She winces at Blaze's assessment, as if reliving a painful memory. "I was... I was Caspar's hostage. Briefly. So he could buy himself a little time to think. He didn't hurt me, though. He looked horrified that he had frightened me at all..."

"But you're right, without our military, we're sitting ducks. Even with the military, it would need to be a surprise attack to save us. We're outnumbered."

She gives Blaze a small smile, grateful that she understands. "Most people see them as a monolithic unit, like cogs in a machine. But I believe that they're still individuals. No matter how much coding they share with one another."