Stop. Concentrate. Complete tasks one at a time. Send the million credits to Icewolf. Afterward, establish contact with Phantom to discuss a possible liaison between the Mercenary Bloc and Legion of Man. Then, I will teach you more about war within the Game, so you may more fully prepare yourself and evaluate possibilities. After that, we attempt to recruit Kitana as soon as we gain the points from the first task. We have her help you improve your blade work, and undergo further training with Phantom. We go to the Academy, and study, and train, and study and train some more. Then, when we are ready, we act. Perhaps fighting, perhaps spying, perhaps both, but we wait and develop more information first. Does this make sense to you, Alan?

Yes, Alan replied softly in his mind, calming down slightly. Yes, that does make sense. What would I do without you, Eve?

Die, I expect. More realistically, perhaps you would wallow in your own pity while eating ice cream and playing video games, she responded teasingly.

Alan grinned, and got up. Thanks for that image. Now lead the way.

A green path sprang up before Alan, and off he went, ready to continue the Game.