Fandom Trooper Station, Thursday

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

Jessica had lost a bet. That's why she was wearing a Trooper helmet today. Otherwise, it was just a quiet day in the station, with clones answering phones and filing reports and the like.

No, she wasn't going to mention what the bet was about, and if the Troopers were smart neither would they. All that anyone would say was that the stakes were low.

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[ungue.livejournal.com]

Laura hadn't visited the Trooper Station before, and she hadn't seen Jessica in a while. So going for a visit was strategically sound plus saved her from another day sulking under her bed feeling miserable. She had thought about maybe doing something nice and bringing her coffee, but Laura had no idea whether Jessica liked coffee, or what kind (there were too many kinds).

"Hello", she said as she strode in, trying not to look like a highly trained assassin.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

Jessica turned to Ralph. "I have a visitor. Can I get rid of...? Fine." Ralph's helmet was on, too, so Jessica could only see him shake his head. She just KNEW that he was smiling.

"Hey, Laura," she said, turning back toward the entrance. "Don't mind the helmet. We're just going to call this official police business."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

"I do not mind the helmet." She really didn't, nor planned to mention it. "Should I?" Because it was useful to know if she was missing some social cue here. "Does it bother you to be seen with it?"

If she only meant to be a bother....

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"It's not really my style," Jessica said. She gave Ralph a dirty look that nobody could see. "But other than that, it's not a big deal. How's life for those of us without helmets right now? Hopefully you're not in the middle of an emergency that we've derailed with this helmet talk."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

"Nothing that concerns the island, I think. I just wanted to talk." But now Laura felt a bit bad because she wasn't sure she was simply coming to Jessica because she was a clone too. Tall about inconsiderate, she hadn't even got her coffee in the end.

"Do you like coffee?" Better ask when there was a chance.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

No need to feel bad, Jessica was here for talking. And she was looking for a natural way to dork out about the fact that everyone in the room - including the troopers - was a clone. How often did that happen?

"I'm a scientist-slash-cop who keeps weird hours in my spare time. Coffee is my lifeblood," Jessica explained. "That said, I'm not picky about it. It's a tool to get caffeine into my system. I think that all adds up to a yes."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

It would probably cause Laura to, you know, emote. In a very surprised way, at first, and then it was likely she would feel oddly at ease. Of course, she might try to take some helmets off first.

"I see..." She actually didn't, but Jessica was basically saying she was a superhero. "Okay, next time I will bring you some. Do you prefer any kind?"

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"I'm happy with whatever," Jessica said. "I'd offer you some of the station's coffee, but it's from space and it tastes kind of weird to me so I avoid it whenever possible. Which isn't often."

[ungue.livejournal.com]

Laura wasn't all that fond about coffee, but space coffee?

"I would not mind trying some. I trust my immune system to fend off whatever might be in it." And that didn't make it sound like Jessica was offering acid to her. The unfunny kind of acid.

[craftyladyparts.livejournal.com]

"Well, that is a convenient excuse to get rid of the helmet," Jessica said, pulling the helmet off and tossing it easily across the room to another trooper. "Sorry guys, I have to drink space coffee."

Ralph corrected her by calling it "caf," but she was purposely not listening. " Follow me, Laura, and learn the weirdly bitter magic of coffee from the galaxy the troopers call home." The tour took about five steps and led to what pretty much looked like a normal coffee machine, where Jessica poured two cups.