Nexu's Nest sped through hyperspace, heading towards Glee Anselm. The ship was patched up, and the crew along with it. The starfighter rack had been re-attached and the fighters along with it. Basic plans had been made for their infiltration, though without a closer look they couldn't make anything more solid than 'try not to get caught'. That left a lot of time to fill and not a lot to do. A lot of time to think over their new problem.
'How exactly do you de-program someone who's had literal years of conditioning?' Luna asked the salon at large.
'Honestly, I was mainly just thinking about my son. I figured he'd take one look at me and run into my arms,' Face grinned sheepishly. 'Maybe not quite like that, but you get the idea.'
'We're not related to these stormtroopers,' Ka'iulani pointed out, then stiffened as a thought crossed her mind. 'Are we?' she asked Tarrik, who shook his head.
'There's really no way to tell. This ship isn't exactly outfitted for genetic analysis. Besides, my blood cultures can't filter for actual cultures,' he looked around the table for any appreciation of his joke, but only Vix grinned at it. Ka'iulani slumped in her chair.
'Hey Doc,' Luna perked up as something occurred to her. 'How much do you know about brainwashing?'
'Besides what I've seen in holoflics?' he spread his hands apologetically. 'I'm a doctor, not a psichiatrist.'
Luna nodded, expecting the answer, but she couldn't help but hold out some hope. There was a small cough to her right, and she looked at Mara, who was sat besides Cora, herself to Luna's right. Face was to Luna's left, resuming her position as second in command. This somewhat surprised her, given the argument they'd had about Luna dating a subordinate, and their continued romance, but it seems all concept of rule and regulation and ethics had been thrown out the airlock. Cora must have sensed her thoughts for she squeezed Luna's knee. She smiled and moved a hand to under the table, to hold Cora's.
'I just thought I'd point out,' Mara spoke up, refocusing Luna's attention, 'that they're still in that cargo compartment. Four of them. In that small space. Maybe not a good start to changing their minds.'
'Ah, yeah,' Face rubbed a hand through his beard. 'Point taken.'
'We can put them in 'Zatt', Rana and Fenn's quarters, just for now,' Luna suggested. 'The Arrow is still attached by an umbilical. Could we put another in-'
'No,' Mara said firmly.
'Okay,' Luna knew that there was no quicker way to find your death than to argue with Mara.
'I guess that's our first step,' Face said, then stood. Luna and the others stood, taking the queue that the meeting was done.
Mara must have had more to say, for she still sat. 'Just some advice,' she added. 'Just talk to them. Don't exactly try to be their friend. Just give them space to find themselves. Let them come to you.'
'You think that'll work?' Face asked her. It wasn't a harsh question, though there was still an edge to his voice whenever he spoke to Mara.
She shrugged. 'Worked for me.'
Face seemed to want to say something more, but, very wisely in Luna's opinion, said nothing.
