Sang the Setari

15. S4-Report

Pancakes....with chocolate chips....and Sang...
My Forever wearing a chocolate chip pancake bikini...
Mmmmm....and she is saying something....

"Luke," she says....but...Huh? Why does she sound like North? "Luke, pay attention!"

Pain explodes from the chop to my shoulder.

"Ow!" I say, dropping out of my perfectly yummy daydream. I'll have remember this one for a revisit later.

I look around at the faces of Sang and my brothers. Their expressions range from mildly annoyed to resigned. They are pretty used to me zoning out, and not just because I am fooling around on the Interface. Well, okay...sometimes that is what I'm doing, but I also get distracted by random ideas. I smile widely, sure that they will forgive my inattentive nature.

Let's see...what were we talking about? Oh yeah, that stupid dinner with Vic's mother and the other asshole who can't shut up. Ends to Muina, when Blackbourne had me help listen through the surveillance audio, I discovered it actually might be possible to talk someone to death. Only Crowley would probably kill himself since that's who he spoke to most of the time.

"Miss Sorenson, your message said you overheard something peculiar?" Blackbourne asked, turning everyone's attention to Sang.

I still don't understand the 'Miss Sorenson' thing...I mean, he generally uses Setari rank and surname for us, unless we are talking to him privately, but the Earth 'Miss' thing??? So weird...not even a real nickname like most of us have for her...even weirder is that I think she actually likes it...oh well...as long as Sang is happy...

"...not sure, but I thought the way he phrased this was strange. Here's the recording clip," Sang finished replying and I accessed the file she sent to all of us.

Poor Sang had been seated across from Lehanti Motormouth. She was too sweet to be rude and ignore him as he dominated the conversation. The only break in his monologue came when Lehanti Jasmine Morgan blatantly interrupted. And then Sang had faced something half-inquisition, half-matchmaking. Almost seemed as if once Jasmine decided Sang was good enough for Victor she was ready to send out the Marriage Union Notice. Ha! If she only knew. We might have been granted permission to attempt this relationship by select members of the Council, but it was definitely hush-hush. It had taken both Victor and Sean to distract Jasmine and give Sang reprieve. Sang handled it all with grace, though her look of utter relief at the end of the evening had been priceless. This meeting was a chance to debrief on what anyone had learned. The clip Sang shared was Crowley dismissing someone's concerns about a food shortage in one of the lower income segments of Konna, despite increased funding for dietary needs subsidies that had only recently been legislated.

"That was a keen observation, thank you for pointing it out," Blackbourne complimented her with a slight nod. I watched as her face brightened and she sat up straighter. I understood her reaction. We all strive to do our best for our squad captain.

"Tsen Lee and Tset Griffen, I want you to follow up on that," he ordered. "Anyone else note anything?"

I threw in, "Hey Gabe, didn't I see you and Lehanti Talks-a-lot come out of the bathroom?" The nickname garnered a few chuckles.

"Yeah," my best friend replied. "And shit, you are right about how much he talks. He was even fucking coaching his d-," Gabe cut off with a glance at Sang. "Uh, yeah, he was talking on and on, as he pissed, but said nothing incriminating."

Gabe better watch it...Blackbourne may tolerate his profanity in general, but Sang is here at this family meeting. Bet he totally gets an hour tomorrow.