It had watched, recording everything, noting a lack of damage on all of the returning troopers, which meant they were more peacekeepers than line warriors, though it had no doubt they would fight acceptably, for an organic, if they got stuck in. It pushed itself upright as the larger transport came in, going over what it had picked up to try and place the officer's rank, Barid had been, according to Draiss, a space naval officer in their first 'lives', so the Stalkers had figured he might keep to naval ranks for his armed forces. It deliberately paused at the offered hand, just long enough for the human to notice before shaking its hand, playing its role to the hilt. "This unit expects likely from the highest level, assuming no administrator is attempting an 'active salvage' for points with their superior. Unit prototype R1, no official designation or rank attached."<br/><br/>It would have frowned as the Major identified himself, that was an army rank, not one the navy had used at Barid's time. That suggested Barid had taken a hands off approach to his military structure, which did not bode well if the Stalkers had a fight in the offings with him. He might have found a competent ground commander. Or he had learned to be one, Barid had excelled in space battles, but ground battles had been too simple for him to deal with.