originally posted in:The New Dojo
[b]Ollimand, Midnight[/b]
[i]She was like a fly on the wall, slipping in and out of buildings in the Tribune as if she wasn't even there, or rather, like she was almost invisible. Khalosh may have been abandoned once, although the actions of the Tribune had led a couple of scouts there, due to it being the former capital of the continent. The reason for their presence on Tatakai at all however, that was what Natalie came to figure out. She crept through the hallway in the third floor of an old apartment building, slipping past the guards with her staff in tow until she laid eyes on it - A campsite, and a few soldiers in the park across the street.
She couldn't just outright approach the campsite right now - There was at least ten of them, the patrolling scouts, and potentially a wave of reinforcements. Then she thought about the reinforcements, and an idea opposed into her head; If she could find somebody in their army of her size and stature, then she could slip on the clothing and get unfettered access to the campsite. So she decided to pull away from the windowsill and make her way down the hall. It took a couple of minutes for her to find a guard, but thankfully he had his back turned to Natalie, which gave her a free moment to wrap her arm around his neck and put her hand over his mouth. He was unconscious, but Nat took a strip of duct tape from a nearby apartment that she dragged him into and restrained him. Mouth and all. He wasn't her size, but he was close enough at just one size over - She figured that putting the uniform on over her sweatshirt and jogging pants would make her thick enough to look like the soldier. It took her a second to slip the outfit on, but with the addition of a Tribune foot soldier helmet, she could blend in well enough. She took her staff and activated it's sword function, slipping it into her belt right before she picked up the soldier’s rifle. Thirty rounds, M4 Carbine with a reflex and a Beretta M9 sidearm to go with it. She put the pistol in the holster for her belt and continued on through the halls, avoiding other patrols as she left the building.
Nat left the stuffy, dark building and entered the open, being greeted by the cool midnight air. Something inside of her wanted to just sit and stare at the stars, but she knew that if she didn't complete this mission, then she wouldn't be able to do it safely from Dojoville. Even if Isabella didn't tell her why this mission was so important, or even why she was going against the Tribune, Nat knew that she could find out what she was after by coming here. Answers were key, she thought, and she was going to get them tonight. She entered the campsite and went through a tent of sleeping soldiers. There were at the very least a good twenty men inside it, most asleep with a few casually whispering to one another. These people didn't look like killers, so Nat kept her head down and went through the tent quickly, heading towards a second much smaller one. She figured it was the room of whoever was in charge of this campsite, and the best way to get answers was to take it from those on the top of the chain of command.
She guessed right on what the tent was, which was clear when she poked her head into a dimly lit study. The officer in charge was asleep on his bed, not too far away from his desk, which housed several paper stacks and a couple of bullets, rolling out of a half empty magazine. She slowly crept through the tent and made her way to the desk, which had a flickering candlelight atop it. The shadow of Nat was cast across the captain in his bed, who quickly awoke. Nat grabbed the papers and shoved them into a satchel, although she would soon find herself feeling the cold metal of a dagger resting across her throat, pressing into her pale skin slightly as she froze up.
“Who are you, intruder?” He quizzically asked Natalie, his voice just loud enough for her to hear the anger in his voice. It sent a chill down her spine.
“I'm with the Tribune, sir. Here to deliver reinforcement papers and relieve you of command.”
“You aren't supposed to be taking papers though, are you?” The captain asked, staring at the satchel full of papers in Nat’s hand.
“Captain Ingrid Harvey requested I take the troop movement forms and information on those stationed in the outpost, sire.”
Nat was starting to falter in her voice, although the captain knew that the knife was making it happen. He knew wrong, but he did honestly believe there was some truth to her words. After all, how would she have been let in here? Regardless of whatever small feelings he may have had, he still didn't trust Nat quite yet.
“Alright, and how far back are the reinforcements? What's your name, soldier?”
“Natalie Ellidran, sir. The soldiers are four miles east now, they sent me ahead to grab the papers for captain Harvey so she can designate her men to assist in the patrols and relieve the current units of their positions for the night.”
“This sounds sketchy,” the captain admitted, lowering the knife in his hand. He brought the weapon down to his side, but he kept it in his hand. “turn around, Ellidran.”
Nat spun around quickly and faces the captain, who had a look of distaste on his aged face. She took a look at him then - He had short gray hair, cut into a crew cut atop his head, with a few cuts on his weathered cheeks, sparse and scattered against the five o'clock shadow that he scratched. It was then that he sympathized with him. She could see the dull, emotionless eyes of a captain, one who had seen too much in his time.
“Go on, get out of here. Tell Captain Harvey that I'm counting on her to bring good news.”
“Yes sir, I'll be off at once.”
“No, head to the mess tent and grab a meal. You look like you've been starved, soldier.”
It looked like the disguise didn't work after all, Nat thought to herself. She was naturally a thinner woman, but it scored her a free meal. She turned without a word and grabbed some rations from the mess hall, putting the tray of food in her satchel after wrapping it in saran wrap she found in one of the apartments nearby. [/i]
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[b]Trayven Camp, 5:00, six days later[/b]
[i]Nat finally arrived at the camp again. She had spent time reading over the documents that the captain had provided to her, mulling over each typed paragraph with a heart full of dread. It mostly was just troop movements and things of that caliber, though she did come across a few notes in particular that mentioned the “Horrible atrocities" committed by the former Trayven leaders. It wasn't the atrocities that got Nat, rather it was the fact that Isabella wouldn't tell her a damn thing about the cause she was fighting for. Even if she rationalized it with some sort of skewed outlook on life it would have been fine, but… Well, Nat wanted answers. And she waited in her personal tent for Isabella to arrive.[/i]
((Open. Primarily for Orn, although anybody can reply.))
English
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A few exclamations where heard outside, the unintentional loud yells of "holy shit" and "Jesus Christ!" heard, slightly muffled from the tent. Outside though, Amanda Drake, a "visitor" inside the Trayven camp, had been walking by. And as per usual with her stature and armor, she drew attention. The place was full of people who didn't look to powered armor that much, let alone a woman who stood 7ft tall. So the odd and extraordinary mix had drawn a crowd outside of Nat's tent as the massive soldier went by.
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[i]Nat really didn't care much for what went on outside her little pocket of space she called her tent, though on a particularly inquisitive feeling she would step outside to see what was there, putting her staff atop the papers to act as a paperweight. [/i]
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Once she stepped out, a shadow went by, blocking out the light in front of Nat for a second, then disappeared. Amanda having walked just in front of the mage.
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[i]Nat just looked over to the woman in the armour, giving her a brief chuckle. "Hey, come back. This sun is horrible and you make a good tree." [/i]
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The soldier stopped, turning to face Nat. It was oddly terrifying, to say the least. She then backtracked, standing near Nat again, blocking the sun as Amanda stared down at Nat through the safety of her helmet's visor.
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[i]"You really like to take things literally," Nat remarked to the woman. She was feeling a good bit of terror at the sight of her, although she kept her joking attitude about her, since most people preferred that to a person who acted visibly frightened. [/i]
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Amanda let out a satisfied huff then, reaching up to pull her helmet off. Once she did, it was a surprise to see a ginger haired, fair looking woman, instead of a battle hardened veteran. Most likely a helmet did people wonders. "I do at times, yeah." She grinned then, flashing a white smile at Nat.
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[i]Why was every attractive woman a strange one that fights, Nat thought to herself. First it was Isabella with her purple hair, then Rose the bandit, and now a ginger in armour? She found it kinda funny, to say the least. "So, let me guess - Space girl looking to get a change of pace in a sword-and-board camp?" [/i]
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"Nope, space girl here to discuss trade relations with the camp's leaders." Amanda clipped her helmet to her belt then, putting a hand to her hip and leaning to that side.
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[i]"Right, I forgot this place does boring stuff like trade deals more than fun stuff." [/i]
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"Well, there could be fun things. I'm afraid I'll have to pass on most of them though."
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[i]"I'm going to guess that's because they hopped you up on some fun hating drug?" [/i]
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"No, its called I would win at a lot of contests and challenges."
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[i]"Who says fun had to be like that? You can just like, I dunno, go around town and throw things at other things." [/i]
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Amanda snorted then, laughing. "True, I could do that."
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[i]"Yeah. With your height it shouldn't be too hard." [/i]
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"I mean my height can do a great many of things. Such as attract attention, and block out the sun."
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[i]"That's right. Makes one hell of a conversation starter." [/i]
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"It also helps me reach things on the top shelf, as well. I could go on, but that takes effort." She shrugged then, grinning again.
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[i]"Riiight, because eight foot tall gingers don't need to put effort into lugging around that armour." [/i]
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"Seven foot, and no I don't actually. Its all supported by an exosuit."
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[i]"But wouldn't it weigh a little bit on the exo?" [/i]
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"Powered armor, it moves with me, I don't move it."
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[i]"How the hell does that work?" [/i]
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"Fusion powered cells in the armor."