![]() Feros' eyes are gleaming I can practically feel him itching to get in Novis' good graces. "Option one is eliminating all Corpus threats, disabling the reactor from inside, and assisting in loading the neuroptics into nearby Orbiters before extraction. From there, you will have two options, contingent on the level of security inside the ship." From the corner of my eye, I see Feros lean in. "You will enter here and dispatch any immediate resistance. But the four of you will be intercepting that freighter." The starmap disappears, and we're back to the ship again, this time with a spot glowing on its back. "We have no reason to believe the Corpus have achieved anything close to Warframe technology. That gets the reaction he looked like he was expecting: Seri gasps a little, Feros frowns deeply, Mar cocks an eyebrow. Materials that could be used to make Warframes, at least" ![]() It is carrying almost exclusively neuroptics components."Īfter half a second of blank stares- even Mar seems bemused- Novis adds, "Warframe parts. "That alone would be suspicious, but Cephalon Cidri has managed to access the ship's manifest. Novis waves his hand, and it shrinks until we're looking at the starmap, watching the tiny red dot inch its way toward Jupiter. It has no escort, it is moving extremely quickly, and it has been retrofitted with frigate-class weapons." The table flares to life, and a five-foot Corpus ship appears above it, spinning slowly. "There is a Corpus freighter currently en route to dock somewhere on the outskirts of Jupiter. "Then we have no time to waste." He turns to all of us, and I feel a weight lift as his eyes move away from me. ![]() Novis closes his eyes, re-opens them… nods. Won't be an issue, Councilor." Every ounce of sincerity I have goes into those words, and I stare at Novis, begging with my eyes. It's desperate, it looks desperate, I know, I don't care. "I asked," he repeats, voice slow and measured, "If you believe you are fit for deployment. For not-even-close-to-the-first time, I imagine sinking through the floor and floating away into deep space. The model response to a question from a Councilor. "I- what?" I manage, my cheeks flushing hot. I glance around, eyes darting left-right-left like a cornered animal. "…ou fit for deployment?" Novis is- everyone is staring at me. Cidri's voice again, burned into my head, making me grind my teeth until it feels like there should be nothing left, until I'm fighting back a bubbling molten-lava scream. Well, he still might, but if he does, he isn't open about it. ![]() All things considered, though, Novis is one of the better Councilors who could be in the room, and by 'better' I mean 'doesn't actively despise me'. "Do you think he ever smiles?" she says, voice hushed and conspiratorial. ![]() A memory flickers into focus: Seri and I, years ago, whispering outside the Conclave after an evaluation. He looks smaller than he does in his floating chair in the Conclave- that's probably half the reason they're there- but every other detail is the same: shaved head, dusky brown skin, always-neutral expression. Standing in the corner of the room, his monochrome robes soaking in the holopanel off-light, is Councilor Novis. I blink, turn my head- and immediately stiffen to attention, suddenly very very far-too-aware of how disheveled and unprepared I look. I'd spent less time in the deployment room than anywhere else on Outwatch IV, and every minute still managed to stick in my head like some kind of ooze, viscous and sticky. It's all there, etched somewhere behind my eyes. Some chairs, some screens, a holopanel table in the middle, and the door in the far wall that leads to the Operator Bay. The room is another dose of whiplash: all silver and grey and tasteful accents, like it's supposed to cool you off after your retinas got scorched from the hallway outside. Mar does nothing, refuses to acknowledge my presence I’d be more worried if she had. Seri waves as I trudge through the shining gold doors, her face bright, open, unassuming. ![]()
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