Chapter Text
Oasis was awe-inspiring.
Tall, beautiful buildings in light colors decorated with gold. Large windows that reflected the sunlight on every surface. Blooming vines and flowers fell from the structures like a waterfall and invited you to just stop and admire.
It felt like a city of light, of hope, of wonders… of possibilities. And what possibilities? It was as stepping into the future. This was a city of science, of progress, where some of the world’s most intelligent people had moved together to learn, to create, to discover…
Without restrictions…
And so… no matter how beautiful it all was, no matter how many times Angela had stopped in her track to inspect yet another wonder, she also knew what the price had been. What the price still was. Everything was beautiful in Oasis. But how would it affect the world around it? What would the discoveries in these very buildings lead to? And who were funding them?
There was a reason Angela had never gone here before. She had heard of it, of course. Everyone had… and part of her had wanted to, longed to see what they did here, see what she could do here… but she knew. She knew what you could do here – anything. And she knew the people you were giving it to.
Angela was here because of a medical conference.
Usually she would have stayed away, like she had so many times before, but this time they were demonstrating a new concept – a prototype – that seemed to be working with some of the same ideas as her nanobiology. There were things to be learned here that could be crucial to her own research and bring her closer to perfect the way her healing technology worked. While she had no illusions of any collaborations, she wanted to hear what had been thought and discovered and, if she got the chance, ask a few questions.
That’s how she found herself in Oasis, that’s why she was at the conference and that was why she was now looking into the eyes of a woman she had thought she might never meet again. Moira O’Deorain. She had known it was a possibility of course, it was no secret that Moira was leading the Ministry of Genetics. She really shouldn’t be surprised by seeing her here tonight… though it was very clear that the other woman was.
“Dr. Ziegler”
Moira had been by her side in a matter of seconds, her expression no longer surprised, back to the cool confidence that Angela had grown accustomed to.
“Dr. O’Deorain” Angela replied with a short nod. She was dressed in some sort of purple attire, with long… was that silk? Silk sleeves that reminded her of a night sky. The entire outfit screamed Moira. It was an eye-catcher, dramatic and paired with her height, demeanor and stance… quite intimidating to behold.
“I had not heard you were in Oasis” Moira frowned as she said it, clearly not happy about the news.
“I am not expected” Angela glanced up at Moira “so I am not surprised.”
Moira gave her a searching look “and what brings you here? Do you perhaps have something to present?” she looked around the room searchingly as if she could figure out what project belonged to her.
Angela shook her head “no, nothing like that. I am only here to observe.”
“A pity” Moira said, and for a moment Angela almost thought she meant it. Something in the way she said it, like she was truly disappointed.
“I am sure you are not unhappy with me showing up empty handed” Angela said and raised an eyebrow. There was no question which of them held the respect of the people in this room, and she imagined Moira would like to keep it that way.
“I assure you my regret is sincere.” Moira continued with a slight frown “you have not published anything in years, it’s about time you get back to work.”
Angela narrowed her eyes “and who says I am not working? I have been aiding the camps in Egypt, the people there are suffering and in need of all the help they can get. I assure you I have been busy.”
“Aiding camps in Egypt” Moira said with some contempt “playing nurse and stitching people back together? Labor work that any simpleton could be trained to do, while your intellect is wasted away.”
“If everyone did what I do the situation would not be as it is in Egypt” Angela bit back “I promise you none of my time has been wasted away”
“And yet here we stand, years later, the situation still as dire in Egypt and you with no new research. If that is not wasted time Dr. Ziegler, then I do not know what is.” Moira shook her head sadly and it made Angela’s blood boil.
“The situation might still be urgent, but we have saved countless lives out there! Children, families who would all have been ruined if not for our work!” she glared up at her “and don’t think just because I haven’t published anything that I don’t do research. Perhaps I am just careful about who gets to use it.”
Moira looked at her in surprise and suddenly she was closer, had moved into Angela’s personal space and towered above her.
“You have continued your research?”
Angela took a step back, straightening her back and kept her expression calm “that is none of your concern.”
Moira narrowed her eyes “do tell me Dr. Ziegler” something dangerous in her voice “who’s concern may it be?”
The way Moira’s voice lowered made a chill run down Angela’s spine. She tried to keep her composure, she was not intimidated by the other woman. “As I said Dr. O’Deorain” she met her eyes “that is none of your concern.”
Moira stared back at her and for a moment Angela thought she would step forward again, that she would grab her, perhaps shake her and try to force it out of her?... but then her expression was calm, cold and distant. “I see.” Her tone flat, dismissive with no hint of the heat it had held just the moment before.
Angela felt a pang of loss.
The clock struck eight and the frown was back on Moira’s face. Glancing towards Angela she seemed thoughtful and indecisive. Many things she had experienced Moira O’Deorain. Indecisive was rarely one of them.
“Would you be interested in joining me on the balcony?”
No, of course she wouldn’t. She wasn’t there to talk with Moira and they both knew that.
“I am here to hear about Dr. Byrne’s new project” Angela replied, but Moira only shook her head and placed an arm around her before leading her towards the balcony.
“It will be another half hour, we have plenty of time.”
Angela wasn’t sure what had gotten into the other woman, but once they were outside the arm was gone and Angela’s heart rate slowly returned to normal. She looked over the city and let out a soft gasp. It was beautiful at night. The entire sky laid open from up here and the stars shined much brighter than inside the big cities. How were the stars more visible?
“How are they so clear?” she found herself asking while taking it all in.
“It’s all thanks to Dr. Leigh’s research on light pollution, I would love to show you-“
Moira was interrupted by the sound of breaking glass. Angela turned around just in time to see soldiers force their way into the conference. Talon soldiers. Someone yelled a command and the guests hurriedly got on the floor. Angela moved to get to the door, but a slender yet strong arm swept around her and held her in an iron grip.
“None of them will be harmed” she heard her promise before the world faded to black.