[center][color=8dc73f]Ruben Verislav[/color]
[color=8dc73f]Level[/color]: 1
[color=8dc73f]Day/Time[/color]: Day Three - Evening
[color=8dc73f]Location[/color]: Skyrim Transition -> Forest of Skyrim
[color=8dc73f]Tag[/color]: [@Holy Soldier][@Lugubrious][@Zarkun][@DracoLunaris]
[color=8dc73f]Word Count[/color]: 944
[/center]

Concerned that a squabble may break out between the two robots (assuming both were actually robots), Ruben dismissed himself immediately, clicking his rifle back onto his body armor and making for the elevator. He moved swiftly, denying eye contact to the remainder of the group. A slight twinge of guilt hit him as the elevator doors closed and it began its ascent. He would be working with these people. Fighting with them. Maybe even saving them, if things went south. The least he could do would be to show some sort of camaraderie. After all, he hadn't been around the other XCOM operatives for more than a couple of missions, but he at least knew their names and faces. He hoped they were all still alive.

With that sobering thought in mind, Ruben stepped off the elevator and entered the 49th floor. According to "little dude," he was going to need a vaccine before being teleported off into oblivion. Well, maybe not oblivion, but likely the next best thing. He shook his head at the thought of entering a literal fantasy world. Magic and dragons, huh? He had been trained for aliens, but dragons? He wondered what Dr. Vahlen would say about it. She'd probably want a sample to research. He couldn't resist a slight smile as he was approached by a doctor holding a syringe and elastic band. He looked Ruben up and down.

"Well, you look ready to go. But I can't give you the vaccine with you dressed like that."

Ruben glanced down at his arms, both of which were covered by his thick kevlar-woven body suit. 

"[color=8dc73f]Oh. I see. One moment,[/color]" he replied, unlatching his chestplate. The moment turned into ten minutes as Ruben was forced to remove his chest, shoulder, and elbow armor to access his body suit. Fortunately, the suit was in two pieces, and he only had to remove the shirt portion to bare his arm. He heard the elevator click behind him and listened to the footsteps and voices of other team members as they entered the room. He turned his head and caught site of a new person. They looked and sounded like the robotic individual from the dining room, but they were clearly a human being now. A series of bizarre noises and a bright flash of light indicated a transformation of some kind, and the human returned to a robotic state to absorb the anti-virus chip, after which he transformed back into a human to receive the liquid vaccine. Well, that was one question answered. That also meant that the boy could be treated with the Medikit if he were injured, which left only the steam-powered robot, who was nowhere to be seen. It had entered the room, received the anti-virus chip, and departed through the portal without a word to anyone. The blue-haired lady, on the other hand, was being fitted with winter wear for the upcoming mission. It looked like she might take a while. He turned back to face the doctor as the needle was removed from his arm.

"Good luck, soldier."

"[color=8dc73f]Thank you, doctor,[/color]" Ruben replied gruffly, squeezing back into his body suit and strapping the armor back into place. With nothing left to be said or exchanged, he jogged out of the room and through the portal, concerned that he may be missing a second briefing. Upon arrival, he was greeted with a blast of cold, the scent of fire, and the words “Hey guys, our guy’s in that fortress. Who wants to bet on it? Who doesn’t believe I’m right?”

The next few minutes were occupied by the Boss (self-referred, anyway) giving a detailed explanation of his leadership roles, none of which sounded particularly believable or plausible. It was confirmed, then, that he would be in charge of the mission. Ruben silently thanked the ruthless military discipline that had been drilled into him for keeping him in line. He was followed by the formal introduction of Vent, "the Model X and ZX Megaman." As expected, he didn't know what that meant, but apparently it was important. Introductions continued with Captain Piper, the steam-powered robot with a considerable amount of combat experience. Ruben couldn't help but notice a distinct lack of aliens in the list of enemies, so it looked like he was the only one in that particular business. 

Silence fell as the group waited for him to speak. The woman made her appearance, but she looked too displeased with the Boss for formalities. Ruben took a breath, then threw up a proper Russian military salute.

"[color=8dc73f]Squaddie Ruben Verislav, callsign Guardian, Support operative,[/color]" he barked, making brief eye contact with the others, who waited for him to continue. Apparently, they were expecting some sort of special talents or military history, neither of which he possessed. From their appearance, none of them were from the Earth he knew and subsequently had never heard of the XCOM Initiative, so he decided to fall back on that. "[color=8dc73f]I am a logistics and medical expert for the first response team of the XCOM division, a specialized department created fort the express purpose of combating extraterrestrial threat. As of now, Earth has been at war with an unknown enemy for one month. I am kitted out with one of the most powerful combat rifles ever designed, and I carry both a smoke grenade for visual cover and a Medikit for healing wounds via airborne stimulants.[/color]" He motioned to the equipment, currently strapped to the side of his belt. He raised his arm and retrieved his rifle from his back, checking the magazine and closing the breach.

"[color=8dc73f]Ready for orders, Boss.[/color]"