Posted by Lieutenant Fihnrilkk’Hob”ledn-ardol (Fin) (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Quarters - Cmdr Reilly

Posted by Commander Jason Reilly (XO) in Quarters - Cmdr Reilly

Posted by Lieutenant Fihnrilkk’Hob”ledn-ardol (Fin) (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Quarters - Cmdr Reilly
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Fin stepped out of the shower and worked the muscles of her neck from side to side. She was exhausted. It was 0300 hours and she still couldn’t relax enough to sleep and this was the second night of wakefulness. Ghosts from the past were restless. The years of working for Intel paid well, but they also slowly ate at your soul if you took enough of the really difficult assignments. And she had. For the last two days Fin’s memory produced visions of the tough and sometimes questionable things she’d had to do on those occasions and it had worn her out. She’d tried to exercise and drink the demons away, but it hadn’t worked.

Standing naked in the bathroom, she brushed through her hair and stared at her reflection in the mirror. The face that looked back wasn’t the one she’d been born with, but it was a good one. That simple thought, that her face was good, gave her an idea.

With quick steps, the Cam’h”lan went to her closet and pulled on yoga pants and a slouchy shirt, slipped her feet into flats and left her quarters. A few moments later, she stood outside Jason’s. He would understand her situation and help her—right? He’d said he wanted to be friends… After a deep breath, Fin rang the chime.

—Fin

The chime woke Jason out of a deep sleep… well… as deep as someone like him ever had. His eyes popped open and he raised his head and looked around… and then at the chronometer… dropped his head back and whispered Dammit and got up and pulled on a pair of flannel pajama pants in a dark blue and black checkered pattern. He shuffled through the bedroom door and said loud enough to be heard through the door “Yeah yeah, hang on. I’m coming.” Probably some wayward Security officer with an issue and he didn’t want to bother the CoS who was probably with the Skipper right now.

He went to the door with his hair still all over the place and opened the door… and his eyes widened in half-surprise when he saw Fin. “F- er, Lieutenant. Whats wrong?” he asked, his voice slightly concerned but professional.

Reilly

Dark eyes took in the half naked body of the XO. Of course, he’d been asleep—everyone who could be was asleep right now except for her. “Hey…sorry to wake you, I really am, but I need a lot of alcohol and I know you’ve got it. Can I come in?” One hand wiped over her face as if she could scrub the tired away. “That’s a good look for you, by the way.”

—Fin

Reilly took a moment to comprehend what she had said and then he said “Uh… yeah. Sure. C’mon in.” and he stepped aside and held his arm out inviting her in.

The door opened into the living area, and the light coming form the windows illuminated the space enough for things to be seen, and then Reilly turned up the lights. To the left was a small replicator and recycler area, with a counter and a couple of cabinets. To the right was a seating area, couch below the windows, and a low table. Three comfortable chairs sat on the other three sides. Where a table would normally be directly to the right of the door sat… a piano. Black lacquer finish, with red and black keys. Sheet music sat on the stand, and some others sat stacked on the lid. A door past there led to a small refresher, and on the far left of the room was a widescreen, in front of which sat an overstuffed loveseat.

Small items and holes filled the space tastefully. The items included a few rings in cases, a broken ba’tleth, a large tankard with a dent in the side, a smoking pipe, and various other oddities. Set on a shelf by itself was a set of actual pens, the kind with ink. Hanging on the far right wall was a tattered Cardassian flag under glass with a picture mounted inside with the flag. It showed Reilly and group of Star Fleet Marines. The Marines were equipped in assault gear. Reilly wore khaki pants, a blue t-shirt with a faded picture on the front, and running shoes. Between them were the figures of several severely emaciated Bajorans.

“You said alcohol. But do you want to talk first? Or just drink?”

Reilly

Fin walked in slowly, knowing it was an inconvenience, but also that he was the only one she knew of who would understand her mindset at the moment. “I need sleep, but it has eluded me for two days.” She looked over at him. “Ghosts from the past—you know…”

“I need enough alcohol to put me out. It wouldn’t hurt if I also had a pass for work tomorrow.” The oversized t-shirt slipped off one shoulder, exposing creamy skin.

—Fin

Reilly shook his head and said “Go sit.” and he indicated the couch and chairs. He went to the cabinets and pulled out a bottle of something and a single glass. He then went to the replicator and got a cup of coffee.

Reilly set he cup of coffee on the table and then the glass. He pulled the stopper out of the bottle and poured the glass half full and then set it down and took a seat in one of the chairs facing Fin. “All right… you know the deal. Price for booze is talking. So talk, Fin. Whats on or in your head?”

Reilly

First things first, she picked up the glass and tossed back half of the liquid, almost gasping after she swallowed it. The burn was more than she’d expected. “Whew!” Fin blew out a breath through her open mouth. “What in the Hell is that?”

She was perched on the edge of the couch, not able to relax yet. He was serious about talking. It had been an agreement between them since they’d first met. If she was going to help deplete his alcohol rations, she had to pay for it with a story.

“Just drink it. It’ll help.” he said and looked at her and sipped his coffee.

Taking a smaller sip of the liquid fire in the glass, Fin looked down at the floor between her feet and started talking. “You know how our line of work can have serious consequences? I can’t get one particular operation out of my head.”

—Fin

The anger he had held onto for so long after their last op together was gone… but certainly not forgotten. Nor was the way he had lashed out and set her up to get pummeled. The shame he felt for that was still very real and fresh, but he kept it off his face. “I think I can probably imagine how that feels, yeah…” he said dryly, but with a slight turn up of the corner of his mouth.

Reilly