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Was it possible to be so happy? Was it possible to experience this kind of bliss? To think so many years ago that he was the lowest of the low, scraping just to get by. Now, he and his family were able to live comfortably - happy. They were able to live their lives and then some because they were doing it together. Soren couldn’t believe his life. It was the best of all worlds, and all because of one terrifying accident so long ago. He couldn’t have known that accidentally getting snapped in that mousetrap could have given him and his family opportunities that no other Borrower was able to experience. At least, that he was aware of that is. From the community that blossomed to his time spent with Ashlynn, everything felt better than a dream. He remembered their moving day fondly. Moving wasn’t the hard part. It was figuring out what to do with the space since there was so much of it. The attic was the perfect place for the Borrower community. There was sunlight, which many of

There she sat, right on the couch in her apartment. Boxes of microwavable food surrounded her as she played her favorite video game. There came a knock on the door, which was expected, as she ordered some Chinese food for dinner. Again. When she answered the door, she made sure to hurry the interaction between her and the delivery girl. She hated being around people, despite her crippling loneliness. After getting her food, she went over to her desk to eat, but she soon spotted something on the table. Money? She suddenly realized that she had not given the delivery girl her tip! She grabbed the five dollar bill and rushed to her door to try and see if she was still there. When she opened her door, she was met with a surprising and horrific sight. Some man was laying on the floor, facedown, covered in cuts, bruises, and blood. He didn’t look too hurt, but she was too stunned to tell. She stood there, frozen in fear, only for a second. To her it seemed like hours. She didn’t know

Location: Micronauts Headquarters, Light Kingdom. Nairys's heart stopped when she heard the voice of Neya from inside clone Saffron's cleavage claim that they were back at headquarters. "Uh oh..." She muttered, thinking of the trouble she would be in with Peli. For all of the bravado that Wessi showed her earlier, she tried to put Nairys somewhat at ease, but being the realist, she admitted that the cadet was going to receive a rebuke she had never witnessed. The most wholesome advice that Wessi gave was to not look the Commander in the eyes when she issues reprimanding citations. Peli was conferring with the Queen over a Operation AstroTurf when Neya and clone Saffron appeared at her office door. Seeing this, Peli had to end the video call with Ixora, who understood and immediately left the call. "You made it, I'm glad." She announced standing up. "Wow... Have you... Gotten taller?" Clone Saffron inquired of Peli. "Hmmm, just a little bit. We seem to all be growing I think, including some weariness." Peli answered before extending her hand to clone Saffron. "I believe many thanks are in order, my friend. Please, follow the signs to the lounge and help yourself to refreshments if you wish." The two shook hands, and clone Saffron retrieved Wessi and Nairys from her cleavage to hand to Peli after the handshake. "That sounds good, I could use another coffee, I'm bushed. Here are the two rascals." With that out of the way, clone Saffron dismissed herself to learn the layout of the unfamiliar bunker, following signs to the lounge not knowing that the other clones were waiting there for her. With Wessi and Nairys in her palms, Peli initiated their return to normal size with her power, setting them on the floor in front of Neya and returning to her desk. "Are you tired at all, Neya?" Asked Peli. "Only somewhat." Answered the Princess. "Okay, do what you need to. Gear up and head out to link up with Maia and Hana in Human Territory. That's all." Peli instructed Neya who then disappeared from the doorway leaving Wessi and Nairys alone with Peli- Inching toward their normal heights. Peli wasn't the least bit bothered by them being absolutely nude. She knew of the torture, continued to peer over the documents that Ixora had handed to her that morning. Nairys could feel the disappointment in the air of the room that Peli harbored toward her. The Commander even looked upset as she read the papers in front of her. Wessi bravely attempted to salvage Nairys's career as a cadet. "Emm... Commander?" She quietly got Peli's attention. Peli was hardly intending to be rude or dismissive. She had been multitasking- listening to Ixora and reading over an agreement that she was expecting to pass on to the Humans in the event that they met. She wanted to finish reading the rest of the page that she was on before her mind slipped and forgot a detail. When this was interrupted by her senior support girl, Peli sounded less-than-enthused. "Lieutenant." She replied before looking back up at Wessi. "Go to the nurse's station and do what you must, but leave the cadet with me. I'll be dealing with her once I'm finished reading this." Peli's voice was for once very strong and critical by its sound. Wessi glanced over to Nairys who was trying to cover her nipples and vagina as she too was in the nude. She looked like she could cry from both the embarrassment of being naked and being in trouble with the hero of the Light Kingdom. As Peli spoke briefly with Wessi, Peli's unforgettable angry eyes for a half second looked at Nairys, and the cadet felt that she would remember that half second for as long as she would live. "I understand you're upset." Wessi said to Peli. "That's the least of her worries. I commend you for your heroic act, sacrifices, and for helping us gain invaluable information that has so far rendered our efforts fruitful, but I have hardly the time beyond commendations." Peli warned through her response to Wessi. "Please, Commander..." "That's all, Lieutenant." Peli attempted to stifle the explanations. "If you'll please-" "That's all!" Peli raised her voice, glaring impatiently up at Wessi. As unpleasant as the interaction with Peli had been, Wessi knew well that it wasn't personal, that Peli had limited time, and had been deeply upset over Nairys's cavalier attitude that has so far jeopardized some of her agents, and landed two in hospital. Unfortunately for Nairys, Wessi agreed that Peli had every reason to be angry. Before she exited the office, Wessi stopped to whisper something into the ears of the frightful cadet. "She is right to be upset. But if you hope to salvage this, shut the fuck up and don't speak unless you are spoken to. Do you understand?" She asked. Nairys nodded. "And don't worry about the naked part, if anything, it helps you." Wessi added before she stepped out of the room. As Wessi did so, Jodak and Narbili were walking by completely suited up and shocked to see Wessi back naked. "What happened to your clothes?" Asked Jodak. "Tortured." Wessi responded. "We heard... Listen, Izzy and I are headed out to extract the group in Emerus. Are you headed home?" Asked Narb. "I should, but I think Lynka would like some help." Wessi admitted. Wessi refusing to go home brought a smile to Peli's face if only for a moment. She looked up from the documents on her desk to see the battered Wessi proud to return to work, even with all of her exhaustion. She was about to thank her and express pride in having her back, but Jodak spoke up first. "Before we leave, let me get your suit out of your locker." Jodak offered. "Yeah, go get some coffee too. You look like you need it!" Narb said. "I know I do!" Wessi answered as she walked away with the two. About a minute later, Peli slid the document off to the side of her desk, having read finally the full terms of the agreement she was prepared to offer the Human imperial government. Beneath the document was a paper that Nairys saw from afar, could spot from a mile away if given the opportunity. It was a paper for expulsion from the academy that Peli had fully drawn up and even signed off on. Her signature in red ink was unmistakable, and Nairys feared the worst. "Close the door, Miss Ayryn." Peli ordered her. As Nairys slowly closed the door to hear those dreadful words of condemnation she was about to suffer and hear, Peli spoke again. "Sit down." The way that Peli told her to be seated gave off worse-yet vibes. Nairys walked to the chair in front of Peli's desk, closed her eyes, and explained her appearance. "I'm sorry for being naked." She muttered. "Don't worry about that." Peli abruptly ended her apologies. Nairys had to focus on breathing and staying alive, as she felt so much pressure that she was beginning to believe that her heart would explode in her chest. "Nairys Ayryn, you came to me a level-headed student. Left an arrogant fool. I have two agents in recuperation, partly due to your obstreperous behavior. And I had one agent whose risked her life being tortured so that you could be standing here today. Now... You give me one good reason why I should not submit this form for expulsion to the dean of the academy!" Peli yelled. Peli actually was yelling and quite angrily. Nairys wanted to die, she felt so ashamed. Remarkably she fought the urge to weep. But she could hardly do anything more than let her lips tremble when she attempted to answer. Only a singular noise emitted from her mouth. "What was that??" Peli yelled. Again Nairys couldn't speak. She shrugged and shook her head as an admission that she had no reason, refusing to make eye contact with the Commander. "It is unethical and unbecoming of an agent, or a cadet, or an officer in the Royal Guard to wilfully, and purposefully misidentify yourself, as you have done on multiple occasions!" Peli continued. Nairys was impressed with how much Peli knew of her two-faced nature. Evidently she had an excellent team of observers and a perfect pair of ears that listened. She continued to take the beating. "I count twenty nine offenses on your part!" Peli continued her tirade. "In my many decades of teaching and instructing, I have never witnessed this many in one semester!" Peli seemed ready to allow another pause, then she added something that went against the very advice she was given for this scenario. "If Lieutenant Wessi advised you to be silent, then I advise you to forget it. I want answers, cadet Ayryn!" "Yes, Commander." Muttered Nairys. "For what reason should I not submit this to the dean?!" Yelled Peli. Again Nairys shrugged. She seemed at a loss for a reasonable answer. "I... Don't have a reason." She admitted. "Look at me!" Peli snapped and slammed her hand onto her desk. Nairys jumped to attention and finally met the pissed off glare of the number two Light as far as government went. The red of Peli's hair and eyes were like fire. Her loud voice was heard in every corner of the bunker, something that was never expected to happen. Peli hadn't raised her voice in anger since she was in her early 20's, now she was nearing 100 and her level of aggravation was nearing that number also. Nairys tried to show bravery and knew what she wanted to say, but was in so much fear that she couldn't talk still. Peli let her eyes soften a little and she stops up from her desk. "Well, I have a reason paramount among others." "Commander?" Nairys perked up as she heard the shift in Peli's tone. The red Commander drifted around the front side of her desk with her arms crossed, and she sat at the front of it, glancing down at her cadet. "Nairys, I wanted to expel you for what you had done. I have that power as the Assistant Dean. But that's not how I operate." Peli spoke more calmly. "Am I going to be expelled?" Asked Nairys. "That's not the Micronaut way. I have the suspicion that I would be among the few who would notion to remove you. But you seem to have at least two supporters in our unit. One saved your life, another seems to think that you have had enough experience now to warrant your continued training. I'll leave that up to you to decide who those two are." Peli explained. "Wessi and Fim?" Asked Nairys. "You'll have to find out for yourself." Peli replied as she returned to her seat. "I cannot stress enough how deeply you have upset me." Peli reprimanded Nairys who felt more pain from that sentence alone than she did in her torture. "Oh..." She muttered. "But you have the respect of my team, and frankly, my respect for being a survivor." Peli explained as she sat down in her seat. "I can't cast out the heretic from our island if she survived the hurricane." "Does that mean I get to remain?" Asked Nairys. "Only if you wish." Peli answered her. "I'm really sorry..." Nairys said. "I know it, Ayryn. I know it." Said Peli. "But it's over. And I was most upset about losing you and Wessi more than anything else." Nairys had been largely holding her breath off and on through the tongue lashing she received. Finally she could let it all go. She started to jerk tears from her eyes and began to cry, bending over in her chair and thankful that she was alive and home. She was overcome with joy knowing she was able to remain a cadet. Peli managed to bring her back to reality and deconstruct the arrogant nature of the student without being condescending and insulting. But she wasn't about to get off of the hook that easily. "Don't be so elated. Fim asked me to remind you that you owe her exactly 266 hours of training. Also, before I can let you back in, I am requiring you make up what you have missed, I want you to formally apologize to the others for your behavior, and for the rest of the academy, I expect you to serve for two hours in the support center." Said Peli, pausing before emphasizing a point. "But don't go apologizing if you don't meant it! If you are incapable of understanding how you have brought harm and peril to the unit, then it is hardly worth the effort..." "Okay! I'll do it all!" Nairys exclaimed happily. "Now clean up and see someone about clothing before you leave. And don't go out into that lounge naked, it's already enough that the clones are just as horny as the real girls." Peli insisted. "Now go." Nairys made no more fuss and got up to leave the office when suddenly Wessi came running to the office door. She clutched the frame with both hands and with panic evident on her face, brought terrible news to the Commander. "Peli, the clones!" "What is it?" Peli asked her. "The clones!! They've... They've all died!!" Wessi exclaimed. "Oh my goodness!" Peli shouted as she bolted out of her office to tend to the pronounced dead.