No confession
Who: Lunar Meriell & Jilleen Simmons Where: Outside Ft. Iwo, Sagittaron When: Afternoon local time, Y03 Jan 06 a couple of hours after this
It was unfamiliar territory for Lunar who was used to living on Battlestar’s so being reassigned to a ground facility on Sagittaron meant not only coming to terms with her punishment but more notably, coming to terms with living in a city on a colony. That part took a while. She looked at dozens of places before finally deciding on a suitable location that provided easy access to work but had a certain level of traffic - odd as it were but sound of traffic made her feel like she was on a Battlestar still. Anything quieter would be difficult for Lunar to adapt too.
Today was her late shift, her second had the morning watch so Lunar had the pleasure of a late morning which she took full advantage of. After lying in bed for an extra hour or so, she got up and grabbed a shirt, pulling her arms through the sleeves as she walked from her bedroom through to the kitchen to make breakfast. Thanks to the location, the light shone through the windows of her apartment and offered a great view.
She put the kettle on and bread in the toaster before moving through to the living space, putting her flat screen television on to watch the news, the ‘Good Morning Sagittaron.’ Once the news was up, she checked the time. She was just having breakfast, just up but the day was already heading closer to lunch than breakfast. Her shift was a few hours yet so it was not condition one, no need to panic. Lunar glanced out the window at the sounds of horns tooting and tires screeching, not exactly the sounds she was used to hearing in the mornings but things changed. As she gazed out across the nice view, she caught glimpse of a familiar face wondering up to the apartment complex. At first she could not place him but eventually the dots all connected and she had a name - Eli, one of the Admiral’s personal pilots.
Lunar thought nothing off it really just that it was a small colony after all as someone she saw from work lived in the same apartments as she did. Being a triad player, even she had trouble thinking up the odds to that one. She left the window and went away back to the kitchen as her toast and fresh coffee were ready. Pouring herself a mug of coffee and placing her two slices of toast onto the plate, she strolled back through the apartment which was starting to become home she had to admit, where she took a seat directly in front of the television to watch and hear today’s news with breakfast.
The news was not the most engaging today but at least she would not look totally out of place at work this afternoon when it was discussed. Having finished her toast, she pressed mute on the television and got to her feet, mug of coffee in her hand as she approached the large apartment windows looking out across the city. She wondered what the day had in store for her, what dramas waited at work but before she could indulge those sort of thoughts, her eyes spotted Jill Simmons, definitely Jill Simmons entering the apartment building. Now one officer living in the same place as her was acceptable, two was just a bit too unusual. What was this?
Watching as Jill disappeared through the door into the apartments, Lunar took another sip of her coffee and moved back towards the television which was still on, just muted and she read off the time. It was about a half hour since she last checked and when Eli arrived. Lunar placed her mug of coffee on the glass table and raised a curious smile, heading to get ready. Her curiosity had peaked or maybe it was her chance at gaining the upper hand over the bureaucrat. She grabbed a shower, grabbed whatever clothes she could find, grabbed her sidearm and placed it in the waistband of her pants, concealed but easily accessible if needed - not for Jill or Eli, just she was very much a safe than sorry person in general.
A couple of hours later in the afternoon, Eli in civilian clothing walked out of the apartment on his way back to the airfield. A few minutes later, Jilleen followed leaving the apartment with her hair tied back in a ponytail this time and with a glowing smile. She was careful to make sure she looked normal in a white blouse and jeans, nothing was out of place. Jilleen was relaxed as she walked under the shade of the trees.
Lunar had given into her curiosity, that and her need to get one up on the Aide-De-Camp Jilleen Simmons so after she had cleaned herself up, dressed herself up and accessorized with her military issued sidearm safely concealed in her pant waistline, she returned to her lookout. She had watched out her window for a while for a reappearance of either the pilot Eli or Captain Simmons but nothing was happening. She waited at her window like some stalker, some assassin waiting for their prey to exit into sight and for a while it took a lot of patience but she had the comforts of home to do it in.
First Eli exited, Lunar thought about moving at that showing but opted to stick to her spot and wait for the dots to be connected together in her head. Being a keen graduate of both sociology and psychology, she knew people, knew how to read the signs and come to logical conclusions.
Once the Captain reappeared, a sly smile crossed her mouth as she checked the clock, only a few minutes after the raptor pilot, not bad. Checking then which direction the Captain was heading in, Lunar got on her tail quickly, exiting her apartment and scrambling down the flight of stairs until she as well hit the streets of the city. She looked down the street the Captain had started down and headed along after, discreetly at first, shades covering her eyes. She had suspicions already but she preferred to wait until the right moment.
Jilleen headed toward one of the gates to the base which was not too far away from the apartment complex. Before reaching the gate she turned to an open door marketplace where merchants sold all sorts of things from fresh vegetables to fake designer clothes. She wanted to purchase some souvenirs to bring back to Aerilon.
The captain did not notice the person following her. It was far from her mind. She wore a smile as she stopped to look to see what one of the kiosks had to offer. She ignored the cheesy items like shot glasses or mugs with Sagittaron written on them.
Lunar followed at a discreet distance while thinking through the possibilities but her mind, her studies in psychology and sociology came back to one real thing. Still, she wasn’t going to deny herself the satisfaction of the confrontation. The base was not too far from her apartment so it did not take them long to see the gates of that base and Lunar thought Jill was going to dive into work and Lunar did not want to lose her chance to confront so she sped up her approach and closed the gap down only for the Captain to duck into a marketplace.
As Jill browsed the particulars of the kiosk, Lunar watched for a moment before deciding to move in and confront for curiosity sake. She pushed her way through Sagittaron market dwellers until she came upon the same kiosk, standing right next to the Captain, hands scrolling over the particulars of that kiosk but with full attention on Jill. “Looking for something particular Captain?”
The voice sounded familiar, so Jilleen turned to look who asked. “Oh, it’s you.” Her smile faded once her eyes were set on Lunar. “If you must know, I’m looking for something to take back to my nephews and nieces. Or is this considered suspicious activity?” She picked up a snow globe with a miniature version of the city of Tawa encased inside. With a quick shake, the white flakes floated in clear liquid inside.
Watching as Jill shook the snow globe and provided that moment of sarcasm, Lunar stopped her casual and non-interested browsing and turned her body slightly to face the Captain, “No. You can buy all the gifts you want. What I do find suspicious is first seeing a certain raptor jock walking into an apartment building and then upon seeing that, seeing a certain Captain follow suit about a half hour later. Now, does that seem suspicious to you sir.” Her speech was said with a smug smile barely hidden on her face.
Jilleen turned a shade paler and diverted her eyes away from Lunar as she returned the globe to the table. How? she wondered as she unconsciously reached up to stroke the slightly moist tail of hair caused from the shower before leaving the apartment. She let go, and then took a couple of steps away to leave the brunette at the table, as if she could avoid her further by ignoring her.
She was able to keep her relationship with Eli a secret from her peers and co-workers. Her husband known about it after admitting it to him a few weeks earlier, but he knew better than to tell others. It would embarrass them both if word leaked out. They had both signed an exclusivity clause on their marriage certificate according to Colonial law stating the marriage was not legally open. Though some would ignore such adultery as archaic, it was still a black mark to the majority. It would reflect badly on her.
Lunar had the dots all connected she felt that is why she confronted now and seeing the reaction that her challenge invoked was like music to her ears. As Jill indicted she was to leave, Lunar paused for a moment for judgment or something before then moving away from the kiosk herself in pursuit, “I’ll take that as ‘no comment’. So tell me Captain, who is the frak up now?”
Jilleen tried to walk away from the Lieutenant, but when she asked that question, she abruptly stopped and turned to face her. “You’ve been stalking me?!”
As the Captain stopped abruptly and confronted, Lunar stopped herself. “Don’t flatter yourself Captain. I happen to live in the same apartment complex as, well actually tell me, is it the jock or yourself that lives there?”
The apartment had been used by them long before Lunar was transferred to Sagittaron without incident. It never occurred to Jilleen to check where Lunar was quartered. She simply thought the woman lived on post with the rest of the staff, even though she knew full well this was not always the case depending on availability.
Jilleen raised her hand up. “It’s none of your business, now leave me alone.” She just wanted to get out of the marketplace and away from the crowd of shoppers. There was no telling who could overhear them. So she started again, but this time walked passed Lunar toward the street.
Lunar was not part of a specialist unit - she wasn’t a spy for a vanguard or something like that so it was pure chance that she was living in the same complex as one of the two she saw today. She looked around the many faces and then started after her swiftly, grabbing the Captain’s hand and pulling her down some access alley off the marketplace where she pressed the Captain up against the wall, pinning her up against the wall for a real face to face chat. “You know, I’m really tired of this frak! You bitch about my record, about my insubordination with a superior and what? You don’t practice what you preach?”
“Let go of me!” she demanded. The last thing she needed was fight in public, even though she figured she could plead self-defense, but would have to explain what the cause was. “What the frak do you call this?” She glanced down at the arm that pinned her against the wall. “I would call it assault on a superior officer. If you know what’s best for you, stand down.”
Taking stock of what she was doing, Lunar didn’t stand down yet. “You talk big, talk about not embarrassing the Admiral, gave me that lecture, told me I wouldn’t last too long around these parts and here you are, breaking those same frakking rules. How two frakking faced is that?!” She was close, breathing in the face of the Captain and at that moment she wasn’t even thinking about her career though it was amusing that the person that told her to resign was using it as her defense. “I’m not going to release you until you Captain say the words.”
“I’m sorry,” Jilleen said. Anything to get this craze woman off her. “Okay, is that what you wanted?”
“I want you to say it, tell me you’re frakking that jock because really, that would make my day.” It said a great deal about Lunar that she could get her kicks from it.
Jilleen shook her head no. She would not admit to it because she wanted to deny Lunar the satisfaction. She was not so selfish to protect herself over those she cared for. Elihu’s career might be affected negatively as well.
“What’s your proof?” If Lunar had no pictures or video to prove her accusation then who would take the word of a dishonored officer over a superior?
“I can put two and two together, something I learned at the academy.” Lunar bit on every word she spoke as again her time at the academy was used against her in their past two meetings which further angered her, fueled her rage. “Besides, I couldn’t give a frak...I just want to hear you say it! Just between us”
“You don’t have any,” a brief thin smile appeared on her face. It was a relief. Her expression then turned serious. “I’m going to warn you once more, let go of me, Lieutenant.”
Lunar scoffed, “You’ve seen my file, do you really want to try me on this when all I want is a simple confession?” She wanted her pound of flesh so to speak if nothing else than to sit at meetings with the Aide-De-Camp and feel like she was on the same playing field now.
Jilleen grew tired of playing defenseless, so she pushed back hard which was not hard to do since both were almost of equal weight and height. Once she broke contact she moved away from the wall against her back to a more defensive stance. “Yeah, I’ve seen your file. I've known who you are since the Academy. You’re that uptight bitch that got Cadet Warren thrown out for having a little too much fun.” He was one of Jilleen’s class-mates.
“What you trying to make me do Captain, break a tear? The cadet was not taking things seriously at the academy so he had to go and what the frak does that have to do with this? You’re frakking a junior officer! You lectured me about it in my situation.” Lunar kept her distance this time rather than try the forceful approach again.
“You don’t know what you are talking about Lunar,” this was the first time she called her by her first name. “I never said I frakked anyone. I won’t admit to it, that is where you screwed up. Plus this situation is completely different.”
Lunar sighed, “So you’re trying to tell me that you and the raptor pilot just happened upon the same place at the same time and then left at roughly the same time and that doesn’t sound suspicious? I’ll tell you what, you confess to me now or I’ll report to the Commander what I do know. I’m sure he’ll find it interesting and I’m sure somebody at that complex can back up my story.”
Jilleen conceded that she had a point. An investigation could turn out to be harmful to her reputation. “I’m not stupid to confess,” she then sighed. This was more difficult than she imagined. “What else can I do for you? Fly again? I have connections. I could put in a good word for you.”
“A bribe? You want to buy my silence?” Lunar queried in a moment of total surprise.
“I only offered a suggestion. If you’re happy behind a desk and on the ground, so be it.” Jilleen as a pilot herself, known what it was like to be grounded. If she had a choice long ago, she would have returned to the air wing herself. “But if I can give you a chance to redeem yourself up in the air, what do you have to lose?’
Temptation was a potent weapon that Lunar hadn’t seen much of in her years but upon its last appearance, it cost her a demotion and reputation in the fleet. Could she now use that same temptation to redeem herself? She was serious in all regards from expression to her thoughts. “Are you serious right now?”
“I’m serious,” replied Jilleen. She knew when to trade favors. This was not the first time she used her network of connections to get what she wanted. It was how things worked. Lunar had her in a vulnerable position. “Just say the word and I will work my best to get you an opportunity to fly a viper again.” She paused for a moment, “you will have to forget what you saw today.”
“Depends Captain.” Lunar relaxed a little as she felt like maybe opportunities were being presented that couldn’t be passed. She did not expect any offers but here they were and she couldn’t deny the dream of having wings again. “Depends on whether I can trust you.” There brief past together didn’t hold much value.
Jilleen walked up to her, and rolled up her the long sleeve of her blouse above her wrist. “Échete ton lógo mou,” she said in Tauron, which translated was ‘You have my word’. On her wrist was a small tattoo of a short sword, the mark of Tauron Military Academy graduate. Not every off-world cadet followed the Tauron rite of passage with the traditional tattoo upon graduation. Jilleen loved the culture. “I don’t give it lightly.”
Lunar had to admit she had pushed, assaulted a superior officer again and still had not driven out a confession so she had two options that she could see. She could keep pushing and maybe get a confession which she was increasingly doubting the possibility of or she could take the word of her superior and back down and leave it be. It was her choice. After pondering it a moment then another moment, she nodded. “What the hell! You want me out your life, I want back up there so deal.” She extended out her hand this time in a friendly manner.
“Good,” she gripped her hand and shook it. “Its deal, I’ll start making calls tomorrow.” Jilleen made up her mind to get Lunar off-world as soon as possible, before she returned from her mission on Aerilon. She would do whatever it took to get her off Sagittaron. She hoped Lunar was not picky about assignments, she could end up a flight instructor or in a unit planet-side instead of a battlestar. The deal was to get her back in the cockpit.
Having wings was not just what her career was but what her passion in the colonial fleet was. She earned her wings and her right to fly like anyone else and her infraction had nothing to do with her ability or inability to fly so the demotion would have been acceptable without the reassignment but her superiors felt for a true lesson to be learned then it was also worth a ground assignment. If Jill could pull strings then who was she to argue? Lunar did not get her hopes up but she could dream of flying no matter what the assignment. “I’ll keep my mouth shut about what I saw, you have my word.”
Jilleen nodded, and then let go of her hand. At least for the first time they had an understanding. Lunar would fly once again, and Jilleen can continue to use the apartment as a getaway to see Elihu. This meant she would have to avoid the same situation from happening again, and get James to accept a legal separation. Except none of it would matter after tomorrow.
Lunar was accepting that she couldn’t break the resilience of Jill Simmons and that no matter how hard she could push, stopping short at drawing her weapon, there was never going to be a confession. Today, here and now at least she could stand and say she had an understanding now with the Captain which was more than what she had yesterday. Realizing the time, she bit on her bottom lip. “If we are done here, I’m on duty in fifteen minutes.”
“I wasn’t planning on giving you a kiss,” she kidded. “I’m done.”
“Why Captain, didn’t know you felt that way for me sir.” Lunar in an equal tone replied before turning to return through the marketplace for her duty shift.
After Lunar walked away, Jilleen closed her eyes and shook her head. “Frak that was close.” She then looked up into the sky. “Now I expect the gods will have me pay someone to sacrifice a goat?”