Aberrant: Stargate Universe - Conspiracy Support [Complete]

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Originally Posted By: Cam Mitchell in Conspiracy

"Now we are going to have a nice dinner of Roast Beast. In the morning those who would like to volunteer for duty meet me by the stargate geared up at 06:00. Those not comfortable taking part you are free to relax and enjoy some R&R here on the planet. There is some fishing gear among things we brought. Feel free to do as you wish as long as you don't leave the planet or get in trouble. Whoever is highest ranking among those who stay will be in charge until the rest of us return."

((OOC: This is an end to the thread. To be continued in Mission: To Steal a Ship and a separate R&R thread for any who decide to remain.))

These orders left Olivia in a quandary. One part of her wanted to help on this mission, now that she knew it was sanctioned. It would be her first chance to fly in spaceship, and Olivia was nothing if not an experience junkie. But she was still wary about the entire thing, and to be honest, she was sick at heart. Sick of the IOA and their tricks, sick that Hatchins had even been around, and sick that Vinny seemed upset at her.

So she wasn’t sure what she was going to do, at all. Sighing, she dejectedly kicked a rock.

Suddenly, she wanted to kick herself. Why was she moping around when she had the best resource in the world? Some of the smartest women in the universe were right here, and Olivia could just go talk to them. Grinning, she went to find them, heading toward the two tents that they had claimed. “Hey,” she said as she found the three talking near the tents, “do you guys have some time to talk about this mission? I’d like to have others’ thoughts on it. It seems like… so much, you know?” She looked around. "What are you guys thinking?"

[z028 Riley]

"Sure. Pull up a rock." Kyria smiled and motioned to the couple of logs and rocks that had been drug around the fire pit so they could have a nice campfire later that night. "As for what I think, I'll probably got with Cam to help him get his ship. Like I said, my loyalty is to all of you first, and I've heard and seen through the eyes of some of the Paragons what can happen when baselines and novas end up at odd ends. Better to separate, as while novas have vastly greater personal power than baselines, the baselines have numbers, destructive technology, and usually a great deal of fear of novas by the time it reaches coming to blows. Neither side wins in those kinds of confrontations, even if anyone survives. So, I think the ship is good idea initially, so long as some don't take it as an excuse to be heavy-handy or irresponsible in their dealings with the IOA or Earth in general."

She looked around at the others, curious to see what their thoughts were.

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult turned away from Kyria and Aradia, and watched Olivia approach, a reserved smile spreading on her fine features. "This time, Olivie, it does seem appropriate to talk about the mission, yes?"

Her inhuman eyes glanced from Olivia to Aradia and back. "There is something more than just the mission bothering some of you, I am thinking. I have a suspicion of what it is, but if you do not wish to speak of it, that is fine."

Yseult closed her eyes and seemed to compose herself. When she opened them again, her gaze was steady and direct. "One thing you must all know, I have already helped Cameron begin his... investigation of the IOA. We pierced the network security of the SGC, so we could monitor some of the activities of the IOA without their knowledge."

"I have no love for the IOA, as I am sure you all know. I also know that I am not the only one. I was still in shock over my... predicament when I made my agreement with them. The more time that I have had to reflect upon it, the greater my anger grows at what was forced upon me."

The other women could see the corners of Yseult's turquoise eyes tighten with the anger and loss she was feeling. "I have - I have to do something constructive - my family. I know my judgement must be impaired, but if I do nothing, I fear I may do something terribly rash."

"And retrieving a ship, it is not a plan for failure. It is a contigency, an unexpected resource. We are a small part of a single branch of the military of a single government facing an organization with the means of several nations at their disposal. We have to use what we can, that they will not anticipate."

She looked at each woman in turn, trying to convey her full meaning. "This mission, this is the way I am seeing it."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"You're right, I don't really want to talk about what else is bothering me, Yseult," Olivia admitted, as she sat on a log and drew up her knees. "It doesn't have any bearing on this mission, anyway. Well, not... much... of one. Anyway, not on getting the ship, which is what I'm concerned about.

"I'm concerned that we're getting a ship at all," Olivia said, before her eyes settled on Kyria. "And your implications that we'll all need to separate ourselves from non-specialists is disturbing. Whatever happened before doesn't have to happen again. We'll have to work at it; maybe we'll have to remain secret for a long time," Olivia said, her voice fervent. "But if we operate on the assumption that there will be problems, there will be problems. We have to think differently, or fall into the traps that Kyria mentions."

Sighing, and rotating her neck so that it cracked, Olivia added, "The mission is going to happen. Cam's calling the shots, and he says we're doing it. So it's a go. I'm just wondering if participation is tacit approval for what the ship represents - segregation - or opting out now will mean a lesser say in what actually happens with the ship later. I trust the judgment of most of us, but not all, and I don't want to be put in a situation where I couldn't influence what we do just because I didn't come on this joyride."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria gave Oliva a small smile and shrug at the comments directed at her, "My own upbringing is proof that it doesn't have to happen, but an overwhelming majority of Earth's that developed novas ended up in one war or another over the issue." She fiddled with a stalk of grass, folding it and others into a inhumanely complicated and delicate little ring while she spoke. "As for the ship and having a say later, talk with Cam. As you said, he's the one in charge right now. If that changes, then I doubt who was involved with capturing the ship and who wasn't will really matter at the point anyways."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult raised a pale brow at Olivia, her full lips bent in a slight frown. "Olivie, I do not know why you see the ship as a symbol of segregation. It is a tool that we may use as transport without the IOA able to track us."

Yseult looked around at the other women, her gaze lingering a little longer on Kyria. "Further, I have no intention of using the ship as means of escape. I want to know where it is so it is an option for my family, if it comes down to that. Either we all go together, or we all stay, and deal with the consequences."

"Kyria, your entire family and all your friends, they were specialists or 'Novas' as you say, yes? Despite how I have changed and what I can now do, my feelings for them have not changed - my family is every bit as important to me as before. Non! More so."

[z028 Riley]

The telepath gave Yseult a return quizzical look, "Of course they are. Why wouldn't they be?"

[Yseult Sierra]

"I can think of no reason why my feelings for my family should change as a result of becoming a specialist. But you seem to think a separation between specialists and 'baselines' is for the best." Yseult's mouth twisted at the term, obviously not liking the connatations it implied. "How can I possibly be in favour of such a thing?"

She sighed. "You have seen and heard about other worlds like our own, yes? Where those who developed unique capabilities is a new phenomenon? How were the families of the new 'novas' treated by the differing factions? By those who would control or eliminate the 'novas'? And for that matter, by the specialists' themselves, some of whom I'm sure wanted nothing more to than to control or eliminate those without their... potentialities?"

[z028 Riley]

A small burr of irritation entered the young telepath's voice, "I haven't actually given an opinion yet. I've stated the facts that I know and my observations." She shook her head, "I think novas and baselines can live together, and that becoming a nova shouldn't change how you treat your family. They're family and they always will be. However, there are certain realities that can be difficult for one side or the other of that equation to come to grips with."

She leaned forward, obviously quite engaged in the conversation now. "Think of this: I don't have to eat or sleep, all I need are short periods of rest to be at peak efficiency. My tested IQ isn't even able to be calculated using the standard IQ tests available on this Earth. I can pick up cars if there's a need and not suffer muscle backlash for the rest of my life." She looked between the, letting the pause give her next statement emphasis. "So long as I have quantum in my body I can survive indefinitely in the vacuum of space with no assistance."

"Now think about that from the point of view of someone who, unless they erupt, has no chance of every catching up to me in any of those categories. I am someone who will always be smarter than them, faster than them, stronger than them, and healthier than them. Always. And while imagining that, add to it that that other person is your parent or sibling, your lover or your spouse." She sighed and leaned back again. "On the other side of it, you as the nova have to remember at all times that the baselines around you are fragile. Physically because their bodies are not fortified and augmented by quantum, and emotionally because of the vast gulf between their capabilities and yours. You have to be careful not to run too fast, hit too hard, or in some other way go beyond them without even thinking about it. If you want to interact with them and not elicit their envy, their fear, or their anger, you're bounded by their limits."

"I'm not saying it can't work. I grew up in a world where it did, but that world was also manipulated in to accepting that it would work by the most powerful novas on the planet. It's a complicated and delicate interaction at best and crosses into a nightmare for both sides with a nano-slim margin of error." She fiddled with her little grass right again as she thought over her last words. "As for how families are generally treated, look at the families of rich, powerful, and well-known people around the world. Their lives and actions are scrutinized, their privacy either bought with high fences or armed guards, or simply non-existent. They'll be made offers to do movies and tv shows and invited to exclusive events and galas just on the hope that some of the stardom of their relative is contagious. People will try to use them, and people will lie to get close to them, but no more so than other celebrities. That's if we're public. You've already seen how they'll be treated if we're a secret of the IOA's or SGC." She bit her lip, then shrugged, "As for eliminating novas, many worlds had an organization that formulated sterilization drugs that they tried to infect the novas with. In fact, several of the Paragons were from a timeline like that and it took nearly as long for Andrew to find a cure for that as it did to find a cure for taint. Here, though, I don't think that will be a problem with any children already born. Now, if the children born of the specialists since they were erupted by that device are born as novas, then you have several new complications and worries, both for the specialists and their adversaries."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult mirrored the stunning Nova's posture, equally engaged in the conversation. "I do not feel as... removed as you do, from the capabilities of those who have not been affected by the Ascension Device. I still require sleep and nourishment, even more of the latter now. True, my mental capabilities has been drastically increased, but objectively, I can say that I was more intelligent than the vast majority of those I have met anyway. Note, I do not equate intelligence with wisdom. My coordination and health has been greatly improved, but it is still within human levels, if in the top percentile."

Yseult's bright turquoise eyes shifted away from Kyria for a moment, and the others could see the contents of one of the tents rise into their air, dancing and weaving with no apparent means of support. The young-looking, blonde doctor gave a delicate snort and the items settled back down, motionless once more.

"My telekinesis..." Yseult began, her eyes back on Kyria. "Obviously I have heard stories and seen 'magicians' before who have claimed to possess this ability before. I have always been skeptical, and firmly believed it was only a trick. But I have seen things during my time with the SGC. Janet's daughter Cassandra was able... No matter. Perhaps, there are those who have developed telekinesis naturally, yes? My ability is just a matter of scope, if not entirely unique. I do not feel that it defines me, or makes be better than anyone else. Some people are pilots, others can sing like angels, I can move things purely with my thoughts." She gave a shrug.

"Truly, I believe that François would have a more difficult time accepting my new appearance than the fact that I can move things with my mind." A soft smile came to Yseult's lips, her eyes heavy lidded with memories. "Admittedly, this my be more a reflection on him, rather than people in general."

Yseult shared a look with Olivia. "Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the ramifications of children born with these powers..."

"Interactions between specialists and non-specialists... Truly, you have heard of no world where they have come to a mutual accommodation where one side did not manipulate or subjugate the other?"

Sterilization programs perpetuated on many worlds. You own's history was rewritten, the populace almost domesticated, by the decison of a select few. What other atrocities have those with the power committed in the name of self-defence or in the quest for even more power? What would those with the capability to do anything be willing to do?

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia had been silent for most of the conversation, listening quietly to the other, more intelligent women around her exchanging their ideas. Nevertheless, she couldn't overcome the sinking sensation of dread at Kyria's words, and the constant nagging feeling of fear whispering in her mind. Whereas the other two women were leaning forward, engaged in conversation, Aradia's posture was withdrawn and defensive. She had her arms wrapped around her knees, which were pulled up to her chest. Finally though, she opened her mouth to find her fears spilling out to the other women.

"I don't know why you find it so surprising. I mean, look at the way people treat each other in our world. Sure, there are lots of great people. Your family are some of them, I've known some of them."

She had been sitting next to Livy this whole time, and she threaded her fingers through Olivia's fingers and squeezed lightly.

"Livy and her brother Waki are some of the best people I know. But think about how other people treat each other. I've known some real scum too. My mother hates me because I'm a better acrobat than she is - can you imagine her reaction if she found out what I could do now? I can tell you - she'd call me a freak, a monstrosity. She'd tell me I was sick, and that I should be destroyed. You think there aren't lots of people who would react that way? Or people who would be scared of us, terrified of what we could do? And just because everyone wouldn't be that way doesn't mean there wouldn't be so many of them that it wouldn't make life miserable for us."

Aradia sighed, and nudged a rock with her toe, looking downcast.

"I don't mean to be a jerk when I say this, Yseult. But you seem to have had a great life. You seem to have known a lot of good people.. so I can understand your optimism. I've known a lot more not so good people, so you'll have to forgive me for being a bit more pessimistic. But I don't know.. even the good people I've known.. I don't know how they'd react to finding out what I can do. It's a lot creepier, you know? I mean, I can't even picture how Waki would react if he found out I could look like him. Or his sister. Or an animal. Or some fucking nightmare creature. You know? I mean, he's got an active imagination - how far would he take that? Would he even be able to stop himself? I.. I can't even begin to imagine how he'd react - maybe not at first, but over time. How would it feel, knowing the girl he's dating can be anything she wants to be?"

[z028 Riley]

She couldn't help it, Kyria let out a small snort of amusement. "He's a guy, the first that would go through his mind would probably be every model or actress he's ever daydreamed out while desperately hoping his sister or mother wasn't going to walk in on him."

She smiled at Aradia, her comment obviously intended in jest and to help lighten the mood.

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult looked at the younger woman, commiseration in her odd, turquoise eyes. "Aradie, I am sorry your life was... difficult, and yes, I feel very fortunate in my own life, at least before the last three months. It is not that I disagree with you, Aradie, many people will react as you fear. But I am thinking that many others will surprise you in what they can handle as well."

"Think on this, Aradie. Despite the SGC being a secret to most of the world, there is still a significant number of people who are aware of its existence and what actually happens there. True, there are those who are using this knowledge for their own ends, but still, on the whole, they are reacting to the knowledge of aliens and other worlds in a surprisingly resilient manner, yes? Just a short time ago, aliens, spacecrafts, and traveling to distant worlds was limited to the realms of science fiction. The... powers we have, they are just a short step from there."

"One other thing, I don't think revelation of our presence would be easy for the world. I was mainly asking Kyria if in all her travels, she came across a reality where those with paranormal abilities and those without had made a mutally beneficial symbiosis that wasn't the result of drastic manipulations and questionable means."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Aradia, the right man might worry and doubt and fear, but he'll love you anyway," Olivia said. She seemed sincere as she said, "Men are dumb about things, but once he comes to accept it, I'm sure, as Kyria said, he'll find ways to enjoy, um, it." She grew a little more serious. "Most men - and women too, let's just say non-specialists - are going to have issues with what we can do. I'm pretty normal by comparison, except I can hear radio signals, see auras around specialists, and so on. We all have things that are going to make others uncomfortable.

"In part, that's why we need to stick together," Olivia added, smiling. "Not only do we have to deal with men, but with men dealing with superpowers. Some guys are scared of powerful women."

Suddenly she waved her hand. "We're a bit off topic, but we should talk about this. Though this is part of whether we think we can live with non-specialists or not."

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia's face reddened slightly at Kyria's comment, but she listened to Yseult quietly. Her face softened a little as Yseult mentioned the comparison between the space program and how people had dealt with that knowledge who were normal people. It was a tempting though, and her mind cycled briefly through an inner argument.

I never thought about it that way.

Of course you didn't. It's not a good argument. People - even scientists and shit - they don't discount the possibility of life on another planet, right?

Yeah, but some people think that superpowers exist.

Only quack jobs. And people who actually know better, like us. I mean, look at how some of these people on base treat us. Always whispering and spreading rumors. You've heard what people say about us, following around after shit-head.

Yeah.. no kidding.

Her expression grew a little more closed, but as Livy spoke her expression softened again. Aradia was obviously a girl who seemed to wear her emotions on her sleeve, at least when she bothered talking about them. The conflict in her expression was painfully obvious - though she did blush just a little again at Olivia's mention of "enjoying it". Finally, she nodded slightly.

"Yeah.. we probably should. I don't think it's that off topic at all, you know? I think it's a big part of it."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria sighed again, knowing she was going to playing devil's advocate to most of their optimistic views. "Let me ask you question, then, a scenario, I guess, in regards to nova-baseline relationships and families. If you all are enough like the novas of other worlds, then your children will be novas. For the men there is only a small chance that the children they might have by baseline women would novas, but for us, that chance the child would not be a nova is much smaller or impossible if the father is a nova."

"Now, suppose you find a man that is compatible with you and doesn't mind the gap in power. You both fall in love and decide to have a child. The child is born and is a nova. Even if the father is still of such strong and accepting personality that they can handle their child always excelling impossibly beyond them, and far sooner than other baseline children, could you imagine what it would be like to raise a child that could break your bones on accident because of an enthusiastic hug? Or set the house on fire because they were upset? Or change your mind for you when they want something you've said no to?"

She started knotting another grass ornament between her fingers, "When I was growing up, my father didn't want to have nova caregivers for me because of the attention that would draw and his paranoia about my....safety. So I had baseline attendants and nannies until I was six or seven. My caretakers when I was an infant were replaced once I learned how to talk with a group of deaf servants, because as that small of child I didn't control my tone of voice. I have the ability, when I choose to use it, to have a nearly overwhelming persuasive effect on the baseline mind when speaking. At one and two, I chose to use it all time, and subsequently my caretakers had no way to control me even just to keep me safe or instruct me on subjects I was uninterested in at the moment. So, my father tried deaf staff. That lasted until I came into the rudiments of my telepathic abilities. After that, my father abandoned any pretense of the servants being in control of me, and simply hired experts and highly intelligent and educated people to work on the island so I could absorb their knowledge in my own way."

"My powers, while useful, are certainly nowhere on the range of destructive of most novas. Imgaine if I had gained control of the weather around the island, or decided with my control over earth and fire that I like volcanos? How, especially as a baseline, do you track a child that can teleport or create warps?" She smiled, "Now, my world had plenty of nova children born from dual nova and nova-baseline families alike. There's always a way, but when you're a government secret on top of having a baseline mate that probably won't be able to handle the child once it's out of it's infancy, then you've made 'challenging' into 'nearly impossible'. "

"That's why I think having a planet of our own is a good idea. It'd give us the space to be us and for any families we decide to start to be able to flourish, both without breaking the secrecy the SGC and the IOA think is so critical and for allowing those children to grow into their powers without being a danger to the general populace of Earth."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult envisioned the scenario that Kyria described. She found it entirely too much of a very real possibility. Every point that the superhuman woman made was valid. Yseult was too intelligent to discount them - in the face of hearing them voiced, her self-imposed illusions of acceptance were being ripped away.

Yseult could tell there was more that Kyria was not saying; there were questions that she wanted the 'nova' to answer. But they did not concern her right now - even if they should have.

"What about those of us who already have a family, Kyria? Should I bring them to this world too? My husband may be able to accept the situation. But what of my children? They will be older than any child of specialists, yet as you say, they will be - possibly - clearly outmatched by children younger than they just as they are entering their teen years. What will that do to them?"

Yseult stood up, and stretched until the vertabrae in her back popped. "I cannot bring my family to a place where they will feel less than everyone else, nor will I-" Yseult cut off whatever else she was going to say with a convulsive swallow.

"Excusez-moi, I... I think I need a moment alone." Her face a mask, Yseult turned her back on the others swiftly, trying to hide the sheen of tears in her eyes. She walked away, her gait stiff, shoulders quivering with suppressed emotion.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia sighed, considering Kyria's words. So what does that mean for me? Should we just avoid having children altogether? The thought made her incredibly sad, and she couldn't bring herself to agree. She was shaking her head, refusing to agree. This, Earth, was her home? Where would she go if she left? Why should she have to leave? And why should she have to give up her dream of having children someday.

Hatred for Brayden and how completely he had screwed her flooded her heart again, and Olivia choked it back. She didn't even know where he was anymore - but she should find out. All of the 'disappeared' specialists should be found and rescued - or avenged.

Yseult leaving pulled her out of her own considerations, and Olivia stood. "We shouldn't have to hide away on another world," she said, her voice tight. She wasn't really speaking to Kyria as she added, "It isn't right."

Turning, she followed after Yseult, not sure if the woman wanted her sympathy, but unable to just let her friend walk away alone. "Yseult, I... uh, just wanted to check on you, see if you needed someone to talk or vent to, or maybe just a hug," she offered, stopping back far enough that she wasn't invading Yseult's personal space.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia watched as Yseult left, and then Olivia followed her. Then she turned to Kyria, and her voice was quiet, and anxious.

"So I guess what you're really saying.. in the end.. is that if we don't like any of the men here who happen to be advanced, like us.. we're doomed to being alone forever. We can have each other as friends, but unless we manage to fall in love with one of the handful of men who touched that artifact, then we'll never get to have families or be happy. This isn't where you come from.. we didn't change. This isn't evolution here or something. This was a freak thing, something that happened because of alien technology. We don't know that there will ever be any more like us. No matter which way you look at it.. our lives are completely screwed. We can try and mingle with humanity, and cause all kinds of wars or problems. Or we can lock ourselves away on our own planet and hide there. Either way.. this really sucks."

Kyria could sense the young woman's unhappiness. It made itself obvious in the slump of her shoulders and the lines of her expression. She sat quietly, focused on the ground in front of her, not really expecting any answer at all.

[z028 Riley]

"No." She tried to catch the other woman's eyes, "What I said was that it would be incredibly difficult, especially if you try to mix secrecy and nova children. 'Incredibly difficult' and 'impossible' are not the same thing. This world isn't any of the the worlds or timelines I've seen; in fact I specifically asked to be sent somewhere completely different from anywhere else I've been." She looked away from Aradia and sighed, "I just wanted you all to think about these things, instead of charging blindly into them and ending up in a disaster. For you or any baselines you involve."

She bit her lip, glancing over to where Yse and Olivia were, "Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything."

[Yseult Sierra]

As soon as Olivia had finished making her offer, Yseult had spun around and clung to the other woman, her embrace tight, her face pressed to her shoulder. Though Yseult was completely silent, and her tears did not fall, Olivia could feel the shudder of sobs wracking her body.

Yseult was silently thankful of the warmth from the other specialist; Olivia's hand on her back was soothing, helping to ease the loss of her naive hopes. After a long moment, Yseult finally stepped back, straightening her BDUs, discreetly wiping her eyes.

"Thank-you, Olivie," Yseult said, her accented voice very soft. A weak smile made its way to her finely sculted face, as she continued. "I... I just needed a release. What Kyria has said, they are all things that I can see - that I fear - happening - I just did not want to admit this." Yseult's lips firmed into tight line, and her uncanny eyes were bright and fierce. Though still soft, her voice too, was determined. "We will find a better way, yes?"

As Yseult and Olivia headed back to the two other women, walking closely together, the beautiful blonde just barely heard Kyria's words. Yseult looked at Kyria directly, and if she did not smile, her expression was not unfriendly.

"Non, I am glad that you spoke Kyria. Your words force me to look pass my overly optimistic notions. The relations between specialists and non-specialist will be very difficult to establish to mutual satisfaction, but it is a challenge I am willing to face. On this world."

"Kyria, if we move apart from the rest of humanity, we will grow apart from the rest of humanity. I believe that to be a terrible thing. For everyone."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria nodded to Yse words, but posed a single question: "How do you expect to do that when, by the orders of the SGC and the IOA, you must keep what you are, and what any further children you have might be, a secret?"

She shook her head, "That's the hurdle I think is hardest to move past. While you're a secret, your vulnerable to anyone who could expose you, and doubly so with children involved. We're kept apart from humanity, now, even when we're given leave on Earth. Your situation is the most blatant removal, but even with those 'specialists' that are allowed to see their family, they're not allowed to tell them what's happened to them. That's a division that's as damaging to maintaining a connection with humanity in general as moving here to the Beta site would be, it's just a little more subtle. The Paragons ruled humanity from the shadows as well, and guarded them from dangers both external and internal. It's not the worst that can happen, but it does create a separation between the hidden defenders and the clueless populace."

[Yseult Sierra]

"Yes, the Secret," Yseult grimaced. "I still have not decided if keeping the SGC hidden from the rest of the world is for the best or not. By extension, I suppose, that also applies to us."

"I think we will be thrown over that hurdle before too long at any rate, Kyria. Every year, there are more and more people brought into the SGC and the IOA. Or the next attack from an alien foe will not be able to be covered up."

Yseult sniffed and waved her previous statement aside. "That is beside the point. Living off-world would be more damaging than staying on Earth, even as a secret. On Earth, we are still exposed to all the variety of people there are. We can still make connections with them, even if their connections with us would be limited. Living here, Earth would be that much more distant. A small group, less than two dozen, limited to interacting with only themselves for the most part, all possessed of powers beyond those of the rest of humanity... I fear what would develop."

"The Paragons... Have you ever read a graphic novel called 'The Watchmen'? I would be curious to hear your thoughts on it."

"About keeping the secret from our families...Well, we will see what General Landry says about my situation." Yseult's smile was fiercely resolved. "If I can go back to my family, they will have to either let me tell them some of what is happening, or come up with a very good cover story - I cannot believe I would do it justice. If I am given leave to tell them some of what has happened, I cannot see why they would not let the others reveal some of it to their families as well. Hmmm..."

Yseult's eyes narrowed slightly with genuine curiosity. "Kyria, why did you come to our dimension, leaving your family behind, with no sure way of ever seeing them again?"

[z028 Riley]

The young telepath gave a hmph of a sigh, slipping down onto the ground and leaning back against the rock she'd just vacated. "I left because my only family had obviously moved on. He didn't need me anymore, and his blatant control and....molding of humanity to his own ideal was - disconcerting, to say the least. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life either always being Michael's other child, an awkward reminder of his life before-" She cut herself off, reigning in the rising bitterness in her tone.

A deep breath later she sought out Yse's eyes and finished with, "I didn't want to spend the rest of my life living up to or living down my father. So, when we found the Watchers and the only other person I really cared for decided to go play at being God, I just wanted to be anywhere but where I was known."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"We're glad you're here," Olivia said with a genuine smile, not adding that if Kyria hadn't come, their only other source of information would be Omar. That thought was appalling to say the least. She also just liked the younger woman; she'd been her first specialist girl friend, before Yseult and Aradia arrived. And while her team had been her first friends, there was something different about female friends.

"As for what Kyria said earlier... I'm not going to hide any of my children from my parents," Olivia said firmly. "There are lines to what should be kept from people, and grandchildren is one of them. And if the IOA doesn't like it, they can get stuffed."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult gava Kyria her full, undivided attention. When she finished, Yseult stepped close, and knelt down to give Kyria a commiserating squeeze on the arm. The smile on Yseult's face was the warmest one she had ever seen directed her way.

"Kyria, that is the most heartening thing I have heard you say. It must have been difficult to share that, but I am glad that you did so. I may not always agree with you, but I am thinking I would like to call you friend." Yseult gave the younger woman a brief, but friendly hug, then stood back up, turning to Olivia.

"I am giving General Landry and the IOA a chance to make things right. If they choose not to do so, then, as you say, Olivie, they can get stuffed." Yseult's smile was fierce and determined.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria returned the hug, and nodded at Yse's words; she stood up and dusted the dirt and twigs off her clothing. "Alright. So, are we going to go steal a ship then, or wait this one out to see what the IOA and the new General do first?"

[Yseult Sierra]

"I will be going on the mission to procure the ship. I still believe it can be a valuable tool, and I would not feel right taking advantage of it, if I did not help... Truthfully... I also wish to know where it will be hidden, so it can be another option at my disposal." Yseult met every eye directly, then her smile twisted into a near-grimace. "As of late, I am finding that I care less and less about what the IOA is wanting."

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia shrugged a little, still looking a bit torn about the whole conversation.

"I'll probably go with the mission to get the ship - I mean, one way or another, having a ship around will be a good idea, right? Seems like the smart thing to do."

She glanced apologetically at Livy, biting her lip and squeezing her hand a little.

"I.. hope you don't mind. I mean, I want 'em to figure something out too, but it's good to be prepared, just in case. Don't you think?"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"It is good to be prepared," Olivia said, her voice tinged with worry. "I'm not sure whether this is prepared or something more." She sighed. "I'm probably making too much of it. But... it still doesn't sit well with me."

She sighed again, her gaze going distant. "I'll think about it tonight. I have that much time." She smiled and glanced at Aradia. "And no, of course I don't mind. You don't need my approval on it. You feel it's a good thing. I don't think it's a bad thing, but I worry about what it will bring about."