[hr][hr] A crowd was forming in the medical ward by the time Besca arrived. Nurses and orderlies, and even a handful of people from other divisions who’d yet to start their shifts. But chief among them was a station security officer. RISC’s military police, plucked from the soldiers that had been steadily replenishing since Hovvi. They were all gathered outside of a room she could only guess was Roaki Tormont’s. There was a general murmur filling the air, but the loudest sounds came from the officer demanding to be let in. Standing there with his back to the door, refusing him calmly, was Follen. Security didn’t usually come out this way—really, there wasn’t all that much for them to do, and Besca had heard the shift referred to as a [i]paid break[/i]. With how frequently the soldiery rotated in and out of the Aerie, it was entirely possible he didn’t know who Follen was. By his own design he was disarming and unremarkable, and he tended to eschew his coat and badge in favor of the normalcy of his own clothes. So, when he put a hand on Follen’s shoulder and shoved him aside, it shouldn’t have been surprising. It also shouldn’t have made Besca upset, considering how many times she’d wanted to do that and [i]worse[/i] to him. But, it did. “[color=gray][i]Hey![/i][/color]” she barked, and the whole crowd turned, the officer included. He might not have recognized Follen, but he would her. “[color=gray]What the everloving fuck do you think you’re doing?[/color]” The officer paled for a moment, but collected himself quickly. “Ma’am—commander—the Helburkan pilot was removed from custody last night against orders, and relocated here.” “[color=gray]I’m aware. I ordered it.[/color]” He blinked. “Well, I’m here to return her to holding.” “[color=gray]On who’s orders would that be?[/color]” She asked, stern, but she knew the answer already. “Ma’am, the Board.” She’d expected this, but not so soon. Stupid. There’d likely been videos and articles on the Board’s desk before the sun had come up in Runa, the real surprise is that they’d waited at all. In truth, she should have conceded, that really was the end of it. The Board’s orders were absolute, even over her own, and if she stayed this course it was likely to end poorly for just about everyone involved. But she glanced at the door, and imagined Roaki in there, having had barely enough time to shut her eyes let alone recover from her stint in holding. Despite what she’d said to Quinn last night, it was still…difficult to separate the girl entirely from the duel, and who she represented. Nevertheless, she stepped closer to the officer, then past him, and stood in front of the door. “[color=gray]As commander of this station, it is my direct order that the prisoner remain here. If the Board has a problem with that, they can get ahold of me directly.[/color]” He hesitated, and she could tell he was thinking of what to say—what he’d likely been told to say when she resisted. “Commander,” he started. “You do not have the authority to refuse a command from the Board.” “[color=gray]I’m telling you to leave.[/color]” “You don’t—” “[color=gray]You’re fired.[/color]” He blinked again. Then, confused, he began to repeat: “You don’t—” “[color=gray]I’m not refusing a command from the Board. I’m firing you. As of this moment you are no longer employed by the RISC. You are a civilian onboard at my pleasure, and as such have no authority to carry out [i]anyone[/i]’s orders.[/color]” She stared up at him, unblinking, and nodded down the hall. “[color=gray]Go. This ward is for personnel only. You can stay in the commons until we schedule a time to ship you planetside.[/color]” The murmuring erupted around them, and though the officer stared hard at her for a long time, eventually he relented. “Talking to the supe about this,” he grumbled, and stormed off down the hall. Besca looked to the crowd, frowning. “[color=gray]Anyone who isn’t sick, dying, or attending to the sick and dying, get out of here and back to wherever you’re supposed to be.[/color]” They did, slow and uncertainly, but they did, and eventually it was just her and Follen left at Roaki’s door. He brushed himself off, regarding her in the plain, direct way he did when it was just the two of them. “[color=lightblue]That was interesting,[/color]” he said, all trace of warmth gone from his voice. “[color=lightblue]Whatever will you do now?[/color]” “[color=gray]No idea,[/color]” she sighed. “[color=gray]No fuckin’ idea.[/color]” [hr][hr] Dahlia had breakfast cooking when Quinn awoke. The smells of cooked eggs, honeyed-toast and cinnamon drifted through the cracked doorway to her bedroom, along with sounds from the TV. She could hear people talking, newscasters. Their words were fainted and garbled, but now and then there was a familiar word or two. “[i]Quinnlash.[/i]” “[i]Casobani conflict.[/i] “[i]Soon.[/i]” Though Dahlia’s humming wove in and out, there was no hint that Besca was around. She’d said she’d be back in the morning, but perhaps work had called her away. Regardless, it was a new day. Whatever it had in store for her, Quinn would do well not to meet it on an empty stomach.