BFtP: To Market, to Market to find a fat pig...

Posted on Sun Jul 29th, 2018 @ 5:12pm by Major Hailey Weston & Lieutenant JG Siobahn Fallon

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

Siobahn sat up in bed, watching in silence as Hailey slept. She had tried to sleep, had even succeeded for a little bit, but the dreams that plagued her had her waking in a blind panic, covers clenched in her fists. After that she decided that there was no point trying to sleep any more, at least not tonight.

Brushing her fingers lightly across Hailey's cheek, Siobahn sighed and carefully climbed out of bed and tiptoed to the living area, replicating herself a glass of water and carrying it across to the view port, staring out blankly at the view beyond.

The whole time she had been involved with Hailey, she had never ever seen her looking so defenceless or scared of what may happen.

Everytime she closed her eyes she could see that pained look on Hailey's face, and every time it made her just a little more angry at the situation.

Setting the glass of water down on the coffee table, Siobahn sighed and started pacing the living room herself, much as Hailey had been earlier.

The more she paced, the more she thought. The more she thought, the more infurated she became util she paused, mid step, her gaze falling on Hailey's pistol sitting on top of the bedside table.

Could it really be that easy?

She hesitated for a moment, second guessing herself. Nyx had told her she was good with a side arm, admittedly it was a phaser but still... and Ami had commented repeatedly on how well she was improving in the hand to hand combat... not that Hailey knew anything about either...

But could it really be that simple?

Mere moments later she was back in the living area, staring at the pistol that now lay in her hands. Before she could second guess herself she replicated a notepad and a pen, quickly scrawling a hand written note to leave for Hailey before returning to her own quarters to change.

"Always remember, I love you."



=/\= New Earth Marketplace =/\=

Siobahn kept her head down as she sank into the seat in the marketplace. She could smell the coffee and the croissant that had been placed in front of her, yet she was far too distracted to taste either. She could feel Hailey's pistol digging into the small of her back, under the waist band of her long gypsy skirt. The hyposprays inside her right boot felt like it was burning into her lower leg, and the cartridges felt like l, ead in the pockets of her jacket. Her entire outfit had been chosen to look as unassuming as possible but still give her maximum ability to move. The only thing she had taken time to do was to braid her hair back so it fell neatly down her back instead of all over her face.

She had no idea what she was going to do now except wait.

It didn't take too long until Carlos came walking out of a building, a girl on his arm, one that might have been past the age of consent, but it would have been close. He collected a kiss on the cheek from her, then waved over a man who leaned in close and started talking to him. A flick of eyes at the cafe Siobahn was seated at and Carlos patted the man on his shoulder and walked off, heading in generally the same direction. His eyes only flickered to the Irishwoman once the entire time until some sort of event happened and he finally changed his course towards her directly, "Why hello there, cutie, I see you're here without Ima this time, mind if I join you?"

Siobahn glanced up momentarily, a hint of colour staining her cheeks as she realised who it was that had spoken to her. "I'm not supposed to be speakin' to you," she said demurely, picking up a spoon and stirring absently at the cup of coffee in front of her, trying very hard to play the part of subdued girlfriend.

He slid into the seat across from her without asking permission, then placed both hands in front of him, "Not supposed to speak to me, of course, but I can still speak to you and anyways..." He looked around dramatically, "I don't see Ima around anywhere. Don't ask, don't tell, don'tcha know?"

Siobahn glanced around carefully, her fingers twisting around the bottom of her braid. "I suppose that would be okay," she finally said quietly before turning her attention back to the croissant in front of her. Tearing a small piece off the side of the croissant she popped it into her mouth even though the last thing she really felt like doing was eating.

"So, why did you come down here? Especially since Ima's not with you and really doesn't want you talking to me?" He propped his chin up on his hands, grinning at her, "I mean, she's your girlfriend, isn't she? Not judging, in fact, I think you and she look good together."

Siobahn looked up from her plate, smiling vaguely. "When we came down yesterday I really wanted to do some shopping, and I didn't get to because Hailey wanted to go straight back to the ship, so I left her sleeping and came on my own." She picked up her cup and took a sip of the coffee, silently grateful that it was mostly milk that diluted the flavour. "Though I think I got all turned around, I don't suppose you know where Venus is do you?" she asked innocently, looking across at him, her head tilted ever so slightly to one side as she set her coffee cup back down again.

'Hook and line.' Carlos thought to himself, "Of course I do." He pushed himself up to his feet again, extending a hand in her in invitation, "If it wouldn't be so bold, I'd enjoy the opportunity to escort you there."

"Oh goodness, I truly wouldn't want to impose on your time," Siobahn smiled sweetly as she responded. "I'm sure you have much more important things to do than to trail around after someone as unimportant as me, I know Hailey does..." She frowned slightly as she tore another small piece off the croissant but dropped it onto the plate instead of eating it.

"In fact, I have nothing planned for the day." He shrugged, gesturing with his outstretched fingers invitingly and with a smile, "I promise I won't impugn on your virtue. After all, I wouldn't want to anger... Hailey is it? That's her middle name, I remember, but with a name like the one her father gave her? I don't blame her one bit."

"Well, as long as you're sure I'm not imposin' on your time, I guess it wouldn't hurt if you showed me where to find the store," Siobahn smiled slightly as she stood up from the table not taking his extended hand, but moving anyway. "I've heard they have some amazing items, are you familiar with their lines?"

"Only peripherally, from some of the ladies I happen to know." He sidled closer to her, staying a few inches away, eyes flicking up and away before returning to her, "If I had to say... With you, something in their bright green. It would go wonderfully with your eyes and contrast with your hair, perhaps not perfectly, but rather well."

Siobahn shook her head slightly. "You know, everyone says that," she replied, making conversation as they walked. "But really a deep emerald green is truly much more flatterin' to both my skin tone and my gods awful hair colour!"

Carlos half reached out as if to stroke her hair, but didn't touch it, "I think it's lovely!" He remarked, "You do know what they say about ladies with red hair, don't you? It's lucky to be with a girl who's hair has been kissed by fire." He was turning the charm on full blast.

Siobahn laughed softly. "Oh... you know, my Daddy warned me about men like you, smooth as silk and full of charm." She shook her head slightly, her braid bouncing on her back. "I really should just walk away right now."

"I'm not stopping you!" Carlos laughed, "All you have to do is say the word and I'd walk away if it made you feel better." He took a half step away from her for effect, "I wouldn't want to get you in trouble with Hailey."

Siobahn hesitated... She could end it now. There was a gun in the small of her back, all she had to do was pull it, fire and run for her life... Instead, she smiled shyly. "I guess there is no harm in you showing me how to find a store, so long as that's ALL it is."

He returned that half step back towards her, "Of course." He smiled, "While we're walking, tell me a bit about yourself?"

"There really isn't much to tell," Siobahn replied quietly. "I'm nothing special, I'm just me."

“Of course there is.” Carlos said mildly, then gestured to a smallish, somewhat well-lit alleyway, “The fastest way is through here, then we just make a right and Venus is three doors down from there. See, I’m just being a helpful person.” He smiled brightly.

Siobahn hesitated as she glanced at the alleyway. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her to turn around and run right now. "Are you sure that's the right way," she asked quietly. "It doesn't look like it's much of a thoroughfare..."

"It's a side street to go from one major street to another?" He asked, then sighed, "If you're really that worried, I'll go in front of you, or we can walk up several buildings and take that major cross-street?" He gave her options, pointing forwards, "You don't really think I'm going to just kidnap you, do you?" His arms went out from his sides as he laughed.

"I guess you're right..." Siobhan replied hesitantly. "Okay, lead the way."

'Sinker.' He thought, smiling as he walked backwards a couple steps, before turning around to walk ahead of her. As he dropped his hands, he patted the sides of his legs twice as if the hands bounced and then rebounded again.

Waiting until he had started walking, Siobahn stopped and glanced around before she started walking into the alleyway. She had only taken a few steps when she reached behind her, pulling the gun from her skirt and flipping the safety. Holding it up, she fired one shot quickly, not intended to hurt, but just to get his attention. Changing her position, she put her back to the wall, using it to brace herself, holding the firearm firmly in her hands as he turned to face her.

He had jumped when the shot went off, not expecting it. He definitely hadn't guessed she was armed, but the taller man that had entered the alleyway behind them already had his gun pointed at her even as Carlos turned around, "Well, well, well." He kept his hands partly away from his body, "The little girl has a sting to her." He didn't seem to be concerned about the gun pointed at him from a handful of feet away, "But as you can see, if you shoot me, he shoots you and Ima, I mean Hailey, loses." There was still the joviality in her voice and he took a step towards her, "Do you want her to lose?"

Siobahn held her head high, her grasp on the gun unfaltering as she stared at him, her expression almost devoid of all emotion. She couldn't allow herself to get upset. "If I kill you, then no matter what, Hailey wins, because you will never, EVER, be able to hurt her again. In the grand scheme of things, I'm expendable, but your hold over her will be completely broken if I put a bullet between your eyes right now." She took a slow, deep breath, as she stared at him, her finger slowly applying pressure on the trigger.

"Can you kill someone, though?" He asked, taking another step towards her, leaning forwards to make the shot easier for her, "Take a sentient life. Someone who thinks, who feels? Because that's what it would be. And anyways, no, Hailey loses. If you die, she's alone and I am willing to bet it took her forever to find someone like you. You see, I knew her. I made her. And would I be gone? Sure. But you would be too and that would break her. But, we could all win, you, her, me." He sidled another step towards her.

"Take another step and I will shoot," Siobahn said coldly. "I don't trust you and I don't believe a damn word you say. Can I shoot someone? Maybe not... But I can still make my mark..." She shifted the aim of the gun, moving it lower, still staring at him unwaveringly. "Tell your little friend to run away, or I will remove the very reason you think you're a man."

With the gun in motion, he reached out like a snake and grabbed the gun with both hands, but didn't try to pull it away, instead moving it up and moving forward to place the barrel against his forehead, "I just want to make sure you don't miss. But you can go back to her if you want, I'll even leave you and her alone. Forever. I just want one thing."

If it hadn't been for the fact that this was such a precarious situation, Siobahn would have scoffed. Typical man, prioritizing his genitals ahead of his brain. "You have 30 seconds to speak," Siobahn said coldly, her finger still firmly pressed against the trigger. Even just a reflexive jerk now and she was likely to fire.

"Weapons. She's got access to the top of the line military weaponry and I want some of it. Rifles, pistols, enough to be able to hold my own. Then I go away." He said, "You'd never see me again, never hear from me again."

Her movements were swift and fluid. If Nyx had been there, she would have no doubt been proud. Transferring the gun to one hand, she fired at the 'bodyguard' who was creeping up from her right, the bullet lodging directly through his lungs. Within a fraction of a second, her gaze was firmly back on Carlos. "I don't like your terms," she said coldly as she tried to ignore the sense of nausea quelling in her stomach.

Triumph lit his eyes, because even as she moved the gun off of him,he'd moved into her, ignoring the henchman that was quietly dying, unable to draw a breath, the gun now pinned to the wall behind her, hand partially as well, "Then you shot the wrong person." He brought his head forward sharply, driving his forehead into her face to daze her, "Because she's going to give me those weapons or she'll get you back, piece by piece."

Stunned by the action, Siobahn felt nausea overwhelming her as her vision began to blur. "Gabh Transna Ort Fhéin," she muttered as her knees buckled underneath her, all strength finally leaving her body as she slid down the wall into a crumpled heap on the ground.

Carlos stood over her, the gun now in his hand as two more enforcers came around the corner at last, “Leave him. Take her to the house.” He kicked her hard in the stomach before backing off of her, Search her for anything traceable, commlink and any other weapons.” He looked over the automatic, admiring the engraved Phoenix on the side of the barrel, then crouched a few feet away from Siobahn, unsure whether she was still conscious or not, “And you had better behave, girl, or else I’ll give you to these guys before I send your pretty little head back to Hailey on a platter.”

Barely able to manage anything resembling an audible reply. Siobahn moaned softly, trying to pull her knees up to protect herself as she lapsed into blissful unconsciousness.

OFF:

Ensign Siobahn Fallon
Medical Officer
USS Wellington

Carlos Rivero
General Bad Guy
New Earth