Always Trouble

Posted on Mon Sep 12th, 2022 @ 12:42am by Lieutenant Commander Lyra Cassiel & Petty Officer 3rd Class Tuli
Edited on on Mon Sep 12th, 2022 @ 12:42am

Mission: In-Between (S1:E3-S1:E4)
Location: Beach
Timeline: Mission Day 18 at 1800
2777 words - 5.6 OF Standard Post Measure

It was never actually dark here. Tuli had trouble falling into a natural rhythm. But she certainly intended to live it up. This was the first time she'd ever really been at liberty. She aimed to enjoy it. When she'd come down to the beach, it had been crowded. Crew members from the Vengeance and alien visitors had thronged the place. Tuli had had a little to drink, a little to eat, flirted a little, and then she'd lain out in the sun in her white one piece, enjoying the warmth of this world's sun. She'd make the mistake of dozing off a little.

Three aliens were gathered around her while she dozed. "This is one of the strange creatures that's done such damage to many local powers. A Terran."

"Hmmm..." One of them snorted. "Doesn't look like much. They're all over the beach and the resort the last few weeks."

"Might fetch something in a pleasure house," another one of them said. "Maybe with a little more exercise." He reached down and cruelly pinched her thigh.

Tuli jumped up. "Excuse you?!" She pushed herself to her feet.

"Oh, did I offend the delicate Terran lady?" one of them mocked.

"I'm an Omegan freedwoman, actually," Tuli clarified nervously, "but I am a Terran national and a member of the Vengeance crew. You'll regret it if you go causing trouble."

They seemed to hesitate. "What's an Omegan?" one of them asked. "A fascinating case of parallel evolution..."

She moved to push passed and a hand was placed on her shoulder. "We're just talking," the alien man said with a sneer.

Lyra had been heading back up to her shared room with Andrei by way of the beach. She had paid another visit to the market, buying a few interesting things including a couple cases of the liquor she had acquired a taste for over the past few days. While she knew Andrei would likely buy more as well given their shared fondness for the drink, she wanted some of her own. She was dressed in a simple pair of short jean shorts and a yellow flowing sleeveless top that showed off her cleavage, joined at her breasts, and then tailed out again to expose her navel. She vaguely registered a group of men surrounding a woman who seemed to be trying to get away but paid it no mind until she realized who that woman was.

She slowed, stopping a few meters away but directly across from the action, closer to the water. She recognized Tuli, newly freed and now part of the Vengeance's "extended crew" being assigned to the Rynall.

"Yeah, we were just talking. Don't be such a bitch." Another man spoke up, moving to block Tuli from leaving himself.

"I'm being a bitch?" Tuli asked him. "You are obstructing my way!" She tried to sound confident, to represent the empire. But the truth was that she had a lot of catching up to do when it came to combat training. Except for gladiators and a few other special cases, the empire didn't really encourage its slaves to be effective fighters. She didn't seem to have spotted Lyra just yet.

"Only a slave would wear such a garment on my world," the man said, pinching her one piece. "You are a strange people."

"It really is strange." The other man agreed, pulling on one of the straps a bit too forcefully that the fabric started to sound like it was tearing. "Look at how flimsy it is. Maybe its supposed to be ripped off?" He asked his friends and grinned lecherously as he stepped closer to Tuli.

Lyra let out a sigh from where she was. While she obviously held little regard for aliens, this woman was now officially recognized as a Terran citizen and part of the crew, something that unfortunately compelled Lyra to protect her. Though this could also be an opportunity, perhaps. She began to walk up toward the group, though didn't seem to be in any great hurry to get there.

"It's not flimsy! You're just being rough with it," Tuli insisted. She slapped the man's hand. His pulling on the straps was not just straining the fabric but also exposing more of Tuli's chest. This distracted one of the men more than the others and Tuli brought her knee up forcefully. The man doubled over briefly but he had real anger on his face as he rose again. Two of the others grabbed her arms and hauled her back as she tried to run forward.

Given the men were much too distracted with handling Tuli, Lyra was able to walk right up and forcefully shove the man Tuli had kicked away. While he was larger than Tuli, he was still dwarfed by Lyra’s amazonian stature and figure and went flying away, into the nearby chair which he hit the back of causing it to flip over onto him, trapping him briefly in the sand. She then turned her gaze to the two men still holding the woman. “Back off. Now.” She snarled imperiously at them.

The two men shoved Tuli forward. One of them backed away, not wanting to admit to defeat by a woman but not ready to tussle with Lyra either. If nothing else, he could hardly do anything quickly and inconspicuously. The other man tried a different tactic based on rumors he'd heard of the Terrans. "I will give you a fair price for the Omegan," he offered.

"I'm not..." Tuli said slowly, pushing herself up and letting her hand drift almost unconsciously to her neck where for so long a collar had been fastened. "...for sale."

“Oh fuck off before I drown you in the gods damned lagoon. She is a citizen of the empire not a slave.” Lyra reached out and pulled Tuli close to her in a protective gesture. “Are you alright?” She asked, looking down at the much shorter woman.

The man glared at her but he left with his compatriots. Tuli looked up as she was pulled close by Lyra, smiling slightly as the men ran off. She felt warm. She'd been in the sun all day. "Yes, Mist...ma'am...my lady." Old habits die hard. It's good the three aliens hadn't seen that. "Thank you for helping me."

"Lieutenant Cassiel is fine." Lyra prompted with measured gentleness and managed a smile. While she may have disdained aliens, they had their uses for certain things as long as they were not allowed too close. Once the men had scurried away, she removed her arm from Tuli in case the woman was uncomfortable. The Vengeance slaves were quite obedient to their masters so the chances of them earning her ire were limited, but they had most certainly heard of the fate inflicted to the Kazon at her command.

"I hope you won't let them ruin your time here. It is such a nice planet really."

Tuli wasn't that uncomfortable but she gave the Terran woman a little space in case she was uncomfortable. "Lieutenant Cassiel," Tuli repeated. Unlike the Kazons, Tuli had been born a slave and had never known anything else. Tuli was not even an Omegan name, really. Omegan names were mostly like American or Chinese Terran names. It was a name her mother's master (her actual father, though she never mentioned that) had given her. He had taken from a guinea pig he'd had in childhood. "I have been having a good time, a few assholes aside. I hope you're enjoying yourself?"

"I have been, yes." Lyra confirmed, her thoughts drifting to Piggy Pulmer and his assault on the woman. Her eyes moved down to the woman's swimsuit and she saw one of the straps was stretched and slightly torn. "You may want to consider going and changing, Tuli. That swimsuit may give out on you at any moment."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Cassiel," Tuli agreed, walking over to fetch her towel and wrap it around her shoulders. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your leave."

“Would you like me to walk you back? I’m going that way anyways.” Lyra offered and smiled slightly at Tuli. Truthfully she did have sympathy on some level for Tuli. That kind of experience was… traumatic. “It really isn’t any trouble, I promise.” She added, figuring the former slave might still have some wires crossed about accepting help from someone they had until very recently would have called mistress.

It had certainly been traumatic. A slave's life is filled with many unpleasant things and much is assumed, but the crudity and the violence of Pulmer's attack had genuinely shaken her. It was hard for her to be around him. Fortunately for her, a few days in the agonizer booths had been an experience he'd found traumatic. "If you really don't mind," she agreed.

“Not at all.” Lyra assured Tuli and let her gather up her things before she began walking back to the massive hotel proper. She didn’t seem rushed in her pace at all even though she was eager to get back to Andrei, she couldn’t pass up an opportunity and he would understand that. Probably.

“So, how are you finding your freedom, Tuli?” She asked, seemingly genuinely curious.

Tuli gathered up her few items. She slipped her sandals back on and pulled a small t-shirt on over her one piece. Then she started walking alongside Lyra back towards the hotel. The question seemed honest bit it was also potentially a landmine. Hate slavery too much and it might be seditious. "It's an honor," she began honestly, "and it's great having my first proper leave. I haven't just gotten to enjoy myself before like this." She straightened just a little. "I'll make sure the captain and Commander Marshall have no reason to regret their decision."

“Well of course you will make sure of that.” Lyra chuckled softly at the very notion Tuli might do something differently. “You were rewarded for your loyal service, and you didn’t survive being a slave by being foolish.” Lyra continued to walk in a leisurely fashion, lacing her fingers behind her head and giving a sigh. “You know that with your freedom comes the protection afforded to citizens of Terra, right? If… anyone… were to force you into doing something that you don’t want to do - especially with your own body - that is now unacceptable and you should contact security immediately.”

"No, I didn't," Tuli agreed. "But there are more than new skills to be learned. I am learning a whole new outlook." A slave survived by being yielding. Starfleet personnel survived by being fierce. She did feel a sudden warmth towards Lyra as she sought to make sure she felt safe going to her, understood that she was supposed to do so. "I understand, Lieutenant Cassiel," she said softly. "Even as a slave, the last person to attempt that was disciplined for dealing improperly with imperial property." They had not gone easy on Pulmer.

"Oh, I know." Lyra smirked slightly and cast her eyes over to Tuli. She tilted her head in an almost conspiratorial fashion. "Who do you think oversaw that discipline, Tuli?" She shook her head and put her eyes forward once more. "It may take some time, but both you and the crew will adjust to your new position. You must stand firm in your freedom and learn not to show immediate deference outside professional settings - and sometimes even in the professional ones. It isn't uncommon for men to try to use a senior position to manipulate women into decidedly unprofessional things."

"I hope you were thorough," Tuli said with a slightly cruel smile. That was not her usual personality. Not at all. But, after what Pulmer had attempted, she wanted him to suffer for it. She certainly had. She nodded as Lyra continued to give her advice. "I understand, Lieutenant Cassiel." She was remembering how she had addressed the woman initially. Of course, most of her superiors weren't members of the imperial family.

“I’m always thorough when it comes to dispensing education to those that need it.” Her tone was dark, threatening in a way, but obviously not aimed at Tuli. She smiled then, the expression warm and completely opposite of the tone she had just used. “It will take time, Tuli, but keep at it and you will fit in just fine.”

"I'm sure your lessons are never forgotten," Tuli said. She returned the smile and looked up warmly at the tall, Terran woman. "Thank you for your confidence, Lieutenant Cassiel."

“They best not be, because I only give them once.” Lyra chuckled, the sound slightly cruel. As they entered the hotel, she walked with the other woman to the lifts. “Do you have any questions you’d like to ask while you have me here?” She asked as she tapped the panel to summon one of the six lifts constantly moving in this part of the hotel.

Tuli smiled at that laugh, but there was also a part of her that, on a profound level, vowed inwardly then and there to do whatever was needed never to have that cruelty directed at her. "Was it hard to keep the mask up with Ivers?" That was the first question that came to mind. Pretending to be friendly with someone you already planned to kill didn't seem easy to her and she didn't know the half of it.

Lyra quirked a brow at Tuli's question. It was certainly quite forward and not really one she had been expecting, but on some level she respected the boldness. "Not until near the end, no, and truthfully I probably could have drawn it out longer but I... well, for lack of a better explanation, I got bored of him and wanted to move on to something much more aligned with my long term interests."

Tuli seemed slightly amazed by that answer. Lyra had simply gotten impatient with all that exciting intrigue? It was well outside her experience of life. "I think this mission threatens to be more long term than anyone thought."

“Yes, I think so. It’s also important that people work on accepting that as a real possibility even though we continue to work toward getting home. Operating like we will get home at any given moment will do more harm than good to most people.” She shrugged and stepped onto the lift as the doors opened. “What floor are you on?”

"I thought that too, but everyone seems afraid to say it," Tuli said as she stepped in. Forced optimism seemed to be how most she'd spoken too chose to approach things. "Four," she answered Lyra's question, smiling at her a little.

Reaching out, Lyra tapped the fourth floor but did not select her own. "Because most are, for one reason or another. "Some might fear it shows lack of faith in the ability of our leaders, others are just in denial, others are superstitious and are simply afraid to jinx it." The doors slid closed and the lift began to move. "I recommend a healthy dose of pragmatism. There is nothing wrong with hoping and working toward the goal, but not at the expense of ignoring the truth in front of one's eyes."

Tuli actually did notice that Lyra didn't select her own floor but she didn't really make anything of it. Perhaps it was the sort of thing that just became habit when you'd lived the sort of life Lyra had? "That makes a lot of sense," Tuli agreed. "Look for a timely way home where a possibility exists but also prepare to survive and remain true to ourselves, true to the empire, even if it does take most of a century."

“That’s right.” Lyra smiled as the lift began to slow and then stop. The door opened, and she looked to Tuli with a nod. “I’ll leave you here, Tuli. Remember, if anyone gives you any trouble or if you just need some help, don’t hesitate to reach out. I don’t bite.” She smirked, “Hard.”

Tuli raised her eyes and giggled a little at that last little comment, before she stepped from the lift. "I'll be sure to, Lieutenant Cassiel. Thank you again!"

“You’re welcome. Take care.” Lyra gave a nod and a smile that didn’t quite make it to her eyes, but before Tuli would be able to dwell on it long at all the doors closed and the lift continued up to take Lyra back up to her room.

END