***All present and accounted for, Wings…you know your limbic nerves were humming like a guitar string in that briefing…something’s got you riled up…I did a little dopamine therapy, shunted off a river of that stuff to try and keep you cool***
“Hey, don’t do me any favors, okay? And keep your hands off my limbic nerves.” He reached up to draw the tent flaps closed, making sure he was reasonably isolated. No one knew yet about the Dana Tallant master bot inside his head. He didn’t want any troopers listening in, figuring the Lieutenant was talking to himself again. “I was a little annoyed at the director, that’s all. He didn’t seem to be taking the mission very seriously. Most of these eggheads think Quantum Corps is just a bunch of well-armed boy scouts. I’ll be happier when we get on that hopper and shove off tomorrow.”
***Wings, sooner or later, you’re going to have to make a decision, you know…between me and that ANAD creep in your shoulder capsule. Honestly, he’s just a child. A barebones bot with the intelligence of a cockroach***
“Oh, yeah and a couple of hundred configs too. ANAD’s just part of our equipment, Dana. You know that. If you keep pestering me about this, I’m going to have to—“
***Have to what? Get rid of me? Wings, we made a deal, remember? I help you. You help me. I know some things about the Keeper…things that can help***
That made Winger sit up. “You think there’s a Keeper here…is that what we’re dealing with?”
***I know there’s a Keeper here…and it’s the Big Cahuna, too. I can feel it. And I can help out the Detachment…get you closer…get you within spitting distance, if you want***
“You mean close enough to be assimilated. I don’t think so. My job’s to poke around and find out what’s going on. If you know anything about this Keeper, spill it. What is this Keeper, anyway?”