Chapter Summary: The post-rescue exposition. And ice cream. And a bored Miranda.
Chapter Word Count: 5,135
"Don't ever do that again," Quinn said, pulling Rachel in for a hug, even though they weren't alone in the medical bay aboard the cruiser.
"We couldn't help it," Rachel said. "We didn't see that portal."
"Well try harder," Quinn said.
"Aren't they so cute," Brittany said, standing in the door. "Couldn't you just eat them up?"
"No," Santana said, pretending to gag. "Makes me want to vomit."
"There's not a romantic bone in your body, San," Brittany said, poking her. "Admit it. They're cute."
"And they're ignoring us," Santana said. "And I'd like my sexy beautiful girlfriend to come with me, and away from the sickening cuteness, before she comes down with it."
"Sometimes, San, you are baffling. Where did you come from," she asked.
"This place called Lima," Santana said. "Not very big. Not very sophisticated. But that shit was real."
"And where are you now?" Brittany asked, raising an eyebrow in imitation of Quinn.
"On a Shadow cruiser," Santana said. "How did you get your own cruiser? Not even Q there has her own transport ships and she has more people under her command than you do."
"I borrowed it," Brittany said. "It looked lonely."
"Gonna to give it back?" Santana said. "Or do I need to permanently assign a crew to it for you?"
"A crew please," Brittany said, smirking. "We're going to need it. This'll free up your ships from playing bus for us."
"You got it babe. All you had to do was ask," Santana said.
"Look at them," Rachel said, giggling. "They're so cute."
"I'm not cute," Santana said. "I'm hot, there's a big difference."
"I think you're cute too," Brittany said. "All huffy like that."
"I was right," Santana said. "You've been infected!" Reaching over, she grabbed Brittany's arm and dragged her, giggling, out of the med bay. "Let's check on this crew of yours."
"So, we still have that meeting with the Amazons?" Rachel asked, as they all sat down to eat in the cruiser's mess after the trip back through the portal, leaving probes and warning systems behind.
"They've delayed it until the next yearly ceremony," Quinn said. "But they've agreed to our request. We'll have a small base on their planet."
"Good," Santana said. "We'll need to do something about protecting that portal to the ring world. Their system is suddenly more important than it was."
"Do we tell them?" Rachel asked. "Or is it our secret?"
"We'll need to tell their queen," Brittany said. "They can't protect it themselves but they need to be aware of the danger."
"They already have the Gate," Quinn said. "I don't think this'll be a big deal. It's just another kind of Gate, just one they can't use because it's out in space."
"We'll need at least a cruiser and support," Santana said. "Besides the in-system ships we'd planned for the base."
"Do you have them to spare?" Brittany asked. "Or do I have to give my cruiser back?"
Rachel paused, before taking another bite of rice. "What about cultural sharing? They aren't a large nation."
"There are a hundred thousand Amazons," Brittany said. "But they are strictly planet bound. They didn't even know that the Gate worked until Andy and her crew came through. They have plenty of culture to share."
"As far as spare ships go, I have more ships than trained crew to run them right now," Santana said. "I can build them faster than our people can be trained. Half my explorers are running on the bare minimum of crew. And I have a dozen cruisers like this in mothballs until there are crews for them."
"Can we train the Amazons and give them a few ships?" Rachel asked.
"Can we trust them?" Quinn asked. "Do we really want to hand over a cruiser to a culture that is so warlike?"
"Not yet," Brittany said. "Maybe in a hundred years, after we've defeated the Bugs. First we need to get them used to more modern tech. From steam to fusion power and high tech will take time."
"But we tell them?" Rachel said. She poked at her plate.
"Once they know it's possible, they'll build their own ships," Santana said around a mouthful of sandwich. "They won't want to be at our mercy for long. They're like Clan. Very proud."
"So we give them enough of a boost so they can start building their own ships? How?" Quinn said. "It's not like they have the same tech base as Terra. They aren't going to be able to handle our tech level for centuries."
"Possibly sooner," Brittany said, waving her fork. "But you're right. We'll give them a boost. Tech they can understand. But we need to think very carefully here."
"I'll need to learn about their culture," Rachel said. "We need to understand them at a cultural level before giving them that boost up the tech ladder."
"More than we understand Terra?" Quinn asked, putting down her glass of juice.
"We grew up on Terra," Brittany said. "We didn't need to gain understanding, we had it already. We just had to change our viewpoint to Clan."
"The two of you are the experts in that kind of thing," Quinn said. "Now, what about warriors? They can't wear our hard suits but we discussed building them equivalent armor. It'd be nice to have a battalion of their best as backup."
"Something to discuss in the future," Brittany said. "We can't ask them to fight our war, but we can prepare them if they encounter the Bugs."
"Their system isn't in the projected path of the Bugs," Santana said.
"I'll work up a training plan," Quinn said. "Something that will prepare them for the kind of things they'd encounter in hard suit combat."
"Are we done?" Santana said. "We'll be home tomorrow."
"And there are some people who want to see both of you," Brittany said.
"I need to call my Dads," Rachel said, standing up suddenly. "I forgot all about them."
"As soon as we went back through the portal, I sent them a message, and your mothers also," Brittany added, looking at Santana. "We'll meet them at the beach."
"We also have a full Council meeting tomorrow," Quinn said. "We need to review our plans."
"And Sophia wants to see everyone in person?" Santana said. "That woman needs to learn to use the comms."
"She knows how," Rachel said. "But it's part of what she is as the Weaver. The comms don't give her the connection to the rest of us that she needs." At Santana's misbelieving look she added "It's a mystical thing. Weavers have connections of a spiritual nature. Just like Mother has her powers."
"You're making that up," Santana said. "Sophia doesn't have a mystical bone in her body. How she became High Priestess I'll never know. She's a scientist. Sure, one of those squishy sciences but it's still science."
"She had potential for it," Brittany said. "That was one of the requirements for the Weaver. You can't guide a people like ours in a spiritual way if you aren't capable of it yourself."
"Someone should tell my father that," Quinn said. "Those yahoos have the spirituality of mashed potatoes."
"Don't be knocking the potato," Santana said. "The noble potato gave us fries."
"The Tiger Clan brought potatoes with them from their home planet," Brittany said. "Though they didn't eat it like we do. It was more ceremonial."
"So, they worshipped tigers and Mr. Potato Head?" Santana said, laughing. "No wonder they were so poor."
"Poor in heart, rich in spirit," Rachel said.
"Where'd you get that tripe?" Santana asked.
"Old Tiger Clan proverb," Rachel said. "No, it makes no sense to anyone else," she said. "But it made them happy. They plastered it everywhere."
"Some of the other Clans are crazy," Santana said. She stood up. "We should be docking with Flag in a couple minutes. I'll be on the bridge." She stomped out of the galley.
"Stasis doesn't seem to have mellowed her out," Quinn said.
"She'll be fine," Brittany said, also standing. "I better join her before she gets bored."
"She was really good when we were stuck on that planet," Rachel said. "I couldn't have survived by myself."
"You'd be surprised at what you can do when there's enough incentive," Quinn said. "But she does have that survival gene in heaping amounts. She wasn't made Lady Air for her sunny personality."
"I think we're going to be fine," Rachel said. "With you, Brittany, and Santana, we can't lose."
"Don't underestimate your own role in this," Quinn said. "The Memory is important. Just like Mother, and the Weaver."
"I'm not," Rachel said, "but we aren't going to beat the Bugs by me singing at them."
"You don't know that," Quinn said, dodging Rachel's hand heading towards her in response.
"You think you're funny!" Rachel said, jumping up and into Quinn's lap. "Take that!" and she started tickling her.
"Off. Off," Quinn gasped.
"Say Uncle!" Rachel said, continuing to tickle her.
"Lady Memory, Lady Hands?"
"Yes," they said together, looking up at the chief cook. "What can we do for you?"
"Take it elsewhere, please?" the cook said. "The dinner crowd will be here in a couple minutes and they aren't going to come in if they see you acting like that."
"We're acting perfectly," Rachel told her, causing Quinn to snort.
"Let's get out of her hair," Quinn said. "Plenty of other places to be in a cruiser this size." She slid from her chair, grabbing Rachel before she could fall on the floor.
"But I was having fun," Rachel said.
"You need to go do something somewhere else," Quinn said. "They can't clean and make it ready for the rest of the crew if we're in the way.'
"Yes, oh wise and wonderful Lady of the Hands. And speaking of hands, don't you have handmaidens? How'd you get away from them?"
"They're here," Quinn said. "They're just practicing being unobtrusive."
"I'm not seeing them," Rachel said, looking around, mystified.
"You don't know where to look," Quinn said. "But don't worry, they're still there."
"If you say so," Rachel said.
"Let's go somewhere else," Quinn said. "I'm sure there's somewhere we can go and no one will notice us."
"Let's go find it," Rachel said.
"Is that her?" Hiram said. "She looks different."
"It's only been two months," Leroy said. "That's barely time for her hair to grow."
"The two of you are like old mother hens," Shelby said, leaning against a tree, her arms wrapped around Frannie as they watched the Clan Council walk up the beach towards them. "She's fine. They would have told us if anything was wrong."
"Yeah," Frannie said. "Now, if it had been Quinn, she would have lied her head off to 'protect' us from the truth."
"Santana would just ignore us," Maribel said. "Even now, she's too 'cool' to let anyone know how she's doing."
"They've grown up to be women we should be proud of," Shelby said. "All of them."
"They were lost for months," Hiram said. "What if they'd never been found?"
"But they were," Leroy said. "You know Quinn and Brittany wouldn't have stopped until they were found."
"The entire Clan would have looked for them until they were found," Sue said, joining them. "The stories will be interesting, if the Memory can refrain from turning it into one of her dreary epics."
"You know you love them, Coach," Frannie said. "Rachel knows just the right things to write to make people proud of their deeds, without busting egos."
"A good tale is good for morale," Sue said, nodding.
"It looks like Quinn still hasn't escaped her 'handmaidens'," Frannie said, laughing. "She doesn't understand why they stick with her."
"Minions of that caliber are difficult to find," Sue said. "A minion must be a help in all things, not a roadblock."
"Pip and Squeak can be amusing," Shelby said. "One minute they're swearing like sailors, the next they're discussing some obscure television show like they are huge fans."
"Someone believed that all Clan members be proficient in so-called pop culture," Sue said, making a disgusted face to show how much she thought of that idea.
"Ah," Shelby said. "Well, it comes out in unexpected ways. Surprising ways."
"So, what kinds of adventure did you have?" Hiram asked, as they all relaxed after dinner. "What did you see?"
"We spent most of the time in stasis," Rachel said. "Not much to see there."
"Space, lots of space," Santana said, from her position on the porch wrapped up in Brittany's arms. "And trees."
"It was a strange place," Rachel said. "This big ring with a sun in the middle."
"A Ring World?" Leroy said. "Someone actually built one? Did you meet any of them?"
"It was uninhabited," Brittany said. "Whomever built it was long gone, except automated defense systems."
"That's too bad," Leroy said. "It must have been an amazing feat of engineering. Just think what we could learn from the builders."
"It isn't going anywhere," Santana said.
"We can go back and explore later," Brittany said. "But we have other priorities right now."
"Amazons," Frannie said. "When do we get to meet them? These are the Amazons that Lady Andrea found, right?"
"Yes," Quinn said. "The real deal. Warrior Women. Though they didn't cut off a breast like the Greek version."
"Cut off a breast? Why would you do that?" Hiram asked.
"So they wouldn't get in the way of their bows," Quinn said. "The Greek Amazons fought naked. Just imagine what that would mean when firing a bow."
"Ouch," Frannie said, rubbing her chest. "Do these Amazons fight nude?"
Shelby gave her a look.
"What? I bet you wanted to know that also," she said, poking her girlfriend.
"Only for ceremonial purposes," Brittany said. "Like when Quinn defeated their champion before they'd let us build a base."
"That was nude?" Rachel said, turning around to look at Quinn. "Did anyone record it?"
"Possibly," Brittany said, winking at her.
"I told you Shorty," Santana said. "That's how they roll there. You'll just have to ask for a play-by-play from Q there. You can even have her dress the same."
"Nude role-playing?" Frannie said. "That would be a sight."
"I have no plans to do it again," Quinn said. "It was an odd experience."
"But you won?" Shelby asked. "You are building a base in their system."
"A nice bit of empty desert on their main planet," Santana said. "Perfect for our use."
"Don't you need food and water?" Leroy asked, curious. "A desert seems like an inhospitable place for a base."
"There's an aquifer we can tap into," Santana said. "And we can buy food from the locals when the crews get tired of synth food."
"And it's far from any inhabited areas. Safer for them," Brittany said. "They gave us a hundred year lease."
"Is that long enough?" Leroy asked.
"Plenty," Brittany said. "By the time it's up they'll have ships of their own and won't want us around unless we're doing our job of keeping the peace."
"Ah," Shelby said. "Long range planning."
"Is there any other kind?" Brittany said.
"Not if it's you, babe," Santana said.
"Ice cream?" Rachel said.
"Someone ate the last, last night," Leroy said.
"No, it's on us," Rachel said. "Sophia and Cassy were going to make enough for all of us."
"Homemade ice cream?" Leroy stood up quickly. "What are we waiting for?"
"For everyone to get up," Santana said. "They were going to make our favorites."
They all stood, brushing off sand, and straightening clothes.
"You wanted a meeting of the entire Council?" Quinn asked Sophia, as they joined her down by the water after everyone else had gone home.
"I believe it is time we brought Mother back." Sophia said. "It has been long enough."
"Isn't she still crazy?" Santana asked.
"Only in the way all Mothers are somewhat unhinged," Sophia said. "They see the world in a different way than the rest of us."
"We have a Mother, but do we actually need one?" Quinn asked.
"Give her a ship and give her something to do," Santana said. "We don't have time to coddle her. Let's put her to work."
"But what?" Rachel asked. "What would a Mother actually do? We all have our own responsibilities but what are hers?"
"Morale?" Quinn said. "We've never really discussed this. Do we trust her with a ship?"
"Not yet," Sue said. "She hasn't earned your trust. And she would know that."
"Rachel, what does a Mother do traditionally?" Quinn asked.
"She looks out for the Clan, protects it, guides it," Rachel said. "Something we don't really need yet. We have a plan and we're following it. And it's working."
"Will she turn any crew we give her into loyal followers? Loyal only to her? Like a cult?" Quinn asked. "Doesn't she have some kind of power to persuade people."
"Do we want politics?" Brittany asked. "That's the real question. We already have the Nine Cultists but we've been ignoring them. A Mother would be able to use them for her own goals."
"Let's shelve this until after we fight the Bugs," Quinn suggested. "We don't have time right now for infighting. Or chaos."
"She would do what she thinks is best for the Clan," Rachel said.
"But is it best for our plans?" Brittany asked.
"If that is what you believe we should do," Sophia said reluctantly. "But she is ready to join us. She is no longer buried in her grief."
"Why not have her write down her memories of the old Clan?" Rachel said. "We can use the information. She probably knows where all of the old bases were."
"She gave us that info a long time ago," Sue said. "We've barely investigated half of them so far."
"Anything useful?" Santana asked. "Was there anything interesting?"
"Mostly trash," Sue told them. "A thousand years isn't good for most facilities. A few pieces of tech here or there but nothing salvable."
"Thanks Coach," Quinn said, looking across the fire at her. "We appreciate your input. Anything else you think we need to know right now?"
"No," Sue said. "It's all in my last report."
"What else do we need to discuss?" Rachel asked. "Everything's going the way it should, right? Santana, you're building up the Fleet, Quinn, your troopers are training and preparing for the Bugs. Brittany, you're monitoring the situation."
"Everything is on track," Brittany said. "We didn't lose any real time with your disappearance. And we were able to use the search for you as a training / shakeout exercise."
"Glad to have helped," Santana said, sarcastically. "Next time you and Q can do it."
"We can, San," Brittany said. "Get a lifeboat and find an empty planet, just for the two of us. And make it a nice long vacation."
"Not without us," Rachel said. "We need vacations also. And I bet you and Quinn haven't taken a break in months."
"We couldn't, Rachel," Quinn said. "We needed to find you."
"And you did," Rachel said. "But now you need a mental health break. A chance to get away for a few days and recharge."
"Not without you," Quinn said. "It defeats the purpose to go on vacation by myself."
"Where should we go?" Rachel asked. "Can we take the Gates?"
"Something tech free," Quinn said.
"We do have that island," Brittany said. "You can go there and be by yourselves."
"Just make sure to come back," Santana said. "We're all in this together. No permanent side trips."
"How'd your meeting go?" Cassy asked Sophia. "Did they agree?"
"They don't want to risk a sudden change at this time. But they will think about it," Sophia said.
"All you can do is ask," Cassy said. "You haven't explained what they are doing but they should know if releasing your Mother is a good idea."
"She's ready," Sophia said. "She needs to rejoin the Clan."
"What would happen if you put her together with Ixchel?" Cassy asked. "Wouldn't they be good for each other?"
"We have not discussed Ixchel yet," Sophia said. "It is a delicate situation."
"Lady Miranda, what can the Council do for you?" Brittany said, at the sudden appearance of Miranda Priestly in front of the entire Clan Council.
"I find myself with spare time," she said. "I cannot go back to Runway, I was declared deceased and they would not understand my appearance. And while the task you have given Andrea is appropriately worthy, it is hers, not mine and I can only watch. And our girls are also busy."
"So, you're bored and want something to do?" Rachel said. "You have the powers of a goddess, you can do whatever you want and no one would be able to stop you."
"Having power and using it are not the same thing," Miranda said. "Although I enjoy my time with my family, I find myself desiring a more active life."
"You were worshiped as a fashion goddess," Quinn said. "Now you actually are a goddess. I see no contradiction."
"Ascending to a higher plane of existence is not how I would define god-hood," Miranda said. "When I ran Runway, my power was based on respect and fear."
"I would like to discuss this with you at greater length," Sophia said. "The Clan gods have not manifested themselves in recent memory. The views of someone who became a god would be enlightening."
"I have no wish to be worshipped," Miranda said. "But I would like to participate in your enterprise, though what my place in that might be escapes me."
"She's bored, guys," Santana said. "What use do we have for a bored goddess? How do we put her to work?"
"I have plenty of ideas," Brittany said. "The ultimate spy. No one would know she's there."
"I have no wish to be a voyeur," Miranda said.
"Your path will present itself to you," Sophia said. "It will not be what you expect, but what you need."
"And the Weaver has spoken," Santana said, grumbling. "Channeling our goddesses. I hate when she does that."
"Interesting," Miranda said, looking at Sophia in interest. "You were briefly in touch with some higher power."
"You can tell?" Rachel said. "Can we keep her? Someone who can sense the touch of a higher power would be useful. Maybe she should have a chat with Mother."
"The Clan Mother?" Miranda asked.
"Yup, Crazy old Mom," Santana said. "Sophia wants us to integrate her back into our society but we aren't ready for that yet. Maybe you could go talk with her and see what you think. You should be immune to her Jedi mind tricks."
"Mind tricks?" Miranda asked.
"It's a Mother thing," Santana said. "She has the ability to influence Clan."
"We have psychic shielding that appears to work," Brittany said. "But we are concerned that she may unintentionally control any clan working with her."
"I believe she should be released and given a productive task," Sophia said. "But we are not all in agreement."
"Her therapist AI says she's much better," Rachel said. "But we aren't all comfortable with her having the Mother power. Especially at this time."
"You all agree with this?" Miranda said. "You want me to evaluate your Mother?"
They all nodded. "Yes," Brittany said. They waited until Miranda had left the Council chamber before continuing. "And that brings us to the issue of Ixchel. We need to give her the hearing she's requested."
"What do the psych AIs say?" Quinn asked.
"They are still evaluating her," Rachel said. "They aren't quite sure what to make of her."
"Is she dangerous?" Quinn asked.
"No," Sophia said. "She is confused, and suicidal. She blames herself for what these Goa'uld did to her people in that alternate place."
"If I understand how Andy explained it, the host has no control. They are at the mercy of the parasite. In general she wouldn't be responsible for its actions." Rachel said. "But in her case, she's a merger between the original personality and the Goa'uld that possessed her, so it isn't so clear."
"She needs our forgiveness," Sophia said. "The forgiveness of the Council. She doesn't think of herself as Goa'uld. Those are just horrible memories she can't erase."
"I can't find myself caring," Santana said. "We have too many things to do to worry about someone from another place who happens to be one of our ancient leaders."
"That's not nice, San," Brittany said. "She came to us. What happens to her if we don't find her a place and forgiveness?"
"We can put her on ice," Santana said. "Leave her for some future Council to handle."
"No, we have too many people on ice as it is," Rachel said. "If we cannot just give her forgiveness we need to find a way for her to earn it."
"How?" Quinn asked. "She has knowledge of past Clan practices but that isn't how we do things now."
"Lady Sylvester, you've been silent," Sophia said. "What are your thoughts?"
"This is something you five must decide," Sue said. "If you plan to put her to work or release her, you need to make sure she isn't a threat."
"How?" Rachel said. "We can't read minds, and we can't force her to behave. Free will is an important part of who we are. That's why Mother is such a problem."
"And there's your answer," Sue said. "Have the Clan Mother evaluate her. She should be able to determine if Ixchel is a threat to the Clan. Isn't that one of her talents?"
"So, after Lady Miranda evaluates Mother, have Mother evaluate Ixchel?" Sophia said.
"Clever," Santana said. "But that means doing something with her until then. It could be days or months, if not years. Mother isn't the most stable person in the Clan."
"Let's see what Miranda can do with her before we give up," Brittany said. "At least give her a chance."
"Okay," Rachel said.
"So, we're not exciting enough for you?" Andy said, after listening to Miranda explain what she was planning to do for the Council.
"You know I love you," Miranda said, hugging her wife. "But you don't need me to do your job and the girls are happy working with you. And it's not as if I will be far away. If you need me I can be there in an instant."
"Still, it's the principle of the thing," Andy said. "We just got you back and don't want to lose you again."
"You won't lose me," Miranda said. "Time and space have no real meaning now. Say my name and I'll be here."
"But why you?" Andy asked.
"Why not? Because I can give an unbiased opinion of this person," Miranda said. "They are concerned that anyone else could be influenced by her."
"And you won't be?" Andy asked. "What makes you immune?"
Miranda quickly changed into her energy form and back.
"Oh, right. Nothing can influence you if you don't want it to," Andy said. "You've got that whole ascended being thing going on."
"Ascended being thing?" Miranda said, in an amused tone. "I am, as always, myself. I would not have been influenced before ascending or even now."
"Sorry," Andy winked at her. "You appear so normal and I forget you are more than that."
"At least you are not calling me ordinary," Miranda said.
"You have never been ordinary," Andy said.
"I suspect it will not take long to evaluate this Mother person," Miranda said. "She cannot be too unbalanced. She never attempted to intentionally harm anyone. She may have made mistakes. But haven't we all?"
"Generous to a fault," Andy told her.
"It's all a matter of interpretation," Miranda said. "what some call generosity, others call bribery."
"When do you plan to start?" Andy asked.
"I shall visit her in a moment," Miranda said.
"I won't keep you then," Andy said.
"Time has no meaning outside of physics." Miranda said.
"Those of us who still age object to that statement," Andy said.
"You are aging wonderfully," Miranda said. Stepping closer, she wrapped Andrea in a tight hug. "When you are ready, far in the future, you'll join me."
"Not now?" Andrea asked, curious.
"You still have a full life to lead," Miranda said. "While I don't regret ascending, it was not a choice I was given. Ascending changes your outlook on life. It opens up more possibilities but removes others."
"Like?"
"The Ascended do not have children," Miranda said. "It isn't something we've talked about recently but you've made your feelings clear about this in the past."
"Yeah, no," Andrea said, shivering. "I'm not sure I'm ready to give that possible future up. But that was something I wanted to share with you."
"We shall talk more in the future," Miranda said, "but clearly ascending is not something we need to discuss at this point."
"Nope," Andrea said. "Still using the body I've got. No need to trade up before I'm ready."
"And I must see to Mother," Miranda said. "She is another person who was not given a choice. She became the Clan Mother under unfortunate circumstances."
"I'd like to meet her at some point," Andrea said.
"I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunity," Miranda said. "This is only the beginning of our journey among the Clans."
"You see us staying a part of this group?" Andy asked.
"The girls are to all intents and purposes Clan," Miranda said. "This is where they belong. There is a larger future for them here."
"And myself?" Andy asked.
"You have much in common with them," Miranda said. "They see you as one of them."
"But I'm not," Andy said. "I have no Clan blood. I'm just a journalist who grew up in Ohio."
"And they are former cheerleaders who also grew up in Ohio. And like them, you have non-Terran ancestors."
"How do you know that?" Andy asked.
"Your Aunt Sue," Miranda said.
"What did she tell you?" Andy asked. "She likes to pretend to know mysterious things."
"It is not my place to tell you," Miranda said. "But she believes there is a perfectly valid reason why you are able to use Clan tech, without Clan genetics, and I agree."
"Some day, someone will have to stop being so mysterious and explain this."
"Yes, but not today," Miranda said. She shifted into her ascended form. "I shall return shortly," she said, before disappearing.
"Damn mysterious women in my life," Andy said, grumbling. "Never a complete answer where half of one will do." Shaking her head, she flopped back down into her chair.