"Do you ever wish we could dye our hair?" Pyrondi asked Hammerly once on shift.
Hammerly shrugged. "Not really. I don't know what color I would dye mine to, anyway. It would be a pain to keep up with on deployment. Why, do you want to?"
"Last shore leave, I dyed my hair the color of a red giant. It was a washout dye, so it was gone by the time I reported for duty." Pyrondi stuck a finger into her bunned up blonde hair. "We wear caps all the time anyway. It's not like anyone can see our hair."
Hammerly laughed. "Some people can't see what we look like at all. They don't even know there are women in the navy."
Pyrondi laughed at that too, but it was a sadder chuckle. "It's these darn officer uniforms. They don't do anything for us ladies."
"Better frumpy than oversexualized, I say." Faro cut into their conversation on her way around the bridge. "I don't need any more condescension than we get already."
Well of course Faro would say that, Pyrondi thought to herself. She kept her hair short as a man's. Even though women were allowed to wear "natural" cosmetics on deployment, Faro didn't bother with any. Pyrondi had a few, but she wasn't consistent. If she couldn't wear glittery eyeshadow and bright lipstick, what was the point?
"I just think it would be nice if the supply depots realized women aren't built like shorter men." Hammerly gestured to her chest to make her point. "I bind every morning, and it still isn't enough for me."
"Trust me, they do not give us men's pants. Men's pants have a lot more space in the front."
Faro and Hammerly turned to Pyrondi, each fighting to keep a smile off their face. Faro did her best to keep her voice low. "And how would you know that, Lieutenant?"
Pyrondi grinned mischievously. "Would you two believe me if I said the laundry droid had a mixup?"
"No," they said simultaneously.
Pyrondi muffled her laugh with her hand. She could try to look innocent, but she knew better than to lie to superior officers. "Well, then I guess you know me too well."
Faro shook her head good naturedly, then turned to leave. "Back to work, both of you."
"Yes, ma'am!" They saluted as Commander Faro left their neighboring stations behind.
Thrawn had not chosen to command the bridge that day. It was a slow shift on the Chimaera, so the officers could afford a moment of small talk. Nothing wrong with making the day pass a little quicker.
And who could resist when they worked next to such a good friend?
A/N's: Just a little ficlet about some of our female officers on the Chimaera. I headcanon Pyrondi as being more into traditionally feminine things as a hobby (like hair dye and makeup). She's also blonde in my fancast.
Happy 4th of July to all who celebrate. If you're in the UK, don't forget to vote!
