I arrived at the meeting place on time, with fresh clothes and low expectations. In the office sat Lieutenant James, and he looked nervous as sin. Quaint.

  I knocked, and when he called out for me to join, I went in and sat across from him. "So, how do you wanna do this." I ask. "We go back and forth, speak in 1 sitting, or what?"

  "Uh, whatever your preference is, I suppose."

  "Fine, one each, going back and forth. You go first." She said.

  "Uh, I suppose I will ask how long you've served?"

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  "I enlisted in the 30's for the army. My turn. Your service record?" I ask.

  "Ahem. I, uhh. I enlisted just a bit ago... in fact, I was just out of basic when I was contacted for this post..."

  I closed my eyes, wanting to him my head on the desk. A fresh 2nd lt. Oh fucking joy.

  "My turn. Uh... why don't you have limbs?" His voice squeaked out.

  I snapped my eyes open, and stared at him. Don't snap, it's a fair question, despite the STUPID WAY IT WAS ASKED. Green officers, I fucking swear...

  "...A word of advice. Don't blurt shit like that out. Some would take offence at the rude way you spouted that." I say. "But, it is a fair question. My right arm I lost due to shrapnel. My left took needler hits and subsequently got shredded. My left my legs are a mix of brute inflicted agonies. The most recent time, I got hit with a brute hammer and lost my squad." I say tonelessly.

  He paled visibility, and nodded. "Right, uh... My apologies for dredging memories, truly. Uh, your question?"

  "Why did you get recruited to this project if your fresh?" I asked.

  "...I genuinely don't know." He replied.

  "Fair enough. Your turn."

  The conversation went on, and no, there were no passes, only idiotic 2nd lieutenants. How funny that. We traded shallow information back and forth for an hour, before she headed to bed. She could work with him, she thought. As long as he listened.