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CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon

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It had been less twenty four hours since they'd left Aldea, and Lillee was already resigning herself to what would surely be a gruelling mission. The Paris attack, subsequent declaration of war against the Romulans and the Theurgy's mad rush to Qo'nos, not to mention everything else such as the bombing up on Deck 14, suggested that matters would grow hellish in the coming days. As an enlisted pilot, Lillee didn't necessarily have to care about the larger context; her job was simply to follow orders. Nevertheless, she had learned from experience to keep her ears up anyway. It always helped to know what fresh nightmares would be coming up, just so that she could get the appropriate rest and food beforehand. Of all the things she'd learned during her time on the Sunheart, that bit of advice had served her better than most.

Thus, when Lillee had seen urgent system queries about shuttle readiness from both the Diplomatic and Intelligence Departments, she did the smart thing: she finished her shift early and headed down to the lounge for an early lunch. She was the pilot on call, and so she could anticipate that something (although Elements knew what it would be) was going to happen soon. Lillee was determined not to fly without at least a proper meal.

She did ponder calling Anh-Le for some company, but Lillee knew that the intelligence analyst was up to her eyeballs in work. Thus, resigned to eating alone, Lillee ended up down in the Below Decks Lounge with a small table to herself, a PADD next to her. It was something she'd been putting off since the Theurgy had left Aldea, but if battle was imminent, she couldn't afford to tarry much longer.

Idly eating some pasta, Lillee tapped the PADD next to her plate, bringing up a picture of two startling blonde children, each no older than six and (save that one was a boy, while the other was a girl) nearly identical. Twirling some pasta on her fork, Lillee gazed at the picture on the PADD, ignoring the other diners in the lounge. If anyone overheard, she truly didn't care a whit. Finally, she tapped the button to begin recording.

"Mahan tru, my darlings," she said softly. "Anhlai, Monoui, I am so sorry for everything. I know that it is hard, my loves, but I know that you're both strong, so very strong and brave. I miss you both so very much! Know that I am fighting as hard as I can to come home to you. There are demons out in the night, and it's my job to fight them, to protect you. Trust your grandparents; they love you too, and they are doing their best to take care of you until I come home."

Lillee sighed, rubbing her cranial ridge. This was even harder than she thought. "I promise, darlings, as soon as I come home, we're all going to the sea, just like we talked about! We'll play on the beach and build sand castles and eat ice cream, just like you wanted. It...it might take some time, but I am coming home, I promise with all my heart. Anhlai, I want you to take care of your sister, protect her. Monoui, watch out for your brother and be nice to your cousins. Stay together, watch out for each other. Be strong and brave, my children. I love you both so much, more than anything in the whole universe."

With a quivering finger, Lillee tapped her PADD again, ending the letter. She took a shuddering deep breath, hating herself in that moment.

mahan tru: a greeting in certain Romulan colonies, usually reserved for close family members

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #1 –
[ Ensign Cameron Henshaw | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Griff
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Cam had a few moments to herself between shifts and hell if she wasn’t going to take it. She knew full well she wasn’t going to be able to go for a drink, there was far too much at stake just then. She could however, go sit down for something to eat and read a book for a few minutes before all hell broke loose, and she was certain that it would. She walked into the Below Decks Lounge and went first to the bar to get something to eat. “Chicken burrito with cheese and...everything, and...a coconut and pineapple smoothie.” She smiled and went to her table, digging in at once. She had a PADD sitting on the table next to her and every so often would tap the screen, flipping over to the next page. She sat there for some time before she made any further motions.

She noticed that she wasn’t the only one taking some time to do whatever it was she was doing. Cam paused about halfway through her meal though and looked up, watching the room. She watched crew members come and go, she watched some sit and some stand about. She didn’t notice anyone that she recognized. She looked back down to her PADD and kept on reading. She was reading Alice in Wonderland. Something she’d already read, over and over, but she just kept coming back to it. She also flipped over to an old letter in her file, a letter she’d received at the academy from her adoptive parents. A happy memory of them. She touched the screen with her fingers, tracing the letters as if touching them somehow brought her closer to the writer. After a moment, she wiped her face, clearing the forming wetness around her eyes before she looked back at her burrito. That would fix her emotions.

She started to get up to clear her plate and passed another table when she heard it, what sounded like a letter. It was from a familiar voice too. She looked once to the side and saw the image as she passed and she felt a pang in her chest. She made to place her tray on the bar, and then moved back towards her table, taking the same route that she’d taken to walk to the bar so that she’d again walk past the Romulan woman’s table. She couldn’t place her face but her voice, that she recognized. She recognized it from the Comms while she was at mission ops.

“I love you both so much, more than anything in the whole universe.” Cam stopped and turned around when she finished the letter and she pulled the chair out in front of the woman. Cam tilted her head to the side, her voice was remarkably gentle, and the look she gave the woman was empathetic. She was certainly trying to give off and use as much of her experience and training as a counselor as she could. “Are you alright?” She didn’t want to pry but she still wanted to check in. She herself didn’t have a letter to send anymore, but...saying goodbye couldn’t be easy, particularly to children. Cam looked at the picture, “Are they yours?”  She gave it a smile before turning her eyes back up to the pilot. She reached back over her shoulder towards her own table to grab her smoothie and brought it over to her, taking a drink of it. “Sorry, I should have asked if you minded if I joined you.” She actually did look somewhat apologetic, though at the same time, she didn’t leave.

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #2 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon

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Lillee smiled weakly at the interruption. "I am quite alright, thank you," she politely, not recognising the woman asking the question. At the next question, Lillee hesitated, instinctively moving to wipe away the picture on the PADD before checking the motion. What was the point? Oh stars, she was tired of being closed up, always paranoid and careful. Opening up to Anh Le had been a deeply cathartic experience, after all, and so with a conscious effort, Lillee left the photo there to be seen.

"My children," she answered with a melancholy tone. "They're on Earth. They should be safe, they don't live anywhere near Paris. I am just recording a message before we get into another battle. It is unlikely that our allies in Starfleet can get the message to them, but it doesn't hurt to record it. This is not my first war, but it is my first war since they were born."

She bowed her head briefly then as the stranger asked to join her. "You are most welcome," she said with an oddly formal though accented tone. Lillee paused then, her head tilting slightly as she considered the ensign. How? The face was completely new, yet the voice sounded oddly familiar, bizarre though that was. "Strange. I feel like I know your voice, but I do not recall how." Lillee smiled then at her lapse. "I am Lillee t'Jellaieu, by the way. PO3 t'Jellaieu when on-duty, helmswoman."

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #3 –
[ Ensign Cameron Henshaw | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Griff
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Cam watched the woman's hand move towards the photo for a moment, almost half-expecting the motion. Romulan paranoia was almost genetic, it seemed like, but Cam didn’t seem to mind. She was surprised when she left the photo out, and she looked a bit closer, taking a good look at the children. “They’re lovely.” She offered a warm smile over to the Woman as she slowly settled into the seat across from her. Cam let both her hands rest on the table and turned brown eyes onto the Romulan.

“That’s good. I bet it’s a relief to you, that they’re probably safe.” Cam crossed her fingers and studied the blonde hair on her head for a quick second before she sighed, “I still can’t believe it. Paris. I mean...heart of the Federation and all.” She just shook her head. She looked down at the PADD again and gave a quick nod, “I recorded one too, a while ago. But...my family is all here now or, well-” She didn’t elaborate any further and instead forced a smile. “You should ask around, maybe someone can get it through to them.” If not, at least having it aboard in case of their destruction was something at least.

Cam let out a small laugh, “Sorry. I forget that you hear my voice a lot more than you probably see my face.” She offered her hand across the table. “Ensign Cameron Henshaw. Yeoman and Mission Ops. You’ve probably heard my voice blabbering on the comms at some point.” She gave her an almost apologetic look about that. Cam knew she could be loud and that she had a propensity to talk far, far too much at times. “Which...sorry about that.”

Cam looked back to the photograph and asked about them instead of work, “How old are they?” Cam liked children a great deal.

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #4 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon

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"Five," Lillee replied, her smile growing warm as she glanced down at the picture. The children both had blonde hair and pointed ears like their mother, although their cranial ridges were far less pronounced, their wide grins full of youthful mischief. "Twins are very rare for my species, but their father was human. The boy, on the left? He is Anhlai i-Khartoum si'Jellaieu, my firstborn. The girl, she is Monoui i-Khartoum sa'Jalleieu. They are too young to understand what is happening, and I know that their grandparents are taking good care of them, but I worry nonetheless. It was not my choice to join this war, to place them in danger like this, but as sentimental as it sounds, they are the reason I continue to fight."

Around the two women, the mess hall became slightly louder as a handful more officers entered, the lunch hour for the alpha shift hitting full swing. Lillee scooted her chair a little closer, conscious that Henshaw's hearing might not be as acute.

With that, Lillee's eyes flicked back up to Cameron, catching the affection in the human's eyes at seeing the picture "You seem quite fond of children, Ensign. Do you have any of your own? I know that young officers like yourself rarely rear babes, but it's not unheard of. I once met an Academy graduate who had eight children, and another one on the way when I served with him."

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #5 –
[ Ensign Cameron Henshaw | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Griff
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Cam gave the woman a nod, “Five. So young.” Cam liked kids, but she really had no clue what she was doing with them. Hell she hadn’t even come close to guessing their age correctly in her head. She did note their physical features though and smiled a bit. “They’re cute. I can definitely see you in them.” Though who wouldn’t be able to? Cam heard their names and gave a nod, “Those are…” She searched for a polite word to use to describe the names. “Those are nice names. I’m not going to try and pronounce them, it’ll just be embarrassing. But they’re pretty sounding.”

“Where about on Earth are they staying, if I might ask? I didn’t grow up on Earth. I'm a Federation Baby but, I know that it’s one of the best places one can have a family.” Cam leaned a little bit closer and placed both her arms on the table to lean in, happy to be having a conversation that didn’t revolve around war or the fate of the entire galaxy for a change, and instead something that was seemingly...normal. Just kids. Even if it wasn’t from the happiest of terms. “They must be proud of you. Having a parent brave enough to fight. I was always proud of my Starfleet parents.” Both sets.

“Oh...no.” She shuddered. “I like them but I’ve got bigger Starfleet aspirations. Besides, I’m a bit young to have kids I think.” She leaned in a bit. She certainly liked to practice making them though. “Eight?” She seemed shocked and terrified in equal measure at the prospect, “Was he human?”

“They’re cute and all though. Don’t get me wrong. I think that a lot of the time when people hear me say I don’t want kids, they assume I must hate them. That’s not the case, I love them. I just don’t want the responsibility in my personal life.” She gave the woman a shrug.

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #6 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon

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The ensign's bubbliness was infectious. Lillee marvelled at how she could now talk about her family back on Earth; just a few weeks past, she'd fought to avoid it. The time spent with Anh-Le, not to mention other recent pursuits, had clearly had an effect. It was dangerous, Lillee knew, and counter to her upbringing, but what of it? The Theurgy was no warbird; its crew were truly cooperative, not competitive. Sure, the Starfleeters performed at a lower level than her old brethren in the Fleet as a result, but there was something to be said for camaraderie and unquestioning trust.

Besides, Lillee mused, she was Starfleet herself, and had been for years. Indeed, she'd been Starfleet for longer than she'd been in the Romulan military. It had been easy to forget such things in boring assignments on starbases and on Earth, but fighting amongst her crewmates on the Theurgy had been a stark reminder of what she had become. There was something distinctly wholesome about meeting a stranger and chatting merrily about children.

"My children are in Khartoum, in the Sudan," Lillee explained with a patient smile. "It is a beautiful place. The children love the heat, and the place is a cultural wonder. Museums, botanical gardens, theaters which show plays from all Earth. There's even a small Vulcan community in the city. My children already have both Vulcan and human friends, and I'm hoping that they'll learn much as they grow older, perhaps learn better than children on Vulcan or Romulus."

At Cameron's question about Lillee's friend, she laughed briefly. "No, he was Denobulan. I never asked, but I heard from his wives and husbands that he was truly prolithic."

Then as Cameron conveyed her own thoughts of having children of her own, Lillee nodded sympathetically. "It's so strange to talk of our personal lives, is it not? I feel ridiculous doing it when Earth just got attacked and we're racing off to stop the Klingons from killing each other." At that, Lillee paused, leaning back in her chair, smiling as she glanced around the lounge. "Do you have much of a personal life aboard this ship? I know that few do, even after Aldea."

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #7 –
[ Ensign Cameron Henshaw | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Griff
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Cam immediately conjured a daydream of warm weather. A bright beating sun beating down against sandy streets on a windless day. It probably wasn’t the most accurate vision of where they lived, but Cam had never actually been to Sudan, or anywhere else in the middle-east of Earth for that matter. “Any reason why? The Sudan that is?” She raised one brow. For a Starfleet officer - a member of the most exploration driven organization in the quadrant, Cam had visited far less of her own homeworld than she’d cared to admit to and in that moment she realized it.

The word Denobulan made her eyes flash. “Virile lot, aren’t they?” She laughed and leaned back into her chair to sit a little more comfortably. Denobulan culture and the traditions surrounding their marriage and procreation had shocked Cam when she’d first learned about them. Recently though, they’d just impressed her. She hardly had the mental fortitude to carry on with one relationship, let alone the multitude of complex relationships that a large, group marriage would bring about. “I can hardly keep on with one man, let alone him and his other wives.” She shook her head and shuddered at the very idea of the catastrophe she’d end up leaving in her wake.

“It does feel odd. I feel like I’ve barely had a moment to think beyond…’what next’. Aldea was...nice. It didn’t exactly feel like shore leave though.” Aldea had been just as rough for Cameron as the rest of the mission had been. When it came to the question of her personal life though, Cam tried to suppress a scoff. Her personal life was a complete disaster 99% of the time, particularly recently.

“Uh-” She started to speak, but stopped.

She couldn’t exactly go about the conversation detailing her affairs during her time on the ship. Some of her behavior was absolutely influenced by her condition, but she still felt guilt and pain over several of them. Some of them, she even longed to feel a hint of again, despite the logical part of her brain telling her the total opposite. Cam was smart, but when it came to logically approaching her personal relationships, she severely lacked.

“A little, but really not too terribly much. I’m usually just...working, then going back to my quarters. I’ve been meaning to spend some time on the holodeck but haven’t had the chance to just go and do it yet. I found this program that’s a climb of a Mountain on Vulcan. I can’t remember the name but it looks absolutely brilliant.” She tried to dash around the concept of giving too much away about her personal affairs, and instead dove into her own interests. “What about you, what do you like to do when you’re not busy...if you’re ever not busy.” She motioned around the ship, as if simply being there was evidence enough of how busy they all were.

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #8 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon

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"Why the Sudan?" Lillee repeated pleasantly, relaxing in her chair. The surrounding hubbub died down slightly as a group of engineers left, but it was still busy. With the Spearhead Lounge still wrecked by the bomb, Below Decks was even busier than usual. "There's a Corps of Engineers facility in Khartoum, where they work on next-gen fighter and shuttle designs. I was an assistant and personal pilot for the admiral who runs the place. I wasn't really involved in the design process, but sometimes they wanted me to test-pilot a prototype or give advice on something or another, based on my time in the Empire. Romulan fighters are much more advanced than Federation fighters, and Starfleet squadrons are still catching up to Romulan wings in terms of tactics."

Realising that she was accidentally talking shop, Lillee changed tack. "Besides, the Sudan reminds me of some parts of Romulus. Truly, much of Africa in general is like the continent of Umrica, if a bit cooler. Earth is a beautiful planet, but Africa in particular is extraordinary."

Lillee listened patiently as Cameron talked about her personal life (or the lack thereof). It was clear that there was more to it, but Lillee wasn't going to push. The human had her demons, surely, but then again, who aboard this cursed ship didn't? At Cameron's question about what Lillee did in the private time, she pondered, looking out the viewport at the bright blue warp distortion outside, smiling.

"I found some time on Aldea," she said. "A little close-quarters combat training on an island, that was...um...fun..." (she struggled to contain a laugh at the understatement, and just about succeeded), "...a little partying at a nightclub, trying to get a friend some playmates for the evening, she had plenty of fun that night..." (now, Lillee's grin looked downright devilish) "...and some archery practice with a friend down on the planet's surface..." (this time, Lillee outright blushed; that had been a thoroughly memorable morning, and one she looked forward to repeating).

"You speak true, though. We have so little time for ourselves on this ship, always flying from one insane battle to another. We are okay for now, I think, but as soon as the fighting begins again, we will be in the thick of it." Lillee smiled at Cameron. "Mountain climbing sounds fun, but why Vulcan?"

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #9 –
[ Ensign Cameron Henshaw | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Griff
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Cam perked up at the mention of next-gen fighters. As the mission controller, even though she couldn’t fly them herself, the idea of seeing a whole new group of fancy new fighters flitting about on her holo-table was an exciting concept. “So you’ve been a pilot for a while then?” Given that she’d been a pilot since back when she was in the Empire, Cam assumed as much. “I think the wolves do a hell of a job though.” She winked at the woman opposite her.

“Umarica.” Cam totally mispronounced the word. “I guess I should have expected that Romulus would actually have biomes, now that I think about it all I’ve ever thought about when I think about Romulus is...metropolitan centers and government buildings and...shipyards. I suppose that’s as short sighted as me as Romulans thinking the same about Earth. Is there much of a tropical region?” Cam did love beaches. Not that she imagined she’d be taking shore leave on Romulus anytime soon.

Cam didn’t miss the blush, and even blushed in return, “Oh that sounds fun.” She was certain that given Lillee’s reaction there was more to the story, but just as she hadn’t pried into Cam’s personal affairs, Cam didn’t pry into hers. This was after all, idle getting to know one another. Perhaps in time, though. “I imagine by playmates you don’t mean the family friendly sort.” She almost snorted out of laughter but moved on, crossing one arm over the other before focusing two brown eyes on the long blonde hair.

“My whole life is about fighting, if I wasn’t fighting my adoptive parents, I was fighting something in Starfleet. Now…” She motioned around. Now her life was absorbed by a singular mission to rid the galaxy of evil. “Well, I chose Vulcan because I’d done most of the more exciting climbs on Earth. That and I wanted something that looked a little bit different. Vulcan has a beauty of its own that  can’t really be replicated on Earth. When you reach the summit of the climb the program has this nice meditation and neuropressure session with a monk, who...for a Vulcan isn’t a bad looking man.” She grinned and rolled her eyes at herself more than anything. “It’s relaxing and a good time. I’ll send you the name of the program if you want, or Ill do it again if you’re looking for someone to do it with.”

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #10 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon

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Lillee giggled at the mention of the monk’s neuropressure, unable to help herself. She had heard plenty of rumours about Vulcan neuropressure when in the Empire. True, she had started to learn the truth of the Vulcans since visiting the planet in person, but the old jokes that Lillee had heard as a child were still cherished. She mused that Cameron probably had no idea about any of it, although that was understandable. So few humans actually tried to understand the rihannsu, mainly because that was how the rihannsu preferred it.

“I would be much obliged if you did,” she replied, grinning. “Oh Elements, if this battle with the Klingons goes as bad as they say, I think we could all use such an excursion.” So long as we survive, came the unspoken next sentence, but Lillee didn’t allow herself to dwell on that. Nevertheless, her mind has shifted to more intense thoughts, something she could not avoid.

“I suppose we are fortunate right now,” Lillee mused, glancing idly around them at the throng of diners, many of them chatting away over their meals, just like Lillee and Cameron. Of course, the women’s food was long since finished. “We are fighting Klingons soon, not Romulans or Federation, at least for now. I have seen how people here are when forced to fight Starfleet, to kill their own kind. It sounds horrible. Necessary, I know, but so horrible.”

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #11 –
[ Ensign Cameron Henshaw | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Griff
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Cam grinned in response to the giggle. “What? Vulcans can be fun too.” Cameron had very little knowledge of Romulan culture beyond what was taught at the Academy. She hadn’t had much experience with them beyond that.

“Sure thing,” She made note to do that once she got back to her quarters. Cam let her face fall, just a little bit when the upcoming battle was mentioned. She was frightened to an extent, but she was embracing that fear. It would have been foolish to not be a little afraid of what was to come, and would have proved how little she valued her life and those around her, which was not the case. She valued the lives on board a great deal, hers included. She knew that afterwards, she’d need an escape again. Somewhere to go, somewhere to wander. Be it the holodeck or into warm arms.

“Fortunate for now but only for now.” Came didn’t take a lighter tone on the subject. She felt in her core that fighting external enemies was only a short distraction. How long would it be before they were in full, quadrant wide war? Trying to convince populations of the truth and fighting the infested and their lies in the process. “For now.” She repeated, a bit more somberly as she thought on the subject, her features going from the inquisitive ones that they had been to ones that were harder, more calculated, and all around just more morose.

“Killing our own is terrible, and-“ She grimaced, “I know that we’re capable of it, but I don’t know what will become of us in the process if we’re forced to carry on with it for a long period of time.” She knew it would change them, but she didn’t understand how. “It sounds horrible, because it is.” She agreed with Lille and just shook her head. After a moment of silence besides the non distinguishable chatter of the lounge, she bit her lower lip and her eyes narrowed a bit in thought.

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #12 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon

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Lillee considered the ensign with an observant eye, smiling sadly. "We're not alone," she finally said, as much to herself as to Cameron. Realising that she needed to elaborate, Lillee continued, "I mean, we. Each of us. All of us on this ship. It is trite, I know, but true. If we are going to Areinnye, to Hell, then we go together."

She paused then, her smile turning reflective. "When I defected to the Federation, I was very alone. More alone then you can imagine, very frightened, very angry. As insane as all of this is, we can still talk to one another. Share experiences. I spent so long on planets and starbases that I forgot what it is like to be among a crew, fighting in common cause. This is a strange ship, a strange crew, but I like that, at least. Not the battles, the fear of impending death, the occasional galactic apocalypse. But I like this. So long as the ship and crew remain whole, I don't think we need fear our spirits being corrupted by fighting our own."

Lillee leaned back in her chair, a finger tracing her plate's edge, then laughed self-consciously at Cameron. "I am sorry. You sat down for light conversation and I turned it into something so serious!"

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #13 –
[ Ensign Cameron Henshaw | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Griff
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Initially, Cam merely narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips at the Romulan, doubt spread across her face. She’d heard it before, plenty of times. If it wasn’t from Ian, or a teacher, or a fellow officer, it was from herself. She wasn’t disappointed by what she heard either. It wasn’t exactly what she had expected but it wasn’t too far off. “Well if there is a hell, I’m truly fucked.” She scoffed and grinned at the woman, showing off some pearly white teeth before she shook her head. “We’re always alone sometimes, though.” She smirked, as if playing coy, but those keeping a close enough watch on her emotions would note that she was hiding a much truer and heartfelt statement behind the joke, and she knew it.

Part of why Cam liked Starfleet so much was because of the companionship. The thought of leaving eventually, startled her. What startled her more was that it had crossed her mind, making the choice to be alone.

“I can’t imagine.” She frowned, her head tipping slightly to the left as she studied her. “Being separated from your people. Just trying to mentally put myself into that position.” She just shook her head, “I can’t.” She couldn’t even picture what circumstances that the woman had to overcome. “I am glad you have found a home here though, she wouldn’t be the home that she is without her crew.” She looked around, smiling at a few wandering crew members.

“Corruption isn’t what I fear. I fear the dread that preludes a battle, bringing us more losses. I fear the pain that is suffered when we kill our own. When we learn we’ve killed someone special to one of our crewmates. When the exhaustion from the depression slowly kills us, one error after the next.” Cam could equally make conversation depressing. “That is what I fear. I do not fear us becoming evil, unless of course we all become infested, then we’re all fucked anyways.”

Cam laughed and waved a hand, “Don’t worry about it. It’s hard to have a light conversation when so much serious surrounds us.” Cam thought for a subject that wasn’t so serious. “What...is your favorite type of cake?” She smiled, biting her tongue and raising her brows high as she waited for an answer, giddily.

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #14 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon

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"My favourite...cake," Lillee repeated with amusement, rather liking Cameron's cuteness and style. She resolved to introduce Cameron and Anh-Le at some point, if they didn't know each other already. Lillee suspected that the two women would become instant friends, and Anh-Le could surely use such interaction. Sure, Lillee and Anh-Le were friends as well (on top of a building affection besides their naked shenanigans), but more friends was never a bad thing.

Lillee considered the question for a moment, smiling. "Cheesecake," she eventually declared. "The first time I went to Earth, my Intelligence handler took me to a restaurant in San Francisco. The meal was bland, nowhere near enough spice, but the cheesecake...hm. Yes. Oh, yes yes yes. I couldn't have enough of it. I have had some wondrous cakes on ch'Rihan, but as much as it pains me to say it, the Earthers win that one. Cheesecake. Hm."

Lillee glanced at the replicators longingly. "I really shouldn't..." she said slowly, then sighed. "I need to get back to work, my time is up. A shuttle mission is being organised and I need to prepare a couple of type-11's." She looked at Cameron and smirked. "You, me, my girlfriend, far too much cheesecake, as soon as we have time. After we climb that mountain you spoke of. What say you? We can find other activities if you prefer, of course."

Re: CH02: S [D02|1215] Voices in the Night

Reply #15 –
[ Ensign Cameron Henshaw | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Griff
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“I do love a good cake.” She seemed to reminisce for a moment on the thought of eating some of it herself. “Personally a good slice of devil's Food or a good sponge cake.”  She made a ‘hmmm’ sound and smiled at the Romulan again, this time laughing a bit. “My father used to make us this cake. Well, I say make but it really wasn’t much of baking anything at all, he’d get one of those ridiculous standard issue mugs, you know the chrome ones. He’d replicate a few cake ingredients, for devil's food, minus...I can’t remember, I have the recipe in my quarters but I can’t be allowed to make anything unless you want someone poisoned.”

“Anyhow, he used to mix them all together in these damn mugs, and heat them up with an old broken type-1 phaser. Couldn’t stun anyone worth a shit, but it could make a bloody good mug cake.” Clear as day, she saw the memory, and saw her adoptive father.

The woman's own answer came as a surprise as well. “Cheesecake?” She grinned, “I do enjoy cheesecake but just can’t eat much. Too sweet. Next time you’re in San Francisco and you’re looking for a spicy meal, try a good curry. There’s a place across the bridge from HQ that’s really good.”

Cam sighed and gave Lillee a nod, “I should probably do the same.” She ran a hand through her hair and gathered up her mess from the table, cleaning up after herself. “Sounds fun to me. Just let me know when, I’ll make sure to have some holoprograms ready.” Cam grabbed her tray and rose to her feet. “You know where to find me.” She pointed to the bottom of her combadge and gave the Romulan a wave before turning to deposit her dirty tray, and continue on with her duties.

- FIN
 
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