[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/5FrbKTm.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/WjaPFHd.png[/img][/center] [sub][sub][h3]SOLDIER Base; Residential Quarters.[/h3][/sub][/sub][hr][indent][color=9bab9e][i]B[/i]y the time she had reached the vacant, steelish exterior of her domicile, Evangeline had successfully peeled and flaked away her electric polish of obnoxious pink and was gradually working to flay away the cuticles lining each plate of keratin. It was only by the abrupt realization as pain blossomed across her index finger, accompanied by the copper tang of scarlet, that she managed to pay notice to her actions. Mismatched eyes stared vacantly at the flesh sliced with the rouge of her life now offset by the tremor in her gesture when she realized then that she didn’t actually [i]feel[/i] it —but only that she thought she did. Receptors were burned, culled, shut off like the switches of machinery and computers she had been trained to dismantle and decode. Only particular conditioning had instilled the habit to express displeasure and discomfort so as not to suspect and unnerve her comrades. The practice had been personally proffered by the pale, hellacious Commander whom expressed a similar condition, only that her receptors burned with an ecstasy and lustful kinship that labeled her as masochistic and peculiar. Evangeline had expressed crude and lewd jests, courtesy of her time spent with Hally, but the Saboteur instructor had only a ghost of a smile that was pained and yet fond and had set her into emotional drills that would benefit her in the method of unison and teamwork. But now she realized that in personal quarters, it was a bit more difficult to discern and perform, and was briefly alarmed if James or her fellow dismantee could garner that bit of information from sharing glances with her. A firm philosophy had been instilled in Evangeline that the eyes often told anyone what they needed to know, another advantage that she possessed when bequeathed with a bi-colour stare: it left inquires to which was the truth in what someone could witness in her gaze. Hally had remarked that they were like night and day, a simplistic, common comparison, but he was only one who would really.. Know. She shook her wealth of golden tresses, dislodging her thought process growing ever darker and quickly crossed the threshold, letting the door of her room shut with a clank that was almost too loud to her ears. Of course, she wasn’t the only one whom had to undertake the peculiar empathy courses, it was unmistakable that shock of white hair cropped so closely to his scalp that she had once inquired if it was even real, or just merely misplaced dust. She had never received an answer, not that one could be expected when he too had been attending drills and exercises meant to flex receivers of socialism. He had been present at the debriefing as well, but she pondered if anyone else noticed his slight displacement betwixt all the intensity and lashings between Commanders and President. Evangeline doubts such a thing, but such is the grand scheme of events, and everyone is a fantastic candidate as well, gleaned from her calculating beneath the bubbly exterior and quietly engaging in games with Hally. He provided clarity when there was none to be had, and whilst she had doodled series of looping o’s and harsh x’s, she had slid her gaze individually over the assembly and left it at that until Rayne’s slicing timbre had fractured her to the bone. Most pinned him as the arrogant politician whom was endowed in a fixating vendetta against the rebellion, but to Evangeline it procured a voice and a familiar mannerism that was the pinnacle of her childhood. Such thoughts left her discombobulated and she twists sallow fingers through gold and lightly pulled, just enough to snag a few tresses free and sighed in a minute of relief. “Okay, time to pack!” Eagerness wove into her ritual, bouncing around, singing a random little number to the peak of her lung capacity as she fished, pillaged and rummaged through her personal belongings. Golden trinkets were shaken from wrists and ankles, exchanged for the golden accessory that fitted over her ear like the rays of a sun burst but sharpened and refined like gilded beams of yellow daggers. Her traditional garb was shed gradually with her mental deduction of the proper gear and essentials she might require whilst on this mission. It was their first, official assignment and already tension had laced tight around the selected troupe and Evangeline knew that even her bequeathed mission wouldn’t go finished without some kind of flaw; as there was always one. Whilst elbow deep in the recesses of her closet, a small chirp signaled for her attention, flying away the dame from her browsing to fumble for the device always woven into a secret depress in her uniform. With a small grimace at the fitting suit that was designed for Saboteurs, she slid fingers into the nook of mesh and fortified nylon that was interlaced with metallic fibers to further backbone the assemblage. The pad was small, plain in the aesthetic prose, but withheld a wealth of capabilities that she knew in every possible way. A series of codes and numbers blossomed to life in pixelated form, shimmering hues of azure and white bleeding together to form into ebony words that relayed a message of dismissive simplicity that hardly required her answer. Evangeline though felt a fine tremor curl down the marrow of her spine, forging slivers of obsidian ice that balled into a sphere of a premonition. [i]She really hated secrets.[/i] Though a Saboteur was fostered on secrets and codes and various uniforms of dismantling affairs and breaking down the components of enemies — and sometimes: allies, Evangeline only found the procedure of battle to be enjoyable and favourable. Most of the details and nuances of the particular infiltrator bled out into seamless dribble unless the techniques came to fruition, and whilst her Commander had paid special practice to ensure her full capabilities by emotional tempering and patience drills - she still found struggles within bedlam of secrets. But, this was her designated path and occupation and sometimes lies fortified over the lies of the truth benefited an individual in the finality of the juncture, and it was in that she found some sort of peace, that and in the bereavement of her enemies. Her vendetta was not quite on par with Rayne’s blind want of persecution and subjugation, but something fixated Evangeline in a will to force surrender upon the opposition and she had always been incapable of cajoling that viperous intent. Simulations against SeeR Syph machines and their own unified force of Paragon fighters had garnered a brutality in her attacks and deployment of such and the explosive nature in which Evangeline fought. Ruthlessness did not even begin to describe her method and as such, they attempted to curtail her anger. And that was often what they attempted daily to the spirit of Evangeline Dashelle, to temper and siphon off her emotions, her erratic behaviors and her interchanging depths of empathy. Numbness corded tight in her fingers as she finished her assembly of gear and began pouring into her armour, latching and finishing each of the zippers and buckling components into proper function. The numbness didn’t dispel until she had sheathed her fingers in the uniform gloves, flexing each digit until the fortified mesh and thin, yet strong, plating coated over her knuckles passed into unnoticeable. Umbra came next, already delivered from its’ ritual maintenance and her receipt dropped off with the delivery to be filed later. Within its shortest form, it slid easily into the components along her spine that acted as a harness that was pressure activated, otherwise it held Umbra in a vice so much that the weight of her weapon went almost unheeded. Satisfied with her battle sprucing, Evangeline began coiling her hair into a plait and then coiling that into a knot that almost immediately came loose, golden threads fringing her brow and ears. She forwent the traditional helm of the Saboteur uniform, optioning instead for the cloak—hood that the opposite gender was bequeathed. Then, attaching her communication advice to her ear that was shelled with her golden accessory that also was designed with a holographic visor that had direct link to the Libra Scan database, and performed a series of basic functions that came with all SOLDIERS in their assigned fatigues and armour. Not much time remained she debated and couldn’t assuage away the ill premonition that was still festering at her spine in a coil of tines. With a soft glance she immediately dug into her duffel and palmed a series of pills past her lips, the number staggering, and each drug designed to filter and temper herself from the unfurling and fraying nerves of her emotions already beginning to spark alive in series of erratic pulses. Evangeline inhaled once her pills were ingested, feeling the beginning of the narcotics to pull apart and dissolve and take effect. “All right, here we go!” She chirped and bounded from her room, allowing the lock to depress into place and a skip to take over her steps as she bounded down the hall and towards the deployment gate, the darkness already beginning to ebb.[/color][/indent] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img][/center] [sub][sub][h3]SOLDIER Base; Council Halls.[/h3][/sub][/sub][hr][indent][color=e4ebef][i]O[/i]utside the Council Room, the Commanders had parted ways, each with a designation in mind and relayed through glances and series of gestures that were quickly executed and hardly intercepted by the passing parties. Magdalena retreated back to her office, preparing a return transmission and a potential virus laced within its works that she would supply to her SOLDIERS, but the obvious performance of someone clearing a throat behind her gave her pause, allowing the individual in question to step up at her flank. “Olivia, something the matter?” She inquired, unexpectedly feeling the fine tremors of anxiety break threshold on her body, brought on by the brunette’s leveling stare. “What do you think of the SOLDIERS we’re sending out?” The brunette inquired, assuming their departure away from the Council Room as the individuals in question began filtering out one by one. Icy pools landed on the bounce of blonde cheer and exuberance that quickly was called aside by the SOLDIER with ashen skin and red eyes. Watching them make way down the hall, arms laced, made her answering voice carry off. “They each have promising potential, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit worried...” Olivia followed her shattering gaze, finding the subjects in her questioning observation. “That’s the girl from Fort Lullin?” “Yes.” “And the boy..” “His records are a little.. Hazy. They all have cryptic files in fact, detailing their places of origin, but not quite laying into the relatives and the location of their families. I’ve scoured through and it only details into [i]how[/i] SOLDIER found them, as if all other information and critical basement is null and void when it comes to that SOLDIER managed to get them.” Magdalena muttered, keeping her articulation pitched and low, privy to only Olivia’s senses. “So any facts that we actually have could be nothing more than falsified records?” “Exactly, their names might not even be there own names and just supplied designations to placate and direct us to look else where in concerns to those files and their pasts.” Magdalena hedged, running slender gestures over the nape of her neck, unable to still the quake of nerves bundling there and numbing across frayed nerves and trembling muscles. “It makes me wonder if our own files are just as bare or if the names we know are actually our own.” Olivia seemed disturbed by this revelation, cinching phalanges around the breadth of her throat to mute the gasp that threatened to carve way from her heaving breast. “They’re hiding something.” She muttered, soft and teeming with a fearful dawn of the unknown and the facility of, potentially, their own existence. “And I’ll bet the SeeR knows exactly what.”[/color][/indent] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img][/center] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/5FrbKTm.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/WjaPFHd.png[/img][/center] [sub][sub][h3]SOLDIER Base; Deployment Gate.[/h3][/sub][/sub][hr][indent][color=9bab9e][i]T[/i]here wasn’t much distance to the deployment dock and already others had gathered, she being one of the remaining few having yet to arrive. Evangeline took stock of her fellow Saboteur already there, deciding not to join him so as to avoid any suspicion on their mission and part in it together. Others appeared to keep to themselves and her eyes honed in on the face plate of a unique set of armour, finding it curious, but unable to commit to her desire of inquires when Hally’s voice reached her. She smiled and bounded up to him like an energetic pup. ”Who is Honeybun now?” Evangeline quipped, slinging arms around Hally’s torso and peeking around his elbow to level a grin at the gargantuan man that went under the name of Kain. An intimidating man in his own right and stature, Evangeline knew not much about him, aside from name and profile identification. They were leagues apart in differences of battle tactics and weaponry, the massive sword enough testimony to that fact. Her face scrunched up in a teasing grin, finding the newly given nickname hilarious and yet.. Fitting. “Honeybun, I kind of like it. Of course that’s Hally’s personal name for you! Too bad, maybe he’ll let me borrow it from time to time.” She mused, almost whisking off into a tangent when the Commanders once more interrupted her. It was only two of them this time, the one whom had scolded her earlier curiously absent along with the Dr. Faye. Evangeline slowly disbanded her arms from embracing Hally and faced them full on with the gathered force. It was only then she noticed the new addition to their ranks who had not been present during the Council, she almost spoke aloud, to inquire after his induction and intention when Commander Abendroth-Faye spoke up, silencing all and summoning her full attention. [i]“It appears we have a new face joining us,”[/i] she began and gestured to the man Evangeline knew nothing of. No identification number, no details she could even discern with his particular armour and stature. It unnerved her terribly and by shifting weight in her plated feet, she signaled her discomfort and worry by agilely penning the cipher into her data module, there was no time to send the missive just yet, however. Uncertain of the man’s intention, she once more turned attention to her Commander and rolled her weight back into a casual stance and crossed her arms at her breast, dispelling her jitters whilst her medication was still attempting to placate her. [i]“By Rayne’s orders he is to join you on this particular mission, just like any other SOLDIER, but his experience with previous missions caught the President’s attention, thus you’ll have some idea of what SeeR is like through SOLDIER Olsen’s.. Knowledge.”[/i] There was obvious discomfort laced tight into her voice, offset by the dull tones of chiming bells as she pinned John with her unwavering stare of near—crystalline blue brimming with a silent warning. Evangeline perked up at that look, so obviously displayed, and almost bounced into place as she leaned forward, also glancing at this man once more before glancing to Hally, to gain his own expression. [i]“Now each of you have been assigned a holographic visor that has been equipped also with a communication device to communicate with each other and to also keep in touch with the base. The further you branch out, the more difficult signals are to gain, however we have towers set up through Galbadia to ensure minimal interference. There are a series of channels for you to relay information on and your Saboteurs will give these to you once each of the channels have been gleaned and secured so to avoid SeeR hackers from listening in.”[/i] The pale Commander held up an exemplary piece of technology in which she described, pin-pointing the keys designated to pass through channels. [i]“Through the visor you have a direct link to the Libra Scan system that provides information on each of the beasts and creatures we are aware of. Unknown enemies can be scanned but limited information can be taken from them, however, as your battles carry on the system updates automatically, even on the unknown species.”[/i] The visor in question was blue in her grasp, though each of the SOLDIERS possessed ones in varying hues of vermilion. Evangeline tapped the various keys on her piece and watched the minuscule screen light up over her occulus, varying lines and digital frequencies highlighting the Libra Scan system coming online with the expansive network that it was. When she glanced over everyone in the group, she was given a wealth of numbers and details, all basic information in regards to their capabilities in weaponry and classes and giggled from the sheer joy and amazement of it all. She had no idea the Libra Scan had been dragged out of Beta when she had first heard of its’ concept in her Commanders coding drills. Loud whines and clanks of metal shifted then, signaling the yawning maw of the deployment gate cranking open. Fluorescent bulbs winked into existence, shining across metal and momentarily blinding Evangeline as the ground trembled, signaling the arrival of one of the bases massive terrain vehicles meant for transferring a plethora of SOLDIERS across vast and short distances. The Behemoth of metal was intimidating to say the least, massive wheels and ebony metal fused together into various spikes of definite defensive prowess and rotating guns poised on top flashed definite offense. Accompanying the gargantuan machine was the basic unit of deployment: ten grunt foot soldiers — common army infantry — and five lieutenants with two drivers who operated the vehicle. Each bore a common face plate, making them appear.. Less human to Evangeline’s eyes, impersonal and void. She gave them dismissive looks as the hatch to the Behemoth whined open on hydraulics, providing a ramp of access into the bulky interior. [i]“Make us proud, SOLDIERS.”[/i] The Commanders said in unison, signaling the start of the mission as Evangeline chirped and skipped upwards on the ramp, ascending into the belly of the beast with an obtuse grin blazoned across her visage.[/color][/indent] [sub][sub][h3]Aboard the Behemoth; near the border.[/h3][/sub][/sub][hr][indent][color=9bab9e][i]T[/i]he beginning journey from Dalmasca was quiet, on first impressions. The humming and rumbling engine of the Behemoth was the only source of sound, aside from the various signals transferred through the numerous screens paneled inside the vehicle to scan the landscapes and the ensure their location as they traversed through the remaining state of Baldur. Each of the SOLDIERS were buckled into place by harnesses equipped with their seats, settled next to one another or set apart by their preference with their gear shoved above them in the designed cubicles of criss-crossing netting and metal — easy to access. One particular blonde was busily typing into her pad, fluid movements shimmering blue as she busily embarked into her own network, making notes and key details, with her legs pulled up and laced together in her seat, she almost appeared at ease. Her cloak—hood was down, exposing most of her veener aside from the bit that was obscured by the falling tresses of gold escaping from the plaited design, but she paid little mind to it. As her thumb punched one final component, she turned off the module, retreating it back into the sleeve of her fitting uniform. Bi —coloured eyes passed over each individual before she let out a small hum, letting it whistle until she finally spoke up. “Sooo. I don’t think we all know one another. I mean, I know all of you - your numbers you know - but I like to be given names.” Evangeline probed, baiting for some conversation as one of the drivers announced they were coming upon the border check-point that would put them into Luan in a matter of minutes. “Introduction are in order I’d say! I’m Evangeline Dashelle, one of your lovely Saboteurs.”[/color][/indent]