There are a few advantages to being taller than the average cat. For one thing, natural terrain advantage. In the language of Posture, she naturally saw the furthest and projected the deepest calm. It was easy to win arguments when by standing up straight she could drive her fellow Hybrasilians into climbing just to get a read on her eyes, which dealt a blow on the first point of rhetoric before a word was even necessarily spoken. For another thing the Terenians tended to take her more seriously than many others of their kind since their religion preached physical size as a path to piety and cleaner living. At least so far as she understood it. Strange people. By far the strangest breed in space. Nevertheless, fascinating. 

But in any case these things were not relevant to the current situation. The final advantage of height, and by a delightful coincidence the only one that matters right now: leverage. No mythical goddess' body had she. And even though she trained, the fact was her muscle mass was lower than the average pilot's by dint of her control scheme and the physical realities of the motions she did not need to perform like they did. But so what? Simply having longer legs was all she needed. A bend at the knee and she is positioned. Grab, high and low. Snap to full extension and:

"Meep!"

"Up we go, cutiewhiskers! My oh my, what a wonderful introduction, thank you much. Good girl, good girl! And you brought your little art project as well? I can't wait to see it; I'm sure it will be just [i]precious[/i]. But not just yet, ok ripple? You've been on your little feet for so long, and now it's time to rest."

Matty is actually lighter than expected. With one hand at her knees and the other on the back of her neck, she tucks almost instantly into Mirror's chest and wraps her arms around her to make this outcast engineer the easiest carry Mirror can currently remember holding. All down to the surprise of the moment. All down to leverage. There are moments where she is grateful to be herself, instead of some other happier cat. This is such of one.

She moves quickly over to the couch, before her legs can develop a tremble and shatter the illusion. She sits while she can still do so gracefully, and leans into the armrest to support her back enough that she can easily hold Matty curled up in her lap with her head nestled close against Mirror's chest. The robe shifts dangerously. It's really only Matty's ability to stay still like a good girl that's for certain keeping it on her at the moment. Too much squirming and she might get more than she's ready for, the poor thing.

The heat pouring off her body is pleasant. Muscles loosen along Mirror's back and stomach in particular, and she sighs with contentment as the shuddering, embarrassed purr starts to vibrate through her bones. Her eyes flick across the room to Slate, who grins.

"Well that's just plain unfair, Boss. You know I was trying to stay mad at you, right? How'm I supposed to do that now that I've actually seen her. Damn you. Just... damn you, you're too good."

"Don't scare her, Selin. You've only just met. For that matter, she and I have only just met."

"Yeah, and you're already like that because... ok, right right, you're right as usual. I'm sorry. Hi there, you adorable thing you, my name is... is... Boss, do I really gotta do this?"

"The crew's not here, Selin. Matty will not be joining it in any official capacity. Her master was very adamant that I do not poach her for any purpose but this one. She gave you her name, don't hide behind modernity now."

Her smile is serene as she plays with Matty's hair. Slate watches with a silly expression on her face in spite of herself, heart visibly melting in real time. She clicks her tongue, the ultimate sign of the defeated.

"My revenge is going to be swift and brutal, and that's the last I'm gonna say about it right now. Ok cutie, you'd like my name? I'm Selin Makers, Laughing Story. Please just call me Slate. 'Mom' will do fine too, if you decide you're here for that. I'm Mira's chief mechanic, so you know, and Mira's first partner. If you take her, that means taking me too. After all, I'm originally the one who pushed her to look for someone like you. Though that was years ago, and she refused. Stars and spots, did she refuse. Hahaha, you should have seen... well, anyway."

There's a spot of silence in the room. Matty's purring stops, and she even risks Mirror's robe and grip for a chance to sit up and listen. Face full of cautious curiosity. Mirror says nothing, but watches on. Slate nods, and is left to pick up the pieces.

"Yup, see, that's the thing you have, Matty. The thing that Mirror needs and can't get from anyone else she's met. You've got kind've a heart on your sleeve thing going, don't you? You're very easy for her to read. Notice how confidently she picked you up just now? You never see that with someone she's just met. But with you... well ok, here. You said you didn't quite fit in on Hybrasil? Then you'll fit in this room just fine, see? We're a couple outcasts ourselves. Even before the big incident that got Mirror her stupid nickname.

"I don't want to overwhelm you since you're new and all, right? So I'm not gonna drop anybody's entire life story on your head, you just need to understand a really important thing that Mirror's never going to be able to explain to you. She can't, it short circuits her to try. I called myself her partner, but I don't got dibs on her. We're not in competition, you and me. Mirror, she's got the biggest heart in the entire universe, got me? And she needs... a lot. A lot a lot, to fill it. You could be a part of that, if you wanted to. Casual or serious, just show up and be yourself."

"You decide." Mirror's interjection is clipped, and desperately tense.

"And that's all, really. You won't have her all to yourself, but you'll never ever lose her for as long as you stay. Easy, right? As for me, don't worry. I think you're [i]adorable[/i]. And matter of fact I'm pretty damn interested in what you've brought with you in a professional capacity. Real damn interested. So take a sec, right? Thanks for not hopping straight out've her lap. Real decent of you. Just think over how you feel about what I told you, and what Mirror's showing you, and then let's go ahead and see what you've got to show us. Don't worry too much about putting it all into words; the way you carry yourself while you're giving your little presentation will tell us both most've what we need to know. The rest we'll settle over drinks later. It'll be fun!"

"You like dumplings? We've got leftovers. I can. Feed you. If you want it."