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Over the next few days following her field test, Nova Lux’s common room had almost become Dana’s home away from home. Everyone was telling stories about how their exams had gone, with questions, answers, and a particularly unfortunate hamster flying left and right, along with no small amount of boasting and, occasionally, [i]grumbling….[/i] Indeed, it seemed that an unlucky few cadets had actually [i]failed[/i] their exams, and as the school’s resident living ray of sunshine, Dana found herself working overtime to brighten their spirits with friendly hugs and optimistic words of encouragement. Still, it was the tales of [i]victory[/i] that [i]really[/i] filled the cheerful Norban with eager excitement…

[color=Gold]“Really?! [i]The[/i] Amara Volkov?!”[/color] Dana exclaimed when Priya had revealed the identity of her instructor, the sunny sharpshooter’s golden eyes seeming to gleam even brighter than usual. [color=Gold]“That’s so freakin’ cool! Y’know, Shel and I just watched the episode of Guardian Gunslinger Alexis she cameoed in a few days ago! The part at the end where Alexis and Amara team up to take down that swarm of cyber-bugs has [i]gotta[/i] be one of my favorite moments of the entire series! Check it out!”[/color] she added, turning to face some of the poor souls who had yet to see the episode in question. [color=Gold]“So, Doctor Xylannis unleashes this army of Cybugs to wipe out the military research base on Delta Primus, right? And Alexis and her team jump into action to stop ‘em, but they can’t take out the queen’s control node, ‘cause even though Alexis can make the shot, her pistols don’t have the range, which is when Amara makes this super dramatic entrance and is all ‘Leave [i]that[/i] to [i]me[/i]’! It was just [i]so[/i] freakin’ badass! So, like, anyway, she lines up to take the shot,”[/color] Dana continued, excitedly acting out the scene by holding up an imaginary sniper rifle. [color=Gold]“And Alexis is using every trick shot she knows in order to keep the Cybugs from swarming her, and then [i]finally[/i], Amara fires, and the camera follows the shot all the way to the queen’s control node, until… BLAM!!! It takes the thing out, causing the mother of all shockwaves to race through the Cybug army and make all their heads explode! Doesn’t that sound absolutely [i]AWESOME?!![/i]”[/color] she asked, her gleeful visage looking over each of the gathered cadets in turn, most of whom were too stunned to answer. 

Or were desperately trying to keep from laughing their heads off…

Once Dana had calmed down from her little “performance”, she listened with rapt interest as Penny gave a synopsis of her own exam. 

[color=Gold]“Wow, Penny,”[/color] the cheerful Norban said with a giggle. [color=Gold]“Your test sounds like somethin’ straight outta a horror movie! Y’know, once Halloween rolls around, we should totally get Yagami to set up a haunted house!”[/color] she added. [color=Gold]“Anyways, at least [i]now[/i] I know where your recent hatred for rodents came from!”[/color]

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The end of exams also heralded the start of a two-week break, during which Dana found herself spending much of her time alongside Penny, while attending Priya’s exercise group. Vanna’s roommate, Cara Kelly, was also present, and Dana wasted no time in getting to know the redhead better, both in and out of combat. As it turned out, her first name was actually [i]Nora[/i], but she preferred to go by her middle name to preserve the “sweet alliteration”, something Dana wholeheartedly approved of.

However, it was just as the break period was starting to wind down that the [i]biggest[/i] surprise came…

[color=Gold]“A party?”[/color] Dana asked, as she took a closer look at the text Nicole had received. [color=Gold]“On a boat? And [i]we’re[/i] invited?! Count me in!”[/color]