[quote=@Letter Bee][b]Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center, The City of Phnom Penh - 11/11/2022 06:50 UTC+7, which is 7:50, UTC+8[/b]

Myron, Berto, and Cristina had finally joined up with Marta, Henri, Aoi (and maybe Nico), and the Cambodian ASEAN Loyalists. Upon not seeing Noel, Myron grits his teeth and speaks, "I see that [I]Yulian[/i] got here before us."

Turning to Marta, Myron spoke to her, Henri, and Aoi, "You three; you're still combat-effective, right? Same for Volunteer Nico Makri? If so, the Philippine Civilian Diplomats are being evacuated to the Thai Embassy, but we need to take stock of what we have right now - The People's Republic of China has denied involvement in this and is saying they won't help the Cambodian Government if we try and 'pacify them'. Why are they saying that? Because they do not think we can do this. Thankfully..."

He then looked at a text message he received, then showed it to everyone else; it said, in English: [b]HELP IS COMING.[/b][/quote]

[color=8dc73f][b]"Rescuing Noel's high priority and we gotta assume we've got a short window,"[/b][/color] Berto mused, [color=8dc73f][b]"but he'd be the first to tell us the mission comes first. Yulian needs to [i]get got[/i] and I got a stake in watching him [i]get fucked[/i]; I think we all do, now, so... can we consider that a matter of [i]'operational morale'[/i], yeah? I'm not a hundred percent yet, but I'm not a fighter in the first place--  I'm [i]good to go[/i] wherever you need me."[/b][/color]

[color=8dc73f][b]"If Uncle Dong-dong's giving us a free throw because he thinks we're weak... he's not going to make that mistake twice. ASEAN needs to punch above their weight on this: take the Khmer [i]off the board[/i], or get them back on our side, and put some rabbit blood in the PRC so they keep making mistakes. I think that's gonna fall on us, [i]Obsidian[/i]; Brass is too [i]'big picture'[/i] and we can't count on the Americans being willing to go to the mat as long as the PRC doesn't force them to."[/b][/color]

Berto shrugs, and stares at his feet for a few seconds. [color=8dc73f][b]"I got nothing, Boss. Maybe we round up the rest of the kids and have a spitball session about everything we've got on our little [i]Revolver Ocelot[/i] wannabes, or ways to get the royal family to turn this into a media circus?"[/b][/color]