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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 5056517" data-attributes="member: 143">Yeah, we not only had great RP in-game, but the group was also very active in between-game forum posts. A lot of the character development came off of how the player characters interacted with each other, as well as how they responded to the events within the campaign.* * * * * Aftermath (July 8, 2008)Joan Beauvais looked up as she heard a quiet rapping on her door.  “Please come in.” The door opened, and Jane entered.  She moved awkwardly, the body cast wrapped around her torso obvious under her jacket.  Her right arm was bound tightly against her side by an elastic cord, and her face, while looking better than it had when they’d first brought her in on a stretcher from the crash site, was still a mottled landscape of swollen blues and blacks. “Sit down, Jane.”Joan saw how even the simple movement to the chair caused a twinge of pain in the other woman, however she tried to hide it.  “How are you, Dr. Beauvois?” “Well, thank you. How are you, Jane?” After a pause, Jane replied, “To be honest, I’m not sure. I’ve not heard from my brother’s family in a week since they were moved; I nearly crashed the ship we were on, on the last mission; we just uncovered a traitor in our midst and to be honest I suspected him all along, but for the wrong reasons, so I didn’t want to speak up, because they were unfounded.  So where do you want to start?” The counselor asked, “So let me guess, ‘The butler did it?’ scenario, so you didn’t speak up?” Jane smiled, “Exactly. Somehow his name came up right next to Sandesh on the suspect list and Sandesh was out, so he was next on the list.  It was like jumping to conclusions without anything to base it on.  I kept shaking off the feeling; but, it kept coming back to him.  I’d hate to persecute a man based on nothing.  Now the point is moot.  It’s like the feeling I had with the Riverside Elementary School.  I somehow knew the aliens were there to take the children to metamorph them into more of their hybrids; but I simply could not say the words to my teammates or the medical staff back here.  It was not until later when faced with the awful truth of the matter that I said anything.  My indecision may be setting matters back.” The counselor corrected her, “Or it may be exercising self-control from going on wild-goose chases too.  You can’t be second guessing yourself all the time, Jane.  It will lead to bad mistakes in the field and here.” “I suppose you’re right, Dr. Beauvois.” The counselor added, “Learn to trust yourself; but, also learn to trust your caution, so you don’t make worse mistakes.” “You’re right, of course.  I suppose I should stop kicking myself too.  I’m working with Buzz on the control layouts for those alien ships.  Not like I’m expected to know how to fly an out-of-control alien ship on my first try.”  She grinned mischievously, “I’ll see if I can do better next time.”  Joan didn’t say anything.  After a few moments, Jane paused and sighed.  “I hope I hear from my family soon.” I’m sure they’ll contact you when it’s safe and they are settled.” Jane asked, “Have you heard anything?” “No, but, if I do, I’ll let you know.  I promise.”“Thank you, Dr. Beauvois.  See you next week?” “Yes.  And remember, light duty until that cast comes off.”Jane got to her feet, and again Joan could see the effort it cost her.  “Don’t worry.  I don’t think I’ll be running any marathons any time soon.”Joan nodded, and Jane left.  As the door closed behind her, a male voice sounded from the hidden speaker behind the desk.  “Is she going to crack?”“They’ve all had a tough time of it, Garret,” Joan replied.  “This last mission… they nearly died, all of them, when that ship crashed.  In fact, Grace says that if they had not hit the farmhouse, and had it there to partially absorb the impact, it is almost certain that none of them would have gotten out alive.  Traumas like that take time to heal.”“They are responding to the medical therapies.  Stan says the team will be at full strength in a few days.”“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”There was a pause.  “We don’t have a lot of options, Joan.  Every attack that gets through undermines support of our operation from our consortium members.  We need successes, not failures.”“They’re not machines, Director.  They’re people.  Incredible people, but people nevertheless.”“If we fail, a lot more than X-COM will lose out, doctor.  I will expect your reports on the team by tomorrow morning.”There was only a slight click to indicate that she was now alone—if she ever truly was in this place, Joan mused.  Was someone watching her the way that she was watching Alpha Team, evaluating, writing reports on her stability and effectiveness?  She allowed herself a full minute of quiet, then she sighed and reached for the next file in the stack on her desk.</blockquote>

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