Decisions 1

They had only recently waken up, yet they were back on the bed.

Diana was buried in Donovan's chest, her cheeks wet from tears. Her façade of strength shattered when the weight of their situation placed itself fully on her shoulders.

She thought she could take it. She even felt that she had steeled herself, fully resigned to the fact that they were now effectively alone. They might make allies, but who was to say when they would betray them? The only two people she could trust absolutely were Donovan and ARC.

"Have you calmed down enough to discuss our options yet?"

"Just a bit more."

"Okay."

Don moved his hand up to the back of her head. Awkwardly, he began stroking her hair. He wasn't exactly proficient in the art of consolation. Better to let her get a handle on her thoughts on her own time than try to help and screw something up.

This also served as a perfect time to get a handle on himself.

Why didn't he feel sad about this?

There wasn't a trace of depression in his mind, but he did feel empty. There was something missing, something that should be there. He felt hopeless despite being extremely optimistic about the circumstances.

No, it should be extremely optimistic despite the hopeless circumstance.

What reason would he have to feel optimistic when all his almost all of his sources of support where gone? Why was he sad? What made this situation hopeless again? Was it that everyone died?

Shouldn't these be easy questions to get the answer to?

Obviously he knew that they were hopelessly under supported, under funded, and uninformed, but calling it such didn't feel right. Nothing felt right.

Nothing about their current circumstance felt 'right'. He understood that everything that had happened up to this point was real, but none of it was connecting.

Perhaps it had something to do with how long he had been out, but ever since he had woken up he felt as if he was in danger. It was not one that would threaten his life, more akin to the feeling you might get on the verge of slipping, but it was there.

He felt empty, confused, and in danger.

Yet he knew what was going on and that they were safe.

Did he even want to work out these mental problems? Stress was the last thing he needed right now.

Donovan once again decided to postpone this process, time and information had to help right?

"They looked kinda weird didn't they?" Tired of being left alone with his thoughts, Donovan tried to lift Diana's mood with conversation. "Especially that Scholar guy. what was going on with his eyes?"

There was a quick exhale from her nose. "Don't go saying that to their faces." There was a smile.

It was small, but it was there.

"I wasn't planning on it, but the rest of them seemed a bit weird too. Even the Captain. I know his ears were a bit long, but there was something about him that just seemed off."

"That's because of Uncanny Valley. That's what the phenomenon is called. The closer something comes to looking human, our human that is, the less familiar it feels. They are close enough to human to be back on the up curve, but I agree that they creep me out a bit."

"Even you? I thought you would give me some crap about diplomacy and how I shouldn't be thinking that way."

That elicited a giggle.

"I am human just as you are Don, I come with the same set of quirks and instincts, those instincts are important to survival. Don't go around displaying your disgust because of them, but don't be afraid to act on them either." She hugged him tighter. "I would rather have to deal with a diplomatic incident than die."

"You really think it might come to that?"

"Who's to say? I don't know what the people are like here, so an attempt on our lives is not off the table."

Don didn't have anything to say to that. He had a tendency to take that sort of thing seriously.

It was Diana's turn to keep the conversation going.

"You know... I'm fine with you spooning me as long as you don't get handsy."

...

"You were awake?"

"Indeed I was."

"Was I inappropriate?"

"Not unforgivably."

...

"I'm sorry about that."

"I already had a talk with ARC about suggesting such actions in the future."

"Are you sure its okay?"

"We're going to have to do something far more intimate in the future. I think it would be better for my heart if I got warmed up to you in the meantime. Besides," she uncurled her body, moving to get more contact with him, "you make for a good bedwarmer."

She chanced a look up, wanting to gauge his reaction.

Don's face was pink in embarrassment.

"We're going to do THAT?"

"If by that you mean sex then yes. The species must live on. Did that thought not cross your mind?"

"I-I-I mean, not until now, no. I haven't really had the time to think about that! Are you okay with that? Do we need to set up some rules about it? Is there anything I need to know?"

"Calm down. I don't plan on letting a pregnancy happen until we are somewhat established. We have plenty of time to prepare ourselves. We have far more pressing matters to worry about." Diana wasn't ready for that conversation yet.

"I think we should go to the academy." He switched the subject as soon as it felt appropriate. "Are you still opposed?"

"It's not that I don't think we should go, I'm just holding out to see if we get a better option."

"What could be better than the opportunity presented by the academy?"

"Anything. Why do you think the academy is such a large opportunity anyway?"

"It has pretty much everything we need right? Everything we are desperate for at least."

Diana looked at him suspiciously. "Explain."