Welcome to Gaia! ::

*Nothing had changed really since Iden's last visit. The route was the same, the place undiscovered still, and Alyna swam along behind him with as much gracein water as on land, though she choked and gagged as they FINALLY came up, needing breath unlike both the cainite she followed and the undead wolves who lived down here. She would do better leaving, knowing the route and where air pockets were now.

Korbinian met them on the shore line inside the large cave, welcoming Iden with warmth, and showing shock to Alyna;s presence, as she did to him*

Iden... ve vere not expecting a vizit zo zoon... zere ist ein problem?
...
Alyna....

Heilwig. The Raven. I had not realised... it would be you.

Ze pleazure ov zeeing you zave vrom ze Beazt villz me viz joy... I am zo very sorry vor all I did under itz zvay. Pleaze, vorgive me.

Nothing to forgive, German. You were as much as a slave as I.

Your vizh ist mein kommand. Zis vay pleaze...

Yeah, we know each other. Korbinian's name means raven of war. Even before Abaddon split away from the Wyrm's side to follow his own goals, Korbinian was among the favoured. I have sene him do some savage things. I do not blame him though.

Zankyou, kind lady. It vill mean zo much zat ze Lady Ceilican ist vree. ve haf rezcued many ov your kind...

For now... I would rather you kept me secret and away from them. My life mate...

Javoz. I heard he izt ztill zuvvering vor vhat happened. I underztand. Zis vay. Zere ist an unuzed room ve may use, vizout vear.

*Korbinian led the two, without meeting any others, into a small room being remodelled as sleeping quaters. No one was around as he sat and looked expectantly at them*

Pleaze explain vhat you need ov me, Herr DeZeer und I vill do al I can to help. Zere are vew to whom ve owe zo much. Your vish... mein kommand.

Zho... I am zupized you come to me for truzt... haz zomezing happened to your noble vamily?

*The German looked confused as he gazed upon the spear, and Iden. He would never harm, or betray Iden again after all he had done for him, but equally... he had not expected the man he had turned into a monster to trust him so readily in turn*

Mein life bevore I let any ozer even touch it, Herr Iden. My vord of honour.

*Takig the blade reverently, Korbinan did not look at all out of place with such a large pole arm, his own size emphasised by how natural it looked in his hands*

Vor however long you need it, it zhall be zave viz uz. Is zere anyzing elze I may do vor you, honoured gueztz?

Vor zomezing zo treazured, zere ist nozing BUT vormality, Iden. Ezpecially vehn you haf a kommand ov your own to vorry about alzo. Ze veapon iz zave viz me, und anyzing elze you require vill alvays be provided, iv ve can do it.

Zere iz little I can ovver you in zuztenance zave our own flezh und blood. But iv zere iz anyzing elze... tell me. I vould give mein life vor you.

*The old nazi was formality all over, but such was his way. Half bowing to both Iden and Alyna, he waited to see if there was more he could do for them, or whether they needed to be on their way*

My appetite is best not extended to erstwhile colleagues, companions and enemies from a time I woudl rather forget, though I thank you for your hospitality, Heilwig. Woudl that we had met thus under better circumstances, than the ill fated way we did originally.

You haf mein agreement on zat, my Lady. I vill uphold my vord, I promize. Be zave on your travelz. I vill accompany you to ze exit perzonally. Pleaze, pazz my bezt vizhez to your mate. Ve owe him az much az ve do Herr Iden, und I am zo much to blame vor vhat happened. He iz in our zoughtz.

I... thank you. I will. Iden?

*Alyna looked ready to follow him out, and as long asthere was nothing else, Korbinian woudl see both on their way, quietly and without fuss*

It was a larger scale deployment than most Iden called for. A full platoon...three squads of fifteen men. Forty-five soldiers would be taking to the field with him, along with the support necessary to move them all. It was no meager undertaking.

In charge of it all, of course, was Captain Gregory Ewan Fletcher; it was through him that Iden commanded the men. He was the CO of the Scorpions, and he had proven a capable man thus far. The captain was waiting for Iden when he surfaced from the waters off Gambino; they were to drive off and work out the basic order of operations in the Asian deployment.

The temporary setup was in a safehouse already arranged well clear of the city; it would not do to have a quartet of Russian-made Hind choppers parked near where the general public lived! The facilities were spartan, but they were functional. It was here that Alyna and Iden would consult Ewan on the readiness of the men, and the nature of the job ahead.

"Alright. You've told me the general area. This is a follow up operation, I understand that. But for the sake of logistics, where are you planning on keeping my men?"

As he spoke, Ewan flicked his gaze to the wall. There, a map of the eastern reaches of Asia was posted. Harbin already had been circled, as had Tokyo. Changchun held mention, as did a small place in the wilderness of mainland China. These were the areas of operation...and Iden's fingers drifted to the map to rest by Harbin.

Easy enough. Changchun's not a good idea, so I want you to move to the next point. Harbin. The main target's the Pentex building, but we aren't hitting it until I know EXACTLY what is in that town. The Wyrm is gonna be pissed, captain. I mean to hit that place LAST.

Iden was circling Harbin with his fingers. As he did, the map zoomed in; the projector displaying it on the wall took a moment to catch the resolution up with the display, leaving a slowly unpixelating mess as Ewan gave his boss a stern look.

"That doesn't answer the question, sir. You've told me up and down what we're doing. I want to know where we're doing it FROM."

Iden held his hands up, acquiescing to the captain's insistence.

For ******** sake, man, let me finish. Here. The hills.

Iden's hand drifted out to the area north of Harbin, where the villages were spread far enough for a little privacy. He tapped his fingers against the images on the wall, and nodded.

The hills will offer some cover, though not much. The place sucks as a whole for hiding from aircraft, there isn't much out there. I don't expect to stay long, regardless...its a good several miles from most habitation, don't expect much contact. As long as we enter the country low and quiet, it won't attract too much attention.

Ewan eyed the map and nodded. He was satisfied with the selection, mostly; it would suffice for their needs.

"Alright. We can have men on the ground easy enough. So...have you thought this out any, or are we going in completely balls out with no plan?"

No, I've thought it out. Thats why I want a platoon, not half a squad. Keep the map focused, lets get as much recon out of the satellite as we can before we go.

The rest of the night was to be spent poring over the views of Harbin and Tokyo...every possible spectrum and use of the satellite imaging was used up until the dawn claimed Iden and he fell to sleep. There was s**t to be done when they set out...and Iden was getting shipped in a pine box for it, to awaken come landfall in the orient.

*The noise of helicopter blades and the sheer bustle of a more full blown military operation left Alyna reeling, for all she didnt show it.
Stoic and silent, she'd kept out of the way, done as ordered or asked, only refusing a task if it meant being out of eyeshot of Iden's coffin while he slept.
The welfare of her domitor came first after all, and she had no loyalties to the group accompanying them. That said, she did not make herself a nuisance or difficult and spent most of her time taking it in and trying not to be baffled by it all.

It was better when Iden rose. She felt him wake, and with it came a sense of calm as she silently followed orders without qualm, boarding the chopper gracefully, sititng and checking the only weapon she bore as they got airborne. Deep amber eyes sought Iden'd face and just a flicker of acknowledgement, and then she'd remain restive until they were moving again.*