"You are correct in thinking that, yes.  Given the nature of our work, Rhodesian Triarch operates under rules that you would not find on other servers.  When you speak to our lead Bodhisattva, they'll give you the run of how our particular server operates in the field.  It's not quite like anything you've worked previously, but I assure you that in time, you'll come to know it and follow it as easily as you follow protocol now."  That answered, she nodded her head.  "That being said, since you haven't any more questions for me, I'll be on my way.  Dio?  She's all yours.  Take good care of her."  With that, the blue-haired Menton strode out of the room, leaving Lucy alone with her three fellow sentinels.<br/><br/>Dio was the next one to speak.  "You'll have to forgive Tremor.  She's not really a social-type person.  Comes with her particular territory and history.  I know a lot of it, because when this server was first put together, I was made second-in-command of the initial operations cell, based on seniority."  That made sense.  While Firewall officially did not have a hierarchical structure, it was recognized that some form of command was needed, so it was generally based on two things - area of expertise and seniority.  "She's a good person, she really is, she's just...prickly at times.  You won't find someone in this server more committed to our job - containing and neutralizing x-threats - than her."<br/><br/>The octomorph gestured to the holo-table, with the chairs positioned around it.  "Take a seat, let's have a nice chat.  There's about 36 hours before a Round Table - you'll learn what that is soon enough - so there's plenty of time."  Once everyone had sat, Dio resumed speaking.  "Allow me to introduce myself.  I'm Diogo Pendergast, owner of the<em>Hacienda del Sol</em>, and<em>de facto</em>leader of this cell.  I, like you, am an async; I was exposed to the virus during a job for my previous server - which operates in the Belt - that went...slightly awry.  Before I was recruited into Firewall, I worked full-time as an Extropian freelance magistrate, a cover that I kept prior to my work here."  He looked around the table.  "Who would like to go next?"<br/><br/>"I will," the one called Stoker replied.  "You'll have to forgive me, I'm not quite as articulate as Uncle Dio over here.  The name's Stoker - well, to you it is.  I grew up on the Outer Rim, and became a citizen of the Titanian Commonwealth after the Fall.  I served in the Commonwealth Marines during the Locus Conflict, and was recruited by Firewall not long after.  You might be wondering how it is I manage to work so far from home."  Lucy would have heard about Titanian government - every citizen was required to participate in their parliament, which was called the Plurality.  Non-participation was potentially punishable by hits to your rep, which on the Outer Rim was a worse death sentence than being broke.  "The short answer is that I'm a NOC for Titanian Fleet Intelligence - Fleet knows that I'm here, but they aren't aware of any of the particulars, like my work for Firewall.  I keep an eye out for potential threats that might confront the Commonwealth, and relay information back to them."<br/><br/>"I guess that leaves me, then."  The last one, the girl, Rayearth, spoke.  "I'm Sentinel Rayearth, it's nice to meet you.  Unlike...mmmm, I think everyone at this table, I actually grew up on Earth, I remember the Fall actually happening, and the rush to leave it.  After my family and I escaped the Fall, we moved to Luna, and took up work at Feynman station on the surface.  That's where Firewall found me, two years ago.  After my recruitment, I left Luna, haven't been back since."  She looked at the rest.  "Should we go over our official stories?  Why it is we're hanging out with her?"<br/><br/>"Probably a good idea," Stoker noted.  "Care to go first?"<br/><br/>"Not at all."  Rayearth went on.  "I understand you're a somewhat well-known digital artist and programmer.  The official line about me is that I'm your new programming assistant and general Mesh specialist.  You come up with the big ideas, you meet with the clients, put out the initial designs, and then I do the grunt work, that sort of thing."<br/><br/>Reversing the pattern of before, Stoker went next.  "Officially, I'm out of the Commonwealth Marines, but since I'm the one with military experience, I'm your bodyguard, especially since it's come to Firewall's attention that you have a Mesh stalker."<br/><br/>"Those usually don't trip the rift into the real world," Dio interjected, "but we figured we could justify a bit of protection that way.  Lastly, me.  I'm your acculturation expert, and general legal counsel.  I've seen a lot of transhumanity, and in my previous work as a freelance magistrate, I had to get to know the legal codes of both the Belt and the Sunward planets, in order to do my job.  I'm your pilot, too, but that's for everyone else aboard the ship."<br/><br/>They seemed a lot friendlier than Tremor.  "What else would you like to know about us?"