It took Clio a long time to find the JAG offices. People were helpful enough, but too often they sent her in the wrong direction. Nearly an hour after she landed on Earth, she finally found the right door and went inside, trying not to look too annoyed as she approached the front desk.
"How can I help you?" the secretary asked, not even looking up as Clio came close.
Clio smiled tightly, biting her tongue for a moment. "I'm here to see Commander Hutchins."
"Your name?"
"Eneas Clio. She knows I'm coming."
"I'll let her know you're here. Sit down and we'll call you when she's ready," the secretary said in a dismissive tone, waving Clio off as she wrote down a note for Commander Hutchins.
Clio narrowed her eyes a bit, leaning on the desk. "Look, I had a very long shuttle flight to get here, and Commander Hutchins said to talk to her as soon as I arrived. I would appreciate it if you cooperated because the Enterprise was more than two days out at the shuttle's maximum speed. This meeting is regarding a rather high priority case, so please stop intentionally delaying me and let her know I'm here now."
"You don't have an appointment, so you wait. Those are the rules. Doesn't matter how long your flight was or how important you think your case is. So have a seat, and we'll get to you when we get to you."
"Please tell me you're kidding."
The secretary finally looked up, giving Clio a cross glare. "No, I'm not kidding. Sit down and stop wasting my time; Commander Hutchins will be with you when she's good and ready."
"Marcia, I hope you're not giving Colonel Eneas a hard time!" a semi-familiar voice yelled from the back, and Clio relaxed, if only slightly. "Let the poor woman pass before she turns your desk over on you."
Marcia scowled and pointed toward Hutchins' office. "I guess she's ready then."
"Thank you," Clio said sweetly, giving Marcia a look that spoke volumes as she passed and went back to the office she'd heard the voice from.
"Grab yourself some coffee and have a seat. I'm just going to run to the bathroom for a minute, but I didn't want to leave you with Marcia." Commander Hutchins smiled a bit. "She can be so unbelievably rude sometimes. Excuse me."
Clio scooted out of the way to let Hutchins pass before going to inspect the coffee maker on the other side of the room. The coffee smelled decent, so she poured some into one of the paper cups and sat down in one of the chairs near the desk before taking a sip. It was bitter, but drinkable. Better than the shuttle's replicator coffee had been at least. Not sure how long she'd be alone, she occupied herself with looking at the few pictures on the walls while she waited.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Short Story: Wicked
They say that no one mourns the wicked, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Charlie was as wicked as they come, and no, she's not dead. But she's gone just the same, and I still don't quite understand it. She didn't leave a note. She didn't so much as call. She didn't say good bye. She simply didn't return to the ship when I asked her. I mean, she didn't even answer the call. She just denied it when it came in. And even though I don't understand, I think I know why.
She was always the aggressor; everything was her idea... or nearly everything. She pushed for what she wanted and most nights I gave it to her. Other nights she would make me beg, and we'd laugh about it afterward. I thought we were ready, so I asked.
She just looked at me for a long time and said, "I have to think about it."
"You have to think about it? I thought that's what you wanted."
"I thought so too. But I don't know."
She slept on the couch that night, no matter how hard I begged her to come to bed. The next morning was shore leave, and she was gone when I got up. I never saw her again. All I have left are the pictures, and they don't do her justice at all. I look at them and I still wonder just what I did wrong.
I know it's not my fault, but I can't help feeling that I had something to do with her sudden disappearance. It would help if I could find her and ask, but even her father has no idea where she is. He says she's never done anything like this to anyone she's ever dated, male or female. That surprised me, finding out she was actually bisexual. She'd never so much as hinted at it while we were together. So now I have to wonder... did she find someone else?
It was never anything I considered, that Charlie would find someone she liked better and just leave. Everyone before her was so reluctant to even come aboard my ship, but she so gladly moved into my cabin that I really thought she was some kind of angel. Now, I'm not so sure.
"All good things come to an end," my mother always said. "Never count on anything. Ever." As much as I hate to admit it, she was right. If something is too good to be true, well... it's usually not true. I wish I had learned that sooner and avoided all this. I know what she'll say when she hears about all this. "I told you so, Felicia. You should find a nice boy. Nice boys don't do that to pretty girls like you." Sometimes I'm not sure she's really my mother.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust a pretty face again, wicked or innocent. I've learned my lesson, painful as it was.
Good bye, Charlie, wherever you are. I hope you're happy.
She was always the aggressor; everything was her idea... or nearly everything. She pushed for what she wanted and most nights I gave it to her. Other nights she would make me beg, and we'd laugh about it afterward. I thought we were ready, so I asked.
She just looked at me for a long time and said, "I have to think about it."
"You have to think about it? I thought that's what you wanted."
"I thought so too. But I don't know."
She slept on the couch that night, no matter how hard I begged her to come to bed. The next morning was shore leave, and she was gone when I got up. I never saw her again. All I have left are the pictures, and they don't do her justice at all. I look at them and I still wonder just what I did wrong.
I know it's not my fault, but I can't help feeling that I had something to do with her sudden disappearance. It would help if I could find her and ask, but even her father has no idea where she is. He says she's never done anything like this to anyone she's ever dated, male or female. That surprised me, finding out she was actually bisexual. She'd never so much as hinted at it while we were together. So now I have to wonder... did she find someone else?
It was never anything I considered, that Charlie would find someone she liked better and just leave. Everyone before her was so reluctant to even come aboard my ship, but she so gladly moved into my cabin that I really thought she was some kind of angel. Now, I'm not so sure.
"All good things come to an end," my mother always said. "Never count on anything. Ever." As much as I hate to admit it, she was right. If something is too good to be true, well... it's usually not true. I wish I had learned that sooner and avoided all this. I know what she'll say when she hears about all this. "I told you so, Felicia. You should find a nice boy. Nice boys don't do that to pretty girls like you." Sometimes I'm not sure she's really my mother.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust a pretty face again, wicked or innocent. I've learned my lesson, painful as it was.
Good bye, Charlie, wherever you are. I hope you're happy.
Justice Served, Part One
Clio was half-asleep on the couch in her office when the comm unit on her desk suddenly went off, startling her so that her panicked flailing dumped her right on the deck. Scowling, she picked herself up and brushed off her uniform before sitting at the desk to answer the call.
"Colonel Eneas?"
"Yeah, that's me." Clio subconsciously swiped at her hair, trying to calm it down. "Who are you?"
"Commander Hutchins with JAG. We're looking at your case against Lieutenant Junior Grade George McKinley, and we're going to need you to come to Earth to testify."
Clio sighed. "Yeah, I expected that. When's his trial date? I have to give Captain Harrison fair warning and make sure the Intelligence center is properly secured."
"I'm afraid this is short notice as McKinley is already here, waiting for trial. We can give you a few days, but not more than a week. Otherwise we'll be denying him a prompt trial since he's waiting for discharge according to this."
Great. Clio smiled tightly. "I think I can manage that. Should I call you before I leave or when I get there?"
"When you arrive is fine. We're a bit busy around here."
"All right. Well, I need to go talk to my commander then. I'll see you in a few days." It was rude, but Clio cut the comm line herself, leaning back in her chair for a moment and rolling her eyes. Why didn't we court-martial the bastard on board? she groused to herself as she got up and left her office.
The trip to the bridge was a short one, and Clio waited impatiently after ringing the chime to Danny's ready room. It seemed like forever until Danny finally said, "Come in."
Biting her lip, Clio went inside and stopped in front of Danny's desk. "Well, JAG just called me. They need me to come to Earth to testify against McKinley, and I only have a week to get there, apparently. Makes me wish we did the court-martial here, but it's too late to change the plans." She watched as Danny sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, his usual reaction to her lately. "Yeah, I know it's a hassle, but it's not my fault."
"I know it's not your fault. You don't have a choice, so go."
"Yes, sir." Knowing better than to stick around and chatter about it, Clio made her way back out of the ready room and back down to the 'Cave', which she painstakingly set to only open for Intelligence officers' unlock codes before going home to pack a bag and explain to Michael just where she was going and why.
"Colonel Eneas?"
"Yeah, that's me." Clio subconsciously swiped at her hair, trying to calm it down. "Who are you?"
"Commander Hutchins with JAG. We're looking at your case against Lieutenant Junior Grade George McKinley, and we're going to need you to come to Earth to testify."
Clio sighed. "Yeah, I expected that. When's his trial date? I have to give Captain Harrison fair warning and make sure the Intelligence center is properly secured."
"I'm afraid this is short notice as McKinley is already here, waiting for trial. We can give you a few days, but not more than a week. Otherwise we'll be denying him a prompt trial since he's waiting for discharge according to this."
Great. Clio smiled tightly. "I think I can manage that. Should I call you before I leave or when I get there?"
"When you arrive is fine. We're a bit busy around here."
"All right. Well, I need to go talk to my commander then. I'll see you in a few days." It was rude, but Clio cut the comm line herself, leaning back in her chair for a moment and rolling her eyes. Why didn't we court-martial the bastard on board? she groused to herself as she got up and left her office.
The trip to the bridge was a short one, and Clio waited impatiently after ringing the chime to Danny's ready room. It seemed like forever until Danny finally said, "Come in."
Biting her lip, Clio went inside and stopped in front of Danny's desk. "Well, JAG just called me. They need me to come to Earth to testify against McKinley, and I only have a week to get there, apparently. Makes me wish we did the court-martial here, but it's too late to change the plans." She watched as Danny sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, his usual reaction to her lately. "Yeah, I know it's a hassle, but it's not my fault."
"I know it's not your fault. You don't have a choice, so go."
"Yes, sir." Knowing better than to stick around and chatter about it, Clio made her way back out of the ready room and back down to the 'Cave', which she painstakingly set to only open for Intelligence officers' unlock codes before going home to pack a bag and explain to Michael just where she was going and why.
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