---

Cristina though about the offer before her, having more power always helps especially when you are in a war.

She briefly recalled her brief encounter with Hou Ren, she already knew there is no way for her to win against a Zodiac but even with the man just fooling around while she try to use every trick in her book and hold on, she still nearly died. And her sister could probably something more than that considering on what she is.

That's why she needs to take the deal, if she wants to stand a chance of facing her.

Although taking Huo Ren's power to herself felt wrong, felt the wrong course of action to take.

But what is?

She wasn't sure if it would work but it was better than nothing.

"What about something that stops Noble Arms from activating? I'm pretty sure such a useful ability would exist in your collection of powersets?"

“I’ve had more than enough time in, so called, perv dungeons.” Charles said. He considered which mission to take. Infiltration was definitely more up his alley, skills wise. It just wasn’t what he wanted to do. Besides, it felt like the roster for the rescue was filling up. “I wanted an excuse to refresh my combat diver training. What better excuse than putting C4 on the outer hull of the enemy ships.” He considered the possible counter measures they would face and the logistical difficulties of a long swim. “Or, I have been itching for HALO drop. Straight onto the deck.”

He paused. His mind running thousand miles a second. He always got excited when presented with a military problem. Reminded him of the old days. “I’ll sign on for the fleet. Will need more information to put together a proper plan.”

La Trinidad de Manila Academy - 12/1/2022, 5:20, UTC+8

Nil had tried to listen and she technically did, but understanding what was being said? That was a different story altogether, at least he said Qingshe was alive, maybe? Then stuff about Noble Arms, and more words and more.

It didn’t take long for Nil to get annoyed at the long discussion, especially since wasn’t taking in anything from all those words being tossed at her. Softly but surely she shifted to the back of the group, they would probably have an official briefing on the next misison anyway, even if short.

At least here in the back they were having fun, Gree was chuckling from what that Myke and Tonka had said… Normandy? Perv dungeon? She didn’t know what those meant, so Nil turned to Mikey who mentioned those.

”Uh, Myke? What is a Perv and Norm?”

WO "Mikey" Rangel

---

"might be in poor taste to call it the perv dungeon in a room of people who just lost their CO to said location, but I definitely would prefer that view over the ocean"

Goosebumps went straight up Mikey's back and her blood ran cold. First, from simple surprise. She hadn't registered the presence of the... well, the quite striking woman standing behind her. Then, from embarrassment. She certainly hadn't expected to be overheard, and a part of her now realized that her choice of words probably was in poor taste. Way to stick your fuckin' foot in it, Mikey.

She shook her head hard a couple times, physically forcing the wide-eyed reaction off before more than a couple of seconds had passed, and gave the woman a smile. This one was... another volunteer. Mikey thought she remembered her dossier saying she was from Russia, but that might have just been her own assumption based on the accent. Her name was... Tonka, right? Like the toys.

"Uh, yeah, sorry." she whispered back, doing her best contrite face. "Didn't mean to make light of the whole thing. Just, uh... yeah, sorry."

At least Archer didn't seem put off by her faux pas, judging by his laugh. That was a comfort; of all the other people in the room, he seemed the most normal, and Mikey thought she could use a bit of normalcy at the moment.

"Honestly, I’m not sure where I fit into all of this. I suppose I’ll just let them decide where I’m best suited. I can’t exactly pinpoint where my... talents would be most useful,"

There was something in those words, in the other soldier's demeanor, that twinged Mikey's spidey senses. Mikey felt nervous as hell, herself; maybe that's all there was to it with the big Englishman, too, but she had to admit she didn't know him well enough to say for sure. Instead, she filed the judgment away; if she were really curious, she could always ask him about it when they weren't, say, in the middle of a briefing, surrounded by other people.

"What about you?"

Mikey shrugged. "You know, it really hadn't occurred to me that we'd actually have a choice. In my experience the military isn't big on--" She was suddenly aware of another person standing next to her, looking at her with bright blue eyes and an inquisitive expression. Mikey thought that this white-haired woman might also have been older than her, but there was something disarmingly childlike about her question and her broken English.

”Uh, Myke? What is a Perv and Norm?”

Mikey opened her mouth. Closed it. Almost said, "I'll tell you when you're older," then thought better of it. Looked to Archer and Tonka, her face a silent appeal for help.

Several feet away, closer to the front of the room, she heard Charles speak up.

“I’ve had more than enough time in, so called, perv dungeons.”

Oh, come on! Frenchie too?!

Callie laughed. She couldn’t help it. The strategic situation was dire, their force had been decapitated, gutted and half-replaced, and this was where the briefing ended up?

Just like the Cadets… God.

It was exactly what was needed.

(Well, perhaps for everyone but Nil. Again – she really ought to follow up with her.)

“We can do better on insertion than helis and chutes – I’ll go over it with you and the team later,” she told Charles, a gleam in her eye, before addressing the room as a whole. “With Command’s permission, I’ll be joining the anti-naval operation in a reconnaissance and tactical mobility capacity. I’ve performed the role before under those circumstances and the open sea accentuates just about all of my capabilities, where tunnel fighting would minimise their impact.”

Oh, and nothing else, Caroline?

The gleam faded; that whisper had sounded alarmingly like him. She did her best to push it out of her mind… Even as her vision ran over the Director, even as his offer wormed its way through her thoughts.

Don’t pretend. First the portal and the sword, then the minister… What if you mess up again and someone actually dies? No, better a nice, safe delaying action… You’re terrified, girl.

A shiver down the back of her neck.

Wouldn’t be so terrified with a bit more power.

Not yours, of course. Can’t go wrong that way.

Callie screwed her eyes shut, just for a moment, smile still plastered to her face. It is more tactically sound. Besides – grow by stretching yourself, not grafting things on, she assured herself… The words sounding hollow in her mind.

Not yet.

Not yet.

Henri listened to the rest of the briefing carefully. The conversations didn't exactly go in a direction he would have approved of, though, especially with the talks of the perv dungeon. But he didn't let it bother him.

"If there is indeed a choice, I think I'll be at my best in the ocean" He declared. Leonidas was an area-of-effect NA, and while it didn't last for long or cover that big of an area, it would suffice for the most dangerous shots from Arms-Masters to a ship or a helicopter, should he be placed into one.

Christina's request for a power sounded dangerous for Henri. Anti-NA abilities were decently understood, but the idea of an anti-NA ability sharing a space with regular abilities could have unexpected consequences. And Sinagtala was a spacetime-NA, so complications could be... if not explosive, implosive.

"Pardon me, Director" Henri spoke, "But can an anti-NA ability exist simultaneously with a more conventional one in the same Arm?"

Henri wasn't interested in a new power at the moment, but it was good to ask for Christina's sake.

Intermission Four - Darkest Hour

La Trinidad de Manila Academy - 12/1/2022, 5:20, UTC+8



Director Bathala answered Cristina and Henri first, saying as firm as the grave, "Yes, but with the caveat that you need to switch between the new powerset and the old one if the new powerset is a form of Anti-Magic. Now, Cristina, draw your Noble Arm and steady your hands as it trembles."

If Cristina did so, the Director would tap it with his Kalis, the Noble Arm sending a jolt into the girl's mystic weapon, giving it a new, foreign power.

The Director then added, "So, two members of the Task Force for Superbia's Dungeon, two others undecided, and the rest are taking up La Naval de Manila II. Fair choices made."

He then looked at Myron and said, "You are to lead the mission to rescue First Lieutenant Alonso from the Avatar of Superbia itself; you are the only one besides Callie who can reliably get the sub-team to Gansu now that Angelino Jaime's NA is gone and Qingshe is... out of commission. And Callie's best at destroying fleets. Now, there's still a week or so until this breather is over, so I'd advise you all to train, sample the amenities of Trinidad Academy, or some mixture of both: The green recruits and veterans need to learn how each other fights. Thankfully, La Trinidad de Manila is more than some rich people's playground - You'll find extra-tough arenas, obstacle courses, and a few... simulators, courtesy of the United States of America's past administrations."

Myron nodded, then told the rest, "We're getting star treatment here; La Trinidad de Manila has free school lunches within reason - It used to have a program where high-performing students or the rich got Michelin-class food, but the Director abolished that due to how easy it was to cheat. Do you guys want to know how I know that? Well, it was the Director who took me in when I surrendered to the UN after I got my Noble Arm, just before the Disablers were systematically dismantled - I was one of them; just a kid but that's not an excuse. He gave me a new life and allowed me to atone for my past crimes - The burden of guilt I carry."

The former Disabler then gave Tonka his full gaze, knowing that she and he shared similarities in past tactics and backstories. He then said to her and Oscar, "We three will need to go over what we know about that gold mine in Gansu, China, and what info we can collect on short notice; maybe after a meal or so."

Turning towards the Director, Myron asked the Sapient Noble Arm, "I presume we're dismissed?"

Director Bathala nodded behind his hardwood desk, telling them, "One last thing. The La Naval de Manila II mission needs a leader, and sadly, the most able ones in Task Force Obsidian are the ones who disappear out of the blue. If the Philippine Government of National Salvation cannot spare one of their own, I'll appoint The Crown Prince nominal leader and hope for the best - Remember that. Now, you're all dismissed; enjoy La Trinidad de Manila."

@Gerlando@Nimbus@QJT@Amidatelion@Digmata@Chiro@Creative Chaos@4wheathRmany@Danyel@Sanity43217@DammitVictor@ctrlsaltdel@Archazen@Goblininamech@Vidar the Quiet

---

"Uh, yeah, sorry." she whispered back, doing her best contrite face. "Didn't mean to make light of the whole thing. Just, uh... yeah, sorry."

Mikey opened her mouth. Closed it. Almost said, "I'll tell you when you're older," then thought better of it. Looked to Archer and Tonka, her face a silent appeal for help.

Tonka couldn't contain her laughter, stifling it with a hand to the mouth was all she could manage. She felt it, these people were gunna be just as fun as her family back in Ukraine. She truly had meant it as a light hearted joke, assuming her Russian accent might have played into Mikey thinking her statement a jab. Putting a reassuring hand on Mikey, looking over to the....very very interesting squad-mate they had. Nil. Her file was one of the more unique looking of the group, and based off the little interaction she was privy too, there definitely was a big story there that Tonka would try to wrestle from the woman later. "Think a really really gross place, where individuals abuse their captives in dehumanizing ways" Tonka wanted to say more, but the meeting quickly picked back up, before they were dismissed. Walking past Nil, she paused for a second "don't read to much into it, I think Mikey just wanted to ease the rooms tensions with a light hearted joke" winking at the woman before walking over to Myron.

The former Disabler then gave Tonka his full gaze, knowing that she and he shared similarities in past tactics and backstories. He then said to her and Oscar, "We three will need to go over what we know about that gold mine in Gansu, China, and what info we can collect on short notice; maybe after a meal or so."

Hearing Myron talk a bit about his history with this place, and his life before trying to turn the "ship" so to speak, and his gaze at Tonka before addressing those who were also to be on the rescue mission, confirmed he also knew and felt a sort of kinship with her. She had heard about the group Myron previously called his, but because of their dismantling before Tonka was active, she thankfully never had to deal with them. Her "father" harped on and on about the wasted potential, it seemed like the Ex-KGB Director might have had more than one interaction with them, but she never cared much to ask about it. She wondered how much Myron might have been privy too, considering the choice to accept her might have required him to voice an opinion, and she felt thankful to not be the only one with a particularly storied past.

She saluted to the CO, signaling she didn't have any qualms about being picked for this mission, even if she was new to the Task Force. This is what she had hoped they would be asking her to do, what in a lot of ways, she was born for. Letting Myron speak fully, he looked to the both of them for a confirmation "After the meal, I can reach out to a contact I have still within the SVR. If you're okay with it, I also can reach out to General Komar, I know the General had a couple of contacts within Chinese freedom fighter groups, I don't know how much they'll know but it couldn’t hurt to ask" she wasn't sure how many people they wanted to know the TFO was attempting a rescue mission behind enemy lines. Plus while she was certain General Komar was rock solid in his ability to prevent a leak, it was the contacts in China that worried her more. Her little birdy in the SVR lived and died on whether they were good enough to be Tonka's personal double agent, so there wasn't any worries about them potentially being a liability. She glanced up at the HUGE man who also would be going on the mission with them. Tonka had read his file, but the thought of a 7'3 tall human in comparison to her was comical. Plus the couple of Scotsmen that were at the UIL made for great drinking partners, even if they refused her Vodka every time. Despite the mans size, she felt confident that she and him could work well together, at the very least he'd probably always be visible in Bound by Shadow.

---

Cristina blinked as she let out her Noble Arm, she didn't expect the powerset she spoke of to exist or to be given just like that. She expected things to be more difficult, more complicated?

She can feel the power as Director Bathala's kalis touched Sinagtala. It felt different from the warm rays she was used to having. It is cold, like a star that had long lost its heat and warmth. It felt wrong, something opposite what she is supposed to be but this is power, one that might completely even the odds if used correctly.

"I'll be joining the Naval Mission." Cristina declared, thinking that she should choose a safer mission to test her powers out before doing anything else.

That is when she heard who would be her new leader is.

"Wait what do you mean the Crown Prince?" she asked with clear shock on her face. Someone at the top actually going down to help, that might be a first?