Author Note: Hey, I know I said that this was supposed to be released just one week after the last chapter, but family matters occurred and I had to deal with them first. I originally planned for this to be just one chapter. But because of family, I instead am going to make this a two-part chapter. It's not going to be action-packed, but rather a form of somewhat slowing down the action.
Rhodes Island. Supposedly, it's just another big pharmaceutical company researching the cure for Oripathy. There are at least some other companies, scientists, doctors, and other kinds of people and organizations trying to find out about the disease. But Rhodes Island is different. For one, they have their own moving base, the size of a small nomadic city. And the second reason why they're different can seem a bit weird, but they also have their own paramilitary. Normally it would be for self-defense for both the medic and the patients, but Rhodes Island has to atleast make income. So besides treatment they also hand out weapons, sell gold, originium shards, or take mercenary contracts. The operator force is for people who are unable to pay for treatment, or that they can choose to help if they want to. Because of these policies Rhodes Island has a pretty unique force to reckon with. And so Blackjack has recently been hearing about these other aspects of the organization. But then again, Terra is a dangerous world. It makes sense to create protection for yourself and the people around you. And they're less harsher than say the Ursus military. Anyways, the Doctor's evacuation transport is heading to Rhodes Island, and Blackjack being all bruised up and injured when he is reunited with Warfarin asked to tag along. Why? Shouldn't this be considered an act of desertion from the mighty Ursus you may ask? Well they had to leave him for dead and in Blackjack's mind, this once great empire is retreating from their own people and are acting vulnerable. A soldier isn't supposed to abandon duty, and yet an entire army just did exactly that in only one day. Of course, the royal emperor of Ursus couldn't react swiftly. There's been internal strife between the aristocrats and the military so the leader has to pay more attention to what's closer to home than Chernobog. Feeling a bit humiliated by this, the Sarkaz doesn't want to fail again. And so he is tagging along with the other two.
Blackjack, Warfarin, and Doctor all made their way out of the junkyard and through a destroyed apartment building. "So this Doctor guy is why you and the rest of Rhodes Island are here in the middle of a warzone," Blackjack says to the other Sarkaz. "Yeah. The Doctor has been staying here for days and then the riot broke out," said Warfarin. But her smile faded as gloom rose up on her face as she then replied, "However, we noticed that he took some major damage.." "What? Something happened?" Blackjack asks in response. "It turns out he has amnesia now. He doesn't remember what he was doing, but it was vital to our cause. And now the work on research is lost until we can help recover his memory," the vampire reveals to her ally. "Well then, we should get started right now," The Sarkaz soldier then says just as a girl with two brown bunny ears and a standard Rhodes Island jacket over her white blouse approaches the Doctor from around a corner. "Doktuh, there you are. I was becoming worried that I accidentally left you and Miss Warfarin behind," the bunny girl says in a soft voice before noticing that Blackjack is there. "And who's that man following you?" The Cactus asks, feeling a sense of trouble spewing from the guy in question as she starts to raise her left arm. "I was the one who escorted Dr. Warfarin to you. You should be thanking me," Blackjack says as he defuses the tension. "Oh, I see," the soft-spoken girl then says, relaxing and lowering her left arm. "It really must have been a pain for you to be able to handle and control the mistress in her unauthorized field research," the young girl then says before Warfarin prepares to speak up. "Amiya, you do know someone such as I am able to say my own self-control is manageable. Also, the only reason I came here is because of the Doctor. I mean, you only chose Hibiscus and Ansel as your only medics for the operation. You may never know when you wish you could just call extra help," the vampire proudly defends his reasons for being here. "Enough," a gruff voice says, coming from the black visor of the hooded individual. Amiya and Warfarin stop bickering and then the Doc says, "Let's go."
Just as the three members of Rhodes Island are finally getting on track, Blackjack pulls an arrow out of his knee. He then makes a hasty decision of saying, "Wait! I want to join you guys in defeating the Reunion Movement." Amiya turns around in confusion, Warfarin turns into minimal surprise, and the Doctor just stops moving. "Huh? What did you just say again, soldier?" Amiya then asks Blackjack, having once again forgotten that he exists. "I need to join you if you want to take down this mindless revolution," the latter insists. "I don't want to come back to Ursus. They are running like cowards and so the whole world is going to fall sooner if the rest of us don't act. In fact, my own people have betrayed me. They left me behind," Blackjack says with anger towards his own country. "I know that Rhodes Island will take anyone in, Infected or not. Lawful or chaotic. As long as they perform their duty. And mine still needs to be done right now. Not later or any of that bullshit. So, do you accept me?" The Sarkaz finishes speaking. Just as Amiya is about to consult the rest, the Doctor just says, "Fine. We're doing this together no matter what happens. Just stand up a little bit more and move forward." "Wait. Are you absolutely sure we can just take a deserter like hi-" Amiya then says as Warfarin walks in front of her. "C'mon Blackjack. Welcome to the crew now," the white-haired woman says as Blackjack catches up.
An Osprey-type aircraft soars through the clouds at over 450 feet off the ground. Underneath was miles of flat deserts and small rocks. After fifteen minutes, the mobile base of Rhodes Island is now in plain sight. "We're approaching home ETA in three minutes," one of the pilots says over the radio. "Ahh, finally. The faster we heal, the better we can respond to enemy threats and these terrorist attacks," Blackjack says in a positive manner. A couple minutes later, the transport lands on a helipad. Blackjack was taken to the reception hall of this huge place. As a matter of fact, there's a lot of places to go. A variety of dormitories and rooms to explore. The Sarkaz soldier gazes at the fine quality of the stuff around him as he walks alongside the masked Doctor, Warfarin, and the other operators that have participated in the successful operation. Amiya runs to the back of the front desk. "Everyone, this is Amiya speaking. We have come back with the VIP and so we can conclude that the operation is a success," the Cactus broadcasts across from the front desk's microphone. Everyone then starts going their own separate ways. Blackjack was about to explore until Ansel, one of the medics that was mentioned before, walks up to the Sarkaz, scans him, and then says, "Hold up sir. You forgot this. If you want to access the entirety of our base, you have to wear this." He gives the new recruit a small black ring with a pattern of blue inlaid lights. "This is an infection monitor. It tells us the heartbeat and status of each of our operators, Infected or not," the male Cactus then explains the small piece of equipment. Blackjack wraps the little piece around the middle of his right index finger. "Right, right," Blackjack replies back.
As the base trudges slowly across the barren flatlands, the Sarkaz operator has been quickly given the layout of this place.. He's been shown the dormitories, the medical wing, the command center, the trading posts, the factories, training room, and even a mini shopping center owned by the vampire engineer of Rhodes Island, Closure. And now Blackjack is walking into a white room. This area is for the Human Resources Department. Most things such as patient profiles and operator contracts go through here. The Sarkaz is here to give in the sheet of paper a new Rhodes Island operator is to sign on to be able to do the entrance exam and combat drills. Just because he was a soldier doesn't mean he's automatically an asset of the paramilitary just yet. Blackjack navigates his way over floors that are covered up by papers until he finally comes across a Liberi woman scribbling down something on a business paper. "Uh hey, are you the one known as Orchid?" Blackjack asks her, not wanting to waste time. The woman looks up for a second and then looks back down to finish writing what appears to be a letter to a "Dr. Kal'tsit." After writing down the last two lines, Orchid puts down her pen and says to Blackjack, "Yes, I am. So you must be the newly hired operator Amiya told me about. You finished writing down your profile?" "Yes ma'am. I certainly did," Blackjack answers as he hands over his contract. After a few seconds of reading, Orchid notices a few things she should question the former about. "So, you had any parents from Sarkaz?" The Liberi first asks. Blackjack answered yes. "And the firearm? It didn't seem like it was made from Ursus or even Laterno. More like it was a modified rifle from a distant land," Orchid then says while looking over the photo of the Sarkaz's assault rifle. "Yeah, I did it. It's a rifle I got as a gift from a..relative," Blackjack answers. "Is that everything you want answers to?" He asks once again. "Yeah, that's all. You can leave now," Orchid says, dismissing the former.
After eating during the night, Blackjack was about to retire to his quarters only to hear two voices chatting with each other. These voices were coming from the medical wing and so the Sarkaz simply wandered into there. Blackjack hasn't seen Warfarin eat dinner so he decided to bring a few leftovers to her. The room that the vampire operates in is lit so it must mean she's in there. Blackjack also sees the door is open but still knocks it twice, notifying her of his arrival. "Hey, it's me, Blackjack. I'm just wondering if I can come inside," The Sarkaz announces only to receive a loud thump. "What the?" He asks himself. Blackjack rushes in just in time to see the Doctor struggling with a bloodthirsty white-haired woman. Blood soaks through the left sleeve of the Doc's large overcoat. "What the fuck is happening? Why are you attacking him?" Blackjack asks Warfarin in sudden disarray. "Blood..I need his blood now!" Warfarin says before laughing like a maniac.