Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Dasca’s Apartment - Let Us Make Mr. Melvil Dewey Proud

Posted by Civilian Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) in Dasca’s Apartment - Let Us Make Mr. Melvil Dewey Proud

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Dasca’s Apartment - Let Us Make Mr. Melvil Dewey Proud
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Karilan smiled and said “I thought that may be an issue. There is a comm station below for emergencies, but the stairs will be tracked so you can stand on one and it will carry you up.” They grinned and said “Daystrom awarded, remember? I can over-complicate anything.” and they chuckled. “Oh, I almost forgot. I have a surprise for you.” They peered down and said “Excellent. They have it almost ready.” They looked back at her and said “I am as aware of the dangers of your position as you are. So, in addition to being a reading nook and small escape from the pressures of your job, this will also serve as a safe room. When the stairs are complete, the part of the floor that was removed was sectioned out. That was turned into a reinforced barrier that will be installed after the stairs are complete. It will, hopefully-” and they chuckled,”- close like an iris around the top of the stairs, blending into the rest of the floor. Ahould someone manage to get past your security, you would be safe in there.” They held up a hand and said “I know, I know… its too much. But it is necessary, I believe. Oed does not have the best track record for keeping its Executives safe.”

Massat

Eela looked down at the nook and then back at Karilan, shock flooding through her. It was hard to explain her reaction, the overwhelming feelings of warmth and affection, but she understood it. Here they were, offering her not only a beautiful sanctuary in what could be a challenging life here on Oed, but they had also already considered her physical limitations and her safety. She was getting used to people around her being two steps ahead, but in this case is made her feel cared for, that all these tiny variables didn’t form a trap for her, especially in her own home.

She crossed the short space and promptly threw her arms around Karilan, kissing them on the cheek. It was entirely platonic but that didn’t make it less meaningful, at least to her. “Thank you,” she whispered.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

It was Karilan’s cheeks turn to flush as the sincerity and unexpected contact brought the color to their cheeks. They hesitantly put their arms around Eela, and then embraced her tightly and returned the kiss. “You are most welcome.” they whispered back. “You are important. And I want you safe.” They released Eela and then moved awkwardly to the window. “The window displays will be last, and we won’t work on them until everything else is done.”

Massat

It would be entirely normal to wonder what Fren was thinking just now, getting the whole fly-on-the-wall-experience. But that too was the beauty of being very specific about who she interacted with and allowed into her home. She also didn’t want Karilan to feel uncomfortable and she would never push- it had never, and still wasn’t, who she was. Some parts of her brain had quite literally been rewritten and she was still navigating those changes through different situations, but deep in her core many things were still the same. The way she loved had not, and that love extended to all those she allowed in her life, including friends.

Eela nodded. “Makes sense. And I assume that the hallway will be just as easy with the micro-transporter too? As much as I am happy for people to take whatever time it takes to do the work right, I’d rather not have to reschedule physio locations. It’s just easier here and I don’t want us to be in each other’s way.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Massat said “The hallway will take less than a day. Fren will pre-wired the shelving units. All that we will have to do is cut, insert, connect power, and clean off the glass.” they said proudly. They smiled at Eela and said “And then comes the fun part… filling the shelves!”

Massat

Eela gestured to the crates down the hall. “It is! You haven’t even seen half my crates. The rest are stashed in my bedroom so I’m not tripping over them while you work,” she said with a grin. “But it’ll be nice to be properly reunited wiht my books again. I was on the go so much the last year and a half before I came here that most were in storage.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“Then that is something to look forward to!” Karilan said with a smile. They looked at Fren and then back at Eela. “Lieutenant Governor Dasca. I truly appreciate you letting me engage with you over lunch. But I see my very talented and excitable assistant getting ready to electrocute himself. Could we set another engagement for sometime after we are done? I would love to help you unpack your books, if you like. I will even bring the wine.” they said with a smile.

Massat