Posted by Civilian Aedan Teller (Owner/CEO of OMAP Industries) in Farius Prime - An Old Acquaintance

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jessica Teller (XO) in Farius Prime - An Old Acquaintance

Posted by Civilian Aedan Teller (Owner/CEO of OMAP Industries) in Shuttle - An Old Acquaintance
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf3/outpost42/notes/39562/ Teller Casino An Old Acquaintance
https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf3/outpost42/notes/57971/ Promenade - An Old Acquaintance
https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf3/outpost42/notes/63924/ Shuttle - An Old Acquaintance

SNIP

Jessica swallowed feeling her mouth go dry. With Lergo gone she had lost her leverage. She was also now alone with her husband. “I think we need to talk,” she spoke in a neutral tone. Barely perceptible whispers erupted around her immediate vicinity. The rest of Clube Vertigo was still participating in their hedonistic pursuits. When Aedan wanted to make a scene he did. When he wanted something subtle, it remained that way. Aedan was giving her the option of a quiet retreat and she would take it. Not one of the people around her was brazen enough to look at the spectacle head-on. It was only side glances and peripheral views taking in the scene.

“Do you now? Whatever gave you that impression?” Aedan said as he offered his hand to her, clearly indicating she needed to take his hand and let him help her off the stool. As she stood he offered his arm for her to wrap her hands around. He knew she would follow suit, she always did and in this club, it wasn’t unusual for him in the past to take whoever he wanted from the bar.

Jessica slipped her hand around his arm. The movement felt natural except for the part about how calm Aedan was. If there was one thing Jessica learned about her husband it was calm equaled furious. “Aedan, I will explain everything but I think you have some things to explain also,” Jessica said with a smile fulfilling the role of arm accessory.

Jessica moved in step with Aedan as he led her through the club. More eyes were falling upon them but it out of curiosity than suspicion. The glances from both men and women told Jessica the patrons were all taking stock of Aedan and his choice of companion for the evening. Facial recognition programs would be in full swing as well as conversations about her identity would dominate the tables. The only stroke of luck was that Jessica knew nothing became public knowledge without Aedan’s control. Scramblers would be primed stopping the flow of any information in and out of his club. Her identity was as secure as Aedan deemed it needed to be. Without all the attention squarely on her, it was only natural for her to scan the room without impunity. Almost as shocking as finding Aedan here was the actual patrons of the club. Gruto Zapal, Valsi Jakin, Sion Janrand, Maxir Tillie, Daro Vene, Kuna Brenau, Runa Anen. The faces of the name’s in the club she noticed were a living dossier of the who’s who of the intelligence world. Teller had always been on their radar when she was an intelligence analyst. Until this second she had no idea how deep Aedan ran in the underworld community.

One other word from his only sentence to her drifted to the forefront of her mind: My club. How did Aedan own Club Vertigo and she had no clue was the first question followed by a plethora of others as she no longer thought about Shan’s mission.

Lt. Commander Jessica Teller.

Aedan said nothing as he walked in step with her heading back to the lift the would move them up to the second floor. Stepping into the left the quiet echo of the club began to become louder once more. Whatever they had thought from the scene was quickly out of sight out of mind as the pair began moving upwards. As they exited the lift as he began to guide her to his office as the men in front of it stepped aside.

Once inside his office she would see it didn’t differ too far from his at Outpost 42, it was large with redwood and pristine old Earth vibe. It gave both a sense of warmth and power all at the same time. “Would you like something to drink?” Aedan asked as he turned back to her as he pointed towards the liquor cabinet he had on his wall area, one she would be very familiar with from his own office just what he had in stock.

“You know what I like, I suggest you bring me one too if you want to have a chat,” he said as he said down in one of the large comfy chairs as he crossed his legs as he waited for her to obey the command. “Make it double I feel like I am going to need it.”

Aedan Teller

Jessica licked her lips and dutifully headed to the liquor cabinet. Opening the glass door she retrieved two glasses and the bottle of whiskey. Pouring a measure for herself, she then poured Aedan his double plus and extra half measure. If he thought he needed a double, Jessica knew he would need more once they got talking. “Nice club,” she said walking to the sitting area. The click of her heels echoed in the room as Jessica crossed the highly polished oak floor. “So when did we buy it,” she asked handing him the crystal glass of amber liquor. Taking a seat on the couch across from him, Jessica settled back in the thick cushions, took a drink and waited for him to reply.

Lt. Commander Jessica Teller

“We didn’t buy it, I bought it… with a near two dozen others throughout the quadrant. You do realize I had a life before I meet you. Or did you forget for a second how we pay for all our excursions and trips…”

“OMAP is,” Jessica mistakenly began to reply hearing the briefest pause in Aedan’s speech. The moment he continued to talk indicated it was a rhetorical question for now and Jessica was to remain silent. If not Aedan would just talk over her.

” or why I am needed off the Outpost. I made my home there cause it suits my needs, my mansion on OED where I spent most of my teen years as well as adult years lays vacant… well almost I did let a few senators crash there when they were trying to avoid some bribery scandal.” Aedan said as he took the glass from her as he began to nurse it slowly.

Jessica knee not all of Aedan’s business dealings were lollipops and rainbows but OMAP was a public company. It was easy to see how he made his credits from the public relations-entertainment conglomerate however even with the millions in revenue yearly Aedan seemed to live a billionaire lifestyle. His books would show every penny accounted for externally for the universe to see but internally was where the wealth was hidden in plain site and not up for scrutiny. Take the Sabre for instance. Jessica knew the upgrades in weapons, engines, and sensors were not off the shelf components. Aedan was only loyal to his family and the people that served him so he wasnt bothered by selecting the best tech from the best places even if it was from the other team so to speak such as with his Romulan cloaking technology on his ship. That was until now. Now it made sense. If Aedan has on the books money he also had off the books businesses. The question was how deep did it go. For her though the question of Aedan treating her like the featured tart and no one seeming to cared he was married was far more pertinent right now

“So when you go on your little business trips for the day you come here,” she took a long swig of her drink. Maybe she should have poured herself a double. While she was not in the position to poke the bear, Aedan’s actions brought so many questions to her mind and the one in the forefront had nothing to do with money or how he acquired it. “So that is why you didn’t call me Mrs. Teller or Jessica when you found me at the bar,” she stood up needing to work out her anger building. “You wanted no one to know your wife showed up. That would create pesky little questions wouldn’t it?” The thought that Aedan was stepping out on her enraged Jessica. Yes she left with Shaw but it was not like what Aedan was doing. Her cheeks began to burn crimson with embarrassment. Everyone down stairs thought she was just some toy for the day, week, or however long he desired the companionship.

“Now a lot of questions arise with your presence here… not all of which I really think you need to be apart of. “

“Not be a part of,” Jessica snapped having a hard time remaining as calm as Aedan was. “Aedan I am your wife. Everyone down there thinks I am some flavor of the week. All the whispers in the tabloids about us separating every week…does it come from your activities on business trips.” She spat the polite term for what she wanted to say like it was a bad taste in her mouth. “Do you realize what it makes our marriage look like to everyone? I thought you left all that,” she gestured in the general direction of the public club below them,” in the past!”

<“So where is that lovely guy you had at the party… unlike you I didn’t for a second forget your career or your past adventures… the bruises and scars you used to have to have removed with that… Gunny was on the Outpost. ” Aedan said as he placed the glass down as he stared her down. The look wasn’t quite what he would normally want from her, their roleplay often had other looks.

“I gave that up when I married you,” Jessica said hotly. “I couldn’t have that life and be your wife and the mother of your child at the same time. It it seems you can balance your cake and eat it to,” She gestured to herself. Jessica was being rather naive right now. Mainly it was to deflect them from talking about why she was here and partially because she felt like her guts were being ripped out now that she thought Aedan was having bits in the side. Lauren’s mission could wait until she straightened her own house out.

“Why was every person in that club scared of you? Do you just sit back and point out who you want and they bring them to you on a platter. Lergo sure seemed ready to pass me off to you without a second thought. Tell me did Lergo make it back to his home or is he on crutches like Shaw? How dirty is our money honey that no one would say boo to you And what do you do to get a weekly paycheck for it? Answer me,” she yelled at Aedan slamming down her glass on the table.

“So lemme come back with another question… do I strike you as a fool then? You want to keep denying fine, but you have been let into my life enough to know sometimes I have to step in and make things less messy. Or did you take me as some latchkey kid growing up on the streets, no kids… acting like I was Oliver Twist asking for just one more bite in the orphanage or shelters and just one day stumbled upon some nice plucky Daddy Warbucks who graciously gave me all I built… cause if that is the case then you have been completely fooled in our marriage and I have to wonder how I could have ever been with someone so stupid.” Aedan spat back as he brows furrowed as he looked at her as if she was someone he had never seen before.

“Because that Aedan I saw in the club is not you,” she stabbed a finger at him. “I’m not stupid. I’m just in love with you and that man no one in the universe sees. Love is blind and yeah I see what I want to see in you. I see the man that cuddles me in bed every night. I see the man that sits at the breakfast table with our daughter on one knee to the left and his work to the right. I see the man that brings me coffee and sandwiches because he was worried I didn’t eat today. That is the man I see. That man down there,” she looked at him icily,” I have never seen him before because I am so blindly in love With you ”. Jessica could feel her heart pounding. “Rarely are you wrong Aedan but tonight you were. you are not a fool. I am for thinking Cera and I were enough.”

“I do everything to keep you and Cera safe, and you think it’s a good idea to go on some past vendetta… or whatever this guy has cooked up…” Aedan paused as he pressed his hand to his ear as he nodded. “Speaking of the devil seems they found him in his hidey-hole… he should be here in ten minutes. So you have enough time to start thinking of the next lie.”

Aedan Teller

Jessica stiffene d hearing Shaw had been taken out. “Because you are apparently some beacon of truth,” she threw a dirty look at him In response to his ultimatum. “And leave Shaw alone. He is just my partner this one time . I am not back in the game. This was just an little errand for a friend. If I was back in the field I would call in a few squads and clear out your whose who downstairs getting a promotion to probably Commodore. and before you ask yes they wanted me to go back in the field after Cera was born but I told them no. I can’t really do this pregnant now can I,” she tried to get her emotions under control.

Looking at her husband Jessica realized how much they had to talk about. she was blind becuase blind was easy. She thought Aedan had changed at least where it needed to be changed. As badly as she wanted to get on the shuttle and return home she could not without completing Lauren’s mission. “I need two hours and then we can leave,” she let out a deep sigh. “Should I call first before I come into the office when I am done or will you hang a sock on the door,” she downed the rest of her drink.

Jessica Teller.