No activity. Per usual. The officers preferred their rest, of course. It wouldn’t do to have too much activity during the sleep cycle.

	…Still an odd place to house their new ‘esteemed’ guest. You don’t know what the Empress was thinking when she decided to house an [i]alien[/i] in the midst of a bunch of xenophobic, military officers. Maybe she’s testing your ability to guard her? You’ve heard of such tasks before, after all. There was that incident with Fink last year- Ah… right he’s dead since he failed. Nevermind then. This is probably a suicide mission. Oh well.

	The radio in the back of your helmet crackles to life.

“Shadow, why haven’t you left yet?”

	Left? A miscommunication? With your call sign? You shift your rifle to your right hand and let it hang as you activate your radio with your left.

“Say again? I have received no orders to move.”

	Your operator comes back, sounding worried.

“Shadow, the alert was posted unit-wide six hours ago. You need to move, now. Get the hell out of there!”

	You understood that. A map of the area (You have it memorized, anyway) opens on your visor and you feel the syringes entering your skin. Looks like headquarters gave authorization for combat drugs, this must be bad. [b]Feels great, though.[/b]

You wheel around, whipping out your access card and forcing the doors to the girls’ quarters to open, despite the privacy lock.

**********************************

	I [i]was[/i] sleeping soundly. Until my guard (Why do I need this guard, again?) entered the room suddenly. He started shouting in his language, waving his arm at me to do something, oblivious to my indecency. He came in so quickly, I nearly jumped out of the bed. He continues yelling at me, waving his arm, urging me to do something, but I can’t understand him.

“What?”

	Frustrated, he slaps his knee. Or rather, where his armor meets his knee. A quick motion over his chest and he speaks again, his voice taking on that same synthesized tone.

“We’re leaving now. Get the fuck up.”

	Leaving?! I was told this room was mine. She was so generous about it, but… Still, going back on her word?

	He doesn’t let me finish that thought, making two quick steps to the bed and grabbing my arm with his free hand, pulling me halfway out of the covers. I gasp aloud and try to cover myself, but he yanks me out of the bed with a second powerful pull, right onto the floor. He lets go and strides back over to the door, peeking out.

“Get dressed!”

I don’t really have a choice. I’ve seen their weapons before, and they never hesitate to use them. I just hope she can clear this up…

**********************************

	You take another peek out. The pounding was getting louder now, from where you were. Security footage streamed into the side of your visor’s screen, showing an angry confederacy of lower class citizens pounding away at the blast doors. Several handguns were visible, being waved above the crowd. Hm… this might be worse than you thought. A coup, a revolt? This wasn’t your standard drunk or angry mob. Firearms are illegal to possess… for civilians.

	You look back at the girl, now putting on her red skirt now, carefully retying it around her waist. Damnit, you don’t have time for this. You yell at her again,

“Hurry up!”

	She flips you off. Classy lady. You can see why the Empress has such an interest in her. Not.

	You quickly speak into your radio, requesting assistance from command. It takes a few seconds, and then you hear the confirm sound and a notice on your visor. Sound dampening on…

*********************************
	Trying to get this damn skirt on… Aha, there it goes. I reach for my sleeves when a voice booms from all around me.

“[b]You must leave immediately. You must leave immediately. You must leave immediately.[/b]”

	It’s loud enough to deafen. I have to cover my ears.

**************************

	Heh, that got her attention. You fiddle with the dampening and pick up something from another room.

“-are reporting that Captain Wilhelm has been cleared of all charges. His state-assigned attorney declared this ‘a great victory’, and stated that ‘Justice will always be served, so long as we still fly among the stars.’. As you may know, Captain Wilhelm was accused of-“

	…Skimming from his milita unit’s paychecks. [b]Fuck.[/b] A coup would honestly be better than fighting honest militiamen out for blood. You really wish you had seen that unit posting now.

***************************