UN Special Forces Vietnam Forward Research Base

[albatross]

The soldiers grin at Kris and invite him to sit, talking over the game in broken drunken English.

[dakota]

Kris set down the beer and took a seat, and started making small talk about the base and how long they had been here.

[albatross]

The soldiers drink beer like veterans. They were rotated in after the fiasco in North Korea, their light division of 5,000 commandos replacing a company of guards.

There are only 400 troops inside the base and only about 80 on duty at any one time. The rest of the light division patrols above ground in the area around the cave.

The men are relaxed and let slip lots of information, but Kris can tell from talking to them that these guys are an elite combat unit. They have seen action in the past few years, though not in official wars - mostly assisting allies in other conflicts and in peacekeeping duties under the UN flag.

They aren't used to subterranean guard duty, rather they are used to protecting refugees and intimidating warlords, but they have trained for cave combat - indeed Vietnam's caves are famous.

[dakota]

Khris took in the information, abstaining from drinks of his own and explaining he had just quit recently. He relaxed, playing cards and making contacts. He answered questions without specifics, and made sure not to ask anything that would be seen as confidential info

[albatross]

Kris sips his beer but the men don't let anything major slip after that, but they do invite him back for their Tuesday games.

[albatross]

Invincible

About a week later, the scientists get very excited and call Jeckle to the testing grounds to witness the latest breakthough. The other kids haven't quite gotten to Rock's former level yet, though they are improving and should reach that point in a couple more weeks... but Rock has improved as well, and the shield he is generating is now rather impressive.

The scientists try kinetic tests, first with a hammer, then a bullet from a gun mounted on a stand, then they use a railgun. After that they test a laser, radiation, chemicals, and darn near anything else they can think of. Tiger is not present for these tests, but Rock's shield deflects everything without anything making so much as a dent in his war machine.

[shiivster]

Jeckle raises and eyebrow as the testing continues. she doesn't want to give away the fact she' s thrilled with the results. she figures that tiger would kick herself for missing the tests. once its over, she once again tallies and reorganizes the various readings she got the first time.

she will make copies of the test results of each team. this time, she takes the time to mark down WHERE there has been improvement . . and how strong a growth rate each team member has. if she's been there at each 'testing' the results would be noted there as well.

she's doing her best to keep the individual teams personal growth charts private from each other, but the scientists do have a copy of her results as well.

'have you thought of how they will work underwater? in a cave? canyon? you never know where they'll be facing these invaders'

[albatross]

One scientist glances up from a report in response to Jeckle's question and nods, "Oh, yes. Ah, there are scenarios for fighting free of these caves, navigating mountains... underwater the vehicle sinks and walks along the ocean floor. It works underwater, but movement would be slowed by the water of course. But there should be enough air for months. Space would be a problem, but the demons seem earthbound...."

Later Tiger pours over the reports and meets with each kid separately to discuss the result, keeping to Jeckle's method.

Two days later an emergency meeting is called in the big conference room. Tiger summons the entire team to the briefing.

[dakota]

His curiousity getting the better of him, Khris went to the meeting early. He'd done little since they had arrived at the base, except slum around and socialize with the locals. He had even gone to the bicycle races out of boredom once. He walked in, talking a seat with a smirk,"what's up bosskitty?" He tried to keep up his usual demeanor, though he couldn't help but feel useless while everyone else worked with the kids or scientists.

[shiivster]

Jeckle is busy doodling now. she's thinking 'weapon' for the tall robots.
she's thinking a basic sword or a mace.
there are a few different weapon choices.
she's gotten a few drawings done using a staff with a variety of heads or other attachments.

*hearing the summons, she rises and slips into her coat again, and slips the doodle pad away and moves toward the meeting place.
*she plans on showing up about 5 minutes before the meeting and wanders about getting fresh air and pondering a few things

[albatross]

Tiger shugs at Khris' question. Her face is thoughtful and Khris can tell that she is just as curious as everyone else. The entire team is already there: Akane, Bel, Dante, the three trainers Roan, White and Marv. Dancer and Peacemaker are there too, but Rock is missing. Tiger sends Marv to look for him.

The base director, who is one of the scientists, calls the briefing to order and while a minimum of pompous rambling, gets down to business. A live video feed of one of the demons flashes onto the screen behind him. The time and GPS coordinates are displayed. Then the video is shrunk to make another image next to the video of the demon: a map. On the map a line between the demon and the base and an ETA.

"Forty nine hours ago, the demon changed course and speed. It will be here in approximately seventy hours. We will begin evacuating the personnel, experiments and equipment. Certain technicians will oversee the removal of sensitive materials."

The scientists are all bickering, while the military representatives look towards the exits, ready to go. Seventy hours won't be enough time for all the equipment to go up the elevators.

"Fortunately, we have a plan to delay or stop the invader. Just recently, the protective shield has been perfected and we are ready to sortie. We will deploy one machine to intercept the assailant with the goal of damaging its locamotion. We will begin the evacuation immediately as a precaution, but I expect ample time to move all the experiments. Dismissed."

As he finishes speaking, Rock enters through a side door. Vessel accompanies him. Tiger glances at Roan, thinking something. Then she makes her way down to the conference room stage.

[dakota]

Khris had hoped for more. As he stood up, he looked at Tiger as she passed," That's it? So what do we do now?" As she moved towards the stage, he followed.

[albatross]

"You would think if the director wanted to play soldier he wouldv'e held a proper briefing," Tiger says to Kris but she is looking past him to Jeckle, frowning in thought.

She shrugs, "Let's find out the details." Tiger makes her way down to the stage. Peacemaker and Dancer follow, but Dante, Bel, Akane and Roan leave out the back on an unexplained errand.

Heckle and Marv appear down near the stage where Rock and Vessel exited.

Upon entering the hallway Tiger catches up and corners the two of them, "That was some briefing," she drawled, "very, ah, brief. Mind telling me what is going on?"

Rock says, "I'm going to destroy the demon."

Tiger says quietly, "I thought the plan was to foul its stride?"

Rock shrugs.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Tiger sighs.

"The commander said time was of the essence."

Tigers eyes narrowed. She swung her gaze to Vessel. "For the equipment? Or for the success of the mission?"

Rock shrugs, "Dunno."

Tiger runs a hand through her hair. "Rock, I want you to attack it from behind. Easier to trip it that way." Rock nods.

Vessel raises an eyebrow. Tiger steps close to him, "Did those idiots think of that? I want to run the show. Do you understand?"

Vessel says flat in his old man's voice, "Yes. Sounds reasonable."

"Have you thought it through? All the way I mean?" Tiger says as she turns away from Vessel, whose brows wrinkle in thought.

Marv and Heckle stand off to one side. Rock looks around, but Tiger doesn't say anything else to him she stands and looks at the wall drumming her fingers and thinking.

[shiivster]

*iss itting . . stunned at the news. she had not given any thought about what the 'demons' were doing or where they were. but wonders if there might be a 'plant' . . and only once the human's had a means to fight back did they turn to take out that threat..

she drifts back in her mind recalling snippets of conversation she might have overlooked during her time with the scientists.

*she stands up and frowns then comments to the scientists 'yeah yeah . . go ahead and complain who's gonna go first. keep it up and you'll still be standing here when the base is empty. get off your asses and get the info to safety . . . please don't tell me you're that stupid, that your ego's are gonna endanger your own lives?'

*that said, she'll make her way down towards the others, still kinda in thought about the surprise that just got dumped in her lap

[albatross]

Jeckle is able to recall nothing from base conversations that would be suspicious, but thinking back she remembers several minor scandals and accusations leveled against the U.N. Security Council. Perhaps there are political disagreements regarding the defense plans. Certainly China, with a demon within its borders already might be desperate.

But what strikes Jeckle is the timing. The demon changed course within the hour that Rock perfected the shield. How close was it? She would have to check the demon's surviellence log and Rock's training log to be sure. Perhaps the demon can sense the shield's energy?