Aria leaned back on the bed. "So, how bad does it look Nimue?"

"The electrical burns?" Asked Nimue, still standing. 

"Well, yes, but I meant the shave," said Aria.

"The burns will eventually heal and you will regrow most of the hair. As for how you look right now…" Nimue's eyes trailed down Aria's body. "You look good."

"Didn't know you had a thing for scars," said Aria. 

Nimue shifted slightly, cheeks feeling warm.  "I do not."

"Wow! So that body can even blush, huh?" Aria sat up. "Maybe it's time I got you back."

Nimue raised a brow. "Got me back for what?"

Aria stepped closer. "Embarrassing me in front of Maks."

"I… I was merely stating the facts," said Nimue.

Aria reached out for Nimue, hand closing on her cheek. "You know, with that body I can actually fluster you now." She laughed softly.

"This is not how I imagined this going," said Nimue.

Aria got close, her breath on Nimue's lips. "And what did you imagine?"

Nimue looked into Aria's eyes, then away. "From all previous data, I had expected you to not be as forward."

"I missed you a lot, and now you show up with a body, and," Aria leaned forward, she felt lightheaded. "And you're so…" She trailed off for a moment, before her legs went to jelly. 

Nimue caught Aria before she could hit the ground. "Aria?!"

Aria looked back up at Nimue, into the currently blue back-lit hue of her eyes. "Wha?"

"Aria you just collapsed, what's wrong?" Asked Nimue, her voice coming both from the Hamr's mouth and in Aria's head. 

Aria blinked, trying to get her mind to focus. "Just tired. I'm okay…" She tried to stand and found her legs refused to bear weight. "Nimue, can you bring me back to the bed?"

Nimue nodded and picked Aria up in her arms. "Of course." She set the other woman down and then grabbed her hand. "Sorry, is this the right gesture?"

Aria smiled and nodded. "Yeah, yeah it is."

"Good," said Nimue, squeezing Aria's hand.

"It must be the adrenaline wearing off." Aria yawned. "Feel like it's been days since I ate."

"That would be correct. You were on intravenous nutrition," said Nimue.

"Ah. That'd do it," said Aria, groaning. 

“I will get you something to help,” said Nimue.

Aria started to sit up, but fell back when her muscles refused to obey. “Fine…"

______

Cecile grabbed what little hair Ismael Sonnen had, and pushed his head down onto the table in front of him. "You should have been more open." She pushed down harder, the edge of her thumbnail sinking into his scalp. "Your chance to get out of this has sailed." She yanked him up so she could meet his eyes. "Someone higher up the chain already talked. Which means that it is with great sadness that I have to report that Ismael Sonnen was slain during pacification of the hostile vessel."

Ismael looked back at her. His right eye had been broken, feeding bursts of static to his ocular nerves. "Why?" He mumbled.

Cecile cocked her head to one side. "Why? You want to know why?" She slams his head back down against the table. "I'm going to need a person, and you don't have any value to me otherwise." She leaned forward, her right eye meeting his still functional left eye. "I don't do it with malice, you must understand.t is simply not worth keeping you alive for any other purpose."

"I have plenty of skills! I know things about Necker that you could use! I know about–" Ismael cried out as Cecile's thumb dug a groove in his scalp

"Yes, the planned augments to the Valkyrie implant? The movement of their main fleet to the asteroid field near Vyraj?" Cecile worried the bloody ditch, nail raking muscle fiber. "Well? Last chance."

Ismael frantically threw out every secret he knew. He was desperate that one would satisfy the Penrose CEO, knowing with a growing dread that nothing he knew could. He eventually went quiet, just asking to be let go in a soft whimper. Pathetic. 

Cecile regarded him as he kept pleading, lifting his head as he began to trail off. "For your own sake, let yourself pass out." She slammed him down once more and he went limp. "Friia, take him down to the cage, leave him there restrained," she said as she walked out of the interrogation room. 

"My lady, you could allow me to handle such tasks as interrogation as well," said Friia as she hefted Ismael over her shoulder.

"As with Avalon, I prefer the personal touch sometimes. Come see me in my bedroom after you're done," said Cecile, turning down a hall and leaving Friia there.

"You poor bastard," said Friia to the unconscious man as she headed the other way.

______

Nimue stepped out into the hallway and turned right. She remembered seeing a soda machine near the lift up. Her Aria didn't like soda, said the fizz irritated her mouth, but this was a matter of health. She stopped in front of the machine and glanced over what was inside, ticking off ones she knew wouldn't be liked before briefly getting stuck on a choice. 

"Erisona Sweet Tea or Watermellow soda?" Muttered Nimue as she compared the total sugar in each. 

The soda had more sugar, but Aria was more likely to enjoy the tea. Nimue decided to think on it as her mind snaked into the vending machine's systems and made it dispense two of each. She leaned down and picked up the chilled cans, stowing them under an arm and against her body. The Hamr ran colder than humans, but the cans were notably more so. She shivered slightly then turned to head back to Aria. 

Behind Nimue, the lift opened. She looked back and saw Maks stepping out, followed by the rest of the Alfar crew. It would be easy to reach out to their ARCs, to tell them that Aria was here and okay. The look on Maks’ face indicated concern. Normally, she would tell her immediately, but something held her back. Instead she hurried ahead, to Aria's room. 

Once inside she reached out, connecting her mind to the cameras in the hall to keep an eye on Maks and the others. She'd tell them later, but right now she was more concerned about Aria. She rushed over and set the drinks down next to her. Aria was a little pale, sweat beading on her forehead. 

"Aria. Are you awake?" She asked, opening a can of the Watermellow soda. 

Aria nodded. "Yeah..." she mumbled.

Nimue leaned down, open soda in one hand as she lifted Aria up with the other. "I know it's not your favorite, but you need sugar." She brought the drink up to her lips. "Please drink."

______

Cecile washed her hands under a stream of cool water. She wiped her hands on a towel and willed up her augmented reality interface. Her position. Afforded her ready access to much of the expanse's personal info, it was only a matter of knowing a name. She fell back onto her bed, hair spraying out behind her. With only will and slight tremors of her fingertips she sifted through the sheer bulk of mercenary contacts that the Penrose Foundation had until finding what she'd been after; Rufus Kemp.

With a thought she connected to his ARC, then from there connected to the nearby security cameras, adding their feeds to her AR display. Rufus with his dark red hair pulled into a ponytail was standing, a surprise given his condition, and was trying to get an espresso machine to work. He gripped the edges of the counter as his legs shook. Cecile watched, guessing that it was his pride that had him so recklessly endangering himself for something so simple. Eventually Rufus managed to turn the handle and press the button to turn the machine on, before collapsing into his wheelchair. 

Cecile shook her head. It was a shame to see such a useful tool in that state. It was no real bother though, the mk.3 architecture should be able to accommodate the issue after incorporating a bit of appropriated Necker technology. The thought of forcing him onto the same hormonal dosages that Aria was using did float around her head. She wondered if the dissociation that would result would undo any of the damage from synchronization syndrome. That would be something to test on a less useful subject, though. Her current plan seemed most efficient and with less risk. She sighed, set her profile to appear as a normal Penrose associate, and then called him.

Rufus leaned back as the espresso began to pour into his cup, his eyes looking over to a corner of his vision. He sighed then let the call connect. "Look, like I told the last person to call from you guys; I can't pilot anymore, take me off your register."

"Mr. Kemp, I'm not calling about that exactly," said Cecile as she raised and turned a hand to adjust one of the camera's watching Rufus.

"Then what are you calling about? If you're looking for Avalon she's still on the job," said Rufus, his tone dipping at the end.

"I do not need to look for Ms. Raskopf, she is in my care. The call wa–"

Rufus slapped his hands on the arms of his wheelchair. "Is she alright?! I lost contact with her when she was planetside a couple days ago and…" his head dipped. 

"There was an incident, but she was not among the casualties." Cecile focused one of the cameras on his face, tears. Potentially useful. "She is healthy and currently staying in a suite on my Gungnir."

Rufus looked back up, hands gripping the worn armrests of his chair. "... Who am I speaking to?"

"Cecile Penrose, president and CEO of the Penrose Foundation," she said, corners of her lips turning up.

Rufus didn't reply. He instead looked off to his right. Cecile turned a camera to follow his sight line. It fell on one of the four hangar bays past a large window. Inside stood an Einherjar, the Morningstar. She suppressed a chuckle, he'd kept it even after it had ruined him. Though, she was one to talk when it came to sentimentality. Her gaze turned from Rufus to the 'sleeping' form of Friia. 

"Is this some sort of ransom?" Asked Rufus, breaking the silence.

"That was not my intent, no," said Cecile.

"Then what do you want? Just to tell me she's okay? I doubt someone like you would bother easing the mind of a broken old man like me," said Rufus, grabbing his espresso.

Cecile waved a hand. "Consider it a courtesy, Sirius."

Rufus shook his head. "No. Don't play coy with me. You want something and it's not something you can just send goons to get for you. What is it?"

"You. I want to extend you an offer. While the mark two architecture didn't offer a way for you to pilot again, we have been seeing potential with the mark three version." Cecile heard Rufus take a sharp inhale. "I am offering a retrofit of the Morningstar to update to the new synchronization system."

Cecile watched Rufus' hands shake, the hot espresso splashing onto his legs. "Fuck! Ah, sorry. You can't just undo this crap."

"Can't I? Necker’s made advances in treatment of synchronization syndrome, and we at Penrose have a program to improve upon that. You'd be our first out of house benefactor." said Cecile.

"I would be able to pilot again?" Asked Rufus. 

"That is the hoped conclusion," said Cecile. 

"And what do you want back? I know you don't do anything for free," said Rufus. 

"Don't tell Ms. Raskopf about this talk."

"As long as she's safe, done." 

______

Nimue watched Aria as she sipped on her second can of Erisona Sweet Tea. It was clear she was doing better and committed to keeping it that way. With the immediate threat to Aria's health under control, Nimue reached out past her body. It was harder to do while connected to it, but she could still reach the areas around her. Maks' room was down the hall a little. And, despite her initial reservations on telling her that Aria was here, she did think that the other pilot deserved to know that Aria was well.

Nimue connected to both Maks' ARC and the cameras in her suite. "Maks. This is Nimue," she said, having forcibly opened a comms channel.

Maks blinked. "Been a bit since I heard from you. Thought you might have gotten yourself in trouble." Maks moved to sit on the edge of her bed. "... Do you know if Avalon's okay?"

Nimue switched her vision back to Aria, then over to the feed from Maks' room. "Yes. She is safe, just recovering at the moment."

Maks stood and hurried over to grab her jacket. "Where?" She asked.

Nimue didn't respond.

"Damn it, where is she, Nimue?!" Shouted Maks. 

Nimue bit her lip and looked back down at Aria. She knew that Aria liked Maks and vice versa, but she didn't want to lose this time with her. "Step out of your room and walk down the hall, room 78-E."

"Is that Penrose machine in the room still?" Asked Maks as she pulled her jacket on.

Nimue swallowed. "Yes and no."

"What does that mean?" Maks stepped out into the hall and Nimue moved her vision to one of the cameras there.

Aria looked up at Nimue. "Hey, you alright?"

Nimue looked back down at her and forced a smile. "I am okay, Aria." It was harder to speak inside the Hamr and keep her connections beyond the body. "You seem to be feeling better, I am glad." 

"Nimue, do I need to be ready for a fight or not. Did you disable it or something?" Asked Maks. 

"The answer is complicated," said Nimue.

Maks was nearly at the door. Aria didn't know that Maks was coming. Nimue rushed to the door. 

"Something wrong?" Asked Aria, concern washing over her face. 

"I'm coming in," messaged Maks

"No, it–it is not something bad," said Nimue.

Maks turned the doorknob and pushed inside, ending up face to face with Nimue. Nimue didn't know what to do. Occupying space was a new experience for her still. 

Maks glared at her. "What are you doing to my Avalon?"

"I have not done anything to her," said Nimue.

"Maks?" Asked Aria, hopping out of bed. 

Maks pushed past Nimue, knocking her against a wall. "Avalon, I saw the fight. Are you okay?"

"Mostly." Aria walked over and offered a hand to Nimue. "Here, grab my hand, Nimue."

Maks cocked her head to one side. "Nimue?"

"Yes. That is what I was going to tell you before you slammed me into a wall," said Nimue, standing under her own power, but still holding onto Aria's hand. 

"Er. Sorry about that," mumbled Maks. 

"It is okay. You were concerned for Aria. I understand that," said Nimue.

"I'm right here, you two," said Aria.

Outside, in the hall a set of speakers crackled. "Attention all passengers and crew, the Gungnir will be crossing the Ginnungagap en route to Mittilan space in thirty standard minutes. If you have a history of adverse reactions to void travel please secure yourself in the manner you find most helpful," said Cecile.

Aria shook, her hand squeezing Nimue's hard. "Take me to the bed, please." Her breathing grew erratic.

Nimue picked Aria up and carried her toward the bed. "I've got you, Aria."

Maks walked over to the bed as well. "Avalon, I thought you were winning. That you'd have…" she trailed off as Nimue set Aria down. 

"I did. I did kill her. It just didn't stick," mumbled Aria.