Keilan's smile was encouraging as James gave his introduction, but she noticed that Latia was still silent. For the barest of moments a small frown passed over the winged woman's face as she recalled the younger woman's file. However, it was gone so quickly that it would be easy to believe it had only been imagined. Smile back in place as though it had never left, she brushed a strand of dark purple hair from her face and gave a gentle scratch to the base center-most, jewel like growth on her forehead. She smiled more softly in Latia's direction, "Alright. Well, that's okay. Everyone, this is Latia Thrasher. She is quite the gifted pianist, having played throughout the Island, and has experience with martial arts. Her mutation is quite unique and useful, however, I believe I will keep things as they are and let you figure out what each of you can do among yourselves."
She let out a long breath and ticked off a few, obviously thinking about something, before clapping her hands together and growing serious, "Right then! Just a few basics to get things really rolling. First and foremost, it is vital that if I give an order at any point you follow it. It is for your safety, the safety of our mission, and possibly even the safety of every soul on this island. Please get used to that now. You will be relieved to know, however, I won't be giving orders all that often. Most plans and decision will be made by the team as a whole.
"Next, keep things impersonal. No matter what happens, keep your grudges to yourself. It is of dire importance to remain professional and courteous at all times in the presence of the outsiders. There's a good chance they won't take to us kindly at first, they may blame us for many lost vessels and people because of our Island's location. We don't want to give them any idea that we are a malicious people. It would paint a target on this place the moment we stopped cloaking. Well, a more vibrant one than we're already trying to get rid of. There should be plenty of time to sort out differences here while we have training, please use it if you need it.
"Lastly, none of you are on the force so I don't see too much trouble with this, but the first person that calls me 'ma'am' will be strung up by their toes from the nearest flag pole. " She laughed with her last statement, a slight break to the sharpness that her features were now holding.
She paced back and forth at the front of the room for a moment, fiddling with a small, but still larger than expected, device that she seemed to produce from nowhere inside her short jacket. At last, she set the little round item on the table and pressed a button. It was the newest model of holographic projectors. The detail was amazing, the image full of color and seeming almost solid. It was a globe, projected over the table at about eye level for everyone, "Taking a quick trip back to primary school, this, ladies and gentlemen, is the world. Looks familiar, yes? Everything you have been taught about it and it's history and past cultures, however, ends in the year 2034. Some things have changed since then."
I slim hand waved between the image and it's base. The hologram changed. It was the world again, and the continents were shaped the same, mostly. It looked like a section had broken off of the western coast of North America. Some places were greener, water had risen slightly in others, while some places were noticeably drier, and places or a strange, muted-metal grey dotted the land masses. "This is the world as it exists today. It’s current population is an estimated 8.5 billion. The last 130 years have changed a lot, even when the secret United Nations scientists that were here back then were surprised by much of what they saw when they returned to their homes in 2075.”
A look of genuine sorrow flashed across pale, delicate features, “Lands that were once free became ruled by greedy, power hungry corporations. The UN was dissolving and morphing into something new, the World Government. The nations of Earth are firmly divided now, with redrawn lines. The WG will be one of our first stops. It consists of Europe, Eurasia- to encompass all of Russia, Georgia and Turkey, North Africa, and North America. South America, Middle America, and Australia have become the Union. The New Chinese Empire is India, Japan, China, Indonesia and all the other small Asian countries that were once there. Lastly, The Muslim Empire is the rest of the Middle East and the rest of Africa.” A sigh. “The Union persistently fights to maintain their freedom from these mass corporations that are cooperating to govern the rest of the world.”
Keilan’s small hand flicked between base and image once more, and it seemed to zoom in on a patch of land along North America’s eastern coast. “Those patches of steely grey you see? Those are industrial zones and cities. They’ve expanded to take over vast expanses in some cases. In other cases, they are military outposts and bases. Each one has an armory large enough to outfit 1.5 times the personnel they contain. They are not yet as advanced as we are, but that doesn’t make what they have in the volume they have it any less dangerous.
“In the last 100 years, most of the illnesses that would concern us here on the Island have been utterly decimated. At least, in the areas we will be visiting, where they are important enough to afford it, “ an undeniably bitter tone seeped through her words, almost to the point of becoming venomous. She didn’t say any more on the topic, but instead changed the image once more. Now, the holographic image passing over rolling green hills and leading up to an almost castle-like structure. Those who paid attention in geography and history classes might vaguely recognize it as an area similar to that of Ireland or Scotland. “This is Callaun Castle in what used to be the Republic of Ireland, and now the headquarters for the WG. It is first on our list of ‘official’ stops.”
“However, I’ll get to that sort of thing post training. Training starts at noon today,” Keilan glanced down at her watch, and moved to go pick up duffle bags from a corner that no one had noticed before, “It is now 9am. You will need to gather your necessary belongings in these; toiletries, training clothes, business casual and formal if you have it- if you don’t, we’ll take care of it later, regular clothes and so on.”
She set a duffle by each of the others, “You will then meet me at the rear of this facility at 11:30. The first section of training will be some classroom time that includes lunch, followed by a physical course and then dinner. Any questions?”
The winged woman paused a moment, “Oh and Rhee. I’d like you to attend the class portions at some point, if you would. Though you’re free to let Lilu come today without any disappointment from me.”