DZ threw his rucksack down onto the floor before taking a seat at the foot of the bunk beds in the barracks. Everything the trio was watching and reading in the field when they weren't busying themselves with digging fighting positions, mock assaults, and other training caused a realization in the man. He was connected to this…tangentially, but he was connected.

"DZ," Digits spoke, looking up from a datapad, noticing the look on his face. "Hey, yo."

Nothing.

"Ord."

DZ finally looked up, "What?"

"What, you suffer shell shock in the field?" Joker asked as he began stashing items in his wall locker.

"Shut up, Siph." DZ chided him before turning his attention back to Digits. "I just noticed going through all this…I have a mom named Rem with robotic legs."

His fellow cadets and friends sniggered at his implications.

"That isn't an uncommon name…and didn't your mom captain a cruise ship or something? Sounds like a real, stone-cold operator to me taking retirees out on leisurely round trips to Paradosio." Siph attempted to ground his friend back in reality. "She even ever tell you how she lost her legs?"

"Nah, she's never told me how or why her back hurts all the time. But it's also my dad. You know, the ex Invader, one time head of Republic Intelligence?"

"Yes, you wouldn't shut up about it throughout basic because you're dad is such a cool guy being into spook stuff." Siph rolled his eyes. "Look man…there is such a thing as coincidence. Maybe…maybe…your dad's tangibly connected being an Ex-Invader…but your mom schmoozed old people on vacation."

"Well you know as well as I do that the Empire didn't exactly want to keep people around who lost limbs. Especially ones who face fuck a building like she did and lived."

"Assuming they are one in the same, sure."

"C'mon, Siph, DZ's mom is hardcore!" Digits snickered. "Operates hard with those little umbrella drinks."

"You say that but you know how many times she makes my dad sleep on the couch?"

"The times I remember going to your house as a kid, your dad's kinda an idiot. No offense."

"Yeah…not really surprising."

"I mean, he gave me an AT rocket when I was like, six."

"At your birthday party? Yeah, we were there." Siph laughed. "Your mom was pissed!"

"Yeah, and all my dad could say was that giving me an inert tube was like giving a kid a candy box without the candy inside." DZ laughed before shaking his head.

"I mean, it's pretty cool to have a dad in charge of SpecOps still; hearing all this from Corr I've kinda been thinking of requesting a reassignment to it once we're out of the academy." He chuckled at a slight realization, "Probably going to be the first cadet in the academy to turn down a spot in the Honor Guard in exchange for SpecOps."

His friends' expressions simultaneously sank in realization as they turned their attention fully to him.

"What? Why the Irk would you wanna do that? Being a spook is cool and all…but Honor Guard!"

"Yeah, man. You already got this far, why dump your progress?" Siph reasoned, unsure if he was being serious or not. "...'sides, that dress uniform. Republic Guard ain't got dookie on it. Spec Ops just has a fancy pin on that uniform. Honor Guard's a chick magnet."

"Yeah and so is a rack of medals from possible combat deployments." DZ remarked, "I'm not giving up on the path towards the commission as an officer. I'm just thinking I'd rather actually do something. Get out there, see the galaxy, maybe be part of some joint training with the Vortians in the future. They're the only ones who actually get to go around and crack some skulls."

"Nobody said you couldn't do that, but, y'know…finish this first? Could smooth the transition over too."

"Right, exactly." Siph nodded in agreement, looking to DZ. "Spec Ops doesn't accept just anyone…then again your dad used to be their boss so he could probably pull strings and get you in anyway…but do you just want it given to you? You're earning this!"

"That was the idea," DZ paused for a bit. "I want to finish this first, graduate with all you guys, and then get sent over. I mean, you're right, my dad would get me into it like that," he snapped his fingers for emphasis, "if I said I wanted to. Makes it far easier on him if I'm an academy graduate first." Another pause followed as he mulled over his thoughts.

"We get some leave starting tomorrow. I think I'm going to ask them both about what I've learned."

"Ask your dad." Digits began with a knowing smirk. "He's bound to spill the beans before she would even if you're remotely close to being correct in your assumptions."

"...so if your mom ends up killing him, does that mean she's single?" Siph teased his friend.

DZ picked up a nearby boot sock and threw it at him for the remark. "Always a joker. Don't think she'd kill him…but he might end up banished to the outer darkness as Corr said in front of Calla before."

"Y'know…I never knew Professor Corr was mated. Never seen this Calla before anyway." Digits reasoned as Siph recovered from the impromptu article of clothing assault.

"You saying he's lying?" Siph countered.

"No…well, at first I did…then I looked on the Republic's personnel directory and there is a Calla heading Internal Affairs…just wonder why they keep their distance is all."

"Conflict of interest? Can't be getting too cozy in front of everyone."

"I mean, if she's doing what Xilch did back in the Empire maybe she's pretty busy? I mean they got two different lines of work." DZ thought aloud. "He's an academy instructor, she's monitoring the interior. Not exactly like we'd ever see them crossing paths in our day to day, right?"

"His girlfriend isn't imaginary like yours." Siph jabbed as he glanced at Digits.

"Funny."

"I thought so."