When Cosima got back, all clones were assembled in the kitchen. Helena was playing with the children and the new toys they got at the station. Beth was catching Sarah up with all the supplies she managed to get. Alison was by the sink, stocking food and cleaning supplies. Only Paul was nowhere to be seen, which was already expected at this point. She entered the kitchen carefully with Delphine arm's wrapped around her shoulder for support.
Delphine looked curiously around. She had never been in a human ship before, and while the Neo had to eat, they hardly kitchens. They mined stars for neon, which was their main food source. They generally had a special fridge in their living quarters to hold the neon. Once they adapted into human form, they ate lab made nutritional bars, which needed neither preparation nor refrigeration. They still had to consume neon, but less often. This was the only reason Delphine hadn't died yet.
"Hey" Cosima called attention to herself. The clones stopped what they were doing and looked at her. They noticed the Neo by her side, and their look turned to fear and apprehension. Helena, in turn, looked curious.
"What is that?" Alison was, unexpectedly, the first to react.
"This is Delphine. She needs help."
"You do realize she's a Neo, right?" Beth said patiently.
"Of course I do. All she need is a ride until the next station. I'll take care of her malnutrition and then she can go." She moved with the Neo to the table and sat Delphine into a chair, and stood behind her chair in a protective stance.
"How can you think this is a good idea in the current conflict?" Alison added.
"Alison, can we just talk outside?" Cosima monitored towards the door, not wanting the conflict to take place in front of the Neo.
"So you can gang up on me?" Alison said.
"Please." The scientist begged. She knew she couldn't convince them all at once and that Alison would be the hardest to convince.
Alison hesitated, but put down some of the supplies she was holding, and left the room. Cosima gave a hesitant smile to the two at the table, and quickly squeezed Delphine's shoulder in reassurance.
"I don't understand why you would want her here. She could be a spy, you know?" Alison didn't give Cosima a chance to even start talking.
"I don't know why I care either." The scientist decided to be open about it, hoping the other might sympathize. "But if we don't take her from the station, the next intergalactic police that stop by won't be as merciful, if she even survives that long. They will either shoot her, or space her, or even worse. She is completely inoffensive."
"Can you be certain of that?" Alison said defensively.
"I…I study the Neo. While I am an astrobiologist, I specialize in their race." Cosima came clean, albeit a little hesitantly.
"And you didn't mention that before?"
"Yeah… Sorry. It's just not that relevant. I only study them in labs, I don't actually get to interact with them. Not much, at least. I had a few visit once or twice where they saw what I had came up with, but nothing else." Cosima explained herself. She wasn't sure the mom would give in, but she had to try.
"Ok. We will need to talk about that later as a group. It is very important that we know that sort of information. Regardless, we have another thing to discuss." Alison brushed her off.
"Look, all of you have someone. You have your kids, Sarah has Helena, and Beth has Paul. I'm the only one that came on my own. I hope that one day we'll be able to be close enough to be there for each other, but we're not. Having Delphine here will give me something to do, someone to take care of. She can stay with me at all times, I'll supervise her if you want. But please, let her stay. Just until next station." Cosima begged, voice was rough by the end, and Alison was impressed the clone was not crying. Her eyes were pleading with the mom.
Alison took a deep breath and gave a short nod. Cosima sighed with relief. She looked about to give the other clone a hug, but managed to keep to herself.
"You couldn't say this in front of all of us? I'm not the only one you need to convince." Alison questioned.
"Well, not Sarah. I have that favor. But by convincing you, I also have Beth on my side, and that's all we need. I mean, by the looks Helena was giving Delphine, I'm sure she'll be ok with her staying. I don't need to use my favor just yet." Cosima answered with a confident smirk.
"Very well" Alison pursed her lips, and went back to the kitchen, with Cosima soon following her.
"We're putting this up for a vote. Everyone write their vote down." Alison said once both her and Cosima were seated at the table, and the mother passed a few sheets of paper and pens around.
"Wait, that is not what we agreed!" Cosima exclaimed.
Alison smiled back at her.
"We can't be unfair, everyone should have their say!" Alison said mischievously.
Cosima wanted to complain, but knew there was no hope.
"You are ridiculous, you know that?" Cosima rolled her eyes.
"Ok, write yes for her staying, and no for her leaving, fold it up and put it at the middle of the table. Last chance for you to say something, Cosima." Alison said pointedly ignoring the other clone.
"Ok… Alright, Sarah, I'm calling in that favor now." Cosima mumbled, not wanting to risk the chance of not getting to help the Neo.
Alison smiled widely, Sarah huffed in annoyance, and Beth shook her head. It was obvious Cosima was trying to avoid having to use that vote, and that Alison just made her do it. Which meant that Cosima wasn't confident enough in the mom's decision. With her mind made up, Beth wrote down her response.
Once all four clones wrote down their answer, Alison read them out
"Ok, 3 yes, and 1 no. Seem like she's staying." Alison huffed out. Even though she voted yes, she still didn't like the idea of the Neo staying. "But I will take you up on the supervision. When she's not in your room, you better be around."
"Thank you." Cosima reached out for Alison's hand, even though the decision wasn't all hers. Alison nodded back when the scientist squeezed her hand.
"I have thing to organize, so if you'll excuse me." Alison pulled out and went back to the sink to organize supplies.
"I'll tell Paul we're ready to go. I also think it's better if we don't tell him she's here" Beth gestured towards Delphine. "He keeps out of meals, so that shouldn't be a problem."
The others consented, and Beth left. With more seats available at the table, Helena moved closer to the Neo. She started playing with the Neo's hair, and the other clones looked amused at the action. Delphine just tensed up and looked at Cosima in question.
"Helena likes hair. She was obsessed with mine for a very long time while we were at the station." Cosima smiled, glad that at least one the clones wasn't against the Neo. The scientist didn't let Helena continue, however. She touched Helena's hands and brought them down from her hair. "Delphine needs rest, alright? If she'll let you, you can play with her hair later."
Helena nodded with a childish smile in Cosima's direction. "You have nice eyes." Helena said to Delphine.
"Thank you, you do too." The Neo spoke for the first time. Helena's smile widened up.
"I'm hungry, Alison." Helena quickly changed her attention to the other clone. Alison went to a cabinet and got some crackers out.
"Here." She gave some to Helena, and seeing the look of hunger in Delphine's eye, to the Neo as well. "Now I want you all out of my kitchen. I have things to do. Helena, will you please take my kids to my room and look over them?"
The clones, the kids and the Neo soon were gone from the kitchen.
Up next: More Beth and Alison bonding (and fighting). Soccer cop has definitely sneaked up on me. I wasn't expecting to be enjoying those two as much as I am. It'll probably be a little longer for cophine to go anywhere, but I'll try to make them more present. See you next week!