As the orderlies frogmarched Buster out of the meeting room, Dr. Calvini tried her best to be magnanimous. "It's admirable that you trusted him, I'm sorry that he turned out to be such a disappointment."

Sophear stepped forward.

"I don't think he's a disappointment at all. We knew we were dealing with a disturbed individual when we took him in. This incident happened immediately afterward, this was the risk we took when we made the decision to use him. Buster saved us, and he's shown so much growth and progress since then. I definitely think we need to do some kind of gesture to show that this is unacceptable behavior with no statute of limitations, but Buster is a patient first and foremost and I stand by the treatment plan we have for him." she calmly explained her perspective.

Santra stepped forward next. "I would say we should put him to work, but he's been working ever since he got here. I definitely think he shouldn't be walking free like he has been, but I've talked to a lot of people I trust and the panda in that video doesn't look anything like the panda they describe. They describe a well-meaning oaf who has bad days, not a scheming manipulator."

Dr. Calvini tried not to let out an exasperated sigh. "Have either of you considered that the whole reason he's been cozying up to people is for exactly this reason? Buster has shown that he is someone with no scruples about manipulating people and a capacity for long-term planning, I wouldn't put it past him. Sophear, I know he sees that man in the wheelchair, don't you think it's a little suspicious that a panda trying to convince everyone he's harmless would cozy up to the most physically vulnerable person on the base?"

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Sophear didn't try to hide her own exasperated sigh in response. "Petro is one of the sharpest people I know. Just because he's in a wheelchair doesn't mean he's some invalid that Buster is using as a prop. I'm friends with Petro, I've talked with him at least once a week ever since Buster got here. They are good friends, and I'm glad that both of them get to have that."

Dr. Calvini bristled. She didn't like the implication that she was being ableist, but it wasn't undeserved so she took the criticism with dignity. "I'm sorry for disrespecting your friend. That was not my intent. But you get my point, I hope."

"We do." said Santra, "I think that we all have very different takes on Buster Harkness as a resident of Zed Steadman. But we can all agree that the most pressing issue with him is that once again we have people from his past showing up to cause trouble. We don't know what they want from him, but we do know that it's him they want. Let me be practical: there's a very good chance that in a few days Buster won't be our problem one way or another. Why not let him go out there and take it on the chin and then if he makes it back we'll have had more time to figure out what to do with him."

Now Sophear was the one who was unsure. "Buster said that Mirabelle doesn't have any hate for humans, but we don't know anything about the mercenary. He's a Freelancer so there weren't any records about him in the data the panda stole. For all we know, he could be just as unhinged as Tartarus Squadron."

Dr. Calvini had been thinking about this. "Well, we do have all of Tartarus' munitions. We've got some people trained on how to use their Komodos. And if all else fails, we always have those samples of Little B."