0813, September 12th, a relatively ordinary Monday.  Children are on the way to school.  Slackers are trying to think of excuses to call off of work.  People who do not know their importance are already  in motion...<br/><br/>For Sokol, this day began earlier than most.  A SUV picked her up well before morning chow around 0400.  She was handed a box chow and told to pack her belongings before eating on the road.  The Master Sergeant and Captain even helped her assemble her gear with care before packing the car and sending her off.  The SUV took her north, away from Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, and onward toward new life.  Somewhere along the line, she must have dozed off...<br/><br/>Gwen's trip away from Wales had begun earlier, but she found herself sleeping rather easily after she got on the jet.  A flight for one across the Pond was normally a more exciting event, but she couldn't stop yawning until she passed out.  She would wake up in America sometime on the morning of September 12th.  For better or worse, hers was a dreamless sleep.<br/><br/>Rozaliya had been in America for about three hours now, though she hadn't seen light above ground since she got off the plane and was hustled into the underground, where she felt someone pull a cloth over her mouth...<br/><br/>Sabine's transit was far less legally questionable.  Admittedly, it was quite hurried and the men and women transporting her were 'soft spoken' at best.  The nurse, a portly fellow with a genuine smile and a passable grasp of French, often asked how she was, and they stopped frequently enough for water or anything else that was necessary.  Of course, the driver and the two suits 'accompanying' her gave her a pretty good idea that there was no going 'backsies' on the contract she signed.<br/><br/>Admittedly, given the fact it had involved a transatlantic flight in the first place, this could easily just be added security.  On the bright side, she did get a window seat in the van to see some rather nice sights after they got off the rather boring highway between the city and the airport, and the well kept 'Welcome to New Pittsburgh' sign was the least impressive of them all.  Skyscrapers, well kept homes and business, streets where even the dirtiest car shined, and well dressed ladies and gentlemen making their ways around.  Truly, American cities were as beautiful as people said.  Hopefully, their research centers would be as amazing as their surroundings were beautiful...<br/><br/><hr/><br/>The journey ended for Sabine when she was wheeled into what looked suspiciously like a clinic but was empty save for one redhead of a man in jeans and a t-shirt.  His hair was a couple weeks past its last shave, and his mustache probably hadn't seen a razor in longer than that.  It was well trimmed, at least.<br/><br/>The suits rolling Sabine in left her in his care, and he smiled politely as he introduced himself.  “Captain Edward Silvers, a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Dubois.  Your partners are in the back.  If you'd like to ask any questions while I escort you back, I'll answer what I can.  I might hold some answers for the group, though.”<br/><br/>He didn't wait much longer than that before getting behind her and guiding her along toward the back of the building, albeit at a rather leisurely pace.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>In the back of the clinic, a room that might be mistaken for a hospital room had three bodies on three gurneys.  On the bright side, they were totally alive and the sedatives keeping them asleep were wearing off.<br/><br/>As Sokol stirred, she would be surprised to hear a sunshiny, Russian accented voice say, “good morning, Airman First Class Sokol.  Welcome back to being awake in America!  Thank you for your service!”<br/><br/>Gwendolyn and Rozaliya would also be greeted with a happy call of “and hello fellow immigrants, Gwendolyn and Rozaliya!  Welcome to your first day of life in America, greatest country in the world!”<br/><br/>They would find themselves being attended to by an auburn haired young lady with blonde streaks dyed in her hair and scrubs emblazoned with dozens upon dozens of tiny American flags.  With the youthful enthusiasm to spare and lack of lines in her face, there was no way she had been in the medical business for very long.<br/><br/>“I am Nurse Katyusha Dmitrievna,” she explained with a smile that is missing its top right incisor, “Captain told me to make sure you were comfortable if you woke up before his arrival, so if there is anything I can do for you, I will be doing it.  I have brought water for your consumption, and you are going to be breaking fast with the Captain soon.  Please help yourselves.”<br/><br/>She slid a cart with bottles of water on it over to the foot of the middle gurney where Gwen was laying, and she was quick to grab one and bring it over to Rozaliya.  “I especially happy to welcome you, Rozaliya: I hope you enjoy very much coming to this American Paradise from the Motherland.”