[center][h1]Erika 'Hippo' Van Straaten[/h1][/center]

Erika's flight had been a comparatively short one. She'd been spending time in Australia, as of late. Some more tactical training and arms-handling for some would-be blockbuster movie. At least this was one of the ones that actually looked interesting, as opposed to some third-rate pap stamped out for one of the streaming services that was trying to capitalise on the mold of some other, much better, film or TV show. 
The pay hadn't been too bad, and she had to admit to herself that getting to sleep in a comfortable bed and having regular access to all the modern conveniences of living while still getting to play with guns was nice. Not to mention, getting to meet various celebrities and getting to tell them what to do was a neat little quirk. But she did miss doing something more... hands-on, and that had a more direct effect on the world than the fluff and popcorn of the entertainment industry. 
She wasn't an idealist, or at least; not a hopeless one. But there was something to be said for the satisfaction of knowing you were responsible for changing things. And since she was lucky enough to be able to pick and choose who she worked for, well; it meant she didn't end up trying to jump through hoops to justify why working for the CAA was somehow positive. 
The invitation to join this Op had been a refreshing change, then. She was unsure exactly what it would be, but she reasoned that if someone had head-hunted her for the job, they knew enough about her to know her morality and ideology and not be stupid enough to try and recruit her for something too seedy or nefarious. And if they were... well, they had paid for her to go to an exclusive Pacific resort. 
Damn right she was going to take them up on it. 

All of this was why she was as stretched out as a woman her size and stature could be in the cabin of the little amphibious turbo-prop plane that was shuttling from the nearest island with a decent-sized airport to the private island where the resort was located. She had a simple suitcase in the hold with the appropriate attire and accoutrements that the cover had specified, and she was due to arrive the afternoon before; just how the flights had worked out. Enough time to scope out the terrain and enjoy the place a little, before the business began. The brief had amused her; it said:
[quote]"do not bring anything that will attract attention on a commercial flight."[/quote]
She'd smirked at that as she'd looked in the mirror. She ended up attracting attention most of the time, outside of a few [i]very[/i] specific situations and locales. A swanky, luxury private island resort... well, maybe if it was Jurassic Park and they needed security for the dinosaurs. 
She figured she'd try and pass herself off as some kind of tech or media company twat; she'd met enough of them working in the film industry to know the type. As such; her outfit was straight-legged jeans, tennis-shoe type sneakers, a women's polo shirt and a lightweight sport jacket. She [i]hated[/i] it, but it looked convincing. Especially with the small, rectangular, no-frame cosmetic glasses she'd picked up in the airport duty-free before boarding her flight from Australia. She'd also spent most of the trip engrossed in a tablet, looking very studious and focused. In reality, she'd been listening to music while reading the player manual for a TTRPG. 
Once she'd arrived, blending in had been easy - everyone else at the resort was too busy with their own fun to pay too much mind to her, and she did them the same courtesy; enjoying the food, drinks, the activities and the hospitality, before quietly retiring for the night when she had a buzz from all the complimentary alcohol she'd been provided with at every other turn.

The next morning, Erika had been delighted to wake up without a hangover, which was impressive given the amount of complimentary cocktails she'd imbibed the night before while enjoying the night life of the resort. A quick dip in the pool to wake her up, exercise, and focus the mind. Then advantage taken of the elaborate breakfast the resort provided, just in time to be ready for the briefing. 
She'd found the conference room detailed on the small packet of information, and knocked on the door once, before slipping in. 
She wasn't sure what to expect. She'd been to a variety of briefings of all sorts and in all manner of locations in her years, but this one seemed like a cross between a presentation at an arms fair and a tactical briefing. People who were very clearly more at home or at least more experienced with battlefields than boardrooms, squeezed into suits and clothes they looked uncomfortable in, in surroundings that didn't fit them in the same way. And she didn't really feel much better. Her eyes glanced around at the faces, keeping a pleasant expression on her face, if not smiling widely; but her lips did curve somewhat more as she caught sight of the dog between the woman at the front of the room's legs. She took a seat after that, nodding politely in greeting. 
As one of the others introduced himself, she smiled and answered. 
"The breakfast here is amazing. All the food has been - definitely the best location I've been for a briefing. And if introductions are in order, well. A pleasure to meet you, Sir Jonathan. I'm Erika Van Straaten. Formerly of the SANDF, but more recently a freelance consultant"

[@Smike], [@PrinceAlexus]