1821
S1E4
INTERMISSION - THE DEVIL’S COMPANY
Welcome to the Devil's Company, Claire... Or should we call it, the 1821 Devils Company. One of the more accomplished units within the Voronov Group family has been rebranded and retooled with the addition of some new members from the former 1821 Security Services - and you're the executive officer. You're working under Nevena Voronova... Yeah, she's a little bit of a big deal, and a noble, but she's also something of a family black sheep thanks to her appearance.
You'll know why once you see her. Your latest job is going to be in Avarece, but she's working on important business in Amiriyya currently. Head to Dejan and say hi. You're both flying out to Avarece in the coming days. As the situation in Dejan is handed off to the Amiriyyan Confederated Army and the Vojvodean military, the men and women of the Devil's Company are needed elsewhere. Perhaps even needed by a certain Admiral Evangelista, to get back at a pest plaguing her country - one that a certain member of your unit already has a bit of experience with.
Camp Al-Rafa, Dejan, Confederation of Amiriyya
Murmere 25th, 251
3:00 PM
Collaborative post between Forest State and Valefontaine
Camp Al-Rafa… The place where the Vojvodean 15th Airborne Brigade and the 2nd Eagles Brigade were stationed right now, and also the center of where the crown and its local affiliates, along with a strange collection of oil lords and contractors looking for their next check were working on going above and beyond their previous tasks in Amiriyya and building up a new nation entirely. That was to say, this was the only real formal military base in the ‘Confederation of Amiriyya’ which had only been founded days ago, through the force of Vojvodean guns and with the local leadership of the Bahrizadi tribe that had held out here despite the chaos and hostilities in the rest of the country.
It was safe to say that, in the days after the founding of this nation, the base was chaotic to say the least. Personnel from multiple units moved about, trucks came and went with patrols, helicopters embarked on missions or brought in supplies from elsewhere - all the while, the place was on guard for an attack that could come at any point. Just because they were in their own territory didn’t mean they were completely safe. With the flow of refugees into the north from other parts of Amiriyya, there were almost certainly hostile actors mixed within them who intended to set up shop around here.
And so, the road to the base was rather locked down, the local forces checking visitors further down the path before the 15th Airborne asked their own questions at the gate to any unfamiliar faces that happened to be turning up at the place. It slowed things down slightly, but the added measures would help in preventing another situation like the one following the start of unrest in the country - where much of even the north, the oil fields included, had been taken over by irregular soldiers with the Shafadi Popular Front.
The latest arrival, however, wasn’t showing up by car and being subjected to these checks, but by helicopter. The flight over the desert wasn’t entirely the safest one, but it was done at this point, as the Afonin 74 helicopter made a final approach on the site before flaring and descending, the wheels eventually touching down and the doors sliding open… the surroundings were very different from the original starting point of the journey, the Voronov Group headquarters city of Lyachevo. The greens of the forests and the blue of the waters off the shoreline had been replaced by the color pallette of the desert, and what had once been paved roads and elegant buildings turned into dirt trails and plain concrete structures, colored to blend in with the environment.
It was a far cry from the more developed world… and perhaps an early sign of how the life of a mercenary could take one far away from the comforts that many others were used to.
Claire Morata was accustomed to few comforts. Having grown up in Eunomia after its collapse, knowing how to fight and how to survive had come natural for her. By the time she was in her late adolescence, she had already taken up the mercenary life.
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There were a few odd jobs between then and now, but the to-be Company Sergeant was about to be faced with the next. Her task at the moment was to find the person that was serving as the Company Leader, formerly of the Devils Company and now of this new one… the 1821 Devils Company as it was called, after having absorbed the assets of an existing group known as 1821 Security Services. Finding one person within Camp Al-Rafa wasn’t necessarily the easiest task, either. Between visiting local forces and the Vojvodean soldiers that were stationed here until further notice, it was hard to see who was going where and who was assigned to what place, though there were also the occasional soldiers with the red and white and blue symbols of the Voronov Group, perhaps indicating through their paths that the mercenary faction’s area was a specific grouping of smaller buildings on the northern end of the camp.
Which would be exactly where Morata went. Faced by the buildings, she only briefly stopped to note the facade. She carried most of what she already needed — an AR-M36 slung over her shoulder, and most of her personal belongings carried in her kitbag. With a bit of silent reassurance, she proceeded forth, eyes scanning the usual bustle at the compounds.
As she was moving through this area, she would spot another group of soldiers which seemed to be close enough to what she was looking for - at least, the woman at the head of the group appeared close enough to the description she had been given earlier of Nevena Voronova, the leader of the former Devils Company as well as the current leader of the new merged company… and it was impossible to miss her, thanks to the distinct scarring on her face that was supposedly the result of a childhood fight with the B4K10 virus which had torn through the country in a couple of past outbreaks. Thanks to that plague, Voronova was, to say the least, far different in appearance from the usual, softer looking members of one of the wealthiest and most business-savvy noble houses in the country.
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Morata whistled to the woman as she approached, reaching into her own coat pocket to display her own Voronov Group ID card. "Company Leader Voronova?" She called, standing at attention before the noblewoman. Nobility was a foreign notion to her, given her origins from the anarchic state. Still, rank seniority always did demand a degree of respect.
The group stopped, and Voronova set her eyes on the newcomer. She waved to the other soldiers to continue on to wherever they were headed, but she didn’t keep moving herself, as she examined the other mercenary in front of her, waiting a moment before she extended her hand. “I presume you’re the one being transferred to replace my XO?”
"Transferred out of our operations group in the Mare Tempestas yesterday, ma'am." Morata replied. "The circumstances are beyond my paygrade, as far as I'm aware."
“I’d like to say I’m kinda pissed about the decision, I mean, they expect the same results from me and don’t want to keep me with my preferred people… but you aren’t the right one to make that complaint to,” Voronova stated with a slight sigh. “So I guess we’re a team now.”
To this, Morata nodded with a hint of hesitation. "So it seems. Claire Morata — I was with Chimera Company in the Mare Tempestas preceding my transfer... I presume a briefing of some sort regarding what this job is due to entail would be in order?"
“The structure around here isn’t that different from most of the companies… multiple teams, one headquarters staff, all that. Obviously, you’re in a higher position than you were before, so you’re helping me with keeping things running smoothly,” Voronova started. “Of course, me and you still have our own work in the field, as part of the first team… I suppose it’s not too different from what you’re used to, but with more… paperwork.”
"Nothing I can't do," Morata presumed. "And what of the situation? I get the impression we're preparing to move out."
“Officially, the situation right now is handling security here in northern Amiriyya while the actual military does some things to the south… unofficially, I have word that things are already getting packed up and sent to Avarece due to things heating up there. The government in Avarece is gearing up for war after their embassy was attacked by their neighbor, in Maturoch… the crown and the intelligence service over here is low key telling us to take the job, too. Ideological containment, so to speak… Expect to end up behind enemy lines before long.”
Morata nodded. "The Vibrians, I presume. I am uninformed, however, on how this monarchy ideologically differs from neighboring Avarece..."
“The Vibrians are indeed the problem. Isn’t our first encounter with them, either… before the merger, they shot my cousin. One of her teammates wasn’t lucky enough to make it out like she did,” reflected Voronova, before pausing and answering the second statement. “And as far as I know, Vibria is a monarchy in name only. The crown hasn’t held much real power since their last government came to power. That lies in the hands of… what you could call an aggressive democracy, as well as their foreign intelligence agency, the INV. There’s been Vibrian support for rebel movements within Avarece ever since the unrest in Avarece started. Only difference now is that it’s probably going to kick off more and turn into an actual war.”
"I see.." Stroking her chin, Morata took note of the situation at present. "What's my first order of business here and now, ma'am?"
“You may wish to meet my cousin, Kostya, who is also the squad leader of the team that’s immediately under us… or to look at the reports that I’ve received on the situation from the UIR, in my office,” Voronova said with a slight shrug. “Things are fairly calm for now… you’ll be busy from the moment we touch down in Avarece, however.”
"I believe I can tackle two birds with one stone... take me to your office." replied Morata. "I can have a word with your cousin afterward."
Nodding, the Company Leader turned around and started towards one of the buildings that wasn’t far from where they were standing now, stepping inside and then entering the second room within the prefabricated building - her office wasn’t the largest but it was fairly well organized, and there were some papers in folders on the desk which was at the center of it.
“Some of these are general reports from the area, but there’s also information about the INV agent that I mentioned earlier… that shot my cousin. As well as Loreto Romero, the Vibrian ambassador to Avarece who is alleged by Avarecian intelligence to be a link between dissident movements in Avarece and the INV across the border,” she pointed out. “We’ll have more once we link up with our Avarecian counterparts on the ground.”
"Our goal, I presume, is to take out this agent?" questioned Morata.
“According to my contact in the UIR… yes. A reprisal for the embassy bombing, so to speak. As well as a way to sever the ties between the INV and Avarecian rebels.”
"Fair enough, then." Morata conceded. "Is that everything?"
“For now,” Voronova said. “I’ll inform you if there’s any further intelligence updates.”
"Alright. I'll have a word with your cousin, then." Beginning for the door, Morata paused, before turning back around. "..I know my transfer here isn't exactly what you wanted. I'm, er, sorry if you don't think highly of me... but I'll try to do my best, ma'am."
“I believe in people proving themselves… all I ask is for the job to get done,” Voronova stated calmly, watching her subordinate head for the door, her persona still somewhat cold however despite her words.
Taking her leave, Morata's next immediate focus was finding the 'Kostya' Nevena had spoken of. There were plenty of faces in the compound, but she was certain the woman in question was nearby.
It turned out that the correct location to look was the Voronov Group barracks, a short distance away from the office - for the most part, the place was empty at the moment, but there was one girl sitting down within it on one of the beds, who looked enough like the older Voronova… though her blonde hair was cut shorter, her face was unblemished, and she had an overall different aura about her, a bit more introspective with maybe even a hint of sadness.
Morata briefly hesitated before speaking up. "Kostya... Voronova?" She questioned, her own ID in hand.
“Yeah,” Kostya said simply, looking over at her new colleague, an eyebrow raised. “Don’t recognize you, though.”
"Transferred here this morning from the Mare Tempestas. Claire Morata," She introduced herself. "I'm your new XO."
“Guess that’s why I’m not the XO,” mused Kostya, letting her voice trail off before she chuckled. “Just messing with you a bit, I don’t care that much. I’ll take whatever rank as long as I get to finish some business in Avarece soon…”
Morata nodded. "I just supposed introductions were overdue. Your cousin, she, uh... informed me of you, and suggested I get to know you before work in Avarece begins."
“Don’t know what there is to get to know, I guess you could say I was pretty average compared to her… Didn’t go to the Lyachevo Imperial College, didn’t fight the Soviet in 246… only time I got a major assignment, I couldn’t save my squadmate,” Kostya pointed out, seemingly taking a low view of herself.
"I was transferred from operations in the desert," replied Morata. "Mostly small-time tasks pertaining to the tech-hoarders... I'm surprised I'm here at all, but... I do look forward to working with you."
“Like I said… I’ll welcome anyone that helps kill Yoselin Asturia… the INV agent that took my squadmate out in Avarece,” Kostya said, her tone rather dark before she let out a slight sigh and forced herself to speak a bit more lightly. “Anyway, welcome to the Company. It does have its perks being here, working with my cousin… who happens to be the CEO’s daughter.”
"I suppose it is a step up for me.." Morata admitted.
“You should hold your head up a bit more, though,” Kostya pointed out, tsking slightly. “You’re higher ranked than me and you’re the older one, I guess. Probably worth… something.”
"..guess we'll find out.." She murmured, shrugging. "I mean, I'm not in it for the fame, and there's probably things that pay better... but this is all I've really known. I just hope things go smoothly."
“Look at it a different way… sure, you’re an outsider in it because it’s what you’re used to, and you’re not going for fame, but well… you’re also not born into it and you’re not going to get judged for it,” Kostya said before scoffing slightly. “Can’t say the same about myself, wasn’t easy explaining to my parents that this was what I want to do even after getting shot out there. I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Less baggage, you could say.”
"...parents, huh?.." Morata trailed off, before shaking her head. "Never mind— right, of course. I'm sure everything will go fine. Looking forward to working with you on the field, of course."
“Yeah… you too,” Kostya said, before lying back on the bed, staring up at the bottom of the bunk which was directly above her own, content to remain there even while the others were out and about - probably more than a little depressed, though regardless she seemed able to push through it when she needed to. And fortunately, it didn’t look like she was opposed to her new squadmate who had a rank that she herself had likely pushed for.
Of course, it was only a matter of days until they were set to head to Avarece, where they would find out just how well the bonds between the team held up under pressure.
