[center][color=8dc73f]Ruben Verislav[/color]
[color=8dc73f]Level[/color]: 2 [1/20]
[color=8dc73f]Day/Time[/color]: Day Three - Evening
[color=8dc73f]Location[/color]: Forest of Skyrim
[color=8dc73f]Tag[/color]: [@Holy Soldier][@Lugubrious][@Zarkun][@DracoLunaris]
[color=8dc73f]Word Count[/color]: 565
[/center]

He hadn't really been expecting a favorable response for his comments, so the Boss's reaction was so surprising that Ruben found himself unable to respond. Apparently speaking his mind was not only permitted but encouraged here. It was all a bit foreign, but then again this was not an XCOM unit. Everyone here was an independent individual from their own land. Back there, things must be different. Hopefully they were not also engaged in a global war against an invading alien force that threatened to destroy humanity. Even if one of the members wasn't human.

This would also mark the first time he was offered a high-five by a figure of authority, but with all the strangeness so far it almost seemed appropriate, though he wouldn't consider his observations to merit such a response. Wordlessly, he raised his hand and returned the five, returning it immediately to his weapon. He suddenly remember the laser rifle on his back and wondered for the first time how he would deliver it to Dr. Vahlen. He doubted the main hub had a radio system that could travel through universes, but who knew? He arrived here by portal. Maybe another could be opened, assuming there was enough down time between operations.

The Boss went ahead and clarified, [i]again[/i], that they would not be investigating the secondary objective. Under his command, at least. He braced himself for the obligatory circle of feedback from the other three, none of whom seemed happy about the decision the boss had already made.

Azura was more tame in her response than he had anticipated, though he sensed the jab at his role in the party. Though he maintained a stoic appearance, internally he shrugged it off. He had questioned her and she had questioned him. Fair enough. It certainly wasn't worth getting into a spat over. Vent was a bit more aggressive, reminding everyone (again) that they knew nothing about the Greybeards. One would think by now that this was a good reason to avoid them entirely, but he took the opposite stance, which was based entirely on...fantasy novels? Was he serious? His entire line of thinking for sending someone away was based on fantasy literature. Whatever world he was from, it was rather lax on what qualified as a good reason. 

A large portion of his retort was in regard to the Boss for incorrectly calling him a robot. As a result, Ruben made a mental note to avoid doing so. Direct insults that wouldn't lead to any kind of improvement were pointless. Azura's inability to prove assistance could be changed. The boy's humanness could not. Unfortunately, Vent did not have the same mindset. Sad and pathetic? To follow orders as a soldier is to just do your job, even if the orders get you into what you may consider a bad situation. Piper followed suit with a word of warning, one that he had not heard before. It was a bit sharp, but she seemed to mean well, almost as if it was from experience. He didn't hold it against her and, when the time came for him to speak again, he ultimately chose to refrain from responding to any of them. 

Vent and Piper excused themselves and Ruben wondered if he should follow. Rather than making a snap decision, though, he turned his head to the Boss and waited for instructions.