Real Loyalty

The door slid open, and Ark walked in a concerned look on his face. As the door closed behind him, he started speaking, "Lieutenant, as you remember, four months ago we were attacked by a malevolent artificial intelligence that desired the violent destruction of three species, both Terran species, human and Genesian as well as my own race the Jinenja or as you call us Vakirians, to cut a swath allowing the return of the Zykurans, a species that suddenly disappeared 50 million years ago." He began a video screen playing the recap of the Benevolent Aura's destruction caused by Ark's reckless act of jumping into space firing rockets at it. "Not one of my best plans, however in my free time when not doing your paperwork, I spent a lot of time rerunning the conversation I had with it, which brings me to why I'm here, I would like to request the freedom to take on a personal mission, to the planet the AI mentioned during the confrontation, Querros Gamma, well our civilization named it Allinuu. I ask because the AI's words have been haunting me, and as a scientist, Zykuran technology could jump our own by almost 100 years of research. I also personally have idolized the Zykurans, always felt.....I always related to the known records of them for some reason. This is one thing that I feel if I don't do it it'll haunt me."
 
"Hmmm." Fate leaned forward in her chair as she listened to what Ark was saying. She too had been curious about this so called planet that held the secrets of the Zykuran race, however, her curiosity was nothing compared to Ark's. "What you are saying is true. To find the secrets left by the Zykuran race would indeed have a profound effect on life as we know it, whether it would be in a good or bad way, it is hard to tell." She told him. "If you truly wish to pursue this, then there are protocols that I must go through. So I have to be sure with this before requesting such a mission. Is this something you want to do? Something you would risk your life for?"
 
He looked at her, his blueish purple eyes seeming to burn into hers, "Lieutenant, I risked my life too many times just to stand here and request this continuation of a mission four months closed. While on paper the mission concerning the Benevolent Aura's destruction at the hands of my reckless actions was closed, however in my mind, that mission is ongoing, and I feel it will never be complete until I leave Allinuu's surface headed back here." His voice though it still held the pubertic cracking and accent of an adolescent Jinenja, was stern in tone, and held a deep personal gravity for the young man, and in his mind nothing else seemed quite as important as seeing this through, he was after all a scientist in the end, and this could be one of the greatest scientific opportunities anyone could have.
 
Fate nodded. His conviction to see this through impressed her greatly. In all her years in the army, she had only known a handful of people that could match his. "Alright then." She said before grabbing a form from one of the small piles on her desk. "I'll need you to fill this mission request form out, so that I can get approval from the higher ups, which should't be to hard. From what I've heard they'be been thinking of instigating the mission themselves but haven't been able find anyone to undertake it. There is no doubt that it won't be approved. I'll also need you to fill out a request for team members. Both forms should be turned in as soon as possible. Any questions?" She asked, holding the forms out to him.
 
Ark nodded and quickly pulled out a pen, jotting his name and initials where needed, and then handed her back the form. "Lieutenant, given that at the time of the mission's onset it was only Youreself, Corporal Kiel and I who had any contact with the AI itself, I thought it best if the team consisted of just us three. We have the most experience with the mission, that and as our R&D wing is still being set up our science crews should remain here." He said filling out the names of those he wanted to accompany him. "As for other questions I have only one. It seems as all others use electronic records and data forms, I've been wondering why this unit still uses processed cellulose to keep records...I'm sorry, paper."
 
Fate's eye twitched as Ark had asked his last question. She sighed loudly, trying her hardest to resist hitting her head against her desk. "I have absolutely no idea. It's been that way as long as I can remember and whenever I try to ask the higher ups about it they either ignore my question or change the subject. If I ever find out, you'll be the first to know." She replied. After taking a moment to compose herself, she brought up the subject he brought up beforehand. "Anyway, I'd be honored to assist you on this mission. You've helped me with a number of things since you joined and it's only right that I do the same. Well, that and I need to get off of base before I go stir crazy. I've been bored out of my mind." She said honestly.
 
Hearing her exasperated answer he tilted his head, "I...I could put in a requisition order, to make the transition from processed cellulose pulp recording to digital records, and to entice them if they believe we could lose records, I could put in reasoning explaining that that paper records burn easily, judging from recent months, the attacks and such on this base, our records would be more easily kept digitally, and I can design an interface that would keep the records safe from prying eyes or data corruption." He stated firmly, "Besides, digital records are more easily and quickly transmitted between this base and the higher ups." He finished a partial smile curling into existence on his lips.

The smile grew however, as Fate noted her feelings of honor being requested to help him, blushing a soft purple under his cheeks as she thought she had some of debt. "You are my commanding officer, it would be insubordination not to help you in any way I can. That said, I deeply appreciate this, your agreeing to request this mission and accompanying me on it. I'm afraid I don't know how to thank you."
 
"No thanks are needed. You have helped me greatly over the last few months and you are a member of my team. That and I still owe you, despite you saying otherwise. Nothing will change my mind about that. This is the least I can do." Fate told him with a smile. "As for the transfer of paper to digital, anything you could manage to do would make my life much easier. It would also make the transfer of paperwork to the higher ups simpler, with less of a chance of it getting lost along the way. I've lost count of the number of times in which paperwork has been lost." She shuddered slightly as she remembered an incident from around a year ago. Through a series of crazy events, an entire day's work off paperwork had somehow disappeared on its way to get approval and wound up in the hands of a kindergartner, on Earth of all places. She was never able to figure out how that had happened and her head would start to hurt when she tried to. Although, now that she thought about it, Dirk had been the one handling the papers, so it made slightly more sense as to how it had happened. Shaking her head, she brought herself back to the situation at hand. A grin then formed on her face that many would interpret has mischievous. "So, how did you like doing paperwork?"
 
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