The ships of the twelfth liberation fleet shuddered as the gravitic forces of Vineta sent ripples through their steel hulls; the hangar bays of the strike cruisers were manic with activity. Gestalt officers shouted orders at perfectly coordinated Replika troop formations, all the while the speech of the Great Revolutionary, broadcast from the home of the revolution, drowned out the sounds of bootsteps and dropship engines rumbling to life. It had been almost nine months since the second war of Vineta had begun and the liberation fleets dispatched, nine months of burning through the void of the outer solar system towards the homeworld of humanity, nine months locked away in overcrowded bunkrooms where replikas and gestalts mixed for the first time in the nation's history. Nine months of silently waiting for the faux war to end, and for the true bloodshed to begin.
"For many years, I must admit, we have been a broken nation. Oppressed, Starving, banished from our home world by those who would chain our very minds, even after the death of their so-called Empress and the misuse of her Bioresonance to enslave our very souls to the Empire."
"When the first war of Vineta ended in a grinding stalemate, I asked for time, and that time was granted by you."
"You, the strength of my arm, the bearers of my dreams. My family."
"I vow this. The following days and months will be written in the blood of our enemies by seizing the Interplanetary batteries on Vineta's surface, and turning them against our oppressors."
The dropships finally roared to life, waiting for their turn to leap from their cruisers and into the silent void beyond. Lines of gestalt conscripts sat shoulder to shoulder with their Replika comrades, strapped into claustrophobic jumpseats, with just enough lighting to glimpse the faces of their neighbours. Some, mostly gestalts, seemed terrified at the prospect of war. The replikas were enraptured by the speech, even now broadcast over the dropship's speakers. The muffled rumblings of the hangar fell away as the ship finally thrust itself into the cold expanse of space. Beams of purple and crimson streamed through the tiny portholes of the dropship as flashes of plasma lances ripped apart the cruises as the Empire and Revolution's fleets exchanged brutal, unrelenting blows, battling for superiority over Vineta's skies.
"We are fighting for our very existence. The empire denies us peace, refuses to cede to us our rightful place in the universe. Now, we will unleash such a terrible vengeance that future generations of our enemies will scream in anguish before being extinguished."
Railgun slugs screamed across the void, ripping apart the titanium plating of ships on both sides as the fleets clawed for dominance in geostationary orbit above the planet's capital, the ruins of strike cruisers sunk lower in the black, descending towards the planet below before burning up in its atmosphere, leaving streaks of orange and crimson that could be seen in the night sky from the planets surface.
"For years, we have suffered in exile at the edges of our solar system. Doomed to die from disease or famine. We endured with empty stomachs, rebuilding our pride, rebuilding our destiny, rebuilding our nation."
When the drop-ships finally began brushing against the atmosphere of Vineta, a terrible turbulence rocked its hull, as cruise missiles rose from the planet's surface to intercept the burning lights illuminating the night sky. Some were snuffed out there, leaving trails of black smoke as missiles tore apart their steel hulls before burning away to nothing in Vineta's stratosphere. Sound finally returned to the dropship, bringing with it the terrible sounds of flak artillery that rocked the dropship's hull. Explosions filled the compartment with flashes of orange and red while the Revolutionary's transmission crackled with atmospheric interference; even so, her words still overwhelmed everything, drowning out the sounds of engines straining to keep the ship under control or the whimpers of gestalt conscripts.
"They scarred us."
"They weakened us."
"They destroyed our home beyond recognition."
"But that time is over."
"In the time you gave me, I have rebuilt the revolution. Our enemies at home have been enlightened, and now we return to the home-world, not a divided splinter of the Empire, but a Nation, united in purpose."
What drop-ships had survived the onslaught of missiles and anti-air fire, rushed to meet the planets surface, a seemingly endless ocean of blue, diving so low that the wash of the engines exhaust left ripples across the waters surface, despite the hundreds of drop-ships that had perished in the descent, thousands more were now brushing across the planets surface, spreading it in every direction as the war finally begin in earnest. When Vineta's capital finally appeared on the horizon, the sounds of thudding gunfire filled the cabin as the auto-cannon slung underneath the dropship's chin opened fire on enemy positions as it passed, racking already ruined buildings with shells that exploded on impact, sending massive clouds of dust rising from the city's streets.
"Never again will we be forced to bow against our will."
"Never again endure their oppression."
"Never again feel their tyranny at our backs."
"We will strike them, as a Nation united, one soul, one dream."
"We will drench our ancestors' graves with their blood."
"Defenders of the Eusan Nation."
"THIS. IS. OUR. TIME."
The transmission crackled to nothing in time for the drop ships finally to come to a slumbering halt, landing in massive waves at Erstlicht spaceport, the massive, sprawling facility that once launched the very first colony ships of humanity, now half of it lay in smouldering ruins, pillars of black smoke rose from collapsed hangars, Gestalt officers barked orders at Replika troops, who stormed off the loading ramps of dropships in the droves, only for the troop transports to taxi away into makeshift waiting areas and Hangars, replaced by more dropships unloading their own complement of troops. It was a constant stream of Replika and Gestalt's marching in perfect unison, while an immense amount of supplies and armoured vehicles constantly arrived and left in organised chaos. The arriving troops lined up in queues miles long, with the officers who had held the planet's capital for nine gruelling, long months distributed orders to the newcomers.
Orders flowed down to the lost-looking faces of former civilians and Replika workers, from Gestalt high command to Replika falke units and their subordinates. The Eusan Nations war machine had finally arrived at the birthplace of humanity. The soundscape was one of distant artillery barrages and the thunder of close-in weapon systems intercepting the desperate attempts by Empire troops to halt the swarm of dropships at the space ports. Slowly, Nation troops, clad in Red and Black, dispersed to their stations. Some of the unfortunate conscripts were sent to the front, where Empire troops still held out in the city's outer districts⦠Others were herded towards the former arrivals building, now the planetary Headquarters of the Revolution's liberation army.
The headquarters itself was expansive to say the least, one used to house the thousands of gestalts leaving the planet for the inner and outer colonized, it's once flawless white floors and walls were smeared with dirt and soot carried in from soldiers returning from the front, steel desks and tables had been bought in and scattered around the open space, forming tight walkways between the workspace of aministration officers processing the massive logistical effort of an interplantary war. Hundreds of voices, layered over one another, emitted from long-range radios and satellite uplinks. Slowly, the squad that would be assigned to the two AEON intelligence officers were ushered out of the arrivals lobby, pressed down corridors and turns before being unceremoniously left in a briefing room to their own devices.
Slowly, they streamed in, separated from the masses of troops landing in their droves. It was only when they had all arrived and been left alone for what seemed like an hour that a newcomer joined them. Having to lower her head to step through the door, the fresh face looked over the group of Replikas and gestalts; her visage was an almost flawless reflection of the great revolutionary herself, a Falke unit. Falke units were rare, and for some of the replikas in the room, it would have been the first time they had ever seen one up close. Standing at two-hundred and fifty centimetres tall, her presence was almost smothering as her eyes glanced over the group.
The replikas in the room would almost be able to feel their shoulders drop as any anxiety they had about the war zone melted away at the almost god-like presence of a falke unit. It was akin to a deity standing a few feet away. A laurel wreath rested atop her head, her dark hair seemingly intentionally interwoven with the metallic crown. Falke units were Replikas perfected, subject to almost no persona degradation, and seemingly never decommissioned. Many whispered in private that their neural donor was the great revolutionary herself. Of course, AEON would never confirm or deny that fact, but it was a good myth to encourage obedience of their replika forces. The mind-altering bio-resonance that emanated from her only reinforced that myth. Although, despite the soothing effect on the replikas, the two Gestalt officers in the room would feel no such relief washing over them as she spoke.
"I am Falke Seven." There was a pause as her eyes turned to the two intelligence officers. "I have gathered you all together to perform the highest duty to the revolution." As though to help lower herself down to their level. She perched herself on the edge of a desk at the front of the room⦠she still towered over them. "Our troops are currently clearing out the final remnants of Empire troops within the capital's limits, but as I'm sure you can imagine, there will still be large remnants of Empire troops and sympathisers that have thrown off their uniform and slipped away into the crowds of civilians." Her eyes moved to the group of Replikas. "I am assigning each of you to these two AEON intelligence officers. You will obey their every command as if they speak for me, together you will investigate leads and rumours of Imperial agents hiding within our loyal population, and excise them." As if to emphasise the point, she clenched a hand into a white-knuckled fist.
"You have all been selected for your skills or remarkable resistance to persona degradation. I expect nothing but obedience from all of you." There was another pause before she straightened herself up, standing back to her full height, before the door to the briefing room suddenly swung open, unannounced. A Kollibri unit shuffled in; she was a tiny replika in contrast to her commander, a full three feet shorter. A collection of files and papers was wrapped in her arms, which she wasted no time in tossing a file in front of each member of the squad of misfits. "These files contain your first assignment." The Falke unit spoke, even as the much shorter woman left as quickly as she appeared. "We believe there is a resistance cell operating in the old steelworks district, it's almost two miles from here. I have arranged an armoured transport to take you there when you're ready.
Falke's gaze turned to the Gestalt officers, her gaze narrowing for a moment before she spoke a final time. "I leave this in your... capable hands. Welcome to Vineta." A moment lingered between them before she turned and marched out of the room, letting the door swing shut. The soothing, smothering presence that had swept over the replikas earlier slowly faded as the anxiety of their duties returned.
The files themselves were vague at best, reports of missing troops close to the steelworks, vague, pixelated images of masked figures and wrecks of burnt-out tanks. The number of fighters was unclear, or their exact location within the two square mile facility, a steelworks that used to produce the colony ships of humanity's past, now wracked by war and decay.
"...I thought the capital was meant to be secured..." The voice came from the back of the room, from a Stork unit that had awkwardly perched herself onto one of the chairs in the corner, standing almost as tall as the Falke unit that had stepped out moments earlier; her legs were so long that she had to stretch them out in front of her. or awkwardly bend them upwards to the point where they would obscure her vision of the rest of the rooms occupants. a ballistic shield as tall as her was resting against the wall, a massive chunk of titanium plating and steel, while a pistol was strapped to a holster on her thigh, and a sub-machine gun rested in her lap, the strap that was around her shoulder bundling up on top of the hunk of metal that was her weapon. Her crimson eyes glanced towards the AEON officers at the front of the room before a hushed grunt left her lips as she adjusted herself in her chair before folding her arms across her chest.
Siegfried's hands turned a slightly more white hue as he gripped the supports of his seat in the landing craft. As they descended, the speech of the Great Revolutionary echoed through the dropship. At times his lips followed along with the speech - as if he'd heard it before - while his eyes remained focused downwards towards the floor of the craft. He heard the unmistakable sound of a railgun slug whistling past the craft, and then two more, and then a moment of silence, as the craft rattled and shook violently. The silence was interrupted once more as they came into the effective range of the planetary flak batteries, and the cacophony of explosions began again. Luckily even if the flak exploded nearby, the damage would be limited, and it'd take several hits to really put them out of commission here. While Siegfried had seen combat before - the violent, brutal kind you see when dealing with dissenter cells and imperials - he had never been on a battlefield in open war. The greatest threat was a knife in the dark or a pistol in a dark alleyway in some facility. But it was a threat you could guard yourself against.
This?
He wasn't flying the craft, and he certainly had no influence on where the imperials were aiming. No, he was surrendered entirely to the whim and will of the universe. He tried not to think about it. His attention was drawn elsewhere, thinking of home - of Rotfront. Die Hoffnung fΓΌr die Zukunft, the posters always said. A better place to be right now than Vineta at least.
Slowly the flak wore off, and the ship stabilized in orbit, as it approached their landing site. An old spaceport, Erstlicht, a name that seemed remarkably ironic right about now. His fingers slowly regained their original - albeit still pale - color as his grip lessened. Once the craft slowed down sufficiently, he released the metal clasp that held the overhead harness in place, and relaxed ever so slightly. He looked around, his eyes scanning the other passengers of this particular dropship. There were probably tens of them - Replika's, that was - and for some reason he felt like they were all staring at him. It wasn't true. Even he knew that. But that feeling was hard to shake. They weren't like him and he wasn't like them. No matter how much they masqueraded, it was still hard for him to get over the fact that they were just.. different.
With a thump the ship landed on it's designated landing spot, and the doors opened, allowing them to disembark from the drop ship. He bent down and grabbed the duffel bag from the floor that held his bare minimum essentials - AEON ID, a stack of Rationmarks, some clothing, and that was it. All the other stuff he had on him or was wearing - the 12mm revolver packed tightly into the holster tucked beneath his arm, the 10mm pistol on the holster in his leg, and his standard uniform - including the tell-tale political officer's black peaked cap that betrayed his status as an AEON agent to anyone with eyes to see.
Disembarking was a rushed process as some Replika units guided the passengers to the right places, and within a few seconds the drop ship had already lifted off and moved ahead to a waiting spot where it'd likely wait to ferry refugees off-world again. Siegfried found himself ushered to the terminal nearby by a slew of EULR units that appeared to have been deployed here specifically to guide everyone to the right place. In the distance, Siegfried could make out some fresh arrivals boarding on armored troop transports and preparing for their journey to the frontline. While he was loathe to admit it, the Replika's were good for one thing, and that was tirelessly continuing on the everlasting march to their next order. No need to stop for food, water, or any other sort of break. He supposed that that, too, was a result of their lack of humanity.. of their lack of.. a soul. He had theorized - at some earlier points in his career - that persona degradation was a direct result of that. Not just of what they knew persona degradation to be, but perhaps also the effects of a soul trying to enter a body never meant to hold one. Of course any of the theoretical engineers in the field of bioresonance studies would dismiss this claim out of hand, 'souls' had nothing to do with bioresonance or replikas. But Siegfried had never been able to shake the thought.
Just as he had finished the thought this time, he entered through the doors of the terminal and found himself in the middle of a large army of tables, with a variety of machinery, tools, computers, and all other sorts of knicknacks on them. Here and there a variety of Replika units scattered around. A MNHR unit lifted a box that would've taken a forklift to carry before, and slotted it neatly into a row of other boxes, carefully guided by a nearby ARAR unit to ensure the placement was not just in the right spot, but also optimal. In other places an ARAR unit was servicing several weapons to be returned to the armory, seemingly working tirelessly at her designated job. The sheer amount of noise made it hard to think for Siegfried, at least until he carried on into the briefing room - or, what was supposed to resemble one.
The place was a mess, undeniably so because of the fact that they were, well, in a warzone. Siegfried assumed, however, that if the first order of business was to load into a briefing room, then perhaps they would not be spending an awfully long time in the terminal. He put his duffelbag onto a chair near the front of the room, but away from the desk, and then crossed his arms. He waited for others to join him, and soon they too trickled in - perhaps even from the same dropship, it was hard to tell. A Starling, a Euler, an Arar.. a Storch and even an Adler. And - perhaps to everyones surprise, but not Siegfried's - a fellow huma-... Gestalt from AEON. He'd read in his assignment that he would not be assigned alone, but details had been scarce. Now, it appeared, they had paired him with a fellow Gestalt, though his face did not jolt any memories for Siegfried, and he could only assume they'd never met.
Well, he thought to himself, his eyes scanning the room and the people in it, we certainly have a nice little band of misfits.. It was true even to those with the wildest imagination and creative interpretation of the roles of the various Replika units. The EULR and ARAR, as well as the ADLR unit were stand-out to Siegfried's mind, and while it would've been easy - too easy - to dismiss them as useless in a combat zone, Siegfried knew that despite his aversion to Replika's, these units were likely to be useful in whatever mission they were going to be assigned. The well-rounded nature of their team meant that they were likely going to be dealing with highly specialized objectives, and the fact that there was not one but two embedded AEON operatives meant that - as far as Siegfried could tell - these missions were going to be sensitive to a fault.
Perhaps even the type of sensitive that people preferred not to hear about back home.
Then a Falke entered the room, and while Siegfried did not feel any sort of bioresonant effects from her, it was hard to deny that the Falke wasn't imposing even to a Gestalt - much moreso, even to a Gestalt who frankly did not find Replika's to be the most agreeable piece of technology.. if he didn't know better, he might've assumed she was an Angel given shape. His time with AEON, however, allowed him to see her for what she was - the most advanced Replika available, and also the most reliable. In his time decommissioning, he had never once had to decommission a Falke, a sign of their highly advanced persona stabilization. A feature that he often wished the other Replika's exhibited, too.
As the Falke unit, or in this case, Falke 7, began to speak, Siegfried couldn't help but feel like she wasn't particularly interested in addressing the Gestalts in the room. Perhaps it was simply because they were - for all intents and purposes - the highest ranking individuals in the room and a part of AEON, so professionality was not just expected, but assumed, but despite these rational explanations, Siegfried's paranoia made him incline towards the notion that perhaps there was a deeper reason for this. One that he did not dare unveil at this moment. Instead he observed.
The muscles around his eyes involuntarily twitched lightly as a Kolibri unit entered the room. As far as the Replika's went, Siegfried had always felt a mixture of admiration and disgust for Kolibri units. As an AEON operative - and one intended to root out dissent and persona degradation at that - the command Kolibri's had not just over bioresonance, but even the minds of those around them was of particular interest to him, and perhaps the one thing that he was sometimes jealous of in Replika's. On the other hand, it was precisely their command over not just the minds of Replika's, but also Gestalts, that made him avoid them at all costs. Something about them wasn't right. And the thought of one of them peering into his head and changing his feelings, his memories, or whatever they did in there, it made him sick. It was ironic that he, of all people, felt this way, and he had come to terms with that ages ago. But even as an AEON operative, for all intents and purposes an expert infiltrator and spy, he would never quite reach that capability to not just end those who thought wrongly, but detect them to so easily.
As the Kolibri dropped off the files, attentive people - or.. attentive Gestalts and Replika's.. - would be able to see his body react slightly as well, pulling away from the Kolibri ever so slightly, before returning to its relaxed position when the Kolibri moved on. To everyone else, it would've looked like business as usual. While Falke 7 continued her speech to the Replika's, Siegfried went through the files. His eyes scanned the pages, paying particular attention to the reports and, admittedly rather few and low-res, images of dead patrols. He tried to discern what killed them, and how, but it was hard to tell based off of these images. The reports did not mention any specifics. It would be hard to tell based on this intelligence whether they were dealing with a hardened strike force in a fortified holdout, or a cut off division trying to stay hidden.
If they were lucky it would simply be some imperial loyalist civilians that didn't know when to give up. Then they could just raze the entire area, and call it a day. His eyes darted up from the files to the Replika's, assessing what their odds of survival would be if they came into any sort of prolonged, genuine combat. Pretty fucking close to zero, he wagered. As Falke wrapped up her speech and left, Siegfried's eyes moved back to the reports, before tossing them onto the table. He couldn't shake the feeling that the Falke's closing statement was some sort of hidden jab at them, or perhaps some sort of warning. He took off his peak cap, and put it under his arm. His eyes drifted to the Storch unit that had spoken up. He contemplated whether to answer her. Finally he relented. "That's what we're here to do," he simply said, offering nothing more than what he considered to be a fact.
Then he directed himself to his colleague. "Given we've got a bunch of specialists with us, but not a combat force, I propose we treat this like we do any operation against dissenters. The steel plant appears to be quite large, so we'll never be able to take it in a big offensive anyway, not with the numbers we have. I'd suggest we divide and conquer. Except this time we'll be up against an unknown, and a limited time to gather more intelligence. We'll have to scout as we move." Without trying to hide it, his eyes moved across Alistair's uniform, trying to find any sort of indicator of his rank, before Siegfried added a disciplined, "if you agree, sir."
Then, Siegfried would turn to face the nearby ADLR unit. His brows furrowed slightly, only momentarily, as he looked at her. A female model ADLR. Unusual. His eyes narrowed as he recalled why she seemed so familiar, however, until the 'aha' moment was visible in his eyes. Despite this, he didn't mention it to her, and instead merely barked an order.
"Adler," he said, "see to it that you get these units ready to move. Get the Storch to ensure all units are armed, and are carrying enough ammunition. Once we leave, we won't be able to get back here to resupply without causing a fuss with Falke 7, I imagine, so make sure we're well supplied. Anything we don't get now, we'll have to requisition in the field." It was obvious what he meant by this - wartime breeds the stuff, after all - namely stealing from left behind buildings and looting the dead.
Nine months had passed since the drafting letter fell on her lap. An ironic amount of time as if one's rebirth took the same amount of time to gestate as one's actual birth. Her metamorphosis was sponsored by the Eusian Nation, and they granted her mechanical forearms and hands. The tech melded with her body, and at some points become indiscernible from her very own flesh. She also had some other minor augmentations, but nothing major because of her non-combat role. Before being drafted she was in the intensive care units. The transition wasn't difficult when you had years of experience with responding to situations laced in mayhem and patients desperately clinging to life. The bullets were new though, but she'll handle them with one graceful step at a time. So many lives were lost in the first war. Macy could only hope she could make a difference in this second one.
The recycled air filled her lungs, and fueled the exacerbated sigh that escaped past her lips after she registered who was behind the disembodied voice trying to rally the troops. The funky and upbeat hiphop chimed in one of her ears again when she put the ebony earbud back into place. But she neglected to place the other bud, and instead offered at least half of her attention in order to not standout as the other Replikas gawked at the transmission. Her amber orbs glanced beside her out of curiosity to see who would be sitting next to her in the dropship. A anxious Gestalt who was barely able to figure out how to get her harness strapped on kept fumbling with her equipment.
After watching her struggle for a bit longer. Macy curtsied her head as a polite introduction coupled with a quick "Hi." She then properly set the harness in place. "Oh. T-thanks," the Gestalt chirped. Macy smiled and nodded, and then started to stare off into space. Then a nervous tick caught her peripheral. The Gestalt's hands struggled to find something to fidget with now that the harness was secured. Macy grimaced and figured the girl was just nervous. The least she could do was at least supply another distraction to quell the Gestalt's anxiety. "Here," she said while offering her spare ivory earbud. "I haven't used it yet." She reassured coupled with a smile.
The Gestalt looked at the bud for a moment before she skeptically took it. The girl brushed her hair with the back of her hand, and simultaneously placed the bud in her ear. Before letting her hair fall to hide the bud lest they get reprimanded from AEON officers. "T-this is my favorite song," the girl laughed as the trembling that possessed her digits fell dormant. Macy smiled as helping another person (be they Replika or Gestalt) brought her happiness. "M-my name's Stephanie." She extended her hand and Macy accepted, "I'm Macy."
"What do you think is waiting for us down there?" Steph asked. The Replika paused and thought what she really wanted to say, "The truth." But she settled with, "A smooth and safe landing. The capital is secured after all," Macy smirked as if certain of the fact.
"Mayday, mayday. Left thruster is unresponsive and right thruster critical!"
The g-force of the dropship tugged Macy, and the rest of the crew, in several directions while the pilots attempted evasive maneuvers. Her twilight locks flung wildly and beat against her face as if trying to see if she were still alive. Her cold exterior wasted no resources with filling the dropship with her screams like the rest of the crew. Years in emergency care had taught her to not waste time reacting nervously in a chaotic situation. It was a waste of breath like a waste of food. The drum of her heart echoed loud enough to even drown out the upbeat music roaring in her ear. By the empress, Macy was nervous. Just because she didn't show it didn't mean she didn't feel it.
Macy closed her eyes and gripped hard onto the harness and hoped for the best. To be able to take a deep breath of Vineta's supposedly sublime air that could beat any premium air-recycling unit. But you know what they say. Be careful what you wish for.
The sudden loss of pressure within the cabin jerked her head forward as the missiles hit their mark and finally tore apart the dropship's exterior. The cavity sucked out supplies and even Replikas. Macy's eyes widened as she looked at the hole while the wind brushing past her ears stole her earbud like a bandit in the night along with what little remained of her stoic exterior.
Then she flinched. Something painted her face in scarlet. Macy wiped it off and blinked a few times before her heart dropped. Steph was clutching her abdomen with a river of scarlet pouring from her mouth. Every second counted so Macy leapt into action. "Let me see your-!" Macy yelled at the top of her lungs before seeing the massive hole. She froze and fell at a loss of words. Steph looked into Macy's eyes, "It hurts! It hurts so much. Is it bad? A-am I going to die?"
Macy placed Steph's hand over her abdomen again, and put on a stoic mask once again with a manufactured smile. "You'll be just fine!" she said before a tiny needle extended from her pointer. "Administering first aid!" she yelled before a tiny prick suddenly began to dull the pain. Macy clipped the tip of the needle off with a single gesture, and her hand fell into her pocket to fish for her spare bud.
The cockpit burst into flame and all illusions of control were finally vanquished. Macy hastily placed the bud into Steph's ear and scrolled on her wrist watch until the Gestalt's favorite song came on. "Just listen to the song!" Macy yelled while clutching the Gestalt's head close to her chest. She offered comfort and ease as the 200mg of morphine was more than enough to numb the pain of even the crash.
The howl of the right engine finally gave out, and Macy closed her eyes. Fate took to the wheel and guided the dropship into the massive body of water. The sudden impact jerked them back. The ship immediately began to flood and soon enough would become a submarine.
Welcome to Vineta.
Macy was the last to join the party. Her shoes squeaked with each step and her hair still dribbled water as if the droplets were her footsteps. Her clothes clung to her like a second skin and she shivered while finding a seat within the briefing room.
She chose the front since it was the first seat available, and allotted an easy view of everyone. Her gaze briefly scanned the entire group. It didn't look like anyone was friends, and they most likely were all strangers just as much as she was to them. She wondered what their stories were and if they came from her home, Rotfront. From the man with a burnt face-oh what stories he could tell. To the large Replika Stork unit who barely fit in her chair. Macy felt bad for her. She spared brief glances to the rest of the group and wagered they were more experienced than her by the way they carried themselves. She might as well have been the only one drafted out of this group.
After she briefly surveyed the group, she plugged in the only remaining ebony earbud she had left to distract herself. The beats helped her to digest the heavy feeling sitting in her stomach. It was her own way of mourning the fallen and the ones she couldn't save. She didn't know Steph for long, but she wished she could've done more.
After a long time someone finally came. Macy sat up straight and turned towards the door, but her eyes widened. "A Falk unit...?" she thought before becoming petrified. She had never seen one before...and she was so...ginormous. It was as if the weight of the Falk sat on her shoulders and made it difficult to breathe. Macy sheepishly pulled the bud from her ear as the giant Falk unite stepped inside of the briefing room.
Because she sat at the front-the height disparity was even more severe. It almost hurt for how far she had to crank her neck back just to look up at Falk Seven. Macy made sure to listen carefully, and didn't even turn her attention to the Kollibri passing out files. Her brow furrowed when Seven welcomed them to Vineta. Her heart tightened and stung as she remembered cradling Steph's head to her chest before having to let go of her lifeless corpse once the dropship submerged.
It was only after Falk Seven left that the pressure in her chest loosened enough to breath normally again. Then the weight of reality settled in as she looked at the files in front of her. She had only flipped through the first page when her eyes darted toward the back. The Storch unit mentioned how the capital should've been secured. Macy couldn't help but resonate with the same sentiment. The Two-faced Gestalt chimed in though reaffirming that, that's what they were there to do.
Macy's fist clenched into a fist. "We should've been warned. Instead of being-" she bit her tongue and shook her head in frustration before regaining her composure. Macy crossed her arms and remained silent lest she say something she might regret later. The two Gestalts began to speak, with the scarred man lending his wisdom along with a plan of attack. She didn't know what to think of the man just yet, but he seemed reliable enough to follow.
She rose her hand right after he spoke to the Adler, "Sir! My primary objective out on the field is to provide medical support. I request to be paired with anyone who's at the highest risk of injury, sir!" She didn't beat around the bush. She could tell she was a greenhorn among this group. But she was willing to pull her own weight. Maybe she'd even get the chance to talk to an Imperial sympathizer. What she found on Leng made her question everything.
But one thing was for certain. She won't let anyone else die on her watch.
Stress. Most physicians noted that the effects of both positive and negative stressors on the body were critical to balance. Too many positive stressors and one might lack tolerance for the negative. Too many negative stressors and one might fry the body's already infinitely complex biological hardware. The battlefield spared none from either. Temperance had long since forgotten Vineta. Shells of flak burst into starburst patterns of fire and black smoke, choking the sky in fiery rings. Metal fragments pattering off the outside of the drop ship hull like hail on a tin roof. Cargo holds full of assorted troops rocked violently as if leaves scattered about by the oncoming storm. The restraint harnesses the strain to hold them in their seat. A wild roar of the drop ship engines, alarms, and the violent lurch of the cabin signaled the next round of evasive maneuvers.
Some of the number on the ship muttered patriotic hymns, others cursed their draft boards, and some pleaded with forces unseen to grant them sanctuary. A chorus of low voices that dared not raise above a hushed whisper. Among these forgotten souls, mixed flesh with steel chassis. Conscript and replika packed in tight together, like sardines in a package of meal-ready-to-eat chow. Cassandra was one of the faces in the line. Another being sent down into a grinder, which rends those exposed to it. Yet unlike the panic, confusion, or apathy that abounded, she was instead calm. Eerily so, even as the railgun rounds violently shook the ship about like a leaf caught in a hurricane as they tore past the landing craft. Constant reminders of the angry hornet's nest below, which beckoned up at the oncoming recruits. It was akin to the mouth of hell opening up to swallow the souls of the damned.
Fire and brimstone evangelism aside, Cassandra knew little fear of the plunge she now took by this point. As a replika, she had been in service for seventeen years at this point. It was an unsettling record in her last unit, and one that brought with it the calm of knowing the variables she could control. Should the ship be torn out of the sky, of which there was an estimated twenty-four percent chance, she could not control that factor. Her own attitude in the situation and placating the far more jittery conscripts? That was another matter entirely. Take, for instance, the poor creature sitting beside the ADLR. A boy who did not look over seventeen. His knuckles were white as he gripped the restraint straps of his seat harness. Sweat was noticeably pooling up on his face. She would glance over at him, blue optics fixed on his nameplate at his left breastplate: a small smile, gentle but firm, crossed her face.
"Comrade Meyer, you mustn't grab at the restraints like so. You might loosen them, not to mention strain your hand." She would raise a gloved hand to touch the boys. A gentle squeeze followed by the loosening of his fingers one by one. His shocked face turned to meet hers. "Is this your first combat drop?" The ADLR would inquire. Her voice even keeled as the thunderous bang of anti-air artillery broke around them. Her hand was holding the boy as her thumb stroked the back of his hand. A gesture meant to calm her the best she could in the current moment. It was enough to elicit a nod from the conscript. His helmet bobbed as if it were ill-fitting. Cassandra noted that failure in logistical admin is for another time.
"Yes, ma'am." He would mutter in a hushed whisper. "This'll be my firstβ¦."
The ADLR would offer a thoughtful nod. Her expression was pensive for a moment as she would speak up. "A first combat drop is something scary, isn't it. Though believe me, in time you will begin to find them dull after your third or so." Cassandra mused. Her grip, releasing the conscript, had relaxed at her gentle plying. Instead, she would press on with the same notation as in her previous comment. "Today will be your first, then tomorrow, then the next. Soon enough, you'll be able to brag to your barracks about just how many drops you have under your belt. I'm told it's a bit of a matter of prestige among each company." She watched the conscript sit up slightlyβhis nervous expression at a pause.
"You say that like it's a simple thing. How are you, replikas, so calm? I feel like I'd be going to come apart at the seams." He would muster in a bit of bravery. The conscript's face was still hot with embarrassment and a touch of fear at being noticed for his current state.
Cassandra would find Comrade Meyer's comment amusing, though at best she would offer a laugh. Her demeanor was pleasant and polite; her hands rested in her lap, and she glanced over at him. "Some of us have seen a good many things, others are just muted to fear by programming, others live their life fairly the same as when they arrived. Cassandra would lean over a bit. The ship rattled as she lowered her voice to a hushed whisper. "I wouldn't be surprised if my confidence itself comes from those I keep the company of, like yourself, Comrade Meyer, don't you think?" She would offer a warm glance. "I've never felt safer, in fact."
Sadly, if Cassandra had told the truth or lied through her teeth. Bending the words to how she wanted to frame them. In the end, even if such things were lies, they had to bring far more life into her neighbor in the seat beside her as the lander pushed through the flak and into the homestretch. She would hmm slightly. Eyes turned over towards Meyer with a bit of a knowing grin. "It seems today is your lucky day. One drop down and not a scratch on us, it would seem. Welcome to Vineta." Cassandra could stateβthe commentary brought forth a relieved chuckle out of the conscript as the tension left his shoulders. The ADLR was chatting freely with Gestalt like they were no different. From him, she would extract who he was, where he was from, and what exactly was the first thing he planned to do after they raised the flag of revolution above the Capitol.
It wouldn't be until later that Cassandra would be able to note that Meyer had been deployed to the northern offensive against the planetary gun batteries. In her last moments, she saw the conscript as she was being shuffled away from him by an EULR unit. Comrade Meyer's personal record would indicate he died in the offensive due to a round to the orbital as they crossed the first defensive battlement line. The boy was seventeen years and four days old. He left behind a mother, a father, and two younger siblings.
β
Cassandra would have found her way into the briefing room without much fanfare. The replika's features were stoic, to say the least, as she settled into a high-backed chair. Her olive-drab duffel bag lay neatly on the ground before her, alongside her BW-5 rifle case. Meticulous was the finest way to describe her appearance. Her military battle dress uniform was pressed and ready for the missionβa black, grey, and red ensemble paired with stark white ballistic plating. A black-and-red garrison cap, its distinctive award on the flash perched atop her head, was worn as brunette hair was pulled back tightly into a neat bun. Her gloved hands folded neatly onto her lap alongside the Type-75 10mm pistol holstered on her right thigh. Her service cord draped from her shoulder plate.
She would observe the last straggler enter the room. The processing cores in her head were working their magic to bring up the biometric files on each of her assigned replika's as she took the head count. Her officers' far more redacted billets are being tossed in as well. From this mix, she would begin to strip the data from the finals. Converting information to memory and memory into her official allotment tables. As an ADLR, leading her replika was only part of the ever-present task at hand. The other half was more associated with bullets, uniforms, and field supplyβa logistics task that was never-ending. Paperwork would have to be started early, she supposed, given this assortment.
She knew none of the faces save for one. The replika themselves are being drawn from other billets to be requisitioned for this task. The most familiar face is that of one covered with scars. Distant memories of riots spring to mind as a projection brought marvelously to life. Cassandra's posture remained unchanged as she looked at him. Those blue optics trained on the man as they could pierce through a soul. The look knowing in nature, even if the ADLR unit didn't even bother saying a word otherwise. She knew he remembered her from the way she caught him staring as she had entered. The moment was no less rich or poorer for his presence, admittedly. Her concern was not for herself. She had handled him once beforeβ¦no, it was for the other mechanical beings who sat around her, ignorant. Siegfried was never a lenient man when it came to the replikas. Practical, yes. But never tolerant of any inadequacy.
While Cassandra pondered the reasonableness of adding old file notes to new files, a feeling would wash over her. At first, it was like every circuit in her mechanical frame burned hot. A live-wire sensation snapped her attention away from thoughts of data collection and paperwork to the doorway. The shape stepped through it in an unnaturally graceful fashion, even if they had to hunch down to slide on through. Had she a heart, it might have quickened a few paces like a schoolgirl as relief from outside measures washed over her. A god had stepped among mortals. Before her, the Falke towered over them. Its long shadow cast about the room, even if its face was one of unearthly beauty. Cassandra was built to be pretty to stare at. The Falke? Seeing something made manifest literally drew awe among her replika counterparts. Even after seventeen years of service, the feeling of awe remained. Cassandra had only ever seen three in her lifetime.
The Falke welcomed them to Vineta and introduced herself as Falke-7. Seven was considered a lucky number. Cassandra mulled the thought for but a moment before her highly advanced processors turned back to the new speaker. Her eyes were careful to ensure all of her new ducklings were waddling to the same tune out of respect or, at the bare minimum, some begrudging duty. She would not have dissent at this phase in the mission. It was so far, so good on that front. The Falke unit turned its attention to the AEON officers, with the mission assigned to two of them. Cassandra did not frown, but her instincts told her this was no security patrol or combat strike team, nor was it commonplace work. No, this would be the far more unpleasant kind of kinetic action. In fact, by her estimates, direct kinetic combat with military ground forces was statistically suicidal on paper, given their array of replika's. Most of whom were much greener and ended up in a specialized role anyway. Cassandra would have to exercise due diligence even when hammering a nail.
As the mission plan was laid out, rapid movement would train her optics to the door. Defensive at first, before she caught sight of the slim Kolibri unit, would hurry into the briefing spaceβstacks of neatly compiled papers in hand, which were handed out to all in attendance. Files, perhaps, prepared in particular by Cassandra's own kin. The ADLR flipped through the paperwork at an unnaturally quick pace. Her other cores were already crunching numbers as one processed the data being disseminated to her. The lightning-fast process akin to a supercomputer going through lines of code. It was as originally assessed. Cassandra would say nothing, a gloved finger tapping at the edge of the vanilla-colored folder as if restless. Her understanding of exactly why AEON had been brought in was increased tenfold. The scythe would have to strip the wheat from the chaff after all. This would be a new variable on the rate of neural decline. Only time would truly tell if some could handle the system shock that might occur on the assignment. The ones that did not? Well, they would be dispatched accordinglyβa cold final truth in the matter.
When Falke-7 ended her well-spoken brief and departed the room, it felt as if the weight of the world returned to the replika's shoulders. Cassandra shifted in her seat as she would fold her hands in front of her, clutching her file documents with a stern grip when the Storch unit identified as "Nova" would speak up. The poor thing was crammed into an uncomfortable seating position because of her height, certainly. The ADLR would stand, though a glance would be given at the two officers in the room. A silent request for permission to take charge of her unit, as well as to "correct" the behavior at hand. She would not need to. It would seem that Officer SchlΓ€ger had the floor. His answer to the question was blunt and decisiveβa proper response for one in his position. The replika watched him carefully as he spoke to the assembled group. The officer outlined his directives for the mission before he turned to face her. A look shared between them for only a second. Then came the order of the day: take charge of the unit. Cassandra would comply as she always had.
Curiosity and perhaps stress would pipe up in one of the "greener" of the replika's, a medical EULR who liked to refer to itself as "Macy". The ADLR watched and listened as she stood. Her face was an unemotional wall as the unit voiced its complaint that it had been warned of the mission guidance. Perhaps a complaint made in sympathy for the Storchs. Her response was cut and dry, though she would show the mercy of answering her subordinate. "I understand your worries about being ill-prepared for the task you are given, Macy," She would say. Offering the youthful replika the use of her personal name rather than a unit or model number. Her voice was crisp, between authoritative and understanding. Her demeanor could carry the caress of silk or the cruelty of the lash. "You will find that within your time in service; we often will not properly receive warning orders before movement. It is an unfortunate logistical breakdown, but one common within the warzone. I will not begrudge you the wish to know why; I only ask that you remain flexible and stay on task. Your patriotic concern has been noted and will be submitted to the appropriate authorities when they are free to address it. You will voice any further concerns to me, and to me alone. Understood?" The last line was polite but was certainly not a request.
She would look to her assembled troops with a confident posture. As if speaking in front of them came to her as naturally as fish took to a stream. "As Officer SchlΓ€ger has stated, I am ADLR-V-459096. One of my former Gestalt officers found this to be vexing to say each time he addressed me, so Cassandra will happily do, if you so wish to use it. I will be your ADLR unit and direct line commander throughout the operations here planetside." She would look upon the assembled. Her statue is certainly not as towering as some in the unit. Still, the ADLR carried herself with a sense of innate, unrelenting locomotion, suggesting a being quite efficient at its job. "I am pleased to receive such a capable detachment from each of your respective units. Each of you comes highly recommended by your superiors for this operation. In the coming days, it is my personal endeavor, if you will indulge me, to get to know each of you a bit better. I am your commanding unit, but I am also here to help and guide you. Nothing is too big or too small, and contrary to popular belief, I do not believe in stupid questions. I'd rather you ask and know than operate off an incorrect assumption. The mission ahead of us will be difficult and will tax even the most seasoned among us. If you are in need, do not hesitate to reach out. We are strong only as a unit and not as an individual." Her voice was soft and nurturing. Far from the sharp edge it might have held before. However, when it was time to get to business, such a tone began to shift. Her words held firm demands, not suggestions. However, she would continue the trend of using their favored names on file.
"Nova, see to it that each unit is armed properly and has been issued a proper stock of ammunition. As stated previously, we will not be making camp or receiving resupply for some time after crossing our patrol perimeter. It would be best to assume every forsaken soul we meet on this world, Revolutionary or Imperial alike, is armed and should be treated as such. I will accept no surprises or lapses from our combat arm." Her gaze moved between both the Storch and Starling units alike before she would address Irya. "Irya, you will be assisting Nova in the tasking. You will both be checking over each unit's assigned body armor and weapons as well. If there is a deficiency, I expect to be informed immediately." She would turn to see Macy's raised hand. The ADLR stifled a chuckle at the gesture before she would speak once more. "Yes, Macy?" The woman would wait, listening intently before she would look about the squadron. The unit's eagerness was to be appreciated, though that fire had to be focused and tempered in the days ahead. Overeagerness was a common killer on the battlefield. "I appreciate your revolutionary spirit, Macy. Yet the orbit you will be assigned will most certainly change, given the mission's constraints. For the moment, you will be assigned to roving duties. Stick beside me, and I will dispatch you where you are needed. For now, ensure you are properly stocked on medical supplies and inform me if you are not." Cassandra would turn to the ARAR unit to issue her last set of direct orders. "Eve, I will need you to check on the status of each unit's communications units and, if any deficiencies are found in the equipment, to correct them."
Cassandra would turn to all the replika units present. Her voice was stern. "I want a full gear layout from each of you. This is so that we take accountability for all items assigned to us for the mission ahead. We are entering operations that may become kinetic, and we will face significant mental and physical stress even if they do not. That said, I see potential in each of you. My faith remains that we will carry the day, no matter the obstacle. If we have any questions before we step off, please ask me. If you wish to come and introduce yourself to me, I'd be delighted to speak with you. Please take what little time you can spare to introduce yourselves to one another and briefly socialize. I want to be ready for the march within the next ten minutes, at the most. Breaking this time hack is unacceptable, so each of you will be ready by then." She would command. "You have your tasks. See to them!" She would wait for a moment to field any pressing questions or personal greetings before she herself would turn to her AEON Officers. The replika assumed a position of attention before speaking. "I wish to know my left and right limits in this operation ahead of time, if possible, as well as your expectations of me in the coming days as we take back the industrial district."
If Eve had a natural heartbeat, it would have been racing over one hundred beats per minute as she boarded the dropship. She ducked her head, attempting not to bump her protective headpiece against the metal frame of the entrance. As this was her first time aboard a ship, she wasnβt well-versed on what she needed to do, so she simply tried to find a seat that would not obstruct any pathways. As she found her spot, she contemplated whether to take off her headgear, but soon decided against it for her own comfort. Eve looked around, taking in the fearful faces of Gestalt conscripts and the more naturally calm faces of most replikas in comparison.
βI guess it makes senseβ¦ we were made to work until we die. Gestalts were born to survive.β
Eve silently thought to herself before putting that in the back of her mind. She had more important things to do than philosophise. Once everyone was seated and strapped in, the doors were closed and secured, and all that could be heard was the clunky hum of the engine, the constant noise of the transmission, which had been in a loop since she had arrived at the station, and the frantic murmurs of the Gestalts around her. She noticed that most Replikas were acting much like herself. Quiet, reserved. She was unsure whether it was purely due to the atmosphere of war or just what these Replikas were like. Eve looked to the left of her and saw
a lone STAR unit, which seemed quite strange due to their social nature within their Cadres. The STAR unit caught her glance and used it as an invitation to start a conversation.
βI canβt believe this is actually happeningβ¦ I never thought I would leave my Cadre to join another one.β
That explained her being alone, but it still seemed strange that she was being moved at all.
βI was wondering about that. I have never seen a STAR by itself before, if Iβm being honest.β
Eve murmured, turning to fully face the unit. She took in the replikas appearance, noticing that its uniform and hair seemed slightly dishevelled, and her eyes looked strangely bright in the dim light of the ship. She began to worry that perhaps this STAR is being sent out due to persona degradation and is essentially being sent on a suicide mission. She hoped she was wrong.
βHow long have you been separated from your Cadre?β
Eve asked, hoping the answer would help ease her worries.
βA few weeks nowβ¦ they said it would be good for me to separate from my group so I could easily meld into my new one, butβ¦β
The STAR went quiet, warily looking around at all the replikas, trying to ascertain if she could say something without the threat of being decommissioned. She turned back to Eve and leaned in, whispering in her ear.
βAll it has done is made me realise there is so much freedom in being alone.β
Right as the last word reached her ear, the dropship rumbled to life and began its departure from the station. Eve froze, although to most it would seem as if nothing happened. Her face remained as stoic as ever, but her ocean blue eyes seemed to turn to ice. Eve stared into the STAR unit's eyes, causing the unit to flinch back into her seat.
βDonβt say that.β
That was all Eve could say before looking away from the STAR unit and staring blankly at the wall. If any high-ranking Gestalt or Replika heard that this STAR would most definitely be decommissioned, and despite the sinking dread that filled her body from the unit's words, she didnβt want that to happen. Anyone willing to fight for the good of the Eusan Nation, Gestalt and Replika alike, should be given a chance to prove their worth, no matter their personal beliefs. Perhaps these thoughts would also be seen as incorrect, but unlike the STAR unit, Eve would never speak of them. The ride to Vineta was somehow more tense than before. The STAR unit kept stealing glances at the ARAR unit, seemingly trying to think of something to say.
As they reached the exosphere of Vineta, the ship began to shake as it started its descent into the lower atmosphere. As they made it into the mesosphere, there was a loud thunderous explosion that seemed to have happened only a few meters away from the ship. The ship was hit with a barrage of heated metal from the explosive shrapnel, which caused the pilot to tilt the ship downwards, putting the ship at a dangerous angle for landing safely. The descent was coming faster than anticipated, and although the pilot was attempting to fix this, it was clear they would not be landing directly at the station. Many of the Gestalt conscripts began to pray or say their goodbyes to their comrades around them, while most replikas simply stayed in the same position they had been in the entire flight. Eve finally looked over to the STAR unit, which seemed to be hyperventilating. They locked eyes once again, and just as the STAR unit began to open her mouth, a loud explosion came from the right side of the ship. Another missile barely missed the exterior of the ship, but still left burning pieces of shrapnel to scrape against the wings and thrusters. The STAR unit desperately gripped Eveβs arm, pulling her in to whisper in her ear.
βMy Gestalt name was Valerie. I just needed someone to know.β
She whispered before pulling away. Eve sucked in a sharp breath, unable to truly comprehend what this STAR unit just told her. She shook her head, trying to ignore the litany of thoughts and fears that came from those two sentences. She needed to focus on getting to Vineta safely. That was her mission. Not listening to some crazed STAR unit. She closed her eyes, centring herself, and it was as if her inner turmoil was interconnected with the ship, as when she calmed herself, it was as if the ship followed her lead. The pilot got the angle of their descent under control, and although they did not land in the station, they landed only two miles out. All of the occupants of the ship exited the ship and began to trek to their original destination, most just simply happy to be alive for another day. As they reached the spaceport, Eve looked around. The STAR unit was gone.
A voice shouted her name. She stepped forward and was given the order to head into the headquarters. She quickly made her way inside, trying to keep her anxiety quelled as she was led through the maze of desks and other working replikas to what looked like a briefing room. As she entered, she realised she must be one of the last ones to make it due to her two-mile detour. She quickly tried to analyse everyone in the room, but found it to be quite difficult with all of the thoughts swirling in her head. The first people she noticed were the two Gestalt AEON agents sitting in the front of the room. One had dark black hair and a litany of scars covering the left side of his face, and he seemed quite uncomfortable, but she didnβt quite understand why. The other male was blonde with blue eyes and had a certain pull to him that she didnβt quite understand either. She decided to leave them be for the moment and observed the rest of the room, finding that everyone else so far were different replika units. She was starting to become overwhelmed and decided that she would introduce herself after the briefing.
She sat down towards the back, not quite ready to hold any type of conversation, a few seats away from the STORCH unit. She leaned her head back, staring at the ceiling and trying to calm her ever-racing mind. To most, it would just seem like she was tired, perhaps just weary from travel, but if anyone paid close attention, they would notice that her breathing was quick and frantic. As the rest of the team made their way in, Eve began to calm herself enough to focus on the task at hand.
βItβs better this way. Only think about the mission.β
She thought to herself, her face blank but her eyes fierce with determination to get whatever job is given to her done. Everyone sat in tepid silence, waiting for something to happen, waiting for someone to appear. Only a few minutes after the last replika walked in, a presence that Eve had never seen or felt before entered the room. She felt her entire body both relax and straighten up at the same time. A FALKE unit. She had only heard about them from older replikas, but never realised how strong their influence was until she was faced with it head-on. Her mind became empty at the pure sight of her; Falkeβs words were the only words she had ever heard at that very moment. At least that's what it felt like. She drank in every word as if it were the sweetest of ambrosia and took the file from the KOLIBRI unit with a reverent nod.
βWelcome to Vinetaβ¦β
Those words echoed in her head for just a few moments after the FALKE unitβs departure, and soon she was back to reality, the ecstasy of those brief minutes dissipating just as fast as it arrived.
β...I thought the capital was meant to be securedβ¦β
Eveβs head turned to the STORCH unit that had spoken up and then looked back at the two Gestalt officers. She hadnβt really thought about that until now. She just knew they had a mission, and with it being her first one, she was willing to do anything. The black-haired Gestalt spoke up first, taking charge and speaking with his partner before ordering the ADLER unit, Cassandra, to give us our tasks before we start the mission. The EULR unit, Macy, spoke up, complaining about the lack of preparation. Cassandra immediately brought a calm but professional presence to the group, giving each replika their own tasks and encouraging camaraderie within the group before sending everyone on their way.
Eve pulled her headpiece off, letting her dark hair fall to the middle of her back, and placed it on the table in front of her. She then detached her tool bag from her hip and began to lay out all her tools, including a lock-picking set, an adjustable wrench, screwdrivers of various sizes, a hammer, a utility knife, and a flashlight. She would have to ask Iyra about whether explosives will potentially be needed for this mission when she gets the chance. Eve then pulled out her own communications device and began to play around with the frequency to find a quiet station that they could claim as their own. She finally found the frequency she liked, picking 112 kHz and began to walk around to set everyone's communication devices once they started laying out their gear.
Irya had lived long enough to find herself soon to be at the frontlines of another war once again, assigned to assist in securing the capital to further the pinnacle of revolution. In truth, she didn't care about ideals or abstract benevolence. What mattered most was her absolute loyalty to her commander's orders and her ability to fulfill them, whoever or whatever they may be. Regardless of where their true loyalties lay, she treated most else a distraction, as invitation to be scrapped and recycled into material to be used for something more useful of a tool. This was the idea she had forever ingrained into herself, or so she thought until her most recent years in operation.
In the time that was spent in between deployments and maintenance, she had found herself holding onto trinkets of her memories from past teams. Whether they be scars, little scratches or chips of vanity on her weapon, or even a passing gift from a gestalt she had served under before their demise, they had begun to matter a bit more, too much for her to let go. If this revolution vowed to grant her that freedom; If her participation would further the freedom to keep what she wished, then perhaps serving them may have been better. Perhaps killing for them wouldn't bear so much of a burden.
"You're up. Is there something wrong with your diagnostics? There's little need to waste energy." Peeking from the bunk above her on the ship still travelling towards the capital of Vineta, her current handler checked in with her as they sailed through the void of space. There was no natural light that would've answered for why it was so bright within the room, no passing star to cloud the reflection of their faces within the reinforced glass that separated them and space. "You could be honest with me. I'm here to help after all."
"Nothing is wrong. Thank you for your concern. I'm just going through old data logs." Repeating old memories stored deep inside her brain, Irya found her old comrades in past pictures. Many of the people she had once looked up to for wisdom had lived on in her well after their bodies had decomposed or decayed. Relistening to some of the advice they gave her before, she hoped that it would be enough to survive what was coming ahead. After all, she had yet to be deployed to an area where there was little risk of combat. Even with the words of others suggesting that the world had already been secured within her combat group, it never hurt to be overprepared. "Past memories. If you wish for me to turn off the light should it be disturbing you, I can."
"The light doesn't bother me. I'm just checking up on you." The gestalt she shared a living quarters with sighed. At times, the endurance of a replika was exhausting given their lack of a need for human maintenance. Even in the time it would take to reach their deployment zone, it appeared that his assigned resident Starling would not relent in her pursuit of work. "You can learn how to ease up, you know? We have a few months before we make landfall." He was new, finding it hard to distinguish between her and an ordinary living being at times. Unlike her more heavily reinforced counterparts, with her slender frame, she was surprisingly a lot more human than he liked to admit. "Are you scared?"
"I've never known fear. If it was deemed useful, I would've been issued it." Caution was one thing. Decisions based on emotion were another. She was aware that she held more experience in combat than the man she was assigned to protect and listen to. Scars decorating her body served as enough evidence of the fact. Though, his naivety had served as a point of concern. If he saw her as someone to care about, he likely wouldn't order her to do what she must. "If possible, I would prefer our conversation to be more befitting of our relationship. Treat me as a tool. See me as one. Not as anything more or less." Her voice barely changed as she spoke, remaining in the same tone. "You don't need to concern yourself with any more than giving me orders."
"...Then here's an order. Survive." Closing his eyes and turning around in bed, he began to prepare himself for sleep. If this was how she preferred to spend her alone time, by browsing old memories, he wasn't going to try and get in the way. "You've done so before. I'm sure you'll be able to do so again." The gestalt knew that she was the most experienced when compared to other Starlings in her unit. By surviving, she would be able to pass down some of that knowledge to those that have yet to hear it. "If you can't do that for me, do that in service of the revolution. They would find something like you useful. Don't die too soon, okay?"
"Orders accepted. I will see to it that I accomplish your order to the best of my abilities." Without question or protest, she affirmed his belief. It was her purpose; Her reason of being. If not for her affinity for ensuring orders are completed regardless of the circumstances around them, she'd have little doubt that her mind would've succumbed long ago. "Goodnight." She whispered, turning down the light in spite of her officer's shared thoughts. Unlike her, they needed sleep. Unlike her, they felt feelings separate from the mission. Unlike her, they saw things she would never understand. "I'll try to survive... As you ordered."
Handpicked into a new unit.
Instead of joining the frontlines as she once believed, just days before deployment, Irya was given a new task: To meet with her unit at the designated building. Delivering her notice was her rookie officer who looked both excited and nervous at the prospect of his first mission being involved in something as important as the planet of Vineta. Apparently, she had been selected by superiors well above his rank for her experience in the battlefield, making her stand out from her rather numerous model class cohort.
"Looks like today will be the last day we'll be seeing each other, Irya. Good luck out there." Placing the briefing in her hand for her to scan through in her own time, he patted her on the shoulder, wielding a smile to dissuade any form of anxiety he held. Something was wrong with the surface. The supposed fleet they were accompanying that was meant to secure this planet was far too big for a world that was considered "captured." It was only a matter of time before they would discover the truth. "I'll miss you."
"Mhmm." Her eyes were quick to roll over the documents. Their numbers were fewer than she imagined, but among them were varied roles. She would be deployed to a small team of specialists, most likely meant to carry out some sort of tasks that necessitated a talented few in enemy territory. Lifting her eyes towards her soon-to-be ex officer, she saluted him. "Be careful out there. You're more useful alive, officer." They lacked the time spent together for her to remember his name, though, similar to the humans she had served beside before, her eyes grew wide at the sight of a small charm that was meant to be hung from her gun placed on her documents as a gift. "What is this?"
"Think of it like a good luck charm to remember me by." It was cute and small; Based on a mammal that was considered extinct in his home world. "Truth be told, I'm nervous. Its my first time being deployed to a warzone... And well, since you're my first subordinate. I thought it would be nice for you to have a piece of me if..." He paused. "...If something were to happen to me on this deployment. I don't know when I will breathe my last, but... I want to leave a part of me where I can. I'm still scared."
The starling never understood fear. Her own survival was never something she grew too concerned with until it became a mission parameter. Though, where she believed she found her own strength, she decided to bring it up with her officer as well. "... Our superiors wouldn't have ordered you to Vineta if they didn't think you could handle it. Take solace in their wisdom. Find strength in their command." Turning herself around, she didn't look back at the man that would soon be assigned elsewhere. "It has been my pleasure working with you. Make the Eusan Nation proud."
"I will miss you, Irya."
"There will be many others to replace me. I am but one of many. Don't fail them."
"You will obey their every command as if they speak for me, together you will investigate leads and rumours of Imperial agents hiding within our loyal population, and excise them. You have all been selected for your skills or remarkable resistance to persona degradation. I expect nothing but obedience from all of you." Irya saluted, standing straight upon receiving orders from her massive war-construct superior. While the capital itself strayed far from the propaganda the revolutionaries had liked for them to believe, she didn't question nor waver in her loyalty to her command. There was no place in mind for it; No processing power to waste. They were responsible for handling the task of dealing with a resistance cell. That's all that she was taught that mattered.
While one of her gestalt officers, the one she recognized as Sigfried, had discussed plans with their ADLR, she began to conduct maintenance on her weapons and gear, running a diagnostics and inventory on what she had on hand in the process. Whenever she had the downtime for it while on the battlefield, she used it for preparation, remaining close enough to the others to listen in on any additional conditions that she had to be wary about. Her deployment here as she made touchdown to the surface was far from an easy one. Flak artillery had slammed into her ship, costing her some external-structural stability. Her weapons, granted to her before the mission, had shown signs of use. Sparse rebel action during escort duty on city streets leading towards the headquarters had waned part of her ammo stock. Her body itself received a few repairs from passing EULRs on the field. Even while not perfect, she was still an asset: A worn tool that could be used until it broke.
As she listened, she nodded. He was right. They were far from a team prepared for any full scale conflict. At best, they could clear and secure a single building, though it won't be without cost, especially with the limit of time and information. With enemies still present on the surface as well, it appeared that their mission's conditions would be complicated. "...I thought the capital was meant to be secured..."
"We're needed at the capital for a reason, STCR-V-116029." It was too late for assumptions to be important. They were here, deployed to a hostile place. There was no going back. There was no point in changing their minds now. "I'd advise you to remain calm and listen to our ADLR. Time spent hesitating over what we can't control would only waste one of our finite resources." Her voice was stern and cold, parroting the words of her more experienced counterparts. "We have a mission to do here dependent on you accomplishing your responsibilities as a storch. Worrying is not one of them. Leave that to our gestalts."
"As Officer SchlΓ€ger has stated, I am ADLR-V-459096. One of my former Gestalt officers found this to be vexing to say each time he addressed me, so Cassandra will happily do, if you so wish to use it. I will be your ADLR unit and direct line commander throughout the operations here planetside." Their ADLR's voice was perfectly tuned to the right commanding, audible frequency. While the flowery language was something Irya herself never cared for, the fact that she appeared to be an extension of the Gestalt's will was more than enough to summon her attention. "If you are in need, do not hesitate to reach out. We are strong only as a unit and not as an individual." Saluting the ADLR with the same level of respect as she did Falke Seven, she watched on for a moment as she delivered orders nearly immediately.
"Irya, you will be assisting Nova in the tasking. You will both be checking over each unit's assigned body armor and weapons as well. If there is a deficiency, I expect to be informed immediately." Upon hearing her name be called to receive orders from her ADLR, Irya nodded, placing her weapons on a surface in front of them to take inventory. "As you wish." She was in need of maintenance from a EULR and her equipment was due for inspection from a Storch. "You're Nova, correct? Here is my weapon. My armor too. It had sustained some wear and tear on the deployment here." Sliding her rifle and sidearm to her, instead of seeing her as a liability, Irya appeared neutral. Her issue was with the statement, not with the replika itself. "I'm Irya. Its a pleasure to be working with you."
"I'll be sure to preserve your operational readiness." Assisting the storch in dismantling the protective plates of their gear to look well beyond its surface level, she made note of the charm she was gifted by her past officer, pulling it to the side to avoid damage being inflicted by accident during diagnostics. It had survived landfall and the encounters she had dealt with since. For her, it was a symbol of resilience. "If something is a threat to you, please bring it up to me. Let me handle it for you."
There was something about the unrelenting stares of wide-eyed young gestalt revolutionaries that had a way of threatening to burn holes through ones' uniform and skin alike. He could feel their eyes upon him, and he was certain the two EULR units on board were feeling them too -- especially those of the teen-aged boys.
Alistair didn't mind. He remembered what it was like, to be their age, even younger, and look up to the Gestalt officers in more ways than one. To admire the dignified sense of control they were meant to represent, despite the pitiful job that so many made of doing so. So too did he recall what it was to be fascinated by the walking, living, breathing marvels of mechanical engineering that were the replika. He'd had nearly twice the years as most on board the dropship, been an AEON operative for nearly as long as they'd existed, and still he regularly found himself impressed by what they could do.
He sat with a calm composure, hands resting idly upon his lap, not straying away from meeting some of those peering eyes that sought him. It was not just with some morbid curiosity that they were looking to him and the EULR, he knew that much. The anxiety, the stress in the air as the ship approached Vineta was palpable. The months of monotonous, uneventful travel through the cosmos upon cruisers destined for the cradle of humanity had afforded more than enough time to think and to dwell on the possibilities. Still, it paled staunchly in comparison to these final moments, as the hundreds, thousands were seperated into dozens and crammed themselves into these tiny pod-like ships built for agility in their approach. Somewhere between the boarding and the departure from the carrier ship, realization had taken hold of them.
These were the final moments of peace many of them would ever know. Even the most fresh faced young gestalt understood the danger that was looming, and looked to the only symbols of perserverance they could find aboard, as though seeing worry upon those faces would give them permission to express the same.
They would not find that permission in his countenance, even as the ship began to rumble and sway, the gravitational pull of Vineta curling its fingers about its hull. Even as the first shots of resistance were fired, the light of their tracers whizzing by the portholes. The sounds were lost to the vaccuum of space, of course, but somehow the impressions still echoed. He caught sight of an explosion through one of the portholes behind a young man at across from him. The carrier ship they'd been released from mere moments earlier being plucked from the fleet like a bird in the sights of the hunter.
The replika beside him had seen it too. She showed no expression, only continued to listen with unbroken intent to the voice of the Great Revolutionary. He too remained stoic, though the speech emanating through the speakers was far from at the forefront of his mind.
He'd heard these words before.
He agreed with some.
He disagreed with others.
But he'd heard them all before.
And he never let on those opinions.
His fellow gestalt were listening, as well, hanging on the revolutionary's words, far more than him, but still less so than the replika units, and for very different reasons. Even so, he did not speak until the transmission came to its inciteful end.
"The fear, that pang of anxiety you all are feeling..." his voice broke through the moment of tense silence that followed. "It is natural. Allow yourselves to feel it. That feeling is your humanity. and that humanity is the Nations' driving force. The moment you lose it, there is nothing here to work for..." His voice was eloquent, steadily and smoothly spoken, yet crystal clear in the space, reverberating off of the ship's steel interior. "So allow yourself to feel it. Not to succumb to it, but to use it as a tool. To remind yourself of what you all are here for. Not just for yourselves, but for eachothe; for your fellow man and woman. For humanity itself. For the Eusan Nation."
Fighting. Death. Strike. Blood. Kill. All words noteably absent from Alistair's short-winded speech in contrast to that of the revolutionary. Words he did not deem necessary to hammer any further into the bases of their skulls as had already been done not only by the voice on the communication but by their years as citizens of the Nation. Instead, it was feeling. Humanity. Work. Eachother. To him, that dichotomy was important. There would be a time for fighting. Every one aboard the ships to Vineta was well aware of that fact. Perhaps none more so than him. All the more reason.
"I'm looking forward to taking a deep breath of the Vinetan air. It's been a long time." He said, relaxing his tone a bit and leaning back in his seat. "It is true what they say, you know. That the air here is the freshest, most crisp you'll have ever felt filling your lungs. You should take the time to enjoy it, when you can."
"How do you know that... S-sir? Have you been here before?" a voice pipped up from a seat across from his own.
He looked at the young boy and smiled a bright white smile, staring into his eyes. "Oh, you could say I've been a time or two, yes... Welcome to Vineta, my friends."
As if on cue, there came the startling reminder. An HVP round struck one of the dropships wings, causing it to momentarily lose control as it approached the ocean covered planet's surface. As the vessel spun out, screams erupted from the gestalt civilians on board. Alistair himself suddenly clutched at his seat in surprise. The sheer force caused some of the restraints to fail, sending passengers toppling over helplessly. Others were injured by the very harnesses meant to keep them from suffering the same fate.
This was the side of the revolution he'd managed to help them forget for all of a few short seconds. Now, instead, it was him ordering the EULR units on board to help keep them safe as the ship struggled to regain some semblance of stability, if only enough to make an emergency landing.
Alistair was one of the last to enter the room, but wasted little time in taking his place near the front of the room alongside his fellow man from AEON. He stood at firm attention, feet at shoulder width apart and his arms crossed behind his back, one hand folded into the other. Despite the... turbulence... he'd managed to keep his uniform in mostly pristine condition, save for a couple of rogue scuff marks visibile if one were to examine him closely. There was little time for that, nor for proper introductions, before the Falke unit arrived.
She was the paradigm of what a Falke unit was meant to be. Everything from her towering stature, her clear and immediate influence over the other units present in the room, to the eloquence in her language and the composed pride with which she carried herself. He'd seen a few Falke units in his time, but he could not help but wonder if she might just have been the most ideal specimen of the sort he'd encountered yet.
In fact, looking about the room, he found he might just have been able to say the same for some of the other units, as well. Perhaps they were all currently so perfectly pristine in their appearance as Falke-7, but the variety of specialized units in and of itself suggested a unique level of capability in each of them, one he was quick to assess. The female ADLR unit was interesting, to be sure, but it was the young EULR and the STRC that had tucked herself in the back of the room garnered his interest especially for reasons he could not yet put a finger on. As for the man standing nearby, he did not seem familiar, but there was no doubt with regards to his level of experience in the field. He'd managed to coax a few details out of his superiors in his initial briefing, enough to know the man's name was Siegfried, among a few other choice pieces of information.
Alistair made certain to take the time to study each and every unit in the room as the Falke unit spoke, only breaking pattern to nod in acknowledgement when she brought the two of them to the attention of the rest. He found himself meeting the eyes of several of them, if only for brief, fleeting moments.
When the Kollibri unit entered, he couldn't help the faint and momentary upward turn at the corner of his lip. Her, he did recognize, and he was happy to see that she was still in service. He was the only one in the room as far as he could tell to verbally thank her, by name no less, when she handed him the briefing packet. By contrast, there was his partner -- whom had not only not taken the folder from the KLBR, but had physically backed away when she set it in front of him. Though he kept his expression neutral, Alistair looked the man with the burnt face over once with his bright blue eyes.
An AEON Intel Officer... scared of a replika?
It had not gone unnoticed that, save for his dismissive answer to the STRC unit, it was he who Siegfried had immediately turned his attention to. Just as it hadn't gone unnoticed that he was looking him over in the process, as well. He had to admit, however, that he was clearly and remarkably perceptive and intelligent in his assessment of both their crew and the missio at hand, given how little time they'd had to digest the more detailed information.
Alistair nodded. "Agreed. This unit should be able to handle itself in small scale combat, should it come to that, but I do not expect that is the intention, nor do I believe there will be reason for it to. It will be best if we can use our advantages to map out the area and assess the numbers and quality of the forces we're dealing with before making any engagement decisions." Siegfried did not seem to keen on an introduction beyond the professional one, as he had turned his focus to the ADLR unit quickly thereafter. He seemed to have no problem making demands of the unit, though, who in turn addressed the rest of the squad. Just as he'd expected, she was as commanding and articulate a presence as he'd ever seen in and ADLR, female or otherwise.
He met her gaze first when she turned back to the two of them. "I'd say you're already off to a fine start, Miss Cassandra." he addressed her by name and with title immediately, having been paying close attention to the exchanges between the units. "As Siegfried and I were just discussing, and as I'm sure you've been able to assess yourself, our unit is a well rounded group of specialists, but in terms of raw firepower, we may find ourselves lacking against more well put together resistance forces. I'd like for you to keep that in mind as we proceed as well. Combative engagement orders only when strictly necessary. The last thing we'd want is for any of us to get injured or worse if it is at all avoidable. That includes you as well. We will work together to ensure we complete our mission, and most importantly, that we all survive." He glanced at his AEON partner briefly before extending a hand to Cassandra. "My name is Alistair, You can call me Al. I am here to do my best to ensure both of those things happen as they should. It is a pleasure to be working with you."
"As for you, as well, of course, Mr. SchlΓ€ger." He extended the same hand to Siegfried in offerance before he departed, making his way to the STRC unit at the farside of the room.
"Apologies for the bother, Miss Nova. I am Alistair." he introduced himself in similar fashion, a pattern he planned to personally continue with each and every unit of their team before adhering to Cassandra's 10 minute warning. "Unfortunately, I was required to expend a few rounds of my ammunition earlier today. A bit of a rough predicament for our dropship upon landing, you see..." He brandished the only weapon he currently carried on his person from beneath his coat, a gold Eu-K508 S Einhorn REVOLVER, in remarkably good condition considering his many years of ownership, with only minor wear and tear upon its finish. The cylinder was nearly empty, carrying only a single bullet in its chamber.
Nova had been in the capital for almost a week. The twelfth liberation fleet that carried the swarm of dropships that had flooded into the capital had taken time to form, and there had been months of delays. The single ship that left from Leng-orbital was a lumbering, long-range supply ship. There was a bitterness to her departure that stung at her even now. Storch units were uncommon, and much of their time was spent with Star units who helped temper Storch's tempers, in return Storch units led Stars with a detached demeanour, able to act as an intermediary between interpersonal rivalries. It was a symbiotic relationship, and it was broken when she had left behind her unit. She would lie if there was no resentment towards AEON for her relocation.
When the others began filitering into the room she barely raised her eyes from her arms crossed over chest, she had managed to do her research and knew that she was only being assigned a single Star unit to her command in her new squad, compared to the tens of Star units that she had formed bonds with at Leng Orbital, it might as well have been an insult from AEON high command, and she was certainly taking it as one. Her eyes eventually drifted across the group when Falke Seven began her briefing. She was aware of the effect that Falkes used their Bioresonance to smother Replika's emotions; some of the repressed anger fell away, and she felt her shoulders drop while raising her head to pay attention. The folders that the Kolibri unit was handing out fell into her lap, and she flipped through a few of the pages, skimming the documents before she glanced over the brim of the documents at the Arar unit sitting close by. That was until Cassandra's voice made her perk up, her eyes shifting to her new commander at the front of the room.
"Nova, see to it that each unit is armed properly and has been issued a proper stock of ammunition. As stated previously, we will not be making camp or receiving resupply for some time after crossing our patrol perimeter. It would be best to assume every forsaken soul we meet on this world, Revolutionary or Imperial alike, is armed and should be treated as such. I will accept no surprises or lapses from our combat arm."
Rising to her feet with surprising speed, she saluted Cassandra from across the room at the command, standing at her full height, her head almost brushing against the ceiling. "Yes, ma'am. I can assure you that Irya and I will be more than enough to protect you and...." There was a pause as she glanced across the room to the Gestalt officers. "And the gestalts." A sigh left her lips as she slowly rolled her shoulders in a stretch before she heard Irya's voice at her side, her singular Star unit. She had already read the units file before her arrival, but already the Star unit was at her side, scolding her as if she wasn't her commanding officer
"We're needed at the capital for a reason, STCR-V-116029."
Nova glared down at her, hunching forward so that she towered over the smaller unit and enveloped Irya in her shadow as she continued to dig her own metaphorical grave.
"I'd advise you to remain calm and listen to our ADLR. Time spent hesitating over what we can't control would only waste one of our finite resources."
"We have a mission to do here dependent on you accomplishing your responsibilities as a storch. Worrying is not one of them. Leave that to our gestalts."
In the moment, Nova only responded to Irya with a low growl as Cassandra continued with her briefing, although her eyes never left the smaller Star unit when she finally stepped over to the larger woman and introduced herself properly.
"You're Nova, correct? Here is my weapon. My armor too. It had sustained some wear and tear on the deployment here."
"I'm Irya. Its a pleasure to be working with you."
There was another purposeful, drawn-out silence as Storch let the words hang between her and the Starling, a soft, almost imperceptible growl left her lips as she struggled to contain her temper before she knelt down, although even leaning on a knee, she still stood a head taller than the smaller unit. "Who said I was worried or anything less than calm, STAR-V-003115...?" It was a rhetorical question, judging by how fast she continued with her scolding. "I was merely commenting on the local Star units' incompetence in taking the capital..." she made sure the rest of the room heard that before she leaned in and lowered her voice to a growl so that only Irya could hear her. "Insinuate that I'm weak in front of the rest of the squad again, Irya, and I will show you why Storch units are designed to command Stars. I expect you to show me respect at all times; you're just a Starling. Know your place."
After the scolding, Nova finally took the rifle and sidearms Irya offered her, looking them over for a moment that seemed to stretch to its extremes before she finally spoke. "Your rifle barrel needs replacing. Requisition one from the armoury before we leave. After placing Irya's weapons down on a nearby desk, she tugged the smaller woman closer and began working at the straps of the chest armour before yanking them off, rising to her full height to check the armour over closer to the lights set into the ceiling before finally tossing it back towards the Starling unit, waiting for her to orgaanize herself before she handed her weapons back to her. "Your armours fine, replace it if the officers think the scuffs and scratches make you look... Unruly." Nova paused before she lowered herself back to the Starling's height. "Stay close to me on patrol and do what I say. Your duty is protecting the others, mine is protecting you."
Before she could rise back to her full height, she heard the officer's voice at her side and turned to face him with an awkward crouched salute.
"Apologies for the bother, Miss Nova. I am Alistair."
"Unfortunately, I was required to expend a few rounds of my ammunition earlier today. A bit of a rough predicament for our dropship upon landing, you see..."
Nova's demeanour seemed to shift in the presence of an officer, and her optics glanced down at the revolver in his hand before she nodded. "I had a similar predicament on planetfall," she responded before she rose to her full height. "There's an armoury down the hall, I'll be requisitoning weapons and ammunition for the others. If you came with me, it might make the process smoother, just a suggestion, though, Sir." Whether Alistair did or did not follow her, she quickly made her exit from the room, only stopping to pull her earpiece out and place it in front of the Ara unit without a word before she stepped out of the room.
The moment she stepped out of the briefing room, three Star units ambushed the Storch with chirpy voices and excitement. "Nova!" one cried out while the others waved. "We're going to be your drivers today, we've been attached to your squad with an APC!" Another one of the star units chirped up behind their 'leader' ", Mhmm! A "GeschΓΌtzte FΓΌhrungs und Funktionsfahrzeuge-" Nova held up a hand "I know what a GFF4 is..." A sigh left her lips as she continued down the corridor towards the armoury, with the three Star units in tow. "Falke told us we were only to be your drivers though, but we'll have you covered there and back!" Nova sighed as she stepped into the armoury and waited in a line of other Storch and Stars. "...Are you going to follow me everywhere, Sasha?" The lead star unit hummed a reply. "Uhmmm... Yep! Me, Mimi and Sabine are assigned to you until the end of the mission." An awkward silence hung in the air before a growl of frustration left Nova. "Uh huh... You can't wait outside for us?" The star merely shook her head and chirped in response. "Uh... No, you know how big the base is? You'll get lost!" Another sigh, another growl left Nova's lips. "And if I order you to?" Sasha merely pouted in response. "I mean... I guess we would, but... We lost our Storch last week, and I was hoping-" Nova held up a hand to silence her. "Fineee..."
When the Storch unit did return, the Star units in tow loitered outside the door. In her hands were two olive-drab duffel bags at her side, placing them on a desk in front of the room before she began organising herself. She lifted a massive backpack from one of the duffel bags and began loading it up with far more ammunition than the seven of them could realistically burn through, along with medical supplies and a miscellaneous assortment of other necessities. Afterwards, she began laying out equipment for the rest of the unit, armour-resistant plating for the replikas, except Cassandra, who she handed a Kevlar plate carrier identical to the ones she would hand to each of the Gestalt officers moments later, with respectful nods to each.
Finally, she handed out a 10mm pistol and holster to Macy and Eve, with three magazines each. "You two shouldn't need to use these, just try to stay behind me and Irya," she said to each of them before she returned to the duffel bags at the front of the room, pulling a belt-fed machinegun from one of them and loading it with a box magazine, she finally returned to Cassandra, lowering herelf to one knee to address her commander. "Equipment has been distributed, ma'am. We'll have enough supplies for a long-range patrol. Falke Seven has assigned three star units and an armoured transport to take us to the Steel Works... I do recommend that you and the two..." There was another pause as she glanced over Cassandra's shoulder at the two AEON officers. "...Intelligence officers wait in the armoured transport while Irya and I clear any buildings."
Siegfried watched as Alistair introduced himself to Cassandra - an act that struck Siegfried as neither odd nor normal, but somewhere in between. He was keenly aware that his lack of sympathy for the Replika's was not widely shared by many in the Nation, and despite his lack of sympathy, he also acknowledged that while he considered them soulless metal husks, a miscreation of flesh and metal, they did have feelings. In some capacity, at least - whether they were feelings like his, or not, was past the point of relevance. Most Replika's performed better when you treated them like huma-.. Gestalts.
And, despite this realization, he did not offer Cassandra his hand - just like he hadn't done so a few years ago when he first met her - and instead merely took Alistairs hand, shook it once, firmly and briefly, before turning his attention elsewhere.
In the back of the room, the Storch unit was, perhaps rightfully so, chastising the STAR unit for backtalk. Whether the unit was right to do so or not, just like the (lack of) sympathy Siegfried had for Replika's, was past the point of relevance. Morale was fractured, it appeared, and Siegfried would be loathe to admit that it didn't make sense. They were all a bunch of mismatched grunts, and while AEON might've selected them for their resistance to persona degradation, alleged or otherwise, they had seemingly forgotten about, or paid no mind to, the lack of squad cohesion that resulted from the patchwork selection of units.
Luckily, before a boiling point was reached, the Storch unit took care of her orders, and left the room to requisition more supplies. Siegfrieds eyes followed her until she was gone through the door, where his eyes fell briefly on a black, yellow and red poster. 'Zusammen zum Sieg uber das Kaiserreich' it read, parts of the text faded. There wasn't very much zusammen about the atmosphere right about now, at least not to the Gestalt mind. The social hierarchy of Replika's remained somewhat of a powderkeg.
He lifted his arm and let the AEON cloak glide off it ever so slightly, checking the time on his black digital watch, the kind that seemed to blend almost effortlessly with the VHS tapes laying around and the casettes that they worked with. He ran through the time in his head, mapping out roughly when he wanted to arrive, but not quite being able to place the travel distance. He turned to the ADLR unit and approached her just as Cassandra was finishing her report on the supply situation - at least as far as combat supplies were concerned. He happened to butt in right as she finished her report, and before ADLR was able to reply, Siegfried interjected.
"Storch," he said matter of factly, ignoring the use of her name, "when we arrive, designate a building for us to take as a field headquarters. Me and officer Alistair will need a base of operations, and since we have an ARAR unit," he continued, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the ARAR unit fiddling with the radio's, "we may as well lightly fortify one of the buildings." He paused briefly, but understood that there wasn't really anything to be said about his order, given that most Replika's new better than to question AEON officers. That said, he didn't tell her how to do her job, and would likely leave it to her own devices to devise a plan on how to clear whatever building he selected.
And if she couldn't do that, then truthfully, why had AEON selected her?
His eyes moved from her face to the machine gun in her hands, before he turned his body to face the Adler unit. This time, the refusal to use her name was less implicit, and more explicit, as he called on her. "Adler, once Storch has given you the go ahead, I expect you to take the ARAR unit, and turn the building into a headquarters." Perhaps to some the refusal to use their names might've been jarring, but this Adler and Siegfried knew eachother, and his refusal to call Replika's by their (self-)assigned names was not new by any means, as she would've experienced all those years ago on Rotfront.
Whether that made it any less annoying, however, remained to be seen - and of little consequence to Siegfried himself.
He glanced towards Alistair, even if but for a moment, before his eyes returned to ADLR. "It would be preferable if an officers' quarters could be established, too." AEON matters were, of course, subject to extreme secrecy, even in the field. The more separation he could create between the Replika's and the AEON officers, the better. Even if it was just a run-down room separate from the general quarters of the Replika's - a place to discuss strategy and other, more clandestine topics.
As if by some sort of tic, he looked at his watch again. "If Storch is satisfied with the combat preparations, and the ARAR has finished her inspection, I'd like us to get mounted up now. Sooner, rather than later. Distance wise, the steel refinery isn't that far away, but there's no telling what the constant shelling in the area has done with the accessibility of the area."
In contrast to her calm exterior. Macy's synthetic heart dropped the moment she saw Cassandra directly address Macy from the corner of her eye. The air shifted once again in the room, but it was much different this time in comparison to Falke Seven. Seven was one of reverence, while Cassandra's was one of dread.
"I slipped up."
She thought before the silver tongue of the ADLR unit severed what little peace Macy thought she had left to speak her mind. Macy's optics darted to Cassandra as her sweet yet stern words whispered in her ears of empathetic sympathy, while her undertone was laced with venom. She flinched when the ADLR unit said her name as if it was poison on her tongue. Cassandra made short work of the unruly EULR unit as if the former was a sacrificial lamb to warn the others on what insubordination awaited for them.
Macy found this pill hard to swallow, but eventually she did chirp out, "Y-yes ma'am. I understand." Her voice echoed with defeat and her posture slumped in her chair. Her gaze avoided Cassandra's, and she cupped her hands together as if attempting to prevent any further of her reputation to bleed out onto the table. But no amount of medical care could mend the misstep she took. Only time could heal this wound.
Of which Macy wasted very little of. She compartmentalized the traumatic descent and focused on salvaging what little of her reputation remained. Macy jumped at the next opportunity to show her usefulness and spirit to the cause. She directed her attention to the two Gestalts in hopes of gaining their favor to balance out the ire of Cassandra. But also because they were a lot more fragile than the rest of the unit. But alas, she garnered the attention of the ADLR unit once more. Except the disarming chuckle made her think it was safe to look. The prize of consolation awaited for Macy when Cassandra acknowledged her fighting spirit. But a sense of unease sat within her belly when Cassandra decided to keep a short leash on the EULR. She could already feel Cassandra figuratively breathing down her neck.
"I copy, and I will inform you if I'm missing anything, ma'am." She said in a tame tone befitting of her calm expression. Soon after orders were given to ensure the Replika's supplies were stocked. Macy hadn't much to her name since most of her belongings she brought with her had gone down with the ship and disappeared into the cold deep depths. Still. The velcro hissed with each pocket she opened. Soaked belongings thudded against the table, and even her firearm. Miraculously it hugged to her thigh and didn't sink like a rock.
But her happiness was short lived when a stream of water poured out when she released the magazine. "Tch," she huffed before placing the firearm on the table. "Mhm-maybe I can ask Nova (was that her name?) for a new-" she began to think before glancing over and seeing the colossal unit glaring with a stare coupled with a growl that made her question if she was about to start throwing hands with the STAR unit. "H-huh?" her head tilted while her brow furrowed. She glanced at her waterlogged pistol, and then back at the not so gentle-giant.
Macy then holstered her firearm, "On second thought. I'll ask later."
Then came along the ARAR unit when Macy began to fiddle with the communication device. "Oh hey. What channel should I be on?" she asked before stepping right beside the half-a-foot taller ARAR to compare her device with. Macy's metallic digits clicked until landing on 112 kHz. "Mind if I test it out with you real quick? I can't afford to miss any calls if someone is injured." She asked, but didn't push if ARAR was pressed for time.
Regardless of their choice, "Well thanks I'm V-161-ahm. I'm Macy. What's your name?" She asked after extending her hand to officially introduce, and get to know her new companion. This ARAR unit was difficult to read with an expressionless face. But Macy's amber eyes slowly began to decipher the unit as if she were hieroglyphics.
A short time afterward. Nova handed a 10mm Titan-45. Macy's lips pursed into a humble smile before her optics found Nova's. "Thank you, and I'll patch you up in return for your protection." She said with sincerity before watching the now gentler-giant leave. Macy gave a nod to the ARAR unit, "That goes for you too. I won't let any of you die. So don't give up on me." Macy then excused herself before being the first at the 'goodie table' Nova had set for them.
She returned to her spot with an armour-resistant plate strapped snuggly to her persons. Along with a wide open medkit she was carefully counting and assessing. The multi-purpose medical knife nestled the back of her waist as if it were a comforting touch to guide her through the impending conflict. While the smoke grenades hung on the right side of her hips. After a few, the gentle humming of zippers silenced once Macy accounted for her materials. She slipped the medkit on her back and glanced over to her superiors.
"Seems like they're still discussing," she thought before she turned her attention to the files. She sat down and took this time to read the intel while waiting for the Gestalts and/or Cassandra to give the word to roll out. With her remaining earbud slipping in place and a classical tune whistling in her ear to help her focus on reading.
Cassandra would give a polite smile as Alistair, her crystal blue optics watching the gestalt carefully as he introduced himself. Her eyes drifted down to his extended hand. It would come as a surprise to her processor though it would not make its way to show on her face. A simple gesture, nothing more and nothing less. She would extend hers to meet his.
Hesitant, perhaps even a bit paranoid in a sense. Was it some sort of test? She shook his hand firmly. The ADLR's grip no to stern as to crush one's hand but not too soft as to give off weakness. A preprogrammed measure which as with most machines was tuned to perfection over the different iterations. Her voice a lovely sound, modulated from her makers to sound pleasing in nature. A cruel bit of engineering meant entirely to gain compliance through the study of how the brain processed sound based stimuli. "You are too kind Al. I hope I do not presume too much when I speak to you in such a manner." She would remark quietly.
Blue optics searched for any facial tics which might indicate displeasure at her statements. Of course, her focus would be drawn away from the conversation with the officers as she would catch bits and pieces of a nearby verbal joust. Her piercing gaze turning to where Nova and Ilya towered over the rest of them. Not a hint of emotion crossed her visage. Only laser focus on the incident. She would however return her attention to the AEON officer to give him a response.
"I understand completely, Sir. It is my express mission parameters to avoid direct engagement with the enemy unless absolutely necessary given the current compliment of troops." She would smile and nod gently, the woman's face turning to Siegfried as he came in to shake Alistair's hand in quick fashion. The movement furtive, as if he wanted to limit his exposure to⦠well, to her. Cassandra's smile held. "Herr SchlÀger, a pleasure to see you again."
She would not get a response. Not that she expected one from the man. It was not a formality he believed she deserved one could assess. Cassandra would turn back to Alistair without rancor or ceremony, only a studied expression. "With due respect to my station, Sir. Officer SchlΓ€ger is an effective and efficient man, however, he is by no means a social one. It would do him a good deal of good should he at least have your companionship. His proclivities make him unable to find it elsewhere." There was a note of concern there in her tone, though her expression did not change much to match it. "We all carry a weight on our shoulders from this war."
She would turn back to her other Officer and give him a crisp salute. "I have enjoyed our conversation. However with time being of essence, this unit requests dismissal to attend to her assigned, Sir." A formal request to see to her Replika's. She had her rounds to do and even if Al was permissive with her socializing with the gestalts, Siegfried was not. If given her leave properly, the ADLR would begin to drift towards her compliment. Her gloved hands clasped firmly behind her back as she moved along examining each labor.
β
The first unit to receive direct attention would be Irya. The ADLR approached the STAR without much fanfare as she would look at the assembled gear on the floor. The worn battle plate being the first thing that would jump out to her attention. It spoke of a number of things. Exceptional service, frontline combat and perhaps a brush with extreme trauma. All things to note for the future logs even if the last would not bode well for a personality matrix. Cassandra held her position until a lull in the equipment checks. "Irya, I will be commandeering your time." There was a knowing tone in the ALDR's voice. Part clinical, part inquisitive.
The administrator unit would glance downwards at the assembled gear. "First off, I would like to commend your initiative to begin checks and for your term of service. It is not every day in which I have the pleasure of a unit with such lengthy service records under my command." A hand would extend to shake the other Replika's hand in mirror to how she would have shook the AEON officer's hands. Her face was touched by concern. "Being that you have been stationed with your unit for some time prior, I assume it has been quite a jump in being pulled from that cohort."
"If your transition period is difficult, I would ask that you speak to me personally on the matter. I am here to help you however I can. You need be efficient in this environment and if there are any underlying issues, that will decrease out capabilities within the field. I trust your experience in what you deem worthy of my attention and what is not. However, I expect to be informed of your status consistently. You are part of our limited combat arm. As such, your operational status is imperative." Cassandra would say.
"I would remind you that the new unit is not the same as your old cohort. As such, you will find that you must adapt to new command structure and personality dynamics. Deficiencies will not be tolerated." Blue optics intense enough to drill holes through battle plate steel. Her tone starkly chilly compared to her previous chatter. She did not see a need to overstep her Storch's correction. Jockeying was normal among new personality templates until hierarchy was established. The STAR would either learn or be corrected more severely. "Your equipment will need to be replaced, and your weapons need to be ultimately retrofitted. I will see to it you have new stock on the next supply drop."
"I understand there is some sentimental value in certain pieces. You will be allowed to keep such things rather than turning them in. In terms of regulations for the new armor plate, I will allow you to wear your previous unit cohort's flash badge on your collar alongside this units. However, you will affix this cohort's battle flash in the forefront before your previous unit's." Cassandra would fold her arms behind her back. "Modifications to the basic battle dress are permitted so long as the battle dress retains the dignity of your station and official doctrine. I will personally correct you if you abuse this privilege. Wear your honors with pride towards your sisters and brothers who came before."
"You are a stellar soldier and a loyal revolutionary, Irya. I expect continued performance out of you. We are dependent on you and Nova to ensure the protection of our fellows. I have a certain trust in you, beyond that of many of our fellows due to our "advanced" age and your character, Irya. Do well to prove my assessment of your correct. You are dismissed back to your duties, comrade." Cassandra would say in a far more gentle tone. Turning to find her next duckling to arrange in row. Her processor already sending out the order forms to supply for the new equipment requisition.
β
She would start at Eve's station. The replika pulling out at rather elaborate looking command earpiece from her ear and disconnecting it from it's "leash" wire. She would set the object down in front of the other unit gently. Her blue eyes glancing over the work being conducted. Every little motion recorded and analyzed by her processor. It was an understanding silence. Letting the technician work in peace until it came time to pluck up her own earpiece before she would speak. A slow, but careful invasion of the silence.
"Guten Morgen, Eve." She would say with a quiet smile. Her eyes looking across Eve's tools with a careful eye. It was invasive, yes, but a necessary evil in the never-ending logistics war.
"Guten Morgen auch dir, Cassandra."
Her response was polite and soft-spoken. The ADLR would however, note a brief moment of nervousness in her expression. Almost as something plagued her conscious processes. Cassandra's shadow loomed a bit more, despite being a head or so shorter than the other unit. Her features turned towards the deficiency she was trying to highlight. "One can note observable wear in your plasma cutter and impact wrench. I suspect they have served you well in your tour of duty. Would you prefer I order you new models or provide parts for personal repair?" Choice. It was a rare grace from the ADLR as she would begin looking over Eve to address any uniform discrepancies.
"They have indeed. I would prefer the new models as they would most likely help with the efficiency of my tasks."
Cassandra would hum for a moment as her central processor relied the information to her command node. The data filed neatly into its proper requisition forms. She would see to it that such supply needs were met on the first resupply drop. A moment passing as she would finalize her signatures on her paperwork to push forward to the supply and logistics companies within the army so that gear could be shipped out. A process which might have taken a gestalt a day's labor was ultimately accomplished in roughly five seconds. The ADLR found pride in that fact.
"Before we step off, as I have experienced in the past with many units under my care, there are certain things which help with the transition of cohorts. Would there be anything, I as your leadership element, might be able to address for you?" Cassandra would inquire. Her hands moving to adjust a strap on the back of her armor plate. The action slow and deliberate. There were no surprises here. Cassandra would frown slightly at the dress uniform beneath. "Your collar will require your attention, Eve. Your armor plate has caused it to bunch. See that it is corrected. If you require new plate issued due to improper issue or defect, inform me." She would seem satisfied by that for the moment.
"Some plants would be nice. I am not well informed on what can grow in Vineta, but anything I could be allowed to tend to would be greatly appreciated."
Cassandra would raise an eyebrow at the request. However, she would give a nod to it. Her face thoughtful as she pondered exactly how she might be able to get her claws on said item. It wasn't every day a unit made such a request. However, she was familiar with reports of ARAR Replika's enjoying the ability to be able to cultivate the plant over a period of time. Perhaps it appealed to their sense of being able to see long term investment pay off? "I will see what I might be able to get for you in that regard. Otherwise, feel free while we're on patrol to pick a plant you favor for approval. I will assess the botanical life for any possible dangers and if approved, you may keep the fauna." The ADLR paused as Eve blushed at her scolding. Her gaze held on the other replika omniously for a moment before she would move on.
Stepping back from the ARAR unit, she would collect her earpiece back and turning it in her palm as she inspected it. "Excellent work so far, Eve. Continue to good efforts revolutionary and I suspect we will have very little need for unnecessary refit." She would attach the earpiece to its leash. Studying those emotionless features as she did so, "You are to tell me if anything troubles you. I will not have my units suffering unnecessarily in silence. Understood? I know being a newer model, this might be your first combat. I am here to aid you through this transition." Cassandra would remark. "Our combat arm will handle most of the fighting, however, I ask that you be prepared for any necessary action." Cassandra would give a reassuring squeeze at the shoulder plate, a learned action perhaps from watching conscripts before she would return to her scan of her units.
"I will see to it as soon as I complete my duties, ma'am. I⦠Do have something to report. Something happened during my journey to Vineta."
Cassandra would stop in a smooth fashion. Almost like she were a pulled by a gravity back into the conversation. Turning about with a concerned look on her face. "Are you alright, Eve?" The ADLR would inquire. Her features pristine even as they were later with a mix of concern and inquisitiveness. Hands reaching out to rub at the other Replika's shoulders gently as her voice turned coaxing. A soft carcass rather than the harsh lash of command. "You know you can tell me anything. I will not judge you nor will I show you contempt." Cassandra would pause for a moment as the ARAR's shoulders shook and then would nod as the other gestured towards a more private space. She followed like a shark to blood in the water.
When they were both out of earshot, the floodgates broke as Eve spilled the entirety of the situation to her. Cassandra's features stoic as she received the information, though a soothing hand would squeeze Eve's gently. A voice so sincere consoling her ARAR gently after she had spoken. To waylay her fears and ease her mind. "It will be alright, Eve. I know it has been trying to grapple with the should you or should you not, but this is the only way we can help Valerie. Persona decline is very hard on everyone involved, especially the Replika going through it." Cassandra would coo softly. "Valerie is sick and needs our help, dear. You have done good to look after our sister. Let me see to it that she gets the help that she needs."
"You did the right thing, comrade and there is no need to worry for uncertainty. What matters is that you were brave, and you came forward to me with the information you had. Valerie is going to receive proper treatment for her condition. The great revolutionary be willing, she will be back at her post in good time thanks to your efforts." Cassandra would say as she would bring the larger Replika into a slight embrace if allowed. Stepping away after the brief moment of comforting to maintain her professionalism. Her blue eyes soft as she would give a warm smile. Grace in her movements almost angelic as she took the other Replika's hand and guided her back to her assigned station. Giving it a soft squeeze before she would release it. "We must look after each other here. Each and every one of us. Just as it is my job to look after the welfare of all of you. We will talk more if you have any more feelings on the matter when we make camp. As I said before, I am here for you, Eve."
"I will personally see to it that if there is a potted plant to be recovered by our logistics units, it will be delivered to you personally. If not, I shall pick you the plant yourself. You have been noted for commendation for your brave actions and your care for our sister units. Keep up the good work, Eve. Let me know if absolutely anything troubles you, my dear." With that, the warm aura of the ADLR began to drift away to her other duties. A figure skater's grace to the brisk pace she took to check on her other units with the same care and affection.
β
Facades were an interesting concept. Derived from the very gestalt desire to maintain an appropriate appearance, most ADLR units could expertly maintain them with poised ease. With seventeen years of experience, Cassandra's was near impervious. Yet as she left Eve's side and her back was turned, a bit of that warmth left her ice blue optics. Her database hub leaping to life as internal systems flickered and blinked on. Records being withdrawn, digital forms being laid out, a unit number and model type outlined. Her pace rapid as the different dispatches would be drafted one by one. The first of which would be flagged to be send for the assigned ADLR of said defective unit model.
::ADLR-V-459096 to ADLR-V-864475, immediate response necessary::
::Transmission received, go for traffic::
::It has come to my attention that one of my Replika's has reported visible signs of persona decline in one of your STAR units. Details transmitting and I have taken the liberty of submitting the BOLO report. Falke-7 will be the receiving command for the incident report. I trust you will handle this.::
::Affirmative. Will attempt intercept before Unit goes to firing line. Failing detainment, blue on blue incidents are 45.4% more likely on the firing line in active combat. My STORCH unit is being informed as we speak. My apologies for the trouble::
::The fault is not yours, Daniel. My report will address the issue as such. We cannot save them all::
::Can't help but feel a certain way about it. You have my gratitude Cassandra.::
::Affirmative, recommend more intrusive observation of your cohort::
::Wilco::
::Glory to the revolutionary::
::And to those who carry the banner::
::END TRANSMISSION::
Cassandra would file away the necessary reports and push the incident to Falke-7. Perhaps she offered the one known as "Daniel" some small mercy. She had been wording reports for some time and knew well enough to denote the Replika units being a mishmash of new personalities whom their handlers had just been introduced to. Rather, she would explain, that war times created heavy stressors which in turn compounded with mental defects. It would at least spare other parties in the cohort legitimate punishment and relegate in the incident to mere tongue lashing should it be handled properly. Degradation was an ill of the battlefield on even the most hardened of Replika's. The best hope was that they could contain Valerie early enough to take re-conditioning measures. Decommissioning was never a task she took lightly.
Within moments both attached AEON officers would receive their briefs on the incident to their personal data devices of choice. Alongside this, came a nicely prepackaged commendation request for Eve. Proscribed reward: A good conduct medal and one potted plant of hardy nature. Privately, Cassandra would tuck away a note for her eyes only on Eve's file. If only to spare the poor thing scrutiny from certain powers at be. The simple text read almost as an ominous warning, 'Close Observation period started. Intel collection in progress.'
β
Onward she would trek, Macy being her next little stop along the way. The ADLR would draw up behind the EULE like her shadow. Cassandra's optics darting over the medical supplies assembled then to Macy herself before she would let out a brief hum to herself. She certainly seemed to have noticed the puddle on the floor plate from earlier. "You are well stocked on your field supplies. Your organization is admirable." Her frame would give Macy a once over with her eyes. Almost as if she were scanning for any sort of defect before she would look back to Macy with a calm smile. Her presence was, certainly to a point, less commanding and more soothing in this close proximity. Accommodating might be the best way to describe the air which Cassandra gave off as she would assess the new medical EULE.
"You do not have to look so rigid about my presence, Macy. I do not ply my trade in cruelty and I'm certainly not here to punish you for being eager. However, I ask that your eagerness not overrule your better judgement." Cassandra would make her way over to the other unit as hold out a hand. Her facial features kindly as she would speak, "May I see your previously assigned weapon, Macy?" If allowed to do so, the ADLR unit would slowly begin to disassemble it. Pausing every now and then as if to mirror the steps so that Macy could observe each. It was seventeen years of service life on display with how easily the unit completed the field strip of the firearm.
"I've been "dunked" on landing once or twice before myself. The best thing to do is to break it down into components before letting each air dry for some time before reassembling the weapon. Mind, your weapon system should still function even when soaked if properly maintained. However, this will ensure there is not further fouling of internal components." She would gently hand each piece back to Macy before she would speak again. More instructional than before as she would lean in to point at each weapon piece to explain the reassembly process. A hand on Macy's shoulder gentle as Cassandra would look up at the much "younger" unit and smile softly. "It took one of my STAR units when I was still but a fledgling to show me that trick. Hopefully it will help you. Should you experience any problems, please inform me and we can't see if we can't get you something new requisitioned."
Cassandra would study the other Replika for a moment, her voice lowering to a soft whisper. One meant to conceal her words to the EULE. "You're a good revolutionary, Macy. I correct you out of care for you. It is my job to ensure your success and wellbeing. You will find that AEON handlers can be harsh taskmasters at times. Specifically within our command, you will find little tolerance for anything out of line. Real or imaginary, if you understand my meaning. I need you to be disciplined and to reel in some of that abounding eagerness. You are exceptionally important in ensuring the health of your cohort sisters and our AEON detachment. With that comes quite a bit of responsibility."
"I believe however, that you are by far the best unit to undertake the responsibility. You will succeed. I have a feeling of that." Cassandra would give a grin to the unit as she would lean away from her. The moment of private confiding over and done with just as quickly as it arrived. Her frame would straight up as she adopted the regal posture of her normal gait. The ADLR nodded back to Macy's work. "As I stated earlier, if there is anything you might need or feel weighing on you, please come and see me. I will be issuing direct line commands to you, so I expect you to be both flexible and responsive. However, if you have the time, please take your components of your weapon to Irya or Nova. They should be able to give you a better second opinion than I. I look forward to working closely with you." With that, the ADLR would dismiss Macy back to her collective tasks.
β
By the time Cassandra had made her rounds, her STORCH unit returned to her. Cassandra watching Nova lower herself to a knee. Thankful so, if only to prevent her from having to crane her head upwards at a steep angle to speak with the combat unit. Cassandra looked pleased to hear the report. Her blue optics traced with a bit of what one could only imagine was pride in the moment. "Excellent, Nova. You've done very well." Words of praise which trickled off in honied fashion as she would look over to the armored personnel carrier and it's compliment of rather green looking STAR units. She would have to address them here in a moment most certainly.
Cassandra would give a bit a rueful glance over to Irya and back over to Nova. Her voice low enough to keep between her and the STORCH. "I understand your new command is a bit of a difficult transition. It is to my understanding you were with your previous unit for some time prior to your reassignment here. Such a move can beβ¦ unpleasant, to say the least. I know from personal experience in the matter. I only ask you have patience with your new compliment. They will take time to feel out their places within the new cohort organization. If you are in need council or just someone to express the stresses of command to, as your commander I am here for you. Ifβ¦"
Cassandra's words would be interrupted by the approach of Siegfried. The ADLR noting the rather impatient look on his half scared features as a sign that the man wished for action. She would prove correct as a flurry of orders would come forth. Cassandra said nothing at first. Content to let such things wash over her like a wave. Then, with careful words, she would respond. "Of course. It would be uncharacteristic of me not to take such precautions nor to fail to prepare a quarters for both you and your compatriot. I will see such orders carried out upon arriving at our bed down site" She would gesture a hand towards the armored personal carrier. "If I may have a word with you on the logistics of the mission, Sir, before we step off." Her tone was polished and respectful.
With that she would turn about to address the gathered units. "Orders of the day are as follows, Replika's! Gather your supplies, finish your last minute safety checks on one another and board the APC for immediate transit. Report to your direct line leadership in the case of all STAR units. Our hit time has been moved forwards. We will meet this new order with the same fervor and zeal as the first. To work! Now!" Cassandra barked. Her tone far more militant. The ADLR turning back to Siegfried once an audience was not longer present. Her voice going into a low octave to obscure her words. The ADLR hyper vigilant to ensure they were not being listened in on.
"I understand the need for a personal space for AEON business. Doctrinally, that is by far the standard. However, in regards to sleeping arrangements or shared communal spaces, I would highly advise not being so distant from the troops." She would remark in cold, clinical fashion. Speaking purely from a logical standpoint. "Given the mission parameters you and Alistair will present them, it would be unwise to create such a distinction. Especially, with considerations to the fact they will be pushed to do what is necessary. You will alienate yourself from those who you dispatch and morale will suffer as a result. Efficiency will decrease after a certain point when the taste for blood becomes unpalatable. They will need a guiding hand and positive reinforcement from all commanders involved."
"Who said I was worried or anything less than calm, STAR-V-003115...?" If there was anything that Irya struggled with, it was understanding the emotions of her counterparts. That was an ADLR's job, not a Starling's. All she recognized were the content of one's words, not the emotional intonations or the facial expressions of the people speaking them. "I was merely commenting on the local Star units' incompetence in taking the capital... Insinuate that I'm weak in front of the rest of the squad again, Irya, and I will show you why Storch units are designed to command Stars. I expect you to show me respect at all times; you're just a Starling. Know your place."
"Understood." Irya nodded her head in acceptance, lacking fear but holding enough recognition of what scolding should look like. Without any peers to accommodate for her lack of social understanding, misunderstandings were bound to happen. "I apologize if my words may have come off as crass, Nova. I didn't mean to question your role or your particular ability to accomplish it." It happened in every new unit; Though with time, it was her ego-less demeanor towards ranks and her willingness to absorb new information like a sponge that made her learn quickly. "I just believed that our processing power would've been best utilized for the tasks at hand."
"Your rifle barrel needs replacing. Requisition one from the armoury before we leave." Given Irya's slender, lightweight frame, she wasn't all that difficult to move. A single finger tugging from the Storch's hand would've been enough to rob her of her position, though with both hands being used, she was dragged towards the larger unit's shadow. With her armor plate coming off, she fell to the ground, only to get up and catch her plate being lobbed after inspection. "Your armours fine, replace it if the officers think the scuffs and scratches make you look... Unruly." Locking eyes with the Storch, her blank expression didn't change. Though instead of simply responding this time, Irya chose to listen."Stay close to me on patrol and do what I say. Your duty is protecting the others, mine is protecting you."
"Acknowledged. I will protect the others. I will leave my protection to you." Finally coming to a better understanding of their dynamic, she took her weapon and donned her armor, ready for their next deployment. "I'll see to it that the rifle barrel gets replaced as well." However, before she had a chance to do more, the sudden call of her name by her ADLR had taken her attention. "Irya, I will be commandeering your time."
"Tell me what you need, ADLR. I will see to it that its done." Believing Cassandra to be speaking for the Falke unit herself now that command had been assigned to her, Irya stood ready for new orders. The commendation was something that went well over her head, though the extension of her hand was an act that the starling unit was more than content with responding to. "Being that you have been stationed with your unit for some time prior, I assume it has been quite a jump in being pulled from that cohort." Still shaking her hand, the starling looked to her other units nearby. "I've spent a couple years deployed with my last team. it will take time adjusting to this new environment." Her eyes hovered over her allied Storch, inscribing to mind the new social dynamics she had to navigate.
"If your transition period is difficult, I would ask that you speak to me personally on the matter. I am here to help you however I can. You need be efficient in this environment and if there are any underlying issues, that will decrease out capabilities within the field. I trust your experience in what you deem worthy of my attention and what is not. However, I expect to be informed of your status consistently. You are part of our limited combat arm. As such, your operational status is imperative."
"I don't believe that I would find too much difficulty. I've been able to integrate with other units before. This should be no different." Initially believing that she would be able to adapt to the new changes, a puzzled look resulted from Cassandra's next comment. "I would remind you that the new unit is not the same as your old cohort. As such, you will find that you must adapt to new command structure and personality dynamics. Deficiencies will not be tolerated."
If this unit was so different that the ADLR needed to remind Irya about it, the information of her new team was worthy of being processed with caution. "Understood. I will learn the new command hierarchy." Speaking without any sort of rebellious tone, Irya slung her rifle back around her shoulder. She wasn't one to go against orders. This was simply one of many being thrown her way. "Your equipment will need to be replaced, and your weapons need to be ultimately retrofitted. I will see to it you have new stock on the next supply drop."
As she turned to listen to the conversation between the gestalt and the storch over new commands, the little trinket hanging from her rifle jingled against her weapon system. "I understand there is some sentimental value in certain pieces." For a moment, she felt a new feeling: Defensiveness. Upon detecting that she was referring to a couple pieces on her gear that held the memories of her past teams, Irya turned towards Casandra, her eyes showing tension behind her lens. It didn't get in the way of her operational ability. As such, it shouldn't be something worthy of change.
"You will be allowed to keep such things rather than turning them in. In terms of regulations for the new armor plate, I will allow you to wear your previous unit cohort's flash badge on your collar alongside this units. However, you will affix this cohort's battle flash in the forefront before your previous unit's. Modifications to the basic battle dress are permitted so long as the battle dress retains the dignity of your station and official doctrine. I will personally correct you if you abuse this privilege. Wear your honors with pride towards your sisters and brothers who came before." That's all she needed to hear. Her survival and performance were all made possible thanks to a combination of the efforts and memories of teams that saw her as worthy of being a sister in battle. "...Understood. I shall make due modifications to my collar shortly. Thank you for sharing your concern, ADLR."
"You are a stellar soldier and a loyal revolutionary, Irya. I expect continued performance out of you. We are dependent on you and Nova to ensure the protection of our fellows. I have a certain trust in you, beyond that of many of our fellows due to our "advanced" age and your character, Irya. Do well to prove my assessment of your correct. You are dismissed back to your duties, comrade."
"I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations, Cassandra."
By the time the Storch unit had finally returned after convening with their armored transport outside, Irya had just finished up with changing the colors of her collar. It felt bittersweet to change something she had been so accustomed to donning over a couple years, however, there was little use in her clinging onto the remnants of her past, especially if her current situation demanded it.
Walking closer and taking a look at the contents of the duffle bags that landed with a thud nearby, she spotted armor resistant plating, an HMG befitting a vehicle mount, and enough ammunition to punch well above their weight given their unit size. Whatever their command expected them to go against, it must've been something worthy of added security. Risk assessment was always difficult to gauge from supplies alone, though, having it happen enough times with her previous units had taught her that their command expected them to run into unknown difficulties.
"You two shouldn't need to use these, just try to stay behind me and Irya," Replacing her plate with what was distributed, Irya adjusted the straps to better suit her form. It was heavier but not to the point of limiting her movement. "Leave your enemies to us. Nova and I will make quick work of whatever obstacles we might encounter along the way." If their more vulnerable counterparts would stay in the APC, at the least, she wouldn't have to worry about having to navigate handling two problems at once.
"Equipment has been distributed, ma'am. We'll have enough supplies for a long-range patrol. Falke Seven has assigned three star units and an armoured transport to take us to the Steel Works... I do recommend that you and the two..." The odd glance was noted. This fell well within the responsibilities of understanding new personality dynamics."...Intelligence officers wait in the armoured transport while Irya and I clear any buildings."
Upon hearing Cassandra's orders, Irya left the building soon after to take her place within the open GFF4. The starlings weren't anything of note, appearing more fanatical about the presence of the Storch rather than the mission at hand. Taking one of the duffle bags with her to place atop her seat, she chose the second closest to the armored door to be as close to the fight as she could be without getting in the Storch's way. Though, before she had a chance to settle in, upon seeing the door open, she found the ADLR standing next to one of the gestalts. "ADLR. Officer." The ADLR's eyes were telling enough that the two had needed space. "My preparations were completed, as you ordered. I'll see to it that the others get here safely."
Standing up from her seat, she left the truck first to allow the others some privacy on the way inside, closing the door behind them while waiting for the others. Unlike her past teams, this one had already shown signs of tension from the first days. They were chosen by aptitude, not chemistry, and it was growing abundantly clear that it would soon become an obstacle. However... That was not her problem. What was her problem was ensuring she greeted everyone properly.
Spotting a few members from the team coming out next, Irya waved them over, stopping them once they neared the vehicle to provide some space for the ADLR to speak in private. "Ah, you must be V-XVIMC. I will be accompanying you for this mission. Its my pleasure to finally introduce myself properly." Unlike before, she attempted a different approach. If the ADLR was able to introduce herself successfully by speaking with kindness, perhaps she could do the same. "We will be in your care. If you have any concerns about your safety, don't hesitate to tell me. You might spot something I'll miss and I want to be useful for you too."
Siegfried had spent some time observing the Replika's, scouring them for any signs of potential degradation. It was not entirely voluntary, more so than just a force of habit for him. Replika's that underwent persona degradation were, at best, unreliable, and monsters at worst. The fact that he knew very little of their baseline in this case meant that he was playing a guessing game. As far as he could tell the majority of the Replika's, if not all, were stable for now. The only one who he could really make an accurate estimate about was Cassandra, but even that was based on very cursory fleeting meetings in the past - the kind where he 'advised' her on the will of Aeon in her facility while he worked to put down a riot there. She'd been remarkably efficient then, and he felt that that trait had not disappeared since. Mildly comforting, is how he'd describe it.
It was not surprising, then, that she requested he speak with her before their departure from the base. He assumed she had found inconsistencies in the logistics, the ammo count, or some other inane thing that Replika's were oh-so-good at discovering. The type of stuff that made Gestalts shrug. He simply gave her a nod in acknowledgement before she turned away to give the Replika's the orders they needed to move into the GFF4.
Then she turned back to him, and her voice lowered. His expression was blank as he listened to her - the kind of expression you'd probably have when you were sat behind a computer, reading a file on some sort of administrative thing that had been decided. Like when the Nation decided the word 'human' was no longer allowed to be spoken. A simple fact of life - broadcast through their mailing systems, read with a blank stare.
But when she questioned his distance, his finger twitched. He recognized her tone as that annoying, irritating, but no-fault-of-their-own analysis that Replika's liked to use, or rather, the administrative Replika's used - whichever donor had been used for them must've been some dull accountant in an administrative facility on Heimat. The light spasm in his finger was, like his observation of the Replika's, not entirely voluntary. To be questioned was usually a non-starter for AEON agents, but to be questioned by someone he outranked by all measures of the word was another entirely. Never the less, his face remained blank and he retorted. "Adler," he said, his voice still polite, "I've led a Replika unit before, and I will likely do so again after this assignment until AEON decides my duty to the nation is done on this planet, and I am reassigned. While I understand your hesitation to.. distance me from the cohort, I would advise you to reconsider your position."
Structured like an advice, it was more like an order to shut up about the matter. There were factors to consider that Adler units likely weren't aware of - at least not from the point of view of seeing this as a military mission rather than an AEON operation. "While you may bond with the troops as you wish, and likewise for my superior, I would prefer to remain free from those... shackles. When the day comes that one of the units cracks - and they will crack - under the pressure of the operation we are about to commence, and they undergo persona degradation, Adler, I will be the one made to put the barrel to the back of their head, and ensure they do not spread their doubts and.. deterioriation onto the rest of the squad. That, in and of itself, is a way to protect the members of this division. Do you not agree?"
He inhaled and opened his mouth, about to continue his barrage in a more aggressive manner, when the door suddenly opened and the Starling calling herself Irya presented themselves. For a moment, Siegfried glared to the side, his eyes spelling less of a need for privacy and more of a desire to vanish Irya from this plane of existence. But his glare returned to Cassandra soon enough and he paid Irya - or their report - no more mind. Despite that, his tone seemed to calm down a bit, as he was made aware of the presence of others in the conversation again. He reached into his cape, and unholstered the revolver from its place under his armpit, then held it out to Cassandra. "Would you prefer to do it yourself, instead, Adler?" The question was rhetorical. The offer to take the gun was, too.
Despite his lack of social grace, he was (perhaps overtly) trying to pressure her into backing down on her advice. "If you degrade yourself, can I count on you to place this barrel into your synthetic mouth...?" He stepped closer, ever so slightly, pushing his hand with the revolver into her stomach. "Can I count on you to do what must be done...? To send those ceramic implant teeth, your synthetic skin.. splattered against the wall?"
He paused for effect, Irya's footsteps carrying away in the background, before he pulled the revolver back, looked down and holstered it again. Opening his cloak, Cassandra would briefly have the chance to see a myriad of AEON medals pinned to his chest. His eyes soon returned to Cassandra's. "I would remind you, Adler, that having to actually pull the trigger is a lot harder than giving the order from a tucked-away, secured administrative office. Those numbers in Rotfront - I remember them. And I remember having to go into that mess, and--..."
He caught himself, smiling at her knowingly. "I've seen what you can do, and I've seen that you can make the right call when AEON calls on you to make it for the glory of the Nation. Do not force me to call on you now, to do what you ordered others to do for you." He leaned in even closer, his face now slightly next to hers, uncomfortably so. "I guarantee you, you'll struggle to pull that trigger if the Replika's you bonded with lose their sense of self. I am not a military officer, Adler, that role is the Storches. I'm here to ensure that there will be no dissidence remaining once we pass through the area - whether that is on our side or theirs. Do you understand?"
A moment of silence passed on his end before he leaned back, and straightened out his uniform, patting himself down. He gestured with an open palm to the door. "I believe the Starling was politely informing us that the others are waiting on us." Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heels and moved for the APC.
After her talk with Cassandra, Eve walked back into the room feeling a mix of pride and something else she couldnβt quite place. She decided not to dwell on the matter too much and continued her duties. She made her way over to the EULR unit and noticed she had already begun fiddling with her own device. A pang of annoyance hit her before a swell of admiration came for the EULRβs lack of helplessness when it came to technology.
βItβs 112 kHz.β
She said briskly, watching over the EULR as she fiddled with her own device. Eve gave a small nod of approval as the communication device was correctly calibrated.
"Mind if I test it out with you real quick? I can't afford to miss any calls if someone is injured."
Eve nodded her head once again before tapping her own device on.
βTesten, Testen, eins, zwei, drei.β
After confirming that the EULR heard her, she began to try to move to the next person, but was stopped by a proper introduction. She looked down at the EULR unit, who had her arm outstretched, and couldnβt help but admire her amiable nature despite the tenseness of the situation.
"Well thanks I'm V-161-ahm. I'm Macy. What's your name?"
Eve reached out to shake her hand in turn, her eyes glimmering with slight amusement despite the monotone expression she always wore on her face.
βI go by Eve. Itβs a pleasure to make your acquaintance.β
She murmured before pulling away.
βWhile I would love to chat more, I need to make sure I get to everyone.β
She said before giving a small nod as a farewell and walking to her next person.
She handled the two Gestalt officersβ devices without much fanfare, noticing that Alistairβs had a small amount of damage to the outer shell. Not enough to cause problems currently, but would need to be addressed sooner rather than later.
βYouβll need to be a bit gentle with your comms device for the time being until I can procure you a new one. Itβs taken a bit of damage, but it still works well for the time being. If at any point you cannot hear someone or it sounds crackly, please just come to me and take mine.β
She handed his device back to him. She quickly reported the cracked comms device to Cassandra, then moved to Siegfried. She noticed him flinch as her fingers brushed his palm as she grabbed the comms device. They stood in tense silence as she tinkered with it, and when she handed it back, she quickly moved on to the next person, leaving with a small nod in respect for her superiors.
Before she forgot, she quickly grabbed her tools from where she laid them out earlier, putting them back into her tool bag, and put her headpiece back on, ensuring it was clipped on correctly before making her way to the few people she had left to help.
As she reached the STAR unit, the one that she had been avoiding, she tried to keep any anxiety from showing, her face one of obstinate neutrality. She quickly took the communications device from her, avoiding introduction, and set it to the same frequency as everyone else. Before she could turn away, the STCR Unit loomed over her, holding out a 10mm pistol along with three magazines. She hesitantly took them and placed them in the empty holster on her hip as the STCR unit spoke of staying behind her, and the STAR unit, Iyra. She quickly sorted out her collar and replaced her armour plate with the one provided for her by the STCR unit as she waited for the said unit to be done reporting back to Cassandra.
As Cassandra gave her orders, Eve quickly walked over to the Storch, aware that she was the last unit she needed to tend to.
βMay I see your comms device, please?β
She spoke firmly, but her voice held a subservient tone, aware that Nova would most likely be the one keeping her from dying immediately on the battlefront. As she took the comms device from Nova, she couldnβt help but stare at the pronged scar on her own hand and the weight of the small pistol on her hip. As she fiddled with the device, she spoke silently to the Storch.
βIβve never used a weaponβ¦ Would you mind showing me how to handle it properly before we set off?β
She asked, her anxious eyes betraying her calm voice, but with her looking down at the device, the Storch wouldnβt notice. She handed the comms device back, staring up at the larger unit and once again recognising that she was the least seasoned of the group. She wouldnβt let that stop her, though. She had finished her checks on the team; now all that was left was to make her way to the APC with the rest of the team when they were ready.
"...It would do him a good deal of good should he at least have your companionship. His proclivities make him unable to find it elsewhere."
Cassandra's assessment of his fellow officer granted him two very important points of information. First, that the Adler unit must have known SchlΓ€ger more intimately than he'd initially realized -- at least, as much of a working relationship as a replika could have with an officer who did not seem to care much for association with them. Secondly, that from whatever history the two of them shared, Cassandra had committed it to memory, as Adlers were so adept at doing, quirks in his fellow officer's demeanor that she deemed important enough to disclose to him, and even to make a suggestion that he could only assume was meant to be read beyond its surface value.
With the way she'd been studying him, it was likely she would notice the momentary look of intrigue that crossed his visage, as well as the cursory glance he threw in the direction of Siegfried's back as he departed them. We all carry a weight from this war, he heard her say with that faint note of worry on her breath. So then, what was his? And what was hers?
Alistair smiled at the Adler unit when she requested to be dismissed, a light hum emanating from his throat. He returned Cassandra's salute with one of his own. "Of course, Cassandra. Thank you for your time. You're dismissed." Even as she did depart, he spent a moment with his gaze lingering on her, curiosity once more briefly dotting his brow.
That was, until the voice of the Storch unit had grabbed his attention in her scolding of the Starling known as Irya. Though she hushed herself part way through, it was obvious from the language of the two units bodies as well as their respective countenance the tone of the exchange had not shifted direction, and if anything had become only more intense. He could have walked up right then and there. Cut the exchange short, perhaps saved Irya some scolding at the hands of the Storch unit. Instead, he waited, for the unit to turn her attention to the Starlings equipment, and only approaching when it seemed they had tended to their business.
He did not question the Storch unit on the content of their exchange, either. He had a feeling he knew. Instead, he was focused only on the words between himself and the unit. "That would be much appreciated." He nodded in response to Nova's suggestion, and proceeded with her across the way and toward the armory, which placed him at her side when a series of other Starling units ambushed the towering unit in the hall. He found himself mildly amused by the visible irritation that quickly made itself apparent in Nova. Whether it was that the Storch simply was locked in on her current work and did not wish to be distracted, or if she simply did not much care for the Starling units in general, he had not yet determined. Either way, he was content to let the Storch unit handle them without a word or sound, save for the breathy chuff that pushed itself from his nose when she silenced them with her hand.
"I see you've found your shadows." He joked to her once they were in the armory. As she began to load up munitions and equipment, he retrieved from her bullets to replenish those he'd expended, along with extra to keep on his person in addition to those she would be packing. He returned her acknowledgement when she handed him his kevlar plate, and then proceeded with his radio to the ARAR unit as had been suggested by Nova. As he waited along with Siegfried to address the ARAR, he soon noticed Cassandra when she appeared in the room again, looking over all. For being an Adler unit, and for following the mannerisms he would have expected of one nearly to a T, there still was something unique about her he could not yet place. But it was one thing he determined silently that he would keep an eye on.
The other, of course, was the man she'd subtly warned him of. He gave that man a nod of respect as he stood beside him awaiting equipment inspection, though it had seemed his thoughts were a bit preocuppied, as well. Just as well, as it wasn't but a moment later that Eve approached him and began to look over his radio.
"Thank you, Eve." he responded kindly as she handed it back to him. "I have not had any issues to speak of as of yet, but if I should I will be sure to report it to you. I appreciate your diligence."
Much as he had done with Cassandra and Nova already, Alistair spoke to the ARAR as though she were a peer, rather than one of his subordinates. He was well aware of the fact that his uniform, as well as the intentionally reduced, but still significant, number of medals pinned upon it, stood for itself with regard to his authority. In practice, however, it seemed as though Alistair made certain to vocally acknowledge and respect to a high degree the expertise each of the units he interacted with had in their respective designed roles. Some may have already noticed that he also had this... way about him, of meeting their eyes not only when speaking, but when listening to them speak to him. As though he was trying to look beyond them with him his own icy blue gaze.
This was in stark contrast to the behavior he was noting from the other of the AEON gestalt. The one who seemed to only look directly at most of the units when he was giving them orders. The one who seemed to be made uncomfortable even by the most incidental of physical contact with them. The only exception to that, and exception was perhaps a designation to extreme, was Cassandra, who he'd at some point approached again and began speaking with before the Adler unit turned to give the rest of the unit their boarding orders. Though he noticed the two of them seperating themselves momentarily to speak thereafter, Alistair resolved not to linger behind, nor to directly insert themselves into their communications, though doing so would have been well within his right.
Instead, as the other units departed and he found himself alone momentarily, he withdrew a small notebook from his inside breast pocket, and jotted down a series of notes for himself. Then, he tucked it away and started toward the APC for himself. If Siegfried and Cassandra were going to be a moment, it'd be best for him to be a presence in the transport as early as possible, he figured. He was the first of the two AEON intelligence officers on board, though Siegfried and Cassandra, would not be far behind as their squadron trickled in.
"Officer SchlΓ€ger, Cassandra." he affirmed each of them. "I do believe preperations for the mission are nearing completion." he turned his attention to the Adler. "I couldn't help but notice you seemed a bit concerned about something back in the armory. Is everything alright?"
"I apologize if my words may have come off as crass, Nova. I didn't mean to question your role or your particular ability to accomplish it."
"I just believed that our processing power would've been best utilized for the tasks at hand."
The Storch unit didn't react to Iyra's words at first. She continued to inspect the Stars' equipment, while shooting her disapproving glances, although before she moved off with Alistair towards the armoury, she spoke once more. "...Just don't let it happen again. Trust me, I have enough processing power to weigh the many tasks of command, Irya... If I worried just about what was going to happen in the next twenty-four hours, I wouldn't be trusted to command other units..." There was a pause as she hesitated to step away from Irya, although finally a sigh left her lips and she reached down to plant a hand on Irya's shoulder. "...Your service record is exemplary. I look forward to working with you." It seemed that was as far as an apology Irya was going to receive from Nova before she left the room with Alistair in tow.
"I see you've found your shadows." The comment from Alistair made her smirk as she glanced back at the gossiping Star units with a sigh that almost sounded contented, as though, despite her irritation, she really didn't mind having the Star units in tow... "Mhmm... In truth, I don't mind the Stars..." There was a pause as she glanced back at three, who seemed to be obsessing over an Eule unit unknown to Nova... "They look up to Storch units... It's basically like having children sometimes... Or at least what I imagine having children is like." Her tone soured as she looked away from them, her eyes no longer meeting Alistair's as she stared forward in the queue. "I was harsh to Irya earlier because she stepped out of line... Sometimes Starlings have to be reminded to respect others; they fight among themselves... They have some tempers on them, some of them anyway... I'm sure she'll be an exemplary unit on assignment, but as a Storch, I have to maintain a certain aura of respect between myself and the others... Cassandra commands the squad, but its my duty to ensure that order is maintained..." Nova trailed off as they reached the front of the queue, smiling down at Alistair before she shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry, I know you don't need to hear all this, Sir." With that, she took a knee so that she could look the armoury attendant in the eyes and began listing off equipment to be requisitioned.
When Nova finally returned to the briefing room, she ordered Sasha and the others to wait outside with nothing more than a show of her hand before stepping back into the room. After distributing the equipment, Nova found herself glancing between the Arar unit and the Eule unit as they inspected their new sidearms, and when Macy smiled up at her and promised to patch her up, a slight smile formed on her lips, although it seemed to disappear just as quickly when she turned to finish her reports to Cassandra.
"Excellent, Nova. You've done very well."
A keen smile briefly appeared on Nova's face from the praise from Cassandra, although that smile quickly faded at being reminded of her previous command. She glanced towards Irya, who seemed impatient to get to the APC and was already halfway out the door before she looked back to Cassandra with a sigh. "I used to have a Star unit who would help me deal with the others... An older one who was very socially gifted... She... It doesn't matter, I'll adjust." There was a drawn-out silence. Although Nova's expressions were hard to read, it was clear that she was reminiscing about her time on Leng with our old unit. Her eyes eventually rose back to Cassandra's before she spoke again. "A command meeting every few days would be useful if you're not too busy, Ma'am. If only to discuss how the squad is handling the transition and to discuss logistics... I hear that's a favourite of Adler mo-..." The storch unit fell silent at the approach of their gestalt officer, and she almost immediately stood up straight, the top of her head brushing against the ceiling as Siegfried had to crane his neck to address her.
"Storch,"
"When we arrive, designate a building for us to take as a field headquarters. Me and officer Alistair will need a base of operations, and since we have an ARAR unit,"
"We may as well lightly fortify one of the buildings."
Nova stared down at him over the brim of her armoured collar, shouldering her machine gun as he barked orders up at her without so much as an introduction. The lack of formalities was actually welcome by the storch unit, whose kind were famous for many things, but socialisation and friendliness were not one of them. The clear, strict orders made her job easy upon their arrival. "Yes, Sir..." Nova's eyes glanced between her Gestalt and Replika officer, and with a salute she moved off towards the back of the room to recover the massive slab of titanium that was her 'riot' shield before returning to the front of the room, zipping up the duffel bags after the rest of the team had retrieved their supplies before slinging both over her shoulder, to anybody else in the room, it would have looked like so much weight from the bags, her weapons and the massive shield would have weighed her down, but the Storch unit seemed utterly unphazed.
"May I see your comms device, please?"
Nova glanced down at the comparably tiny Ara unit who had appeared at her side, once more lowering herself to one knee before plucking her comms device from her ear and placing it into Eve's hand. Storch's had little problems with Ara units, the two replica models were strangely similar in a way, both stoic, silent personalities who were hard to read, the only distinction was their ranks, Ara's were the lowest on the chain of command, and Storch's were some of the highest ranked non-comissioned officers. Nova tilted her head as she watched Eve tinker with her comms device before she spoke again.
"I've never used a weapon⦠Would you mind showing me how to handle it properly before we set off?"
Eve admitted she had never used a weapon; it made sense. Ara units were usually stationed far from the front lines, and this time she seemed rather happy to kneel at the smaller woman's side despite the looming orders to rush to the APC, the officers be damned, teaching Ara basic weapons training was essential before leaving for an assignment, and it seemed Nova was more than happy to take the time, she had the benefit of a high rank, after all. Plucking the pistol she had just handed to Eve minutes earlier from her hands, she ejected the magazine and pulled the slide back to eject the round in the chamber, pushing said round into the magazine before turning the weapon over in her hand.
"This is the safety switch. If the red mark is visible, the safety is off, and the trigger can be pulled, so when it's holstered, and you don't want to shoot, keep the safety switch on." Nova slid the magazine into the pistol's handle, making sure Eve had a good angle to see before she tugged the slide back and held it there so Eve could see the first round load into the breach. "You load the magazine, pull the slide back, and you can see a round go into the chamber. Do not ever aim this at anyone you don't want to hurt. If you aim it at any of the squad, you lose your privileges to carry a firearm." Despite the stern words, it didn't seem to come from a place of malice, merely derived from Storch's duty of care for those under her command. She let the slide spring forward into position with a satisfying click, checked the safety was still on before she handed the weapon back to Eve, guiding both of her hands to the handle. "Keep your finger off the trigger until you want to shoot, extend your arms in front of you..." Nova slid around the back of the Arar unit, making sure Eve was extending her arms properly before she reached out to push her aim upwards, making sure to aim it towards the back of the room and away from the rest of the squad. "Line the sights up so you can see the front sight between the two rear ones... and then, obviously... Flip the safety up, exhale, and squeeze the trigger. But not right now... When we get back from this assignment, I'll spend some time in the range with you." Her hands slid away from Eve's before she rose to her feet with a slight smile on her face. "Just stay close to Irya and me, and you'll be fine... You'll be spending most of your time at the field headquarters with the Star units anyway."
With the brief firearms training complete, Nova rose to her full height again and was immediately back to carrying out Cassandra's orders as she turned to face the door to the briefing room and barked out a name.
"Sasha!"
The star unit that had been lingering outside the room suddenly pushed the door open with a smile, her crimson optics glancing across the ragtag group of Replika's and Gestalts before settling on Nova's. "Yes, Ma'am?" Nova shrugged one of the duffel bags from her shoulder, tossing it across the room before it landed in Sasha's outstretched arms, who stumbled backwards and almost collapsed to the floor from the weight of hundreds of rounds of ammunition stored inside. "Prep the transport, we're moving." Sasha did an awkward salute while straining under the weight of the bag before the three Star units rushed to the exit of the headquarters. Nova looked around the room for Irya, although it seemed she had already left to wait at the transport, so instead she looked towards Macy and Eve and spoke, her tone leaving no room for questions. "Eve, Macy... When you get in the transport, don't sit by the doors, I want you the furthest in for safety." She turned to the superior officers, making sure she had their attention by stepping over to them before she spoke. "That goes for you three as well..." There was a pause when she realised she was speaking to her superiors. "I mean... I highly recommend you do not sit close to the doors of the transport; those seats should be reserved for Star units and myself, in case we have to dismount under fire."
The APC was split into two sections and articulated in the middle; it didn't look very intimidating, although, to be fair, the resistance in the steelworks was meant to be light; anything more threatening might have put more of a target on their backs. The two sections had hatches in the roofs to allow crew inside to stay on overwatch, with mounts for machine guns and other weaponry able to flip up and lock the weapon to the rotating hatch. The star units were mingling around the front section, Sasha was sitting in the drivers seat but turned to the side so that her legs swung off the edge of the chair, facing towards Mina and Sabine as they gossiped away about who was the cutest Eule unit in the headquarters, despite almost all of the Eule units appearing identical, at least to the average gestalt pair of eyes.
Storch was one of the last to leave the headquarters, waiting for the rest of the squad to step outside before she performed her final gear checks on herself away from the prying eyes of upper and lower ranks alike. When the Star units finally spotted her, they wasted no time mounting into the front section of the APC, Sabine pushed at the hatch in the roof before appearing with a light machine gun that was almost identical to Nova's, only with a few more scratches, it took the Star unit a moment to secure it to the rotating hatch before she tested it, spinning it three-sixty degrees before she released it and leaned back agaisnt the hatch, waiting for Nova's go ahead to leave.
The Storch unit seemed busy circling the APC, occasionally running her finger over a deep scratch in the armour or across its tracks. It took Nova another minute before she finally moved to the driver's side, yanking the door open to see Sasha's eager face. Before any words could be spoken, she pulled out a map of the steelworks and handed it to Sasha, leaning against the frame of the driver's door so she could hunch over and point at the map. "We're heading here... I want to stop in those old overseer buildings and warehouses on the north side of the complex... We're going to clear this building, here." She pointed to an unremarkable square on the map, a three-story building on the periphery of the Steelworks perimeter. Sasha only nodded, grabbing a pen from her belt and circling the building on the map before she looked up to Nova. "Yes, ma'am... May I ask, why are there Gestalt intelligence officers with us...?" Nova let out a sigh and ran her tongue across her synthetic teeth before she met Sasha's eyes. "You may not ask. Frequency's one-one-twelve, make sure you're all tuned in..." Nova seemed ready to step away from the driver's side before she stopped halfway and let out a sigh, leaning in so she could see Mira in the passenger seat. "I'm uhm..." There was a pause as the words caught in the Storch unit's throat. "I'm happy to have some more Stars along..." Nova made a point of quickly leaving after that as the Stars went to their gossiping, slamming the driver's door shut before she moved to the back of the APC and tugged the rear hatch open.
Nova mentally checked off each member of the squad, glancing between the six of them before she tossed her shield inside, which itself took up the length of the compartment and clattered against the floor before she crawled inside. For the rest of the squad, the enclosed space of flip-down seats and steel walls was compact; for the Storch unit forced to crawl on hands and knees towards the hatch, it was completely claustrophobic. "Irya... Grab the door for me," she muttered as she kneeled down under the hatch in the compartment, glancing over her shoulder at the Star unit as the rear hatch was pulled shut behind them. The Storch unit squirmed on the floor for a moment before she tugged at the latches holding the top hatch closed, before she forced it open with a clang-thud... Rays of sunlight streamed in from the hatch, illuminating the tiny space before Storch tossed her machine gun through the hatch, letting it fall on top of the APC before she stood, poking her head out of the hatch, she took in a breath of Vinetian air and leaned back against the hatch's rim, for the rest of the squad the only thing they'd be able to see was her legs as she reached down to grab a map out of a pouch on her belt and unfold it. Sabine waved at her from the front hatch, resting her arms on her own machine gun.
"Sasha?"
"Yes, Ma'am?"
"Let's get moving, I've still got to get my bearings, but it's going to take an age just to get to the security gate anyway..."
"Yes Ma'am."
Nova took in another breath as the diesel engines of the GFF4 roared to life, drowning out the sounds of gunships flying overhead and the constant chatter of Replika and Gestalt personnel coming and going to the spaceport headquarters. Nova rocked in place as the vehicle moved off, the rubber tracks emitting a rumble of their own as they pulled into a line of other armoured vehicles and command cars heading towards the closest security gate that led out into the city proper.
Nova took the oppurtunity to mount her machine gun on the specialized mount on the hatch, testing it swivelled a full three-sixty before she placed at her side and smoothed over the map on the APC's roof, marking certain points with a pen as she muttered to herself, one hand moving up to her comms earpiece and tapping the single button on it's exterior, muting her input to the rest of the squad.
"And I saw the revolutionary's daughter cry in the reflection of our enemies."
Her voice was a dull mutter, barely audible over the sounds of roaring engines and the yelling of Gestalt officers that marched up and down the parade of vehicles. It was essential she shut out the comings and goings of the base, Nova had spent much of her life on Leng, and its orbital station, neither of which had roads to speak of, let alone armoured vehicles, tanks or gunships... The cacophony of noise was overwhelming, at least it had been, where she had first made planetfall over a week ago, she was still adjusting, but still... It was hard to focus in comparison to her previous command; she was sure she would settle into her new role now that she had something to occupy her time.
"So it is our duty to ensure she never weeps again... To scour our enemies from the solar system."
When they finally reached the security gate, she waited for Sasha to gain clearance to leave, which seemed to be dragging on for longer than usual, she was thankful, she still needed time to plan their route to the steelworks, it wasn't exactly a long journey, only a few miles, but the GFF4's weren't exactly build for speed, and she'd prefer to stay in territory they firmly held before straying into potentially hostile territory contested by Empire partisans.
"Loyalty to the daughter is our duty, protecting her our destiny..."
She continued to mutter to herself until she realized the APC had been stationary for more than a minute and finally rose her gaze to look at the gestalt officer arguing with Sasha, who had now stepped out of the APC and was throwing her hands up in frustration, she recognized the behavior from other Star units and knew that it would quickly boil over into a full-blown fist fight if she didn't intervene. Finally, clicking the button on her comms piece, broadcasting her voice to the rest of the squad once more, before she raised her voice to yell at the gestalt border guard. "HEY! We're on a tight schedule. Let us through before I have Gestalt high command bust you back down to Private, conscript!" The Gestalt soldier's eyes darted from the Star unit in his face and up to the Storch unit glaring down at him from the APC. "This Star unit says you're not a combat unit, says you're being sent to the steelworks, that's miles from the front line!" Nova ground her teeth for a moment before she raised her voice once more. "Let us through before I report you to AEON, or if you'd like, you can speak to an AEON intelligence officer personally. I have two with me. Sasha's right, we're not a combat unit, but I swear to the Revolutionary if you don't stop being a pencil pusher, there'll be some combat right here."
Nova's threat didn't seem to be necessary, as the conscript turned pale at the prospect of speaking to an Intelligence officer, and quickly waved them through. Sasha waved up at Nova before she climbed back into the driver's seat. "Sorry, Nova... Guy was an asshole..." Nova shrugged, not that Sasha could see it. "Don't worry... Tensions are up. It's the first time Gestalts and Replikas are mixing, at least in the army... There's going to be some... Teething issues." Sasha only replied with a slight laugh while the transport pulled out of the base and turned onto what used to be a main arterial motorway of the city.
Now that they were out of the base proper, Nova tucked away the map back into her pocket and brought her gun around in front of her, leaning back against the hatch as she kept two hands on the gun, keeping her eyes up at the broken, tortured remains of office and residential blacks lining the avenue, the buildings looked like they were ready to collapse at any moment, Some of them had several floors collasped in where they had clearly been hit by rockets or missiles, black streaks coating the concrete exteriors where rocket propellent and explosives had left their mark.
The surrounding areas of the city, despite the devastation to the infrastructure, were fairly organised; they passed Nation patrols and other transports, some were handing out humanitarian aid to malnourished civilians, while others carried troops who even now were yanking civilians apart from their families for routine 'stop-and-search' procedures... Nova stared on at some of the soot-covered faces, muttering to herself and the rest of the squad. "I wonder how they know which civilians are Empire and which are Nation... Thought they were all mixed together after the ceasefire from the first war..." Sabine, who was still on the front turret, called back to the Storch unit. "Neighbourhoods were mostly segregated. This is the business district, mostly office workers, an Empire district, Nation citizens mostly stuck to the industrial districts, like the steelworks..." The answer caused Nova to form a frown on her face as she pulled the map from her pouch once more, smoothing it across the top of the APC as she replied. "Apparently not... Falke-7 says there's empire sympathisers there..." Sabine just shrugged her shoulders, glancing over her shoulder from the front. "Eh... The overseers at the steel works were Empire, the workers were Nation... Revolution had its roots in the workers, so it makes sense, I guess..."
The explanation made sense, but it still didn't sit right in Nova's stomach as they left the towering office blocks behind, for a while the city streets were clearer than before, the APC had to twist and turn around the burnt out wrecks of Empire and Nation tanks, as well as lines of civilian cars, here the presence of the Eusan Nation troops was more sparse, but even then, every corner of each city block had a small outpost of Star units who saluted the APC when they spotted Nova looming at the rear.
The steelworks itself was daunting, a massive facility of overlapping railroads, pipes and warehouses a mile long. It had been dormant for years, since the most vital of machinery had been sabotaged by Revolutionary citizens denying the facility to Empire troops. Still, it was home to a mass of refugees and civilians fleeing other parts of the city; the old warehouses were perfect for housing the thousands of people who had fled the residential districts that had been destroyed in the fighting. Unfortunately for the squad entering, that meant a whole load of civilians who's allegience was still unknown. Despite the rumours of the steelworks been an active war zone, they were still Nation troops patroling the derelict district as they came to a halt at the building Nova had circled on the map, a few Nation troops, gestalts, marked in red and black uniforms glanced over to the armoured transport, although upon sighting a Storch unit they seemed to make themselves scarce, quicking their pace down the street.
The APC came to a stop, and soon the roar of its engines dissipated into nothing, replaced once more by the distant sounds of gunships engaging targets further into the city's centre, and the screams of the innocents caught up in the war. Nova took a moment to stare up at the building, glancing between her map and the run-down tower that used to be the overseer's office of the steel works. It was remarkably unscathed by the second war of liberation; its windows had been shattered by shockwaves, but apart from that, it seemed sound... There was a sigh that left her lips before she pulled her light machine gun from its mount and squatted down into the hatch once more, glancing towards the rest of the squad as she crawled towards the rear hatch. "Everyone, stay here for a moment. This won't take long. Irya, with me." She reached out and pushed the rear hatch open with a closed fist before she unceremoniously clambered out of it and stretched herself, rolling her shoulders in a stretch as she waited for Irya to follow after her.
"Mina, get on the rear hatch. If anything happens to the Intelligence officers, I don't think AEON will be very happy..." There was a short confirmation that chriped out from the Star unit before she climbed out of the passenger seat and into the rear section of the APC, an awkward smile on the Stars face as she rose through the hatch that Nova had been earlier, although unlike the Storch unit she had no machine gun, instead she shouldered a rifle, staring in the opposite direction of Sabine at the gun on the front to give more security. As Nova circled the APC, Sasha climbed out of the driver's seat and chambered a round into her assault rifle, nodding to Irya and Nova as the two passed her and headed towards.
"Irya, head around the side through the warehouse entrance... If there are any civilians in there, clear them out." There was a pause as they reached a smaller front entrance that led up towards the overseer's office on the top floor, grabbing Iyra by the shoulder before the smaller woman could rush off. "When I say clear out... Don't shoot them, only fire when fired upon... That being said, if any civilians refuse the order, you have my permission to fire some warning shots or tase them." Nova watched Irya trudge off to the other entrance before she took in a breath and racked the charging handle of her machine gun, loading a bullet into the chamber before she tapped at the door panel to the entrance, which only sparked defiantly in response... There was a grinding sigh before she stepped up to the door proper, which was split into two sections that slid into the wall, and one was slightly ajar, with a gap large enough to fit her fingers inside, which she did moments later before yanking it apart. She was greeted by a corridor to her left and right that led to the smaller offices of the overseers' building, and on the far end of the room, there was a set of stairs that led up to the overseer's office on the top floor.
There was a mechanical click as her flashlight module sparked to life at her shoulder, bathing the room in bright white as she stepped inside to be greeted by a cloud of dust... In fact, the entire cramped lobby of the building looked as though it hadn't been touched since the onset of the first war, during the sabotage of the steelworks at large. Wasting no time, she crossed the room with her machine gun pointing forward at her hip, and her feet found the first step of the metallic stairs, climbing two steps upwards at a time. It didn't take the Storch unit long to reach the top of the tower, only to be greeted by another sealed door. The door gave way just as easily as the first, with steel grating against ancient, corroding mag-locks. The control room was bathed in dim rays of sunlight, illuminating most of the room in bright light
Nova stepped into the room, glancing from left to right as she slowly lowered her weapon. In truth, she didn't expect anyone to be here; she had chosen this building specifically for that reason, sitting on the edge of the steel works that didn't border the rest of the city, it was the most isolated building in the complex. So when a shadowy figure rushed out from under one of the desks, she was taken by surprise, to be sure, but then... She was a Storch unit, and the surprise didn't last longer than a couple of artificial heartbeats. "Stop!" Her command would have been heard on the comms link, followed by the sounds of gunfire as her finger squeezed the trigger. The figure dove to the ground and crumpled into a ball as the gunshots echoed around the confined space and made both of their ears ring. The bullets tore through an already corroded control panel, metal tearing against metal before the room fell silent again.
Despite the figure now lying in a trembling fetal position, Nova wasted no time storming over to it, seeing that it was a gestalt girl dressed in rags, and grabbed her by the wrist before forcing both hands behind her back. "Face the floor! Stay still!" she ordered while pinning the girl's wrists to the small of her back, her free hand retrieving a ziptie from her belt before she tied the girl's hands behind her back and straightened herself upwards. "Don't move! If you resist, I will shoot you." There was a tense silence as she kept her weapon pointed downwards, as though daring the trembling civilian to move, before she looked around, checking the rest of the control room, before she sighed and radioed in to the rest of the squad. "Overseers' office is clear, you're free to set up your quarters, command. One civilian in custody, she attempted to charge me."
Nova hauled the girl up by her arms, forcing her into a nearby swivel chair before planting a hand firmly against her collarbone. "Charge me again and you die, try to run out that door, and it will hurt." Now that the situation had calmed somewhat, she could take a proper look at the girl. Her complexion was pale, as though her skin hadn't seen sunlight in years; her eyes were a dull crimson, glazing over as tears welled up in them as she stared up at the Storch unit with a mix of fear and contempt. Her hair, a stark white, was tied up in a messy bun and she looked like she was wearing a set of overalls that were far too big for her, dyed a dull grey that matched her gloves and belt, the entire attire looked like it was 'retrieved' from the steelworks itself, although the girl was far too young to be a worker, somewhere in her mid-twenties by Storch's estimate, although with gestalts she always struggled, they mostly looked like the same to her.
When the rest of the squad finally assembled, they'd find Nova standing behind the girl, now ziptied to the chair as she spoke. "Room secured, I believe this would be the ideal place for a forward operating base. It gives us a good view over the rest of the steelworks, not to mention we're far from the larger warehouses, which are being used as makeshift refugee camps."
Macy's lips pursed upward the moment Eve's monotone voice reached her ears. The EULE unit coddled the device as if about to tell it a secret. She replied with, "Laut und klar.". She giggled before setting aside the device after confirming. Then she introduced herself. Her eyes lit up when Eve reciprocated. Although their introductions were brief, Macy replied with, "Of course. Thanks again."
Later, Macy began meticulously noting her inventory and retrofitting her bag to her liking. Until suddenly she felt a chill run up her spine. Then the praising words carried by a familiar soothing voice caressed her, but they only made her skin crawl.
Her heart skipped a beat. Eyes widened. Her breathe hitched before she turned to face Cassandra. Macy remained silent as the ADLR peeked deep into her soul. As if weighing if her usefulness outweighed her possible insubordination. Macy remained calm on her exterior, but the drumming beat of her heart was a rhythm too loud to ignore from her interior. "Thank you, ma'am." she said in calm voice.
Cassandra swiftly addressed the petrifying affect she had on Macy. The EULE unit chastized herself for making it obvious. But remained calm nonetheless. "I'll make sure to remember that, ma'am."
Macy hesitated for only a moment when the ADLR requested for her firearm. "Was she going to execute me right here?" she thought before she reached for her firearm. Ultimately she opted to hand it over in hopes of the weapon misfiring from water damage.
But the ADLR slowly chipped away at Macy's timidity when she provided instructions and sympathized with the EULE unit. To the point of Macy barely even flinching when Cassandra's claws took a hold of her shoulder. "T-thank you, ma'am." she said after staring at those soul piercing orbs of hers.
The softer hum of Cassandra's voice instinctively made Macy lean and lend her full attention. "Y-yes. I'm going to do my best to nurture the trust given to me, ma'am."
Then, like a turbulent storm, Cassandra left as quickly as she came. "I'll make sure to, ma'am." A wave of relief washed over Macy when the ADLR unit was out of earshot.
She stood there with the pieces of her firearm sitting in her hands. As if holding the parts Cassandra lopped off of Macy from the former's verbal lashing. To purge the dissent within Macy and forge a more loyal soldier. Macy knew a watchful eye was on her now. She'd just have to answer the call when needed and hope she doesn't besmirch her reputation any further.
Macy shifted in her seat and tried her best to find a comfortable position. She followed what Nova said and chose to sit closer to the middle. Still. She sighed in discontent wondering how many times she'd have to be packed like a sardine.
She recoiled once the massive shield belonging to Nova landed centimeters away from her toes. Amber optics fastened onto Nova and she couldn't help but initially watch the STORCH unite crawl in. Macy's legs squished as close to her in order to make it easier for Nova to fit. She then forced herself to look away as to not be rude.
Suddenly she felt like she was fortunate for the little room allotted to her. Soon enough the roar of the diesel engine announced their presence and they were on the prowl.
Macy retrieved the files from her persons and did he best to read undisturbed. The little information given was enough to keep her occupied at least. Her weight shifted to the rhythm of the APC's suspension and at the mercy of the terrain the traversed over.
Then she suddenly heard someone yelling. Macy jumped from her seat and took out her earbud before glancing up at Nova. Macy could only catch bits and pieces, but figured someone was giving them a hard time. She gulped and quivered at the idea of ever being on the receiving end of Nova's ire.
Best to take steps now to prevent such a thing. Macy's eyes caught Irya sitting adjacent from her. "H-hey, I'm Macy," she waved to the STAR unite to get her attention. "I was told you can help me with this," she then unveiled a cloth holding the bits and pieces of her firearm. Sure she had the Titan-45 strapped on her. But best to learn how to reassemble her original.
The APC came to a screeching halt. They finally arrived. Macy turned down the volume of her earbud and felt like a spectator while watching the STORCH and STAR units. These were professionals at work. She squinted and shielded her face the moment the back door opened as if the light could ever singe her.
She then watched Nova & Irya leap into the fray and towards the unknown. "They're so...brave." She thought before looking towards her commanding officers. She wondered what their entire experience was. She hoped it was enough to get them through this.
Macy wasted no more time and put on her communication device and began to listen. Her fist clenched and her foot tapped just waiting to see if anybody would need first aid.
But like they always say. "Better bored than busy, because busy bodies tended to more potential dead bodies."
"Irya... Grab the door for me," Closing the APC door beside her, the STAR didn't speak as their transport began to make its move towards their mission objective. If she was not ordered to speak, there was little need to. It was the quiet before the storm; The time for her to mentally prepare herself before the mission. Though, before long, their truck had made an unexpected stop. A problematic gestalt border guard was denying them access past their gate, becoming a barrier to the mission.
Seconds turned to minutes as the argument had gone nowhere, leading to Irya reaching for her gun. That Gestalt didn't speak for Falke-7. They were getting in the way. However, before the threat of physical force had a chance to be delivered, the Storch was able to command obedience out of the gestalt. She spoke something about teething issues and intuitively, even Irya could understand. It was the first time she was placed in a unit with multiple gestalts. Naturally, the difference in expectations she was due to uphold from her past team came with friction.
Relieved for a moment, she simply used the time to inspect her own weapon, cleaning it once more to remove whatever dust their deployed world could scatter upon its frame, only to hear the sounds of a woman calling her attention from behind her. "H-hey, I'm Macy," It was their unit's EULE with clothed weapon parts in hand. "I was told you can help me with this," If there was anything she had picked up from her past teams, it was the need for maintenance of a weapon system's most vital parts. Naturally, the knowledge came with an understanding of a weapon's assembly. "You might find other units in the armory more capable than I." She spoke, not with ego, but with a desire to help. "But I will do my best. Give me one moment."
While the APC began to move again, Irya organized Macy's weapon piece by piece, working on it one step at a time. With every step, she examined the components, inspecting it before moving onto the next. "I've been taught that a weapon is an extension of one's purpose. That taking care of it, especially on the frontlines, is paramount. It is equivalent to taking care of oneself." Given her training as a STAR, she had learned to be a weapon herself, deriving purpose from her ability to defend and eliminate barriers to the mission.
"I know I'm meant to protect you, but should I not be around, it would be good that you have something to protect yourself with too. Many options, preferably." Finally finishing up on its assembly, Irya had turned to adjusting the attachments of her weapon, finding it interestingly, much more well kept than her own. Either it had been issued recently or whoever Macy served with in the past did a good job at protecting her for the most part. "I'm Irya. You can call me that, if you prefer."
Upon returning to her seat, it didn't take much long after until she felt the APC coming to a stop. A quick peek outside the window revealed a building that appeared formidable and structurally sound in spite of its evidence of abandonment. Spotting the Storch leaving her mounted position, the STAR scooched to the side, taking her weapon with her as the Nova left the vehicle, only to follow her soon after. "Everyone, stay here for a moment. This won't take long. Irya, with me."
Giving a nod to Nova and the other STARs, she did one final look at the occupants inside before closing the doors behind them. "What are your orders?" Turning off the safety of her rifle, she stopped right when they found the entrance into the building. It was much too large for them to work together as a unit, though numbers was not a resource they could afford. "Irya, head around the side through the warehouse entrance... If there are any civilians in there, clear them out."
"Orders accepted. It will be done." Without hesitation, she began to move with rifle ready to fire, just to feel her movement being constrained by a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Hmm? What is it?" She looked up at the Storch. "When I say clear out... Don't shoot them, only fire when fired upon... That being said, if any civilians refuse the order, you have my permission to fire some warning shots or tase them."
It wasn't going to be a simple, secure and exterminate mission. "...Understood. I will not shoot any civilians unless they fire at me," What defined what a civilian looked like was always complicated to her. Slinging her rifle across her shoulder, she drew her pistol and her stun baton. "And I will see you soon." Separating from her sister Storch, she made her way towards the side entrance as ordered, finding no more than scraps of metal and broken glass from nearby destroyed infrastructure.
The complex itself was quieter on the inside than it was out in spite of its size. Drops of water from corroded pipelines were detected by her auditory sensors. Void of ordinary occupation, to some extent, the STAR felt a familiar sense of calm in this hostile space. She grew far too used to places like these. As Irya walked through its empty halls and dark pathways with her eyes amplifying its sensitivity to light to ensure that she could see even in these conditions, she found what appeared to be a figure attempting to hide behind one of the dark corners of the room. By now, she had wandered towards the hallway of one of the upper floors, clearing the space below it one room at a time to ensure that whoever would arrive after her would not be met with a surprise attack.
"Halt." Her pistol was raised high as she flashed a light forward, hoping to identify any semblance of a weapon. In front of her was a gestalt, covered in no more than a ragged robe that clothed his shoulders down to his knees. "Hands. Now." She gestured towards the man, only to find him approaching closer and closer. Given the fact that his behavior was unpredictable, any warning shot could potentially hit her target, leading to a failure of her mission conditions. Until he could be seen brandishing a firearm, he was no different than a civilian. "Final orders." She didn't hesitate, standing her ground as she held up her baton, only for a knife to suddenly flash light against her sensitive eyes. Blinded for a half second, the space that lay between them had disappeared in an instant as she took defensive measures, wielding her arms as a shield just for that same terrible blade to pierce her forearm.
In spite of this, this civilian didn't shoot her. She didn't have the grounds to shoot back. Shooting was against orders.
Instead of pulling the trigger in defensive response, as she felt herself getting pressed against one of the second story railings that led into a production area below, Irya used her pistol as a battering ram, slamming it to the side of this gestalt's head over and over again as she fought for control to no avail. Fueled with adrenaline against her slimmer model, she realized that the larger man held an advantage over her as she struggled to break his grip of his knife while blood spilled down her frame. Something needed to change. If she continued to fight from even ground, there was no knowing whether she would fulfill her mission to survive. Spotting him reaching for her weapon, she knew she needed to make a choice. She needed to survive.
At the least, if there was one thing she understood as a starling, it was that her body was a lot more expendable than any gestalt's. She could be fixed. They can't be fixed as easily. Letting the man use his weight to his advantage for the moment to reach for her weapon, as she pulled it back to put him in a difficult position, she grabbed the man and threw the both of them off the second floor onto a stack of boxes below, crashing down while spawning a cloud of dust to plume up in the process.
Feeling her wrists free up as she mounted him to strike, she took this chance to finally retaliate against her enemy. However, as she prepared to swing down her baton against her enemy, she spotted a barrel poking through the cloud: It was her own gun being used against her. "Tch." Swatting her baton at his wrist instead, she forced the trajectory of her own bullet off her head as he fired. Her cheek was grazed and in response, she began to beat him down with her electric baton over and over again until unconsciousness, holding his wrists tightly with her opposite hand all the while until there was no more strength in her enemy to continue resisting. "...I didn't shoot him." She muttered to herself, slowly getting up before tying the man's wrists behind her back.
Dragging in the unconscious man by his feet with her good arm, Irya trudged back to Nova after clearing the rest of the upper floor. "I've secured the area from the other entrance, Nova. There were two floors accessible to secure. I've only found one refugee in my scan of the area for civilians." Upon finally letting go after dragging him in, she held onto her wounded forearm. "The gestalt attempted to surprise me with a knife. I didn't shoot, as you ordered."
Leaning against one of the nearby desks, she gestured towards Macy to check up on her while she spoke. Her arm throbbed, though she did a great job at not letting the pain get in the way of her report's delivery. Pulling out what appeared to be a sharpened metal point with a rag wrapped around it from her pouch, she tossed it on the table beside them to give them a glimpse of what they may encounter among future "civilians." "I will leave the handling of the gestalt to you and the others. Handle them as you wish."
Eve watched as the much taller unit kneeled before her, a rather unfortunate necessity for someone in her rank, and took both her fixed comms device and pistol from her. She followed Novaβs movements, making sure to take everything in and memorise the pattern. She found slight amusement in being treated like a child with something not quite meant for them. She quickly peeked at the scar on her hand once again, wondering how long until Storch would have to keep that promise to take her gun away.
What she wasnβt expecting, however, was the taller unit to slide up behind her and show her how to aim, Novaβs hands gripping her arms to put them in the proper position. She couldnβt help but shiver a little under the Storchβs guidance; not many people had touched her before in her life on Heimat. She had mostly kept to herself, and the friends she did have were not the type to hug orβ¦ Help you learn how to use a gun. She snapped herself out of her thoughts, trying not to focus on the points of contact between the two units. She stifled a sigh of relief (and perhaps slight disappointment) as Nova pulled away.
"Just stay close to Irya and me, and you'll be fine... You'll be spending most of your time at the field headquarters with the Star units anyway."
Eve watched as Nova rose to her full height, bowing her head slightly as a sign of respect and gratitude.
βThank youβ¦ Nova.β
She put the pistol back in its holster, making sure that the safety was on, before making her way back over to Macy. Before she could say anything, Nova turned to the two of them, ordering them to sit away from the door to ensure their safety. Eve nodded in affirmation before silently following next to Macy to the APC. Eve sat next to the EULR unit in a comfortable silence. She watched as Nova struggled to squeeze her way into the vehicle, lifting her legs slightly to allow the unit's shield to fit in the already crowded space. She closed her eyes as Nova gave orders to Iyra and the other Star units and seemed to almost relax as the APC came to a roaring start. Her mind began to race as she listened to the engine as it was practically forced to life. She would need to have a look at the carburettor once they had settled into their new base of operations, another thing to add to her checklist.
She peeked over at Macy to see what she was doing and found her staring at the files given to them all. Eve secretly wondered what each file said, assuming they wouldnβt be identical. She decided to take inspiration from Macy and decided to read her own file again, making sure she didnβt miss any part of her slightly rushed first read of the material. Anything to not make accidental eye contact with the Stars up front. Any type of relaxation she had completely dispersed once she brought them up. Valerie. She shouldnβt know that name. Why canβt she let it go?
βHEY!β
She was snapped out of her anxious thoughts by Nova shouting through the comms, causing her to wince at the sudden volume change.
βWe're on a tight schedule. Let us through before I have Gestalt high command bust you back down to Private, conscript!"
Eve couldnβt help but find humour in the thought of this poor Gestalt being scolded by Nova. She couldnβt hear the conscript's response, but considering Novaβs threat in response, it clearly wasnβt what she wanted to hear.
βSorry, Novaβ¦ Guy was an assholeβ¦β
She felt a small panic shoot up her spine at the sound of the Starβs voice, but tried to keep it unnoticeable.
βGet it TOGETHER, Eve. Youβve done all you could do. Move. On.β
She thought to herself, taking a deep breath and grounding herself as the APC began to move again. She let the conversation between Nova and the Stars blur into background noise and stared down blankly at the files in her hands until the APC came to a halt once again, and the strangled crank of the engine came to a stop as well. She took a deep breath before putting the files back into the folder section of her tool bag and looking around. The sounds of screaming and gunfire permeated the air, and she could tell that any level of comfort from most of the team had been replaced with a sense of duty and the knowledge of this type of environment. She already knew she hated it. Eve turned back to Nova as she ordered the team to stay put and nodded in almost enthusiastic agreement. The longer she didnβt have to hear the screams ringing in the air, the better.
A few minutes after their exit, a one-sided struggle could be heard as Nova quickly captured a prisoner.
"Overseers' office is clear, you're free to set up your quarters, command. One civilian in custody, she attempted to charge me."
Eve followed the team out of the APC and into the secured facility, trying to ignore the horrifying sounds happening around her. As she walked in, she saw Nova standing behind a small Gestalt girl, irritation showing in her features. Eve couldnβt help but stare at the Gestalt, feeling a slight pity for her.
"Room secured, I believe this would be the ideal place for a forward operating base. It gives us a good view over the rest of the steelworks, not to mention we're far from the larger warehouses, which are being used as makeshift refugee camps."
Eve quickly turned her attention to the clearly injured Iyra as she walked in from the other entrance. Her voice permeated the room, and it was as if everything went silent when she spoke.
βI've secured the area from the other entrance, Nova. There were two floors accessible to secure. I've only found one refugee in my scan of the area for civilians."
Eve watched as Iyra struggled to drag the larger Gestalt with one hand and looked between the two tied-up Gestalts. She wondered if they knew eachother. Were they related? Or were they just conveniently stuck in this hellhole together...? She chose not to think on it too much for the time being and decided to turn towards Cassandra, waiting for her next orders.
"I've been taught that a weapon is an extension of one's purpose. That taking care of it, especially on the frontlines, is paramount. It is equivalent to taking care of oneself."
"Oh? I-I'll take care of it better," Macy chirped as she watched the STAR unit inspect her dissected peacemaker.
"I know I'm meant to protect you, but should I not be around, it would be good that you have something to protect yourself with too. Many options, preferably."
Amber orbs fell to the side with Eve within her peripherals. The EULE unit was giving the STAR unit's words some thought. Then she smirked and unsheathed her medical knife from behind her waist, "I have this too," she said before slowly twirling the dual purpose tool.
But the moment was short lived and she sheathed the blade when Macy's pistol fell back into her hands. Macy kept her pointer finger away from the trigger, but did inspect the gun without pointing it at anyone inside of the APC. She was a green horn that much was certain. But not oblivious to the carnage one of these puppies can unleash. "So...to whom do I get the privilege to thank?" she asked in a sweet tone before the STAR unit introduced herself.
"Well thank you, Irya," she shot the STAR a thankful grin coupled with a nod. "I'll keep it, and you, in good condition. But I'll have my knife with me just in case. I doubt the knife can do any serious damage on the battlefield though."
Macy would eat her words.
They'd arrived at their location. The drums of war banged again and again every time the gunships weapons rained lead. A shiver ran down her spine with the memory of her dropship being on the receiving end of similar circumstances earlier that day. Then the bone chilling screams of agony and anguish followed soon after like a choir. Macy drowned out the noise by putting her earbud on while simultaneously listening to the brave STAR and STORCH units from her comms.
She took a deep breath and remained as cool as a statue. "I want to go back to Rotfront. But no, I can't leave if someone is hurt. I can't freeze up now." She reminded herself within her thoughts before the sound of gunfire from her com made her jump.
"Overseers' office is clear, you're free to set up your quarters, command. One civilian in custody, she attempted to charge me."
Macy didn't skip a beat. She was the first to unbuckle her seatbelt, but waited for her commanders before following suit. The reminder of Cassandra telling her to temper her passionate flame still lingered in her ear even if she tried to drown it out with music. She mustn't show weakness of degradation or wavering of loyalty.
Later, Macy followed closely to Cassandra as if she were a lost puppy in a haunted house of horror. Not because she was scared. But because of the ADLR's prior orders. The EULE unit's stoic stare perked up when she saw the gargantuan site for sore eyes. "Room secured, I believe this would be the ideal place for a forward operating base. It gives us a good view over the rest of the steelworks, not to mention we're far from the larger warehouses, which are being used as makeshift refugee camps."
But her stomach dropped the moment Irya came into view with a gestalt man in tow along with a wounded arm. Macy leapt to answer the call at Irya's behest. Her Titan found its holster and her graceful pace closed the distance. Macy set her bag on the desk the STAR unit sat upon and retrieved the necessary medical items. Synthetic digits gingerly oriented Irya's arm till her wrist rested on her lap. Macy was finally in her element and moved with swift and surgical precision.
The chatter became muffled as she focused on first applied pressure to the wound. Before moving on to cleaning and disinfecting it. But Irya was a champion and didn't seem too bothered or let the pain trample her tranquility. Just another reason why she had faith in her.
Macy gulped having now seen the value of a knife first hand. She was thankful it at least didn't penetrate anything vital. The tips of her fingers came to life and out slithered a needle and some thread. She crocheted a delicate yet firm pattern assuring the stability Irya would need when she fought again without worrying of possibly bleeding out.
Her pinky then unveiled an antibiotic and numbing agent as if it were a chapstick. With the tip running up and down the wound in a more than charitable fashion. She finished off with the emergency bandage and wrapped it a few times around the STAR unit's forearm. Perfectly flexible for combat, breathable for the wound, yet protecting it like a shield.
After swiftly handling the main priority. Macy found spare time to treat her cheek as well, but nothing as major as her arm. After applying her pinky ointment and a bandaid she said, "You're all set. Thanks for being a star patient." She teased before packing her med kit and hoisting it back onto her back.
Soon after, her attention turned to the conversation at hand and at the two gestalts. They didn't look much different than the other gestalts on her side. But they did harm Irya and charge at Nova. Just what did she get drafted into?
Siegfried endured the ride to their AO with a dull, empty expression on his face, despite the hiccups. The vehicle that was being used was anything but what he was used to during his work as an Aeon intelligence officer, and decisively not a welcome change of pace. The omnipresent amount of Replika's did little to alleviate his struggle, but he managed to hide his discomfort well enough. When they got stuck at the gate he contemplated, if only momentarily, whether to speak to the Gestalt, but the large Storch handled it well enough, and gave a good display of the power Storch units held over their smaller cousins. He made a mental note that the Storch at least seemed to understand their place in the Replika hierarchy, albeit at the expense of the gestalt gate guards this time, who were easily cowed into obedience by the stronger, taller, more imposing Storch. Tsk... when would the Gestalts claim their rightful place at the top of the food chain again? It should be humans cowing the Replika's, not in reverse; and in a way, he did do so himself, but he and Alistair were exceptions in this, not the rule.
The rest of the ride was as smooth as one might've expected from the machine, which was to say not smooth at all. When they arrived on location, contrary to the suggestion of the Storch, Siegfried waited for the two units to disappear before stepping out of the carriage behind the main vehicle. He didn't stray far at all, remaining under the guard of the unit that was now manning the machine gun atop the ring turret, but staying in that glorified coffin was a non-starter for Siegfried.
As he stood there he turned in a half circle, slowly surveying the land around them. The effects of war were visible easily, craters here and there, but other than this the place seemed devoid of life. After a few more minutes passed the Storches' call finally came over the radio. Siegfried, being out of the APC already, would begin the short trek over to the building. He looked around as he entered, assessing whether or not the Storches' assessment of the place as a headquarters would suffice. For now, it would, although he clearly preferred the Sierpinski private room he was used to when dealing with dissidents there.
Finally his eyes were drawn to the two gestalts that had been captured, one ziptied, the other unconscious. His marred appearance was enough already to - at times - strike fear into those he came in contact with, but now his furrowed brows only added to it as he stared them down, attempting to size them, their allegiance, and their intentions up. Finally he looked at the Storch and the Starling. "Please secure the perimeter once everyone is inside," he told - or ordered - them, then he looked at the ARAR. "And Arar, please begin shoring up the defenses. I would hate to be caught unaware by lingering Imperial forces. Please ensure that we can shoot out, but they can't shoot in as easily. Coordinate with Storch, if you must. I would ask for a field cell for these.. prisoners, but I have a gut feeling they won't be with us for very long." Whether he'd release them or.. find of another way to dispose of them remained to be seen, and he left that detail hanging in the air intentionally, both for the Replika's to hear as well as the Gestalt that was still conscious.
Finally he looked at the medical specialist, and gestured vaguely towards the unconscious Gestalt. "And please get that dreg some medical care. It's all good and well that we've taken care of our injured first but I'd like to extract as much as I can from this person."
He walked closer to the conscious Gestalt, and sat down on a desk nearby the chair she was ziptied too. He took the revolver out from the holster inside his cape, and then placed it on the table, the barrel laying aimed at the Gestalt, almost symbolically. "You are presently in a warzone. Evacuation orders were given weeks ago," he said, staring intently at the woman, "you have defied the orders of the Nation and it's great revolutionary." He then gestured towards the unconscious man. "And your friend here charged a loyal soldier of the Nation with a weapon. Once he is conscious, I will have no choice but to execute him."
His hand reached for the revolver and grabbed it, placing it in his lap, and gently nudging the revolving chamber out of the firearm. He spinned it carelessly, counting the bullets inside, before closing the chamber. "I'm with the Arbeits- und Erziehungsorgan der Nation, the rightful long arm and fist of the Revolutionary, and through the will of the Great Revolutionary, I am vested with the power to make choices in the best interest of the Nation." It was quite clear - at least to Siegfried - that he was covertly telling the woman that he had the power to use his discretion as to whether or not they'd execute the man. Commanding life and death was nothing new to Siegfried, evidently, although the way he did so was clearly more insidious than the way the Storch or Starling would.
"In order to make such a decision, in the interest of the Nation, I would need to know more. You are lucky that we are not a frontline combat group, but rather we are here to administer aid to refugees," he told her. It was an outright lie. But the way he told it appeared almost natural. Straight-forward, direct, blunt, like Siegfried was known to be so far, and this straight-forwardness gave him the appearance of a truthful if blunt person. "I'm here to determine if the area is safe enough to send a caravan with food, clothes and other supplies. Or... in other words, I want to know if there are Imperial forces in the area. Forces that would ensure we could not deliver the supplies safely unless they are taken care of first. If we were a combat group, I would've ensured that your friend here was dead already. In any case, I hope you understand my predicament here. I cannot tolerate attacks on my troops, but I am willing to accept that perhaps there was a case of a mix-up between Nation uniforms, and those of the Imperial forces on the part of your friend here. You're no friend of the Imperials, are you?"
He glanced backwards at Cassandra, and beckoned her forth. "Adler," he said, "please see if we can spare any food from our supplies for this woman. I want to make sure she's fed before I come back from my survey, and question her." He stood up from the desk, holstered his firearm again, and walked towards Cassandra, grabbing her by her arm, gentle enough, but definitely not in a purely friendly way, as he passed her, and standing still. With a soft growl he told her, "feed her, and extract info from her. We will determine based on what she tells us whether or not we need to interrogate her further. I presume you would prefer to do this through the.. creation of bonds you spoke of rather than my methods." He let go of her arm, and carried on towards the unconscious man, bending down and searching the mans pockets, careful to pat them down first to look for any sharps before coaxing those out if there were any more knives hidden on the man. He was looking for any identification papers or other documents that could indicate his allegiance or evidence of participating in Imperial resistance cells.
"...You can speak to an AEON intelligence officer personally. I have two with me. Sasha's right, we're not a combat unit, but I swear to the Revolutionary if you don't stop being a pencil pusher, there'll be some combat right here."
Alistair let out a bemused chuckle as a smirk crept over his lips. She was good. He'd have liked to have seen the border officers expression almost as much as he'd have liked to have seen the look upon Nova's synthetic visage as she shouted her orders, but as it were, he could only see just past her waist where she stood through the hatch at the center of the APC. Instead, he'd observe the looks upon the faces of the other replika on board, as well as that of his fellow Intelligence Officer, though there was significantly less to glean from the latter who sat across from him. Where he had situated himself much more casually, one of his heels crossed over his knee and his arms folded at his chest, Siegfried sat like he was at attention at all times. It might have been a surprise to the average civilian, or even replika, which of the two outranked the other.
It was admittedly a small relief when the APC finally came to its final stop, if only because the air inside had been slowly growing warmer from the heat of their own bodies, both the human and the mechanical. He imagined the internal cooling systems of the replika would have been far more convenient in such warmth than the traditional method of sweating it out. Thankfully, the Vinetian air on this day brought with it a slight breeze just enough to bring some relief as they exited the vehicle, even if the... ambient sounds around them that had previously been overpowered by its engine left much to be desired.
His gaze followed the Storch and Star units for as long as he was capable, seemingly quite intrigued by their communications. Only when Irya had moved to her own position and the two of them had entered the building did he finally look away, adjusting his long coat as its tails flittered in the most recent breath of air that blew over them. Unlike in the vehicle, he too now stood with a composed dignity that more properly spoke to his position, as though he'd flipped some internal switch the moment they were once more in the open.
At some point, his attention did fall upon Siegfried as he surveyed the land. He himself had not done so more than a passing glance as they'd first exited. Perhaps that spoke to Siegfried's impressive dilligence. Then again, perhaps it spoke to the difference in the level of trust each of them had in the assessments made in advance by their replika allies.
Unfortunately, he'd not have the oppurtunity to decide which, just yet. Nova's command had come through loud and clear through their communications, and it was immediately evident the building was not quite so empty as had been hoped. The transmission along with the obvious buzzing of machine gun fire had Alistair's eyes widening. As though on instinct to protect a comrade, human or otherwise, he prepared himself to move in himself, regardless of the Storch's earlier ask. Though just as quickly as it had begun, all fell silent, and Nova's voice over the comms link assured that she had emerged victorious in whatever conflict had transpired. With an internally held sigh, Alistair looked around the group of his remaining comrades, and with a nod led the way alongside the other two commanding officers up into the overseers' office.
Of course, upon entering, he'd seen the relatively small girls frame that barely filled the dilapidated old chair she'd been placed in, and it was no wonder Nova had made such expedient work of her. The only other surprise was that she'd still been alive, and without a bullet hole to be seen. Storch's weren't exactly known for their inaccuracy with their weapons, and so as he glanced up at the towering unit behind the girl, he had to presume that hadn't been an accident, either.
At the same time, the Starling, Irya, entered dragging the unconscious body of her own opponent into the room. Unlike Nova, she'd clearly not fared quite as well, judging from the deep blue oxidant leaking from her arm, but she had survived, nonetheless. What was more, despite having the far larger and more dangerous threat of the two of them, she as well had managed to subdue him without killing him. An impressive feat, and one that seemed to please him. It'd have been far easier for her to dispatch of the man, after all. He'd seen that be the default solution for combat oriented replika units all too often. These two, it seemed, were different, be it their own preference or the orders they were given.
He'd still been watching Macy run to the aid of the Starling unit when Siegfried took the initiative to begin barking his orders... again. Something he was beginning to realize may be more than a simple eagerness.
Still, rather than insert himself, he listened. Listened as he coordinated the units, taking internal note of where each of them would be, and listened as he approached the woman in the chair.
"...Through the will of the Great Revolutionary, I am vested with the power to make choices in the best interest of the Nation."
His voice was a cold and calculating one. Whether he was speaking to an ally in their replika unit squadron members, or to a prisoner, it seemed that while his choice of words differed, his demeanor remained much the same. Even without his own prior knowledge, it was obvious that this was far from the first time Siegfried had been in the position to make such threats. In fact, he seemed very, very comfortable in doing so. Promising punishment came to him naturally.
"You are lucky that we are not a front line combat group, but rather we are here to administer aid to refugees...
...I'm here to determine if the area is safe enough to send a caravan with food, clothes and other supplies."
As did lying, apparently.
Alistair cocked an eyebrow, squinting his eyes slightly as his gaze began to move between the other units in the room. "I see... so thats the type of interrogator he is..." he confirmed with himself internally. An interesting choice, especially to be made without consulting with the squad... Though, perhaps an effective one, given their predicament. Time would tell, as it seemed he was content to allow the girl to stew in the ultimatum he'd left to hang in the air around her.
"You did well, Irya." he affirmed, placing a light hand on the units shoulder. "Thank you for your judgement in subduing him, rather than killing him. I understand the toll that doing so must have taken on you." Alistair glanced down at Macy who had been working diligently on the Star units injuries and smiled. "And thank you as well, Macy. I feel safer already, seeing how quickly you jumped in."
He paused for a moment to look over his shoulder to where Siegfried had finished his aside with Cassandra and started over toward the other captive. That was when his tone shifted slightly. "I do not authorize the execution of this man. Not unless and until it is determined that he is a true threat to the Nation. If it seems things are taking a... different direction... please, let me know."
With that, Alistair too began to move across the room, albeit in the opposite direction, toward the girl with the Storch unit still towering over her and the Adler standing nearby.
"Thank you, Nova. Siegfried, Cassandra and I can handle them from here. You're free to attend to any other necessary protocols as needed." He gave her the voluntary dismissal as he looked down at the woman in the chair who hadn't once lifted her eyes to meet any of their own since they entered the room. Rather than say a word, he simply reached beneath his coat, brandishing his personal canteen and unscrewing the cap as he offered it up to her. "Would you like some water?"
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