Pitstop on Pittsburgh

[Toaster]

For the second time that evening, Olivia tensed up.

Instinctively, her right hand shot up and grabbed Damian's outstretched arm by the wrist, squeezing tightly. His hand grazed her cheek ever so slightly, trapped by her iron grip. In the same motion, her left hand reached down for the sidearm she kept holstered to her thigh, stopping just shy of clasping her fingers around the grip. A flash of hostility shot through her eyes as the smile vanished from her face. Her body shook slightly, a strange mix of surprise and anger coursing through both her veins and mind.

Only after several seconds, feeling like an eternity, did she realize what she was doing. Her hold of Moretti's wrist loosened slightly, but kept it firmly in her grasp. Her left hand pulled away from the pistol, fingers still twitching hungrily for the weapon. The rage disappeared from her gaze, to be replaced by cautious coldness, betraying no emotion. Nonetheless, she allowed the man's fingers to touch her face, if only ever so slightly. His fingers were soft, not what one would have expected from a man who spent his days fighting for the freedom of the oppressed and forgotten - though she was hardly surprised, judging by his carefully maintained, classy appearance.

She took a deep breath, waiting a moment before letting the air escape from her again. Ever maintaining eye contact with the man across from her, she slowly lowered Damian's hand, finally releasing it entirely. For a moment, she tried to think of something to say, some manner in which to express her feelings in that instant. Only to find that she had no idea what exactly her feelings were. All she knew was that she didn't know how to handle the situation at hand.

So she chose the easiest out - not handling it at all.

Wordlessly, she straightened her shoulders and looked away towards her ship. Hesitating only for a second, she started walking, leaving Damian behind, standing beside his hoverbike. The few dock workers still on duty nodded at her as she approached her craft and climbed into the cockpit. Gazing out through the canopy as she flicked the power on, she could see the commander of the Xeno Alliance looking after her. She averted her eyes and engaged the engines, the ship lurching off of the landing pad and rapidly ascending into the forever dust-filled air.

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Olivia Sable