Russell shifted his position to stand at Lt Black's left-hand side - while he might be the member of 13th Recon that was most familiar with Gatespeak he wasn't the team leader. As a result he stood slightly behind the lieutenant, letting the team leader take centre stage. Hopefully this would leave Black as the first person any local authorities would want to speak to, giving Russell the chance to hang back and observe.<br/><br/>And there was plenty for the young Marine to observe. The settlement looked like something out of the Middle Ages and was the size of a full-scale town, not just a trading post as Russell had first assumed. But what made it really different was the lack of elves. Oh, there were a few in the town square that the recon team's vehicles had stopped in, but the vast majority of people looked to be various sorts of beast-folk. A wolf-man running a butcher's stall by one of the larger buildings in the square grinned toothily at his customers (not like he could grin any other way) as they haggled over prices. A pair of women made their way through the town square, chattering in Gatespeak as they slithered along on their snake-like tails. Another woman carrying a basket of groceries trotted past the recon group's vehicles, her long rabbit-like ears flopping as she ran.<br/><br/><em>No, El-tee, we're <strong>definitely</strong> not in Kansas anymore.</em><br/><br/>The hubbub of chatter which had filled the square was dying down as more and more of the natives took notice of the vehicles in which the 13th Recon had arrived. Distrustful looks were sent the humans' way and the beast-folk gave them plenty of room as they muttered among themselves. Russell ciuldn't help but think of his own childhood - he had grown up in several different countries following his father on his deployments as a Marine, and every time Russell had started in a new school there had been the same wary looks and distrust directed at the newcomer.<em>The more things change, the more they stay the same.</em><br/><br/>Suddenly the level of conversation decreased and the townsfolk started looking in one direction. Russell directed his gaze in the same direction, and his eyes widened as he caught sight of the approaching elves. The leading pair had silver hair and sharp features, and while the man wore ornate jewellery the only adornment for the female was the slim sword at her side. Behind the pair strode a pair of armoured dark elves, and Russell's grip tightened on his M-249's forestock in anger as he recalled the actions of the dark elves in San Francisco.<br/><br/><em>You're not here for revenge,</em>he told himself silently.<em>You're here to do a job.</em>Focusing on those thoughts he translated the words of the elven leader for Lt, Black and waited for his leader's reply. His face was calm and expressionless, but there was no hiding the anger in his eyes every time he looked at the dark elven guards.