Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Miss Kerr and Miss Kerr," Andara turned toward the twins as they arrived, back to the railing, slightly glowing eyes alighting on them. "I hope your break was enjoyable?"

Andara, not being human, had a tendancy to see both the twins more clearly than most people did. Torin, though perfectly capable of disappearing into a crowd of two people, had to endure actually being seen in the presence of the computer's personality.

Turning from Andara, the AI still having not answered her question regarding the headmistress, Jade smiled at the twins.

"Looks like the double trouble have arrived, you to prepared for another year of collecting photographic blackmail as always?"

Jane's words were delivered with a wicked grin. The two have, in the past, delivered, the three of them exchanging favors and making deals with each other over the years when needed. They were... business partners one might say.

Turning to Toni, the one in red, the tall student smirked.

"Trouble? Psh, the headmistress is holding me to the standard promise. No getting into trouble until everyone gets settled in for the new year.... Besides, I'm still paying off my detention from last term..... speaking of which....Did you two get those shots I asked for developed?"

The prank that Jane was still paying off had involved careful planning, positioning, and timing. It had been a challenge to do. But the twins said they had gotten the shots, and did so with out discovery... leaving Jane to take the heat. A price well worth it if the twins had actually developed them.

"In answer to your question, Miss Davidson, yes, she has one class each term. Further details about your detention will be delivered as they are given to me by the headmistress."

Light blue eyes followed the conversation between the twins and Jane but there was no outward sign of acknowledging what they were saying about blackmail.

Both of the twins gave Jane a thin, patient smile that was a few steps shy of condescending. Torin's disappeared first and Toni's quickly turned into her usual slight smirk. There was a good reason why they were here at Astrum and not locked up somewhere or dead.

"They'll be there. We got business with our new...neighbor. Schedules an' whatnot. See yeh later, Davidson." Toni said as the twins turned to walk away. Before they left hearing distance she stopped and called over her shoulder. "Also. Someone wouldn'ta found 'em 'less we wanted 'em to."

With that the twins continued on their way, ostensibly to speak to the new pair who they would be sharing a bathroom with. In the past, they had found it best to find out when the other pair preferred to shower. Some girls took forever and others really didn't like it when you interrupted.

“That is one beautiful ship.”

Sona had to agree with the pilot’s comment. The Astrum Andara really was beautiful. And she was made even more beautiful by the slow, swooping, graceful arc the pilot was flying around her.

“She was a cruise ship, wasn’t she?”

Passengers were generally not allowed to sit in the cockpit – especially during docking – but this was a special ship, and Sona was a special passenger. The ship itself was a small transport jumper designed to transport VIPs and rich executives. Most people could never afford to travel in one – especially all alone – but with the Strang Institute footing the bill, Sona had been able to charter the ship solely for the purpose of transporting her to the Astrum Andara. The pilot had been pleasantly surprised to discover that his lone passenger was not some stuffy elitist, and even more surprised to find that she had a starfarer’s licence and had worked on several ore vessels in the Kuiper belt. Sona tired quickly of the luxurious passenger compartment, and when the pilot offered to have her ride shotgun, she leaped at the chance.

“That,” Sona said, her voice like wind rustling through flowers, “Was the main reason I chose this school.”

“You make it sound like it’s some kind of chore,” the pilot said, amused, “Aren’t you excited?”

Sona shrugged, “I need a doctorate for respectability, otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered coming back to school at all. And I figured, if I have to go back to school, why not a school built out of a cruise ship?”

“Makes sense,” the pilot said with a chuckle, “But I think you’re underestimating college life. I think you’ll have a blast.” Sona merely shrugged again, and the pilot chuckled again, “You’ll see. I’ll bet big money when I come to pick you up, you’re not going to want to leave.”

Sona didn’t argue, but there was no chance to anyway, because the pilot was concentrating on his approach and final docking procedures.

“Docking port mating...,” the pilot absently checked off the steps while docking, “Umbilical connection made... systems communicating... seal positive... gravity matched... air pressure matched... aaaand, that’s all she wrote!” he grinned at Sona, “Thank you for flying with us, Miss Sonander. Please make sure you take all your belongings with you. I’d hate to have to charge you for a return trip if I have to bring anything back.”

Sona chuckled wryly at the ridiculous notion, and went in the back to retrieve her only baggage – a single duffel back with all of her clothes and a pair of data pads to work on. She stepped through the airlock, and identified herself to the boarding terminal: “Sonander, Sparkle,” she turned her head slightly, for no real reason, because the scanner would read the chip in her head just as well without her moving. Sonander gave the computer a moment to finish checking her identity, passport and medical information on the chip, then continued, “Requesting permission to come aboard.”

“Thank you,” Sona replied to the terminal, “Simple directions will suffice; I do not wish to trouble you any more than necessary. I have studied the ship’s plans, but it is my experience that ship plans rarely match actual ships.”

“Pardon me a moment,” Sona added, “I have to excuse my pilot.”

Sona informed the pilot that she had been granted boarding clearance, and thanked him for the ride. He repeated his promise that she would enjoy herself, said goodbye, then, presumably, got busy with his preparations for departure.

Sona returned her attention to the terminal, “After I have settled in quarters, I would like to request permission to use your external communications array to contact the Strang Institute. I was asked to inform them when I arrived. If it’s a problem, though, may I just ask that a notification message be sent on my behalf. I will supply the contact code. I apologize for the imposition, but the Institute is quite protective of its assets.” If Sona had any feelings about referring to herself as an ‘asset’ of the Strang Institute, they did not show in her voice. She spoke as if she were reading off a laundry list.

“After that,” she finished, huffing a little as she hefted her duffel bag over her shoulder. It was not heavy, but Sona was a light gravity baby, and any effort against Earth-normal gravity was still a strain for her. “I suppose that I shall consult the shipboard schedules, and determine where I am supposed to be next.”

Almost a full hour after leaving Jane and Andara, a series of six sharp raps on the door of Artemis 4A announced the presence of the twins to 4A's inhabitants. The twins stood outside, flanking the door on either side. They had stopped to make sure all of their gear had arrived safely and for a quick change into their uniforms before deciding that their neighbor would have had time to arrive and get settled.