Rosalind turned to Lt. Anderson, “Thank you for the car ride. I’ll see you tomorrow!”     “Okay, good night,” he replied with a sad smile.

            She unbuckled and hopped out of the truck and disappeared into her home. After watching Rosalind escape into her home, Lt. Anderson reversed his truck and returned home. Before the door closed Rosalind turned around to watch the truck drive away.

            ‘Lt. Anderson looked sad… Hmm? He looked?! What does his face look like?’ Rosalind was bewildered by this. She couldn’t pull up a mental image of him in her head.

            ‘Then how could I think he looked sad?’ She thought for a while. In her replay of the scene in the truck she recalled seeing his chin, and two full lips surrounded by stubble. His lips weren’t curled up at the corners if anything they were a tad curled down.

            Rosalind had shivers run down her spine. It was eerie learning something about yourself that you realize wasn’t normal. She knew it was the result of consistently avoiding eye contact with Lt. Anderson. But what gave her hope was that even she could tell that she was making progress. First, she learned to interact with the other pilots. And now she’s slowly getting used to Lt. Anderson. Rosalind laughed at herself, while thinking about all of this. In a way she trusted all the words everyone used to describe Lt. Anderson, which led her to allow him near her and even be alone with her. But she was tricking herself this entire time, blurring his face from her mind and essentially not fully trusting anyone, especially herself. She was laughing at herself because deep down she no longer trusted herself to make the right decisions. It was now her new mission to uncover Lt. Anderson’s face. Rosalind wanted to make a plan for how to do this, but she was too tired to hold a single thought anymore, now that she was in her bed.

            The next morning treated Rosalind nicely. She was well rested and was even able to get to the mess hall early for breakfast, which ensured she’d get food into her stomach, and she did. But something felt off, the mess was a little more empty than usual and she didn’t know why. So, Rosalind rushed to her office to check her email. She had scrolled though so many emails that she almost missed the one marked important. It was a notification that Reef 6 was to welcome the main base’s mecha pilots, mechas, and their mecha scientists this AM. Rosalind didn’t really have anything to do with that kind of military operation, but her heart was pounding because she was worried about what they might find out while they were here. She still had half an hour before their scheduled arrival, so she headed over to the air strip to see if she can talk to Major Green or Lt. Lee and see what their course of action for their secret information was.

            ‘I wonder why they are sending pilots and their mecha from the main base over here, when we still have the ones from Reef 2 and 3? And why did they bring their scientists with them? I just left that place and honestly hoped to never see them again!’ Rosalind screamed while quick walking along the hallways and downstairs to exit a bunker that led to the air strip.

            When she had made it outside, she found a huge group of people and operations unfolding, which made it hard for her to find either Major Green or Lt. Lee. Eventually, off to the side she found another bunker that had people constantly running in and out of it, as if they were taking orders and leaving to do them and returning for more. She headed in and finally found Major Green sitting behind a makeshift command center, with Lt. Lee and Smith giving out orders to other people.

            “Ah! Rosalind, just in time for the new arrivals. I guess you missed the email that went out.”

            “Yeah, I was trying to get you the report on Lt. Anderson,” she awkwardly replied.

            “Well, those folks flying over seem to want to know more about the coma stuff so they are trying to see if they can get it to happen again and study it, not to mention studying the Reef 2 and 3 pilots before they leave,” he explained with a huff.

            Hearing that both made Rosalind calm down a bit, but also made her shudder. After what happened to her when the pilots woke up was unfortunate, but she couldn’t imagine what the pilots went through and then to put more of them through it for an experiment sounded absurd.

            “They won’t try to put our pilots in a coma again, right?”

            “I think they might be trying to do that, but it won’t work don’t you think? Our mechas have sorted everything out with their pilots when they go through training they’ll succeed and the other pilots will fail, but maybe they’ll get forced into a coma or what not. As I see it, they are on another wavelength, and we won’t be affected by their presence.”

            “You sound mighty confident, Major Green.”

            “Well, you write great reports, Rosalind. I’m so thankful that you were sent here. You’re our patron saint, if you will.”

            “I’m no saint. I just have the right connection, and the only connection worth having right now. But I’m glad I made it here; Bleu made it here too so there’s something to be said about that.”

            “All that aside, these big wigs are going to be romping around our base and we have secrets to hide, so don’t let it slip that you can talk to Bleu. Everyone on base has those orders.”

            “Okay, well could you make it easier on me and tell our guests that I won’t be of service to them, only our pilots, and Reef 2 and 3’s pilots. Make it sound like I’m incompetent or something, the less contact we have the safer it would be.”

            “Now that’s a good idea. Although, I can’t sell you as incompetent because you’re going to be an expert reference soon, but without my permission they won’t be able to bother you.”

            “Yeah, yeah. Whatever you think is best. So, where are my pilots?”

            “They are in their towers and getting ready to pull out the mecha. The main base requested a demonstration of their flight formation training as soon as they disembark.”

            “Wow, they work fast don’t they. Well, I guess I’d better see how Bleu’s doing today.”

            “Alright, let me know what you find out, through Lt. Lee. Try not to leave a digital footprint of special information.”

            “Okay, bye.”

            Rosalind waved goodbye. She felt comforted by Major Green’s support. This was the first time her superior was considerate of her and it made her feel relaxed about the situation.

            The pilots on base had already pulled out the mecha’s from their towers and were waiting for the main base’s people to arrive. Rosalind walked up to them to talk.

            “Hi!” She said unusually cheerfully.

            “Good morning, Rosalind!” Lt. Martinez said with a huge smile.

            “How did you sleep?” Lt. Daniels asked trying to embarrass her.

            “I slept amazingly. I don’t know how you guys were able to give me such a good night’s sleep!” Rosalind said, ignoring her comment.

            “It’s like you’re a totally different person today, so upbeat and excited!” Lt. Martinez exclaimed. “It can’t be because of the main base people, are you excited to see them? You did just come from there.”

            “What! Oh god no! I hated those people. You know the reason I’m here is because they didn’t like me either.”

            “Wow, I didn’t think you’d be so emphatic about it,” Lt. Martinez laughed.

            “Anyways, Major Green told me everyone’s hush hush about talking to the mecha, so we’ll talk privately. And also, if they try to get me to do stuff for them, rescue me! I’m not supposed to be working for or with them. I’m honestly considering hiding myself for the duration of this visit, but we have stuff to learn too.”

            “Yes, yes. We know. We all promise to save you, princess,” Lt. Martinez bowed while laughing.

            Rosalind was so embarrassed by this, but curious to see what everyone’s reactions were, especially Lt. Anderson’s. Everyone was smiling, except Lt. Daniels and Lt. Anderson.

            ‘That’s weird I thought he’d smile or laugh at his joke?’

            “Ah, so Bleu can you tell me about the mecha’s arriving, you should know who they are right?”

            “Yes. They are Dan and Cat. Their pilots don’t use them, hardly at all, and that’s why they are here.”

            “That’s not surprising. Do mecha’s have a hierarchy? Since, you six have chosen Lt. Anderson as the leader, does that mean you’re the leader of the mecha’s?”

            “Yes. Each mecha is built exactly the same, and our experiences are shared, but the pilots are not, so the mecha with the best pilot is the leader.”

            “That doesn’t mean you give out commands to the other mecha on your own, right? Lt. Anderson would have to command you to do that.”

            “Yes. This is an essential realization for you.”

            “Wow, cool -” Rosalind said just before being cut off by the sound of an airplane landing.