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No sooner had Callie shuffled over towards Nil, dessert menu in hand, to point towards the buñuelos (with optional chocolate sauce) than a small part of hell broke loose.  Fortunately, ‘hell’ wasn’t quite as bad as a member of the Zodiac but the devil-woman was still more than a little off-putting.  [color=f7941d][i]Okay, Spindle,[/i][/color] she thought, hauling on the thread in her mind to practically drag her handler back through the door, [color=f7941d][i]that’s the Liberator,[/i] sure[i], makes sense, but what on earth is [/i]she[i] doing here and[/i] why didn’t you tell me?[/color]

[color=6ecff6]Very [i]goo– oh, damn it all, she was meant to be arriving in-theatre tomorrow, not today.  You remember your preliminary briefing?[/i][/color]

[color=f7941d][i]I’ll need more than that, she’s[/i] right there.[/color]  Callie glanced up towards Myron, who had seemingly taken point in answering her.  That bought them a few seconds, at least.

More than enough when delivered at their speeds.  A prominent investor, CEO and public figure back at home who played the philanthropist (while cultivating an image seemingly designed in gleeful challenge to anyone who might dare try to pull back the curtain), Baalphegor (certainly not her birth name) had provided funding and resources for TFO from the beginning, likely in part to protect her financial interests in the region.  The other part was covered by her Noble Arm; information barring what had been shown off in public was limited, given a reportedly frustrating resistance to intelligence gathering efforts (plus the usual irritants when dealing with the sister service), but its enhancement abilities were clear enough.  That implied a strong potential motive of scouting for interesting and powerful individuals who could be used alongside said enhancement under her employment.  As for why she would need them…  Well, her grudges weren’t exactly confidential.

Judging by her expression, Myron’s decision to throw caution to the wind and attempt to rapidly build empathy with their paymaster through shared suffering seemed only to be risking adding to the list.

Making a note of it, and of the frankly [i]terrifying[/i] reach of the power that Prince Shinyahito had just admitted to that she [i]didn’t have time to deal with right now[/i] (but would [i]certainly[/i] confront him over later), she made to stand – only for their third arrival to fall into what seemed to be a panic attack.  Callie knew Kaitlyn Price only from her dossier, briefings and momentary greetings while on base but she remained a comrade-in-arms, and so her instinct flared…  Yet Charter hadn’t reacted to her – it seemed there was no danger here – and, indeed, there was Cristina, moving quickly and quietly to assist.  A brief, gentle smile rushed across Callie’s face, tinged with a touch of self-mockery, before she settled herself and rose.

[color=f7941d]“Acting Lieutenant Lidmann,”[/color] she said, with a brief nod towards the two newcomers before she turned her head towards Baalphegor.  [color=f7941d]“It’s a pleasure.  Apologies for the lapse in opsec – we just got finished neutralising a sudden threat to the city as a whole and calling off what we thought was going to be a major evacuation effort, so we’re taking a moment.  Once we’re back and properly situated in a secure location, and when it’s cleared with command, I’ll be happy to go into greater detail with you.” [i]Might annoy her…  Get the feeling that she’ll respect the professionalism, though.[/i][/color]

[color=f7941d][i]As for the other...[/i][/color]  Callie turned her eyes on an icon – and grinned.  [color=f7941d]“Normally I’d recommend some [i]arroz caldo[/i] – just the [i]best[/i] comfort food, definitely need to find myself a recipe at some point – but this is a Mexican, so take your pick...  Welcome to the team – I’ll get you settled in properly later.  We can go over your role in the task force then; for now, I’m glad to have someone of your stature on board,”[/color] she joked, looking him up and down – and taking the opportunity to briefly summon a portal over one of her pupils, offering her a view from the sky.  [color=f7941d][i]Yep, that’s them…  Well-positioned for multiple sight-lines and covering fire, clearly professional – and those badges look familiar.[/i]  “Sharp eyes, too, but we don’t need to worry,”[/color] she added, directing a fractionally raised eyebrow Baalphegor’s way.