Aberrant: Stargate Universe - The Cynic's Celebration [Complete]

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

He knew she was serious about getting him down to the damned lounge when she grabbed his hand and tugged on his arm. "C'mon!" Olivia pleaded, her dark eyes boring into Vinny's. The contact got him to his feet and out the door, but it wasn't enough to stop the questions he kept throwing at her.

"You ain't said why yet," he grunted, his eyes suspicious. But she was willingly touching his hand, and this was before the date that he'd all but won.

"I said why I can't say," Olivia replied, tugging again and winning a few more steps. She was giving him big pleading eyes as she repeated, "It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises," Vinny said in what was probably the sixth iteration of the same conversation. Nonetheless, he was almost to the elevator, and this had started in his office.

His office. The concept was an interesting one.

"Trust me," Olivia said, still drawing him along. "This isn't a bad surprise."

He stopped, and since they'd been moving at his indulgence, they both stopped. Olivia was subjected to another long stare as he met her gaze and weighed whatever he found there against some measure in his mind. The seconds ticked by, and Olivia once again wondered what he was thinking. He finally seemed more resigned than accepting when he said, "Aright."

She shifted her grip on him as he came with her more willingly. She was aware that it looked like they were strolling through the halls of SGC hand-in-hand, but if it got him downstairs, she'd do it. It wasn't like people didn't talk already. They couldn't say worse than they were already, not about her, anyway.

They rode down the elevator in silence. Olivia didn't know what to say; more reassurances that she wasn't trying to trick him would only be met with cynicism. Inside, she remained quiet and pulled him to the right room. Giving him a smile, she threw open the door and said, "He's here!"

Inside the room, a couple of tables held drinks and snack food. Airman and specialists alike were inside; they broke out in clapping and calls of congratulations as Olivia moved back, letting him have the spotlight. A banner made of simple butcher's paper was strung across the back wall, stating, "Congrats, Capt. Wright."

"Told ya," Olivia said softly, smiling up at him.

[Forge]

Fuckin' hate surprises.

Vinny smirked at the festivities and congratulations.

Wonder how much they were paid to be here...must be free booze.

He knew she had planned this, no one else on the base would do this, no one alive anyway. Putting on the best face he could muster, he entered into the party. He put a hand gently on her back as he bent down and whispered, "Thank you." to Olivia as he stepped away.

Someone handed him a drink as he moved and he took it, smiling at them and raising the red 'kegger cup'. He relaxed as he mingled, letting the barfly come out as he tried to have a good time.

[Adrian Moss]

Caine steps forward,

"If I may," he grins, "- the first Toast. SG-22 ... may she rise to become the Second best SG Team on this or any other planet!"

He downed his drink and watched others take up the cheer. Sure, he hated Vinny but Caine wouldn't allow the to carry over to the members of his team. It wasn't their fault O'Niel had stuck them with a total lying bastard. For them, he could raise a cheer.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria grinned at the festivities, glad for the excuse of something fun to do. At Damien's toast she'd shook her head and grinned, raising a cup in mock salute.

"A toast to SG-21, then. May they keep up." Her tone was wicked and playful.

[Forge]

Vinny liked that toast much better and raised his cup high, "I'll fuckin' toast to that!"

He glanced at Kyria after taking a drink and nodded.

That was fuckin' awesome.

It was not the intention to communicate, but if she heard it, that was alright too.

[Adrian Moss]

Damien made a tip of his cup to Kyria before drinking that toast. It had been a good one. He looked to Olivia. As the someone (grrrr) who knew him best, it was her turn to say something.

If anything, that would be one of the few shining truths of this sad transition of authority - Wright would have less time to mess up other people's lives. Command was like that. Bringing his people up to the high standards of the SG-Teams would take work - teamwork, trust, reliance - these all took time. It did occur to Caine that the Asshole Vinny might not care for any of that. He hoped that attituded didn't get anybody killed.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia caught the glance from Caine, and with the comfort of knowing what her commanding officer wanted of her, she picked up a beer and raised it. "And of course," she said, "a toast to the man of honor. Captain Wright, may your command be a long and glorious one, full of paperwork, requisitions and long hours molding your office chair to your butt." There were laughs and hoots at the last, which were quickly drowned in alcohol. She grew a bit somber and added, "And may you serve SGC with honor, and always come back home to her." Olivia's eyes stung on the last, and she wondered when she'd gotten to caught up in esprit de corps.

"Hear, hear," someone said and everyone drank again.

"And," Olivia said, "to those who can't be here, but who would have loved to have to celebrate - or commiserate. To all brothers and sisters of the military who have fallen, to our friends and loved ones." She raised her can, then took another drink. Everyone followed suit in the somber moment.

There was an appropriate moment of silence - and drinking - then Olivia finished with a simply stated, "Congrats, Vinny."

[Forge]

"Now let's have some fun!" Vinny yelled, getting everyone out of their somber mood.

As the festivities got back under way and people started to mingle again, Vinny made his way over to Olivia, giving smiles and handshakes as he went.

"Thanks darlin'" he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and leaning down, "You got somethin' on your mind?"

[Omar]

Quietly standing off in a corner, Omar raised his cup. It was good to see Vinny promoted. As a captain, Omar knew the responsibility and the paperwork involved. Vinny was probably going to scream to be demoted to Lt. It couldn't have happened to a better guy. Omar thought with a smile. He really did like the guy however, and wished him no ill-will. But karma did exist and in this case, Vinny deserved it.

He had not seen much of Kyria since they had arrived in this strange and familiar place, so he walked over to her, a drink in his meaty hands.

"How are you stranger?"

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Adrian Moss

Caine steps forward,

"If I may," he grins, "- the first Toast. SG-22 ... may she rise to become the Second best SG Team on this or any other planet!"

Steve raised his drink and saluted in honest congratulations. "Here here! Captain!"

*Better him than me. So... Kyria and I are on the same time now... decisions, decisions. Money drop? Something else? Careful there Steve... she's supposed to be a telepath. Omar is walking over, I'll just do the same.* Steve wandered over to Kyria and showed up around the same time Omar did.

(To Omar) "Hey there Sir."

(To Kyria) "So how come Vinny's leading instead of you?"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Originally Posted By: Forge

"Thanks darlin'" he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and leaning down, "You got somethin' on your mind?"

"I'm hoping we have enough Chex Mix," Olivia said easily. She was aware of his hand on her shoulder, but having Damien there helped. If things got bad, Damien would help her. It wasn't that she distrusted Vinny; she just didn't trust most men, not anymore.

Still, her suspicions were not showing on her face as she smiled and added, "I hope you have fun, Vinny. This is your big day, after all."

[Forge]

"Alright." he said, clearly not believing her. "Chex Mix will be the least of your problems when I fuckin' defeat you mightily at the throwdown."

Vinny was finally lettin' himself get into the upbeat mood that was going on around him, forced as he thought it was or not.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Big talk before a big fall," Olivia shot back, wondering why arguing with him was comfortable when she hated confrontation. There was even a sparkle in her eye as she met his gaze. "You have no idea the forces you're missing with - the Jenings have been making the best bar-bee-que in the South since they were slaves." She shook her head in mock sadness. "It's already done, Vinny - better practice your singing voice."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria smiled easily at Omar, "I've been good. You?"

She blinked in surprise at Steve's question and took a moment to find words to reply with. "I'm a civilian, for one. I'm not military," she glanced up at Omar, "I never have been, here or on my world. To the SGC, I have no qualifications for leadership, and I have no real desire for it right now. Vin- Captain Wright is in the military, is a native to this world, has seniority as far as I understand, has experience specifically in the SGC..." She trailed off, obviously confused as to why he would think she was more qualified to lead a militaristic team than their new captain.

[Omar]

Originally Posted By: Steve

"Hey there Sir."

"How are you Specialist Courier? It hope your business ventures are doing well."

This was the third or fourth Steve Couriers he had met, though far younger than the one he knew personally. One of these days, Omar told himself, he would have to find a way to bring it up in a conversation. Until then, Omar would drop subtle hints that he knew more about Steve than he should.

Originally Posted By: Kyria

"I've been good. You?"

"I am having a hard time adjusting to being so...weak, but other than that, this place is almost like home. Same names, same faces...different reality."

[Forge]

Originally Posted By: Olivia Jenings-Izumi

"Big talk before a big fall," Olivia shot back, wondering why arguing with him was comfortable when she hated confrontation. There was even a sparkle in her eye as she met his gaze. "You have no idea the forces you're missing with - the Jenings have been making the best bar-bee-que in the South since they were slaves." She shook her head in mock sadness. "It's already done, Vinny - better practice your singing voice."

"Oh I fuckin' think I know exactly what's gonna happen." Vinny retorted as he pulled his wallet out of his pants, flipped it open and dug out a card.

"Was gonna save this for later, but thought I would give you time to shop for just the perfect outfit for our date." He said with a wide grin as he handed her a gift card to Nordstrom's.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Save it," she said, passing it back. "You're going to need it for your costume when you lose." That glint in her eye was getting brighter, sparking in response to the fire he was displaying. "A nice red jacket, riding breeches and black knee-boots... it's going to be so cute."

[Forge]

"Cute is not in my vocabulary, nor do I have any intentions of it gettin' fuckin' cozy." He replied, his eyes mirroring the glint as he continued. "However, if that's the outfit you would like to wear, so fuckin' be it."

He gave her a quick up and down as he took a drink, "You're what a six? maybe a four on a good day?"

Just need to add a riding crop...

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

He clearly wasn't taking the card back, and short of shoving it into a place on his person where he couldn't access it easily, she was stuck with it. To be truthful, it made her a little uncomfortable. It felt controlling, and Olivia keenly remembered what happened the last time she gave a man control. She didn't want to make a scene; she could return it to him later.

Tucking it into her pocket, she replied, "A lady doesn't tell her size, Vinny, and a gentleman doesn't ask. Of course," she added as she finished off the beer she'd been toasting with, "you're not a gentleman, are you? Not a white knight, just Vinny."

[Forge]

"Ha, yeah, no fuckin' delusions of being any white knight riding off into the sunset, just me darlin', just me." Vinny said, draining the last of whatever had been in his cup.

Having won the battle of the card he felt emboldened, "Long as you wear somethin' like that tight get up you had at Kiki'n, we'll be good."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

An unpleasant sensation of déjà vu rolled over Olivia, and Vinny's jib went unanswered as she frowned and blinked at him. "What did you say?" she asked.

"I said, so long as you wear somethin' like you did at-"

"No, before that," Olivia interrupted, her stomach churning tightly. There was a tight edge to her voice as she struggled to deal with the sudden sense that he'd said this to her before.

"I said I didn't have any delusions of being a white fuckin' knight," he said, frowning now. "What's wrong, Olivia?"

"You've told me that before," she muttered, then turned and put down her empty can. "Excuse me, I'll be right back. I have... to check something." She started toward the door. Her room was just one level up; her picture albums were there. She just needed to forestall this growing panic.

His name had been Vinny... please don't be the same.

[Forge]

Vinny shrugged as she left and then turned back to the party, heading towards the food.

Must be that time of the month.

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Omar

"How are you Specialist Courier? It hope your business ventures are doing well."

Steve was too polished to choke or sputter and responded, "Very well sir" before he had a chance to think things through.

*He can't know about my current business... can he?* Steve's eyes flickered to Kyria, *Rumor has her being a telepath... and they're friends... so actually he could know.*

*Na, coincident. This is the military, they're not that subtle. I'm not in the brig or being kicked off base. But... could I've met Omar before? I'd remember someone this big...*

*Unless he's changed a lot since he became a specialist?*

Originally Posted By: Omar

"I am having a hard time adjusting to being so...weak, but other than that, this place is almost like home. Same names, same faces...different reality."

*???*

Steve asked, "So were the rich and famous the same names here as where you started?"

[Adrian Moss]

Smooth move ass-hat Caine thought under the comfort of his social mask. What he wanted to do was go check on Olivia, but she was a grown girl and could handle herself. Any thing else and everyone would think he was coddling her, which wouldn't do her standing any good in this crowd. It wouldn't do his standing much good either.

Olivia would be on he own until she asked for help, or he found her drowning. The drowning part was the most difficult. She had a way of shutting down at times that was disturbing, but she would never talk about it. Maybe he should ask.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia didn’t bother closing the door to her room. She meant to, but she didn’t quite push it hard enough to catch. She didn’t notice as she went to her closet and pulled out the stack of plastic storage tubs, selecting the one off the top. She popped the lid, feeling her racing pulse pound against the hard plastic. The smell of old chemicals and plastic assaulted her nose as she pulled out the photo albums that were on the top of the contents and set them aside.

The shoeboxes underneath were her objects of desire, and she ran her fingers over them lightly before carefully lifting them out. They held duplicate pictures, as well as photos she didn’t want to use in the albums. She didn’t throw out pictures; maybe, she reflected bitterly, she should. Some of the boxes were in poor shape, and she reminded herself to get better containers for them once again. Maybe this time, she’d actually remember to do so.

Tilting each box into the light coming from her desk, Olivia peered at the dates scrawled on the lids until she found the right one – 1996-1998. At some point, she’d crossed out the years, wrote ‘Hell’ instead, then blacked that out with a sharpie and had replaced the dates. It’d been a bit melodramatic, even for her.

With the box propped on her legs, she was suddenly reluctant to open it. Did she really want to know?

Yes. It’s better to know, rather than to give him another chance to break your heart.

She flipped back the lid; the first picture was of Aradia and her in Yuma. Despite her black mood, Olivia smiled – that’d been a great weekend. Bill, Sherman, Ashley and herself had all driven down to Yuma and hung out with Aradia, pretending to be carnies for a couple of days. The real carnies had accepted with reluctance, spurred on by Aradia’s undeniable force of personality.

,,

Olivia’s smile faded as she remembered that was the trip when Bill had confessed he’d liked her. They’d kissed for the first time that weekend. Sighing, Olivia began to flip through the pictures. Good memories of fledgling love flashed by under her fingers, propelling quick bursts of recollections through her brain.

Her fingers stopped, and she stared at the pictures she’d been seeking. Swallowing hard, she pulled out four photos. The first two were of a tall, young man standing in a desolate landscape, smiling happily at the camera. The third was the same man and a better, happier, younger version of herself, arms around each other, grinning at the camera like idiots. The final was the hardest; he pressed his lips to her face while she grinned at the camera with love-besotted features.

She turned the picture over to read: ‘Vinny and his "Granola", Kuwait, summer of 1997’. There was a heart drawn in red ink around the words. The photos dropped back into the box like detached flower petals in a rain of once-vibrant life. She put the lid back, careless of the photos inside or their status. Leaving the mess on the floor, she considered her next step.

She’d put the party together. She was trapped there. She had to finish it. She had to face him. Part of her wanted to cry, but the rest was just hollow. She’d gotten over him in 1997; now she had to do it one more time, to get over the nascent relationship they had cultivated here. She wouldn’t let him break her heart again. She had to protect herself.

Five minutes later, she was back in the room, carrying a CD player and some music. “Thought we could use some tunes,” she explained to no one in particular as she set it up and started to softly play random pop that wouldn’t stifle the conversations in the room.

[Adrian Moss]

Caine sensed it the moment she came in and guided over to her side. His presence was meant to give her some comfort. A team mate was close by. He also wanted her to feel that kind of comfort because it was him.

"Wathcya got on your play list?" he asked quietly. "This song seems a little bit tame for you?"

His newfound sense of synergy keyed him into the slightest alterations to the way she acted and reacted. In this case, Vinny was a case of negative attraction. Part of her (regretfully for Caine) wanted to go to him for some kind of decision, while the pain of said decision kept her away. What the hell could be going on in her mind. For once, Damien was happy he wasn't Kyria because the urge to peek would have been too powerful.

Instead, all he could do was hover close by and offer her shelter in the storm of her own making. He wished his own personal feelings weren't clouding the issue so much.

I'm here for you, Livy.

He wanted to be so much more for her too.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"I grabbed stuff a step above musack on purpose," Olivia remarked, stepping away from the CD player. She turned and scanned the party, her eyes looking for people looking for things, or empty bowls or a lack of beer. "First, I really doubt most of the people here are into my type of music. Second, I really don't want to mess with the conversations here."

The shock was fading. The distant look of muted pain was fading, to be replaced by good-old-fashioned pain. I'm over this. Her eyes tried to skitter past him, but couldn't. She looked at him, only to jerk her eyes away when he glanced at her.

But she wasn't over losing what had been a tenuous but promising relationship now. He'd made her laugh, and feel alive and now that was gone, too. That left her with nothing again.

That's all you ever have. Men say whatever they want, and then they leave you. They all do it, and when they leave, they try to kill your heart and soul. Bill. Vinny. Sean. Someday, it'd be Damien or Declan or someone else.

"Damien, I... can't do this. Can you call my room when Vinny leaves so I can clean up? Please?"

[Adrian Moss]

"Roger that," Livy. "I will watch over this place and see that everything is cleaned up. You go and do what you need to do to get your thoughts clear. I'll be around if you need me. Or, you can go to Declan. He'll aways welcome you."

He pulled away and looked out over the party, getting ready to block anyone who tried to interfere. It was a combination of text book West Point and Washington Social Gala battle scars. His faint grin was firmly plastered to his face and his body language was relaxed and laid back. Inwardly he was on full alert and codifying threats as they presented themselves. Had he bothered, Caine would have realized he was a small, controlled version of Declan's other half.

Only after Olivia had left did he allow his mind to see people in something beyond a tactical sense. Only after she was safetly away did he allow himself to care about anybody else.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia squeezed his arm gently, a gesture that was all camaraderie. She gave him a little smile and left, pausing at the door long enough to drop the Nordstrom's card in the trash can. Then she was out the door.

Click to reveal..

Anyone who wants to follow and can get past Caine, I assume, can find her by the elevators for a moment.

[Omar]

Quote:

"So were the rich and famous the same names here as where you started?"

"Some were, some weren't" Omar would tell Steve when it was time. "Many Novas were fabulously wealthy where I came from. I was one of them. In fact, my fellow travelers and I had several hundred billion in gold bullion. We used it to direct the growth and developement of global markets, nations and industry through most of the 20th century."

[Forge]

Vinny happened to glance over as Olivia dropped the card in the trash and walked out the door, leaving her pet to guard the exit.

Finishing off the food he had on his plate as he walked, he bent down and fished the card out of the trash while Caine loomed nearby.

What in the fuck did I say?

He looked after her as she left before turning back to the party. She wasn't going anywhere and it wasn't gonna do any good to let all this party go to waste.

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Omar

"Some were, some weren't" Omar would tell Steve when it was time. "Many Novas were fabulously wealthy where I came from. I was one of them. In fact, my fellow travelers and I had several hundred billion in gold bullion. We used it to direct the growth and developement of global markets, nations and industry through most of the 20th century."

Cats always hear food cans being opened.

*Billion with a 'B'? Omar? Perhaps I've been underestimating him... or someone else did the heavy lifting. Someone else who isn't around now. I love dealing with old money, the first generation is too focused on keeping it.*

*So... 'Where is the money now' would be too direct...*

Steve asked smoothly, "Really? Does that mean you're going to be paying for the Star Gate program? Maybe take us into Private Industry?"

[Omar]

"No. I gave it all up." Omar said matter of factly. The Steve here was very much like the one he knew.

"I gave up the money, power, family and friends....to come here."

[Courier]

Omar's statement left Steve without words.

*He gave up Billions (with a 'B') dollars, power, family AND friends to come here??? Willingly? Maybe 2 minutes ahead of the city guard? Or given the power he seems to operate at, 2 minutes before the nukes landed?*

Steve choose his words carefully, "I'm sorry to hear that." Very sorry considering the 'B'. "Was a nuke about to go off or something?"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia got on the elevator and left the party area, relieved that she was away. Her head was in a turmoil; her heart was a mess again. It seemed like right as she started to have something go right, everything went crazy again.

Whatever, she thought sourly. It was rapidly becoming clearer and clearer that men were all assholes.

Continued in Slipping Under

[Omar]

Quote:

"I'm sorry to hear that." Very sorry considering the 'B'. "Was a nuke about to go off or something?"

Omar had to keep telling himself that this Steve was still 'young', and had not benefitted from a century's worth of experience. Omar also found the statement hilarious, as it was true: It would take a nuke to part Steve from his money.

Omar started laughing. His deep sonorous voice projecting throughout the room.

"No," Omar says between outbursts. "It was nothing like that."

[Courier]

*He left willingly? Well, I'd rather over estimate the amount of grief than underestimate it. If someone wants to be congratulated on the death of his wife then he'll let you know.*

Steve smiles in relief and says leadingly, "Sounds like a story. I'll bite, what made you decide to take the leap?"

[Omar]

"We had achieved our goal. We had finished what we had set out to do." Omar responed, seriousness returning to the conversation. "I wanted to go somewhere that I could still make a difference." And where the watchers could not go.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria watched quietly as the two bantered back, a slight smile hiding the headache she was getting from so many slightly buzzed minds sending off random thoughts in all directions in the room. Between the combat training, the lessons on protocol and military structure, and the test they still ran on her when they had the time, she was a little frazzled for keeping a tight lid on her powers in groups like this. She'd seen Livy leave twice now and had a feeling that something was wrong, but Livy hadn't asked her to help and she was still learning the line between friendly and invasive. So she sipped at her drink and watched only the minor drama Omar was making directly in front of her.

[Forge]

Vinny mulled around, idly eating, drinking and making pointless conversation with people he either didn't like or didn't like him.

White knight...Nordstrom's...what the fuck ever, why am I dwelling on this shit?

Cuz you like her ass-tard.

Her ass ain't that great.

Shaking his head, he wandered over to a seat and watched the people, patiently waiting for the party to end.