Merry Christmas one and all!

Chapter 212 – The Competition

(SPOV)

Monday, according to the human's time schedules. Sideswipe brought his holoform online and lightly knocked on the door leading to the quarters that had been assigned to the femme creator of his reliant. Sarah opened the door and smiled at him, the smile that gave Sideswipe a little extra touch of hope that after the two-week trial he and his twin would get to maintain their guardian protocols.

"Good morning Mrs. Lennox, is Belle awake yet?" he asked curiously.

"No, it took hours to get her down last night, she's been complaining about her bed again," Sarah informed him with a sigh, leading him into the main area of the living quarters. "Is Ratchet in the med-bay?"

"He is," Sideswipe nodded gravely. "But I think you'd better greet him from behind the door this morning, he's grumbling about something or another again, and if his wrench can knock me out I don't even want to think of what would happen if it hit you."

"He's probably grumbling about the fact that I'm already late for my first shift," Sarah informed him in a grave, marginally stressed tone.

"Sunny'll take you, he's outside the door already," Sideswipe immediately offered, the spark of his twin pausing in his trek toward the entrance bay for their morning patrol. Across their bond, Sunstreaker complimented him on the offhanded tactic to get as deeply into Sarah's good books as they could.

But only across their bond.

"I still have to get Belle up and ready for school," Sarah informed him, the stress in her tone increasing somewhat.

"I can do that," Sideswipe smiled, lightly touching Sarah's arm. "Guaranteed the later you are the grumpier Ratch'll be, I'll bring Belle through to say goodbye for the day on our way out."

Sarah smiled at him, a bit of the tension in her stance disappearing as she patted his shoulder and strode out the door.

"Good morning Mrs. Lennox," Sunstreaker immediately stated gravely, already on a knee and offering his hands to the femme.

Sideswipe grinned and walked his holo to their reliant's sleeping quarters, lightly tapping on the door before walking in and surveying the tiny femmeling – sound asleep sprawled across her pillows.

"Time for school Belle!" Sideswipe stated cheerfully, gently nudging the girl awake.

"Don' wanna," Belle grumbled, swatting at him and making to roll over and go back to sleep, promptly rolling off of the pillow she'd been sleeping on, and almost off of her bed. Sideswipe chuckled and lightly caught her, long before she could hit the floor.

"What are you sleeping on a pillow for?" he asked in amusement, standing up with the femmeling in his arms. "It's a fantastic way to roll right out of your bed."

"It's a crib," Anabelle corrected him in an irritable tone.

"What's the difference?" Sideswipe asked curiously.

"Cribs are for babies," Anabelle stated with a scowl, burying her face into his shoulder. "And it's too hard."

"You didn't have any trouble falling asleep on Sunny's chestplates."

"That's different."

"How?"

Anabelle turned her face to glare at him somewhat.

Sideswipe grinned down at the femmeling and lightly adjusted her to sit up on his forearm.

"What would you like to wear today?"

"My suit."

"Ratchet says you gotta wait until after your space-trip before you take to wearing your suit day in and day out."

"But you can get it for me can't you?"

"And cross Ratchet? Are you crazy?" Sideswipe laughed. "I just re-painted nineteen joor ago! What's your second choice?"

Anabelle huffed against his chest and turned somewhat as he stood in front of the cupboard that stored the various armour styles the humans wore.

"If I'm goin' to university I wanna look good," Anabelle mused in his arms.

"You always look good," Sideswipe chuckled.

"I try," Belle shrugged, eying her wardrobe.

"Green dress?" Sideswipe asked.

"Too formal."

"Jeans and t-shirt?"

"Too casual."

"Pinafore?"

"We're not going to a tea-party Sideswipe," Anabelle stated wryly.

"If Sunstreaker could fit into it I'm pretty sure he'd wear one."

Anabelle giggled and Sideswipe grinned.

"Tunic and leggings?"

"It'll have to do I guess," Anabelle sighed. Sideswipe nodded and lightly reached for the pink set, the least worn and seemingly newest. "No the green," Anabelle murmured, turning to lean her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes again. Sideswipe nodded again and pulled down the garments in question, turning and striding to the human's wash-racks. He lightly hung Anabelle's outfit on it's hook and set the femme down near the shower.

"Don't forget to brush your teeth," he stated cheerfully, turning and striding to the main living area. He chuckled to hear Anabelle grumbling softly for a moment before the sounds of running water started up.

He jumped somewhat the next moment, something had struck his twin.

"Get your scanners online you obsolete, rusted old slaghead!" Sunstreaker snarled in the med-bay. "You almost hit Sarah!" Sideswipe listened with half-interest as Sunstreaker noted the Weapons Master's jaw promptly dropping to rest on his own chest-plates, and the stunned look of consternation on Ratchet's face.

The water-sounds ceased from within the human sized wash-racks the next moment, closely followed by the sound of cloth rustling against itself.

"Swipey?" 'Belle's voice called out.

"Yeah Belle?" he asked curiously, poking his holoform's head into the bathroom.

"Will you do my hair?" she asked innocently, clad in her green armour and offering him a brush.

"Sure!" Sideswipe grinned, lightly snagging the brush and delicately beginning to work the knots from the femme's damp helm ornamentation. "Wha'd'ya think? Braid, ribbon or loose today?"

"Ribbon," Anabelle stated with a definitive nod, opening one of the drawers and scowling at her collection. She picked up three and held them up, scrutinizing them carefully before looking at him.

"Sunny'd say blue," Sideswipe stated with a nod to the ribbon. "A little bit of contrast never hurt anybot."

"Sunny does have good taste in colours," Anabelle murmured musingly, smiling as he lightly collected the ribbon and carefully caught her hair up, tying it in a fetching bow over her temple.

"Locked and loaded," Sideswipe stated with a grin, patting her shoulders. "Did you brush your teeth?"

"I did," Anabelle nodded, inspecting herself in the mirror for another moment. Sideswipe lightly scooped the femme to sit on his arm again.

"Oh really? Breath test," he smirked at her.

Anabelle huffed irritably in his holoform's face. Minty clean.

"You missed a spot," Sideswipe cheerfully informed the femme regardless.

"I did not!" Anabelle immediately protested.

"Oh you have scanners now too?" he asked teasingly.

"No, and neither does your holo," Anabelle informed him tartly.

Sideswipe laughed and promptly began making his way toward the med-bay, lightly snagging Belle's rucksack with his free hand and tossing it onto his shoulder. He rolled his eyes somewhat and adjusted his balances slightly; for some reason Belle's rucksack of school supplies was heavier than she was. Sentinel nodded to him in an indulgent, respectful manner as he strode down the corridor with Belle in arm. Sideswipe couldn't help but grin, straightening somewhat with pride as he carried on; the Prime transforming and rolling out to attend to his own seminar moments later.

"And what, pray tell, did you intend to do had you hit me with that wrench, medic?" Sarah's voice demanded menacingly. Sideswipe cautiously poked his holoform's head around the doorframe, then strode into the med-bay; past his glowering brother; past the gaping weapons master; and toward the femme and cowering medic; making absolutely certain to keep a calm, neutral look on his holoform's face.

"I... I... I..." Ratchet began in a shocked tone.

"What about your paint!?" Ironhide demanded, staring at Sunstreaker.

"What about my paint?" Sunstreaker asked with a frown, looking at the weapons master before looking down at the dent and badly chipped paint on his shoulder plating. Sideswipe grinned as Sunstreaker gave an irritated huff, glowering at the chips. "The femme creator of our reliant is far more important, even if I just finished polishing that."

"I...I...I..." Ratchet was loop-stuttering, obviously a nano-click away from an all out shutdown sequence.

"Mrs. Lennox?" Sideswipe called out cautiously.

"Sideswipe?" Sarah asked curiously, quickly spinning around and smiling at him, although more likely at her daughter sitting on his arm. "All ready are you?" she asked with a bright smile, reaching out for 'Belle. Sideswipe grinned, gently handing the girl over.

"I'll be right back, I need my body," he stated sincerely, idly setting the rucksack on a nearby human-sized chair. Sarah nodded and he blinked the holoform out, rising from their shared berth and immediately skating down the corridor.

"What do you mean come here?" Sunstreaker's voice asked suspiciously.

"I mean c'mere and I'll fix your paint," Ironhide rumbled with a grin in his voice.

"You'll fix my paint?" Sunstreaker demanded incredulously.

"What? I'm pretty good at it now," Ironhide shrugged as Sideswipe rounded the corner. "After all, anytime my armour gets scratched up it turns pink."

"I appreciate the offer, I think," Sunstreaker stated warily. "But your paint is monotone black, and this is triple layer gold on red..."

"True..." Ironhide rumbled with a frown, then he grinned at Sideswipe. "Oi! Niece! Give Sunny a 'gen surge, his paint's got all messed up!"

Sideswipe frowned, he wasn't a femme...

"In nineteen joor? What'd you do this time?" Kae asked calmly behind him. Sideswipe jumped slightly and grinned at the femme as she laid a gentle hand on his shoulder plating, a wordless, unnecessary apology for silently striding into the med-bay and startling him; it wasn't like the predator femme could genuinely help but have silent pedes - it just came with the territory.

"He chose Sarah's safety over his own paint," Ironhide rumbled in a proud tone. Sideswipe looked at his twin curiously, reaching out and lightly poking at the wrench dent.

"That's a first," he commented with a grin.

"Lay off or it'll be your paint," Sunstreaker grumbled back, lightly jerking his shoulder away from Sideswipe's poking digit. Sideswipe reached further, poked at the dent again with a broad grin before he transformed and brought his holoform back online a few feet away from their reliant and her femme creator.

"May I?" Kae asked patiently, her hand already raised toward Sunny's shoulder. Sideswipe looked up and grinned as Sunstreaker obligingly offered his shoulder to the femme, a minute shift and his little-sister's hand completed it's journey. A brief flash of bright energon surged over his twin's frame, repairing the damage to both armour and paint. Sunstreaker shrugged, lightly resettling his armour and nodding his thanks before transforming bringing his own holo online.

"Have fun at school today," he smiled at 'Belle, leaning down to peck a kiss to her temple. "Learn something new."

"Don't pick on anybot bigger than you without Sidey watchin' your back," Anabelle told his twin sternly.

"I'll be in one piece when you see me next, promise," Sunstreaker grinned at her.

"You better," Anabelle nodded definitively.

"Mrs. Lennox," Sunstreaker nodded formally before his holo blinked out. ::. Bee! Blue! You ready to go yet?.:: he called out on the primary.

::. We're already waiting at the ground-bridge for you to finish up fixing your paint and attending your duties as a guardian you're so lucky to have a reliant! I hope I'll have the opportunity to initiate my guardian protocols some-orn...:: Blue immediately started up. Sideswipe rolled his eyes and grinned at 'Belle.

::. And when you get back maybe you should build a proper berth for 'Belle.:: he added on the Primary, directing the comment toward his twin. ::. She doesn't like the one she has now.::

(MPOV)

::. She doesn't like the one she has now.:: Sideswipe stated over the primary.

::. I've tried that already.:: Will's voice commented. I grinned.

"Ready to go?" Sideswipe asked aloud, smiling at Belle and Sarah.

::. So you've finally figured out how to listen to the primary over your data-link?.:: I sent with a laugh.

::. Lena showed me, just don't tell 'Belle or she will find a way to convince Ratchet that she needs a comm link like mine. Hell I still can't believe that you lot gossip in English.:: Will laughed. ::. But my point stands; I've already bought three different beds for Belle now, she's worse than Goldilocks about it; if I didn't know any better I'd swear she's starting to suffer from the same sort of insomnia that Chance has.::

"Ready!" Anabelle sang.

::. We aren't speaking english, the primary automatically translates to the listener's primary language.:: Ironhide rumbled in amusement.

::. Belle has insomnia?.:: Sunstreaker demanded worriedly, echoing the medic even as the scout, predator and youngling's positions drastically switched from base to the other side of the planet. Literally.

"You behave young lady, and do as Sideswipe says," Sarah told her daughter firmly. "I love you."

::. She says that the one she has now is too hard.:: Sideswipe reported gravely.

"I love you too momma," Anabelle smiled, pecking a kiss to her mother's chin.

::. And the one before that was too soft, the one before that was too small despite the fact that she's barely even topping three feet right now.:: Will stated in an exasperated tone.

::. We can always pop one out of the fabricator.:: I stated patiently.

"You take the absolute best of care of her," Sarah commanded Sideswipe. Sideswipe instantly snapped straight, saluting Sarah proudly.

"With everything that I am," he stated formally before gently collecting the girl and tucking her into his modified passenger's seat.

::. Absolutely not!.:: Ironhide growled, I looked at my uncle curiously.

::. Our reliant deserves better than an afterthought cranked out of a re-sequencer!.:: Sunstreaker added in an oddly indignant tone.

"Can we get ice-cream for lunch?" Anabelle asked from the safety of Sideswipe's cabin; out of her mother's earshot.

::. I'll build a proper berth for my niece myself!.:: Ironhide announced, heaving himself to his feet.

::. Don't leave me alone with Sarah! She's gonna kill me the second there aren't any witnesses!.:: Ratchet finally chimed in in a panicked tone.

"Do you want to stay three feet tall for the rest of your life?" Sideswipe asked curiously, driving past my legs toward the entrance bay.

I chuckled softly, taking a moment to revel in the loving chaos of an extended family under one roof.

::. You will not!.:: Sunstreaker stated with a scowl. ::. a proper berth is the duty of her guardians!.::

::. It's not funny Kae! Sarah's got the same temper that you do!.:: Ratchet scolded me.

::. Arcee will you come protect your mate?.:: I sent across the femme's channel with a laugh. ::. I'm already late for my turn as second in command of the mindspace.::

::. On my way, what did you do this time my mate?.:: Arcee asked in an amused tone over the Primary.

::. I'm her uncle, it's my job to spoil her, remember?.:: Ironhide growled menacingly.

::. A proper berth is a necessity, that's guardian's territory.:: Sunstreaker retorted flatly. I rolled my optics at the impending argument.

::. Or you could both build her a berth and let her choose her favourite.:: I interrupted them patiently.

::. Good compromise.:: Ironhide grunted, stomping out of med-bay with a competitor's gleam in his optics.

::. May the best bot win.:: Sunstreaker added in grim satisfaction.

::. Which is why you were cast as a Prime, young warrior.:: Sentinel informed me airily. ::. Will you be arriving soon? The humans are growing impatient.::

::. I'm on my way.:: I stated, rolling my optics whilst striding toward the entrance bay; glancing toward the quarantine. ::. Has anybot seen Chance in the past few Joor?.::

::. He's AWOL with Firelight.:: Will informed me gravely.

::. AWOL?.:: I asked warily.

::. He forgot to ask for leave to fly around the world with his new girlfriend, I'm going to scare him with it when he finally makes it back.:: Will smirked.

::. You're not going to write him up for seeing to the needs of a traumatized femme are you?.:: Chromia demanded menacingly.

::. Absolutely not.:: Will stated firmly. ::. I am going to scare a bit of sense back into him though, lovesick or not we still have duty to attend to. I'm already short on senior commanding officers with Jacobs gone and Mallory's family needing him back home without Chance swanning off every time Firelight happens to fly past.::

::. What do you need?.:: Chromia asked in a somewhat more mollified tone.

::. A holoform and four extra processors.:: Will groaned. ::. I'm supposed to deal with two video conferences here and a mission debriefing at the pentagon with the new commanders in the next two hours and there's another batch of new recruits coming in who need the NEST orientation and introduction which Chance was supposed to start ten minutes ago...::

::. I can do that.:: Chromia stated in a soothing tone.

::. No offence Chrome, but as great as it would be to have you in for the introduction instead of Ironhide-.::

::. Oi!.:: Ironhide growled.

::. You scared half of the last batch into quitting before I was even finished Ironhide. But you don't know the human level orientation bit yet Chrome.::

::. Meet me in Central and I'll upload it from you.:: Chromia shrugged. I smiled and signalled the skyris to open, scanning the airspace before launching into the sky and transforming.

::. It takes hours just to talk through the entire thing, I can't train you in time for it.:: Will groaned.

::. No, Will.:: Chromia stated in her usual 'be patient with the human hatchling' tone ::. Meet me in Central, we'll enter the mindspace and I'll upload it.::

::. How long is that going to take?.:: Will asked worriedly.

::. Five minutes and however long it takes you to get to Central.::

::. Walking now.:: Will replied instantly.

::. Are you even en-route yet Archangel?.:: Sentinel demanded irritably. I rolled my optics and blasted my engines to their top speed for a split second before throwing my brakes on and transforming again.

"I'm already here," I stated nonchalantly, grinning and ducking away from the irritated swat the older Prime aimed at me seconds after landing.

"And how many laws did you break in doing so?" Sentinel demanded.

"None. Vertical launch to a thousand feet and I didn't even break the sound barrier," I shrugged idly. "Shall we?" I added, ducking into the lecture-hall and delicately picking my way through the few stragglers still on the main floor, chuckling at the astonished gazes of the people who'd not yet seen one of us in root mode.

"Fliers," Sentinel grumbled behind me. I grinned at the Prime and settled into my place, watching as Sentinel gazed around himself as he strode in, scanning and identifying the faces and cross-referencing them to the places held by the sparks we'd see in the mindspace.

Predominantly, they were human formed. But sometimes...? I shook my helm slightly and smiled as Sentinel settled happily into his place, bringing up the programming and preparing the mindspace.

"Hey Sentinel!" one of the humans shouted out.

"Mr. Vasques," Sentinel nodded to the human patiently.

"Which topics are you covering today may I ask?" the man asked with a grin.

"This session will encompass everything which you have already heard from your last, the following session, after a brief recess, will carry on to the topics I promised to go into further depth prior to your departure," Sentinel stated with a brief, tolerant smile. "You are welcome to remain for both, there is room within the roster and a place for you in each."

"A refresher and enough time to catch a bite to eat in between," the man grinned, settling more deeply into his own seat. "Thank you sir!"

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," I began with a smile as Sentinel nodded indulgently to the man, my holoform flicking to my stash of emergency gear and taking stock, ensuring that everything was in it's place before striding into the centre of the amphitheatre. "For those of you whom have not yet entered the

mindspace I would call your attention please, for those of you whom have already joined us previously please feel free to close your eyes..."

(CPOV)

Chromia rolled her optics.

::. No, Will.:: she stated patiently. ::. Meet me in central, we'll enter the mindspace and I'll upload it.::

Across the primary, she could feel Will's wariness at that.

::. How long is that going to take?.:: he asked worriedly.

::. Five minutes and however long it takes you to get to Central.:: Chromia stated in an amused tone. Humans.

::. Walking now.:: Will replied instantly. Good human.

Chromia stretched out on her intended's berth for a moment before lightly jumping to her pedes, summoning her armour and striding out the door. She walked for a moment, idly warming her joints and running her usual morning diagnostics before lightly transforming and driving to the central. Will was jogging along the yellow lines toward her; Chromia smiled and transformed again, pacing into the central and toward the holoformatic couch no-bot had bothered to shut down. In moments she was comfortably curled up on one of the nearby lower benches, lightly accessing the controls.

"Good to flump?" Will asked curiously.

"Flump down, close your eyes, I'll be right in," Chromia smiled. Will grinned at her and did just that, his hands drifting to comfortably rest on his stomach. Chromia lightly hooked herself in and sped to the mindspace, quickly locating the human's spark and popping up beside him.

"Chromia?" Will's spark asked curiously, scrutinizing her. Chromia laughed and solidified her form.

"You've had contact with Ironhide and Bumblebee already, so I shan't worry about being your first," Chromia stated in an amused tone, lightly catching hold of the spark beside her. "It'll be faster if you think of the orientation we need to give the new recruits."

"How does it work?" Will asked curiously. Information began crossing between their sparks, and Chromia smiled indulgently as Will obediently called the pertinent information into his forefront attention.

"Like this," Chromia stated indulgently, delicately pressing the knowledge of spark-communication across their little link. "The same way that Sentinel has been teaching his seminar in a sense. No word is spoken aloud, the information is passed from soul to soul then recorded in the processors for more permanent memory. Your memory is electro-chemical, mine electro-magnetic, but the process has remained the same."

"Now if only I could hold the briefings in here," Will murmured in a reverent, astonished tone.

"That's a bad idea," Chromia laughed outright, lightly gathering the final few bits of information pertaining to the orientations and delicately ignoring the wash of information the human had yet to learn to withhold.

"Why?"

"Oh, you don't mind sharing with all and sundry what you and Sarah were doing while Belle was asleep last night?" Chromia asked in an amused tone. "Is that what it feels like to be a male human during your copulation process? It's fascinating."

Will gasped and opened his eyes, the spark beside her flashing from the mindspace. Chromia laughed and followed the links, delicately making sure that Will was wholly within his own body before exiting herself.

"I...I...I..." Will was stuttering. Chromia narrowed her optics at the human for a moment, scanning him for physical or mental injury before purposely grinning at the man.

"Don't worry Will, what happens in the mindspace stays in the mindspace," she sang sweetly, patting his cheek congenially.

"Mindspace?" Sarah asked behind her.

"I have an orientation to attend to," Chromia stated with a bright smile. "See you later?"

"Sure Chrome, mindspace?" Sarah asked her husband again.

"Uh... I... uh..." Will continued stuttering.

"Just finished his first purposeful information sharing session," Chromia called out sweetly, striding toward the door. "You needn't scold him Sarah, he's still learning."

"Learning what?" Sarah asked with a frown.

"How to withhold information, you're remarkably high on his process priority, you should be flattered," Chromia replied cheerily. She didn't need to look to know that Sarah was eying her mate warily.

"And what precisely does that mean?" Sarah asked quietly.

"Apparently Chromia doesn't need cameras to know what we were doing last night," Will choked.

"Will!" Sarah stated in an exasperated tone.

Chromia giggled and transformed, bringing her holoform online and speedily driving to the quarantine. Not that any of the humans or bots were carrying communicable diseases - Ratchet was constantly making sure of that - it was the generally bot-free zone that the new recruits and adventure seekers were kept in. Chromia idly parked in front of the humans milling uncertainly around the chairs set up in the centre of the room, her holoform rose and dismounted, pulling off her helmet and flicking her braids out of her eyes.

"Good morning gentlemen," she began casually. "Be seated."

As one, the recruits parked their afts in the chairs provided. Inwardly, Chromia smirked slightly as no few of the men eyed both her form and her holoform with lust in their eyes.

"Welcome to NEST, if you've applied to or are looking for the Nuclear Emergency Support Team, get out, you're in the wrong building," Chromia began perfunctorily. A hand shyly raised itself near the front.

"Ma'am, do you get a lot of the mistaken identities?" the newcomer asked shyly.

"A few, to which team were you assigned?" Chromia asked patiently. The man rose and offered her a sheaf of paperwork. Chromia scanned through the twenty pages in ten seconds and nodded. "Right, your briefing is scheduled to start in ten minutes at Joint Base Andrews. Anyone else get on the wrong bus?"

"Shit!" the man stated agitatedly in front of her.

"Don't worry," Chromia stated casually. "We'll get you there in time. Anyone else in the wrong orientation?"

Any number of men looked down at their papers, and a few rose to stand with the first. Chromia nodded and looked around for any stragglers before looking at the small group, scanning their papers.

"Right, with me," she commanded patiently. "The rest of you can stay put for a minute," she added, turning and striding out the door with the little group following her. Any number of that little group were gawking about themselves as they made it into the entrance bay.

"Lena!" Chromia called out patiently. Lena turned and smiled, the femme nodding to the recruits as they stared at her in shock.

"Another group of microwave boys got on the wrong NEST bus?" she asked pleasantly.

"Yes indeed," Chromia stated cheerfully.

"Seven, same number that the nuker boys called in, proper swap today," Lena chuckled. "Right, bringing up the ground bridge! Stand clear!"

Chromia delicately shoved the group to the safe zone and watched as the portal spun up and calmed.

"Bridge is stable!" Lena reported brightly. "Come on then boys, let's get you to your briefing on time."

"Is it safe?" one asked in fascination.

"Perfectly," Lena smiled. "This way," she added, striding into the bridge herself.

Chromia watched in amusement as the human soldiers flocked around the femme, gawking around themselves in awe as they entered the bridge. Chromia idly glanced at her chronometer and smiled at Lena as five minutes later she walked back through the bridge, leading nine.

Nine?

"Nine?" Chromia asked curiously.

"Two requested transfer the second we touched ground," Lena stated cheerfully. "We won the NEST recruiter contest today and you're on track to leave Ironhide in the dust."

"Well then, with me boys," Chromia commanded cheerily, identifying the two who'd made the double trip - including the one who'd first raised his hand.

"Giant robots, NEST deals with the giant alien robots and they have teleportation devices," the man was muttering with a grin.

"Keep hush buddy boy, you're killing my grand reveal," Chromia smirked at him, leading them back to the quarantine.

"Yes ma'am!" the soldier stated enthusiastically, saluting her. What a nice boy.

"Alright then boys, park your afts snappish and we won't dock you for being late," Chromia smirked at the group of stragglers, nodding to herself as they obediently scrambled to their seats. She made a personal note in her logs to make volunteering for this position a regular habit: she could definitely get used to dealing with the newbies. The two who'd made the return trip were fairly vibrating in their seats as they watched her avidly; they'd spill if she didn't get on with it.

"Welcome to NEST," Chromia began, driving forward slightly and transforming as her holo flickered out. "The Non-biological Extraterrestrial Species Task-force," she stated with her own voice, looking around at the gawping, stunned faces. "My name is Chromia and I'll be conducting your orientation today. To begin with there is a list of base rules which you should get yourselves familiar with in a hurry if you plan on surviving. First of all: don't piss off Sunstreaker..."