It's painful to watch Ourania and Gwen try to interact like this. If what Gwen needs right now is a body, then..why not let her borrow mine? "Gwen, maybe we could do. Something like what we did before? You could use me to visit. With Ourania."
Afte…
I've already got the feeling I'm going to be very proud of some of these tool improvisations.
To keep the guards satisfied, I'm putting on my best quietly fussy guest routine. I'm rearranging decor, washing my hands obsessively, nudging furniture. …
Since I'm already there, I open the door and look around. "Oh. My Navi, grab it." I gesture at the device, propped as it is.
I step through and stay alert for any cold patches of air..maybe Gwen is close and I can't see her. If I find one I'll sta…
I nod, there's almost always corridor cameras, kept working as a matter of course. I move for the door, but. Ourania is basically naked. She needs a chance to redress or duck away from the door.
I freeze in place, watching the Navi, then looking to Ourania crouched next to the Navi - maybe we're not seeing the same thing. But we are, definitely.
"How could you see us?" I ask. Gwen said she watched people, but there were gaps. I look up..ma…
I startle back and up onto my feet, like someone threw the navi in here. I look around, in fact, for someone who might have done that. A corp?
No more of the faint, static tickle of being so close to Ourania. I miss it.
Still, we were just talking…
I feel the warmth from Ourania's face..it's impossible to really search her eyes this close-up. There's something about the closeness we have here, and the closeness we had before..and just her mentioning Gwen feels like..permission. I'm eager to te…
Naked? Pris? "Oh. Ah.." I try to cool off my cheeks with my hands and lean back, reminded of Ourania's state of undress. When I was interfacing in Iso, I was awake, more or less. In my own body. Looking through my eyes, mostly. It's probably not exa…
I can't hold Ourania's gaze when she mentions Iso, I have to look to the side. They can't leave her in there like they leave people in Iso. I look back quickly though, when she mentions that Pris wanted me to visit. "Right, I should. But not right n…
I listen and nod at Ourania's words. I let her do what she's ready to do; in time that's sitting up. Our legs are still pressed against each other, I'm still leaning towards her slightly. The skin on my arms is cooling. It's interesting to watch her…
"I don't mind." I say quietly. I feel tired..Ourania looks tired..bearing up under the kind of strain we're put through is so much work. I can tell I almost drokked that all up, I felt her pull against me and tense towards leaving. "Sorry I was. Stu…
My demeanor firms up. I don't stare at Ioanna or particularly avoid looking, either. I settle more comfortably into holding Ourania.
I kind of expected Ioanna to hate me like I hate her.
"It's okay, let it go."
And I do.
Or I will again later.
I can't stay afraid of Ourania when she's like this. I settle on the bed next to her and put my arms around her shoulders. She smells nice, but also so tense.
Other people might be scared of Ourania because of who her mother is. I know the Commanda…
"Ah!" The bra whips past me and I startle, dropping my Navi. It bounces onto the floor. My feet follow it.
"Ourania?" I cross the room. "Are you hurt?" I've never seen her like this before, but it feels like the time she had hurt Jace. This is stil…
If Vyvyan didn't have that chip in xir neck I might try to talk xir out of it, our recent emotional outbursts notwithstanding. As it is, I can't vouchsafe any of xir behavior. Too much of a risk.
I am not going to wait for my own installation. I h…
I let out a long sigh. At least things aren't so cluttered, and that damn letter is back in the trunk. "Sorry about that. I didn't think she would." I lose the words entirely and make a confused gesture at the door.
I don't make a fuss about Ourani…
I lean forward slightly and press my palm into my face, muffling the words against my hand. "Bea, apologies don't sound like that." Even I know that. Nobody will be able to convince me I'm the stupidest person in class after this.
"Hm? Bea is helping me with. Some research." I shake my head. "You're not interrupting."
"Thank you, Bea. This is going to make some things. Clearer for me, I hope." She can take her thank you and leave, or screw some guts together and apologize to…
I finally get an in-app ping from Ourania while I'm poring over the repair information. "Oh. She's co-"
I'm interrupted by Ourania arriving. The Navi server must have hit a slow patch. "Oh, hey." I might be cleaned up enough for Bea to ignore me, b…
"Something that represents them. I think it's more. That we're disposable. Authority doesn't want to spend resources on us." I swap Bea's Navi to her message app and send a copy of this file to myself.
"Oh. That's a good idea." I guess I would have…
Good, if my voice still sounds raw and terrible I guess Bea didn't catch it. I sip some water and hover near Bea. "No, but I did. Expect her back by now." That's kind of worrying. I can't imagine she had the same problem with the Corps that I did..
…
Was I asleep? I have a headache. I leverage myself out of bed and slap the door button to let it slide open while I turn right for the bathroom to wash my face, which feels sticky and sore. I douse my head in the sink while I'm at it. I expect Bea t…
I end the recording in a rush, unable to stand the idea of some stranger watching me go through these feelings a second longer, even in ignorance. I'll send it later.
Dana. I want her here, right now, in my arms. Telling me she loves me and meaning…
I read the impersonal printed note. Not only is there a punishment, there's a reward. No identifying marks as usual. A Lee. It's got to be a pseudonym.
Two weeks of good meals. It's a signal to some people. But, good meals! Nobody will know what I …