[center][h1][color=c0c0c0]Len[/color][/h1][/center]
[b]Don Muang Royal Air Force Base[/b]

For a Friday, Len could not say today was something to celebrate. Awakening at 0600 hours wasn't a problem for the young man. The briefing wasn't a problem for foreign volunteer.

[i][color=c0c0c0]The problem[/color][/i], Len thought, [i][color=c0c0c0]is the mission[/color][/i].

The predicament of ASEAN personnel was dire, with both Arms Masters and regulars under fire. Typically, units were entirely composed of and commanded by Arms Masters exclusively or regulars exclusively, to minimize problematic power dynamics. But... among the Arms Masters assembled here... the highest-ranking, Len's superior, was ostensibly a kid.

As was the bearer of a perfume line's moniker.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the comfortable conclusion would be that there were multiple briefings like this across the base and ASEAN simply wanted all hands on deck to minimize the risk on individuals.

Considering the alternative conclusions... Len was going to rely on Argentarch more than ever before in his life—even more than the day his Noble Arm manifested. In his ambidextrous hands was a piece of white jade, 40cm in length. While listening to the words of Arrogance Personified, his thumbs absent-mindedly tracing the engravings along Argentarch's form, chimeric creatures and Chinese constellations.

[color=c0c0c0][i]Nothing quite like a flight at the break of dawn into the flames of war.[/i][/color]