OOC (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=168730.0)<br/>Brief (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=168731.0)<br/>Dossiers (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=168732.0)<br/>Interest and Recruitment (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=167396.0)<br/><br/><hr/><hr/><br/>(http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2009/345/e/0/SFP___an_arctic_station_by_Count_one.jpg)<br/><br/>"From heaven above and hell below, the earth is under siege.  We just don't know it yet."<br/>- Dr. Charles Gustav<br/><br/><hr/><hr/><hr/><br/><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 28pt;">ARCTICA: Vostok</span><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;">Hell Hath No Fury</span></strong><br/><br/><hr/><hr/><hr/><br/><br/>Greetings Expedition Personnel!<br/><br/>My name is Doctor Benjamin Czeremin, but you may call me Ben.  I will be the Liaison, representing the civilians and soldiers in matters concerning the Powers That Be.  I am<em>not</em>your commanding officer, but you can think of me as your collective lobbyist in the command structure of this expedition.  I will vouch for you, and if you stray into danger, I will be there to protect you.<br/><br/>This flight is long, and, frankly, I am bored stiff.  As are you, I'm sure.  You're all currently on communications blackout, but I am able to communicate to all of you via the tablets those black-suited men gave you; the Mobile Brief and Communications Assistants (MOBAs).  So, indulge an old man.  I tend to ramble.<br/><br/>The year is 2013, the month April, the day the fifteenth.  A Monday, of course.  No more than twenty-four hours prior, you were contacted.  If you are a soldier, then your commanding officer summoned you with strict instructions: drop everything, say nothing, and bring only one personal object.  Upon reporting, you found your CO flanked by grim-looking men in black suits.  "You've been reassigned," they'd say, or some version there-of.  "Effective immediately, you are attached to a transient NATO unit under the authority of Commander King."<br/><br/>As they escort you from the building, the men list off a variety of obscure NATO military laws.  Their penalties are strict -- death or indefinite detention -- and the offenses serious.  "Speak of this project to anyone not involved with the project, and you will be judged by military tribunal subject to NATO penal code A-9912, immediate termination."  They spoke like robots, their voices carefully trained to hide any accent or emotion, the laws and codes memorized and recited like a mantra.  "Distribution of materials or information regarding the project to anyone not involved with the project is forbidden by international military law, and violation resultant in consideration of NATO penal code A-9912, immediate termination."  Even if you are well versed in military justice, these are laws you have never heard of before, at least not officially.  They are very real, and you'd be do best to follow them to the best of your abilities.  Trust me.<br/><br/>If you are not a soldier, your "rendezvous" was likely much more abrupt.  Apologies.  Regardless, you were approached by black-suited men and offered a significant sum of money to accompany them to Paris, where you would be incorporated into a top secret government project run by the EU and NATO.  They were very polite, and provided ample evidence that they were indeed government agents.  If you still disagreed, then I must apologize again for their rude treatment of your person.  The tingling in the extremities should have worn off by now, as the knock-out drug they injected into your system has a rather short biological halflife.<br/><br/>Soldier or civilian, you were flown non-stop on an empty jet to Paris.  During the trip, you were informed that you would be traveling to Vostok Station in Antarctica to investigate a radio blackout, as well as geological, archeological, and biological events of currently indeterminate nature (you will be told more during the official brief upon our arrival).  You were asked to name any equipment you needed dependent on your specialty, and assured that whatever supplies you requested were immediately being airlifted to the site of the project, so long as they do not allow for intercontinental communication.  That plane should arrive slightly after we do.  You were then delivered to a second airplane: a C-130 Hercules (http://www.seeandavoid.org/images/aircraft/c130j.jpg) military transport.  The interior cabin had been divided into two-dozen insulated cubicles, each a roomy nine cubic meters and supplied with enough water bottles and rations to support you for the trip.  Each cubicle also has a pair of full Arctic body suits.  C-130's tend to be breezy, and when it's forty below outside, it's reasonable to dress warm.  I suggest you suit up immediately to prevent frostbite.  As you know by now, protocol mandated that we assign one person per cubicle.  We understand this process could be alarming, so at this point, you were further reassured by the gentlemen in black suits that this was indeed a government project, and that your safety was their paramount concern.  You were given a simple touchscreen tablet (the aforementioned MOBA) and a portable battery charger, and then locked inside your cubicle.  Again, we apologize for the actions we must perform due to protocol.<br/><br/>Since this flight will last just over eighteen hours, you will have plenty of time to get to know your MOBA: the Mobile Brief and Communications Assistant.  At the cost of it's wireless/satellite connectivity to the internet, the MOBA sports a ridiculous battery life and a powerful narrow-frequency short-range transmitter, allowing for a direct connection to all other MOBA's in use by the team.  It is enabled for text, audio, and video communication, and has the best universal translation software our combined governments can produce, so don't worry about the language barrier.  With the MOBA, one can engage in binary conversations or group discussions, record personal logs, tag samples, take video, upload to the<strong>Brief</strong>, and really anything else civilian PDAs can do.  Since the project in Antarctica will likely spread the team over a large area, the MOBA will be an essential tool to keep in touch with Commander King, your commanding officer, as well as your fellow personnel.  Note that Commander King will have access to all communications through all MOBAs.<br/><br/>Also on your MOBA is the<strong>Brief</strong>, an incomplete file that summarizes the findings of the expedition so far and provides various files for your review.  As you collect data, please upload your findings and notes to the<strong>Brief</strong>database.  Unfortunately, due to red tape, the "official"<strong>Brief</strong>is being updated piecemeal as various files are summarily reviewed and released by the Powers That Be.  I hope you understand.<br/><br/>A note for the military: all enlisted personnel will receive a full brief on their role upon arrival.  With the exception of the naval divers, your role will largely be supervision, oversight, communication, and, if needed, enforcement of the NATO codes that provide our security.<br/><br/>Aside from that, I wish you a calm evening!  We're passing over South Africa now, so I'd suggest donning those thermal suits soon, since the temperature outside is already dropping fast.  Consult your MOBA's, perhaps record a diary or video log.  And, most importantly, allow yourself to relax and feel happy!  After all, you were chosen for this trip because you met some very stringent criteria.  You would not be here on this (remarkably uncomfortable) plane if you were not an outstanding individual.  So relax, cheer up, and get excited.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  One day, you can say that you were at Vostok, that you stood on the frozen wastes at the crossroads of destiny and discovery.  You can say that you unlocked the secrets of ARCTICA.<br/><br/>Sleep on that, my friends.  We will be landing in six hours.<br/><br/>Sincerely,<br/>Dr. Benjamin Czeremin<br/>Liaison