Prodigy

Normalicy

Kate continued her daily routine. After her garden, she moved to her music room and practiced the violin and piano, her mother’s favorite instruments. Like gymnastics, the garden, and swimming, music was a connection she got from her mother.

Kate smiled as she remembered why her mother had started her doing gymnastics, dance, and music. She had been four years old and her mother found her covered in grease as she worked on an old turbine her father had in a garage. Her mother had literally cussed her father out, but he had taken it. He said that if his little girl wanted to play with engines she could.

After music, it was time for her to study the design of an engine she had been working on. She moved to the lab. The lab was between her father’s section of the house and her section, but not in the guest quarters. It was one of the few areas of the house she and her father shared. The pool was the other. It was a collection of rooms, some with machining tools, others dedicated to electronics, and then the mechanics' bay, which was off of the auxiliary parking bay. This was where her father kept fliers that he was refurbishing. Not that he had a lot of time to refurbish anything. He was the most powerful senator in the country, but he did like to play.

Since what she was working on was theoretical, she sat at an engineering terminal and loaded her design. A three dimensional image projected into the air above the computer. She slowly walked around the image.

It was a slick design that combined the induction fans of a typical turbine, with a magnetic drive core and a few other theoretical systems. The idea was to create an imbalance of motion that would build until it opened a rift into another zone of energy that it would then use as its primary energy source. Like many of her ideas, this one had not come directly from her own mind. It was an engine that existed in her sister’s world. Epsilon didn’t say much, but she was a source of many technological ideas.

“Kate,” Her father’s voice cut through her thoughts and she turned from the display of the engine she was working on. It was a fascinating project, but if her father was home, that meant Kathy would be here soon.

“I’m in my engineering lab,” She replied. Knowing that the house’s sound system would take the message to her father. Minutes later, he walked into the room. Her father, First Senator Adrian Dawson, was a huge man. He was every millimeter of two meters tall and at least a hundred fifty kilograms in weight with absolutely no fat on him. His skin was bronzed by the suns, and his hair was a sandy blonde. His blue eyes locked on her and he smiled until he actually saw the outfit she was wearing. Then the smile turned into a grimace. “You are going out like that?” He asked softly.

She stood and looked down at herself. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” She liked the outfit. The blouse was emerald green and gold and stopped at the breast bone, exposing her smooth stomach and back. The emerald green fabric extended from her stomach to her collarbone where it became a sheer golden fabric with intricate patterns of emerald woven through it. The sleeves and back of the blouse were the same gold as the neck. She thought the colors contrasted beautifully with her skin.

She admitted that her skirt may be a little short, but the fabric matched the green of her blouse and shorts were built in under the skirts. She twirled just a little and the skirts lifted, showing the gold trimmings of the shorts. While short, there was nothing indecent about the skirts or the outfit itself. It was actually very stylish.

Her father shook his head ruefully. “I guess you’re right. Your mother was the fashion expert.” He paused. “You received an invitation to next year’s world games in all three of your sports. I’m told that you will be the youngest competitor in modern history,” he said excitedly.

Kate looked down for a moment.

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy,” he said.

“Daddy, it may not be fair for me to compete. When I get back from Kathy’s, you, Danika, and I need to speak.”

“Danika?” Her father asked, trying to feign ignorance.

“About this tall,” Kate said, holding her hand about nine centimeters above her own head. “Sixty-five kilograms of muscle and attitude, brown hair, and looks great in a tactical suit. Does she ring a bell? You were with her last night,” Kate said.

Adrian sat in one of the chairs in the room. “How do you know about Danika?”

“Daddy, she is the head of the secret police, how could I not know of her?” Kate replied innocently.

“You know what I am asking,” he replied.

“I’ve known since the first day, father. I will explain when you are both together. I promise all my secrets will be exposed once I get back. First I need to speak with a counselor who knows me.”

Kate waited for several moments expecting her father to demand more information. Finally, he nodded. “All your secrets,” he repeated.

Kate smiled. “Everything that is worth mentioning. I’m sure there are some things you do not wish to know.” She said with a smile.

Adrian nodded. “What did you choose for the ribbon-cutting ceremony?”

“Zara, load the image.” Kate ordered.

A three dimensional image of her in a gown that flowed to the floor. This gown was an aquatic green with silver hems and straps. It plunged a little in the front, but not too much. Her father nodded. “Are you planning on any demonstrations?” He asked.

Kate nodded. “Gymnastics and Fencing. I will also play a piece on my violin.”

“Zara, show me Kate’s’ gymnastics suit.” Adrian ordered.

The image changed to Kate in a black and green one piece. The stomach and back were sheer, but the suit had shorts instead of cutting off like a swimsuit. Adrian nodded again. “Do you have any outfits that don’t have transparent fabric somewhere?” He asked.

“Daddy, it’s what’s in style, and I am very careful about how far I will go?” She replied.

“Don’t you look beautiful,” a voice said from the door. “Zara, let me in, I hope you don’t mind.” Kathy said.

Kate turned to Kathy, a smile showing her perfect teeth. “Thank you, daddy thought it was too much.” She said.

“I think too little would be a more accurate statement,” Adrian said.

Kathy smiled. “Adrian, most girls her age and a little older push the envelope a bit more. There is nothing indecent about the outfit and it is cute. Even you have to admit that.”

“My daughter is beautiful, and yes the outfit is cute…too cute.” He said with a sigh.

Kathy walked around them and studied the image hanging in the air. She glanced at Kate then back at the image. “Daddy, didn’t complain. No, this is not a new look. The crowd I will be performing for is rough. I don’t wish for my bottom to be hanging out of my uniform in front of them.”

Kathy nodded then glanced at Adrian. “See, she understands exactly what she is comfortable with and she is not an exhibitionist. May I see the gown you chose?”

The image changed back to the gown. “Zara, display the jewelry that compliments the outfit.”

The image changed, adding the jewelry. A hairnet of jade, sapphire, and pearls held her beautiful ebony hair. Earrings consisting of a diamond stud and a string of emeralds dangled halfway to her shoulders, and a necklace in the form of the world tree made of jade and emeralds rested in the cavity made by the plunging neckline. Jeweled green gloves and a few gold and silver bracelets adorned her hands and arms. And a tiny ankle bracelet encircled her left ankle.

Kathy whistled.

“You may not wish to show your bottom, but you are certainly painting a different target for yourself.” She observed.

Kate shrugged. “I can defend myself, besides, I have guards and so do you. Only a fool would attack us, especially with a hint of amnesty on the table.”

Kathy nodded. “I may need to rethink my outfit.” She shook her head. “We need to go if we are to make our reservations.”

Adrian lifted the two suitcases and Kate picked up her violin case and two garment bags. “I thought that I had you for a night, not that you were moving in.” Kathy quipped. Kate blushed. “I know, you have to change at least four times tomorrow. I’m joking, Kate.”