'Arms'? Yasuko wondered if the computer voice was just a recording because it didn't seem to be all that observant. She did what it said as best she could.

She closed her eyes and was sprayed with jets of water—or at least what she thought was water—from all sides. The pressure was on fairly high, bordering on painful. If they missed a spot, she certainly couldn't find it. She was then blasted with hot air to dry her off.

When the air stopped blowing, the chime sounded and the computer voice said, "Your decontamination is now complete. Follow the lights to the next chamber."

Lights on the floor guided her once the door to the decontamination pod opened. There wasn't anywhere else to go. It was only a few meters to the next room, which looked about identical to the one on the other side where she had to strip down before the decon. On the bench was a stack of neatly pressed clothes with a pair of slippers on the floor. The first garment reminded Yasuko of a muscle suit, but it was thinner and more flexible and it didn't seem to offer any enhancements. Beneath it was a white cotton shirt and a jumpsuit like what maintenance workers would wear.

When Yasuko was struggling to get the undersuit on, the computer voice asked, "Do you require assistance?"

It took some effort, but she got the undersuit on and the jumpsuit was much easier to do by comparison, not having such a sheer fit. She then put on the slippers and the door leading out of the room opened.

Again, there was nowhere else to go but forward and she found herself in a more open area, like some kind of lobby. Judging from the doors around her, other decontamination pods connected here as a hub. She saw Lowen waiting for her in a crisp new uniform and another officer she hadn't seen before. She was a prim, middle-aged woman who seemed friendly enough at first glance, but there was something about her that put Yasuko on her guard.

The female officer extended her hand and spoke to Yasuko in the same variant of Celestial that Lowen and Wei had used.

Yasuko glanced to her empty sleeve and said, "I'd shake your hand, but as you can see, I'm missin' equipment."

Yasuko recalled what Lowen told her when they were first introduced and asked, "Isn't it bad form to shake with your left hand?"

With that kind of invitation, Yasuko accepted Captain Delamar's hand as clumsily as you would trying to meet a person's right hand with your left. Captain Delamar treated it like it was no problem. That was diplomatic of her. Speaking of which, Yasuko recalled how Captain Delamar introduced herself.

No wonder Yasuko was instinctively put on her guard and Lowen looked uncomfortable.

Her minder, in other words. She wasn't worried about him that much, but she was aware that anything she did would likely have repercussions for him. There wasn't any reason to make trouble for him, not yet at least. It was possible she was getting into an even worse situation than the one she was running away from, but there was a lot these people would have to do before she hated them as much as the Celestials.

The Captain gestured to the door leading out of the hub and said, "This way, Miss Rodrigues."

When they stepped out the door, there were two armed guards waiting for them.

Even though Yasuko didn't say anything, Captain Delamar told her, "Don't mind them. It's simply a matter of protocol."

The guards didn't seem to be wearing armor or any other special equipment, not like the special troops that raided the transport. The just had some sort of wrist-mounted weapon. Yasuko could probably take them if she had a mind to, but there was no point in taking up a hostile posture until they gave her a reason for it.

They made their way through the corridors. Everything was so sleek and spartan. Yasuko never thought she'd miss the fake vistas holoprojected on the walls in the Capital, but all this high tech felt so cold and sterile without such illusions of life.

When Captain Delamar stopped at a particular door, she turned to Lowen and said, "Have a seat in the waiting area until I have finished debriefing Miss Rodrigues, Unterleutnant Meyer."

They entered a small room with a desk and some chairs along the walls. The person sitting at the desk sprang to his feet and stood at attention.

Captain Delamar nodded and he promptly left the room. Yasuko glanced at Lowen, who just stood there awkwardly and Captain Delamar entered the next room. This was apparently the Captain's office, which unlike the bare surroundings elsewhere on the ship, actually had a little life to it. There were some potted plants in the corners, an aquarium built into one of the side walls and the back wall had a holoprojector installed. No sooner had Captain Delamar reached her desk than she pulled out a small remote control, pressed a button and said, "Let's go to the beach, Miss Rodrigues."

The back wall displayed a white sand beach overlooking turquoise waters with gently rolling waves. The sound of those waves played quietly over a speaker as the Captain sat down with the guards posting themselves behind her.

Captain Delamar motioned to one of the chairs in front of her desk, saying, "Have a seat, Miss Rodrigues."

Yasuko sat down. The Captain's efforts to put her at ease were only having the opposite effect.

Captain Delamar held up a finger and said, "Tea first, Miss Rodrigues. Then talk."

It didn't take long before a chime sounded.

The door opened and Enrico stepped in carrying a tray with an expensive-looking china tea set. There was a little side table where he could set down the tray and pour the tea. He served Yasuko first, then Captain Delamar.

Enrico gave a stiff half-bow to Captain Delamar, then to Yasuko, before going to pick up the tray and leaving the office. Once he was gone, Captain Delamar noticed Yasuko wasn't drinking and said, "Please, Miss Rodrigues, go ahead. Surely you're not afraid there is any poison in it."

She took a drink from her own cup, apparently as a demonstration the tea was safe, but if the idea was to poison Yasuko, they could've just coated the inside of the teacup. She wasn't too worried about it, though. She did have Mithridates' Gift and if they really wanted to poison her, either to kill her or to soften her up for interrogation, they probably wouldn't be this roundabout.

When Yasuko took her first sip of the tea, Captain Delamar smiled and asked, "How is it?"

After a few minutes of just sitting there quietly drinking tea, Captain Delamar set her cup aside and folded her hands, saying, "Shall we get started, Miss Rodrigues?"

They might as well.

Captain Delamar didn't so much as bat an eye at this and simply went on to her next question.

This was the sort of thing that would disturb a normal person, but for all the reaction it got out of Captain Delamar, she could have said she worked at a teahouse.

Yasuko looked to her empty sleeve.

Captain Delamar gave Yasuko a brief look that indicated she thought that was anything but the whole story, but as with before, she continued her questions without skipping a beat.

Captain Delamar smiled.

She rose up from her seat and extended her hand to Yasuko again. Yasuko got up and shook her hand. It was still awkward to do, but not quite as awkward the second time.

Yasuko knew it was only a matter of time before she saw the other side of the mask, but for now, she was going to make the most of this opportunity. It was too late to back out now anyway. All she could do was go forward, wherever that might lead.