<strong>Location</strong>: ADAMS Headquarters (First Haven, Watcher’s Island). Central Command - Personal Office of Director Percival Yao<br/><strong>Date</strong>: 5 January 2099. Monday<br/><strong>Time</strong>: Afternoon<br/><strong>Who</strong>: Luke Collins<br/><br/><hr/><br/>He would kill for a smoke break right about now. He had been neck-deep in work and meetings since this morning and his brain hadn't had the chance to catch a breather for hours. In the early morning, he woke up and went for a jog. During breakfast, he caught up on news and emails. First thing after reporting to the command center, he had a briefing for an upcoming mission with his CO and several strategist analysts. As the tactical commander in charge of the mission, he and his team had spent several days gathering data and outlining courses of action for every foreseeable outcome. The briefing and planning lasted for five hours, with a thirty-minute break in the middle. He ate his lunch during a conference call with a representative from Public Relations.<br/><br/>If not for another engagement, he would be going back to the war room in the afternoon. As a result of stopping to talk to one of the piloting instructors, he was already running late for said engagement. It was unlike him to be late, especially when it involved Director Yao. He had just lost track of time--it felt like the morning was several months ago and he still had the rest of the day to go. In terms of time he actually spent in the war room, it probably wasn't very different from when he was just another strategic analyst. The main difference was that now, he had to attend all these perfunctory meetings and conferences due to his rank.<br/><br/>When he stepped out of the elevator into the Director's office antechamber, Yao's assistant greeted him with a warm smile. She did not comment on his lateness and simply gave him a moment to straighten his uniform before pinging the Director's comm line.<br/><br/>"Major Collins is here," she announced. She turned back to him with another angelic expression. "They're ready for you."<br/><br/>Luke nodded and entered the Director's office. He had spoken with the Director more times than he would have expected, considering the difference in rank, but Luke never quite dropped his guard around him. Sometimes Yao reminded him of a bird of prey or a snake, watching and waiting to seize any moment of weakness.<br/><br/>"Good afternoon, Director, Trainee," Luke said, saluting them both in order. When that was finished, he made his way toward the second uncomfortable chair. "I apologize for my lateness."<br/><br/>He took a second to size up Tanaka. She seemed relatively comfortable, given the circumstances. That was good. Too many trainees had been scared silent by the Director's frank and incisive style of communication. At the risk of curbing his professionalism, he offered her an encouraging half-smile out of the corner of his mouth.