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The Water Plant

Water is no problem this far north thanks to the Glacier Processing plant. A largely outdoor facility consisting of thick steel pipelines and closed vats, where pure glacier ice is converted into the cleanest water on the planet. The outskirts of the facility consist of noisy drilling and heat rigs that collect and then melt ice before pumping it into the pipeline.

Metal walkways have been provided from vat to vat as the processes have turned the natural ground of this area into a sheet of ice. Anyone walking across the snow in this area should take not of the increased slipping risk.

At the centre of it all is the treatment machine, a large rig that separates the clean water supply from the waste water created in the process, as well as waste water pumped back to the plant after use. The waste water line leads into the one large building in the whole complex marked Agricultural treatment center. Unfortunately the door is locked.



Once apon a time there was a water plant here. Now there is not.

There's also a watery hole in the ground. Right around here.

• Head east to reach North Field.
  
• Head southeast to reach Happy Resting.
  
• Head around northwest to reach The Frozen Residence. It's a long way; take an extra post to get there.
  
• Head around southwest to reach Snow Fortress Park. It's a long way; take an extra post to get there.
  

"Tch."

Athan stood the entire trip, not because of his sword, which was stowed overhead and looked upon nervously by the soldiers sitting underneath it, but because there simply wasn't any room on the APC for him to sit down. Athan was a naturally big guy, but wearing his armor made him seem even more imposing than before.

He was without his helmet, choosing to leave that piece of equipment in storage along with his sword. If Alpha was indeed present in Frostschild, Athan was willing to forego the small bit of extra protection. If Alpha wasn't, then he wouldn't need it anyway.

The APC came to a stop, and Athan rocked slightly before catching himself on a harness. The doors opened, soldiers filed out, and Athan secured the only belonging that really mattered.

His sword.

He was the last out of the APC, and when he set foot on the snow and ice-laden ground of the Water treatment plant, he took a quick survey of the surroundings. As he did so, his sword was locked into place along the back of his armor. The Rook's Destroyer, easily far more intimidating than any weapon Athan had ever wielded before, was tall enough that it came dangerously close to interfering with Athan's movement even when harnessed diagonally. Not to mention its width, which made it look as though Athan were wearing a wall on his back.

"So..."

His right hand came up, the black fingers of the Arm of the Dreamless Sleeper pushing both nostrils together before sweeping downward. Athan snorted slightly, then shook his head. As it turned out, it wasn't nearly as cold as the scenery suggested.

"Where do we get started?"

He had, as usual, managed to look in the element but ridiculous all at once.

A shock of red hair was sticking up from the collar of a very, very warm looking blue parka jacket. The hair was pretty much all that could be seen. A surgeon's mask over the mouth with a black star painted on it and a huge snowboarding goggles with green lenses obscured the rest. Everything was big and clunky from the baggy camo grey cargo pants to the big snow crunching biker boots. Looked like it would be pretty hot, but that was not even taking into account the two hoodies and shirt on under that.

Cold weather was not Tweak's thing.

Luckily though he was not the only one overly bundled. He'd not expected it to pay off so soon though. Blend in with the soldiers as just another hired gun and no one paid him mind. Bit bigger, less scrawny, and his hair was natural looking again. Really the only thing to give him away was the trademark bag of goodies, and there was duct tape hiding the red anarchy symbol. This ambiguity was great. It'd at least keep the big guy that Tweak knew all too well from recognizing him on the trip. Keep quiet, say nothing, and resist the urge to smoke and thus show more of your face. It was about as close to covert as the kid was going to get.

He really had to resist lighting up when they disembarked though, too cold.

Except Athan was talking and none of the soldiers seemed eager to be talking. Probably the huge sword, Tweak had been intimidated by it at first too. Then Athan had thrown him over one shoulder and ran across a city with ease. Muscles over sword, fear was in place.

"Should probably find some place to bunker down. No use hanging around out in the cold too long. Let'um come to us."

Yeah. That's right Tweak. You go and try and make your voice sound really, really deep like you've been smoking for thirty years. All the while without moving the gas mask. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done to not call anyone a '********' once in the entire statement.

And then he stared at the other guy like he was crazy. Splitting up always worked oh so well.

"It's not even that cold. You guys are mercenaries. Start acting like it."

Athan's voice was cold and irritated, hardly the angry voice that Tweak was used to. That could only really mean one thing. Something was weighing pretty heavily on Athan's mind.

Athan shook his head and started moving away from the group of soldiers and mercenaries. Tweak's disguise had worked, though it was probably more due to Athan caring more about what might be waiting for him inside the city than the gas mask covering the kids face.

"You guys can do whatever you want. There's something I need to check out."

His right hand tapped the earpiece the Greywater company had given him before he started the mission, and the device crackled to life.

"If you need me, make sure you really need me."

And with that he was off, heading Southeast, towards the asylum.

“What ever Big Shot, I’m heading southeast, Might be some food round here haven’t eaten in about 18 hours.” Joseph sat up and head off, mostly with his sin on his mind.

“So this seems fun, walking around in this city, cold…” He realized that it wasn’t the cold that he though, just plain old city weather. “Damn brain! Trying to get me killed.”

Chen brings his hand to his face, shaking it. It was just no order on this team. The only people seeming to be in order were the ten Gaian Defense operatives. Of course, nothing less to expect from these guys, but you couldn't expect anything more from the mercenaries here. So attached and so solo-ish. Both, Chen was here to give them a nice happy "group hug."

"Hey, at least have two guys go with you. Hey, you two, accompany him."

Two of the Defense guys (NPCs) take up arms and follow after the man.

"No problem, big guy. Let's go."

With their team formed, they head out southeast toward Happy Restings.

The remaining eight Defense operatives spread out, going to the lengths of securing the area. Four people take the walkways, setting up guns and keeping watch in an equal distanced patrol pattern. The other four take guard at the four cardinal directions, keeping each other updated through the communication devices they had.