|Police Plaza|
Holly was sprawled on a couch in the assignment room, massaging the tips of her pointy ears. She was so oddly intent on her task that she didn't even notice when Corporal Frond entered and seated herself across from the captain.
"Like, Captain?" Lili could never bring herself to address Holly as "sir".
Captain Short jumped and was immediately brought back to earth. Under the earth, to be more accurate. "Yes?"
Lili gave her the eye. "Like, what did you do with your hair?"
Holly was beginning to get annoyed with this entire "what's-up-with-the-hair" routine. It was getting old. Corporal Kelp, when he had first seen her, had, staring, walked straight past her and into the wall. Commander Root had gaped and remained speechless for several moments until she had gently asked him if he needed to be slapped. Private Chix Verbil had thought that it was grounds for rapid advance and had needed physical reminding that she was, after all, still his superior officer and not some auburn-haired piece of meat. And now this.
"Well you see I got breast enlargement surgery and this was a side effect," she said sarcastically. It was sarcasm with a heavy sting in the tail. It had been the talk of the month when Corporal Frond walked in for work one day with a bosom that looked seriously increased by size from the day before.
Lili sniffed and looked hurt. She also cupped her hands around her chest. Holly could hardly keep from choking with laughter and distaste.
"I don't believe you," said the corporal in a wounded, puppy-dog sort of way.
Holly smiled understandingly. "Don't you?"
"No-o," whispered the sadly oblivious corporal.
"Well that's too damn bad," growled Holly, and went back to massaging her ears.
Lili sniffed for about a minute before she said in a sad, sweet undertone, "You're really pretty, Captain Holly."
Holly eyed her. "And?"
"I was just wondering how you got that way, that's all," said the corporal placidly.
"Mother," Holly eked out, producing a comb and proceeding to rip at her hair with it.
"Do you mean that you got your beauty from your mother?"
Holly gave up being nasty. After all, Lili was trying to make a point of being nice here. Normally she just pointed her nose towards the air and sailed past.
"In a manner of speaking, yes," she said resignedly.
Almost immediately, Lili changed the subject. "You know, you really should use a brush," she said pointedly, referring to Holly's rip-with-the-comb technique.
Almost as quickly, a brush appeared in Holly's hand and began scraping away at her hair. It was a while before it was finally smooth and untangled.
"If you like, I could lend you some hair spray," said Lili, taking out a clear spray bottle and pointing the nozzle ominously at Holly's head.
"That's okay," said Holly quickly. The corporal's sickly-sweet hair scent reeked of rotten flowers and gummi bears – not something Holly wanted to smell like.
"No, it's fine," persisted the corporal, "you just spray it on your hand and rub it on, like this." She demonstrated on her own hair. "Here, why don't you try it?"
Captain Trouble Kelp walked in on Corporal Frond chasing Captain Short around with a flowered bottle in hand. There was real fear in Holly's eyes, Trouble could see it. He could also smell the hair spray.
"Sharing beauty secrets, are we girls?" he asked pleasantly.
A moment later he was flat on his back with Holly seated on his chest. "Don't mention it," she said ominously.
"Sure, sure… hey, Holly, what's with your hair?"
Holly snatched the officer's lapels and hoisted them up slightly. "Don't mention that either."
"But-"
Holly brought her hazel eyes very close to Trouble's dark ones and gazed at him. It was an eerie experience. "Not a word," she said.
Trouble had a sudden urge to touch her. Not, however, that they could get all that much closer to each other. They were so close that Corporal Frond, watching the scene with her hand over her red lips, was giggling under her breath.
"Not a word," he said.
Holly let him up. They surveyed each other for a minute, than she said casually, "You look cute when you're scared."
He winked at the other captain. "Do I?"