Eventually she was the last remaining outside. Sighing as she tapped her foot annoyed; her carpool was running late. Finally, a sturdy looking hover car pulled in the metal looked reinforced as did the plating around the hover devices along the edge and under the car. Seeming more combat ready. On the doors, hood, back and flat roof a symbol matching Alices badge but the hexagonal plates take on a camo like coloring to indicate Ark military. The window rolls down to revealing a stern wall of muscle and wrinkles of a man. Someone that could intimidate Hercules and looked old enough to be her father and then some. but better groomed and seemingly hairless aside from his eyebrows and a faint early morning stubble. "Get in Specialist." Their voice was deep and harsh like their voice had been mangled and wrestled into submission by the rest of their body. But Alice just gave him a warm smile and got in.

"What the hell? A military hover, and you for an escort what happened?" She asked curiously looking at him it seemed like his intimidating aura didn't affect her in the least bit. "And why are you late to get me you're the one that used to tell me to be punctual all-..." She light annoyance is cut short by the softer look on the sergeant's face. "Sorry but I had to deal with something. We have a special guest today..." He said calmer his gruff tone more human and softer. "Who? Is it about the Icarus stuff? Someone big from another settlement?" She said questioning who could get them both in the same hover. A high rank officer and his protégé/leader of the civilian security. He shook his head as he turned into the hover carrier and set it for down into the subterrain layers. "Look... Just trust me you'll understand." He said this time the gruffness seemed to hide some emotion. Alice seemed more concerned about that then any other part of him. He was the closest thing she had to a father since the real one left. But emotion wasn't really something he did. So, she finally sat back in defeat wondering what was so important.

After about 5 minutes of travel, they make way to the main transit dock, special underground Grav-trains were the only real safe form of transit between settlements like the Arks and were mainly used for resource trade and some personal transportation with special permission. In this case there were a heavy number of civilian guards dressed similarly to Alice but without the large face shield and lower ranks on their badges.

Alice and the Sergeant stepped out of their car a few civilians in simple arc clothing where there going through intake. Most of the work here was unloading the trains cargo Alice didn't see anything too odd beside a couple extra guards then what would usually be here. "Don't tell me all this dramatic stuff was because some tunnel people broke in?" Alice asked annoyed but the Sergeant simple shook his head. "No, come on were going into intake." He said calmly stepping forward into a side room with Alice following behind.

Inside the Intake area, it felt clinical and cold even in the perfect climate control. The first sections use matched that. Part doctor's clinic part biology lab. It was meant to weed out any problems and most importantly check for genetic mutations. They cleaned every possession and doubled checked for anything wrong head to toe. If you passed that you moved to the next rooms, interviews, background checks if anything it was a border check officers paradise. Finally, you waited for everything to finish. If you had a clean medical and interview bill you might just be allowed into the ark proper and not just a clean room.

They walked through the side halls blocked off from the actual people being tested meant for doctors and guards they were sprayed with a fine mist to decontaminate them. Finally, the sergeant gets to the door of one of the side rooms and opens in motioning for Alice to go first. At this point her curiosity had started shifting to confusion and worry... they hadn't taken her weapons or anything. So, her being in serious trouble was less likely so she enters. The sergeant steps in closing the door as Alice sits on one side of the table and he takes the other looking at her softly he taps his hands on the metal table making the wall light up with a screen as he starts accessing files. "I was ordered not to talk to you about this until you were here. I must inform you you're on record right now. Please answer and react honestly." That made Alice grip the table a bit and freeze up it wasn't exactly saying she was detained but damn closer than she wanted to be that is until two files appeared on screen her fear turning to shock.

On screen 2 files showed side by side one labeled Judas Storm, the other Jude Storm. The image on judas were one she knew well... her brothers young face but the one beside it, almost a spitting image of him simply grown up. An instinctual linking in her mind of the images. Her eyes instinctively scanned the file her hands tightening on the table as her heart raced. DNA: Match, Retina: Match, Prints: Matched, ID chip: Corrupted. She watched the files as if seeing a ghost before turning to the sergeant.

"What... the hell is going on?" She said her voice shaking.

"They were found prisoner to a bunch of raiders on a patrol with Ark 2. halfway through it started going bad for the guards. But apparently, they got a hold of one of the dead raider's knifes and undid their own bindings and helped the remaining guards. Led to them being accepted for ark citizenship but when the admins in Ark 2 asked their name, they found out about their life here and they sent them our way. At least that's the story." He says looking over the files himself before moving them aside to show an image of Jude in a room like there's but cuffed to the table. "Everything but their data chip matches. Scans indicate it was damaged looks like someone cut up their hand bad recently, they said someone was trying to steal it so they couldn't be let in. Sounds like some purist attack."

Alice looks at the video of what is meant to be her once dead brother now living sibling... Their anxious... the scanner feed on the sides of the display show signs of heavy anxiety and stress. "I... How could he-" Alice is cut off by the Sargeant "They... Apparently, your sibling has requested a change of pronouns on their record..." She just stares for a moment... not sure what to say but tries to continue. "They... How could They survive... The last Icarus project... You said my dad was a part of the attack on it and died... You said Judas...Jude was likely a part of that?" Alice said trying to contain her emotions the rooms scanners likely knew she was freaking out under the surface, and so did he if he had the data on his visor.

"We never found a body. The explosion caused in the attack destroyed most biological matter. We only knew your father was there because of recovered footage." He said standing up and moving over to Alice who stiffened a bit when he put a hand on her shoulder. "As far as we can tell, that is, Jude... They aren't perfect... some sun damage and their core energy are high... but that's understandable with how long they lived outside. But we wanted you to see them first. If you want to speak with them to confirm it, you can... But I will tell you now they will likely be accepted to the Ark. They did surprisingly well in the physical tests. a bit malnourished but recoverable. and mentally they must have found some way to keep learning because they got decent scores. I heard the job applicator said they'd likely take up a cerebrum assistant while the new Icarus project starts."

Alice simply sat in mental turmoil and dread... sure as a kid she had hoped her sibling would come back. But they had a mock funeral, an empty vase with his name plate sat on her dresser her mom had the same in her house. "I... I need the day off... this. fuck... I was supposed to take Judith to the arboretum today..." She said under her breath her voice catching softly as she strips her face shield rubbing her eyes. The Sergeant kneeling to hug her which she quickly accepts.

"Hey, hey. I know... I already canceled you today with pay... I remember when you were both younger... I can't... I can't know how you feel but it... it hit me too..." He spoke softly rubbing her back to try and let her get out her emotions. She rubbed her face wiping away a hint of cold sweat taking deep breaths through her nose and out her mouth to manage her breathing. "An... And what the hell is that hair?!" She says laughing into the sergeant's shoulder, her way of trying to refocus her mind away from the negativity or panic stirring under the surface. The sergeant softly rubs her back a light chuckle. "they said they learned to make their own dyes from plants and old supplies. They got some storm eccentricity left in them..." He says warmly as Alice take a soft breath moving back to look at him. "I, think I'm ready. I want to meet him- Them. But, not in there." She says and the sergeant nods. "His test results should be finished soon enough to let him out. I'll get you two a hover cart so you can have some privacy and show Them around."

As Alice takes a breath and stands up, she tries to relax her shoulders calming herself. "So, are we waiting on anyone? I don't think moms ready to hear about this just yet... What about Regi? Maybe it would help him out." She asked looking up softly at the sergeant who seems to think for a moment before shaking his head. "I tried to talk with him, but he shut me out. Saying he was busy... He's been so distant... But I was hoping once everything settled down, we could have everyone for a dinner like we did when you three were kids." Alice offers a sympathetic smile and nods her head in agreement before they walk out to meet Jude.