Authorized

~~~(POV: Scott Autumn)~~~

~~~(Location: Ice Rink, LA California)~~~

I'm doing my best to skate as gracefully as Jess, but she's far more skilled at this than I am. All my mental genius and I still suck at skating. Some things will never change. Jess is at my side, and she's keeping her hand in mine, and even when I'm about to fall, she tries her best to keep me steady.

"You're heavy, Scott... Try and not fall..."

She helps me balance out again.

It's embarrassing, but it helps that I'm alone with her. Having people watch this display of failure would suck.

"I'm not as good at this as you are, Jess. You're going to struggle just as much as I am until I get this down."

She lets out a long and exacerbated sigh, knowing that my words are true. On the other hand, this is pretty fun.

She has a smile, and I do too. Things don't always have to be complicated between us, and we're slowly getting used to having a relationship.

"It's not as hard as you're making it look. Remember, it's easier to use your arms to balance than it is to use your shoulders."

Her lessons are helping. She's been doing this for a much longer time than me.

~~~(POV: Dr. Emile Hamlton)~~~

~~~(Location: Plosis Prime)~~~

The amount of space traffic in the Plosis system is always high, but this is a new and insane level. Ever since the arrival of the players, everything has been booming in the economy.

"Bloody hell, mate. I don't think I've ever seen so many starships in one place."

Kyle voices what everyone thinks as we approach the main trade world here in the Plosis system.

The landing procedures aren't hard, and we succeed and making a landing on a crowded platform. Our ship is barely being held together.

Gord-Primes star did some damage to us with its gravity, we got the tracker off, but now we're without a ship. Cause it's not starting up again without extensive repairs. Kyle stands up, and looks are the rest of the survivors.

Everyone that isn't a soldier is looking lost and without purpose, and I'd feel that way too if I was in their shoes. Helping them is something I want to do, but I can't. After giving it some thought, being on my own is the best solution I have.

"Well, everyone. This is where we make a decision."

I spin around as I speak, and all eyes fall on me.

I don't know what everyone else's plans are, but I've got some of my own, and I'd like to get started on them right away.

"You're all on your own from here on out, at least regarding my help. I'm finding a safe place to lay low for a while. I suggest the rest of you do the same."

I stand up and head for the exit. Before I can get too far, Kyle stops me.

He outstretches his hand, and we both give a firm shake.

"Good luck out there, mate. Here's to hoping Teller-Bravo doesn't find you or us."

Kyle is a good man and a good friend. I know he'll do fine, and that ends my time with him. I exit the ship and the landing platform and start making my way deeper into the massive city.

~~~(POV: Dr. Grace Virgil)~~~

~~~(Location: Classified vessel heading for Gord-Prime system)~~~

The Teller-Bravo high command has authorized an on-site study. This means that we're heading back with a fully armed fleet and militia. Ready in case things go south while trying to study the Parasite.

"Dr. Virgil, we should be arriving in a few minutes."

I'm in my private lab, and the intercom from the bridge tells me what I need to know.

While I'm not in command of the military forces, I command the scientific forces. We'll be trying to regain camera feed to the space station and colony before starting an on-site study.

Seeing how far the Parasite has spread and developed will be integral to our game plan for approaching a safe plan for experimentation and observation.

In the meantime, I need to figure out what exactly the Parasite can do beyond taking live and dead hosts.

The military branch is busy locating some survivors, and I'm impressed people escaped alive and uninfected, for all I know. There could be a dormant strain in one of them that could break out at any time. This is just theory, of course.