Shiva at first found it rather jarring that all the pomp and circumstance had them with not a word of dialogue with the representatives. It was a relief to hear that those in the team that she had befriended would remain together. Hopefully the new blood, whoever they were, would be similarly friendly.

Ghirn's unofficial debriefing was especially interesting to Shiva when the point of the rebel's spontaneous deaths came up. It was a detail that had bugged her ever since she got off the station. From the way Rareth and Ghirn talked about it, it appeared to be some kind of implant. Shiva wondered the cruelty of whoever had inflicted such fates upon the rebels if it had not been voluntary as they suspected.

Beyond the other questions, Shiva found the confidence to step forward once she had a clear opportunity. "How long will we be staying?"