Aberrant: Stargate Universe - Joint training exercise leads to Conspiracy

[Omar]

Quote:

"Nice to resort to Goa'uld tactics against one of your own," she seethed at Omar. "Especially after your talk of guiding and teaching us. I guess that mentorship is only available so long as I agree with you completely. I think you just displayed your true character. If you support doing this without considering other options, then you are as bad as I said previously."

Her vision was red and she was only vaguely aware of standing up. "If I'm not free to speak without being intimidated, then I'm gone. Oh, and for the record, I didn't say do nothing, Captain. I said do something better. I'm not sure why you're blatantly ignoring my words, but I can only assume it's because you're an ego-manic has to have his way or no way."

Omar was stunned. Did she really have this level of hostility towards him? All he was trying to do was explain that SOMETIMES, the ends do justify the means. Obvioulsy Olivia was to set in her ways to listen to another viewpoint.

"Well Olivia...I'm sorry that you feel that way. I'm sorry that you have to resort to namecalling and personal insults. I tried to explain that SOMETIMES it is necessary to fight fire with fire." Omar looked around at the assembled faces. He knew now that he was an outsider in their eyes. Most of them would never trust him, no matter what he did. "And in return I am accused of being an egomaniac for expressing a strongly held opinion and try to get others to at least consider that what I say might be a viable option. I fear that I was wrong."

Omar shook his head. "Olivia...I hope that is you speaking and not the taint. I can see that you are already showing levels of it. As are some of the rest of you." Omar let that sink in. "And were it within my power, I'd help find a cure...for all of us."

Quote:

"Omar, this isn't our world, or at least it is only newly so. Let them decide the roads to take instead insisting that they follow your way. Yelling at them is just childish and demanding that they go your way or demeaning those that would seek another is a quick path to becoming a tyrant yourself; just because they disagree with you doesn't mean that they're wrong."

"I'm sorry Kyria, I was simply trying to share my experience in this matter. You grew up in a world that knew little of the predations of evil people. I was tortured by Saddam Hussein, my family enslaved and killed by him. I react strongly to the evils that men do against others." He knew Kria understood his righteous anger; she'd seen it before. "They have a right to choose their own path. I will speak no more of this. I have told them the consequences. If they are willing to listen, they will. If not, God help us all."

[z028 Riley]

"Omar, if you're going to ask others to listen to and consider your point of view, you'll need to do the same. Your attitude and choice of words have been condescending at best. You've made statements about how things will be simply because that was how it was in your own timeline. This isn't that place, these aren't the same people or circumstances. And as for taint, I hardly think accusing someone of taint madness simply because they're emotional and disagree with you is rude, condescending, and a mark of being unable or unwilling to see things from another's perspective. You have not expressed yourself in opinions, but in statements of how things are and what people must do or something catastrophic will happen." Kyria was becoming rather angry herself at this point, but her anger had always been cold and focused. "That walks a fine line between a discussion and holding people emotionally hostage to get them to do what you think is the correct action. If that's not your intent, then please listen more closely to what you are actually saying and how you are saying it, please."

She glanced over at Caine, then up to Cam, "I think it would be best if this were shelved until tempers and cool and people have a chance to talk amongst themselves as they wish. As you said, we have time while we are considered on mission. We should use it."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult closed her eyes, head and heart pounding. Omar Khudikias was a formidable man, and it was hard to discount what he said, regardless on how deeply wrong she felt he was, how dangerous. At least, despite her own alieness, Kyria understood that this world was different than her and Omar's, and that different methods of resolving the possible conflict were viable.

The mentioning of 'Taint' several times caught Yseult's attention. If it could affect behaviour and rationality as Captain Khudikias said, it could be a major problem. Perhaps, he is himself suffering from it without knowing, yes? It would have to be something to study at a later time, however.

Yseult took several deep breaths, and with an effort, she pulled her attention away from Captain Khudikias, doing her best to completely ignore his towering presence, and faced Cam.

"Cameron, I believe that I am with the growing majority, and we should reveal what we have learned to Generals Landry and Hammond, yes? That said, I think that we should still monitor the IOA as we can. As Aradie has pointed out, there are always be checks and balances, and currently, the IOA has none. If you so wish, I will still help you recover a cargo ship or Al'kesh, provided that we tell General Landry the details of the mission if the report has to be kept... lost."

She was proud of the work she had done with and for the SGC, and she wanted to continue being a part of it. But she would not be forced, on the sole basis of the powers she had gained that she had not asked for.

And after this meeting, she would not be kept from her family, nor allow them to be used as a threat.

[Noah Weston]

Noah considered heading back to the group with Cam when Vinny started ranting but when, after a few quiet moments followed by Omar's rather loud proclomation, Livy came storming out and fumed her way over to him, he was glad he didn't. He didn't need to read her to know she was shaken by whatever else was said in there and not covering it well.

Quote:

"Thought I'd come stand with the outcasts, unless you want to be alone?" she asked the handsome young Lieutenant. She managed a smile, but she was still obviously strung out on her nerves, almost shaking from the confrontation.

He smiled, trying to be reasuring and said. "Not at all, I'm glad for the company." His tone was intentionally light but he looked her right in the eye. "Are you okay? You need to talk or something?"

[Mr Fox]

Cam was stunned at how badly this had gone. Note to self: never underestimate the power of different personalities to disrupt a good plan.

He raised his voice,

"Everyone let me have your attention. The discussion is over. I think people have developed some wrong ideas of what was intended here and no more discussion right now will be helpful. I felt that everyone here had the right to know what had happened to the others with special abilities and what the IOA was doing. I will take the blame for things going south in the discussion. Before we leave I'd like to speak with each one of you individually to apologize. For now I think cooling off is an excellent idea. Ladies, you have the river beyond the north rise of the hills. Gentlemen, we'll take the south. Dismissed!"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Omar just treated me like the Goa'uld did yesterday," she said, her voice shaking. "He acted like he could scare the crap out of me without me fighting back, like he was better than me or something. I just expected other humans to treat me better than that, you know?" She crossed her arms and shivered slightly.

And her night was only going to get worse. Vinny was really pissed at her over the Hatchins thing - which brought up the question of why did it matter? Because she didn't ask him for help? She did her job without his help everyday. If she didn't know that there was no way he couldn't know, she'd say that he knew what Hatchins had done, and was angry that she hadn't pointed him out to Vinny. But she knew the outcome of that scenario; Hatchins dead and her chance to catch the IOA gone. However, that didn't change the fact that Vinny was pissed, and apparently at her. Her stomach knotted so hard at the thought that she wasn't sure she could keep her lunch down for much longer.

"This has been a really bad day," she said, and, to her shame, felt tears well her in eyes.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria frowned, but this time in confusion instead of in anger. "Colonel? Is there some reason we are splitting up by gender?" She seemed genuinely mystified.

[Adrian Moss]

Caine looks Cam and then to Kyria,

"Kyria, in matters of sleep and hygiene we seperate by gender. It is a matter of the moral code our military and our society uphold. It may not make sense to you and the way you were raised, but it is the only way most of us know."

"Also remember to have someone always keeping watch. We are probably safe here, but it's good practice."

"Colonel, I'll got tell those two what we are doing."

Without further statement, he gets his gun and walks of to were Noah and Olivia.

"Gang, we are breaking up in groups to bath. The discussion has been terminated. Olivia, are going to the the river to the north rise of hills. Noah, you are coming south with the men. Come on. Let's go."

[Yseult Sierra]

As Yseult headed to the northern end of the river, she saw Olivia's shoulders quiver with suppressed tears. She pulled out a small pack of kleenex, and pressed it into Olivia's hands.

"This has been one of the worst of days, Olivie," Yseult said in sympathy, her own golden skin very pale. "There is a mistake that is very big that was made I think." Yseult saw that Kyria was nearby, and her lips tightened, debating whether to hold her words or not. "Please, do not take offense Kyria Donnighal, but I do not believe you or Omar Khudikias are human, not in the way that we are."

[Noah Weston]

Noah gave Olivia a quick hug; warm, protective and to her suprise, completely platonic. He leaned in and whispered "I have your back Livy. Any time you need my help I'll be there for you," It was the first time he'd used her nickname.

He let her go and turned to Caine. "Yes Sir," he said before following.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria tilted her head and shrugged. "I never claimed to be. Omar was born baseline and became a nova, but he's also lived longer and seen more than most novas do. I don't know if that makes him inhuman, but it will certainly make him different." She glanced away for the briefest second, the only indication that her easy tone about the subject might be anything other than the truth. "I've never been baseline. I've never had baseline family, and until I came here I'd never had baseline friends."

She gave a small laugh, "Truth be told, other than the brief friendships I forged when I was with the Paragons, I hadn't ever had friends before I came here. There was always too much to be learning or not enough time for my father to find appropriate people he could trust with even knowing I existed." She shrugged again, "So, no, I'm probably not anywhere near human the way you are."

I'm not like anyone, not even other novas. Father made sure of that. Does that mean I'm just a monster? Heh, and I can't even blame it on taint. The thought was bitter, but she kept any inkling of it out of her expression.

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult cocked her head, studying the stunning, young nova, trying to keep the pity from her eyes. She is very young, and seems almost alone, even with people all around her. What did her father do her? She makes it sound like she is more a secret experiment than a person.

"Honestly, I would like to hear about how you grew up Kyria Donnighal. I truly would like to understand how you see yourself, and why you see yourself that way." Her gaze was direct, her eyes almost luminous. "Maybe then I can learn to appreciate your and Omar Khudikias' point of view, though I doubt I will ever agree with it."

Yseult considered Kyria for another long moment, her thoughts racing. Her lips suddenly quirked with a mix of emotions, dark amusement, bitterness, fear, hope, curiosity.

"You say you are not near human, you, but, for the way I am seeing it, you are much closer than Omar Khudikias." Yseult stuck out her hand, her quirked lips spreading into a reserved smile. "I am at least willing to try, and see if we can be friends."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Noah's hug surprised her, but Olivia took the comfort he offered her in the hug. She managed to reward him with a smile; she'd be fine later after she'd blown off some steam.

Olivia took the Kleenex and followed the other women, dabbing at her eyes as discreetly as she could. She slowly came back to the conversation, but found she didn't have the energy to get involved in it. Silently, she fell into step with Ari, took her arm in her own and put her head on her should as they walked.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria fell into step next to Yseault as the women made their way towards their 'cooling off' area. "I don't know that I have all that much of a point of view on this. Like I said, it's not my world and I don't presume to really understand all the possible fallout of any course of action. I just know that I don't want to see the people here, or the others not here, treated like labrats or slaves just because the IOA or anyone else thinks they can get away with it."

She watched the land they were passing by quietly for a moment before continuing with, "I think that's part of the difference between here and Omar's home that he hasn't quite gotten yet. There's more options here because of the Stargate. There's worlds to spread out on and other races to interact with. I know the SGC has its reasons for staying secret, but if it did come out about the Gate and the no...'Specialists', then it would also come out about the Goa'uld and the other alien races. There's far more in common between Specialists and baselines when viewed from a galactic perspective."

"And...thanks." She smiled awkwardly but gamely at Yseualt. "For giving me the benefit of the doubt, I mean."

[Yseult Sierra]

"For me too, this is not easy." Yseult returned Kyria's smile just as awkwardly, then gave her a sharp nod. "I was a researcher, happy staying in the lab. Perhaps, I kept to myself too much. Bah! Autre temps, autres moeurs, yes? Things change, and we must change with them."

Yseult followed beside Kyria in thoughtful silence, a finger tapping her lips. The more that I think on it, the more I wonder if keeping the StarGate Program a secret is the best thing. Would the problems and panic the ensue be worth the possible help from the rest of the world, or what that just lead to more bickering? Other governments demanding more, the US unwilling to give up anything? She may have been more intelligent than she had ever been before, and still she couldn't decide what would be best.

As the small group of women moved approached the north rise of hills, Yseult turned back to Kyria. "It was not your point of view of this situation that I was asking about Kyria," the blonde doctor started, then blushed and bit a lip in vexation.

"Not that I would not like to hear it. My own judgement, it must be coloured by thoughts of my family, and an objective view, it would be welcome. Enough, what I meant to say was that I would like to hear about your world, and your life there."

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan watched things fall apart, and seethed inwardly. This was assinine. The'd all turned on each other in a brilliant display of human nature, and his opinion of virtually everyone dropped. Now they broke for bath time.. He shook his head and Followed Caine and Noah.

"So you guys up for seeing if there's any game to hunt around here or do we just suffer through MRE's for three days?"

There was levity in his voice as he tried to just let his anger bleed away.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia looked a little surprised, but then a look of relief flickered across her face. She ran her fingers through the other woman's hair idly, giving her a sisterly squeeze as they made their way to the tents. Part of her had been terrified that Livy was going to be angry at her for what she'd said, and she was relieved that her only friend didn't seem upset about it.. at least not for now.

Not for the first time, she found herself wishing she could just close her eyes and all this would go away. Maybe sleep would bring some peaceful oblivion. Most likely she'd just end up having bad dreams, though.. there was too much to have bad dreams about, and her mind was too active with everything that had happened in the last few days. She didn't say anything to Livy, she didn't need to. She could feel Ari's sigh though, her head rising and falling slightly with the other woman's shoulders as she tried to exhale her frustration away.

[Forge]

The display of plummage called to a halt, Vinny silently obeyed the order and headed south, inwardly brooding and awaiting his next order. Colonel Klink had made it quite clear that opinions could easily be overriden by his ability to change the mission parameters to suit his desires. Therefore there was no point to say much. Also no reason to respect him either.

[Omar]

He walked with the others, frustrated at his inability to adjust. He'd spent so much time living with a close knit group on Lorien and on a world they were shaping to prevent its destruction, that he'd forgotten what it was like dealing with normal people. He would need to relearn how to interact with people who were basically newly erupted novas. He was now on the inside, and not on the periphery directing long term events.

"I wouldn't mind hunting some game, though with our sidearms and zatts, it would hardly be sporting or effective training." Omar lookd at the assemble men and wondered how his conflict with Olivia had affected them. "How does using our powers to catch prey sound?"

[Adrian Moss]

"Uh, for my part, what am I going to do? Throw harsh language. I"m still a tool user Omar. Now, given a few hours I can make a bows and a few arrows, but that's it."

[Forge]

Just blow the shit outta the fuckers, like the brush, no worries about collateral damage.

Vinny continued his hardened facade, not acknowledging the current discussion as he waited for Klink to tell them what to do.

Fuckin' pilots.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia felt Aradia' sigh and she shifted, putting an arm around her. The two women hugged for comfort, walking awkwardly together in a jilting lockstep. They said nothing - they didn't need to say anything, each knowing only that her sister hurt, and offering what comfort she could.

The women arrived at their portion of the river. Feeling a bit shy around the supernaturally beautiful - and naturally beautiful - women, Olivia slowly started to disrobe. "So are we going full monty?" she asked with a hint of a giggle, feeling her face darken as she spoke. "Or will we resort to skivvies in the water?"

[Ryan Hawke]

"Because the firearms will leave whatever they hit mostly intact, especially the Zats. There's no point in wasting them by blowing them up."

He unslung his Zat and smiled. This would be a good way to relieve some tension.

[Noah Weston]

Noah walked with the others, listening to them try to fill the awkward silence that the end of the meeting had caused.

Great. What is with guys who think killing small woodland creatures is a bonding experience? God I wish I 'd brought my guitar. Well fuck this shit, I'm not going hunting with these assholes unless it's an order.

Noah continued down to the river in silence and when he got to the shore he began stripping down, finally plunging into the water bareassed naked. The cold was a momentary shock but his body quickly adjusted.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia shrugged slightly, looking unfazed at the idea. She began undoing her own clothing. Her hair had settled into the blackish-red color it had been morphing through, but the fact that it was no longer changing was an indicator that her mood had settled a bit.

"Doesn't really bother me, we used to have to strip backstage all the time between shows, and you don't wear underwear under most of that stuff. Panty lines kill a good look, you know? But if it bothers you guys, we can keep it PG-13."

[Omar]

"Don't you guys have something to aid you in hunting? Even heightened intellect can be utilized for such an endeavor. Just make the best damn bow and arrow ever invented. If you can fly, you can take the eagle's approach to hunting; just come at the beast from above. I plan on running down a deer or elk." Omar looked at the naked Leutenant with amusement. "Not to kill it, but to feel the thrill of the chase and the catch." The idea of skinning and butchering an animal in the field did not sound appealing at this point. There was no telling what sort of native fauna they'd find or is it was edible.

Omar shifted his eufiber to a camoflage pattern that matched the surrounding foliage. "I also need to stretch my legs. You can't exactly go for a run in Cheyenne Mountain."

[Adrian Moss]

"I'm afraid I don't get into the thrill of the hunt, Omar. More power to ya, but I only hunt when necessary. I learned that long ago ... or so it seems. I make a better bow now, but I've never had the cause to use it."

Caine began stripping down til he was naked.

"Bathing on the other hand is a rare luxury in the wild and I'm going to enjoy it. Good luck on the hunt."

Damien watched the water for a moment before jumping in head first with a graceful long dive. He was a strong man, though not in the league of the super strong. He covered a good distance and dissappeared into the river.

[Forge]

What's with the fuckin' skinny dippin'? Klink just told us to split up, damn ass-tards. Don't wanna see your fuckin' junk. Can't anyone 'round here keep it in their damn pants.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan stalks off alone into the woods, not wanting any part of the skinny-dipping specialists. "Christ, is it really that bad?" He heads out into the woods watchful and quiet curious to see what this world has to offer.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria's eufiber rolled itself into a charming little ankle and she waded into the river, unselfconcious and taking a moment to enjoy the feel of the current and the natural sounds of this world. If she'd heard the debate about movie ratings and cultural references she didn't know, she made no comment on it and had already rather neatly settled her side of it.

She floated in the water with only her head above the surface; after several moments she glanced over at Yseault, "I grew up on island in the Atlantic ocean named To Doro. That's Greek for 'the gift'; a friend of my father's created the island and gave it to him shortly before I was...born. It was beautiful and wild and I spent all most all of my life there until my father was injured and I went to Lorien to try to help him." She was quiet for a pause just short of seeming that she would say no more, then continued with, "On my Earth the world had been brought to Unity well before I was born. Countries still had their names and their histories, but we were one culture and three branches of humanity: baselines, psions, and novas."

She closed her eyes and continued to float aimlessly. "It's a little hard to know what to say. How about you ask me questions and I'll answer as best as I can?"

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult watched Olivia and Aradia undress through her lashes, a faint rose colour to her cheeks. She turned her back to the other girls and began to disrobe, carefully folding her clothes.

"If I go swimming, I will have to go without my undergarments. They... will not survive the water very well," Yseult said over her shoulder. She folded her pants, and the women could see that she was wearing a brief, lacey thong with matching garters. She was also wearing the red bra that has caused her such embarrassment on the shopping trip.

The other female specialists could hear the redness in her cheeks as she removed her underwear fastidiously. "The soldier clothes, there are not very nice, yes? The sexy undergarments, they remind me that I am a woman and not a soldier."

Completely nude, she ran swiftly into the river, an arm across her chest, hissing at the cold. She waded into the water up to her neck, keeping her head out of the water as she listened to Kyria speak about her world. There was so much she wished to ask, yet one thing seemed to jump to the forefront. But, she wasn't sure if Kyria would wish to speak of it openly.

Remembering what she had heard about the stunning young woman, she had an idea. <Kyria Donnighal, can you hear me?>

<Quite clearly Yseult Dionne-Langlois> The thought carried a tinge of amusement, and came to her in perfect French.

<Ah, excellent. I am not sure if my question is one you would rather keep private, or not answer at all. You mentioned that Omar Khudikias [arrogance, pomposity, frightful] was not born a... nova and that you were. Then you hesitated when you said you were born. Can specialists not concieve children normally, or were your circumstances different, and how so? Of course, if this is not something you wish to talk about, I understand, though as a doctor, I would keep any medical information completely confidential.>

For the benefit of the two other women not in mental communication, Yseult posed another question to Kyria, aloud. "This Lorien, is it a person or a place? The way you refered to it, I am not sure."

[Mr Fox]

Cam was not in the best of moods. Between Omar's insensitive remarks about Olivia and the flare up of Captain Teflon and the way the discussions had fallen apart he did feel like killing something. Before anyone could head off alone into the woods he called out, "If you want to hunt that's fine. Hunt by pairs and keep it south of this point. We don't want anyone accidentally circling around and frightening the women, or getting hurt by them." He added, "Use Zats for the hunt, they are fairly close range so they'll require some skill and they aren't dangerous to anyone else that might be in the woods in case two groups of us meet up. Besides, P90 fire would cause the ladies to think we were being attacked."

Looking at the others his eyes came to rest on Wright. The man was an open wound with salt and lemon rubbed in. This wasn't going to be fun but had to be done. "Captain... Wright, you're with me." He'd almost slipped and called the man Captain Teflon. "You know anything about hunting Captain?"

[z028 Riley]

Yse could feel Kyria's sigh as the telepath debated what to tell the other woman. She chose her thoughts carefully.

*You and I have just met, Yesault, and as you are a medical doctor and would keep my confidence, I would still prefer you not look at me the same way you do my eufiber. This might be a conversation for later, if we come to know each other well enough. As for 'specialists' conceiving, only highly tainted novas usually develop alternate conception or gestation methods. Occasionally a nova erupts or is born with an extreme quantum signature that changes their method of procreation, but so far as I have seen in those altered by this Ancient device, they should be fine conceive and bear children normally.* Her tone was polite and carried no animosity, only the reservations of near stranger.

Aloud she said, "Lorien was both a person and a ship. We found out later that she was also a creation or...offshoot?...of a Watcher of the same name. So Lorean was a person, a place or thing, and an effective omnipotent being."

[Yseult Sierra]

Kyria could 'hear' Yseult's nod of acceptance. *I understand your reasons, Kyria, and respect them. Then, if you could, can you explain this taint that I have heard mentioned? As I understand the process of Ascension, it is a process of evolution to a higher state of being, and for some, it is a gradual process, and for others, very rapid. Your 'Novas' seem to behave in a similar fashion. Is 'taint' an evolutionary deadend or offshoot that can occur in the process of evolution, or a side effect from utilizing energies not meant for our genetic capabilities? I have obviously noticed the drastic change in my eyes, and Omar Khudikias seemed to have implied it can have mental presentations as well. Are the variety of effects that taint can produce limited in any way, and can they be avoided, remedied, or removed?* Kyria could feel a growing concern building in Yseult as she asked her multipart question.

"This Lorean, it, she was how you were able to travel through time and parallel universes, yes?" Yseult said, her voice openly curious, and perhaps a bit worried. *Replicators!* "Did you ever find out why she enabled you to do this? Did she not have a personal reason for allowing you to do this?"

[z028 Riley]

"She had amnesia. Her Watcher-self had created the ship and the mortal Lorean without the awareness of what she was and how she came to be. So she was looking for answers, and made friends with the Paragons along the way. She could move in space and in time and in....possiblities, I guess. Parallel universes."

She was letting herself drift in the water, only barely keeping tabs on how close she was to the other. *Taint is something that novas can accrue when they overextend their quantum powers or quantum signature. It's also called quantum backlash, and it can cause mental or physical aberrations ranging from unusual skin or eye pigmentation to grotesque and inhuman malformations of the entire body, as well as minor mental conditions to severe and usually multiple psychological neurosis. Quantum backlash is most common in novas that erupt as opposed to those that are born from nova parents, though it is present in both. As for a cure, Andrew, one of the Paragons, discovered a cure for taint. That was part of the mission of the Paragons. I...there...I'm not certain that even if there were a way to contact him that he'd be able to create cures for the Specialists. You feel a bit different from the other novas I've known, and his cure had to be tailored to the individual when dealing with normal novas. I...I'm not the best person to ask about this. Omar would know more than I about it.*

It was strange to 'hear' a person stuttering their thoughts, but it was obvious Kyria was becoming more an more uncomfortable with the subject.

[Omar]

Omar looks for an open stretch of ground and begins to run. His corded thighs start pumping as the ground begins do race underneath. A surge of quantum and the scenery becomes a blur as his speed reaches nearly Mach 1. He kept his eyes foreward, so that he didn't hit any large objects such as trees. When he did see one, he deftly moved aside and kept going. When he raced downhill, he could feel the pressure waves of the sound barrier building on the front of his body and bending, but not breaking.

With a smile, Omar realized that with a little more practice, he would break the sound barrier.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia hadn't intended to strip all the way, but then she had an idea. She shucked off her utilitarian undergarments and avoiding looking at the other women, she hurried into the cover of the water. There, she swam to Aradia's side and murmured, "Want to have some fun?"

Olivia really needed some fun at the moment, or at least to pretend to have fun.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia glanced at her quizzically, but smiled a little and nodded at her, murmuring back.

"Sure.. what'd you have in mind?"

She wasn't paying a terrible amount of attention to the scientific-sounding discussion the other two women were having anyway.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia murmured, "We're in the water, let me borrow your shapeshifting, and we can go have some fun playing as seals or something." There was a spark of mischievousness in her eyes as she spoke of her idea.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia brightened at the idea. Swimming might help take their mind off everything going on, and help Livy focus on something other than how pissed off Vinny was acting. She murmured quietly back, and to the other two women (if they were paying attention) they must have looked like teenagers whispering secrets.

"Okay, but here's the rules. Pick something big enough not to get eaten, but not big enough to get stuck in a river - we don't know how shallow it might get upstream. And make sure you put effort into giving yourself some kind of underwater breathing ability, whatever matches what you pick. Like if you're a fish, you gotta make gills. Got it?"