āI remember, when I was little, that someone told me a storm was coming. What I never realized was that I could be the storm.ā
Stella dug through the refrigerator, which was as well-stocked as its predecessor. Kind of weird when she thought about it; if Cass just used these places as needed, then who made sure the food didnāt go bad? But all of it was fresh, actually, and she wondered if maybe there werenāt more people helping them behind the scenes or something. She supposed they had no way of knowing how many people were in on the big secret. That Prometheus guy seemed like the well-connected typeāmaybe he had something to do with it?
Well, in the end it didnāt matter much. Returning to the counter with her discoveries, the washed her vegetables in a sink installed in the island she was using and selected a knife from the wooden block of them. To use wood for something so mundaneāthat really was the sign of someone with money to spend. While she got everything organized, Uno remained in the foyer, she assumed to check his injuries or communications or something. When he entered, though, she looked up, a troubled expression crossing her face.
Better not to remember? It seemed a very unconventional way of thinking about friendships. Even she, with all her cynicism, wouldnāt necessarily want to forget if in fact sheād ever had one. āIs it?ā she asked softly, glancing down at the tomato in her hand. Well, apparently whatever dream heād seen hadnāt ended very well. Maybe it had turned into a nightmare, and that made it something it would be better to forget? Why did the thought make her so sad?
āWellā¦ thatās too bad then. Because Iām pretty sure that no matter what I do, I wonāt be able to forget you.ā She glanced up briefly, her eyes sincere, then covered it with a light smile. āItās not every day I meet such a big jerk, after all.ā But, wellā¦ he was as much her friend as anyone ever had been, she supposed. Whether either of them liked things that way or not. Shaking her head a bit, she went back to slicing vegetables.
The idea was a radical one, there was no mistaking that. Stellaās lips pursed for a moment, the steady rhythm of her hands at work providing a metronome for her thoughts, a steady, regular sound like the beating of her heart. āIād like to see them try to cover that one up,ā she admitted with the hint of a smirk. The government had some seriously good press people, including the Deputy Prime Minister herself. But it would be really hard to explain that to everyone. āIf you really think it would draw her out, and you are the expert at making people madā¦ then I think we have to do it. But we should make sure to make it obvious where weāre broadcasting it from, so they donāt tear down half the dome looking for us.ā The idea of collateral damage was not appealing to Stella at all.
It was, in truth a lot to take in, even for someone with processing power like that belonging to Darcia. That was, in part, why she had chosen to give the matter more time and thought before she made her decision. But alsoā¦ it was not a straightforwardly logical decision, not for her. She acknowledged that her emotions would no doubt become involved, both her feelings for her creatorārespect, affection, perhaps even what some people might call familiar love. Her feelings about whether or not it was good or right to lie to the human population of the domes. About herself, and what she was worthy or capable of doing.
But most of allā¦
āYes.ā A simple affirmation, but she was hardly one to waste words when few would express most elegantly what she desired to convey. Agreement, both with the fact that they were partners, and also with the notion that it was time to return to their duties. This tangent had certainly not yielded them nothing, for now they knew with certainty the identity of the Seed helping their targets, and understood more of the background of their mission, which may prove to be helpful down the line. But now they needed to find Stella and Uno again, and they would be in effect starting from scratch to do so.
A gentle smile on her face, Darcia reached forward and took the proffered hand. Most of all, it was her feelings about her partner that would need to be deciphered before she could know how she was to act. Because, even if she should find a way to circumvent her orders and also decide that doing so was the right course of action, a further question remained. Would she be able to stand facing this person, and fight him? The thought made her uncomfortable, in a similar way to how she had been distressed when she had wanted to go to his aid against Cass, but her obedience protocols would not allow her to move. This was a person that she desired would continue living. He was not a perfect person, and she did not believe that they always agreed, butā¦ to her, he was important, and she did not wish to see him become hurt. She wished even less to be the cause of that hurt.
So for now, she would make sure he wasnāt. āThis one thinksā¦ if the targets have some of the same information as we do, thenā¦ they might attempt to make it more widely known.ā Which meant that they would have to make another appearance of their own volition eventually. In the meantime, it seemed that the best course would be to try and determine from where they would be doing so, so that they could be there when it happened and respond in time.
Well, in the end it didnāt matter much. Returning to the counter with her discoveries, the washed her vegetables in a sink installed in the island she was using and selected a knife from the wooden block of them. To use wood for something so mundaneāthat really was the sign of someone with money to spend. While she got everything organized, Uno remained in the foyer, she assumed to check his injuries or communications or something. When he entered, though, she looked up, a troubled expression crossing her face.
Better not to remember? It seemed a very unconventional way of thinking about friendships. Even she, with all her cynicism, wouldnāt necessarily want to forget if in fact sheād ever had one. āIs it?ā she asked softly, glancing down at the tomato in her hand. Well, apparently whatever dream heād seen hadnāt ended very well. Maybe it had turned into a nightmare, and that made it something it would be better to forget? Why did the thought make her so sad?
āWellā¦ thatās too bad then. Because Iām pretty sure that no matter what I do, I wonāt be able to forget you.ā She glanced up briefly, her eyes sincere, then covered it with a light smile. āItās not every day I meet such a big jerk, after all.ā But, wellā¦ he was as much her friend as anyone ever had been, she supposed. Whether either of them liked things that way or not. Shaking her head a bit, she went back to slicing vegetables.
The idea was a radical one, there was no mistaking that. Stellaās lips pursed for a moment, the steady rhythm of her hands at work providing a metronome for her thoughts, a steady, regular sound like the beating of her heart. āIād like to see them try to cover that one up,ā she admitted with the hint of a smirk. The government had some seriously good press people, including the Deputy Prime Minister herself. But it would be really hard to explain that to everyone. āIf you really think it would draw her out, and you are the expert at making people madā¦ then I think we have to do it. But we should make sure to make it obvious where weāre broadcasting it from, so they donāt tear down half the dome looking for us.ā The idea of collateral damage was not appealing to Stella at all.
āBut will it nurture the ground beneath the rain, or only visit destruction upon the very things it desires to save?ā
It was, in truth a lot to take in, even for someone with processing power like that belonging to Darcia. That was, in part, why she had chosen to give the matter more time and thought before she made her decision. But alsoā¦ it was not a straightforwardly logical decision, not for her. She acknowledged that her emotions would no doubt become involved, both her feelings for her creatorārespect, affection, perhaps even what some people might call familiar love. Her feelings about whether or not it was good or right to lie to the human population of the domes. About herself, and what she was worthy or capable of doing.
But most of allā¦
āYes.ā A simple affirmation, but she was hardly one to waste words when few would express most elegantly what she desired to convey. Agreement, both with the fact that they were partners, and also with the notion that it was time to return to their duties. This tangent had certainly not yielded them nothing, for now they knew with certainty the identity of the Seed helping their targets, and understood more of the background of their mission, which may prove to be helpful down the line. But now they needed to find Stella and Uno again, and they would be in effect starting from scratch to do so.
A gentle smile on her face, Darcia reached forward and took the proffered hand. Most of all, it was her feelings about her partner that would need to be deciphered before she could know how she was to act. Because, even if she should find a way to circumvent her orders and also decide that doing so was the right course of action, a further question remained. Would she be able to stand facing this person, and fight him? The thought made her uncomfortable, in a similar way to how she had been distressed when she had wanted to go to his aid against Cass, but her obedience protocols would not allow her to move. This was a person that she desired would continue living. He was not a perfect person, and she did not believe that they always agreed, butā¦ to her, he was important, and she did not wish to see him become hurt. She wished even less to be the cause of that hurt.
So for now, she would make sure he wasnāt. āThis one thinksā¦ if the targets have some of the same information as we do, thenā¦ they might attempt to make it more widely known.ā Which meant that they would have to make another appearance of their own volition eventually. In the meantime, it seemed that the best course would be to try and determine from where they would be doing so, so that they could be there when it happened and respond in time.