Agent California, Mother of Invention, May 2553
It's been about 6, maybe 7 weeks since my mission in New Kiev. Wash has recovered well from his wounds, and during the time between now and then, we've had some new faces join our ranks.First, there's Craig, or Agent Arkansas. He was brought on by Utah. Good friends, turns out he was a SEAL. Alaska's had him move in with us for the time being, considering that Monica and Marius are working to trace some leads in Austria.After him, Agents New Mexico and Vermont joined. They're… ok, from what I can tell. They stick together, same workout regime, go on the same assignments, even take the same classes. It's just that the only people they talk to are each other.Oh yeah, the Director started implementing classes for some of the newer recruits due to the higher join rate lately. It's basic stuff, taking what 'Laska and Oregon taught us and applying it as a required class for those just joining.North and South followed up on a lead from Kiev recently. It must be good, it got North in critical.More training between all of the Freelancers, whether its CQC (pretty good at surprisingly), shooting, infiltration (utter trash at this), or the killhouse. Usually up against 'Laska or Utah.Speaking of them, and my unit as a whole, we've started creating nicknames for each other based on our equipment, personas, etc.Alaska = Thatcher. He's started using a mix of EMP grenades and signal jammers for missions. A "thatchwork" (ba dum-tss) of anti-electronic equipment.Oregon = Echo. Him and Monica have been working on surveillance drones for us to use for scouting. He made his own that hovers and sends out a sonar pulse.Idaho = IQ. Probably the smartest person I've ever known when it comes to friends. She's helped us work on getting ourselves out of harm's way whenever possible, her dad was killed due to being put in unnecessarily dangerous situations in the Luftwaffe. She plays smart, not hard.Montana = Jäger. He followed his second father's footsteps and joined the Luftwaffe, created ADS and anti-missile lock technologies for helicopters and jets. He's worked with his half sister to miniaturize the tech he made back then.Utah = Thermite. I had my doubts back when I first met him, but he's both dependable as a teammate, and a master chemist. He created anti-fortification equipment for the FBI and has worked to improve it here.Arkansas = Blackbeard. Thatch, Echo, and I all thought this when we first met him, for very obvious reasons. He's a bit over confident, being a former SEAL and all, but having given him my old face shield setup for my new equipment might have helped ground him a bit.California = Ash. Originally, I was going to be Onlooker, but when I got my new kit, Thatch started calling me Ash because of the launcher, and because of a bet with Thermite that got us both burned (figuratively) by the Director.All of these are, while unofficial, still used between us on missions. Even the others (save for some exceptions) don't mind us using them.Anyways, I'd figure that i'd start writing in this more. Things seem to get more interesting as weeks go by.
"Right, 23.89 seconds. Switch to your pistol more South, it'll cut time off your runs."
I look up from my journal to notice that South finished her 5th run of the Killhouse, her time on par with the past two runs. Considering Thatch had gave the same advice last time, South was just here to log hours for the next mission.
"Right, who's up next?"
The director walks into the room and pulls Thatcher aside for a minute, Wash going in for his 3rd run. Thatcher returns as Wash finishes up his run.
"FILISS, how fast was that?"
"About 21 seconds."
"Right. Wash, run it again. Oregon, take over."
Alaska heads back out, J crack open my journal again and finish up some fine details.
-- Agent Alaska --
"Sir, I was told that you weren't taking anyone new in until the newest batch was ready."
"I thought so too. This is a special case however, and she has requested a mission straight off the bat after signing on."
"Sounds like every hothead from the UNSC. Why'd you accept her request?"
"She seemed up to the challenge. I'm asking you to be her supervisor, at least for the next few weeks."
I pace around, toying with my beret as I do.
"Fine, but Pacific gets to join in on the next mission related to Kiev."
"That's fine by me. I'll have Pierce drop off your guidelines for the supervision."
We shake on the deal.
"I'm assuming that I'll be meeting her before her mission starts?"
"She'll be introducing herself to everyone soon, I had her agree to a "test" to prove that she was fine to take a mission Day 1."
"We'll see then."
-- Agent California, 2 hours later --
The Director had asked most of the Freelancers to head down to the Arena, no specifics. I was actually surprised by the turnout nonetheless, figuring that everyone would still be working towards getting on the priority list for the next mission.
A few absences, however, were York, Wyoming, Alaska, and Maine. I'd heard they were headed to get psych eval tests today, but I figured that would've been later in the day.
"You wanted us sir?"
"Yes. I'd like you all to be here. After our newest recruit finishes their tests, we will be discussing the next mission."
I take a seat overlooking the arena, York, Wyoming, and Maine walking into the field, each taking a M6G and loading it by paint rounds. I shudder, remembering the last time I had to clean off my armor from this type of training. A fourth Freelancer in jet black armor takes the last pistol and loads it. The recruit looks up to the observation deck, the Director giving the faintest nod before they start shooting.
They all moved fast enough to evade the decently fast paint blobs, bobbing and weaving between pillars. Eventually though, Maine got immobilized, the two remaining Freelancers ducking behind pillars and emptying their magazines, loading new ones in. York steps out, gets shot by the recruit. Unlike Maine however, he trades with them, getting a .455 off into their shoulder, forcing both to retreat to cover.
"Live rounds? They trying to kill the new guy?"
York pulls off some of the hardening paint before motioning to Wyoming, tossing a grenade to him. Wyoming the charges the recruit, getting gully covered in paint from the front. York jumps off of him and land a few more shots into the recruit, then starts the timer on the grenade, tossing it at the recruit. The recruit, however, jumps off Maine, kicks the grenade back to York, and floors him with the impact. They then start covering his chest and head as fast as possible before the grenade goes off.
"Shit."
Everyone rushes down to the arena, Wyoming getting free of the paint and working on getting Maine out.
York ended up the worst however. The medics and Carolina had gotten the paint off of him as soon as they had gotten down. While he wasn't dead, he probably would have been better off unconscious. His visor was completely fragmented, shards of it and the grenade casing having cut up his face and even cut up one of his eyes. The recruit just walked past all of us, the Director coming out with Alaska in tow. The latter escorting the new recruit out of the arena. The director goes off on the three combatants on bringing live handguns and grenades, then dismisses us.
-- Alaska, Mother Of Invention Mission Prep --
"We've got orders to head to Dublin. One of the Pelicans from New Kiev got spotted by Irish Police. We're going down to secure it.
The recruit finishes gearing up, taking a MA5B and a M6D for firearms, and full combat loads on ammo and grenades. I take an G3A3, STEN, and a Glock 27. I trade out ceramic plates and snag some spare gas mask filters before heading out.
"You don't talk much, do you?"
"I can, just not my style."
"Good."
"Texas, by the way."
"Alaska."
The two of us board a Pelican, the pilot taking us out and getting us planetside.
A/N: Right then, I've started work on a anthology story for Fireteam Phoenix, to try and regain interest in that storyline. Updates for that will be less common than updates for this.