Oh, so that’s why she’s on about cliques—Sari has twisted it so things she said are attributed to others. How clever of her.
“Maybe if we let go of past slights, we can move on together?” Marina pipes up.
I smile at her. “There have been a ton of slights against a ton of people over time—some known, some unknown, some imagined, and some made up. Moving on from them would be the best outcome.”
“If we want this community to survive, we have to let them go,” the oft-missing woman says.
“It’s not as simple as that, Marina. Without resolution, people can’t move on. I’ll try, but I can’t guarantee anything.” Sari drops back into her chair next to Amanda, and I realize that everyone re-arranged the chairs to form groups while I wasn’t paying attention.
“What do you need for resolution on this topic?” I ask carefully.
We’ll never get out of here if she doesn’t tell us this one damn thing.
“The people with personal issues need to go to their respective corners and deal with it.” Amanda reaches over and steals Sari’s beer.
“To apologize.” Sari grins and swipes the beer back.
I want to puke again. That’s super cute, but I’m not apologizing to Sari for anything, ever.
Other people start handing out apologies, and I want to stab myself in the eye. This fixes nothing, but I have to take part or I’ll look like I’m dismissing their suggestions. “I apologize for seeming unavailable and not knowing that some people felt slighted.”
“Nothing personal, but if you ladies on the council want the community to be better, you need to set the tone. It may not be fair, but what you do is viewed differently than a normal person. Keep in mind—you have to model what you want to see.” Sari gives me a satisfied look, thinking she’s boxed me into a corner.
My eyes narrow. “I understand leaders lead, and don’t refuse to take the stick because they feel the surrounding people are unworthy of their genius. However, I will not have my private life dictated to me by anyone.”
“Tamara, you’re last,” Lily interrupts. Her face says we need to end this meeting before one of us murders the rest of them.
“Do I get the stick?”
“Yes,” I reply as I toss it to her. “You do. Thanks for asking.”
“Not to rehash, but Rita has a point about cliques. I haven’t been anywhere so ‘grade school’ since grade school. That might be perception, and approaching more people might help. A lot of the problems originate from one person, as I told Delipreviously. I have not resolved those issues, but I want this place to be somewhere I love again, so I’m willing to let it go.”
She pauses for a moment and continues. “The lack of communication between new people and the current residents is horrible. I want people to talk to someone if they have a problem, not to tell others not to associate with them. Now, I’m done.”
I look at Sari, who was definitely the one who spread that rumor. What she didn’t relay to anyone was that Tamara was being inappropriate with every clone or droid she met. She acted as if she was cruising the strip in Vegas for an escort. It was creepy, and she did not take gentle brush-offs for an answer. She caused that problem by treating our families like fresh meat.
And lots of people complained to the Council in private.
Talia brushes off her pants as she ditches her glass on the bar. “Okay, ladies. Are we done here? I think we’ve beaten everything into the ground, and while I’m all for that most days, I’d like to get home to my husband.”
I nod. “I think we are. Everyone?” I look around at the nodding heads. “Good. See you all in a month? I am committing to a meeting once a month so we can work together.”
“That’s a great idea!” Tamara grins.
Feeling Talia’s eyes on me, I force a smile at them. “Maybe next month we’ll allow all citizens to attend? I, too, want to get back to my spouse because, honestly? I’ve a yen to eat some people and get laid.” Lily’s eyes widen and I shrug. “Hell, woman, they all know I’m pregnant. That’s the total of what I want at all times right now.”
“Not true! Sometimes you want sparklies,” Talia grins happily.
“Okay, fine, but I am going to eat people and get laid. I will see you all next month!”
I wink at them and pop out before anyone can argue.
Take that, you whiny bitches.
Internal Company Memo: Eyes Only, Clearance Level Alpha
DISTRIBUTION: OPERATIONS DIRECTOR (MIKHAIL, 004); TRAINING DIRECTOR (TIBERIUS, 005); OVERSIGHT, ANALYSIS DEPARTMENT, INTEL DEPARTMENT, SECURITY DIRECTOR (BRUTUS, 006), FACILITIES DIRECTOR (BENTON, 008), CYBERSECURITY DIRECTOR (QUARK, 007), RENDITION SUPERVISORS (RASPUTIN, 009; NERO, 010)
