And Danger Will Follow Me...(Kiyr, open)

[Your Mom~]

Olesya looked to the girl standing next to Kiyr as if seeing her for the first time. She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes in confusion. Who did this girl think she was?

"Who are you?" She asked the girl, addressing one issue at a time. Kiyr said something that sounded like a name, but the question she asked wasn't looking for a name.

[Kyrie Blaze]

The 'girl' blinked with a slight twitch of surprised at being asked the question. Was it abrupt? She didn't seem to care. She turned back to Olesya.

"I'm Liliel! Who are you? My Mom is the Ship, Ceres! I'm a pod, but, this form makes it easier to interact with all the people on the ship so they're not afraid."

[Your Mom~]

"Lily-ell, I would appreciate if you withheld your opinions." She said, hoping she was relatively polite. She just did not appreciate being told what to do with her own daughter minutes after they had been reunited.

(("I am not allowed on the ship, am I not?")) She directed the question to Kiyr, though Youichi would be able to understand. (("But I need to be with my daughter."))

[Kyrie Blaze]

Liliel's brow furrowed and she looked up at Kiyr. "I don't get it. If she's her mom, shouldn't safety be her priority?"

Kiyr sighed, wanting to pinch the bridge of her nose. Liliel had a point, and she could see why Olesya was ruffled. She straightened and set her eyes on Olesya, her gaze direct and firm. This was her setting aside all personal attachments. Not empathy, but this wasn't personal. This was about the safety of individuals that were still under her care, because she couldn't see Olesya wanting to take Maddie back to the ARC.

"E cyet E luimt hud keja yfyo uin ymmo'c bucedeuhc. Ev E fana du ryja Lanac lusa rana, ed ryc dra budahdeym du ahtyhkan ajanouha, pid E luimt, yht oui luimt ku uh dra creb yc muhk yc frydajan mulydeuh tajela oui ryja ec mavd pareht vun dra tinydeuh uv ouin jeced. Memeam pnehkc ib y kuut buehd, uha dryd E lyh luhvens. Uha dryd oui cruimt dyga ehdu lynavim luhcetanydeuh tacbeda frydajan oui vaam yd paehk dumt drec po cusauha ouihkan dryh oui." She blinked, slowly, wanting to make sure her words were heeded. She wasn't kidding, wasn't giving in to this petty 'you don't speak to me like you know what's good for my daughter' and 'why won't she listen if she loves her daughter' clash of wills.

[Your Mom~]

Olesya's eyebrows raised high into the hairline of her bangs, and she gave the little 'pod' a look that clearly stated 'BUTT. OUT.' Her patience was wearing thin for this little stranger, who felt entitled to give her sassy opinion on matters that in Les's opinion, did not concern her.

Even in high school, Les had a temper. There was only so much she could be pushed before she smacked someone silly. That was a result of growing up in the public school system where fights were a daily occurrence. Noticing the dangerous glint in her eyes, Youichi stepped forward as Les opened her mouth to protest. "Let's go for a walk."

Maddie had tired herself out from her crying, and snoozed in Olesya's arms. Les turned from Kiyr and the pod whose name she'd already forgotten (she was still terrible with names), and slowly walked with Youichi. "Oui'na cdemm y rud rayt, E caa."

"Uv luinca, fuimt oui ryja sa yho tevvanahd?" Olesya sighed as a brief bubble of laughter escaped the dark haired assassin. She shook her head, bringing a shadow of a smirk to Olesya's lips. She took another deep steadying breath to calm the burning in her chest. "Drec ruica, ed'c Tyjet'c. E ghuf ed'c cyva. Drao'na hajan kuehk du mad sa uh dryd creb yc muhk yc E's cdemm yvvemeydat fedr dra YNL, yht ajah drah, E's cina E'mm pa suhedunat yht hajan vimmo dnicdat. E lyh'd meja mega dryd, Ouielre."

Youichi pressed her lips together, deep in thought for a minute. The silence stretched between them, though not entirely uncomfortably. Les's hand began to tingle as it fell asleep from holding Maddie, but she wouldn't let her go for the world. "E drehg hakudeydeuhc yna eh untan. Hud dutyo, pid cuuh. Ahzuo drec desa fedr ouin tyikrdan, cra ryt seccat oui dannepmo. Yht..." She broke off, not needing to finish the thought. And with David gone, she needs her mother.

"You're right." She conceded, her steps slowing to a stop. She would need to bring her case to the Core if she wanted to be involved with the Dragons. She could just as easily activate her communicator and summon a hovercraft to take her back to the ARC with Maddie, but then she would never see August or Youichi again. She couldn't do that to them.

The pair turned and walked back to the clearing, Les turned her gaze to Kiyr and she stopped about ten feet away from the woman. Even without David in the picture, she knew that she and Kiyr would never truly see eye to eye. They had different morals, different experiences, different senses of duty and what was right. Adding David complicated things for sure, but they were just too different. She chose her words carefully. "I thank you for your concern...and I would like to work out a compromise." Her nostrils flared at that word, though she kept her cool composure. "Syttea ec so tyikrdan, yht ran cyvado ec so rekracd bneunedo. Rufajan, yc ed cdyhtc, E ys yh uidcetan du dra Tnykuhc, huf. Yc E'ja dumt oui, E femm hud camm uid dra Tnykuhc du dra YNL, pid E femm ymcu hud vuncyga dra YNL vun dra Tnykuhc. Oui mavd sa, tuh'd ajan vunkad dryd." She took a breath, cooling her temper.

"Druikr oui ryja hu makym nekrd du so tyikrdan, E fyhd du fung uid drec...lusbnuseca, eh dra ehdanacd uv hud pinhehk pnetkac. Drec ruica, ed fyc Tyjet'c. Ra mavd ed du sa, yht E yccina oui ed ec dra cyvacd bmyla eh Hundr Ysanely. E femm ku lralg ed socamv, du luhvens edc cdypemedo."

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kyrie watched impassively as the two women left. Once they were out of earshot, she sank down into a crouch, knees against her chest, balancing on the balls of her feet. She took a few deep, shuddering breaths with the heels of her hands pressed against her eyes.

She wanted to break down and cry. She wanted to scream. But grief wasn't a luxury she could give herself. It wasn't an option when she had watched Strike blow Gregory to pieces. It wasn't an option when Marren wiped Scene's existence out. And now it was no more an option than the first time she had watched David - neverminding the fact they were technically separate people - call that destructive force and was torn to pieces. She was so raw from it that telling Maddie and Olesya and the others had scratched the hole with coarse sandpaper, leaving the wounds gaping and bleeding even more. But for the sake of everyone that looked to her again, she could only afford to bend with the weight on her shoulders. She couldn't break.

"Liliel, I appreciate that you care and you know these things. I need you to cooperate and not address Olesya right now."

Telling her these things only made her more resistant. It seemed to her that the ARC couldn't fix everything. Olesya spouted that Kiyr didn't trust her, but in saying she didn't trust the ARC, the woman seemed to take it as a lack of trust on herself...but, it was also apparent that Olesya didn't trust Kiyr.

So, she had to change her approach. If Les wouldn't trust what she said, then she would have to step forward, show trust...and let Olesya see for herself. With a cough, Kyrie swayed to her feet and tried to gather and centre herself. A few more shuddering breaths that slowly evened out...and she had herself composed aside from a slight pink tinge to her eyes suggesting the stress she felt.

She watched in silence as Olesya and Youichi returned, and did not speak. She closed her eyes as Olesya blamed her for leaving her again (how could she forget when she watched Maddie suffer despite August and Youichi's excellent care with Olesya gone and David comatose?), but took the weight.

How much weight would be too much..?

Kyrie blinked slowly, and spoke solemnly, quietly. "((Do you truly believe it was such an easy choice for me..?))"

She sighed. Shook her head. It was irrelevant.

"...((before we discuss things, I think there is something you need to see. You as well,
Youichi)). Liliel, please revert to your original form. Ceres, transfer the data file for the lake to her."

Stating the orders to Ceres was more for Olesya and Youichi's benefit. She sent the mental command alongside it.

Despite never having seen it for herself, Youichi was likely aware of the ship. August knew, and there was nothing restricting him from telling her, just the civilian populace. The Sky Force knew. Einrik, Damien, and Aaron knew. Because she couldn't keep them in the dark on the eventuality that Strike would use that ship if Kyrie did not find a way to prevent it from happening if Strike wasn't taken out by the group Robert had been originally from.

Liliel shifted to the pod form, enough seats for four, just like the other pods.

"We will not be travelling anywhere. Liliel will cloak herself from sight but will not disrupt whatever signal your locator has, Olesya."

The hatch opened, and Kiyr stood beside the pod, waiting to see if Olesya would decline, or decide to see with her own eyes what was going on.

"I've got the file, Captain." Liliel chimed.

[Your Mom~]

(("Logically, no. Enviously, yes.")) She admitted, breaking eye contact with Kiyr as she looked down and sighed. There would always be a bitter scar between them, there was no point in trying to ignore it. And at least she was being honest. Of all the tragic and morbid thoughts to race through her mind while going through the treatment, that had been one of them. (("I do not want to be held to blame for staying with the ARC. Maybe I push too hard. If you don't blame me for staying, I won't blame you for leaving.")) It was her round-about way of calling a truce between the two women.

Olesya's cool expression warmed up with curiosity as Kiyr said there was something for her to see. She let her issue commands, watching her work without interrupting. Lake? She looked at the pod, and then to Kiyr for a moment, a bit confused before it dawned on her. They were going to use the pod for privacy. Kiyr was offering to trust her with information, so Olesya would make a point to return the trust. "Okay."

She boarded the pod, setting the sleepy girl in the seat beside her. Maddie stirred, blinking bleary-eyed for a moment, making some sort of unintelligible murmur that sounded like 'mom' and curled up with her head in Olesya's lap. Les's face softened at this, and she idly ran her hands through Maddie's hair, feeling more calm and centered.

Youichi would look quizzically at Kiyr and board as well, wondering what exactly they were going to see. August had told her a good amount, but she was interested in seeing the data herself.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kiyr looked at Olesya with a tolerance that far surpassed her own age at her words. Kyrie had never explicitly said she blamed Olesya for her choice, and didn't now that she understood the reasons. Instead of bringing that point up again, she just nodded.

The blonde silently stepped up and in. The hatch closed with a whisper of sound. It was dark in the interior for a moment before lights flickered and a screen formed. Closest to Olesya and Youichi, so they could touch and interact after she showed them comparisons. A digital earth floated, seemingly three dimensional. A beacon flashed from within the US.

"Bring up the scans in record for Canyon Lake, Arizona, before Strike's conversion." The scan a popped up and Kiyr flicked them to the side on a smaller panel in front of her. It showed the depth and width of the lake, its capacity to hold water. "Strike converted this lake into a fluid known as kolo. It has regenerative properties and is used for the creation process...so, essentially embryonic fluid. Initiate the scans of the object we have captured over the past ten months. Use the overlay on the lake."

Within the scan, a model of what appeared to be a ship materialized within the lake. It seemed to be huge.

"This object is approximately the same size as Ceres. Strike has a ship incubating in this lake as one ace up his sleeve I have uncovered."

The view of the earth slowly zoomed down onto the beacon, showing a multitude of Strike's forces around it. Around the lake. Kyrie was silent, letting them take it in. She expected questions.

[Your Mom~]

Olesya listened to Kiyr's presentation politely, still idly running hands through her sleepy daughter's hair. Okay, lake. Ship. Kolo. Strike. Her gaze drifted over the shimmering display, and she chewed on her lip.

If only they could get a sample of the kolo, unravel how it worked and devise a plan to get the ship out of Strikes hands...oh god, she was starting to think like the ARC. If Aster knew, he would never let her live it down.

"So what's the plan?" She asked, looking to Kiyr as opposed to asserting her own opinion.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kiyr blinked.

"((...this is not so much about a plan - though, granted, I have an idea, but need the opportune moment - as it is to show you what Strike has. If I could locate your position in the middle of a fight using Ceres, and she only took a few seconds, how easy do you think it would be to locate a high profile target, such as yourself or Maddie if you were in David's safe house? I wanted you to be aware of this before we spoke of a compromise. The field has changed. Earth, even the space nearby it, may not be as safe as you want to believe. I want you to be aware more than anything, okay?))" That was why she shared, more than anything. But she also shared because she did indeed trust that Olesya wouldn't breathe a word of it to the ARC. "((Early on, I had looked into hospitable planets that would be out of Strike's range. Before I found the lake. But, I still could not leave the Earth. I would be leaving too many people I cared about behind, and many more innocent besides. I would have to come back to get them, but that would mean leaving the civilians on board on this other planet, even though Ceres could supply what they need to build and secure themselves a place in the mean time. It was another difficult choice. Save two thousand but then what..? So I stayed. And I believe I made the right choice, but in the distant future, who knows..?))"

[Your Mom~]

Olesyas expression started as interested and engaged, but as realization dawned of her, the corners of her lips turned downward, eyes narrowed slightly, and she leaned back into her seat. She breathed evenly through her nose, lips pressed together. 'Of course there had to be an ulterior motive.' She thought to herself. 'Just how far are you going to go to prove youre right?'

She was quiet for a moment, looking over the 3D model and not looking at Kiyr. Youichi was touching the interface, bringing up diagrams and data. Les took a breath and looked at Kiyr, then. Her expression was carefully neutral, but her eyes glinted even in this light.

(("Then what do you suggest I do, Kiyr?")) She asked low and evenly, cutting herself off before any attitude escaped her mouth. She felt as though any idea she were to suggest would be shot down and torn apart, so she might as well just cut to the chase.

[Kyrie Blaze]

The feeling...

...Kiyr watched Olesya, studying her reactions in the low light. Though the question was innocent enough...the tone, the low utterance and almost sharp cut off had Kiyr blinking.

And blinking some more.

"((I feel like I have missed a step here... Where have I offended you, now?))" At least she was asking. Kiyr was perceptive, but no mind-reader. Her question might have been blunt, but her tone was both confused and curious. "((You were the one that stated we should compromise. You must have something in mind, already?))"

Kiyr didn't think it would be likely Olesya would suggest something like that unless she had an idea that would work for her.

. o O ( too lazy to put the translations up right now. Will do later. @-@ )

[Your Mom~]

Olesya sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "E druikrd drec fyc kuehk du pa cusadrehk namajyhd yht ehdanacdehk, yht druikr ed ec, oui cdemm cusaruf syhykat du cbeh ynuiht du bnuja dryd oui yna nekrd. Dryd oui yna ymfyoc nekrd."

Youichi looked up from the hovering graphs in front of her, frowning slightly. "Les.."

"E's puqat eh. Cu mad sa zicd pnayg ed tufh du dra pycel lusbuhahdc vun oui. E fyhd du pa fedr so tyikrdan. Dra bnupmas rana ec frana. E keja yh ubdeuh, oui cruud ed tufh. Yht yccisehk dryd fa lyh'd zicd zad uvv du cusa udran bmyhad frana Cdnega femm hu tuipd ajahdiymmo veht ic, fryd tu oui cikkacd? Frana lyh E ku dryd bmaycac oui?" It was Youichi's turn to sigh at her friend's pig-headedness. She understood where Les was coming from, though quietly thought that she could have done so more tactfully.

"E drehg fryd Umacoy ec dnoehk du ycg, ec dryd ev cra ec hud ymmufat uh dra creb vun ran ehjumjasahd fedr YNL, fryd fuimt pa dra cyvacd ubdeuh vun ran yht Syttea?" Les pressed her lips together, and bit her tongue. Youichi was right, and somehow managed to communicate what Les was thinking with significantly less snark.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kiyr closed her eyes after Olesya vented and Youichi spoke. Why? Why was it always black and white with her? The blonde sighed a long breath.

"((Believe it or not as you will, but I did not show you this to say I am right. I cannot not let you know of the possibilities of something like this happening, Olesya. While I agreed with Liliel that no place is truly safe on earth, did you hear me say it is impossible to be with Maddie? Say, in a hypothetical situation, I did not say anything. That I simply nodded away my concern, like it really is the safest place and nothing could happen. And then, say, it did, and there was no way for me to give you warning, let alone try to get Ceres into a position to fend them off. Maddie was taken because as far as Strike is concerned even if David has not been seen, Maddie is the easiest way to get to you. What would your reaction be if you found out I knew it could have happened?))" She stared a moment. "((I am simply trying to give you information for your and Maddie's protection, because I care for you both, despite our histories. Maybe I did not go about it in the best way in your eyes, but I did it in the best way I have, because I cannot seem to get through to you by speaking, alone. I am not saying you cannot.))"

She swallowed.

"((As for what Youichi said... If you think that is the best place..? Are you wanting to live with her, permanently, or?))"

[Your Mom~]

(("Impossible..")) Les murmured, gritting her teeth and listening to Kiyr talk. She gently pet Maddie's head, the girl stirred in her lap but didn't wake.

(("How is she less safe with me than with anyone else? Yes, I'm high profile, but I have been for years, long before Maddie was a permanent part of my life. So are you. And so is Youichi. There is danger everywhere, I understand that. Of course I want to be with my daughter, that was the whole point of seeing her, isn't it? Can you imagine the damage if I told her I wasn't here to stay? She lost her father, she isn't going to lose her mother too. Not on my life."))