The remainder of the week flew by in an adrenaline-induced haze. Around every turn, there were two more things to tackle, two more things to add to the ever-growing mound on my shoulders. Today alone, I have had six engineering physicals, two patients who needed stitches, and Ryan—who's become quite the regular here—with a quickly forming black eye.

"Elder Serina, if you have a moment—"

"I'm going to stop you there," I don't look at the person behind me and continue to dig around the table on the back wall that has kind of become 'my desk' to everyone here. "I finally have a break from patients here. I need to grab as many RNs as I can and go to the barracks for their physicals that were supposed to be done two days ago."

"But—"

I turn around and hold up a hand. "I'm sure whatever it is you need is important, really, but these physicals need to be done before the other elders and I leave tonight to meet with the ambassador of the Celxians so we can report how many soldiers we have. If it is something that can be handled by a nurse find one of them once I've grabbed those that I need, otherwise, leave me a note here on my desk and I'll get to it as soon as I get back."

The poor man in front of me pales at my rushed explanation and just nods, standing still as I walk past him. In my hands, is a small stack of clipboards with the physical forms that I had grabbed from my desk. Now, to find Rose and the other nurses she told me she would gather together.

I walk about the infirmary, taking forever to get to the other side when I have to stop every few seconds to turn someone in the right direction with each call of my name. By the time I've reached Rose's side, a thin coat of stress-sweat is layered over my skin and I heave a sigh, grateful to have even made it to this side of the infirmary without completely losing my shit and yelling at someone.

"Girl, you look terrible." Rose cringes and takes all but one clipboard from my hands to start passing them out.

"Thank you, I really needed that right now." I wipe at my brow, using the end of the sleeve of my scrubs. When I pull my hand away, there's a darker blue spot and I grimace, ew. I fold the edge of my short sleeve, making it a little shorter, but effectively hiding the spot. "Is everyone ready to head out?"

"Yes, we were just waiting on you."

"If that isn't the story of my life now..."

As one large mass of blue, we all leave the infirmary and turn in the direction of the barracks. The group is speechless, the sound of our feet the only thing alerting those out and about of our presence.

There had been a time, within the first three days, in which a large group of us had departed from the infirmary to give a demonstration of emergency care to the engineers should something happen that needed attention before they could get to the infirmary, and the group behind me had been a talking and laughing mess. I wasn't aware that grown men, who had been the majority of the culprits, we're capable of such gossip and giggling until that trip. Of course, I don't mind enjoying what you do, but when in the public eye, you need to have a professional air about you, especially if we want people to entrust their lives in our hands.

So, once we had gotten back to the infirmary, there had been a very long discussion about professionalism, mostly one-sided by myself. There had been a few people that spoke, sharing their views, but in the end, I pulled rank and said to give it a week and trust that we would appear much more professional should we refrain from giggling as we walk down the road. Since then, nobody has spoken out, saying that they felt that they weren't expressing themselves correctly. In fact, I've had many people come to me saying that I was right.

Before long, we all stop before the open, towering doors of the barracks. There's a short pause as we all seem to gather our nerves to set them aside. We have to be seen as confident in our ability, especially to those whom we will no doubt see the most in the infirmary.

When we enter, I remove my sunglasses—having been able to go down a shade in the time since arriving—and scan the seeable area around us. The main area we're in appears to be largely for training. Along the far wall, there's a track, one in which is currently being used for a race between two cadets. To our right is a large arrangement of items for strength-building, I even spot a salmon ladder that is being used by some shirtless cadet I don't know the name of.

To my surprise, it appears that everyone is so engrossed in their work that they haven't noticed the large blue stain against all the grey. I raise my thumb and forefinger to my lips and whistle, the sound prompting what had to be dozens of heads to look our way.

My eyes scan the area, looking for Jaxon to start the process and when a large thud resonates through the room, I look over to the group of equipment, finding that the cadet who was on the salmon ladder had jumped down, having been only a few rungs from the top. When working out, his back had been to us, but now knowing that we're here, he turns around to show a familiar face and a well-built body.

I can feel my eyes as they try to widen in shock. Jaxon, having full confidence in his leg strength, had simply jumped down from a height of what had to be three meters at least. As he walks over, someone hands him a towel and he wipes himself down, of course drawing attention to his more than obvious abs. Although I shouldn't be surprised, someone with as much self-confidence as he does would have a body to back it up, no doubt.

"Rina! I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten about my merry band of misfits." He reaches our group and flashes me a grin.

"Of course not, Jax," I prop the clipboard on my hip and glance behind him. "How could I forget our second line of defense."

"Second? You wound me. Who could possibly be the first then, pray tell?"

I tap the corner of my eye. "Lorna has eyes everywhere. I hate to say it, but I trust that she could act on a threat before it's close enough for your crew to notice it. Though the two of you really go together, she can't act against a threat, and you can't see it."

"Yes, it's unfortunate that you are correct, though I doubt you're really ever wrong."

I give him a solid look. "Come on, Jaxon. I know ass-kissing when I hear it. Let's get through this, then we can speak."

"Fantastic!" He hooks the towel over an arm then turns to face the rest of the room. "Attention!"

Everyone—besides myself and my nurses—stands at attention with their back straight and hands clasped behind them. "Formation!" In a flash, they've all moved to create three rows, everyone perfectly spaced from those around them.

Jaxon grins briefly before wiping his expression and nodding in my direction. I step forward and take a deep breath. "I'm here to go over the criteria that will have to be met during the physical exams that will take place today. I first suggest relaxing, it's an easy process, but if you're tense and that causes your results to come out wrong, it will hinder your ability to be in the guard. Because this is a new planet, the conditions will be rough until it is fully colonized and stable, therefore, this first wave of guards will be tested far more than in the coming years. It is critical that only the most physically capable protect us." I stand with my arms crossed, speaking as straight forward as I can.

I look around at the men and women in the room with my brows raised. The majority look like they would kill to get out of this awkward situation, and the remainder just looks like they're going to pass out.

I turn my gaze to Jaxon, not bothering to lower my voice when I say, "What's wrong with them? Did I say something wrong?"

Jaxon shakes his head, crossing his arms. "No, it just appears that you've caught us off guard."

If my brows weren't already raised, they would be now. "Please tell me that wasn't an attempt at a joke."

Jaxon snorts. "Of course it wasn't an attempt." He glances at the cadets then meets my eyes again, fully serious. "It was a success."

"Oh, Lord." I drop my head and place a hand to my forehead. How I'm to survive with him as one of the fellow leaders, I've haven't a clue.

I fall back onto my bed, hands holding my temples in an attempt to fend off the headache that had been growing for the past hour. "Did it really go that bad?"

A groan resonates in the back of my throat and I open one eye just a sliver, just enough to look at Astrid standing in front of me. "Eh," I rub my eyes and shake my head. "No, the physicals and all that was fine. We only had to turn three people away and Jax told me that there were a few applications into the guard that he had to go through once we got back, so I'm sure we're well protected for now. It's just..."

My voice tapers off and I rake a hand through my hair. "Your list is piling up and you don't know what to do?"

"Yeah." She takes a seat next to me and I rest my head on her shoulder. "But enough about me, how's it going with the research?"

I look up at her, just in time to see her eyes light up. "It's wonderful. I mean," She purses her lips, the light fading as she thinks of the right words to say. "It's hard, there's a lot to do. But, it's so amazing, working with all of these brilliant people. Everyone has their own sort of, mmm...focus, in order to cut down the workload. I simply oversee everything, making sure that everything is being taken care of and keep track of all of our progress."

I smile, wrapping my arms around my best friend. Despite the way she talks sometimes or the way that she presents herself, she truly is almost always, the smartest person in the room. With an IQ just north of 150, she is literally a genius. She just doesn't like to show it, thinking that it will separate herself from those around her.

"What are some of the focuses?"

She shrugs. "Really anything to do with the planet. Plant-life, terrain, history—meeting with the Celxians should help a lot with that one—basic learning for when procreation begins. You know, the normal stuff."

I chuckle and stand up. "Yeah, the normal stuff." I lift my arms high above my head to stretch, hearing my back pop one, two, three times. "Ah," My whole body feels a little less tense when I relax my shoulders and I briefly close my eyes.

"Have you gotten all packed up yet?" I nod and look behind me towards the closet.

"Yes, all I have to do is change, then I'll be ready to go." I frown and hug my scrubs close to my body. Despite the slightly damp feeling of sweat, they are the most comfortable things I have. "I don't really want to change though."

"Come on Rina, if you stay in that much longer, the fabric will bind itself to you." Astrid scowls at me as she passes to my closet. "I know you like to be comfortable, but at least you can try to be cute at the same time."

I roll my eyes and huff when a mound of fabric hits my face when I'm not looking. "What the shit, Astrid?!"

"Should pay a little more attention, huh?"

A growl like sound tears through the back of my throat and I rush to stand up, clothes falling to the ground. Astrid shrieks, seeing my hard expression and turns to run out of the room. I quickly chase after her, a war cry falling from my lips. I only come to a stop when a door is slammed in my face.

I pound on the surface, screaming at the top of my lungs. "Astrid! Open the fucking door!"

"You know, I think we've been in this situation before. Only it was you hiding that time." I can all but see the grin on her face at the stupidity and laughability of our situation.

My teeth are clenched so tight in frustration that they feel as if they might shatter under the pressure. With one last hard hit to the door, I trudge back to my room, almost panting with anger.

In a haze, I change and don't even realize what Astrid had grabbed until I'm trying to pull my shirt farther down, only for it remain where it was. I frown and gaze in the mirror. I'm clad in a pair of high-waisted white jeans and a cropped crystal blue hoodie.

"Have you calmed down?" Astrid's muffled voice calls out to me and I don't bother to answer.

Grabbing my pack, I slip my arms through the straps and move to the den. Our packs are all the same, save for the colored cuff on the right strap, it being the only indicator as to which pack is which.

Once Astrid joins me, we make quick work in getting to the main square where a caravan of four rovers sit idling. We're some of the first people to arrive. The majority of our GTA escort stands amongst themselves around the parked vehicles, some talking to the few elders that had beaten the two of us here.

As usual, Raiden and Will are here, set and ready to go—they seem to always be the first ones anywhere. They stand, talking to Cavanaugh and Bartlett, a few other officers standing around to add to the conversation when needed. The only other elder here already is Lorna. She's leaned up with her back against one of the rovers, pack next to her feet, talking to a female in orange that I haven't met—and I've met most of everybody.

I look over to Astrid and nod when she looks between a certain figure in green and myself. She's at his side in no time, wedging herself between him and Raiden. Raiden raises an eyebrow at the action, but takes a step back, allowing the two a little space. As if sensing my gaze, Raiden looks up, but before our eyes can meet, I look away and make my way to Lorna.

"Lorna, have you seen Rosemary?" I do my best to speak in between their conversation, but it seems that I've cut off the end of whatever the girl in orange was saying. I force my face neutral while she's still here.

Lorna shoves her hands in her pockets and gives a quick shake of her head. "No, is she supposed to be here?"

A frown pulls the corners of my lips down. "Well, she is my stand-in while we're gone. I was hoping to be able to talk to her before we leave."

"I think I saw her a bit ago, let me go look." The short girl speaks in one rush of air then bolts off.

I blink at her hurried departure and look between her retreating figure and Lorna's seemingly disappointed face. "I interrupted." She drops her head slightly and I cringe. "Sorry..." Lorna waves off my apology and shifts her weight. "I don't think I've met her before, uh, who is she?"

She raises an eyebrow at me and I shrug, somehow always feeling small under her gaze. "Her name is Jezebel, she's one of Elena's runners."

That would explain the orange.

"Got 'cha..." A suddenly awkward silence begins to spread between us, which surprises me. Lorna and I have had this sort of...understanding since meeting—without any conversing at all—that sat between us that now feels strained.

"Serina!" Rosemary comes running and stops a step away from Lorna and me. She doubles over, resting her elbows on her knees, panting. "I had...gone to your...cabin." She takes a few deep breaths and stands straight, her face incredibly flush. "I forgot that we decided to meet here."

"Ah, it's no problem. I simply wanted to speak to you before we left." I note the empty space next to her and frown. "Where's what's her face—er, Jezebel?"

"She was going to come over with me, but Elena showed up and needed to talk to her. You know, second-in-command stuff." She bobs her head to the side with a half-smile.

I hear Lorna release a sharp breath through her nose and she grabs her pack. "That means that Jaxon will be here. I need to go talk to him along with our charges."

I open my mouth to apologize again, the need to overwhelming my senses, but she's gone before I can utter a single word. "What was that about?" Rosemary looks between us with confusion written across her brow.

I shake my head. "I just accidentally stone-walled her, I think."

"You what?"

"It doesn't matter. We need to discuss the procedures for while I'm gone."

Rosemary and I speak for the remainder of the time, going over any possible scenario that we can. Of course, there isn't a lot of high-risk events happening while we're gone so the hope is that there won't be too many problems to show their faces. Of course, when you expect the least, you are always faced with the most.

We're called to pack into the rovers and head out so I take Rosemary's hands in mine. "I trust that you will do a great job—in fact, I have no doubt that you can handle everything while I'm gone. But, should you need me, each occupation charge and elder will have a sat-phone in addition to our Links so if you need to get ahold of me, you can. If something terribly bad happens, contact me and I'll be back as soon as I can be, you'll just have to do what you can until I get back."

She nods and gives my hands a slight squeeze. I grin and drop her hands, making my way to the assigned rover.

Each rover holds five people. Two rovers have four of us with one GTA officer and the other two rovers are filled with five officers. In this rover is us four girls with Cavanaugh, in the other is the four boys with Bartlett—I'm sure they're going to party it up over there.

We each rehearse what we have to say when we meet with the Celxian ambassador and their entourage. Soon, the previously idling engines roar and we're off.

Off to meet our native brethren.