[System]
"Please allow me to strike you down."

 ✠ G R A D O N G I L T W I T H ✠

Height: 170 cm ⛨ Weight: 77 kg ⛨ Age: 19 Years
A G E

19 Years

A P P E A R A N C E

— "Isn't it wonderful the Empire allows customized uniforms!"

Gradon takes pride in his standard outfit, which he feels is the most effective in both combat and leisure. Of course, there are times when the sun beats down and it does get stuffy wearing that coat everywhere. When that happens, he just tries to smile and sweat it out. It's had mixed results so far.

S U M M A R Y

— "What's a….Kirito?"

Gradon's history is nothing too spectacular. Simply put, he wanted to be a hunter who slayed monsters and protect people. Though he tended to lean more towards traditional knight mannerisms and customs, it did not deter his want to help people and thus began this career as a student of Cadenza Imperial Military Academy.

Beforehand, his family told him constantly that one must hone their body at all costs to become a strong warrior of the Empire. Gradon took this literally, eager to train his fighting skills day and night to the point where he could be considered a prodigy in the field of combat. Unfortunately, this has made his social skills suffer tremendously to the point where the simplest of things can stump Gradon if it's not connected to fighting in some way. Like trying to open a door.

Because of his appearance and efficiency in fighting, he's been given the nickname of "Not-Kirito". It's a shame he doesn't really know what that means nor does he fully understand the reference all too well, but he's more than happy to learn. As an eager student, he's always tried to be open-minded of many things and become an overall nice guy. Often however this kindness dips into nativity and just lack of common sense. But such is the life of a student.

V E S S E L

— "This is the Legacy of the Empire."

Gradon's Vessel is named Round Table, taking the shape of a dark purple bracelet located on his right wrist. The bracelet itself is intricately designed to look like a snake consuming its own tail; the universal sign of Ouroboros. When in its active state, Round Table takes the form of a single-edged greatsword.

A B I L I T I E S

— "Thank you for allowing me to attack."

⛨ Rebuttal:  By successfully parrying or blocking an oncoming attack, Round Table can then inflict the same amount of damage or force right back at the enemy almost instantly. However, this ability can only work when defending against physical close-combat attacks, such as sword strikes. If one were to carelessly slash at a defensive Gradon, a cut of similar proportion would immediately present itself on the enemy. Unfortunately, this unique power reverts Gradon's fighting style to retain more defensive capabilities than offensive ones, forcing him to rely solely on counterattacks to fully utilize it.

E Q U I P M E N T

— "Better safe than sorry."

Aside from Round Table, Gradon likes to always carry around his coat. He was warned from an early age about the disasters a proper cold could bring about to the human body and that doctrine has stuck with for all nineteen years of his life. Unless he's forced to wash the thing, it's not likely he'll give the coat up.

✠ T H E M E ✠

[User]
Zarin Malthain & Fafnir

---

Zarin took full advantage of the opportunity given to him. No matter how hard he was pushed by the training, he made sure to push back twice as hard. There were some days he would be out training for so long Diana had to drag him back into the temple to eat and sleep. Although, achieving the latter was a challenge in itself as a certain someone liked to wake him up with Hydra bites in the middle of the night. At one point, Zarin attempted to convince Morgan to put Egwene in the false reality for a night. He was told it didn't work like that, and was then immediately bitten by a hydra.

Despite having to deal with the antics of his fellow cadets, the overall experience was well worth it. Not only did Zarin unlock more abilities, but he gained his very own spirit; The lesser dragon Fafnir. And now it was all about to be put to the test. As Diana's parting gifts screamed to life, Zarin cracked his neck and smirked. "Don't worry, Gradon. Fafnir and I will take these guys down in no time."

Holding his whip out and saying his stanza he waited for for the transformation, but nothing happened. "Hey, Fafnir, it's ass kicking time. Come on!" Zarin said shaking his whip as if he could shake his spirit loose.

I believe you are the one Lady Diana is testing, not me.

"Are you kidding me? You're really going to do this right now?" Zarin yelled at his vessel.

A month ago it took your entire squad to take down one of these things. Kill one on your own, and it will show the progress you've made.

Zarin dropped his arms to the side and let out a loud groan. "What is the point of having a spirit if you're not going to fight for me?"

Afraid you aren't strong enough to do it yourself?

"What? Of course not! I could easily take on a Dissonance!"

Prove it.

Zarin glared at his Vessel. He knew what Fafnir was doing, but he couldn't resist taking the bait. Slowly looking up at the Dissonances, Zarin unfurled his whip and charged the closest Dissonance. The beast was quick to notice and leapt straight for the song knight. Just before it could smash him with its claws, Zarin Flame Dashed to the left avoiding the attacking and leaving a nice fire trail for the monster to burn itself on when it landed. Reeling back in pain as its paw was badly singed, Zarin decided now would be ample time to test his new attack. Spinning his whip above him he created and launched Burning Disk directed towards the beats head. The Dissonance stood no chance as the disk swiftly decapitated it.

As it dissolved into the bloody darkness, Zarin looked at his Vessel and snarked, "Told you."

[Assistant]
Esther von Degraff

---

When Esther first heard about Diana's proposition of giving them special training, she wasn't sure what to do. She never really liked training. Back at the academy, the training assigned to her was harsh and draining. Many times she would return to the dorms with all her muscles aching. She would also be soaked in her own sweat, giving off a disgusting sensation to her skin and odor to her nose. To make matters worse, the white sport t-shirt she wore would become translucent, showing a hint of the bra she wore underneath. She had learned to just not think about it but it was still embarrassing to her, especially since the boys were there too.

However, after the fight with that horrible creature, she realized that she still lacked power. And here came Diana promising that after they finished their training, they would be able to defeat such a thing with ease.

In the end, Esther chose to accept the training, resolving herself that she wanted to become stronger. She had to make her grandpa proud!

The training she experienced wasn't what she was expecting however. Sure, there was still some physical training but most of the time spent was on learning about their vessels and their roles as Song Knights. They even learned to make a contract to a spirit from the Spirit Realm that would become bound to their vessels. Unfortunately however, the spirit she ended up contracting with was a... whimsical one, for the lack of a better term. Even though they had made a contract that would last for a lifetime, the spirit didn't seem to respect her that much. Right after they made their contract, she actually humiliated her by shredding her dress, just because she thought she would look cute in less clothing. Hmph, what kind of logic was that?

When Diana left, she thanked her wholeheartedly for all that she had done for her and the others. Setting aside the issue with her spirit, she had learned more nifty tricks and abilities with her vessel. Her mobility and strength had improved greatly, and it was all thanks to her teachings. She still wasn't sure of her role as a Song Knight, but she would carry the title with pride.

When Diana summoned eight of the horrific beast that gave them so much trouble a couple months back, Esther didn't even flinch. She was confident in their abilities to fight against them now.

She then noticed that some of the other cadets summon their spirits right away.

Want to summon me, dear?

There it was. Her spirit's taunting voice. Ever since they made their contract, she could hear her voice clearly. And since she wore her vessel at all times, she had to hear her taunts and teases all the time. To this day, it still annoyed her.

Don't worry. I promise not to reveal your cute little pink panties to the world this time.

Esther immediately blushed hearing her words. She hadn't summoned her ever since that accident but she knew sooner or later she would have to do it nonetheless.

However...

"No need! I'm going to do this on my own!"

Aaw, you're no fun!

With that settled, she began her attack by using her newfound skill, Wind Divider. Stomping her right feet to the ground, she created an almost invisible wall created by pressurized air. The wall was not for defense, as it headed straight towards one of the Dissonances. It tried to block it but immediately it regretted its decision as the wall's sharpness sliced its hands, arms, and eventually its body. Thanks to its regeneration capability, it didn't die immediately. However, Esther wasn't finished. With her newfound mobility she jumped all around the creature, sending multiple wind blades towards its direction. The blades all hit its mark, shredding the creature's body even further. And with that, the creature's regeneration capability couldn't keep up and it fell down to the ground.

"Wew, that was easy," Esther mumbled to herself. "We really have gotten much stronger, haven't we?"

[User]
Chen Chideta

Chen learned a lot in the past month. He learned to fine tune his control of ice in ways many would never have even thought of. He learned how to power up his ice significantly, no longer did he need direct contact in order to freeze whatever needed to be frozen. Most importantly though, he learned a lot about his fellow squad mates and Diana herself. There was always a subtle tension whenever they were in the same room together, Chen constantly suspected her while she just brushed it off. He knew that the jig was up, but nobody else did so the act was maintained.

Oh yeah, he also gained a badass Ice Spirit. As Diana left, transforming into a dragon and flying off to who knows where, Chen saw the flutter of papers held in her hand moment before they were released. He was already prepared throwing his Vessel into the air and catching it as it morphed into it's glass revolver state. "I shall take care of the Dissonance on my own, no need to waste the energy on such low class monsters." He said to seemingly nobody, but the person it was meant for got the message loud and clear.

"Your need to prove yourself is adorable. Very well then, try not to die. It would be very annoying to have to find a new partner." The voice was distinctly feminine, with a hint of amusement at Chen's need to prove himself. The voice belonged to his Spirit, Yuki of the Arctic Plane.

Chen quickly stomped on the ground, forming a block of ice in front of him within a few seconds to act as cover against the Dissonance that was currently charging him. The monster crashed into the barrier and bounced back a few feet, cracking the ice but not breaking it. Chen proceeded to kick the ice as hard as he could, sending it sliding towards the Dissonance and shattering upon contact, leaving several cuts and pieces of icy shrapnel in the beast. It roared in pain, but was silenced by a single gunshot to the head. "Be silent Dissonance, the show has begun!"

[Assistant]
Truth be told, Gradon wasn't expecting the Cadets to actually sweep this all off like it was nothing. But seeing really was believing, and he saw with his own eyes the culminated effort every one of them had obtained during the past month. Some used the power of their newly contracted Spirits and enhanced Vessels, while the others relied on their own strength. It didn't really matter how they went about it, because soon enough the foes Diana had left for them were all but black dust. Gradon hadn't even needed to summon his own Spirit, let alone raise his weapon.

But those pair of eyes, the very same that had watched from a distance, were now making themselves known. As the last of the Dissonance collapsed into the snowy ground, Gradon whirled around to glare at the person who had snuck up on them. "Who are you," he asked, hand slowly reaching for his blade. Friend or foe, people didn't just didn't sneak up on a bunch of kids without cause for intrusion.

"I can't believe a bunch of kids actually took down those monsters. That old dragon girl must be getting soft if she threw a bunch of weaklings at them," the man said, ignoring Gradon's words. By now, he had made himself evident for all the Cadets to see. With a cool grin, hands in his pockets, he nodded in satisfaction at the group before him. "Not bad, not bad at all kiddies. I could almost mistake you for real, legit Imperial soldiers."

Gradon traded a glance with Ires, wondering if she had any words on the matter. Assuming she would say something to address this stranger, Gradon watched and waited. Unfortunately, the newcomer wouldn't be so lenient to just wait around for individual speeches to be delivered. One hand shifting out of his pocket, an ember sparked between his fingers. He idly played with it, letting it slide between his digits as he focused his eyes on the group as a whole.

"It's good to see kids like you can actually hold their own in a fight. Cause I'm afraid you're about to get one real soon," the man said, suddenly turning his cool gaze on Chen. "Starting with you first popsicle. Come on kid, show me what you can do. It's not like I'm letting you all walk scot free anyway."


[System]
Age: 26

Gender: Female

???: Y

Skills: Skilled pilot and capable enough mechanic, public oration, soothing spirits, quiet hymnals, photographic knowledge of relevant Scripture, Saturday morning cartoons.

Appearance: Standing at five and a half feet even and thin, the chaplain tends towards a naturally lithe, willowy figure. It's made easier to notice by her priest's robes, which are somewhat tighter than an average frock, and her standard-issue military uniform. Her rosary tends to hang from her slim neck no matter what outfit she wears, the polish blending into her dark skin. A pair of startlingly green eyes and stark white hair offset her natural skin tone, and the gentle smile she often wears is more than bright enough despite how faint it usually is. Off-duty or on Earth, she will often default to distinctly unholy sundresses (even daring to show her knees off) or casual blue jeans.

Personality: Even for a priest, Joan is atypically gentle and polite. In fact, it is difficult to even determine why such a beatific soul would want to be attached to a squadron of HFVs in the first place. In truth, it is both the excitement of the profession itself and her concern for those who thrive off that excitement - her understanding of the thrill of jockeying is most of what drives her to act as spiritual and psychological counsel for those on board Jannah. For those seeking something besides a sermon or advice, Joan is also surprisingly willing to get up to mild, good-natured mischief, which she explains away serenely as trying to bring a sense of levity to those few who choose to live in the moment.

Biography: For the first half of her life, the clergy was about as far away from Father Joan's long-term plans as you could get. Joan grew up with a passion for literature, whiling away her days reading voraciously and imagining lush fantasy lands and what lay in the farthest reaches of space. Growing up on Earth in an age of space colonies and evidence of extraterrestrials only kindled the fire of adventure in the young Earthling growing up, and she had no time to debate theology or dole out advice when there was adventure to be had.

Then, at the age of fourteen, Joan was in an enormous car wreck along with her parents and three older siblings. Though only her parents were wearing seat belts at the time, all four children nonetheless escaped the family van with more than moderate injuries. In the hospital, Joan was baptized, and told repeatedly that the family's good condition was nothing short of a miracle - an act of God. Never being particularly religious, or having much idea of what religion pertained to besides the pieces that had seeped into popular culture or modern idioms, Joan was now possessed with a childlike belief in miracles. Her path in life diverted as such, and upon graduation she went to school for philosophy and began a path to the clergy.

Upon leaving the seminary a year ago, Joan requested what must have seemed a bizarre choice for one who so nearly had her life taken by machinery as a child - the OSDT, where she was posted upon the spaceship Jannah to serve as a support pilot and adviser to the crew. In truth, she sees a little of herself in those who deign to pilot such dangerous vehicles, and seeks to give them the same peace of mind that the Father feels daily, and seeks to stave off any feelings of despair or loneliness with all her might.

>*******
>Enter
Model: XC|PT-003 "Judah"

Specialty: Prototype-Run Quadrupedal Testbed HFV

History: (See File: "Project Overview" located in 001)

Appearance:

Quadrupedal Mode - 12.8 meters
Bipedal Mode - 19.1 meters

Features: Quadrupedal Form - The PT-003 is unique among most HFVs in production (save a smattering of Martian prototypes in lesser stages of development) in that it does not shift into another vehicle, but into a quadrupedal form in the shape of a lion, designed for reconnaissance and easy maneuvering. This allows the PT-003 to serve in multiple capacities when on four legs - the most prevalent of which are a lightweight mobile assault role or its originally intended role as a scout.

Special Comm Systems - Not a remarkable feature, but still one worth mentioning, Judah has a specialized communication system to allow for further encrypted communication with other HFVs from the XC|PT series. In addition to encrypted communication, the system allows for ease in transferring data between units as well as GPS position relaying.

Armaments: 460mm High Velocity Railguns x2: Mounted on hardpoints on Judah's back in quadrupedal configuration. When bipedal, a railgun is positioned over each shoulder.

400mm Rocket Launcher x1: Comes chambered with thirteen rounds, able to be stored on a hardpoint on the suit's back in quadrupedal form. This weapon is mostly used in quadrupedal form, as Judah's hands wield beam sabers and the railguns are mounted upon each shoulder in its bipedal configuration - obviously, making use of an extra rocket launcher difficult.

Beam Sabers x2: Stored in the mouth of the PT-003's cranial unit when in quadrupedal configuration, the lack of holsters on Judah requires both sabers to be wielded by hand when in bipedal configuration.

80mm Auto-Tracking Head Vulcans x2: Oldie but goodie.

Weaknesses: Despite its considerable array of firepower, the PT-003 itself is a relatively light suit designed for quick but heavy strikes and offensive capability. The HFV has little in the way of defensive capability beyond mounting a good offense.

[User]
OSDT Jannah
Hangar

"Shoo. I can do pre-flight myself."

"But-"

"Shoo! Too many cooks. Go get coffee or something. If you really want to help, bring me some coffee while you're at it." Sasha tried to look stern, but at 5'4" and her usual level of enthusiasm the effect was lost pretty quickly. She gestured towards the hangar exit with her nose, both hands being occupied with pulling her hair back into a ponytail, and waved a hand in her technician's general direction when one was free. "You already did most of the day's maintenance, I just have to run through the pre-flight checklist. All primary system diagnostics are coming up green, right?"

The technician nodded and sighed, rolling his eyes while he turned and headed towards the exist. "Alright, alright. I'll bring some coffee by. We'll report to the hangar if the HFVs sorty, Rising Star'll need maintenance when she brings the G-Valk back."

"Mmm." Sasha hummed noncommittally, already turning her attention to the task at hand. Best way to avoid saying anything odd, too. It was still weird to act like Rising Star was another person. Made perfect sense why she needed to, but it was still a little odd. Taking the extra step to make sure anything to do with piloting the XC|PT-01 was put not in terms of Sasha Mackenzie, but Rising Star. "She needs", not "I need". At least she didn't have to maintain the act constantly, that'd drive her crazy. Just needed to do it while she was in the cockpit. What was a pain, though, was having to wear the pilot suit underneath her outer layer.

The colonist was eternally grateful ships like the Jannah naturally tended to be much cooler. Otherwise the suit underneath her bulky pants and zipped jacket would roast her alive. At least she didn't need to keep the helmet on her, that was in the cockpit with Rising Star's mask. She was getting sidetracked, though. Sasha crossed through the hangar's open space, giving a quick wave to the two pilots already in the hangar as she went by.

The XC|PT-01, G-Valkyrie as she much preferred to call it, wasn't too far from the entrance. Only took a few seconds to reach, and (to Sasha's delight) kept her close enough to all the other pilots to chat. If they felt like it. She was just a technician to them, so she didn't really get to talk shop with the people outside Paper Tiger. The G-Valk really didn't need much work; Sasha's fingers flew across the console's keys, running the HFV through its pre-flight diagnostics, but there wasn't anything to find. It was just procedure. Munitions were loaded. Reactor was operating within optimal levels. Computer systems functional, transformable frame checked out, et cetera, et cetera. It only took a couple of minutes to run almost all of the checks, only waiting on the ones still running.

Soooo her eyes wandered. She was in a hangar full of giant robots, how could they not? She knew all about the XC|PTs, the thrill of looking through their specs wore off ages ago, but the rest... There were two different Omnienvironmental Series HFVs on board! A Type 2 and a Type 7. The Type 2 was nothing special to look at, it was the program's backbone for a while, but it was fascinating how compatible it was with newer tech. The Rook's consistence was beautiful in its simplicity. And the Type 7! So much faster than most HFVs that big. Sasha would've loved to see how fast it was compared to the G-Valk. Either one would've been fantastic to tinker with, especially after the series was shut down. There was even a Senta.A Senta! One of the earliest Russian HFVs! Her father would've loved to take a look at it, and Sasha was no different. She'd never even gotten to see a Senta in person. Its design was nothing like what X Corp put out, which was why it was so fascinating.

Lucky Jannah techs. Getting to work on all the different types.

Sure, some of them probably wished they were allowed to work on the four XC|PTs on board, but Sasha had spent her waking hours around those for ages. The different stuff was where it got interesting.

...

Hopefully no one objected to her staring at the other HFVs. That'd be kinda awkward.

[Assistant]
Henry was already inside the HFV Yukine, doing some last-minute diagnostics. Briefly, he gazed at the Valkyrie; it was a majestic sight, what with its reds, blues, and yellows, and he didn't know if he can beat Rising Star in a fair fight. He was tempted for a split-second to wave, but decided not to; he was not going to gain the 'rapport' needed to get the OSDT Jannah's captain to set up an observation post in this region of space if he acted unprofessional. Oh, did he forget to mention? It was this region which his parents insisted be the site of an observation post to look for more Alien signals.

Either way, he was hyped, but not so hyped that he would break protocol just to squee or otherwise communicate how he was hyped...

[User]
Droopy Eyelids are the Devil's Playthings, Father Joan!
HFV Hangar Bay

"A charmed existence," came the lilting greeting from over Sasha C. McKenzie's shoulder, "is church shorthand to be used when discussing lives such as yours. The more fortunate among us in the clergy live them, too. Lives removed of all fears and all desires, save the desire to grow closer to God. Once it was different, so I hear, but in this day and age much of my Church's advice is dedicated to charming the existences of others. Yours, however, consists entirely of others bringing you caffeine and getting to slave away on the day-to-day minutiae of your mech. Once again, Sasha McKenzie, I fear I must admit that the Lord is powerless to help you."

A hot paper cup, complete with a cardboard warmer to deter burning, was pushed into the feisty engineer's hand.

"Latte, extra sugar." A lush smile grew on the face of Father Joan Heidenreich as she found a large box of parts to recline on cross-legged, hands underneath her as she balanced her own coffee on her right knee. "Straight from the chapel's espresso machine. Fear not. It comes pre-blessed."

Her gaze drifted over to her own HFV, the Lion of Judah, and then back to the giddy technician. Two enormous emerald eyes commenced to rolling. Though it was her job as OSDT Jannah's chaplain to provide spiritual comfort and perform religious ceremonies without bias, she nonetheless spent the majority of her time as counsel for the Paper Tiger crew, having volunteered as a member herself after the original pilot left X Corp on maternity leave. The extra time with the trio of madmen, time mostly spent as an outsider both ideologically and chronologically, had allowed her a unique view of the...idiosyncrasies of each member. And though many on the crew would no doubt share a different opinion, Sasha C. McKenzie, more pixie of legend than human girl, was no doubt the biggest handful to deal with.

"You forgot to rinse your hands again."

Emerald eyes rolled again in a show of good nature.

"There is grease in your ponytail."


[System]
A G E
Twenty Four
B I R T H D A Y
Winter, Day 9
G E N D E R
Male
O C C U P A T I O N
Cafe Owner

---

---

P E R S O N A L I T Y T R A I T S
Idealistic, Prideful, Tenacious, Jokester, Forgetful, Astute
F A V O R I T E S E A S O N
Winter
F A V O R I T E C O L O R
Sienna
F A V O R I T E F O O D
Smoked Salmon
L I K E S
Cooking, Puns and Jokes, Coffee, a Light Summer Breeze, Dogs, and Karaoke.
D I S L I K E S
Roosters, Sleeping in, Crows, Pessimism, Big Companies, Large Messes.
D O Y O U B E L I E V E I N M A G I C ?
He mainly believes in the rot, having felt he saw its effects on his family when it first started showing up and blaming it for their sudden interest to leave their home town. Because of that, he doesn't doubt that the other things exist either, and even sends prayers to the Goddess from time to time.

---

---

F A M I L Y M E M B E R S
Father: Quinten Rivers - Previous Cafe Owner - Moved to the city
Mother: Vanessa Rivers - Previous Cafe Owner/Chef - Moved to the city
Brother: Devon Rivers - Previous Cafe employee - Moved to the city
Dog: Nanner - Best french bulldog - Moved to city with parents
A N I M A L F R I E N D S
He used to take care of his dog Nanner until his parents took him with them when they left.
H O M E L I F E
Living in establishment 11, the two story building has housing on the top floor with the cafe on the bottom, the stairs blocked off from customers due to being in the back where only Grayon has access to it, locked behind a door. The residence upstairs is almost akin to a studio apartment, with it being fairly open save for the bathroom.

The Wide Awake Cafe has been a family establishment for generations, and Grayson ultimately took up the mantle of being its owner out of a sense of pride and respect for the place in his parent's absence. While there is a large emphasis on coffee, he does his best to have a wide variety of snacks and main meals for customers and even expanded his menu at the cost of being the only one who works there now. It's a lot to clean, but he wouldn't be here if he wasn't up to the challenge.
S T O R Y
The Rivers family has been in Valbree Village for several generations starting with Grayon's great great grandfather, and the story goes that they built themselves a simple cafe to share their love of food and drinks to the town. His great grandfather took it upon himself to renovate the place when he got ownership, expanding the cafe's size slightly and renovating the feel of the place so that it felt more inviting and homely. Grayon's grandfather managed to pull in new supplies for use, and it seemed that things could only go up when Grayon's own father took charge, his wife happy to assist him.

Together in Valbree, they had vowed to make sure the cafe would prosper, and for a time, it did. While they were happy, they had two sons,
 Grayson as the eldest and 5 years later Devon. Some of Grayson's earliest memories were in that cafe, watching customers with eager eyes and soaking in everything he could about the place. He wanted to learn more, always mesmerized at how the place had grown through the generations and attentively paying attention as to how to keep the place successful. Grayson aspired to keep up the family tradition,and they couldn't be happier. Devon was slightly invested in the place, but he was always more scholarly and always felt like a big fish in a small pond, desiring to leave the moment he could.

Grayson had no such ambition for departure, feeling right at home in his home town. When he turned 18, they decided to grant him more responsibility and have him act as the owner with their supervision, and he was more than eager to. He didn't do anything drastic, but he learned how to keep the place alive.

When BigCo came a year ago and the rot came, he noticed his parents take a large shift from their old ways, progressively getting worse and worst of all, getting greedy. They wanted to sell the cafe to BigCo and abandon Valbree Village, and Grayson refused immediately. The decision sparked a split between the family, and it didn't help that Devon sided with his parents. They lashed out at Grayson, spouting that the cafe needed to be put down and that his place was no longer of use, but he defiantly refused their requests. Angered and upset, the trio left, leaving Grayson alone to tend to the cafe as the sole owner a year ago.

He silently sent a prayer that day to the Goddess to help him.

[User]
Astrid Peterson
 The Mayor's Party with Fluffy

Dwarves, Dresses and Dancing

---

Astrid smiled and waved over to Waconia walking into the party, a grey dress that seemed a long way from thr bar keeps normal day to day practical attire, she could understand that fact. Life, mines, bars and mud where not exactly ideal environments for a designer dress and a nice coat. Waving over realising they probably had done the exact same thing, wearing a simple but nicely fitted cobolt dress with a nice very pale coat cut to match, gold buttons tailored in slight at the waist with a wider drop down to above the knee.

Made up slightly, black hair tidied up into somthing partly passable for a night out, she was hardly a expert at the whole female dressing up thing, more adept at identifying rock types than make up and contouring.

Hey, happy new year!

Mayor throws a good party, and nice dress, seems you do find a diamond in the rough, once you give it a polish.

Smiling, obviously trying to mean in a posetive way, Astrid was not always the best with social situations, her sister was always the social butterfly and one to seemingly float effortlessly through every Ball, Gala, party or gathering with ease. Often letting her bail her out or move things along, this time she had to rely on self and a rather adorable large furry dog who hopefully would prove as good at that as swimming.

in a good way... Of course.. Sorry... Ya know.

Quietly nervous, humans where unable to sense things but a dog always seemed to detect far smaller and subtle signs. Fluffy resting some of her Fluffy mass against her leg trying to reassure its owner. Sometimes abit silly but and a puppy at heart, raised from a Puppy and a close bond forged , Astrid could always trust her canine companion to at least try and do the right thing even If she broke a few things and made a mess now and again.

Looking round the party she saw others she saw in passing, a pair of
Chickens in adorable bow toes keeping a clear space between themselves and the Newfoundland that was many times there size. Two people talking, the mayor telling stories started seemed not to end. This seemed like a good night as any.

---

@Simple Unicycle@baraquiel

---

[Assistant]
Olivia Frenwich

---

Olivia can't help but feel something weird about the new guy. He just seems so calm and collected yet exexrting out an aura of energy and confidence. Moreso weird because guys like him are Olivia's type. Well, were. She admits growing her own grape orchard to support herself as well as spending time with Humphrey, Winda, Claud, and the rest of the townsfolk made her think of finding love as a non-important factor in life. After all, why think of love anyway when you live in a wonderful place filled with wonderful people?

She smiled at Jude's opinion about the town. "Oh awesome! I'm glad to hear you like the town. Don't worry, everybody here are just so wonderful and before you'll know it, you'll have friends for life. I guarrantee it!", she said enthusiastically.

Just then she saw a bright flash that caught her eye and saw Hope taking a pic of them both. Olivia laughed a little before she replied to Jude's question. "She's Hope Redson, little sister of Wolfgang Redson, the town's blacksmith. They're both cool and awesome people, and I'm really sure you'll like them both", she said.

"Oh yeah almost forgot", she paused as she put her two fingers in her mouth and whistled. Humphrey immediately raised his head and ran to Olivia, barking happily and waggling his tail. Olivia smiled as she petted him and scratched his ear. "Allow me to introduce you to Humphrey! He's a literal bundle of joy and he's everything you could ever want to in a friend. Isn't that right, my sweet widdle boy?", she said as Humphrey laid on his back and Olivia sratched his belly as she laughed wholeheartedly.
"C'mon Humphrey stand up! This charming man here is Jude, he'll be our new housemate. Now, shake paw!", she said. Humphrey immediately understood what Olivia meant. He stood back up on all fours, raised his right front paw, and presented it to Jude to shake paws.

Meanwhile, Olivia saw Astrid among the crowd and waved at her to come and welcome the newcomer. She hopes he doesn't mind but she just wants to show how wonderful people really are in this town. She also saw the adorable pair of Wina and Claud clucking their way at Olivia's direction. Looks like they're curious about the newcomer too. I have to introduce them to him next, she thought.

---

@Simple Unicycle@T Risket

[User]
The newcomer had a small order of a simple cup black coffee, something that did leave an impression on Grayson. After all, he didn't even get his name, but Grayson didn't mind that. Everyone had their own style and way of doing things, and he felt the guy didn't seem to need to open up about himself, nor did he leave a bad taste in Grayson's mouth. Besides, he felt he'd have plenty of chances of getting on the stranger's good side, especially if they went to the event tonight.

And after he had given the man his coffee, Grayson turned his attention to Robin to get her order, saying hello and reassuring her that everything was fine. After her was his next customer, Olivia, the town's wine stewardess. She'd been in Valbree for awhile now, and he had to admit, her wine was amazing. He didn't want to sell it in the café though, partially because he felt it didn't fit a café and partially because he felt any alcohol should go to the bar. He didn't want to compete any more than he already had to, and he respected Waconia enough to not step over that self imposed alcohol boundary, even if it could be seen as small.

 Regardless of that, he knew Olivia was a good person, and he definitely didn't mind the extra company from her dog either. He'd gladly clean up the mess the St. Bernard could leave. Though before he got an official order, she bolted out of the café in a rush. It also seemed a lot of his samples of his cakes and pastries were gone, but he supposed that was alright in the end as he could always make more.

With everyone taken care of so far, it was finally time to start working on some meals and snacks for the party tonight. When it came down to it, he ultimately decided on 3 things: a simple Greek salad for a healthy option, blueberry muffins with cream cheese filling for a twist, and a special plate of strawberry cream puffs for the mayor. A bit devious, but it would certainly be funny to say the least. After all, the best way to start the new year was with a prank on the Mayor. And with so much food going around, it'd be easy to pin what was to come on the food simply not agreeing with him.

With a smirk, he started to write down the ingredients for the salad:
- Shredded romaine lettuce
- Red onions, thinly sliced
- Black pitted olives
- Plum tomatoes cut into wedges
- Peeled cucumbers, sliced
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Small sweet potatoes
- Mayo
- Vinegar
- Confectioners sugar

He knew he'd have to increase the amount of each ingredient so that it would fit into the large party bowl just for these occasions. The same could be said for the muffins as well, and so he began to write down those as well.
Toppings:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Melted, unsalted butter.
Muffin:
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sour cream
- Flour
- Blueberries
Filling:
- Cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
Last but not least, he needed to decide on the cream puff ingredients too. Luckily, since it was for one he could write the amounts.
Puffs:
- 1 cup of Water
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Flour
- 4 Eggs
Cream filling:
- 2 pints fresh strawberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups whipped cream
- Confectioners sugar
- More strawberries
- Mint leaves
- Laxatives

Feeling that the rest of the town would be busy and having already served a couple people, he closed the shop for the day so that he could prepare this mini feast...

Later...

Grayson was tired to say the least, rushing to the Mayor's place with a utility cart that was carrying his various items. The cooking had taken him far longer than he had anticipated, and while he hated being late, he felt it would be worth it when the mayor ate the items that Grayson had cooked last: the cream puffs. If he hadn't put laxatives in them, he definitely would have eaten them all as a reward of his hard work. He just hoped he had made enough for the town, and if he hadn't, he supposed the prank would be suffice payment.

Finally arriving, the first thing Grayson did was collapse and lean against the cart, breathing heavily from exhaustion. He hadn't changed out of his work attire, and he even still had his apron on. He had cleaned up to the best of his ability, but he felt he couldn't have afforded to waste more time on looking fancy as he was already late. But he had made it now, so what was a couple more minutes to rest before he could give the Mayor his food? So he sat there on the ground, exhausted and attempting to catch his breath. The aroma of his food made his stomach growl, but he was a bit too tired to move and begrudgingly began the wait until he would feel a bit better.


[System]
Species: Human

Gender: Female

Age: 34

Nationality: Outreman, previously citizen of Angjusk

Occupation: Deputy head of department - Cradle Research & Development

Cybernetics:
* Cradle quick-access implant - Allows access to and from the Cradle environment without additional hardware. This advanced module also reduces fatigue caused by the process, allowing power users multiple entries in a single day.
* Tier 7c 'Cradle Builder' suite - Grants access to the programs created specifically for 'terraforming' the Cradle. Tier 7 out of 20 allows Freyr to auto-build a variety of specialised equipment and propose-build mid level structures.
* Ilyes Brand communication and productivity module - Standard implant for access to Outremer's communications network. Also integrates with many well known productivity tools like a personal assistant, as well as more bespoke scientific tools.

Backstory:
Freyr was born on Angjusk, an older colony than Outremer that was renowned for its military materiel, particularly star ships.

Her mother was an innovations tsar assigned by the government to a consortium of the planet's largest ship manufacturers. During most of Freyr's childhood, her mother's sole task was making sure Angjusk battle fleets were the best money could buy in the Diaspora.

Before she was born, her father owned and operated a series of protein farms across Angjusk. After a chance encounter at a lobby meeting, he was headhunted to co-ordinate the military industrial complex's entire food supply chain. He also met his future wife, as it was Freyr's mother who had recommended him for the job on that fateful day in the lobby.

Freyr was born five years later. Her early life was a whirlwind of schooling, snatches of intimacy with her parents (when they weren't busy) and extended periods with friends. She discovered a natural capacity for learning and excelled in her studies. So much so that she received offers from universities across the Diaspora to come and develop with them.

Her mother and father both pressured her to consider diplomas like Interplanetary Relations or Agrarian Policy. However Freyr was not interested in pursuing a career in politics. Angjusk has been involved in at least a dozen small conflicts since Freyr had been born. She had seen how politicians would destroy entire cultures for the sake of influence, and wanted none of it.

In her first act of defiance, Freyr accepted a position at a school in Babylon, the main city of a far away frontier colony called Outremer. Driven more by the desire to have time away from her planet than by the subjects on offer, she researched what Outremer was known for. It was here that she first discovered the object powering this section of the Diaspora - the Cradle.

She quickly became obsessed with its untapped potential and seemingly unknowable past. She decided to pursue Xenobiology and Machine Intelligence as her subjects of interest, voraciously consuming the knowledge gathered so far on the Cradle.

It was here at the university that she met her future partner, David, who was studying art history. Isolated from her family and friends, alone on a strange planet, Freyr was glad of his unassuming company and kindness. They grew very close over the course of their degrees, and moved in together after graduation. Their daughter Amy was born a few years later.

After Uni, Freyr was picked up by an Outremer administration outreach team and placed in a government career fast lane. Her obsession with the Cradle made her an obvious choice for the Cradle Research & Development department. Once there, she quickly proved herself capable. Several breakthroughs in her first five years meant she was allowed to hand select a team of dynamic young individuals to help pursue her work. A couple more catapulted her into a deputy head of department role, to the ire of some of it's older and more entrenched members.

It was on her 34th birthday that the Cradle abducted her family. It had been acting strangely for weeks prior, rolling back years of terraforming. Freyr had been working round the clock to figure out why, practically living at her field office by the Border. David had bought sweet treats and had Amy with her.

What can only be described as creatures emerged from beyond the Border and overran the camp. A panic spread through the mostly unarmed workers, leading many to flee for their lives. Freyr's last memory of her family was being propelled across the camp by one of the creatures. She could only watch from her position immobile on the floor as they carried off her husband and little girl.

Security forces conducted a sweep of the immediate area beyond the Border, but found no sign of them. So Freyr began looking by herself as soon as her broken bones were reconstructed. Months went by. Her work stopped and her mental health deteriorated. Eventually she was placed on sick leave and her access revoked, after she attempted to use her influence to organise an armed excursion deep into the uncontrolled zone.

[User]
Ambassador Taranik, Counselor Joll, and Vreta were all unfazed by the Director General's accusations, owing to their experience. Only the attaché, Mras, showed any discernible reaction, though he was not privy to the full truth as the other Rothians were. The Ambassador waited patiently for the Human to complete his statement in full, conferring just briefly with her associates beside her before giving their response.

"Director General, it is my understanding that Vreta'Sori gave a full statement that explained his presence in the Cradle to you personally. As such, I would expect that you would have been able to confirm his story with both the Rothian and Human corporations involved. I have already been able to do so, without issue. I would expect that you currently know that he was being truthful regarding his association with the corporation that owned the warehouse in question. If you have any evidence of an ulterior motive for Vreta'Sori's presence in the Cradle during the event, then you may present it. Otherwise, I will have to insist that you make no further attempts to derail this discussion with baseless accusations." The Ambassador replied calmly, but firmly.

Once she got her necessary response to the rather serious accusation of espionage out of the way, Taranik moved on to the more impactful parts of the discussion. "But yes, the reason we are here for this meeting is because we still believe in the idea of cooperation between our people, despite the evidence of an attack against one of our citizens, supported by Agent Five Nine Five. Although I do admit that the likelihood of such cooperation has been compromised by this event, I still do retain hope that we might come to some accord. But before we can make any decisions regarding your agent, I do wish to hear what you have to say about the Cradle. About the reason you have called this meeting today."

Although the Ambassador had given no indication of agreeing to the Director General's demand, there was at least a slight concession buried in her response. Despite announcing her belief in the agent's association with the attack, she, rather specifically, did not take further negotiations off of the table. The contradiction was enough to demonstrate that she was willing to work with him on an agreement, but the Rothians knew that Outremer did not have nearly a strong enough position to make them give in to such demands right away.

[Assistant]
The Director-General chuckled as the Ambassador defended her charge, rubbing his clearly shaven chin on a knuckle. "Sure thing." He winked an augmented eye at Vreta. "I'm sure your man has updated you on what happened last night, so I won't go into all the details. But I sent a team back to the compound after those things had cleared out. They discovered the creature Vreta was chatting with had been using a Rothian testing backdoor to manipulate a long-range comms array here on Babylon. It was trying to ping something using a very precise set of coordinates. And do you know where those coordinates led us?" The Director-General took another sip of water.

This was the part that truly excited Freyr. She simply had to find out what the creatures from the Cradle wanted so much. She jumped in almost without realising it. "Somewhere on Rothia."

"Exactly right, Dr Lang!" The Director-General grinned, clapping his hands loudly together and slapping them back down onto the table. "Somewhere on Rothia. And I'm willing to bet my ridiculous government paycheck that you can't detect it on your own. Otherwise, you would've found it already. So, I am proposing a joint expedition to Rothia, to figure out whatever that creature was trying to communicate with. With the galaxy's most informed Cradle experts…" The Director motioned to Freyr and her deputies stood behind her "at the helm, i'm certain we'll be able to track it down. In exchange for your full support on this expedition, and dropping all charges against Five Nine Five, we will share the knowledge of whatever we find with you. You can't say fairer than that."

[User]
Moreso than anything said so far, the claim that the creature had attempted to make contact with a location on Rothia caused a stir among the Rothian delegation. There were quick looks between one another, as well as frantic conversation in their minds between their implants. "The creature attempted to make contact with something on Rothia? Did you see anything that would confirm that, Vreta?" The Ambassador asked.

"No, not directly at least." Vreta answered. "There was no way for me to examine the comms device before the creature turned hostile. I can say that it did seem to be familiar with me as a Rothian, but its words were vague. One interpretation of those words would imply that the creature, or its creators, was aware of our people early in our evolution."

The Ambassador gave a glance towards their technical advisor. "Mras, is what the Humans say even possible? Could a Cradle program even send a message outside the simulation?"

Mras did not appear entirely confident, but he answered nonetheless. "I would have to study the Cradle directly to give a definitive answer, but conceptually, there would be nothing preventing it. Everything we know about the Cradle suggests that, for all its mystery, it is simply a highly-advanced and ancient computer. A computer that has been linked with almost every aspect of Outremer's infrastructure. I do not know what limits the simulation imposes, but an artificial intelligence within could attempt to access those connections."

"There is always the chance that this is a fabrication, but…to what end?" Counselor Joll commented. "The patterns of Human behavior regarding the Cradle have been remarkably consistent for as long as we have known them. They want to keep it to themselves. They do not even share it freely with other Human colonies. This revelation, if true, would mean that they will need to go to Rothia to find their answers. They would have no choice but to cooperate with us, which, of course, gives us a great deal of leverage in the negotiations. I simply can think of no motivation for them to lie about this."

Once she heard the others' opinions, the Ambassador wasted no more time. "If what you say is true, this could be a remarkable development, Director-General. You will have to forgive some skepticism, as our planet has been mapped in extensive detail, but there is enough uncertainty that I can entertain the idea there may be something to it. I can say that we are interested in the cooperative study of the Cradle, but it must be a full partnership. If there is indeed something connected to the Cradle on our homeworld, we must be able to study both what is found on Rothia, and the Cradle here on Outremer. With you being afforded the same courtesy, naturally."

[Assistant]
"Hmm. No, no that won't do at all." The Director-General smiled. The blue points of light in his eyes all cycled one position anti-clockwise. "Some of my counterparts might ask for access to your antimatter infrastructure, or something like that, in return. But I know you won't entertain that possibility, because your technology means to you what the Cradle means to me. I was negotiating with an open mind, but it seems you aren't ready to be serious with us. For that reason, this meeting is over. Come on, everyone." The Director-General stood up, expertly scooping his jacket off the back of his chair and putting it back on.

The Under-Secretary, who had sat slightly open-mouthed as the Director-General played a weak hand with magnetic energy, decided to throw his weight behind the maneuver. As he stood up with the rest of the human delegation, he addressed the Ambassador directly. "Thank you for your time, Ambassador Taranik. Would you please inform the Zuraxi'Synkuur corporation to expect a full audit of its operations, in line with the Outremer Espionage Act, and to update its clients? We'll need to ask all employees and consultants to provide a complete previous employment history. If you have any questions, please just let my office know."

Freyr got up hesitantly from her chair. "What is happening?" She sent to Masgard. "I'll explain later." He sent back, putting his jacket back on. He came over, smiling encouragingly, and put a hand on her back to softly guide her toward the door along with Dr Uchida and Dr Kamau.


[System]
Age - 17
Gender - Female
Orientation - Undecided - isn't sure if she likes males or females
Rank in Society - Daughter of a merchant Patriarch.
Occupation - Merchant daughter

Legend -

"I've heard rumours about that Aya. They say she's not from here. Poor girl got lost, Phoenix took her in. Aya's not even her real name. She's been looking for her real family ever since"
Merchant gossip.

Though Aya is often seen outside, it takes someone of real courage to approach her. The House of Phoenix are very protective of the girl, but she is subject to many rumours and debates. Most argued is her mysterious appearance aged 11, which sparked debates about who she was and where she came from. She does go out her way to help people, this hasn't alleviated the suspicion she is regarded with.

Appearance -

Aya is a sweet young lady, with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She is a very attractive girl, with big eyes and soft features

Personality -
Aya is, to put it nicely, a bit of a ditz. She often looks stunned and confused and is a little slow-witted. Despite this, she is very charming and sweet, rarely getting angry or upset. However, she is very trusting and charitable, easily duped and quite gullible.
 Though not smart in a conventional sense, she is very imaginative and creative. She enjoys looking at puzzles and riddles, as well as writing poetry and songs. She is slow on the uptake, though, and gets lost frequently. She is prone to accepting demands from strangers in an attempt to be polite.
She has a developed sense of justice and honesty, and isn't afraid to speak up against anything she feels is wrong. She tends to win over most people she meets.
She's completely craven. She is scared of most things, whether it be simple things like spiders, the dark or heights to more serious murderers, rapists and kidnappers. When scared, she hugs herself and quivers in a desperate attempt to calm herself down.

Skills -

Charm: Pretty self explanatory, she is a very endearing girl. Most normal people like her.

Artistry: Whether it's drawing, music or drama, Aya takes to it like a fish to water.

Daggerwork: Her fear of everything has caused her to train in the art of dagger play. She has become quite proficient, but lacks physical strength.

Combat Flaws -
She's not really built for combat. She lacks range, strength, dexterity - pretty much anything to do with combat.

Deity - Heckta

Abilities - Nothing of note.

Backstory -

The most anyone seems to know of her starts at 11. She was found, lonely and emancipated, in the gardens of the House of Phoenix. The Lord of the manor took her in, originally as a servant. Her endearing nature and cute face quickly made her a favourite and there were rumours that she was to be married into the family.
When a minor art dealer came to town, Aya was enthralled. He was doing fairly well, but didn't have much patronage and had the artistic equivalent of writer's block. After a bit of convincing, Aya managed to get the Lord of Phoenix to give the artist patronage. Both the art dealer and the Lord benefitted significantly thanks to Aya's intervention, with the dealer become a minor celebrity overnight and the Lord cutting deeply into the art trade. Realising the girl had an eye for the more artsy side of business, she was adopted into the House.
Aya took well to her new duties. With her help, the House of Phoenix has become a significant patron for artists up and down the country. Her sharp eyes caught out some pretty great artists whilst the Lord of Phoenix's business sense kept her from getting a bad deal. Like many merchants, she's had her ups and downs, but overall she has done incredibly well.
However, knowing the sexist world of Merchants and their circles, she is looking for a new leash of life. At 17, she is looking for something more permanent and prestigious to devote herself to

[User] Finishing his morning exercises Janus found his mind wandering. "I wonder if there's any more fun to be had?" he asked himself. climbing into his little tree-house Janus sat, thinking of all the adventures he could be having. "I'm sure this village doesn't need me protecting it anymore, no one would be hurt if I just set off on my own now would they?". Deciding that it was finally the time to satisfy his restless feelings Janus packed what little belongings he had into a travel bag, resolving himself to set out on his adventure after a quick nap.

[Assistant]
Aya loved coming to the forest. It was always so peaceful and quiet. Hardly anyone ever seemed to come here, which she found very strange. After all, it was a beautiful forest. She had pestered Lord Phoenix to get one of his rapidly growing army of artists to get a painting done of it, but every time she asked, he went all pale and told her that 'there was a time and place for such things'. It was becoming rather tiresome, especially considering it was so picturesque.

So Aya decided, if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself. She would have brought a proper paintbrush and paper, but all of the servants downright refused to go with her. She had begged and pleaded and demanded, but eventually she had to go on her own.

So here she sat, notepad in one hand and pencil in other, sketching the landscape that stretched out before her. This was her element, where she belonged - out in the wilds, fresh air in her lungs and the winds in her face. Of course, the House always told her that her place was at a musty old business desk, and some other merchants told her that she should be in either the kitchen or the bedroom. All three of those options failed to intrigue her.

"It really is a lovely day" she muttered absentmindedly to herself, letting her pencil do all the work. The sun was shining, the birds twittered happily and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Aya kept sketching the landscape in front of her, wondering what exactly everyone was so scared of. After all, she had been here at least a couple of hours and nothing had happened to her yet.

[User]
Janus wakes up from his nap feeling like something was different, curious he grabbed his gear and went outside. Seeing nothing in his immediate vicinity he decides to move through the trees. Janus loved moving through the treetops as it made him feel like he could almost touch the sky, it felt as though all he had to do was jump and he'd be flying.

As he drew closer to the village Janus thought he saw something golden in colour through the trees. Curious, Janus slowed down and started moving closer to where he thought he saw the golden object. As he drew closer Janus realized that there were more birds in the area than usual. Coming to the edge of a clearing Janus decides it would be better if he stayed hidden. From his vantage point Janus saw a young girl, at least that's how she looked. She seemed to be drawing something. Curious Janus slid down into a bush and crept around the edge of the clearing. When Janus found himself behind the girl he still couldn't see what she was drawing.

Deciding it would be best if she didn't see him Janus distanced himself from the girl and contented himself with watching her draw.

[Assistant]
Her pencil made more lines over the paper. Slowly but surely, the scratchy lines were changing into the image Aya saw in front of her.

"Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company"

With the weather, the landscape and the general feel of the area, Aya couldn't resist. She carried the notes softly, almost timidly, letting them blend into the birdsong in the background.

Soon her image was complete. She put her pencil down and admired her work. She done herself well, one of her best to date. This one she had to show to her Patrician.

But not yet. This forest was so alluring, she couldn't resist staying.
"Just five minutes more." she whispered to herself "Then we'll go back."

[User]
Curious, and unable to hold back any longer Janus steps out from hiding.

"We? I was getting the impression that you were here alone, or did you maybe already know that I was here?"

Janus quickly found that he was fond of asking questions. Not too surprising as he'd been the boy who kept leaving riddles for the villagers every time he visited.

"What were you drawing? If you don't mind my asking."

[Assistant]
"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" The mysterious appearance of the boy caught Aya completely off-guard. How long was he there? What was he doing? Why did he look so strange?

Out of instinct, Aya jumped up rather quickly, knocking the book and pencil out of her lap. She took a few steps back out of panic, ready to run if the situation called for it.

"Wha- who are you? How long have you been standing there?" she cried questioningly, feeling her face quickly go red. Was this what she had been warned about? Was this a bandit? Questions ran through her mind like trains at a station. The only reason she hadn't bolted was because she was curious as to who this person was.

"D-don't get any closer!" she demanded, trying and failing to keep the fear out of her voice.

[User]
Shocked by the fearful reaction, Janus took several steps back.

"My name is Janus. I've only been here a few minutes. If you want me to leave I will, I didn't mean any harm."

Dejected, Janus began to sulk back towards the edge of the clearing.

[Assistant]
So not a bandit? That still didn't answer many questions.

"Where are you going?" Aya called after him, stooping to pick up her discarded book and pencil. She couldn't leave them behind, Lord Phoenix would whip her hide off.

"Stop! Wait a moment! You just caught me off-guard, that's all!"

[User]
Perking up, Janus wheeled around.

"Really? Well that's fine then, all's well that ends well and all that!"

Janus paused for a moment before starting up again.

"I've introduced myself but I don't seem to remember getting your name, or should I just address you as 'Hey you!' or 'Little Missy'?"

[Assistant]
Well, THAT was a turnabout. Aya couldn't remember seeing someone switch moods quite so quickly. Deciding not to question it, she instead responded to the boy's question.

"I-I'm Aya of the House of Phoenix..." she began, then cursed. She should have said she was a serving girl or something - now if he really was a bandit or a rapist, he'd have a reason to target her.

"I work for them, I mean. I was just sitting here during my time off. I really have to be going back soon..." she muttered half-heartedly, backing away, trying not to let her distrust show.


[System]
Alias: Blackjack
Race: Human
Sex: Male
Class: Commando

Equipment: 1xR41A2 Assault Rifle, 1x LE21 Sidearm, 1x Ranger-standard combat knife, 1x Field Survival Kit(Contents below), 5x C7 Foaming Explosive Charge, 1x M67 Detonator, 3x Fragmentation Grenade, 4x Smoke Grenade, 3x Door Breaching Shaped Charge, 10x 7.62x54 30 round magazine, 10x 10 round .45 ACP magazine, first aid kit, military ruck sack, standard-issued Ranger Battle Armor, Elvish unending booze flask

Survival Knife, Matches, Compass, All-Weather Clothing, Multi-tool, Sanitation and personal hygiene items(Shaving Kit, bar soap), Emergency Blanket, First-Aid Kit, Sleeping Bag, Work Gloves, Heavy-Duty tape, Machete, Tent, Ranger issued Entrencging Tool, foldable survival hatchet, Binoculars, Gas mask

Abilities: James is a trained commando, trained in close quarters, short and medium range combat, as well as demolitions, combat life saving and raid tactics. On the supernatural side, he has boosted reflexes and speed, along with hand eye coordination.

Fighting Style: James doesn't believe in a fair fight, and so he'll engage in whatever he thinks he needs to do in order to win. This means he naturally keeps his foe at the medium range his rifle excels at when he can. He'll also do you one better however and, if he can kill you before you ever see him, he'll do it. Traps, trickery, low blows and precision fire are all part of James's arsenal to win every battle he has to fight.

James is a man, a soldier, searching either for a new war to fight, or a way to finally go home. As a result of his time at war, he is careful but aggressive when committed, as you can't fight a devil slowly nor stupidly. James takes duty and his word as a soldier with the utmost seriousness, and so will abide by his promises even to his own detriment, with one exception however. James has been a soldier fighting for the survival of humanity for so long, that his greatest commitment is to the task at hand. As such, he will suspend his entire moral code if it means finishing his mission. However, as a result of this, James also nurses a crippling alcohol addiction, and while he can operate without his addiction hampering his effectiveness to a severe level, he becomes irritable, violent and easy to provoke when in a state of withdrawal.

It was the year 2032 on planet Earth when the forces of Hell launched a full scale invasion. Not only did the demons strike with the 'expected' command of magic and legions of underlings, but also with tanks, planes, rifles, all the stuff of a mortal war. At the time a Sergeant in the United States Marines, James was in combat against the enemy from the beginning. As nations across the world fell, a desperate strategy was chosen in order to save the human race. Most of the globe was surrendered, with a full evacuation of civilians and soldiers to North America. There, as the civilian populace attempted to cope with cramming itself into the US and Canada, the military reorganized. Now, they called themselves The Rangers, and the Rangers aimed to win this war. At first, it was going well, and Underworld Assault Search and Destroy teams, a new breed of special forces for a new war, were extracting any demon willing to fight their fellows. It was on one of these teams that James found himself leading.

However, in the end the war seemed doomed, and high command made a decision. The Rangers sealed themselves in fortified bunkers and entered cryo while the Earth was devastated by a massive nuclear attack, driving the devils from the Earth. Hundreds of years later, the Rangers, and James among them, went back to war, taking Earth and hell in a storm attack. Two decades of war took their toll on James, on every human left alive, but when the war was finally won, James had little else to do. He and his team of the UASD were honored veterans, retained by the Rangers to ensure peacetime cooperation of the humbled Devil houses, but this hardly comforted Captain Teller. The war had become why he lived, why he got out of bed, and with it over he now realized he had nothing to go home to. His family were long dead as they weren't Rangers, they hadn't been taken into cryo. He had no place in the new world and so sank deep into the bottle to compensate, his commanders worried for the officer but with operations being so infrequent they had no official grounds on which to attempt to 'fix' the damaged veteran. It was in this state that he found himself whisked away to a new dimension, to fight a new war.
Wish: To find a new home, and in doing so finally end his personal war.

Captain Teller has spent most of his adult years stationed at Fort Bragg, both before the nuclear war and after. It is a place teeming with life, and always has. Before the war, on base housing was huge and constituted a reasonably large percentage of the base. Of course, around the base were also helipads, armories, barracks and other such military necessities. Its perimeter was a chainlink fence manned by sentries, and helicopters seemed to be overhead constantly, dropping in men on air assault training. After the war however, the base changed. On base housing was gone, replaced by an underground complex which sprawled for miles underground, housing thousands of soldiers and civilians. Its helipads had been fortified with anti-air guns, its armories were expanded to hold facilities for priests to bless the thousands of rounds of ammo and grenades the Rangers used, and the base constantly seemed to have men moving out at the height of its activities.
Appearance:

Frenzy: When Jack is frenzied, he quickly seems to become the very thing he has spent his career killing. Physically his appearance doesn't change heavily, though the spade tail, wings and suddenly ash-gray skin are all stark indicators that something isn't wrong with the operator. In this state, he is stronger, faster and able to react with blinding speed. However, his more important change is his switch from depending on his rifle to rushing his opponent, aiming to get them on the ground and beat them to death with as much brutal efficiency as possible.

Inventory: Phylactery, Visor

[User]
"SHELLY GARBAGE DUNNST!" Shelly screamed as the teleporter whirred into life and dropped her hastily prepared pseudo-lantern just behind her. This was it. Her heart was racing, she was either about to enter a competition she really wasn't supposed to be in in a single functioning piece or scattered among the various worlds of city of the Echoes, whilst still alive! A quick sly grin and a wave to Felicity and she was gone. The brilliant flash of light of much brighter than she'd expected, it burnt even with her eyes tight shut. The light receded slightly and Shelly took this to mean it was safe to look. It was still bright, but her hood took the edge off. She was surrounded by, magitech golems? They were highly decorative if they were, like some of the precursor ones you read about in textbooks. They were very well behaved, Golems don't tend to care much about what was going on around them so long as they didn't obstruct their task, but these ones, they just watched and waited. And emoted? "That one, right there." Shelly started talking aloud to herself, not yet understanding she was being listened too. "You look like you're surprised to see me, are you? Could you be? Or was that just how you were made sweetie? Because you sir", she said turning to another droid nearby, "you sir look a little grumpy. Do you have feelings too?"

"Who are you?" A distant voice yelled, "I don't recognize you on my list. Neheh...someone must have forgotten to give me a memo..."

Shelly returned to the large hole in the wall through which the man was shouting. More magitech, but this was only one of those teleconferencing drones. It pretty disappointing seeing it here, a nasty reminder this was still real life and Shelly wasn't taking a mystery tour through foreign lands. Maybe it was a good thing.

 "Whatever. It looks like you two have had the misfortune to be placed within a hundred meters of one another. That means no exploring, no looting, just straight to the heart of the matter. The Crucible's first-ever match is about to get underway! And to the victor go the spoils. Ready, you two? ...Go!"

"No."  Garbage enunciated, adjusting her accordion straps, "I'd rather not."

[Assistant]
Queen Ghidorah
Location: Inquisitional College Courtyard --> IC Atrium ---> Hidden Settlement

Once Queen Ghidorah stepped out of the portal, she finds herself in a stone courtyard-like location. In front of her was a tall structure, presumably where the Crucible is supposed to take place. Inquisitional College if she isn't mistaken, with a metopolis city hanging on the horizon. It was simply a building to her. Nothing too grand about it yet, but it was interesting enough to be somewhat curious to her. At the same time however, her senses begin to act up as she picks up the scent of several unique figures coming from inside the college. Of course she knew there would be other characters awaiting inside to battle, but part of her was hoping for a real challenge. Someone to sink her claws and teeth into. To make herself feel alive in other words. But she simply kept calm as she followed the messenger inside.

As she enters, the building seemed to be just what she expected. It was rather dull and drab, much like a college of the humans. There were numerous hallways and closed doors, as well as a few desks, some having hanging rope barriers that one might expect to find outside a theater or hotel. As she continues following her guide, she eventually enters an atrium with vents in the floor beneath each podium began to spew out a thick white fog. It was a rather interesting place for the gijinka to be in. As she looks around however, she sees the rest of the contestants waiting for the tournament to begin. There was an interesting cast of different faces, sizes, and shapes, but Ghidorah simply didn't take too much notice of them, despite knowing that people were looking at her as she entered, whether in respect, awe, or simply in perverted glances. To her, they were simply inferior to her might and power. Perhaps maybe a few may be close in equaling her, but her haughtiness prevented too much of that possibility from entering. At least not at that very moment in time.

She could count thirty-two contestants from within the room. Quite the hefty number to say the least. Plenty of opponents to kill that's for sure. Then she heard the rules for the Crucible even that was about to start and picked up a peculiar-looking phylactery and continued to wait for anything interesting to happen. Shortly after, white fog began to cover the entire room, engulfing everyone in the surrounding mist. They were being transported to their first location it seems. A strange way for teleportation to work, but at the same time it seemed rather cool. Ghidorah feels like she can take anything that is thrown at her. She might just win the Crucible if the odds are in her favor. Of course, she better be careful as well. One wrong move and its lights out for her.

When the fog began to settle, the Queen Of Terror was transported into a random location from within the city. But she soon realized that she clearly wasn't in said location as she notices a lantern flicker lazily in the wind. She looks beyond the pole to see a collection of cabins, campfires, and other forest-y buildings and accessories. The area, barely a hamlet-sized settlement, was still covered by a natural blanket of fog that loomed within the trees. It was all dark, gloomy and dreary. Ghidorah clearly wasn't expecting to be teleported in this location, but she didn't truly mind it either. She begins walking down the barely see-able path as she raises her left hand near her face. The hand suddenly began to crackle until producing bright-yellow electricity in the palm of her hand, providing as a light source of her own. She could've taken the lantern with her, but why take it when she can produce her almost-infinite supply of light with her?

Yet as she continues to walk towards the center of town, a circular area with a worn-out camp fire in the middle, she couldn't help but feel like someone is watching her from the trees. She needs to be cautious, for she has no idea whats lurking in these woods. But she wasn't intimidated by the atmosphere or if her opponent will ambush her. In a bold and commanding tone, fit for a Queen, she bellows out at the forest.

"I know you're out there, foolish opponent! Come out and give me a good challenge!"

[User]
"I'm about sick and tired of weird mists depositing me in god knows where."

Teller's thoughts were derailed and military instinct kicked in. He brought his weapon up and swept the area, his R41 and eyes sweeping the area for hostiles. He briefly considered going door to door and clearing the buildings on the immediate other side of the street, but decided against it. That was when his eyes settled on the village, and the lit structure contained within. It didn't take much thought to decide that was where he was headed, and as he approached the sign that promised alcohol quickly lured in the Captain, who hadn't had a drink since he was on base, what felt like years ago. He slung his rifle, not wanting to appear an immediate threat to anyone that may be inside, but seated his hand near the holster of his LE-21, affectionately nicknamed "Lena", as he walked in. With a few blinks, the faceplate folded and retreated into the armor, leaving the Captain's head bare as he walked in and took a seat at the bar.

Within a minute, a glass of beer was in front of the Captain, but he knew he wouldn't get to enjoy it. The Elf had stuck out as soon as Teller walked in, as obviously different from the other patrons as he was. That meant he was a fellow competitor, which meant he was likely the Captain's first enemy. However, James decided that so long as the elf didn't start the fight neither would he. Taking a swig, James fumbled with the earbuds that came from within his suit, ostensibly to allow him to listen to COM traffic without the full "helmet" engaged but mostly just used to listen to music by bored troops, himself no exception. Looking down at the screen on his armor's wrist, he selected a song from his own playlist that seemed to fit this place. As he took another swig of beer, he looked over to his probable foe and asked "Don't s'pose you're willin to surrender, let me do whatever it is I need to do to take your...soul...without a fight?"

The elf released a chuckle at Teller's admittedly ridiculous statement, and Teller couldn't help but share the chuckle as the elf replied "Surrender to you? Why would I do that when I can win instead?"

Teller nodded as he finished the cup, saying "Oh I understand. Shame I'll have to kill you, you'd have made a good drinking buddy." As he spoke, the Captain's hand slowly inched towards the pistol holstered on his left thigh, preparing to end the fight in one quick draw. He finished by gesturing to the drone with his free-hand, saying "Now, let's let our friend here count us down, eh? Only seems right I play my first match by the book, at least."


[System]
Death Korp Trooper Number:
Trooper 17431

Appearance:

Height:
5'6"

Age:
27

Sex:
Male

Class:
Death Korp Grenadier

Equipment:
- Type XIV Lasgun (Heavy) -
Also known as a Hellgun or, more rarely, a Hotshot lasgun, the Type XIV (Heavy) is the standard issue weapon for all Grenadiers serving in Death Korp regiments. They are, at least by the Grenadiers themselves, intensely disliked due to perceived unreliability in the field during extended operations and a Krieger's general preference for the default Type XIV Lasgun (More commonly known outside of Krieg as the Lucian Pattern Lasgun). However, with the proper maintence that each Grenadier performs routinely, the weapon performs its intended role as a high power Lasgun, capable of punching through heavier armor and providing, on full auto, a withering rate of fire. The Type XIV (Heavy) utilizes a backpack unit to power it, and a Quick Recharge Generator included in the backpack unit is generally overtaxed, due to the design of the weapon and its power output. Ansgar, like many Grenadiers, would have preferred a Type XIV Lasgun over the Heavy variant, but as a Grenadier, he is required to carry it.

- Grenadier Carapace Armor -
Intended for deployment where the fighting is fiercest, Death Korps Grenadiers are equipped with heavy Carapace Armour that has been integrated into the standard Krieg kit. This comprises the Mark IX helmet, a rebreather facemask, three-piece shoulder guards, a chest plate with additional abdomen plates and shin and knee guards. All are made of Plasteel and reinforced with a layer of Ceramite for additional strength, heat resistance and weight reduction. The armor, coupled with uniform and Type XIV Lasgun (Heavy) makes a very heavy loadout, adding in the miscellaneous equipment they carry as well, however, the protection is vastly appreciated by the Grenadiers in general, due to their role as the leading edge in storming trenches and hostile emplacements, needing the protection to get close enough to do their jobs, not so much concerned with survival.

- Explosives -
As his former squads Demolitions expert, Ansgar carried the standard explosives load out alongside extra tools, for when the Engineers could not keep up with the assault but were preoccupied elsewhere. Besides several Frag and Krak grenades, Ansgar also has several demolition charges, rated for taking out hardened bunkers when put in place. Ansgar modified the charges so that, in a hurry, he can pull a detonation cable and heave the charge at a target, the normally delicate and precise procedure for arming the charges ditched in favor of emergency target removal. And, as a Krieg Engineer before he was assigned as a Grenadier, he has learned to build improvised explosives that served him well in the trenches when supplies on conventional explosives were running short, as well as utilize Chemical weapons safely.

- Melee Gear -
Ansgar carries two weapons for melee combat, one obligatory and the other actually used. The obligatory is his bayonet, which the Type XIV Lasgun (Heavy) lacks a mount for, another reason it remains unpopular among Grenadiers, and typically serves as much as a tool and last resort weapon than anything else. His actual go to is a Entrenching Tool, edges sharpened to allow him to carve through hostiles as well as bludgeon them, and retain the intended purpose of digging trenches and other necessary fighting positions.

Notable Deeds:
- Tyranid Assault on Thresis IV -
Raised from birth to be a Death Korp Engineer, Ansgar Staudinger, or known by his Trooper designation 17431, will never state when he was sent to war, something that tends to bother people who ask that are outsiders to Krieg and their necessary methods of providing the Imperium the soldiers it needs. Assigned fresh to an Engineering Platoon, Ansgar would spend a great deal of time digging trenches and laying mines in the defense of a Shrine World, Thresis IV, directly in the path of a Tyranid Hive Fleet Splinter. The Tyranids, despite being vastly reduced in numbers compared to a true Hive Fleet, descended like mad locusts, slaughtering over 90% of the Death Korp forces deployed on the planet. Of that 10%, Ansgar Staudinger was one of the survivors, the only from his platoon, found near death after turning an entire trench line into a raging biochemical inferno, equal parts fire and chemical weapon that was effective on the Tyranids. Sharing the compound make up with other Death Korp Engineers, the biochemical fire was used to great extent to halt and drive back the Tyranids, making the then rookie Staudinger's trial by fire a literal, and resounding, success.

- Nightmares Beneath Thrasis II -
As part of the Thrasis campaign his regiment was assigned to, and the arrival of Tyranid complicating greatly, Ansgar Staudinger was deployed with a fresh Engineering platoon to assist in the breaking of a siege on Chaos held factories on the system's forge world, Thrasis II. Utilizing conventional tunneling and, when they detected they were almost at the entry point, Hades Breaching Drill, to punch into the Chaos held Foundry, Ansgar and his fellow Guardsmen stumbled into something straight out of the most feverish of a heretic's nightmares. The Warp had bled over into the belly of the foundry, with daemons and mutants in equal measures assaulting the woefully unprepared Krieg Guardsmen. However, they had a job to do, and they were able to hold their ground, keeping a secure tunnel long enough for support to arrive and push deep enough into the Chaos corrupted foundry, to the dark heart and plant enough explosives for the resulting explosion spotted from orbit. Whether it was the sheer amount of explosives put in place, or partially due to Chaos corruption was never decided. However, as one of the only survivors again by virtue of Luck or being Blessed, Ansgar was reassigned by a surviving Commissar to the Death Korp Grenadiers.

- Hellscape of Thrasis I -
Nearing the end of the Thrasis System Campaign, Ansgar found himself a freshly minted Grenadier, no longer an Engineer although he often worked closely with them during breaching actions against enemy defensive lines. However, upon touching down on Thrasis I, the Kriegers found something unlike anything anyone could be prepared for. The Foundry was merely a foretaste of what was to come, as planet spanning rituals had allowed the Warp to taint and corrupt great stretches of the planet, forcing Guard forces to struggle through conventional defenses one day, and make a mad dash through Daemon infested hellscapes that should not be the next. What Ansgar refuses to mention to a soul, due to an oath he was put under at the end of the conflict, was the arrival of Grey Knights, of the Emperor's most holy Ordos Malleus. Alongside Adeptus Sororitas support, which Ansgar learned to have a deep, healthy respect for, the combined arms forces stormed the capital of Thrasis I, a den of pure evil and corruption that made the rest of the planet look like a Shrine World in comparison. Once again, whether by luck or the Emperor's own intervention, Ansgar found himself as one of the only Grenadiers, and Krieger's period, to survive the assaults into the city, arriving at the Hall of Governing as it had been christened during Thrasis I's founding as a colony, only to find horrors so unspeakable even the Krieg born Grenadier refuses to speak of them now. But, between the Grey Knights and Sisters of Battle alongside his own humble contributions at that point, which mostly consisted of survival, Ansgar lived to see the end of the hellish campaign on Thrasis I. With literally no regiment to return to, and having become aware of the most secretive of Space Marine chapters, it was decided to induct him into the Inquisition, sending him to serve where needed most.

[User]
Behind her mask, Adrianne's eyes narrowed to slits as she glared up(or rather; at; even from a sitting position) the impertinent Psyker, Maria!

Her already sour mood became even acidic - a change in temperament the other occupants in the shuttle might even feel as the air around Adrianne suddenly grew thick and heavy, an almost invisible static charge present in the room that threatened to explode at any moment!

"Ohhh, do not worry, my little midget. I am quite fine, thank you." Adrianne replied with a toxic tone, cocking her head a little bit to the side as she glanced back at her.
"I understand I am blessed with a natural padding to soften my fall. At least more so than you."

She commented, and proceeded to make no attempt to hide how she was staring directly at Maria's chest hidden beneath her ragged coat. After a moment of pause, Adrianne would let out a slight chuckle, staring back up at Maria.

"Unfortunately, if you are looking for alms, I am afraid I do not have any." She commented with a wicked grin behind her mask as she motioned towards Maria's ragged looking coat and hat.
"Maybe you should go to the Ecclesiarchy and ask for some there. I am sure they can give you something better than... whatever it is that you are wearing."

...

" ... tramp."

[Assistant]
"Psyker Adrianne and Maria, was I not clear enough when I ordered the two of you to cease all of this idiotic and childlike drama? The two of you will drop this drama immediately and keep it out of my sight or you will both experience what happens to those heretics who are caught by the Inquisition, firsthand. Your poor choices and actions not only reflect poorly upon myself but also the rest of the squad, I will not stand by idly while my reputation or those that give a damn about the Imperium are dragged down into the warp. My words, are they clear enough this time around? Or should I have my forces upon Sovereign prepare for your arrival?" Inquisitor Icarus had reached the end of her patients and understanding, the only thing those foolish trouble makers would find now would be a merciless Inquisitor willing to show her cruelty upfront.

During the whole time Inquisitor Icarus gave her lecture and warning, Celestian Andromedai listened closely with a smirk spread across her face, hidden under her airsealed helmet. Once Icarus had stopped, Andromedai hoped that her warning had actually gotten through this time to the Psykers, but something told her that it hadent. "I will do whatever is asked of me in the name of the Emperor, but their presence is still greatly needed in the squad. Sending them to my troops could have serious backlash if anyone higher up would find out." thought Andromedai to herself, she was going to have to have a word with Icarus later. For now though, the Celestian merely watched as the lander broke the planet's atmosphere and quickly made it's way into the massive city.

From above, it was clear that the command world of Sovereign was very unique when compared to other colonized planets in the Imperium. In fact, the world was one of a kind and many resources had been poured into it for a large number of logically sound reasons. "The city is a little bit to clean and wealthy looking for my personal taste." said Andromedai as the shuttle quickly navigated its way towards the far edge of the city where the Inqusitors personal safe house was waiting for them. As soon as the lander touched down upon the landing pad outside, Inquisitor Icarus made sure she was the first one off the shuttle, eyeing her squad closely with fierce judgement. "This is our base of command in the system for the time being, pick an empty room of your choice, unpack your gear and equipment, then meet me in the living room for further orders."

[User]
Ansgar didn't even move as the Inquisitor went off, scolding the pair of psykers as they continued to agitate and aim to cause each other grief. Not a helpful trait to witness in comrades in arms, seeing them at each other constantly already, hell, it was dawning on him that he was slightly outnumbered, and if the Commissars of the regiment's stories of other, less disciplined regiments was anything to go by, that many females in one place was going to create some very unique problems. Unlike most Guard, Ansgar feared not the Commissar, for they were, in the Krieger's eyes, there to liaison between other regiments and the Death Korp, vice keep the order and purity of the regiment out of question. Krieger's in this day and age had no issue with loyalty and willingness to die for the Emperor, indeed, their zeal often had to be tempered to match the goals of the planetary or system Campaign. But, Ansgar focused on the here and now as the shuttle swooped over the, frankly, clean city of the command world that they would be working in. Bizarre, he had never seen or heard of such a world existing anywhere else. Then again, his experience was often in the ruins of such places, rather than before war touched them, so many places could be like this place.

The sister's comment resonated with a similar sentiment that the Death Korp Grenadier held, making a comment similar to hers. "Too clean, and too unprepared. The city could fall to a half dozen different assault plans, and that would be on a whim alone." Taking into account the Sister presence, alongside any sort of PDF or native Guard regiments awaiting deployment, would still be hard pressed to hold such a city. It lacked the vital qualities of a fortress, indeed, hives were such meatgrinders due to their natural design. This actual city? Not so much. After touching down and being given their dispatch, the Krieger chose a room closest to the door, where he could keep a careful eye on it whenever he was not resting. Never trust that a place was secure, no matter how well established or how well fortified. Commandos, snipers, men who fancied their odds with a rifle, anything could inflict sudden death onto an inattentive or incautious trooper.

Setting his meager belongings in the room, thankful for it seeming to be more suited to a servants quarters and, as such, lacked the niceties and frills of the other rooms no doubt furnishings. Ansgar, after securing his belongings, reported back to the living room. Notably, about the only thing missing from him was the backpack full of supplies. The Type XIV (Heavy), its powerpack, and various implements of destruction were still present, as was the ever present skull faced gasmask of the Death Korp Grenadier, plus his armor and uniform. Whether he was too distrustful to remove any of it, or just lacked anything else to wear, was up for debate. Both were likely correct, however, he came to attention as he reported to the Inquisitor. "Reporting for additional orders, ma'am."