Chapter 11 More Questions, More Answers
Shortly after Mr. Kinnett left, Team Possible was assembled in the conference room.
"Opinions?" Kim asked.
"He's bad road, Kim," said Ron, instantly.
"I must agree, Kim-chan," said Yori.
Kim sat back and sighed. "Wade?"
The young super genius' face instantly appeared on the monitor. "The sensors detected no hint of lying from him, Kim. But it might be because what he said is what he believes."
"I think this is good news," said Tara, softly, and everyone looked at her. She smiled. "I like L'ao, and want her side of the story to be true."
Bonnie smiled softly at her best friend. "I agree, Tara." she said.
"I hate this kind of thing," said Kim with a sigh, "You know me, I really prefer a straight fight with everyone clear on who they are and what they stand for."
"The world isn't like that, Kim. I don't believe it ever was," said Ron.
She looked at the folder Kinnett had left. "So far all I've got to go on are opinions and impressions."
"What are you going to do?" Francis asked.
"Talk to L'ao when she gets back. Right now that's all I can think of," she replied, massaging her temples.
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About an hour later L'ao came back carrying a sack in front of her. She put it down a gave a huff of relief. When she opened the door, she stopped. She sniffed the air carefully, and her pale face turned red. She pulled her sword and stalked into the corridor past the vacant desk in the front room.
"WHERE IS HE!!" she demanded, "I KNOW HE'S HERE; I CAN SMELL HIS STENCH!!"
Kim came out of her office quickly, and L'ao turned toward her, sword at the ready. Her eyes were wide and almost glowing, her mouth partly open and her fangs showing.
The red-headed adventuress held up her hands. "Kinnett is gone. Calm down, L'ao."
L'ao growled and re-sheathed the sword. She seemed disappointed Kim wasn't Kinnett.
"I gather you know each other," Kim said.
"He is responsible for the deaths of my mother and little sister," responded L'ao, "So yes, I know him. And I hate him."
"That's understandable," said Bonnie, coming up to the angry Dae, and putting a hand on her shoulder. Come on, I'll bet you're hungry and thirsty. You'll feel better after you eat." She led the winged girl to the kitchen while Kim stood with wide eyes.
That was one of the most unexpected events she'd ever witnessed. BONNIE being sympathetic? Her high school rival had changed a lot, but still held herself aloof most of the time. Where had that come from?
She followed them into the kitchen/dining area, where L'ao sat down on a stool, and Bonnie asked what she wanted for lunch.
"That is not necessary, Bonnie Rockwaller, I can cook for myself," said L'ao.
"I want to. What do you want?" she asked.
"Fish?" asked L'ao, "I haven't had any in a long time, and I love it."
"Sure, got some right here. And by the way, call me 'Bonnie'," she said.
"In fact, call all of us by our first names," added Kim.
L'ao looked at Kim, closed her eyes and bowed her head for a moment. "I thank you for the gesture of friendship. I am sorry if I frightened you earlier."
"It's okay, don't worry about it," answered Kim, and sat down beside her.
"What lies and accusations did Kinnett make against me and my people?" asked Lao.
"Well, actually he said very little-- just that you are dangerous, and a threat to humanity," said Kim.
L'ao snorted. "He was half right. We are dangerous in a fight, but we are not a threat. How could we be? We'll be extinct in a few hundred years."
"We thought the same thing," said Kim, and Bonnie nodded in agreement, "And have him pegged as a liar. His visit only served to make me lean toward helping you."
"I thank you for that," said L'ao, and bowed her head again.
"Excuse me, L'ao?" came the voice of Tara from the door, "I put your bag in your room."
L'ao smiled. "Thank you... Tara. Most considerate of you."
Tara smiled in return. "It was no bother. Wouldn't want the DaeWatch to get it, after all."
"Which reminds me," said Kim, and L'ao turned her attention back to her. "I told Kinnett that while you are here you are under the protection of Team Possible, and if his people try anything, they would regret it. I'm pretty sure he believed me."
L'ao got up from her stool, fell to one knee and bowed deeply to Kim. Then she got up and resumed her place.
A few minutes later Bonnie served the fish, and they left L'ao to her meal.
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They met in the conference room once again. Kim had brought Kinnett's folder, and L'ao a few books that looked very old.
"These are a more detailed history of the Dae," explained L'ao, "Please be careful with them; they are very old."
"I can scan them without damage, then we can study them at leisure," said Wade from the monitor.
L'ao nodded. "That is acceptable. Several Elders expressed concerns."
"I'll take care of it," said Francis, and picked up the folder and books. He was going to take them to a special high-speed scanner in the Situation Room.
"In the meantime, L'ao, I'll be frank," said Kim, "I'm not sure yet what or who to believe. I'd like you to stay with us so we can study you and the materials."
L'ao nodded. "Thank you for your honesty, Kim. I will do my best to make a good impression." She looked around at the room full of humans and a naked mole rat. "I am tired from my trip. I want to take a nap."
"Sure, you do that. Unless something comes up, we won't disturb you," said Ron.
The meeting broke up, and L'ao walked with Bonnie and Tara toward her room. They were going on to the gym to practice a new move.
"I will show you some of our form of martial art later," said L'ao, then shrugged her shoulders and moved her wings with a grunt.
"Is something wrong?" asked Tara.
L'ao sighed. "The muscles in my back that move my wings are hurting from the flight carrying that bag, and picking up the weights."
"Can I help?" asked the blond girl.
L'ao looked at them and blushed a bit. "We really just met, and it would be rude of me to ask a favor of you already."
"But we were told to study you," answered Bonnie, "What can we do?"
L'ao's face turned redder. "Massage the muscles?" she asked.
The best friends glanced at each other. "Sure, why not?"
They followed the winged girl to her room, where she lay face down on the bed. She opened her wings a bit so the human girls could reach the muscles, and following her directions began working on them.
The pale girl made groans of pleasure as the poisons were worked out of the muscles.
"Your wings are neat," said Tara, "May I look at them?"
In answer L'ao opened the wing nearest Tara to nearly its full span.
Tara touched it very gingerly until L'ao said, "You do not have to be so gentle; my wings are very tough. I doubt you could tear the membrane with your hands no matter how hard you tried. It would hurt, though, so please do not."
So Tara took a more "hands-on" look, moving the joints and looking at the lines of blood vessels crisscrossing them. They were warm to the touch. Bonnie joined her in the examination.
"These are really neat," she said, "Wish I had some."
"That reminds me," said Bonnie, "Wade said your wings were too small. You could glide, but they wouldn't let you fly. How do you do it?"
"You know how a bee is not supposed to be able to fly?" asked L'ao, folding her wing.
"Uh, yeah, saw something about that on the Knowing Channel," said Bonnie.
"Same reason," answered L'ao. Her eyes closed and her breathing became regular.
Bonnie and Tara left the sleeping Dae quietly and went on to the gym. It was a half-hour later Tara realized L'ao hadn't really answered their question. She stood down from her attack position.
"Bonnie, what did she mean about a bee not being able to fly?" she asked, standing. She wiped her brow with a small towel hanging from her belt.
"Oh, well, according to the laws of flight, a bee can't fly. Wrong shape, wings are too small, that kind of thing," was the reply. She took a drink of water.
"Then how do they do it?" asked Tara, now completely puzzled.
"They figured out it's, like, the strength the bee has in flapping its wings. What they called 'brute force' flying. I guess L'ao is like that," she said.
Tara made a face. "Okay, I guess I understand..." and they went back to practice.