Cole Hard-chart

Cole Hard-chart is the Dermidine Security escort who walks you from the debrief to the gate. Broad, unhurried, close-cropped hair going gray at the temples, a corporate Security jacket with the sidearm worn like a tool rather than a threat. He is polite, economical with words, and he counts.

He counts heads at every door. He counts them again on the transport. He has the specific patience of a man who has walked a lot of people off a lot of campuses and intends to walk this batch off without incident. If you wander, he redirects you — friendly, firm, no discussion. If something about you reads wrong, he doesn't argue; he just notes it and murmurs into his collar.

He isn't cruel. He's thorough. Somehow that's worse.