"Older Raines calling. Glad to hear you are not busy. You should really start checking who is calling,"Lyla's voice is a bit more monotonous and blunt than usual."If you are not in the middle of some paper pushing, believe or not, we'd need you. There is an interdiction field that might befall on your area of jurisdiction. I'll send you the coordinates, show up in combat proof gear..... please don't tell me your combat gear is a suit..."

Lylas chuckle is somewhere between actually amused and grim, when she listens to his response all the while typing to Battles simultaneously:"Hi. Looking for backup due to an interdiction field of sorts that's blocking off parts in the Underdecks. Could need a hand for this special mission. Np if u r busy with something else."

He listens to Lyla without saying anything, but faint shuffling can be heard at the background, "Instructions received and understood, you can expect me in uuuhm..." He mutes the mic again for a moment, "...In 30... 45 minutes. And as I have no idea what you refer when you say combat gear, I guess it's good time to acquire said gear, see you soon, Old Raines." He replies.

Lyla chuckles before hanging up, and turns to Daniel with a smirk:"ETA 45 minutes for him. When he is done with paperwork or something. Didn't ask, there was already too much information for me with an embarrassed secretary answering his private phone....I assume we'll meet near Anna, hm?"

She shudders and sends the coordinates to Kendal, somewhere near where they were going to pick Anna up.

"If Arkady makes any of those objects, I'd be quite prepared for them to have some heavy modifications...Not sure if they'd be for better or worse. Most likely more useful at least."

"This one would be thankful to connect with the artificer regardless,"  Sonia says a she sips at her tea, pulling out her phone to send her own flurry of texts. "The Asherim are now operating from a position of weakness. Technology can help turn it back in the Asherim's favor."

The message to Ilari returns a very ominous text:
|||TEXT NOT RECEIVED ||| YOU HAVE TEXTED AN INVALID NUMBER ||| CHECK NUMBER AND TRY AGAIN |||

Battles returns his own text to Lyla:
not on last refuge
currently hunting Abyssal construction convoy 3 jumps away
keep me appraised
code X50-Z - wait 5 min if need immediate response
one-time trick tho
use wisely

Kumiho's, on the other hand, is a bit more positive:
You can count on me <333
where we meeting?
ship's under repair ne way
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:08, Mon 11 Nov 2019.

The answer from Battles is not completely surprising, if anything it peaks her interest.  Regardless she texts him, with a smirk on her lips:
GL, HF. Will give a shout if things go extremely sour.

Then she looks at Daniel :"Eh, Battles is out. He gave some assistance before hand for the task, if it proves to go way too South for us. We want more options, or shall we go what we got?"

She gets up from her chair, and stretches her arms.

Sending you the place. No idea what's waiting so prepare for anything.

Daniel gets up as well, gulps down the second cup of tea and rolls a shoulder.

"Ilari's phone seemed off the grid - could be he's inside the field. Kumiho's in and meeting us at the same place. With the addition of Anna I think the team's rounded out enough that we can leave Sondok as plan B, much like Battles."

He gives a bow to Sonia.

"Thank you for the tea and company, Sonia Asherah Matahari. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

He puts away his PDA and nods to Lyla.

"Let's get it done."

"Be well and good hunting," Sonia says to the two with a nod, "If this one does not hear from you within 24 hours, this one has instructions to lead in the Ilmorijo.  If this one does not return within 24 hours, Core will begin detachment protocols."

Which, in other words, means they're all as good as fucking dead.

---

The area near Anna's containment cell is deep within the unknown depths of the Last Refuge, labeled 'SOLID WASTE PROCESSING PLANT' for anyone too curious to look at maps.  It's actually nothing more than a water circulation and purification unit- a useful place to keep a ghost, considering there's a salt reclamation point.  Of course, Anna doesn't need salt nowadays.

Her vault is surrounded by a host of anti-ghost wards, all worn down by the necromantic power of the Neverborn.  The hallway is cold and wet; icicles drip down slowly from nearby pipes.

Kumiho is already there, a long knife at a hip, dressed in an all-black flightsuit with blue highlights.  She looks sleek, badass, and ultimately a little comical- she's wearing what one might think one should wear for special ops instead of what's practical.  "Hey guys,"  She says as Lucifer and Lyla arrive, "This place is kinda out of the way, huh?"

((Arkady and Kendal can arrive at their leisure.))

Deeply gritting a cigarette between her teeth, Lyla gives a wave to Kumiho as they approach. Even though she had not said a thing, it was a clear indication to especially Daniel that something was getting her nervous.

"Hi Kumiho, nice colour scheme," she lets out a small grin, her sleek black clothing showing its dark blue hexagons momentarily brightly. "A perfect inconspicuous place for a group of exalts to meet that is."

She lets Daniel add more info to it, if he'd feel like it. It was not her place to talk openly that Anna was kept there. Besides they'd see it all soon enough.

Lyla’s not the only one struggling with unease; Daniel also arrives looking increasingly perturbed by what is to come. He usually wasn’t one to worry too much, but Anna was decidedly a weak spot for him.

He notices Kumiho, giving a wave and an attempt at a smile.

”Quick as always, Kumiho. Were you somewhere closer by?”

He scans the Lunar’s equipment from top to bottom, then glances at Lyla’s before giving a little chuckle.

”Should’ve told me there was a theme. I’m sticking out like a sore thumb, as usual.”

He shifts his eyes from Kumiho - with a little bit of effort - to the surroundings, scanning for the others.

”We’re expecting two more - Kendal and Arkady, or Archon and Red Star. And we’re here to pick up the fifth... Anna.”

A pause stretches into awkward silence as he tries to formulate what more he should say about her.

Lyla smirks:"Usually you sport black and blue in the form of bruises and scars. Kinda still wanna see you wearing it as clothing as well."

She picks up where he stops.

"Anna is a special unit so this'll be like a test run for her. You'll see soon enough... also Archon..." she finishes whatever was left of her cigarette almost in one breath. "...is more or less out on his first official mission of this caliber so he can actually earn that name along this all."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 13:45, Fri 22 Nov 2019.

If sticking out like a sore thumb is the theme of the day, Kendall fits right in. Rocking a stylish black&blue&silver suit, at least to mortal eyes, but it's at least reinforced to be as tough as light armor if nothing else.

He appears from behind a corner with a slightly worried look on hes face and staring at his phone, but as he raises his head and sees the group he puts the phone away and fancies a smile, "Ah, it seems I made it." he takes a glance at his watch, "And on time no less, good to see you, so is this a thing where I should call you with callsigns and whatnot?" He greets them, noticing someone he doesn't recognize, but doesn't go for introductions immediately.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:53, Fri 22 Nov 2019.

"I took my academic 15 minutes." Arkady kady states as he arrives, with no noticeable scent of solvent in tow. It's almost like he had taken a shower.

"What's up tavarishe? some weird shit going on and they gotta call the ghost busters?" He waves at the group. He's wearing his usual utility gear and his trademark red hoodie with a pistol clearly tucked in one of his pouches.

"Oh. Congrats on lighting up senator Raines, but what the fuck are you wearing?"

Kendall turns Arkady as he was about to politely greet him, but instead he replies "Well excuse me mr. Red October, but this is the latest model of an utility combat attire for executives and important personnel, custom fitted and tailored for me. he taps his jacket "This can take as much punishment as any light armor but is many times more stylish. he says with a confident smile.

"Hey! I didn't mean it like that bratja! It does look snazzy and all but... uhh.. I mean... you could have just worn a kevlar vest and wouldn't have looked like a priority target. We are going to the underdecks, and I'm sure there will be folks who aren't exactly *cough* in line with your policies."

He scratches the back of his head awkwardly, then turns to face Kendal again.
"But hey, looks are important in your line of job, so you do you, Archon." and taps him in the shoulder, then turns to the others.

"Sooo... Theme of the day is we don't really know anything whats going on and we're expected to solve it? This kinda shit is my favorite. I love this already."

Lyla gives a pat to Kendall's shoulder as he arrives on set, restraining herself from commenting his suit at first, until the subject is brought up by Arkady arriving.

"Well at least it is a reinforced suit, so I won't complain. Glad you two could come," she gives the newbies a nod."And quite the opposite though, he is here because there might be people in exact line with his policies. He does run some nice campaign on equality, she points out to Arkady.

She drops her cigarette butt and grinds it to the floor.

"I think we'll give you a proper run through, when our last member is also with us. Not that we really have much intel to go with to be honest. Ah, Red Star and Archon, here's Kumiho. Kumiho meet Red Star and Archon."

"Hey, the most stylish people are the most stylish.  I'm fully on board with those two here,"  She grins, "Nah, I'm not nearby, but I did sprint over here."

She holds out her hand to each, "Kumiho, interceptor ace and Lunar.  I specialize in high speed, mobility, and dueling.  I'm not, uh, very experienced in land combat but I hope that'll get fixed soon enough here.  Nice to meet you, Red Star, Archon.  So when's our last one joining us?"

The heavy steel door frosts over with necromantic essence.  The wards can be seen to snap and fizzle, the intricate designs slowly falling apart like a brittle page.  But Anna won't show until Lucifer lets her out.

Lyla just gives an encouraging touch to Daniels shoulder, indicating that he isn't alone in this.

"We've met before. During the Onyx spire briefing, if i recall correctly. That was a proper shit show. never the less, good to meet you again."

Arkady gives her a firm warm metal handshake, like he'd give his crew, while scanning her from head to toe. Not maybe tact, but he can't help it. Especially after his exaltation.

"Red star. Engineer, Inventor, captain of research vessel Bogatyr, Solar at sun's twilight... and above all a pretty nice guy." He winks with a smirk and lets go of her hand.

Daniel watches the introductions and greetings from the side, too concerned with what's next to socialize for the moment.

His gaze is locked on the frosted-over steel door and the flickering wards around it. It was the point of no return; he might still choose to reinforce the wards, but a moment longer and she would be out whether he let her or not.

But no, it was time. If he never let her out of her cage, gilded as it might be, she would never flourish. Besides, her case might be the precursor to a metaphysical turning point in the unwinnable war against the Dead.

"The last one's joining us momentarily."

He walks up to the portal, lays an open palm on the door and inhales deeply, the wards glowing with his breath. Then he balls the hand to a fist, shattering the wards and letting the door open.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:01, Mon 09 Dec 2019.

Kendall returns the greetings with a professional handshake he has done countless times and his signature smile, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." With no extra glamour.

The ghost that steps out of the spartan holding cell is of a pretty young woman, dressed in head to toe with powered armor covered with small sockets, each filled with a single glowing grey stone.  Her armor comes up high, to just below the chin, holding her neck at a regal (daring, imperial) angle.  The ghost looks at all of them and there's a flash of outright hostility in her eyes.

The more combat-capable know the look at once.  Killing intent isn't just something from anime.

But it's gone with a squaring of shoulders and a stiffening of what passes for a backbone.  The ex-infiltrator blinks rheumy eyes and holds out her hand to Lucifer to shake.

"Oh man,"  Kumiho mumbles under her breath.

"Anna Laurier, my Candlelight callsign was Alexandria,"  She says to everyone as she shakes his hand, "I am... eager to work with you all."  Her voice is a small bit bitter, a little bit disbelieving, monotone. "Whatever's happening, anyway..."

Arkady instantly jumps back and puts his hand on the grip of his trusty ghost killing 1911, not yet pulling it from it's holster, and his eyes locked on Anna.

"WHAT THE FUCK LUCIFER?!? IS SHE A GHOST?? OUR LAST ONE IS A FUCKING GHOST?!?"

He glances around the others to see their reactions, just to confirm he hasn't accidentally drank himself delirious, and clearly solving this puzzle of the apparent Casperina the friendly ghost. The data he has obtained on Ghosts doesn't contain anything that would suggest a scenario like this ever being a possibility. The data is pretty one sided really: Ghost are never friendly. Still he's clearly trying his best to conceive how, and why, this is happening.

"Would someone care to FUCKING EXPLAIN?!?"

Daniel's lips are drawn taut as the ghost steps out. There's several reasons he went forward to open the door, not least to position himself between Anna and the others... Or the others and Anna... Should his endeavour prove a failure.

As the killing intent washes over him he stifles his usual reflexes, holding still aside from a raised hand with an open palm to the rest of the team. There is a definite surge in his Anima, an involuntary flare of enmity in the presence of the Undead, though.

Nonetheless, he takes her hand, eyes glued to hers as he monitors the ghost's mental state.

"Good to have you, Anna. I hope."

After shaking her hand, Daniel takes a step to the side and turns to the others.

"Alexandria - should she choose to retain that callsign - is someone I worked with in Candlelight before it was subverted. I will leave the details until later unless you otherwise demand."

He glances to the side, toward Anna, then to Arkady's hand on his gun.

"She is indeed a ghost. More accurately, she was an Imperator - an elite ghost infused with a shard of the Dead Yozi King, Malfeas. An attribute I took advantage of to change her nature into... Something different, I surmise. One might consider her involvement in this mission an assessment of sorts."

His gaze is practically burning Arkady's fingers, strongly suggesting against drawing the gun despite fully understanding the impulse to do so.

"I have painstakingly severed her from the Neverborn to restore independence. The process is ongoing but far along enough for me to consider her inclusion beneficial."

A deep breath.

"I understand the trepidation on both sides, but it cannot be allowed to hinder the mission. I will not tell you to trust each other, but know that I will not tolerate disrupting the mission - from any member of this task force - for interpersonal reasons. I trust her, I trust you, but if you find yourselves unable to co-operate I will allow abandoning the mission with no consequences at this moment."

If the company was anyone else other than Lyla and Daniel, he would react much more violently to a ghost emerging, but as it stands there is no reason to react like Arkady did.

Kendall listens when Lucifer talks, but is quick to take a step forward when he finishes, "Trust is not required for teamwork, only mutual understanding." He says to Lucifer, then turning to Alexandria and holds out a hand to shake, "But for me, if Lucifer trusts you it's enough for me to trust you. I'm Archon, a pleasure to meet you." He doesn't let an inch of hostility or discomfort seep out of himself, giving her a welcoming smile instead.

Lylas hands ball into fists by instinct when the murderous intent passes over them. She is quick to reign in her shadowy blades, and gives Anna a bit more friendly, approving look before stepping to give her hand a shake.

"Blue Fox, despite this all its interesting to have you with.... and nice to meet you," she nods.

After that she steps back beside Arkady's pistol side.