The Insiders: Episode 7 - Allies and Adversaries

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour. When one falls, the other can help them up."

Armed with evidence that could clear his name, Bran returns to the bustling chaos of the Nexus where hastily repaired screens flicker with interference patterns and Wave Messengers dart between terminals like silver streaks. The recent crash has left its mark everywhere—cracked displays masked with fresh sealant, wildly fluctuating readings, and an atmosphere of barely controlled mayhem.

As Bran navigates this familiar yet strange environment, he encounters the complex web of ship politics that will determine his fate. Candi's feline form stalks between terminals, her manic energy barely contained as she circles him with threats and backhanded challenges. "Prove you can handle this without mucking it up," she warns, her claws extending and retracting with nervous tension.

Walter's swamp-scented presence brings its own complications—one moment offering grudging respect for Bran's thoroughness, the next reverting to his usual disdain. The toad-like officer's bulbous eyes study him with unsettling intensity, leaving Bran completely out of his depth in the shifting currents of upper deck politics.

TiGer's wisdom about interdependence and parallel processing offers both comfort and challenge as they journey through Engineering's depths. But Bran's paranoia begins to surface—why isn't she more urgent about getting their crucial evidence to Captain Higgs? Could even his closest ally be playing both sides?

In the industrial maze below, the Chief's gruff Scottish accent cuts through Bran's doubts with validation: "No random accident, this. Too precise. Too controlled." The damage patterns prove what Bran suspected—someone orchestrated the crash. The Chief's reminder about allies and fresh perspectives from the bottom looking up resonates deeply.

Their path leads through Linda's hidden speakeasy—a 1920s oasis tucked impossibly within Engineering's bowels—and emerges at All Mounds Park where the tour guides circle like predators. Leo's aggressive posturing, Ice Maiden's numbing promises, and Runa's escape routes represent the old patterns of response that have kept The ALEx "not dead" but never truly thriving.

When Captain Higgs finally reveals that TiGer orchestrated Bran's reinstatement, the pieces fall into place. But as they prepare to confront the senior officers with their evidence, Higgs's warning echoes: "Tread carefully with my senior officers... they still blame you for that nonsense with Sera."

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The difference isn't in what happened.

The difference is what you do with it.