❝ ── WASTELAND, BABY !

[vaermina]

ＫＡＩＲＯＳ 'ＫＡＩ' ＬＯＵＫＡＮＩＳxxx
I.xcis malex II.xthe conclave militaryx III. an android deployment & utilization warrant 2 officer


indentthe assistance bot continued to pick up their pieces of trash. occasionally, it'd snap its pinchers in warning to kai whenever it would suspect he was tempted to pick it up again. the young man could not help but laugh when mina commented on the possibility of stolen assistance bots garnering an attitude with their kidnappers. "oh, yeah? well, i'm not sure about them being non-threatening. their pinchers could probably hold a pocket knife. imagine dying in your sleep because an assistance bot slit your throat. what a way to go out. to be honest, i probably shouldn't even joke about that considering i work with androids. i'm gonna jinx myself one day." he rested his elbows on the table. truly, assistance bots are non-threatening. they aren't programmed for warfare, although he was sure that assistance bots would be a much less daunting enemy than some of the military bots the conclave does utilize. the complexity of robots is what inspired the creation of androids. it was fascinating. and quite obviously, kai had a rather peculiar fascination with the concept of androids and robots. the idea of creating intelligent life from scrap has always been of interest to him. he had no idea if it stemmed from his youthful dabbles with escapism or what but going beyond the boundaries of scientific ethic is interesting to him. he liked the idea of creating creatures and monstrosities that most would deem unnatural. there was something so enticing about being apart of a technological revolution. the sciences are not as valued in the conclave as they probably should be but the general population should be far more fearful of the government's laboratories than its military. humans can easily overstep the boundaries of religion and morality when left to their own devices in laboratories. it's always been that way, even before the great war destroyed earth. one of the most feared aerial beasts of the wasteland, drakes, had been created a few years before the nukes dropped by the united states government and the company that first commissioned the construction of vaults. drakes were created from a genetic pool consisting of bats, komodo dragons and other pre-war creatures. they were to act as guardians over the vaults and protect the entrances from being breached by outside forces. obviously, humans couldn't stand guard outside the vaults' entrances once the bombs obliterated the country and turrets would have been destroyed by the aftermath. he was sure that drakes seemed like a perfect option. centuries of radiation and letal gas exposure dramatically twisted their appearances, though with most going from medium-sized, smooth scaled creatures to horrendous jagged beasts of epic proportions. the drakes who had been chained outside the vaults had escaped by the time the doors were opened eighty years ago. the consequences of their creation haunt the country to this day, too. several years ago a conclave operated town known as kartstead had been destroyed by a drake. hundreds of conclave personnel were killed and, ironically enough, several high-profile rebels set to be executed that day had managed to escape the carnage. nobody is quite sure why the drake attacked. from what little they know of the beasts, scientists speculate that the attack might have just been for pure sport. their evolution since pre-war times as well as their artificial heritage has granted drakes a type of intelligence unseen by most mutated animals. that is exactly what fascinated kai so much. in this day and age, you can design lifeforms that match your brain capacity. you can essentially create the abstraction of immortality when it comes to androids for they will never die of natural causes. those who are not damaged beyond repair can also be fixed, as well. it makes you ponder about the future of this country and how it might look like when they are advancing so rapidly with technology.
indenteventually, cj-82 finished gathering their trash. the robot watched mina dump her empty bottle into alphonse's trash bag before it withdrew its metal pincher with something of a satisfied beep. alphonse grabbed a hold of the small droid. "mhm, yes, very lovely service. you run a tight shift around here, manager alphonse." kai said sarcastically after he finished the remains of his sushi. he was quick to dump the tray into the robot's trash bag before he bumbled off somewhere. the d.o.u.g model appeared quite happy with their responses, for he was swift to grant them a chipper farewell. the increasing activity in the food court had finally diverted his attention elsewhere. kai took a sip of his drink as mina fished her phone out of her pocket. he hardly had time to respond to her joke, for he noticed her features quickly morphed into something of hesitancy. she was quick to explain her situation. pygmy gophers and aircrafts. those two never mix well in a sentence. the rodent-like creatures are notorious for tampering with technology and machinery for its shiny insides. it sounds adorable but they have caused quite a number of injuries and deaths over the years because of their thieving ways. one screw can mean everything for the functioning of a vehicle or aircraft. "between you getting killed because of a pygmy gopher and me getting assassinated in my sleep by an android, our headstones are going to look pretty interesting." his joke was brief. "but, um, yeah, sure, we can head over there. no problem. i like you too much for you to die such a ridiculous death." he had no issue with heading over to the hangar. he wanted to spend as much time with mina as he could before they both had to go sauntering back to their gloomy households. plus, he'd rather not receive a phone call telling him mina's been killed in an explosion because a pygmy gopher decided to take an important screw back home to its rodent family. god, he wasn't sure what's worse. the pygmy gophers or possible death via massive aerial predator. griffins, ophidians and nightstalkers are notorious for attacking conclave ships. griffins and ophidians are small enough that they aren't much of a threat to larger vessels but it's rumored that nightstalkers are the reason for the crash of one of the conclave's first airships, the arcadia. to think a creature could be large and powerful enough to take down such a massive aircraft is an unpleasant thought. it's been confirmed that the ship had crashed because of engine malfunctions but people are always going to talk of coverups and government conspiracies. if a nightstalker had caused the crash of that airship, the military probably wouldn't be running to tell the public and spread even more fear about the dangers of the wasteland. either way, the air force has quite the problem when it comes to wasteland animals destroying their machinery. ships exploding in midair because of stolen parts, griffins crashing into windshields or flying into ship's propellers. nope. i'll pass.
indentmina's tone was quick to shift into subtle playfulness when she mentioned the hangar's location in the southwest district. for a few seconds, he looked at her carefully. the man's look of slight confusion swiftly morphed into mischief when he realized what she was alluding to. "i mean, a little detour wouldn't hurt anybody. y'know, since we're going to be passing by there anyway," said kai casually. should he be trying to convince mina that her inspection should be her number one priority right now? probably but kai is not exactly the best of influences, anyway. he valued his work - took great pride in it, matter of fact - but hedonism has always had a certain grip on him. he struggled with intemperance. when find yourself stumbling upon a stalemate in your career, it's easy to choose self-indulgence over responsibility. he and mina have been stuck for over a year in their current rankings. their attempts to seek promotion have been denied time and time again. he didn't think it would exactly harm mina's career if they took a brief detour. not to mention, their family's feud has made it difficult to see each other on a regular basis. it's not like they can just stroll up to each other's houses anymore. it's ridiculous and their relationship should not be affected because of the hostility between their parents but that's just how it is. kai holds little care for ishaan himself and while he knew that mateo deserved that promotion far more than mina's pest of a kid brother, mateo seemed unfazed by the whole situation. the people affected by this situation are not blinded by fury so why is everyone else? it was all just petty scrimmage. kai had absolutely no intentions of cutting ties with mina just because of his family's inability to get over their bruised egos. and rock creek park or not, kai was going to take advantage of every moment he could get with mina. who knows when they'll next be able to see each other? sure, they were going to be sitting with general alarie for a period of time at the presidential inauguration dinner but what about after that? what if that whole proposition with the general and the odawa desert does not work out? maybe it would be best to avoid thinking about it. he felt sour when he pondered about it.
indentthe young man finished off the rest of his quantum pop. he followed his girlfriend's lead and stood up from his chair, grabbing the now empty bottle and the folder given to him by general alarie. kai quickly tossed the soda bottle into a nearby trash can. he fell into step beside mina as the couple left the congested food court, all while reaching into his pocket to feel for the cold brass of his car keys.

indentrock creek park was a massive urban park that bisects the northwest quadrant of the capital city. consisting of more than two thousand acres of forest, it is home to multiple recreation facilities, hiking and biking trails, cultural exhibits, scenic roads and playground areas. the great war had thoroughly obliterated most floral and fauna specimens across the country, and it's no secret that it has taken the conclave decades to return rock creek park to its former glory. hundreds of acres of burnt trees, dead plants and soiled flowers had been churned out of the earth so new saplings and seeds could take their places. the horse center and the peirce mill - both unsurprisingly destroyed by the nuclear fallout centuries ago - had been built once more from scrap. there were a few monuments and sculptures that could be found throughout the park that were dedicated to conclave heroes, as well as those who volunteered to help nurture rock creek park back to full health. a few pre-war monuments had been salvaged, as well, such as the pink granite bench on beach drive that president franklin roosevelt dedicated to the memory of french ambassador jean jules jusserand. truly, the urban park was a beautiful place. people dedicate hours of their day to walk along its sandy trails and hunt for colorful pebbles along its creeks and streams. you can get lost for hours underneath its arching trees. once upon a time, perhaps all the trees would be devoid of leaves because of the cold season but the nuclear bombs had destroyed the earth's weather system. the seasons are unpredictable now. sometimes, the weather will be nothing but high temperatures and rancid humidity for months. other times, it'll rain every day for over a month. extreme cold in the middle of june? that's happened before, too. it was only a few weeks into january and the heat has refused to let up. it felt like summer to mankind, fauna and flora alike. the trees have not shed their leaves because they do not comprehend the duality of seasons. it was not cold nor dry so why shed their leaves to conserve resources when they don't have to? in the pre-war era, rock creek park would probably be layered by blankets of snow and frost around this time of year. nowadays, though, it looked like a scene straight from summer.
indentmina and kai had strayed from one of the main roads and onto an isolated trail that ran down a ways towards a small stream. the young man hardly had time to put the car in park and turn off the ignition before mina leaned across the middle console to gently direct his chin towards her face. for some odd reason, his heart had begun to race inside his chest. the couple have been romantically involved for several years now and had known each other platonically since they were children but mina never failed to make him squirm like a nervous schoolboy. her doing something as simple as touching him could give him goosebumps. he searched her features for a quick second before she connected their lips, her hand now moving to cup the side of his face. his own hand had moved to lightly clasp around her wrist. truly, it would probably be a better idea to just head over to the hangar so there was no chance mina would get snapped at for being late to an inspection but their strong suit has never been the art of prioritizing. they have time. it's been a while since he and mina have had an intimate moment together, too. mina temporarily broke away from their passionate embrace to quickly slip out of the passenger seat and retreat to the backseat of the car. kai's hand briefly lingered on her wrist as she pulled away. he watched her with an almost cat-like curiosity to see what she was doing. her grin was a subtle invitation, and really that was all it took for kai to scramble after her. if he could, he probably would have tried to climb over the driver's seat to reach her faster. once kai followed her into the backseat, he was quick to pounce on her, their lips reconnecting just as fast as they had disconnected a minute prior. one of his arms went around her waist before he gently pinned her against the seat, the couple now effectively vanishing from sight.

indenta small songbird landed on the exposed weather seal of the car. it tittered for a moment and flapped its wings, giving its small stature a brief shake before it took flight when the couple stirred from the backseat. a groan of discomfort sounded from kai as mina returned to the passenger seat. he rubbed the back of his neck tenderly. "mhm. well, we're gonna have to invest in a blowup mattress or something because these seats are uncomfortable as hell," kai complained. he briefly reached underneath his shirt to sourly rub a red mark indented on his lower back, courtesy of the leather seat's hard sutures. much like his girlfriend, he attempted to make himself look somewhat more presentable. he smoothed out his hair to the best of his ability, although it was a bit difficult trying to wipe away the dried stains of mina's lipstick from his skin. he had no idea how long they've been at the park. judging by mina's remark, they have just barely enough time to make it to the hangar. the two of them look exactly what it looks like they had been doing, too, which probably wouldn't really help the situation. it's one thing to be nearly late for an inspection but to be nearly late because of a quick trip to the park? mina wouldn't hear the end of it from her superiors. really, though, kai was tempted to pull her into the backseat again. it was so tempting. still in the backseat, kai was sitting directly behind the passenger seat. he leaned forward to snake his arms around her, one going across her chest and the other around her stomach. he poked his head past the seat's headrest support so he could look at mina. "y'know, it's not good for a man's health to get all twisted around like that and then have to do something as tedious as driving. he needs at-least two hours of downtime. a massage wouldn't hurt, too, considering you're quite good with your hands. y'know, being a pilot and having to do all those inspections and all," he teased her. he eyed what was exposed of her neck before he met her gaze again. he carefully smoothed down a few strands of her hair that were still sticking up. he was only twisting mina's leg; something that he should probably wait on doing unless he wanted his own head ripped off. he removed his arms from around mina's body so he could finally return to the driver's seat. "okay, okay, i'm movin'."
indentevening had begun to settle over rock creek park. the trees cast long shadows along the forest floor as the couple left the isolated pathway and returned to one of the main roads. the number of people exploring the park had severely decreased now that night drew near. the waning sun shone its fading rays through the woods as they drove along a scenic road. it almost looked like it was chasing the car, playfully diving behind tree trunks and foliage before reappearing again. the temperature was dropping now that the sun was setting, and its dwindling rays almost felt nice on the skin. the surrounding woods were alive in animal banter and scuffles. squirrels perched warily atop the lampposts bordering the roads while birds chased one another frantically amongst the canopies. it would take a few minutes for them to leave the park. for now, they were bordered on both sides by miles of woodland. there was no one tree that took up all the forest. it was all quite diverse. sweltering red maples, emerald loblolly pines, towering douglas firs, bright okame cherries, blistered sweet gums. occasionally, they'd pass a few joggers running on the sidewalks or campers packing up their vehicles in the small dirt parking lots that sat on the outskirts of numerous camping sites.
indentthe young man leaned over to tinker with the radio. he landed on a channel that was currently hosting a radio talk session.
indentone of the radio hosts sounded through the speakers, his deep voice somewhat static due to their location in the park. "-an, studies are coming out that say within five years, new california's population will be doubled because of an influx of new wastelander residents! can you imagine all the suckers travelin' right now through that hot ass desert? some border patrols have been set up just to check out all these people and turn away the vagrants."
indentthe voice of a woman sounded. "my god. it makes sense, too, doesn't it? i remember a few months ago we were talkin' about how there's a decrease in the eastern population because a bunch of the farmlands are being bought up by all the business and factory goons."
indent"mhm. which, i mean, i ain't against it. we need expansion for our industry. but god, we've been receivin' reports for months on how most of the wastelander cities out west are packed like sardines! i don't think they can handle another influx. you know what we need? we need, like, an adopt-a-tainted-blood sort of program. y'know, like those adopt-a-veteran or adopt-a-senior type of programs. every month you can send a wastelander some clothing and canned goods." his good-natured ramble did not last for long, for he was quick to sneer, "or, y'know, maybe give them a bottle of soap and floss. they probably need it." laughter wafted from the speakers.
indentkai occasionally glanced into the rear-view mirror to try and wipe away the smudges of mina's lipstick that had dried around his mouth and jaw. damn, this stuff does not want to come off. he did his best to multi-task so he did not end up swerving off the road and send both himself and mina straight into a tree trunk. there were guard rails on the side of the roads for a reason, he supposed. and there were rumble strips to help alert drivers who might be distracted by the scenery that they're veering dangerously close to the edge of the roads. the conversation held by the radio hosts held little effect on him. partially because he was not listening and, well, capital residents tend to be distant when it comes to the plight and struggles of wastelanders. he glanced at his girlfriend.
indent"so, pygmy gophers, huh? do the ship's systems tell you if there's some sort of malfunction going on or do you have to inspect it yourself?" mina had mentioned that she had noticed a pygmy gopher scurrying away from the ship a while back. do aircrafts alert the pilots when there's something wrong? well, he assumed they must to a certain extent. engine lights in cars flicker on when the vehicle's computerized engine-management system detects a malfunction, so he could only assume that aircrafts have a similar system. it was probably a lot more advanced than the average vehicle but he had no idea. kai doesn't have any family enrolled in the air force. his knowledge of aircrafts pretty much just extends to what he's learned from mina and other sources. he knew that all of mina's family members but her mother are involved in the air force - very much unlike the loukanis clan, who dabble in various occupations. "has anyone thought about creating some sort of defense system that could keep pygmy gophers at bay? not sure how that would work but i feel like this has been an issue for years." kai was a very curious person. he tended to ask a lot of questions without even giving people a decent amount of time to answer. pygmy gophers have been a pest for years. one couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to install some sort of security system inside aircrafts that might diminish the problems the gophers pose for pilots and technicians. hell, if the conclave can create something as advanced as androids, they could do something like that, right? "you know, maybe some sort of security system that could be turned on when aircrafts aren't being utilized considering the gophers can only really breach the ships when they're grounded." of course, kai is not deployed in the air force but he's never heard about such a system being created before. all he's really heard is the strife surrounding the rodent bastards. he was sure that if it was possible, such a system might have been created already. maybe it was too tedious to try and develop a system that could detect every little screw nicked out of place in ships that are massive in size. "also, i know i've tagged along with you before to these type of things but, uh, remind me where this particular hangar is? i swear there's like dozens of them in the district. we might arrive at some top secret area by accident and end up getting blown up by some turret."

[vaell]

ＪＵＬＩＡＮ　ＭＯＲＥＮＯ.

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxa wastelander / future rebel. | unaffiliated. | tagged: valentina.
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indentadmittedly, julian probably had been far too distracted by the fact that they had even managed to make it out alive past the checkpoint during the period of time in which valentina had been listening in on the conversation of some strangers outside of the wagon. at her mention of the freedmen, he glanced back over his shoulder at her. "some town up west? huh. i guess that gives us some sort of a start, be it reliable or not. any kind of direction is better than us aimlessly wandering around like a pair of morons, after all." honestly, if it weren't for his cousin having picked up on the conversation of some of the people stopped at the checkpoints nearby them, he was pretty sure they would have had to procure up their own plan in finding the freedom trail from scratch, which sounded like a daunting task in and of itself. given how they had the coroner's report on their persons, the two didn't have all the time in the world to dally and try and figure out what their first move might be. they had the conclave on their asses - and while technically so did the entire wasteland population in the general area of arcadia, they were the ones who could not risk being stopped by any soldiers under any circumstances. while trusting the rumors heard from other wastelanders could also be considered a bit of a risky decision, what other choice did they have? they couldn't just flee laurel oaks and wind up in another settlement only a few miles off and only then try to conjure up some sort of plan. they needed to act now. their entire day thus far has consisted of on the spot decisions, ones that could possibly even alter the pathways of their lives forever. choosing to investigate the dead bodies, choosing to take and keep the file..being subjected to watching a sudden execution, having to blackmail zio..needing to coax a group into smuggling them out of a city undergoing lockdown? it was a lot to take in. sure, they usually endured their fair share of some pretty hectic days, but he was pretty sure they hadn't seen this much action in one day. today had definitely topped their average outings to the arcadian marketplace; usually they went by mostly undisturbed. however, if they could locate this town up west, where supposedly several freedmen were staying at, they had the opportunity of putting a fair amount of distance between themselves and their home as well as potentially gaining some information regarding the freedom trail. either way, they weren't exactly risking anything in journeying further out west, so it's not like the choice was a hard one to make. since they'd also dealt with the freedmen before, he honestly didn't feel too wary about seeking out their help. the organization was one independent of other entities such as the conclave, and was made up of people who chose to lend their services to the residents of the wasteland at no monetary cost. hopefully whoever had been claiming that the conclave has been accusing the freedmen of aiding the rebels and assisting people in finding the freedom trail were actually right after all, or else they'd have yet another letdown.
indentjulian lightly squeezed his legs behind the girth of mars' saddle, prompting the horse to begin moving them forward down the dusty street. he listened to his cousins suggestion about what route they should take to get back to their settlement. taking the highway would be nothing short of a death sentence if they were moronic enough to head out that way; luckily other trails were known to them. "ohh, yeah, i remember, i remember," behind them, the idle chatter amidst the bar was beginning to fade away. heading the back-way home would ensure they'd avoid running into whatever blockades or other precautions the conclave had took back at the turnpike. he and valentina didn't often resort to taking this route, but he still had a pretty good idea of how to manage his way through given how they had landmarks to go by such as with the old orange juice factory. that place always felt off-putting to him, just as any pre-war establishment tends to. you have no idea what could be hanging about inside those sort of places, nor what type of people were attracted to them, like bandits. "the fact we gotta pack the hell up and get out of laurel oaks before sunset is insane, but what's even more crazy is that i think i'm gonna miss it, to be honest." even though in this life its always better to strive in avoiding any sort of sentimental connections with whatever belongings or property you had, doing so was something utterly inescapable. its only human nature that you grow somewhat attached once you get used to something for so long, even if the circumstances of living in such a place as laurel oaks were considerably deplorable. they'd lived in that settlement for quite some time now and knew the surrounding area like the back of their thumb; they were close with their neighbors, shared in small celebrations of birthdays with them, gatherings and cookouts, all of that stuff. plus, it was a prime location given their proximity to the bustling city of arcadia. usually they never had to run too short on work for hire. he knew that he and valentina had no other choice but to flee their home, be it temporarily or permanently, but still. they had spent a considerable amount of time trying to keep their house as best maintained as possible, repairing leaks in the roof, or tending to any holes that had come as result of the houses ever rotting frame. "it's funny, because usually i feel like theres so much to complain about when it comes to laurel oaks, but now that we're forced to leave, it kinda sucks, you know?" despite the state of their home growing increasingly despairing in condition as the years went on, or the matter of the very mattresses they had to sleep on constantly digging in and jabbing at their sides with springs poking through the material while they slept, he had always been appreciative of their home to some greater extent. after all, its a lot better than what some people have. at-least they had a roof over their head and relative shelter from the predators of the wasteland, both humans and creatures. of course it wasn't an optimal living condition, and to make yourself come to terms with liking such a place you nearly need to force yourself into thinking things could be even worse. yet, when it would finally be their time to depart with their home, he knew he wouldn't be able to forget laurel oaks. it bore a lot of memories for the two of them, especially after the passing of their parents. it was a place of hardship, of learning, and of new opportunities looking forward. maybe it was better to leave, though, start a new page for this seemingly new chapter in their lives that was about to take off. there was no way that anything would revert back to the way it was before today; who knows what would happen if or when they found the rebellion?
indentjulian snorted at valentina's next comment, she herself sharing the same sentiments about how hectic their day had been. the fact that there was a huge list of all the crap that happened today was somehow both comical and also exhausting to think about. "you can say that again. i'm literally already tired from all of that, and to think we still gotta make it out west before the sun rises? yeah, no. sleep sounds great right about now. no idea when we're actually going to be able to get some rest, though. which is why i keep telling myself the sooner we pack up and out, the sooner we can catch a break." honestly, they would likely become a bit sleep deprived on their trek out of their settlement and out west, so much so that he was almost one hundred percent sure that as soon as they got to relative shelter he was gonna crash. as long as they put a considerable amount of distance between them and their settlement, also ensuring themselves a bit of security wherever they ended up, they could map out their plan of action the next day, especially considering they'd need to first consult the freedmen anyway, and he wasn't about to do that while he was half-awake either. as the cousins departed from the small town of mountmend and left behind its gloomy, mostly quiet streets, julian made sure to keep a firm grip on the stallions' reins while they begun their journey back to laurel oaks. the road from the town eventually gave off to a split in the road, where they'd be able to turn off onto a street instead of heading down the length of the highway back to arcadia. this way they'd hopefully manage to dodge any conclave patrols in the area, although given the location of the massacre they had stumbled upon earlier, they'd still need to be careful. the turnpike was probably crawling with conclave personnel right about now and even though it was located along the highway the two of them would need to get used to being on their feet no matter what. miles around them, vast stretches of flat land baring only the occasional toppled boulder surrounded their descent down the street. the sun above them was sinking toward the horizon, calling upon night to soon fall over the wasteland. the dark would work to their advantage, he supposed. they'd go majorly unseen if they made to stick to less traversed routes, staying in the shadows as best they could in order to get up west in one piece. hopefully they wouldn't need to spend very long rummaging through all of their belongings -- or rather, uncovering all the places in which they had stored things. they often stashed away more valuable possessions beneath floorboards or just about any crevice that was hidden from plain view. "hey," julian threw a glance over his shoulder to valentina, "i was thinking..if that town up west has any sort of market hub, you think we should try and get rid of anything we won't be able to lug around with us for the long-term? it's not like we got loads of junk or anything, but if we can make a few more caps on the side, it might help us out in the future. we're definitely set with what we got from zio, at-least for for now, but still." he reverted his attention back onto the road, shifting his grip on the reins in order to help guide mars past some major potholes formed in the road. even if they couldn't sell some of their possessions at that town, they'd be able to find someplace else to regardless. he had a feeling they may need to sell some of their wares in order to be able to continuing getting by. trying to be sustained by zio's caps wouldn't last them forever, no matter how big they had scored from their blackmailing. if they ever encountered that old man again, he was pretty sure that if zio was to be continually receptive to them, given what dirt they had on him, he'd probably be boiling with the want to kick their asses beneath it all. he and valentina were obvious pests to that greedy vendor, no matter how much he allegedly valued their time and efforts, and julian was quite fine with being known as such.
indentevery now and then, a ditch they'd pass would be harboring an old, rusted car. sometimes a skeleton could be spotted propped up in the driver's seat. this wasn't an usual sight to see; he and valentina both were unable to be fazed by seeing such things. at this point, witnessing what remains of life prior to the nukes dropping being cast about was actually just a regular part of journeying through once heavily utilized streets and highways. only one thing really had changed in their immediate environment, and that was the pleasant sight of the old orange juice factory. well, not literally. he was just glad to see it given that it was a good sign they were going to be reaching a split from the road down to laurel oaks soon enough. the factory's exterior was nothing to be captured by; the industrial site was a large complex consisting of several different buildings, likely filled with machinery once used to process the making of the orange juice. a wire fence surrounded the perimeter of the factory, although it could no longer be considered a proper border to the place. what remained of the fencing was a sorry excuse for anything to keep people out of the area; most of the links in the fence were split in half, leaving open, yawning sections exposed for entry. he could not help but eye the place rather warily as they made their approach to pass by the length of the factory. to him, it was eerie. it always had been. he had no clue if valentina felt the same way, but it was difficult not to comment on it. he was pretty sure he did every-time, and his cousin could prove it, too. "val? you think that place is infested with ghouls right now or something? or maybe, do you think there could be like a bandit hideout in there? god..what if we're about to get jumped by them? we'd never know. one second we'd be here, minding our business, the next -- bam! maybe they'd spare us, leave us empty-handed at best. man, it'd just be our luck too." he grumbled. electricity poles lined the outer perimeter of the factory close to where the once in-tact fence had been raised. the broken wires lay stagnant on what poles were still standing. this place had no doubt once been teeming with productivity, but now it was all but empty, motionless, or at-least from what they could see from here. in the unloading facility of the plant, various semi-trucks had been left to rot. once, the vehicles likely would have been filled the brim with oranges when the factory was still operating. the factory stacks, tall vertical pipes used to exhaust combustion gases into the air, were mostly collapsed at this point too. it was likely an orange grove had been in this area at one point, making it a prime location for such a place to operate, though again, no more than the ruined state of the factory could be commented on. some of the conveyor belts along the building were busted, parts of the factory falling into a state of decay, crumbling onto them. honestly, julian just wanted to get out of range of the factory as soon as possible, because to reiterate this fact -- it was creepy, and likely home to many undesirables.
indentafter some time, it wasn't long before they did make their way down the route back to their settlement, no longer threatened by the presence of that pre-war building. julian felt a bit of comfort to finally be back someplace in which he felt a small sense of security, and to see that laurel oaks had remained just as they'd left it was relief enough. while he hadn't been betting on the conclave making their presence known in the area already, you just never know. their settlement was no different than any other day, either, which seemed strange only because they themselves had a pretty chaotic afternoon; just like it were in mountmend, no conclave personnel were yet beginning to invade the streets. so, as per usual, the pair come back in their very regular manner even though everything had long past changed since their morning trek out of the settlement. mars crossed the pathway into the small community, breaching the wooden wall that bordered the perimeter of the neighborhood, the stallion's hooves now treading on a dusty path rather than the asphalt on the road they'd journeyed on. before them, the sight of dead lawns harboring withered plants accompanied houses long aged. the small street which led them back to their particular abode was similar to the road they had embarked on to get to laurel oaks from mountmend, filled with potholes and cracks. half-destroyed fences bordered some residencies, and some houses in much worse conditions than others. he passingly observed the houses down the street as mars continued onward toward their own residency, to the place they had called home for some time now. he liked to think laurel oaks was a relatively close-knit community. after all, forming connections with other people whom've faced similar hardships tends to develop a different sort of bond. they weren't exceedingly close with every resident, obviously, but their neighbors were a kind lot, particularly the smaller family housed nearest to them. it's not uncommon for the two cousins to trade supplies with the other residents of laurel oaks, either, and in that way, wastelanders out here tried to help each-other out as best as they could. everyone is trying to manage their own survival and yet somehow he always found that generosity and selflessness was a trait that so many people tended to have even despite everything they'd gone through. life was hell for everyone here -- it only made sense that they could try and have each-others' backs sometimes. he and valentina's own house was the first residence in the settlement, so soon enough they'd come up on their rather lackluster property. their front lawn served as mars' pen, similarly to how other wastelanders would make such space for their livestock. a cracked pathway ran up to the doorway of their home. it felt like they had been gone from their home for so long today, and yet they were not quite finished with what the day had to offer to them. they needed to get their asses in there to tear apart the nooks and crannies where they had stashed away their belongings.
indent"so, you're telling me we're finally back home and now we gotta leave again, this time around for an unforeseeable amount of time? who knows how long it might take to actually find the damn freedom trail..like, we're talking maybe forever, val. it's starting to really hit me now. forever. i guess we won't have time for some dramatic farewell party after all, huh?" as he brought mars to a halt before his pen, julian swung his leg around to dismount the horse, and when valentina had followed suit he made to gathered up mars' reins to secure the horse to one of the posts of the pen. poor mars; the horse had to endure lugging them and all that they had in the contents of their saddlebags around, including their sand-cats. its not like they could much afford another mount, though, and the stallion had always been steadfast. with a solid pat to the horses flank, julian glanced over to their doorway before looking back to his cousin. as usual, the streets around them were quiet with activity, even more so with the promise of nightfall upon the wasteland. inside each residency was the hum of life, however. "okay, how about this; i'm gonna go ransack the cabinets in the kitchen, make sure we didn't leave anything laying around, and i'll also try to salvage whatever i can from our strongbox, too. i'll leave you to search beneath some loose floorboards for our more valuable stuff, like shotgun shells, bandage wrappings and whatnot. if we're lucky we might've kept a spare cap or two there, too. you know, our so-called 'emergency supply'." they couldn't exactly afford trying to stash their caps away in order to try and save them up. you needed those for day-to-day affairs, whether you liked or not, and there was always something that was eating away at their money. be it them heading into a larger city, needing to purchase some supplies from a vendor, or them investing in the upkeep of their house, just as they had done so recently with replacing one of the shattered window planes in their living room. that thought made him a bit annoyed now, to be honest. the fact they'd spent caps on something they didn't really need to utilize any longer; but then again, how could they have ever anticipated themselves to wind up in this sort of a situation? besides their main possessions and supplies, though, the pair didn't exactly own anything that might be considered a luxury, nor were they in possession of an abundance of useless items. how could they be? everything they invested in was purposeful, they didn't waste their caps, their time and effort from hunting and doing hired jobs, away into random crap. "and honestly? even if you feel like we might not need something for this trip, we can always bring it along to sell, like i said before. we just gotta make sure we don't overload mars though." he snorted, beginning to head toward the entrance of their house, the sound of dead grass crunching beneath his boots before he stepped onto the small pathway. since they had no sure guess as to how long they'd be gone, they had to take anything of value to them, and they had to do it now. otherwise, who knows what would happen to whatever they left behind. they couldn't exactly promise the safe-keeping of their stuff if they were going to be so far off from laurel oaks.
indentjulian emerged within their house after stepping up their porch. across the room, he could spot the failed attempts he had made earlier that morning in trying to patch up a gap caused by the deterioration of the houses structure. the plank was still where he had abandoned it in his annoyance. despite this, he strode toward their kitchen, already intent on scavenging through the contents of the weathered metal container which held most of their tools. when he neared the shelf on which it sat, he reached a hand up to edge it forward from where he had tucked it as far back as he could against the wall, fingers grasping the sides of the strongbox in order to lower it down to the counter. once he did so, he had to put some effort into yanking the stubborn lid open once more before it revealed to him its contents. while he couldn't think of any situations in which they might just need a hammer or some screws, he knew that those wares were sellable, even despite their worn conditions. so, he plucked out what rusty screws he saw from within the box, stowing them away into an inner-pocket of his jacket. the hammer, on the other hand, he had set upon the counter beside the box. the evening darkness was seeping through the insides of their house through their windows, alerting them that they still had enough time not to entirely begin panicking. he looked over his shoulder, not to anywhere in particular but rather to call out to his cousin, wherever she may be looking about. "val! let me know what you find! so far, we got a hammer and some screws -- and before you say anything, yes, i know, to sell, not to keep."

[vaermina]

ＲＯＬＡＮＤ ＹＡＮＥＺxxx
I.xcis malex II.xthe conclave militaryx III. an inr tactical intelligence officer & sniper


indentthe injuries sustained by the griffins had done nothing but enrage them further. the large beasts paced back and forth atop the crashed aircraft, their shrieks of rage sharp enough to cut through flesh. both of them had been injured in their scuffles with the tactical officers. the griffin that had gone after his girlfriend appeared far less battered than its mate. streams of drying blood were running down the nape of its neck, crisscrossing with a rivulet of cerise that had begun to travel down its sinewy shoulder. he could make out the leather hilt of a dagger dug into one of its hindlegs. occasionally, it'd brush it's head against its mate's flank. deedee's brawl with the other griffin had left the beast significantly impaired. the canine's jaws had managed to rip a chunk of flesh from its face - such devastation included its right eye, leaving only a bloodied socket and tendrils of hanging marrow. one of its wings appeared to be mangled. ebony feathers were falling from its wing by the handfuls and judging by its limp, the wing's radius and humerus bones must be fractured. still, its gruesome lesions did little to quell its wrath. if anything, it just made the griffins' savagery worse. roland kept a wary eye on the two creatures. "well, one of them's missing an eye and its wing is fractured but it still looks intent on murder," he pointed out grimly. that's the damn problem with mutated animals. they are, well, mutated so more often than not, they have a genetic makeup of various keen predators. they're larger, stronger and far more intelligent than the average animal. roland and jazmín do not have the right weapons on them to fight the griffins head-on. he pressed his back against the crates again as jazmín responded to his idea. her reluctant agreement was followed by a scoff, something that elicited a scowl from roland himself. "well, how else am i supposed to get their attention?" he demanded. "open one of these wine bottles and invite them for a drink near the engine? we don't exactly have a lot of options, jazmín and if there's any way to attract a griffin's attention, it's to profit off their tempers." roland did not want to put himself in the griffin's line of sight any more than jazmín did. the thought of the two creatures barreling after him in a storm of fury is not an appealing image but they have no choice. not only is jazmín closer to the cockpit but she's small enough to wiggle herself in through an opening in the caved ceiling. there was no way roland would be able to squeeze himself inside fast enough to avoid the griffins' talons. he was well aware that his idea was risky. it would not go smoothly no matter how they tried to carry it out. they had no time to prepare, no time to discuss it further, no time to plot their routes. the longer they sit here, the bigger the chance of them suffering another griffin attack. jazmín had reassured him she was well but there was no way in hell she came out of that scuffle with the griffin unscathed. they couldn't afford another ambush. it was either they did this and hope they live to tell the tale or they start counting how many minutes they can get in before the griffins attack again. sometimes, you really just have no choice but to test your luck when it comes to these type of situations. neither option is attractive but they'd be better off trying than just lounging around like sitting ducks. the way roland saw it, one of the griffins is gravely injured - maimed enough that it won't be as valiant an attacker as its mate. roland could handle one of them but just barely. two is pushing it but if the griffin's wounds feel as bad as they look, hopefully it wouldn't pose too much of a threat towards roland. hopefully. he was putting a lot of pressure on hope right now, and that's never a good thing.
indent"don't worry, i'm going to try and play it as safe as possible. i'm not exactly in the best condition right now to go running out into the open, anyway. i'm going to try and get as close as i can while the griffins are distracted so i don't have to cover a whole lot of ground. you be careful, too. don't try and attempt anything if you're not one hundred percent sure you can pull it off. you just need to try and get into that cockpit without being tackled. manage that and you'll be safe inside to access the controls." it's easy for roland's concern to come off as overbearing but he didn't want anything to happen to jazmín. her well-being will always be his number one priority. damn his career, damn that missing coroner's report, damn this mission, damn everything. his concern for jazmín's well-being extends well beyond the feelings and attachments of their relationship. obviously, that was a huge part of it but there's always more to everything. his own emotional troubles and internal strife regarding the rather sudden and violent death of his brother all those years ago has led to something of a massive burden within himself regarding the safety of other people. it's not exactly some sort of heroic selflessness, no. it felt more like a desperate scrambling for control of a situation, the impossible ability to do everything in his power to keep someone's life from being brutally taken in front of his eyes again. if jazmín was inside the safety of the metal cockpit, she was away from the griffins' murderous talons. her environment would be that of safety, however brief said safety might be. roland is well aware of the fact that life is nothing more than a huge puzzle of variables, and to try and control the outcome of every situation is a fruitless endeavor. he has not suffered many losses throughout his life but the ones he has undergone felt like tenfold. his brother was dead and he has not talked to his mother and sister in years. his father has visited him more in his memories than in the physical plane at this point in life. roland had very little to his name. nothing has ever gone his way during his childhood and early years as an adult. now, he was attempting to pick up the pieces and try and steer the car back onto the right side of the road. it was not an easy task, grappling with the abstract of control. he and domination have been strangers for many years. would it help him in this situation or would it stand by and watch as impassively as it has before? he had no idea. roland just knew that he and jazmín have to play their cards carefully but swiftly. one wrong move could throttle their entire plan. and while he was certainly thinking of his girlfriend's welfare by urging her to try and breach the cockpit, he also knew that jazmín is no dolt. if anyone could figure out how to start up the cargo ship's engine, it was her. sure, they're no pilots but they're not seeking to get the ship off the ground, either. they just need to breathe some life into the aircraft.
indentand, now-!
indentjazmín bolted from behind the lacking protection of the supply crates and towards the ship. roland did not hesitate to leap into action, as well. he went the opposite direction of his girlfriend. the man was practically crawling on his stomach behind the piles of silver coffers. he was trying to avoid detection. right now, the griffins have the advantage. they can see the surrounding area with ease from their position atop the ship. whether or not they were able to see roland, he had no idea. their caterwauling remained the same as it did before. he was almost expecting to see a sudden shadow stretch across him any minute now. a thunderous clap of wings, the shriek of a creature infuriated beyond any godly reasons.
indentfocus. just gotta focus.
indentsome of the supply crates were dented and bruised. others had poured their material guts of cracked wine bottles and crushed cigarette cartons into the weeds. roland was careful to avoid digging his knees into dirty magazines as he followed the long line of escaped cargo boxes to the rear-end of the ship. hell, maybe control is on his side right now. the crates had tumbled out of the aircraft and fallen into a perfect curve on the hardened soil. the boxes acted as a wall of some sorts, giving him somewhat of a cover from the prying eyes of the griffins. it wasn't much and it's hardly suitable protection but he was going to use it to his advantage. roland was not exactly in the best of condition to turn away help, anyway. apart from some aching bones and forming bruises, his only injury is the gash in his lower calf. roland did not have to inspect it to tell it was a nasty wound. the griffin's sharp beak had dug quite the ways in and, unfortunately, deedee yanking the beast away from roland had caused its beak to rip further down his leg before it let go. it was painful to put weight on it but it could be a lot worse. griffins are capable of gutting creatures from the inside out; to limp out of a skirmish with one with just a wounded leg is a miracle. similar to jazmín, roland took a few seconds to down his rangefinder to not only help differentiate and enhance his surroundings but access the stability levels of his armor. his visors immediately began to dance with colors. upon accessing some of his armor's built-in technological assets, though, a hazard sign of pixilated mustard appeared in front of his eyes.
indent"WARNING: POWER ARMOR STABILITY LEVELS HAVE DROPPED... TO... 67% PERCENT. ANALYZING... POWER ARMOR STABILITY SYSTEM HAS DETECTED DAMAGE ON LOWER RIGHT LEG. WARNING: OFFICER IS EXPOSED. SEVERAL SYSTEMS OF THIS POWER ARMOR ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE DUE TO TRAUMA ON LOWER RIGHT LEG. PLEASE BR-"
indent"ah, shut up," roland grumbled, ending the hazard notice with the quick press of a button. he didn't need to be reminded of what he already knew. he just needed access to his armor's rangefinder so he could keep track of the griffins. right now, he could hear the sound of one of them screeching up a storm. his girlfriend was quick to inform him that she had managed to get inside the cockpit. thatta girl. now, roland had to figure out what exactly he should do in terms of luring the big beasts near the engine's opening tracts. the griffins have a loose understanding of the dangerous implications surrounding the ship's radiator system. he doubted they would follow him unless he did something to rile them up even further. how exactly he should go about that, he wasn't sure. jazmín had managed to lodge a few bullets into one of them and deedee had practically blinded the other. it's hard to top gunshot wounds and impaired mutilation. he couldn't risk the possibility of being pinned by both griffins, too. one griffin is a force to reckon with on its own. but two of them? that's an invitation to a gruesome death. he had to be careful. the griffin that his girlfriend shot would pose much more of a threat than its mate. not only can it fly without faulty but its vision has not been altered by the sharp teeth of a canine. roland was not disregarding the other griffin, either. even with a damaged wing and ravaged face, it could easily end roland's life should it manage to get him back into its clutches. the looming possibility of being dragged back into the cargo bay is an apprehensive thought. both griffins would be solely focused on him, rather than one attempting to go after jazmín this time. it's common knowledge that once an animal has you in its lair, the chances of you seeing the light of day again decrease dramatically. the aircraft has become their den, their personal abode. it is no longer property of the conclave but an instrument of living for these creatures. in their savage minds, the two officers are intruders who have not only disturbed the contents of their den but injured them, as well. they are defending what they think is theirs. it's no different than an enraged farmer shooting wild mongrels for disturbing his chickens or a dog attacking an intruder for stepping foot into a home that is not theirs. man and beast have the same concept of home, and that includes realizing when a stranger is very much unwanted. danger bleeds red for every creature.
indentas soon as roland reached the end of the crates, jazmín spoke over their commlinks. he propped his back up against the smooth surface of one of the coffers. "two minutes, eh? i think i can work with that." the griffins move fast. two minutes is more than enough time to rile them up. roland just had to be smart about it. he could not run a decent pace with his injured leg but luckily, he had managed to crawl close enough to the rear-end of the ship where he would not have to worry about distance. still plastered against the sides of the crates, roland peered over the edge of the protective barrier to gouge the situation. his rangefinder instantly picked up on the griffin that had went after jazmín. a red square locked onto the beast and began to follow its brisk pacing. generated information regarding the griffin flickered in the corner of his visors: SPECIMEN IDENTIFIED: MUTATED AEETOSPUMA (GRIFFIN). FEMALE, BETWEEN THE AGES OF THREE TO FOUR YEARS OLD. ANALYZING... TRAUMA DETECTED ON LOWER RIGHT LEG AND HIND-NECK. the griffin let out a shriek of fury. roland frowned to himself. honestly, he could just make a run for it and hope the beasts give chase. he was quite close to the ion drive thrusters where the flames would be shooting out any minute now. there was the issue of potentially ending up pounced upon before he could near the engine openings, though and roland had to avoid their talons and beaks long enough to draw them near the thrusters. this whole plan would be for naught if he got himself gutted. jazmín has done her part by breaching the cockpit and now roland must do his. and if he went about it carefully, he sh-
indentanother warning, bright and red, appeared in front of his eyes.
indentWARNING: SUBSTANCE WITH RADIOACTIVE LEVELS DETECTED ON SHOULDER PAULDRON. ANALYZING SUBSTANCE... EXTRACELLULAR FLUID DETECTED.
indentslowly, roland reached up to touch the substance that had fallen onto his shoulder pad. it was sticky, wet and pale vermillion. it stretched between his fingers like putty. saliva. a shadow long and tall suddenly began to stretch before him. it was followed by the dangerous rumble of a throaty growl.
indentthe griffin who had gotten into a scuffle with deedee had climbed on top of several disrupted crates. its talons made an unpleasant scraping noise against the metal linings of the boxes. the top half of its body towered over roland's hunched form from its position atop the coffers. it did not see him because he was sitting in its blind spot. drops of blood dripped down its face and onto the hardened soil. the entire right side of its face had been brutally mutilated. chunks of its flesh were gone, some pieces only hanging by a few bloodied strings. the grizzled bone of its eye socket was exposed to the elements. its mandible had been cracked, which explained its inability to regulate the saliva that dripped from its mouth. strained inhales rattled its breast. the injuries it had received in its fight with deedee were few but grievous. he had no doubt that its wounds would eventually become infected and thus, condemn the beast to a malignant fate. right now, though? it was still capable of unleashing dreadful harm. its injuries were severe enough to limit its usual acute senses, hence why it hasn't lunged at roland in a flurry of talons and shrieks. the man had shrunk himself as close to the ground as he could so the top of his helmet did not brush against the griffin's mane.
indenthis eyes flickered to the griffin's mate. it was still pacing atop the crashed ship, irritable over being unable to reach the woman inside. it did not seem particularly engrossed with its mate at the moment, although he was sure it would come soaring over should it hear the other's call. his attention quickly moved to the drive thrusters. he could tell by the faint rumble of the aircraft and the flickering shade of sapphire inside the openings that fire will start spurting out any second now. whether or not it'll be enough fire to thoroughly scald the griffins, roland had no idea. the ship is literally hanging on by a thread right now. they're lucky its systems are still responding to the central command. roland had to get the two griffins over near the thrusters right as it begins to spurt fire but how is the question. one griffin is only a few inches away from him. its mate is still on top of the ship. he couldn't just bolt out from the protection of the crates; the maimed griffin would be on top of him within seconds. its mate could dive in his direction while he's running and knock him off his path, as well. if he kept his wits about him, he could dodge any of its potential attacks but that's not to say the maimed bastard wouldn't be on his tail. he had to try and briefly incapacitate it so he could at-least get a few feet ahead of it. it was all about timing at this point. he knew that his girlfriend was tinkering with the ship's engines at this very moment. if some of his power armor's systems weren't down, he would have tried to set a manual timer so he could be as precise as possible. alas, he was left with only his wits.
indentthe pestering dazzle of a glare caught his eye. a bottle of ketel one vodka lay at the base of his feet. it was in surprisingly good condition despite having toppled out of one of the open supply crates. he could see not only his own reflection in the clear glass but the griffin's, as well. careful not to make any noise and alert the beast of his presence, roland reached forward to grab the container. it felt delicate in his hands, like one good squeeze would cause it to shatter to pieces. he looked back up at the aircraft. any second now, the flames from the engine would start shooting into the air. if he did not react now, he was going to miss his chance. who knows what'll happen if this plan failed? they're running out of time. he was running out of time. he had to enrage the griffins so they would follow him without fail. they were avoiding the thrusters for a reason but he was sure that their aggression would get the better of them. if angered enough, they'd go after roland without a second thought. and, really, what better way to make beasts - any creature, really - angry than hurting its mate? the two griffins were a mated pair, hence their abnormal amount of belligerence. they were not only defending their territory but each other, as well. hurt one of them and you're hurting the other just the same. the idea that made itself present to roland was unhinged. hell, maybe it was even a death sentence. he had to be quick and agile and unflinching. one wrong move could end this plan in its very tracks. he had to take the risk.
indentit was a split second decision that he did not mull over.
indentroland swung the glass bottle upwards. it shattered as soon as it made contact with the griffin's maimed face, sending pieces of glass flying through the air like a fatal balloon. the beast immediately gave a start, a shriek of agony escaping its throat as it stumbled backwards. roland did not hesitate to clamor to his feet, nearly stumbling as he did so when he felt a sharp jab of pain run up his limb. he did not dare look behind him, for he already knew what he would see. whether or not the bottle of vodka harmed the griffin in any way did not matter. it was quick to recover. crates went flying this way and that as it went after him. it was stumbling and staggering but its rage appeared to outweigh the pain. any coffers in its way were pushed aside. roland took his chance to call over the commlink to his girlfriend. "go, go, go! get the hell out of there and to the car! they're moving now! you got time to get to the car safely!" while she had mentioned earlier for roland to contact her should the griffins flee, it would probably be better for her to take her chance now. if this plan failed and the beasts avoided the flames, she'd be trapped inside the cockpit while they proceed to circle the aircraft and there's no telling if she would be able to escape.
indentup on top of the aircraft, the griffin's mate was quick to respond to its call. it promptly abandoned its brief venture near the caved in fuselage of the cockpit. the beast launched itself towards its mate, although the fleeing of roland in the corner of its eye quickly caught its attention. the griffin attempted to veer its massive wings so it could go after him, but instead it ended up colliding right into its mate. roland only spared a brief look over his shoulder to assess the situation. for a moment or two, the griffins were nothing more than a large pile of collided feather and skin. what should be enough to wind any human had little to no effects on predators as large as they. the griffins quickly collected themselves, scrambling and heaving to their feet with shrieks of spleen. the beast with the bullet wounds took flight after roland. its mate attempted to do the same although its fractured wing only allowed it to get a few choppy feet off the ground. and despite the pain in his leg, adrenaline kept roland going. he was nearing the thrusters now. he could feel the heat coming from the openings, an unstable promise that flames would begin shooting out any second now. if he could time it just right, if luck was on his side...
indentthe griffins were on his heels like a pack of wolves. he was almost expecting to feel their talons on him any second now. it was a wonder he was outrunning them but the maimed griffin's injuries and the fact its mate had taken a blunder by colliding into it had helped his cause. he could tell by their shrieks that they were gaining ground, though and they were gaining fast. his muscles were practically screaming in agony but he did not dare slow down. the thrusters were only a few feet away.
indentthe next few seconds went by in a blur.
indentroland threw himself to the ground as soon as he heard the roar of the engines deep inside the ship. there was the sound of the ship briefly coming to life, the vague feeling of scalding hot flames a foot or two away from him, the griffins' enraged shrieks that quickly turned to caterwauling of pain.
indenthonestly, roland had no idea how long he laid there. if someone were to ask him to explain what the hell just happened, he wouldn't be able to. he was on the ground for a good two minutes or so before everything suddenly came back to him. a vague sense of consciousness returned to the officer once he realized that the griffins had fallen silent. no, they were gone completely. the flames from the ion thrusters had only been activated for a meager thirty seconds but the damage was done. roland leaned up from his sprawled position on the hard ground. a few feet away from him, pieces of burnt fur, skin and feathers lay in the weeds. a few tufts of fur were blown away by the wind like lonesome tumbleweeds. he could smell the heavy stench of charred flesh in the air. small rumblings were still being emitted from the aircraft as its engines finally took their last breath but he swore he heard the vague sound of retreating shrieks in the distance. the griffins were nowhere to be found. they had fled, just like roland predicted they would. he had managed to reach the thrusters right as they bore their flames, and the fire had not hesitated to scorch the beasts. judging by the remains of the attack, the engine had gotten them pretty good. well enough that they decided to flee the crash site completely. whether or not they'll return is up for debate. not only had they gotten singed but they had sustained their own set of injuries battling the tactical officers. they need time to regroup and that'll give roland and jazmín more than enough time to haul ass to arcadia.
indentdespite the tainted stench in the air of oil, burnt flesh, smoke and blood, roland quickly pulled off his helmet, practically gasping for breath. his lungs were restricted from what felt like a mile-long run. sweat was pouring down his face in streams. it was running down his jaw, his throat, the back of his neck. his throat had begun to feel sore. the rush of adrenaline from his chase with the griffins managed to temporarily drown any sharp pain from his leg wound. and despite their condition, they had done it. they had managed to scorch the griffins to assure their getaway. it had been a dangerous plan from the beginning but they had pulled it off. grabbing his helmet, roland hauled himself to his feet. he ambled away from the hot ion thrusters, careful not to put too much weigh on his right leg. he did not waste any time collecting his thoughts. they had to move. "jazmín!" he called for his girlfriend. he was unsure if she had taken heed to his earlier words and fled to the vehicle or decided to wait in the cockpit until the griffins were gone. "jazmín! we got 'em! we got those sumb-" he cursed when a blur of gray ran past him. deedee had returned out into the open upon realization that the griffins were gone. she appeared quite enthused upon hearing roland's exhausted excitement. she began to sniff the ground in an effort to track jazmín's whereabouts. roland reached down to give the canine a hearty pat on her flank. "i have no idea where the hell they went but the engine's fire got them good. they definitely fled off somewhere to gather themselves. i'm surprised you managed to get the engines going with how battered this damn ship is. now we-now we just gotta go back to arcadia... find the mayor... damn it. gimme a second," he wheezed, lowering his hands onto his knees to try and catch his breath. what was supposed to be a simple ghoul extermination had quickly spiraled into a situation of life and death concerning some of the most feared beasts in the wasteland. whether or not the mayor knew of the griffins taking up residency in this ship or not has yet to be revealed. for now, though, the couple had to get back to arcadia before the griffins decided to return. if they returned at all, anyway. they might not even come back with how extensive their injuries are but he did not want to wait around to find out.

[vaell]

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxaviation warrant officer two. | conclave military. | tagged: kai.
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indentwith the flick of a thumb, mina had flipped the cover of the sun visor back down over the small mirror she had been examining herself in. as she settled back into her seat, she felt kai's arms slip around her from where he sat behind the passenger seat. a light smile tugged at the corner of her lips, one of her hands going up to brush against the arm he had draped across her stomach. she let the phone sitting idly in her hand slide into her lap, her head tilting to the side to meet his gaze as he poked his head past the headrest. "mm. a massage, huh?" her hand reached up to cup the side of his face, his teasing causing her smile to tighten. "too bad you won't be able to get that precious downtime after all." she caught the way his eyes briefly strayed from her own and trailed down to her neck. she would be lying if she said she didn't want to ignore the designated time slot she had booked for this inspection, that bothersome hour which had been displayed on her phones lockscreen. right now, what she did want to do was pull him into another kiss. they were already so near to each-other. all she had to do was lean forward and seek out his lips; she already felt like she was unknowingly inching forward to close the small amount of space between the two of them -- yet, kai himself had restrained from advancing. a small wave of disappointment came over her as he went on to instead help smooth down her hair, and she chastised this part of herself for feeling such a way, like some petulant child who could ignore her responsibilities. mina was well aware of the consequences of showing up more than just a few minutes late, let alone missing the entire engine overhaul, but the idea of staying in the park with kai for awhile longer was one more appealing than showing up to her workplace already a different kind of mess. admittedly, though, they weren't doing themselves much good by delaying the inevitable. time was most definitely not on their side, and if they didn't get moving soon, she'd end up with an earful and some from her superior. "come on, get your ass up here. by the time we get over to the hangars, you'll be as good as dead too just for coming along with me." she snorted, looking to her boyfriend from the side of her eye as he withdrew his arms from her body to take his place at the driver's seat.
indentthe evening sky had set upon rock creek park, blanketing the woodland surrounding the main road they had turned back onto with the beginnings of nightfall. the sun had already embarked on its descent down the horizon, its dim rays weaving throughout the trees they drove by. right now, stretches of woodland surrounded them, though it wouldn't take more than a few minutes for them to depart from the park. she glanced out at the scenery as kai reached over to filter through some channels on the radio before ending up on one that seemed to be hosting a radio talk session. through the speakers of the vehicle, a voice filtered in mid-way through what one of the radio hosts had been previously talking about. she didn't bother to catch much more than the gist of the topic at hand, both of the hosts' words becoming somewhat of a background noise as she observed the various different trees that seemed to encompass the woods of the park. they were addressing tainted-bloods and their cities, one particular comment eliciting a small bout of laughter from both of the hosts. she took a brief glance over to kai, who appeared to be having some trouble trying to get her lipstick off from both his jaw and his mouth judging by the momentary glances he took in the rear-view mirror. they were either really bold or really stupid for planning to shamelessly head over to the hangar now -- or maybe they were both. before she could comment on his struggle, though, he glanced over to her, and at his mention of the pesky gophers, mina sighed. "yeah..i mean, the systems are supposed to. i'd guess, if it did tamper with anything, it was small enough to fly under the radar of the ship's awareness. meaning it probably didn't nick anything crucial to the integrity of the ship, but still. i mean, either way, i usually inspect this sort of stuff myself. it gives you some time to work hands-on with the machinery of the ships themselves, which helps give you a better understanding of how they operate. i might be a bit too eager on an engine overhaul, but you know how pygmy gophers are..real pains in the ass. it's just smart to look into it, you know?" the sighting of a pygmy gopher in the direct proximity of an aircraft or a vehicle was a red flag enough. those little creatures like to mess around with what they can, stealing integral parts of machinery that catch their eye. now, surely, the gopher she'd witnessed must not have impacted the main systems of her gunship, otherwise she would've known right away. the systems of the ship would have picked up on something or other failing. when it comes to less important parts of the aircraft though, sometimes things can be overlooked by the technology the vessel has installed; mainly because the problem was nearly undetectable. such issues usually go unresolved and amount into something much more fatal in the future, hence why she took the liberty of being wary over such a sighting of the gopher.
indentmina had to mull his next inquiry over for a moment. had anyone thought of such a deterrent for the gophers before? surely, it must have crossed the mind of some engineer or technician, although apparently nobody had actually implemented such a system. "right? you'd think that by now, someone would have taken some sort of measures in preventing the gophers from breaching ships and cars, especially when you think about all the trouble they've caused. how many problems does it take to get people to act on this sort of stuff? i mean sure, you would be warned about some sort of detection of complications within the vessel, but..? what if you only found out when you took off for flight? it'd be far too late by then. i mean, that's happened before, those horrific incidents you hear about." kai was posing some interesting food for thought; the military would be able to avoid some losses if they just developed the proper security to keep the pygmy gophers at bay. since the problem seemed one so infuriatingly common, too, she didn't understand why action hadn't been taken yet. "you're right, though. that would be super useful, actually. you know, maybe i'd be able to file in a request to my captain, see if we could get some consideration for something like that to be developed. he could forward the plan if there was enough basis to it. i swear the airforce is always suffering from the plight of those little monsters. and like you said, all we'd need is a system that could be activated while the aircraft isn't actively being utilized. i can imagine inventions much more tedious than that." obviously, she didn't have the skill it required to create such a system, but in comparison to the other leaps in technology advancement the conclave has made, what would a measly little security system for pygmy gophers be? it's not like they'd be asking for a whole lot; although the installation of such a system onto each and every ship may just be an irksome task. it'd be worth the pain, though, considering how much trouble the rodents tended to cause the airforce.
indentshe cackled when kai mentioned their likelihoods of being blown up by some turret should they meander over onto a top secret area or something. "now that sounds like a way to go; accidentally stepping on top secret soil and getting blasted after all the effort we put into trying to make it to the hangar in time. um, it's that one hangar outside the renlor air base, the one that comes up right before the naval research laboratory, you know?" where various shops, schools, and even apartments had once been prior to the nukes hitting, one of the more stark changes to the southwest district was the addition of various military forts operating out of the capital which took the places of said establishments. now, the outskirts of the region surrounding the potomac river were concentrated with the much more evidently militaristic ways of the conclave. it was home to multiple hangars belonging to the large airbase they had located there alongside the military's own respective operating bases.
indentthe air base was an aerodrome surrounded by lengths of paved land, bright yellow and red lines painted accordingly down the stretches of the smooth, flat surface in order to guide pilots toward designated landing areas or points of entry from the runways to the hangars. the couple was able to secure parking just outside of the renlor air base; given the time of day, it made sense that the traffic heading in and out of the area was beginning to wind down, a vast majority of people likely having head home by now. mina stepped out from the convertible, glancing across the flat expanse of land and to the hangar before she rounded about to the front of the vehicle and over to kai. almost immediately, she caught sight of the faded remnants of her lipstick on the side of his jaw, a spot he'd missed in his efforts to try and remove the makeup from his face. " maybe taking care of some of the evidence of what we've been up to would be helpful in keeping us alive. here, hold on." she laughed, reaching a hand up to carefully wipe away the small smudge of lipstick. though seemingly resistant to being removed, she eventually wiped away the stubborn smear after a brief moment. "hm. well, its an improvement. come on, let's go," mina hooked her arm around his, directing them both down the relatively empty length of pavement down from the hangar.
indentthe aircraft hangar was made up of a metal frame, the closed building structured to hold the capacity of larger models of aircraft within, such as large freighters or cargo ships. airships did not require docking at this specific cluster of forts, hence why the hangars were not particularly suited for an aircraft as massive as the iron ships. these hangars were allotted to the various different low-mid tier squadrons operating out of the commonwealth that the airforce consisted of. currently, several gunships of a specific model occupied the space of the hangar, making the area feel much more spacious than it would if a larger vessel were hosted within. the hangar is utilized for protection from the weather, direct sunlight and for maintenance, repair, manufacture, assembly and storage. each gunship bore the same ebony exterior accompanied by white lettering branding the aircraft as being that of the conclaves own on the upper wings of the aircrafts. emblazoned beneath the small conclave sigil were a few numbers as well as a specific letter in order to identify and distinguish the different vessels. they all looked so sleek - in part because she and some of her fellow colleagues had only recently done some investing in modifications and thus exterior repairs, but mostly because of how new and unexposed to the wasteland the gunships were. normally, a ship that has seen some usage would show signs of wear; the white branding beginning to fade or chip, the outside having grown rugged from the harsh climate out in the wasteland, perhaps the wings and fuselage weathered by the elements. if you were meticulous enough a pilot, you'd never left your jet get into such a state in the first place, though she did understand how unavoidable it could be if you were stationed outside of the capital. she didn't have much experience in that area, but she supposed it was a given. besides, its not like the gunships served to exist merely for their eye-catching appearances. the vessels were armed at the tips of their wings as well as directly beneath the cockpit; within the command center, various displays of targeting computers and sensor scopes could be found as well. arguably, the major advantage gunships offered would be their speed. they can be navigated at speeds incomprehensible in comparison to a heavier vessel carrying a load of supplies. as a result of this, computer assistance was an absolute requirement for accurate piloting, even despite the fact that the squadron she belonged to usually ensured a co-pilot was present alongside the main pilot. mostly, in practice tactical scenarios, such assistance was necessary given how easily one could be off by a degree and easily result in being miles off-target. above the ships several overhead lights hung from the highest points of the ceiling, illuminating the hangar and casting a sheen across the pristine surfaces of the gunships. several ramps lined the walls of the large space, and from such a position one could look out onto the entire array of ships stationed in this very space.
indentalong the edges of the hangar, a person or two was fiddling with mockups of potential modifications to their aircraft; various holoprojections of the inner workings of gunships were lit up at the side of the room, hands zooming in to specific quadrants to get feedback on the instrument. some toggled with the buttons on the device to view projected statistics of machine improvements should they make a certain adjustment to their aircraft. what had caught her attention was one man, clad in a dark uniform decorated with various medals on his chest, whom had strode over to the foremost ship in the hangar, glancing down at his wrist, likely gauging the current time. as she and kai neared the wide, yawning entrance of the hangar, it didn't take long for her to confirm the identity of this man. who else would be so obviously impatient in awaiting someones arrival? "look who it is. my favorite captain," she muttered to kai, an obvious hint of distaste coating her words. she'd ranted well enough about the man for her boyfriend to know how much of a bastard he was. while maybe he was just doing his job, mina felt like he was out to get her. he never put in any good words for her, and remained particularly detached from any applications she made to try and raise her ranking. she'd been under his command for the last three years of which he'd assumed command over her squadron, and she still hadn't grown any more fond of him since the first day that they had met.
indentas they headed within, her captain looked up from his watch, likely having caught a glimpse of motion as the two began to approach him. though just a mere moment, it felt as though he was already eyeing them critically from where he stood across the hangar. when they came up to the man, mina wasted no time in offering him a respectful salute. the man could be no more than five years their senior, and yet he was heading such a generous command of soldiers. she'd always been a bit envious of people who weren't far off in age from herself being successful. mina's captain first looked to her singularly, an eyebrow slightly raised. "warrant officer parekh. i'm glad that you were able to arrive in a timely manner. i'm not sure i know you for doing the sort." she felt a sense of embarrassment creep its way into her mind at his remark. sure, sometimes she was running late, but in her experience that didn't take away from her attentiveness while at work. she supposed it didn't look the best to have a record of sluggish behavior when it came to actually getting in on time, though. his attention was quick to shift toward kai, who was standing at her side. "..and you brought someone along. loukanis, am i correct?" he didn't sound entirely too enthused at the prospect of someone having tagged along with mina, and unsurprisingly, the man was able to identify kai without too much hesitation. it didn't take a genius to recognize him -- she often dragged her boyfriend over to the hangars whenever she wanted to show him some new modifications she might've added to her vessel. it only made sense that her captain had gotten used to seeing him around now and then. "i'm sure we've been acquainted, although i should reintroduce myself. captain hayrmor."
indentafter a moment passed, she lightly cleared her throat, trying to play off his earlier comment with a light smile. "sir. it wouldn't be wise of me to delay an inspection when our assistance bots could be utilized elsewhere."
indent"mhm. i'm glad we're on the same page, then. resources shouldn't be wasted for those who choose to be reckless with their time management. now, a pygmy gopher might've gotten into your gunship at some point, is that right?"
indent"yes, sir. only yesterday when we were departing back here from our most recent supply run. it was outside of the ship, and my co-pilot saw it, too. clearly it didn't mess with the main instruments of the ship, but i don't want to run the risk of something going awry down the line, should it have tampered with any part of the aircraft." her captain nodded along with her words. "a smart decision. after all, i'd prefer it if you did not destroy this newly acquired ship so soon after you received it."
indentshe would not be the one destroying the ship. it would be the gopher, but it seemed not to be of much difference to her superior. that, and he hadn't even bothered to mention how her and her own co-pilots lives were at risk. he was more concerned about the wellbeing of the gunship - although at this point, she couldn't say she wasn't used to it. the new models had been an investment, and anyone would be stupid not to see how the wreckage of a new gunship within a few days of its ownership in this branch wouldn't look so great, be it as a result of engine failure or not, both on their part and on the manufacturers. "no, sir, of course not. hopefully everything will pass as clear. if not, we'll be glad to have found anything wrong before something so detrimental were to happen." captain hayrmor folded his hands behind his back, briefly glancing over his shoulder. "right. well, if you would follow me, there's already some assistance bots awaiting you at your ship. if your report ends up flagging something that has damaged the vessel, that is when you will fetch me. otherwise, i'd like you to wrap this up in due time." obviously, he didn't seem too keen on the pair hanging about the hangar right about now. he likely was telling himself it was too damn late for this kind of crap, dealing with two bozos who had been tempted to skip out on the engine overhaul and showed up looking like it, too.
indentalongside kai, she followed her captain down the row of aircrafts, each vessel made up of a slender front, its narrow design crafted for high speeds. their sizeable wings were tucked into the sides of the main body in their current docked states. the wings of the jets were capable of rotating for landing, making for a smooth transition to the ground, hence their current positions. with her elbow, mina lightly nudged the side of kai's arm eagerly, leaning closely beside him in order to avoid the man ahead of them from shooting a glare over his shoulder at whatever noise they were making. "hey, check it out. mine is at the end of the line. i don't think you've seen this new set of gunships yet, have you? if you remember that old ass model i was working with last month; well, she's gone now, and replaced with a much more capable jet." it wasn't like mina did much outside of transport within the commonwealth for small supply runs from fort to fort, but having an upgrade was nice. it wasn't so much that she earned it from an exceptional display of skill, but rather because their squadrons superior had finally found it in himself to trade in their old gunships for the newer models which had been released in the airforce. if it wasn't obvious enough, her squadron didn't exactly get priority for the release of new assets; those who received such technologies first were often those in nafs or majcoms. no surprise there. she couldn't even complain, though, for she wasn't even stationed out in the wasteland. its not like they needed to have the best ships at their disposal as they required, after all. the most excitement they got was a supply run that spanned over the course of a few days. she glanced by the vessels as they strode by, catching a glimpse of their slanted reflections in the reinforced nose of a ship, the lights from above shining atop its surface. the long, jutting pipes of armament coming from the wings and cockpit of the ships pointed in their direction, sinister despite the fact no one was manning the ship.
indentwhen they came to a halt near the final ship on the row, her captain cast an almost scrutinizing glance over her ship. the code 5961-b was plastered upon its upper wing, confirming this vessel as mina's own. with all of their gunships being a general military issue, aside from the dark panels that had been modified for their squadron, in such pristine conditions as they currently were, it could be hard to tell whose is whose. besides, it's not like they can modify anything regarding the ships' exteriors. that would cause a break in uniform, and it was well beyond their ranking to even request such a change in appearance; those bonuses were accessible only to the upper branches of the military. lower squadrons usually only had access to internal modification - although if you asked mina, tinkering around with the systems can be a lot more effective than trying to get that new thruster everyone's been raving about. she'd only recently modified the reaction-control system of the ship in the hopes of stabilizing some of its thrust power as well as altitude control. the upper-half of the ship had been raised open, the glass which held the cockpit sliding up and backward to allow for entry inside, exposing the innards of the vessel. "there's a few bots at the back of the ship awaiting for your instruction. i opened up the cockpit incase you needed to check on anything from within the ship. now, i must insist that you both spend only the allotted time here. i can't have anyone else disturbed. is that clear?" mina looked back over to her captain. what an ass. he was already implying they'd be jacking around in no time. "yes, sir, very clear. thank you. i'll get back to you if anything seems to come up."
indent"wonderful. you know where i'll be." with that, captain hayrmor had taken no time to leave the couple to their own devices, heading toward one of the ramps along the sides of the room, likely to do some work of his own. mina pressed a hand against the nose of the ship, its cool surface biting against her bare skin. she wasn't entirely put off by her superiors' behavior; it was just the regular way in which they interacted with one another. what did he expect from her, though? it's not like she was kissing his ass anytime soon. she stepped around the side of the nose of the ship, looking over her shoulder toward her boyfriend. "alright, i promise this shouldn't take too long. let's go get this overhaul started." mina begun to walk alongside the length of the ship until the large thrusters at the back of the vessel were exposed. the main thruster of the ship was large, situated in the middle of the crafts backside, two smaller thrusters located just between the main one and the wings of the aircraft. for a second, she almost didn't even notice the four assistance bots peering up at her in curiosity. it seemed they would start their inspection here.
indentmina looked over to kai. "here, you mind helping one of these bots get up to that engine, just beside that wing? i'll handle the thruster opposite to you. when the bot gets situated on the top of the hood of the engine, you just need to let it hop down to dissemble the first panel; from there, it'll be able to get to the compressor and then the combustor to see if anything has been damaged." unlike the assistance bot back at the foodcourt who had a pincer meant for picking up garbage, these bots were equipped with various different modes of tools they could shuffle through in order to do maintenance on an aircraft properly. normally, she'd do a lot more work when it came to the hands-on part of inspections, although one had to be a bit more careful with disassembling engines. they were touchy, and it would do more harm to tamper with them rather than allow for the more precise mechanisms of the bots to do most of the work for her. mina herself reached down so that one of the bots could clamber up onto her forearm, the small bot attempting to get some sense of balance as it maneuvered itself up. once it seemed stable, she slowly raised her arm up toward the small thruster so that the assistance bot could hop up atop the hood of the engine. it let out a small satisfied beep, understanding what its next task were. several clicking noises emitted from its back panel before it opened up to reveal a screw at the end of what would have been a pincer. part of the reason why they were not checking out the largest engine on the aircraft was due to the fact that the system would have immediately detected any problems arising with it, as it was the main source of thrust for the ship. the smaller engines, though, were at a bit more of a risk. the pygmy gophers could easily cause damage to them which would go undetected for a period of time since the gunship could technically operate without one or the other of the two. being such a new model, this gunship in particular utilized a nuclear reactor; liquid metal fuel created a flammable gas in the engine which served to act as the ships main velocity.
indentshe stepped back from the small thruster, the assistance bot hopping down inside the small shelf right before the first panel of the engine. "so, what do you think? this new ship an upgrade or what? no more of those crappy propellors my last vessel had." older models of aircraft often bore propellors or pre-war engines, so this was definitely a welcome change for mina. she already knew the dynamics of nuclear reactors and how they shifted the piloting of a gunship, so it wasn't like she had to get used to something entirely new, although at the same time, it was her first time actually having control over one of the ships. the bot she had elevated up to the small engine was now beginning to tinker away, rotating its screw as it inspected where to remove the small panel before the compressor. the compressor acted as the first component to the engine core, attached to a shaft. it creates an increase in air pressure and thus of the energy potential of the air. the squashed air is then forced within the combustion chamber, and there, air is mixed with the fuel within and then ignited. the mixture of air and fuel catches fire this way, creating a high temperature, high-energy airflow. the fuel burns with the oxygen in the compressed air, producing hot expanding gases. "also, while we're here, you know if mateo is over in this district? if you want, we could always drop that file off to him if he's still over here by the time we get this overhaul done." inside the thruster of the ship, she could hear the whirring of the bot she'd placed within as it managed to successfully detach the first panel away from the compressor. the two other bots stood at their feet still, tilting their heads toward the engines and occasionally back up the couple. mina had noticed their desire to be engaging in some utilization rather than just be waiting around idly. "hm. i guess we can take these bots inside the ship to check out some inner panels while these two make progress on the thrusters, maybe speed up the process a bit that way?"

[vaermina]

ＣＯＮＳＴＡＮＣＥ ＡＤＬＥＲxxx
I.xdemigirlx II.xthe rebellionx III. an entertainer known as dahlia


indent"i think whatever our colleagues stole from fort themus is something huge, something that might turn the tides in our favor. if we did manage to steal something of grand importance from the conclave, i don't see why we need to change up our approach," constance agreed. "i mean, don't get me wrong, i'm not saying we should be totally passive in our fight against the conclave but if we can avoid violence like how we've done today, i'm all for it. like you said, we would look no better than the government if we just resorted to bloodshed to reach our goals. i don't know, though. we've become so divided in recent years. more people have joined the cause but some of said people have only joined the rebels to enact their own agenda of vengeance for what the conclave has taken from them. it's warping our focus as a whole." do they really want to be compared to the conclave? do they want wastelanders to scowl upon their reputation and condemn them as they do their national government? constance wanted to be viewed as a bringer of hope. she wanted the rebellion to be viewed in a positive light. for the most part, wastelanders appear to have a relatively pleasant outlook when it comes to the rebellion but that's beginning to change. the rebels' inability to agree with one another on how they should proceed in their focal mission has led to increased violence and uncertainty, something that has begun to negatively rub off on wastelanders. constance had to admit that the conclave is quite good when it comes to manipulating the general population and utilizing the many weak points of its citizens to their advantage. there are few things that a hardened breed such as wastelanders need but the basics are food, shelter and pay. they're simple folk with straightforward but justified needs. it's no secret that a lot of wastelanders are migrating west because of government encroachment and the inability to sustain themselves on their current homesteads. it's led to not only an influx in western cities and settlements but a sinister corruption boiling in new california. farmers and ranchers associated with the conclave have begun to take advantage of the country's massive migration. they have not hesitated to begin exploiting displaced families through a system of ruthless agricultural economics. it started with the orange handbills. hundreds of them - thousands of them - scattered across the country promising high wages for easy labor in the 'golden valleys' of new california. they petition this message to entire regions of people. the reality is not so clear and cut, though. the handbills are riddled with lies. truthfully, the people who own these farms, orchards and ranches only need a couple hundred workers. broadcast your desires for working hands to thousands, though will quite obviously elicit thousands to come to you. one man has a dying wife who needs to be tended to in her final years. some have hungry children to feed. others are looking for caps to bury dead loved ones. they'll work for whatever wages. the handbills said twenty caps an hour. well, a gentlemen who arrived a day before a large family proclaimed he'll work for five caps less. a stranger a few feet away announced he'll work for ten caps an hour. no, someone else just said they'll work for five! it was this type of competition and desperation that the farming industry thrived on. they'll mitigate supply and demand to get away with paying poor wages. they capitalize off of people's suffering. they turn people against each other. wastelanders have to watch their own out here. people will do anything to support their families and the conclave knew that. the crazy thing is, the people who own these farmlands are not conclave-born people. they were born in the waste but their desire for wealth has given the government ample means to corrupt them and mold them to their cause. the conclave pays them for their land and provides them with the machinery and seeds to keep the farmlands afloat but it's up to the owners to find helping hands to keep the lands tended. while uncommon, it's not rare for wastelanders to turn against their own people in pursuit of money and power. it sounded like a relatively easy living. instead of chasing out whoever owns workable farmland, they'll pay these people for their acres and supplies but in return, the owners have to employ pickers and growers. it's a system that benefits both the corrupted farm owners and the conclave but screws over the working fellow. and, really, it just entirely benefits the conclave as a whole because they don't have to waste their own time paying workers and they can expect a suitable supply of crop since the wastelanders seeking employment at these farms have no idea the conclave is involved in the agricultural industry. of course, the conclave owns their own considerable sections of farmland across the country but it's more resourceful financial wise to just pay out ordinary farmers and let them deal with the nitty gritty details. you don't have to be born into conclave society to find likeminded individuals who don't care who they hurt or screw over in their own missions for success.
indentthe conclave will always have an advantage over the rebellion due to their military strength, technological advances and numbers but that doesn't mean the rebellion has to conform to their standards to make their voices heard. constance and edwin have lost loved ones because of the conclave but they're not roaming the countryside seeking to elicit their own forms of brutal justice upon the world. many people who join the rebellion do so because they have genuine intentions. others see it as an easy way to access the conclave and unleash their wrath upon them. more often than not, the effects of said anger are often felt by the masses and not the government. it twists the population's perception of the rebellion. why would they support the revolutionaries if they thought they were just trying to take the conclave's place as another dictatorial organization? they sighed. "either way, i agree with you. it's a difficult situation, especially as we grow larger and more people join with differing opinions. i don't want this organization to just become some sort of military coup doing nothing but fighting battles against the conclave out in the wasteland. i mean, you already see how the conclave's constant fighting with wulfgang has literally destroyed portions of the northern commonwealth so much that they look exactly like pictures of war-torn battlefields in the eighteenth century. we can't afford to find ourselves entering that sort of conflict with the conclave. we'd be destroyed."
indentunfortunately, constance and edwin's conversation would have to wait for another time. they would soon arrive at village cross and constance did not want to worry any of their crewmates with their speculation. that's why she's been holding off on telling them a general had executed a group of settlers earlier today outside arcadia. the lockdown has frayed everyone's nerves already. constance looked back at the magazine when edwin pointed out a ridiculous comparison between two actresses wearing the same type of dress. apparently, one's style was favored over the other just because of a few accessories. constance could not help but smile at that. danny had gone quiet once he realized the two entertainers were not listening to his rambling but he did not hesitate to perk up when his fashion taste was consulted. "i wonder how much child labor went into those dresses," danny remarked distastefully. "i mean, it could explain the lack of color coordination and overall attractiveness of the dresses. damn the conclave and its youths! all these young people crying over fashion and dresses but you know what i wore back in the day? potato sacks! my uncle even started calling me derpy danny because he said i looked so damn foolish. said i looked like a potato myself with how round i was." he began to poke his stomach.
indentconstance smiled at the old man sympathetically. "nonsense, you're lovely the way you are. don't start mentioning old nicknames around us, though. one of them might stick."
indentthe setting sun had begun to outline the chapel of village cross in a dusty haze by the time the caravan neared the outskirts of the abandoned village. constance copied edwin's movements and leaned forward to get a better look of the area. "nothing screams the rebellion like a good ole dump." village cross sat on the edge of an old town lost to time. it has not been taken up by wastelanders or bandits so the buildings have been allowed to crumble and rot to inhabitable conditions. the church itself is one of the few buildings in the area that have not collapsed entirely but that's not to say it was in perfect condition, either. as they made a steady approach past the church's collapsed iron fencing and towards the protection of one if its crumbling walls, constance surveyed it carefully. portions of its ceiling have caved in. it had one singular steeple that had been worn down by the elements, its spire completely gone and the bell hanging from its rafters lay strewn in a pile of thorns. a few rusty cars lay neglected in its parking lot. the church's doors were completely gone, revealing an inner chamber of worship that has since been devoured by weeds, ivy, roots, moss and fungus. bats chattered comfortably with one another in the upper beams. beautiful stained glass windows had been shattered completely, and anything that was not hard wood or metal has since eroded away. there were smaller buildings connected to the main chapel that might have once been storage rooms, daycare centers, meeting rooms. all of them sat in ruins. the only part of the church that remains in relatively decent condition is the basement. the main entrance of the basement has been caved in so no predators, ghouls or conclave soldiers try to wander in. the only way to get inside is to access its unrevealed entrance. it was located in one of the brick walls of the church. it was a door of some sorts, wired so that it can only be opened if one manages to successfully enter the password via the door's metal dial. the door itself has been modified so that the outside blends in completely with the rest of the wall. the careful placement of bricks, cement, vines and ivy did the trick. the dial's password changes every week. it was a necessary precaution to keep the outpost from being breached by outside forces. the rebellion relies on secrecy to keep them safe, no matter how tedious the process of said secrecy can be.
indentthe caravan came to a stop beside the ruined building. constance took a quick look around them. they had pulled into the remains of an old garden so their wagons are safely tucked out of sight. a gasp of terror sounded from inside the wagon, eliciting a head turn from the three entertainers in the driver's seat. of course, mikey was already feeding into the village's creepy atmosphere. constance quirked an eyebrow at his claims. mikey's paranoia did nothing to quell the natural apprehension that had begun to climb in some of their younger's members. truly, the man is harmless but he did not know how to read a room. or, well, a wagon in this case. edwin's scolding did little to hamper mikey, who had begun to try and appeal to danny. that was a recipe for disaster, considering the two are so alike with their sly behavior. it looked like danny was trying not to scowl at mikey for dragging him into the conversation, for now he couldn't go back on his words from earlier regarding his youthful valiance. constance couldn't help but smile in slight amusement at the sound of their protesting, although the woman opted to respond to edwin's more private inquiries before anything else. "contacting headquarters might be our best option but i'm not sure. i guess we should see what the outpost's commanding officer has to say. i mean, we might have to lay low for the next few days or even weeks depending on how bad this situation truly is. we might not even be able to snag another gig for a while." it was easy enough to dictate the next few steps their caravan will take but now, they have to listen to the orders of their superiors.
indentdanny stood up from his seat. he puffed out his chest. "you know what? you know what?" he put emphasis on the last word of his statement to get everyone's attention. "mikey and i will hold down the fort here. aha, bet you didn't think i would agree to it, huh? well, back in the old days, we defended our livestock and wagons twenty four seven from the vermin of the wasteland. you younglings are soft. well, not the appleton bloodline! you know, i'm related to virgil earp on my mother's side. gunslinger is my middle name. my first snack as a child? a shrieker's liver! i was born when there wasn't even a national government established! once upon a time, we were a lawless land. every man was for himself." he reached underneath the driver's seat to pull out a freshly oiled shotgun. the weapon was usually left underneath the seat in case of an emergency. danny peered down the gun's barrels. "yep, no cowardice in my old bones! hmph, can't say the same for the rest of ya."
indent"well, peering down the barrel of a gun isn't really something i'd expect from the descendant of a notorious western gunslinger," constance snorted, snatching the shotgun back from danny to put it underneath the seat again. the entertainer climbed down from the wagon and onto solid ground. "look, if you two want to stay here, be my guests but we're probably going to stay here for the night or even longer depending on the situation at fort themus. you wanna sleep in the wagon? fine but i'd recommend you come inside once the sun has set. as for the rest of you, let's head on inside so you guys can get some food and rest."
indentthe entrance to the basement was hidden by a veil of dead vines and hanging moss. constance kept an even approach beside edwin as their crew followed behind. the medal dial that was used to access the innards of the basement just barely caught the evening light. constance parted the plants aside so they could access it. once a golden plaque hung by the members of village cross to honor jesus christ, it had been moved and reverted into a keypad of certain sorts by the rebels. it had a worn down carving of jesus in the middle of it while some sort of scripture had been labelled on its outer edges. constance did not waste any time. immediately, they begun to turn the dial like it was some sort of lock. the password was the first few letters of every other verse in langston hughes' nineteen thirty five poem let america be america again. typically, most rebel passwords just consist of chunks of random letters scooped from various historical poems. tacky or not, outsider forces have yet to breach their hideouts and outposts by guessing the passwords correctly. constance had to turn the dial so it matched up with every letter of the scripture and thus the letters of the poem. it took a few minutes due to how difficult it was to turn a dial that old but when they finally matched up the last letter, there was a sudden shift in the wall. constance took a step backwards as a distinct rumble came from inside the church. the wall begun to seep backwards. a flume of dust and grit rose into the air. the wall stopped moving backwards when it revealed a set of old wooden stairs that descended into the bowels of the church. khalil handed constance a lit lantern so the group would be able to see in the darkness with no problem. "all of you, watch your step when you're coming down. i don't want anyone falling and breaking a bone."
indentthe steps were old and rickety. made of rotting plywood, caution was urged to anyone making their way down it. the orange light from the lantern illuminated their surroundings as the group made their descent. constance could vaguely hear the wall shift back its original position once they were a ways down. the passageway did not last for very long, for constance quickly picked up the soft sound of voices and the dim aura of lanterns at the end of the descending tunnel. they arrived at a large hole that had been made in the wall, leading directly into the basement itself. the basement of village cross is by no means a decorative or even very massive chamber. once upon a time, it had been utilized for storage or quaint meetings during the pre-war era but now, it served as a small outpost for the rebellion. the walls were made of cold stone brick, along with whatever remained of its once smooth paved floor. a few old pillars were scattered throughout the room. it was separated into different sections. the lower right half of the basement was the resting area. cots, small nightstands and sleeping bags were piled in said corner where the outpost's occupants can sleep for the night. it was nothing fancy. after all, a majority of the outpost's population comes and goes with each morning. there were two closets next to said section that had been redesigned into bathrooms. the upper right of the basement is a small training area, blocked off by dusty folding screens where rebels can go and practice their aim and strength with straw dummies and targets. the upper left of the basement is a kitchen of some sorts, where a designated cook feeds the outpost. a few old picnic tables had been set up for people to eat at. the lower left of the basement is home to supplies of ammunition, canned goods, small electronics, unused holoprojectors; it was a supply station of sorts where rebels could restock on their goods before hitting the road again. the direct center of the basement is where the operations were held. a large table had been set up between all four sections of the basement where plans, routes, communication and overall functions of the outpost were held. those who had anything to report or discuss mission-wise head over there. the basement was lit by a few straggly lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling but most of the light came from lanterns set in random locations. it didn't do much for shadows still stretched across the basement but at-least they aren't stumbling through the dark. the main entrance of the basement was located near the training area but it was obvious by the pile of rocks, wood and cement blocking it that it had caved in a long time ago. the basement did not exactly smell pleasant, either. the long-term occupants of the small outpost do their best to deter the growth of harmful mold and funguses but a light smell of mildew still hung in the air. it was also rather cold, as they could not light large fires in here and there's no such thing as a working heater in the wasteland. the outpost was not very crowded, either. due to its size and the fact it's not a full-fledged base, there were only a few dozen rebels occupying its walls. the numbers change every day as people leave and others enter. there was only one commanding officer here and that was maven hearst. the rebellion is careful to avoid assigning a lot of high-profile rebels to any one outpost or base. it helps them fly under the radar.
indentconstance turned to their crewmates. "edwin and i are going to head over to maven and see what's the deal and gouge our next moves. considering the whole area is under heavy conclave scrutiny, though and night is drawing near it's safe to say we'll probably be staying here for the night. go ahead and get something to eat, clean up or get some sleep. khalil, fairfax, can you please check on danny and mikey in a bit? i'm sure they're going to want to come inside once the sun actually sets."
indent"sure thing."
indentconstance and edwin parted ways from the rest of the crew so they could head over to the center of the basement. as expected, the outpost's commanding officer, maven hearst, was standing in front of the large table. her back was turned to them. a woman of slender form and short height, she had brown skin and dark curly hair styled into a meticulous bun. she wore a long red coat, paired with leather trousers and worn boots. the belt around her waist boasted a pistol and various hunting knives. she was a fetching woman with high cheekbones and angled eyebrows but the lines in her skin painted her as a stern person. she was hunched over the table studying files. constance slowed as they approached her, although the light click of her heels against the hard floor already gave them away. maven turned to face them. the light from the lantern on the table lit up only one side of her face. the other side was cast in shadows. it was hard to read her features, although something of a relieved sigh escaped her. "ah, constance, edwin! i'm glad to see you two are in one piece. i've already received word from our contacts that arcadia and the surrounding area has become swamped by the conclave. i wasn't sure if the two of you and your crew were going to be able to get over here. it's good to see you, though."
indent"and you, as well," constance responded cordially. "it's a mess out there. we just got out of arcadia; the entire city was thrown into a lockdown in less than five minutes. apparently, surrounding towns and settlements are going to be bombarded by checkpoints and soldiers in the coming hours. whatever was stolen from fort themus has riled them up bad." she threw a brief glance around them. "speaking of themus, where are our heroic escapees? if it's not obvious already, our plans kind of went astray back in arcadia. we figured we'd meet them at village cross."
indentthe look that dawned across maven's face was quick to wipe away constance's smile. it was a look that they have seen many times before. what was it, exactly? a universal expression of remorse, sorrow and frustration? it's a look that every rebel knows well. honestly, it's something that words cannot describe. maven did not even need to open her mouth for constance to know what she was going to say next. the entertainer's earlier excitement regarding their colleagues and the potential foothold they have on the conclave deflated almost immediately. their heart sank into their stomach. maven was quiet for a moment or two before she finally crossed her arms over her chest. she shook her head, looked up at the ceiling briefly and sighed. "they're dead. all six of them. they were shot when they were trying to escape the base. i don't know where their bodies are but i do know that they died only a few miles from fort themus. from what i've gathered from our contacts in arcadia and the surrounding villages, there was a shoot-out. they never had a chance. and the file?" she laughed but it was one of bitterness and no warmth. "well, something has happened to it but it's not in rebel clutches, i can tell you that. the conclave is searching for it; that much we know judging by the severity of the area lockdown. it must have been taken by wastelanders or bandits. hell, an animal might have even gotten to it. all i know is that the conclave is searching for it but we don't have it. i contacted all our allies in the area and they told me the same thing; they're empty-handed."
indenta heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the sound of distant conversations and clattering plates. constance's features had fallen into remorse. she looked down at her heels for a moment before she looked over at edwin, as if to try and gouge what the man was thinking. was she necessarily surprised? at this point, she could not say she was. there was so much danger involving these sort of break-ins that more often than not, they result in failures. was she saddened by the news of their colleagues? of course. they had been fighting for the freedom of this country, fighting for a cause they so vehemently believed in. they died for the rebellion. the worst part about it all is that they died in vain. whatever they had stolen - a file, by the sound of it - had been taken from their corpses and not by fellow rebels, either. they lost not only six good men and women but the very source of this conflict to begin with. it was a harrowing and saddening outcome. she looked back at maven. "i-i don't-" it was hard to get words in. "god, we had thought they managed to get away and took a detour to village cross. i... i never even thought that something happened to them. it didn't even cross my mind. what does headquarters have to say about it? i know they were specifically interested in this mission."
indent"i do not know," said maven somberly. "we have shut down our local network, transmission and holoprojector communications for the time being. it's too dangerous to try and contact headquarters right now. the conclave could be trying to detect local radio and telephone frequencies and i don't want to lead them right to our outpost. it's happened before. i was lucky enough to be able to contact some of our contacts earlier without being detected by local conclave communication masts. if the lockdowns have eased by morning, i'll try and contact headquarters. if not, though, it might be a few days before we hear anything from them." she rubbed her hands together. "i'm sorry. i know the two of you probably have a lot of questions but i don't have any answers right now. from the beginning, i knew this mission would end in their deaths but nobody wanted to hear it. fort themus is one of the largest and well-defended bases in this area. just look where we are now. the file they were trying to steal is missing, there's lockdowns and checkpoints all across the region, taskforces have been deployed and i even heard rumors that there was a general in the area today. now, who knows how long these security measures will last? but... i'm sure the two of you are tired. i won't bombard you with my worries. i'm hoping by the morning we'll have instructions on how to proceed from here. for now, there's nothing we can really do. do you two have any questions i can give you answers to right now? you mentioned you were in arcadia when the lockdown started, too. i can imagine it was quite hectic?"

[vaell]

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxinr tactical intel. officer / covert ops. taskforce. | conclave military. | tagged: roland.
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indentjazmín had not heeded to roland's urgings.
indentwell, not entirely at-least. she had successfully maneuvered her way out of the cockpit, using much of her newfound adrenaline to persevere through the pain of lifting herself up and out, but she had not retreated to the armored unit as he had so suggested she do. instead, she found herself in a state of hesitancy just outside the nose of the battered cargo ship, her eyes darting to the car and back down the length of the ship. she was torn, unsure whether leaving the crash site for her own safety was the best decision to make. considering that roland could still be exposed to attacks during that period of time, would it be smart of her to basically ditch him under the assumption nothing would go awry in their plan? sometime during her exit from the cockpit, the cries of the griffins seemed to have amplified, likely as result of roland's attempts to antagonize them into following after him. there was no telling whether or not something would go wrong. nervously, she adjusted the grip she had on her pistol, peering out from the side of the ship and down to one end of the thrusters. whatever might be going on back there was majorly obscured by the large thruster jutting out the side of the aircraft. admittedly, it might have been bit more wise to have listened to roland's suggestion, but how could she secure her own safety and not his? at-least she had somewhat taken his advice, though; she'd left the relative safety of the cockpit, after all. if something were to gone wrong, and she had decided stayed within the ship, then she would have been in a bit of trouble considering that the griffins knew fully well where she was. so, good thing she hadn't stayed within, then.
indentalthough it felt jazmín had only just set eyes down the line of the vessel, all at once she could hear the griffins' screeching warping from angered and to agony -- harsh, unpleasant squawks distorted their usual screeching, their vocal chords straining under what she could only assume must have been a success on roland's end. immediately, she flung herself back around the corner of the aircrafts nose at the glimpse of a flurry of ebony, the targeting system installed in her helmet nearly going berserk in an attempt to try and properly pin a reticle down on the suddenly retreating griffins. she shoved her back against the metal frame, half-ducking down as to remain as hidden as she could from the griffins' sights. she wasn't even the one who had been face-to-face with the creatures just now and yet her breath hitched from the sudden eruption at the back of the ship alone. speaking of which, she had no idea how roland was making out back there. after all, she hadn't heard from him since he told her to head to the car as soon as the griffins were on his ass. that made sense, obviously; he was too preoccupied in trying to ensure they got scalded by the flames of the ship, although even now there was still static. she peered up into the darkening sky warily, dubious as to the predators' whereabouts. it was hard to say whether or not they'd permanently flee from the area, but what she did know was that they must have been scalded pretty severely, and with what injuries the creatures already bore prior to being burnt by the flames of the ship, there was no telling how erratic their hostility might be now; would they be so impaired as to not make another return back to the cargo ship, or would they persevere in order to seek revenge, the same way most creatures of the wasteland seemed to do? either way, they wouldn't be sticking around to wait and find out, she supposed. she let out a shaky breath, placing a hand against the side of the ship in an effort to ease herself up to rise from her crouched position. jazmín flipped the hud up from her visor in the hopes that she no longer needed to utilize such precautions now that the griffins appeared to have fled.
indenta heavy silence was quick to fall over the crash site following the disappearance of the creatures. the lack-of noise nearly felt foreign to her ears considering how overbearing the griffins had been up until now. although currently her heart rate was attempting to level out its prior acceleration, adrenaline keeping her mind sharp and keen, soon the effects of the epinephrine would wear off, and that would be when the real pain would hit, both from the blows she'd taken and from the laceration across her inner shoulder. there was no telling how sore she would actually be when the intensity of their current circumstances were put aside. jazmín took a careful step forward, edging her way around the nose of the ship. her first instinct was to head over to the back of the vessel to see if roland was alright. after all, who knows what might have happened before he had managed to lure them into the flames of the engine? so, she set off, heading down the length of the ship, occasionally throwing a wary glance over her shoulder to ensure that they were in-fact still alone. a sense of paranoia was hard to kick, given how quickly the griffins had sought to attack them not too much earlier. as she passed by the splintered fuselage, though, the sound of her name halted her in her tracks. jazmín paused, head whipping in the direction of the voice which sounded out from across the body of the ship.
indentroland.
indentthey had to be directly opposite from one another. with a newfound rush of elation, jazmín sprung into action, quickly abandoning her journey toward the thrusters. she scurried along the side of the ship, running a hand against its surface, skimming its damaged exterior. when she rounded the corner of the aircraft's front, she scrambled around the nose, fumbling to holster her firearm as she did so; she could hear his voice, drained and yet all the same triumphant. when she peered past the edge of the ship, her gaze landed on the sight of an exerted roland - whom she couldn't help but noticed seemed to be favoring his left leg - accompanied by deedee. she let out a sharp exhale of what must have been a pent-up breath, thin, relieved laughter escaping from her lips. somehow, they'd managed to carry out a more than risky plan and were rewarded with their lives. she reached up toward the edges of her own helmet, tearing the chamber from her face. a hiss of air sounded out as the helmet was removed. some of her power armors stability must have been impacted somehow considering the poor ventilation inside of the space. she hardly cared that the repugnant smell of incinerated flesh and smoke hung heavy in the air, not when she'd lost track of how long she had been subjected to keeping her helmet on. jazmín was only vaguely aware of the loose strands of hair which clung to her moistened face, perspiration coating her skin. she was only now beginning to notice that on her tongue rested a faintly metallic taste, at first not too present until all at once an overwhelming rush of aversion hit her. suddenly, she turned aside toward the ship and unceremoniously retched up a thin stream of blood, one of her hands going up in an attempt to steady herself against the frame of the ship as she had staggered forward. her epistaxis had been severe enough that some blood must have dripped down the back of her throat; given the amount of activity she'd endured since she had first collided into that crate, it made sense that not only did the blood ooze from both her nostrils but eventually further back into her nasal cavity as well. jazmín blinked, dazedly staring down at the spittle and blood which had passed through her open jaws and onto the side of the cargo ship. she pushed herself away from the aircraft, absently wiping a hand across her mouth and effectively smearing the aftermath of her nosebleed across her face. the epistaxis had been prominent enough that blood ran from both of her nostrils although at this point it had begun to thin out. taking the place of the steady flow of crimson was now the small, slow trickle of red running down to the top of her lip. truthfully, neither she or roland were much of a pretty sight.
indentdespite this, however, when she turned her gaze back over to her boyfriend, a grin broke out across her face.
indentthe woman wasted no time in dashing over to him. although he was talking, she wasn't so sure she was registering every word he was saying at this point. it was evident that he was exerted from carrying out his side of their plan as well as all that they had endured prior given the fact he was now resorting to catching his breath at his knees. still, seeing him regardless of health was calm enough for now. she came up on roland in a hurried manner, her hands straightaway flying up to gingerly take his face in her hands. "roland," she exhaled, interrupting his attempts at catching his breath. they had been separated from each-others' sides since the griffins had first erupted out from the innards of the cargo ship, so to see him in the flesh once more was an immense relief. leisurely, one of her thumbs gently caressed his cheek. being able to touch him again, to know he was alright after all, even despite what wounds had been inflicted upon him -- she nearly forgot how dangerous of a location they were still occupying. even though they had both somehow made it out alive, they weren't entirely in the clear just yet. given his current stance, they were already much at face level with one another, so for a brief moment, she placed her forehead against his own, listening to their shared laborious breathing before her hands fell from his face, one arm slipping around his back while her opposite hand went up to the back of his head as she pulled him in to a small embrace. for a moment, she was able to find refuge from the chaotic world around them. the sensation was fleeting, however, for jazmín soon drew back, her hands sliding onto his chest and resting there as she then looked him in the eye. "you're okay. well, sort of. your wound.." curiously, her eyes scanned him for a moment as if to determine whether or not he had only sustained a singular strike to his leg or if he had been obviously injured elsewhere, her gaze then levelling back with his own when she was unable to spot more than his obvious injury. it wouldn't be long before they'd have to face the mayor after the wildly unfair challenge he had unknowingly thrown at them. she was sure she should be a lot more angered by the prospect of having to confront the man, but right now, so much of her energy had already been depleted that it was hard to find it in herself to be upset. surely, though, seeing him once again would likely renew a spark of irritation in her, one that she could not conjure up right now.
indentshe threw a glance in deedee's direction. as far as what she'd heard from roland, the canine had a considerable success against the griffin which had gone after him. a light smile formed upon her lips as she then looked back up to her boyfriend. "so we live to see another day, somehow outsmarting two griffins. i'm surprised our plan worked so well -- i shouldn't have doubted you." slowly, she dropped her hands from his chest, turning to look back to the armored unit not far off from their current positions. she could spot the sight of their sand-cats in wait. they must have retreated someplace beneath the car when they heard the screeches coming from the predators pacing the ship, though now they must have realized the griffins had fled, at-least for some time. their security wasn't promised if they lingered here; they had to get moving. jazmín returned her attention back to roland, taking in his current state. "here," she offered him an arm in-case he wanted to ease some of the weight on his leg, "take it easy, alright?"
indentnow, they just needed to head back over to the city.
indentwhile they had been busy fending for their lives back at the crash site of the cargo ship, it seemed that within the walls of arcadia, there was no remarkable change. it felt strange to think not long ago they'd been trying to muster up a plan in order to simply get themselves out of that mess alive, while the entirety of this city's population had been completely unaware to the threat nearly on their doorstep -- or more notably, while the mayor and the dominion agent were safe and content within the walls of the city. now that much of that much of the adrenaline she'd experienced had begun to die down, things were becoming a bit more clear to her. they'd been thrown to the wolves. technically, worse than that, even. extermination parties themselves didn't find taking down such massive and capable creatures of the wasteland as an easy task, so her and roland, completely unprepared? they didn't stand a chance right from the start. they'd walked right into that place without a doubt in their mind, exuding confidence. who wouldn't have? dealing with ghouls is tedious, although it's not something that is particularly as life-threatening as dealing with griffins. mated griffins, at that. and sure, they'd gotten away with their lives, but it didn't erase the fact they could have easily been taken out by the creatures, or even have suffered much more concerning injuries than the ones they had now. that was to say, they didn't even know the exact extent to their injuries, either. the pain in her shoulder demanded her attention at the thought -- her broken flesh had no qualms in allowing blood to spew from the laceration. she risked a glance to her shoulder. by now, a trickle or two of scarlet had already slipped down one of the semi-ruptured tears in her pauldron. she wasn't surprised that her armor had been breached so easily. griffins heavily rely on both their beak and their talons as their main assets of attack, making these features of theirs notably lethal. they gain a lot of power and thrust from their wings, too, and due to their sheer size, they also can easily overpower their prey through raw force. however, their talons, those piercing, hooked claws, have a considerable length and thickness. its why griffins can rival the durability of most forms of power armor, and they are smart enough to know they can somehow find a way in past the protective layering, too. she'd need to do something about that portion of her armor most definitely. the gap in her pauldron was about the same size of her lesion, considering the initial tearing of the armor had been how she had received the wound in the first place. it didn't look great. not that she hadn't had worse before, but again, the depth the talons had reached in her flesh was enough to cause an unrelenting stream of throbbing pain. her hand, too, had fallen victim to the slashes of the griffin when it had knocked her firearm from her grip. she observed the two cuts that ran directly across her knuckles, the sinking of talons having cut clear lines through the fabric of her gloves. the gaps in the material revealed tender, red and raw skin, splitting open into painful slits of exposed vermillion. she supposed that these cuts were not nearly as bad as to what had happened to her shoulder.
indentit hadn't taken long for them to return back to where they had previously parked nearby the mayor's office. jazmín briefly glanced to roland before she opened up the passenger door. unsurprisingly, she set off before the man, having ditched her helmet and left her sand-cat within the armored unit. she could not help but feel a rage begin to fester within her as she took each pace toward the building, steps clearly purposeful in intent if not in the way her face was beginning to reflect her annoyance. emerging at the perfect time was the sight of that loathsome man, closely followed by two of his own personal guards. she stalked across the pathway of the building, bee-lining straight toward the mayor.
indentthe man had to do a double-take at the sight of jazmín. she wasn't sure if it was because she looked so pissed off that he knew he direly messed up, or if it was because he was surprised to see her even make it out alive. "w-woah, hold on there!" the mayors finnall's eyes widened as he took in the complete sight of jazmín coming up on him. with blood dried across her face and an expression of damnation contorting her features, his hands suddenly flew up in an attempt to placate her before she could come any closer to him. he peered past her shoulder to try and get a look at roland, too. "hey! what's got your feathers all ruffled? couldn't handle a quick ole extermination? judgin' by how beat you lot look, just barely--"
indent"are you serious?" she snapped, effectively cutting him off from digging himself into an even deeper hole. she made an effort to try and ignore his intended play on words, the one about feathers, given their run-in with the griffins. "i'd like to see you have gone and handled the 'ghouls' at the crash site. oh, wait, there's a reason why you didn't just send out a few of your own soldiers, right? because your sad excuse for local reinforcement would've been eaten alive, and then what? you'd be stuck with a big ass problem on your hands, huh? did it not once occur to you, 'maybe i should just try and contact an extermination party?' but no, no, why would you do that, when you could put our lives on the line just because you thought 'oh, well, they're capable of dealing with those griffins, let me just trick them into heading out there completely unprepared'--"
indent"hey, how 'bout you cool it, woman! looks to me like you both made out of there alive, so what's the damn fuss!?-"
indent"whats the damn fuss?" she spat dryly, recoiling in disbelief. behind the man stood his two guards, eyeing the situation unfolding before them warily. from where she stood, she noted that they were not heavily armed; each bore a pistol at their sides. luckily, neither of them seemed to be too concerned for the mayor's wellbeing just yet. good. mayor finnalls' mouth gaped open in astonishment, as if he assumed they would not have been upset over being manipulated in such a way. she had no choice but to turn away from the older man, his expression alone beginning to further piss her off. behind her, she could distantly pick up on him saying something, although jazmín only looked to roland as she ran an exasperated hand across her face. "you hearing this? this has got to be a joke or something." there was no way they were being told just how easy dealing with those two griffins had been. though, to be fair, this conversation was going just as frustratingly as she'd anticipated. somehow that notion only frustrated her further.
indentshe could hear him pipe up some more, this time attempting to try and get their attention reigned back in toward him. "i just don't get it! how are you gonna be mad at me, when clearly it wasn't no skin off the backs of you two! what, you got a few scratches. big deal, i say! if that disgruntled you both, then i'd say it was good for you! too busy keepin' your hands clean holed up in one of them forts, huh? you needa get riled up every now and then, keep in good shape!.." she wasn't sure she was listening anymore.
indentin a split second decision - one that was evidently fuelled by an impulsive, sudden flash of anger - she had whirled around to cleanly pull her gun out and shove the barrel of the pistol right into the side of his neck.
indentunease broke out between his two guards. did they defend their mayor, as was their duty to do, or would they stand down knowing she outranked him? well, they didn't have much choice if they also wanted to keep their heads. though their hands had instinctively reached for the handles of their pistols, they did not make to draw them out. instead, all they could do was eye jazmín carefully. she stared at the man in contempt, managing to get up in his face enough that his mouth drew open, the man finding himself unable to muster any coherent words. he only stammered at the sensation of the gun against his neck. "i don't know what the fuss is. why don't you tell me?" she seethed, pressing the end of the barrel further beneath his chin, tilting the firearm upward so his face would have to follow suit.
indent"w-wait, hold on there..! the information! what about the information! remember!? that wasn't no lie, i'm-i'm tellin' ya!" he blurted out, eyes quickly shifting between the gun positioned below his neck and back to her face. "just, drop the gun, and i'll tell you two what i know, and then we can be on our separate ways! listen, if you kill me, you two are as good as dead, too! 'ey, you hearin' me too, pal?" the mayor desperately looked over her shoulder and to roland. clearly, he was attempting to reel him into the conversation, as if he wouldn't also gladly pull the trigger on the mayor. "and i mean dead at-least to some degree, considerin' how surely you must be scrambling with this mission, huh? well i haven't informed the other personnel in the city yet, not even that ambassador, you hear me?" she had to laugh. he still couldn't get it through his thick skull that they hadn't been trying to risk their lives for his information in the first place. however, pointing a gun at someone is always an effective way to get them to squeal, or just simply an easy method to make someone see how they are not in such a position of power as they perceive themselves to be. "yeah? whatever you're gonna say, it better be good, or else you'll be finding yourself in a very unpleasant situation..the gun stays. talk."
indent"okay, dammit!" he hissed, looking between the two officers as the pistol's barrel remained a constant presence below his chin. clearly he was uncomfortable, a bead of sweat beginning to form at his brow -- he had no idea whether or not she'd take his life regardless of the information he gave her. "listen close, there's gotta be some sort of a hideout nearby-- i'm telling you, a few miles off from the city. it oughtta be home to some rebels or other, because based on patrol reports, that place is a ghost town. ain't nobody livin' there, and if they are, they're some crazy bastards to be in an abandoned town! thing is, there has been people takin' that route into the town in this last month -- increased activity. there ain't no blockades up that way, although you can tell when someone's headin' over there if they take the road down! i'd say it's not far off from mountmend, y'know, that small town only a bit off from here."
indentjazmín narrowed her eyes, skeptically observing the mayor. an abandoned town. while he did have some information to back up his claim, this was mostly some suspicion he must have. she threw a glance over her shoulder at roland. they didn't have much to operate off from besides suspicions, in a way. they were making no progress via the arcadian lockdown, given the fact that they had not been summoned to investigate anyone or thing trying to gain access out of the city, and if they didn't start making some advances and fast, they'd be feeling the pressure ramp up some more soon. she couldn't call this lead one of high credibility, but perhaps he was not lying. although, at the same time, he had done this to them before, deceived them in such a way. she really wasn't sure what to think. jazmín turned her shoulder in order to fully face roland and consult him, keeping her pistol trained on the man's neck."what do you think? does he even deserve to live after what he pulled earlier?" she looked back to the mayor, who could not help but take a step away upon hearing her comment, his back hitting the column of the building. jazmín clicked her tongue in disapproval, following in suit with him. she stepped close to the older man while continuing to drive her pistol into the side of his throat. "not so fast. you're gonna wait to hear our judgement, you bastard-"
indentat the top of the staircase, she noticed the opening of the door to the mayor's office. within seconds, it seemed the older mans' saving grace had appeared; agent asfour. upon witnessing the mayor being pinned to the column, he all too calmly descended down to them, appearing greatly unperturbed by this sighting. the man reached over to her pistol, a hand closing a solid fist around the barrel of her gun, his fingers slowly but firmly wrapping across the firearm as he levelled a unsmiling expression her way. "please. there's really no need, officer seco." he wasn't asking her to remove the weapon. he was forcing her to. as much as she wanted to keep the mayor in such a state of fret, she had no other choice but to slowly withdraw the pistol away from his skin as the dominion agent watched her carefully. she glared at mayor finnall, slipping the pistol back into its holster in a rather forceful manner. briefly, she forced her gaze to the ground, trying to recompose herself being risking the chance of snapping on the ambassador as she had the mayor. with a small inhale, she glanced back to agent asfour. "forgive me. i believe we are done here." the dominion agent folded his arms together, watching the mayor rub a hand against the side of his neck where the gun had once been thrust into his skin. he was now scowling over at her. "is that so?"
indentshe gave a nod. the agent must have known about the griffins. there was no way he did not. so, did he think it strange that they were so suddenly content in leaving the mayor alone? perhaps the older man wasn't lying about the fact that he had not told anyone, not even the enclave ambassador. interesting. "hm. well, all i can offer is the best of luck to you both, then. that, and my gratitude for your quick work at that crash site. i suppose we will run into each-other once again if something is flagged at one of the checkpoints either way. i've got to head back in. the only reason i came out here in the first place is because i heard some discourse. i'm glad we could resolve things peacefully." that was about as much acknowledgement to their suffering with the griffins as they would get, though she hadn't expected much more. the mayor shuffled back over to where his guards had been forced to remain, their hands having been tied in such a situation. agent asfour, on the other hand, gave them a final impassive glance before he turned his shoulder to step back up to the entrance of the office and disappear inside. jazmín took a step or two to return back to roland's side as the mayor seemed to be recovering from his brief encounter with her. "so..his lead. it might be worth a shot. we don't have anything better to bargain on. that, and this information actually seems to have been kept from other people. there's no way he'd put his neck on the line again, either way." she'd seen the fear in his eyes. he wouldn't risk trying to steer them astray once more; it was obvious they'd come back, and the second time around, they would likely not be as forward in expressing their anger. all it would take would be one bullet. who would miss him, anyway? probably just his dull family.
indentthe familiar beep of a holoprojector sounded out, although it appeared not to have come from either her or roland's own devices. no, it seemed one of the mayors' personal guards was seeking out the device in order to check what it was pestering him about. she didn't pay much mind to either of them as one of the two guards mumbled something to the other before gesturing to the mayor to join them in their hushed conversation. jazmín nearly rolled her eyes -- this whole encounter had been pathetic. "let's go," turning from the mayors' office, she nudged roland's arm to try and direct him onward. "we should tend to those wounds first before we-"
indent"wait!"
indentshe was nearly tempted not to even bother turning around to hear what the mayor had to say, but she forced herself to, irritably turning her gaze back upon him after his sudden interruption. it seemed whatever contact they'd gotten via holoprojector had granted the man some new knowledge. "scratch what i said earlier. now, you two can always check that place out if ya really wanna, but there's been an update in the lockdown, a new report from one of the interrogation tents. soldiers brought in a guy claimin' to know something about these two people who'd been actin' all suspicious around his vendin' stall, like they were tryna avoid the lock-down. he says they frequent his stall, never actin' like this before. but he seems convinced these two people in question might have somethin' to do with your file. he knows the area they're probably headin', too. somethin' oaks? or was it stathmore? eh, whatever it is, one of them settlements in that vicinity just a few miles off, y'know. the man is a long-time vendor here in arcadia, as far as i reckon. back in the tents, they checked the statuses under the names of the two individuals he gave up, and uh, there was no confirmation of them passing through the damn checkpoints, so they must've gotten through undetected somehow, or they're still hidin' about in the city. but it's up to you two if you wanna look into it or not." the mayor shrugged. "jus' go on, be on your way and leave me out of your complaints if ya find nothin' out there!"

[vaermina]

ＶＡＬＥＮＴＩＮＡ ＫＡＬＡＪＩＡＮxxx
I.xcis femalex II.xno affiliationsx III. a wastelander


indentdusk began to cloak the world in a shadow of minatory. the bleak wasteland lay before them like a dead sea. the pair began to follow a major road that led away from mountmend and towards home. it trailed up the long slopes, winding and twisting through dead country, burned white and gray, with no hint of life to it. black cinder mountains stood bold in the distance, and the yellow sun reflected on the gray desert. the grass had an umber tone. the wild oat roots stood stoutly where the winds blew the earth away. the little starved bushes, sage and greasewood, threw bold shadows on the sand and bits of rock. the burnt land broke the even distance and made it terrible in the reddening light of the setting sun. there were trees but there weren't many of them. most of them were dead, long and tall and ashen with peeling bark and bare branches. their roots burst from the ground and stretched towards the sky like curled fingers. birds perched in their boughs, huddled in their nests of wiry deer grass, pink muhly, mexican feather and aristida. fowls browsed the hills in search of delicacies hidden underneath loose rocks and coarse sward. occasionally, valentina and julian would pass fenced land claimed by a hardy farmer or two. some of them have taken up residence in old pre-war farmhouses and lone homesteads. others have constructed their own rundown shacks out of old plywood, metal plating, bent cardboard and whatever else they could find lying about. most of them grazed livestock on their land. the cattle lay drowsing all day under the sleepy willows and only moved out at night to feed. criollo cattle are popular amongst farmers. they were originally bred for arid climates with scarce feed and little water, hence their perfect durability when it comes to braving the wasteland's harsh conditions. the few that patrolled the pastures walked with a lazy gait, their wide ears flicking away the occasional gnat. several calves raised their craniums to watch as mars trotted by their enclosures. the lone homesteads were about the most occupied places in the surrounding area. there was the periodic corroded gas station, truck stop or convenience store on the side of the road but none of them were occupied. their innards lay bare and empty, any valuables inside having either perished or scavenged long ago. pre-war stores are often like that. once cavities full to the brim with commodities, their metaphorical innards have since been rummaged and picked clean by vultures. sometimes, you can come across a hostile squatter or two in some of these buildings but such an occurrence is rare out in the countryside. occasionally, valentina would spot the quick scamper of a frightened red fox or the burrowing of a wild sand-cat. irradiated streams ran through the ground and over smooth pebbles like silver snakes before cascading into small pools that have begun to dry up underneath the scorching sun. the waning sunlight washed the traveling cousins in pale gold and caused mars' red coat to shine like polished rust. their shadows followed them almost heedfully.
indent"aheh, i know the feeling," valentina agreed with his sentiments. "i mean, we practically grew up in that house. there's so many memories associated with the old hunk of junk. but yeah, the sooner we get all our belongings gathered and head west, the sooner we can try and catch some shut-eye. i just want to put as much distance between us and this general area as possible." valentina's gaze returned to the surrounding scenery. they left the expressway to branch off onto a small two-lane road. darkness was beginning to creep into the air like a sour mist. traveling at night certainly has its advantages but valentina despised the risk it brought. it's no secret that a lot of animals - particularly hungry predators - venture out into the waste at night. the cousins can handle themselves when it comes to fending off some ghouls or large insects but a sharpclaw or wendigo? shriekers and direwolves? it's peril that valentina wanted to avoid. even traveling during nightfall is enough to put one on edge. shadows crept along the ground and invaded the land, and the wind began to howl something fierce. rodents of all kinds scampered in the thorny foliage beside the road. deer mice, red squirrels, bushy-tailed woodrats, red and black voles. they watched the wastelanders pass with wide eyes before they hopped onto the road to acquire runaway acorns. coyotes yapped in the hills beyond. reflective eyes buried deep within hedges and bramble patches glared at the two wastelanders.
indent"yeah, we could sell some odds and ends. we have to be careful, though. i'm not saying it will happen but if conclave officials sniff out our trail, they'll be hot on our heels so we'll have to be smart with who we interact with. someone could rat us out if they remember our faces." the caps they had managed to score from zio would not last forever. granted, the amount they have right now is a lot but they have to be mindful of their spending. it's not like valentina and julian are frivolous people to begin with but they can't afford to slack off. they have to travel light, and selling extra valuables could benefit them. they can only bring so much with them. sentimentality is not something wastelanders can really afford when it comes to holding onto old valuables.
indentthe abandoned orange juice factory is one of the surrounding area's most sore landmarks. valentina observed the broken plant warily as it came into view beyond the rolling slopes. it was a large industrial complex consisting of multiple different buildings, processing facilities and warehouses. as expected, the place was rotting at the seams. most of the factory's structures have caved in on themselves. doors were missing from its entrances, windows shattered, walls crumbled, pipes busted and sticking out of the ground like metal intestines. rusty machinery lay frozen in time throughout the factory's grounds. some of them have been picked clean for parts while others had been broken down by the elements. it was impossible to view the factory's interior from the road but valentina was sure that it was full of broken conveyor belts, discolored machinery and destroyed offices. the plant's flue-gas stacks collapsed in the waning years of the great war. some of them have simply caved in while others have broken apart completely, large chunks of stone and metal falling through whatever remained of the building's ceilings or nestling into the grounds of the factory's courtyards. judging by the semi-trucks that lay neglected outside the factory's entrance, one can assume that the orange juice plant had been operating as normal when the nuclear bombs were dropped upon the united states. the opened gates of the main entrance proved that. a small guardhouse sat in front of the entrance, most likely used before the war to dictate the flow of traffic coming into the factory. valentina could see the hunched figure of a withering skeleton slumped inside. the walls of the security booth has protected it from the winds of decay. shards of glass, busted tires and crushed gasoline cans lay at the bottom of the ditch that bordered the side of the road. there had once been miles of impressive orange groves behind the factory but the orange trees have since withered away. the fields were dry and parched. the rich soil had warped into mounds of ugly grainy dirt and loose rocks. it would be fruitless to try and grow anything in the sun-baked earth nowadays. there was something of an iron fence surrounding the perimeter of the orange juice factory but it did nothing to keep it protected. portions of it have collapsed completely while numerous holes have been made in the chain-link where the fence still stood. there was nothing stopping someone from walking right onto the factory's perimeter. valentina observed the plant with a wary eye before she heard julian's comment. "honestly, with how today has been going, i wouldn't even be surprised. but nah, i think we're good. if there were ghouls or bandits inside the factory, they would have heard the sound of mars' hooves by now." as always, the woman inserted a bit of practicality into the situation. the orange juice factory has been unoccupied for as long as she could remember, too. it was a perfect hideout for bandits and yet, she hasn't ever seen them roaming the area. it was probably because the factory is close to arcadia, and the conclave's heavy local presence is enough to deter the average outlaw gang. bandits like to stay away from civilization. it's easier to rob and burn down lone homesteads and farms than try your luck by attacking a village close to a wastelander city teeming with conclave soldiers. that reason alone is probably why laurel oaks has never really dealt with pesky bandits. the settlement is not only close to arcadia but a large military base, as well. bandits would be fools to try their luck with that, although are any of them particularly intelligent to begin with?
indentthe dead plains grew familiar as the orange juice factory began to fade in the background. they traveled the winding slopes and crossed the dried creek beds until they arrived at laurel oaks. the settlement remained as sleepy as ever. upon first glance, the homes appeared relatively unperturbed. the conclave has yet to stumble upon the small village. valentina could hear the barking of chained dogs and the groan of old trees in the front yards, as well as the soft whisper of conversations filtering from open windows and cracked doors. the residents of laurel oaks were oblivious to the chaos of arcadia a few miles away. it was an ordinary winter evening for the small settlement. not for long, though. this place will be teeming with conclave personnel by dawn. they'll be turning every house inside out in their search for the tape. valentina and julian will be long gone by then. she hoped to make some progress within the next few hours before they settled down for the night. granted, she was not very eager to travel once the sun has set but they have no choice. if they don't leave the area before sunrise, they could very easily be intercepted by a conclave patrol. and if the coroner's report was discovered on their persons? they'd be dead.
indenttheir house was the first residency in the settlement. the old fence around their home creaked in exhaustion as the two entered its unkept lawn. she snorted at julian's dramatics. "oh, stop it. it's not gonna take forever. who knows, maybe this is a good thing. i'm not a religious person so i'm not gonna delve into all that but we've always talked about moving somewhere new before. this could be our chance. or, y'know, maybe help make a change in this country. we might be apart of something huge, julian." valentina smiled wryly. "not to make you nervous or anything, of course." she dismounted mars after julian. it's best to remain as unsentimental as possible out here in the wasteland but it's human nature to feel attachment towards a place you have called home for so long. their house is nothing superb, that much is clear. it's practically falling apart. its window panes have popped out and shattered multiple times. the only door in the entire house is the front door and even then, they've had to regularly replace its hinges. the walls and floorboards have holes in them and most of the furniture in the house has either rotted away or been sold for caps. that's not even mentioning the ridiculous amount of leaks the roof has. in the beginning, they'd utilize tarps to cover the structural erosion but when the tarps would blow away during aggressive storms, the roof got weaker and now valentina was unsure if they could even get up there without falling through. the house is in poor condition but they've grown up in this settlement. it's been their home for many years. of course valentina could not help but feel a twinge of melancholy at the prospect of leaving this place forever but they have no choice. and, really, is it best to stay in laurel oaks forever? valentina is more than aware that luxuries and opulence is not obtainable in this day and age but there has to be more to life than this. they spend their days hunting, taking on small jobs here and there, bartering in the city market, repairing the house. it's all they do. every single day, they struggle to survive. valentina did not want to spend the rest of her days living like this. she was not the type of person eager to make some sort of doughty mark on the world but she wanted more in life than lame mercenary jobs and undervalued kills and arduous marketplace visits. there is more to this life that has yet to be revealed. and maybe valentina and julian were meant to find this tape. maybe their paths were meant to intertwine with the rebellion's goals. maybe...
indent"digging under the floorboards? got it. i know we got a bunch of old valuables lying around that we can sell. hell, maybe our parents' had hid some stuff before they died, too. remember my pa had that beautiful rifle with the wolf inscriptions that went missing several months before our parents died? i wonder if he hid it somewhere. you can't just lose a huge ass rifle." she followed her cousin inside. dusk filtered through the house's grimy windows in pale ochre slices. the interior is just as much an eyesore as the exterior. the living room's wallpaper has faded and begun to peel off in large chunks. there were various holes in the walls and floorboards that gave easy access to the calcified pipes underneath and within the house's framework. they had little furniture as the sets that did not crumble were sold years ago. picture frames that once hung on the walls decades ago have left permanent stains of black soot behind. like all the other houses in the settlement, they did not have electricity so they relied on lanterns to keep the place lit. most of their appliances were gone, taken apart years ago by their fathers' so they could sell the parts for a pretty penny at the marketplace. a cooler sat where the refrigerator once was. a small campfire had replaced the kitchen's oven, where the two cousins cook their meals on a spit. the fire itself was carefully set up so its flames were unable to reach its surroundings and engulf the house in a blaze. whenever cold weather would hit, they'd drag small stools over to the fire and huddle for warmth. with julian setting off in the direction of the kitchen, valentina diverted her path and begun to head down the hallway. the house is a fairly small residence. it only has two bedrooms and one bathroom. the master bedroom is where the two cousins sleep on their own respective mattresses. the guest bedroom has a gaping hole in the floorboards, so they're not really able to utilize the space for their needs. the bathroom is in poor condition, as well but they've managed to find some uses for it. they have no running water so when it came to the toilet, they use the outhouse in the backyard. for bathing, they would distill pots of water overnight to get rid of harmful radioactive iodine, heavy metals, salts and microbes so in the morning they could use wash rags and rub themselves clean in the tub. it's difficult to maintain perfect hygiene while living in the waste but they manage just fine. there are some wastelanders who hardly bathe at all. most have found ways to try and stay clean. in large cities, every inn has bathrooms connected to the rooms where you can request a gallon of distilled water from the front desk to bathe yourself with. wastelanders make their own little toothbrushes and use natural remedies such as baking soda, charcoal, sea salt, hydrogen peroxide and brandy to brush their teeth. hell, you can even make your own soap out of lye, distilled water and various oils. there's a nasty stereotype perpetuated by the conclave that all wastelanders are filthy, insanitary and grimy and that's just not true. valentina could hardly blame those who do not practice decent hygiene because so many people are just struggling to survive out here.
indentthe master bedroom was a fairly decent-sized chamber located near the back of the house. the young woman lit a flame in one of the room's lanterns so she could see beyond what little light the setting sun had to offer. the master bedroom did not have much. apart from their two mattresses, there was a small nightstand with a missing leg propped up against a wall and an old wardrobe situated in front of a broken window. a massive rug lay stretched across the floor but its surface was stained and ripped in crimson and emerald seams. valentina threw herself onto the floor to immediately begin her search. she pulled back the rug to reveal the ancient floorboards underneath. most of them were simple wooden planks that were as brittle as an old bone. some were missing nails and just barely hanging in place. the wastelander dug her fingers underneath their seams to pull them upwards and access the subfloor. felt had been installed between the wood floors and the subfloors to minimize squeaking but the material has since been destroyed. mice and other small vermin scampered into the shadows once she began to poke around. over the years, they have hidden quite the amount of parcels and small treasures under the house's floorboards. they had been stored away as emergency funds although some of them were family heirlooms and antiques owned by their families for decades. valentina was quick to retrieve a small wooden box that, upon opening, revealed itself to be full to the brim with jewelry. it was just a bunch of old pieces that she grew out of over the years or accessories once owned by valentina's mother and aunt. rose quartz and opal rings, pearl and citrine earrings, moonstone bracelets threaded with silver, turquoise anklets and ruby and tiger's eye amulets created by the unsteady hands of self-taught jewelers. none of it was genuine craftsmanship, as the bands were made of rusty wire or bent chain-link but it's rare to find pre-war jewelry nowadays. handmade or not, though, jewelry with genuine gemstones could fetch them a good amount of caps. there was a small velvet bag next to the box that held an old silver locket once worn by her mother. they're definitely keeping that.
indentvalentina set her finds on the floor next to her before crawling a bit to access the next loose floorboard in her sights. she heard julian call to her from the kitchen. "a hammer? we might need to keep that just in-case we run out of ammo and need to knock someone out. or if i need to whack some sense into you," she laughed at her own joke. "anyway, i found some old jewelry. we could sell it all as a bundle or something. there's a variety of gemstones so it might catch someone's attention. there's bound to be some more stuff like that lying underneath these floors. make sure you grab some small pots and pans we can hook on mars' saddle so we have something to cook with. plates and mugs, too and some utensils. and don't forget to grab the spit from the fire. i think we already have some sleeping bags tied to the back of mars' saddle, as well as a tent and all that. and, also? i'm thinkin' that we should be discreet about where we make ourselves public. the conclave might be on our tails as soon as we head west so we'll have to be careful with who we interact with and where we stay, if we decide to stay in any inns at all. i mean, y'know that some wastelanders have each other's backs but if the conclave goes about it quietly and offers caps for information, someone slimy would definitely start talking. what do you think? obviously, we can't exactly travel on backroads all the time - some of the more isolated trails might be crawling with bandits or animals - but it wouldn't hurt to make our trail difficult to follow for those who might try and track us." they need to remember to bring the basic necessities. they're not going to be staying at inns and saloons all the time, so they need to prioritize basic survival supplies for camping out in the wasteland. of course, they can always buy whatever they forget to bring but valentina wanted to save as much of their caps as possible. and while it's safer to rent a room at some dusty settlement for the night, they can't afford to bring attention to themselves. they could unknowingly create a trail for the conclave. well, she supposed her many years of hunting and tracking game is becoming useful in other ventures now. the only difference is that they'll be the ones being hunted. and if that was the case, valentina did not intend on leaving an easy trail for whoever would be on their tails. the conclave may have their technology, vehicles and weaponry but even the most arduous of personnel lack what every wastelander naturally possesses; a profound knowledge of the wasteland. conclave soldiers cannot tell the difference between a deer mangled by a sharpclaw or a griffin. they lack the comprehension to track other creatures without technology because they fail to notice a crumpled shrub or a torn weed, as the dry soil of the waste does not retain prints on its surface. they have no idea that the slight shift of a breeze will alert predators from miles around of their presence, as most hungry beasts have developed extraordinary keen senses in order to be able to find food in such a barren climate. even the mere rumble of their vehicles is enough to wake slumbering creatures that best lay dormant. they lack an understanding of the wilderness because they are only familiar with their silver spoons and glass houses. valentina would be more than happy to falsify a fake trail and lead a group of conclave personnel to their deaths. if anyone tries to track them down, they'll learn that the wasteland can offer much more frightening experiences than death.
indentvalentina continued with her search. the wasteland is an enemy to all but you can survive it if you understand that the waste is its own society. there's the community manned by the conclave, and then there's the wasteland. there's unspoken laws surrounding the relationships between man and beast, neighbor and neighbor. there is no law out here, no sort of primitive structure that people follow. and yet, it was almost like they all understood each other. valentina often complained about their living situation but, honestly, the waste is just familiar to her. she felt that she understood it and the creatures that inhabit it. she and julian have lived a life of hardship for so long that she could not imagine residing in the comforts and luxuries of the capital city. back in the checkpoint, they had been powerless. they were only inches away from the conclave's mercry. out in the wasteland, though? the roles would be reversed. there's a reason the conclave has given up their attempts to venture into the badlands. communications fail the further you get into unknown country. with your technology useless, you become lost and eventually succumb to the wasteland. valentina and julian have never relied on technology to aid them in their journeys. they use their wits, memory and general knowledge of the landscape to help them. the conclave can't do that. they need their broadcasts and digital maps and technological systems to brave the wasteland. when they don't have that, they become as incapable as newborns. valentina took silent comfort in that notion. there's been a growing apprehension amongst wastelanders that the conclave is beginning to overpower them in every societal, financial and cultural way possible but there will always be concepts that oppressors will never be able to comprehend. those who serve the conclave will never know the love of a community, the genuine care of other people that does not have to do with greed, ambition, hatred, bitterness, obsession or co-dependency. they will never know freedom as wastelanders know it. they will never know the simple pleasures of hunting or tending a farm or manning your own market stand. they will never know what it is like to view a sunset or a sunrise with rose-colored glasses. they do not know what it is like to share a beer with a neighbor or give some caps to a beggar on the street because their lives are riddled with competition, strife and feuding. they are unhappy people who wallow in their own conflicts until it consumes them. power and wealth only continues to be a scourge to mankind, and the conclave is an example of that. valentina would rather live a hundred years out in the wasteland than suffer a few decades in that society. she is not burdened by bitter familial feuds, the consequences of neglectful parents, the decay of a violent career, the feeling that you'll never get what you want because you're not good enough. can those who serve the conclave say the same?
indentno... she did not think they can.

[vaell]

xxxＥＤＷＩＮ ＡＬＢＲＥＣＨＴ.

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xxxxxxxxxxxxentertainer / stage name 'floyd'. | the rebellion. aka 'vuledo'. | tagged: constance.
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indentas danny and mikey continued to go back and forth, edwin nodded in agreement with constance. there was no telling how the next few days would look for them, not with the conclave having been thrown into such a state of panic. in any case, they'd need to heed to their superiors and their orders. in fact, the rebellion as a whole would have to proceed with caution especially while the information from fort themus happened to be freshly out of the conclaves hands. there was no telling what lengths the conclave would go to in order to try and track down what had been stolen from them. a speedy lockdown on their end was already a telltale sign that this would not be just another passing break-in and out; as he and constance had been speculating earlier, something more than just a few base files had ought to have been taken to trigger such a response. usually, if the conclave is capable of reproducing documents with ease, such as with base files - and if the documents in question are not of a high security clearance level - then admittedly they don't take much of a loss besides the fact that someone outside of their organization got their hands on some data and reports. of course, as much as the conclave may not be as overly distraught by the disappearance of such files, to the rebellion this information still holds a fair amount of value. base reports can reveal a plethora of things; the capacity of a base, the status on expected and current shipments of weaponry or ammunition, the transferring of different divisions of soldiers..the list goes on. unfortunately that information in and of itself is not the most to work with, though. the documents tend to be summaries, only surface-level depictions regarding matters of the forts functionalities and assortments of data, often not revealing as much as the rebellion would prefer. still, the ability to be able to access some of the conclaves' affairs such as the processing of their equipment allows them to gain insight on specific warehouse shipments or information regarding convoys travelling to the fort. even measly base reports help them take on missions in hijacking a route of soldiers or stealing some supply of weapons. having access to these sorts of files were one of the many ways in which they've been able to map out certain locations out in the wasteland occupied by conclave personnel. no knowledge goes to waste. in fact, the rebellion has no choice but to use whatever they can to make a considerable dent against the conclave. so be it if they must work with scraps -- they'd make it work, they always did.
indentthe sight of danny rising up from his seat was enough to gain a wary glance from edwin as the man began to proclaim his agreement to mikey's proposal -- he shouldn't have been so surprised to hear that the two of them were actually going to spend more time out here than they had to, but at the same time, what can you expect? danny and mikey are both interesting characters in the sense that they tend to be rather unpredictable to a degree. even though danny had been preaching the 'good old days' not that long ago, it wasn't like it would have been surprising to see him abandon that sentiment as soon as it came to the moment of truth. but in a very characteristic manner of himself, the older man did go on to boast the resilience of the appleton bloodline, even tossing in a mention of virgil earp for good measure. across the other side of the wagon, mikey was beginning to match danny's increasingly proud energy. he crossed his arms smugly for the other man had actually joined him in his efforts to supposedly brave the wasteland's cooling evening. as the rest of the caravan eyed the duo, though, edwin watched danny pull out the shotgun stowed away beneath the driver's seat only to have it snatched up by constance in a matter of mere seconds. he had to cackle. "if cowardice involves using your brain, well then i guess so," he side-stepped past danny, closely following behind constance as they went on to depart the wagon and set foot upon solid ground once again. he threw a glance over his shoulder, back inside the wagon. "have fun, you two. if you can, try not to get eaten alive before nightfall. i think i'd miss your re-enactments of 'holding the fort down' too much." somewhere near the back of the caravan, he could have sworn he heard a scoff from mikey.
indentwith danny and mikey left to their own devices for now, the rest of the group had set off to head within the outpost. brown, brittle vines and moss veiled the entrance to the basement, the tendrils of scraggly wilted branches reaching toward the metal dial used to gain access within. when the decaying vegetation was parted by constance, a small sheen of light reflected across the surface of a golden plaque. scriptures had been inscribed along the rims of the weathered carving of jesus. the makeshift keypad was one that constance had no problem in bypassing; the passwords the rebellion utilized were various conglomerations of letters from lines of different historical poems. such was an effective method considering that the rebellion has been able to keep outsiders from breaching any of their holds. so randomized and unconventional, it was no wonder that there was nobody sauntering in off the main roads who could just stumble their way upon any passcode and be able to guess their way in. passwords were always in rotation, too. you could never be too sure, and this routine change created another added layer of protection for the outpost, keeping it another step away from being discovered. this was the only point of access to the basement; many portions of the chapel were caved in, restricting undesirables from making a home within its walls. fortunately, the entryway blended in to the rest of the wall, the bricks having been meticulously arranged to create a sense of natural uniformity. ivy and vines littered the space, old moss filling in the crevices and sprouting around the rims of the bricks. he watched as the dial spun in constances' fingers, her quick work of the password sounding a slight shift from within the wall. he too took a step back as a rumble reverberated from the depths of the inner wall. the door slowly began to sink backwards, a slight groan of the inner workings signalling their successful access to its insides. as it slid back into space, dust and sand and dirt rose into the air; after a moment the rims of the door came to a stop once it hit the furthermost point, revealing to them their pathway inside. edwin craned his neck forward in order to peer down into the depths of the opening. old wooden stairs descended down the basement, the dim lighting making it hard to see past a certain point of the staircase. luckily for them, they had a lantern lit to help guide their step; while constance's comment about being careful heading down was one that edwin chuckled at, as they begun to step down the stairs it became pretty clear that they had a pretty good point. each time he stepped onto a new board, he had a precarious footing. soft creaks sounded out as their group headed one after another. the rotting wood of the stairs urged them to be careful. the relatively narrow walls of the tunnel were lit up with a dim, flickering light from the lantern that constance held out at the front of the group. being just behind her, the glow of the light illuminated his immediate surroundings. darkness seeped in where the lantern did not extend to. their own shadows were cast out across the walls as result of the play between the light and the dark. the muted echo of the door much behind them clicked back into space, reverting back to its original unassuming position.
indentedwin knew they were coming to a close of their short trip down into the heart of the outpost when he caught the sight of some light at the bottom of the staircase; he could even pick up on some hushed chatter emanating from further within. at the end of their final step was a sizeable hole that had been created in the wall to allow direct entry into the basement. now, the basement itself did not host a particularly large party of rebels, nor did it have the capacity to do such a thing in the first place. hence the purpose of this location, the outpost was equipped with the proper assets to sustain some rebels who needed to stop here for the sake of a resting point. various different sections divided up the moderately sized chamber, the lower right half dedicated to being an area for rest, while the upper right area boasted a small training area where anyone could sharpen up some of their skills on some targets; this area was blocked off by some old folding screens. the upper left half of the basement contained a kitchen of sorts, several old picnic tables set up for any rebels to go and eat at. the entirety of the lower left of the area housed their technologies, canned food supply, ammunition - all things that could be stocked up on if need be before making an departure from the outpost. fittingly, though, at the centermost point of the basement was where main operations were held, a lengthy table uniting all four sections of the basement. here, plans could reached and lines of communication accessed. most discussions were to be held there; at-least any pertaining to any missions or regarding the general status of the small base. hanging from thin lines from the ceiling were several lightbulbs, although the majority of the light source within the basement actually came from the lanterns scattered around the area. some hung off posts on the columns erected within the room. the basement certainly wasn't the most well lit, but there's not much more you can expect from a discreetly operating outpost. nothing could be considered remotely fancy here - everything was practical, meant to serve its role and do it well and nothing beyond that. the original entrance of the basement had long caved in, hence where they had instead entered the space via a different access point. it had been blocked by the ruination of the frame of the building with rocks, wood, and cement piling up and refraining anyone from taking that route inside. it was a bit chillier down here, too, given their elevation and due to the fact that there's no working heaters out in the wasteland and any large fires would be hazardous. the basement is definitely not an overwhelming sight, put plainly. he noted the appearance of a rebel every now and then flitting about the space, heading over to a different area of the space. surely only about a few dozen actually occupied the walls of the outpost, and those numbers changed daily depending on who came and who went. the one person who had a bit more of a permanent position within, however, was the commanding officer, maven hearst. for the sake of security and due to the limited capacity of the outpost, she was the singular highest authority to be found at village cross.
indentwith constance announcing that the two of them would be splitting from the group, the duo was quick to break off from the others. the brief mention of danny and mikey still lingering about outside made him wonder what those two were up to, no doubt either lounging around now that nobody else was around, or maybe actually taking their so-called duties seriously. who the hell knows -- at-least khalil and fairfax would go ahead and check up on them soon enough. he was more than certain the both of them would be scrambling to make their way into the basement come true nightfall either way. it was hard to say just what was lurking around the premises of this old, fading town, but ghouls were the most likely of creatures to be hanging about. even the daring mikey and danny would not want to stay out there trying to fend for themselves for long. the creatures can be overwhelming in hordes; you'd be lucky to face a singular ghoul without facing the entirety of a mob. edwin kept by constances' side as they headed toward the center of the basement where he could spot maven hunched over the table. it didn't take long for her to be alerted of their presences. when she turned to face them, the orange glow of the lantern lit up one side of her face. due to this, he couldn't exactly pinpoint her immediate expression, although she did appear to be relieved to see them having made it out of arcadia well enough. the lockdown must have caused a bit of uncertainty for her and those in the rebellion who'd been the first to catch wind of what was transpiring in that immediate area. the conclave was practically teeming throughout the city and its proximity; he could still remember the amount of tents they had set up at the checkpoints as well as the overwhelming lines of people being forced to exit the city under the lockdown protocol. it had been chaotic, to say the least. when constance gave a brief glance around the room, curious to the whereabouts of their themus escapees, he could not help but do the same. she raised a good point. where were the rebels who'd gotten in and out of themus? clearly, they weren't out and about the outpost. not in plain sight, at-least. warily, he shifted his attention toward maven once more after giving a brief scan to their surroundings. she didn't respond right away. a sinking feeling was beginning to form in the pits of his stomach. was this was starting to transform into an all too familiar situation, one where their small sliver of hope would be tore away from them, just like how it often was time and time again? their colleagues successfully escaping themus - as far as edwin and constance had been concerned - was the one thing that was redeemable of this day. otherwise, they'd only been subjected to confusion, uncertainty, waiting, hopelessness, fear..and for nothing? no, no they had to have gotten out, there was no other way-
indentone look at the woman's features answered all of edwin's questions immediately. he felt himself slowly deflate at that look. it was somber. it embodied the realization that the two of them had not known of the failure at themus. that's what it was, right? a failure. they weren't here, and they wouldn't be somewhere safer. they had to be dead, then. maven's face, it held frustration, remorse..she did not even need to speak, for her lack-of immediate explanation was sign enough. he and constance had been in this position before, under many different circumstances. every time it felt like a new blow to your chest. those people died for a cause they believed in, they died trying to right wrongs. their efforts would not be dismissed. throughout this entire mission he had felt some degree of concern for its success, although one could attribute this to the fear of the unknown. they couldn't predict any outcomes of what happened today; when the rebels would meet them at arcadia, where exactly. from the start, this break-in to themus had been one that was risky. if they had just been able to secure that information..if any possible factor earlier this day had been slightly different, they might be here with them now. the three of them stood in momentary silence. edwin was trying to wrap his head around everything, trying to take in this new information piece by piece; and to be honest, he wasn't sure he knew what to say. what was supposed to be a big blow to the conclave was only one to them instead. the opportunity of gaining some kind of leverage against the conclave had outweighed the more dangerous aspects of this mission - that much was clear. he supposed things had gone awry from the start. it was the lockdown that led him and constance to believe that their colleagues had secured the information, though. and if the lockdowns hadn't been targeted towards them, then..? could there be another explanation to their panic?
indentmaven's words, the verbal, explicit confirmation of what had gone down at themus was just as bad as their initial discovery of the mission going awry. they were dead, all of them, somewhere a few miles off from the fort. it was unsettling to think that their group had been within the walls of the city waiting for them at that exact time, their bodies probably cold already, attracting flies. the thought was uncomfortable enough. what he had been wondering about the lockdown, though - that was cleared up by maven. the file that the rebels had tried to flee with was missing. something had happened to it, and the conclave wanted it back. badly. just who or what had taken possession of the file was unclear, though; apparently, all of their contacts in the general area reiterated the fact they were empty handed. perhaps one of the most defeating parts of this news was the fact that everything seemed to have been in vain. they hadn't gained any sort of upper-hand here, and now they really did have no idea where that file might be. it wasn't in their clutches, nor in any ally hands. the likelihood of them seeing that file again was dismal, almost close to none. even worse was how riled up the conclave was now. they'd need to be immensely alert and all for something that had gone extremely off-plan. all they'd earned from this mission was a heavier, more concerning conclave presence and the deaths of many capable individuals. his eyes flickered between maven and his shoes as a silence once again settled upon the three of them. they'd been so convinced that they were here, safe and most of all victorious..he exchanged a glance with constance. today was a rollercoaster of emotions, and they'd been dragged through the depths of elation and nervousness and sorrow. it was like a massive bus hitting you all at once, enforcing its weight upon you and leaving you feeling all sorts of drained. between him and constance, she was the first to try and make an attempt in vocalizing what they were each thinking. in their words, he could feel the confusion, the lostness - they'd really thought they had taken a detour, and the lockdown had been their assurance. this mission had been one of importance back at headquarters, too. this was supposed to have given them some semblance of new progress against the conclave. maven, however, did not have much more information than they. all transmission lines had been shut down for the fear of running the risk of their outpost being caught contacting their main base while the conclave might be running a frequency scan in the area.
indentout of all this new information, what piqued edwin's curiosity was the mention of a general in the area. at this, he had to look to constance, almost as if to wonder, 'what the hell'? they had been in arcadia and they had not noticed such a presence, and it doesn't take a genius to spot someone of such high ranking in the conclave military, either. they're usually escorted by their own personal guards from their divisions, and they are known to don uniform sets of armor respective to whichever legion the general presides over. he wasn't so sure that someone of that position would be visiting another town in the proximity of arcadia - the city was the prime location of movement, of population. where else would a general be interested in visiting, and for what purpose? if there was something else going on in the area aside from the themus break-in, edwin had no knowledge of it. but maven was right. he did have a lot of questions, and he was sure constance did too, but he chose to restrain himself. it was best not to bombard her; she probably didn't wield many more answers than what they could ask of her anyway. theres a limited amount of knowledge surrounding this mission in general, and he wouldn't expect anyone to be able to respond to some of his more specific inquiries. nobody had the answers to those questions - where was the file, who or what had it, where had this general been and why, how come this file is of such importance to the conclave? the list went on. unfortunately, it seemed he and constance would only be able to speculate these things with one another. he could agree with maven that all this had brought to them was ramped up security measures with no current end in sight, though. they'd have to wait most of the proceedings of the conclave out until further notice, any other action would be much too risky. things had gotten a whole lot more complicated than they ever intended, but such was the life of a rebel. you can never predict what will happen, everything is a gamble, no matter how well you try and plan out every detail. things are always susceptible to fault - after all, humans are bound to make mistakes, sometimes the timing just isn't right, and theres nothing you can do about it. anything can alter the timeline of an event - even small, minuscule actions. he had no idea what could have changed today. maybe nothing at all, and perhaps that was the truth of the matter. you can't control everything in life, and he would be a fool to think such a thing. it was a tempting thought to succumb to, though, this idea of being able to control potential outcomes of an occurrence. what could've been, what might've been; these were fruitless pursuits, though. nothing would change the past now.
indent"..yeah, it was chaotic, for lack of a better word. i think the lockdown was just so unexpected, so sudden and so severe that the entire city didn't know how to respond. everyone just needed to clear out from the walls of arcadia, and fast. the conclave had a wide array of what must've been interrogation tents set up, lots of personnel on the site, too. they had to do some extensive background checks on us, and the lockdown protocol had called for patting down of anyone seeking passageway out of the city. i'd say their scrambling was a bit obvious, now that we know the full context of the situation, though luckily we had no troubles getting past a checkpoint. they were ready to handle the situation, i suppose, but the sheer amount of people who sought departure was pretty overwhelming. i mean, nearly everyone had ben evacuated from the streets in the span of no less than twenty minutes, or at-least from what we'd witnessed. they were anxious in processing people and clearing up the streets, that's for sure. apart from the lockdown, though, constance and i did get to check out the new second entrance of arcadia, too. looks like they're accommodating to the influx of travellers drawn to the city." he briefly looked to constance. they had smuggled a pair of wastelanders through as well, though he felt that was something they didn't need to particularly remark on. sure, things hadn't gone wrong, but if they had, and those wastelanders were caught? they would have risked a lot, including their own necks. it's not like withholding that information hurt anyone. they had gotten those wastelanders and themselves safe passage through arcadia's security and that was the end of the story. nothing had actually gone wrong, so they didn't necessarily have an obligation to report such a matter to maven. either way, he just felt it wasn't worth bringing that up because while it was morally the right decision to make, it was probably not the best decision for their own well-beings, especially in such a pressure filled environment as a lockdown. "in any case, we made it out and i'm just glad we didn't get held up or anything." he could guess how worrisome it would have been to not have constance and edwin and their crew arrive at the outpost. sure, in that situation things could have been assumed to be improvised on their end but after what happened earlier today, he could understand why such a notion might cause some unease. maven nodded in agreement with him. "oh, for sure. as am i. judging by the severity of the lockdown and the extent of which even you described it to be, i think we can safely say that the conclave is trying to filter through those coming and going within the city in an attempt to uncover the file on someone," she noted. "so, as of now, they're placing their bets on the fact it was a person. i suppose that would be the first conclusion anyone would straightaway jump to. or at-least if they ever actually want to retrieve it again." she had a point. locating a file from the maws of some creature who'd scooped it up would be nearly impossible. ironically, the conclave really had no other choice but to hope a wastelander had taken it after all.
indent"i think so, too. seems like their method of relocating the file mainly revolves around the hope that wherever it has gone and whoever it is in possession of is still within that immediate area. which makes sense..how far can you travel within such a short period of time? like you said, the lockdown had been initiated pretty quickly. honestly, i don't know. i'm still trying to get my thoughts in order here, and to be honest, i'm sure you want to do the same," he tossed another small glance toward constance, absently rubbing the side of his arm. "anyway, if there's anything we can do around here to help out, just let us know." maven shook her head, a small yet fleeting hint of amusement finally breaking her otherwise somber demeanor as she turned to face the table once again. one of her hands picked up a document, one that she had probably been examining before they approached her. "please. you two just try and get some rest, alright? i know today's been rough. if either of you want to discuss anything, you know where to find me if you need."
indentso with that, edwin and constance were dismissed to roam the outpost as they pleased. the woman had reverted her attention back toward inspecting the files she had spread out across the table as edwin directed his and constance's path toward the upper left portion of the basement. "guess it wouldn't hurt to grab a bite to eat?" in a way it seemed ludicrous to even suggest eating right after learning the news of the deaths of their colleagues, but at the same time, they could not afford to let this mission get to their head too much. they needed to keep marching forward. there was no time to stall in the past, as horrible as it may sound. its the only way you survive out here. the portion of the chamber hosting the kitchen is where the designated cook of the outpost serves some food to anyone looking to get some nourishment, and although edwin was growing hungry considering they themselves had not visited the noodle stand in arcadia, he was more interested in discussing some matters with constance right now. still, the prospect of food was not one he was about to willfully turn down. various old picnic tables were set up, most empty aside from a few of their own band members taking to the outer edges of the room. the planks of the tables were blemished with some chips and rot, erosion growing with time as they were exposed to any elements. despite this they were still very functional. looking across the room, he noted that khalil and fairfax had taken up a spot at one of the tables too, choosing to have some food before they had to go and check on danny and mikey. a lot of their group had likely opted for sleep, though, considering the otherwise empty room. he didn't blame them. edwin glanced over toward the service area of the kitchen. judging by the sideboard of two different containers being placed at the service area of the kitchen as well as a small stack of bowls and cutlery, it seemed the chef had just recently procured some different meals in light of their arrival and due to the time of day. the kitchen operated with a sort of buffet-like system, where you could dish up your own plate without needing to be formally served. truthfully, though, the options to choose from in terms of food were limited. metal lids closed the dishes so that they could stay fresh, although they must be host to two different canned soups considering that the others had a few bowls at their own tables. the food served at village cross was just as gourmet as wasteland food gets. mainly, the base operated on non-perishable food items for obvious reasons; canned soups, meats, vegetables, beans. surprisingly a lot of differing recipes can be produced from that list alone. edwin approached the service area, curiously lifting the lid of one of the metal containers to check out it's contents. inside appeared to be a cold soup, a clear chicken broth with pieces of vegetables and chicken and some pasta; it looked like a classic chicken noodle soup. the other container hosted a tomato bisque, a soup with a much more creamier base. edwin reached over to snatch up one of the few bowls stacked at the side of the counter as well as a spoon. he was quick to settle on the chicken noodle, picking up the large spoon that sat nearby the container, promptly ladling out some of the soup into his own bowl. once he got his fill, he left the ladle in the container incase constance was also interested in the same type of soup. he glanced over to her, holding the dish in his hand. "this is seriously gonna hit the spot after today," he joked, stirring the contents of the soup in his bowl before scooping some of it into his mouth. being hungry made the taste of such a simple soup taste phenomenal; he savored the substance as it hit his tongue. when constance too was ready to head off from the counter, they headed toward one of the seats a few empty tables or so across where the other members of their band sat.
indentsettling down at the table, edwin set his soup down on the weathered surface and looked over to constance. now that they weren't on the road travelling anywhere anymore, nor were they in such close quarters with their band members, they could discuss matters concerning the events that had transpired at arcadia and what maven had informed them of a bit more privately -- and most of all, what this meant for them moving forward. "hey, so..that was a lot to take in. i mean, where do we even start..? i guess i'm curious about what maven said about a general in the area. how the hell could we have missed that? i mean, i'm not complaining but you'd think we'd notice the presence of a general, right? what do you think they were doing out here?" he took another bite of soup. unconsciously or not, he steered away from the topic of the massacre at fort themus. that was a topic hard to linger on. their lives would be given serious acknowledgement, although he wasn't so sure he could continue focusing on their deaths right now. besides, edwin had no idea what such a person of authority within the conclave military would be doing out in arcadia, or nearby, at that -- if it were to send a message about the file and how important it was to them, then this could only mean the severity of their situation was a grand one. how panicked must you be to send out a military leader just to get your point across? then again, their presence could have been required for other matters. he really wasn't so sure, and its not like they'd find out soon either. while he was interested in what a general had been tending to, other things were also nagging at edwin. now that the mission had technically gone wrong, failed entirely, actually, how would people take it? would this spur a newfound movement within the organization to begin increasing their aggression efforts? as divided as the rebellion was beginning to become, he didn't doubt it for a second. a lot of people would use this failure to try and forward their own agenda of taking a more direct approach when it comes to handling the conclave. after all, this mission had been one with no lack of hope attached to it. a lot seemed to be riding on their ability to retrieve some information out of fort themus; whatever the file contained, it was important. the conclave's response reinforced this idea and so did the earlier words of maven. on their way to village cross, he and constance had entertained the idea of what was going on within their organization, although they hadn't been able to get into much depth. "and what do you think about this whole situation? i mean, how do you think people will react..? will this turn into some catalyst for change in the rebellion? i wouldn't doubt someone like declan will be jumping to take advantage of this situation, you know. he'll probably try and spin this into a 'this is why we need change' movement." he had to keep from rolling his eyes. while yes, edwin did understand why this could be considered a sign that they needed to switch things up, it was just discomforting to think of how those who had risked their lives would be so easily forgotten in the midst of all the aftermath that would soon ensue on a leadership level of the rebellion. while the man was a significant asset to their cause, a formerly feared bounty hunter who could wield plasma swords at a master level of skill, it didn't mean edwin necessarily always saw eye to eye with him or his little group of followers. regardless, he was curious about what constance had to say or what they currently felt -- he valued her opinions a lot, and with the tide of change coming up the rebellion, it was more important than ever for them to discuss what may occur within the coming few months.

[vaermina]

ＫＡＩＲＯＳ 'ＫＡＩ' ＬＯＵＫＡＮＩＳxxx
I.xcis malex II.xthe conclave militaryx III. an android deployment & utilization warrant 2 officer


indent"right, right. well, the conclave has created a bunch of crap that's considered revolutionary already. i'm sure something like that wouldn't knock them off their asses with confusion," kai spared his girlfriend an amused grin. kai's knowledge of aircrafts is limited. he was not sure how to operate one or repair one, nevertheless inspect one. of course, he's read some books about them but that's pretty much it. he's heard of some great leaps in terms of technological process when it comes to the functionings of aircrafts over the years but much like the army, the air force is a pre-war branch. there's a familiarity to it that spits of old society ruminations. and even if it is one of the older branches of the military, kai did not see why they were slacking when it comes to some obvious hazards surrounding the security of their vessels. if pilots are dying over pygmy gophers stealing screws that are holding together a small component that's apart of a high functioning system, something's got to change. maybe if mina filed a request for something like that, it might be put into consideration. key word: might. knowing the military's hierarchy, the top dogs don't care to hear the ideas and opinions of the lower ranks but who knows? maybe it would catch someone's eye. honestly, he just didn't want mina dying in some sort of horrific crash because her superiors failed to keep their pilots safe. pygmy gophers have long since proven to be a horrific problem and yet, little has been done regarding their thieving ways. it was strange. was it a quandary or just pure indolence? kai was used to problems of high magnitude being solved in a relatively quick time frame in his own branch but he supposed you can't really compare the air force with the android deployment branch. drawbacks with androids tend to be something you can't really shrug off for another time. malfunctions with androids can be as simple as a robotic limb failing to move or something as consequential as an android's computerized cognition frying up, resulting in it attacking the closest living creature. whenever kai had to tinker with the robotic innards of an android, he was often accompanied by three other people because of that. androids are not dormant like vehicles or ships. they can be as dangerous to the people who work with them as they are to the citizens of the wasteland. anything can go wrong when something is powered exclusively by wires and metal chips. much like the air force, the android utilization branch has its own pool of inclusive issues. between the ruling body that is the high council being unable to agree on campaigns and proper deployment routes to squadron leaders being attacked by both wastelanders and religious groups, it was a lot. and, granted, kai did not think the problems posed by the pygmy gophers are minor, but those who bask in the glory of the air force's upper rankings seem to think so. it was concerning. honestly, it'd probably take for some huge hotshot to be killed mid-air because of a gopher's interpose for anything to be done about it. that's usually how it is with large-scale problems. nobody really cares to solve an issue that affects the lesser man until it harms someone of importance. who knows, maybe a pygmy gopher will take out mina's father if he ever decided to soil his boots and enter a gunship again. he gets whacked and the issues produced by the gophers are solved. kai would say that's a win-win situation. "ah, yeah, i remember now. there's so many of these damn hangars around here it's hard to tell the difference between them."
indentnightfall began to stalk the southwest district. rays of waning sunlight washed the rough waters of the potomac river in gold. the creek has not experienced a flood in centuries. with snow scarce and rainfall never guaranteed, the waters have not risen to an alarming height in many years. the light reflected off the metal rotundas of the various hangars and bases scattered throughout the district. there were little to no residencies within the district. after the conclave was formally established and the capital began the tedious process of rebuilding, the southwest district was immediately marked for strictly military institutions. the traffic in the area was considerably light. the hangar that mina was due to arrive at was a large silver aerodrome nestled amongst stretches of emerald paved lawns and wide asphalt runways. the glare of the evening sun made it difficult to see what sat inside the open hangar. they had to stop at a security booth in order to be let onto the premises. kai spotted a few marshallers sitting on lone crates beside the runaways or walking in talkative groups towards the hangar's entrance. they wore sleeveless garments of fluorescent orange with protective googles and visible paddles. kai was sure that the air force utilizes air traffic control centers as much as they do marshallers but with how unpredictable the weather can be, it's always good to rely on the natural senses of the grounded man. on a stormy day, a marshaller may detect something on the runway that could hinder or even damage a landing aircraft that perhaps those in an air traffic control tower cannot. there was one woman who appeared to be carefully reapplying paint on some faded arrows that were stretched across the smooth asphalt of the runways.
indentthe couple secured parking just outside the renlor air base. he inhaled the heavy scent of fuel and gases that hung over the area like an invisible cloud. nothing like being at a military base to make you wanna jump into the potomac river. he turned off the engine. mina had stepped out of the passenger seat to walk over to his side of the car. kai unclipped the seatbelt and stepped out, eyeing the woman suspiciously when she began to observe his face. "wha- ugh." a childish groan escaped him when she reached up to try and rub away the smudge of lipstick that lingered on his skin. he stood still - albeit rather tersely - until she managed to rub the stain off. grumbles escaped him. "can we go now?"
indentthe aircraft hangar stood out like a sore thumb in the middle of the paved fields and dark runways. it was a closed structure, built out of sloping metal and steel to house aircrafts of large tiers. if kai had to guess from the last few times he's been here, most of the vessels inside were freighters and gunships. he couldn't imagine them being able to store anything larger inside. massive vessels such as airships require special docking that ordinary hangars cannot provide, and that's just common knowledge. well... sort of. many years ago kai had acquired a book about the mechanics, history and functionings of airships to impress a then teenage mina with his extensive aircraft knowledge. surprisingly, he retained most of the information he had read in that book but only looked further ridiculous when he could answer inquires about airships and then fumble when asked something simple about a freighter. anyway, mooring masts are much more convenient than trying to dock an airship in a hangar because it helps avoid a considerable amount of manhandling. not to mention, it allows for airships to moor over both land and water. the masts contain fittings on its top that allows for the bow of the airship to attach its mooring line to the structure. most of them are portable, with spring-activated quick-response rods to make sure the structures are not placed under extreme stress from the weight of the airships. devices have even been installed on most of them to alert ground crews and operators whenever wind speeds exceed a safe threshold. most conclave bases and forts have these masts to welcome docking airships, as the large iron ships are typically captained by air force generals, and unexpected visits from these individuals are common for those stationed in said fortresses. of course, there are hangars specifically constructed for airships across the country. kai has heard most of them are located within the commonwealth. they're far too large to be docked in the capital city. residents witness ships flying across the sky all the time but an airship breezing over the city? that'd be a ridiculous sight. airships are rarely moored in hangars to begin with unless they need some sort of maintenance or the weather is too harsh to tie them to a mast. it's no secret to even those outside the air force that airships are notoriously delicate vessels. they're massive but they're slow, and the lack of a natural defense system means that the ships docked in its portable hangars must protect them should one ever be attacked. granted, there's not exactly legions of rival aircrafts they need to worry about but some organizations have gotten their hands on stolen ships that could pose a problem to travelling aircrafts. bandits could try and attack a docked airship out in the wasteland, as well and that's not to say an aerial beast would not try its luck, either. griffins and the like are much too small to do any damage to an airship but some of the larger beasts like drakes and nightstalkers could easily damage its rigid frame. luckily, the sheer size of airships means they can hold quite the amount of men and vessels to create a nasty offensive should anything try and attack the ship itself. honestly, kai was a bit bummed out that airships do not dock in the capital. he'd love to see one up close someday. hell, maybe even board one. there's few things in life that could compare to the wickedness of what is essentially a portable military base.
indentthe entrance of the hangar was wide open like a gaping maw. he immediately noticed there were several gunships of a specific model occupying the floorspace, each one spread out and surrounded by neon cones. large industrial lights hung from the hangar's arching ceilings, washing everything and everyone in pristine light. it reflected off the smooth floor scuffed with tire marks and splotches of dried oil and other fluids. there were stairs that winded up the walls like metal serpents, ones that led to large ramps that gave ample views of the hangar's work floor. the gunships were what demanded kai's immediate attention, though. donned in sleek black coating that appeared almost wet to the touch, they were slim aircrafts with rotating wings and narrow turrets. there was white lettering on their upper wings branding them as conclave property, as well as numbers to distinguish each individual aircraft from the last. the gunships appeared unspoiled; kai could not help but wonder if these particular models have been exposed to the wasteland. much like everyone else in the military, he's seen his fair share of aircrafts and most of them show obvious signs of abrasion; worn paint, scratched glass, missing plating, flimsy fuselage, the exhausted creak of machinery inside. acid rain can eat away at the metal of a ship and aggressive sandstorms can scratch the glass of a ship's cockpit all to hell. these ships appear in relatively decent condition. people were weaving between the ships, some going under for inspection while others climbed inside via open cockpits. near the walls of the hangar he noticed there were a number of air force personnel utilizing holoprojectors to go over modifications and statistics of their ships' health. the light from the holoprojectors washed the surrounding area in bright cyan. they were engrossed in their studies, tired eyes roaming the work before them for any signs of improvement. there was a large cart parked near one of the ramps with a shattered cockpit windshield in the back of it. kai wondered if it had belonged to a ship that had been attacked by an aerial predator. a few bots could be seen scampering across the hangar's floor to aid those working on their vessels. as expected, the hangar was not very busy. a lot of people have left for the night.
indentkai eyed the gunships like a child observing a new toy before he heard mina's agitated mumble. he followed her line of sight. "oh, god." he spotted a man clad in a dark uniform and medals; it made him stick out amongst the ordinary pilot and air force personnel. he was standing impatiently near the foremost ship in the hangar. an air of scorn hung about him. the infamous captain hayrmor did not exactly radiate an impression of pomposity but instead reeked an aura of exigent behavior bordered by a nasty sense of subjugation. from what mina has told him and kai garnering his own impressions of the man, he appeared to be a particularly detached captain who put high expectations on his subordinates. he did not appear to go out of his way to help anyone lower than him, as shown by his consistent negligence with mina's promotion applications. it's not uncommon for personnel to act like that. some of them are just borderline egotistical while others act visibly disconnected in their mannerisms yet overbearing with their calculations. honestly, kai was not even sure why the man acted the way he did. captains typically reside over sixty to nearly two hundred men depending on the branch and circumstances. they are above average lieutenants but below majors, colonels and general rankings. typically, captains are much more revered in the commando corps because that's about the highest rank one can achieve in that branch, for the next would be a general position itself. commando captains report directly to their generals and lead entire commando battalions. in the other military branches, though, captains answer to a multitude of higher rankings. still, having control over a unit or two is an impressive achievement. does it excuse the behavior of someone like captain hayrmor, though? of course not. he had no idea if the man had it out for mina, for he certainly hasn't gone out of his way to help her progress in her career. you'd think that since the two of them hail from prominent family names they'd be cut some slack but that's not the case at all. sure, there's plenty of elite names who buy and manipulate their children's progressions in their respective careers but mina and kai are not exactly popular with their parents in the first place. his father has always been adamant on the fact they need to build their own careers. your family can only get you so far before you're expected to show something outstanding, something that sets you apart from the average military fellow. he was sure mina's parents have displayed the same type of reasoning as his own father because it's not like they appear to be going out of their way to aid his girlfriend. honestly, kai did not think he wanted any handouts from his parents but it was frustrating to struggle while his brother xander received upmost attention and aid from his mother regarding film auditions, script readings, elite connections and lavish new hollywood housing. that was another thing kai and mina could probably relate on, really, for he was sure her parents did not hesitate to dote upon their prized son.
indentthe captain had already begun to eye them critically as they approached. great. mina was quick to offer him a respectful salute, although it did nothing to sway the vague light of judgment that glistened in his eyes. unlike his girlfriend, kai offered the older man no salute. why should he? he's not his commanding officer. ironically enough, that thinking was probably his exact problem. he had unhealthy viewpoints towards those who are superior than he. if he did not outright defy them, he displayed a type of iciness that his brother philip compared to their father's demeanor. it was a frigidness that was faintly uninviting yet not outright hostile. it offered no warmth and made it difficult to converse with him. it was easy for one to construe it as him acting unnecessarily ill-tempered, which is probably one of the many reasons his superiors have not considered him for promotion because they probably thought he was insolent. and in the military, respect means everything. kai found it hard to swallow his distaste for superiors, for any type of control enacted upon him by older people made his skin crawl in familiarity. he knew that they don't always deserve such treatment but in captain hayrmor's case, he certainly did. not that the man probably cared. he seemed much more interested in chewing out mina than analyzing every move kai made. the captain did not seem very enthused about him tagging along, either. he probably only knew who he was because he's accompanied mina so many times. "yes, sir. we have met before," he responded pleasantly yet curtly. kai left no room for a response. he knew better than to outright insult the captain or act aggressive. not only would that put further strain on mina's shoulders but it's never wise to insult someone who outranks you, no matter what branch they're from. sure, you don't have to salute officers who are not your superiors but it's idiotic to try your luck.
indentkai followed mina down the row of aircrafts, having observed their interaction with silent disdain. he did not much see how a pygmy gopher stealing a screw would be a pilot's fault but he supposed it's easier to take out your anger on another human being then a rodent. his attention shifted back to his girlfriend when she lightly nudged him to get his attention. she spoke quietly to avoid a scoff of disapproval from the captain ahead of them. kai perked up when she pointed out her gunship at the end of the line. "oh, yeah! she's a beauty. definitely a nice upgrade from the old model. i mean, y'know, the old one wasn't bad or anything. you kept it looking as good as the model could get. but, god, you can see your reflections in the surfaces of these ones." their reflections followed them as they passed the row of jets. they all looked relatively pristine, which made kai wonder if they've been much used since manufacture. he knew that with mina's current station, she's not exactly flying all across the country. still, they were lovely models and it was obvious that most of them were treated with great care. there was not much of a uniqueness to them in terms of modifications but he only assumed that mina and her squadron were in no position to change the exteriors from its default look. such aesthetics are reserved for high-ranking personnel and that's with anything in the military. kai certainly understood that, although it's a bit different in his own branch. he's always been the type of person who loved improvements and experimentation but much like mina with the exterior of her ship, kai was not allowed to step beyond such boundaries. in the android utilization branch, there's a system when it comes to the creation of androids. anyone could submit blueprints and ideas of new android prototypes but will they ever be reviewed? probably not. most of them are tossed in the trash by commissioned officers before they even have a chance to grace the high council's eyes. the council is the body that approves of new android models. there's dozens of factors that go into the process. is the suggested model similar to existing prototypes? what use will it be to the conclave? is it realistic and sustainable to create? how much finances and research must go into the process of creating it? how will they integrate into conclave society? typically, creating a new model of android takes time. kai's uncle, elias, is a member of the high council and was even apart of a small group of bioengineers many years ago who created the first lab-grown android from scratch. he was renowned for his scientific integrity, intelligence and creativity. honestly, he had an inkling that his uncle thought he was a nut because at this point there's no way to count the amount of times kai has blown up the older man's phone by sending him videos or paragraphs of text explaining some hysterical idea he had concerning a potential new prototype. kai always felt like there could be more done in terms of advancement. and either way, lower ranks are hindered in terms of creativity because anything that involves potential augmentation with your craft is reserved for only those higher then you. sure, it might motivate you to work harder but it can also kill your drive. it certainly did that to kai. he always felt that androids have the potential to be something groundbreaking. yes, he knew that their very existence is revolutionary in and of itself but he meant something bordering on radical. it's difficult to destroy an android - especially the ones created for military utilization such as gunners - but it's not impossible. even the prototypes grown in laboratories such as recruiters can be destroyed because their intelligence is limited. most models possess the same intelligence and mechanics no matter how they were created because the standard artificial intelligence used in androids has not been updated for years. it was frustrating to see evident potential being ignored. he wondered if mina felt the same when it came to aircrafts; how some of them may have the capacity to run better and perform better out in the wasteland but such potential is not tapped into because of both superior neglect and their restrictions as warrant officers. he'll have to ask her sometime.
indentthey came to a halt at the final ship in the row. kai observed mina's ship curiously while her captain eyed it rather critically. the mention of bots caused kai to perk up again although he had to stop his lips from morphing into a frown when captain hayrmor pressed them for swift efficiency. it took everything in his willpower to resist the sudden urge to lash out at the older man. it was a quick feeling that went away as soon as it came and, like always, was buried underneath to come out at a later time. the almost disparaging look in the captain's eyes and words just reminded him of someone else. luckily for the couple, though, captain hayrmor was quick to return to his duties. kai looked over his shoulder to watch the other man walk away before he glanced back over at mina. he followed her like an irritable cat. "jesus, that guy's a tool, huh? maybe we'll be lucky and one of the ramps will fall out underneath him. it's too bad you guys don't have any of those big ass military bots in here so we could yell rebel and point at him and hope for the best. i mean, we might all get blown to hell considering those things shoot mini missiles but i'd say it'd be worth it. knowing our luck, though, we'd be living across from him in the afterlife. we'd be in an episode of my neighbor from hell. literally." he had no idea why the older man was so resistant when it came to mina's attempts to gain a promotion. judging by his earlier comments, it's not exactly rare for her to be running late but is that truly enough to keep her from advancing? maybe he was just petty or held some sort of notion she didn't deserve a higher position because of something as insignificant as that. honestly, he could not think of any good reasons as to why mina would be held back. granted, they were not in the same branch so he had no idea what her work ethic is truly like but judging by what he has seen of it, she took great pride in her ships. she did not seem neglectful in what is expected of her so what gives? maybe captain hayrmor just loved hindering people for the hell of it.
indenthe reached out with a hand to touch the cool surface of the gunship. he was like a curious child as his hand roamed to touch whatever was in reach. honestly, if he could reach the slender armaments jutting from the wings and cockpit he'd probably try and touch them, too. he eventually removed his hand once they neared the thrusters. he admired them inquisitively, stopping beside mina once they neared the assistance bots. the robots were peering at her in curiosity, impatiently waiting for their upcoming orders.
indent"yeah, sure thing," kai responded to her inquiry. he bent down to offer his arm as a perch for one of the assistance bots. despite the fact he was not a member of the air force, the bot seemed to realize that he was at-least acting as some sort of assistance, hence its quick ascension onto his forearm. once he was sure it was secure, he rose up slowly so he could lift his arm up towards the engine mina had referred to moments ago. the bot let out a beep before it went to work. kai could not really see much of its handiwork from down here. it certainly appeared like the bots knew what to do, though. fascinating. he could not help but laugh at mina's question. "instead of griffins being carved up into roasted turkey by propellers, they'll just be burned to a crisp. you're moving up in the world by graduating from propeller high. but seriously, it's an amazing ship. you deserve to have something nice like it. now, if only they'd let you take it for a spin and blow some crap up out in the wasteland rather than doing yet another supply run."
indentthe two bots who remained on the ground appeared restless for some work. kai looked over at mina when she mentioned the possibility of bringing the two robots inside the ship so they could inspect some of the panel ware. he wouldn't mind checking out the interior himself. he assumed it was just as polished as the outside. he shrugged. "yeah, we can go and see mateo after, though. he should still be in the district, i guess. he works late a lot. but going inside the ship? hell, yeah! that sounds good with me. i'd love to see the inside of it." he bent down again to offer his arm to one of the bots. he assumed it'll help make the process go quicker if they simply carried the bots into the ship, rather then wait for them to navigate their way inside on their lonesome. impatient to begin working, it did not hesitate to take him up on his offer. the other assistance bot shared the same sentiment. rather than wait for mina, it immediately scrambled over to kai, barely making the small jump to try and crawl up his other arm. he had to slowly rise to his feet again while keeping his arms steady so the two bots could crawl up to his shoulders. it did not seem to be a very difficult task for them, as they were probably used to scaling high walls of metal all the time. they perched on his shoulders like robotic birds, heads swiveled towards the ship. "well, i guess that works out."

[vaermina]

ＲＯＬＡＮＤ ＹＡＮＥＺxxx
I.xcis malex II.xthe conclave militaryx III. an inr tactical intelligence officer & sniper


indentjazmín appeared from the ruins of the ship not long after he called her name. he stiffened at the sight of her. he wanted to say something but the words died on his tongue. the two of them were not a pretty sight. he could tell that jazmín had struggled to defend herself against the griffin as much as roland had. there was an obvious gash on her pauldron that signaled a talon wound. the beast had found a weakness in her power armor. it was hard to tell how deep the wound was but given the thickness and sharpness of a griffin's talons, it was nothing delightful. but she was alive and that was all that mattered. roland's number one priority was to get them both out of a potentially fatal situation and it worked. well, he did not care much for his own safety but jazmín's well-being will always be a priority of his. admittedly, though, he had been unable to protect her. he knew that she could take care of herself in ordinary circumstances but anyone will struggle to fend off a griffin, no matter how equipped they are. he and jazmín are just lucky to have even survived such a violent encounter. it would do him no good to muse over what could have gone differently. his eyes remained glued to the woman as she neared although he could not help but frown when she hurled spittle and blood. the sight of her distress was enough to immediately break him out of his dazed trance. a look of concern crossed his features. "woah, hey, hey," he said exasperatedly as she darted over to him. "don't run. are you alright? well, no, obviously you're not. how bad is it? a shoulder wound? jesus christ, that griffin got you good. it ripped right through your pauldron." his gaze briefly racked the wound on her shoulder, exposed by torn iron and ruptured leather. "motherf-" he interrupted himself. "don't worry, it's going to be alright. i'll take care of you. th-there's medical... supplies in the car-" her hands found his face, effectively shutting him up. despite his pain and exhaustion, he smiled at her. the sensation of her thumb caressing his cheek was comforting, a feeling he did not often experience when being touched. she placed her forehead against his own. for a few seconds, he closed his eyes. honestly, roland could not describe how he felt. there was enervation, affliction, vexation but solace and consolation. jazmín was safe; they were both safe. they had been battling the griffins for less then thirty minutes but it felt like they had been warped in uncertainty for ages: was the other one safe? when are the griffins going to attack again? how long can they hold them off? can they even get out of this mess? it's the type of precariousness that's bordered by panic. it's over, though. his eyes flickered open when she slipped her arm around his back while her opposite hand moved to the back of his head, pulling him into a small embrace of sorts. he remained in a semi-bent position but moved his hands from his knees so his arms could snake around her. roland was careful not to squeeze her too hard. he was surprised to find himself trembling of fatigue.
indent"honestly, i'm fine." he reassured her when she drew back from him. as expected, they were far more concerned with the other than themselves. roland's dealt with worse.
indent"i would say you shouldn't have doubted me but that was an insane plan to begin with so i don't blame you," he snorted lightheartedly. "i'm kind of surprised it worked, too." for now, anyway. if they continued to linger in the area, the griffins would surely return and roland did not think they could survive a second attack. he had no idea how badly burned the griffins are but considering one of them was still willing to attack with half of its face gone, he was more than positive that those burns won't hinder them for long. roland leaned back up to his full height; it appeared like he and jazmín had the same thoughts about getting the hell out of here. "thanks," he grunted when she offered him an arm to help ease the weight off of his leg. "let's just get the hell out of here before those big bastards come back."

indentas nightfall descended upon arcadia, an atmosphere of strange tranquility followed. the streets lay empty as the lockdown raged on. pools of light shone from the broken windows and open doorways of wastelander residencies. horses nickered in restlessness as they dejectedly pulled on the ropes that kept them tied to posts on the edges of the streets. the sounds of hounds barking, wheels churning up grit and rock and officers yelling wafted beyond the walls of the city. their vehicle had no issue treading the streets when they were practically empty. the innards of the city were devoid of life, save for only the scamper of an occasional stray. a thin layer of dust had settled over the windshield of their car. as roland drove, discomfort began to crawl up his spine. it was a subtle inkling that began to grow into a much more noticeable feeling. a new layer of sweat - this time cold - began to form on his skin. the pain in his leg grew worse by the minute. it did not help that said leg is his dominant limb used for driving. admittedly, roland was lucky to have crawled out of that conflict with just the wound he had. he could have been impaled multiple times by the griffin's beak and talons. the creatures are known for brutally gutting their victims so to escape one with just a leg injury is a pretty sound feat. they wouldn't have even been in that situation if it were not for the mayor, though. finnall is a slippery bastard, one who is just as sly and manipulative as the dominion agents who control him. he knew that roland and jazmín were far more capable than his own men to handle bigger threats but even the two of them cannot effectively exterminate griffins. it's a job that requires a group of armored men, effective shields and quick gunfire... everything that they had lacked. they could have died and for what? several crates of wine, magazines and cigarette cartons? roland had not seen anything of value concerning survival and basic needs lying in that crash site. no, the mayor knew what he was doing. and if the mayor knew, he was sure that the two dominion agents did, also. an aircraft crashes outside the city and they're oblivious to the pair of mated griffins who took it down? that's not likely considering agents of the enclave dominion have a notorious reputation for knowing far more than they should. the worst part about it all is that with two agents stationed in the city, roland and jazmín had no authority over mayor finnall's fate. granted, they don't really have authority to begin with when it comes to killing tainted-blood public figures but roland had a gut feeling that agent asfour would not let them harm a hair on that fat man's head. not because he cared about mayor finnall but because the man is well-liked amongst arcadia and he was sure the dominion would be furious to loose such a valuable asset. mayor finnall would get off the hook and the couple would be left looking like fools. damn it! he knew they shouldn't have accepted his offer. agent asfour's bidding is nothing compared to how important that damn tape is. and speaking of the tape, roland could already imagine the earful he and jazmín were going to receive from their overseer if they did not have something tangible to offer him in terms of aiding this investigation by the end of the night. the mere image of having to tell their superior they had done nothing but gotten into a ridiculous skirmish with a pair of griffins instead of finding more information about the missing tape was enough to make his discomfort grow. they're supposed to be prestigious taskforce agents. they haven't even gathered one piece of information to help the case so far and it was already past dusk. they looked like such idiots for not only failing on the first day of their deployment but for thinking the mayor did not have a hidden agenda. of course, they knew he was suspicious the moment he opened his big fat mouth but they should have seen such deception coming. ghouls... valuable supplies... griffins... luxury crates worth absolutely nothing... injured and empty-handed for no reason... damn him.
indentthey parked in the same spot they had earlier today. roland slowly clamored his way out of the car and back onto solid ground. his girlfriend wasted no time in getting out and stalking over to the mayor's office. mayor finnall emerged from the small building right when the two officers pulled up in their vehicle. he was accompanied by some of his own guards. deedee stuck close to roland's side as the man approached the platform, the sound of the mayor's stammering becoming clear to the ears now. as expected, jazmín was quick to pounce on the man. mayor finnall did not seem disturbed by her words. either he truly believed they had been more than capable enough to handle the griffins or he just wanted to shake them off so they would leave him alone. in the mayor's eyes, they had both made it out alive so what's there to be mad about? god, what an ass. he refused to believe the man was as dense as that. he knew what he had been doing when he sent them out there. he knew there were no ghouls in that cargo ship and he knew damn well he was sending two unexpecting officers straight into a griffin ambush. there was no way he was as ignorant as he was posing to be. he just wanted them to accept what has happened and be on their way. much like roland, jazmín also appeared shocked by the mayor's borderline nonchalant attitude towards their plight. "i always love jokes that end with two suckers being gutted by griffins," roland responded dryly. the old man glanced to roland as if he were going to get between him and his girlfriend. roland had no intentions of doing so. the woman could bash the mayor's head in and he would not stop her.
indentmayor finnall began to try and reel them in again, this time claiming he was puzzled at their anger when he did them a favor by shaking up their schedules. a favor?! how is nearly getting killed by two griffins better than sitting around on your ass all day? roland would gladly take a day of boredom over that.
indentjazmín shoved the barrel of her gun against the man's neck. it did not surprise roland, for he could sense such an action coming. deedee whined, lowering her head slightly at the unease that flickered through the group. the mayor's guards appeared uncertain on what they should do. should they defend their mayor or leave him to his fate? obviously, the two officers are far more capable than them in terms of combat but the guards don't answer to the conclave. they're wastelanders, employed directly by the mayor's office. they did not draw their pistols but reached for them, instead. roland felt an inch in his arms to do the same. any sign of violence from the men towards jazmín would immediately elicit a response from him. luckily, the guards were not quick to resort to such ferocity. as with any man, the gun were enough to change mayor finnall's attitude. he began to spit and spew, hollering that he had valuable information and they'd be fools to kill him. he sounded awfully sure of himself. dumb bastard. he was trying to reel roland into the conversation; he remained silent. the mayor deserved to feel the unpleasant chill of a gun's barrel against his neck. he was a greasy little thing. truly, it would be better if they just lodged a bullet in his head but they couldn't do that. mayor finnall seemed to have some sort of abstract knowledge that they couldn't, either. nevertheless, the gun was enough to make him talk. roland frowned as he listened to the older man's babbling. an abandoned town? how curious. ghost towns are common in the wasteland. they're mostly homes to ghouls, bandits, wild animals... nothing particularly exciting nor worth looking into. judging by the mayor's tone, though, he was alluding to the possibility of perhaps a hideout being located in the ruins of said town. a rebel hideout, perhaps? it definitely piqued roland's interest but he wasn't sure. the mayor has already proven to be a distrustful man. he led them astray once. what's not to say he wouldn't do it again? they can't trust him but they don't have any leads at this moment. they had spent a better half of the evening fighting griffins and now, they were nearing the end of the night empty-handed. hell, they might have to look into this abandoned town. would the mayor really try and play them for fools a second time seeing how infuriated they are right now? he wasn't sure. jazmín seemed to hold the same amount of uncertainty over the mayor's words, as well. she looked back at roland.
indenthonestly? roland did not think he deserved to live after what he had pulled.
indentunfortunately, roland was unable to answer her inquiry in time. the appearance of agent asfour caused his words to die on his tongue. he emerged from the small office building, an air of reclusive calmness still hanging about his person. the sight of jazmín pinning the mayor to a column did not elicit a reaction from the ambassador. with stealth only common to men and women of the dominion, he removed the woman's weapon from the mayor's neck. he was not asking her to move it; he was forcing her to. in many ways, his unchanging expression had a hint of challenge to it, like he were almost daring her to try and defy him. roland's thoughts earlier proved true. agent asfour would not let them kill the mayor because finnall is an asset to both the dominion and the conclave. they could care less about him on a personal level but his influence and image in the city is critical for the conclave's management over arcadia. roland would not be surprised if agent asfour knew about the griffins, as well. if the mayor's words ring truth, he did not know about the potential rebel outpost a few miles away in the abandoned village. roland found that extremely hard to believe. dominion agents not investigating an isolated settlement when such areas are known to host questionable occupants? yeah, that sounded about right. how can they trust anything the mayor says? agent asfour's appearance and subtle dominance was enough to elicit a stand-down from jazmín. i'm glad we could solve things peacefully. he did not acknowledge their disheveled appearances or obvious injuries. he did not appear very grateful nor interested in hearing what exactly they had to say. in his eyes, they had done what was asked of them and that's that. any extra hollering and complaining is unnecessary. roland could not resist the grimace that now graced his features as the agent went back inside the building. jazmín returned to his side. he reached over with his hand to gently cup the side of her face, wiping away some specks of blood that still sat glistening above her lip with his thumb. his hand briefly moved to the side of her neck to push some of her hair back before it fell back to his side. he laughed bitterly. "well, i guess we have no choice, huh? we left to investigate this case earlier this afternoon and now it's nearly night time and we have nothing to show for it. i guess we can kiss our asses goodbye because i just know this situation is not going to go over well with the overseer." the beep of one of the guards' holoprojectors and the small mumbling of the group did not elicit much of a reaction from roland. his girlfriend began to nudge him onward.
indentit wasn't until the mayor started to scramble for their attention again did they finally look back at him.
indentthis better be good.

indentaccording to mayor finnall, a well-known vendor here in the city of arcadia had claimed to have seen two suspicious characters at his stall earlier this afternoon. the possibility of said characters potentially being smuggled out of the city was enough to draw roland and jazmín's attention beyond the walls of arcadia and to the queues of the checkpoint.
indentthe queues themselves had begun to thin out as the sun nestled tiredly in the hills beyond. their vehicle came to a stop outside a multitude of tents beyond the lines of impatient wastelanders. despite his exhaustion and growing misery, roland knew that they could not stop for the night. they had to see what this vendor had to say before they decided to settle down for the evening. in an hour or two, their overseer was going to contact them to gain insight of their progress. if they told him they had done nothing today but get their asses kicked by griffins while this runaway tape fell only further out of conclave hands? he could not imagine the repercussions they might face. they could not afford to slack off or return to their superiors emptyhanded because there's a lot riding on this investigation. people who shouldn't even be showing interest in that tape want it back desperately. they have a lot of pressure on their shoulders and while roland would love to do nothing more but lie down on a cot and drink, they have responsibilities. they have expectations they must meet. their overseer would not hesitate to tell them that their injuries are their own fault because they had failed to stay focused on the core of their mission. he would not care that the mayor was essentially withholding information from them if they had not done his bidding. he would not care that the dominion agent had pressured them into accepting finnall's request. their overseer wanted results. he did not want excuses or hasty explanations. roland and jazmín have only achieved their rankings because they put so much work into their careers. only the best is expected from them because that's all they have strove for. if they dragged themselves back to their overseer empty-handed on the first day of their deployment... well, it would not look good. they'd be chewed out for wasting valuable time. hell, they could even see themselves demoted from the taskforce given the pressure and stress building upon this mission. is it frustrating to have to endure the pain for a bit longer because their duties must always be their first priority? of course but that's nothing new. in some ways, this might even be their own fault for not putting a foot down with finnall and that agent in the first place. sure, it would have been difficult getting the mayor to talk without agreeing to his pleas but he had no jurisdiction over them. the old man had manipulated agent asfour's authority to his advantage to back them into a corner but roland was sure that if they had threatened to involve their overseer in the conversation, the mayor and agent would have backed down considering there's so many prominent figures pushing for the missing file's return. agent asfour would have probably seen some sort of demotion himself if people in higher places knew he was purposely interfering in an ongoing investigation. agent asfour had mentioned that he would alert their superiors of their brief trip to the crash site but roland was positive that he did not mention anything about griffins to them. he probably just told them it was nothing but a few ghouls, an easy extermination. their overseer would be furious with them if he learned that they had not only wasted the evening fighting these griffins but they had nothing to show for it other than the inkling of a rebel hideout nearby. a hideout that has not even been confirmed because nobody has bothered to look into it. god, this is such a damn mess.
indentwith the car now parked, roland glanced at his girlfriend. he sighed. "i know you're hurting. i'm sorry. i promise i'll help you clean your wounds in a bit. i said i was gonna take care of you and i meant it. let's just see what this vendor has to say and then we can retire for the night. we can't contact our overseer without having anything tangible to offer him. i nearly lost my damn leg today; i don't think i can risk having my head ripped off, as well."
indentthere were several interrogation tents set up beyond the boundaries of the queues. they were large canvases, dark purple in color with covered openings. roland ambled his way to the closest tent alongside jazmín. deedee decided to stay by the car. two soldiers were standing outside the tent's entrance. there was another officer - a woman dressed in beige. from inside the tent, roland caught the sound of a man's hollering. "hey, one of ya'll let me out of these cuffs! i'm tryna help ya'll and all i get is chained to a table? come on! i know ya'll hear me! i read the first paragraph of the declaration of independence! i know my rights!"
indent"and you're gonna know what's it like to be pistol whipped if you don't shut up!" the woman snarled in response. she was quick to gather her composure when the couple approached. she saluted them alongside the other soldiers. "officer seco, officer yáñez." they noticed their wounds but refrained from staring.
indentroland nodded in a curt greeting. he immediately jumped into it. "what do we have?"
indent"this one's a popular vendor here in arcadia, sir. goes solely by the name zio. he's been selling in the city for years. when he was being questioned earlier he mentioned to us that he had two customers earlier today who were showing strange behavior. he said they were acting squirrely and ran off as soon as the lockdown started; said he's never seen them act so peculiar before. we checked the records at the queues and the names of the two suspects were never jotted down. we reckon they must have been smuggled through; i highly doubt they're hiding within the city. he gave us the names of these two individuals as well as a general description and facial composites." she handed him a folder containing several different papers. "julian moreno and valentina kalajian are their names. they're cousins and they live in a settlement not far from here called laurel oaks. ironically, it's only a few miles from where the group of rebels were killed. they ride a white and red american paint stallion. unfortunately, we have no way to really prove they were even in the city to begin with considering records are not kept on those who pass through the tollbooths but i'm sure that other people can confirm they were in arcadia today if what this man is saying is true. other vendors who set up shop near where mr. zio does his business at and the like. it's a busy city, after all."
indentroland handed the folder to jazmín so she could look through it. "thank you. i believe we have some questions for mr. zio himself."
indent"of course. right this way," the woman responded. she turned around to lead them inside the tent. as expected, the inside of the tent was rather dark. it took a few moments for his eyes to get used to the gloom. a single lantern sat on a lone table in the middle of the tent, illuminating the small chamber with shrouds of light. there were several chairs pushed into the table. a man was sitting in one of them, his wrists handcuffed to a small bar in the middle of the table. he appeared to be on the older side but looked exactly like how one would expect a wastelander to appear. the light reflected off the silver in his hair. at the sight of roland and jazmín, he perked up. if he could throw his hands in the air, he probably would. "jesus christ! finally, some professionals! not like this lot around here." he grinned at them as they approached. "now, officers! i would be happy to give you my own personal appreciations as soon as you release me from these cuffs. that's not something i give people often, ya know."
indentroland sat down in one of the chairs with a grunt. his wound throbbed in agony. an ache developed in his back as soon as he leaned backwards. no doubt some bruises were forming from the many times he fell onto his back while battling the griffins. roland wiped away some of the sweat that lingered on his face as he eyed the older man in front of them. the smile was quick to die on zio's lips when he realized he was not being released anytime soon. he groaned before laying his head down on the table. "i'm going to die in this tent-"
indent"you will not be harmed, mr. zio, should you continue to cooperate with us. i would like you to describe these individuals you claim are suspicious characters and what happened earlier when you encountered them." he was curt.
indentzio slowly lifted his head from the table, eyeing them apprehensively. "i think i alr-"
indent"again. please."
indent"ugh... well, you see, these two cousins are frequent regulars at my stall. i always thought they were a suspicious pair. ya know when ya have a gut feeling about people that something is off? well, yeah, that's it. they lost their parents a while back; never was the same. grief got a way of messin' people up, y'know. anyway, that's not my point. they's up to no good, i'm tellin' ya. they were acting nervous as soon as they arrived at my stall. they looked like they was up to no good, if ya caught my drift. they were borderline aggressive with me, wantin' to sell their doe as quickly as possible so they could tail it out of there. y'know, i got a lot of customers who are rude bastards. it ain't nothin' knew so i didn't think much of it. then the lockdown hit and, by god, those two booked it! ya see, everyone in the market was headin' towards the second entrance to go through the checkpoint. that's how it's always been, ya know. but these two troublemakers... why, they headed off in the opposite direction! they seemed panicked, too. they was avoidin' soldiers and all that. i have no idea where they went or what they were up to but it's no good, i tell ya. if ya'll are tryna find somethin', well, maybe they's the culprits. i don't know! it just seemed suspicious to me. and i've seen suspicious characters over the years, so i know what they be lookin' like."
indentroland folded his hands over his abdomen. he glanced at his girlfriend before he looked at the vendor again. he was not sure what to think of this so far. as of right now, it's their only lead even if it's just a bit more credible than the mayor's first spout of information. how can they be sure this man is telling the truth, though? he seemed like a fool to roland. for all they know, he's just trying to get two suckers thrown into a jail cell for inconveniencing him. he wouldn't be the first tainted-blood businessman to do that. he sounded like a nut but he supposed you can't expect tainted-bloods to sound particularly educated or mannerly. "can you tell us more about these two people individually? what do they act like? could they pose any potential danger towards the conclave?"
indent"hmph, i suppose so," zio began reluctantly. "i mean, they's always been a weird pair. the man - julian moreno - oh, he's a trickster, i tell you! he'll crack a joke and then rob you blind before you even got a chance to blink. he's one of them people who be usin' their humor to trick people, ya know? but he's also smart!" he tried to do a motion with his hands but ended up clattering the cuffs against the table's surface. "he be actin' like a fool but he be cunning! he'll lead ya into a trap and ya won't even realize it! he knows how to stay undetected and mingle with others, just enough to gain their trust before he robs 'em! and the woman, valentina kalajian? oh, she's a violent one. she's a hitman! mafioso blood!" he pointed at roland and jazmín dramatically. "i mean, come on, even the name valentina has italian origins! gambino or somethin'. colombo, maybe. anyway, she's a shoot first, ask questions later type of gal. extremely dangerous and as smart as her cousin. you may wanna check the backyard of their house; probably got a body or two buried back there. maybe check the stream by their settlement, too. ya'll ever heard of people sleepin' with the fishes? well, those two cousions are related to the feller who invented that phrase! the woman, valentina, she got a- oh, wait! write this down! write this down! i just remembered! she's a got a necklace, right, one that has the claw of a baby sharpclaw hanging from it. anyone who be wearin' sharpclaw jewelry is automatically a dangerous person. together, though, those cousins are menaces. i wouldn't even be surprised if they be workin' for the rebels. they've always been a high and mighty sort of folk."
indentyep, this guy is a lunatic. "how do we know you are telling the truth, mr. zio, and not just spinning a whole bunch of crap about innocent people you dislike? it is not uncommon for disgruntled businessmen to try and sell out people who have gotten under their skin. you appear quite vehement in your belief these two people are rebels. i cannot help but wonder if you truly want to help your government destroy the rebel threat or if this is all for your own benefit. i do hope you aren't trying to enact some sort of revenge fantasy against these people you're telling us about."
indent"sir, i am an honorable citizen of this country! it is my duty to help the government however i can!" zio exclaimed fiercely. "is it truly a sin or even a crime to be lawful nowadays? i am doing my part to help this country! look, i swear to ya'll i saw these two people today in the city and everythin' i said is the upmost truth. they hidin' somethin', i know it! and if you manage to catch up to 'em, you'll find whatever it is ya'll are looking for."
indentfor a few seconds, roland observed the older man critically. finally, he stood up again, wincing as he did so. "well, i'm glad to meet such a patriotic american!" he looked at his girlfriend before quickly shooting zio a warning glare. "if what you are telling us is a lie, mr. zio, i think we could arrange a personal escort for you that's bound for cidma mine. you look like the type of guy who could sell a couple of shivs with no problem." he smiled coldly at the older man, reaching over to pat his shoulder rather roughly.
indentzio must have thought he was joking. he laughed with a wince, cringing when roland touched him. it was almost like he was expecting roland to strike him. he motioned with his chained hands towards roland as he glanced at the two women in the tent. "get a load of this guy, huh? i always love some charmin' humor! cidma mine, shivs... good one." when there were no chuckles in response, he immediately straightened himself out. "it's the truth, honest to god! i ain't a lyin' man! i'm a faithful servant to the lord! now... i do have some, erm, things i gotta check over back at my stall before it gets too dark..."
indentthe checkpoint officer had remained silent as she observed their conversation. she had been writing down some notes on a clipboard. she looked to the couple before speaking again, "we can handle him from here. we'll issue an order that he must stay in the city for a few days in-case of further questioning, should anything with this investigation call for his testimony again. you can keep the folder, as well. it's for you. erm, i've also noticed you two are a bit... scratched up. if i may respectfully offer some guidance, we set up a medical tent across the ways from here. our field medics have been busy patching up soldiers and wastelanders who have gotten injured during the chaos of the lockdown but there's suture kits, medical supplies, cots and portable showers in-case you two want to patch yourselves up. i'm sure some of the medics could spare time to look you over if you have any severe injuries, too. if we find anything else important concerning the investigation, we'll let you know as soon as possible."
indent"thank you. we would appreciate that." roland looked to jazmín, ignoring the mumbling of zio behind them. "what are you thinking?"