Tour de Allegheny

Roleplay Library Unsorted RP
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Tour de Allegheny: Where Romance Meets Badass

Embassies, Romance, Scandal, and Corruption

The mornings gradually became easier on Brandon as he grew accustomed to the change of the time zones that wreaked havoc on his sleep schedule for many of his early days in Allegheny. Too many mornings he had found himself practically pulled out of bed by Cassandra who insisted he finally awake because their day was far too busy for him to sleep through. Bright light filtered through a crack in the blinds and he found himself dragging his tired body from the bed to the bathroom. This daily routine ran uncomplicated as he even managed to shower without the pressures of Cassandra demanding he move faster to meet their deadlines. In fact, he found himself surprised to be ready with coffee and paper in hand and heading out of the door to meet her before she came knocking on the door.

And to her surprise, she found him waiting outside her door grinning at her, sipping the steaming coffee and winking shamelessly at her as if to say ‘I bet you did not expect me’. Dressed in her uniform, Brandon once again fought back the impulses that arouse each time he saw her standing there in that uniform, the sharpness it gave to her frame, the alluring appeal it had leaving more to the imagination, and the way she conducted herself with a sense of pride and dignity when she wore it. She was a woman of power and exceedingly alluring in the way she carried that authority. Oh how he enjoyed watching her tear some helpless sap a new asshole when he failed to properly salute her or communicate necessary information!

“Where to today Commander?” he asked, unusually spry in comparison to their previous mornings.

OOC: Upon consideration of the context of this RP, I decided not to make an OOC thread at this moment. Tour de Allegheny is an open RP but please contact us to find proper IC placement. This RP is designed to delve into what happens after Connections and while we welcome others to join this RP, jumping right it may be more difficult since it has a definite progressive plotline from one RP to this one. The RP is focusing on establishing the frameworks for future RP’s so do not mind while we establish the foundation that will allow for more open and easier RP’s! Again, you are welcome to join, just let us know so we can give you an IC opening as right now most of the ambassadors that attended Connections are now gone leaving Brandon behind to build an embassy in Allegheny where he intends on using this time to tour the nation and establish stronger bonds between their nations. Of course, he will shamelessly enjoy his time spent with Cassandra, we just need to keep him away from the bars. :wink:

:slight_smile:

2

Over the past week the Alleghenian government had acquired an executive apartment for Brandon close to Penn Tower for him to stay in. It was nicer and much larger than the guest rooms he had been provided with during the meeting. Cassandra was an early riser herself and was only slightly annoyed and amused with Brandon’s trouble adjusting to the timezone. “Oh I see you have finally awoken and gotten ready at the time I asked you to be.” Brandon gave a smirk to her comment and continued sipping his tea.

“Well then, today we will actually be leaving the capitol and boarding a plane to Rochester. I will be conducting and inspection with Commander General Shepard and you have been given clearance to come.” Smile crept on her face. “In the interest of fostering a better relationship with our Ally’s ambassador and I really don’t mind the company.” She said in a softer tone.

3

Turning from the room, Brandon and Cassandra headed towards the door, Brandon slapping her playfully on the rear-end with the paper he clutched in his hand as he flashed a grin towards her in response. Her eyes flashed quickly but enough for Brandon to see that she had instantly resolved to get him back at some point and he grinned further, almost daring her to do her best. This game of tit for tat was something he could really enjoy with Cassandra.

The car ride to the airport was just another excuse for Brandon to enjoy his company with the commander. He allowed the soft smile to creep across his face as he slipped his hand onto Cassandra’s thigh, the subtle tensions building between them. He caressed the thigh of her injured leg, unafraid to touch her despite knowing it was a source of personal discomfort in her life. Rather, he caressed her leg to remind her of her strength and fortitude of the things she can survive and can endure, how she was just as capable without her leg as she would have been had the injury never occurred. One day she would tell him, but only when she was ready, and he intended on showing her that he would patiently wait until that moment.

Uncomfortable with the closeness his hand rested to her previous injury, she tried to pull her leg away only to meet resistance as Brandon tightened his grip. He did not immediately look at her as she had expected but shifted his glance towards the window looking out at the passing builds.

“You are a beautiful woman,” he said, speaking more to the window than to Cassandra, “try not to forget that.”

Turning his eyes back towards her, he smiled sadly and relinquished his grip of her leg. Perhaps another time.

“Now this place we are going to,” his voice slipped into a more professional tone as they headed across the tarmac to the awaiting plane, “what do I need to know security wise? I would rather not break any rules during my stay here.”

4

Cassandra stayed quiet while he felt her leg, Brandon was much more forward than she was ready for and she wasn’t sure she liked it. However he did make her feel good and she had been happier the past week and few days than she had been in a long time.

“Brandon… just… don’t push me. I am not one to be forced in to something. I enjoy your presence, I do, but… just don’t.” She smiled to let him know she wasn’t angry with him and slipped her hand into his to reassure the fact. At these times the words she needed were hard to come by, which was unsettling for her as communication was important in her line of work, but something about him made it hard.

The car pulled up onto the airport ramp near a business jet painted gray and adorned with Armed Forces livery. Near the stairs to the plane stood the imposing Commander General David Shepherd dressed in the less formal camouflaged field uniform and the traditionally black army beret. Shepherd was an older man his hair and mustache gray and his face was permanently stuck in an angry tired look. Cassandra had changed to a more professional demeanor and walked quickly toward him with Brandon following at her side. Salutes were exchanged and Shepherd stood at ease.

“Whose the boy?” He spoke frankly with a hint of a rude tone. Cassandra adopted her usual serious look and voice. “You will speak with respect to our guest. This boy is the Mahonian Ambassador to Allegheny, Brandon Dinardeau, and you will treat him the same as you would treat the President or myself. Is that understood?”

Shepherds face remained unchanged. “Understood Commander. Permission to speak candidly?” Cassandra sighed. “Granted.”

Shepherd turned his gaze to Brandon. “Is it a good idea to let a foreign ambassador, however respected he is, into our most secured areas?” Cassandra nodded. “Regardless of whether it’s smart or not, our government has seen fit to allow the Ambassador to gain knowledge of our nation so as to foster a more trusting alliance. I have gotten to know him well over the past week and I trust him to use the information in a way that benefits us both. Is that enough for you?”

General Shepherd nodded and saluted once more before walking up the steps in silence. Cassandra flashed a smirk at Brandon and also began to walk up the steps. The jet began to taxi down the runway and soon they were in the air. Cassandra sat across from Brandon and next to Shepherd. She closed her eyes and felt the movement of the plane as they climbed up to cruise altitude, once the plane was level and at cruise speed she adjusted her seat belt to have a little slack.

Cassandra turned toward Shepherd. “Report.” Shepherd pulled out a electronic pad and began going through a list briefing Cassandra on events relevant to military interests. “The Air Force has completed their survey on Alleghenian airspace and it’s weak points, The refitting of the Schofield tanks with rifled 155 millimeter barrel has been completed. Contact with operatives 6788 Tango Juliet Delta and 5994 Lima Romeo Foxtrot has been lost, no word on the status of the Eldridge Device, End Report, all pertinent reports have been sent to your personal server for later viewing.”

“Thank you, General.” Cassandra said curtly. Shepherd grumbled. “Am I done being your personal secretary?” Cassandra laughed. “Come now Shepherd, I know you love this, lets not act like you don’t like the power I let you have. I respect you as a fellow officer but your increasing grumpiness has gotten on my nerves. Maybe a younger more eager office would like to be promoted to replace you. Besides it’s not everyday someone is given command of a branch of the armed forces and I know many officers who would be willing to serve faithfully as my advisor. Maybe I have been to relaxed with you Shepherd, maybe it’s time to tighten my grip so to speak.”

Shepherd showed a small sign of embarrassment. “Uhh… that won’t be necessary Commander, I will serve as best as I can.” Cassandra looked out the window. “Good, good. Now relocate yourself to the back compartment. The Ambassador and I must speak privately.” Shepherd got out of his seat and walked to the back compartment, sliding its door closed to give them privacy. Cassandra chuckled softly. “This is what I have to deal with. You must forgive David, he is a intelligent officer, but very rough around the edges. Sometimes he just needs put in his place.”

5

The trip was marked by profound silence from Brandon as he followed Cassandra, the berated puppy with his tail between his legs. He remained silent for the most part, even under the scrutiny of Commander General Shepherd who looked down on him like the dog he felt like at that moment. He met Shepherd’s greeting with a firm handshake and the customary nod of a Mahanionian, but spoke little as he fell into himself. Cassandra’s words struck hard, leaving him with a stopping effect like none other and he found himself incapacitated by them, crawling into himself to bury the humiliation he felt at having pushed the line too far.

Even as she tried to reassure him, he could not bring himself to meet her eyes. Rather, Brandon buried himself into the paper he carried with him, forcing his mind to focus on anything but her words.

Running his hand through his hair nervously, he bit back the irresistibly urge arising in him as Cassandra put Shepherd into his place. That same effectiveness she subdued him was easily wielded upon another and Brandon could not built find himself drawn to her more.

“This is what I have to deal with. You must forgive David, he is a intelligent officer, but very rough around the edges. Sometimes he just needs put in his place.”

Brandon nodded wordlessly before turning himself back to his paper. His own embarrassment at the moment was high and all he wanted to do was bury himself in anything but remembering his own stupidity. He was risking it all, but how could he stop himself? He never felt this way about another woman. He was half way through his life and knew he could not reasonably expect to live long enough to see a long life full of the simple pleasures of a lover, of family, of a community outside of The Carbonis Complex. The life of a Mahanionian ended early and whether it was the causalities of the job or the stress of the expectations, the average Mahanionian could anticipate and early death. Brandon could expect nothing less, even as he allowed himself to look up for a moment at see Cassandra there, hoping that maybe this was not just a “fling” to be forgotten when this tour was over.

6

Cassandra only got a nod out of Brandon before he hid behind his paper again. She was being ignored or so she thought. That same nervousness he had shown when they first met was back and she didn’t know why. She resolved herself to looking out the window and reading more into her reports while he worked himself out, she wasn’t going to push just as she didn’t want to be pushed. Cassandra read more from her datapad and made a few notes in the report and in her mind. The plane hit some light turbulence but she was used to it since she spent so much time traveling in airplanes.

Cassandra spent a good twenty minutes in silence reading through her reports when a scheduled update was released over the network. It read: Terrorist Attack on EPTO Conference, Mahonian General in Critical Condition. Cassandra unbuckled her seat belt and sat in the chair next to Brandon, she lightly touched his arm and forced him to set down the newspaper. “Here take this and read it, I think you will consider this important.” Cassandra placed the pad into his hands. “I’m sorry, I just found out.”

7

Terrorist Attack on EPTO Conference, Mahonian General in Critical Condition.

Reports of a suspected terrorist attack on EPTO surface following a horrific accident involving EPTO’s newly announced Secretary General. Witnesses state the Mahonian General was seen heading towards the airport when the suspected terrorist ran a traffic light and collided with the vehicle killing both drivers. Authorities refuse to comment on the whereabouts of the General stating only that the General is in critical condition. No word has been released on the determination of the conference. More to come as this story unfolds.

Brandon paled as his eyes remained frozen on the datapad before him, his black gloved hands clutching it tightly. He visibly tensed with the news, his jaw clenching, shoulders tightening, and face steeling itself for the inevitable impact of the news.

Novac…

Wordlessly he handed the datapad back to Cassandra, it was all he could do to prevent it from falling from his trembling hands. He watched for a moment as he struggled to regain his composure in front of this commander. What would she think? How was he expected to react to this news?

Running his hand through his hair again nervously, he locked his gaze on the floor, seeing only the fabric. This cannot be happening. Not now. Bringing his hand to his head as if to stave of a particularly bad headache, he obscured his face momentarily from Cassandra as his reactions flooded him. So many potential responses, only one he could choose.

Silence.

As if turning off a switch, Brandon sat back in his seat and removed his paper, looking back to the words that now seemed blurred and confused, as if written in an entirely new language. Nonetheless, for all sakes of appearance, he could not respond. What could he say? “I’m sorry, I forgot to mention we are also in EPTO.”

“Brandon?” Cassandra chanced, trying to meet his eyes.

“Novac. His name was Novac. He was our EPTO spy and he was the General who sent me here. It’s the reason he sent me instead. He was infiltrating their organization,” Brandon’s voice was shallow, empty, a hollow void as he stared before him, his entire demeanor devoid of emotions as if his body could not process the overload of information and shut down instead.

8

Cassandra saw a broken man before her now, she felt sorrow for what he had just found out but the professional side of her saw potential treachery. What was she to do? Her feelings for him were clouding her judgment and instead of interrogating him, she found herself trying to comfort him with a soft touch upon his arm. Was the emotion he showed her real? Was what he said about a spy in EPTO truth? Or was he the spy. These thoughts swirled around in her head yet she did not act on them, instead she found herself forgetting who she really was, forgetting that she was the commanding officer of an entire nation’s military. This identity was replaced with a newer much more simple one: that she was this man lover and that she really did have feelings for him. For the moment she sat in silence with him, until finally the worrying thoughts and her old identity came back to her.

Cassandra took her hand and softly turned Brandon’s face to hers their gaze now interlocked between each other, a look of genuine sadness in her eyes. “Brandon, you place me in a difficult position. I want to trust you, but my duty as a protector of this nation requires that you tell me more. Why did you hide this from me? How can I know that it isn’t…” The next words to follow were hard for her to say. “… the other way around?” Cassandra’s eyes adopted a pleading look, she did not want to lose this alliance and more importantly the man before her over something like this.

9

He looked into her eyes, seeing the sadness within them, and at that moment hated himself intensely. Anger flashed behind his own eyes, just for a moment, a fleeting second and it was gone. He did not deserve her compassion, her sadness, her love. He was a wretched man, deserving nothing but the Ten Deaths.

He sat in silenced before he pulled his head away and turned it to the window, looking out to avoid the uncomfortable truth. Regardless of which way he responded, he was a damned man, forsaken and lost. He mustered the strength to look into her own eyes again, meeting her back with an intense longing and hopelessness. He leaned forward desiring nothing more than her compassion, someone to just take him in their arms and forget everything he had done. But it was all a facade, who was he kidding? He could never be loved. He reached forward as if to touch her face, but found his hand wrapping around the holstered gun she carried. Removing it in a quick fluid motion he held it out to her.

“I just ask you make it quick…,” his voice pleaded before he released the gun into her grip, the confusion and anger building in Cassandra’s face. “Because Mahanoy will not.”

Turning away again, as to avoid the look in her eyes when she pulled the trigger, he continued to stare out at the land below. The miniature cities speckled the ground, broken by farm land and industries, stretching across this Alleghenian land. To believe for a moment he thought he might be able to call this place home. He hung his head, cursing himself for allowing himself to become attached, to feel, to hope for anything. He was a slave to Mahanoy, he should have known better that sooner or later the truth would come out if he played this card. Do you deceive the one you love or the nation that made you the man you are?

Nervously he ran his hand through his hair again, his hands beginning to shake again, his body tiring of this game. He could not keep this act up, he could not keep lying to everyone.

Staring still out the window, he heard the hammer cock back with his movements. He could only imagine what she was thinking at that moment. Did she even want to know the truth? Could she deal with the tainted image of him? Perhaps she was contemplating ending it before she knew the truth, resigning him to a treacherous bastard without affording him an opportunity to possibly redeem himself. But the bullet did not come, not at that moment, and part of him breathed a sigh of relief. She still cared enough.

“I was sent here for only one thing,” he began, his voice empty and quiet, “to ensure that Selvala was passed into the hands of Mahanoy without the truth being exposed. I intercepted a correspondence to him prior to our involvement in this meeting. Evesuni contacted Novac trying to make amends for that pathetic excuse of a nation’s mistakes. He was willing to let Listonia take the fall for Vekaiyu’s failures. But when they offered us a scapegoat, how could we turn it down? That stupid child Ikrisia has no idea the world of international politics. She lives in a pretend world where everyone can hold hands and get along like fucking hippies hugging trees proclaiming we should save the world. So we thought we would let her live in this imaginary world, roll the blame onto someone else, and sit back and enjoy while she watched her nation fall into ruin over her erroneous beliefs.”

He stopped for a moment again waiting for the bullet that did not come. “My part in all of this was just to see that Selvala be passed into our hands. Everything else started as a facade. The problem was that while I sat there and listened to you all, I fell in l…I saw that we actually had potential between our nations. There was much our nations could gain from each other. Novac is a slave to Mahanoy, just like the rest of us. I knew that if I had made any decisions here that he would be forced to comply with them regardless of his status in EPTO. I knew that he would consider it too important to maintain the facade than to incriminate himself and put himself in poor international standing. The man is a damn puppet and one of our best played ones. But this, damn it!” his voice rose with anger, “this is bad. If Novac dies…I cannot begin to tell you what will happen to my nation.”

OOC: Quick post, will edit later.

10

Cassandra listened as he explained completely taken off guard when he took her weapon and handed it back to her. She was beginning to tire of his antics, first choking Ikrisia during the meeting and now him waiting for her to kill him. Cassandra unloaded her revolver and slipped the cartridges in her pocket and the gun back into it’s holster. She slowly approached Brandon who was still looking out the window and put her hand on his shoulder to make him face her. With all her strength she punched him squarely in the cheek and forced him back into his seat. “Don’t ever do that again, do you understand?” She did not wait for a response as she sat back into her seat and buckled her seatbelt.

She looked down at her watch, they were still twenty minutes out before they landed. “Keep explaining. I want to know everything you’ve been hiding from me.”

11

Stumbling back from the hard blow, Brandon steeled himself for another disappointment. More than sure he deserved the well placed punch, he slumped back into the seat and rested his head in his hands. How could he explain it all?

Cassandra sat patiently awaiting a response while the minutes passed, their time ticking away slowly as Brandon remained silent. There was something there in the recesses of his mind begging to come out, yet the words remained unspoken and somehow Cassandra knew not to push and let them come of their own accord.

Gradually Brandon found himself straightening his back, reclaiming the military professional side of earlier. “What more can I say to you Commander? I am not a spy. Novac is not a spy. We are on the same team. However, we are not working for the same side,” Brandon rubbed his jaw, only now beginning to feel the slow onset of pain.

With a look of suspicious confusion in Cassandra’s eyes, he only shook his head. “You will understand with time, but first you must join me in Mahanoy. If you ever want to understand, you must see it for yourself. I only ask that you trust my nation Commander. Trust me if you do not trust them. I did not stay on the other side of the world just because my nation ordered me to remain here. My only mission was to ensure Selvala was passed into our hands. My mission has been successful. As we speak, she is being transported to The Carbonis Complex. I could have left at any time and made some bullshit excuse why our nation had to withdraw from this alliance and no one would have questioned anything. I stayed because our nations can benefit each other and I will see to it that they don’t fuck that up. What’s more important is that…” Brandon struggled as nervously shifted his position and ran his hand through his hair, coughing in the process to distract his own inadequacies, “I am growing rather fond of you. I don’t believe that only our nations can benefit from this alliance. And I think its time we allow ourselves just a moment of personal happiness…for however long it may be.”

12

Cassandra listened as he tried to explain the complicated matter, she was reminded of the quintessential Alleghenian arrogance that cropped up at unexpected times, to think Allegheny was superior to the Elite Empire was foolish of her. He was right, at anytime he could have left and gotten what he was supposed to get out of it, but instead he and Mahanoy extended their hands for an alliance to a nation that could be considered weak and tiny in The Elite Empire’s eyes.

Cassandra turned her gaze to Brandon. “I apologize for hitting you, I was… I was angered when you pulled that move with my weapon, besides it would be foolish for me to fire my weapon at an Ambassador let alone in the pressurized cabin of an airplane” She said jokingly. The plane began to descend into the airport’s traffic pattern, the large airport loomed beneath them. “Someday I will be able to get away from this and come with you to visit Mahanoy, but for now my place is here.”

The Fortress City of Rochester could be seen a mile away from the airport, it’s large walls and many bases could be seen surrounding the large towers of glass and steel. The area around the city was devoid of life, the ground barren; outposts and ranges spotted it’s terrain. Only the employees of the design bureaus lived here along with the soldiers who were augmented and trained here. The plane landed and they exited, this time a limousine wasn’t waiting for them, instead it was a convoy of armored vehicles stood by waiting to transport them to the inspection area’s. As they rode toward the first event Shepherd briefed Cassandra on what needed to be done.

“First off we will be visiting the graduates of the training and augmentation processes and congratulating them on their progress as soldiers. Secondly a demonstration of the new sniper rifles being developed for the Special Operations Unit and…” Shepherd’s voice rattled off as Cassandra looked out upon the proving grounds, she was taken back to the days when she was barely the age of sixteen, her life back then defined by the knowledge that cowardly insurgent’s could kill her at any moment, back when she was a cold hearted murderer hardly on the precipice of adulthood. She shuddered at the thought of that moment in her life, but deep down a hidden feral part of her wished to go back to it.

13

“I deserved more,” Brandon said with an imperceptible wink. Part of him seemed different as if the delivered punch knocked Brandon into a fixed personality, for he stood straight backed and nodded his head towards Shepherd in the customary sign of respect as he passed despite the man’s obvious disdain for Brandon’s presence.

Descending the plane to meet the convoy brought with it the unexpected reminders of the military convoys of The Reich. It had been years since he last stepped foot in that damned place and still he could smell the blood of their assaults as if it was happening before his very eyes. The WhiteCastle operation’s total failure reminded him how fragile their tenuous position could be at times.

Straightening, pushing back the memories, and nodding towards the officials, he stood out as a foreigner among these glowing blue-eyed killers. His own black uniform was the mark of a man who did not belong in this equation. Nevertheless, he held his back straight, his head high, and stood among them as a peer.

Rather than subtly meeting Cassandra’s eyes, focusing on the sway of her hips while she walked as he had previously done, his attention fixed itself on the men before him. Saluting the Commanders they reminded him of an institution he was all too familiar with and at that moment, could imagine all around him. The sea of black extended beyond the eye, the students at attention, intimidation being breed by the masses. His own thoughts could see the blue-eyed men standing there with black uniforms, all in unison, all the same, not a difference from one man to the other…the black sea of death.

But he pushed the thought from his head and returned his thoughts to their current position. Had he just exposed too much? Would Mahanoy find out? Resolving himself to the Ten Deaths, he could only do his part in this game and stand there playing the part of the ambassador he was assigned to play. There was nothing more, he should have seen it from the beginning. He would establish ties with their nations, build a strengthening relationship between Mahanoy and Allegheny, secure their nation’s economic and military strength, and when his time came, he would die the Ten Deaths. He could not hope for more and as he resigned himself to his despondent future, he killed the hope of personal happiness, turning back to the Mahanionian he felt he could never escape.

14

Cassandra stepped out in front of the newly graduated soldiers, they were the perfect example of what Allegheny had worked to create. In a psychological sense they were supermen and women ready to defend their country to their dying breaths. A culmination of technology and nationalistic brainwashing. Cassandra and Shepherd walked down the line, the customary swagger stick between their torso and left arms. Everyone once and a while Cassandra would stop and inspect the uniform and weapon of one of her soldiers making sure everything was perfect. Every now and then a explosion could be heard in the distance as different weapons were tested on the proving grounds nearby. The inspection of the graduates was completed after an hour or so of talking with them and congratulating them. Cassandra was proud of them, men who signed on for eight years and sacrificed their bodies to become better soldiers was the lifeblood of her armed forces.

They once again returned to the convoy to head over to another range wear the Special Operations Unit was testing new rifles. Cassandra leaned over to Brandon and spoke over the loud engine. “I’m sorry everything has been quite boring so far, however I think you may enjoy this next inspection. I was once a sniper for the S.O.U. back when I was much younger. Back then it wasn’t uncommon for children to be taken from their homes at age 15 or 16 to bolster the ranks of the newly formed government. As you may have already surmised by now, I was one of those children. The men and women I served under taught me everything I know, the rest I learned myself.”

The vehicle stopped and Cassandra exited. Shepherd did not. “Sorry Commander, I am due for a meeting with my staff, I’ll see you later.” Shepherd reached his arm out the window and shook Brandon’s hand. “I’ll be seeing you around Mahonian, try not to get any dirt on your fancy black uniform.” The vehicle drove away as Shepherd chuckled to himself. Cassandra shook her head and motioned for Brandon to follow. A group of men and women were standing around each had a rifle slung over their shoulder everyone different then the other’s rifle. As Cassandra approached none of them bothered to salute her and she didn’t object instead they offered her cigarettes which she promptly declined.

An older man emerged from the group of men and women. “Still on your anti smoking thing Cassandra? Those cigarettes will get you someday.”

Cassandra had a wide smile on her face. “Hello Colonel Patterson, still turning down promotions?” Patterson winked, “You know it, It will be a cold day in hell when I except the rank of a General.” Patterson looked over to Brandon. “Isn’t it rude not to introduce your friends?” Cassandra gasped and quickly did the introductions. “Brandon this is Colonel Patterson he was my mentor during my time in the S.O.U., Colonel this is Brandon Dinardeau, Mahonian Ambassador to Allegheny.”

The old Colonel gave Brandon a once over and shook his hand. “Mahonian eh? I thought I recognized the uniform. Don’t be fooled Mr Dinardeau, she may carry the big bad rank of Supreme Commander but to me shes still the reckless little girl who served under me back in this nation’s dark times.”

Cassandra waved him off and approached a table with the new rifle. “This is it then?” The Colonel nodded. “Consensus is it’s good enough for us, but you are the one who approves these things. Say Cassandra it’s been a while since you have used one of these things, still have what it takes?” Cassandra looked down range, about 2000 yards was a set of red explosive targets. “Of course I do.” Her mind raced back to the time her spotter died due to a counter sniper. “I’ll need a spotter though, I don’t have the fancy eyes these new operatives have.”

The group chuckled and one of them stepped forward. “Sargent Powell reporting, It would be an honor to spot for you Commander.” Cassandra nodded and sat herself in a shooting position. Powell took her side at the spotting scope and called out the wind direction. “Wind 230 degrees at 7 knots.” Cassandra corrected and regulated her breathing. “Fire.” Cassandra squeezed the trigger and the bullet rocketed forth, the target exploded. “Bullseye!” Cassandra shook Powell’s hand and he went back to join the group. The Colonel laughed “Excellent Shooting, I see you still haven’t lost it. Say Mr. Dinardeau being a Mahonian you must have had some sort of experience with these things, how about a little competition between you two. No spotters and we will move the target’s closer, five targets, five bullets, whoever has the most after five shots wins. Are you up to it?”

15

While the formalities were discussed, Brandon stood at attention, hanging in the background as a casual observer. His role as ambassador kept him at bay. With the black uniform of a Mahanionian reminding him who he really was, he prevented himself from opening up and engaging in their conversions. Speaking only when spoken to, he walked the walk and talked the talk, but it was clear to Cassandra that he was just not there any more. It was an evident change from his laidback demeanor she experienced throughout the week. And while at times intrusive, his prolonged glances her way, the way he lingered far too close while walking, or the shameless flirting he did amid conversations about their nations, she felt part of her would have wanted it more than this solid stone-faced ambassador who emotionlessly stood at attention. He was but playing a part and holding up the image of Mahanoy as it was intended to be perceived; cold, serious, and highly effective. Part of her could not help but want him to just come back.

“Say Mr. Dinardeau being a Mahonian you must have had some sort of experience with these things, how about a little competition between you two. No spotters and we will move the target’s closer, five targets, five bullets, whoever has the most after five shots wins. Are you up to it?”

The words seemed frozen for a moment as if Brandon were seriously contemplating them. Again it played across his face subtly, the war between being a Mahanionian and being himself. He tried to resolve it simply, without much of a display, but Cassandra saw through the facade. She was beginning to learn his quirks too well to know he was only now playing a part. The real Brandon would have jumped on the opportunity, easily allured by any challenge that put him neck and neck with her. No, this card he played now was too easy to spot, she could see it as he stood there straight backed and turned down the offer.

“As the Mahanionian ambassador to Allegheny, I must decline. I am afraid that protocol will not allow me to utilize your nation’s weaponry. You granted me the privilege to be within this secure facility. You have entrusted me with a great deal of knowledge about your nation’s weaponry, training facilities, and security. I do not wish to overstep any boundaries by actually using them. My personal interest is not worth jeopardizing our nation’s trust towards one another.”

OOC: All, I do want to do this challenge! So if you want to do it to, you so need to find a way to break Brandon out of his game. :lol: He is being a Mahanionan because he believes that is more important than being himself. He has all but given up on the hope of being with Cassandra so reverted back to all he knows, the only thing constant in his life and the thing he does well, being a Mahanionian.

16

“Excuse me Colonel, I have forgotten that I must privately discuss something with the Ambassador, it will only take a moment.” Cassandra grabbed Brandon by the arm and turned the corner at a nearby building where they would be out of sight and hearing range. Brandon’s demeanor had become quite obvious to her. “Protocol? What is that all about? You have never had a problem breaking any sort of protocol before and in fact I am unaware of any such ‘protocol’ existing! This whole day you have done nothing but keep quiet. And what do you mean personal interest?” Cassandra took of her beret and ran her hand through her hair. "You have done nothing but indulge in your personal interests since you’ve arrived here. You have sent me along this emotional roller coaster and now here you are talking about refraining from indulging in those interests? In the interest of our Nations? That’s bullshit Brandon, it really is.

17

Shrugging Brandon crossed his arms, the black uniform sharply defining him at that moment. Everything about her was attractive, down to the furious way she responded to him. He sighed as he dropped his shoulders some, “What do you want me to do Cassandra? I cannot keep pretending I don’t care about you. The only way I can do that is to be what prevents me from caring about you. Mahanoy or you…I don’t really have much of a choice here. On the way here I realized that I was foolish to think that we could have something more…risk this alliance because I…damn it! Will you quit it!” he snapped as she ran her hand through her hair again.

Bringing his hand to his head much similiar to earlier as if fighting against a headache, he rubbed his temple. “Just stop that…I…fuck…” he fought against himself, taking controlled breaths as he fought against the burning desire within himself.

“Damn it…do you even realize what you have right now?”

Baffled by the sudden transition in his behaviors, Cassandra looked at him confused. “Brandon?” she tried to question, but he cut of her off with a shake of the head.

“No…you need to know that you have complete control. Do with it what you like, but if I cannot have you, let me have this. Do not take away this one thing…it’s the only thing keeping my mind off you.”

18

Cassandra sighed and crossed her arms. “Brandon, you started this, you bring up feelings I haven’t felt in a long time and then you decide to drop it because it’s not in your best interest. I am not a game that can be played and I don’t appreciate what you are doing to me. I can’t explain my feelings well and I thought the other day after the end of the meeting you would understand that I do have feelings for you. Right now all I feel is used and you have certainly gotten use out of me haven’t you.” Brandon knew exactly what she was talking about not expecting that kind of guilt trip. “I think you are wrong I think we can still have a great relationship and alliance together, but not if you are going to ignore me like this.” Cassandra leaned up against the building and stared off into the fields.

19

“I am sorry Commander,” he hung his head, letting his arms fall to his side, “I am afraid I might lose you. It seems easier to lose you now rather than later. What if your nation forbids you to see me? Can you choose between them?”

Cassandra turned to face Brandon once again. “I have alot of freedom around here, you wouldn’t believe. I can afford this, and even if I lose my position, it would be better because I may be truly happy for once in my life.”

Standing still in silence, Cassandra could see the impact the words made on him as he began to ease up and relax. He seemed more casual and slowly becoming himself again, but that was before he moved in close towards her.

“Just please,” he leaned into her, brushing her hair behind her ear as his pleading eyes searched her own, “Don’t let them kill me. If it comes down to that Cassandra, do it yourself before they get to me. Promise me that.”

Cassandra looked into his eyes, the image of her shooting him replayed in her mind. She had killed many people in her life and at one point she even took pleasure in it. But as she looked at him she knew she wasn’t capable. "You can’t ask me to do that, whatever secret you are holding for Mahanoy, keep it. I don’t want to know it if it means having to let you die. I can’t promise to take your life, you can’t expect me to be able to do that, it would destroy me and I’d rather die then have that happen to my very own soul.

Brandon nodded, smiling weakly. While it was not comforting to hear it, he could respect her wishes. He too doubted he could put her life in his hands. “I am sorry to have asked you that…you know that.” Pushing away, he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the tension spread, “Let’s just hope it never comes to that.”

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he grinned and shrugged, “So about that competition?”

20

Cassandra smiled. “I’ll destroy you.” Brandon chuckled at the challenge and they both walked back out to the range together. The Colonel was delighted to see them come back. “So she has convinced you to embarrass yourself then? Good, good, then let it begin!.” Two rifles had already been set up and the targets moved closer, the rifles themselves were brand new bolt actions, chambered in fifty caliber.

The rifle itself was much heavier than he expected as Brandon took his position behind it. It had been years since he fired a rifle anywhere close to this caliber. Still, despite knowing he would miserably fail, part of him could not help but enjoy the moment. Fixing himself like a true professional, he assumed a position which Mahonian professionals were accustomed to sit in. No doubt he could look the part, but he was not even going to to attempt to pass himself off as a sniper. Even if he managed by some luck to hit a single target, he could not convince Cassandra this was his trade skill.

Both Cassandra and Brandon got into position and sighted their rifles. The Colonel ordered to fire at will. The next moments were zen like for Cassandra, her breath was at a slow controlled rhythm and her body completely still. For a moment she was transported back in time as she squeezed the trigger. Instead of seeing the targets she saw people she had killed from before, people who had stuck with her. The rush of the kill came back to her and she could feel the same joy she felt before when her life was nothing but being about the next kill. The five shots passed quickly for her as she became a machine, the feeling of pulling the blot back and cycling the next bullet was exhilarating, to her it was all muscle memory, something she thought she had forgotten but instead only lay in wait to come back once again.

Attempting to win was not even within his power. Instead, Brandon watched for a moment, lost in Cassandra’s focus, the way she seemed to become attached with the weapon and her targets. A true killing machine. He grinned to himself as he focused on Cassandra’s target. It was not until her lost target exploded before she pulled the trigger that she realized Brandon was not trying to hit his own targets. Rather he seemed content on getting her attention any way he could.

Cassandra stepped away from the rifle her body filled adrenaline. She shook it off and positioned herself behind Brandon who was still taking his shots. It was unfair for her to challenge him to this, that she knew but it was still fun. She sat next to him as he just finished his last shot, missing the target by a good three feet. “Exhilarating isn’t it? Sometimes the primal part of me yearns to go back in time and re-experience my time with the S.O.U., the thrill of danger, knowing that as you stalk your target you may also be stalked yourself. Nothing replaces that feeling.” She finished, her face serious and her stare distant. She came back to reality as the Colonel approached.

“Nice shooting you two. So I take it the rifle is approved for production?” Cassandra nodded and did not speak a word otherwise. The Colonel took a breath and looked out into the field. “Excellent, thank you for coming Cassandra, it was good to see you and it was good to meet you also Mr. Dinardeau. But now I must leave, goodbye.” The Colonel turned his back and took the group of men around the other side of the building leaving Brandon and Cassandra alone for the moment.

Cassandra locked her gaze with Brandon and smiled widely. “Thanks for that.” Brandon nodded signaling that it was his pleasure. Cassandra stood up. “I tire of this, all of the inspections are complete and now all I want to do is go home and rest. I think I might take some leave, let Shepherd have the reigns for a few days.” Cassandra sighed and forced the question off her chest. “Will you come with me? I believe I have grown very fond of your company.”