[u][h1][center]Guster[/center][/h1][/u]
[i]Checkpoint FC-2, currently under supervision of Q-guard unit 87[/i]

It was 9:55 on the morning. Guster cared for little else when it came to time. He would be here for just as many days as the military lead wanted his unit to stay, counting the days would make no difference. When it came to the logbook, he could just refer to the earlier entry and forget. The unit had gathered into the comm-officer's dwelling, with the exception of the few people standing guard at the gate or the "shooting range", the excuse of a vantage point that allowed firing against any N-008's that approached. Personally Guster wouldn't have cared coming here this early, but apparently they were supposed to hold the MCM today and that could hold some interesting news, or so the command claimed. Like they had done the previous 3 or 4 times. Soon enough, the ordinary radio within the room abruptly stopped the Ride of the Valkyrie midway through as the 24-hour music channel was once more reserved for "better" use by the folk at advanced. The good ol' spokesman was on the air.

It was nothing too drastic at first. The usual praise to the S.W.O.R.D. and I.D.R.I.S. that had bothered to gather 'round, not even a word for Q-guard. Maybe some higher ups of F.E.A.R. would be praised too. Well, it was common knowledge that Q-guard was not the most liked bunch out there, so they were prob' just avoiding rising hate from the common folk that could get their hands on radios. Probably none to be honest. They were taken to military use rather effectively.

This boring repeat of the past went on for quite a moment, around 37 minutes if the clock on the wall was worth of his trust, but then began a part Guster would rather not have heard. More focus onto Free-section? Dammit. If this unit were to stay here, they inevitably would end up doing the S.W.O.R.D.'s job, rushing into the territory like those 'heroes' the people so admired. They were tough and doing a necessary job for sure... but that did not make them any less crazy. And Guster had never signed up for that level of shenanigans.
[hr]
As the clock approached 10.30, Guster got the opportunity to overtake the least stressful spot in the entire checkpoint: He was the gatekeeper now. He had taken the logbook with him and scribbled within what had been said in the meeting. Foxtrot Charlie Two would see quite an increase in traffic if what the radio had told would actually happen. Wouldn't be the first time the higher-ups talked and proceeded to actually do nothing with their troops. Like back when they boasted they could find a way to Nation. Hadn't happened.

Possibly at 11.10 an odd bunch of S.W.O.R.D. people had wandered around and wanted back onto Casual. They were a lucky bunch to Guster, even if they had just come back from that hell. At least they could leave it behind them. Among them was someone of clearly different calibre, a man who just had this sense of might around them. And of course the living shadows told their own tale. Guster would have liked to think of them being similar to him, but they were still on some level a human. He was but an imposter. None of the group had lost their ID plates, which was a godsend. No need to be calling the High-Casual facilities and asking questions.

As the shift at the gate was nearing its end, Guster could feel someone approaching the door between the little hut and the main building.
"It is still 20 or so minutes early", he greeted the person.
"No, you do not understand sergeant!" Corporal Brown partially shouted at him. "We got the avocado!"
Guster would have rolled his eyes if he had been capable of doing so. "Really? The HQ is letting us outta here?! Count me in boy, even if means we go to a different spot it is at least somewhere probably not Foxtrot Charlie somethingsomething!"

Avocado, as in the radio comms word for changing stations to another. It would be time to start packing.

[hr]

[u][h1][center]Dr. Daxter Sness[/center][/h1][/u]
[i]S.T.R. lower management offices[/i]

Sness had been preparing for this ever since his Warlike frame suffered at the... pseudopods of the sentient ooze. It did not make it any easier for him however. F.I.E.L.D. had had it's pro's, like him actually having a laboratory adequate for his needs and letting him go out and do stuff, not caring too much about what he had done with his body. Well, each community had their rotten apples, but the transfer to S.T.R. had shown him just how much worse things could be. People here tended to dislike him for two reasons: project Fenrir and him being ex F.I.E.L.D.. They thought they were better than him.

What he now had to do though was look for a way to gain access to a laboratory he could comfortably use lab frame in and house Lev's aquarium comfortably. It was nothing new having these needs neglected... even before Guildfall his employers hardly ever remembered his special needs. Sness ran a quick test on his speech system. "Do re mi fa so la ti doooooo.... do ti la so fa mi re doooooo..." Yes, that would do.

Two knocks on the door was all it took, a secretary opened the door and led Sness to her boss.
"Hello mr. Wesson", Sness greeted the man behind the table.

"Good day Dr. Sness. Please do take a seat."

"I'll just move this chair aside so I can do that if it is okay."

"Oh yes, you are one special fellow. Go ahead."

Here it was again. It was but a little problem... he needed no chair as his legs would be perfectly fine sitting still and keeping his upper body at a height fitting for the usual table, but it took some space, and now it was a big number already. Well, maybe it would go to his advantage now, showing that what he was requesting was truly needed. He settled down where the chair had been and waited for Wesson to go on.

"So let me get this straight. You are requesting a vastly enlarged laboratory with server access, mostly waterproofed and equipped with a drain and potentially an emergency shower with electronic equipment fulfilling the necessary waterproofing requirements as well?"

"That is exactly what I am requesting. Me, Lev and Virus..."

"Not everything can revolve around a single member of our staff mister. I'll see what can be done and I'll see that what gets done goes as far as possible, but I cannot make any promises."

"I... understand", Sness replied to this, offended by the fact he had been cut off earlier.

"Good. Go now, and you'll hear of us soon."

As Sness moved out he couldn't help but wonder why on earth had this person even asked him to be there personally. It had seemed that mailing the papers would've had the same effect. Maybe he just wanted to see the new facility curiosity. He was but a human like most others. What was so hard in understanding that?