>>FROM: @CMDR | TO: @ALL | ATTN: ALL COST OPERATIVES

[byfist]

We have a few matters to discuss, and not as much time as I'd like for each of them, as often is the case. I hoped to give you more time to recover but the Watcher wants the next dance to start, so dance we must.

To begin. We have final confirmation on when we will be heading too, if not where. Enough that we are comfortable to begin your training. Late 1916 Earth, it looks like. Which... for those of you that are not familiar, is in the middle of the First World War. We aren't sure which Front yet, we hope for confirmation in the next few weeks so that we may brief you fully. But that can come later. For now, your orders are to report to Sergeant Chiron. He, Special Operative Young and I will see to your training. Report tomorrow morning 0600 to begin.

Secondly, as to the matter of rank. Seems many of you have never been in an army before to know these rules or have had your memories erased. To which we are still working to find out the direct cause of.

I am Commander Grothia, previously of the Regent's special division, defected. I oversee this contingent of COST, which there are many and we number only one amongst.

2IC is Sergent Chiron, Centaur, formerly the trainer of Grecian Heroes. Many of you have met him so far, he has 5000 years worth of history in that head of his. Use it as frequently as you can, I certainly do.

Lastly, there is Special Operative Young, whom you have all met. By that, I mean the crows. Yes, all of them are one woman. Stop feeding her, she'll get too fat to fly again.

They both answer to me, as you do. When I am not present, orders are to come from Chiron, when he is not present, it defers to Young. Likewise, I overrule any of their commands.

Unless special circumstances dictate it, I am the only one who enters the field with you. I will not dictate your every move, you are all far too capable for that. But let me be understood:

In the field, if I give an order, I expect it to be followed. If you have issues with that order, you may bring it to me - privately. I will always hear you. But if you openly question me in the field and get others killed for your insubordination? I will not hesitate in what I have to do to save lives.

To the final matter, and in regards to that. I know many of you found the work in France distasteful, getting the King and Queen killed for being hapless fools. I know it seemed extreme to just leave them to their fate.

But let me be clear if you interfere and change history as much as some of you might have by what you think is saving lives? I will leave you in the next plague-ridden field we find ourselves in. It is not single person's choice to dictate these events. Take France. Some of you have never seen or heard of Earth, but for others - those events are what birthed their whole new world. You would deny them that because you could not stomach what must be done? Mourn privately if you would, I will not say it is easy or fair or kind. But I will not tolerate such selfishness in my unit.

That is all. All operatives please acknowledge within the next 12 hours.

[ ooc: make sure to head over to the training info to get a look at what your characters will be dealing with ]

Comments

[byfist]

Your file says you're something of an assassin - is there truth to that?

[rippedoff]

[GUESS THE CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG. Whatever, she wasn't actually trying all that hard to hide it.]

Yeah, is there a problem with that?

[byfist]

Why would there be?

I was more interested in the training you have received thus far.

[rippedoff]

[Because this had the potential to get into personal subjects, that yes, she actually cares more about getting out than the fact that she's an assassin.]

Not sure how much your file tells about me. Are you looking for a list of credentials, a life story, or a general list of subjects?

[byfist]

General list. It isn't a good idea for myself to know too many details, save I am captured and the information is extracted from me.

[rippedoff]

Intense. But okay.

Swordsmanship is my strength, in mostly Asian styles, but I've adapted to my various opponents, throughout the years.
I'm good on acrobatic stuff too and stamina.
I can fight in heels?

Not sure how detailed you want me to be here.

[byfist]

How do you think you will adapt to guns with that background?

[rippedoff]

I really can't around the gun thing, huh?

[byfist]

Not until the ammunition runs out. How is your hand to hand?

[rippedoff]

Not bad, but not my area of expertise.

Rumor has it that I have a mean right hook. [Because haha, prosthetic arm.]

[byfist]

Well, you will no doubt do better than some others when it comes to the bayonet.

But we will focus on your hand to hand. It isn't uncommon for the ammunition to run out and it come down to nothing but bare fists and rocks.

[rippedoff]

Damned straight.

But sure, I've got no qualms with that. Primitive, maybe, but I'll beat someone down with a rock, if I have to.

[byfist]

This is the end of any notion of elegant war, I am afraid. No devotion to blades, no grand charges. Just men who have no experience doing what they can to survive.

[rippedoff]

Can't say I have any experience time traveling, but you'd be surprised how many times some of my fights came down to a pure need to survive.

Guns are dumb, but that's not gonna stop me.

[byfist]

A shame. I am rather fond of their... equalative nature.

[rippedoff]

I guess it's probably easier for most people to pick up, but are they really all that equalative? They seem more restrictive than other weapons.

NO ONE SAW ANyTHING

[byfist]

Restrictive in its earliest forms perhaps, but yes. Men might all die the same, but not all men who deal death were the same. For thousands of years, those who ruled were those who could fight more often than not, and those who could fight, learn sword, spear and shield, were those that could devote themselves to weapons. That takes time, money, someone else to work fields so you can eat. I am sure you're aware that you can't just pick up a blade and be good at it. To be truly worthy of being called a swordsman, one must devote their whole life too it. Let alone have enough money to do so, to even be able to afford a decent weapon could be some families whole wealth for a lifetime. Those with superior height and build and speed would triumph, for that matter, more so than others.

But a gun? It does not matter if a woman who has been forced to corsets her whole life and kept undernourished, or a peasant who could not afford food, let alone training when they pick up a gun. A bullet does not care for your strength, it takes a minute of training, and there is no defence against it. One shot, and it doesn't matter how much money you have, the tutors you have trained you, the privilege to which someone was born.

The battlefield is equal for all upon it.

[ And there is apparently, the one thing to which is a hopeless romantic. ]

LMAO MAKE ME WORRY ABOUT SOME WEAPON DISCOURSE

[rippedoff]

I mean, put novices against people with guns and the guns are always going to win, not going to argue that. Even where I'm from, there's a reason a lot of people will go with guns, even if I've seen just about every weapon used, including some pretty damned unconventional ones. There's some damned good gun users out there, but a lot of them still get pretty outclassed when a lot of us out there know how to dodge or deflect bullets.

Still, I get what you're saying. I'm confident in my skill, but I know better than to think I've won a fight before it even starts. I'm not about to lose another arm to underestimating an opponent.

AGOGE MODS: SURPRisINGLY INTENSE FEELINGS ABOUT GUNS

[byfist]

Dodge a bullet? I am most interested in seeing you in training then.

Love those guns OR ELSE

[rippedoff]

You won't be disappointed. See you tomorrow.