RP: IPG [IPG Operators] (Insert Title Here)

"Excuse me, sir." Cyrene said to Hatu, hoping to catch him before he he went off to rest, himself. There had been no update on the status of her bunk and whether or not it had been refitted to properly suit her needs yet, and it was something of an important matter to the Initiate. She simply

"Due to the state of my body, my natural bioelectrics do not provide enough to power all my systems. As such, I need a station to rest and recharge in, but I cannot pull up an update on the status of the facilities that were supposed to be set aside for me. Could you assist me?"

Lenz went about his shower routine and got himself clean before turning off the water and drying himself off. He was grateful that no one had decided to chase after him and try talking to him again.

These kids are way too green and nosy for my tastes. Like a pushy prom date, they don't know when to take 'no' for a goddamn answer. At least some of them know to leave well enough alone... It's too bad she got hurt... but she's not my sister. I have to remember that. My Mei is in a bad place right now and I have to do my best to get through this to get her out of it, the short Initiate reflected as he looked at the scabbing skin on his knuckles with a light shrug before he pulled on his boxer briefs, a pair of shirts and walked back into the bunk room with his towel over his shoulder.

He noted that Hatu had made a reappearance from his remote viewing of the cluster that was their stealth mission. "Enjoy the show? I was curious if they were going to include it in the Best of the Worst of the IPG missions disk."

"Well, y-" Hatu began before he noticed Lenz enterance. He chuckled lightly at the initiates joke and then crossed his arms.

"Indeed, they're currently overwriting this months edition, just to place yours at the top." The red eyed Tech chuckled lightly.

After her quick shower, Athrylis returned to the barracks, fresh and squeaky clean. She noted that there were still some events centering around Hatu, but she didn't want to get involved. Instead, she headed over to her bunk and sat down, before she tuned in rather than participated.

She didn't sleep just yet, since she wasn't quite tired enough to want to sleep.

Leaving the restroom with her armor stacked in her arms, Nel went back to her bunk. She glanced at Hatu, then looked around to check who was present and who was still out and about. When she finished her little 'roll-call', Nelew left the barracks without a word, armor still in hand.

The pale woman paused outside of the barrack doors, looking up and down the hall before starting toward the armory where she had obtained the armor earlier that night. She wasn't feeling the need for rest, and returning her armor appeared to be the best use of her time right then.

Hatu finally turned to focus on Cyrene, who had approached him earlier about a recharging station.

"Well now, I believe you are the bioandroid I was briefed on. Hm, yes, your recharge station is in my technical laboratory." Hatu gestured to the door.

Close enough. I wonder just how much he knows about me... Cyrene pondered quietly, returning his gaze. "Very well. I suppose I'm putting myself in your hands, then." She answered plainly, as she stepped through the doorway.
As Hatu followed her out, the Technical Consultant began to bring Cyrenes file up in on his torsocomputer. Mmm... she's an interesting one, her body is almost 90% tech... Hatu looked on as he followed along, and soon came upon her background which had a large [RESTRICTED] programed over the words. What's this? Is there more to to this attractive cyborg than meets the eye?

"So, Cyrene, what would warrant such a full-body conversion?" Hatu asked her, setting the window of her profile out of the way of his vision.

"There was an incident during the Battle of Nepleslia..." Cyrene explained, rubbing the side of her neck with her right hand. It was an uncomfortable memory, one that she personally had hoped to forget. "... and there was very little left of me at the end, just enough to put back together. The pain was like something was pouring lava through every nerve in most of my body."

If she's so open about this information... then why is it so classified? Mmm, there must be more to it. "Terrible, you have my sympathies for suffering, and my respect for surviving." Hatu said eloquently. "Hmm, but why were you thrown in our squad at the last second before the mission?" asked Hatu.

"One of superiors felt that the initiates needed assistance. I was losing my edge in full squad operations after some time in one and two-man missions, so accepted the opportunity." The cyborg answered, sighing a little. "But we can both tell how successful that was."

"Perhaps you need a tune-up?" Hatu said, hoping for a chance to see what made her tick.

Cryene pondered this for a moment, holding her hand to her synthflesh-covered chin. "I might consider that, but I've just received full repairs and propper calibration would also require tinkering with my braincase, which is an operation that only a few specialists in this facility are cleared to do." She replied, glancing around the room. "Which unit is my recharging station?"

"That one, they tore down my damn wall just to put it in, at your request, we can have it placed in the barracks at a later time. I'll probably just stick a filing computer there or something other." Hatu said passively, giving the indention in his wall an annoyed look.

The indention itself was wide and tall to comfortable rest a single person on a bed. The recharge station itself was comfy looking bed with wires and such strewn all over it.

"Understood." Cyrene nodded, stepping over to the station. She noted the wires on the bed, and figuring it would be easier to connect with it without obstructions, began stripping down, stopping at a green tank top and a pair of black boyshort panties. The young Veles didn't particularly feel any shame over remving her garments in front of Hatu, but disliked the slight chill she felt. She glanced at her arms and began sorting through the wires, making sure to coordinate each wire with each dimly glowing circle and line on her skin.

"Your architecture is... impressive..." Hatu said with a little admiration in his voice.

The blue lines crossing Cyrene's skin glowed a little more brightly, with dim, luminescent waves ebbhing across them. The cyborg was unsure what that statement meant to her, or of how to answer it, but her body had, for some reason formulated a reply to her. It was frustrating at times.

Hatu watched as Cyrene's body lit up from the compliments. NOTE: Body lights with emotion. Hatu added this to his memory core. He then looked her up and down. "Is your body modeled after your original form?" Hatu asked, tilting his head.

"Essentially. Certain modifcations made to take a few years of growth that were going to be lost into account." Cyrene answered, laying down on the bed. She began to insert the endings of the wires into precise locations across her body, through the synthflesh. The punctures tightenned as her internal repair systems attempted to seal the breaches in her artificial skin.

Hatu put a hand on his chin, and gave Cyrene a more sincere look. "Strange... How technology enhances natural beauty..." Hatu said, almost unknowingly to himself.

The lines bagan to glow a little more wildly. "Eh?" Cyrene said, perking her head to the side as she connected the last of the wires. The thought of her being beautiful, or anything for that matter had never been drilled into her by peers. Her education had always focused on more prgamatic matters, so Hatu's words had only left her more conflicted and unsure on how to really feel about it.

"Mmm, I see, you are... confused? Yes, that face is surely of confusion... You've never been called, 'beautiful'?" Hatu asked, his red eyes glowed with intensity, and a grin was evident on his face.

"In the context of my body? Well... no... not until now." Cyrene replied, lowering her gaze. "There was one other time that was close, but it was a long time ago..." She said somewhat wistfully, her voice hinted with a sense of longing and nostalgia.

"Mmmm, I'm surprised, perhaps it's because of your status." Hatu tilted his head the other way, his brow arching high over his red eye.

"My father, you mean?" Cyrene asked quietly, glancing back up.

"Mmm, they may feeled threatened by your... Classified status." Hatu nodded.

"There is a reason for the imposition of that status on me." Cyrene said, her finely featured face losing some of the uncertain expression it had held before.

Instantly, Hatu's arm pivoted on the elbow and shot a finger into the air. "A reason I wish not to, else I come to my own demise." Hatu chuckled, his arm came back down to rest. "That doesn't change my opinion of you, though. I can safely say that you may be a dark angel among this hell of demonic evils. Beautiful, yet with hidden gadgetry that would cause destruction of untold porportions." Hatu said with a rather devilous grin on his face.

"Well... thank you..." Luminous waves traced down each line again. Cyrene crossed her arms beneath her bust as luminous waves traced down each line again, though it was less intense than before. "Do you have a blanket in the room? I dislike the cold..."

Hatu's face curled down into a smirk. She really expects me to fetch me her a blanket? Fah! She can freeze for all I care. Though, while Hatu was doing this, his own body moved as if it had a mind of its own to the towels used for cleaning up messes, they were thick and fairly absorbant.

W-...What the hell did I just do. thought Hatu as he suddenly realised the thick, body-sized towel in his hands. He walked over while he tried to comtemplate why he went for it and then draped it over Cyrene. "Here... I..." Hatu cleared his throat, "Sleep... er... well."

"Thank you... Lieutenant Chiaki." Cyrene said, a small smile forming on her lips. The initiate turned onto her side and shut her eyes, quickly falling asleep, her breathing a silent, slightly mechanical whisp.

Hatu was a little shaky, very unsure of what just came over him. His face was in a twist surprise, disgust, and confusion, his red eyes flaring intensely. Finally, he broke his stance and quickly exited the Tech Lab to return to his barracks.

With the lack of anything to keep her attention on, Athrylis laid down on the bed. Her mind drifted back to the semi-failure of a mission, her arm, and other various memories throughout her life. She gave a tiny sigh, before she pulled up the covers and tried to get to sleep.

It wasn't too long before she was off to slumberland.

Lenz grinned as he settled onto his bunk, setting the wet towel over the bars of the frame and tucking his shower shows and kit under his bunk. He inwardly sighed as he leaned his head against his pillow and tried to focus on nothing as he closed his eyes. He wanted to clear his thoughts of everything and be able to sleep without being haunted by the images he witnessed during the mission and from the status update on Mei.

The trip to the armory went without incident. Nelew delivered the body armor and signed it back into the old armorer's care, then headed back to the barracks.

Most of her squadmates were either sleeping or nearing sleep when she returned. Nelew went to her bunk and found a duffel on her pillow with a couple changes of civilian clothes, a training outfit, and other articles of her meager belongings inside. She must have accidentally left it behind on the transport when she arrived. After sifting through the contents of the bag, Nel laid them inside the drawer with her throwing blades.

Taking out the Kohanian training jerkin, britches, and leg wraps along with one of her extra fatigue pants, Nel changed out of her dirty uniform. Folding the soiled clothing, she made a note to find where to clean them when everyone was awake again.

Once she had dressed Nel left the barracks again, wearing her combat boots, the clean fatigue pants with her training britches underneath, and the training jerkin, carrying the rolled leg wraps in her hands. With no where else to go, and little clue where to find a gym, she decided to head to the mess hall. That should have someone there, even at this hour, and there was a probability that they would know where the proper facilities for exercises were.

"Initiate, may I inquire as to your intentions in leaving the barracks?" Flins spoke from behind Nelew, about 8 meters away. The Captain was able to move more quietly than he looked capable of. "Remember that you must return to the barracks within fifteen minutes. Tardiness will not tolerated."

Before Nelew would be able to respond, he headed for the barracks. He quickly spotted Hatu, his eye focusing on the technician. "Lieutenant Chiaki, my office. We have rather important matters to discuss."

Lenz drifted off into a deep and troubled sleep. He was haunted by the grizzly images of the day's mission- the half charred, skeletal look of the man that was their target and the fiery inferno that had finally destroyed the house. He could feel the heat of the flames against his skin, could hear the man pleading for help. He was used to seeing death but for some reason, this one incident tormented him.... he couldn't understand why.

Lee!

Even in his dream he froze at the sound of that familiar childish voice. With the image of the hellish house, her voice gave him no comfort- it chilled him to the bone.

Lee! Please.... I need you! I'm scared! Her voice sounded frightened now, desperate. He tried to find her as he ran back into the blaze. He searched room by room and found only death and fire and was further tormented by the sounds of his little sister crying, begging pleading for his help.

Mei! I'll save you! I'm come get you even if it kills me, I swear it! He shouted over the roar of the flames around him. He started to cough as the thick black smoke started to shear his lungs. The heat made his cybernetic arm impossibly hot and he felt the metal start to melt the skin it had contact with it.

Leeee! Oh God, it hurts, it hurts. Plleeeaasse! Leeeee! Her voice became increasingly more and more shrill with panic. It made him cold inside, for the first time in his life he was terrified that his oversight would steal away the one good thing in his life. He ran in circles, checking everything in the house he could looking for her and only found grizzly images of the men he had killed amongst the flames.

STOP IT! NOOOOO! LET ME GOOOOO! LEEEEEEEEEE! LENZ PLEASE MAKE THEM STOP! NOOOOO! MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMYY! LEEE, PLEASE MAKE THEM STOP THEY'RE..... Lenz's heart sunk as he heard her let out a blood curdling scream. The world spun around him as he became increasingly frustrated and scared for his little sister. He didn't know what to do, where to find Mei or even how he could save her.

M...Mei.. He managed to say in a choked hacking cough as the smoke claimed him and his vision floated away to a world of red and black.

He found himself in a cold, dark place when his eyes opened again. His body felt sore, almost like someone ripped his heart from his chest. He heard the rattle of the chains before he saw them; he felt their pull against his body as he struggled for movement.

I have to find Mei! MEI, WHERE ARE YOU?! He yelled out into an echoing darkness. He wanted to cry but he couldn't, he had to be strong, he had to be heartless.... he couldn't let the ones that hurt his Mei get away. There would be no mercy, his father always told him that mercy meant that a criminal would only be allowed to hurt innocent people again.

It was all like his father told him and even now he could hear his col and hardened voice lecturing him. Hold nothing dear that you wouldn't die to protect. Is it worth dying for boy? Do you honestly give two shits if those bastards cut her up piece by piece and fuck the dismembered pieces?

Yes, you stodgey old bastard. He growled back in reply to the voice in his head. I care more about her life than I ever did about you or anyone else in the god forsaken universe. Without her, there is no Nepleslia, no home, no country, no life and if I can't protect her.... I've wasted my life.

You're a fool for caring, for loving. What is it really you want from her, her virginity? Don't make me laugh, boy, no one is ever worth it. If you wanted her like that, you should've taken it when you had the chance. How many years have you...

SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'D NEVER.. NOT.... Lenz raged against his bounds but found himself unable to free himself. His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and he saw another shape across the room from him. His heart lifted as he felt something like hope stir within him.

M..Mei? He strained to pulled free of the chains around his wrists, his ankles and only managed to find that the length of the chain was only enough to get half-way to the shape. Mei, is it you?

The shaped stirred and further defined itself. He could tell now that it was two shaped. He saw the glint of metal in what little light there was... and.. two Meis., no, Athrylis was holding his Mei against the wall by her throat.

Mei was looking at Lenz wide-eyed, desperately begging him with her gurgling attempts for speech for his help. He couldn't hear her but he knew she was saying, "Save me."

He pulled at th chains again and called out, Athrylis, stop it! Leave her alone! Don't hurt her! Athrylis looked at him and merely smirked before her cybernetic hands let go of Mei's throat. She dropped to floor with a sickening plop. She looked so much like a doll....

No..no...nonononnonono Somehow, he was free from his bounds and running towards them. He swung out at Athrylis only to have her dart gracefully away. She moved like Mei did when she was dancing, the fact made his heart tighten. He reached out for Mei, she looked so fragile on that stone floor. M..Mei? He stammered, trying to fight back tears as he cradled his little sister in his arms.

She's not me. Don't let her fool you, she knows... she holds the key... you have to stop her before she.... Mei struggled to speak, her words were very soft, forced between rasping breaths. This isn't real... you have to..

Lenz closed his eyes at the pain he saw on his sister's face and when he opened them his arms were empty and he was alone with Athyrlis's echoing laughter.

On his bunk, Lenz was deep in REM sleep, immobile and silent as sweat beaded on his forehead and soaked his pillow, his sheets and his clothes. A couple tears beaded up at the corner of his eyes and rolled slowly down his cheeks. I'll do anything it takes to save you... I'll kill her...

"I could not sleep. I-"

Nelew's response was cut off by Flins' abrupt departure. Fifteen minutes was not the night...but training was good, regardless of time limit. The only barrier was the lack of information on where to find a gym. So she continued down the corridor to the mess hall. Maybe a substitute...

Fifteen minutes later to the second, the pale woman reappeared in the barracks without a drop of sweat. She had performed her kata in the hall, going through the movements with a slow grace and precision only known to very few machines. Whenever anyone had entered the mess, she had stood at attention along a wall until they left before continuing.

Nel went to her bunk and moved her boots. She noticed Lenz's vitals spiking...but, given his earlier responses to her attempts to speak with him, she decided to leave him be. Laying down, Nel had nothing to do. So she reviewed her database, line by line and section by section until something interrupted her.

"Mmmf..." Chandler shifted on the bunk, his face buried in the pillow. Even Nelew's soft movements were enough to rouse Chandler to action. Being a marine first and spy second, Chandler had trained himself to awaken at the first disturbance.

"Important matters? With me? Oh dear, I hope I'm not in the 'hot seat'" Hatu replied with a dry chuckle, he motioned for the Captain to lead the way.

"Please, lead the way, if you will."

Alaster lay in his bed, asleep after a nice hot shower. The large man's chest rose, and fell rhythmically as he slept. The Initiate turned over, sighed and continued sleeping.

Flins replied with a slightly less humorous tone than was given by Hatu, as would be expected from half ID-SOL government-employed assassins.. "You already know what we are to discuss. Go." The massive Captain pointed to his office door at the head of the barracks.

"Oh, sorry, I thought it was still 'play as dumb as your initiates'. Yes, lets discuss." Hatu continued forth towards the Captains office, however, he kept his eyes on Flins.

Had Mitchell still possessed eyebrows, he would have furrowed them at the technician as he spoke. Instead, he strode towards his office after him. He opened the door and stepped inside, taking his seat behind his desk.

Hatu walked over to a seat across from Flins and quietly and gently sat in the seat, his red eyes glaring in the dark at the Captain.

Flins sat quietly. A quick dart of his cybernetic eye motioned to the still-opened door behind Hatu.

If Hatu had eyelids he'd blink, but he swiveled his head to the open door. "Mmm... Primitive..." said Hatu as he rose to his feet and closed the door. "I don't see why you don't place a closing mechanism on that door." He sat back down.

The machinery inside the door came to life silently, sealing it completely, as was customary. "The thought had not occured to us, Lieutenant." Flins tapped the keyboard to the computer in front of him, illuminating his face as the screen switched on. "Now then, on to business. At this time, only one of the Initiates has been properly programmed. Lenz Neis. The others are still either awaiting their activations, or need nanite injections, period."

"Mmm, so, how did Neis handle his sister's torture?" Hatu grinned slightly.

A file transfer attempted to gain access to Hatu's hard drive from the IPG databases. It was a data packet containing the data on Neis's 'dream'. "As expected. The simulation was exceedingly stressful on him." Flins turned his monitor for Chiaki to see. It displayed Lenz's vitals, all of them showing what one would expect to see for someone extraordinarily stressed. "I believe that his sequence was a success."

The file transfer was accepted and immediately put under the scrutiny of Hatu's background encryption checks. Meanwhile, the Lieutenant nodded to the Captain and gave a little chuckle. "The other initiates don't have such close family do they?"

"No," Flins replied. "Initiate Neis is a blessing for the program, in that his close familial ties allow relatively unchallenging manipulation. The others, however, are less lacking in the possession of personality. If it were not for his family to control him, it is quite possible Neis would be indomitable. The others less so."

"Hmm, the short haired one, Nelew? Yes... Nelew, indeed. She is a strange one, what do you know of her?" Hatu asked with a sudden interest. Seemingly less distracted in the eyes now that his encryptions were finished. The file checked out, so he stored it in a safe file for later viewing.

"Relatively little. Far less than the Grand One would like to know. We were able to track her movements back to Neo Kohana. The identity provided to us is certainly fabricated. Judging by her combat data, she is certainly not Nepleslian, although she is not Fallen, either." The computer screen changed to video footage of the earlier shoot-out. "Do you have any insights as to how to break her?"

"Mmm... She will be a difficult nut to crack, yes, yes indeed." Hatu rubbed a metal across is beard. "Tell me, Flins, are you familiar with Othropian Salt Torture?"

"I am afraid I am not," answered Flins. "I've generally left the more creative forms of torture to the field officers."

"It was a torture process made famous by 'Hamstring' gang members, in a small city in the Othorope province. It includes cutting open or exposing sensitive parts to the body to an acid, or mainly, salt. I've heard it's extremely lengthy, and extremely painful." explained Hatu.

Flins nodded slowly. "Hamstring Gang? They sound vaguely familiar. I'm assuming you've set up a simulation containing this particular brand of torture for our initiates?"

"Indeed, we have a few eyewitness account I've gathered data and recreation from. All we need is the initiate to insert into the simulation." Hatu's pearly whites shined under the moustache of his beard as he grinned.

Flins tapped several keys on his keyboard. The screen changed, now requesting a password, which was quickly provided. It showed a scan of Alaster's brain, constantly changing, taken by the nano-bots ingested with the wine he had consumed earlier. "Initiate Langford is ready."

"You wish to use Langford this?" Hatu tilted his head slightly.

Flins nodded. "He was squad leader."

"Reasonable, who's next?" Hatu grinned again.

"We will need to introduce the machines to the other initiates, which we will work on next. However," Flins thought a moment. "Grand Veles has requested he personally deal with his daughter's conditioning."

"Indeed, Daddie's little girl deserves the best torture money can buy." Hatu chuckled quietly.

Flins stared for a moment, his stoic expression unchanged by the humor. "Very. Now, if you would please," He gestured to the computer before him. "We have conditioning to get to."

"Indeed, how will we begin on infecting the other intiates?" Hatu asked him.

Flins stood and walked to a cabinet behind his desk. He touched a print pad on the door, entered a code, and whispered into a receiver. The door swung open, and the Captain removed a large canister. "Airborne. Just in from X-Tech."

"Brilliant, how do you plan on dispersing it without their knowing?" Hatu inspected the canister, he took a still-shot of the container for later reference.

Flins pointed to a panel on the wall. "Grand Veles, in his infinite knowledge, saw fit to equip his trainers with the ability to alter the atmosphere their initiates take in."

"Mmm, indeed, a very functional innovation..." Hatu commented, with a little respect in the tone.

"Of course it is." The Captain held the container forward. "Hook it up."

Hatu arched a brow with a confused look on his face, he pointed to himself to make sure.

"Unless the Grand One or one of his many glorious arms has seen fit to visit us, you are the only one present other than myself, are you not?" Flins replied to the gesture, and held the canister out once more.

Hatu nodded and cautiously gripped the canister. He stepped over to the panel and heaved the canister into place, snapping and screwing it in. "Alright, what now?"

A green light went on, signifying that the canister had been correctly installed. "We will begin introduction of the nano-bots to the initiates once we have finished with Initiate Langford's conditioning."
"And now?" Hatu said, returning to his seat.

"Initiate Langford, of course." Flins grabbed his mouse and clicked on one of the icons on his computer, marked 'input'. "Give me the torture simulation data."

Hatu pulled out a small wire from his pocket, he tacked the wire into his torso computer. He then handed the other end to Flins.

Flins took it and plugged it into the machine. "Ready for transfer."

Hatu's red eyes lit with intensity and the simulation began loading into the computer. The red color blinked with data transfer speed.

The transfer ended, and Flins clicked around several times. "Finished. Uploading to the Initiate's brain now." The scan of Alaster's brain would suddenly become slightly more red, as several sections received stimulation from the nano-bots.

If Nelew had been a normal Nepleslian, she would have frowned.

She stopped her database review as she felt something enter the air that she was taking in and slowed her respiration until it was nearly stopped altogether, only one quarter-second breath every fifteen seconds through her nose. That was enough to continue the ruse that she needed to breath, but also enough to keep most of the airborne additives out.

She could sense them, as her internal defenses reacted to the particles. Her sense of touch wasn't strong enough to feel nanobots directly, but she could feel their presence in a way that a human might if they could consciously detect germs or viruses. But she was, for lack of a better term, curious about what these things were, so those defenses were not activated...just merely observed.

Nanites. Artificial, and not the same as those that her body naturally contained. Still laying on her bed, Nelew gave a short sniff. They were coming from the vents? With little training regarding secrets except in regard to combat, Nel didn't give the discovery another thought. It wasn't in her nature to question why an organization was secretly infecting their initiates with nanobots...so she didn't.

Instead, her attention swept the room once, with the intent of returning to her database review once the sweep was finished. Alaster had returned, she noted. Initiate Lenz was in deep REM...her query returned that he was probably having a nightmare, from the way he was reacting. Cyrene had not returned. And Athrylis was also sleeping.

But Chandler was not sleeping. Nelew opened her eyes and slowly sat up to look at him. His breathing was slow, steady...but slightly constricted. He was alert, but she was not sure for what. Sliding her legs over the side of her bed, Nel just sat on the edge and watched him.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, whispering to avoid waking the others.

"You noticed too?" Chandler said, scratching the back of his head and rolling over.

"I mean, come on. We botched the mission, screwed basically everything up, and they haven't done anything. Hell, I don't even think they tested any of us. I think something's up."

No, she hadn't noticed anything wrong...something different, yes, with the nanobots, but nothing wrong. This was Nelew's first night on a planet other than New Kohana, so for all she knew this was common practice.

Nel considered what Chandler had said a moment before replying. "You anticipated that they would do something to us when we returned? Perhaps punish us for failing to maintain our mission parameters?" she asked.

"I thought they might have done as souch. With that fucked-up lieutenant, it's hard to tell." Chandler said. He looked around the dark room, then pulled a small pen light out of his bag and flashed it around the various bunks on low output until he found the one Nelew was sitting on. Then he shifted on his own bunk and turned towards the other Initiate, turning off the light.

"What do you think?"