Damn. I never expected Tsee Blackbourne to be under Council Review. Tsur Buble was livid that he had disobeyed orders and went beyond the five authorized Spaces to find Sang. All of Fourth Squad had been in attendance. We were absolutely on Tsee Blackbourne's side.
"Miss Sorenson, Stray 1052, is a valuable asset," he had stated as his reason for tracking her through 13 Spaces. Wouldn't exactly have been my reason, but it was true.
Tsur Buble, in a rare show of emotion, fired back loudly, "YOU are a valuable asset! A highly trained and skilled talent user with obligations. You are a Squad Captain and in-line for a Council Seat. What would your Squad be doing now if you had not survived that reckless retrieval? We haven't even concluded that the Stray will be useful in combat, let alone if this enhancement talent has any lasting negative effects on the Setari."
It was really hard to hold my tongue. I felt the instinct to defend her rise up so profoundly. Thankfully, other Council members interjected statements supportive of Sang and the potential for all the good she could do. I was fast, the fastest currently serving Setari, but amplified with Sang's talent...it was absolutely incredible. It felt like I was flying, even though self-levitation is not a skill I have ever had. If I had that kind of speed back when the last massive attack happened...if all of us just had a little bit more strength to our talents, we wouldn't have lost those Third Squad members.
Finally, the Council decided that really they should give Tsee Blackbourne some commendation for honor of duty, or some such nonsense. I can't blame Tsur Buble for being so upset. He was worried about his nephew, even if he isn't expressing it in the warmest way. I mean they are practically identical in personality, mannerisms, and work ethic.
Now, we were all in Tsee Blackbourne and Ista Green's apartment having a Squad meeting. Actually, North was in MedBay refusing to leave Sang's side, but his gruff- visaged hologram hovered off to my right, so he was attending in-channel. The rest of us sprawled out around the room.
Tsee Blackbourne opened the meeting saying, "Ista Green, why don't you start us off with the test results?"
Sean huffed, then replied, "Well, we aren't sure how she tore through all those Spaces. Is this some new talent set or just a version of Path Sight? Will she be able to do it again unconsciously or at will or never again? What we know about talents is through brain mapping known patterns, but her brain doesn't match up at all, so we're feeling pretty clueless right now." He hung his head running his hands through tousled locks. He sat back up abruptly, frustration written all over his tired face. "We aren't sure if the room she is in now will hold her, even with all the extra dampening circuitry and scanners running full time. Keeping her in high security intensive care indefinitely is simply not practical. She was already calling her previous room assignment a Box."
"She seemed happier staying with us," Victor piped up. "We could continue to rotate sleeping assignments. Perhaps, two of us should stay with her each night, one resting the other watching for any sign of...uh, extreme sleep walking."
"Fuck, yeah," Gabriel said. "We can't take a chance of losing her."
Tsee Blackbourne asked, "Is that really practical with your current sleeping quarters and room assignments? What about Miss Sorenson's privacy?"
Sean added, "Yes, girls need their own space for....things. It would be best if she had her own room."
Kota had been thinking quietly, "Silas, didn't your father mention that he has been contracted to help in construction of a new KOTIS Housing section?"
Silas answered, "Yes, perhaps we could put in a special request for housing reassignment and a customized layout. Second Squad did the same recently."
Tsee Blackbourne interrupted, "Remember gentlemen that Miss Sorenson has not been assigned to our Squad permanently, yet. Planning to relocate for an assignment that could be temporary is a bit impulsive."
The others deflated. However, I knew Victor was right. She felt better with us. I felt the same as Gabriel. We couldn't lose her. From the moment she fell into my arms, I knew she belonged there.
"No, you're wrong, Tsee Blackbourne." Wow, never thought I'd say that.
With a sigh he asked, "What do you mean, Tset Griffin?" I did wonder if we would ever be able to call him Owen and convince him to call us by first names.
Putting the stray thought aside, I said, "She might test with other squads and even work with them, but she's going to be one of us. She's going to be a part of our family."
All around I could see in my chosen brothers' eyes that they agreed. They had all felt it, too. The same undeniable pull, like gravity from a star, the new center of our universe.