Nathan stood quickly, pulling me up with him. "Stand behind me, Sang," he cautioned.
The slap of bare feet on the floor echoed loudly making the pit in my stomach grow with apprehension. The chatter of the group subsided as they approached, seven in all.
"Fifth squad is on aquatic training. We have the pool the rest of today," gruffly stated a guy with shaved head and harsh expression.
"It wasn't on the schedule, Tsen Jay Williams," Nathan replied.
"Rocky just put it there," said another guy near the front of the group. He had blue-grey eyes and soft brown hair cut cleanly around the ears. He was handsome in a general way, but something about his gaze made my stomach queasy.
"Oh, come on boys. We can share," purred a slim girl with longish, dark hair. "Can't we, Nathan? In fact, why don't you invite North down, too. It never hurts for members of different squads to be...closer." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and struck a pose that pushed her breasts forward. Her version of a swimwear nanosuit included a deep V, which already amply displayed said assets.
I really didn't like the way she spoke or how she was looking at Nathan like she wanted to eat him.
"I will have to decline, Tset Jade Williams," Nathan said. His words were polite, but the tone sour.
"No need to be so formal," she pouted.
Nathan stepped back, saying, "We'll be on our way." He took my hand and turned to lead me in the other direction, when a hand shot out and grabbed my suit-covered shoulder. I was pulled to a stop and my hand slipped free of Nathan's.
Nathan whirled immediately, slapping away the offending hand.
"Where you taking Rocky's girl?" asked the guy with the blue-grey eyes. He dropped his hand but did not step away. My heart was pounding furiously.
"Don't touch her," Nathan said, his voice steel, and threatening. He placed himself between me and the others once again. A ripple of tension went through the group, the others seeming to itch for a conflict.
"Who is this?" Jade asked, voice sharpening and her eyes narrowing in cool assessment.
No one had a chance to respond because an alarm reached all of us over the Interface. It was accompanied by the message: All Setari, report to Training Room 3, immediately.
The tension remained as Fifth Squad filed out, moving around Nathan and me, then to the exit. Jade tried scratching her fingers down Nathan's arm as she passed, but he jerked away. The last to leave was the guy who grabbed me. His repulsive gaze was unwavering.
"Come on, Tsee Rockwell," called the male Williams. We watched him leave. Nathan loosed a breathe and finally relaxed.
"Sorry about them," he apologized. "Fifth and Fourth...well, we generally avoid them. Long story from our Kalrani days. Anyway, we better change quickly and join the meeting."
I was still trembling slightly from the encounter, but rushed into a goo-shower and recycled the nanosuit. Nathan waited in the hall and walked with me to Training Room 3.
I started recording a personal file, which I watched back later to understand everything that was said. We entered the large space to see all the Setari lined up by squad, standing at attention, looking very stiff and proper. There were some spaces left empty, but as soon as I was brought in-channel, hologram forms filled those spaces. Nathan joined Fourth Squad who had two members attending remotely. One was close to Silas in size with black hair and dark eyes. The other a blond, hair past his chin with smiling brown eyes. All of Fourth Squad were exceedingly handsome, but this guy looked like a male model that stepped straight out of a magazine. I was excited to see that Gabriel was back.
Ista Phillips was present and motioned me to stand with him and a stoic grey-suit at the front of the room.
"This is a level 5 classified briefing," said the grey-suit. "As you are aware, Fourth Squad recovered a displaced person from Muina during last month's mission. Lee and Morgan will demonstrate why this has become important."
Kota went first, turning and looking at the big metal blocks. "Current strength," he said, extra clearly, and lifted the largest block he was capable of managing alone. Then he glanced at me, totally giving orders just by turning his eyes in my direction. I obediently took the hand he offered. "Enhanced strength." I had turned to watch their faces when he lifted all the blocks. Most of them did the eyes-going-really-wide thing. A few shifted from their spots, or were openly astonished or upset, but then went back to stony-faced as quickly as they could manage.
Victor came forward next, and said: "Lightning projection," and shot a few of his lightning bolts into a target. He gave me a little smile and when I put my hand in his said: "Same skill, enhanced." The lightning ball freaked the Setari out a good deal more than an extra-strength Kota. A lot of them exchanged glances before they went back to being correct.
"Subject Sorenson's effect on skill users is still under investigation. As you have observed, it is not simply a matter of increased potency. In addition, multiple simultaneous enhancements can cause her systemic shock. Until further notice, the subject has been assigned to Fourth Squad. Under no circumstances initiate physical contact with the subject unless instructed. Dismissed." The hologram forms vanished, and the Setari squad captains sent their squads straight out the door.
Kota and Victor and told me I did well. I pointed out that I didn't actually do anything. Victor said, "At least you 'weren't doing anything' consistently." He and Kota grinned at each other and talked about what would have happened if the enhancement hadn't worked.
Then Tsee Blackbourne and Ista Green came over with the other Fourth Squad members. Silas, Nathan and Gabriel gave me appreciative looks, clearly impressed by the live demonstration, even after seeing the reports and earlier footage of the testing sessions.
"Leave ends tomorrow," Tsee Blackbourne announced to the group aloud. "Tsen and Tset Taylor will be returning late during third shift tonight, but we will meet here in Training Room 3 at seventh hour first shift. We are off rotations until enhancement testing with...." He drifted off and looked at me thoughtfully. "Pardon me, you don't have an official Setari rank and the civilian Tsa would not be accurate. Did you have any title on Earth?"
I was surprised by the inquiry. The only thing I could think of was 'Miss', so I told him the English term.
He nodded and said, "Very well, we will continue testing enhancement with Miss Sorenson tomorrow. The rest of you are dismissed for the evening. Miss Sorenson, may I have a word?"
The others moved off in the direction of the dining hall, while the two of us remained. Tsee Blackbourne stood with arms folded across his chest and I squirmed under his intense, assessing gaze. His steel-colored eyes capturing mine.
"You have an emergency alarm for a reason, Miss Sorenson," he started.
"I forgot," I said softly.
"I assumed so," he returned. "Fortunately, Tset Griffen did not, and started a live feed to me as soon as Fifth Squad entered the pool area. I know you are unaware of the history between our squads, but Ista Green detected a rapid heart rate increase in you as soon as Nathan started the recording. You were clearly distressed."
I hated the sound of disappointment in his voice. I wasn't sure how to apologize and looked down to the floor.
"Miss Sorenson," he said while placing a single gloved finger under my chin and urging me to look back up. His eyes searched mine, expression beseeching. "I understand that this is all new for you. Your safety and well-being is very important to me, to us...Please, don't hesitate to contact myself or any of Fourth Squad at any sign of discomfort. We will right beside you, supporting you however we can for as long as you'll let us. I promise."
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A/n: I've been trying to work in Sang's canon nicknames, but was wondering how I was gonna fit 'Miss Sorenson' in since Tarens use different honorifics....Tsa Sorenson just didn't sound right....but this scene lent itself beautifully...now I just have to figure out Pookie...and Peanut...and Baby....and....