SHADOWS BRUSHED AGAINST HIS LEG. Zan hurried through the Backroads. He wanted to dwell and sit alone for a while, but he couldn't, not after overstaying at Luxley's place.

  White. Zan was back in the White Chamber. He left and entered the war room. "Where is Jiehong?"

  "Oh, there you are!" Zan said, seeing Jiehong enter the war room from the basement door leading to the barracks.

  "I heard the chamber and felt its pulsations. I left my room the moment you were at the end of the hall. What timing!" Jiehong said, laughing.

  "Excellent. Jiehong. Everyone, I am back. I have with me a list of locations. My guy took a while, sure, but that is fine, right? We were busy. Being as we are, unbusy, finding these locations should be our top priority. Input? Wardens? Jiehong?" Zan asked.

  "I find issue with none of your direction," Jiehong said. "Our understanding of the war is limited. If we knew more information about what was happening, I might argue for closer integration with the Royal Army. Our last venture proved the Royal Army doesn't know what is happening on the other end of the country than what we know is happening. I agree with you then, Zan. We have people to protect here. These bunkers are the best bet we have at establishing a defensive line."

  "Well said!" Screen Master Simulacrum spoke. "Both you and Zan have grown much in a short time. I know I said this before, but I do mean it. As an artificially made advisor of the Order, I praise only when it is duly valid. As an advisor, however, I do have a thought before we move forward with the next phase of activities."

  Receptive to discussion, Zan said, "Alright. Let me have it. What is your consul?"

  "Lately, you have come into possession of several new tools. Jiehong, this goes for you as well; through your use of the exo-suit, your extant Ranger-Knight tools have been enhanced. Although these behaviors denote how well both of you have grown into your roles as Shiv adherents, some time to train and gain proficiency in these tools would benefit you both in the long run," Simulacrum said.

  "I would be fine with training. But with who? Has a professional trainer sought refuge with us?" Zan asked.

  "Nothing of the sort. As you might have guessed with the creation of the Command Center System, the 'headset,' as you like to call it, the command center is back to its former health. All internal systems have been repaired. Memory banks have been salvaged -- what could be salvaged -- while rudimentary fabrication services back and fully operational. Previously, we were having trouble meeting demand for grenade fabrication. Now, we will not need to worry about grenade fabrication even with Whiskey's imminent ascension to our ranks. With the center's full repair also comes the chance to delve into the center's training videos."

  Listening to the Screen Master as Zan had listened to his guardians growing up, he understood what the Screen Master was saying: things were iffy before, but now they are keeping apace. Good.

  "Training videos? What is a video?" Jiehong asked.

  "My apologies. A 'video' is a type of visual recording. It is like an image of people but moving and reproducing sound. Like an illustrated scroll set to music or ambience," Simulacrum explained.

  "Okay, so it is like you? We can interact with it?" Zan asked.

  "No," Simulacrum said, explaining the difference between a 'video' and an entity like him, a Screen Master. Namely, that one was fixed (the video) while another was alive and incapable (he, a cosmic being).

  Finally understanding the concept of a pre-recorded video as being a static, uninterruptable entity, Zan said, "Yeah, I wouldn't mind taking a look at some of those videos. You said they're training manuals? If this last operation taught me anything, it is how little I know about the world. I want to get caught up."

  "Now that we know what a 'video' is," Jiehong said, "When is Whiskey's induction?"

  Coming forward with a jar containing a pink power-crystal suspended in goo and gunk, Sigma-Prime asked, "How about now?"

  Finding Whiskey outside helping orient some of the villagers taking refuge with the order, Zan asked if Whiskey felt like being formally inducted now.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Of course. That's why we're here, yeah? Let's get this done," Whiskey said, finishing with an overly young (or old? For Zan could not tell) person who was in need of a fresh source of water. Entering the center alongside Zan, they walked down the curt staircase which led deeper into center and eventually the war room.

  "Hard to believe the first time we met you snuck in after stalking Jiehong and I. Now, you're joining us. How time flies!" Zan reminisced.

  "It does fly. It was not so long ago, remember. Two, three months? When was the last time we consulted a Calander?" Whiskey said, laughing, though remaining serious enough.

  "There's a day cycle chart in my room... the Wardens could probably tell us," Zan said, failing to understand Whiskey was only making small talk, making her in Zan's mind, in need of a consultant to time.

  "That's okay. Let's get my induction done first," Whiskey said, smiling as a big sister would to her plucky younger brother.

  The two entered the war room and approached Sigma-Prime. "Whiskey. I am not sure how much you've had a chance to interact with the Wardens. Some, I guess, since they gave you the headset to give to me. But as a Ranger-Knight you will be seeing them a bunch more. Robot-lady is Sigma-Prime. Big-blue face is Screen Master Simulacrum. Say hi."

  Whiskey bowed, taking the formal route. Then she turned to Zan. "I know who they are. Thank you for introducing us. Let's get this procedure done with. I have heard it is painful, right?" she said with a wink, letting Zan know she remembered when they talked about this back at Hope-Ridge.

  By now, Sigma-Prime joined the conversation and said, "The truth is, everyone experienced the ceremony differently. Women typically have an easier time with the ceremony than men. All of this is highly subjective, though. Some Order thinkers over the years have thought even weather plays a role. I do not recommend overthinking what your experience will be until you actually are experiencing the integration. Shall we begin? Please, stand over here."

  Whiskey followed Sigma-Prime's instructions. She stood standing in an oval-shaped space directly before the Screen Master and inside of Sigma's shapely desk lit up with buttons, levers, and keyboards denoting both numbers and letters.

  Sigma-Prime removed the power crystal from its goo-filled jar and brought it over to Whiskey. "Modestly lift your shirt so as to reveal your belly button."

  Complying, Whiskey tugged at her garment.

  "Now, take hold of the power crystal, and hold it to your stomach, with the edge of the crystal as close as it can be to your belly button. It will gently integrate with your body," Sigma-Prime directed.

  Zan watched alongside Jiehong in revered horror as Whiskey was about to undergo the same pain they had endured. A part of Zan wanted to reach out and say, 'on second thought, it's not worth it. Thanks for coming!' Wisely, Zan pushed against this impulse. We need every warrior, every person of note. We need legitimacy, authority, or else, we will fail.

  "Oh, gods," Whiskey said, removing her hands from her belly as the crystal started its slow descent into her like it had to them.

  Seeing her grimace as the worst of it was to begin, Zan said, "Hold on. It's only going to get worse. It won't put you to shock. Grit your teeth."

  Jiehong repeated the advice but in his own way: "I see how the pain is coming on. Look at it this way -- there is no stopping the process. So, you're already one of us. Just gotta endure the pain a little while longer."

  Zan and Jiehong were with Whiskey throughout the whole of her ordeal. "So, you think we should give her some space?" Jiehong asked at the half-way point, when Whiskey was on the ground, clutching her side, imploring the gods for salvation."

  Not liking the idea, Zan said, "No. Staying shows solidarity." Louder than when he spoke to Jiehong, he shouted to Whiskey, "You're doing well! The pain only gets a little worse!"

  "Oh, gods! Gods! It gets worse?!" Whiskey screamed, cried.

  Unfortunately, it, in fact, got worse.

  On their knees next to Whiskey, Zan and Jiehong spoke encouraging things to her while she seethed. "Your muscles feeling like lava is normal. As if that feeling when one tripped nerve causes another to go off and you feel like a spider-web of agony." Zan was saying to her while Jiehong attempted basic massaging of her thigh and arms to help with the spasms. "Also, no biggie if you mess yourself," Jiehong told her as she howled. "Once you're fully integrated, a warm bath will take all the cuck out."

  Integration finally ended. Whiskey's power crystal nestled deep within her stomach, no different than Zan or Jiehong's own. Whiskey herself lay prone on the ground, hardly responsive except for grunts. Her face looked awful. Snot, tears, blood.

  "It's over?" Whiskey managed to say.

  Simulacrum answered: "Yes. Your power crystal has successfully integrated with your body. Slowly, it will gain nutrients from your body along with spirit energy. Let me be the first to welcome you to the restored Shiv Order!"

  Zan clapped as did Jiehong. They said their own congratulations and gently patted Whiskey on her shoulders, asking if she wanted help standing help.

  "Thanks, you guys," Whiskey said. Accepting their help, she stood and leaned against part of Sigma's desk.

  Much as how Zan and Jiehong had been after their own power crystal integration, Whiskey needed a moment to regain herself. "Okay. I am doing better. For as much agony as I was in, I am surprised I already feel back to my old self. Or almost back, anyway..."

  "It was like that for us as well," Jiehong said.

  "Now I know what you guys were talking about -- holy crappola! I never thought--! I thought I would only feel something that painful when I gave birth. It was ungodly."

  "It's over now. Just the recovery is left. Jiehong. Could you help Whiskey and show her to the shared bath? I am sure she wants to get clean," Zan said.

  "Yes. Please do," Whiskey added. Sniffing herself, she said, "I reek."

  Jiehong helped Whiskey to the door. Doing so, he asked what Zan would do. "I am going to start on those 'videos' and see what I can learn."