Bob Biter

- "Alright, people. We don't have much time for this whole transition and integration process, as you can see the work is piling up."

Esteban tapped the stack of paperwork with a concerned look on his face. then seemed to relax a bit.

"However, since I have free reign as to how I use this precinct resources, both human and otherwise, I'm certain we can all work together just fine. Currently, all our sections, meaning Vice, Robbery, Homicide, and C-SWAT are all booked solid. As a result, our staff have little to no professional diversity, as we can't transfer anyone around without short-changing someone else. This is why I requested that new blood be pumped in here and trained separatly from the other sections, so as to be able to perform all of their functions. Furthermore..."

Ricks Marli's eyes widened as he straigthened himself. First, they made him choose between life in the hole or public service and now they wanted him to be "supercop"?

- "Wait a minute! You mean that each of us has to do the work that the other pi... I mean cops are already strung out over? How do you expect this to work out? Full cybernetic augmentation? A regular diet of uppers? What?"

Lt. Cotton quickly moved forward to speak for his Captain.

- "Listen, Marli. You're an officer of the law now, not a fixer. You're not making deals and talking to clients here. You're addressing a superior officer, so show the proper respect and while you're at it, let the Captain finish before you blurt out half-assed remarks!"

Sitting back and muttering vaguely audible retorts, Marli glared at Cotton and waited. Seemingly unphased, Esteban continued.

- "Even though you will all be expected to handle very different cases from all sections, most will involve field work, as Vice and C-SWAT are the most taxed areas of this precinct, with the highest turnaround rate. Robbery and homicide cases will be kept to a minimum. Also, each of you will always be partnered up with at least two other officers with the same case, so that it may be handled, quickly, efficiently and with the back-up of equally qualified staff. Now, since you will be working together so closely, it is my hope to have absolute trust between you all. To this end, I will make your dossiers a team matter and will expose them now."

A wave of incertitude washed over the rookies. Personal records were only looked into by Internal Affairs and even long-term partners rarely knew each other's full lives. Meyner and Marli seemed particularly agitated, while the rest merely waited for the inevitable to unfold. They all watched Captain Esteban spread out the files over the table and Lt. Cotton turn on the vid screen and dim the lights. Soon, the image of the first subject, Victoria Hammond, flickered to life.

- "So let's begin with Officer Victoria Hammond. Recent graduate from the academy with top marks in forensics and hand-to-hand combat. This is her first official assignment, so no black marks nor commendations yet. Evaluators noted a strong team spirit with leadership potential. Anything you would like to add, Hammond?"

- "They forgot my personal hygiene habits, which are impeccable."

The joke got only a few laughs, since the pervading nervousness held sway.

- "Um, right. Next we have Officer Lewis Meyner, a decorated veteran turned merc after the Panama conflicts. He has decided to switch to public service after a little spiff with a private trauma team ambulance service that attempted to scavenge a few of his teammates for parts after an altercation with a contracted target. Since the police offer more, shall we say, "protection" against such vandettas, I would think he made a wise decision. A realflesh covered cyberarm with concealed compartments, as well as extensive eye and ear augmentations make up his artificial enhancements. Officer Meyner's specialty is surveillance and tactical assault, although not in heavily populated urban areas."

- "Maybe so, said Meyner, but a few years with mercs will teach anyone that collateral damage is never good for anyone."

- "Fair enough, now let's move on to Detective Curtis Boddin, who was tranferred here after a falling out in #11 Precinct up north. Apparently, he uncovered a B & E racket headed by his counterparts in Robbery. Unfortunately, they were well connected and a transfer was ordered after they ceased their operations. Officer Boddin has 8 years of experience in Robbery as well as 3 in Internal Affairs, which made his investigative and interrogative skills quite sharp. He also received decent marksman scores and trains in a boxing gym regularly.

No comments were made, so Esteban moved on to the next file, which scrolled smoothly onto the screen.

- "Sergeant Carrie Perns has had extensive experience in Vice during her 7 years in Florida. She was instrumental in the dismantling of the Sala Cartel's Talahassee branch, for which she received a commendation and promotion. Sergeant Perns' undercover skills are legendary in her precinct, which of course meant a transfer to the West Coast, to decrease the chances of exposure. She is also an accomplished AV and automobile pilot with light visual and aural cyber enhancements. By the way, you will all have to receive ear jack implants for telecom purposes, as well as possible skinweave treatment, if C-SWAT cases pile up."

A few brows raised at this last statement, since it seemed that only Meyner and Perns had any sort of implants. Of course, minor cyberwear was common enough that most street punks had them as well, but there was just something about augmentation that didn't sit right with many people. However, if they did have to pull Cyberpsycho-SWAT detail, then they would have to take any edge they could get, since they would have to go after people who got themselves wired so extensively that all their humanity slipped away, leaving a marauding, rabid metal monster for other to put down.

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A plan is just a list of things that don't happen.