[i]A few seconds ago.[/i] The Lozanos enter the Gala - headed, as always, by Almira Lozano: Matriach, Noble, Climber. The titles she holds beyond that are irrelevant amidst tonight's crowd and that [i]rankles [/i]her ... but she can't let that show. She has to use the tools at her disposal and be happy for their results. Gabriel shuffles along behind her, a dashing figure with his pointed beard and tall stature. It was a pity his mind is not suited to Politics. He was better in his lab and would have still been there had it not been that a function this exclusive demanded his attendance. Luca comes next, the Shard of Bellerophon on his hip signifying his status as a pilot - albeit one not as accomplished as his sister. One could spend a lifetime lamenting the roll of fate involved when his compatibility had only come out in the eighties, but Almira had known all she had to do was try and try again - until she got one whose mech compatibility was acceptably high. Tad and Cam come next, somewhat subdued, as she had had to talk them out of making a scene just earlier. Influencers to the core, the thought of passing up a chance to make their entry was anathema. But she couldn't afford the distraction from their sister, not tonight. Not when that one was the core of their family's reason to be here. And speaking of their sister ... her face in particular is missing. The rest of the family regroups before filing their way into the entryway crowd. Does Almira stop to see what comes next? Isabelle can't tell from where she is ... but there's no turning back now. The drones have followed the family in. Everything is in place. -------------------=====================---------------------------- [i]A few minutes ago.[/i] The Crystal Gala of Akkar ... even knowing what she knew, it didn't really prepare her for the sight of that spiral station, glistening in the black on approach. She'd been informed of the order of events at the last minute - a habit of her mother's when handling travel plans - and had had to make some fast changes. [i]The lack of formal announcements will make this difficult.[/i] In truth, she was now a little worried about how it would come across. Amidst so much opulence and notability - the literal cream of the crop - would it be just a drop in an ocean? An amateurish piece of showmanship, quickly forgotten or ignored as the efforts of a neophyte? Would it hurt the family image? Would it upset her mother even more than she planned to? She glanced across the shuttle at the other woman sitting there. Too late to back out now. Besides, she'd made a [i]promise[/i]. -------------------=====================---------------------------- [i]Earlier that day.[/i] "And, of course, you will attend at the tail end of our family delegation. Our image will be ..." here, her mother struggles for a word. "... complimented, by the knowledge that we have at least one passable pilot to our name." "Yes, mother." Isabelle replies. "Bring your Kikuji dress and make sure to enter on the heels of the twins. You will be given a place by yourself, as befits a pilot, and to enforce that you [i]chose [/i]to accompany your family." [i]Oh, that's not going to work.[/i] "... actually, mother. If I might suggest a different option?" Isabelle replies, thinking furiously. "I would like to use the opportunity to showcase some of the new work that the teams have put together. Madame Toldeo in particular has been looking at the dress we purchased and is very keen to make some alterations. I think it would help us make a more memorable splash on the international scene and hopefully catch the eye of some of the notables." Isabelle meets her mother's eyes innocently, carefully showing some hesitant pride in what they have. A calculated effort, enough enthusiasm to pique the older woman's interests, but not [i]too[/i] eager, lest her mother worry about the scale and the potential risks involved with her daughter's idea. " ... go on ..." -------------------=====================---------------------------- [i]The previous night.[/i] "So, you'll really come?" "Hey, with an invitation like that, how can I say no?" "Well, I'm pretty sure you [i]could[/i], but you'd mostly do it just to annoy me." "Ooof, Lozano, skewered through the heart." she replies, mock grasping her chest. "And here I thought you liked me?" Isabelle giggles, a sound that Asil is coming to recognise from their time together in the lab. It's not one that she ever hears in other contexts - not in public, not amongst her family - it's a sound just for the two of them. It's a sound she's coming to ... well, it does odd things to her stomach, that's for sure. Different to the burning fire she'd felt in that office all that time ago, but still nice. "You sure this thing will work? We made, like, eight of them and only two are functional." she says instead. "I ... yeah, I think - no, I [i]know [/i]they will." "How can you be sure? I mean, I know you worked on them the longest, so not doubting your skills, but what we're trying to get them to do - the contextual interfaces - it's complex." "I just know." Isabelle replies, almost shyly. "They'll work." -------------------=====================---------------------------- [i]A few days ago.[/i] "So, I think that does it for the deal. The lawyers will look over the final document and give it their customary fine-tooth-combing, but for all the major points; I think we're agreed." Isabelle says, looking over the contract one last time and passing the key terms sheet to Rosa. "You know, even looking at this, I can't believe you'd agree to it." "Yeah, me neither. But ..." Isabelle pauses, she herself finds it difficult to believe given how they'd behaved to each other in the past. "Sometimes you have to take a risk right?" "... You're not talking about the financials, are you?" "No." "Yeah, I get it. Our parents hate each other and we've not really spoken outside of things like Elena's parties. You probably thought I was always happy to go along with her shit. Or worse." "Well, you probably thought the same about me and my mother's goals right?" Isabelle replies. "Wouldn't have been wrong, either." "And what's changed?" "Well, not much, admittedly." she says. "I'll have to get her signoff on this, no matter how reluctant she is and how much information I'm trying to keep from her. But she's been giving me more leeway as the competition has progressed. I'm hoping that the wins are keeping her happy and she's willing to ignore the small stuff in the name of the 'bigger picture' that the Gala promises." "And you'd really risk it for [i]this[/i], of all things?" "... You're not talking about the deal, are you?" Rosa laughs, a genuine one. "No." Isabelle smiles. "Yeah, I get it. And yes, I'm risking it. She doesn't give me much room, and I can't honestly say what I'd do if she comes down hard on the idea, but I've got a little space and I want to [i]use [/i]it. It wasn't right how Elena dropped you just because the market turned against you. Like she didn't even care. She should know you matter." "... she should think of you as a person, not just as an accessory. Not just as how you fit into her plans." Rosa gives Isabelle's shoulder a squeeze. "And you're not just talking about Elena there, are you?" "... no." -------------------=====================---------------------------- [i]Right now.[/i] It starts when the floor begins to glow. A shimmering, rainbow haze descends over the walls and station airlock. Small pinpricks of light begin to descend from the ceiling like snow. Miniature stars, they waft and then swirl as if stirred by an unseen wind, building in speed and intensity as more and more join their number. Just as they descend, more specks of ... well, not light ... of [i]blackness[/i]. Start to build around the floor. They swirl in counterpoint to the light coming from above. Converging, merging, until a glowing sun takes form, backed by an umbral eclipse. There is an instant where they freeze before they begin to take the shape of ... a woman - of [i]two[/i] women, back to back. One of yellow starlight, the other of black space. The two shapes raise swords, tips apart, before slashing them through the air. The tips trail white and form two moons, facing outwards from the middle. The twin crescents hang in the air before everything explodes in light and cherry blossoms. The two people thrust out arms, which shimmer in light and dark before resolving into the sleeves of a kimono. They turn, repeating the gesture with their other side and, in the process, a line of light traces out their obi. The strike a pose, swords to the sky, as their kamikazari sparkle into being. Finally they turn to the crowd and, with a final flurry of blossoms and light, the spectacle ends. When it fades, standing in the circle, both breathing somewhat heavily, are Isabelle and Rosalinda. Their dresses match, both traditional kimonos of Kikuji design. But where Rosa's is tinged with yellow and orbited by a few of the golden fireflies from earlier, Isabelle's is tinged with silver and orbited by flakes of snow. Rosa looks out over the crowd - uncertainty on her face, but Isabelle takes her hand, descending the steps into the crowd with the other woman. Whatever reaction they got was somehow less important than what they had done together. The drones, a small school of them that had been hidden above and behind, obediently follow them into the crowd. Most folding up into a belt along their backs, but some still orbiting to keep their dresses' effects going. Asil, Madame Toldeo and Chief Tomas would enter afterwards. Isabelle's personal entourage. Ostensibly there to observe the technical effects and whether any changes would be needed to the designs of dress or drone. Each had played a role in the demonstration just now. Madame Toldeo had altered the kimonos to accomodate the swords and accessories (such as the drone control bracelets) that they now wore up their sleeves. While Tomas had worked hard to make it so that the drones would display well to the other races. That they'd actually simulate real wind, and that the 'heat' of the lights would be enough to obscure Isabelle and Rosa's entry into the station until they were in position for the reveal. And as for Asil - well, they'd worked out the routine between them. Filled it with references only the two of them would get. The sword poses were lifted from a book Isabelle had read once upon a time, while the double-crescent was Asil's suggestion. It was actually something she recognised from the Space Witch intro movie in Fantasy Battle Online (although, Asil was the only one who knew that this was itself an homage to the anime Magica Puella Hero Acadamy). Isabelle would find her later, when the time came for dances to be had and quiet corners to be found. For now though, she would mingle with the other Terenians and wait until other guests arrived to see if any were of interest.