Butterflies of the Dark Star

29 (REVISED)

"Is that why you asked me how I do it?"

Neo's expression folded into one of confusion as she admitted a half-truth to him on his return; if he was going to present the same thing at the new briefing, she wanted to interject. They might not take me seriously, but... they're scientists, surely they have Neo's open mind. "Yeah, and thank you for letting me do this, Neo. It'll make sense soon, I promise." I hope.

It took too long for people to fill in, to listen to the next steps, along with senior scientists to observe the proceedings. One new variable. Neo nodded and returned to his desk, but she took hers to let Admiral Mythrai say his consistent piece; about the situation and the D.S Butterfly. If she didn't know any better, a layer of irritation thinned his pupils into sharp beads when he eyed the scientists in the corner. Thuni settled himself in his seat, his pallor pale. Ulin joined him, but none with Thuni's apparent discomfort.

Huh... I thought they'd be dead by now.

One callous thought, and she choked on it.

"Admiral," Nova forced out, and shuddered when everyone turned to her. "Before we continue about this situation, I want to say something — as the engineer whose droid brought in the anomaly. It should—" It stuck in her throat, but she looked at Neo. "It'll only be a few minutes."

Out of everyone in the space station, she doubted Admiral Mythrai the type to jump to hasty conclusions. No... it's not him I'm worried about. Nova glanced at the senior researchers and took their own notes. Studying. Listening. Watching. On a space station meant to carry powerful anomalies adverse effects are expected and prepared for. Especially stuck on a space station, dead in space, with no connection to home or other sensations, like the sky, or sun, or the rain. I suspect... I suspect they'll think I've come down with space sickness, but as long as I say it, that's all that should matter. As long as someone listens...

Left in space, trapped by metal hulls, the only thing keeping them from the killing vacuum.

I've told Neo once this before... if anything, let's see if he remembers.

Pinpricks swept through her leg.

"She can go ahead, Admiral," Neo said when Admiral Mythrai turned to him. "I've said all I needed to say in the last briefing — and I need to collect my thoughts for a minute." He smiled at her, and tore her heart in two. 'You got this,' he mouthed to her.

One more death to steal it away.

One more chance to change the course of space-time.

"Of course. You can have the stage, Miss Nova." Admiral Mythrai shuffled to the side.

I have to do this, for him, for the one possibility that this might be enough.

Lead pushed into her knees when she escaped her seat and took Neo's place on the podium. Weight crushed her spine with a million focused eyes, and the cacophony of screams escaped the sucking void. A shattered piece of reality. It glitched in her peripheral, but she shook her head free of it, for the present loop. Thuni blinked a couple times, then looked at Neo with a sense of dawning confusion. His lips pursed when Neo kept his attention on her, he followed suit and studied her.

Izerva's ears perked up from the door they stood guard at.

Stars, even though he told me, I don't know how he does this. Nova choked at the dying faces. No. I can't bow out. I have to do this. I don't have the luxury of another choice.

Nova tucked herself against the podium to keep herself standing. Her engineering skills never translated to public speaking.

'If you're nervous, imagine it's just me,' he told her so far in the past. 'Just forget everyone else. Focus on me.'