<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>: Percival Yao<br/><br/><hr/><br/>“Good.” Yao had waited a moment before he’d said anything. A pilot’s promotion was not something to be done lightly. Yao had taken those few seconds of silence to give Julie a final assessment. In the end he could find no reason to suddenly backtrack or delay her promotion. His assistant’s announcement of Luke’s arrival gave him additional confidence in his decision.<br/><br/>Yao gave Julie a brief, humorless smile as he picked up his pen and clicked it open.<br/><br/>“Major Collins,” Yao greeted simply as Luke joined them in his office. Luke might have been late for the meeting, but he had otherwise arrived at exactly the right moment. Yao didn’t return Luke’s salute but acknowledged it with a faint nod as he set his pen on top of Julie’s paperwork. "Apology accepted."<br/><br/>As the Director of Administration of ADAMS Yao often found himself in a unique position, caught between the conflicting but cooperative worlds of science, politics, and military. Yao had never served in any branch of any armed forces in any capacity - as soon as he had graduated from university he’d begun his work at ADAMS continuing his mother and father’s work. Technically Yao was a civilian and shouldn’t have been saluted, but ADAMS chain of command had a unique and intentional hierarchy. As the Director of Administration he had authority over the other directors and thus became the supreme commander-in-chief. It had taken Yao a while to become comfortable with ADAMS soldiers and personnel with military backgrounds snapping off salutes to him.<br/><br/>"Tanaka, I'm sure you understand by now that the purpose of this meeting is your promotion from trainee to pilot." Yao slowly stood from his chair with one hand gripping the edge of his desk. With his free hand he gestured to Luke and Julie to stay seated. Once he was standing he slid the folder and pen across the desk. "Unfortunely promotion requires paperwork. Tanaka, your signature is needed on page one, six, fourteen, and twenty-one."<br/><br/>Yao grabbed his assistive cane in his right hand and walked to one of the sleek black cabinets that lined his office walls. When Yao had first woken up the pain in his thigh had been sharp, though it had sincd subsided. Yao had never been embarrassed or embittered by his need for the cane. It had been a trusty tool to him for almost two decades and he had no intention of getting rid of it by seeking the medical care that would render use of the cane unnessecary.<br/><br/>"And Collins on the last," he added as he opened the cabinet and removed a plain white package from inside of it.