#questa

After returning to earth, Olga thought that it would be the last she’d see of the Communiverse. However, Elio has been invited back more times than she can count. Glordon misses him frequently, so she’s sure that’s part of the reason- but it’s also probably to do with the fact her nephew actually makes a pretty good ambassador. Not that she’d ever admit that. Whilst she never wants to intrude, Olga will admit that she does keep her fingers and toes crossed for an invite to tag along.

While aliens don’t necessarily follow the same eating patterns as humans do, they are known to host their own takes on dinner parties. The drinks they serve aren’t specific enough to determine if they’re alcoholic or not, so Olga just tells herself that they’re probably fine.

She’s standing at a balcony, overlooking the cosmos. With certainty, Olga can say that not many other people have ever held a drink whilst gazing out at the glistening stars and galaxies beyond.

“Your son has quite the knack for conflict resolution, don’t you think?”

The sudden voice causes her to nearly spill the intergalactic drink all over herself. A pink tendril shoots out to grab the glass.

“Sorry- I didn’t mean to startle you- Oohglah?”

She turns her head, locking eyes with the impressive sight of Questa. The pink 15-foot-tall leafy sea dragon.

“Olga- and, it’s fine.” She’d shake her head as a shy laugh escapes from between her lips. Questa’s mouth…? Frills up into a smile shape. She’s pleased.

“Escaping the party?”

Olga would sigh, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she properly turned to face the alien. Her back resting against the balcony.

“More or less, how about you?”

Questa’s eyes glimmer for a moment, with a small courtesy nod. “Indeed, although it’s nice to speak with you one-on-one”

Okay, there’s another thing Olga won’t admit to anyone. Mainly because she feels that there’s no real way to bring it up, or explain it in a way that doesn’t paint her as a massive weirdo. Ever since she first met Questa, she’s felt- different. Not different like she’s got an alien parasite stowed away inside her, or that her memories have been tampered with. Different in the sense that she’s found herself gazing up at the stars more than she used to. Tuning frequencies on satellites in the hopes she’ll get to hear that soothing voice one more time.

“I- agree. It’s like I never get a chance to speak to you without the other ambassadors around,” Olga replies with a nervous smile. Hoping that her choice of clothing isn’t too ridiculous. The event she and Elio were invited to was supposedly a very important one, so she decided to go with a pink dress. Shimmering like the stars blinking behind her.

Questa hums, floating over to hover beside Olga “Well- lucky for us. They aren’t right now”

In space, sound shouldn’t travel at all. Yet Olga finds herself thankful that here in the communiverse- it does. “He isn’t my son, you know”

Questsa blinks, her head tilting to the side. “He.. isn’t?”

“No, Elio is my nephew.”

There’s a beat, something drifts between the two of them. Maybe a gust of space wind, or a silent understanding.

“I- see. Then, in that case- I commend you for your efforts. It mustn’t be easy to take on a child who was not yours to begin with”

Questa hopes the comment doesn’t come off as insensitive, but after meeting Olga all those months ago- all she had wanted to do was make a good impression, and good conversation.

Olga takes a breath, her nails tapping against the glass. “To be honest, it hasn’t been. But- it’s getting easier with each day. We’re learning, the both of us are”

The pink sea dragon’s eyes roam over the woman’s form. Her skin, her hair, the earrings she had chosen to wear tonight. A soft purr rumbles in her chest. When you’re surrounded by the ever-expansive beauty of space, you’d think you would have seen all the beauty the universe has to offer. Yet, Questa finds herself realising that she hadn’t, not until now.

Olga is tense, stressed- always simmering with something below the surface. Questsa imagines herself gently placing her tendrils on either side of the woman’s head, and taking her time to explore the inside of her mind. What makes her tick. She’s desperate to know everything about this human.

“I see, well- it must be a thrill to take it day by day. To learn about one another?”

“Oh- it definitely is. I mean, how many people can say they’ve been invited to the communiverse for a bite to eat?”

The two women exchange a laugh, Olga’s eyes watching Elio and Gordon play inside. Questa keeps her eyes on Olga. Subconsciously floating closer.

“Not many can, although I’m glad that you’re one of the few who can.”

Aliens don’t share the same customs as humans, and she’s sure the communidisc devices don’t work as accurately as they could. Olga doesn’t want to assume that the alien is flirting with her, but she can’t help but hope she is.

The two of them spend hours chatting away, drink after drink. It’s been a while since Olga has had the chance to unwind like this; work is a lot. Especially since there’s been chatter about her getting a promotion of sorts. To do with actually getting a chance to be an astronaut as opposed to telling astronauts about incoming space debris. This is the most talking she’s done in a while that wasn’t entirely work-related. This is one of the most enjoyable nights she’s had in a while, period.

That goes the same for Questa, surprisingly, learning about someone through conversation rather than getting the answers straight from their brain was- fun?

It wasn’t as tedious as she thought it would be. In fact, she was taking a liking to the back and forth between herself and Olga. She’d ask a question, and Olga would reply. Then the other woman would ask her a question, and she’d give an answer in return. They’d walk around the communiverse, well- Olga would. Questa would float beside her slowly. It’s a lot slower than she’s used to, but she doesn’t mind the change in pace.

“Do you float when you sleep? Or?”

Questa shifts slightly, her own gravity shifting to accommodate for the change in movement. Floating on her side instead, like a mantaray gliding past the glass wall of an aquarium. “Typically, no, we can lay on the floor. However, I don’t find it to be all that hygienic. So I do wake up tired.”

The Hispanic woman nods slowly, eyeing the pink alien curiously. “So, it takes energy to stay afloat then?”

Questa’s eyes squint slightly as her frills squish upward to form a smile “You’d get tired from standing or walking all day, would you not?”

Olga nods, pivoting on her ankle as she comes to a stop.

“I guess I would, I mean- this is the first time I’ve worn high heels in years and my feet are killing me”

The sea dragon pulls itself back into an upright position, eyes flickering over Olga with concern. “Your feet are killing you?”

Olga laughs, shaking her head. “I didn’t mean that in a literal sense. They just- hurt. That’s all.”

Questa lets out a sigh of relief, her large wing gesturing towards the shoes. “I was wondering why you had chosen to wear those, typically your shoes are- flatter.”

She had told Elio that she had chosen to wear heels because typically, that is what one would wear to a formal event. This was not the case. All of the aliens in the communiverse come in different shapes and sizes. How do you stand out when you’re already one of the smallest and least brightly coloured ones there? While she might not be bright blue in colour or have dozens of legs. Olga can wear a nice dress, spice up her makeup and throw on some heels that have been collecting dust in the back of her wardrobe.

Olga clears her throat, hoping that she can lie well enough to an alien who can read minds. “Just wanted to feel tall, they go with the dress too.”

“Feel- tall? Why would you want to do that?”

Olga looks away, shrugging nervously.

“Oh- I- don’t know, it just- feels nice? To be tall.”

Questa floats closer, her chest almost touching Olga’s.

“Is this because of Grigon? You know he’s only going on about how tall and powerful he is because he is actually quite small- and unimpressive”

Questa whispers that last part, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She doesn’t talk like this usually, but she finds herself more open to doing so with Elio’s aunt.

“No- no. It has zero to do with Lord Grigon, I can assure you.” Olga reassures, pressing her hand to her chest as she nods sincerely.

Questa’s fin gently reaches out to rest on Olga’s shoulder. “Good, because I quite like how small you are.”

They both blink at the sudden admission. Olga feels her cheeks tint pink like the sea dragon before her. Questa glances away and clears her throat. She shakes herself as her wings shimmer.

“Uhm- thank you? I- like how… big you are?” Olga replies awkwardly, hoping that giving a compliment in return relieves some of the tension.

The compliment doesn’t go unnoticed, as Questa turns to look back at Olga with some gusto.

“You do? I personally find my size to be a hassle”

“A hassle? With all of this.. space?”

The Air Force major cringes at the terrible joke. However, Questa doesn’t seem to mind; in fact, she finds the statement humorous.

“I look quite intimidating to other lifeforms when I meet them for the first time- and I suppose my eagerness does not ease their worries.” She admits, opening her fins up- showing off her full wingspan. It is quite daunting; she could wrap Olga up whole. That doesn’t sound too awful, though.

Olga hums in acknowledgement, “People think I’m going to be mean and scary, purely because I’m in a position of power within the Air Force”

The pink alien frowns softly at that, “What an unfair judgment, I prefer to let people show me who they are before I decide what they’re like.”

Solis makes a face, smirking softly. “Really? Elio told me that you had tried to read his mind within the first five seconds of meeting him”

The leader of Gom’s tail flutters slightly, and the tendrils above her eyes glow a deep pink.

“In my defence, I was enthralled to meet such a unique species like yourself. Your brains are fascinating.”

“I have no doubt that yours is too, Ambassador Questa” Olga smiles softly, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. This subtle movement doesn’t go unnoticed by the alien leader.

“Is it your feet?”

Olga blinks, “What?” 

Questa waves her fin towards the high heels. “If standing is painful in those, I’m more than happy to accommodate your needs.”

The woman would screw her face up as she feels her stomach flip, “Needs? What needs? I can assure you that I can manage-”

Before she can reply, Questa lowers herself so that Solis can climb aboard her back.

“Please, allow me”

Olga wants to protest, but her wobbly legs would prove otherwise. She carefully slides onto the dragon's back, her legs on either side like she’s sat upon a horse.

“Is- this okay?” Solis would murmur carefully, her hands hesitantly roaming along Questa’s flesh. Feeling how soft it is.

“Of course it is, and please- just call me Questa.” The pink alien would reply earnestly, her tail flicking side to side as she tries to conceal how much she enjoys the cautious touches she’s receiving.

When the time comes for them to leave, Olga slides down and off Questa’s back. Making their rounds of the communiverse to say goodbye. The leader of Gom has to pretend that she doesn’t immediately miss the feeling of Olga hugging her like a small creature would to its mother.

When they come face to face again, Olga is grateful for the wholesome misunderstanding between Elio and the aliens. They’ve all been led to believe the traditional way to say goodbye is with an ‘I love you’ at the end. Harmless and endearing.

Olga’s eyes flit to the floor momentarily before looking into the 15-foot-tall alien dragon’s eyes. Trying to ignore how mesmerising they are.

“Thank you for allowing me to join you tonight, Questa. I enjoyed talking with you one-on-one for once.”

Questa nods her head politely in acknowledgement.

“Thank you for joining us. I enjoyed getting the chance to speak with you as well. Hopefully, we can do this again soon, Olga”

The words warm the Major’s chest, filling it with a glow that makes her feel like she’s turned off gravity with her communidisc.

“Goodbye, Questa” she breathes out, a smile plastering itself upon her face.

There's a beat as the pink dragon straightens her posture. Tilting her head down, a soft smile adorns her features. 

“Goodbye, Olga, I love you.”

Despite the innocent misunderstanding, Olga can’t help but hope that Questa really means it.

“I love you”, she echoes back softly, nodding as she and Elio turn away to enter the portal that returns them home to Earth.