RP: IPG [IPG Operators] Breaking Blood Explosion Extraordinaire!

[SUBLIMEinal]

Conference Room 101 - IPG HQ, Rok'Veru

"How many?"

"10,000, Grand One."

Vice Admiral Veles rested his cold gray eyes on his aide's face. The captain stared back, although much more passively. One of the massive Operators surrounding the table coughed lightly, the arm he moved to catch it the only movement in the solid wall of highly trained soldiers. Veles nodded slowly at the proposition his subordinate had given him. 10,000 new Operators, all of them either having applied in their hometowns, or hand-picked by Field Intelligence Officers.

"Get them here." The Nepleslian stood slowly from his large chair, the Operators around him stepping back to allow their leader passage. "They will arrive by the end of the week to begin their training." He looked to the gigantic men around him. "You will instruct them." He turned away and strode through to the door of the room, his men stepping away to allow him out. The door closed and they began to file out through the other entrances.


One Week Later...

Operator Gathering Hall - Rok'Veru

The room was massive, dark gray walls towering meters over the 300 long benches arrayed in front of the large obsidian podium. Behind it, mounted high on the wall, stood a massive rendition the IPG insignia. 1,000 feet below the surface of Rok'Veru, Vice Admiral Veles looked over the second class ever of IPG Operator hopefuls. His gray eyes scanned over all of them, his heavily secured neural uplink matching names and files to faces. Most of the planned group had already arrived, although according to the IPG's wide-spread eyes, they were all on-world, and should be arriving soon. Veles would wait for them.

On one of the afore-mentioned benches sat a large, powerful looking man, already dressed in the standard black ballistics armor. While Operators were generally discouraged from showing rank insignia, today was slightly different, and the Half-ID-SOL proudly displayed his Captain bars on his shoulder. The large LCD screen fitted over his face displayed a slightly grainy eye, an exact copy of the massive wall hanging at the front of the room. This eye was, like most others, focused on the Podium, where his leader stood. So far, other than one former street gangster that he had pegged for an early and painful death due to his unwillingness to stop being irritating and out-and-out cockiness, Mitchell Flins' bench of trainees was empty.

"Maaan, this shit is Whack." The gangster began acting up again. Flins tried to not let it distract him. "I mean, I get here, and these big fuckin' ID-SOLs, they give me, this fuckin' piece a' plastic!" He yelled frantically, shoving a small duraplast card in the much larger soldier's face. The card displayed the street tough's name (apparently Johnny Q. Pils), his picture (An ugly mug, to be sure, with ratty blonde hair, crappy teeth, and yellowed eyes), and the name of his to-be instructor. Mitchell sighed and pushed the arm away, wishing both that the side of the bench had not been emblazoned with his name to assist the recruits in finding him, and that Grand Veles had not restricted him from murdering the annoying men on the spot. The half ID-SOL simply continued to stare at the podium, and hope that the other trainees were more manageable than the miserably loud man next to him.

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

Lenz Neis was a rather short man as both a Geshrin and a Nepleslian, at a whooping 5 foot 3 inches. His short stature was made up for by a heavily muscled build from years of intensive physical training, that was partially hidden by a form fitting black t-shirt that was tucked into a pair of black combat uniform style cargo pants. He stared at both the entrance to the meeting hall and then to his new identification card for a few moments before tucking the card into his pants' pocket and proceeding into the hall. His narrow hazel eyes scanned the hall and benches as his combat boots clicked against the room's floor as he searched for where he was supposed to be.

Neis grimaced when he he saw the ratty blonde man that sat beside the large cycloptic ID-SOL that wore captain's bars. He looked at the name "Flins" that was emblazoned across the bench and took a seat opposite of the hood that had somehow been selected for this honor. "Morning Captain Flins," Lenz spoke curtly in a respectful tone of voice. "I'm Lenz Neis, I'm looking forward to working as your subordinate." He offered his cybernetic left hand to the officer in a half friendly-half respectful gesture.

Flins tore his eyes away from Veles on his podium and looked down at the short but very bulky Nepleslia man, and almost smiled. Excellent. He's far more competent looking than this other asshole.

"Welcome to Rok'Veru, Initiate." Mitchell took the much, much smaller hand in his own and shook it.

"Oh shit! I know you!" The ugly gangster yelled, shooting a finger in Lenz's direction. "You killed that guy back in Los Apagos!" Several of the men on the bench in front of them turned, looking perplexed at the accusation of murder. "Yeah, yeah! You punched his face in!"

Flins stared down at the blonde street rat and then turned back to Lenz, his face passive. He stared for a moment, and then turned back to Veles.

"Thank you, sir." Lenz's expression darkened as he let go of Flins's hand and looked squarely at the accusatory thug.

He cracked the knuckles on both of his hands. "I didn't realize that they took in trash from the gutter for this. It also appears that if you know me and I don't remember your hideous mug that I have arrested you at some point," the former police officer growled as he starting clenching his hands into fists. "What were you that piece of shit's friend? Do you really want to find out if I have it in me to beat your eyes into the back of your skull for just the notion that you might've tried to help him rape a 14 year old girl?"

Alaster soon arrived after having to find his own way down. Unfortunately some of his brethren could be...un-helpful when asking for directions. Either they were too rowdy, and gung-ho, or just complete assholes. Alaster was a tall man, though not overly tall, his watered down ID-SOL blood affording him some measure of height standing at 6'6", along with the advantage of a a buff, athletic build that included rigorous physical training from his days as a marine, and his own regime'.

He wore a white t-shirt, tucked into what seemed to be olive green combat fatigue pants, and black boots. His hair was neatly styled, and he wore thoughtful look as his masculine green eyes roved over the benches. The young man had his hands behind his back as he moved with an easy, measured stride.

Alaster soon came across three men, one large, well, larger then the average Nepleslian with captain bars. A shorter man who seemed to be arguing with another, albet...ratty and gruff looking man. Alaster stopped, and stood in front of Flins, snapping off a crisp salute, and holding his hand out. "Good morning Captain..." His eyes wandered down to the name emblazoned on the bench. "Captain Flins." He spoke in a polite, and even gentlemanly voice that held a distinct lilt to it that denoted some foreign born ancestry (british). "I am Alaster Langford, it is a pleasure to meet you sir, and hope to meet your expectations as your subordinate." All the while he kept that thoughtful look on his face, and the same mild reservedness as well.

"Don't talk shit to me, bitch!" The street punk yelled. He pushed himself from his seat and stomped over to Lenz, attired in a number of very baggy pieces of clothing, most of them light blue.

"I am the hardest fucker in here. Yeah, I knew that guy you smashed. Hell, maybe I was there," He formed his ugly face into a smirk, "But what you gonna do about?" He shot out his rather thin arm, the palm meant to strike Lenz in the face. "Huh? What you gonna do?"

Flins, on the other hand, paid little mind to the irritating gangster, although he was awaiting the shorter Nepleslian's reaction to his goading. The Captain was slightly more preoccupied with yet another Initiate who had appeared to address him.

The large officer turned his massive eye on Alaster. Behind the black screen, the camera rigs focused on his face. "Welcome to Rok'Veru, Initiate." He spoke, exactly as he had done with the Operator who had entered before him. He then turned once again back to Veles.

Whiiiir, Whi-! whiiiiiiiiiiiiiir... Went the sound of two red lensed eyes, extended and retracting into the head of one Hatu Museso Chiaki. The small trims of his lenses rotated to focus the view clearly.

Right... I'm looking for something big, loud, and stupid... Hatu chuckled at his own thoughts for the moment, as he compared the picture he retrieved off the profiles on IPG.Securenet. His torso computer couldn't retrieve any more than simple information without resulting to an ICEbreaker, or an encryptionCUT program. He resisted the urge, as he knew what the IPG did to nosy little hackers that were caught.

Eventually, his eyes would land on the Captain, zooming in much closer to get a better view. After comparing what he had in his sight, and the picture set aside on his HUD, he confirmed that it was indeed the man he was looking for. He reopened the desktop view in eyes, and closed the picture from his sight, and then switching back to the normal, HUD added view. Hatu, dressed in his standard issue greens, approached the Captain.

"Ah! Yes! You must be, the Captain, correct?" Hatu grinned a toothy grin. He placed one hand behind his back, and one hand foreward for a shake, leaning forward in what seemed to be a bowing motion.

Lenz's eyes narrowed as he brought his cybernetic fist hard into the gangster's gut, causing the thin taller man to double over as the wind was knocked out of him. Before the gangster could retaliate, Lenz proceeded to slam his heavily muscled fists into the man's face with enough force to both break the thug's nose and knock him to the ground. There were simply no words for the sheer amount of rage that this one particular memory had brought up.

"Hey motherfucker, that little girl your buddy was messing with -was my little sister," Neis growled as he continually stomped a heavy booted heel on top of the fallen gangster's bleeding and now broken face. He only stopped when someone pulled him away before he completely stomped in the man's face. "Who's the bitch now?" He spat as he was forced to sit back down at the table.

Alaster merely arched an eyebrow, and retracted his hand. The eyebrow only stayed up as Lenz quite literally beat the hell out of the ratty looking man. Sighing inwardly, Alaster found himself a seat on the bench, and sat quietly, looking up to Veles, all calm composure still, despite having seen someone's face being beaten in.

Just another day in the neighborhood He thought to himself. In all honesty this kind of reminded him of his marine days.

Mitchell was about to reply to the cyborg, but was forced to turn his attention to the fight that had broken out beside him. Within a relatively short span of time, the blonde, disgusting looking fellow who had been annoying him and quite possibly a large number of other people had been reduced to a sniveling, barely conscious bloody pulp.

Flins watched as Lenz was dragged away. He looked to the man and let a smile cross his face, nodding with approval. He then turned back to Hatu, his normal, passive face back. "Yes, I am Captain Flins. What do you require, Lieutenant?"

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

Hatu's hand still hung in the air as it awaited the large ID-SOL's hand in return. His toothy grin uncomfortably shifting into more of a sliding grin on the left side of his face. The Tech's tone however, remained the same as it was before.

"Ah yes, Captain, I am Lieutenant Hatu Museso Chiaki, your 'Technical Consultant' here. I was ordered to report to you, here, in the meeting room." Hatu responded to the hulking man.

Flins slowly reached out a hand and shook the cyborg's heavily. "Welcome to the program, Lieutenant." He pulled his hand away, and motioned to the bench he was sitting on. "Please, have a seat, and join us."

Once again, the ID-SOL looked back to Veles. He was expectant for the start of the Vice Admiral's speech.

Hatu nodded with a smile to his superior, and resumed his usual posture. Though his face turned into an interested smirk as the Captain turned.

Right, big man, general responsiveness, and a face that frightens small children. Might be in my best interest to understand how that toybox of a brain ticks... Hatu extended that thought for a moment, trying to recover the usual deceptive smile, and then sat down next to the Captain.

A two man team of medics came with a stretcher and loaded the bloody mess of what was a trainee onto it and then quickly left again.

Lenz sat at the table near Flins wiping the blood from his hands with a dark colored handkerchief that he had pulled from his pants' pocket. He watched the medics disappear with their patient with a look of pure contempt before he looked up to the podium as well. "I doubt there was anything hard about that piece of shit," he muttered out loud to himself.

Alaster merely kept his gaze locked onto the podium, though his hearing was trained towards the three men close by. The man kept his face neutral though. Alaster placed his hands into his lap, clasping the hands together as he waited patiently for Veles to begin.

Though as he did so, Alaster tried to pin down just what kinds of people those three were, not to mention if he had a chance in this program or not.

Flins stared at Lenz for a moment with his over-sized electrical eye. He couldn't say he was in any way displeased with the results of the encounter between the short Nepleslian man and the ugly blonde. If nothing else, Mitchell knew he had at least one man who could fight, and another who had at least been able to. Not too bad.

Suddenly, Flins shot from his seat, his massive body suddenly rigid at attention. The numerous other Operator instructors followed suit. Most of the chatter in the room died down quickly, as for the most part, the inhabitants recognized that something important was about to happen. That important something was nothing other than Ryan Veles clearing his throat over the microphone in front of him. While it was essentially a useless gesture for an entity lacking an organic throat to clear, it served its purpose, quickly alerting the room that it was about time for him to speak.

When the former police officer saw the instructors raise from their seats, Neis had enough sense to follow suit and stop his mutterings. He stood at attention with his full attention upon the iconic figure of who could only be their leader and head of their organization, Ryan Veles.

He displaced all other thoughts and memories from his mind as he waited to absorb whatever information would be graced upon them by the imposing man on the podium. The corner of his mouth twitched for a moment as he sufficiently managed to focus on the task of listening and not fighting his urge to hunt down the broken blonde thug and make sure he would never wake back up.

As the large ID-SOL got to his feet, Alaster looked over to him, and then to Lenz. The young man, looked back up to the podium having heard Ryan Veles clearing his throat, a sign that he ment to speak. Alaster, not a fool rose to his feet, standing at attention, eyes dead ahead.

The young man's focus now on Veles, and would likely be hanging onto his every word, memorizing them. What good was an adequate memory if not put to good use after all?

Nelew arrived just as the medics left with the thug. She glanced over the broken man, identifying his injuries and deducing the means of their delivery. Without a second look, she entered the meeting room just as Veles cleared his throat.

Before the organization head could begin speaking, Nelew found an empty seat next to Neis and stood at attention in front of it, mimicking Neis' pose as close as her slight form could allow.

The young woman's jet-black hair appeared to have been hacked haphazardly into the bowl-cut style around a face that would have been pleasant if not for the dry, emotionless expression on it. Her slight body, clothed in basic fatigues with the name "Enev'Rana" on the name tag, had no apparent cybernetics or modifications, though anyone with thermals might be curious why her ribcage area was warm but the rest of her body was cool as a corpse or an inactive android. "Corpse-like" certainly described her chalk-white complexion.

As Nelew stood at attention next to her group, her posture was as straight and stiff as a board, but her yellow eyes were always moving, taking in the room and its occupants and noting the interactions between her future co-workers.

"Welcome, Initiates," boomed the deep voice of Ryan Veles, carried from his spot on the obsidian podium to every corner of the room by the powerful PA system. "Welcome to Rok'Veru. You are the first class of Operator trainees to enter these halls since our inception," he continued, watching the trainees with his cybernetic eyes.

"I," He placed a hand on his chest, "Am Ryan Veles. I will be your leader. Today, you begin your induction into the ranks to the Star Army of Nepleslia's Intelligence and Pacification Group. From this day forth, you will be taught to kill, to maim, to torture, all for the glory of Nepleslia."

Veles scanned over his prepared speech once more, the document displayed in his right eye. "This program is dangerous. Many of you will be killed, either on missions, or during the training itself. However, you," He extended his arm in a slow sweeping motion, "Will become some of the finest soldiers in the galaxy." Veles did something rare. He allowed his lips to peel back into smile.

"Good luck, Initiates." He looked over his new minions one last time before beginning to step away from the microphone.

"I will leave you now to Commodore Raleigh, who will be directing your training."

Veles stepped from the platform, allowing a much larger ID-SOL to take his place as he left. The gigantic officer began barking the moment the much older man exited the room. "Soldiers," He started, his voice far louder than that of the previous speaker's. "I, as the Grand One has said, am the one who will direct your training."

He gazed over the wanna-be operators with his large, black eyes, much like his superior before him. "Your initial phase of training will be exactly four weeks. Those of you deemed competent..." He paused, letting his words hang in the air for a moment. "Will continue on. The rest will be purged." He said the words calmly, despite several murmurs of fear from his audience. "Now, report to your barracks Immediately. Your first assignments will be assigned shortly." He barked.

The crowd quickly obliged the titanic ID-SOLs request, and began to file towards the large doors at the rear of the room.

Flins turned to face his men. He hadn't noticed the newest person to join his group. He zeroed in on her face with her camera, memorizing it. The special one... If he had had eyebrows, he would furrowed them. However, he did not have them, and thus remained in his normal emotionless state. "Follow me to the barracks." He turned and began to march towards the door, his long legs carrying him rather fast.

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

As Neis jogged quickly after Flins, he took a few moments to quickly scan the faces of his fellow trainees with mild curiosity. The odd woman that joined him caused him simply to raise an eyebrow before he returned his attention on the large ID-SOL's instructor's back again. He made up for his shorter stride with a faster pace in order to keep up with Flins.

Alaster however didn't seem to have the same problem as Lenz. The taller man's longer legs taking easier strides as he caught up to Flins, walking behind him. The young man's pace was easy, but rigid from military training as he kept completely quiet as they walked. His eyes remained dead ahead, taking in as much as he could from behind his soon to be instructor.

As Flins' camera zoomed in on Nelew, she turned and held his 'gaze' until he turned to walk away. She started to follow him with an awkward stride, one that looked like she was trying to follow someone else's footsteps. She wasn't tall enough to keep up by walking normally, so when she began to fall behind, Nel watched Flins walk for a moment and accelerated her pace until she was caught up with the rest of the group, hanging back slightly.

Flins stayed away from the center of the crowd as they pushed and shoved their way out. His bench's location far from the door made this easier. Several moments later, he was outside the massive gathering hall, and into one of the large, dark gray corridors that were quite common in the building.

Mitchell took a left and marched down the hall, past plenty of marked doors, indicating, like the benches earlier, the Instructor who would be present. After several minutes of marching, he turned to one of the doors, which promptly opened as he approached.

Inside, a line of bunks were pushed against the two side walls. On the far side of the room were two doors. On the left, the entrance to the rest room. To the right stood the door to Flins' private quarters. The Captain strode into the room and turned to face the door, awaiting his charges to enter after him.

Hatu quietly observed the people around him, his eyes shooting forward, and reversing into his head as he looked. He also quietly accessed the IPG.SecureNET, while trying to keeping a path behind the Captain.

Each of the people around them seemed to be a little unique, yet this didn't really matter. Unique people followed direction as good as bland, uninteresting people. At least, when 'swerved' in the right direction.

When he finished his little skim on the information of others, he drank in the surroundings he walked among. The dull and dark grey seemed uninteresting, bland, and tacky. This opinion stayed with him, even as he entered the room with the Captain.

The designers here need to be shot, so much emphasis on... appearance... Hatu's mind seemed to spit at the word even though it was only a thought, Not enough on functionality.

Lenz came to a rather smooth halt in the room after Flins and Hatu. He stood straight and folded his massive arms behind his back as he shifted his stance into a parade rest postion. He silently watched his instructor and waited patiently for further instructions.

Alaster kept his comments about what he had deemed as their barracks to himself. In all honesty they somewhat reminded him of his old marine barracks, minus the marines shouting, and yelling, and rough housing occasionally. Once inside, Alaster stepped up, and stood beside Hatu, and Lenz, straight as an arrow, at attention.

Observing what the others did upon entering the barracks, Nelew stood at attention as Lenz and Alaster did, more because she had learned that this was proper until told to do otherwise in front of "commanding officers" rather than mere imitation of what they were doing. As she stood, she noted the arrangement of the bunks, the doors at the far end, and the path they had taken to arrive at this location.

During the walk over she had already studied her comrades, focusing on their bearing and demeanors. After quickly arriving at the conclusion that Lenz had been the cause of the broken man earlier (redness on his knuckles, small spots of blood on his boots, among other signs), Nelew decided that, while he seemed to have the best ideas in terms of decorum, a temper simmered beneath the discipline. The other two were more easy-going, if she were to guess by their walks. Hatu was relaxed, curious, and polite. Alaster...he hadn't done much to betray his complete personality, but he had kept to himself for the most part since she arrived and seemed stable.

The young woman glanced to one side at Lenz then returned to a forward gaze. She was three inches taller than he was, making her the second-shortest person in the room, and the only female. From her rather hasty education on common social behavior patterns, she knew there was a chance that she would need to be on her guard. As Nelew began thinking through the possibilities of her situation, her golden yellow eyes stared forward, waiting for something but uncertain what she was waiting for.

"Welcome to your barracks, initiates," The half ID-SOL boomed. "Choose a sleeping space now. Under the beds are located storage lockers." Flins marched over to one of the beds, and lightly hit pressed a small button on the frame, prompting a large-ish box to spring forward.

The captain turned towards the initiates and the technical consultant. "Lieutenant Chiaki, you will report to my office immediately after choosing your space." The ID-SOL then pushed open the black door to his room and disappeared within.

Lenz quickly claimed the bunk that provided the best view of both of the doors somewhere in the middle of the room. He reached into one of the large pockets on his pants leg and pulled out a small green bag. He roughly jabbed at the button on the bunk's frame and unceremoniously deposited the bag into the compartment before slamming it roughly shut again.

The short, bulky man sat on his bunk and several popping noises could be heard as he cracked his knuckles and his neck. He waited patiently and in silence as he watched his fellow initiates as he sized up the amount of threat they could possibly pose to him.

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

Hatu looked around in the barracks, his dissatisfied grunt was evident. Though, he tried to keep the true colors under the cover. The Tech Consultant, as he was called, walked over to the bed closest to the exit of the barracks. He unbuckled his holster and lobbed the RPB holster, with the RPB in it, on the bed, marking it for himself. It's a shitty little cot, in a shitty little room, but at least it's not a god damn sausagefest. He thought, with partial sarcasm.

Though, he followed his orders, and as he finished his thought, he entered into the Captains office.

Alaster moved smoothly over to a bed in a corner, the man did a quick check of his gun, an HHG. He opened the barrel, spun it, the 'clicking' sound of it spinning could be heard before he snapped it shut in one quick motion. For someone of his size, the gun was well suited for him. He holstered the gun again, and pressed the button on the frame of the bunk bed.

The box popped out, and he unbelted his weapon, and placed it inside. He however kept the combat knife that was inside of his boot, in a special sheath to keep it from cutting his foot. The large handle jutting out. Alaster was likely the second tallest, second only to Flins. He however didn't have the man's solid wall of muscle build. But to not say Alaster wasn't built was an understatement.

He has a well built physique all around, not just focusing on his arms, or legs. But everywhere, and all due to his prior military training in boot, and after. Not to mention his own regime. Unless the others had read his personnel files, they wouldn't likely know his right arm was cybernetic due to the simple fact it was covered in synth skin, and blended perfectly with his complexion.

Before closing the box, Alaster took out two small boxes of ammunition, and placed them in there beside the gun, and even a spare battery for it. Making sure everything was in order, he closed it, and promptly sat on the bed, quiet as usual his hands folded together on his chest as he leaned against the wall that was his bunk's impromptu headboard. A look of complete patience, and calm on his face as he waited for the captain to come back out.

Nelew watched everyone choose their bunks before moving to the bunk across the room from Alaster, another corner. Tactically, this was backing herself into a wall, but also forced everyone to approach from the front (and possibly one side, if they climbed over the other bunks on her row).

She stood at the footboard and looked at the bed. It was a normal bunk. Nelew glanced at the men and noticed them stripping excess belongings from themselves. Tapping the button, she looked down at herself as the drawer popped out, then rolled up her right sleeve.

A long leather...thing...was strapped to her arm and held a dozen small throwing blades, each the size of her pinky finger and made of ceramic with a steel core. Each one overlapped the one ahead of it in a shallow spiral that weaved from the base of the inside of her wrist to the outside of her forearm near the elbow. The blades were mounted on a slim rail that would push each blade forward when the one in front of it was removed. Nelew unstrapped the sheath and set it in the drawer, then rolled her sleeve back down.

The blades were a gift from her instructors, presented as a farewell gift before she left. Her memory of them was attached to these objects, she knew that, but it was something she didn't quite understand. Machines weren't meant to have sentimental feelings, after all. But at the same time, she wasn't completely a machine either.

After staring at the blades for a few moments, she appeared satisfied and slid the drawer back under the bed until it clicked shut. Then she stood at the foot of her bed with her back to it at attention...but only briefly, when she realized that no one else was.

"Nelew, above all others, remember this rule of society: do not exceed your peers. If you do, they will hate you for it and your time with them will be spent with a target on your back. If you must test your limits, do so out of their sight."

She relaxed, then went and sat on the side of her bed with her back to the wall and facing the other beds on her side of the room. She noticed Lenz was looking at her and watched him without expression until he turned his attention to Alaster, since Hatu had left the room.

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

ON > IPG HQ, Operator Barracks

Alaster merely sat seemingly relaxed, and for the most part serenely. Quite the contrast to most of his brethren. The man merely sat on his bed, leaning against the wall, hands clasped on his chest as he sat there. He looked over to Nel, wearing a thoughtful look, and inclined his head to her gently. His father had always said, meet a pretty lady, greet her with respect.

Nelew changed her focus to Alaster after watching Lenz for a few seconds. She mimicked his head motion, nodding slightly toward him when she recognized the move as a greeting. Otherwise, she remained completely motionless, though she appeared more relaxed than she had been earlier.

"I am Alaster Langford, a pleasure to meet you ma'am." Alaster greeted politely. The man watched her rather intrigued. Not many Nepleslian's had yellow eyes after all.

"Nelew Enev'Rana," she replied, her voice somewhere in the mezzo-soprano range with a flat quality and lacking in enunciation. "It is also a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Alaster nodded in thanks. "So, if I am ask," He twiddled his thumbs a little merely out of some mild boredom. "How do you like it here so far?"

Hatu cautiously walked into the room, noting it's lack of light, save for the computer screen the Captain was using. He began to regret not installing low-light function into his eyes. "Yes sir." Hatu nodded his head, with a slight smile. The cyborg sat on the chair, adjusting himself to feel more comfortable.

"I have not yet made an...opinion on the facilities. They appear adequate," answered Nelew.

"Simple, I was brought in so to speak." Alaster explained as he sat, looking the room over a little. "I also enlisted into it."

"Ah...I see." Alaster nodded thoughtfully. "Neither have I, but they do remind me mildly of the barracks at boot."

Nelew's eyes began to wander around the room, but her attention refocused on Alaster after he finished speaking. "I believe that was the intent. This is a training facility, correct?"

"It would appear so. These are our bunks after all." Alaster replied, shifting a little into a more comfortable position.

Nelew nodded slightly, thinking a little before speaking again. Her next question was sure to be returned, so she answered it herself before asking Alaster. "Why are you here?"

He had to be keeping something back. Nelew had learned that all sentient lifeforms had emotional reasons for doing what they did; often those reasons trumped the practical ones. "Do you wish to elaborate?" she asked, visibly curious.

"Only if you elaborate on your own reasons for being here, ma'am." Alaster replied kindly, rubbing at the stubble on his chin. He wished he had a book right about now.

"'Miss'. Madam is an improper title. But please call me Nelew," the woman corrected him before continuing. "I have come because I lack training that my superiors believe I require to sufficiently perform my duties. I am unable to elaborate for the simple reason that I would be required to remove that information immediately upon sharing it with you," she said. Her tone was beginning to take on a bit of a personality, and she even gave him a small smile when she finished.

"Ahhh, my apologies, Nelew." Alaster inclined his head, his tone indeed sounding apologetic. "Well, to elaborate, I came here to better my world, and to protect it. A somewhat...standard answer I know, but I suppose you could blame how I was raised."

"A standard answer, maybe, but many people appear to share your desire." Nelew probed the walls with her senses. She had been trained to make the most of them and to create a sensory 'boundary", an area that she was always alert toward whatever was within that boundary, like an innate motion tracker. As part of that training she had been taught to always test her range within new environments, especially places she would be resting or spending a lot of time at. As she looked around, she noted that Durandium was not extremely conducive to sound, but she could still hear people passing by in the hallways. Sight was more revealing, depending on the vision mode she used. Smell was severely limited. Touch was the most useful for tracking people via vibrations in the floor up to three or four rooms away. She set her boundary at five meters and returned her attention to Alaster, the test having taken only five seconds to complete.

Alaster merely had an eyebrow arched. "We love our world, and would defend it to the last man standing I'd wager."

Nelew nodded to Alaster, then laid back on her bunk, swinging her feet up onto the bed. Her booted feet rested their heels on the footboard of the bed as she stared up at the ceiling, a vision shift allowing her to watch the glowing trails of energy flowing through the power conduits overhead. The energy was different than what she knew back on Kohana, but it was familiar.

After a while Nelew spoke up. "Are we waiting for something?" she asked no one in particular.

Alaster blinked, and looked over to her again. "Well, I would assume the Captain will be coming back out."

------------------------------------

Flins stared at the Cyborg standing in the center of the room with his gigantic "eye". "Hello Lieutenant. Please sit," spoke the large officer, motioning to the chair before his desk. The glow from his computer screen, open on the surface before him, cast a blue light over the dark, grey room.

Hatu cautiously walked into the room, noting it's lack of light, save for the computer screen the Captain was using. He began to regret not installing low-light function into his eyes. "Yes sir." Hatu nodded his head, with a slight smile. The cyborg sat on the chair, adjusting himself to feel more comfortable.

Flins allowed his camera to take a glance back at the screen, which displayed a rather detailed history on the life of Hatu Museso Chiaki. His eye however, stayed trained on the technical consultant. "You are quite impressive, Mr. Chiaki. Only a short time here, and you've already achieved a commission to the rank of Lieutenant, and," Flins' mouth curled slightly into a ghost of a smile. "Have been a primary developer on the NAM Britva armor." The camera in Flin' head turned to face Hatu now. "Do you have an idea of what you will be doing with us from now on, Lieutenant?"

A small smile crept up Hatu's cheek at the compliments being given to him. He loved to be complimented on his work, especially with the success of the Britva armor. "Hrm, creating zany little gadgets for your Operators to play with and break?" He joked with a grin.

"That, and even more." Mitchell leaned forward, propping his elbows on his desk and folding his hands. "Now, these recruits..." The eye flitted to the door for a moment, before focusing back in one Hatu, "Two of them I know are competent. The third, the girl, we are not sure of. Regardless, they are fighters, not technological wizards, and lack the knowledge on how to operate their equipment in the fullest capacity. You, on the other hand, are quite knowledgeable in these regards. Are you beginning to get a feel for why we have deemed you a consultant, Mr. Chiaki?"

"So I can turn the language of 'technobabble' into the language of 'idiot'?" Hatu asked innocently.

Flins let out a low chuckle. "Indeed. During our missions, we will be in close contact with you, and you will provide us with our," The officer chuckled again, "'Idiot' translations of your 'technobabble.' You will be also be monitoring the DroogNET. Are you familiar with this network, Lieutenant?" Inquired the colossal ID-SOL.

"Familiar? Heh, I'm practically a walking DroogNET." Hatu thumbed towards his Torso Computer.

"I can see that the Grand Veles did not misplace trust in you." Mitchell even gave Hatu the rare sight of a full smile before shooting a glance down to his computer. The smile quickly returned to the usual passiveness. "Hmm. Also, there is one thing I would like to have watched, Lieutenant."

Hatu raised his head a little. "What would that be, Captain?"

Mitchell bit his tongue as his brain processed the text version of the voices in the regular barracks. "The girl, Nelew. She has something of a history." He looked back to Hatu. "She has connections with a Yamataian criminal organization. I would like you to personally monitor all of her out-going communications, especially those to the planet of New Kohana."

"New Kohana? You mean that uncivilized little dirtball of ruins and walking dogs?" Hatu raised a brow.

Flins nodded. "Yes. We understand that the man who has taken Nelew into his employ has his base of operations there, and as such any communications there should be suspected of informing on us to him. This is obviously unacceptable."

"If he's smart, he won't route messages directly to the planet. He'll want to send to somewhere that would know where to send 'his' message." Hatu informed his superior.

Flins smiled. "See? That's why I'm asking you to do this. You know these types of things."

"I'll try to keep an eye out for any social particulars in the facility. Though, likely it could be someone who seems to keep a close range. I also suggest checking the background of the local surveillance team. They might think they're sneaky enough by just watching from a camera and sending PM's to her." Hatu rubbed his small beard as he spoke.

"Local Surveillance Team?" Questioned Flins.

"You don't think I know you have this place bugged from the ceiling, to the pipes in the sewage?" Hatu shrugged his shoulders as he sat back in his chair.

"You seem to think that we only have a couple men on cameras, Lieutenant," replied the Captain, slightly mockingly. "I can assure you, the central mainframe and it's AI handlers are in no need of background checks."

"It's your job, I won't tell you how to do it." Hatu nodded to his superior, But I might be soon enough.

"As a matter of fact, Lieutenant, that's exactly what you're being paid to do." Flins stood from his desk, the light from the screen casting a strange shadow over the room behind him before being extinguished by a touch of a button. "Now, allow us to go eat." He motioned to the door.

Hatu stood from his chair, "Mm, I hope that the food here isn't as dark as the walls they're being cooked in between."

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

Hatu made his way out of the office, and into the slightly brighter room that was the barracks. The Cyborgs eyes fell on the two talking around their bunks. He gave a suspicious eye at Nelew, and then did the same with Alaster.

"Dinner time." the Chiaki said plainly, reverting to a seemingly warm face. He gave them a nod at walked out the door of the barracks and back into the hall.

Hatu made his way out of the office, and into the slightly brighter room that was the barracks. The Cyborgs eyes fell on the two talking around their bunks. He gave a suspicious eye at Nelew, and then did the same with Alaster.

"Dinner time." the Chiaki said plainly, reverting to a seemingly warm face. He gave them a nod at walked out the door of the barracks and back into the hall.

Ah, just as expected... Hatu grinned as he turned to see Nelew following in suite. He passed his grin off with a nod to her, as if he were acknowledging her presence. A window opened up in the vision of his right eye as he entered Nelew's name in the IPG.SecureNET database, digging up a small and meager amount of information. Hatu let a look of surprise stain his face for a moment, but quickly changed it to a casual expression, minimizing the window in the process.

So little information? Sloppy intellgence work is sloppy. Hatu thought again. Once more he though of hacking the network to find out more, but he had just arrived here and didn't feel like getting shot out of a cannon into the sun. He scratched his chin, rubbing his fingers through his beard. Well, I'll just have to see what I can't dig up myself. The tech thought as he slowed his pace to match Nelew's.

"Ah, I believe your Nelew..." He stopped for a moment, Damn it, I forgot her last name.

He looked up at the ceiling for a moment as if something suddenly caught his attention. In reality, he had opened Nelew's profile to check for the last name. He looked back at her again, and smiled.

"I'm sorry, Nelew Enev'rana, is it not?" Hatu grinned at his own sly movement.

"And you are Hatu Chiaki," came Nelew's reply. Her own 'intel' was also sparse, but she had gathered a good amount through what she had seen on her way to this point, such as glimpses of datapad screens and snatches of conversations that she had picked up. Bits of info about her potential team, combined with the Lieutenant's rank bars and the last name "Chiaki" sewn onto Hatu's uniform, allowed her to guess at who he was. She looked up at the tech consultant. "Are you trying to solve a problem? You appear to be pondering something."

Alaster merely arched an eyebrow at Hatu, but fell in step behind Nelew, and Hatu. The young man hearing them speaking slowed down a bit, allowing them their space to speak, and not wanting to interrupt as he walked along smoothly, hands behind his back. He had nothing to say in all honesty, not since speaking to Nelew anyway,and chose to remain silent.

Lest he interrupt their conversation.

Lenz raised from his seat on his bed and double checked the service pistol he wore in a drop holster on his right thigh. He was unimpressed by the conversation between the strange woman and Alaster. He didn't trust Alaster's attempt at smoothness nor the flatness he noticed in Nelew's tone.

Is she gathering intel on us for another organization? If she is then why is she here and not dead in a ditch somewhere? Or is IPG trying to exploit her to find some bigger information? The short initiate thought to himself with a neutral expression on his face as he looked past Nelew at the wall beyond her. His narrow hazel eyes narrowed for a moment as it shifted from nothingness to Nelew and then to the cyborg addressing the odd woman.

He appraised Hatu's appearance with a more thoughtful smile as he continued to crack his large knuckles. He was curious as to why they had another officer mucking about with him but he was uncertain of how exactly this training was supposed to be conducted. This isn't boot camp in the same sense of how i understand it. There are going to many oddities besides that Nelew woman and it's not in anyone's best interest to trust them lightly. At any point, I might have to be prepared to take any of these other trainees down.

Neis's eyes flitted from Hatu to the Captain's door. "Lunch, eh?" He wondered out loud to no one in particular. "I wonder if they have stim burgers here."

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

Flins pointed at the short man. "Not you. You're staying, for now." He jerked his thumb behind him, back to his office before stepping back into the shadows again, the electronic presentation of his LCD Eye glowing from the darkness. "Hurry please, initiate. I do not have all day."

Neis nodded to his supervisor and entered the large man's office without a word. He stood at attention inside the darkened office and waited patiently and silently for whatever it was that the ID-SOL wanted to say to him.

"Actually, yes, since I am the Technical Consultant of this group. I need to know the abilities and the people who will be using my technology. Basically, I'd like know more about you, since the database I've looked up so far has turned up little." Hatu nodded to Nelew, smiling.

ON

Flins stood before his desk, his eye zeroed in on the muscular, but short, initiate. "Lenz Nies. Have you heard anything from your home since leaving two days ago?"

Lenz couldn't help the sinking feeling he felt at the large ID-SOL's question. "No sir, I haven't," he sounded like he was trying not to sound worried.

Flins' mouth shaped into a frown. He stepped around his desk, and sat in the extra-large chair, an action that took little time due to the massive size of his strides. He moved his camera to his computer screen once more, but still kept the eye trained on the younger man. "You had many enemies in Los Apagos, correct?"

Lenz's clenched his left cybernetic fist as he stared at Flins with a stern frown. "Being a police officer in Los Apagos doesn't gain anyone friends. I suppose a few thugs might still hold a grudge against me for busting them."

The camera behind the screen rejoined the view of the electronic eye that represented it, noting the Initiate's frown. "Your sister. You were very close to her, yes? And your mother?" He used the word 'were' deliberately, watching for a reaction.

Lenz's jaw tightened for a moment before he spoke again. He felt his heart tighten in his chest, and a pained expression came into his eyes for a moment. "With all due respect sir, don't pussyfoot around it. What the fuck has happened to Mei?"

With that prompting, Mitchell dropped all pretense of subtlety. "Your sister has been abducted from your home in Los Apagos. Some of your step mother was found not far away in a dumpster. Her body was disassembled by way of a rather large cutting instrument, apparently military grade, and assumed purchased from the black market. Searchers assume they will locate her left arm and pelvic region within the week, and she is assumed to have been raped before killed, judging by several bruises located on her body, primarily her face. Your sister's room was ransacked, and the abductors appeared to have had substantial interest in her undergarments." The Captain looked back at his display discretely for a moment, before turning his camera back to Lenz. "We can only assume she has or soon will be meeting a similar fate."

Neis's entire body tensed. The veins on his neck and right arm bulged under the stress. His facial expression hardened and what could've been either fear or regret appeared in his eyes. "Is it safe to assume you will not be allowing me to leave to find her? Are there any leads on who might've taken Mei? No notes, or demands?"

"Yes, Yes, and No," came the deep reply. "The man you attacked earlier is already being questioned, and it would appear his former circle may have some involvement in the incident."

Lenz growled as he stared at Mitchell's mostly cybernetic face. "Three years, three fucking years and they still could not leave her alone. I should've hunted that entire gang and killed them when I was still there. What am I supposed to do then since I'm here and they have her out there somewhere? Andrea's pieces can rot in the gutter for all I fucking care, but for Mei's sake once they find whatever's left of her and run their tests- can you have them cremate what's left of Mei's mother?"

The Captain nodded. "Easily. And you are to do nothing but what are ordered to do, for the good of the State." Flins stood, towering over the desk and the muscle-bound Lenz. "We will find them, of that I am certain. Your position within the Operator program will be noted during their handling." He strode from behind his desk, and pushed open the door to the barracks. "After you eat, it is quite possible you will have a target for your anger, initiate." The ID-SOL walked out.

"Yes sir," Lenz replied bitterly as he watched Mitchell leave. His eyes narrowed as he followed the ID-SOL, but didn't leave the room. He paused at the door and slammed his left cybernetic fist into the wall with a loud thud.

Flins looked over his shoulder when he heard the fist impact the metallic wall. He focused on the former police officer for a moment, and then departed the barracks. The act was working.

OFF

Nelew smiled back. "I learn quickly and perform tasks as described or shown. My combat skills are adaquate. I have been sent here for training in infiltration, firearms handling, and the operation of computers and electronics." As she spoke, her voice continued to take on more natural tones until she sounded like any other woman, though it still held a level of professionalism to it as any other soldier's would have when speaking to a superior officer.

"Excellent, you sound like an able sort." Hatu nodded, Her relaxed nature seems to show no suspicion, this might be easy.

"So, where did you pick those combat skills up?" The cyborg inquired.

"My father enrolled me in martial arts when I was old enough because he wanted me to be able to protect myself. I seem to have a natural talent for picking up new skills, which I hope I can put to good use here." While not the direct truth, it was also not a lie in any way shape or form. Nelew had been trained to the best of her instructors' abilities. And, since his touch had given her life in a way, Lenwe was her father...

"That talent is sort of the reason I'm here. Father doesn't like to see good potential go to waste," she added, looking ahead for a moment before returning her attention to Hatu. Alaster's change of position relative to her had not gone unnoticed, but she surmised the reason and didn't give any further thought to it. However, Nelew was giving special attention to the scenery as she walked, picking up more conversations from others passing by. It was mostly small-talk; the barracks area rarely saw conversations concerning work in its corridors. However, some talk concerned opinions and facts about what had been said by the Vice-Admiral earlier while other conversations focused about teammates or underlings, all of which Nel filed away for later sorting and analysis.

"What is your position? I do not recall hearing that Technical Consultants were being assigned to the teams here."

Martial Arts schools? Hrmph, I thought we were past breaking our hands on people and objects. Hatu thought, bring a chuckling smile to himself. He kept his focus forward, on the path ahead of him. She seemed to take interest in the scenery around her instead of her path. Which was something that baffled Hatu, who'd care about such a gloom-heavy and non-funtional walls?

He turned his attention to her as the subject changed to him. A chance to elaborate on himself, yes! But wait, the point is to get information out of her. Hatu gave thought to this for a moment, and decided to go with the former.

"Well, there are quite a bit of technological devices that pass between my hands and yours. You are not expected to know the engineering and science behind these machines, that's why 'I'm' here, to transfer the language of 'technobabble' into the language of 'Nepleslian'. My education at Omnitech University and the teachings of my parents qualify me not only as a 'Technical Consultant', but I can repair, diagnose, fix, and hell, even invent things." Hatu grinned widely as he explained himself.

Nelew glanced up at him. "You seem very qualified, then. But it would be more efficient to teach the operatives to care for their own equipment. Then they would be more self-sufficient in the event that you are not able to guide them through something."

"I never was good at teaching and you're expected to care of your standard-issue equipment anyway." Hatu's hands found their way into a crossed position.

"Though, in addition of being Technical Consultant, I have the ability to work with IPG.SecureNET. In fact, I accessed your profile, and the profiles of the other in the squad through it. Though, it struck me as strange as why you would not have a complete profile, any idea?" His head faced her as his body remained forward.

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

"I believe that is an issue that you will need to take up with the people who provided that profile to you as I am unable to explain their inability to perform to your specifications," replied Nelew with a slight shrug, noting the possibility that he had been trying to get information out of her in this conversation...and was giving a very good reason why certain personality types are ill-suited to such forms of information gathering. "I will offer this observation: You may want to look into training for your interpersonal skills. Increase those and you will be able to discover more before betraying your motives for doing so." She smiled up at him before looking ahead. "I was under the impression that mess halls were closer to the barracks...are we nearing our destination?"

It took Lenz Neis a couple of minutes to catch up to his fellow initiates. The short, muscular man looked like he was trying not to lose his temper- he had a look of murderous intent in his eyes; the veins in his neck and arm were visibly bulging from the tension in his muscles; and his fists were both clenched into tight fists. With whatever Lenz might have been good with, it appeared hiding his anger was not one of them.

Whatever those fuckers want with Mei, if they're using her as bait- they're going to leave her alive until they no longer can use her. She... she's still young and beautiful. Andrea was... not. That woman stopped being fuckable about 5 years ago. Neis's train of thought plagued him as he walked with a loud stomping of his boots against the deck. He was behind Hatu and Nelew in no time with his fast pace. He slowed down once he noticed he had caught up with them and was too absorbed into his own seething anger to give a damn about their conversation.

Alaster heard the loud 'clomp' of boots on deck as Neis came up. The man was still far enough back so as to not intrude on Hatu's and Nelew's conversation, and due to this, stood behind Lenz. He gave the man a quick glance. Hands balled into fists, veins bulging in arms, and neck... It didn't take Alaster long to put two and two together, this man was angry it seemed.

Brief curiosity came to mind, but quickly subsided as he continued on.

"I'm... sorry... I'm not a very close social person. I often find myself as intriguied about other people as much as I do about machines. I really can't help it." Hatu grunted as he looked ahead at the enterance to the Mess Hall.

"But yes, there's the enterance, right there." Hatu raised his finger in the direction. While doing so, he looked up the menu on IPG.SecureNET.

"Ah." Nelew filed away the path they had taken, then paused and gave a small sniff as smells from the room beyond began to reach her.

 

[SUBLIMEinal]

The smells would be decidedly appetizing to the average Nepleslian. As the group neared the end of the hallway, they would be able to see into the large, ornate dining room set aside for the Operators. Within, electronic lights disguised, through the use of holographic projectors, as burning candles lit the large hall. The dark wooden tables and plush, crimson-cushioned chairs seemed strangely graceful for the dark gray halls that surrounded it.

On the far wall, across the room from the entrance the Initiates would be using to enter, stood a long buffet, loaded with almost every conceivable type of food. The conversation in the dining room was quite subdued for the massive amount of men within, especially from the large group of Operators clustered in the center of the room, who seemed to eat silently.

 

[Kokuten]

Hatu rubbed his metal hands together at the sight of the foods before him as he stood at the enterance. At least they know how to cook.

"I think I'll go ahead and grab a plate." Hatu grinned to Nelew as he scurried over to the buffet and grabbed a plate.

 

[MissingNo]

Nodding to Hatu, Nelew followed him in, surveying the room as she walked to the buffet and becoming all too aware that she was an anomaly in that room. Not the ideal position to hold if one is not desiring attention.

She picked over the selections at the buffet, loading her plate rather high by the time she reached the end. Then she headed for a nearly deserted table on the edge of the Operator 'cluster' in the center of the room. Far enough to not directly invite trouble (as sitting among them might have done), but close enough that it wouldn't seem as though she was trying to avoid them.

 

[Kim]

Lenz's posture relaxed a little when he entered the mess hall. He looked at the lush food spread appraisingly, unsure of what to make of it as he entered the line to get himself a plate.

His narrowed eyes scanned the room curiously as he searched for a very specific face in the crowd. He doubted that if that ugly punk he beat up earlier would return after an interrogation, but he couldn't help but want to pursue his own "line of questioning".

As his turn to serve himself came up, he gathered a plate of what seemed to be relatively healthy food that were possibly the least subject to heavy processing- salad, baked chicken, other steamed vegetables and a couple pieces of bread. He also grabbed a cup of water before he sat down at a table that offered a good view of the door with his plate.

It's almost like something Mei would... He frowned as his thoughts drifted back to his little sister and what the men who had taken her might be doing to her. The fork in his left hand snapped with a loud SNAP.

"Shit."

 

[Soresu]

Alaster soon grabbed his own plate, and a cup of juice. As he turned about, the young man saw Lenz snap his fork. Frowning very slightly he took an extra, and walked over to Lenz, and put the fork down beside him. He didn't choose to sit with the man, but instead he merely went to a different table, and sat down looking thoughtfully at his food. The smells of the food on the buffet, and in front of him wafted up to his nose, and made him sigh a little in anticipation.

Truth be told he hadn't eaten yet today.

 

[Kim]

Lenz blinked as a fork appeared. "Uh, thanks," he said gruffly and quickly as he spun around in surprise to watch Alaster walk away. He placed the broken pieces of fork into his pants pocket before returning to his plate of chow.

 

[MissingNo]

Having gotten all of the visual information she wanted about the room and its occupants, Nelew focused her eyes on the plate of expertly-stacked food in front of her.

The six-inch stack was set around a number of mushy items consisting of a baked potato mashed down with butter and a bit of fried rice and pork 'n beans. Around those items were a boarder of baked chicken legs, and crisscrossing across the center were a dense arrangement of breadsticks and fries. A small burger rested on the fries and carried on itself a chicken breast - fried - and a rack of barbecued baby-back ribs.

She started on the ribs, eating at a steady, but a little faster than normal, pace. Meanwhile her ears were alert to what little talk there was around her. The snap of a utensil made her look up, but it turned out to be only Lenz so Nelew returned to her meal.

 

[Kim]

There was a soft footfall of boots against the hard tile floor behind, Nelew accompanied by the sounds of stiff fabric brushing against itself as a dark eyed young man wearing heavy black canvas cargo pants, boots and t-shirt walked over to the table where she was sitting and sat down quietly a couple seats away from her. He was about average height for a Nepleslian at about 6 feet tall and had a very young, look about him despite the dark stubble on his chin.

His plastic tray lightly clicked against the top of the table, and the silverware clinked softly as well. "When was the last time they feed you, Sugar? You look like you're going to blow away in the next breeze," The man chuckled in a friendly sort of way.

 

[MissingNo]

"Thirteen hours and seven--," replied Nelew without even a second thought, but stopped herself when she realized the reaction was probably the wrong one. She stopped eating for a moment and looked at the Nepleslian. "My mass is enough to remain on the ground regardless of air movements," she added, deciding to reply to the 'witty observation' rather than the direct question. That was how conversation went, wasn't it? And his demeanor appeared more casual than those of her teammates...A conversation with this man may be more fruitful than with the others.

 

[Kim]

The man smiled, looking unphased by Nelew's strange comment."So technical, I take it you spent a lot time with your nose in books, then? Oh don't worry, I find intelligent women attractive, so you won't offend me by sounding smarter than I probably am." His dark brown eyes seemed friendly enough as he winked at her. He made a swirling gesture with his fork as he realized his manners. "Name's Caleb Locke, what's yours, Sugar?"

He offered a friendly smile, revealing that his teeth were perfectly straight and pearly white. More observations about his personal grooming habits would lead one to come to the conclusion that he spent a lot of time on himself, there was not a speck of dirt under his neatly trimmed fingernails nor a flake of dandruff in his ear length black hair.

 

[MissingNo]

"Nelew Enev'Rana." Nel smiled too, but her eyes weren't in it. They were flicking back and forth over his face, his hair, his clothes... "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Locke," she said, abruptly meeting his gaze, still smiling as her eyes began matching her expression...cheerful, but in a by-the-book way.