"A Dragoness' Responsibilities"
Ch'en Hui-chieh
December 17th, Earth Time, 2055
October 18th, Terra Time, 1097
Road to Lungmen
The drive was silent between the 3. Well mostly silent. "What makes you think it was something I did?!" Ch'en tightly gripped the wheel and side-eyed Swire, "Because I was not in town when whatever this was happened, I don't know why you think it's me!" Ch'en barked at Swire, who let out a bit of a noise of offense and goes to pull on Ch'en's ear, "Why you-!"
"Hey hey, enough!" Hoshiguma had to step in, putting her arms between the 2 and physically separating them, "Eyes on the road, Ch'en." Ch'en silently muttered a thanks to her. Hoshiguma then turned on Swire, "And you, Do not talk of what it is until we get there, got it?" Swire let out a little 'eep!' and she was silent. Satisfied, Hoshiguma pulled up the letter again. And began to go over its contents.
The lights of Lungmen was in the distance, and Ch'en let out a soft exhale of Air. Now that the city was in sight, they began to drive towards the Border checkpoint. As the familiar sounds and noises of the city, Ch'en began to let her thoughts come on in. Why would Wei need all us back? He doesn't really have a reason to, Madam Physia from Rhodes Island is helping with security, so what gives? She leaned back to ponder on it. Is it something in regards to... her?
Her communicator began to spark, reflexively she moved to tap it, "Yes? Is somebody alerting me?"
"Madam Ch'en," from his voice, she inferred that it was one of the regular guards at the office, "Chief Wei is waiting for you in your personal office, it seems important." Rolling her eyes, Ch'en grabbed the communicator again, "Yeah, I figured, he sent me a letter about it, I'll be there in 10."
Ch'en began to softly press on the accelerator. Due to the fact that it was night, there wasn't a lot of people, so she was free to pick up the pace a little. Swire turned to Ch'en again, "Seriously, this time I'm not joking, what do you think it is?" Swire had managed to produce a drink that, in the dark, Ch'en could tell what it is.
Shaking her head, her gaze focuses on the road, "How would I know? Chief Wei sometimes likes to withhold information, especially if its something like this..." Swire hummed and began to sip again, and now Ch'en thinks its some sort of fancy drink that Swire manages to keep within her bottle.
How she manages to do that and still be an effective LGD operator? Heavenly beings above know
Soon, they reach the Lungmen Guard Department HQ. Putting the car into reverse and going into a parking spot, Ch'en then shuts the engine off and starts to grab everything, including the M4 Rifle. Hoshiguma and Swire eyed it still, Ch'en looking back at them and sighing. "I'm sorry, I cannot let you guys use this for ammunition purposes."
"Oh no, its fine, its just..." Ch'en was now out of the car, with Hoshiguma joining her, and Swire coming out, her mouth still open, "incredible." The lights and sounds of Lungmen now hit them in full, the honking, the bright neon lights, and the more regular, and plaid lights beating down, illuminating and choking the city in a sea of artificial light.
"Oh? In what way." Ch'en dared, eyes slanting at Swire, slinging the unloaded rifle over her back and putting her sword into its sheath. Just as Swire was about to retort, Hoshiguma stopped them, making them both stop and look at the Oni women in curiosity. "Girls... look..." She was pointing at a few of the occupied parking spots with wide eyes.
Outside of the LGD building, they noticed 2 of those Armored Vehicles that the United States, judging by the lightly illuminated Stars and Stripes on their sides, use a lot. The Bradley they called them. Ch'en watched as one of them turned its turret to her and its gun made a motion, as if it was nodding at her. The Muzzle was covered with some sort of plastic thing, as if to reassure Ch'en, Swire, and Hoshiguma that the thing won't open fire.
"Oh man, the UN is here," Swire softly said, Ch'en urging them to move along, the Bradley's gun returning to a neutral position, facing forward. She got her keycard out and opened the door, ushering them inside. "Why are they here?" Swire's voice was a little laced with panic. At her panic, Ch'en couldn't blame her, the United Nations' member states have proven themselves to be exponentially dreadful to fight or dare.
"That... might be why Chief Wei called us back." Hoshiguma finally theorized. Ch'en got them over to an elevator and pressed the panel, waiting patiently.
"If that's the case, why didn't he just say so in the letter?" Hoshiguma shrugged, "I don't know, Chief Wei is always strange in some of his actions."
Ch'en had to hide a faint smile that she had, subtly nodding her head. Coughing into her fist, She straightens up, and fixes herself. "No matter, we must look and act professional, there's a method to his madness." Swire scoffed, smirking behind her.
"Oh you DO agree there is some madness within him?"
Why I out to... Hoshiguma was not ready for how quick she turned around and glared into Swire's Eyes, trapping the upper bit of her uniform. "Listen here you tiger bitch, there may be madness in his actions, but right now, he is one of the few leaders and the few people capable of expectedly handling this city, I recommend we don't say anything here that'll get him all angry at us." Wrong times to be call
Swire shut up quick after that, especially since the elevator began to ring, signaling that they were close to the right floor. Ch'en let out a bit of a shuddering breath. Hoshiguma, gently, rests a hand on Ch'en's shoulder, "Are you Alright?"
"I..." Ch'ens topped herself, shaking her head, just as the door opened, "I am alright, do not worry about me Hoshiguma."
"Thats the spirit... hey, after whatever this is, we can go and get a drink at the bar."
That made her smile softly, "That'll be good, thank you."
The 3 began to step out and towards Ch'en's office. Swire and her looked around, noting UN Forces - Americans and Brits, if I can get that right - were lounging about talking with the various LGD personnel. Soon, the 3 were now outside of their office, the personnel around them silently whispering about something. Ch'en looked at the door and the shadowed figures beyond its slightly tinted door.
"Alright," she coughs, fixing her clothing just a little more, "Here we go," she rests her hand on the doorknob, and began to slowly open it.
She was immediately greeted with the official and clean posture of Chief Wei, as well as his wife. She goes up to him, Swire and Hoshiguma following behind, with the latter closing and locking the door. "Chief Wei."
"Madam Ch'en, good to see that you made it just in time" Chief Wei was now before her. Ch'en gave him a nod of acknowledgement, they couldn't use their other titles due to something that she noticed. There was others in the room, commanders from their uniforms. One of them went up to her and Wei, outreaching his hand, "Special Inspection Unit Chief Ch'en?" She takes his hand and shakes it. "Yes, that is me."
"My name is Samuel Harding, I work for the United States Army as a field Commander," he then turns and gestures to his colleagues, who had turned their attention to , "That is Brigadier General Thomas Mill, he serves for the Royal Army." Thomas nods at her, and gives her a short, respectful salute. "
"That over there is Brigadier General Jett, he works for the Australian Army," with a cowboy-like hat, Jett tilts his hat at her, "G'day Madam."
"Right here is Commander Natalya, she handles an Element of the Russian Army," the Russian lady looked at her and gave a polite nod and smile, a bottle of some sort of Ursun Alcohol next to her. She smiles, "Privyet."
"And at the end over there is Commander Louis the III, he handles European Federation forces," the man waved at her, she couldn't tell where exactly he originated from, maybe from the southern region of Victoria for all she knew.
"It is nice to meet you all," Ch'en began, Swire and Hoshiguma staying back, letting her handle everything. In the back, there seemed to also be Franka and Liskarm from Blacksteel, one of the cooperations that regularly help LGD. The 2 stayed silent, watching the whole ordeal. She looks back at Chief Wei, "Now, why are they all meeting in my office?"
Wei sighed, "Well, please let Mr. Samuel explain from her," he backs away, smoking his pipe. Ch'en noticed a strange look from Swire, and she looked at her briefly, What is it you damn Tigress? Is it something bad? She slowly began to turn around to face Samuel again, only for a cap to now go on her, alongside a coat, courtesy of Ms. Natalya.
Wh-Wha-? She looked at Samuel and Natalya confused, "W-what is the meaning of this?!" Ch'en never really stuttered, but here, she felt... scared and fearful of the situation. Samuel noticed her, as well as the confusion from the 4 other operators in the room. With a look, Ch'en realized he was going to clarify, so she calmed.
"Madam, due to your experience in the City Mission, and for the furthering of Operations on Terra, we have chosen you to help lead a contingent of United Nations Forces into Lungmen." He... what?! Ch'en swung around at Wei, who looked indifferent.
"Chief Wei," she began, "Why have we made this deal? Who is benefitting the most out of it?"
"We are, actually," ...Huh? Swire and Hoshiguma looked at Liskarm and Franka, "He has a point, Lungmen is actually going to benefit from them operating here, besides, they have good reason to put Madam Ch'en in charge." Franka pointed at Samuel, who coughed to get everybody's attention.
"Well, consider it this way," he stands up and starts pacing around, arms and hands clasped behind him. "The United Nations wants to slowly disseminate us more to this world. We have to fight an organization called the Reunion to try and reduce the amount of problems this would pose." Swire was about to speak, but he put his hand up, "I'm getting there."
"We chose Madam Ch'en due to her high position, the fact that she is highly skilled in her fighting, the fact that she is one of the defacto heads of the Lungmen Guard Department," Ch'en stayed silent, a level of pride when Samuel said that, "And due to the fact that her department and herself are well versed in the handlings of this city."
"Now, Yes Ms. Swire?" He points at her. She bore eyes into him and crossed her arms. "Now why do you folk need her and the LGD's help? Wouldn't all of your fancy toys help?" Samuel let out a sigh, one that Ch'en sensed was laced with frustration. "Again, let me put it in a way you could understand..."
He stands in the center and looks at them all, "We have no idea how this city works, what each marking means, where to go, and how many sectors this city is made up of." It clicked in Ch'en's head, looking at him, Oh...
"So... you want me and the LGD to guide you all into Lungmen towards the troubled areas?"
"And an empty sector if possible, we need a place for a base," Chief Wei looked at him, it was Thomas who said that. Letting out his hum, and stroking his chin softly, he takes a whiff of his pipe and looks back at him. "If you follow all of the conditions, that may be possible."
"And that... well, yes, thats essentially what we want from you Ms. Ch'en,"
She sat down, feeling a bit overwhelmed, From Special Investigations all the way up to Armed Forces leader... oh wow...
"I..." she coughed, Swire and Hoshiguma looking expectedly at her. Sighing, she looks at Mr. Samuel, "We... have a deal, I can handle it."
"Are you sure?" Samuel questioned, soft, sky blue eyes bore into her own eyes, as if he was trying to interrogate something out of her. Ch'en was taken aback. She began to think on it more, and she began to wonder everything that could come out of it, all the positives, all of the negatives, all the futures, and all of the potential echos what she is about to choose here will do.
With one final breath, she looks at him, eyes now more sure and her overall posture more confident, "I am very sure, Mr. Samuel."
"Good ..remember Madam Ch'en," the American Commander begins again, "the way this operation goes, and the results at the end of the day, will be completely dependent on you being able to guide the army through Lungmen to the area that is under attack by the Reunion." He leans in, arms crossed tightly, "Do you understand ma'am?"
"I..... I understand." She then looks at the other commanders, "I promise I will not let you or your forces down."
"Good, then we shall begin," He takes out a brief case and pushes it forward, "You will have your own escort tomorrow, we expect your team to be ready at the Southwest Border zone by 9:30," he opens it and turns it on, revealing a bunch of screens. "Input your credentials, we already asked for your ID from Mr. Wei, and he made sure to keep all too private information not inputting in front of our eyes. It should recognize your password for your LGD computer."
Slowly, information of what she is going to command and the sectors of the city, courtesy of Chief Wei and her own hard drive, began to pop up. Ch'en watched the spectacular little light show turn into an array of important strategic and tactical information.
In a small screen, her title "Field Commander Ch'en Hui-chieh", a sort of emblem, a picture of her used for the LGD files, and what she is commanding was displayed.
The 13th United Nations Combined Arms Forces.
Samuel lets go, satisfied at the proceedings; taking his cap, he bowed to Chief Wei, "We will see you tomorrow then," the commanders began to leave, bowing at Wei, and then giving her a salute, as well as the LGD Operators a salute too.
Chief Wei nodded at Ch'en, "Do not let us down," and he began to leave, wife in tow. As the door remained open, Liskarm and Franka began to leave and chat with the personnel outside. Ch'en, Swire, and Hoshiguma was left all alone now. Swire looking over Ch'en's shoulder and honestly feeling a little pity for her. Hoshiguma grabbed Ch'ens arm for the second time today, in concern, and turned her around. "Ch'en? Are you alright?" Came her soft, concerned voice.
With an exhausted look, Ch'en closed the brief case and letting out an incredible sigh, her new hat and coat slumping a little. Achieving that she looked at the Oni woman and felt infinitely tired, as if everything just got sapped out of her in that very moment. The Dragoness let the brief case hanged, and only stared off a little out the window.
"...is it too late for drinks?"