We Have A Crisis

“Is it really such torture?” It would have been easier if he had fallen for the trick, but she supposed he may have at least learned something through the many times he’d played. “You don’t enjoy playing at all?” 

“Do you want to tell me?” She knows. When Kepler first introduced the game, it was more than obvious that Jacobi hadn’t enjoyed it in the slightest. She was sure that the colonel had pushed it onto the SI-5 quite often. At least they wouldn’t go as long as Kepler and Hera had. Isabel knew Jacobi would give up before they got to that point. 

“What?” It’s all she can do to contain a laugh. She’s surprised that he responses with a question at all--Lovelace almost expected to be met with silence. Or some kind of bitingly sarcastic comment. She wonders how long it will last. “This isn’t entertaining to you?” 

“Hey Jacobi...” They’ve been driving for a long time now, and while the silence is comfortable, she still doesn’t appreciate being left alone with her thoughts for too long. “Want to play....Questions Only?” 

If anyone wants to plot or anything (or has follow recs for space muses!) hit me up 

“Fasten your seatbelts, stay out of my way, and don’t try me.” 

“Fine. I’m sure there’s some supplies in Hilbert’s little shop of horrors.” At least he’d left behind something useful, even if his life’s work had been a waste. “Follow me. We’ll get you fixed up.” She turned toward the lab, not even bothering to check if she was being followed. “And Jacobi? Next time you get hurt, tell someone. We can’t have a non-functioning member of the crew.” 

“...Okay, you want to tell me what this is about? Hilbert finally get you into his lab for a physical?” 

“You know I was really, really hoping I had left all of this weird stuff back on the Hephaestus.” She knew after everything she’d seen it had been a long shot, but she still had the hope for a normal life with her husband. And the girl before had looked normal enough--she looked athletic, although not really battle hardened. But Renee was no longer naive enough to take things at face value. Goddard Futuristics had taught her better than that. “Please give me some bullshit excuse and tell me you’re not what I think you are.” She’d had more than enough of her share of aliens. 

Go ahead and hit that heart button for a starter from one of the space moms! 

“...Yes.” Her eyes go almost glassy for a moment, stuck in the past. She’d spent weeks trying to track down the plant monster, chasing it through the air vents and nearly losing her mind in the process. Still, it had felt like an odd loss when the SI5 had destroyed it. “Hilbert was...inventive.” 

“Eiffel...there are some things you probably don’t want to remember from our time on the Hephaestus.” If she were honest, there were some things she’d prefer to forget. Her husband was understanding, but he could never fully understand what she’d been through. She’d figured that Eiffel would be someone she could confide in when they got home, until... “Don’t ask questions unless you really want the answer.”