"Dr. Han modified the interface" Rho starts to explain. "Rather than being designed to connect to a sentient AI like myself, she programmed them to be controlled by a simpler program." Streams of code begin cascading next to Rho, representing one of the programs. "These programs were nearly AIs themselves, but weren't copied from a base consciousness."

"What does that mean?" Wash asks.

"It means that they had no free will. They obeyed any order Dr. Han gave them without thought or question."

Wash begins to put the pieces together and realizes where this is going. "And she put them in these people's heads" he says.

"Exactly" Rho nods. "I'm sure you're familiar with how dangerous an AI can be when it doesn't listen to its host. You know how they can take control."

"Yeah" Wash says, rubbing his neck as he recalls the flood of memories he received when he was implanted with Epsilon. "I know what that's like."

I hear a high pitched droning punctuated by giggles and know I must be getting close to Platinum's room. As I near the door, the voices get clearer so I can make out the words.

"Then I dotted all the 'i's with hearts" one voice says. At first I think this is Tinu, but it doesn't sound right. It takes me a moment to recognize this as the voice of one of the Sim-Troopers, the one they call Donut.

I peek around the frame of the open door and see the two of them sitting on the edge of Tinu's bed, with pictures of armor designs and clothes scattered throughout the room. Tinu has a tissue in her hand and is wiping a tear away from her eye. "That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard" she says, sniffling.

I step to where they can see me and lean against the doorframe. "What are you two up to?" I ask.

Tinu smiles and looks at me. "Donut was just telling me a story about his high school prom. It was so sweet!"

"And Tinu was showing me some armor designs" Donut adds. "My favorite is the one with the lace utility belt that doubles as a shawl."

I smile as I glance between the two of them, holding back a laugh. It's like they're cut from the same mold, I think. "I'm glad you two are getting along."

"Oh, yeah!" Donut nods enthusiastically. "Your sister is an artist."

Tinu blushes a little. "Oh, that's not true" she says modestly.

"Yes it is" Donut says encouragingly, reaching over and placing his hand over hers. There's silence for a few seconds before he looks back at me. "You know, it's been so long since I've been able to talk with someone about stuff like this, I'd forgotten how much fun it is."

"You couldn't have this kind of conversation with your team?" Tinu asks, surprised.

"Oh, no" Donut says. "I try, but they don't want to hear it. Those guys think this stuff is boring."

"Idiots" Tinu says, rolling her eyes. She and Donut then burst out laughing.

I smile as I watch Tinu. This is the first time she's seemed genuinely happy in months. I know she took it harder than most when mom betrayed us. For weeks she wouldn't talk to anyone except her partner, Nick. He told me that after the mission they were sent on, he'd had to drag her away from the battle so they could escape. She'd been in some sort of shock, holding the body of a little girl and crying, completely unaware of her surroundings. She still wakes up crying most nights.

Platinum had always been a shining star in the family, ready to do or say anything to make someone else feel better, but she hasn't been the same until the attacks. Watching her smiling and laughing like this, she almost looks like her old self. Her eyes aren't hiding the sadness or regret they usually hold. It's at this moment that I know I need to keep Donut here, with us. Even if he can't help the mission in any way, or he proves as useless as his records say he is, I at least need him to keep Tinu happy. I can't bear to see her the way she's been.

Tinu's voice breaks me out of my thoughts. "Silver" she draws out the word in a sing-song voice. "Hello? Anybody home?" She's moved from the bed and is standing in front of me, waving a hand in front of my face.

I smack her hand away lightly, laughing. "Knock it off."

"You zoned out" she says, a trace of concern in her otherwise jovial voice. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah" I say, dismissing the question with a wave of my hand. "I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about?"

I ignore the question, stepping around her so I can see the pink armored Sim-Trooper. "I need to talk to Donut."

Tinu glances from me to him for a second. "Well, I need to get to the box anyway. It's time for the kids' training." She gives Donut a quick side-hug before jogging out the door. "See ya later!" she calls over her shoulder as she leaves.

Donut smiles as he watches her go. "She's really nice" he says happily. He then looks back at me. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I just want to make sure you're with us" I say. "That you'll stay and help."

"Oh" Donut says, surprised. "I figured Sarge would have told you. He came by earlier and said we were going to stay here until you didn't need us anymore."

I nod. "He did, but I wanted to hear it from you. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to. I'd rather have people who are loyal than people who follow orders."

Donut barely hesitates before saying "sure, I'll help."

"That's it?" I ask. I had expected that I would need to convince him, like I had with his teammates.

"Of course" Donut says. "You people need help, and we can help you. That's the whole reason I signed up for the army in the first place. I want to help people. Even though we're not in the army anymore, that's still what I want to do." He looks around the room for a second. "And this seems like a good place to start."

There's a pause for a few seconds as I let his words sink in. Then I laugh slightly and shake my head. "I cannot get a read on you people."

"What do you mean?" Donut asks.

"I've read your files, studied your actions, and I thought I had some idea of who you people are. And yet, each time I've spoken to you guys, you've surprised me. What is it with you people? Why are you so complicated?"

I had meant it as a rhetorical question, but Donut chooses to answer anyway. "We're not that complicated" he says, staring at me. "You just don't know us yet. You've grown up with everyone else here, so you don't have to think about what they'll say or how they'll react, you just know. But we're new to you, so we're not as predictable. Give it some time. You'll realize that we're actually pretty simple people."

I nod, thinking about it. He's right about at least one thing. This is the first time I've had to work with people who aren't my family. There's certain things I won't be able to take for granted with them. I'll just have to be careful.

"How'd you get so insightful?" I finally ask, feigning suspicion as I eye the pink soldier.

"Well, I grew up on a farm" Donut says. "There was a lot of time to think there. I guess I got pretty good at it."

I had planned on having this whole "Silver talking to everyone" thing over with by the end of this chapter. Then I started to realize how long the chapter would be if I had Tucker and Doc's conversations in it too, as well as the fact that I hadn't posted a chapter here in a little while. So, here's this. The next chapter or two should be the last of this type, then we get back to action and plot and stuff. I just want to give everyone a good reason and motivation for being in this story. Anyway, please enjoy and sorry for the long note.

-J