Settling in

After the long day, the team finally had a moment to themselves. The high-tech base was impressive, but the first thing on everyone's mind was getting cleaned up.

Jade stepped into her room, the door scanning her fingerprint before sliding open. It was sleek and minimal—just the way she liked it. A bed, a work desk, and a weapons rack already installed. Her suit was displayed in a glass case, ready for deployment. Without wasting time, she stripped off her gear and headed for the shower.

Across the hall, Rico was already in his room, testing out the bed by flopping onto it. "Damn, they really went all out for us," he muttered. His room had a similar layout but with a deep purple accent lighting the walls. He smirked, already feeling at home. A quick shower, then time to check out the others.

Ari's room was quiet. She stepped inside cautiously, taking in the soft cyan glow of the lights. She traced her fingers over the engraved nameplate on the door—her own name. It still felt surreal. She placed her sniper case on the rack, then made her way to the bathroom, letting the warm water relax her muscles.

Gage, as expected, didn't waste time. His room was dark-themed, accented with deep reds. He didn't bother admiring the place—just showered, changed into comfortable clothes, and left.

Skye's room was a tech-lover's dream. Floating holographic screens displayed data, and her workstation was already set up. She took a quick shower but couldn't resist running a few system diagnostics before heading out.

---

One by one, they made their way to the common area. The space was massive—luxurious couches, a large holo-screen, and even a stocked bar (non-alcoholic, no one's getting drunk). A large kitchen sat in the corner, ready for use.

Jade arrived first, sitting on the couch with her arms crossed. Rico strolled in next, stretching. "So, who's cooking?"

Ari, who had just taken a seat, blinked. "Uh… we have a robot for that, don't we?"

Lexi, the AI assistant, materialized as a hologram. "Correct. I can prepare any meal you request."

Rico grinned. "Lexi, make me a steak."

Lexi tilted her head. "Clarify: Do you mean a high-protein meal suited for combat efficiency, or are you just being difficult?"

Jade smirked while Gage let out a rare chuckle. Skye leaned against the counter, observing everyone. "So, we're all stuck together now. Guess we should get used to it."

Jade nodded, looking around at the team. "Yeah. Might as well."

For the first time, they weren't just recruits.

They were a squad.