Curiosity

Doctor Ariel Hanson wasn't one who usually asked people for advice. Given her position as the brightest individual on Agria, usually it was the other way round. But considering that Agria was overrun at best and infested at worst, not to mention that she was one of the few colonists to stay with the Raiders, it was fair to say that the situation had changed. Changed enough so that she was going to put her pride on the line and get answers that part of her mind wanted that had nothing to do with science whatsoever.

Oh come on, I'm sure you can rationalize it, shot back the part of her mind that had to do with the pursuit of good, honest knowledge. All you have to do is-…

Telling that part of her brain to shut up, Ariel took a deep breath and walked onto the Hyperion's bridge.

The scientist had been in command and control situations before, so while she'd never actually been on a Behemoth-class battlecruiser before hell's insects decided to do a number on the Koprulu Sector again, she was at least used to the form of the surroundings, if not the spirit. However, glancing around the bridge, looking at people whose names she didn't know and chances were she'd never find out, she immediately felt out of place. Not all the Raiders had agreed with their captain's decision to spend time and money on Agrian colonists, only going after the alien artifact on Monlyth later. In the time it took, they would have no doubt have set up a transaction with the Moebius Foundation by now and walked away with credits in their pockets. Still, there were some who were idealistic enough to put life before cash and to Ariel's relief, Matt Horner was one of those people.

"Hey doc," murmured the lieutenant, currently fiddling with the starmap with one hand while jotting down notes with the other, leaning on the table the entire time, "Good to see you."

Ariel blinked. It was hard to tell whether that was a greeting based on courtesy or friendship, a dichotomy that could mean a lot in a group of rebels that seemed to be split in their thoughts of the best course of action they should take.

Guess I should just be honest…

"Nice to see you too Matt," the Agrian murmured, actually telling the truth as she walked over to Raynor's XO. "You got a minute?"

Horner sighed, his gaze lingering on the starmap, particularly the numerous formations of Dominion and zerg space forces dotted around planets and star systems. Kind of like the Great War really, only without any psychic aliens to deal death from above to infected planets-an absence Ariel wasn't sure whether she was grateful for, or regretted.

"Well, my mind says no, but my back says yes," said the lieutenant eventually, returning his stature to a more vertical position and rubbing his spine to help the transition. "So what can I do for you?"

Ariel opened her mouth to speak…then closed it. Damnit. For someone who'd spent most of her life searching for the truth, even if such truths usually involved when and where to plant and rotate crops, she was certainly shying away from it now.

"Well? What is it?"

Ariel knew that she'd have to say something…anything. Because while Horner was the one to point out Agria's plight to his superior in the first place, that little escapade was over. Time would tell whether Hanson and co. would pull their weight and the doctor doubted that being tongue tied would leave the best impression.

Ah, just go for it. You've lost your home to the zerg, what else can you lose?

"It's about Raynor," blurted out the Agrian.

"Raynor?" asked Horner, now appearing curious. "What about him?"

"Well, you've known him longer than anyone else on this ship," pointed out the scientist. "And you're probably the most reciprocal person on this…fine ship to my presence."

Horner's visage darkened-not because of narrowly avoided insults, but rather because of the mention of certain people. Tychus, Tosh…Ariel didn't know the details, but from what she'd heard, their relations weren't exactly rosy.

"And admittedly you're not the only one," the terran continued. "But Stedman's drunk himself to a stupor and Swan isn't going anywhere till he's decided whether one of our Vikings says 'death from above' or 'death from below.' So, while you're not exactly the last resort…"

"But you figured I'd have more important work to do?"

"Yeah. Pretty much," replied Ariel truthfully. "And I guess you could also provide the best answer…"

Horner remained silent, but as far as the scientist could tell, it was a good silence, the type that prompted an individual to get whatever was on his or her mind out in the open and let the reciprocant deal with it. So, seizing the opportunity, the Agrian decided to do just that.

"Raynor's been leading you guys in a fight against the Dominion for four years," Ariel began. "You've formed alliances with the Kel-Morian Combine and even the Alliance itself. Now on one hand, as far as I can tell, your efforts haven't been that successful, courtesy of everything from propaganda to superior manpower. But when the perfect chance to nail the Dominion presents itself, when the zerg invade en masse, you turn most of your attention to the critters. Why?"

It was a long speech, but too his credit, the lieutenant didn't seem too taken aback. An eyebrow raised perhaps, but nothing major.

"You saying we should attack the Dominion right now?" asked Horner curiously. "You know, hit 'em while they're down?"

Ariel shrugged. "I'm not a soldier Matt, I'm in no position to tell you what you should and shouldn't do right now. Certainly attacking either target doesn't strike me as particularly amoral, but saving as many Fringe Worlds as you can…well, I guess that's on the way to the moral highground at least."

"And you're wondering why Raynor took it."

It was a statement, not a question. Still, even if it had been the latter, any thesis behind it would have been correct.

"I've been with Jim ever since Mar Sara back in '99," said Horner eventually, the use of his superior's forename not going unnoticed. "And if you want an explanation as to why he's shifted from the Dominion to zerg, it's because he needs to. He needs focus. He needs to do the right thing. Mengsk's propaganda may say otherwise, but we're making a difference out here. We're saving lives, we're killing zerg and fighting the good fight." The lieutenant smiled. "Or I'm babbling. Either way, Jim's got his fire back. And whether it be against the Dominion or aliens, I'm glad he's got it back."

Ariel smiled also. With the pilot putting things that way, she couldn't help but be glad also.

"Anyway, that's just me," said Horner eventually, picking up his notebook in a move to indicate he'd said his part and it was time to get back to work. "I could be wrong. Still, most women want the story, but I guess you're the only one who-…"

"Wait, what women?"

Horner glanced at Hanson, a wary look on her features.

"Guess you've never been into a Fringe World cantina before," the lieutenant murmured. "Well, let me tell you that when the evil empire has dubbed you 'public enemy number one, you tend to be quite popular with those who resent said empire. Which is most people out here by the way. And when you combine such resentment with the opposite sex…"

Ariel blinked. She'd seen the zerg do some horrible things on Agria and she doubted those images would escape her mind anytime soon. But the images floating through her head now weren't much better…

"Still, he's never taken up any of the offers," Horner continued, zooming back in on the starmap. "Too many inner demons I guess."

Feeling absurdly pleased, Hanson toyed with inquiring about those inner demons, but decided against it. Not only had the lieutenant made it clear that the conversation was over, but something told her she'd be overstepping the line to inquire. And besides, she'd got the information she wanted. What else was there?

Then again, as she exited the bridge, Ariel Hanson knew that she was beginning to realize that her curiosity wasn't entirely scientific…