Location: Jun's dorm, Vulture Base
Beaumontia, Epsilon Eridani system
February 28th, 2549
10:23am
The sun was burning high in the clear blue sky above the bigger and badder Vulture Base. The base was Shadow Team's new home after Amber Base sustained heavy damage due to an unexpected Covenant attack, which also claimed the life of Shadow Two, Rhonda.
On this morning, Jun was on his desktop computer, minding his business and reading the news when someone knocked on the door of his dorm. He smirked to himself; he knew who it was. "Come on in!"
And sure enough, Celestina entered the room in her black tank top and combat pants and boots, happy as a lark. "Jun! Buon compleanno (Happy birthday)!"
As he got up from his seat, he couldn't help but laugh amiably at that. It was tradition to wish each other in their own languages. "Grazie, Celest."
"Pozhaluysta (You're welcome)!" She pulled him into a lasting hug, giving him a kiss on the cheek before pulling back.
"How I love it when you speak Russian,"
"How I love it when you speak Italian," She beamed, her smile bright enough to put the sun out of business.
"Good to know," He said, holding her hands. "So where's my present?
"Your present is all of my unconditional love and support." She declared, stealing one kiss from him.
For that, she received a grin. "Well, I couldn't ask for a better gift." With that, he placed one kiss on the center of her forehead.
She headed for his bed to take a comfortable seat. "So what's your birthday wish?
"Like I'm going to tell you." Jun turned around to shut off the desktop computer.
"Oh, come on!" She whined. "I thought we share everything!"
"Well, obviously not. Tough luck, princess."
"You meanie!"
"Take it up with the boss!"
"I can't, we've barely seen anything of him for the last month."
That was when the door slid to an open. "Did someone call my name?"
Heads turned to the direction of that voice instantly. Ryan stood at the doorway with a little smile on his face.
The color drained from Celestina's face. "H-hey, boss..."
"Morning, Celest," He greeted, keeping his tiny smile. "I hear it's someone's birthday today! Happy birthday, man!"
Jun returned the smile. "Thanks, boss. How've you been?"
"Me?" Ryan acted as if that question wasn't directed towards him. "Oh, I'm good."
The duo exchanged looks of uncertainty and confusion, before directing their attention to him once more. "Well, that's good to hear, boss. We were really worried." Jun spoke, knowing full well that Celestina was speechless at the moment.
"I appreciate it, you two. Really," Then Ryan glanced at the gaping Celestina. "Celest, you mind if we speak for a moment?
"Um, sure, boss." She got to her feet and followed him out of the room.
Right next door was Ryan's dorms. He entered his codes into a small keypad and let Celestina enter first. Once the door slide to a shut, Celestina spun around instantly and began to speak. "Ryan, I... I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Shadow One raised his hands in truce. "Celest, it's okay. I know what you're going to say, but I want you to know that I'm not mad at you."
She knitted her eyebrows together at that. "... What? How can you not be?"
He ran one hand past his short brown hair before stopping at the back of his neck to massage it. "You told me what happened and I also read the report. Celest, there was nothing you could've done for her."
"You know I could have," The image of Rhonda's blank eyes gazing into the distance flashed in her mind's eye. "Ryan, I won't say anything if you blame me, really, because I deserve it."
"Celest, no," Instinctively, Ryan placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't do that. I know of your history. The therapy and psych evals... it's amazing that you're still standing tall. I didn't want you to have to go through that night when Rhonda was-" He couldn't bring himself to say it. Not yet. "But it happened. Sure, I'd probably have to go through therapy for the rest of my life but I won't have is you blaming yourself for something that was not in your control."
"Sometimes, I wish people would stop saying that..."
"Come on, Celest," Ryan almost pleading now. "Don't do this. Focus on getting better. I already lost one sister," He said, taking in a breath to mask the tears. "I don't want to lose another."
She was not expecting that from her Commander. 'Sister'? That was one of the sweetest things she had ever heard in her life. "And you won't."
"Good. Now give me a hug."
"Yes, boss!" She put her arms around his neck, his were around her waist.
Perhaps it was something he needed at the moment. All he had been doing for the past month was staring at a holostill of his family. He also knew Celestina needed it as well. "I miss her."
At that sentence, Celestina made sure her hug was tight enough. "Me too."