Day 2 | Afternoon | Captain Lanville, I Presume?

[Razar Lanville]

"The essence and spirit of the mission is all about protecting civilians. If we have a lead and location for him then I am more than willing to expand our parameters to collect and protect him," he replies.

There's something else that he wants to say but he doesn't say it. She can see him on the edge of opening his mouth again. After working through his thoughts, he finally says in a collected voice, "Tell her that this is a military mission and I am not going to disclose details to her at the moment, but if she wants help with her father she's going to have to give us intel that will help us do so."

He continues, "As for letting her go... I am not releasing a wounded civilian into a jungle crawling with predators and cartel criminals. I suspect she's not working with the cartel, but I also don't know for certain. And anyone that helps her do so is definitely going to be facing the Lieutenant Colonel for endangering a civilian. He's already going to be pissed off that she's been shot and threatened and I have no intention of assuaging his anger because I'm pissed off that it happened too."

He doesn't actually look pissed off, but that tick at his temple is still going, so he might be.

[Cuyler Gray]

"I believe a promise to do what you can for her father will satisfy her." She nodded. "At the least, she should be willing to tell you more about him."

[Razar Lanville]

"That's fine. Just make sure she knows that this is a military operation. If I feel it's necessary to remove her from the area for her protection after our thopters are flight ready, I will do so. She can be as upset as she wants. You are here voluntarily at the Lieutenant Colonel's request and I am responsible for your well-being personally, she is no different from you by my accounting. Her life has been my responsibility since I was informed of her presence."

[Cuyler Gray]

"I'll let her know." She left to speak with their guest.

[Kannon]

They would both return soon after. Sinsei, despite her best efforts, couldn't hide the emotional toll this situation was taking on her. She wouldn't start the conversation herself.

[Cuyler Gray]

"Alright. I seem to be the arbiter here." Cuyler spoke. "You both have reasons for witholding trust and information. We are isolated out here, however, and only have the resources on hand. That includes one another. It's possible that our goals might be accomplished independently, but I think it's unlikely. I fully believe it will be easier and safer for all of us, if we can all work together. Captain, will you help reunite Miss Vim with her father?"

[Kannon]

The wording made Sinsei imagine Razar giving her up to the drug lord so she and her father could both deliriously watch each other die of ailar overdose. She really, really tried not to go any further into that rabbit hole of thought.

[Razar Lanville]

"The simple fact of the matter is that I still have no intention of sharing details of our mission with someone not assigned to our team, but I am expanding the mission parameters to include attempting to rescue Dr Xard Vim," Razar says to Sinsei. "But we still have not positively confirmed your identity. I suspect you are who you say you are, but I also cannot take it at face value without evidence. We will find out how much our missions overlap in the pursuit of the new mission objective to collect your father... if you find that acceptable." Razar's demeanor continues to maintain his collected and commanding demeanor.

[Cuyler Gray]

"Captain, it is highly unlikely that you will get definitive confirmation before we proceed with any of our objectives. Not unless you want to wait here another day. I'm sure you've had to act on your suspicions before." she suggested. "I've had to act on mine in hopes that we could all make some progress."

[Kannon]

"Fortunately I need no details on your mission as long as you commit to rescue my father before he is drugged to death. Which is likely going to happen within 2 days. If it hasn't already."

Sinsei didn't trust this man one bit but having nothing to lose decided to go through the motions. To Cuyler's words, she nodded.

"I am not sure what certification would satisfy you, Captain, given neither of us can make a call. I could perhaps write you a research paper on Caladanan flora?"

She shrugged, imagining the stick in Razar's posterior holding his position all the way to the back of his throat. "You are welcome to discern the overlap by asking questions."

[Razar Lanville]

" I simply can't confirm it. This is not me telling you that I'm trying to confirm it in this moment. This is me telling you that I have not confirmed your identity and cannot confirm your identity With the resources on hand. You're just going to have to live with the fact that I do not trust you completely. But contrary to what you may believe, The fact that I can't identify you positively does not mean that you're not still my responsibility and under my care. Any need you have for validation or To be trusted are not my concern. Your safety and our mission is my concern."

[Kannon]

"This is a bit of an usurpation of authority, you know, Captain? And a bold one. Every planetological mission in the Imperium, including my father's, operates under the auspices of House Corrino. So things may get interesting once we can make contact. You've made it plenty clear though that you have a penchant for twisting facts for your own convenience, so let me just wait for this moment when our discussion is about something other than how you don't trust me. This feeling is reciprocal and I don't foresee any rapid improvement else you actually prove at some point to be upright, honourable people and good servants of the Emperor. Like by rescuing Imperial Planetologist dr Xard Vim, who just happens to be my father."

[Cuyler Gray]

"She's not asking you to trust her. She's asking you to rescue her father." Sinsei had now made that clear. "She just wants some assurance that you intend to follow through with that. If she feels certain of that, then she'll be inclined to help us. I do believe she can help us."

"I can't confirm her identity. I have never met her or her father before." she added. "However, I can confirm that Dr. Xard Vim and his daughter Sinsei are Imperial Planetologists, who study unique ecosystems such as this one. This woman has demonstrated significant knowledge of the flora and fauna we've encountered. What they are. What they can do. How they do it. And, why they've likely evolved as they have. She's used scientific jargon with the familiarity of everyday speech. If it's a ruse it's a very good one and would be utterly wasted on most people."

"She knows this jungle. She knows its dangers. She knows what's been happening here."

[Kannon]

In her mind, Sinsei praised God for solidarity and empathy of educated women.

[Bernard Martikova]

Bernard just sits there and listens, not commenting on the situation (unless asked), but looking at the two women before looking at his the Captain.

This was ultimately his CO's decision, not his.

[Razar Lanville]

"I have made the concession of expanding our mission to include rescuing the Imperial planetologist," Razar says. "But I am acting cautiously towards you because I am responsible for over half a dozen lives and you are a potential threat to them. At present I am classifying you simultaneously as a civilian and a potential infiltrator. I will continue to act in accordance with both of those facts, protecting you and keeping you at arms length from the mission. It is not personal for me, and I don't care if you are taking it personally. You will not change my position on those points until you can provide EVIDENCE that you are who you claim to be. I am not acting this way because of any of your claims. I am acting this way because I have not seen a single scrap of evidence that you are Sinsei Vim or that Xard Vim is your father. And until I can confirm otherwise, I do not and will not recognize any authority you claim. But I will do my best to protect your well being because you are also not a confirmed threat and it is my duty to protect civilians. These are procedures that are common across all military forces. To prevent infiltration and espionage and protect innocents in and around areas with active military operations."

"I am making a concession to find the Doctor because one of my team can confirm that he is operating in the area, and his mission is imperially mandated. But I would still need to confirm his identity before accepting his authority as well, even after a rescue. Just like if some guy walked out of the jungle claiming to be the cousin of Duke Leto, I would not accept his authority until he confirmed his identity. This is procedural, not personal."

[Kannon]

"Good for you." Sinsei's shoulders dropped. She was too mentally drained to protest or despair. "So let's just all sit around and wait until your precedures start making people die."

"Ms Gray, thank you for your valiant effort to speak truth to power. Alas, power is often too blinded by itself to listen."

[Razar Lanville]

"They're not my procedures. They are Lanville and Atreides procedures. All military forces have similar procedures," Razar points out. " The fact that you're not aware of them does not make them any less relevant or important."

[Kannon]

"Okay, Captain!" She laughed emptily, waved a hand. "I'll go pray. 'Some lies are easier to believe than the truth' Kalima 273. Scrap up for a Truthsayer." And she walked out.

From the outside, she shouted: "Beware the seeds you sow and the crops you reap. Do not curse God for the punishment you inflict upon yourself! Kalima 421!"

She was almost as good at quoting OCB as Gurney Halleck.

[Cuyler Gray]

"There is some irony in you talking about lack of awareness." Cuyler sighed. "I understand your position, captain. But, you told me yourself that you suspected her story was true. As I said, if it is a lie, it is a very elaborate one that would not normally be necessary. If it is true, you just lost valuable intel about the area."

"I hope everyone's efforts today are more successful than mine."

She left.