The saying 'eye on the ball' was only partially true for squash. You of course needed to know where the ball was, but if you watch your opponent, you can anticipate where the ball will go the moment it meets the racquet. However, that was not the only reason Silvestri was watching Hauptmann Sohrabian as she returned her serve.

Silvestri kept the ball in play, providing a beat before Hauptmann Sohrabian actually responded to her comment.

She seemed to deliberately kill the ball, then scoop it up with her racquet and toss it back to Silvestri to serve again.

All of the Fleet's Arcanists saw what had happened to Hauptmann Sohrabian when she went to the surface. After a 96-hour quarantine, she was released but under closer observation than usual. It would be some time before she was authorized to go to the surface again. Silvestri and the other Hybrids were grilled thoroughly about Hauptmann Sohrabian regenerating her arm, but none of them could explain it. It was beyond their normal capabilities, which only stoked the fears of infection by the rogue unit.

Silvestri served again. She did not mean to hit the nick. In some circles it was seen as poor manners, but Hauptmann Sohrabian returned it effortlessly.

After a little back and forth, Silvestri spoke up again.

Silvestri missed her swing and passed the ball to Hauptmann Sohrabian to serve.

As Hauptmann Sohrabian was preparing her swing, Silvestri asked, "What really happened out there?"

Hauptmann Sohrabian served, and as while Sohrabian was trying to return, she said, "There was an adverse reaction to residue from the rogue unit. Just as I reported. Why would you think there was anything else?"

Silvestri was not trying to poke holes in the Hauptmann's story. She simply wanted to know the truth, but she was not being mindful of the fact that they were always being monitored and Hauptmann Sohrabian being an object of particular attention on account of current events.

Hauptmann Sohrabian did not seem upset with her, though, the smile still on her face as she bounced the ball with her racquet before setting up her next serve.

Silvestri could feel her conditioning wavering as she asked, "To reveal secrets or to conceal them?"

Hauptmann Sohrabian continued to smile as she said, "A little of one, a little of the other."

Silvestri let herself get distracted and missed the ball. Without skipping a beat, Hauptmann Sohrabian retrieved the ball and prepared to serve again.

Perhaps Silvestri was overthinking it, but she could not help but wonder if there was more to her words. 'Keep your eye on the ball' was not great advice for squash, but what if she was not talking about their game? Was it even supposed to be taken as advice or was it more of a warning? A diversion?

As Silvestri's mind was occupied with trying to find meaning that may or may not have been there, she returned the serve, and the game continued. By the time they finished, the game had gone on for two hours and Silvestri was no closer to any real answers. It was not only her mind that had been thoroughly taxed. Because they did not use Arcana to enhance their physical capabilities, Silvestri was left exhausted by the time they were finished. Hauptmann Sohrabian, however, seemed little worse for wear. If there were any concerns of diminished capacity after her ordeal, she had ably put those concerns to rest.

Silvestri went to the shower room to wash off. Some people liked especially hot showers, but she could not stand much above forty degrees centigrade and set the temperature accordingly before stepping into the stall. The gym showers did not allow you to spend your amenity credits, but Silvestri would not have spent her credits on a longer shower anyway.

The initial rinse cycle was only ninety seconds, but it was welcome at the same. However, the cycle was cut short when the door to the stall opened. Silvestri turned to see Hauptmann Sohrabian standing there.

Hauptmann Sohrabian stepped into the stall. It was not designed for two people, so Silvestri did not have more than a few centimeters to retreat as Hauptmann Sohrabian advanced. As the Hauptmann pressed herself up against Silvestri, she repeated what she said before.

Hauptmann Sohrabian placed her hand on Silvestri's heart. It felt like her hand was a hot iron. Silvestri would have gasped, but her breath was caught in throat. She could not speak. She could not scream. All the while, Hauptmann Sohrabian's face was a mask of serenity as her hand began to glow.

Silvestri's mind went blank as it felt like her blood was on fire. Even if she could think clearly, she would not have been able to understand what was happening to her or why Hauptmann Sohrabian was doing it. She did not understand then, but she would soon.