Incredulous whispers filled the sleek and abundantly sanitary corridors of one particular sector of the Overwatch facility. For weeks prior the murmurings of Moira O'Deorain's arrival remained nothing more than hearsay but when such prospects bled into reality that skeptical air quickly changed. Curiosity was piqued, questions that'd never meet an answer bubbled to the surface by many but one fact remained true; Dr. O'Deorain's work was prudent.
The morning of her arrival was dreary at best. The skies perpetually clung to a tedious grey overcast as if all semblance of their life had been drained by an unseen hand, yet on occasion the sun found refuge. Only for a breath did the firmament break to welcome some semblance of the sun's warmth before suffocating behind a canopy of dark clouds once more.
Every splash of rain bounced off the sleek dome of Angela Ziegler's umbrella, the ivory make of her lab coat wrapped tautly about her meager frame to huddle in her warmth as she waited for the new hire's arrival. The long stretch of the landing pad was accompanied by various shells of light, each bright and uninterrupted blink of tawny yellow and neon orange reflected within the puddles strewn about the landing pad, rippling into submission as the rain continued to fall.
Angelia gnawed against her lower lip as she, for the fourth time, took a glance down to the simple watch wrapped about the slender curve of her wrist. Annoyance was seldom a look that clung to Dr. Ziegler's mien but as the small hand reached six she found her stalwart patience beginning to thin.
"Verdamnt!" The woman tsk'd beneath a visible breath as she wedged the stem of the umbrella against the bend of her arm, thoroughly dipping it low as to better shield her head from the assault of rain. Fitting her finger against a device wedged within her ear a strained click wheeze from the grey colored object, in a matter of moments a heady blue glow touched at its corners, prompting white noise to fill her space until a low, inquisitive voice prompted her query. "This is Angelia Ziegler on the roof waiting for our eight thirty arrival. I'm afraid the rain isn't leading up and our guest is MIA. Could you get communication with our airship and see what the problem is?"
Save for the prattle of rain against the dome above her head she was left in relative silence as she absorbed the information given to her. The corners of her jaw tensed and with an annoyed tap she cut the operator off and swiftly turned on heel, marching with wet clicks toward the steel lined door leading back into the facility.
The fervor of her gait was measured by how firmly her heels clicked against the polished linoleum flooring winding down the various, dizzy corridors till finally arriving at one particular door. With a tiny, pallid fist clenched tight she issued several definitive knocks against the face of the door, her pause met with the idle dripping of water from the hem of her lab coat till the door clicked and eased open.
"Dr. Ziegler?" A surprised Jack Morrison inquired, his frame nearly dwarfing that of Angelia's. His presumably well kempt hair was disheveled as if ruffled one too many times, his sleeves rolled up just to the bend of his elbow in a manner which implied he only recently done so. A thickened blonde brow met her steamy countenance as she bore up to his with a firm narrow clinging to the corners of her brows and eyes.
"They're here? Already?" Angela huffed petulantly as she pushed her hair back by the comb of her fingers, clearly out of habit by the way she seemed unbothered at them falling back into place. "I was waiting in the rain, Jack. The rain. For far long than one should given the tempe-"
"I'm sorry." The commander leaned forward, cutting her off as he stepped over the threshold to better address his company before slowly easing the door shut just enough to leave a crack. Unbeknownst to Angelina the pressure of Jack's grip against the doors handle grew tighter and tighter to the point his knuckles began to bleed white. To his credit, he managed to keep himself composed. "That wasn't supposed to happen. I was told you were told they arrived much earlier in the morning and not by our escort. Tactical error, Doc."
Per his habitual candor Angelia met his lackluster apology before finally lifting a hand toward his chest where it met the firm nudge of her finger. "You owe me." She hissed, ensuring she stab her finger once or twice more against his sore spot before relieving him of his paltry punishment. "I will still do well by my duty and greet our new scientist." Despite it all Angelina's face bled into a welcoming smile, one laden with the warmth of her disposition. "Where might our new scientist be, commander?"
The space afforded to Moira O'deorain was generous at best. The windows were fashioned from floor to ceiling revealing the vast stretch of the compound but it wasn't to her liking. Nothing was to her liking. The lights overhead beamed down too brightly reflecting off the floor in a manner which caused her temples to throb, the sleek polish of the stainless steel countertops attested even more to that encroaching pulsation but it did little to hinder her production.
For hours the willowy scientist directed her assistants in the early dawn, each of which carried an array of containers laden with various baubles and vials. Some were stored away in the arrangement of cupboards and shelves whereas others were left atop the counters and tables.
Standing within the center of her work space Moira fit her chin between the slender lengths of her fingers, those heterochromia hues scanning about till they landed to one corner of the room. "There." The woman's voice finally filtered, breaching the pithy tension that clung to the air by those unfamiliar with her company. "When they arrive I'd like all my glassware in that corner." A sharp look met those present as if any other answer than 'yes' would not suffice.
Wordlessly her assistants nodded with acknowledgement all but one scattering like ants once Moira gave a swift dismissive flick of her wrist. Inhaling contently through her nose she took time to slowly make her rounds about the area, occasionally allowing her fingers to gently glide against the surface of her workspace only to rub her thumb and forefinger together as if testing its sanitation. The sensation against her skin caused her seemingly passive mien to bleed into a rictus of repulsion. "The state of this place." Moira commented aloud seemingly to no one, her attention wrested only when a gentle knock tailored against the clear twin doors of her workspace.
Without pause the sole assistant swiftly arrived to the doors and promptly slid them open to address a semi-soaked Angelia Ziegler who in turn stood proudly and contently, a smile stuck to her face as if it was purely out of habit. It was a wonder her skin didn't crack. From where she stood Moira heard nothing but the vague introduction of one pointless person to another. Content with envisioning her workspace she stood with her back to the door, hands clasped against the small of her back while the two conducted their hollow conversation. It fell on deaf ears.
"Hello!" A jovial voice called from her flank, readily ripping the scientist from her reverie. "It's so good to finally meet you, Sir!" Standing a respectful distance back the good doctor kept her pace by extending over an expectant hand only to have its firmness waver once Moira paid a cursory glance over her shoulder, landing the pinprick of her eye firmly into that of Angela's. It caused Dr. Ziegler to gasp audibly, a flourish of pink surfacing against the apples of her cheeks once the embarrassment of her error came to light. Sir? Truly she was mistaken given Moira's tall and lean stature.
"I'm working." Drawled Moira as she promptly retuned her attention back toward the vast canopy that was her office space window, the only indication of her irritation evidenced by the manner her fingers rubbed against the curvature of her wrist. Silence fell between the pair, one content in the looming quiet while the other dropped her gaze toward the floor as if chasing a thought.
An iota of thought tickled the tip of Angela's tongue yet whatever semblance of addendum dared to make its way forward was then readily clipped by another knock of interruption at the door. Quick in her glance her eyes pinned to the entryway where several workers stood, one of which hoisting a rather weak looking man draped in military garb. A daunting lethargy clung beneath Gabriel Reyes's eyes, his once firm and defined cheeks nearly hallowed, lips cracked and dried and every blue vein visible against the seemingly pallid, ghostly make of his skin.
It was ghastly enough that it caused Angela to clasp both hands against her mouth shoving back a gasp in the process while those stormy blues widened with horrified bewilderment. "Gabriel?" She finally managed to mutter once her hands lowered back limply to her sides.
Without preamble Moira turned about to regard the collective, her countenance placid enough that it caused Gabriel to smirk up toward her, offering a weak lift of his fingers in greeting. "I was under the impression you'd be arriving later this evening. I suppose no time is like the present." Gesturing with an upturned palm Moira indicates one of the medical beds before anchoring her steely sights onto Angela.
"Authorized personnel." Lifting her sights she wordlessly signaled Angela's departure. "Please ensure the door is firmly shut upon your departure, Dr. Ziegler. Now, Mr. Reyes. What hot mess have you found yourself in today?" Sarcastic amusement clung briefly to her tone as she guided the weak soldier to the hovering medical bed as Angela reluctantly made her exit, pausing at the door to spare another look toward the group before departing, ensuring the door was shut to Moira's liking before the echo of her heels disappeared down the hallway.