The Black Dirge [Sci-fi]

[CalamityJade]

"Gift, huh. Must be one of the nice ones." Morden gave something of a shrug. "If it's so good, why did Shinigami snap like that?" They were pretty sure that such a display was only for the most dire of situations...or if you tried to avoid getting any field work for too long. It wasn't Morden's fault they wanted to keep out of the lines of fire. Bullets were still pretty deadly to them.

[accalia]

Zee shrugs expressively, showing that the enigmatic ways or management are enigmatic.

"Probably she's just got a bug up her backside because her new 'asset' is immediately usable."

Zee actually makes the airquotes around the word 'asset', that's plainly a viewpoint that annoys her.

[yamikuronue]

Shinigami makes her way to the doorway that separates the hall from the common room. "What's this about me?"

[accalia]

Zee seques into "commander on deck" mode seamlessly.

"Sir?"

She even manages a reasonable approximation of genuine confusion in her voice.

[yamikuronue]

Shinigami snorts, clearly not buying it. "Right. Anyway. You get anywhere with that new assignment?"

[CalamityJade]

Morden realized that this was probably their cue to head back to their work before they got too noticed, and proceeded to try and nonchalantly head down the hall and hopefully to their own room.

[accalia]

"You expect instant results out of wetware?" Zee asks sounding shocked and affronted. "There's progress to be had, but I can't change a person in an instant to fit the mould you want. Over time, maybe, but not instantly."

[yamikuronue]

Shinigami holds up her hands. "I just wanted your assessment. If you say you can work with it, then keep going. Will we see results in the timeframe I'm expected to report in?"

[accalia]

"Results, Yes i can get you results. I make no promises on now spectacular they will be. most of that depends on her efforts. There's great potential there, but a lot of work needs to be done to reach it." Zee calms down somewhat now that Shinigami's explained herself.

[yamikuronue]

"Great. I'm scheduling a training exercise for day after tomorrow. See if you can get the ha-- wetware online by then."

[accalia]

Zee blinks in surprise but doesn't reply verbally, merely throwing an excessively* formal salute before bowing and moving towards the mess hall to retrieve some food.

* Like actual Arnold Rimmer levels of excessive formality

[yamikuronue]

The next two days are a bit of a blur for Kimiko. At meal times, she's able to hang out with Marbles, Zee, and sometimes even Cordyceps; she doesn't see Sigma again, but Zee assures her that's normal. Shinigami is cordial, if cold, when they pass each other in the halls; most of her days are spent with Zee working on mental and physical stamina and health.

Shinigami isn't present at lunch on the promised day of the training exercise; she seemed impatient to get them out of the gym beforehand, so she's probably setting up. She enters toward the end of lunchtime, looking around the room before nodding in satisfaction: all four of them were there, leaving only Sigma for her to track down. "Alright everyone, I've staged a capture the flag exercise for today's training."

Capture the flag... despite the innocent playful name, this was likely to be a rough afternoon.

[Hitoshirenu Shourai]

Kimiko is sore as hell, but at least now she can walk without stumbling, and can even run a little bit! Thanks to the meditation, she's a lot better at being in sync with her body. She stays close to Zee, as she's most familiar with her. "Um... so... we just have to get the flag...?"

[CalamityJade]

Morden was in the middle of eating when they looked up at 'capture the flag'. "Nothing's that easy." They finished the last bites of sandwich before turning full attention to Shinigami. Morden didn't like the idea of this. There was no way they'd be able to get out of it and that meant being a bit more candid.

[accalia]

"And get it back to base, yes." Zee confirms before raising her voice slightly and asking Shinigami a question. "Oi, Shin. What's the R.o.E. for this game then?"