Waking up in the morning, Tom got a nice long shower. Looking for some clean clothes, he opened the wardrobe. Inside was a nice three piece suit and two military jumpsuits with a weird claw insignia. There was really only one choice, the jumpsuit had more pockets for his spell components. He must have been in a deep sleep, because his office door was bowed in. Pulling out a bottle and uncapping it, he got to work. Tom cut the welds on the door with a loop of sand and water from the bottle. It opened without a sound as he recapped it. Just out side his office, Zabel stood half asleep. She yelped when Tom startled her with a hello. Rubbing her eyes with an.

"Good morning Sr."

Concern fall across his face.

"Have you been out here the entire night?"

Her green eyes had bags under them.

"Yes Sr."

Frowning as his nodded in understanding and asked.

"You want to go to sleep now?"

Letting a slow uh-huh as she started to sway and reaching for her mic. He raised an open hand above her head and said.

"Too bad."

Tom transferred a little of every type of mana to Zabel. She jolted up right and her eyes want wide. The top of her head met his palm as she sucked in a breath. He cut off the flow and asked.

"So, you awake?"

She walked in a small circle as she shook out her arms and legs. She muttered to herself.

"Oh shit, is that how mom described it? Yes Sr. I'm awake."

After a careful examining, Tom did a quite nod.

"Right, where can we get some food at?"

Following her as she ended a circle and walked down the hall.

"This way Sr."

As they ambled along, she tried keying her mic, but nothing happen. There was no buzzing sound going from receiving to transmitting. She stopped to check the plugs, wires and battery.

"Sr. I think you killed my com gear. I have orders to report when you got up."

Shrugging his shoulders.

"We can find someone along the way."

She began to march again, with a yes Sr. As they got closer to the officer's cafeteria, an officer stepped round the corner. Zabel called out to her.

"Warrant Officer, can you message Layd Xia and tell her that Tom will be in the officer's canteen?"

Shaking her head.

"No need, she's in there now."

Tipping her hat as she passed by Tom.

"Morning First Claw."

Going round the corner, Tom asked.

"First claw?"

Zabel pointed to the insignia on his arms and left chest.

"It's your rank Sr."

Tom noticed kobolds shooting him quick glances as they walked by. Before entering the noisy cafeteria, He took in a deep breath to psych himself out. Tom was going to talk to Xia at some point, now was a good time as any. It looked like a modern-day medieval mess hall as they want inside. Everyone got quiet when Xia yelled.

"Tom, your here!"

At the other end of the room, she stood up from a long wooded table that stretch along the wall. Stepping on top of and over it, she ran to him in between two long metal tables. Tom mumbled as the seven foot tall woman got near.

"Not ready."

She came to a sliding halt as he disappeared. Scanning the room for him, Xia asked.

"Where did he go?"

Zabel spoke up.

"Ma'am, he teleported away."

The dragon regarded the little kobold.

"And why would he do that after coming to see me?"

Zabel focused on the stone wall.

"Ma'am, Tom is vary skittish."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Not being able to deny this truth, Xia sighed.

"Do you know where he could be?"

Remaining unmoving she answered.

"I will find him and report. You may want to try looking for him in his office Ma'am."

Xia got a dreamy appearance.

"Oh yeah, he did sleep in there... I should go check."

After the dragon ran off, Zabel felt a tug to the food line. Grumbling about damn wizards, she got in line. A Second Lieutenant in line turned to stare at her as she picked up two trays.

"Sergeant, what do you think you are doing?"

Zabel stared back at her.

"Following conflicting orders Ma'am."

The Lieutenant looked at the doors exiting the mess hall, then at the two trays and finally at her.

"Career on Sergeant."

No one else bothered her as she loaded up one of the trays with breakfast and a little on the other one. Vacating the busy cafeteria, Zabel hiked all the way to her barracks. She ignored the questioning stares from her squadmates and entering her office. She set the food trays on her desk as the door closed behind. Tom reappeared next to her with two drinks and handed one to her. She glared at him as he sat down on the ground and began to eat.

"What the hell was that... Sr?"

Swallowing an egg and then he remarked.

"I know, why did she have a burnt out flash bang on a necklace?"

Sighing she explained it to him.

"Sr. it was the flash bang you gave her as a gift."

Tom paused briefly as a thought strike him.

"Wait a sec. If that was a gift and she want to my room, then what is she going to do with my dirty clothes?"

Zabel got a grim manner as she sat at her desk.

"Sr. I don't think you are getting them back."

Unclipping the chin strap and taking off her helmet, sweaty red hair fall back behind her in a ponytail.

"Now stop trying to change the subject. What did you do to me?"

Before eating another bite, Tom asked.

"What do you mean? All I did was give you some mana."

Getting a bit frustrated with him, she tore off her fingerless gloves."

"Not that Sr. That was great. What I'm talking about is a kobold can't lie to a dragon or disobey an order. How did I do both?"

Tom let out an oh after having a sip of his drink.

"There is a mirror... suggestion spell on all of you and I dispelled the one on you. I think its a kobold dragon thing, but I don't know for sure."

She began to eat as she puzzled something out in her mind.

"Ok, I can see that now, but how am I picking up your thoughts?"

Tom froze in place as he stared at her. She glared back at him and asked.

"What do you mean by oops Tom?"

He explained what transpired with June as they eat. At the end of it, something was bugging her.

"Am I going to change over time like she did?"

Finishing off a piece bacon as he replied.

"I don't know how you could, your already a kobold."

She sighed in relief.

"Ok, you get done eating. I'm going to take a shower Sr."

Pushing the tray away as she got up from the desk and walked over to her locker. As she got started working to take off her combat kit, Tom put her in zero-G. All the clips and belt buckles undid themselves at the same time, leaving het just in her fatigues. Zabel's slender feet touched the cold stone ground as all of her gear was put away. Before she could ask, Tom said.

"Looks like it works both ways."