<strong>Location</strong>: The Ritz-Gospel Hotel (First Haven, Watcher’s Island). Elevator to Conference Hall 01<br/><strong>Date</strong>: 5 January 2099. Monday<br/><strong>Time</strong>: Morning<br/><strong>Who</strong>: Indira Patel<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Indira’s inquiry into how the group was feeling had been genuine. Though that didn’t mean she didn’t also have an ulterior motive for asking. Indira would have never made director if she hadn’t been able to harness her inclination to nurture into a tool to control other people. Her bubbly demeanor and cheerful nature wasn’t a façade, but Indira wasn’t made of fluff. Anyone who worked at ADAMS long enough realized that she was made of tougher stuff. At her core Indira was a mother. While her marriage was happily childless she considered the hundreds employees under her direction as her personal children. With so much of the world overrun with spawn and the threat of a demon attack always lurking mothers couldn’t afford to be soft.<br/><br/>She was not soft. Indira had never been soft. And she wouldn’t – she couldn’t allow the pilots and trainee in front of her show softness during the press conference. Not that Indira was worried about that happening. So far she was pleased with their reactions.<br/><br/>Tianran wasn’t a concern for her. He’d never been a concern. For years Tianran had been one of their media darlings. He was able to articulate himself without superiority or shyness, visually appealing, and acquiescent to authority. It was a shame he’d developed softness. Indira couldn’t fault him for it, but it was a headache for her. She had done so much wheedling to hide his illness. But it was necessary. Administration refused to retire him and Tianran’s condition being revealed to the rest of ADAMS or the world at large simply wasn’t an option. Not with how fragile the economic and political climate for 2099 would be. ADAMS couldn’t risk it. Everything about the Grigori Program needed to look concrete and polished.<br/><br/>Despite Afia and Julie’s relative lack of experience with the press she wasn’t overly concerned with them either. So far Indira had confidence they would do well. Though a not so gentle reminder of their purpose for being there seemed necessary. Indira gave Julie’s joke a courtesy chuckle as she glanced behind her shoulder to check what floor they were on. Almost to the floor their conference hall was on. Indira set her eyes back on her pilot and trainee. She cleared her throat and gave a winning smile as she gave them both a hard look. “I'm glad to hear neither of you are experiencing any nervousness or anxiety. I will remind you that you are both doing your job right now. Your presence at this press conference is part of the moral obligation and responsibility you have to the world that you protect. The masses who pay for your training, food, water, and shelter deserve to see and hear what their generous donations and taxes have rewarded them with.”<br/><br/>The subtle glint in Indira's dark brown eyes and the strength of her smile didn't encourage challenge or disagreement.<br/><br/>“If you need a more detailed refresher on why your participation and cooperation with public relations is crucial to the success of ADAMS, well, I’m sure Tianran would be willing to discuss it with you in private. Or we can schedule a meeting with a legal department representative to go over the specifics of your enrollment into the program. But such matters will have to be handled later. Right now I expect you to conduct yourself with the professionalism you would display if you were in the cockpit of a Grigori. Is this understood, Pilot Durrani? Trainee Tanaka?"