The First of Too Many

[Rebecca Talon]

"I was sixteen, and to be honest I wasn't ready. It also helped that I already had my first doctorate before I'd even set foot in San Francisco. I could focus on growing out of the awkward science geek phase, and becoming a good soldier."

[Arisu Lei]

"You actually grew out of the science geek phase?" Arisu said with a slight smirk. "No shame in being a 'geek'. I used to be fascinated by Oriental history and how they all dovetailed into each other. Given that my own heritage is a mish mash of pretty much every major power in the Orient. Of course I always liked you, you seemed to embody one of my favorite Sun Tzu quotes... 'Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death." she glanced at the pyre. "You and Nicholas share one key thing in common, you treat those under your command as people. Not pawns. Not simply numbers or nameless, faceless rabble. I have to wonder, who treated you as a beloved daughter that trained you to treat others the same way?"

[Rebecca Talon]

She shrugged, "I guess my mom. I would visit her on her ship, and occasionally I got to see her in action. Though, to be totally honest, I don't think I would have done anything different. It's not like me to be otherwise."

[Arisu Lei]

"Still, we are products of our mentors and our teachers." Arisu said wisely and glanced at her watch. "We should probably get back before Leo's funeral, I'm sure Nicholas will want us there." she sighed. "Too many funerals."

[Rebecca Talon]

"One is to many. This is a tragedy," Rebecca replied.

[Arisu Lei]

"And likely not the end of it either." Arisu said and shook her head. "We've survived a lot, we'll survive this."

[Rebecca Talon]

"No, sadly you are correct. Will you be traveling with me aboard the Ra'meti'klan?"

[Arisu Lei]

"I'm not leaving your side. Nick's standing orders. None of us go anywhere alone." Arisu said softly. "I also need to continue honing my senses, I don't have Ja'Larin to teach me anymore or take my lead from. I've only really been accessing the full range of what I can do for barely a few years now, you've been doing this a lot longer. Besides... Decker wants me to question Sharpe and well... I'm trying to think of what tactics to use, considering she was always a harder ass than I was. She was far better at the admin and spymistress stuff than I was, I'm a field agent she's used to being the heavy and giving the orders. But I have one thing she doesn't... the Iljuna."