Jul 13 03:59:07 109 PA - Debriefing Sithik After the Ambassador's Mission

From Chronicles

Jul 13 03:59:07 109 PA.

OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES - GABRIEL'S PRIVATE OFFICE

Shortly after the office opens, Gracie has been told to expect Sithik, ready to direct him toward Gabriel. Gabriel himself is once more smartly dressed, standing before another map of North America, this one with varying symbols across it, most of them congregated at Free Quebec and Tolkeen, with question marks at the more loosely-populated areas in between. There are two other men remaining in the office at the moment beyond Gracie, but they're clearly getting ready to leave after checking over the daily schedule.

Sithik drops off his weapons with the woman, Gracie, at the desk as is customary, not that the danger aspect changes without them, it satisfies the mind however. The old man he has come to see is not prey either, but a fellow hunter at this point, "Hello Gabriel," he greets as he enters with a slight bow of his head.

"Sithik," Gabriel meets quietly as the other fellow approaches. "Morning to you. Please, step in to my office." He leads the way without further comment, stopping only to politely hold the door aside for the mass of tattoos. The medium-sized mutt comes sniffing around at that point, but a few "shhsh, shhsh, Friday" sounds send her packing to other parts of the office. He waits to sit down, offering once more a cool bottle of water.

Sithik has come alone today, well no reptile in tow, within the building anyways, "Friday is what you call the animal?" curious about the name, moving into the office.

The door latches shut with a quiet *click* and Gabriel answers as he makes his way around to his chair. "Yes, her name is Friday. Robinson Crusoe's only friend in a place he doesn't understand and can barely survive - it seemed fitting." He retrieves a bottle of cool water for himself, and starts to twist off the plastic cap. "Mind if I ask you about the hunt? I wish that I could have been there to see it, but I need to use your eyes as my own in this case."

Sithik gives a puzzled look at the Robinson Crusoe reference, but with more knowing topics coming up he goes into that. "Sure, I would like to know why you left before I tell you details of the hunt. I am a bit concerned about your sudden change of heart and departure. Had you been there we may have been able to finish them off completely."

Gabriel sighs, obviously having expected the question. "It was their use of prisoners, nothing more. In my time - something that I still try to keep alive - prisoners were meant to be afforded a certain amount of safety and respect, having done their bit for God and country. A man shooting at you five minutes ago had rights as a person." He lays a palm on the table. "The greater nations of my world even got together to lay down rules concerning the treatment of prisoners, and one of the most important, obvious ones after doing things like supplying food, shelter and medicine, is that they were not to be used as offensive weapons, or through the act of keeping them out of battle, weapons to deny an area to the enemy. Tainting them with a supernatural weapon to be unleashed on an enemy? I would not be part of that. Satan himself could rise from Hell, and I wouldn't turn prisoners into unwitting walking bombs as I was led to believe they would be employed. So I declined the mission." A head is shaken. "Mind you, I have no problem with sticking to my personal sense of morality, but I would have liked to have been at the battle."

Sithik listens, that odd puzzled look of not understanding the morality of it all coming now and then, but accepting the man's convictions. He has his own despite whether they match or not. "That is a noble conviction to uphold, I have never experienced anything like it however. Slavery is all that is afforded to prisoners and prey, should they live that far. I will not contest your ideology as others may. But. If we are to continue working together in our current project, I must know I can count on you regardless of my methodology. If I cannot have that, I will have to find another to continue what you have started. As for the hunt, what would you like to know specifically?"

Gabriel dips his head at the fairness of the other man's words. "The battlefield is the battlefield, and I will fight, kill and die on it if necessary. It is only to those who have been taken prisoner, then released, that I take issue with. Otherwise, my rifle will be at your side. But to continue?" He pulls out a small vertical-scrolling pad of paper, but only raises it so that he can take notes. "Please if you can, tell me everything that you saw, in as much detail as you can, about the soldiers you encountered. What kind of armor they wore. What kind of weapons. The flying units. It's important," he tacks on.

Sithik begins to describe the Coalition troops outfitting, "First we encountered Spider Skull walkers. The ground scouts we were in charge of keeping the Ambassador safe from as he set up his part. They were fast, really fast for large mechanical creations. The air support was Skycycles and SAMAS," and by the description, old-style armaments. "The infantry was armed well for supernatural encounters." Their description denotes newer technology than that of the old style CS Deadboy. "What surprised us all was a squad of SAMAS coming from the East, very advanced technology compared to the other SAMAS with the Skycycles. Come to figure out, they were an air squad from Free Quebec that inevitably joined with the Coalition to slay the Demons summoned by the Ambassador who also was slain in the battle."

"So, you saw this symbol in the battle?" Gabriel doesn't actually seem very surprised at this turn of data, spinning his note pad slowly to display a neatly drawn fleur-de-lis. "What did the ambassador and his hired mercenaries - the other ones - have to say about it?"

Sithik shakes his head, "Nothing. The ambassador did not survive the battle. We were paid after our part destroying the Skulls. We sat safely on an island teleporting bombs into the battle to cause mayhem and destruction to the infantry and APC's. We just could not kill the airborne squads."

Gabriel's right brow raises, but he doesn't comment on whatever it was that he was clearly thinking. Notes are taken on a new, clean page on the pad, and without looking up, he asks, "This column, could you tell if it really was a logistics unit, as the ambassador said? Incidentally..." he does now look up "... how'd the guy die? Rail gun to the face? He and his other mages were a bit secretive, not like I've seen before."

Sithik thinks about it for a moment, "Hmmm, I am not sure exactly how the ambassador met his final end. There was too much happening to catch that detail. The column seemed the type to take the Nexus initially. I did not see logistic type troops. I am unfamiliar with much in this land still, I may have not caught that detail in the chaos. My guess as to the new events heard about Tolkeen is, the Ambassador failed his mission and the Coalition have been able to benefit on this. Using the failure to build the relations Tolkeen was hoping for."

"I think that we were all lied to," Gabriel offers as a counter-argument. "I think that both of us were played for fools, and I for one don't appreciate it. An obviously unexpected appearance by an ambassador who was said to have been approaching Free Quebec for a demonstration and possible alliance. A logistics column that wasn't. An ambassador whose death may be exaggerated, and is now currently sitting in the halls of Tolkeen toasting his own accomplishments, using mercenaries rather than standard troops as a possible cover for his own attack that technically couldn't be traced to the city." His pad is lain down on the table, face up so that various words and lines can be seen neatly written and connected. "For you, and for me, it might be wise to stay quiet on the situation. I have other reason to believe that it was a lie, one that I can't share at this moment. Valeriya and Leonard? I don't know."

Sithik tilts his head to the side a bit, "Valeriya and Leonard? What don't you know? Perhaps you should contact them and get their take on the situation. They are more familiar with the factions involved. Much more so than I."

"I only mean that I don't know them very well, and that they seem to be more of the classic 'mage' type than you and I. Nothing further, no accusations," Gabriel assures. "My comments were more to ask what you thought of this. It is only a *theory*. Maybe only a hypothesis. But as I said, I need your eyes. Did the Québécois assault the Coalition at all, or simply join in the fight with the supernatural? Did *they* attack this ambassador, who may or may not be dead? Or the three of you out of this... fair city?" The soldier smirks at the last two words, irony ringing thick.

Sithik nods, "Yes. Initially the Quebec troops did attack the Coalition airborne troops, but the Demon seemed to change that, seeming more the threat than the Coalition. Though the Demon was not attacking the Quebec troops. The three of us were not attacked, we used a teleporting bombardment of the ground forces. My assessment of the situation regarding the change of heart by the Quebec troops were the beliefs that they share with the Coalition. That is how it looked to me. We teleported out before the remaining air squads could search for us."

The man behind the desk nods again. "Demon? What was the change of heart? Before I left, it was said that the lines were distant, this was simply a flying logistical column trying to get to Coalition lines." Gabriel makes another note, and asks, "You're saying that there were already troops from Free Quebec in the area, close enough to engage them? Or are you referring back to their airborne units?"

Sithik replies simply, "All Quebec troops were the advanced SAMAS."

"Were you able to see what happened with the tainted prisoners?" Gabriel inquires.

Sithik shakes his head, "They were quickly lost in the mix once the engagement was begun. But here is how the Ambassador explained how it worked. The prisoners were carriers of the Death Demon disease. Those that encounter the prisoners without protection will eventually turn into the Death Demon. The prisoners are immune from this change, but are unknowing of what they carry. I understand the tactic as it is meant to be. It is to hinder more than destroy the enemy. The potential is a long term hindrance depending how long it takes to figure out the link."

Gabriel makes a derisive grunt. "Yes, it would work that way, certainly. The coward should have sent real troops in among the column to disseminate it, not unknowing prisoners." His head is shaken, disgusted and there is a long pause before he makes another quiet sigh. "Do you know if these.. diseases.. can be transmitted from more than one person at a time? Or are there only as many of these demons as there were prisoners? Which... how many prisoners were there?" He flips through his notes, though obviously hoping that a simple answer will be forthcoming rather than scrolling through weeks of information.

Sithik continues to explain, "The newly created Death Demons can also spread the disease. It has the potential to be devastating to the area. I believe there were ten prisoners to start with. Though more death demons were summoned for the battle against the ground troops. So it could be exponentially much more."

"Thank you, Sithik. I understand. if you think of anything more, please let me know. Maybe if the Coalition troops were acting strangely in any way. If the ambassador's choice of nexus was odd. Anything you might think of," Gabriel asks. He adds on a very solemn, "Please, leave this matter between us. I don't want my own probings to be made public, as people might question if my loyalties have changed. One event does not condemn a people, and my opinions are the same as they have ever been. But it could be very dangerous for me, if others thought so."

Over the radio waves a distress signal comes in the early morning of Saturday July 13th 109 PA: "Mayday mayday. This is Alex, an on-call mechanic and vehicle repair specialist. I have been called far north of the city along the old road to assist a broken vehicle but something has gone amiss and I now look to be trapped. I estimate I am a hundred miles north of the city. Please assist if you are able..

The radios inside the office monitoring all standard channels crackle with a cry from the androgynous Alex, and Gabriel looks to Sithik. "I wonder if we should be on the way or not."

Sithik gives the old man a bow of his head, "All will be left here of today's discussion." The crackle over the radio not caught right off the bat, but gets the general gist of a mayday call. "Yes. Can you fly?"

"I can't, but my jet pack can," Gabriel confirms as he rises to his feet, even then beginning to peel of his uniform. "I can try to reach Alex to let her know that I'm coming - we're coming?" A call goes out through a quickly opened door to have his armor made ready, and weapons at the city gate unlocked. He tells Gracie to send a radio message. "This is Gabriel at the O.S.S. You call has been received, men are on the way, at least two of us. ETA possibly up to an hour at that distance. Please advise as to the trap and enemy forces."

Alex replies over the radio: No hostiles of any sort yet. But the vehicle seems to have tethered itself to me some how. It is too heavy for me to pull on the tether and seems to be rigged with explosives to prevent me from forcing the tether's release. Please hurry. I imagine all sorts of people have heard of my distress..