Part 2 of last chapter, sorry to keep you in suspense! Read, review, and enjoy! Hugs and butterfly kisses, ravenclawdancer4999.
After dropping her laundry back in her own room, she approached the blonde's door.
"February?" she called nervously, knocking on the door, "It's Officer Specs, may I come in?"
"What do you want?" an unhappy voice replied.
"I'd like to speak with you, if that's alright," Specs said, swallowing hard. There was the sound of shuffling in the apartment and soon enough, the steel door slid open. February stood before her, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked, different. Her normally perfect bob was a mess and black makeup was running down her cheeks.
"What is it?" she asked coolly, "Did you want to tell me to my face just how stupid you think I am?"
"No, not at all, I-"
"You all think I'm dumb, I get it. What more could you need to say?"
"…I came to apologize, February." The blonde looked slightly shell-shocked for a moment.
"What?"
"It was both unprofessional and downright childish for all of us to talk about you behind your back. I can't speak for Krayonder or Taz, but, I wasn't thinking about how those things would make you feel and I would take back what I said if I could. I should have realized how cruel I was being, especially since I myself have been picked on in the past."
"Then why did you do it?"
"I recklessly assumed that you thought you were better than the rest of the crew, so I somehow convinced myself that it was okay to make unfair judgments. I'm very sorry for anything I said to make you upset; we're lucky to have you on our crew and I'm sorry that I made you feel otherwise." February was silent for a minute, looking at Specs intently for some hint of deceit.
"I guess I forgive you," she sighed, finding none. "Um, you can come in, if you want."
Specs entered the living quarters, taking in the décor. It was, pink, to say the very least, but it was at least tastefully done so it wasn't overwhelming. It was slightly messy, but no worse than Specs' room, which was littered with small parts from various gadgets. February gestured to a chair and Specs sat down.
"Can I ask you something?"
"What?
"What did I ever do to make everyone hate me so much?"
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
"I'm not blind, Specs. The minute I set foot on this ship, everyone treated me like I had some sort of disease. Why?"
"…For me, at least, I assumed that based on your appearance, you were like every other 'popular girl' I had ever come across and that you only cared about superficial things. Krayonder, Taz, and I thought you hadn't earned your position like the rest of us had."
"What do you mean? Of course I did! Sure, school wasn't easy for me, but I still made it through on my own."
"I realize that, but the three of us were jealous that you were selected to go on a solo mission without much previous experience, so I suppose we wanted an excuse to invalidate your qualifications. Then Taz told us what you had told her at the gymnasium and I'm afraid we assumed the worst about you."
"What did Taz tell you?"
"She told us about the selection process you went through to be chosen for the mission, that it was Dr. Spaceclaw's son who interviewed and selected you and that he had asked you certain questions that made us wonder if perhaps-"
"You thought I slept with him to get the mission, didn't you?" February interrupted quietly. Specs looked up at February, shocked, and nodded.
"He asked me some really weird questions, I get it," she continued, "He may have even been trying to flirt with me for all I know, but I didn't do anything with him. I would never do something like that and I totally shouldn't be saying this, but he's kind of a scumbag."
"I assure you, you aren't the only one who thinks that," Specs smiled slightly after a short pause, "He's not exactly the most, charming, person you'll ever meet."
"Right?" February giggled, "It's like he thinks he's the universe's gift to women everywhere, but, he's totally not." The two girls talked for almost twenty minutes before there was an awkward silence for a moment.
"I realize I've already said this, but I am truly sorry for what I said about you and I hope you can accept my apology," Specs said.
"I already said that I forgive you," February shrugged, "I've never been really good at staying mad at people."
"That's an extraordinary skill to have," Specs remarked. Her spectrometer beeped with a page. After reading it, she stood from the chair. "If you'll excuse me, I have to report back to the hull, the engine is acting up again. Thank you for listening, February, and accepting my apology. As Krayonder says, 'I owe you one.'"
"See you later," February replied, hopping up from the bed and hugging Specs. The gesture was unexpected, but, Specs accepted it anyway. "Thanks for saying you're sorry, it means a lot."
"No problem. Oh, and one more thing. May I offer you a piece of advice?"
"Sure, what?"
"Lieutenant Taz does not particularly enjoy being touched, and I think it would be in your best interest if you held off on the hugging. Oftentimes, knives come out when she gets defensive."
February only looked temporarily shocked by the information.
"Noted." Specs returned her smile before heading off to repair the engine.
Later that night, Specs carried her tray across the cafeteria and sat down with Taz and Krayonder, who were already sitting at the usual table. Before long, February approached them.
"Can I sit?" she asked. Before the other two could say anything, Specs gestured to the seat next to her and Krayonder.
"Of course," Specs nodded.
"Que?" Taz blanched.
"February and I had a discussion earlier today," Specs explained, "I realized that we had no right to pass unfair assumptions about February and she assured me that she earned her position in the same manner we did. The two of us determined that perhaps we are not as different as we previously thought. We also managed to come to the conclusion that she too, thinks that Junior is, for lack of a better word, a douche, who should not have asked her such personal questions."
There was a short silence at the table as Taz and Krayonder looked from Specs, to February, and back again.
"Well, if it's good enough for Specs, then it's good enough for me," Krayonder nodded, "I'm sorry I treated you badly, February, you didn't deserve it."
"Thanks Krayonder, but you're not the only one who needs to apologize," February nodded, turning to Taz, "I owe Taz an apology too; Taz, I didn't know you don't like to be touched, and I'm super sorry for not realizing it before." Taz looked at the blonde for a minute, astonishment written across her face.
"Lo siento, tambien," the petite latina murmured a minute later, "If Specs says jou are okay, than I guess jou are okay."
"Thanks, Taz," February beamed. For a moment, she looked as though she might move in for a hug, but she simply held out her hand to shake. After a moment of contemplation, the lieutenant eventually shook the blonde's hand. Taz's grip was stronger than February had been expecting, but the girl still smiled.
"If you need any help, preparing for your mission or whatever, we've got your back," Krayonder said. "Just ask."
"Will do," February replied, "It's not supposed to be too hard, but thanks anyway."