A pair of soldiers were taking a bit long to prepare for the mission today...but it isn't what you think. With the ever-looming mission and all that could happen lying in front of them, Isaac and Britta had decided to do something constructive to put their anxious feelings about it aside. It wasn't anything intimate. That might make them even [i]more[/i] worried about their future. When dealing in uncertainties - things like 'How many troops will we be facing?' or 'Will there be more gas?' or 'What caused that explosion, last night?' - it's best to deal with something in front of you that will leave you with less regrets. The two Gunners had no regrets about each other. Really, they were more afraid to pursue things further because of their mission, but they still acknowledged that they were close That was why they decided to compose letters together. The two of them sat at a table, with Rikes either lying nearby or padding around somewhere, and were writing to their folks, respectively. They were kinda' left alone, or at least given a bit of distance, because this lupine bastard kept giving people The Stare. That's that quiet glare a wolf can give where you don't [i]know[/i] what they're thinking. Of course, Isaac had told a couple of soldiers never to maintain eye contact with a wolf for too long. They don't like it. It could be taken as a challenge. Rikes wasn't likely to lash out at random, but while he'd had discipline engrained into his being, so too had he had training to attack, as well. If a man looked suspicious, even in the right uniform, he could strike, thinking it was someone with the wrong smell or body language. But mostly, everything was quiet at the table, as they put pen to paper, each with a shitty cup of coffee that [i]Rikes[/i] wouldn't drink. [color=f7941d]"So, do you have any other family other than your parents and Hans?"[/color] [b][color=ed1c24]"Some relatives, but nobody as close. We don't see them that often. I see that [i]you[/i] do."[/color][/b] She could read the top line upside-down well enough. [color=f7941d]"The Black family is a bit of a [i]clan[/i] that stems a bit further west. Sometimes, we go off to get together and have a party. I'll probably have missed one by now. Alex and Emeri are just good hard-working siblings."[/color] [b][color=ed1c24]"Don't you work hard too?"[/color][/b] [color=f7941d]"Yeah, but that's what defines them [i]more[/i]. Alex is an optimist, very supporting and looking for answers to everyone's problems. Emeri's inciteful, caring, funny at times. You'd like them."[/color] [b][color=ed1c24]"Well, maybe I'll meet them when we pull off this plan of yours to corner the farmer's market."[/color][/b] They laughed. They based their possible future plans around the idea of their families partnering up to make a killing in produce and livestock, supporting each other in an alliance that would rule the farm world [i]for all time![/i] It was a funny idea, and it was kind of what they were saying instead of 'I don't want to leave you'. Both of them might've known it on some level, but they were keeping it low-key to prevent it getting all up in their heads in a distracting way. Soon, they had to get a move on, because they would be running late, sending off their letters with Rikes to the dispatchers as they headed off. After all, it was his [i]other[/i] job and main line of training. [hider=Isaac's Letter] [color=f7941d][i]Dear Mom, Dad, Alex, and Emeri, I'm writing this a bit fast because of the mission coming up. We got hit hard last night, emotionally and in reality. We lost a man from the Oceanic allies. He was killed by a very dangerous sniper. It makes me sick to think they might've saved him if the sniper had simply been retreated from instead of attacking him, but a couple of the people in my friend Jean's command went ahead anyway. They got the sniper, and I guess that helps, but now I'm more worried about the thing that blasted our camp that night. It was like a mortar shelling, only worse. We have no idea what could cause it, and I've been having nightmares about that charge up the hill to those gun nests where they bombed us. I have a feeling we'll be finding out what's going on out here in the next few hours. Wish me luck. All of it. Yours, Isaac PS: I found Rikes out here. It looks like his previous handlers might've died on their mission. I'm bringing him home.[/i][/color] [/hider] [hider=Britta's Letter] [i][color=ed1c24]Dear Mom and Dad, Thank you for telling me about Hans. I've done what I can to get in contact with him. Hopefully, my little brother takes after me well enough to keep himself from getting hurt, and that he doesn't have quite so anxious a commanding officer as my own. I'm doing fine, myself. I'm writing this alongside Isaac. (Yes, the one with the wolves.) He actually found one of his wolves out here, or rather it found us as I was serving dinner! It was honestly shocking, but he had an absolute bond over it. Some days, he doesn't seem altogether human, but other days he's nothing BUT human, mistakes included. I hope nothing happens to him like it did another from our squad, Thomas Carter. He was just a transfer from the Oceanics, apparently well-known down there, and now he's died far from his own country. I can't think of anything worse than that. We have a mission coming up. Hopefully, we'll all get through it alright. Love, Britta[/color][/i] [/hider] The last thoughts of those who go off to face death with dignity... Truth be told, of course, they'd rather not face death at all, but rather fight for life. Still, you can't know what's coming for you. All they knew for sure was that today, they would be heading towards the Amone Cathedral, birthplace of religion in this area and fortified position in battle. If anyone was in it, they were taking it from them, and if anybody wanted it after that, they were to prevent them from doing so. With that grim thought in mind, the Gunners would find their days suddenly brightened up by- [color=f7941d]"Lucia! How are you?"[/color] [b][color=ed1c24]"You look well. I hope Middleton isn't working you too hard."[/color][/b] -a definite morale boost on two legs. Isaac wondered how she'll react once the morale boost on [i]four legs[/i] gets back...