starhuevalley | .1 caliber [Intro]

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.1 caliber [Intro]

[ACTION]

[She steps down from the bus and tugs at the strap around her shoulder tighter - she travels light, but there's something rather long, carefully wrapped, strapped between her bag and back. Squinting lightly at the warm summer sun, she sighs. Mixed feelings, all in one breath. This lady travels light except for the baggage in her mind.

Still, as she treads through the beaten paths towards an x in a map (excellent orientation skills, for one), she looks around carefully with what seems like a half smile in her piercing gaze. Yet, when she finds the place in the map, she keeps walking around, checking the Community center, the city, - greeting a couple of kids playing outside with a smile - walking through the beach... ending up finally at the Saloon around the evening, asking for a cup of tea at the counter.

Where do you meet her? ]

[VIDEO]

[That's exactly where she is when the video feed opens up. She's looking down at the screen, kohl rimmed eyes scrutinizing the device with a somewhat disappointed expression to them. She tsks.]

So unintuitive. How old is this?

[Dexterous fingers reach the screen and blip! goes the feed

Ring ring?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's a good thing, at least. [Ana is a little relieved. She's so used to hearing bad news, people congregating to take advantage of a somewhat chaotic situation that she wouldn't be surprised if it had evolved to that state of affairs, but as is, it's a good thing. It makes her just a little hopeful.

She aims a somewhat amused look at Gabriel. 'Did you expect anything else?' ]

He is probably fussing because he left all his duties behind. Maybe a little powerless, too. [It's a rather Captain Obvious comment. Because all three of them usually share the same stance when they're pushed to doing something that they don't want to do.

She definitely feels a little frustrated - visibly so - that she isn't sure how she got in that bus. And most importantly, that she keeps revisiting the same thought: the last time she saw Fareeha, she had been leaving to visit her father...

... right?

She shakes that doubt with a roll of her shoulders.] Am I right to assume you dragged him to bed, anyway?

It is, and hopefully it stays like that. Hate for any locals to get caught up in anything. [Some did exist after all, even if way out-numbered and no doubt wary to suddenly have their town taken over. At least as far as he knew things seemed peaceful.

But hell if he didn't remain suspicious nevertheless.

Gabriel just made a faint sort of noise at the look. Nope.]

Yeah, yeah. Right now all we can do is try to keep some control, no matter how small, in whatever is going on. [At least they were together in this and sure, maybe tempers might rise but they all tended to pull together after getting some frustration worked out.

Did take a turn down the road finally.] Yeah. He'd been running on fumes for a while, but I let him actually feel how tired he was before doing it.

Less likely to argue over sleep.

Hopefully. [Hopefully they're not part of some sort of intricate ploy, either. Not that she finds it likely, just. Having suffered from a huge loss done by a sleeper agent, she feels a little jaded.]

And all the while tending to your beloved crops. [She quips. It'll be alright, she thinks as she follows Gabriel into this turn on the road.

A light snort, and she swipes a strand of hair from her face.] At least you know how he works. He always gets a little lost in the little things.

[This is why Jack and he have their conspiracy wall in the basement Ana, maybe not due to suffering such a loss but it's.. sort of natural when there's a possible conspiracy going on.

It made sense.]

Got some fruit trees and apparently a lot of corn. See where we can go from there. [Play along just to have something to do. Clean up the land, whatever it took.

Shoulders shrugged, hands still in hoodie pockets.] After all the years we've known each other I'd be more surprised if I didn't. Helps when it comes to pulling him out of his head.

[As if Gabriel didn't need the same hand out himself, could get lost just as easily when something bothered him, trying to figure it out. How to do better next time and so on.]

[What else would they do, anyway, if not trying to uncover whatever is there in this place?

She actually reaches with her hand to cover her mouth, which transforms completely into a grin.] Oh, no. If we lose Jack to corn, we may never see him again.

[That's where her thoughts steer into, really. While they're both here speaking about Jack, she knows that Gabriel tends to do the same. And when that happens, it's Jack who pulls him back. In the event that the both of them fall into it, it is Ana's job to stop them, to make them take a step back and see the big picture.

They worked well that way, no matter how much UN officials want to scatter them. ]

It's a good thing you're here, then.

We shall have to find ways to appease the corn demons, rather than lose our farm boy. [Just as fond as ever, and maybe Ana was the only person he ever let that fondness bleed through around. He trusted her, was comfortable enough with that.

Gabriel was nodding along, and at least the place was coming in to view finally.]

Hell, glad he was here when I showed up. First person to find me after I stepped off the bus.

[She grins.] You're going to have to teach me, then. I know nothing of your corn demons. [A sigh, the hand that had been covering her mouth rubbing the line from the corner of her mouth to her nose before dropping it. It's been a while since she's actually laughed and it felt good, especially coming from that rare fond tone in Gabriel's voice.

But that earns him a curious look.]

Did he know? Or was that just one of those things Jack does? [Either luck or intuition, sometimes he just seemed to be in the right place at the right time.]

[There was the dramatics put in to his voice that the discussion of corn and corn demons clearly demanded—] Then tomorrow we shall gather what we need for the sacrifice and hope they both bless us a good harvest and leave Jack be.

It will be worth it. [Laughter in his voice near the end there. He tried, he did.]

Clicked his tongue in thought then.]

Think it might just be one of those things he does. I hadn't touched that.. Jpad thing until a day or so after.

[That.

Yes, that earns a laugh, especially at the end, and she has to tug her bag up a bit because of her shoulders shaking, her hand waving at him in a 'oh you' manner.] I'm sure they will be very pleased.

Well, you saw what happened when I used mine. [A bit of a roll of her eyes. She may have broadcast a misfire at a hundred people, but she's taking it in stride.] Anything I should know about it?

A pleased corn demon is very good, what you need to watch out for are the ones not satisfied with their sacrifice. [He could honestly go on, because he knows he's talking shit, but it's funny.] Those are the ones apt to drag you in to the corn field, never to be seen again.

More so if they're on the side of a road. [He'll stop.]

Yeah, they're old tech, but can get used to them. Though I wouldn't trust them for anything requiring a secure line. [Reason he had made it over before dipping in to certain subjects.] Anything in particular I haven't covered?

[Trying to keep from laughing still, and failing, because goddamn you, Gabriel.

Though she wasn't the one instigating this. Not at all.

Shh. ] Oh no, what a terrible, terrible fate.

[A shake of her head.] I'm not sure. But I think I have been thoroughly debriefed, Commander Reyes. Thank you. [She's sure that he also has questions for her, even if she knows he's saving them for when they're all sitting down together.]

[The side that only a small handful of people ever got to see, right there.]

Such a terrible fate, and why you should never walk in to a corn field at night. [He's keeping that 'deadly serious' dramatic voice up, somehow.] That is when they're at their most deadly, and easily make you get lost as it all seems to grow around you.

Horrible business, dealing with corn demons.

[The basics were covered, anything else was likely best discussed when all of them were sitting in Jack's house. All get on the same page and go from there.] I'm sure the Strike-Commander will wish to inform you of anything I've forgotten. [They'd be fine.]

How do you know all of this, Gabriel? [She actually manages to school her face into an expression of amazement and curiosity, even if her voice is still laced with laughter.

She tilts her head.] I'm sure the Strike-Commander will have forgotten whatever you have.

That is a very long story, and best not repeated. [Such a gravely serious tone, a hand even going over his heart

before opening the gate and holding it open, and god was that damned rare smile still very much there. This was good, honestly.]

Might come up when we're covering everything best left for a sit down.

That sounds promising. [Sometimes, a smiling Gabriel could mean trouble. An edge of mischief here, a challenging tone there. That was the smiling Gabriel she was most used to. But other times, rare as they are, he looks like that, and it never fails to have her smile back. She takes it as the silent welcome that it is, even if she never thought she'd see it while he opened the gate to a farm.

She tips her head low in a mock-bow (her dramatic antics aren't as good as his flare, though), muttering a thank you and crossing the gate, eyes sweeping through the grounds and the house.]

Well, this is actually quite nice. [Is it ok to sound surprised?]

[It was fun to get in to the topic of some outlandish story like that occasionally, let that get through his system and all before things would have to come back to some sense of reality.

Closed the gate just behind them, hand sliding back into the pockets of his hoodie.] Been working on clearing up the area, all of us.

The house itself is a little bit of a mess inside with Jack's remodeling, though.

You've been doing quick work of it, I can see. [That she isn't surprised. They're overachievers, anyway.]

What is he working on? Maybe I can help.

Nothing else to do other than either investigate the mines, look in to these monsters, or see what else we can learn about the people here. [And sometimes it was just better to drop that and do something that actually left you feeling accomplished.

Farming.]

Working on getting a third bedroom or something in there.

And here I thought you'd be into fishing. [This is teasing, but it actually... maybe... kind of appeals to her.

Especially if she gets her hands on some scuba gear.

And a speargun.
Just maybe.]

Do we have enough room for that? Or does he actually have to expand the house?

Didn't you know? I always wanted to go spelunking in to caves. [He could honestly enjoy fishing.

Tongue clicked again, head tilted back for just a moment.]

We do or not he's going to try his damnedest to make it work. You know how he gets when he wants to get a project done.

[A twitch of her lips.] Fair enough. I can see that, too.

[She shakes her head.] True. Well, if anything, we get a new pantry, I guess.

The trick will be not getting eaten by whatever monsters live in there. [Gabriel, no.

He rubbed the back of his neck.] Yeah. Feel up to some lemonade? Still fresh.

[Once inside the house.]

[Gabriel no indeed.] Oh, I think the monsters will soon learn who's boss soon enough, anyway.

[That sounds delightful, actually.] Yes, please. The tea back there was... subpar. Would be nice to wash it off.

[Gabriel shrugged his shoulders slightly.] Going to have to find out what types are around here soon enough anyway. They apparently like the woods.

[Thumbing towards the ore heavily treed area visible from near the porch, and already walking up them for the door.]

Come on in then and make yourself at home, just watch the floor from Jack's project. I'll get the lemonade, can join me in the kitchen.

[Her gaze goes to the woods Gabriel points at, cybernetic eye trying to scan everything - a hint of motion, something.

Nothing that she can see at the moment, anyway.

She steps into the house and immediately looks around. It looks only kind of lived in, save for the spot on the floor where Jack apparently took over.

Stepping into the kitchen behind him.] How do you get supplies in town?

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