[b][Senior Chief Petty Officer Solares Morgenstern] - [Anvil Station][/b]

The weight atop Solares’ helmet vanished as she stepped into Conference Room Seven. Where Maya had perched moments ago, there was now only empty space; the cyan AI had withdrawn, leaving a small, simplified icon in the upper-left corner of Solares’ HUD. There, Maya reclined on her side, resting her head on a tiny hand, gaze fixed forward, silently observing.

Solares did not take a seat. Military habit held; she came to parade rest beside an empty chair, hands clasped behind her back, posture precise and disciplined. The faint sound of her breathing blended with the room’s hum, armor plates reflecting the soft glow of the holographic tablets on the table.

Her eyes swept the room in a single, careful arc. The ONI Commander at the head of the table, an armored Sangheili standing behind him, and the assembly of personnel called to the briefing, all cataloged without distraction. Each presence marked, each stance noted, every movement of potential interest. Solares’ attention lingered briefly on the Sangheili general; the armor, the posture, the silent authority it conveyed, all data to store and consider.

“Senior Chief Petty Officer Solares Morgenstern,” she said, voice even, controlled. “Reporting as ordered, sir's.”

In the upper-left corner of her HUD, Maya’s miniature figure blinked to life more vibrantly. Lounging on her side, one tiny hand tucked beneath her cheek, she fixed her gaze now towards Solares with her usual calm amusement.

"Ah, look at the new ONI AI, trying so hard with a bow, dramatic, yes, and very… pointed. The symbolism isn’t lost on me. Clever, certainly, though perhaps a touch on-the-nose. You, my Spartan, chose a Kitsune. Elegance, deadly grace, wisdom, playful charm… it suits you far better. I could say more, but I’ll spare you the flattery for now. Though, I do think a lesson on the Hitokiri 人斬り would delight you in the near future", she whispered quietly through the private channel.