"My decisions are final!" He said, standing squarely facing his opponent. His hair was damp with sweat and he was still taking deep breaths because he had steadily become more wound up as the argument continued. It had been going on for almost half an hour.

"And what am I supposed to tell Prophetics? Sorry, I can't go see the Oracle because the oh so wonderful Captain Sorlin doesn't think I can handle myself." She threw her hands up in disgust, wincing as she raised her left arm any higher than it naturally hung.

"Well, you can't simple as that." Sorlin's voice was cold, his eyes colder.

"How do figure? I'm alive, aren't I?"

"Barely. Only you could jack in and get chased by two Agents, getting shot in the process. You're not ready." He turned to leave, to finish the rehashing of all that had already been said when she placed forward another argument.

"I got shot in the shoulder, at an exit, a microsecond before I got out. People with more experience have been shot further away and died."

"You're not ready. Somehow you made it so real you tore the skin on both entry and exit! That proves you shouldn't be here."

"What? You have no real reason to keep me out." Her eyes flashed angrily, hands clenching into fists at her sides.

"I have my reasons. This is pointless, you cannot undermine my orders."

"And you can't nullify the reason I am on this stinking hulk…" He cut in over her, defending the Valiant.

"It's my ship, I have authority, I give the orders." His eyes matched hers, stone cold and furious.

"You want to face the wrath PLC Board Chair, fine, but don't you dare say it was because I was incompetent."

"Why not, it's the truth." She took a moment to answer his statement, voice verging on a hiss.

"I've done more training than you ever have and you're a captain! I could beat you at any program you have, any of them. I could spar and hold my own, not that you're willing to try me, you'd rather let Cleo do that. Even she says I good enough to go in. I am not incompetent, you are impossible."

"Alright, you're unreliable, you're too risky once you're jacked in."

"I've been in once…"

"And endangered yourself and others who were in there with you."

"But they weren't, I was on my own. Because you did a disappearing act that Houdini would have been proud of!"

"How could you tell where I was if you were busy running?"

"Hmm, the Agents kind of asked where you were. I think they really wanted you instead of me…"

"That's understandable."

"But I was the only one they could find."

"That's why you're not going back in, they can find you."

"And what, you're the Invisible man? I don't think so. Do you have a valid reason to keep me out?" Her eyes searched his, trying to find some way of convincing him that she was able to do everything he asked of her. It hadn't been her fault the Agents had gone after her, they had appeared out of nowhere, she hadn't even been on the phone to Fenra until she had caught a glimpse of a suited man out of the corner of her eye. The street had been deserted, Sorlin had vanished and her legs were almost too fatigued to hold her weight, but she had made it to the exit. She had come out alive.

"I don't believe you can stay alive for long enough to be useful in there. You'd be much better off back at Zion Control." That stung, it burned more than the wound on her shoulder and she finally gave up, the defeat echoing in her soft voice.

"You know what, screw you. Screw this whole sham of a mission." The tears were in her words although her eyes were cold and dry. She was tired, she was sore and her wound was still bleeding, all she wanted was a comment on her performance that any other captain would have given, but she was stuck with Sorlin, the most demanding of all time. His eyes flashed as he replied.

"Watch your language or I'll throw you in the brig."

"Yeah, the Ministers would love that." This was the first time he had the opportunity to exert his power as captain and by all the gods, he was doing a thorough job.

"My ship, my rules." She sighed, shaking her head as she answered.

"I'm not going to play by your rules anymore. You are the most closed-minded, egotistical, stubborn captain I have ever met. Captains like you breed people like Cypher and I have no intention of helping. People like you, shouldn't be unplugged." She let it hang, as soft as spider webs in the dew. "If you decide I'm worthy of your time, I'll be in my quarters." She turned, walking away from him and the full crew of the Valiant, hair clinging to the back of her sweaty neck. Before she reached the ladder that would lead her to peace and the coolness she needed, she turned on her heel, spinning to throw the last barb with deadly accuracy.

"Oh, and by the way, thanks for the help in there, you really made the difference." No one spoke, watching as she descended, feet echoing on the cold metal floor, door slamming into the silence. Sorlin turned to the rest of his crew, appearing unruffled by the fight.

"Jared, clean up the chair, Cleo, take Achilles into the most realistic simulation we have. Fenra, I want you ready to give me a full rundown on what happened in there, Op for Achilles first. Jet, secure me a line to Zion I'll be sending a communication to the PLC. If I hear so much as a whisper about her I will make sure you share the same reprimand." He turned to leave when Jared called after him,

"What about Cabrette, she still needs that wound tended?"

"Just do as your told. You are on my ship, I told you to clean the chair." Jared didn't reply, taking his rage out on the synthetic leather, which only took him moments to clean thoroughly. Sorlin had been gone only a short time, talking to Zion still, when Fenra looked at Jared, tilting her head in the direction of the med. bay and then Cabrette's quarters. He nodded, seeing the concern in her eyes as he made his way down the ladder silently, kit in hand. Just because the captain didn't care what happened to her, didn't mean that other shared that feeling. He knew that Cleo, Fenra and Jet all would have done the same thing, crept into the darkened section of the ship to treat a fellow crewmember. The door opened slowly on silent hinges and for a moment all he could see was blackness. But there, sitting on the floor, leaning against the cold metal wall, was a very pale and very unconscious Cabrette, the crimson patch from her shoulder tapering down her arm, making patterns with the blue rag top that covered the wound. She had opened the wound and tried to push the muscles back together by herself. Without thinking he checked her pulse, finding it weak but still there. Wracking his brains, Jared bandaged the shoulder, keeping the pressure on it to stem the blood. He contemplated calling out but daren't risk Sorlin hearing. Poking his out of the door he saw a booted foot on the top rung. Holding in the curse he stayed as quiet as he could. The dark head of Jet caught his eyes, the other man holding a kit too.

"Beat me to it." He said, his voice rich and smooth. He looked at the pale woman, slowly filling the doorway. "We have to get her to the med. bay, we can't do anything here." The two men lifted the limp body easily, Jared taking the most of the weight, suggesting that Jet keep look out and he'd carry her to the safety of the medical bay.