The Strange

[Karmotrine Dream]

Sean shut off the recording.
The captain bit her thumb, nervously.

« This is... most concerning », she said, as she stared pensively out of Islay's viewports. « How is she now? »
« Sleeping uneasy. Physically she's alright though - no sickness, no radiations, no drugs, no nothing. »

The ice cloud remained obstinately dense, that evening; no shift in the currents or solar winds that would regale them a glimpse of Gaia.

« That's a relief. But, this would also mean... »
« You believe her, captain? »
« I believe her in that I'm sure she's not lying to us », she replied after a brief pause. « Whether or not I believe the vice admiral is a Nomad, which I assume she meant an infested, that's another matter entirely. »
« You're not ruling it out, then? », he asked, furrowing his brow.
« Would that truly be the oddest we've seen? », she flashed him a brief, mirthless smile. « No, I don't think I can. »

He sunk into his chair at the deserted bar.

« Bloody hell. First Gaia, then Leeds, then the sodding frogs, and now our 'friend' turns out to be in bed with space squids. Can't ever catch a goddamn break. »
« Now now, XO, let us not be hasty. Keep a stiff upper lip, chap. »

He blinked at the choice of words. BAF exhortations sound odd on the lips of Gaians, ironic or not.

« Let us consider the facts. The logs.
Three things stand out to me... one, the way he has adamantly dodged questions about groups or individuals; two, the implications about Amy; third, the fact he told her to keep quiet about the incident. »
« He bribed her », he growled.
« He did », she nodded, echoing his displeasure. « Now, I wonder if he wanted her to withhold information from third parties, or us. »
« Probably the former. I mean, not like anyone's gonna believe us even if we go and tattle anyway. Just about the only ones who would give it more than a second's thought could be those shady blokes from Liberty, and I doubt they're gonna take us seriously either. »
« And telepathy is not recorded by any known instrument, at any rate. Even then, it appears only those who it is meant for can hear it... »
« Yeah, don't like that either. Not one single bit. »

He glanced outside the windows. The banks of astral, frozen mist still blocked the visual beyond the immediate distance, and barring the occasional crystal flittering about.

« What do the squids want with the girl? Or hell, what is it that they want to accomplish anyway? »
« Very fair question. One that needs answering posthaste. »
« Right. And in the meantime? »
« In the meantime », she paused for a few moments. « we stay the course. Aid the BAF and BPA where appropriate, ward off threats to Gaia. »
« What? Really? »

The captain turned around, a grave expression hardening her otherwise soft features.

« We tread on thin ice, Sean. Our Armed Forces 'friend' wishes to support us still, infested or no, and given our current situation we can't afford the luxury of making enemies - especially not ones a stone's throw away from Gaia herself.
As far as we know, this may still be an opportunity for us. »
« And if it turns out whatever the squids are plotting is no better than the Forces' orders? », he rebutted, sceptical. « What then? »
« Then », she sharply remarked, « it will be fortunate the Artio had been strengthened. It shall prove useful as we seek new comrades. »

He stared at her for a few seconds.
New comrades, she said. But if her overtures to the lawfuls won't work...

« Does that mean- »
« I pray it needn't come to that and that we can indeed come to an understanding, either with the kingdom or these mysterious forces, but we must be prepared. », she declared, resolute in her tone as much as her fiery gaze.
« We WILL protect Gaia this time, one way or the other. »

A grin, in part surprised and in part enthusiastic, crossed his face.
Finally, he thought, a course of action he could get behind immediately. Bless her heart, but he's ever been a fighter rather than a talker - and fight he will, even better if with actual old allies.

« I'll get looking for those old encryption codes! »