Blast From The Past (BFtP): Seeing Ghosts

Posted on Sun Jul 29th, 2018 @ 5:10pm by Major Hailey Weston & Lieutenant JG Siobahn Fallon

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: New Earth Marketplace

The marketplace was full of activity, so many people, Siobahn looked around, her long hair whipping around her face as she tried to decide where to look first. She laughed, brushing her hair back from her face and slipping her hand into Hailey's, squeezing gently. "Where do you want to start?" she asked excitedly. "Do you want to eat or do you want to just walk around for a while?"

"Fresh air and exercise not on a starship?" Hailey thought for a moment, "Well, and not in a jungle, or hostile environment..." Another few seconds of thinking, "Or under fire... Yeah, a bit of walking and then food!" She chuckled and looked down again, still feeling foreign in the civilian clothes, "You're sure Renee said I could wear these?"

"Darlin', you're lucky Renee wasn't in the bathroom trying to dress you herself," Siobahn replied with a laugh, smoothing the front of her own skirt before she looked back at Hailey and laughed, tapping her cowboy boots on the pavers beneath her feet. "Her eyes lit up like you were her new toy when I told her we were leaving the ship without uniforms!"

Hailey tapped the tips of her sneakers against the ground, the feeling of non-combat-boots still somewhat foreign to her. The skirt she wore was definitely foreign now, ever since she joined the Marines. "Why do I get this feeling that if I stood still for a half dozen seconds in her presence that I'd be all dressed up and she would have even slapped makeup on me?"

"Half a dozen seconds? She would have had you in heels too. I think she's gotten bored with my makeovers so she's determined to start on you until another victim comes up." Siobahn grinned and took Hailey's hand again as they started walking between the stalls through the marketplace. "I didn't get to see New Earth when I was transferrin' to the Wellington! I didn't get to see much other than the inside of the transport vessel, but this is kinda impressive."

"I've been here a couple times, once on business, once when I decided to come down just to take a look over things." Hailey shook her head, "I've never been much about taking time off for the sake of taking time off. I've basically been for the Corps or a doctor, just... Always kept myself busy." Her eyes did a quick scan around them, habit.

Siobahn stepped in front of Hailey, turning to face her and putting her arms up around Hailey's neck, smiling as she did so. "Darlin', sometimes you just have to step back and enjoy what life has to offer. Live in the moment."

Hailey leaned in and kissed Siobahn on the tip of the nose, then her eyes went over the younger woman's head as someone approached them, "Ima?" The approaching man asked, clearly at the cusp of middle aged. As soon as their eyes made contact, his face turned into an actual grin, "It IS you, Ima!"

Instinctively, Hailey had slipped one leg in front of Siobahn to interpose her body, "Who... Are you?" She asked, ignoring the fact that she'd responded to her original name rather than the one she wore now, then she saw it and her hand went cold in Siobahn's hand as it found it, "Carlos?" She asked.

The man smiled cheerfully, "In the flesh!" He said jovially, "Whatever they had against me fell apart and once I got out, I got out." He waved his hand to simulate flight, "Someone said you sold me out, but then I heard that you got forced into the Starfleet Marines, so that couldn't have been true. You were just so good, they couldn't have pinned you with anything, not enough anyways." He reached out and patted Hailey on the forearm and she went stiff, "You served your time, I see, but you're looking really good."

"Thanks.." Hailey forced out, then took a breath, "You don't seem to be the worse for wear." She attempted to relax her body.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." He confirmed, "But, who's your little friend? She's cute herself, setting up out here?"

"Hailey?" Siobahn's voice became quiet as she spoke. She could feel the coldness of Hailey's hand as it squeezed hers tightly, not to mention the rigidity of Hailey's entire body. She cast a glance over the male that had interrupted them. There was something about him that immediately set her on edge, she could feel her skin crawling under his gaze. "Sorry, I think you have the wrong person," she said to him before turning her attention back to Hailey again. "I think it's time we go," she said quietly, ignoring the fact that they had only just arrived.

"Yes." Hailey said quietly, "We should, we're actually running late right now."

Carlos wasn't easily dissuaded though, "Come now, Ima... Or is it Hailey now? I know you liked your middle name better anyways. But, you and I had a good time together, it was rotten luck that got us both arrested, but if you're out of the marines and I'm out of jail and we're both here! It could be like old times."

Hailey shook her head, "I'm not out of the marines, Carlos, I'm still in." She thought quickly, had to get away from him, "My term of enlistment doesn't end for another six months, not sure what I'm going to do then."

"We should have lunch, or dinner, then, catch up, talk about old times?" He smiled at Siobahn, "You could bring your friend with you. I don't mind having a bit of company along."

Siobahn bristled slightly at his words, intuition telling her that the company he was referring to wasn't just for a meal. She remained silent, listening to the exchange between the two of them, not sure what to make of any of it. She squeezed Hailey's hand gently, stepping closer into her side. "I'm not her friend, I'm her girlfriend," Siobahn said possessively. "And we have other plans, sorry. Come on Hailey, like you said, we're running late."

Hailey kept her eyes on Carlos even as she responded to the tugging on her hand by Siobahn, "Yes, we are." She turned and started to walk away, "I don't want to see you again." She said while he could still hear her, feeling his eyes on her back.

Waiting until they had walked a few moments in silence, Siobahn cast a sideways glance at Hailey, concerned about what had just happened. "Are you okay?"

Hailey shook her head slowly, "No, no I'm not." She said softly, "We need to go home... I have to tell you the whole story..."

With a nod, Siobahn took a step closer to Hailey as they walked, slipping her arm quietly around her waist, half hugging her as they kept walking in in silence.

OFF:


Major Hailey Weston
Marine CO/2nd Officer
USS Wellington

Ensign Siobahn Fallon
Medical Officer
USS Wellington

Carlos Rivero
General Bad Guy
New Earth