Never tell the truth when a lie will do.

[Markovnikov]

"But why did it have to be this zoner junk?" Ingrid furrowed her brow, her temper flaring at Monday's obvious giddiness.

"We had a strict budget, and we had a Condor chassis handy. With the civil war on-"

"Don't give me that again. I can tell you don't even care enough to lie to me - just admit that you like how it looks."

"And I liked how it looked."

"Captain! I've decrypted the package we picked up." Max kindly broke the heavy atmosphere with his youthful enthusiasm. He gave a habitual salute with one hand as he presented a tablet with the other.

"Ingrid, please take us out of Pecos orbit - but don't burn for Barrier Gate yet. Max, I need you to update our vessel registry and change our colors." Monday took the tablet and tucked it under his arm.

"Do you have a new designation in mind, Captain?" Max piped in quizzically. Monday had hoped Max would take the initiative to find one on his own - but he was much too green to have broken out of his rigid training.

"Something generic and unmemorable. Something just pretentious enough to show we're learned, but not so much to be suspicious."

"What about Wotan?" blurted Max, with his characteristic enthusiasm.

"That's a bit too obvious, we want to try to pass for non-Rheinlanders."

"Seinfeld - the old earth philosopher!" Ingrid volunteered.

"What? No."

"Sophocles - he's an ancient greek playwright," said a quiet voice from behind. It was rare for Constance to weigh in on topics outside of tactical systems.

"I don't think a tragic playwright bodes well for our mission."

"Then what about Aristophanes?"

"Sure, why not."