Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Late night questions - Casela’s Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Ryder Raauhl (Executive Officer) in Late night questions - Casela’s Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Late night questions - Casela’s Quarters
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Ryder had almost wanted his replacement not to show up but he did and after an unfortunately quick handover takeover, he found himself standing outside Casela quarters preparing himself mentally more now than he did when he did for battle against the Dominion. He pressed the door chime and waited, he hoped that she had the common sense or at the very least Cobb ordered her to her quarters to pass the intoxication. He wondered if he’d find the deep and anxious filled drunk or another he had yet to meet.

• Commander Raauhl

Cobb had left and Casela was alone in her quarters. She hated these quarters. Well hate was a strong word. They were given to her, assigned, and it bugged her to just..comply. There was nothing wrong with them. Ryder had brought her here much earlier in the evening and he had warned her he was coming back. She’d stayed because.. awww crap…because he’s be mad if she left. She was good at pushing his buttons but she just didn’t feel like fighting, with him. What had Cobb said, her reputation…and all that implied.

Per Fey’s advice she had had several more glasses of water already and was working on another. She heard the chime and hesitated. She knew it was Ryder but she queried the computer anyway. Slowly she got up, unlocked the door and let it open for him. She sat back down in her chair, not saying a word.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

The Trill followed her in and made sure the door closed behind them, he sat down next to her but giving her space. She of course smelt of alcohol no matter how many glasses of water she downed. “How are feeling now?” He asked in a tone that suggested she wasn’t going to be getting any pity from him. Having previously shouted at him to not be like Noa and bury his head in a bottle felt a little betrayed.

• Commander Raauhl

“Like the universe’s biggest hypocrite.” She got up going into the other room. She was gone a few minutes but came back, cleaned up. Whether hearing his thoughts or reading his facial expressions she wasn’t sure. She was wearing cotton yoga pants and a cut off tshirts that just barely hid the scars. She’d brushed her teeth, and made an effort to be not quite so offensive. She sat back down next to him, but facing him. Waiting for the dressing down she knew she deserved.
Lt Synthi-er CNS

“I want to know whats going on Casela, I can help in more ways than you can imagine” He rested his hand on her leg, seeing her like this was a stark contrast to her usual confident and fiery self. He had a million questions but being alone in her quarters again he just wanted to forget about all their troubles both hers and his and just enjoy the moment together. They spent a lot of time together but rarely was it always enjoyable.

• Commander Raauhl

Casela looked around the room, a little lost. “I don’t know what else to tell you. I’m not…I’m not being evasive, I just don’t know.” She closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts. “He, all accounts say he, I’ve heard his voice, once. When he shows up it’s a flash of metalic purple light. Not the swirling gold or blue of a transporter. I saw the flash of the light under the door of my CO’s office. There is no such things as respect for privacy in the section. He’d called me to his office and when I got there I saw that flash of purple light. And there was this voice, male, low, but it carried, and had this..like it echoed. He told my CO I was a problem, to deal with me or he’d get rid of me. That was when I was sent to Triton.” She places her hand over his on her leg. Not pushing him away, but seemingly latching on. “I saw that same flash of light when I was talking to Roebuck. Roebuck is too straight laced, I doubt the shadow was there for him. Plus the transmission came with a clear warning, so…” Her body seemed to tremble a moment. “I’m not sure I’m answering your question. I’m trying to.”

“He sounds more like a ghost than a real person and I for one am not scared of ghosts, we are in the middle of deep space there’s no way he can get to you without us knowing about it first.” He said reassuringly, though he hid that seeing her concerned in this way did indeed have him a little bit worried. But his own words did help cure some of the anxiety.

“Many of the anomalies that ARU and RTF encountered were similar to ghosts. Or appeared to be ghost like. Look at Gen,” Casela said. Ghosts were very real. And they came in many different forms. Her gaze is far away in thought, “I’m not afraid of ghosts. The monsters and apparitions of nightmares are usually humanoid and are much more scary and brutal than anything our imaginations can come up with.” A thought was brewing in the back of her mind, but she couldn’t get the pieces to fit right. With a sigh she let it go. She really didn’t need to be drinking.

She ran a hand through her hair, obviously disgusted with herself. Alcohol dulled the senses and the reflexes, and fear was a not a good reason to allow that to happen.
She felt like she was missing a vital piece of a puzzle and it was making her angry at herself. A little of that hot-headedness flashing across her eyes momentarily.

She sighs, “Is it still worth it? This” she waves her hand at the insaneness of the night, “This is my life, and has been for years. And it takes even more years to get out of it.” She catches his gaze. “I really don’t want it to touch you, drag you into the depths of this hell.” And it would occur to Ryder, that if Casela wasn’t drunk, she wouldn’t be this talkative or this open.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

“My Symbiote is 257 years old, I have seen things that still to this day scare me and this doesn’t scare me Casela. I would be doing us both an injustice if I didn’t at least try to fight for us so let’s have no more of this ‘is it worth it’ talk. We will come to the bridge with our shadowy friend and burn it to the ground if needs be but for now, let’s focus on more immediate dangers and not so dangers” He rubbed her legs affectionately, “Would it be to forward of me to stay the night?”

• Commander Raauhl, XO

“Okay first of all 257 years old, I think you might be too old for me. Secondly that might make you my elder, but ‘is it worth it’ is a valid question we will ask over and over.” She paused and he saw just a barely there flash of humor cross her face, “And if we’re going to fight for us, I think it might be best if I do it. You’re a little slow.” It was a poor attempt to tease him, and totally unfamiliar to her, but she made the attempt.

“That’s rich, I know of several fading bruises that would beg to differ,” he began poking at spots on her body, “Well fight for each other that’s how these things work Casela. You don’t have to do everything alone, not anymore.”

She smiled and shrugged as if in agreement to his differing opinion. She twitched away from the first poke, and then again as he kept doing it. The last one, a slight laugh escaping, she grabbed his hand making him stop, and the look of horror on her face told Ryder, she was ticklish and apparently she hadn’t been aware of it. She listened to his assertion and kind of marveled at it. Not being alone was a new concept. She’d…it had just been easier, she guessed. If you were alone, there was no loss. She looked at him, sitting beside her and…well she’d think about her own thoughts later. “Okay, Ryder.”

She took his hand a little awkwardly, “It probably is a little forward, but I really don’t care.” She stood up and paced the room, and finished another glass of water. She looked over at him, “Stay.”

Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

“I’m not that mechanical dog you know” He teased standing up as if to defy her order to stay. He want sure why but he found her deceptively cute, she was far from it but during this twilight Inbetween place she was certainly almost cute. “I think some sleep will do you some good, besides I need my beauty sleep don’t look this good at my age without it” He teased holding out his hand for her to take.
- Commander Raauhl, XO

Fenrir? What did he have to do with it? And then she realized what she’d said. “I didn’t mean you were.” And she smirked as he stood up. He was looking at her and she wasn’t sure why but it made her stomach flip. She wouldn’t really notice, but she was blushing. After a moment she shook her head, “Like I said, 257, I think you’re too old for me. Going to bed early, puttering about everywhere,” she tsked softly, her eyes dancing. She stared at his hand for a brief moment and then she placed her hand in his, holding it firmly.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

“Cracking jokes now? That is actually funny? Wheres Casela and what have you done with her?” He teased tugging on her gently to help her up from the sofa and then towards the bedroom if she allowed him to lead. Casela however wasn’t the following type of person and Ryder liked that about her, she could make her own decisions, though he wasn’t sure about drunk Casela.

• Commander Raauhl, XO

“Yeah, who knew, I could be funny,” she quipped sarcastically as she got to her feet as he tugged her hand. “I locked her up so she wouldn’t start fights.” He started leading her towards the bedroom. She was going to have a massive hangover in the morning, but her body had already burned through some of it. She stepped past him, tossing over her shoulder, “These are my quarters. You don’t mind if I go first,” her tone indicating she didn’t care if he did or not. Her voice wasn’t angry or belligerent, but more herself than it had been earlier. She hadn’t let go of his hand so she stopped till he was next to her and then went into the bed room. She paused, let go of his hand and started muttering about not starting arguments. She waved around the room, “make yourself at home.” She reached under one of the pillows and pulled out something palm sized and then turned and placed it in a drawer.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Bump

Ryder wasn’t going to question her about the small item she had moved from under her pillow, atleast not straight away. He removed some of his clothes so that he was down to just his undergarments, and folded them before putting them to one side. He stood looking to Casela waiting for her to get into bed, he had noticed how she wanted to enter the room first and wondered if that was just her thing.

• Commander Raauhl, XO

It wasn’t her thing exactly. Another reason to not drink. She was hearing thoughts that she shouldn’t be. Although she had entered the bedroom briefly early in the evening, she hadn’t been sitting where she could watch this room as well. As Ryder had led her toward the bedroom she realized she didn’t know if the room was clear. If someone or something was waiting in that room, it would get her before it got to Ryder.

That was the same reason she had approached the bed on the side closest to the door. Gently making Ryder choose the far side. If anything came through the door, she would be between it and Ryder. That was why she crossed the room to put the small device in a drawer, it let her scan the room, and make sure. She had told him that she didn’t want the hell that was her life to touch him. She would do her best to make sure it didn’t. She didn’t think Shadow man would come for her tonight, but that was no excuse to become lazy and no vigilant.

She was wearing what she slept in, but she wished at that moment the shirt was longer. She’d willingly shown Ryder the scars, having expected him to be disgusted like everyone else, too disturbed by the thought of how she got them, but he hadn’t been. A longer shirt though would keep them covered no matter how she moved. She barely managed to ignore them herself most of the time. She’d never really felt with it or come to terms…she sighed to herself. Being drunk was making her introspective.

Realizing Ryder was standing there waiting for her, she laid down, between him and the door. Absently tugged her shirt into place. “You know, sleep works better if you lay down.”

Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

“Right of course,” He said chuckling having been distracted as he watched Casela, he pulled back the covers and took the spot that was free, she clearly wanted to be near the door which made sense given her background. As long as Ryder’s feet were towards the door so he could see it he was happy. The bed was large enough for two people, the luxuries of being an officer aboard a ship as large as the Leviathan. “Comfy” he said though the bed was no different to his own.

• Lt Cmdr. Raauhl, XO

Casela shrugged at his remark that the bed was ‘comfy.’ Such things didn’t really occur to her. Not often anyway. She could sleep here just as well on wet ground. If had to rest, you rested where ever you could find safe spot to do so. The bed on a star ship should be comfortable. If it wasn’t, she’d probably notice because it would be out of place. A bed was a luxury that she appreciated whenever she had the chance to use it. Another thing she would probably end up taking for granted while assigned to Leviathan. She smiled a little though, “It’s about the same as your bed.”

Laying flat was making the room spin, not as much as she was expecting and not nearly as badly as she deserved. She stared at a spot on the ceiling taking slow deep breaths forcing the room to be still. She didn’t say a word. She didn’t want pity and she knew she wouldn’t get any from Ryder. She liked that about him. He didn’t put up with nonsense. They were similar that way, until tonight. Tonight had been nothing but nonsense and self pity, and she loathed herself for it, deep soul rending loathing. Where was this going anyway? How many times had he told her they needed to talk? That they were going to talk? And she agreed. They really didn’t know a lot about each other. Or maybe they did, if she stopped to think about it. But his “we need to talks’ always turned into him posing a question and then when she tried to answer to delve into the issue he told her some version of ‘trust him’ and then left, or if they happened to be off duty, he went to sleep. She tried to explain to him, once, what her life had been like, what it still was, and he insisted it was in the past. She’d shown him the scars and still he insisted it was the past. It wasn’t for her though. There was unfinished business there that she would have to deal with before it would be past. She reached to her side rubbing a scar just above her waist line; one of the bigger ones that had never healed properly.

He’d been silent for several minutes, so maybe he was asleep. She didn’t look to see though. She quietly pushed herself up to sitting because her mind would not shut off. Ryder told her he could help in ways she couldn’t imagine. She could imagine a whole lot. But she’d never read his file, so everything was up for imagination. She wanted to ask him, how he could help. What could he do? She wanted to know. She wanted, gods help her, she wanted to know the shadow wouldn’t get her. Blind faith was something she just couldn’t do, and maybe that’s what he wanted from her. But blind faith had gotten her these scars. She glanced over at him to see if he was actually getting his ‘beauty sleep’ or not.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Ryder was of course awake, how could he not be with all her fidgeting and he didn’t need to be a telepath to know her mind wasn’t turning off. “You know, the idea of a bed is to genuinely sleep in it. But I fear you trying to do a full. Body workout which quite frankly rather disturbing. What’s on your mind Cas.” He asked looking up at her from his laying position.

• Lieutenant Commander Ryder Rauuhl

She stilled her fidgeting, not having been aware she was even doing it. She shrugged, “I have trouble sleeping with someone in the room, you know that.” The night she’d hidden out in his room, on her birthday, she’d laid awake the whole night. She ignored the comment about doing a full body workout. That would be absurd to attempt to do in bed. She glanced down at his face, “How Ryder? You tell me you can help in more ways than I can imagine. That’s vague and broad. How are you going to make the shadow leave me alone? By telling me it’s part of my past? It doesn’t work that way, no matter how much we might want it to be.” She leans her head back staring at the ceiling again. “I don’t have the luxury of blind faith. I did that once, and it almost cost me my life.” She wants out, and there is no way to really ever get out. And she knows that Ryder and the captain think she’s jumping at insubstantial shadows, and she knows she’s not. “I would really like a way out of this.”

Lt. Casela Synthi-er

“It’s not blind faith Casela, it’s logic.” He sat up next to her, “I have no doubt this person is extremely good at thier job in finding people but we’re in an organisation shrouded be secrets, we’re in a task force where we don’t even know how many ships or even the names and wareabouts of those ships. If that doesn’t stop him then the sophisticated detection equipment externally and internally will notify us of an intruder and finally the people who operate that equipment are some of the finest officers I’ve ever worked with, an odd bunch with issues for sure but I would happily say that our greater collective is better and stronger than this one sole person. I have faith in this ship, in me and in you that when the time, if the time comes we will be able to deter such a threat now and in the future.”

• LtCmdr Raauhl, XO