the team hero,” she said without a hint of humor. Internally she winced using the pet name so casually. Of all the things she was doing, using the nickname for her husband her seemed to sting the worst. Its just a job. Get it done and get home, she reminded herself.

Before Shaw could snap out an equally biting retort the download completed and the image of Lt Lauren Shan appeared. The slight blue tinged image did little to detract from her undeniable beauty. Only her eyes held a hint of what she was capable of if you looked for it. “Jessica, I found a lead on Harper,” Lauren’s recorded message began. Shan’s tone was not pleading or demanding. It was firm and direct like most conversations you had with the woman. It left no room for interpretation of emotion. Lauren was stating facts as she spoke with the expectation you would follow the request that would come later as if it were an order. “You are the closest to help. I need you to go and get her. Before you say no I know you have a daughter. What would stop you or Aedan from getting to your little girl in the same situation. This is not a normal job and not one for medical staff that is why I need you. You have the skills and he the resources to pull this off. Don’t give me the bull your husband is in the straight and narrow. We both know you never get out of the game. You know how to find me. You can call and say no but know that when you look in Cera’s eyes as she is curled up safe in bed, it is just a matter of fate that she is not Harper. “.

The message dissolved as quickly as it had appeared. The only thing left floating in the air was a set of coordinates. For the first time since Jessica embarked on this journey a bubble of emotion erupted as she kicked the console muttering a string of profanity.

Having a child changed your outlook on life. Things that might have garnered a tug at your heart strings once now became an insatiable need to fix or alter to protect them or make their life better. Lauren was wrong on only one thing in her plea for help. Cera would never be in Harper’s dilemma because there was no rock or crevice anyone could hide in if they attacked Aedan’s family.

Shaw’s smug grin spread an inch wider watching his companion vent and rage. “This was why you did not marry or become close to anything. If it was of value to you someone somewhere could try to take it from you. So you wanna call the hubby or me,” he pulled a communicator out of his pocket and shook it slightly.

Hearing the company motto thrown back in Jessica’s face almost caused her to come unhinged. Flexing her fingers several times to work the tension out she turned to face Shaw. “You are an arse. You know that right,” she shot him a sour look tapping out a series of commands on the console. Jessica left her response at that. He was right in what he said. She had more pressing things on her plate at the moment though to debate his statement. . Engaging the long range sensors it took her only a moment to find what she was looking for. Thank god you’re on our side, Jessica muttered to herself finding the distress beacon several light years away. It was faint and on a sub frequency that no one would notice unless you were looking for it. It would be enough to give her plausible deniability. Captain McGarret was a good man. If he didn’t buy her cover story his moral compass would save her from twenty years in the brig. Mathias was a good man. That is why Jessica would never leave his side as XO.

Tapping out a series of command codes, Jessica cleared her throat and sent her messages to the outpost. The first was a message to Aedan. There were things worse than twenty years of gruel on a prison barge. =/\=. Flight deck this is Lt Commander Jessica Teller. I need the deck officer to contact my husband and tell him I have gotten pulled away at work and will contact him later=/\=. Holding her breath for a second Jessica decided to be as honest as possible but only by hugging the truth. She would contact him later with more. Right now she just needed Aedan not to worry.

Next came her alibi to Outpost 42. =/\=. Outpost 42 this is shuttle Mordecai. We have encountered a distress signal=/\=

“Cue sub space interference,” Shaw said running program to scramble Jessica’s transmission enough to make it appear an ion storm or spatial radiation was hindering the message. Luckily for them Space was not a silent place. This fact made off the book missions easier to create doubt when questions were asked.

=/\=Moving … position to …. … out. Will repo… back … per …. intervals. … …ander Jess….ler. =/\=. Clicking off the comm line Jessica watched Shaw completing the sub space navigation requirements for their jump.

“Engaging warp,” Shaw announced setting the shuttle on its way

Lt. Commander Jessica Teller XO


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