United States Government Intranet
Okay, something is definitely wrong here, the Russians are reporting that more of their areas in the east are going silent. They have almost sent all of their reserves to Terra, and we are trying to accommodate for them in some Ursus land they are developing.
We are worried that Moscow might go Swan Song soon...
- American Secretary of State
We have made a breakthrough, turns out certain technologies on Terra, such as energy shields and ice based weapons, can be developed. We hope to start expanding upon our findings.
- Secretary of DARTs
Cooperation with the Columbian Government is proving very, very valuable. The companies are finding good business there, and the the Columbian Military is intermingling with our own forces pretty nicely.
- Major General Smiths, 1st Terran Division "Arrowhead"
[ PRIORITY FIGURES FOR THE REUNION MOVEMENT ]
"Talulah" - Leader of the movement, incredibly powerful fire-based arts. Do not engage unless in company of an MBT with a DARTs E1 or higher package - Capture(?)
"Mephisto" - Scientific little monster. Is armed with a pistol, is the creator of the armored crab monsters that need Heavy Anti-Tank weapons to engage - Terminate
"Patriot" - Last of his kind, an incredibly powerful figure that apparently even some of the finest forces around the Terran planet fears. Apparently is a parental figure FrostNova - Capture - could use the iced FrostNova as leverage
"Faust" - Very little known, is apparently close to Mephisto - Capture or Terminate
"Suppliers" - UN designated collective code name for the people that are supplying the Reunion with Military grade technology - Capture or Terminate
"Sweetest little rosebud"
Dr. Kal'tsit
Kal'tsit was stepping up the ramp onto the airpad/UN base. Rosmontis followed behind, looking around for the Motor pool. The base consisted of using several very unused Rhodes Island platforms and sort of just utilizing them for facilities that housed the UN.
The Doctor was trying to contact some other willing parties to try and purchase parts to greatly expand Rhodes Island, while also possibly negotiating for the purchasing of another landship. Rim Billton has probably found some while excavating.
Rosmontis stepped up, Kal'tsit just following behind, trying to see what the UN has essentially done to this top floor of the mobile base that, with Amiya's and Doctor's approval, they have pretty much turned into their own little base. Several platforms were haphazardly thrown on, which was fine.
There was some barracks, there was what looks like a helipad, and they even expanded some of the existing structures up here.
They moved quick, and that was something that Kal'tsit had to give to them.
A few Abrams crewmen was walking from the direction of a barracks, and they caught the attention of Rosmontis who stopped them, "Excuse me..." the lead of the group looked down at her.
Her face lit up at her, eyes sparking, "Oh my god, she's adorable!" she said, kneeling down to her level. "What do you need?"
"I want... to try and lift..." she points at the Motor pool. The person seemed to understand what she wants, although was severely confused on why she was asking it. She looked at her fellow crew. They all just shrugged. Why not, why not try and entertain this little one? She was apart of the Landship they kind of just turned into their own base, so its only fair, right?
"Fine," she gave in, looking at Rosmontis, and gesturing, "Come on, follow us, we were heading to the tanks anyways." Kal'tsit began to follow as Rosmontis skirted along. She had her tablet out, and was silently recording everything.
Not long after, they reached where the vehicles were. Most of the vehicles consisted of European Federation and American MBTs, but there was Russian BTRs sitting around as well, alongside some Australians who were trying to fix up their M1A2s after a bit of a rough mission. Crews were about to go about doing maintanence, but seeing Rosmontis enter made them stop.
The girl was looking directly at 2 Abrams tanks, that were not named, and did not have a little cart next to them, indicating that they were most likely empty and that there should be little problem in them being used in this sort of mock experiment. Kal'tsit also decided to take inventory, thinking about why these things were designed and fielded the way they are in the United Nations and how exactly that they, as Rhodes Island, can further learn from them.
"Alright then," the crewmember gestured at one of the unused tanks, smiling warmly, "Go ahead, give it a shot." The Earthlings suddenly felt a chill, something not ignored by Kal'tsit as Rosmontis began to prepare her arts on the MBT. Nobody in any of the tests that she knew and even looked over herself, had nearby subjects experience chills when the elite operator was getting ready to use her Arts, so this was rather interesting.
A crewmember stood back, as some of the objects on the tank began to cling to the vehicle. Others felt a bigger chill overcome them, and they began to further back away, their natural instincts screaming at them to do so. Some of them even took their carbine rifles off their slings and opened up their stocks and Kal'tsit couldn't fathom why.
They all began to back away and took cover when the M1A3 slowly began to lift up, its tracks slightly sagging as the tank was now a solid 4-5 meters off the ground, causing many of the crew to start backing away and taking cover elsewhere. "Oh shit!-" an Australian crewmember yelled out, watching as the OTHER M1A3 began to lift upwards.
Nearby, 3 Bradleys, still covered in tarp, began to be lifted, and Kal'tsit was getting a little worried frankly at how much that the little Feline was lifting. "Rosmontis," she began, watching as some other vehicles began to lift. Some very light BTR-82As to be precise. Their Russian crews scattering, as the Elite Operator in questions tarted to look like she was starting to feel a level of pain as more armored vehicles became subject of her lifting.
"Rosmontis!" Kal'tsit yelled, getting up next to her and resting a hand on her shoulder, causing the feline to gasp and drop the vehicles down. Fortunately it was gentle enough to where there's no damage, but unfortunately, the tracks and some suspension systems might have to get checked after that.
Rosmontis set her arms down, and the feeling that made the crews scatter retreated, making them slowly come back in to see what she had managed to lift judging by displacement.
And they were near appalled;
3 M1A3E1s, 5 Bradleys, 3 Australian M1A2s, 1 European EMBT, and 7 BTRs.
"Jesus H. Christ," one crewmember began, going over to the M1A3s and looking it up and down. He tried to lift it up himself, but felt nothing as he gave up once he felt a bit tuckered out. A Russian operator went over to Rosmontis, "This little catgirl..." she kneels down and looks her up and down with Kal'tsit still looking at the footage.
That was nothing shocking to the old lynx. But to the Earthlings, it was an experience that made some tankers worried about the possibility of some casters or hostiles being able to do that to them. Kal'tsit sighed, "Come on Rosmontis, how are you feeling?" the little feline girl looked up at her and spoke.
"Cold... and hungry," she replied, making the old doctor sigh, "Alright, alright" she gestures her to follow. Walking away, heading back down to the entrance, while the crewmembers start wondering how they fuck they are going to explain what the little girl can do over to the main command.
"Ramirez," Foley begins. Back on the Ranch in Texas, Foley, Dunn, and Ramirez was in a private room for the 3 to talk in. "Listen to me, and listen to me carefully," he begins, the ranger in question snapping to attention as Dunn remained at the door. Tension seemed to grow after a bit and it was worrying the private.
"What... what's wrong Sergeant?" Ramirez finally asked while Foley paced around the room, before coming back around, and got close.
"Listen to me carefully, and listen closely, Ramirez," Foley began, stepping back as he explained. "It has come to my attention that there is a possibility that you and Exusiai might 'fall in line' at some point in the future. May be now, may be later."
Ramirez fell silent. He couldn't deny that possibility of that happening, in fact he constantly entertained the idea in almost every interaction he had with her. "Sir..." Foley wasn't done.
"Now, do not get me wrong, I, personally, will not care for it," he elaborated, making Ramirez relax a little, "But it doesn't mean that the folks will." He tensed.
"The question is Ramirez," Foley starts again, pacing back and forth like a drill sergeant. He looks at him in the eye and begins, "Are you going to take responsibility for the actions that will follow? I can condone you 2 fraternizing when we're off duty like this, but do not let the command catch you like that when we get back to Terra. With that said," Foley begins, "You are free to pursue that relationship, that is my approval. It's not your parents', but it is still mine, so pursue it as you will."
"Do you understand, Ramirez?" Foley asked slowly, staring at Ramirez intently. The ranger was frozen, and he was pondering. Thinking about everything. Thinking about the interactions he had with her, the talks he had, everything. As well as the occasional intrusive thought that eventually came in.
Soon, he gave in, finally letting the warmth of the idea come over him, "I... understand Sarge."
"Good," Foley simply replied, a silence falling over them as the 3 realize what was soon to come, started by them. The tension was still there, but...
"...sooo when are you going to do the deed-?" Dunn interjected teasingly, resting his arm on Ramirez's shoulder and lightly rubbing the top of the head, making Foley stop, before pinching the bridge of his nose and chuckling a little. The tension faded like a candle that has just been blown out, causing the 3 to start chuckling, before full blown laughing.
"Oh lord Dunn!" Ramirez let out, laughing and wiping his eyes, "You know exactly what to say in almost any circumstance, don't you?" Dunn patted them both ont he back and began to head back up to the door.
"That I do, now come on you all," he gestures, opening the door, "Jonathon's been making Barbecue, and would be a damn shame if we miss it huh? He's going Texan style here."
"Oh man, that sounds good." Ramirez began to head up. Foley stood as he watched the 2 exit the door. Shaking his head in an appreciative fondness, he began to follow, closing the door behind him. The smell of barbecue gathering their attention, while Ramirez and Dunn joked about how things are going to go.
Elsewhere, Texas was also in the middle of interrogating Exusiai. Sort of.
The Lupo was of course concerned for her friend. It was only natural with consideration to the situation.
An Earthling-Terran relationship, aka a relationship with somebody from another world? Yeah, that would definitely get one severely worried too. "Listen Tex, I..." Exusiai begins, looking away shyly and rubbing her arm, "I don't know what to tell you. It's just... thing's are looking so nice, everything's warm and fuzzy when we interact and-"
"I'm not mad." That response cut Exusiai's ramble short. She looked up at her Lupo partner and spoke again, raising an eyebrow at her. "You're not...?"
"No," Texas begins, before quickly starting again, "And I will keep this brief because I know that you want to be happy," she goes up to Exusiai eyes focused, "Make sure that he doesn't cause you problems, and that he won't cause the others problems, simple as that, got it?" it was a simple request, and Exusiai was honestly glad that it was simple.
The Sankta was surprised, but at same parts not. It felt right for Texas. She shouldn't have expected anything else from her. She should be happy that the Lupo wasn't about to go into much more detail. "I understand Texas."
"Good," she sighs, and reaches into her pouch, "Here," she hands up a few pocky and puts them in Exusiai's hand, who looked down at them, softly grasping them and softly turning them over.
"Thanks, but, why?" Texas said nothing, as she began to walk away. The Sankta was ready to walk up and grab her shoulder, when the Lupo turned around, side glancing at her.
"You might need it," she responded, as Exusiai followed, "Come on, apparently they are making Barbecue over there and... Lappland's going crazy." At that, Exusiai snickered.
"Of course." The 2 went out fromt he area they spoke in, as Exusiai grabbed a napkin and wrapped the sticks of pocky and puts them away in a pouch that used to hold magazines for her vector.
Speaking of that, Exusiai felt something flutter as she felt the guns that Ramirez allowed her to buy appear behind her, as well as the little pistol rack thing. She smiled warmly, and put those weapons away, back to wherever they go. The sun was slowly fading from view in the sky. But it still created a beautiful ray of orange, yellow, and red that danced across the lightly clouded skies.
The smell of barbecue was wonderful, the smell of steak, the smell of the marinades, and the smell of charcoal. There was also a faint sweetness that she can sense and smell, and it both intrigued her and excited her. It was probably because of the fact that she was a Sankta, and she damn well knows that she, her sister, and Mostima love things that are sweet.
Lemuen... Mostima... those names silently echoed on her mind again. She wondered how they would feel about this entire situation. About how there was a possibility that she was really going to pursue a relationship with a person not of Terra, but from another world.
She was actually so entrenched within her thoughts that she didn't notice Lana running up to her and lightly knocking her to her bum. Only noticing her she DID get ran into by the little one, "Boomphf-!" she let out, as the little Lupo girl was nuzzling her neck, making her giggle before breaking out into laughter, "H-hey! That t-tickles!"
"Hey! Lana!" Ramirez's voice was heard, the aforementioned running up to Exusiai and Lana. He stopped before them, smiling at her and Lana.
"Aw come on Lana, that's not nice, you know?" Ramirez lightly reprimanded the still giggling Lupo. He didn't sound mean in what he was saying, and he staying still rather warm. At this sound of his voice, Lana got up from Exusiai and went up to hug him, making the Ranger smile as he lightly hugged back. At the sight of the 2 hugging, the angel got the warm feeling come in once again and it made her happy.
He took notice of her, and he had a small chuckle rise out of him. "Hey Angel," he outreached his hand, "Need some help?"
Exusiai just reached back at him, and took it, "Yeah, thank you." She got up and joined the 2 in their hug, which surprised Ramirez a little. But in honesty, after talking with Foley and Dunn, he was perfectly accepting of it.
Amiya and Ptilopsis had watched the interaction interestingly. The former was wondering what things could mean from there on out for Terran and Earthling relationships. Ramirez was already brave enough to adopt Lana, but to actually open up a relationship with a Sankta? That will be something that the media will be exploding over when they get back home.
Mudrock was assisting Jonathon in making some of the barbecue, although he had to repeatedly make sure that she doesn't add Orirocks to the sauce. Dunn was back to talking to Ceylon, this time about Schwarz while also handling a conversation with Ace and Blaze about the oncoming baseball games.
Foley had to chase down Red, who had managed to grab a shotgun - thankfully unloaded - and was running around with it. After being able to politely reprocure it, he had to find Ptilopsis. "Damn... I need to talk to her to ask Kal'tsit on how to handle her..."
Carmen and Lappland were both hungry. Everybody was. Jonathan may not be the best at doing it himself, but he is trying his best to mimic some good ol' Texan barbecue. In the opinion of a Texan, it probably wasn't the best imitation. But it probably didn't matter for now, they were all going into town on New Years Eve anyways.
As the food simmered and was almost ready, the night was settling in. Lamps were set up, and everybody was cozying up to the table, waiting for Jonathon to be done. At the table, everybody was thinking of what Dobermann said, of what Amiya was thinking as she saw the fire arms that was given to the Reserve team,
And of course what was going to happen back home.
Daniel was with Ch'en, Swire, and Hoshiguma, the 4 closest to the flame that burned away. Engaged in rather mundane conversation, avoiding all mentions of work and Lungmen for now. Ch'en was slowly, and ever so slowly improving in behavior, and neither of the 3 wants to do anything to harm that.
It warmed Daniel's heart to know that she was eventually going to get out of the spiral that have sent many down a path that led to an irreversible and expensive crash.
Fang looked at the M4 she was given and held it up to her face, the bayonet at the end lightly shining as the fire of the barbecue kept everybody both warm and awaiting for what was to come. "I wonder..." she sets the rifle back down, safety on, "I wonder what things are going to look like when we get back to the Ark..."
And Texas, all she did for now? Keep an eye on Exusiai and Ramirez as the 2 interacted. Her attention intensified a little, before being drawn out of it when Jonathon calls out, "Hey! Barbecue's ready, come and get it!"
And judging from Lappland's and Carmen's excitement, and the sound of everybody getting up, it was time for Texas to stop for now, and go try some. Letting out a soft hum, she got up from her seat, and moved to grab a plate. For her, it was time to see what the Lone Star State had to offer to the Terran Lupo that shared her name with it.
On the streets of Lungmen, disguised Reunion rioters ran about, trying to sneak around. At this point in time, the United Nations Military was pretty much in control of the general heavy duty of the city. EMBTs and other Armored vehicles, being escorted around by the LGD, usually to ensure that no civilian accidentally runs into a tank turning the corner.
These rioters were trying to scout out for general weaknesses in the United Nations, other than the flagrant weakness against certain Arts attacks and the general problems of fighting anti-guerrilla in an urban environment.
Seeing nothing exceptional, and finding little, they began to leave.
However, they have taken note of all routes that the UN Convoys take going throughout the city.
They plan to find a way to exploit that movement, and see if they can stop the UN in their tracks. Taking note of almost every bridge, road, and highway that they take.
Once satisfied, they left to their little stronghold, off in some obscure part of the city...