"You will have the remainder of today to settle in," the ONI escort said.
The group had only just entered the residence when the agent stopped near the entrance and turned back toward them.
"Tomorrow morning, cooperation will begin. The first phase will focus on technological exchanges and evaluations."
Tony gave a small nod.
"Sounds good."
The ONI agent looked around the room one final ti.
"If you require anything, contact Lieutenant Hale."
Marcus, standing nearby, nodded once.
Before leaving, he looked toward Tony.
"There should be a contact phone in the living room. My number is already in the contact list."
Tony nodded.
"Got it."
Marcus gave a final glance around the room before following the ONI escort toward the door.
A mont later, both n stepped outside.
The door slid shut behind them.
Silence filled the residence.
For exactly two seconds.
Then Naruto vanished.
Whoosh.
One mont he was standing near the entrance.
The next he was across the room.
Then near the kitchen.
Then beside a large window.
Then at the stairs.
Then sowhere else entirely.
His Dash-Dash Fruit ability turned him into a blur as he raced through the residence at impossible speed.
"Whoa!"
Naruto appeared beside a massive wall display.
"Look at this thing!"
Whoosh.
"There's another room over here!"
Whoosh.
"And another!"
Whoosh.
"And another!"
Tony watched him zip around the building like an excited child who had just discovered an amusent park.
He couldn't stop himself from smiling.
"So things never change."
Nobody seed particularly worried.
There was no danger here.
At worst, Naruto was giving ONI surveillance teams an accidental demonstration of his powers.
Naruto suddenly appeared upside down over the back of a couch.
"How many caras do you think are watching us right now?"
"Many," Tanya answered imdiately.
"Probably a lot."
Naruto looked toward the ceiling.
Then one corner.
Then another.
"Hi."
Tony pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Please don't start talking to the surveillance system."
"No promises."
anwhile, Mindy had discovered the kitchen.
She opened one cabinet.
Then another.
Then the refrigerator.
Her eyebrows imdiately rose.
"This place is stocked."
Saeko stepped beside her and looked inside.
Food.
Drinks.
Cooking supplies.
Packaged ingredients.
Ergency rations.
Everything was neatly organized.
"Prepared in advance," Saeko observed.
"Prepared for us," Mindy corrected.
Saeko nodded slightly.
That was true.
Nothing here seed accidental. By the ti they arrived, everything had already been prepared.
Across the room, Diana stood near one of the large windows.
The city stretched across the coastline beyond.
Tall buildings rose toward the sky.
Aircraft moved between towers.
Farther away, sunlight reflected off the ocean.
"It is beautiful," Diana said quietly.
For a brief mont, it was easy to forget the war.
Only for a mont.
Tony eventually wandered toward the wall display.
The screen covered almost half the wall.
He tapped it experintally.
The display imdiately activated.
News broadcasts.
Public information networks.
Entertainnt channels.
Ergency alerts.
Civilian communications.
Everything appeared instantly.
Tony raised an eyebrow.
"Not bad."
Nearby, Tanya was studying sothing entirely different.
Not the furniture.
Not the view.
The residence itself.
Her eyes moved across the room.
A ventilation grille.
A ceiling fixture.
A decorative wall panel.
Then another.
And another.
"Twenty-three."
Saeko glanced toward her.
"You counted them already?"
Tanya nodded.
"Visible surveillance devices."
Tony looked up from the screen.
"Only visible?"
"There are probably more hidden ones."
Tony smirked.
"Probably?"
"Definitely," Tanya corrected.
At the far end of the residence, Gaius entered the room clearly prepared for him.
The doorway was wider than normal.
The furniture was reinforced.
Even the bed was significantly larger.
For several monts, he simply looked around.
The room was simple.
Functional.
Comfortable.
A place designed for rest.
Sothing surprisingly uncommon in his life.
Eventually he turned and left the room without comnt.
Back in the living room, Naruto burst out of another hallway.
"Guys!"
Everyone looked at him.
"I found the bathroom!"
Nobody reacted.
Naruto looked disappointed.
"I thought that was more exciting."
"It isn't," Tanya replied.
"Oh."
Then he vanished again.
The rest of the day passed quietly.
The group settled into the residence.
Naruto explored every room at least twice.
Mindy tested nearly every chair.
Tony spent ti studying public UNSC information.
Tanya examined the residence.
Saeko relaxed with tea.
Diana enjoyed the view.
Gaius observed.
And sowhere nearby, ONI undoubtedly watched all of it.
The next morning arrived peacefully.
Sunlight poured through the large windows.
The city beyond was already awake.
Aircraft moved through the skies.
Traffic flowed across distant roads.
The world below never seed to stop moving.
Inside the residence, breakfast was underway.
Naruto was eating enough for three people.
Mindy looked halfway awake.
Saeko sipped tea.
Tony scrolled through information on the wall display.
Diana enjoyed the morning view.
Tanya drank coffee.
Gaius sat quietly.
The doorbell suddenly rang.
Everyone looked toward the entrance.
Tanya stood first.
"I'll get it."
She walked across the room and opened the door.
An ONI agent stood outside.
The sa professional posture.
The sa black armor.
"Good morning," he said.
"I am here to escort the person who will discuss cooperation with you."
Tanya blinked once.
Escort?
She looked past him again.
The front yard was empty.
No other personnel were visible.
No scientists.
No officers.
Nobody.
Her eyes returned to the ONI agent.
"Where is the person you're escorting?"
The ONI agent lifted the hard case he was carrying.
"Here."
Tanya stared at the case.
The agent continued.
"It is a hologram and computer system."
A brief pause followed.
"It will be the one discussing cooperation with you."
Tanya nodded.
That made sense. With technology this advanced, it was normal for soone to speak to them through a remote system, especially if the person was too far away to et them in person. At first, she had assud it would be that woman again, Admiral Parangosky.
"Co in."
The ONI agent stepped inside.
By now the others had noticed the visitor.
Naruto imdiately leaned forward.
"Who's that?"
"ONI," Mindy answered.
"Obviously."
Naruto said.
"I ant why."
Saeko sighed softly.
"Because today is the cooperation eting."
"Oh."
Naruto rembered imdiately.
"Right."
Just earlier, he had been talking about exploring the city.
Mindy had agreed with him.
They had both wanted to leave the residence and see more of Cascade.
Saeko had quickly reminded them that they had important discussions scheduled today.
Naruto and Mindy had backed down after that.
Reluctantly.
Now they watched as the ONI agent entered the room.
The agent carried the case to the large table in the center of the living room.
He carefully placed it down.
Then stepped away.
Without another word, he moved to the side of the room.
Standing straight.
Hands behind his back.
Almost like a guard.
Or perhaps a witness.
The room gradually beca quiet.
Everyone's attention shifted toward the case.
The ONI agent pressed a control.
The case unfolded smoothly.
Panels opened outward.
Projectors extended.
Lights activated.
A second later, blue holographic light filled the air above the table.
A human figure appeared.
Naruto blinked.
"She's not the sa woman from before."
She wasn't.
The woman standing above the table looked younger than the admiral.
Tall.
Professional.
Black hair pulled neatly back.
Calm brown eyes.
A dark ONI uniform.
Unlike Parangosky's cold intensity, this woman seed more composed and analytical.
Not warm.
But not openly intimidating either.
The hologram swept her gaze around the room, looking at everyone present.
Naruto and the others.
One by one, she studied them carefully.
Not rudely.
Not aggressively.
Just observing.
Taking in details.
asuring what kind of people they were.
The room stayed quiet while she did so.
Finally, she spoke.
"Good morning."
Her voice was calm.
Professional.
Clear.
"I am Commander Serin Osman."
The ONI escort standing beside the wall beca slightly straighter.
The level of respect was noticeable.
Tony noticed it imdiately.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Commander Osman?" Tony repeated.
The hologram nodded.
"Yes."
Her eyes settled briefly on him.
"I suppose you possess significant technological knowledge."
Tony smiled slightly.
"Depends who's asking."
For the first ti, the faintest hint of amusent appeared in Osman's eyes.
"Fair enough."
Naruto looked between them.
"Wait."
He pointed.
"So you're the cooperation person?"
"Yes."
Naruto nodded.
"Okay."
That seed to satisfy him.
Osman's eyes lingered on Naruto for a mont, studying him a little more closely. His abilities had surprised them, after all.
Then her attention shifted back to the group as a whole.
"Admiral Parangosky has authorized the first phase of our cooperation."
A holographic display appeared beside Osman, filling with technical reports, research files, project summaries, and other data.
"This phase will focus on evaluation."
Tony folded his arms.
"Evaluation of what exactly?"
"Capabilities," Osman replied without hesitation.
New windows appeared beside her as she spoke.
"Technology. knowledge. Engineering. Manufacturing. Scientific principles."
Tony exchanged a glance with Tanya.
Exactly what they had expected.
"Before information can be integrated into UNSC systems," Osman continued, "we need to understand what is practical, what is compatible, and what can realistically be reproduced."
That made sense. Even Mindy understood that much. Advanced technology was not enough by itself. Materials, factories, infrastructure, and knowledge all mattered.
"A reasonable approach," Diana said.
"Precisely."
Osman's attention shifted to Gaius.
"And there is another matter."
The room grew quieter.
"Your equipnt."
Everyone knew what she ant.
The armor.
The weapons.
The technology behind them.
"I would like permission to examine your armor eventually… and anything similar among your group," she added, her gaze briefly settling on Tony, clearly aware of the nanotech armor he had already demonstrated.
Naruto imdiately looked toward Gaius. Tony did the sa. They had all expected that request sooner or later.
Gaius remained silent for a mont.
Then he shook his head.
"No."
The answer was imdiate and absolute.
"My armor is not available for examination."
The room fell silent for a second.
Osman did not seem surprised.
"Understood."
She did not argue or attempt to pressure him. The request had been denied, but asking had still been worthwhile.
Tony noticed that imdiately. She was testing boundaries, learning what they were willing to share and what they were not.
Then Osman's gaze shifted to him, and Tony understood.
Tony hesitated before answering, "I'm not sure about sharing my nanotechnology without understanding how it would be used here."
He had not fully figured out the situation here yet, and giving away sothing that advanced without knowing how it would be used might do more harm than good, even if his intention was to help humanity.
Osman nodded at Tony's answer.
"For today," Osman said, changing the display again, "I propose sothing simpler."
The new list contained technology overviews, basic capability discussions, questions and answers, and initial assessnts.
"No classified exchanges. No sensitive military information."
"Starting small," Tony said.
"Yes."
Osman looked around the room.
"Trust is not built in a single eting."
Nobody argued with that.
~~~
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