“...”

Joyce smiled recalling those memories. As terrifying as it was in the beginning it truly became something wonderful. Cas gave her a life she couldn’t possibly have imagined. One where she could be herself. Now she had to discover who she was without Cas, she thought glumly. She didn’t want to do that.

“Hello! Robigus to Joyce!” A familiar voice called. 

Joyce nearly jumped out of her plating! She spun around to face the person who snuck up  on her. A woman in her early twenties stood in front of her. She had orange hair cut to shoulder length. The top of her hair was combed back into a messy bun. Several rings pierced her ear along her lobe and fresh scars ran along her face up to her left eye. Now replaced by a bionic eye. The metal construct failed to match her remaining blue eye. She wore the standard security force flight suit and armor covered in a variety of pouches. A pulse rifle slung over her shoulder and shock gloves covered her hands. On her waist hung an armored gas mask with several mushtrees painted on the plating. Most humans carried some form of respirator, in case of a spore storm. They mostly occur in spring but better to have one than have mushrooms growing in your lungs.

“Oh, hi Annabeth,” Joyce hissed out before she could regain her composure.

“Please, call me Anna,” Anna said before leaning on the railing next to her.

Like Joyce, Anna held the rank of Captain. The ranks weren’t complicated: Cadet for those in training, Officer once you’ve completed that training, Captain for those who ran their own squad, Chiefs were in charge of multiple squads, Commanders organized the Security Forces for entire sectors of the colony, and the General who held a seat on the steering committee and was in charge of all security force operations. It would be quite some time before Joyce could get promoted up. The higher positions only became available if someone retires, is demoted, or dies. The most likely way Joyce would see promotion is if the colony expanded and there was more need for higher rank positions. She just had to prove herself worthy of the job when the time came.

“I suppose I can do that,” Joyce replied, “What can I do for you?”

Anna looked at Joyce eyes full of empathy. 

“Are you doing alright,” She asked, “it's not like you to be spacing out.”

“I’m fine, I was just… focused,” Joyce replied lamely.

The moment of silence felt like an eternity. Anna clearly didn’t believe her.

“So, why are you here,” Joyce said sharply. “Don’t you have your own team to be in charge of?”

“Yeah but I am here for a reason.”

“Well?”

“How difficult do you think it would be to convince my sisters to get matching scars,” Anna asked, seeming genuine, “And the bionic eye to match? I feel like I stand out too much from them now.”

“What,” was all Joyce could say. The change in Anna’s tone baffled her.

“I was thinking about going for the ‘scars are sexy’ argument. I mean obviously,” Anna said while gesturing to herself. “Combined with the fact that bionic eyes have some useful features I think I have a good shot of winning them over. Anything else I should add?”

“You seriously came all the way out here to ask me that?”

Anna laughed. Joyce rolled her eyes, this is when she realized Anna was pulling her leg. The Anna sisters were always involved in some bit or another. Although Annabeth was more frequent about it than the others.

“No, not really,” Anna said. “I figured you could use something to lighten the mood. I do have an actual reason for being here.”

“I hope it's not another attempt at humor,” Joyce said, “I do have a job to get back to.”

“Commander Kory wanted to see you when your shift on the wall ends today.”

Commander Kory was in charge of all the security forces outside of The Star’s Embrace. At least during his shift. There were three commanders that covered managing this area, one for mornings, afternoons, and nights. Kory was the morning commander. It was odd that Joyce would report to a Commander directly instead of the Security Chief of her area. This was either very good or very bad.

“Did he say why,” Joyce asked.

“New orders,” Anna replied, “No idea what they might be. Sorry.”

Joyce’s finger started twirling her hair. Her mind was racing and her core tightened up. 

Was this because of The Breach? She might be rewarded for her actions. Alternatively she might be punished because it was her section of wall that fell, she thought.

“Hey don’t worry about it,” Anna said while slapping her on the back. “I’m sure it's good news! You run a tight ship around here.”

“Yeah, I hope so.”

“I’m going to hit up the bar on the Promenade with some friends tonight. Wanna join us? It seems like you could go for a night out.”

“No, I don’t think I’ll be up for that. Good or bad news.”

“Suit yourself. Stop by if you change your mind.”

With that Annabeth left Joyce alone on the wall. After a moment to collect her thoughts she got back to work. 

The colony won’t protect itself, she thought. 

The day seemed to crawl on. Joyce was dreading the news she might receive from the commander. She tried to cheer herself up with the possibility of good news, like a promotion. Unfortunately, her darker thoughts were more prominent. 

They’ll probably demote me, Joyce thought. It's what I deserve after that night. 

Eventually the next shift came to relieve her team of guard duty. Commander Kory was waiting.

—

Joyce stood outside Commander Kory's office. Anxiety swelled within her. Good news or bad news. First she needs to calm herself down. Cas always said taking a deep breath always Helped her when she was nervous. Unfortunately Joyce didn't have lungs. She tried anyways to mimic the sensation of breathing by sucking in air and blowing it out. It did not help.

The command building was next to the armory. Both were constructed from the white mushwood harvested from the local mushtrees. A security Team partolled the buildings, not that they actually believed unauthorized personnel would try and enter. Better safe than sorry when dealing with weapons. The interior of the command building was nicer than the armory as it was essentially an office space as opposed to a storage facility. Windows let light stream in through their blinds with curtains pulled open. The floor was made from the same wood as the walls and benches were placed outside the offices. 

Quit stalling, Joyce thought, let's get this over with. She knocked three times on the door before waiting for a response.

“Come in,” the commander responded.

Joyce entered the room and closed the door behind her. She snapped into a salute.

“Sir,” she said, “reporting for my new orders.”

“Take a seat,” Kory said.

Kory’s office was kept simple and tidy. A desk sat in the middle with a computer on it. Papers and folders were neatly organized across the desks surface, probably relevant to what he was working on. Behind the desk were two filing cabinets that flanked the window viewing the courtyard. The walls were decorated with pictures of friends, family, and pre war memorabilia. Some from his previous time in the former United States military. 

In front of the desk stood two wooden chairs. They were nice and made from the local mushtrees. Joyce took a seat and met the eyes of the man before her. His eyes were harsh looking and crows feet poked out of their corners. Other wrinkles were forming along his face due to his increasing age. He kept his mostly gray hair short. He wore his security formal uniform. They were usually reserved for promotion ceremonies,  but those whose job in the security forces required more deskwork than field work they became the default. His epaulettes had four stars along them signifying his rank as commander. Joyce’s own formal ware had two stars, because she was a captain. Although she rarely had the need to wear it. The differences in epaulettes weren’t complicated: cadets had zero, officers had one, captains had two and so on up to generals who had five. 

Commander Kory spun around in his chair and dug through one of his filing cabinets, removed a folder and plopped it on his desk. Then he faced Joyce again.

“As I’m sure you're aware,” The Commander began, “The Survey Teams have requested the Security Force to divert members for guard duty when they leave on expeditions.”

“I thought they were all armed. Why would they need us?” Joyce asked.

“They are. Unfortunately they don’t have the time to dedicate to combat skill. They are field researchers first and foremost. Not combatants. Due to that fact there have been more than a few incidents where the local wildlife got aggressive and members of the Survey Teams were injured or killed. The Steering Committee has decided that the Security Forces are to divert some of their members as dedicated expedition guards.”

“We’re not going to be under manned at the wall are we? That could become real dangerous real fast the next time another rampage occurs.”

“I’m well aware, Captain Joyce. That concern is already being addressed.”

“Sir, why personally tell me this? Do you want me to find volunteers from my squad for the position?”

“No, we have the Security Chiefs looking into that matter already. Have been for quite some time actually,” He said while scratching his clean shaven chin.

“Now that I have some context, what do you need me to do Sir?” Joyce asked, sitting as tall as she could.

Joyce felt excited at the conversation so far. Why call me up here? Would a Security Chief be leaving and they needed someone to take their place? Could that be her? Surely he wouldn’t be telling her all this if he was going to demote her. Security Chief Joyce. That has a nice ring to it, She thought, Cas would have been proud. 

“We’re having you reassigned to the Survey Teams as a designated guard,” Kory said bluntly.

Her excitement quickly turned to anger. Joyce stood up and slammed her hands down on the commanders desk.

“You’re WHAT!? I’ve spent most of my life defending this colony! Back on Earth, thought space, and here on Robigus! I’ve been protecting The Star’s Embrace before the colony even found it! I helped build the walls that keep us safe! Now you just want to get rid of me!” She yelled.

“Sit down Joyce,” The Commander said sternly. 

Joyce stared daggers at Commander Kory for a brief moment before sitting back down. 

“Sorry about the outburst Sir,” She replied glumly. “Is this because of my failure to prevent The Breach?“

“No. Nobody could have predicted a creature that large and tough appearing. The Breach was a failure of the Security Forces as a whole. Not yours as an individual. We’ll be better prepared for next time.” Korry said.

“Yet I won’t be there anymore.”

“This file is accurate, is it not?” Kory said while tapping the folder he pulled out earlier.

Joyce opened it. It was her service record. It detailed the battles she’d fought against raiders and scavengers back on Earth. Fights broken up on the ship. Rampages she’d helped repel on Robigus. The Breach.

“Yes it is,” She said.

“Good. Now I know I’m sending someone the Survey Teams can rely on when trouble brews.” Kory said with a gentle smile.

Emotions swirled around inside Joyce. None of the pleasant ones. It was a struggle to maintain a neutral facial expression. 

“When do I report in?” She asked.

“You’ll have your usual days off. Then you need to report to the vehicle depo on the ground level of the ship. 0900 hours. They’ll tell you more there.” He said.

“Understood. Was there anything else?”

“No. You are dismissed.”

—

Normally Joyce walked home at a relaxed pace. Today she was practically running. She didn’t want to be seen. Not when she was barely able to keep herself together. She rushed up the main staircase straight to the ship’s elevator and slammed the call button. It felt like an eternity before the elevator reached the lobby deck. Joyce squeezed inside with a group of other colonists going about their day. Five floors to go, another eternity.

 Keep it together Joyce, she thought.

 Eventually she reached the tenth floor and she rushed to her room. Her vision started to blur. Her face was definitely displaying tears building up in her eyes. When she reached her room she threw the door open, stepped inside and slammed it shut. She collapsed on the floor and started sobbing. Within the span of two weeks she’d lost her most precious person and her career, which always had offered her stability in the past. Joyce continued to sob quietly on the floor until sleep took her.

—

Sleep Mode Active. Running Dream (Flashback)

Initiate Playback: Core drive/Memories/Cassandra/File673412