[Redacted]

"48... 49... 50." Evan finished off the last of his extra pushups and rolled onto his side, letting his aching muscles recover. Phew... He wiped his brow and sat upright. Damn Darcsen... Evan would have been a little more peeved, but he knew that he had practically been asking for the extra exercises with his tardiness. Not that it would change, mind you, but he accepted why he was singled out for extra bullshit PT. The peace and quiet of his rest was soon disturbed with the arrival of a very familiar looking sergeant.

"GOOD MORNING, SQUAD FUCK-KNUCKLES!" ... shit. The vehicle bay sergeant laughed as he spotted some of the more anguished expressions among the squad. "Nah, don't worry, I've got nothing for you to clean at the moment. High command, in all their wisdom, heard that I needed more men and sent a shock trooper to help in my vehicle bay. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, SHOCKTROOPERS ARE FUCKING USELESS!" Taking a step forward, slapping a hand to his chest and waving the other infront of him, he continued his announcement in a loud and grandiose fashion. The man almost looked like he was acting the part of a villian in a bad fantasy novel. "SO, AS A DEMONSTRATION OF MY IMMENSE GENEROSITY, I HAVE TRANSFERED HER TO YOU! MAY YOU MAKE GOOD USE OF HER SKILLS IN BATTLE!" Chuckling to himself and lowering his voice (completely ignoring the fact he had just insulted a good number of the squad), he turned to the new arrival. "Yeah just make yourself at home here I guess, PFC Vogel. The Darcsen will get you all set up once he finishes talking with the other FNG." He turned to leave, but a few steps away, he spun on his heel and snapped his fingers. He had just been reminded of something. "Vogel... That means 'Bird' in an Imperial dialect, right? Your name is now PFC Titmouse. Carry on."

... There was something profoundly wrong with that Sergeant. Evan shook his head in wonder. He was pretty boisterous, but that guy took it to a whole new level. A brief look around the squad, though, found everyone else locked in conversation with each other (after having gotten over the shock of the sergeant's yelling), so he waved to the new girl. "Yo. Welcome to the shit-show, Vogel."

@Bushman501

---

Linda could not believe her misfortune! First of all, she just arrived in Fort Breda today on a truck and had one heck of a ride all the way over to the base. Though Linda enjoyed the travel, the amount of time that she had to stay seated on the way took its toll on her body. Second, Linda found out first hand about the flaws of military bureaucracy. Upon reaching Fort Breda, she found out that the squad she was supposed to link up with was in fact already deployed. This turn of events left Linda miffed as she scrambled to figure out just what the heck she was supposed to do. Her superiors directed her to the vehicle bay, where she met the oh-so-lovely Sergeant on this fine day. The rest is history.

Linda stayed silent and at attention as the Sergeant continued with his little masquerade, careful not to lock her knees. She already hated this guy, though he was of superior rank and if there was one thing that Linda was taught in boot camp it was to respect a superior officer. Still, the treatment that he showed this particular squad was....interesting. Upon hearing the sergeant's question Linda quickly snapped a salute to the sergeant and replied "Yes sir!" She stayed at attention until the sergeant left, upon which after hearing the comment about her name and the pet name she was given by him she closed her eyes, put her palm on her face, and sighed in frustration.

Titmouse? Seriously? What is he, two? This berating only proved to foul Linda's mood more. Even so when the man waved to her Linda made sure not to be too insulting. The first impression was the most important, and apparently these people were going to be the ones to watch her back when she was deployed. Linda waved back to the man and took a step forward, reading his name-tag. PFC Carn eh? Well, at least he's handsome. Gotta take pride in the little things, right mom? "Tell me that guy is not always like this...please."

@Raven_Operative

"Unfortunately yes... We've only met him twice, but he's been like this both times." Evan shrugged in resignation, before standing up and extending his hand for a handshake, his impressive frame towering over the girl. "At least the ass is not our actual Sergeant. I'm Evan Carn, the squad's driver and mechanic. Nice t'meet ya, Vogel." With the introductions over with, Evan pointed to the group composed of a certain Darcsen, Corporal, and new recruit. "Since you're new, you'll probably want to check in with the Darcsen once he finishes with the kid. He's the sergeant, so he'll know what to do with you. The other guy there is pri-Corporal Hunt." He caught himself, still not used to addressing the man by his new rank. The guy had been promoted at a whirlwind pace compared to their other members. "He's the Darcsen's second in command. Don't get injured near him. His first aid methods are unorthodox at best and damn weird at worst." Evan chuckled at the end of his statement, remembering what had happened back at the coach house with Lilly. Hopefully the boy learned his lesson. "Oh yeah, and don't salute either of them in combat unless you wanna paint a big ol' target on their head for any Imp snipers. ...Heh, well you can do that for the Darcsen, but we sorta need Hunt."

@Bushman501

---

I hope I never have to see that guy again, but something tells me I will not be so fortunate. Linda thought of the sergeant after hearing the reply that Evan gave her. When the man stood up Linda was practically looking up in order to meet his eyes with her own blue eyes. He is huge! I knew he was a little big but not this big. Upon the offer of the hand Linda accepted the handshake with a firm grip. "Likewise! I am Linda Vogel. Just call me Linda." It was then that the mechanic pointed over to a group that Linda did not notice prior to entering and instructed her about the sergeant, corporal, and another new recruit.

Upon hearing the comment of injury, Linda's face turned toward disgust as she quickly imagined the many gruesome ways a medical procedure could go. Not that she knew much of about medicine aside from applying a bandage, but the imagination did not take much fuel. Thankfully Evan's chuckle eased her from the disgusting imagery and she allowed him to finish speaking before her polite reply, noting his hatred for the dark-hair. Though Linda was not extremely prejudiced against the Darcsens and gave them a chance, she certainly did not enjoy dark-hair company every day and was always told stories about how bad they were. "Thanks for the tip. Don't worry, I do not plan on getting myself or anyone else shot, not now or ever! I will go ahead and head over there now." And with that, Linda started forward to the group Evan pointed out, though she knew better than to interrupt whatever it was they were doing and decided to wait until they were finished or until she was called upon. Today was finally looking up for her and she was ready to meet her squadmates, eat some food, and take a nap. However, that time will come when it came and so Linda stayed tense, adhering to protocol like the boot she was as she waited.

"Callaway. Private Callaway."

Veronica took the girl's offered hand in a firm grip and shook it, foregoing the first name because everyone only ever used last names in the military anyway. First names were usually reserved for those who were on a personal level with you. She went for another swig from her canteen and looked over to Eris, noting her regal air about her.

---

"I see, would it bother you if I took a look at it?" Eris asked. "I'm Eris Reinhardt since I have medical training and will be taking care of you all from now on. I'm sure I can at least help you relieve the stress with some Ragnaid."

Veronica's legs didn't seem in a far too bad shape, at least from where Eris was looking. Even so, she could always have a lightly sprained ankle or muscle cramp. It wouldn't hurt to take a look. As long as Veronica allowed it, of course.

"Well, it seems like things managed to work themselves, didn't they?" Eris said in a cheerful voice as she noticed Lily coming to their encounter.

Even then, one thing still bothered Eris. She couldn't take her eyes off that child from earlier for much long. Uneasiness was visible on her face as she looked at how a child could prance around a military base with such gleeful demeanor. "I really don't get it why they allow children to join the Militia. We should be the ones protecting them, not sending them to war. War is already bad enough as it's, I just can't bear the thought of seeing a child as old as the ones I teach get hurt fighting it."

---

Lilly smiled and nodded. "Pleasure to meet you, Private Callaway." When Eris remarked about the child arriving in their unit, Lilly sighed. "Could the war situation have already become that dire? I pray we haven't lost enough soldiers to consider recruiting young boys, but..." She trailed off, not wanting to finish that sentence, but quickly composed herself. "It is probably best not to dwell on that. How are the two of you liking the squad so far?"

---

"Well, we are the militia. We don't have a lot of the same retrictions as the Army does, not to mention the equipment..." She said the last part a bit mumbled. "Besides, we're a tiny country. We're fighting a war hopelessly outnumbered, so we need everyone we can get."

---

Eris raised an eyebrow as Lily changed the subject ask of a sudden, after touching the topic of their youngling recruit. Could it be that Lily was interested in young boys? She didn't look old, but certainly, if that was the case, things could become a bit... awkward.

Or she was just worried about the war and Eris was reading too much into it? Veronica didn't seem to mind it, so it was likely the second case—

"Oh, huh!" Eris stuttered once asked about her first impression of Squad Four. "Well, I believe that this is a quite a... lively group?" she said in a low voice, wondering if her reply didn't sound too halfhearted.

---

"I'm just glad to be here." Veronica quickly and tactfully took the social baton from Eris to spare her a few moments to think of something. "It's about doing your part, no matter who you're with. Like the squad becomes a family..." Her smile waivered with a flash of guilt and her eyes seemed to stare off at something else, but only for a quick second. "I'm still new here, though. I don't have much experience with these guys like you do. I'm just hoping to keep my head down and make it back home."

---

"Well worry not, I am sure we'll all make it through." She couldn't tell what was bothering the other two, but the sudden, slight shifts in mood made her feel like something was wrong... But since she couldn't put her finger on it, Lilly smiled and tried her best to move the conversation into more cheerful territory. "Our sergeant has done an excellent job of keeping us all safe. You're in good hands with him." ...Except for the time she got impaled... or Kyou had lost his leg... or the Sergeant himself had been shot... or Brenna getting scarred and burned from a tank shell... Lilly knew full well she was lying, though she kept her composure and didn't show it. The two looked a bit uneasy still, and she didn't want to demoralize them.

She nodded to Eris after addressing Miss Callaway's statement. "Yes, it certainly is. The squad has it's fair share of rather unique personalities, but everyone seems to be on good terms with each other. I'm sure you'll get along with them quite well once you get to know them. If not, come talk to me. I'll have a word with them and set them straight." Lilly giggled, the last part of her comment said mostly in jest.

---

"That's a relief," Eris said, after Lily gave them her support. "To say the truth, I was afraid that I would get assigned to a squad with no other women. With what you said and the two of you here, I can feel at ease."

"By the way, while we are talking about the squad." Eris looked around, before fixing her gaze on Lily once more. "What kind of equipment do you, I mean, we have to work with?"

---

Veronica smiled at Lilly.

"So does that make you our big sister of the squad?"

She giggled a bit, wondering if the amount of estrogen in this squad was a good thing or a bad thing.

---

"No, nothing like that... But I do try to mediate and help where ever I can, so if either of you have any concerns about anything, feel free to talk with me about them." Lilly arched an eyebrow, amused at the 'big sister' comment. ...She wasn't that old fashioned was she? She was only 20...

When Eris asked about the squad's equipment, Lilly paused for a moment, trying to remember what everyone was equipped with. "Um... Most of the squad is equipped with first generation rifles or SMGs, though a few have chosen to use Imperial weapons. We use a captured and repainted Imperial APC to move around, and um... I think that's about it?" Lilly shrugged, not particularly pleased about the current state of their equipment. "I think the army proper uses second or third generation weapons, but the militia is only given their old surplus unless we acquire weapons from somewhere else. I wrote a letter to my father describing our situation, so he may provide us with some newer weapons in the future, but the war makes postal service unreliable... I don't know when he'll actually receive it." She sighed and shrugged again. "Oh well, there's nothing we can do about it for now. Bullets kill no matter the gun they're fired from."

The conversation went on for a short while longer, but was suddenly interrupted by Sergeant Harald calling them to attention and the mad scramble that followed. Apparently some officers were inspecting them.

While the squad was still burdened with their morning PT, a staff car and pair of escort trucks rumbled through the morning fog and up to the main gate of Fort Breda. It was there where it was greeted by the sentries on duty. They dutifully stopped the convoy, demanding identification, a manifest, and other documents, but their professionalism quickly faltered when it became apparent exactly who the convoy belonged to. "S-Sorry, m'Lord! We didn't know you were coming!" The soldier who was inspecting the vehicles went white as a ghost and hurriedly saluted the noble sitting in the staff car's rear. Behind him, the other pair of sentries quickly stepped out of sight to straighten their uniforms. "Don't let my station phase you, I'm a man just like you. Finish your inspection in accordance with protocol, though please do not delay. I have many things to attend to." Lord Barst, a thin, black haired man in his early 40s, returned the salute, speaking in his usual sneering tone. Said sneer sent mixed messages to the sentry, who couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or supportive. The man quickly nodded, replying with a quick 'Yes, m'Lord', and hurried through the rest of the inspection. In truth, there was no hidden meaning or masked distaste that Barst had for the guards - his voice just naturally sounded this way. It was a slight boon when conducting negotiations, because it was difficult to tell what his actual feelings were, but was not so helpful when dealing with people on a personal level. Once the sentry had finished his inspection, the convoy proceeded through the gate and into the main portion of the camp. "Driver, take us to the NAFFI. We will find Squad 4 in due time, but first I need some coffee."



A half hour later, Lord Barst and his entourage had arrived at the edge of the field Squad 4 had been using for PT. Squinting through the morning sun and shielding his eyes with the visor of his officer's cap, he strode across the field towards the resting group. It didn't take long for Harald to notice the approaching group of officers (their rather impressive dress uniforms were difficult to miss), and he quickly called the squad to attention. "At ease, at ease, all of you. This visit is not particularly formal, but please listen to what I have to say." Barst took a swig from his coffee mug and looked around, inspecting the squad that had apparently saved his unit. The large amount of women and disproportionately low average age of the group were two things he noted. By all accounts, that should have been a hindrance for them, yet their achievements on the battlefield spoke for themselves. Interesting.

Once the group had relaxed a bit, Barst handed his mug to one of his aids, crossed his arms behind his back, and began to slowly pace back and fourth in front of the unit. "We have not been properly introduced. I am Lord Barst, the defacto officer in charge of the division that you were invaluable in rescuing at Vasel. For that you have my thanks and the thanks of the men who were able to make it home safely because of you." He motioned to one of his aids, who began distributing envelopes to every squad member. "Let it never be said that I am an ingrate. As thanks for your assistance and in recognition of your conduct on the battlefield, I have authorized weekend passes to the capital for all of you, as well as transportation and accommodation. The envelopes my aid is passing out contain your train tickets, hotel keys and instructions."

His first talking point completed, Barst paused until his aid finished handing out the envelopes, shifting his eyes over the group again. Yes, the group was irregular enough, and most seemed happy to be getting some time off. They were a perfect fit for his plan. Once everyone had their envelopes, He whispered for Harald to call the squad to attention. "Right, there is one last thing to take care of - Something which requires a bit more formality. In honour of our success in the recent battle, all soldiers involved - militia and army alike - have been awarded the Vasel Service Medal." Once the squad was at attention, another aid produced a medal box, and Lord Barst began calling fourth the older members of the squad.

"Private Fairglaive. Please step forward." Since the squad was in their PT uniforms and not proper dress uniforms, instead of pinning the medal to her shirt, he simply shook her hand and passed her the medal in it's box. "The prisoner you captured provided us with useful intelligence and was part of a POW trade. Congratulations."

"Private Hexner. Please step forward." As he shook her hand and gave her the medal, he addressed her accomplishments in the battle. "I heard you were wounded in action but still assisted another squad member with your medical supplies. We'll have to work on getting you a Crimson Heart for that. Congratulations."

"Private Jatmoore. Please step forward." When she approached Lord Barst, he looked her up and down, before nodding in approval. "You're turning into a fine young soldier. Your father will be pleased to hear of this when I speak with him next. Congratulations." He shook her hand and gave her the medal before dismissing her.

"Private First Class Rousseau. Please step forward." Again, he shook her hand and passed her a medal. "Reports say that you were vital in clearing houses and covering the wounded. You've earned this medal well. Congratulations."

"Private First Class Carn. Please step forward." Lord Barst wasn't a particularly short man by any means (though he was of below average height), but Evan absolutely towered over him, causing Barst to have to crane his neck while addressing him. "While not an active participant in the main assault, your driving skills saved your Sergeant's life and assisted with the pathfinding tasks. That's as good a reason as any. Congratulations." Once he dismissed Evan, he flexed his hand (which had nearly been crushed by the mechanic's vicelike grip), and cracked his neck.

"Corporal Hunt. Please step forward." When Hunt came forward, it quickly became apparent that Barst had more than just a medal on his mind. When he shook Hunt's hand, he passed him another envelope. "Keep this quiet and let the squad enjoy their Saturday. On Sunday I have a task for you. Gather the squad and follow the instructions in this letter." With that said, Lord Barst handed him his medal and continued. "You were thrust into command of your squad, saved one of our tank crews, and performed admirably in the field, despite your low rank. By all rights, this medal is a paltry reward for your achievements, but please accept it as a symbol of Gallia's gratitude. Congratulations."

"Sergeant Harald. Please step forward." When Harald came forward, Lord Barst surprised some of his aids by shaking the Darcsen's hand and treating him with the same respect as everyone else in the squad, rather than looking down on him. The news he brought was not entirely good, though. "Unfortunately you will not be joining the squad in their trip to Randgriz. I have a job for you of utmost importance. Please follow the instructions in this envelope and burn it after reading." With that, he handed the Sergeant a letter and two medal boxes. "In honour of your achievements and in recognition in your grave wounds sustained in the service of Gallia, I hereby award you the Crimson Heart and Vasel Service Medal. Congratulations."

Once the medals were distributed and everyone had returned to their positions, Barst made one final announcement. "Ordinarily I would have held a proper awards ceremony, but time is very short. Your train leaves three hours from now and one of my drivers will take you to the station. Corporal Hunt! Sergeant Harald has business with me, so you will be in charge of the squad for this weekend. See to it that they pack well and enjoy themselves, understood? Farewell." With that, the Lord spun on his heel and departed, leaving his aids scrambling to catch up with his brisk pace. Those with either a prior knowledge of the military, or an in depth knowledge of Gallian aristocracy would notice that the man's shoulder cape had an odd insignia on it. Instead of belonging to a military division or squad like most other officers, Lord Barst's signified something entirely different - It belonged to the Gallian Intelligence Service.

James had looked up at the sound of more approaching vehicles and frowned a little at the sight of the staff car. If there were medals to be awarded, why wasn't there an official call out? Still, he had seen stranger things than officers come to inspect what other squads had started calling "The Saviors of Vasel." Hunt knew that they'd made the difference in the long run, but it was the men and women who went in first who had laid the ground work.

As he watched, one of the Lords of Gallia had stepped out and Hunt called the squad to attention, which was quickly at eased by the man who identified himself as Lord Barst, who until now, the Corporal only had a voice for. He wasted no time explaining why he was there, and each member of the squad, including their new arrivals, were given envelopes with everything they'd need for down time in the Capitol. James honestly would have preferred to get back on the front and fighting the Imps, but it was what it was. While the aid handed out their envelopes, James appraised the man in front of him, trying to figure him out.

When the Imperials began their invasion of Gallia, the noble houses of Gallia had been folded further into the military command chain and, as evidenced at Vasel, they had performed well enough that they were recognized readily as officers outside of their noble titles. James couldn't understand it, the original command structure had been doing fine, but he couldn't argue it. And as for Barst, so far the man seemed reasonable enough. When the first aid finished, the Sarge called the squad to attention once more before Barst began to hand out medals, the Vasel Service Medal. James suddenly wished he were cleaner and dressed appropriately for the small, unofficial ceremony, but it was a bit late for regrets.

When Barst called his name, James stepped forwards and was first handed a second envelope. "Keep this quiet and let the squad enjoy their Saturday. On Sunday I have a task for you. Gather the squad and follow the instructions in this letter." Confused, he offered a nod in acknowledgement and accepted his medal with a salute, stepping back and waiting for the Lord to finish before sighing. Looked like he was in charge of the squad again. He began to call the squad's attention when the insignia on the Lord's shoulder cape caught his eye, and suddenly he grew nervous. Gallian Intelligence Division? Suddenly I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy the plan for Sunday... Still, he would do as ordered. "Alright, ladies and gents. The Sarge will be going with Lord Barst, so all of you are stuck with me. You've got one hour to get cleaned up and your stuff for the weekend packed. Dismissed." As the squad dispersed, James looked at the second envelope that Barst had given him and a frown creeped onto his face. Just what was it they were really doing in the Capitol?

---

After Linda got squared away with Harald, she too saw the uniforms approaching. Before Linda could do anything, Harald called the squad to attention and Linda immediately snapped to attention along with the rest of the squad only to be called to be at ease by the men in the fancy uniforms. The first thing that Linda noticed was that Lord Barst, as he called himself, carried himself not like a commoner but as a noble. Though she had no in-depth knowledge about the aristocracy, Linda had enough run-ins with nobles to know how they behave. Nor did Linda know too much about the military, though the symbol was interesting. She will have to ask about that later. [b]"Let it never be said that I am an ingrate. As thanks for your assistance and in recognition of your conduct on the battlefield, I have authorized weekend passes to the capital for all of you, as well as transportation and accommodation. The envelopes my aid is passing out contain your train tickets, hotel keys and instructions." The capital? Wait....didn't I just come from there? When the aid reached Linda, she took the envelope though Linda did not like this situation. She swallowed the remark that was rising up in her throat and paid attention.

Then, the medal awarding started. Although Linda was not part of the group in Vasel, she knew there was nothing she could do about it. She was still in training at the time Vasel happened. Linda was ambitious, but she knew that there will be plenty of time to earn one of those pieces of metal on a later date. "Ordinarily I would have held a proper awards ceremony, but time is very short. Your train leaves three hours from now and one of my drivers will take you to the station. Corporal Hunt! Sergeant Harald has business with me, so you will be in charge of the squad for this weekend. See to it that they pack well and enjoy themselves, understood? Farewell." Linda replied with normal "Yes sir!" that was customary for the military, and the same to the instructions that Corporal Hunt gave them all. Well, she at least did not have to pack very much, for she had little belongings with her and what she did have were already all packed!

Her thoughts went back to earlier as she looked down at the envelope. I...I can't even...I just came from there. Are you kidding me? Linda could not believe her luck. Yes, if one looked at the fact that they will probably go to the beach or something, drinking margaritas and get a nice massage this was the best things to ever happen. But Linda did not believe any of this happened without a catch even though she had such a bad day already. Looking back at the envelope again, Linda aggressively knife-handed toward the envelope in pure frustration and disbelief with a hefty sigh once she saw the coast was clear of any of the brass. "This...this is not funny." Linda went to grab her belongings, or what she was supposed to take. Whatever the Valkyrurs were, they had a sick and twisted sense of humor.

When Lilly was called forward, she was surprised by Lord Barst recognizing her and commenting on her appearance. She had met the man a couple times, but didn't think she had been important enough to commit to memory. The comment on her turning into a 'fine young soldier' made her smile and she gratefully accepted the praise and her medal. "Thank you, my lord!" She said as she saluted before being dismissed.

Once the group was ordered back to the barracks, Lilly quickly set about packing her things. She was still a little somber from her talk with Vogel and Reinhardt, but the prospects of visiting Randgriz excited her. She had only been there once or twice with her father, and those had been on business trips. Now she would finally get a chance to explore, see the sights, and have a bit of fun. ... it only took a war for it to happen, she mused to herself, wishing that were not the case. Now... What should she pack? Rifle and ammunition were clearly not needed - she would need to turn in her rifle to the armoury before leaving the base, so it wasn't like she could take it with her (nor would she want to). Clothes were needed, but how much? Two or three days worth at most... Maybe a book for the train... Oh, and her ID cards. She didn't have much money on her person, but her personal bank account held a significant amount. If she was lacking anything, she could make a withdrawal at one of the city's banks provided she could prove who she was. Once her preparations were complete, she zipped up and buttoned shut the military pack she would be taking with her and quickly changed from her PT uniform into her standard uniform. While all her packed clothes were of the civilian variety, she would need to remain in uniform until they left the base.

Once she was ready to go, she carried her pack out to the rally point in front of the barracks and waited for the rest of the squad to assemble. Hmm... if she were going to Randgriz, it would be best pair up with one or two other people for the trip. The more the merrier, after all, and it was always more fun to experience things with a group of friends. Maybe... or maybe she should ask a certain squadmate, who she fancied, to accompany her on a date? A light blush formed on her face as she stared up at the sky, smiling. No, compose yourself, Lilly. Besides, wasn't it traditional for the man to ask the woman out? Just what would your mother think of you if she found out? Throwing yourself at a man like a loose woman...

After her talk with Veronica and Lily, Eris was left wondering the reason why the Militia was so badly equipped when compared to the regular military. Though, the answer seemed to be an obvious one, "Galia isn't so different from the Empire, the aristocracy still thinks the commoners are nothing but stepping stones."

Such a thought caused Eris to grow as stiff as a board once a member of the very social class she was thinking of approached their squad. Thankfully for her, Lord Barst left as quickly as he came. Not before holding an impromptu commendation ceremony for the senior members of the Squad and giving them all a weekend-long leave at Randgriz.

The last thing Eris noticed as she joined the rest of the squad in her trip to get her belongings ready (thankfully she hadn't even unpacked anything yet) was the badge of the Galian Military Intelligence Service on Brast's uniform. This was enough to cause her to sigh a sigh of relief once she reached the showers. There's no telling what could happen if her Imperial origins were to be revealed, after all this was the main reason why Eris and her sister declined officer promotions after finishing college. She could only hope that being assigned to Squad 04 wouldn't put her in a bad position.

---

"You guys certainly are a lucky group, aren't you?" Eris asked in a nonchalant way as she set aside the very same luggage she brought with her yesterday and joined Lily.

A glance at the blonde's face made her apprehension obvious, though Eris couldn't be certain of the reason behind it. For a moment, the silver-haired girl wondered if she should ask Lily about it or not. But given their previous talk, Eris felt that she could at least give try.

After a momentary pause to gauge how she would approach Lily, Eris asked in a way similar to the one she used when she needed to approach of her students, "You seem to be a bit nervous. If you don't mind me asking, is there something bothering you?"

James had wasted no time in getting his clothing packed and, after considering things for a moment, packed his Viper and it's holster as well. He knew most of the squad wouldn't bother bringing even their sidearms, let alone their rifles, though those had to, reasonably, be checked into the armory before they left, a process which he'd already made sure was being done as there was one of the quarter masters going to each member and securing the rifle before they left their barracks. James himself had been waiting at the place where Lord Barst had met them for about five minutes when Lily and Eris showed up, though he'd packed perhaps the least out of anyone else. Three changes of civvies, his swim suit, a more formal suit for a dinner date he intended to ask a squadmate out on Saturday, the essentials for keeping clean and fresh smelling, his flask, and his pistol. Where he saw Reinhardt coming with her luggage, he started to wonder how many of their new squad members had actually unpacked.

However, as his eyes drifted to the pocket that held the second envelope that Barst had given him, James couldn't help but frown again. Intelligence division had a habit of making everyday soldiers their tools in conspiracy theories and wild goose chases when they should be on the front lines ensuring that the Imps didn't gain anymore additional ground. The aristocrat's words still echoed in his mind as well. "Keep this quiet and let the squad enjoy their Saturday. On Sunday I have a task for you. Gather the squad and follow the instructions in this letter." He decided he wouldn't crack the seal on it until Saturday night when he'd turned in for the evening, but until then, his fear, worries and concern for the squad's well being would be a knot in his gut he knew he wouldn't be able to shake.

"Mhmm... Lucky is certainly one way to put it." Lilly smiled and nodded in agreement with Eris' comment. Indeed, from what she'd heard, weekend passes to the capital were quite rare so they were incredibly fortunate to have not just an officer, but a Lord singling them out for praise and a reward. When she was asked if she was nervous, Lilly visibly started. Did she really look like that? "Oh good heavens, no. I'm just excited." She shook her head to dispel the notion and turned to face Eris, brushing a hair out of her face as she did. "I've only been to Randgriz once before, and that was on business. I'm looking forward to finally being able to explore on my own time." Lilly's blush returned and she smiled as her mind returned to that matter. "... I'm also hoping to meet someone there. I hope he-" Lilly immediately changed the subject of discussion to the wonderful weather they had for the trip as Hunt arrived. That and her blush would make it quite easy for Eris to interpret just who the person she wanted to spend the weekend with was. She certainly seemed both excited and nervous about the day to come.


True to his tardy fashion, Evan was one of the last people to form up. Unlike most, Evan had a home in the capital, so he actually needed to pack very little for the trip. Clothes, money, food (of the canned variety), all that could be acquired from his residence. Why he was still the last to show, even though he only packed a few things, was a mystery to most. In reality it was because he had taken a 30 minute cat nap after getting cleaned up. They had been up too damn early and he needed as much sleep as he could get.

A short while later, a troop truck rumbled up and the driver quickly dismounted. Saluting Hunt, he explained that Lord Barst had sent him to ferry the squad to the train station and beckoned for them to hop into the back. Being the muscle of the squad, that also meant that Evan was the last to board. He was assigned the duty of helping them load by handing packs up to his squad mates as they climbed in, before hauling himself up as well. Once everyone was settled and Hunt did a final head count, he tried to make himself as comfortable as he could on the troop bench. Being a big fellow, combined with the bench being much too narrow, though, meant that this was a near impossible task. Sighing, he resigned himself to a very uncomfortable 30 minute ride.


Their trip was slowed somewhat by needing to pull over and let other (more important) military convoys pass occasionally, but the group arrived at the train station in the nick of time. As they dismounted, they heard the tell-tale sound of a steam whistle in the distance and saw the glow of the train's ragnite radiators from a little ways off. Though she didn't break formation when they were lined up, Lilly was acting like a kid in a candy shop, craning her neck and leaning to get better views as she stared at the arriving train. It was almost like she had never seen a train before.

When they were finally allowed to board, Lilly quickly secured herself a seat beside a window, nearly forgetting to stow her pack overhead in her haste. She quickly scooched over to the side to clear the way for anyone who wanted to sit next to her and began staring out the window once the train started it's movement. Barely a trace of her usual composed and ladylike mannerisms remained. She was excited! Her weekend adventure began here!

Eris looked at Lily with a knowing gaze. "So, that's what it's about, uh?" Eris thought as she stole a glance of the direction where Lily's eyes wandered to. "Just like a child with a precocious crush."

After listening to the rest of Lily's excited confession, a broad smile graced Eris' face and she puffed her chest confidently. "Well, then today is indeed your lucky day. I can show you everywhere around Randriz," Eris said out loud, proudly playing the older sister. "I can even show you the best places to meet this special someone of yours, if you want to," she added, whispering so that only Lily could listen to her words.

---

Their talk was forced to a halt once the transport arrived. While Eris felt like resuming it once they were in the train, even going as far as sitting beside Lily and talking about nonsensical matters such as the weather and the scenery they were passing by.

Eris changed her mind very fast once she spotted none other than Hunt enter the same car as them. A devious smirk appeared on Eris' face just as the train rocked slightly as it descended a small hill. "Can you excuse me just a moment, please? I got quite thirsty after those exercises so, I'll go take a look at the refreshment car. Would any of you two want me to fetch you anything?" she asked both of them, after waving for Hunt to come closer. "In the meanwhile, why don't you take the time to unwind a bit? I'm sure that even the Heroes of Vasel need to rest every now and then, right?"

Only the most well trained of the male eyes would be able to notice the subtle "Go for it" wink that Eris shot at Lily before standing from her seat, practically pushing Hunt into it. Eris waited to see if any of them had any requests (hoping that any other nearby squadmates didn't interpret that as an offer to be their stewardess for the trip) before leaving the two love birds to their own devices.

---

After securing her luggage, which was relatively light, Linda made her way to their RV where she found Hunt and a few other members of the squad. She decided that although she was not able to take her rifle, she was at least going to take the combat knife she had on this trip, for more than one reason of course. One by one, she saw them all trickling over here with the last one being Evan. Though she found his tardiness amusing, she noted that he may be more unreliable to stick with a time than the others. After that observation, however, Linda was able to observe the comrades she will be serving under.

First was the Lance Corporal. Reinhardt, she thought she saw on her name tag earlier. Given her title and if what the rumors said were true, the silver-hair, crimson eyed girl would have heard a lot about what the officers are planning next. What was it called again? The lance corporal underground? Yes, that has to be right! However, despite her rank and title Linda noticed Reinhardt carried slight nervousness toward Lord Barst earlier. That, and her name sounded like it was something Imperial like Linda's own. That by itself, however, was not something to be alarmed about, as Imperial names were still decently common in Gallia due to various immigrants perhaps generations ago, like Linda's own. Still, Linda noticed the girl's endowment and couldn't help but feel admiration but also jealousy. Wow, she is pretty! I would like to use those as a pillow one day, just to see if I can. Shaking the devious thought away, Linda turned her thoughts to the next person.

The next was Evan. She already developed her opinion from before, but his tardiness enhanced it. Furthermore, he seemed to be one of the few men in the squad. This made Linda wonder how the squad was going to act with the massive amount of women here with so few men on top of less discipline than the conventional military. Still, they did perform well in combat as proven by the medals so there was not too much worry in that department. But what if.....what if they had to leave someone behind or worse? Before she could get too pessimistic, Linda moved her thoughts to the next member.

The next was one of the other men in the squad, the corporal. Otherwise known as corporal Hunt, Linda observed him and immediately knew he had some kind of bond with another squadmate, Jatmoore. One had to be blind to not see that, though Linda could not be too sure of what kind of relationship they had immediately. Otherwise, Hunt himself seemed alright, at least so far with his behavior. That could change, but Linda will give him the benefit of the doubt for now until she had more information.

Then there was Jatmoore, at least that is what the nametag and Lord Barst said. Right away, Linda could tell she was an elegant piece of work, but her excitement for the situation compared to what the others reacted with proved enough that she was ignorant of the ways of the world. She did not seem to understand that if something good happened without having shown significant effort, there was a catch to it. Even if they performed at Vasel, Linda did not think the militia squad would have been given a trip to Randgriz just like that. Maybe R&R, but not something that elegant. Still, she will learn at some point and it did seem she had at least some combat experience. However her ignorance, she was still over Linda in that department in the least.

The next was Callaway, who she only knew via her tag. Judging by her limited interaction with the others, Linda would guess she was new too though couldn't be certain. Other than that, her brown hair and eyes were certainly normal, unlike Reinhardt's features. Not much else could be discerned from her at this time, though Linda's opinion would surely change later.

The next was another male, Gosling. Once again only knowing via the name tag, she did not have much observation of him except for the fact that he was a bit skinny and carried a big gun. It was laughable, but Linda did not outwardly laugh for that would be a bad ordeal. It was just amusing to see, though the colored plates would be a bad idea for stealth purposes.

With the initial assessment of the squad done, the driver arrived and picked them up. When they got to the train station Linda noticed Carn on luggage duty. Of course he was, he was the strongest-looking here. Despite this, Linda refused help with her own luggage and loaded up. Though Linda has rarely seen a train in her life aside from pictures, she couldn't say she was excited for the ride. This was the Militia after all, and it was just a train. A mode of transportation that would take them to Randgriz. Lilly's excitement was obvious as she seemed to have finally abandoned her lady-like behavior as Linda was taking a seat that was for the most part alone. However, she observed and overheard parts of the interaction between Reinhardt and Jatmoore. When Linda saw Reinhardt waving Hunt over and excusing herself, that made Linda worried based on her prior observations and her own paranoid thinking. If her suspicions were true, that meant that Hunt and Jatmoore were in more than a friendship, or at least were developing such. That would also be Linda's luck hitting her right in the face again, but it could also be possible that Reinhardt was simply trying to set them up for more interaction or it is an elaborate prank. Maybe she was thinking too hard on the situation; with her luck as it has been lately it would make sense if she was doing so.

There was only one way to know for sure what was going on and put her fears at ease, or reveal them to be true. It was also an opportunity to get to know someone else in the squad besides Evan Carn a bit more personally, so that was two birds with one stone. When Reinhardt asked for any other requests, Linda shot up with "I'll go with you. I need a walk anyway." She was sitting down for a long time before arriving at the fort, she surely needed something to catch her up. Not leaving any room for denial, she got up quickly to accompany Reinhardt.

As each person loaded up on the truck to the train, James did a head count of each person who got on, making sure everyone who was supposed to be there was there, and then doing another after Carn, who would need a reminder that showing up late all the time was not an acceptable thing, Darcsen NCO or no. Once that was done, he climbed in next to the driver and told him to get going. After a decent drive, made longer by the necessity of allowing real military convoys by, they managed to catch the train.

Hunt rushed everyone on, making sure they all presented their tickets as they raced aboard and making sure the more packed squad members got their packs stowed properly. Once that was all done, he set to find a seat of his own, spotting Lily with one of the squad's new members. Approaching, the new member, Reinhardt if his memory served, since he made a point of avoiding looking at her name tag due to it's placement on the chest, excused herself and headed off to get beverages. Holding up his flask, James took a seat across from Lily and waited until the door was closed to look at her. She was even cuter when she was-Cut that out, you. You're her superior officer. At least wait until you're out of uniform. Deciding to distract himself, he struck up conversation. "So, crazy luck getting a trip to the capitol after Vasel, huh?"

While most of the squad was excited about their excursion to the capital, Evan was more excited about finally being able to get some proper sleep. After helping his squadmates unload from the truck and move their baggage onto the train, he made his way onboard and plopped down into the first open seat he could find (nearly crushing the person next to him with his rather large size). If no one engaged him in conversation, he would quickly fall asleep for the duration of the trip. It might have seemed odd for Evan to be this sleepy, but he had been pulling 24 hour shifts driving wounded around during the battle of Vasel and never got a chance to actually get a full night's sleep since. No doubt the majority of his weekend would involve him being passed out on the comfiest mattress he could find.


Lilly's face went beet red when Eris whispered about showing her the best places to meet with James, but she managed to compose herself enough to continue the conversation. "I-I, um... Thank you for your kind offer, Miss Reinhardt, I may well take you up on it once we arrive in Randgriz."


Lilly smiled when Eris sat down, happy to have company to chat with for the trip. Said happy expression quickly shifted into one of blushing embarrassment, though, when she got up and quite literally shoved James in with her and winked. Said embarrassment lead to her taking an unusual interest in examining the seams of her uniform's gloves and basically ignoring him until he spoke up. "Y-Yes... It is fortunate, indeed." What was she getting all worked up about? She was just talking with James, as she had done many times in the past. Finally mustering the courage to look up from her hands, she continued with a slightly more collected voice. "Have you been to the capital often, Mr. Hunt? I have never actually gotten the chance to visit it outside of a single business trip. Is it nice there?"

James chuckled and shook his head, taking a drink from his flask. "Sure I've been there, but never off base. Higher ups didn't want us army boys and girls causing trouble." He frowned slightly at the memory, since he'd always wanted to see more and now he could, only it was with strings attached. "Still, what I saw from the base was nice."

Veronica Callaway
Squad 04

Well, everything had happened so suddenly. Luckily for her, Veronica was able to get out of the award ceremony by having not been assigned to the squad until after their mission at Vasel. She couldn't stomach the thought of the embarrassment of having to return the medal to the noble before them. But, it would've been the right thing to do. Medals were awarded to show recognition of service, and she hadn't been at Vasel to be recognized for service there. She didn't get a medal for her wounds either, but perhaps the noble who had overseen Squad Thirteen just wanted to be rid of the whole mess. That made sense to her, since she was the only survivor and instead of getting publicity, she was swept into another squad. Well, fine with her.

She waited out the ceremony, concerning herself with the shortness of her PT shorts, but generally nothing else. It took a while until they were under way, but she too was given an envelope. Weekend pass? Well, she could use a little down time. PT had already worn her out a little, and you never say no to R&R. She learned that from someone in her previously assigned unit. Soon enough, they were underway to the train station and aboard. Well, this was certainly shaping up to be a great day so far. She picked out one of the few empty rooms in the traincar and set her bag down with her things in it.

Veronica looked at the bag and felt something calling her from in it. She knew what it was. She opened it up and pulled it out. A patch with a black cat and the number "13" on it; her old squad insignia. She kept it as a reminder of what happened, but it didn't haunt her. She sighed, trying to push back those painful memories for now, and slipped it back into her bag. It was pretty nice to be in the traincar, even if she needed a shower from that early morning PT session. That was the first thing she'd do when they got to Randgriz. For now, she threw her bag onto the bench and flopped down onto it for a nice nap.

Eris was satisfied with how things were going between Lily and James. To say the truth, she felt a bit bad for the poor girl —Eris'd been on Lily's place before, she knows how the other girl must be feeling, but that would certainly be a good experience for her. Or, at least something worth laughing off in the future.

"Well then, if you excuse me—" Eris said as she was about to leave, only to be intercepted by Linda. Having company wasn't in Eris' initial plans, but a short moment of thought —noticeable by a sudden halt in her sentence— made it clear that it was much better than going alone. At least as far a alibi goes. Plus, this was Eris wouldn't have to spend the next part of the train trip alone, while the love birds enjoyed themselves.

"Sure, you are welcome," Eris said, finally turning around and addressing Linda. "I don't think we had the chance to introduce ourselves before, so... why don't we talk over a few drinks?" Eris smiled as she beckoned Linda to follow her, "We can't let an a all-paid pass go to waste without enjoying it, after all, can we?"