[to be fair, Bel's poker face is extremely good. even if it is sorely tested at the first word off the prisoner's lips, because that is decidedly not Private Danio. the brief uncertain glance at Bel is a little closer to form, but the rest is viscerally different.

a spark runs up Bel's spine. for no reason. no conscious reason at all.

and then, Danio melts into someone else.



....the word Bel uses is not in the Dendarii regs.


the pieces that do make sense are easy to place. it's just Danio's luck to get rolled on leave, and wondering whether he woke up with any clothes had been good for a moment's amusement. but this is obviously some newly released bit of recreational R&D, modded for espionage; a power pack hidden under the uniform, maybe a preprogrammable holographic skin -- no, that never works -- nanites? but even the eyes -- and this is a test run, and the result incapacitates Bel's crewman and waltzes right onto Bel's ship, and would be home free if Danio hadn't made a completely different poor life choice shortly before running into whoever this is.....

slightly breathless] Well. That's something. [a slight nod to Miles] I see why you wanted me down here.

[tech like this will rewrite the tactical manual forever; the security briefing alone is going to be a nightmare. WOW.]