Posted by Commander Ryder Raauhl (Executive Officer) in side-sim Still in the Lounge

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in side-sim Still in the Lounge

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in side-sim Still in the Lounge
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
(snip)
Casela glanced up and groaned. Just great, here comes Mr. It’s-in-the-past-so-it-doesn’t-matter-any-more when she had obviously was in the middle of or just starting a bout of hysterical sobbing. “You don’t want to come over here. I’ve been drinking. A Lot.” she twirled the empty glass again, stopped it and put her head back. Her other hand wrapped tightly around the necklace.

He crossed the room stopping short examing her and the empty glasses, “That is rather evident, I think perhaps its time to stop.” Ryder sat next to her and brushed the bottles away before turning towards her, she stank of alcohol, even worst than Cobb after one of his particular stressful nights. “You look like a damned mess Casela.”

Casela nodded, she should have stopped a long time ago, she should have stopped before she walked into the lounge earlier. But why was he here? It was like she’d been thinking about him and he appeared, there was probably something in the necklace! She was loosing it, and even if there was something in it, she wasn’t taking it off. She opened her eyes with a look of “I know I’m a mess.” But instead of her usual flippancy and disregard she just looked terrified.

.You are a damn rat. Your allegiance isn’t to your captain or this crew, its to a shadow organization you can’t define. If ‘they’ ever came for me or anyone else on this ship, I’m sure you would open the door for them and take their hat and coats counselor. But you’d have to give a damn about the rest of us little people first, and since we all can’t be Commander Raauhl, that’s a bridge to far for you.

And now Ryder was at risk because of her. Cobb too. She’d told Cobb all of it. Every last detail, everything she knew, everything she didn’t know. She’d hoped she’d found her place. But that just wasn’t going to happen for her. And now she’d have to protect Hampton too. “This is why I don’t drink.” she said softly her head back on the bulk head, eyes closed, a lump in her throat, and her chest too heavy to breath, it seemed. Where was the nearest airlock? Did she even have the override codes for that?
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Something must have gone wrong in a power relay as the lights started to flicker out for a moment. Either that or…the doors open in the momentary darkness and in strides the Doctor with a stasis case and a bottle of something. A quick scan of the room and she smiles as she sees the counselor and XO sitting together. “Oh now this silly rumor just got more interesting.” The doctor cackles a bit as she made her approach to the bar, setting the stasis box and retrieving a couple of plates. “Given the hour and the number of empty bottles, I have just the remedy for you two.”

Carefully the doctor poured out the fizzy liquid into a set of glasses and opens the stasis container. The smell of strawberries fills the room with its sweet goodness, though written on the surface of the pie in whipped cream is the word ‘PITTY’ making it a literal pitty pie. The Doctor serves a few slices and brings out some vanilla bean ice cream from the replicator, then gives each member a glass and a plate of strawberry pitty pie and vanilla ice cream. “Do please enjoy, and remember that I care when no one else does. Also remember that I am short on supplies, so I can’t cure your hangovers tomorrow. I suggest you start drinking a lot of water so you minimize the effect.”

• Doctor Fey Kastil

Casela had no intention of eating any of it. If the sweet smell was any indication, she’d get sick from the sugar and alcohol mixing. And it was a shame too, Fey’s sister made such awesome deserts, so she had heard.

Before the executive officer could object and downplay the situation and explain he hadn’t been drinking considering he was still on duty she had poured and passed them the drink so he accepted them anyway. “You don’t have to worry about me Doctor, I’m going to take the counselor here back to her quarters before returning to the CIC to finish my duty. Thank you for the drink and the advice anyway.” He gave his to Casela and gestured for her to drink up. “Its time to go Cas.” He wasn’t concerned about the Doctor hearing him use her name so casually, the whole ship knew they were seeing each other.

• Commander Raauhl, XO

Casela took both glasses and drank them slowly. She nodded in agreement that it was time to go, but she didn’t get up. She kept sipping whatever drink the doc had given them. The room was spinning and she had no desire to fall down on her face. Should have thought of that before I came in here. She wanted to say more but she figured that wasn’t a good idea. She’d say something else she shouldn’t. And really one Hampton quality attack was all she could take, and very silently she began to cry.

Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

“Here” Ryder offered his arm so she could loop her hand through so that they would appear to be going about the ship in a very public sign of their ‘relationship’ in truth all he wanted to do was get her tucked up in bed so that he could tomorrow say ‘I don’t have any sympathy it’s all self-inflicted’ to her but behind the humor was a huge concern, what had caused Casela too break down in this astronomical way.

• Commander Raauhl, XO

Casela finished the drink Fey had given them. She turned in the seat and put her feet on the floor, allowing the dizziness the motion caused to simply wash over her. She looped her hand through his arm, with NO hesitation or resistance. Which wasn’t like her at all. She wasn’t into “fawning” over her “boy friend.” Another indication she’d had too much, she heard his thought and actually responded to it. Very low and with a lot of self directed loathing, “Good thing then because I don’t deserve your pity.” She stood up then, keeping one hand on the table, till the spinning became bearable, and then she began to walk beside Ryder.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Casela looked at Fey. “Someone better check on Lt Hampton. His paranoia is about to sky rocket, and he won’t be doing well.”

“Well, that’s lucky,” He said helping her and smiling as they passed the Doctor, “Thank you for the drink Doctor, I think I’ve got her from here If I need your help… Send Security” He joked before bowing his head and leading Casela towards the closest turbo lift. “What happened Casela, you don’t usually drink and not to this level. I can help you know, as an XO and as your friend.”

• Commander Raauhl, XO

Cas shook her head, not in the corridor, not where people and ships systems could hear. Not where someone could find out she told him and connect him to whatever it was she’d just royally screwed up. They took the turbolift to deck 3 and when they got to her door she hesitated a moment and then seeming to come to some decision she input the security code and walked in. As she entered her eyes darted around the shadows, “Computer lights, full illumination” It was a bit bright at first but then her eyes adjusted. She doubted a lack of shadow in her room would protect her, but no shadow to hide in either. She lowered herself into a chair and reached a bit unsteadily for the control panel on the table and hit a button, stopping the recordings in her quarters and locking the door. She sat back and closed her eyes. What she wouldn’t give to know then, when she joined, what she did now, and do it all differently. “If I tell you, you aren’t going to like it.” She waited in the silence for a moment. “I made a report, to Roebuck. Admiral Roebuck. Just like I was ordered to, but I missed something, and now....” A cold chill went visibly down her spine. “I’ve made too many enemies in my life time.”

“And now I’ve scared the crap out of Hampton. His paranoia is worse than I knew....and” You probably know the role of every man and woman on this ship. But you won’t tell the captain, and you won’t warn your own crew. The worst part of this counselor, is that you could be this ship’s greatest asset, someone we could confide in, keep us in the loop about them, a friend to trust. You know what you are doing is wrong, so you sooth your conscious by telling yourself that you do not have a choice. You are so desperate to not be an unwitting pawn you’ve turned yourself into a willing slave.” She felt like she was being sucker punched over and over again. None of what she told Hampton was classified and secret. Cobb knew what she’d been doing. Hampton just assumed the worse. But she’d been too drunk to pick up on his own mental state for her own. She’d never screwed up so bad.

“I…I don’t know what I did. But now I’m going to pay for it, dearly and …” she traced the runes again. And with a barely audible whisper, “I’m terrified.”

Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

The Counselor had been in the back of Cobb’s mind since last evening, specifically whether her earlier dismissal by a distraught Lt Hampton had hurt her feelings. So, on his way to enjoy a small nightcap before bed, the captain decided to check in on her quickly and perhaps see if she would like to join him. Reaching her door, he thought momentarily that he had caught distressed voices from the other side. So it was with a slight degree of alarm that he pressed her doorchime.

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

At the sound of the chime Casela sat up straight, held a finger to her lips to shush Ryder and stared, wide eyed, obviously startled and scared at the door. Her left hand reached behind her back for a fan, but didn’t find one. True to her word to Ryder, she wasn’t armed. She walked over to her desk and inquired the computer, through the interface of who was outside her door. On the screen “Cpt. Zachariah Cobb” flashed. She went over to the door, put in the security code and the door opened. She grabbed Cobb by the wrist and pulled him inside and relocked the door. The first thing Cobb would notice–Casela was VERY VERY drunk.

Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

“What the…” Cobb blustered in alarm as he found himself being physically dragged into the room. “Now hold on there, Cas, what’s the emergency here?”

He stopped. Removed himself from her grasp and took a step backwards. Scrutinised every inch of her from head to toe and then, with an almost accusatory glance at Ryder, asked, “Cas. Are you…drunk?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“Seemingly so” Ryder said standing with a nod to greet the Captain, the words ‘Two a party threes a crowd’ entered his mind. “Casela I think is about to explain something which may affect you as well Captain” Ryder looked to her, “Whatever, whoever is after you we can help. We have one of the best ships and crews in the RTF you don’t have to face you demons alone.”

• Commander Raauhl, XO

In response to Cobb’s Cas. Are you…drunk? Casela looked up at him as if to say, DUH, but Ryder and Zachariah looked very upset with her at the moment, “Yes, I am.” Great, the boy friend and the father figure. How did I get into this? She suddenly reached back out and grabbed Cobb’s wrist again, holding it firmly. In her other hand suddenly appeared an isochip. She placed it in his hand and closed his fist around it. She let him go and flopped back into a chair.

Casela suddenly laughed, drunkenly so, but laughed anyway. “I’d rather get locked in with Dave for a week.” And of course getting locked in with Dave meant you’d never come out, the way he absorbed whatever he came into contact with. (OOC Did I read that right? If not call it ship’s gossip. LOL) For a few moments it appeared that she wasn’t going to say anything, but she was simply trying to make her muddled brain work. She’d already started talking and Ryder wouldn’t let her get away with stopping now. She sighed, and pointed to Cobb’s hand still holding the isochip. “It’s the best I could do. I tried for more, but, I was warned to shut my mouth.” The alcohol was making her hot. She got up and shrugged the uniform jacket off, and remembering Doc Fey’s advice is got a very large glass of water from the replicator. “There’s also a message for you from Admiral Roebuck on there. He sends his regards.” She leaned against the wall where the light was the brightest and stared at Ryder. She nodded, “Oh RTF is plenty talented. But how do you fight something that’s a shadow, within your own ranks? Or not? I’m not sure” She sounded drunk as she looked at both of them. “I’m making more sense than you realize.” She paced back to her chair and sat down again, to fend of the dizziness. “Among the section there is rumor of a man. More than rumor I’d bet my reputation. He’s known as only a shadow. I’ve never been on the receiving end of one of his visits, though I have seen those who have and have seen the evidence of his passing. And tonight, he was there with Roebuck. I’m not sure what I did, but I’m in a lot of trouble now.” Her voice got very quiet as she contemplated her predicament. She waited for the yelling to start.

Lt. Synthi-er, CNS