“No, that’s not… she protected me?” said Deidra, when she was forced to accept the truth.
“She protected you,” Galia confirmed, “You have no idea why?”
“No,” Deidra’s head shook while she wracked it for answers. She’d never been within ten feet of the Terra Eagle. Then she recalled: they may have had a mutual acquaintance. “Galia… how did you know where the Crystal Ice Core was, in the Ice Bucket?”
“Stumbled upon it, running from the icefall your boy Tygon made. Why?”
“Because… one of the Terra Eagle’s gunners told Devin where to find it,” said Deidra. Galia chewed a lip, and the mystery, in the jaws of a developing hypothesis.
“She wanted your team to make it… but it must have something to do with you specifically, or else why help in the Bangb
ox?” said Galia.
“Maybe… we ask her?” Deidra proposed, “‘Cause I’ve honestly got no idea.” Galia chortled.
“Right, let’s just go ask the woman who never leaves the house without a full body exosuit to reveal her deep secrets. You are new at this, aren’t you?” she teased.
“Hey! I-”
“Anyway, I believe you,” Galia waved off the defense. “We can’t ask the Eagle herself, but maybe we can do some digging at dinner.” She hopped up from the bed and pulled on her jacket. Galia was halfway out the door before she turned back to say, “You coming? I’ll have you know I have never been stood up on a date.”
“A da-da-date?” Deidra sputtered. Galia narrowed her eyes at her, one eyebrow up.
“I’m asking you to dinner, aren’t I?” she prodded.
“Well… I…” the words caught in Deidra’s throat, despite the fact she was already getting up. She grabbed her Gold Standard Jacket.
“Relax!” Galia doubled over in stitches, “I was testing something. I think someone actually surgically removed your sense of humor when you were young. Maybe your fun center, too. If I wanted to take you on a date, you’d know it. Still, even Olympia Gold Medalists need to eat. Let’s go - but leave the jacket, would you? Honestly, I was surprised you didn’t sleep in it.” Deidra froze with it halfway across her back. Her muscles wanted to contract in the same old pattern she was used to. Put on the jacket, then leave the room.
“But…” Deidra couldn’t think of a single sane reason why she needed it. It just didn’t sit right with her brain to reverse the motion, to shrug the coat off. But she did. She held it out in front of her, wondering just why a piece of well-tailored cloth had so much power over her.
“Are you competing in the Olympia Gold under the order of a supervisor?” Galia posed.
“No.”
“Then you’re off duty. You don’t need your uniform. Matter of fact… Later, I’m going to have something new for you atomized and sent in,” said Galia. She wandered over to Deidra. Her hands wandered up the girl’s waist, over her chest. Deidra almost flinched away before Galia grasped the buttons that bound the collar together. She popped the top two.
“What are you doing?” Deidra let out. Galia let out another button. It was just enough to pop Deidra’s breasts from their tight hiding place. They rested comfortably in the cup of her uniform top. It showed the slightest hint of cleavage.
“Look at you. You don’t even realize,” Galia shook her head, “I’m sorry to tell you this, Deidra, but you’re a woman. Might as well get some use out of it. People will tell you more, when you ask, if you seem human. So pretend, alright?” She opened one more button, then backed up from Deidra to inspect her work. “Mm, too much. You can button that one back up. Now, let your hair down, but pull it back. That’s it!” She trumpeted. The heat brought a rosy tint into the tan of Deidra’s cheeks again. She caught a glimpse of herself in the room’s iron-framed mirror. She almost checked to see who else was in the room with them.
The only piece of information they dug up at dinner was that no one knew anything about the Terra Eagle’s interest in Deidra. She and her crew hadn’t let a drop of their intentions spill, aside from what was shared with Devin. Deidra did find, however, that Galia’s wardrobe treatment had worked. Eyes stuck on her longer than ever before. Without the long gray coat to hide most of her body, people seemed to actually see Deidra. She wasn’t sure why, but a smirk had infected her face, which just wouldn’t fade. None watched her longer than Galia’s first mate, Rey. The way he talked to Galia, with such bold suggestion and abandon for her rank, told Deidra they were more than comrades, no matter what Galia said.
“Hey, Deidra,” Rey said suddenly. She noticed at once that she’d been slouching, and sat up at attention. Mingling with people that’d swung blades and clubs at her less than twenty-four hours ago had proven to be more exhausting than Deidra had even dared imagine. As was common in the thick of the Olympia Gold, though, fringe groups were starting to develop. Combatants that had taken an injury, who couldn’t comfortably sit across from their would-be killers. Deidra, herself, would have been as far from everyone but the Dreamweaver crew, if she could. She couldn’t deny, though, that she shared with Galia a certain intrigue in the Terra Eagle’s scheme. “Deidra?” Right, Rey, she remembered.
“Mm?” Deidra mumbled.
“You’re falling asleep again. Why don’t you go get some coffee, or go up to rest?” Rey suggested.
“Coffee,” Deidra slurred. She stumbled out of her chair, and back to the buffet in the complete opposite direction of any caffeinated treat.
“Adorable, isn’t she? Like a kitten with a knife,” Galia mused, chin in her palm.
“Is that what she is to you, G? A pet?” Rey let out what he’d been holding back until she was out of earshot. “If she is, your pet’s going to die.” Galia forgave him this once with the stab of a knife just beside his unflinching hand. Just close enough to remind him who the captain was.
“She’s a member of the crew, Rey,” Galia decreed. He leaned back, arms crossed, and nodded.
“First of all: your tough bitch act isn’t gonna work here. Never has - I’ve known you too long,” Rey teased, “Second: you like her.”