Home Truths.

<Snip>
“I know we all have our skeletons in our closets but it’s different when you’re a GELF doc. We aren’t seen as humans so we are often treated as second class citizens. For a long time my only purpose was to look pretty so over time I began to believe that it was my lot in life to be abused by people. Then when I escaped the agency I found the JMC and discovered a new world where I could be something new. Unfortunately even as a Navigation Officer I was just a hot “piece of arse” to the guys and the women hated me because they were often ignored by the guys when I was around. Eventually I made some friends with some trouble makers but they didn’t survive when I woke up. However Jaxx was the first guy who saw me as a person. He made me laugh, he made me angry, he made me happy and he made me sad, but he always put me first even when it meant putting his life on the line. He really is a great guy once you get to know him.” Evelina then went silent again as she watched the Ssala working and wondering if Dr. Black would reply with more than just one word.
</Snip>

"Do you think I fancy you?" Jade said, looking into the middle distance.

"Well obviously no, you are a woman." Eve said, with a small smirk.

"Yes, but I am bisexual." Jade said, continuing to stare. "I find women attractive as well as men, yet you assume I am not attracted to you. Why?"

"Well even so, no. You're..." Eve said hesitantly, tailing off realising that whatever she said next would make her sound horribly sexist.

"So why do you think that every man finds you attractive? Why do you think they are any different to me?" Jade asked, finally looking across at Eve.

"I..." She tailed off, not sure how to reply.

“Eve?” Jade said again after a few minutes had passed.

“Yeah” The GELF replied, looking over at Jade.

“The only person who hates GELF’s here is you.” Jade said, looking across at the woman, a stern look on her face. It was time someone set her straight, and with the migraine Jade wasn’t in a mood to listen to endless whining and self-pity.

“No that’s not true, Jay, he…” She began to complain again about how much Jay despised her and Jaxx but Jade sighed and cut her off.

“Is best friends with a GELF? Has two GELF God children? Is that what you were going to say?” Jade said, the pounding in her head making her grumpy and blunter than she ordinarily would be. She grimaced as a Ssala dropped something, the heavy metallic clanging pounding through her.

“No, but no one has made an effort to come talk to me because I’m a GELF, it’s always been that way. I’ve always been bullied for it, now isn’t any different” Eve said, pouting and thinking that Jade just didn’t understand how she felt.

“Yes, but you can’t tar everyone with that same brush. It’s not fair. Before the accident, did you ever go to The Chief of Navigation with your concerns?” Jade paused looking at Eve.

“No, she wouldn’t have helped, why would she help a modelling GELF wannabe navigation officer?” Eve said, remembering the dark haired young woman who was in charge of the department.

“Because she was a GELF too. I remember several times, she came to me rather than Doctor Keto as she didn’t want her father to find out she’d been fighting. It wouldn't take much for word to get back to Phil given how fond Keto was of gossip.” Jade smiled, remembering. “Once, she came to me with someone who had been making fun of a GELF in her department, must have been you thinking about it. The guy had a broken arm in three places and a dislocated jaw….” She chuckled, recalling the angry stern face of Amber as she hauled the crewman into the medical bay to be fixed up.

“That can’t be right.” Eve said with a frown.

“Yeah, it is. You have so little faith in others. You have assumed that we don’t like you and accused us of not making an effort because we are GELF haters…” She paused, watching as the Ssala began to prepare for sleep, and secure the ship module. “But let me ask you one question. You accuse us of not making an effort, you say we don’t care. But I ask you this, how does Jay take his coffee?” Jade asked simply. Eve paused, she didn’t know, she thought about it and knew how Jaxx liked his coffee, and it was no secret that Cass liked hers dark and strong, but she didn’t know how anyone else did. She thought about it a bit more, and it dawned on her what Jade was saying.

“You think I don’t make an effort?” Eve said, her face flushing with anger

“Exactly. Think about it. How many times have you sat with someone other than Jaxx in the canteen? How many times have you asked one of us to go to see a film or for a drink on the promenade? When you do think about it, ask yourself if you have, have you been with Jaxx as well? If you have, were you really paying attention to anything we did or said?” Jade closed her eyes in the silence that followed. "You don't even need to be friends with someone, but 90% of people, everyone who gives a smeg knows how the people they work with takes their coffee."

After a few minutes she reached over and touched Eve’s arm.

“I’m sorry that was rude of me to say all of that… I’m going to find somewhere to sleep.” She stood up, steadying herself against the wave of dizziness leaving Eve to her thoughts.