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Char

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Columbary - Dorms

"So many questions~" The Fool put on a facade of mirth that otherwise might have been genuine before ansering them.

"It's very rare anyone wants to speak with me. Can I not indulge just this once?" She guilt tripped them slightly, none of the innocent like many of the other Augurs in avoiding La'gran unless absolutely necessary. She was likewise non-obtrusive and dainty, never going out of her way to corner any of the other augurs; Living in a much smaller world than even they did in the columbary.

But they also knew that she literally couldn't be bothered by it. She was impossible to offend or impress with any reaction being a fabrication she put on that some logic trail told her was appropriate. Even the older Golems that had succumbed in their lack of feeling into a sense of melancholy didn't contextualize like a programed machine making even them more human than La'gran The Fool.

Golems could also be stopped by a command. If La'gran had chosen to be unethical and drop whatever pretense or charade she put on as just another party of the psychic family then she would very well be a walking weapon of mass destruction if the researchers from BTS attached to the OIA didn't catch it.

That very visage was easy to conjure up as she looked side-eyed without moving her head at all to look at Judgement at something he said.

"Hierophant?" She asked, immediately picking up on the title as well as the subtle way he said it giving no indication that she knew or not that if none of them else did that Judgement always called Scathatch Kay by her surname like she preferred. It lasted only a moment, however. As moon, a much more interesting subject drew the first generations attention as The fool stepped aside and allowed them to pass into the hall, following up on a faintly familiar poem moon had quoted.

"Peace be still; Let tranquility weave its gentle veil, As whispers of serenity softly do~" The words were soft and rehearsed as if read lazily off a script or from a book for the hundredth time as if it had become the start of a chore.

"As for other matters I simply wanted to see how you all were fairing after the recent incident." She intoned buisness-like. Unclear as to if the mentalist was probing for any of them like Moon or Hermit who had eluded her temporary brainwashing though clearly did not intend to pry.

Columbary - Play Room

The play room was empty as it was most of the time save for on the way the cautious looks and psychic probes some gave not only themselves but every other nearby psychic as they passed in the currently paranoid environment right up until they entered Kays sphere of influence as they entered the play room and like a window closing behind them blocking the wind the atmosphere in the facility with all the built up tension had been buffeted away like a breath none of them knew they had been holding.

She was not alone, either.

Xander. Most of them could recall the other Augurs name was also with her, his emotions unlike those now blocked a bit easier to read the tension and easing suspicion that was lingering on him as their group joined the two. Kay pretended not to notice them like usual, looking in the wrong direction purposefully as if she could not, in a sense, see better than all of them combined and at least a metric or more greater than judgement could at current.

"Yoo-Hoo~" She chimed at them, pulling Xander uncomfortably into a side hug as if they could miss him being one of the only other people in the stadium-sized room. With the exception of La'gran, the other older psychic. These were widely recognized within the columbary as Kays people. Be it her team, her unspoken property, her students, and many other descriptors they were the hopefuls and unfortunately that the second strongest of the big three had orbiting her sphere of influence to the point she had imprinted them onto her away-team on the outside.

They were not strangers to Xander overmuch, or him to them. But neither were they overly familiar with him or vice versa by either circumstance or otherwise.

Introductions were made, of course by Kay.

Hermit. The qaedeshi born but not appearing girl and the youngest of the group.
Judgement. The blind precog much like Kay was who seemed to pine after the older psychic in some way.
Magician, one of the unaligned Augurs who seemed to branch a bit into several schools of hyergeometry without a specialization.
Moon, the braincase biokinetic fond of body manipulation.
Tower, the equally daft failed First-gen psychic.
And La'gran. The 1st-generation mentalist Xander knew not to let touch him.

"You guys know. Xandy." Kay mused, squeezing the newcomers shoulders as she looked off into nothing in thought. "Black already did the paperwork when I told her you guys wanted him along. She even picked a name just like the rest of you have. When we're outside you can call Xander the 'Emperor'~"

She said it with such fanfare as if she expected conferring to burst out of nowhere and awes all around.

Likely watching through the wall and ceiling cameras as soon as they were all together the vault-like door of the Columbary at the other end of the play room unbolted and four figures strode in.

Black was there. The other half of the Autitor team alongside Mr.Blue that they had not seen since his mental lapse in the Molopaur. Despite seeing her not too long ago the woman in her pansuit and ballistic vest felt different. But in a way none of them could pick up on the surface, but as if they psychic signature that defined her that all living being had as a combination of the electrical signals in their body and the signals in their brain they knew as emotions had somehow been altered almost like adding a small amount of red-dye to a clear liquid and noticing the negligible but still noticeable color change to it.

And yet It was a new, unidentifiable change. The signals she put off were the same if a bit strained likely from stress but she seemed all the world like a strange one-off outlier for something none of them could really place.

The second and third shapes were Golem. Two new, in the sense that they were not the two that had guarded the columbary before, Assault Golems by their shape. They were not crammed into suits with tears and bulges under them like the last two had a pretense for. But wore rain-weather ponchos underneath which the psychic-signature of many metals and polymers made up various submachineguns, pistols, knives, some kind of axe, and various other instruments of clearly military persuasion.

The new gatekeepers of the columbary were no longer hall monitors it seemed. Full realized Military Gol were rare in babel being mostly exhausted in the last war, but not overtly uncommon with the re-integration of the other colony-ships survivors and a rumored unethical golem-creation project that had turned their only colony ships dozen or so into a refurbishment effort to re-activate previously dormant Golems that they could otherwise only keep as frozen braincases waiting for a shell.

They wore their war-masks as well. Sharp and angular blocks of metal that hid faux human faces of synthetic skin and titanium teeth.

Thew two warmachines stalked to either side of the doors, looked around, and stood stiffly without reacting further.

The final individual was startlingly the most interesting of all even more than the two Golems or Blacks unknown changes.

He simply did not exist. They could see him; Wearing a BAMF naval uniform with white beret and harness and of Volgan slavic features with nearly shaved head and jaw proportions that made the sailor look like he chewed through starship bulkheads on his spare time. But unlike every other person the psychics had ever met save for the lady Tiamat the man might as well have psychically not existed in the lack of everything from not having emotions to read, all the way to not even being able to see the electrical signals coursing through his body. Unlike the lady Tiamat who ran the OIA that technically owned them all, however, the phenomena on the sailor did not seem genuine and instead seemed a manufactured one somehow.

There were other oddities about him too. The man carried a sidearm on his belt. But on the other side had some kind of well-worn harness holster attached to his thigh from which a sinister knife that somehow reeked of bloodlust was strapped.

It didn't take long to identify what he was. A member of BAMFs Special Projects group, specifically the team belonging to the combatting, containment, or destruction of Hypergeometry; Witchtrip. The special military sailor team reformed after the old SPG had fallen to a man in the last war whose team specialized in not only the hypotheticall killing or capture of beings much like themselves but also local phenomena on their planet such as the Molopaur some of them had been inside of.

They were not even within the same leagues of mental genius as any of the Augurs. Had no psychic talent like them either. Just overly-trained soldiers who if the Augurs were a delicate capable scalpel to a problem than Witchtrip was an OSTs breaching axe more liable to shoot the problem first, strap it with explosives, and then destroy it utterly. This was not to say they were dull or inefficient, either. Like with all of the SPG groups Witchtrip specialized in something near fanatically to the point that they were experts in the field bar none.

If they shot and blew it up. It was because they, as professionals, deemed it the only way. They, more than anything else, were the boogeymen of the Columbary and the dull but consterned look on the Volgan mans face was anything but reassuring as he stood at a semblance of parade-rest behind Ms.Black, His eyes passing over each of them and finding them less than worth lingering on.

And none of them wanted to know what it would take for him to look at them as anything other than not being worth his time...

"Good Evening, everyone." Black, acting professional though still familiar as always greeted them, none of the forced seriousness of before in her tone even as It softened. Looking them all over much more preferably than the sailor Black saw them all still as people even if just only. Making it obvious that they had, indeed, been listening over their conversation she continued.

"We can brief on the way after we get you all dressed and prepared. But before then I have been instructed to inform you all that the higher-ups have approved a form of semi-vigil for Subject 0013349-E; Enkidu will be performed tomorrow night in the columbary. Kay, I have a packet here with all the details for you that you'll need for it." Black said, as she gestured to one of the Golems who pulled a laminated sheet from his poncho and strode past the Auditor and to Kay who, for the first time looked entirely dumbfounded as she let out a "wait, what?" and took the brain-written sheet looking confused.

"Being the senior here it falls to you to organize." Black continued, unabated. "The Fool will be sufficient for this operation and," Black paused, showing clear concern and reading the psychic clearly all wrong considering she could not read emotions, "You deserve a break, Kay."

"If there is nothing else the Eight of you will come with Trooper Katherine and I to the armory and locker rooms. If you need anything say so now, children."
 

LavaLung

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"...Don't worry... For all that alters us marrow, we were bonded in those depths..." Moon still kept Tower's hand through the whole exchange, combfertable with being led about depite their head-to-shoulder height differance. The looming silver haired ghost's face continued to be obscured, but they had met the amber-eyed girl's internal worries with a blanketing psychic warmth- A projection of a pristine, younger version of Moon's smiling face, an expression they never gave off in real life, baseline reality. "With knowledge clasped, a key for a lock..."

Was it protectiveness? Their own form of apology? Burrowing down into a simpleton's positivity and obscure rambling, so they didn't have to deal with the current terrible reality? Impossible to tell.

When the bald, blank-souled soldier turned up, Moon entirely ignored him, not even registering them as a real life, non-imaginary thing internally.

The Gol that gave out the form, though, looking at the mechanized arm outstretched- That did spark some ideas.

"Would it not be handsome, if us to become like that? The mind most important, but also... shell and inextinguishable carapace of eons, yes..." A trailing thought, exposed as much as their wistful emotions. "Why doth thou not assign these fine robust souls to that nothing-realm? And instead place us... malcontented, fractious things... into such a place..."
 

Gunhand4171

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Columbary - Dorms

Judgment mentally tensed as La'Gran caught his slip up. He didn't usually call Kay by her codename after she had asked him not to. She hated the name, after all. Luckily, the Fool didn't focus on him for long as she turned towards Moon. He smiled at Hermit's comment. "Let's hope so. I'd rather not end up on my ass twice in one day."

Columbary - Play Room

As they entered the Play Room, Judge kept his hand on Hermit's shoulder as the team approached Kay and Xander. He nodded to Xander and gave a small wave in Kay's direction. This was immediately followed by an eye roll so dramatic that his eyes would have fallen out of his head at her introduction. It's not like they did him any good anyway.

He sensed Black and the golems enter next, but the blank space that trailed them gave him pause. The only reason he knew someone was there was that the void seemed unnatural. A chill ran down his spine as he finally puzzled out what could be causing it. There was a Witchtrip agent in the room with them. He recalled Black saying that Witchtrip would be called in to secure them after the incident with the Golems. It made sense they would keep one on standby for the very next deployment. Make sure they all stayed in line.

The next kick in the head was that Kay was not deploying with them. That meant that Black and La'Gran were leading this one. That filled him with even more concern. Despite Kay's strength and wit, he felt he could keep a low profile with her around. With La'Gran, he'd be playing mental gymnastics. Outwardly, he frowned in disappointment that Kay wouldn't be joining them, letting the emotion be easily read in his mind. He did have to keep up appearances, after all...

"No ma'am, as long as no one put any furniture in my way this time." He replied to Black lightheartedly. Looking over to Moon, he added, "Why don't we hold off on becoming Golem's for now? You might find some inspiration while we are out and about."
 

Wolf626

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Xander huh? Enkidu talked about him, if Magician's memory served right. But could they trust him? Was he a red herring? A distraction sent by Kay? Or part of the overarching plot? Either way it was better to run interference.

"Hey Empy," he greeted him quickly. Perhaps a bit too quickly, "Welcome to the squad. It's okay if you're crazy. We got plenty of those."

Magician was unable to suppress his shudder at the sight of the Knifeman. He had super henchman written all over him. But what truly surprise was seeing Black soften up.

"Awww, you do care Ms. Black," Magician couldn't help but mutter. It was a strange day indeed. A few weeks ago, he'd have sworn she'd have tossed them away without a second thought and that Kay would always be there for them. It seems even Augurs can be tremendously wrong.

"Yeah, no offense Moon, but I quite like being a squishy mortal." Magician interjected pulling himself together, before admitting, "The masks are cool though..."
 

Soresu

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Hermit's grip on Judgement's hand tightened at the sight of the Golem's facial masks. Then the sudden pervading sense of fear kicked in. Rooting her to the spot. Black's words, Kay's confusion almost all of it fell on deaf ears. Why was she feeling this way, the question raced around in her head while her eyes widened slowly. It was one of those tip-of-the-tongue situations people love and rightfully despise.

Fleeing to the terminal that would take them up to the colony ship, there had been one from the Yue. Death walking, all-black armored with one of those masks. It'd slaughtered many of the beleaguered marines before her elder sister stopped it in its tracks, with just a simple question. A Golem faltered before a frail flesh-and-blood woman and was compelled to speak with her. The effect did not last long, but long enough for another of those Golem, this time one of BAMF's own engaged its enemy counterpart.

A child exposed to so much chaos and carnage, the memory was almost forgotten, just that triggered emotional response from her good old subconscious mind remained. It was those war masks.

"I don't want to see them," she whispered before letting her gaze slide off the abominations and toward the floor.
 

Char

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Columbary - Play Room

At Judgements joke the Sailor barked a very unexpected laugh and the lighthearted statement of "Dont give them ideas, Boy", echoing in the empty stadium-sized playroom very uncharacteristically for one of the boogeymen some of the first generation had been made out to be. Clearing his throat at a suddenly sharp look from Black the man took a casual step forwards and relaxed into a state of parade-rest with his arms behind his back and posture straight.

"Yes, My apologies. For introductions I am trooper Katherine as the good auditor has said." He began, leaning forwards slightly as if ready to share a conspiracy. "I have been given a brief dossier on each of you and your current capability metrics so there is little need for going over any of that, What I would like to do is lay out a few ground rules."

He spoke casually in the managerial tone familiar to most of Babels people often reserved for high-contracts, the elderly too infirm to work and are put as teachers and instructors, and those used to explaining things though his tone was hardly condescending and more had the inclination of used to doing his briefing while on the move.

"For your own safety, that of auditor Black, and anyone else," He started, all of them noticing he did not include himself in the list of people he mentioned, "Where we are going; Do not touch anyone, use or demonstrate any Hypergeometry unless authorized by myself or Auditor Black, talk to anyone unless instructed by Auditor black regardless of their contract level short of running into a board member, expose your brights (eyes) to anyone, draw your weapon or make a threatening gesture to anyone, or stray from the group unless accompanied by Myself or Auditor black.

If you do I will shoot you in the head.
" The last part he said jokingly before following up with "I'm told you find that annoying so we can all save some paperwork for Auditor Black, me getting yelled at by my captain, and any of you getting your nice field trip outside cut short."

He said all of it so jovially that for anyone else not able to read faces and posture it might have been an actual joke and nothing more. Noticing some of the tension Katherine continued.

"If any of you are on edge as I see you are I am authorized to sedate you at Auditor Blacks discretion if it makes it easier to transport any of you." He casually offered, making it known she had the authority to put any of them to sleep temporarily but put the offer on the table anyhow with how very tense Hermit and Moon were being for their sake, giving them the offer to take it.

Locker Room

Going past the two Golems, Kay was nowhere to be seen in the playroom behind them as the doors closed and they were all led into the large elevator and the several-minute journey up many floors. Much like Blue had done before, Black had her back against a wall facing them and Katherine, unprompted, did the same, occasionally waggling his eyebrows or giving a friendly grin to any of them who looked at him. Between the weird feeling Black was now giving off, and the psychic dead-zone that was Katherine which in close proximity any of them could isolate to some mass hanging on the chain with his dogtags under his shirt the trip was quiet save for their own ambient noise and the tapping of Black on a small dataslate.

When they reached the locker room Black, like usual, led the girls into their section while Katherine followed the boys. The lockers, lacking actual locks were all aceesed with their names on them and the usual black suits for the men and skirt-combo for the women was dawned with the fire and water retardant materials over a bodysuit of the same with each bearing the tower of babel on the chest, a pair of day-knight glasses that didn't impair their vision but did hide their softly glowing eyes, and a beret of dark grey with the OIAs pendulum logo on it. A thick leather belt was included like usual with an attached holster, empty, that was filled when either Katherine or Black retrieved several of the kinetic Psy Pistols which had all of their automatic locks still on, essentially making the weapon no threat until Black gave some kind of signal on her dataslate to unlock them.

rxdcfvgbhnjklb_copy_copy.png



From there the Aurugs met up again as Katherine placed several Pocket Estoc collapsible blades on a table for them and Judgements hammer for him for their gear as well as giving them access to several small pouches full of various materials they could use but with the warning not to without permission use or draw any of the weapons.

Black had worn her usual tactical vest over her pantsuit with her jackhammer smg on a sling, while Katherine simply had a holster with a pistol in it and had dawned the greatcoat of BAMF for the rain.

For once, however, after that they did not go to the parking garage but instead went onto a new elevator had took a much faster trip up and up and up until reaching a hall which several OIA guards were in, nodding to them and led through a door onto a windy helipad. It was night time, true night on babel where it was so dark none of them could even see the ends of the pad despite the lights making the world feel both very cold and very empty. Like usual and new to those like Xander it was raining albiet lightly as they were led to the waiting open ramp of a Griffin VTOL transport and led inside of the surprisingly spacious vehicle and strapped into one of several deployable bench seats while Katherine unpacked a bag and pulled out a rather sturdy looking tube the size of his finger with a needle on the end and waited to see if anyone wanted or needed to be temporarily sedated as Black handed out headsets to them despite the fact they could all hear even over the whine of the engine and read lips just fine even in the red-tinged lights.

"I am not at liberty to give full details, Like usual." Black began as she took her own seat near the ramp. "I can say however we will be travelling to a BAMF military installation several hundred kilometers due west and north where the Major of the 2nd Shock has requested OIA specialists for an interrogation that the Office has decided requires having hypergeometry specialists on site to assist the Liquidator already on site. If requested you may be asked to offer support to the interrogation through the use of cogitation or even hypergeometrical means depending on the situation.

As Trooper Katherine stated do not reveal your nature to anyone without permission. Not even the major in charge of the entire 2nd Shock is aware of your existence before now and the existence of the program is still considered need to know. If you have any questions about the mission and its parameters ask now and if I am allowed will answer. Likewise if you feel as though you are not safe or secure enough for this flight Trooper Katherine is instructed to sedate you for the duration. Speak now because, Tower, Moon, I wont tolerate any episodes in the air.
 

LavaLung

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Quite the opposite of being on edge, Moon was worryingly pleased with being led out onto the windswept roof. It was like an abyss in all directions, meagre lamps of the facility below lost in the glare of the landing pad's high-beams. It felt like they had stepped into outer space... But the light rain's glimmering spatter more than enough reminding Moon's cold skin of nature.

Needed to concentrate. Remember which actions were considered 'abnormal', and what were 'things normal humans did'... Magician made loads of jokes and stuff. Maybe she should just cling to him?... Did hallucinating a strange bald soldier count as breaking the rules?

"...A question d-doest plague my mind, M-Miss Black..." A timid tone, hands nervously fixing the wrinkles in their gloves. Surprisingly self aware enough to shirk from the accusatory glance. A little guilty about the fact that being carried sounded fun. Their child-and-caretaker conversations were always awkward, because they were both vaguely the same height. "...Our poor brother Judgement... How ist he supposing to n-navigate... Without his truesight... ailed as h-he... is?..."

Hands changed to a little sideways palming motion, eyes glowing in the perpetual night, the ghost-doll projected just a little wave of etheral love by accident.

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"Has he perhaps need of... a spare body... to lead him?..."
 

A_Bibor_Farkas

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The entirety of the situation seemed far too likely to coincide with her siblings current assertations. Hearing they had a missiin, the other voices quieted as only one could truly be" in charge. " Towers eye flashed gold, the other its more dead grey, though they seemed darker, more calculated. Her eyes fell back to her siblings as she took the moment to release moons dainty fingers, pressing on the tips of her toes to press her forehead to Hermits, if only for a moment." The masks of these thorns arent worth your fear, we can handle that when we get back, lets get the rest of this mission over with yeah?" A smile fell upon towers visage, her shark like eyes never changing.

As the elevator soared, Tower hummed quietly, vastly more calm, composed and confident than before. For a young girl like her self, she projected a person twice her size at this point.

Entering the locker room, she wasted little time, gathering her body suit and uniform. Taking the time twist her long hair into long braids, cascadjng down to either collarbone. Her beret was creased, crisply before returning to head higher up the elevator. The tensiin was thick in the air. Little could be surmized from this, katherine person, however it was almost refreshing to have someone finally be honest.

"If we arent to speak to anyone while on this mission, how are we ro gather the information needed for the interrogation? Also id like to volunteer to assist, specifically with.....information....extraction. " her questions came as black inquired regarding Towers previous mishaps. "It wont be neccesary Agent Black. Do we know anything about the target or are we able to be privy to the information we may be looking for?"
 

Gunhand4171

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Judgment squeezed Hermit's hand back, as he listened to Katherine. He felt the anxiety washing over her. It didn't take reading her mind to know it either. She was trembling next to him. "You're okay. Just stay next to me, you are my eyes remember?" He said, giving her a reassuring smile.

He followed the Witchtrip trooper and got himself dressed. Not being allowed to use any of his abilities was going to make navigating much harder. Taking the hammer, he clipped it to his belt. He also grabbed his walking stick. It wasn't often that he used it. He'd recieved it just after the OIA woke him up, to help him adjust to the loss of vision. He wasn't a fan of having to use it, but he would.

After finding a seat on the VTOL, he had to smirk at Moon's question. "What, one of you don't want to help me find my way around?" He said, directing the question to the rest of Augurs. Resting his chin on the walking stick, he turned back to Black. "I doubt there is much you can tell us about the nature of this interrogation. But, is there anything you can tell us about the subject. Or any details as to why they are being interrogated?" He asked, fully expecting a non-answer.
 

Cavaliere

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At the start the sudden arrival of the officer, her guards and the other augurs of the supposed group, surprised him. Kay's timing was absurdely on point, he made a brief recollection of her abilities and assumed she was also able to percieve even behind the metal and concrete frames of the structure. Xander shook his head rapidly in disbelief of what she just did, his eyes wide open as he looked the others. At that point remained silent, he returned to his normal tranquil expression as he nodded to the augurs who saluted him. The rest was as it followed, he geared up in the locker room, taking a Pocket Estoc, rapidly unsheating it to test the balance of the blade and how comfortable it was with his hand, then retracted it and locked on his uniform's belt.

He wasn't that much into weapons, infact quite the contrary, he disliked them in general, but at least melee ones had that aesthetic style and that vibe which surely was more pleasing to his tastes in ancient history.

The anticipation of finally getting outside wasn't evident in his expression, in truth there wasn't, for Xander it was just a way to let the augurs graze like cattle and give them some duties so the """pastors""" would have a more easier grip on them. He was skeptical, everything was a distasteful test to coldly evaluate them, end of the story.

And with those thoughts in mind and his careful glance towards the others, he jumped on the Griffin and listened to the others, and more importantly the rapid briefing the officer was bestowing to all of them. While getting some relaxed posture as he sat down, he analyzed the situation, looked like the other augurs knew each other to a certain level, the questions they were giving to the officer were pretty much expectable. But for him there was for sure something more sinister at work, on an alien planet, calling augurs to a specific interrogation task knowing well their capabilities on intruding other creatures mind. Yeah, other creatures.

Xander raised his hand timidly but nontheless he felt necessary to recieve any kind of answer, even ignoring or silence was enough to evaluate it "Miss Officer. Rather than who... What are we going to deal with?" His tone was a serious one.
 
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Char

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Griffin

"Im not at liberty to say," B
lack answered Judgements question as she smoothed down her pantsuit that was water resiliant but likely none too comfortable in the humid interior of the Griffin.

"The mission gets elevated if the liquidator on the ground sees fit to use us. Otherwise you all get to see a military base up close while the Griffin refuels; At the very least you'll get some real food there even if its just military rations it should still be better than the-" She panned off, a slight shudder at the thought of the bland calorie, vitamin, and protein rich bars the Augurs ate for at lest most of their meals of their strict diet.

They looked like sand blasted over chocolate but tasted exactly like what wadded up wet paper might taste like.

"As for anything else on that subject," She looked to Xander, "It might seem frustrating but we work in the world of classifications; All information is need to know until we need to know it, even me, and you can call me Black, Ms.Black or Auditor Black, Emperor." She answered him, the OIAs annoying trend of giving just about anyone not regulated to standard paperwork some kind of codename or callsign.

Black was not her name. But despite the fact that Babels only enemy was now itself and what lurked in the dark the Office' protocols had hardly lessened.

"It isn't just you!" Katherine grinned as the Griffins engines started to whine as it powered up. "I bet my team gets more intel than you lot do, but still never enough!"

The ramp slowly raised as the griffin began to pull up, the ground feeling like it was dropping from beneath them as it did as finally the ramp closed and hissed against its seal as the compartment was bathed in darkness and red light.

"You can still look around, just don't make it obvious or do anything to the normals that they'll notice." A voice spoke to judgement as The Fool in the seat next to him spoke just close enough to his ear to be heard and to not only give a shiver at not sensing her but also put him immediately on alert. Yet the other psychic went back to her seat without any other fanfare which seemed to be normal for her.

If it weren't for what Hermit had already told them all the rumors about her may very well have been exaggerated and the caution unwarented...

Three hours later

The griffin ride was uneventful, a bit unnerving, and a bit nauseating. Conversation was hardly eventful in the whine of the engines as the craft flew hours into its journey as turbulence occasionally rocked the VTOL craft.

Black had somehow nodded off nearly an hour into the flight despite it jerking occasionally and by her REM they could sense was genuinely asleep. Katherine looked the part with his arms crossed and chin against his chest while spreading out as much as the flight seat would allow but gave the subtle signs of still being awake and aware much like the professional he was. Beyond them the only other company was a flight chief who occasionally poked his head back but never fully entered the compartment.

They had flown past the shipyard without seeing it. The windows showing only pitch black and the occasional white or yellow or red-purple lightning flashes just illuminating the rain with the exception of the one time it had backlit the silhouette of something large several hundred meters off the side of the griffin that gave some concern and alarm but never caused any issue and was gone the next time the lightning cracked in that direction.

A few times too the griffin had launched some kind of bright flares that briefly lit up its surroundings and the inside of the compartment as a result for reasons unknown but beyond those the exciting ride in a griffin had quickly waned in its appeal to just be a nauseating and uncomfortable slow version of an amusement park ride. The most time-consuming thing to do was to either chat with one another or to try to focus to guess their orientation depending on the subtle G-forces involved and guestimations about their distance from guessing their altitude and speed.

After several hours, however, the feeling in the craft changed as it slowly began to drop in altitude and slow its speed and within minutes a landmark could finally be made out from some of the windows as the black of true-night was broken and beaten away a distance away as a bright light in the sky could be seen almost like the sun they had lost.

Khandar Military Base 23:00 hours.

The distant light as it turned out was some kind of lighthouse. Easy over two hundred meters tall and with lumens in the hundreds of thousands it bathed for kilometers in every direction a semblance of light even if the base underneath it was in its shadow. From the spotlight on the griffin once it got low enough in its descent the light was clearly more of a landmark as it illuminated moving forms on the ground that darted out of the lights path and never seemed to come into even the slightly light-bathed area around the base like some kind of barrier.

Khandar was a lot smaller than any of them thought a military base might be. Perhapse two or three kilometers across at its widest point the base was all walls and buildings, gray and black and at most the size of a very small and compact town that despite its size could likely cram close to fifty thousand in its walls at full capacity. With the 2nd shock the only unit stood up in full force being the last line from the evacuation there could be that many there. But as they flew down into the floodlights and spotlights of the base all any of them saw was rain, mud, and buildings with nobody else around...

Black had woken up not long before they landed, looking pale she was clearly trying not to vomit by her deep breathing while Katherine pretended to be asleep right up until the moment the Griffin touched down on the elevated octagonal VTOL pad where he rocketed up in some insane motion against all laws of physics while the griffin was practically pushing the rest of them down, making any of them wonder and try to recall if the sailor had ever actually been secured by the harness of his seat. The ramp finally opening under the watchful eye of the flight chief the warm, wet air flooded in like a literal fresh breeze and black, the first one out of the griffin launched herself out and several meters to the end of the landing pad where she began wrenching up her last meal. Taking over for the woman Katerine carefully ushered them all out.

It was a downpour. Rain fell down with enough frequency to fill a small ocean within hours. Some who had been outside a few times at least expected it but for those outside of the first time like Xandar the warnings and stories of his fellow psychics had clearly been understated. And yet Black heaved her dinner off the side barely noticing, and Katherine even took off his beret and placed it inside his jacket after dawning a pair of goggles, grinning like a kid out on a snow day from school without even a shudder as the rain fell off him and his marine-issued greatcoat.

It made the rest of them grateful for their water-resistant clothing even if their heads and hair got downright drenched. The only saving grace was their glasses kept most of it out of their eyes and seemed to make the water slick right off of them barely impairing them. Actually outside now as well the base seemed the opposite of their flight down as they could now see the hundreds of figures within sight of them at that very moment scurrying around either near the closet buildings a short throw away walking on elevated platforms over the mud as they casually walked as if the rain was no issue to them, carried equipment, worked on other craft in open hangars, or in some cases patrolled in groups of two or threes walking in the mud with practiced ease, never even slipping.

There were more as well beyond them as men walked the walls, used to or oblivious of the weather.

Their new world was dark, bathed in perpetual night where it only got darker and was in a just as enduring state of eternal rail in some form or another. They, living underground in their climate controlled super bunker rarely got to experience it and only ever heard it second hand from those who got to go out regularly but their new world really was leagues different from the old one.

"Ok, All of you sound off." Katherine ordered, his voice slightly barked over the sound of the rain and blacks violent wrenching.

Off the VTOL pad, a ways distant in the mud stood a few people, one in the suit out of place of the couple marines alongside her of being a part of the OIA, a few were clearly marines there to escort her though one of them was holding an Umbrella over her own head.

And one of them gave off the clear eminations of a fellow psychic, an AUGUR.
 

FrostJaeger

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All your (Khandar) base are belong to us
2300 Hours


With things being cold, wet, and dark, one would have expected the woman known as Death to be ecstatic, given that they perfectly fit her sour and decidedly negative personality - and were it not for the scene’s other elements, such an expectation would’ve likely been true. The presence of the other elements (namely, the assortment of other Augurs stepping, shambling, and/or staggering off of the VTOL), however, ruined everything - because it was an indisputable confirmation that Death’s endless streak of failures had yet again increased in length.

I genuinely don’t what they were expecting from someone as useless at the psychic arts as I am, thought the Augur as she idly watched her fellow “family” pile out of the Griffin, but anyways… let’s see how long it takes for them to recognize me, that low-ranked and frequently-bullied recluse that rarely leaves her room and has a vastly superior taste in music. It wasn’t exactly difficult, in her opinion, given that she was 5’5", 114 pounds, as pale as a vampire, and cursed with metal-hued eyes - but there was always the possibility that her standard-issue uniform would throw them for a loop or something. It had a very high chance of failing - but Death, also occasionally known as Faustina Nardi (and more frequently referred to as “Fausti the Failure”) was quite used to things not going her way. Let’s see which one makes fun of me first…
 
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LavaLung

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Moon winced as they stepped out of the VTOL and felt the full force of the cold embrace them, fragile stomach turning, and light little bones chattering.... Of course, it was their own fault for trying to sleep sideways in the restraint-seat, clinging onto one side of Miss Black's rollbar in some natural urge to embrace the person directly right of them.

Outside, temporarily blinded by glare, a small panic caused her to grasp at her hair- Before remembering this was a VTOL and not an old fashioned helicopter, and her half-dreamed images of getting her head caught in the rotor were not, in fact, really happening.

This disheveled sight, then, a tall lank skeleton of a girl, skin reflecting the high-beams as well as her namesake- Was the first to line up under Katherine's command.

Deft fingers grasped at a strange girl's sleeve, some effete dour augur she hadn't seen before. The panel on her left shoulder bore the yellow outline of a grim reaper, presumably making this girl Death.

Moon's subtle angling expression ushered the girl to follow her into a line- Then she straighted up, hands at her sides. A practiced attention stance.

"...T-this ca-call sign is-" A hard swallow, pacifying the massive difficulty she had projecting her voice beyond a whisper. "...M-Moon..."
 

Wolf626

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Magician for his part of the Griffin ride, stayed mostly content to bounce on his seat. He wondered what it would be like to fly a plane like this. He'd grown quite dandy with Static Manipulation, but probably not to the level where it could help him fly...

Strangely, he did note that it'd been awhile since Hermit had berated him. Looking over at her, he did nudge her a bit with his telekinesis. To see if she was okay, of course.

Khandar Military Base 23:00 hours.

At the command to sound off, the young Lusiad adjusted his beret and said, "M-Magician, standing by." A second passed. "Was that the sounding off?"

"Huh? A new one? Have you guys felt that one before?" Magician asked, puzzled by what seemed to be a new AUGUR. They seemed pale... Wait...

"Oh hey, it's the Vampire. How's it going?" he waved at Death, in his unconcerned way.
 

Cavaliere

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Xander after the answer remained silent, there was much to think about. Specifically if Officer Black was telling the truth, could be paranoia sure, but a motivated one.
Besides, for him long hours of travelling in a vehicle wasn't something unused to, as during his good years he drove together with his dad all around the city.... he missed those days... those joyful days.

As the Griffin landed and the hatch opened, the change of air disoriented him for a couple seconds, closing his green eyes for a moment then opening up again when the clear view of the place was obvious to him. He heard of the stories, how coulnd't? Afterall knowing the planet they landed on and supposedly to colonize was an information that was absolutely important. And more absolutely was the disgust, distate and nauseating desire to take the Griffin personally and aim at the stratosphere and who knows... maybe die while crashing down.

The full realization of how shitful and horrendous was the planet the entire organization aimed at colonizing, where the hopes and dreams of all who died protecting this project where put on, this so fabulousely called *salvation for all mankind*. This was the result, this is what his parents died for. Anger and distaste were the only things inside him in this very moment.

The slim and tall boy, with his juvenile face, was scarred by a very angry expression, his eyes cold as steel,his jaw was tense, his lips strangled inward to now allow any uncalculated word to be spat on the face of the soldier and the officer.

When Khaterine called for attention he just walked next to him "Callsign Emperor." He was aware of Death presence, it has been sometimes since she left the columbary, a couple days maybe? Time was difficult to evaluate inside a bunker. He didn't disrespected her, in truth he empathized with her as she was mistreated like him, maybe not at the same level but still enough to understand her.

Unfortunately he wasn't in the shape of mind to allow any other type of salute, he needed to boil down, and surely the flow of water constantly hammering on his head wasn't the kind of cool needed.
 
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Soresu

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Hermit had rested the entire trip to Khandar, resting near Tower. The swirling emotional turmoil of the last month sapping her energy. Her eyes had been closed, getting as near to what an Augur considered sleep as possible. The humidity wasn't an issue, the instinctual drive of her physiology and inherent biokinetic abilities had kept her core body temperature at a pleasant ninety-four degrees. Sometimes it paid to not be in Miss Black or Katherine's shoes. Once the Griffin touched down, the gentle thud of its landing gear hitting the pad was enough to draw her out of the trance-like reverie she'd placed herself under.

She 'sounded off' at Katherine's order, her thick accent full of what one would consider 'sleep'. It was the most simplistic way to describe what she'd been doing without confusing someone with the medical jargon that'd accompany a more clinical and scientific rundown of the experience.

Hermit pawed at her uniform, pulling the standard-issue sunglasses from her pockets. Soon her faintly glowing blue eyes were obscured. Just another none-too-subtle reminder of the differences between baseline humans and those like her. It could leave one feeling ostracized.

But it was Magician's words that shook her the most. She'd long since called Death 'The Pale Lady' during her little internal monologues.

"Tower," Hermit whispered, giving the girl a little shake, "We're here." before unbuckling herself, and then her friend.

-----

Rain was a novelty, a marvel, fascinating, such a stark contrast to the Columbary. The water-resistant material of her uniform did its job, but curiosity got the best of her. She exposed a little skin on her wrist, and just as she'd done in Enkidu's tank, 'tasted' the droplets of rain falling from the skies of Ereshkigal. It was enough to elicit a yelp that segued into her shaking her hand in a damned near violent manner before scrabbling to get her glove back into place. Hermit visibly shuddered. Rain sucked she'd concluded.
 
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Char

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Khandar - Airbase

There were a handful of an unofficial caste amongst the Augurs of the Columbary known only to themselves, and a few psychiatrists who spent their days watching the psychics like a 24/7 nature documentary.

The Zeta Group was what the BTS psyches called them. Those who, even in the manufactured and cultivated family unit of the Columbary had reason to be shunned for some way or another.

For some like La'gran The Fool it was for obvious reasons; She had a form of control she could exert of even the other augurs in a deceptive way that not even they could manufacture resistances to.

For others like Scathatch Kay it was her downright oppressive power and personality mixed with the rumors surrounding her from the early days of the project where only the Gen-1s like her or Tower roamed the early institution of the Columbary before the second generation had been woken. With the recent developments some of the rumors of her and some of the very first of the second generation and her tests seemed a bit less baseless now.

Like pulling wings off flies...

Fausti fit in that group as well. Like with Kay there were rumors, but unlike the formers sheer ability to brute-force getting her way and pressuring others with sheer nuclear charisma, Fausti was one of the social pariahs that never interacted with the wider cliques and research groups that the Augurs formed. But the group saw something, or knew something about her and had attached her to a Liquidator which only one other by comparison; The other Death had yet warranted.

With Fausti was a young Liquidator of the same gender who could have looked like a twin of Black with the same weatherproof pantsuit, vest, and even slung SMG on her side save for her shaved-bald head uncovered in the rain, dull brown eyes, and wicked scar that traveled up the top of her lip and around one eye in a wicked zig-zag motion reminiscent of very rare survivors of encounters with IMI Golems and their penchant for claws.

Young, but not as much as black the woman did not so much as twitch or flinch in the rain, her readable emotions on the surface being almost clinical that most of them reading her for the first time quickly attributed the bland nonchalance as being some kind of OIA agent trick to school their surface emotions around psychics. A trick that Black, a lesser ranked Auditor, did not have as some of her apprehension around the elite of the OIA leaked out of her strange new aura as the Auditor moved to the front of the group and stood at least ten paces from the other woman as they simply stood and sized each other up until the Liquidator spoke, a slight raise of her raspy voice in the rain.

"Name?" She asked, her gaze never leaving her junior.

"Hemiea Haumen, Black." Black responded, the first time any of them had ever heard her actual name with the OIA's habit of everyone short of desk clerks getting some lottery of callsigns.

"Tuesday." The liquidator responded, declaring herself as she stretched the callsign out almost as if she had never actually needed to introduce herself before; An entirely likely scenario with Auditors being essentially unquestioned and holding freedom of power and question short of some board members or Admirals were granted.

With that, the two OIA agents simple remained at eye contact in an awkward silence save for the rain until one of the marines behind the Liquidator cleared his throat and stepped forwards to just a pace behind the Liquidator. When the senior OIA agent didn't object her cleared his throat again and introduced himself.

"I am," He started, the marine in the usual greatcoat and cap as other marines save for the slight gleam of a Lietuenats bar on the lapel. "Leo of Gur, Lieutenant of Charlie company, 2nd Shock. Be welcome in this place as guests of the shock." His slight Volgan accent clipping through the young officers tone as he gestured behind him at some of the others.

"With me are corporal Kebbel and Trooper Hale. The two of them will accompany your group of-" He paused, face screwing up slightly as he tried to make out what the young but still just barely adult Augurs were in their different uniforms and glasses that hid their glowing eyes before thinking better of it,

"Will accompany your group and act as adjutant to any of your requests. Likewise, the Major is unable to greet you due to important matters but has sent along her personal attache, One Astarte," Before the lieutenant, Leo, had finished her name of Dubrant each of the psychics was suddenly inundated with a force like a sudden spotlight.

Not on any of them but on Trooper Katherine as, like a balloon popping whatever had been vieling his emotions was ripped away as the mans very being radiated pure anger, resentment, regret, and most of all like a thick tar that coated his very body directed entirely at the woman with the umbrella; Hatred.

Katherines face nor his posture betrayed anything to anyone save for the augurs at the sheer contempt towards the very plain looking civilian in waterproof pantsuit and BAMF issued greatcoat. There was only the bonfire of his empathic reading only they could see that any of them could place without a doubt that should Trooper Katherine and the Majors assistant be left alone in the same room for more than an instant...

He would kill her.

For his part the trooper displayed none of this but regardless the Lieutenant no more than a few paces away from his paused in his introduction and turned his gaze incrementally to look at the smaller sailor as the marines eyes hardened, taking in some detail none of the Augurs could place without the right data as the marine officer categorized the sailor as a threat and lasered in on him without any of the aid of enhanced cogitation the Augurs had and just some sixth sense.

"And you, sailor?" Leo asked, his voice a knife edge.

"Trooper Katherine, Lieutenant." The sailor offered with no salute that the augurs could attribute to being under arms before continuing. "Special Project Group."

For his part the sailor did not so much as shift his gaze from the man with easily seventy five or more pounds on him as his emotions settled but did not veil themselves any longer as whatever trinket or trick the man had remained used up.

"The lady Astarte is the honored guest of the Major of the 2nd Shock. Civilian or not you, " He turned, directing his attention to Black and then even the Augurs, demonstrating the separation of Civilian and Military contracts and the lack of restrictions even a low-ranking officer with an Alpha contract had compared to someone like Black, Hemie, of technically equal rank and contract had while on a military-designated zone. "Will treat her as if you would the Major herself which includes using her Honorific, walking behind her at all times, only speaking to her when spoken to first, and drawing arms at her leisure only."

The last part was met by a flick of the lieutenant's eyes as Katherine deftly but subtly clicked a button back over the handle of his strange knife and nodding respectfully and speaking as though chewing a mouthful of glass.

"Lady." He nodded to the woman who looked absolutely pale from the whole situation, not reading any of what had happened beyond one of the Shocks junior officers just casually threatening civilians, a Sailor, and a low-ranking alpha-contract holder, who for Blacks part cleared her throat to take back over the conversation after finally breaking eye-contact with the Liquidator.

"Thank you, Lieutenant, Lady Astarte. It has been a long flight I don't suppose we could trouble you for a room for my agents while Agent Tuesday and myself catch up to speed on the details of our arrival?" She asked as the woman, Astarte, looked almost aghast she had not thought to invite them out of the rain earlier and snapped off several requests to the Corporal and trooper who walked away towards an open hangar.

"Of course, Please follow us." She said and turned, her umbrella swishing as she walked carefully along a barely noticed walkway just above the mud.

"Katherine take the team inside, We'll join you soon." she ordered as she and the Liquidator stomped away, instead through the mud, a distance away from them and began conversing under the natural white noise of the rain.

Khandar - Hangar.

The hangar was a a large M-shape building some hundred feet wide and twice that across with two massive sliding doors at least thirty-foot tall each slid open on one end and another pair at the end of the building that they could see at a distance closed. The interior, lined with shelves and pre-fabricated walls and equipment was empty, including whatever craft it was erected to protect from the never ending rain that sounding like soft pitter-patter of leather drums above their heads as the Augurs, with Fausti in tow having been dismissed without word by his Liquidator were blasted by a stream of warm-hot air upon arrival as surprisingly quite blowers blew out the rain and dried the wet as the motley group was led inside and to a corner near the front where a half-dozen folding chairs had been erected around a gas-heater of some kind which was switched on as the marines hung their greatcoats on a nearby rack no doubt intended for that purpose where they blew slightly under heated air to keep them dry.

"Stay on this side of the hang, please. The corporal asked though really ordered as the Lady Dubrant closed and shook out her umbrella, warming herself by the heater as she casually appraised the Augurs.

"How... Old are you?" She asked, curiously and concerned at the same time to Hermit before Katherine cleared his throat.

"Apologies, Lady. But please refrain from speaking to the agents at this time." He warned, cautiously as the marines, who had very much picked up on their officers tone before lasered in on the sailor, the Corporal coming over and striking up casual conversation though Katherines real attention never left the Lady Dubrants.

Out of earshot and thankfully out of the rain the Augurs were once again alone for the most part with the addition of Fausti now in their midst. Trying to wring some of the water out of her neck-length brown hair, Fool looked over Fausti, and then the rest of the group before turning to Emperor and speaking.

"So, Emp." She shortened his name, well aware they weren't supposed to use their real names for some reason outside the Columbary.

"What do you think of your first time outside." She drew out the word 'outside' the very subject obscured to them as the rain and perpetual 24/7 night hid even the VTOL pads and their craft from them save for every minute and a half or so when a trail of light from the lighthouse above them would illuminate them.

Xander, like most of them before ever being outside had been told but never really experienced their new world; Ereshkigal was a world of perpetual rain and night that only ever got heavier and darker. It was cool, wet, dark, and if rumors were to be believed uninhabited but by hyper-predetors in the dark.

"I rather like it." She offered to them, clearly trying to start some conversation as she turned to Faust. "What about you, Death?"
 

Cavaliere

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A sounding deep breath followed Fool's question "What do I think..." Xander took his time trying to convey a proper response without vomiting the huge ball of insults and anger which was pumping up on his throat. "It's a shame." The young man moved away the glasses from his eyes and turned to look straight at Fool "An insult and a shame". His thin lips twisted in a sarcastic smile. "I realized how those we left behind maybe were more fortunate than us." His glare still cold as steel.

A grim and dark planet, with monsters probably capable to attack a flying heavily armored aircraft, and who knows how deadly they were in a one on one encounter. And on the other side humans away forever from their homeworld, led by an authoritarian enterprise, living in cages with the sole aim to be trained to tame this planet or dieing try. A nightmere, a living one. And Babel knew everything from the start, and lied to all. Its not that he had suicide intents, he still had the energy to build up something with his life, although, maybe but just maybe it was better to die thinking of a better future than living the actual one. That's what ran in his mind.
 

Soresu

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The Augur only tilted her head at Astarte's question, she did not reply, but took a few steps toward Trooper Katherine.

"Sir?" Hermit's accent was thick (French), she'd come from one of the coastal regions of the old homeworld. They'd been among the first to come under assault by the other nations of the planet. She'd stepped close to Katherine, her voice low, and for their ears only. "If I am to not speak to anyone per Auditor Black's order... but also ordered by Lieutenant Leo I am only to speak to... the Lady Astarte after being spoken to...?" The orders were contradictory. Whether she'd gotten a response or not had been between them before the Augur's own devices.

----

Overhearing the mention of being outside brought on vivid memories of feeling the darkened world's rain on her bare skin. Hermit subconsciously pulled her coat closer to herself. She'd found a quiet corner for herself and pondered at the question Astarte had directed her way. It'd been an odd question to ask.
 

Gunhand4171

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Last out of the shuttle was the bald Augur. The Fool's words gave him pause, and he did choose to allow his power to give him some sight. However, he continued to play the part of a mere blind teenager. Pulling his coat around himself tighter, he tapped his walking stick as he walked down the ramp. He sensed the other Augur's presence, but remained still.

"Judgement, reporting." He sounded off, as instructed. He listened to the exchange, letting out an involuntary shiver at the wave of hatred radiating off the trooper. He wanted to warn the others, but the trooper was smart. He'd know if Judge used his usual trick of conversing in Morse code. For now, all he could do was keep an eye on the trooper. He'd let Black know if the opportunity arised. He carefully followed after the others, the rythmic tapping of his cane drowned out by the thudding of the rain.

Entering the hanger, Judge found a secluded corner and took a seat. Letting his mind expand a little further, he kept his senses trained on the Lady, the Fool, and Katherine. At one time, he'd rather be back in Columbary. He used to think it was safe. But that illusion was throughly shattered. He wasn't safe anywhere, so he had to be hypervigilant.