"Mono/Dialogue"

  'Inner thoughts'

  Narration

  [Message/communication apparatus]

  Date: March 1081

  Location: Unoccupied Land, Northern Victorian Border Zone.

  POV: Narrator

  6 Shadowy figures are blitzing through the woodwork beneath the veil of moonlight, judging by their dark, light-absorbent, attires, it can be safely ruled out that they’re anything but working beneath the sunlight.

  The forest is deathly silent, with no chirping of the beast, no howls of territorial predators, only the sounds of swaying branches and leaves dominating the gloomy woodnd. It might be fair to surmise that their intention is anything but pure,

  Their gear ranged from retractable bdes, cws, and spears up to bows, throwing knives, and even an originium gun. With a 2-man cell team, with varying mixes of weaponry, they can manage to cover one another with better flexibility.

  By using the branches, they weaved and manuevered from one position to another with a staggering speed, impressive enough to awe their potential target, adversary, and charge. Not only did they move with practiced coordination, but these figures had masterfully dampened their noise.

  Not long after, a radio transmission came alive on their respective communication apparatuses.

  [This is Command to All teams, remember that your primary task is to eliminate hostiles and extract potentially valuable intel, break.]

  [The secondary task is to capture hostile HVT by the codename of “7th Diamond” for further intelligence extraction. Break.]

  [Alpha team will act as the designated field commander and have jurisdiction upon decision-making when the mission gone astray. All teams, how copy? Over.]

  “Alpha Team copy, continuing on pre-designated tasking, over.”

  [Beta Team copy, continuing and preparing for infiltration, over.]

  [Charlie Team copy, staking up our overwatch post, over and out.]

  With that as the cue, the rest of the team starts occupying their pre-designated post.

  Alpha 1 and 2 were tasked as the primary assault and QRF, their objective was to lure out hostile combatants and bait them out of position, a really straightforward role. The team is made up of a Feline and a Liberi. Due to their role, they are well armed with mostly melee weaponry and protected with durable but light Mill-Arms Mk.III Kevr Vest.

  Beta 1 and 2 will be the primary infiltration units, ideally, they must do their job swiftly and quietly while hostile combatants remain unaware of their existence. The team is made up of a rare Manticore race and a Zak. They are the lightest armed and protected team, their task is not to engage the enemy but to extract intel and slip through the chaos when the situation goes FUBAR.

  Charlie 1 and 2 shall act as backup elements while also providing overwatch. Thus they are more heavily armed to compensate against potential complications during the mission. This team is made up of a pair of Liberi who specialized in long-range combat but ditched their armor in favor of more ammunition and support equipment while maintaining a reasonable carry weight limit.

  Alpha took up a position near the target compound and waited for the Beta team to start their task. Charlie's team meanwhile is conducting a much more extensive reconnaissance meant to verify the intel about hostile formation gained beforehand.

  [Alpha lead, this is Charlie, priority intel, break. We spotted what appeared to be 10 sentries armed with swords and bows, break. An improvised vehicle with heavy armor pting. Break. And an unknown object to the southwest of the gate. How copy? Over.]

  “This is Alpha lead to Charlie, can you identify any sort of symbols or insignias? Over”

  [This is Charlie to Alpha, Wait one.]

  Alpha 2 is looking through her binocurs to spy upon the gate and the armored vehicle. The vehicle has what appears to be a sizable mounted ballista attached to an enclosed turret, a very anachronistic design. Alpha 2 groaned a bit before saying her piece.

  “Man, intel is a bust. The briefing said nothing about potential armored vic within the compound…”

  “Patience, not everything will always stay the same. Also, that is Charlie's task, not ours so stay focused.”

  “Sure, sure…” Alpha 2 keeps looking towards the compound, careful to avoid having her binocurs accidentally reflecting the moonlight. Then Alpha 1 radio comes alive with an update from the Beta’s team lead.

  [Beta 1 to Alpha lead, we’re starting our tasking, how copy? over.]

  “This is Alpha lead, we’re in position and Charlie can bail you out in case things go hairy, break. Also good luck and be careful beta team, you guys still owe Alpha 2 that beer, over.”

  [Heh, thanks Alpha lead. We’ll engage radio silence, over and out.]

  “Do you have to say that?”

  “What? It’s true you know.”

  “Why are we chatting like this again?”

  “Psh, I don’t know, you started it and things would go just fine anyway…”

  Before Alpha 2 can retort, Charlie's transmission finally returns with confirmation.

  [Charlie to Alpha lead, over.]

  “Go ahead Charlie, over.”

  [We had confirmed the existence of the Burgundian Brigade in the compound, break. The unknown object close to the gate appears to be several high-grade originium artillery shells. How copy? Over.]

  “… copy, maintain overwatch, and let us hope Beta doesn’t fuck this up. Anything else? Over.”

  [Negative, Charlie shall continue on overwatch and provide updates when necessary. Over and out.]

  Alpha 1 waited for 2 to start her quip, but instead seeing her so focused on the compound.

  ‘Well, guess we had talked enough anyway.’ Alpha 1 just shut his mouth too, they might have gone x or not but that’s not the point at the moment.

  Then Alpha and Charlie's teams waited some more, Beta had gone radio silent and all they could do was to keep out of sight and maintain secrecy. It is just an ordinary day like any other, not much of a difference.

  Victorian Special Forces group is a diverse unit with varying allegiance, thus it is more akin to noble retainers who fight in the name of Victoria but factually belong to their respective faction deep down.

  Victoria has a really complicated noble society where their armed limbs can engage in open combat with one another while the master can just jovially savor wines with their rivals. This of course caused several incidents that should have sparked a war, but due to the Grand Dukes having the final say on what to do, peace has been preserved on an acceptable level.

  Suddenly Beta broke their radio silence, both Alpha and Charlie could hear their urgency.

  [All teams, priority intel, the interior had been ravaged. I repeat the interior had been ravaged. Someone got here before we did. Break, we found nothing of value, and the secondary objective, the HVT “7th Diamond” had also gone missing. Over.]

  “This is Alpha lead by my jurisdiction abort the infiltration, I say again to abort the infiltration. Get the hell out of there Beta.”

  [Copy, exfiltrating the com-] Before Beta 1 can continue an explosion rocked the compound. The sentry had been wiped out while the armored vehicle turned into scrap metal.

  “Fuck! Command, this is Alpha over! The situation is FUBAR!”

  “Charlie starts engaging!”

  [Affirm, Charlie engaging!]

  [This is Command to Alpha, Proceed with pn B, and get everyone out of there ASAP. How copy? Over.]

  “Alpha lead Copy! Rima (Alpha 2) let’s go!”

  “On it!”

  In another location not far from the suddenly erupting chaos…

  Just a few 3 kilometers away, hidden perfectly from prying eyes, another group of cndestine operatives are spectating the fireworks, courtesy of 80 kg worth of explosives strapped into the armored vehicle in that compound. They are watching the whole thing with childlike excitement for some, a pin sardonic grin, or just a mask of pity for the other.

  The group numbered a full squad of 12 men and women. They are mostly made up of Feline and Liberi but there is also a Fallen Sankta and, surprisingly, an ?gir thrown into the mix. This group was the one who raided the compound before Victorian SF arrived and made out like a bandit with their loot without anyone noticing.

  Their gears are all bck with no variation whatsoever. All are armed with the same patterned compound bow and arrows with a dagger as the primary backup weapon. The Fallen Sankta has a little extra for explosives but nothing too different from the rest.

  This highly disorganized mass would surely disgust a true and proper military hierarchy… except these people weren’t meant to be one in the first pce.

  These people came from all walks of life, like all sorts that worked with legitimate or illegitimate means. Trained and cultivated to fill in the gaps where soldiers are not the ones needed, but obedient and capable manpower to carry out grey or bck operations.

  Terra is not such a nice pce for one to not have insurance, even more so for those who have dealings with higher stature personage. A simple form of necessity that grew over time to ensure that their respective desires were fulfilled.

  Now let us slink and look back on these people who had seen a thing or two in their life. Some of them are checking up on their loot, while a few are setting up parameters, and the rest are just talking around.

  “A mighty swell firework there, Condor. I really love ya for that…”

  “Much obliged Captain, just little tricks from back home way back when I am but a little ss. Originium here and there with fixed interval can create some mighty fine bomb… also the one of the reasons I fell but meh… the past is the past.”

  “Aye, gd to have ye on our side. Oi Lane! How was the SoB looking?”

  “Package good, a little banged up but nothin’ we can’t fix. Little wanker fainted just from an arm lock, Aino would have him broken in two if he can only st that much.”

  “Hey Captain, now that we have done our task, should we leave now or…”

  “Nah we’ll just watch a little, Aino won’t mind for us to learn a thing or two from those fancy boys. If anythin’ she would praise us for our initiative and decision making.”

  “Aight then, I’ll just set parameter up ‘dere. Won’t be harder than sinking a sloop really…”

  “Heh, I say we did one hell of a nice and bang job ‘dere, amirite?”

  “Sure, imma just go wank some more when we get back, Julia my love, I’m coming home.”

  “Dude… tuck your little tryst somewhere else. Just look at Condor, she looking at you like garbage…”

  “Eh dimmed wings can think whatever she damn want to suit her fancy, like that obstinate twat doesn’t get shagged by the capt’-”

  “One more word and I’ll shove this explosive up your ass, Ardent.”

  “Oh wow, the dimwit askin’ for another kissing-the-pavement life changing experience. Sure, I’m game.”

  “T-t-that’s… You caught me off-guard which was unfair no matter how justified it then!”

  “Your fault really, shouldn’t have shagged to begin with…”

  “Grr…”

  “Shouldn’t you separate them capt’n?”

  “Eh, they’re mature enough to keep it somewhat civil. By the way, how is it looking there Shell?”

  “Blimey, ey mate. They got a real, not carbon copy cospy or gmour of illusion, Manticore with them.”

  “Bloody hell, really? Where did they get one? Sargonian flea market?”

  “… Captain, you did not just say that…”

  “I’m just jokin’! Also, it is true though. How could a Victorian get a Manticore? This ain’t some bloody desert oasis innit? The st I ever seen a Manticore was uh… crap… 15 years ago? When R-”

  “Trois.”

  “Oh yeah, sorry, when Trois was but a young brass bastard. He was very much the true magnificent bastard to pull off those irredeemably unhinged but pusible shit back then. But whatever, that ain’t important, where did they manage to get one again?”

  “Beats me, Sargonian’ bck market would make ours look like a grocery store by a long shot, like a really long damn shot. I mean, they truly adhered to the pure spirit of business is business as long as you don’t incur blood debt.”

  “Hell, I even heard that the tribal cns there had a really archaic trust system where when you earned their favor and blood debt. They would even go waging a total war to repay those, complete extinction of themselves be damned.”

  “Shell is right Capt’n, Aino herself had gone to the nearest one in Victoria, and they didn’t bat an eyesh when knowing who was buyin’. In fact, Aino said they grinned like damn hungry people seeing a sb of high-css meat presented to them while she is perusing their wares.”

  “Aino had gone to Sargon? When? No one bloody told me about it…”

  Shell just shakes his head in disbelief while Carton just stares at her CO with a disappointed scowl, they can’t believe their Captain is this oblivious.

  “You lived under a rock Captain?”

  “Nah, prolly too busy nailing Condor into the bedframe.”

  “Can you morons stop using me as some convenient topic for those asinine drivels of yours!?”

  “Hey, Captain! Things are rowdy over there.”

  The captain is back spectating the combat happening from afar. His Liberi’s eyes compensated for the distance. While others would require a binocur he can watch everything unfold just fine.

  He sees several thugs trying to corner the SF with the help of what looks to be an armored Savran but gets pushed back by a hail of long-range attacks or supporting fire from the tree line. Shifting his gaze and scanning that general direction for a while, he found a pair of SF in all their gloriously heavy amount of weaponry putting down hell.

  Some of his fellow colleagues also started watching from afar, the night concealed them nicely and their night vision goggles, which were lent by their Aino, also happened to cost them an arm or a leg if they ever broke it, helping their little observational study.

  They can see that the thugs are having a hard time but refuse to let the, alleged, intruder get away. The SF also starts to struggle to keep up their cohesion. One of them pointed out towards a shed not far from the compound gate entrance, and lo and behold another armored vehicle showed itself.

  “Man, what a pussy to use those kind of things.”

  “I don’t think so, these outws are quite smart to know how to preserve high-value assets, also… Ardent, you failed to report that one.” Condor smugly reproached Ardent who could only scowl but acquiesce anyway.

  “I only got a bloody 5 minutes to map that pce, cut me some sck.”

  “Excuses…”

  “What are you? My mum? Oh wait, you would be on-”

  Condor tackled Ardent and they started slugging one another, some of them egged them on while the others just didn’t care. The captain just smiled wryly with this utterly disorganized mass of clusterfuck.

  “So much for stealth…”

  “Don’t worry, Captain’s Arts had muffled the sounds and even the winds to some degrees here.”

  “…”

  Before they could say anything, the sounds of combat suddenly petter out. Sensing the anomalous situation, everyone goes on high alert while the support element starts packing things up.

  “What happened?”

  “I don’t know. Best we haul ass else shit goe-” Just as he is about to continue, his radio came alive. He immediately responds with swift and trained movement, a clear sign of all his combat training.

  “This is Obelisk, come in, over.”

  [Obelisk this is Chancellor, pull out of the AO, ASAP, no slouch, no bullshit. Over and Out.]

  He then turned to his subordinates, everyone was ready to leave the operation area, clearing any traces of they were there. This was that very disorganized bunch, now standing ramrod straight that would make a drill sergeant happy and jumping in joy of pure jubition.

  “We’re pulling out. Green Team take point, Yellow guard the loot, Red go ahead of us and chart out the exfill, Blue on me for rear guard duty like usual.”

  “Yes!”

  “Ok!”

  “Got it!”

  “Lead the way!”

  Date: May 1081

  Location: County of Toron, Victoria.

  POV: Nyx

  Walking around this pce I can start to call home, The County of Toron is truly a serene region, which is only equaled by the County of Connor in terms of public safety. I’m making my way towards a certain shop that I have started to frequent openly.

  Of course, there were rumors that I had been sneaking around to get my hands on something. The rumors go wild and it was honestly funny. To think that people thought I was some truly cold and unfeeling machine did hurt somewhat but meh…

  Regarding work, training soldiers, tutoring civilians, and other non-combatant work starts to get enjoyable for me. I guess I’m really, and I mean really, stressed to consider murder as a coping mechanism or that’s my default now…

  Oh yeah about that contract st year.

  Vincent didn’t lie, he really did deliver what I wanted after I completed his request of a much more flexible manpower. The battle beneath the surface has been intensifying, and I was shocked to accidentally learn that Vincent relied more on soft power to protect this pce.

  But that was what astound me the most when I start seeing him as more than just a lovable buffoon who happens to be a formidable statesman, he might or might not be the only one to help manage peace so nicely here.

  Of course, I don’t say anything about it to him, since he most likely knows I know but… he really did prioritize our friendship…

  Was I wrong about my assessment of him to be a ruthless man beneath that jovial veil, or was it because he had someone else putting up the work for him? So was he the puppet or was he the puppeteer? My head is spinning about what his role is…

  Well, the man is honest, so I guess there is indeed someone controlling that side of the world while maintaining strict secrecy while he knew little other than what truly matters… You know what? Back to the request.

  Training 36 people is a piece of cake for me, I felt like stealing from him too for it but that’s his problem. He and Arkell had been utilizing them nicely to keep the peace of this region, something I found commendable.

  Those 36 were trained with counter-espionage and intelligence gathering in mind, something my training managed to accomplish in merely 5 months because while he was satisfied with 3 months' progress, he needed a sharper unit and offered to me of retracting the favor I offered him. I obliged and my personal opinion rose even higher for Vincent himself.

  Hotlines with neutral, and several affiliated, nobles have been established now. They were delighted to know I reached out in such a discrete manner, not rocking the boat had put me in a better light. Count Skamandros was pying hard to get, but nothing a good work ethic can’t solve in due time.

  Whether those (hotlines) would be useful is still up in the air… although Amphelice and Hector had been responding positively to my actions.

  I had struck some contractual agreement with him and was in the process of getting him another batch of tools to use. The situation is going swimmingly… too swimmingly that I’m getting paranoid that the future might be really unpleasant and bothersome to me.

  Well, I’ll give future Nyx all the power to solve the situation. The whole cloak-and-dagger stuff starts to get tiring.

  Oh yeah! Breaking news, Duke of Stafford hated and respected my guts now. Wonderful, I’m pretty much on the unfavorable side after a certain incident, but since he is preoccupied with another problem, he let me off lightly. He sternly warned me that if I meddled with his problem again, I’d be a dead woman and that’s what I should hope to end up as. The man was so sure with his words.

  Which sounds… not scary at all. Like seriously, when I heard that threat I had done my very best not to ugh and break my stoic mask. From all my experiences according to my old lives, those who threatened you so openly veered more on the smaller scale in terms of danger, of course, there are genuine threats but mostly made up of small fry.

  Those who tried to coax you and get rid of you, on the other hand, are the more dangerous ones. People who can coax and add their enemy to their ranks are beyond dangerous, but so far I have seen no such people here.

  Hopefully, I never met them because not only were their danger levels ridiculously high, but they had more backup than an Old Chinese Dynasty cimant to their divine throne. Also… I can’t believe I say this but… these people are also the more friendly kind, and good people made bad enemies.

  So bad that I recalled at least 48 lives where I made enemies out of them and I was stomped and curbed so hard I can’t believe I still have the gall to even consider fighting them in this new world. But oh well, they also made good allies…

  Well, that’s enough about the retionship and social contract stuff. Let us talk about more companies, mostly technology and paramilitary, who offered me a contract as a defense consultant. I… never thought of that as an eligible and legitimate occupation… should have realized that defense consultant exists… but If I were one, those I cherished might not be alive at this moment so that delusion is moot.

  There is also another, well not exactly a company, organization that piqued my interest, the Catastrophe Messenger. My business retionship with Catastrophe Messenger is getting a much brighter light compared to a much hazier retionship before.

  Showing that I can show proper restraint and… ugh… mercy… for enemy combatants works wonders on my impression of them. Of course, if the hostiles are a bunch of sack of shit, they have no qualms for me to employ a rougher method that is, ironically, borderline incriminating myself.

  Oh well, at least they now considered my application more seriously than before, and I appud them for not flinching and just giving their honest assessment of me. Well, facing catastrophes regurly made dealing with an unhinged mercenary a pleasant break by comparison.

  They said that it is still under process since my history is really… against their creed of saving as many lives as humanly possible. They did give me credit regarding my vast array of skills and accomplishments.

  But full employment is still up in the air, and I’m more than happy for them to take as much time as possible. Those dear to me are right, I won’t accomplish much by doing things alone. Thus it might be a good time and opportunity to branch out some more. My reputation is something to consider… if it were anyone else.

  I know that people are calling me less than fttering nicknames, but I hardly cared anyway. The more you try to fight it, the more satisfaction you’ll give them so I’ll just nod and be on my way and savor their frustration.

  My reputation will never go away, and it will attract weirdoes and all that fun stuff. The only thing I can do is to live with it, easier said than done I know…

  Well enough of that, where was I again? Oh yeah, here!

  “Well, guess I’m early now.” I chuckled a little since the shop had just opened up… I bme Vincent for giving me chocote addiction, but I also praise him for it because good god, what are these cookies made off!? They taste divine.

  POV: Arkell Jon Thomson

  Business has been good, my wife has been pacified, and I can focus on understanding just what is happening near the southern sea… I fear that my wildest idea about what is below the waves to be true. I cannot publish anything too on the nose, however, both Victoria and Iberia will go after my neck otherwise.

  ‘I’ll shelve that for ter… now is my time to do my work.’

  “I was told she should be around here somewhere, near a… bakery or was it patisseries? Meh, I’ll just look around where more sweets are being showcased.” I’m looking around the downtown area, rumors abound that you can meet her easier at the crack of dawn or early sunrise.

  Vincent asked me to find her about something along the lines of… future encounter? Ah, whatever, it was noble kinds of stuff so I just don’t wanna pry too deep into it, it rarely pays off on my occupation to know such an irrelevant piece of information. I do know that she finally mellowed out has something to do with Vincent’s usual machinations.

  Yes, mellowed out. I was chosen as an examiner for her viability of joining Catastrophe Messenger, I was chosen because I knew her the most and there will also be another observer to attest to my cim. It was surreal to think that she is willing to be more civilized, like finally, and stop using shortcut methods 10/10 times and lowered to 4/10 times…

  Back to these rumors about that mellowed-out Pythian Lady.

  Honestly, if the rumors had some truth in them, I never knew she liked sweets all that much. The st time I saw her eat sweets, she just ate them carelessly and only wanted to fill her sugar intake, nothing else. Now? Hmm, rumors said about her being seen with stacks of it before disappearing altogether has been a rather hot topic for idle talks here and there.

  ‘Oh well, I can just-’ Before I continue with my mental deliberation, I see her just cross the alleyway… directly in front of me… while nibbling her cookies with an utterly blissful face.

  Time just stopped. I looked at her and she locked her gaze with mine…

  “Oh… uh… *gulp* Hi, Arkell… fancy seeing you here.” She breaks the ice, her face is neutral… her ears are red though…

  “Oh yeah, um…” I look at the bags dangling in her hand… there are at least 4 of those bags, filled to the brim with most likely sweets… Ok, now the rumors are true… Thank god she is actually a human capable of wanting something else than a throne made of bloodied skulls.

  “That’s a lot of bags…”

  “Oh yeah, yeah, it is um… for… um… guests!” … 8 year old can lie better than you, Nyx…

  “I see… Wow, that’s a lot of calori-”

  “You’re not implying what I think you’re, right?” Holy shit, she has that pnted as a new ndmine as well now. Crap think quick… Wait, I was looking for her!

  “Of course not, also I was looking for you. Vincent had an urgent matter he wished to discuss with you.”

  “…Lead the way… and… You saw nothing, capisce?”

  “C-c-capisce.”

  Phew, dodged that bullet but I can feel her subtly gring my way… I won’t lie she looks cuter this way though… no blood, no dirt… just a maiden (?) enjoying her assortment of chocote cookies…

  [END OF CHAPTER]

  Author’s Note:

  Hello there, this is me, myself, and I, the author who is indeed pgued by on-and-off bouts of depression and life uncertainties. Regarding that abomination of an improvised vehicle…

  The armored vehicle was a Volkswagen lookalike with a rather oversized Feret Scout Car turret attached in the middle and instead of a machine gun, they had a repeater ballista or scorpion mounted on it. Yeah… it was a really weird, unholy even, improvised vehicle… I sometimes wondered why too…

  Also who are those people in the middle of narration you might ask? Well, that is for the future content.

  If I’m still really sane and alive by then anyway.

  Update as usual… My head is killing me…

  Ciao