"Well, it can't have been very long after that. He was already back on duty by then, I remember." Felix rubs his chin as if trying to figure it out. Getting too specific with the timeline would probably give too much away too soon, since Jim couldn't have had many opportunities to meet strangers while on his mission. By way of distraction he points out a couple of the stand-alone doorways that dot the plaza.

"Do you see those? Stable portals. It's usually inadvisable to go through one unless you're sure of where it leads- and how you'll get back. They could lead absolutely anywhere you might imagine. Some of them are less obvious; as a general rule, just be sure to look before you enter."

He considers, then. "I've met the lieutenant once, but we didn't really talk. I'm told she's not someone to suffer fools." By his brother, when Stratos can be coaxed to talk about that encounter without blushing. "What does a shakedown run usually entail? Nothing overly exciting, I assume?"