Post by Syl O'Connell on Feb 10, 2021 15:07:58 GMT
[Ens. Syl O'Connell - Front Ear - Personal Quarters]
Syl sat at her desk, staring at the monitor in front of her, waiting for her call to be answered. Although she wouldn't be surprised if it never was. The man she was trying to reach had made it clear months ago that she was no longer a priority in his life. She was just about to give up when the screen suddenly flickered, and her darkened reflection was replaced by the brighter image of her scowling father.
[(Ret.) Captain Liam O'Connell - San Francisco - Earth]
The man simply stared for a moment, icy gaze taking in the sight of his youngest and the room behind her. After a moment he grunted softly, leaning back in his chair. "'Bout time you got yourself a real uniform," he started off. "That doesn't look like your dorm." Stating the obvious had always been his way of asking questions. It never ceased to annoy her, but she grit her teeth and lowered her own gaze to the desk in front of her. There was no reason to let him get to her. Not this time.
"No, this is my new post." She told him, lifting her eyes to meet his once more, forcing a light tone of pride into her voice. "I arrived at Front Ear station yesterday."
The man scoffed, his scowl deepening, and Syl fought to keep her expression from falling. He always knew how to make it sting. "I wouldn't go bragging about that post if I were you." Great, even the start of her career was as disappointing to him as the end of her training.
She leaned back in her own chair, regarding him carefully, debating giving him any more details. "Admiral Ellis sent me out here on a special assignment." Okay, so she knew she wasn't supposed to talk about that... but it wasn't like her father would have any contact with anyone else on the station. There was a small spark of petty glee when she saw him freeze mid-motion of lifting his coffee mug. Though she couldn't quite place the expression she saw in his eyes. Anger? No, not quite, it was something else...
Syl was not expecting the harshness in his voice as he slammed the coffee mug on the desk in front of him. "I'm the goddamn war hero; what the hell would Antoinette want with you?" He spat, that unfamiliar look his in his eyes darkening. Was that... jealousy?
The young woman sat there for a moment, stunned by her father's outburst. "Since when are you on a first name basis with Admirals?" she asked quietly, then her face paled as she started putting the pieces together. Was that why Ellis had chosen her? To do a favor for him? After all the hell he had given her for her own choices... Syl's own anger flared. "You... I can't believe you!" She snapped, her own voice raising, emboldened by the distance between them. But she was quickly silenced as he slammed his fist on the desk and leaned close to the screen, his pale eyes flashing dangerously.
"I have never disgraced our family! Unlike YOU!" Droplets of spit appeared on the screen as he spat the last word, and she shrunk back in her chair, her hands starting to tremble. Liam wasn't finished yet. "But I will make one thing very clear to you. If you fuck this up, you better start finding another name for yourself. Disappoint her, and you will be no daughter of mine!" His hand slammed down on the panel once more, and the screen went black.
Full body trembling now beneath the weight of his anger, Syl pulled her feet up onto the chair and wrapped her arms around her legs, burying her face in her knees. The tears came hot and fast, breathing ragged as the panic overwhelmed her. So apparently her father wasn't having an affair... that much was a relief. But it still left far more questions than answers. One thing became crystal clear, however. Her entire life now rested on her ability to keep Admiral Ellis happy. No pressure. No pressure at all.
Syl sat at her desk, staring at the monitor in front of her, waiting for her call to be answered. Although she wouldn't be surprised if it never was. The man she was trying to reach had made it clear months ago that she was no longer a priority in his life. She was just about to give up when the screen suddenly flickered, and her darkened reflection was replaced by the brighter image of her scowling father.
[(Ret.) Captain Liam O'Connell - San Francisco - Earth]
The man simply stared for a moment, icy gaze taking in the sight of his youngest and the room behind her. After a moment he grunted softly, leaning back in his chair. "'Bout time you got yourself a real uniform," he started off. "That doesn't look like your dorm." Stating the obvious had always been his way of asking questions. It never ceased to annoy her, but she grit her teeth and lowered her own gaze to the desk in front of her. There was no reason to let him get to her. Not this time.
"No, this is my new post." She told him, lifting her eyes to meet his once more, forcing a light tone of pride into her voice. "I arrived at Front Ear station yesterday."
The man scoffed, his scowl deepening, and Syl fought to keep her expression from falling. He always knew how to make it sting. "I wouldn't go bragging about that post if I were you." Great, even the start of her career was as disappointing to him as the end of her training.
She leaned back in her own chair, regarding him carefully, debating giving him any more details. "Admiral Ellis sent me out here on a special assignment." Okay, so she knew she wasn't supposed to talk about that... but it wasn't like her father would have any contact with anyone else on the station. There was a small spark of petty glee when she saw him freeze mid-motion of lifting his coffee mug. Though she couldn't quite place the expression she saw in his eyes. Anger? No, not quite, it was something else...
Syl was not expecting the harshness in his voice as he slammed the coffee mug on the desk in front of him. "I'm the goddamn war hero; what the hell would Antoinette want with you?" He spat, that unfamiliar look his in his eyes darkening. Was that... jealousy?
The young woman sat there for a moment, stunned by her father's outburst. "Since when are you on a first name basis with Admirals?" she asked quietly, then her face paled as she started putting the pieces together. Was that why Ellis had chosen her? To do a favor for him? After all the hell he had given her for her own choices... Syl's own anger flared. "You... I can't believe you!" She snapped, her own voice raising, emboldened by the distance between them. But she was quickly silenced as he slammed his fist on the desk and leaned close to the screen, his pale eyes flashing dangerously.
"I have never disgraced our family! Unlike YOU!" Droplets of spit appeared on the screen as he spat the last word, and she shrunk back in her chair, her hands starting to tremble. Liam wasn't finished yet. "But I will make one thing very clear to you. If you fuck this up, you better start finding another name for yourself. Disappoint her, and you will be no daughter of mine!" His hand slammed down on the panel once more, and the screen went black.
Full body trembling now beneath the weight of his anger, Syl pulled her feet up onto the chair and wrapped her arms around her legs, burying her face in her knees. The tears came hot and fast, breathing ragged as the panic overwhelmed her. So apparently her father wasn't having an affair... that much was a relief. But it still left far more questions than answers. One thing became crystal clear, however. Her entire life now rested on her ability to keep Admiral Ellis happy. No pressure. No pressure at all.
