Lieutenant Dedmon and Treecy stopped talking to each other socially and only spoke when needed by their jobs. This went on for several days. It got so bad that they made it through an entire shift without saying a single word to each other. Even at the officer's mess, they refused to speak to or about each other.

Kumiko looked at Monique and asked, "What's wrong with you Mo?"

She scrunched up her face and shook her head, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Seriously? You're going to make me ask her? You know she will tell me exactly what happened without any omission. She's super reliable like that." Kumiko said staring into Monique's eyes without blinking.

"Fine. It's like this... She said I was a bully. I got mad and blew up at her. Now she won't talk to me. Only answering questions as needed for her position."

"You ARE a bully." Kumiko shook her head, "You have always been a bully as long as I have known you. Pretty girls are almost always the ones you bully the worst. It's why I was against you working with her in the first place."

"Fuck you, Kumiko! Name one person I have ever bullied!" Monique slammed a fist down on the table.

"Tanya, Linda, Patricia, Florence, Melissa, Hannah..."

"What, no way, I did not bully Hannah, she just got upset... You know what, fine. Maybe I have bullied some people." Monique threw her hands up in defeat.

"De Santos is just about the easiest to talk to person I have ever met, seriously, how did you make that girl unwilling to talk to you? You're leaving something out."

Monique rolled her eyes and then said, "I told her that someone like her could never understand what it's like to truly be just an average girl. I mean, she's fucking amazingly gorgeous for one. Not to mention smart, charming, athletic... We've all seen her dominate the best guys in the squadron at any game."

Kumiko facepalmed and shook her head, "You are such a dumb bitch. That's compared to us, to people born centuries before she was born. We have no frame of reference to what life is like for modern people. We are cavemen compared to her but she has done everything we have asked just for the chance to fit in here. Yeah, she looks beautiful. She's super smart. She's a freak athlete. She is all but perfect. Compared with us. What you have to understand is that out there, back in the worlds we come from, there are people that make her feel average."

"Fine, maybe I am a dumb bitch, but someone that has known me for all of a couple of days, or even weeks doesn't need to be telling me that shit."

"What the fuck ever, Mo, I tell you that all the time." Kumiko sighed and then asked, "So, how will you fix it? You can't be sitting in that office giving her busy work the AI does better without talking. That's criminal."

"It's not better. She does work at the same level as the AI." Monique shrugged, "She's honestly too good at everything to be in my office anymore. I am going to recommend she be transferred to another department."

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"Wow. Ok, but are you going to at least try to apologize?"

Monique shook her head and looked away, "No, I think it's better if we just stay away from each other."

Kumiko shook her head and rubbed at her eyes, "You know why we have stayed friends all these years even with you harboring that stupid crush on me?"

"You... How long have you known?"

Kumiko flicked her on the tip of her nose, "Since the first day of the academy? You are totally obvious you know. Anyway, the reason we are friends still is that I always patch things back up with you even when you are the one being a total asshole."

"So, you are saying that I need to be the one to patch things up?" Monique shook her head, "I don't think I can do that. I mean, it's not like I can't do that, I mean I don't think I know how to fix things with her. Also, would you like to date me?"

"No, I only like men. As for how you patch things up with her, just apologize and maybe try to meet her halfway. How about inviting her to play a game together or something?"

"Like ask her out on a date?"

"Sure, the worst she can do is say no, well ok, the worst she can do is laugh and call you a name or something, but from what I have seen of her she usually takes the high road even with people that offend her. Like you."

Monique had a complicated expression the rest of the day after talking to Kumiko. She tried to talk herself out of following the advice but always kept coming around to following it. She had been avoiding the entertainment grid so as to not accidentally bump into Treecy which couldn't go on forever, there was only so much hiding in her cabin that she could tolerate. So she decided to link in right after dinner.

Monique's eyes went wide. It was her first time seeing the improved entertainment grid. Alice walked up to her and warmly hugged her, "Welcome to Wonderland, Mo."

"Wh-who are you?" She looked Alice over from head to toe. The only other woman she had ever seen who was so beautiful was Treecy.

"I am Alice, I am your entertainment director. Tell me, what is it that I can do for you?" Alice started walking with Monique.

"I need to find Treecy de Santos," Monique stated brusquely and then softened quite a bit before adding, "I mean, I need to find her so I can apologize."

Alice smiled, "Mm, it's good that you feel this way. You should never leave a relationship damaged for long. Even if you don't feel the relationship needs to continue it's always best to at the very least have some closure. Come, we'll go find her together." Alice took hold of Monique's arm and led her down a garden path. They walked for a few minutes before finding Treecy surrounded by officers from the other Destroyers who were cheering for her as she played a game of chess using people as the chess pieces.

"Knight to B5, check!" Treecy called out.

"And mate. Damn it, that's what, five games? I give up, miss de Santos your skills are the real thing." A handsome man who sat in a tall chair on the other side of the board laughed and shook his head in defeat.

"Major Haugen, you aren't bad yourself. The truth is that this game is way too easy for me, because of my enhanced mind. I know every possible move and its counter. In a way, you could say that my skills are a cheat, it's a bit like I am using an AI to compete with you. For that, I'm sorry." Treecy apologized and then climbed down from the chair allowing another one of the officers to take her seat.

Alice led Monique over to Treecy and said, "Hello Treecy, I've brought someone who would like to speak with you in private."

Treecy nodded and then asked, "Alice, would it be possible for us to use a private tea room for a while?"

Alice smiled and nodded to her and led them down a different garden trail into a small side garden with a table, an umbrella, and two chairs. On the table was a tray of small desserts along with an old-fashioned pot of tea with cups and saucers. Alice bowed to the two ladies and spoke, "When you are done, simply leave the garden and the rest will be taken care of." She made a graceful exit after that leaving the two women alone.

Treecy poured a cup of tea for Monique and then poured one for herself after the two women sat at the table. Monique was the first to speak, "Treecy, I just want to apologize for the things I said, they were spoken out of ignorance."

Treecy nodded, and then answered, "Yes, I know." She paused for a moment and saw anger flash across the other woman's face, "Wait, let me explain first, that sounded much more inflammatory than I meant. What I mean is, you are ignorant of some important history between your era and mine. It's hard for me to explain this, but how well do you know ancient human history?"

"Not that well, but I do know some, I suppose?"

"Are you familiar with the various technological revolutions? Well, shortly after the great war there was a genetic revolution. Humanity started to make huge strides in gene manipulation looking to solve some of humanity's oldest problems and wishes. Standards for intelligence, beauty, athleticism, and health were all established. With an agreement on those, they then unlocked the secret to longevity."

Monique scrunched up her face and then asked, "Wait, so then you are serious when you say that everyone is as beautiful as you are?"

Treecy nodded, "I don't mean it like, there are so many beauties running around that I am just a face in the crowd, I mean every single baby born after the genetics revolution is altered to a set standard of beauty. There is no one born after the year 1023PB who isn't altered genetically."