Rage Ravine, a modest part-wood part-stone two-storey house built partly into the cliff-face, hidden behind a bank of pink-leaved trees. Hanna is stood on the balcony, dressed only in a dark blue bathrobe to guard against the wind, watching the sun rise over the treetops. Rob's light snoring can be heard from inside the bedroom. Hanna turns away from the view, and unfolds the newspaper she's holding. It is dated one day after the destruction of Brevon's Dreadnought, and the headline reads 'Heroic Trio Saves Avalice from Alien Monster'; the picture accompanying the article is of the wreckage of the Dreadnought.
Hanna speed-reads the article, before discarding the paper and picking up another from the table next to her. It's from the day after, and the headline reads 'Heroes Honoured in Shang Mu Parade'. Hanna discards the paper almost immediately in disgust, and picks up the next one, with the headline 'Shuigang Begins Dreadnought Salvage'. Hanna speed-reads, then goes pack to read a couple of paragraphs in more detail. Slowly, her expression morphs from annoyance, through curiosity, to excitement and cunning.
Mid-morning. Rob strolls into the kitchen, stifling a yawn, before taking a bottle from the fridge, opening it, and taking a long draft. He turns to see Hanna sat at the table, polishing one of his sai, her nunchaku sat neatly arranged on top of two folded red scarves. Rob stands patiently, waiting for Hanna to notice him; the newspaper laying on the table has the headline 'Shuigang Begins Dreadnought Salvage'.
"I know what you're gonna say," Hanna eventually mutters without looking up, "and you know it won't change my mind."
"I'll save my breath for the inevitable 'I told you so' then."
Hanna chuckles softly, placing the newly-polished sai alongside the other, fixing Rob with a cheeky grin. "You wouldn't dare."
Rob's expression darkens with concern. "This won't be easy y'know; that wreckage is guarded by some of the most capable soldiers in the three kingdoms."
"We'll just have to be super-sneaky then," Hanna assures. "Better get the balaclavas." A moment's pause. "Need to take the shine off your sai too. Kinda wish I hadn't spent all that time polishing them now..."
A short time later, two ATVs speed away from the house, heading for the Shuigang Snowfields.
