[ PREGNANCY RESULT: SUCCESSFUL ]
Gestation Timer: 90 Days (Accelerated)
Faction Bonus: +15% Political Influence Activated
Affinity: Iris Gaia — 28 (Moderate Trust, High Claim)
The notification pulsed once on the war-room wall, and with it, an electric buzz filled the air. Iris folded her arms, her eyes sharp. "No applause. Let's keep our focus."
"Right," Rinoa added, glancing at the display. "This isn't a celebration; it's a mission." She flicked rain off her hair, tension evident in her posture. "What's our next move?"
Iris tightened one glove, nodding to herself, feeling the weight of responsibility settle in. "We brief at nine. Then we use the leverage we have," she stated, her tone unwavering.
Rinoa leaned on the map table, her fingers tapping nervously. "Leverage is only useful if the city sees it. Custodian is still sitting on our feed. We can't let them keep this from us."
"Then we pry its fingers loose," Iris replied decisively, turning to the rest of the team. "All right, let's move."
Fitran absorbed the information without blinking. He glanced at the congratulatory reports, dismissing them. "We move anyway. Outreach runs live. We protect corridors, log consent. We don't wait for a headline to grant us permission," he said firmly, reminding them of their mission's urgency.
Oda rotated a grease pencil between two fingers, his expression calm but focused. "Targets?" he asked, ready for specifics.
"Three," Rinoa responded, sliding a thin folder across the table. "Aetherford Clinic One, Valenrose Rail Spur C-Seven, Karesh Harbor Annex. If we lose any of them, the day collapses." Her voice was steady, but the weight of their objectives hung in the air.
Zephyra twitched a brow, clearly strategizing. "Team assignments?" she inquired, eager to understand her role in this critical operation.
Fitran pointed decisively. "Aetherford is ours." He glanced at Rinoa. "You close the gaps. Iris will hold the high ground."
Rinoa nodded, her expression sharp. "Got it. Freya, you're on the smokes."
"On it," Freya replied, a glint of focus in her eyes. "Entry and exit covered."
"Oda, you anchor the street," Fitran instructed, his tone unwavering.
"Affirmative," Oda affirmed, already scanning the area.
Zephyra chimed in, "And I'll take the rooftops. Always a good view from up there."
Alea smirked, her voice low and confident. "Leave the stubborn ones to me. Everything opens with the right persuasion."
Alea's confidence brought a moment of lightness to the intensity, but the gravity of the mission loomed large. "Focus up, everyone."
Aetherford: Clinic One
The city wore rain like a veil. Fitran surveyed the scene, noting how steam bled from the pipes into the narrow lanes. "It's a mess out here."
"Pipes are leaking like a sieve," Rinoa noted, her eyes fixed on the clinic's brass placard. "These letters are close to unreadable."
She checked her Silverbloom Mk. II steam-pistols, spinning each with confidence. "Two minutes to go-live. You want alley or door?"
"Let's hit the door," Fitran said firmly.
"Thought so," Rinoa smirked, bumping his shoulder with hers. "Iris?"
Static danced in Fitran's ear, and Iris's cool voice cut through. "Top of the tram depot. Wind quarter-left. I have the street, three roofs, and your pulse if you start running."
"I'll keep it steady," Fitran assured, locking his gaze on the path ahead.
Freya crouched at the corner and loaded a canister into her Mirage Type-8 carbine. "One smoke left, two in reserve. This should keep them off our backs."
Static crackled in his ear before Iris's voice cut through, cool and steady. "Top of the tram depot. Wind quarter-left. I've got the street covered, three roofs in my sight, and your pulse on standby if you decide to make a break for it."
Freya crouched at the corner, meticulously loading a canister into her Mirage Type-8 carbine. "One smoke left, two in reserve, just in case we need to cloud the way." Her focus remained sharp, eyes glued to the alley.
Oda rolled her Fortress Breaker off her shoulder, letting the barrels touch the curb with a soft thud. "This street is mine. If they get past me, it's because they brought the whole damn building." She looked back at the team, determination etched on her face.
Zephyra's whisper emerged from somewhere unexpected, her presence felt more than seen. "Rooftops are clear for now, but let's not get complacent." She scanned the high ground, hair framing her intent expression.
Alea flexed her hands, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she rested her Bloodthorn Breaker shotgun across a bent rail. "Just give the order, I'm ready." Her eyes gleamed with anticipation, eager for the action to begin.
Fitran scanned the lane—observing signposts, gutters, and the subtle movements of a dray cart as it glided by. "Look at that piece of junk. It thinks it can just pretend to be inconspicuous," he muttered with a slight smirk. The [SYSTEM] ticked alive in his sightline, a reminder of their imminent task.
OUTREACH: AETHERFORD CLINIC ONE — GO-LIVE (T–00:60s)
Escort Corridor: GREEN
Public Feed: ACTIVE (Custodian flag — ON)
Duo Skills — Status:
• Linked Fire (Rinoa) — LOCKED (Affinity 66/70)
• Royal Spotter Protocol (Iris) — LOCKED (Affinity 28/65)
• Ghost Veil Maneuver (Freya) — LOCKED (Affinity 42/60)
• Hammer and Anvil (Oda) — LOCKED (Affinity 51/65)
• Two-Point Execution (Zephyra) — LOCKED (Affinity 58/70)
• Break the Line (Alea) — LOCKED (Affinity 61/75)
Rinoa clicked her tongue, frustration flickering in her eyes. "All those pretty switches, none of them letting us break the glass."
"Trust me," Fitran replied, scanning the area with a determined frown. "They will."
Rinoa's gaze narrowed. "Then make me believe."
As the clinic door cracked open, a matron in a worn gray dress peered up and down the lane, her jaw set like a gate. Two nurses stood behind her, ledgers clutched like shields.
"Ready?" Fitran asked, preparing himself for what was to come.
Rinoa tilted her head, resolve firm. "Always."
"Now," Fitran commanded.
The matron stepped out with two witnesses in tow. Fitran met them halfway, positioning himself strategically, body blocking the cameras from view of the consent window on the clipboard. The matron's hand didn't shake when she signed; clean and precise. The witnesses quickly followed, signing with equally steady hands. The [SYSTEM] pulsed:
Consent: RECORDED
Queue: Publishing (Custodian — DELAY)
Public Confidence: +1% (Local)
Iris's voice pierced the calm, her tone clipped. "Movement, north alley. Three. No insignia. Gait says trained, not drilled. I have the point."
Rinoa's hands rose, twin pistols leveled with laser focus. "I'll take the strays."
"No hesitation," Oda added, already readying his rotary gun. Its purr was like a promise of destruction. "They poke heads, they lose them."
Freya's eyes glinted as she popped the first smoke. It bloomed between the clinic and the alley, a silver-gray screen that blurred their reality. "Let's give them a bit of cover."
"On me," Fitran instructed, his voice firm, setting the pace for their approach.
The first attacker slid out of the alley behind a trash wagon, convinced of his invisibility. "Guess today's my lucky day," he thought. But luck had other plans. Fitran's lever-action barked loudly. "Not today," Fitran called out, his voice steady. The man folded and slid to the ground. "One down," he confirmed, his eyes scanning for more targets. The second climbed a drainpipe. "Iris, clear him out!" Fitran commanded. Iris responded coolly, "Watch this." She put a coil round through the pipe, and with a satisfied nod, noted, "He just lost his balance." The man came down hard into Alea's reach. "Perfect timing," Alea said, her weapon ringing with metal as she took him down swiftly.
Rinoa flowed where the smoke thinned, pistols coughing steam in counterpoint to Fitran's rifle. "Heads up, I see movement!" she called, pinpointing her targets. She didn't miss. "Not on my watch," she muttered, a fierce determination in her eyes. A man darted left behind a mailbox. "Left side!" she shouted. Her left hand shot first, quick and precise. "And right for the correction," she added as her right followed through. The target fell like a letter delivered. "Nice shot," Fitran remarked, nodding in approval.
Affinity (Rinoa): +2 → 68
Combat Efficiency: +3%
"More targets, Zephyra?" Fitran asked, focused on the next move.
"Depot roof. Four up high," Zephyra murmured, eyes narrowed. "Gonna need two lengths of wire and a mean opinion of gravity."
"Spot them for me," Fitran replied, steady hands preparing for the next shot.
"Lamp-post, then chimney, then the cart with the broken wheel," Zephyra instructed. Iris nodded, "I have the second. The first is yours, Fitran."
He exhaled, lining up the shot. "Here goes nothing," he said, eyes trained on the rain-slick depot roof. The figure hugging the eave thought the angle was his friend. "Let's see about that," Fitran finished, taking the line Zephyra gave, letting it guide him into the shot. The figure rolled backward out of frame, taken completely by surprise.
Rinoa's hip brushed his as she pivoted. "Two more, and you owe me breakfast," she declared, smirking.
"You already bought it," he shot back with a grin.
"Then make it lunch," she chuckled, already scanning for more targets. "I'll take double, thanks."
The second wave came smarter—two automaton mules, freshly repainted black, rolling in like wolves in sheep's clothing, hauling a toolbox that appeared far too heavy for its intended purpose. Oda swore once, her voice low but sharp. "Get down! They're packing something." She crouched into the gun's harness, eyes narrowed as she scanned the mules.
"Shields on mules," she snapped, urgency lacing her tone. "They're hiding a spool-gun."
"Not on my watch," Freya replied, already reaching for her smoke grenades. She lobbed them left and right, shrouding the mules in a veil of confusion. "Cover me!"
Alea stepped into the open like she was challenging fate itself. "Hey, over here!" she shouted, drawing attention like a beacon. The first mule swung its head, and she smiled grimly, knowing the ambush was set. Her shotgun roared; the head of the mule vanished in a spray. "That's one down!"
"Reload," she ordered coolly, a hint of adrenaline in her voice.
Fitran quickly levered fresh rounds into position, his muscles tense but focused. Rinoa pressed close enough for their breaths to mingle in the rain, a fleeting moment of connection amid chaos. "You want the spool or the driver?" she asked, eyes locked on the target.
"Driver," he replied sharply, eyes narrowing with determination.
"Greedy," she shot back, a smirk creeping onto her face.
"Efficient," he responded, a quick grin breaking through the tension.
They broke apart on the count, instinctively knowing their roles. Rinoa went low, her resolve firm. Fitran dove left, boots splashing into a puddle that had long forgotten its purpose. As the driver popped up from the cart bed with a crank handle, Iris took action, her movements precise. "I've got the handle!" she called out, not giving the man a second thought.
"Watch for the metal!" Fitran shouted, already anticipating the chaos. Metal flew as the crank spun uselessly, and in an instant, Rinoa's left pistol found its mark. No hesitation, no mercy—just action.
"Clear!" she shouted, the adrenaline rushing through her veins.
"On my count," Rinoa said, her voice steady. As they broke apart, she went low, and Fitran darted left. "Stay sharp."
Fitran splashed through the gutter. "Where's the driver?" he called out, scanning the area.
The driver abruptly emerged from the cart bed, grasping a crank handle. "Rinoa, now!"
Iris took the handle, not the man. "Metal incoming!" she shouted, releasing a flurry of shots. The crank spiraled uselessly as Rinoa squeezed the trigger of her left pistol. "Got him!"
Affinity (Rinoa): +3 → 71
Duo Skill Unlock: LINKED FIRE — READY
Effect: +10% Crit Rate when executed from divergent angles
Rinoa felt a tremor through the trigger. "There it is. Ready for the next move?"
"Do it," Fitran urged, glancing at her with focused intensity.
She didn't need to ask how. "Watch me," Rinoa replied, stepping forward. Fitran slid into position, and they used the cart as a pivot, their two pistols barking in unison, their shots converging. "Now!"
The last automaton's eye lens exploded, a satisfying pop echoing in the air. "Nice shot!" Iris yelled, as the rest of it followed suit, collapsing in a heap.
LINKED FIRE — EXECUTED
Crit Chain: 3
Local Threat: Neutralized
Silence folded back into the lane in messy pieces. The matron exhaled sharply. "I can finally breathe," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
"Is it done?" she asked, catching her breath.
"Here," Fitran replied, holding up a data pad. "For now." He glanced at the matron, gauging her response. "We did what we could."
She nodded, her expression firming. "Then we continue. No time to waste."
The second witness lifted the clipboard again, pen hovering over the paper. "Just three names?" he quizzed, looking at the others. "That's it?"
"Exactly," Fitran replied. "It's the only way to keep track."
Oda stood with the gun at low ready, keeping her eyes sharp. "I've got your back," she said quietly, her focus unwavering.
Freya fanned the last smoke, adding a layer of privacy. She looked up, catching Fitran's eye. "This feels earned, not forced. We've done the hard part."
The [SYSTEM] updated:
Consent: +3 (Aetherford Clinic One)
Escort Corridor: STABLE
Public Feed: PENDING (Custodian flag — ON)
Projection (Day): +0.2%
"Valenrose reports pressure," Zephyra said sharply in his ear, her voice steady despite the tension. "Rail Spur C-Seven. Different crew. Faster hands."
"Copy," Fitran replied, his focus cutting through the rush of adrenaline. He shot a glance at Rinoa. "You good?"
She holstered both pistols with one swift maneuver, a hint of a smirk on her lips. "I'm starving."
"Then we work through lunch," he confirmed, his tone practical.
"That sounded like a promise," she teased, her excitement palpable.
He let her comment linger, his mind already racing ahead. "Move. We swap with Team Two and take Spur C-Seven."
Iris chimed in, her voice firm, "I stay on Aetherford. Public call in twenty. I intend to use the bonus."
"Use it loud," Rinoa advised, a knowing smile flashing across her face. "Custodian hates a crowd."