There wasn't much discussion between Dr. Ibrahim and Takahashi regarding Naomi's prosthetic acclimation assessments, but the implications were there. The woman was passing all of the assessments with flying colors. Her test scores in balance, reflexes, motor coordination, and grip strength had all surpassed what was capable for natural human physiology. This wasn't unheard of for most BSI-connected prosthetics, but considering just how fast she had acclimated to them, the medics couldn't help but wonder just how high-tech her BSI was.
Rather than dwell on the implications, Dr. Ibrahim and Takahashi were both happy to release her from her daily check-ins. They used the extra time to get a bit more relaxation shoreside. As was standard procedure, they didn't inquire about where they were, only that it had places to eat, drink, and fuck. But even those activities had rigid guidelines as to maintain operational security.
Because of these guidelines, Naomi was not allowed off the ship without an escort, and it would be this way until Naomi decided whether or not she was going to stay.
"You have a bit of time, I think," Tre said as they sat on opposite sides of their room. "Nia usually gives us 24 hours notice before we leave for our next contract."
Naomi was doing her due diligence, sitting at the table and studying the Non-Disclosure Agreement. She had seen plenty of NDAs in her time, so Naomi was surprised to see how hefty and professional the document was considering the small size of the BOS's crew. Tre could see the reservation on Naomi's face. She stood up from her bed and moved to sit next to Naomi.
"I know it's a lot, but it's really not as serious as all that." Tre fingered a loose ball bearing on the table as she spoke. "I mean, it is serious, the people we help really need it, but Nia isn't really a vindictive person. If you think it's too much, you can pretty much leave whenever you like. There isn't much that she can do about it, anyway."
There wasn't a response from Naomi. She just continued reading the document. While she had a reasonably large choice to make, it was Tre that was more nervous about Naomi's decision. She was fidgeting as she considered what to say, or whether she was speaking too much.
"You know, I really don't mind the company," Tre said, trying to sound nonchalant. What she really wanted to say was much more passionate, but she had awareness enough to not show too much attachment. She kept quiet in an attempt to avoid pushing Naomi away.
Naomi's stoic attitude was often confused for emotional distance in Tre's mind, so when Naomi stood up from the table and left the room, Tre's mind began to race.
Of course, there weren't many places that Naomi could go. Not only was she relegated to the hull of the Beacon of Solace, she was only allowed in the common areas. For this size of ship, that consisted of most hallways on a couple of decks and the galley. To the galley she went.
Beyond Tre, the cook, Mateo, was one of the people Naomi had become closest to, even though they rarely exchanged a word between them. Typically, whenever the BOS was docked anywhere, the crew opted to eat shoreside, but Mateo was diligent about always offering food aboard the ship, even when there were no patrons.
The food itself in Mateo's Galley was usually pretty good, especially the pizza. It also helped that the food was free as Naomi didn't exactly have much to her name. When a slice of Chicago-style pizza slid in front of her, she wasn't expecting the format of the cheese under the sauce, but didn't hesitate to dive in.
There was little reaction to the flavor, but the subtle closing of the eyes and reduced length of chewing before a fresh bite were noticed and appreciated by Matteo. He gave a subtle nod before returning to the kitchen.
As Naomi enjoyed the rest of the slice, she was visited by the Captain who took a seat at the stool next to her. Mateo dropped another slice in front of her.
"Thanks, Mat," Nia said. Mat nodded and returned to the kitchen. "Fancy seeing you here." Nia chuckled as they were the only two who consistently ate in the galley. "I heard you were getting pretty good with those prosthetics. I know you might not be done going through the NDA and stuff or made any decision, but if you do decide to stay, I can offer you a range of work aboard the ship, mostly support roles for medical, or engineering even, if you want to stick close to Tre."
"How is she?" Naomi asked. Nia took a bite of her pizza, the Chicago format catching her off guard. She also wasn't expecting a response from Naomi.
"What was that?"
"Tre," Naomi clarified, "What's she like?"
"I'd think after the past few weeks spending so much time with her, you would probably know a bit more than I do." Nia took another bite, almost losing focus in the savory flavor. It was a moment before she was back on topic. "Well, she's a great worker... When she wants to be, at least. She can be a little lazy, and a little stubborn, and a bit of an airhead, but when a client's needs are life-and-death, the woman always shows up without hesitation, does the job right, and does it fast.
"She really is a genius mechanic," Nia continued. "I'm sure you've seen her work on your prosthetics. I wouldn't be surprised if your limbs were largely cobbled together by Tre herself."
Naomi instinctively inspected her forearm. Tre had spent a not-insignificant amount of time tinkering inside each of her limbs, an experience that never stopped being uncomfortable and invasive. It was only now that Naomi considered just how much of her person was built by Tre. Tre had a tendency to brag about certain things, like how good she is at a videogame or her own personal style, neither of which were anything to write home about, but Naomi had never heard her mention building her very limbs. It was a kind of modesty that was endearing to Naomi.
"Why does she do it?" Naomi asked.
"I'd like to think that just the prospect of being able to help people in need is reason enough..." Nia was partly joking.
"Sure, but I don't suspect many people get past the idea of disappearing from society without a more specific reason."
"That's fair," Nia said, "but for Tre, I do think it is more about helping people than hiding from the world. She was doing that even before I met her. That's actually how I met her, in fact." She took a couple more bites.
"I believe she said she lost her arm to a landmine?"
"That's right. A few years ago, the BoS was providing medical aid in a conflict zone that the aggressor had covered in mines. Tre was also there, building and maintaining minesweepers and the like. There's really not much more to it. She fell on a mine and we were there to help her. We offered her a position, much the way we are with you, and she decided to stay. She's been a part of our family ever since."
"I see," Naomi said.
Already, it was the most that Naomi had spoken to Nia, or anyone other than Tre since she had come aboard the ship. She wasn't sure whether it was the pizza, but her walls were coming down, and Nia could see it. Naomi continued.
"Do you know much about her before she joined?"
"Not really, but that's by design," Nia said. "Beyond doing everything we can to stay off interstellar radar, most people here don't care to talk much about their lives beforehand."
The two were silent for a moment as they finished their slices. Mateo quickly arrived to offer another slice, to which Nia refused. As Naomi dug into her next slice, Nia stood up from her seat and continued.
"I imagine she's here to get away from something, much like the rest of the crew." She walked to the galley's entry and turned back to Naomi just before leaving. "... And I don't think it's working."
