Outer Olympus

Outer Olympus: Chapter 11

This was far from the first time Rune had awoken in a cramped house, sheltered by people she barely knew. Being on the run for half a decade had made it a frequent necessity. She looked around the room, piles of sleeping bags on cushions looted from what looked like three different couches, and saw that she was alone. Normally she was a light enough sleeper to be woken up by the movement of others getting up, but apparently a week of torturous sleep deprivation could change that. Immediately, she reached out with her senses, feeling for any danger, pain, or aggression in the surrounding area. She relaxed after a moment of heightened awareness. She was, in fact, safe. For now.

She stood up and stretched, the lack of a second arm very notable, which brought a scowl to her face. Next- to get dressed. The girl, Viola, had offered her entire wardrobe, but as stylish as the girl was she was also maybe four inches too short for her clothes to fit. Rune settled for wearing the lower half of her flight suit with a green sweater that must have been monumentally baggy on Viola. She looked ridiculous, but fashion wasn't too high a priority when one was recovering from imprisonment. She yawned as she stepped out of the makeshift bedroom, walking in on her saviors having an impassioned conversation about something or other over bowls of half-eaten cereal.

"So," she began, her stomach rumbling, "what can a girl get to eat around here?" All eyes were immediately on her- not an unfamiliar feeling; you didn't exactly avoid attention when you were the psychic special operative at the core of a revolutionary militia. Her eyes darted quickly between the three children, who had paused their conversation to look up at her.

Geode's stare contained a cautious suspicion. It was an interesting energy to receive from someone who had pulled together such a dangerous plan to rescue her- they had walked along the outside of a space colony for her, but now saw her as something dangerous. It wasn't the look of someone who was afraid, but someone who was preparing to take a punch; bracing for impact, but already planning a next move.

Taroh, who was futzing around with some circuit boards, was still filled with a look of awe; he had clearly never thought he'd meet someone like her, and was thrilled to be proven wrong. Enthusiasm rippled off him like heat from a flame, frantic and energetic and unburdened. She met his eyes and smiled.

Viola was a flame that burned just as bright, but shone in one carefully chosen direction. Her smile, her excitement, they were every bit as genuine, but she focused them like a searchlight as she turned to face Rune. Her eyes traced Rune's body, a hint of sympathy as they lingered on the limply hanging green fabric where Rune's right arm should have filled out the borrowed sweater. The excited joy returned to her expression as she finally answered Rune's question.

"We just finished up what we had for breakfast, but there's probably some leftovers in the fridge for you," she said, and Rune nodded, walking over to the fridge. She could feel the eyes follow her, and at this point she deduced she had been the subject of the conversation she had interrupted. With a mental nudge, she opened the door. Viola chuckled at the display. "Show off," she teased, and Rune rolled her eyes as she rooted through the food.

"When you have one arm, you can make fun of me for grabbing things with my mind," she retorted, finding what looked like a half-eaten dinner under plastic wrap. "Fish? On a space colony?"

"Just comes from planetside." Taroh replied, "kinda our main protein up here." Rune thought for a moment.

"Planetside. Rockwater. Probably a planet with ocean. With fish in it," Rune worked through aloud, to laughs from the kids.

"Didn't exactly do your homework before coming here, did you?" Viola prodded, as Rune brought her meal to the table.

"Hey, I did plenty of research on the target. Didn't expect to get within this half of the system," she grabbed the spoon out of Viola's hand with a thought, posing dramatically with it for a second. "In case you hadn't noticed, my travel plans got a little interrupted."