When Tropics meet the North (Closed)

[AHSCA]

Everyone dawned their masks as told to. "Breathing okay, Milady?" Asuna asked best she could through the muffled mask

Marcella and Gisella gave nods that they were doing fine.

"No questions, we're set." Sayaka responded as both readied their weapons.

[Astares Amauricanum]

The Astarians simply nod in return, before depoying themselves in two lines, one forward, the other behind them protecting the AHSCAian women.

However, as they progress slowly in the mist, a human form suddenly pops up from behind a car, painball launcher in hand. It fires two rounds in Stalker 4's head, Major Anthony Tingle, who falls backwards and hits the ground with a heavy thud.

"MAN DOWN!" shouts Stalker 2, Major David Hankins, as he grabs Anthony's form by his plate carrier and drags him behind a car, while the rest of his Squad, engages the form, shooting him down as various paint rounds leave their colorful mark on his chestplate and helmet. The form falls backwards too, and does not get back up.

In the meantime, on their right, Patricia and her squad, the Vampires, have engaged two more targets who wre laying in ambush in a particular spot where the mist seems heavier than usual. However, one of the similated enemies was sniffed by Gopnik, Vampire's Astarian Wolf, who barks loudly once and rushes to the opponent, biting him in the arm to bring it down (despite the mask the canine is wearing), and allow his mistress and her four squadmates to dispatch the two targets.

"Two targets down, 2 o'clock!" says Patricia over her radio to the rest of the group.
"Roger, continue clearing the way. Stop when you reach the base of the building" replies Anna in a whisper.

While the forward squads were engaging the enemies, Adrean, upon hearing the first shots, had grabbed Marcella and Gisella by their backs, and dragged them down to cover behind a car wreck. Anna had done the same with Kotobuki, while Pavel and Alicia were securing them alongside Asuna and Sayaka.
After a few seconds, Phillip and Catherine Smetov, along with their respective squads Reaper and Devil, have joined them behind the vehicle, and secure the outside while the group prepares to continue.
"One man down already, a good start." says Pavel with a sarcastic tone.

[AHSCA]

Now the exercise could begin, they walked along into the mist "Conditions are fading, stay close to us, Miladies" Sayaka commanded

"Be on guard." Asuna reminded Sayaka. Now the action began with the first "shots" being fired upon them, the two wasted no time getting their Highness's into cover, returning fire if they could get a clean enough shot but mostly hunkering down. "You okay?" Asuna asked

"I'm fine, you?"

"Fine. Miladies keep your heads down, we have fire on us."

When there'd be enough of a pause the two would return fire but cover again, best they conserved ammo should their foes try to close in on them.

"We need to get them out of danger." Asuna said

"I think I saw an access street, we could make a break for it?" Sayaka suggested.

"Negative, we can't verify if the route is secure or even a way out, our hope is to neutralize the threats or wait for reinforcements."

"I can't get a clear visual on them, let's hold our position and watch our flanks."

"Roger. Major, any suggestions from you?"

[Astares Amauricanum]

"It's Colonel for you Ladies, not Major." corrects Pavel as he speaks to Asuna and Sayaka. "And no, moving down an unclared street will only lead us to death. Wwe've seen that multiple times in various parts of the world."

"We stick to the original plan." continues Phillip as he looks over the side of the car, his ACR at the ready. "We let the forward elements clear a path for us to the building, then we take cover there."

Just as he says that, he hears a call over the radio, the voice belonging to Yuri.

"All elements, enemies cleared. Ten EKIA, two wounds on our side."

"That's our call, let's move!" says Adrean before grabbing Marcella by her back with his left hand, his right hand on his rifle. However, before him and the rest of the group can leave the safety of the car, some shots start to be heard, and find their mark near them.

"Shit, sniper!" curses the Keisaer as he crouches back down for now. "Reaper, Devil, I want a fireball while we move. Got that?"

"Rah!" reply the ten members of the two squads with a sharp tone and nods.

"Okay, on my mark." continies Anna. "Three, two, one, FIREBALL!"

Immediatly, Phillip, Catherine and their squadmates switch their rifles and LMGs to full auto, before raising their heads above the car and taking aim in the general direction of where the enemy shots are coming. Immediatly, a thundering roar is heard from the ten firearms firing at a rapid pace, the shells being ejected out and landing on the concrete ground with some noises.

"MOVE!" shouts Anna as she grabs Gisella, but instead of motioning her forward, she just hoists the small girl over her left shoulder in a fireman carry, and starts to run towards the plywood building for cover, her rifle still in her right hand, ready to throw a hip shot if needed.
Seeing his wife pull such a bold move, Adrean does the same with Marcella, and follows after her, his ACR in his right hand also at the ready.

Pavel and Alicia, for their part, just shrug and follow after them, Alicia having a hand on Asuka's shoulder to guide her forward, while Pavel, Asuna and Sayaka provide cover.

Once everyone is in safety on the side of the building, Adrean and Anna put Marcella and Gisella back down.

"Sorry about that." says the Empress to the Duchess and her sister. "But given your smaller stature, it was the best thing to do if we wanted to move quickly."

[AHSCA]

Oh right, wrong rank, well heat of the moment and all that, no time really to get all worked up and fussed about a mistake, she could apologies later. Asuna quickly jumped to her feet to return fire and ducked back into cover to reload. Suddenly Anna yelled out a MOVE, well looks like they were on the move as Gisella was hoisted up and carried to safety along with the other women. Well that works just as well so providing cover fire, Sayaka and Asuna followed along to their next point

"Please, think nothing of it" Marcella responded "I'm glad you're getting us out of danger quickly."

"Quick thinking, great work." Asuna praised for the sudden decision to quickly carry them out, "Miladies, you both okay otherwise?"

"We're fine, no injuries to speak of." Gisella responded

"Good."

[Astares Amauricanum]

"Okay, very well then." says Adrean with a nod. "The street is too dangerous for us to go there, not enough cover to advance and support each other when we move. We'll have to go through this." he says as he lightly taps the plywood building with his gloved knuckles. "Form up on me, let's move."

And so, their group organises itself in a single column, glued to the wall. Adrean first taking point, then followed by Anna;
the AHSCAian guests next, with in order: Asuna, Marcella, Gisella, Asuka and Sayaka closing the rear;
and finally, Alicia and Pavel.
Also, Oronar, the Astarian Wolf, is at the ready next to his master, prepared to neutralize any enemy that would come within range of its fangs.

As they advance on the side of the building, they reach a small door. Before Adrean can even reach for its handle, it opens violently on the outside, letting an enemy in the group's view, pistol at the ready.
Before he can squeeze the trigger however, Oronar lungs, not towards the hand holding the pistol, but towards the leg of the foe. He bites them on the side of their boot, causing the person to emit a small feminine cry, revealing the foe's gender as a woman.

As one may expect though, this has let more than enough time for Adrean to drop his rifle and take out his pistol from his dropleg hoslter, and shoot two sim rounds in his foe's head, painting her helmet in red paint. The plastron then falls down on the ground, just as Adrean advances through the door, his pistol still pointed forward. Before him, a small set of stairs leading upwards.

"Stairs, seven steps, open to the left." he says with a serious yet calm tone to the rest of the group. "On me, let's go." he says as he puts his pistol back in his holster, and raises his rifle again. As he feels Anna's hand on his right shoulder, the Keisaer slowly starts to climb up the stairs, Oronar to his right, both the human's and canine's eyes opened in search for any trap or foe hidden in the tear gas mist surrounding them...

[AHSCA]

""Right!" They shouted in agreement. Asuka and Sayak with their arms raised to continue be on guard ushered their ladies up the stairs, Asuna taking lead and Sayaka following up the rear of them. Asuka was able to keep a count, remembering seven stairs and open to the left as he told them. It was hard to see in the smoke and mist of everything but they kept a sharp eye, best they could do as normal humans could.

[Astares Amauricanum]

When they reach the top of the stairs, Adrean raises his left fist in the air to signal the group to halt. As he is about to peek around the corner to check the corridor, a burst of bullets hits the wall's corner, causing him to flinch and move back a bit.

"Shit!" swears the Keisaer, before switching his ACR to full auto, and moving it around the corner without appearing himself, to realize what the Astarians call a Lebanese shooting, or in other words, shooting from behind a cover blindly with only your weapon in view. Ideal for making your enemies duck their heads down, but not so much for accuracy.

As he unleashes a burst himself, Adrean hears two shouts, before hearing two bodies drop down. He switches his rifle back to semi, before moving around the corner, Oronar at his side and the rest of the group following. In front of him, two bodies.

However, before he can reach them, the one on the right raises his right arm, pistol in hand, and shoots once, striking Adrean's left arm with a simunition. In answer, the Keisaer hisses a bit, as his trusty Astarian Wolf bits the not-so-dead enemy in the throat, killing him (in the simulation).

"Fuck!" shouts Anna from behind her husband as she covers the front, looking sideways at Adrean who has taken a knee androlled up his left sleeve. "Are you alright Hun?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." replies Adrean, as he takes out an Israeli compressive bandage from his first aid kit located on the right of his plate carrier, and wrapping it around his fake wound. Once that is done, he takes a morphine dose from his first aid kit, and seemingly injects it in his arm.

"Do not worry, it's empty, for the needs of the simulation." says the Keisaer as he looks to the AHSCAian women. "Pavel, you take the lead." he adds to his friend who is standing behind Sayaka.

"Wilco." simply replies the male Morozov before moving forward, his LMG at the ready, as the group reorganizes itself and moves forward once more in the narrow corridor...

[AHSCA]

"Understood." Asuna replied simply flat keeping her guard up on this one. "It seems we're pinned, any ideas? Sayaka how's the rear?"

"Clear for now, but if we're gonna move back down, we'd better do it while we can!"

A quick beat passed but the order was given to move forward again. Given they really knew the layout, they trusted them in this to lead them through to safety.

"Roger, Ladies, moving forward, keep on your guard." Asuna said to the party of AHSCAian women in their zone. From Gisella's point of view, everyone's sheer steeliness was impressive, if it were just her with a firearm, she'd probably jump at every shadow and fire at anything she thought she might see move. Truly everyone was well trained.

When they had a moment to wait Marcella whispered something to Gisella's ears. Marcella decided on her own accord, she'd add just a little challenge and have Gisella freeze up a moment or two. Asuna and Sayaka fell back a moment to be close with the Princess. "Milady, are you holding your own?" Asuna aksed

Gisella gave a sort of nod, certainly not confident

"We'll get you through this, stay with us now." Sayaka said. Even if it was an act, it was certainly a real possibility in an actual scenario of one of their charges, be it the royals or not, freezing up or panicking on them. Sayka raised her firearm at a noise but lowered it, no sign of immediate danger to her.

"Let's move!"

[Astares Amauricanum]

"Rog." replies Pavel as he starts moving again, his LMG pointed forward.

Meanwhile, Adrean, who has risen back up, notices Gisella freezing up for a moment. Even though he feels she does it on purpose, he kneels beside her and looks to her behind the lenses of his gas mask.

"Listen up kid!" he says as he grabs her by the shoulders. "If you don't move your ass in sync with us, you're gonna end up full of holes! War is not pretty, and it will never be. You will have time to cry later. Now get your thoughts back in line, and quick! Understood?" he asks as he stands back up, looking to the smaller girl in front of him.

[AHSCA]

Harsh but fair. Gisella nodded i nagreement, it may have been an act but it felt real enough to the point that hurt. But yeah, cry later when you're not dead! If it upset them, Marcella would accept responsibility but in the end, she needed and wanted this to be as real as can be, and that accounted for her or her sister freezing up in the middle of the whole thing. Honestly, she was impressed with the bluntness. No time to be cordial when your life is on the line.

"We good?" Asuna asked

[Astares Amauricanum]

"Yeah we're good." replies Adrean. "Let's move." adds the Keisaer, before grabbing his rifle again with two hands and getting in position once again.

After the group has advanced a few more meters, they reach a corner to the left, where Pavel takes a peek around the wall. Seeing nothing but a set of stairs going downwards, the Colonel advances, pistol in hand, before reaching a door back down to ground level.

"Phantom 3 to all teams, status report." he says over his radio.

As the AHSCAian women would be able to hear in their own earpieces, the reports that come back from the different teams show they have neutralized an additional twenty enemies outside, with only two more wounded among their own, although one quite heavily.

"Ready to move out?" asks Anna behind her mask to the guests, as Pavel puts his hand on the doorknob, ready to open it...

[AHSCA]

"Fall behind us, Ladies" Asuna commanded of Marcella, Gisella and Asuka. "Sayka?"

"Flank is secure. Ready to move out."

"Let's move out!" Asuna and Sayaka raised their weapons in a defensive stance to be cautious ready for him to open the door.

[Astares Amauricanum]

"Okay, here we go." says Pavel as he opens the door slowly, only for a burst of bullets to impact near the door. Immediatly, the male Colonel closes it.

"Shit!" he exclaims. "They're on us!"

"Pop smoke!" orders Adrean as he takes a smoke grenade from his plate carrier and hands it to Pavel. His friend nods, before pulling the pin, opening the door slightly ajar once again and thowing it outside. After a few seconds, a yellow smoke engulfs the exterior.

"I think I saw some cover nearby, enough for all of us." he says to his friends.

"I'll move out and wait for five seconds, if I'm not shot, move behind me." says Alicia, causing the group to nod in answer. The female Colonel then steps outside, and after a few seconds, lightly raises her left hand and makes a forwar gesture.

With measured steps, Adrean, Anna and Pavel guide the AHSCAian women forward, and they all reach the cover (in fact, plywood planks, 1,20m meter high) safe and sound, just as the smoke starts to dissipate a bit.

[AHSCA]

With his loud shouting of certainly bad news, Sayaka and Asuna pulled the Duchess and Princess back in to them to keep them shielded "Roger!" They held their position waiting on their three guides then made their following getting to cover with them. "All well?"

"Well"

"Good good."

[Astares Amauricanum]

As the ASHCAian guests reassure each other, Adrean, Anna and their two teammates assess the situation.

Around them, they can still hear gunfire, especially to their right. By listening to their radio, they know that Stalker, Slasher and Spectre are pinned down by a fortified strongpoint, and can not move forward.
They also guess, by the current reports coming from the other squads, that they are the ones closest to that position, and therefore the most appropriate to help.

As they look to each other, they suddenly hear a cry on the radio.

"SLASHER ONE DOWN!" cries the voice of Ophelia, aka Spectre One, as she announces the in-simulation death of her husband Thomas.

"Shit!" mutters Alicia. "We have to help them, we're the closest!"

"But that's too risky with the VIPs with us." argues her husband Pavel.

"They've handled themselves quite well so far, I think they can follow us on this one." says Adrean, looking to Anna for approval, and getting a single nod from the Keisaerina in answer.

Having his wife's approval, the Keisaer turns to Marcella, Gisella and her followers.

"Listen up! We've got three of the squads pinned down to our right, with a man that just went down! We're the closest group that can assist, so we're going there to flank that strongpoint and destroy it.
Asuna, Sayaka, continue doing what you do. Fall in line behind us. Any questions?"

[AHSCA]

Asuna and Sayaka nodded understanding, "Our first duty is to Our Ladies and to get them to safety." Asuna reminded calmly but knowing full well what would come.

Marcella spoke up, "We can't leave comrades behind. Asuna, Sayaka, we shall render them assistance. They've gotten us this far as have you two without either of us getting hurt and now I can also mantain some level of cover for everyone. That's an order."

Asuna nodded, yup, that's the Naval Officer in her all right. "As you wish. All right, we'll bring up the rear, so let's move out!"

[Astares Amauricanum]

"All right, on us!" orders Anna as she deploys in a line, with Adrean to her left, and Pavel and Alicia to her right, the AHSCAian guests behind them. With that done, the group starts advancing on the enemy strongpoint, an unknown distance away in the mist.

After a minute of walking slowly and checking their environment, the two Astarian monarchs and their friends start to discern a plywood cubicle, where the sound of a machine gun seemingly resonates.

Without a word, Adrean makes a few hand signs, then him, Anna and Alicia advance towards the cubicle, Pavel staying behind with Marcella and her group. The male Morozov takes a knee and invite the five AHSCAian women to do the same.

"Phantom One to Stalker, Slasher and Spectre, we're moving around the strongpoint from behind. Assault in ten seconds." whispers Adrean over his radio, receving simple "Rogers." in his earpiece.

After going around the cubicle, Adrean stacks up at the door with Anna behind him, Alicia covering their rear. The Keisaer then faces the door, and in pure military fashion, gives a good, hard kick with his combat boot in the door, opening it with force.

Inside, three tangos are around a machine gun overlooking the area, one on the gun, the other feeding ammo, and the third with his assault rifle also shooting outside.
As they turn their heads, they only have the time to see the Imperial Couple raise their rifles on them and shoot multiple times. In a matter of seconds, the three enemies fall dead, multiple paint impacts on their chests and headpieces.

"Phantom One to all, enemy strongpoint neutralized."

[AHSCA]

With that, they set off again, watching for signals and moving in accordance with their orders with Adran and Anna taking the lead and taking care of their forward position with any potential enemy forces laying in wait. Another group taken out with their foes shot "dead" and the announcement of stronghold neutralized. It allowed Sayaka and Asuna to close in a little closer to their Ladies and keeping on guard.

[Astares Amauricanum]

As Adrean and Anna get out of the "stronghold", a metallic voice is heard over a PA system, resounding loudly in the whole training room.

"All Opposing Forces neutralized, end of exercise." says the robotic voice, just as loud aeration turbines start to be heard, and the mist of tear gas and smoke begins to dissipate, being sucked up towards the ceiling.

However, as the Imperial Couple reaches Marcella, Gisella and their followers, they stop suddenly, and raise their rifles towards the two AHSCAian Royals.

"Hasta la vista." say the two monarchs before shooting around five times in the two Villa sister's chestplates.

[AHSCA]

Well this took a sudden and unexpected turn as now Marcella and Gisella were on the reciving end of being pumped full of lead, metaphorically speaking. Sayaka and Asuna were unfortunately caught off guard enough to have a few successful shots land on them that the two had to spring to action to shield Their Ladies and return fire. But as such enough fire was returned on them in exchange that it was probably considered "a death"

Marcella got a laugh in "My my, guess that's that, we're all dead."

"Perhaps not, Milady." Asuna said with a faint smile, almost like she was really delivering her dying words. "Sayaka and I took most of it. Still enough time to get you to treatment...."

"Sorry Miladies, we failed you in the end." Sayaka had to utter her words of defeat as well.

[Astares Amauricanum]

Adrean and Anna take the shots to the chest without a word, falling to the ground as they are dead.

Pavel approaches the two bodies, and lightly kicks Adrean in the chest. Getting no reaction, he takes off his helmet and mask, before shouting loudly:

"The usurpers are dead! Oorah!"

"OORAAAAAH!" shout the rest of the Phantoms around the underground training as they take off their masks as well and approaches the scene, just as Adrean and Anna's forms are shaken by a few silent laughs.

"All right, all right, that was fun." says the Keisaer and as he takes off his helmet and gas mask too, before hanging them on his plate carrier, just like his wife, and turning tot he UIS guests.

"So, Ladies, how did you like the exercise? Was it intense enough and interesting for you?"

[AHSCA]

"Goodness it was intense," Asuka started first, "A wild ride, nothing like I've experienced and I've sailed a lot in my time!"

Marcella nodded "It was quite an exercise, a lot went into it and a lot came out of it, I have no doubt. Informative for sure! Great work everyone, you should all be proud of how well things were conducted."

[Astares Amauricanum]

"Indeed, and you can be proud of yourselves too, all of you." replies Anna with a large smile to the five AHSCAian women.

Meanwhile, some of the soldiers who were playing the enemies approach the group, having taken their masks off and all.

"If you want, you can give them your protection pads and protective gear, and then we'll go take some rest in the Baniar, what do you say?" offers Adrean to the guests.

[AHSCA]

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Marcella agreed nodding to the others that it was time to remove the extra protective gear. Asuna also helped out with that given it was a lot and cumbersome, sometimes the guard acts as the impromptu maiden.