[h3]Sanro and Ritsu[/h3]

As the group dispersed, Nero looked over at his brother and tilted his head in the direction of the barracks. Sanro shook his head at the unspoken question, then nodded his own head to indicate that Nero should go on without him. His brother raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between Sanro and the Lieutenant, who was now walking away; he looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he just shrugged, shouldered his pack, and followed the small crowd heading towards quarters.

Sanro grabbed his own bag as well, but instead of going along with anyone else, he jogged lightly and caught up with Ritsu. “Excuse me, Lieutenant? Do you have a minute?”

The lieutenant stopped and turned to Sandro with practiced grace. “Yes, I do, Cadet. What’s on your mind? Was there something you wanted clarification on?” She asked with a hand resting on her hip, keeping mostly the same professional outlook, but with a hint of gentleness.

Sanro came to a stop. It was awkward, with his bag still hefted over his shoulder, but he attempted at least a semblance of military posture.

"Thank you, ma'am." He was clearly trying to school his expression, but for a second something that looked like anger flashed across his face. "I wanted to ask you about the Professor." Sanro paused, took a deep breath. "I... don't fully understand his position in the chain of command. And I have some concerns about his attitude towards some of the other members of the squad." The young man tilted his head slightly and met Ritsu's eyes, hoping no further clarification would be necessary.

Ritsu sighed, and slightly lowered her head. “Yes, I should have expected that you would ask about the Executive Officer. However, regardless of your personal feelings, I suggest you do not antagonize him, or give him any reason to do so. The Galactic Federation’s Parliament of Defence had assigned him as the director of the Framewerk Project XJ9. In other words, he is the highest in the chain of authority. However,” she then spoke, lifting her eyes up in thought with a hand to her chin. “Colonel Cain has been given inspection duties over the Framework Project, and the Executive Officer, so he does not have absolute power. Still, I would be careful around him: while I hold some rank, even I cannot ignore his position.”

Sanro listened, doing his best to appear impassive. "I'm glad to hear that there's some oversight in place. That said, I'm a soldier, ma'am. I'm fully capable of keeping my personal feelings in check." An uncharitable observer might have doubted that statement, given the tension evident in the young man's body, but he continued anyway. "What I'm worried about are his."

He looked to one side, then the other. The other pilots had all dispersed, and for the moment he and the Lieutenant were alone in the corridor.

Having confirmed that no one was within earshot, Sanro turned back to Ritsu. "Do you know what the deal is with his attitude towards Minerva?" His mouth twisted into a frown, like he had eaten something unpleasant. "I hope I'm misreading the situation, ma'am, but the Professor looked... Well, 'disgusted' with her, is the only word that fits. I've looked at the service records of the other members of the squad--the publicly available parts, I mean--and hers is, well, impressive. So I'm having a hard time understanding where that's coming from."

She looked aside into the distance. “I am not at liberty to speak of such matters, for I do not know. Only the Executive Officer himself can answer about his personal feelings…not that I think he will. It might have something to do with the Olympus Project, but that's all I’ll say on the matter, Cadet.”

Sanro kept his gaze locked on the Lieutenant for a long second after she spoke, then jerked his head to the side. "Yes, ma'am. Understood." After another silent moment he straightened, saluted, and marched off towards the barracks.