Lucero Clyde's eyes scanned the pub.

Pubs on Parum weren't known for their lively spirit. CASTs didn't drink. Alcohol did virtually nothing to them except erode their circuits if it was concentrated enough. He saw four large green military CASTs at a table, attempting to install Inebriation Simulation Patches, and two humans at the bar. He examined the humans. They were both female, with slight builds. They had the look of students about them, one in a Neudaiz-inspired dress that matched her fiery red hair, one in a practical but stylish white suit, her hair dark blue and sensibly cropped. They were engaged in an animated conversation. He watched their movements. Neither of them looked like warriors but he could practically smell the photon energy pouring off the redhead; if she wasn't already a powerful Force, she had the potential to be so. As surreptitiously as a CAST could manage without actually going into stealth mode, he appeared at the bar beside the girls.

"Can I buy either of you ladies a drink?"

"Cold Berry Dacquiri on the rocks, please." said the redhead.

"I'll just have a Koltova Juice." said her friend, giving him an odd look. Why was she staring at him like that? He shifted his eyes to the other girl, his discomfort not registering on his mechanically expressionless face. He ordered the drinks and a packet of shield gum for himself.

"So." he said, "I've never seen you ladies around here before. What brings you to Holtes City?"

"Oh, it's my sister's year in industry. She's studying CAST engineering." explained the girl, "I'm just here to see the sights."

"Would you like me to show you around later on? There are some beautiful sights. Raffon Meadow, the Koltova reservation..." The AMF recruitment office...

The girl's face lit up. "Would you really? You're so nice for a CAST! I thought you CASTs were all stuck-up jerks! Thank you, mister..."

"Clyde." he replied, "Lucero Clyde. And your name...?"

"Elise. Elise Samrecarm." she introduced herself.

"That's a Newman surname. Are you half-Newman?"

"Why don't you tell us something about yourself, Lucero Clyde?" asked her sister, looking over at him in an even more pronounced stare.

"Me? Well, I'm not very interesting, I'm just, you know, a regular CAST..." he began chewing his shield gum, a nervous habit.

"Stop it, sister!" Elise warned her.

"Oh, come off it, I bet you have all sorts of interesting stories to tell! Are you from the army?"

"Ex-AMF. I don't serve any more. You know, if you want to join up, you can always..."

"Is that where you got that defective part?"

Lucero stood up sharply. Not bothering to pick up his shield gum, he turned on his heel and tried to walk away.

"MARCIA! That was rude!" Elise chided her sister, "Lucero! Sit down! Marcia, apologise to the nice man."

Her sister did not apologise, but instead looked him straight in the eye, a cold stare.

"It's really obvious." she told him, "It's obvious from the way you move. The way you look around the room. Even the look in your eyes. A good mechanic can tell. Your behaviour chip is faulty, isn't it?"

"Lady, that's not a polite thing to ask a CAST..." he tried to move away again, but she grabbed his arm. While he was perfectly capable of freeing himself from her grip, he was startled by the move.

"You're endangering lives by wandering around with a faulty behaviour chip." she told him, "You're not in control of yourself and you could injure yourself and others. I can't believe the mechanics haven't repaired it for you."

"It's... irreparable." he hung his head, "Look, lady, I'm no danger to anyone. It doesn't make me go crazy and mistake civilians for SEED or anything. In fact, it..."

"It does what?" she demanded, not letting go of his arm.

"It does the opposite, okay? I register everything as friendly. I can't engage in combat." he said irritably, "My systems just won't respond when I give the command. Sure, I can punch someone in the face if they try and steal my wallet, but I can't activate any of my military software. That's why I was discharged and sent to work in the recruitment office. Please don't tell everyone, it's so damn embarrassing..."

"Recruitment?" Elise frowned, "Hey, are you plying me with drinks so I'll join the AMF? And here I thought I was on a nice date. Well, you can take your drink and shove it up your..."

"I can repair it." Marcia told him.

"Lady, if a professional military CAST technician can't repair it, I doubt some student..."

"I come from a specialist technical college. A college for really gifted students. I'm the most gifted student in the entire academy." she said, "And I know I can repair that."

"Really?"

"You won't be as good as new - you'll have to learn from scratch how to operate your systems - but I can return them to functionality."

"What do I have to do?" he asked, looking with regret at the now furious Elise who was glowering at him.

"Just follow me." she told him, extending a hand, "Trust me."