Welcome to Gaia! ::

Galatea rolled over from her stomach and sat up, stretching her arms above her head before rubbing at tired eyes. Then, carefully, she folded up the map and placed it reverently in the handmade folder along with all of the other pieces of paper she had accumulated over the past month. Her little hand lingered over it for a moment, fingers tracing out the neat printing on the front - Research. Sighing under her breath, she shook her head and scrambled to her feet. It was all a pipe dream. Nonsensical and impossible. She could not leave the Captain to go chasing a rumor. Especially not now.

Stepping off her table, Galatea fluttered over to stand at Serafima's elbow. The dark-haired woman gave no indication that she noticed the feien's arrival, merely continuing to sip her tea slowly and gaze into some middle distance. Galatea almost touched her but, thinking better of it, merely settled herself down, Indian-style, and folded her hands in her lap.

She would wait. The Captain would be better some day and then, that day, she could risk her journey.

Galatea immediately stood and bowed. "Thank you, sir. You look well, too."

"I refuse to be prodded anymore," came a low, toneless interruption. "There's no point to it, doctor." Serafima did not even glance over but she did set her cup down on the side table. "I won't be returning to service and my body heals well enough on its own."

"Beckham," she answered shortly, "nothing could stop you from meddling. If there were no more people to nurse and boss about, you would turn to the poor animals. Then to the plants. God help them all."

Galatea blinked and chewed on her lower lip. Her glance at Beckham was clearly worried. She had never ever heard the Captain invoke any kind of diety before. "Sir?" she ventured. "Maybe we should leave the Captain alone for a bit?"

Serafima snorted and abruptly reached out, her fingers neatly knocking the little blood feien's legs from under her so that she landed on her bond's palm. The motion was rough and careless but there was still a sort of strange affection to it; clearly, Serafima never wanted to hurt Galatea. "Maybe everyone should stop attempting to unravel my mind and just allow the topic to drop, hmm?"

"Nothing, sir. I have been..."

"You... You are a plague." Serafima interrupted her feien again, dark eyes flashing for the first time at the good doctor.

"Captain, I..." Galatea scrambled onto her knees, resting on the level palm, and moved to hesitantly pat Serafima's thumb. "Dr. Beckham is just concerned. As am I. You have not been yourself lately."

"Is that why you haven't gone on your trip? You think I'll jump out of a window the moment you leave me, Galatea?"

All of the blood drained from Galatea's face and then returned in full-force, a painful-looking blush as she dropped her eyes and tangled her fingers together.

Serafima turned her gaze away again. "I have not decided," she replied icily. "You should instead ask Galatea why she has not carried out her own plans. She has been very busily planning a journey. Thoroughly, I might add. She's very intelligent, you know. However, she has everything in readiness but she will not go because she seems convinced that I will do something drastic the moment I'm out of her sight. Ask her how long it has been since she has visited her friends. Hadrian or Silva or Ruby Soho. When was the last time she had a magic lesson with Burgundia?"

Eyes shimmering, Galatea watched her bond intently. Worry was evident but there was more than a bit of amazement to it, too. The Captain knew her friends, noticed her movements?

"I'm a grown woman. I will do as I like."

That proved too much for Galatea and a small birdlike sound escaped her. Serafima looked down and almost grimaced to see the level of emotion on the feien's face. "But, Captain, you know I..."

"I know we're bonded, Galatea. I would never allow you to be harmed." There was a moment and Serafima touched a gentle finger to her feien's cheek. "That's beyond the point, though, little bird. I am far from suicidal."

"I make a very poor civilian, doctor." Serafima looked past Beckham, eyes again on a middle distance. "It's what I've been attempting throughout this recovery." There was a pause and then, "Admiral Durris offered me a position with the perimeter team."

Galatea gasped and stared. This was the first she had heard of it. Why had the Captain not told her?

"Perhaps. As he said, it would utilize my... Talents."