Zeta's unspoken threat

Ursula stomped down the hallway, her boots leaving dents in the floorboards with each furious step. The air around her crackled with barely contained rage. She passed by Zeta's room, the tech wizard's voice cut through her angry haze.

"Oi, Ursula! What's got your knickers in a twist?"

Ursula paused, her hand already on the doorknob to her own room. She turned, eyeing Zeta warily. The other woman sat hunched over her workbench, a mess of wires and circuitry spread out before her like the innards of some mechanical beast. In her hands, she held what looked like a malfunctioning Taser.

"What in the bloody hells is that?" Ursula asked, momentarily distracted from her own troubles.

Zeta grinned, a manic glint in her eye. "This, my dear Ursula, is the future of non-lethal weaponry. Or maybe lethal, depending on how I calibrate it. Ten times the shock of a regular Taser. Imagine the possibilities!"

Ursula snorted. "Knowing you, those possibilities all end with someone twitching on the ground, pissing themselves."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Zeta cackled. Then, noticing Ursula's grim expression, she sobered slightly. "But enough about my toys. What's got you looking like you're about to murder someone? And can I watch?"

For a moment, Ursula considered brushing her off. But the anger that had been simmering inside her since leaving the bathroom suddenly boiled over. The words came spilling out in a torrent of frustration and jealousy.

"It's that bastard Ned," she spat. "I walk into the bathroom, right? And what do I find? Him and Tinsley, cozy as you please, playing bloody rock-paper-scissors in the bathtub!"

Zeta's eyebrows shot up. "In the bathtub? Well, that's... creative, I'll give them that."

"Oh, it gets better," Ursula continued, her voice dripping. "Apparently, it was all part of some 'truth or dare' game. Can you believe it?"

Zeta let out a hoarse laugh, the sound grating against Ursula's already frayed nerves. "Oh, to have seen your face! I bet you looked like you'd swallowed a lemon whole."

"It's not funny!" Ursula snapped, but Zeta's laughter only grew louder.

"Oh, but it is! The great Ursula, done in by a game of rock-paper-scissors. Tell me, did they at least invite you to join in their little bathtub shenanigans?"

Ursula's face flushed an even deeper shade of red. "That's not the point! It's... it's unprofessional! And besides, why her? Why Tinsley? First, he's off signing autographs for Atara, and now this? Am I the only one he's not playing silly buggers with?"

Zeta's laughter slowly subsided, replaced by a knowing smirk. "Sounds to me like someone's feeling a bit left out. Jealous, are we?"

"Jealous? Me? Don't be ridiculous," Ursula scoffed, but the protest sounded weak even to her own ears. "I just... I thought we were all equals here. A team. But lately, it feels like Ned's playing favorites, and I'm not on the list."

Zeta studied her for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, she set down her modified Taser and stood up. "Alright, come on then. Let's go sort this out."

Ursula blinked, taken aback. "What? What are you talking about?"

"We're going to the bathroom," Zeta declared, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You, me, and this beauty right here." She picked up the Taser again, giving it a fond pat.

"Are you out of your mind?" Ursula hissed. "What are you planning to do, electrocute them?"

Zeta rolled her eyes. "Please, give me some credit. I'm not a complete psychopath. Well, not all the time, anyway. No, we're going to... negotiate."

"With a Taser?"

"With the threat of a Taser," Zeta corrected. "Sometimes, you need to remind people that actions have consequences. Besides, a little fear is good for the soul. Keeps things interesting."

Ursula hesitated, torn between her anger and her better judgment. "I don't know, Zeta. This seems..."

"Reckless? Dangerous? Potentially disastrous?" Zeta grinned. "Exactly. Where's your sense of adventure, Ursula? Aren't you tired of being the responsible one all the time?"

Something shifted in Ursula's expression, a flicker of mischief replacing the anger. "You know what? Fuck it. Let's do it."

Zeta's grin widened to near-manic proportions. "That's my girl. Now, follow my lead, and try to look menacing. Shouldn't be too hard for you with that permanent scowl you've got going on."

As they made their way down the hallway towards the bathroom, Ursula felt a twinge of anxiety. "Zeta," she whispered, "you're not actually going to use that thing, are you?"

Zeta's only response was a noncommittal hum and a wink that did absolutely nothing to reassure Ursula.

They paused outside the bathroom door, the sounds of splashing and laughter drifting out to meet them. Zeta put her finger to her lips, then slowly turned the handle.

The scene that greeted them was even more ridiculous than Ursula had described. Ned, Tinsley, and now Raine were all crammed into the bathtub, fully clothed and soaking wet. They were in the middle of what appeared to be an intense round of "Truth or Dare," judging by the empty shampoo bottle being spun on the edge of the tub.

For a moment, no one noticed the new arrivals. Then Ned looked up, his eyes widening as he took in Zeta's manic grin and the device in her hands.

"Oh, hello ladies," he said, his voice a touch higher than usual. "Care to join us? We were just... uh..."

"Playing truth or dare in the bathtub?" Zeta finished for him, her tone deceptively light. "Yes, we heard all about your little game. Fascinating choice of venue, I must say."

Tinsley, ever the troublemaker, piped up. "It's much more exciting this way. The constant threat of drowning really adds to the thrill."

Raine, more perceptive than the others, had noticed the dangerous glint in Zeta's eye. "Zeta," she said cautiously, "what's that you've got there?"

Zeta's grin grew impossibly wider. "Oh, this old thing? Just a little project I've been working on. You know, standard Taser, but with a few... modifications. Would you like a demonstration?"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Ned, to his credit, maintained a facade of calm, even as his eyes darted between Zeta's face and the device in her hands.

"Now, Zeta," he began, his tone placating, "I'm sure we can discuss this like rational adults. There's no need for... whatever it is you're thinking of doing."

Zeta cocked her head to the side, considering. "You're right, Ned. We are adults. Which begs the question: why are you lot playing games in the bathtub while the rest of us are left out?"

A heavy silence fell over the room. Tinsley and Raine exchanged guilty looks, while Ned seemed to be struggling to find the right words.

"It's... it's not what it looks like," he finally managed.

Ursula, who had been uncharacteristically quiet until now, let out a derisive snort. "Oh? And what, pray tell, does it look like, Ned? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you've been picking favorites."

"Picking favorites?" Ned sputtered. "That's not... I mean, I didn't..."

"Save it," Zeta cut him off. "We're not here for excuses. We're here for... equality."

With that, she raised the Taser, its prongs gleaming in the bathroom light, as live electricity zapped across. The three in the tub tensed, eyes wide, and began to squirm

"Now," Zeta continued, her voice dangerously sweet, "we're going to play a little game of our own. It's called 'LET'S ALL BE FUCKING ADULTS AND TALK ABOUT OUR FEELINGS INSTEAD OF PLAYING STUPID GAMES IN THE BATHROOM.' The rules are simple. You lot are going to get out of that tub, dry off, and then we're all going to sit down and have a nice, long chat about team dynamics, communication, and why it's a bad idea to make your teammates feel left out. Any questions?"

The silence that followed was broken only by the steady drip of water from the soaked occupants of the tub. Then, slowly, Ned raised his hand.

"Yes, Ned?" Zeta prompted.

"Can we at least get some towels first?"

Zeta pretended to consider this for a moment. "Hmm, I suppose so. Ursula, be a dear and fetch our waterlogged friends some towels, would you? And maybe some dry clothes. I have a feeling this is going to be a long conversation."

While getting out of the tub, Tinsley leaned in close enough to Ned's ears. "Well," She whispered, "that was fun! Same time tomorrow?"

***