**Raiden and Blade Wolf - Crew galley, UMMA Vessel Tanngrisnir**

The nearly empty and silent mess hall, only the quiet flipping of pages over the hum of the engines, was about to have its silence slightly disrupted.

"I do not see the point in reading a book when I can simply download the contents to my neural network." A robotic tone was heard, as well as the repetitive tack-tack-tack of metal on metal.

"Just knowing what's in a novel isn't the purpose. Sure, that's fine for technical manuals and the like, but a good book is an experience, a journey." A deep baritone responded.

"... I will try it, then, we have an abundance of time." Blade Wolf and Raiden now visibly entered the room, both coming over to a table adjacent to Blake's.

"Speaking of time and reading, do you happen to remember what we supposed to be guarding this ship against? And what parts of the ship? I wasn't paying attention at the briefing." Raiden slid a few books that he was holding onto the table. Neither of them had brought any food.

"Raiden, I am an AI. I am incapable of forgetting such data."

"Oh, so you weren't paying attention in the first place either."

"..."

"I'll just call up Dlanor." Raiden put a finger to the side of his head, and his codec began dialing. "Hey, Dlanor, you happen to have a recording of the mission briefing or a document you could send me. I need to review our objectives and mission details."

Blade Wolf looked away from Raiden, towards the only other person in the room, Blake. Taking one last glance at Raiden, busy with his call, he padded over to her.

"My sensors indicate your bow is heated. I am unsure as to the purpose of this." Blade Wolf's head tilted slightly, and one could almost see the parallel between the murder machine AI, and the canines it was named after in this look of confusion.