Recuperation (SSoDI-N)

[DanteMGalileo]

"... Sinann, Olor..."

"Aye."

"Tane, Albatross..."

"Aye."

"Vakaris, Chordeiles..."

Silence.

Liderc gave a small gulp, as it seemed as though half of the platoon had not been able to make a retreat. "... This is bad..." He knew he had to keep up his facade as the commander in charge of this invasion, lest what was left of his troop's morale plummet to nothing. "... Horus. You're the stealthiest flier. Scout what happened after we flew away. Don't let them see you." The silence was only broken by the quiet wingbeats of the angel who departed, alongside the continuous rain outside.

After a few minutes of silence, the blonde angel spoke. "... If any of you want to leave now, I'm not going to stop you. We're the Phoenix Platoon, undefeated until now..." He winced, as if those words had actually pained him to say. "... That thing must die. We will have our revenge."

---

"Hmm. My sensors indicate the presence of flesh-angels."

Perdix stopped outside the building, underneath the umbrella the pair had "borrowed" from a newstand. "Ah."

[ANALYSIS COMPLETE.

32 ORGANIC ANGELS DETECTED.

OVERZEALOUS IDIOT KERUV DETECTED.]

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Oh, thank goodness..." Mic breathed, hand to his chest. "And right where we were headed too! That's convenient."

There was so much that Mic was worried about. The wellbeing of Liderc and his platoon, the sorry state he and Perdix had found the ship in, the demon girl who was no doubt the cause of it, the information from the museum, getting Perdix home... With so much on his mind, it wasn't particularly surprising that Mic's initial instinct was to charge headlong into the ITS in pursuit of the assembled angels. The sooner everything was neatly resolved, the better.

Inside the cool, dry building, he looked around until he spotted a small crowd of red, yellow and green. Then he promptly raced their way...

"KERUV!!!"

Upon joining the group, Mic skidded to a halt, then immediately stood up straight and saluted the commander. There was no smile this time around. Give the little firebrand some credit, he knew a serious situation when he saw one.

"MICRATHENE XIUHTECUHTLI REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR! PERDIX VULCANUS HAS BEEN RETRIEVED, SIR! STATUS?!"

[DanteMGalileo]

"... It's good to see you again, Unit 1538-2862," Liderc said, trying to keep his tone level. "Report?"

"Ah. I respond only to Lady Bennu. Or councilangel," Perdix responded. "I was informed that transportation to Paradiso could be found here. I must deliver my report to superiors."

Liderc's eye twitched, but he kept his outburst in. "... I see you're as pleasant to me as ever. Yes, it's here. According to the voice boomer, the carrying cart should be here any second now... Begone from my sight, Unit 1538-2862." He glanced towards his remaining platoon. "If you don't want to fight, go with him. I'm not going to stop or persecute anyone who leaves."

And yet, it was only Perdix who would board the train. As the mechanical angel departed back home, Liderc sighed. "... I can't stand MPs like him. They think they're as good as us organics. ... Take a break, guys. We're going to wait for reinforcements from home." As his remaining soldiers departed, no doubt to find a way to forget their loss, the blonde turned to Mic, finally addressing the little angel. "... In case you couldn't tell, we got crushed. I'd say about half of my men are dead thanks to that demon bitch..." He snarled. "Also, there's a dragon man who can breathe electricity. That's just a right pain in the arse. Mic... Do some research."

[ParamountKeymaster]

For a while, Mic had his finger raised and his mouth open, clearly wanting to say something but just barely resisting the temptation to speak out of line. He watched Perdix board the transport without saying a word to the little yellow-green angel who had delivered him. Not even a telltale sign that Mic's original idea to accompany him on his report was still in effect.

So... what was he supposed to do? Return to Paradiso? Remain here with the platoon?

Fortunately, while the rest of the angels scattered to regain their composure, leaving Mic standing there confused and slack-jawed, Liderc finally addressed him, prompting Mic to drop his arm and shut his mouth.

"Oh..." If only for five seconds, of course. "Y-Yes, Perdix and I discovered the remains of the ship on the outskirts of the city! Very much destroyed. Unsalvageable. Very expensive. N-No survivors. Demon girl seems unharmed and probably very angry with us right now...!"

Then Liderc mentioned the dragon man, causing Mic's eyes to light right up. "Oh yes! The blue fellow accompanying the humans and the demon girl! Hmm..."

He tapped his chin and started pacing in place. "He did seem draconic in nature. I suppose I hadn't given it much thought considering how much was going on at once. But you say he breathed electricity?? That's... fascinating!" He raised his hands and smiled apologetically at Liderc. "Potentially problematic, yes! But still very intriguing!"

Resuming his pace, Mic pulled out his notebook and excitedly started jotting something down. "Yes, I could definitely research this! What sort of humanoid dragon creature is this man? Where does he come from? Are there others like him?? Do they all breathe lightning or do they fall into a similar elemental alignment?! What would lightning's opposing element be?! (GAAAAAAAAAAAASP...!!!) IF HE'S BLUE, DOES THAT MAKE HIM ROYALTY?!"

[DanteMGalileo]

"... And this is why I usually defer to Sophi for this shit."

The taller angel seemed annoyed with Mic's lack of volume control. "Lightning, or rather electricity, is a dangerous subtype of wind magic. Councilangel Aello is the only angel that we know can use such power- why do you think even angels on his court try to avoid getting on his bad side?" Liderc paced back and forth, chin in hand. "If electricity is a subtype of wind, then we'd need to get some dirt... Of course, considering the life forms here are mostly filthy endotherms, it's possible they follow different rules."

The sounds of trains leaving and arriving provided background noise, and as the green angel mused, distraction from them.

"We need that demon girl dead. Mic, when the train returns, I need you to go to Paradiso to petition for DNA cannons. Give me a blank page..." When Mic complied, Liderc wrote something on it, before returning the notebook, pen, and page to the little angel. "A dead population gives no tribute. I got enough of her on me."

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Sir, are we not also endothermic?" Mic mumbled, pausing in his pace long enough to shoot Liderc a blank expression. "Birds regulate a stable, metabolically favorable temperature internally just as mammals d-"

His analysis was promptly ignored as Liderc issued him a new order and requested Mic's notebook. Mic quickly scanned the note upon being handed back the book, anxiously nodding to the commander thereafter. "DNA cannons! I can do that! And what of the blue dragon man, sir? Am I still to conduct research on him? You want I should return to the island to study him?!"

[DanteMGalileo]

Sigh.

"Yes, Mic." It seemed as though Liderc seemed to just want to get Mic away from the very sensitive mechanical war pieces. "You can continue to observe the dragon man. Find out what colour he bleeds. Find out what makes him tick."

The sound of a train arriving could be heard. "Actually, wait. How confident are you in your shapeshifting? Having wings could make observation up-close... problematic."

[ParamountKeymaster]

As he continued to write notes, it was clear from the smile on Mic's face that he was ecstatic to be conducting field research. He offered Liderc an optimistic grin. "Infinitely more confident than I am in my magic or combat skills, that's for sure!"

He thoughtfully tapped his pen to his chin. "Whadya think? Should I lose the wings and turn myself pink? Hmm, no, too simple. He's already seen me. Kinda hard to write while in bird form, though. It's been a while since I've practiced using a pen with my wings and walky fronds. Is it better if he does or doesn't know I'm there? I have no issues being a spy from the sidelines, but I might learn more up close and personal. And what if the demon girl is with him? Definitely seemed like they knew each other."

[DanteMGalileo]

"Yes, lose the wings. It'll probably be easier if you don't have them," Liderc paused, thinking... "I don't care if you turn yourself pink, I don't care if you do it from a distance or up-close. Just make yourself look... not angelic."

Beat.

"No, a slime mold is probably not the best idea, even if you can somehow manipulate a pen in that shape. ... I dunno, get creative! Just look inconspicuous! Just don't turn yourself into me! That'd get awkward!"

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Not to mention it'd be an egregious breach of etiquette!" Mic agreed with an awkward grin. "OKAY! So... request DNA cannons, return here, don a disguise, get some dirt on the dragon man! YOU CAN COUNT ON ME, SIR, OR MY NAME'S NOT MICRATHENE Q. XIUHTECUHTLI THE FIRST! I DON'T KNOW WHY I ADDED THE Q. OR THE 'THE FIRST.'"

With an overdramatic salute, Mic turned and rushed towards the platform where his train awaited him. In his walk, he continued to scrawl a few notes and mumble to himself. "Probably would have to change the hair too. Maybe turquoise? I've always wondered what I would look like as a turquoise! Wait, no, blue isn't a natural hair color for most humans. Except in those old Saian animated programs. Hmm... I forget, can humans be left-fronded? Would it draw attention if someone saw me writing in accordance to my natural dexterity? Have to look into that. Maybe I should lose the glasses too. Actually, scratch that, kinda need those. Wait...!"

He stopped walking, staring ahead inquisitively as a flood of ideas washed over him. "I need some money."

Then Mic dashed ahead once again, eager to get on with his new mission.

[DanteMGalileo]

...

Once the little angel was gone, Liderc placed his face in his hands, and let out a loud scream.

Once that little outburst was done, the blonde glanced around. "... I wonder if they sell Battleaxe 80k figurines here."

---



Several hours later, Liderc had returned to the station, bag in hand. Sitting at an empty table, he painted away at figurines. They weren't Battleaxe 80k figurines, rather they were from some stupid thing called Warhammer 40k according to the shopkeeper. Whatever- it was clearly a bootleg, if the fact that the Pandemonium faction was called Chaos was any indicator. Still, for a bootleg, it wasn't too bad. "... Pity Vakaris isn't alive anymore. He loved Battleaxe. I'm sure he'd get a kick out of these."

A chiming sound alerted him to the arrival of a train from Paradiso. "I see that the only thing that can get our bureaucracy to go fast is war. No wonder we're always fighting something, that's the only way shit gets done..."

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Dramatic exit!"

Mic leaped off the train, striking an exaggerated pose, a bold, determined smile on his face. A multitude of angels unloaded alongside him, Mic marching towards the front of the crowd with intent to lead them to where the Phoenix Platoon had last gathered. An concerns the little yellow-green angel might've had about the demon girl or the findings at the museum or the initial failure of the first wave were behind him, replaced with an apparent dose of confidence. So long as a plan was in motion, he couldn't stay down in the dumps for long.

"Dramatical entrance!"

As soon as he spotted Liderc seated in the station's court, he quickly glided over to the Keruv with a mighty, albeit gentle-sounding beat of his wings, gracefully touched down next to him, and offered a salute. "I'VE RETURNED, SIR! AND THE CAVALRY HAS ARRIVED! Ooh, is that Battleaxe 80k?! Nice! I'm more of an old school Cells & Cerberusi guy myself! Level 14 automaton musician spellcaster! Lemme tell ya, Egret Sobek is one helluva cell overseer! READY TO COMMENCE WITH THE NEXT PHASE, SIR!"

[DMis]

"I can't leave you alone for more than 5 minutes can I?" another angel asked as she emerged from the shadows. "You'll have to forgive my lack of help during that mess of a battle. Valravn has me running another set of errands." The mint winged angel stood at attention as she spoke briefly and curtly to The Keruv. "And yes Mic would be right. That demon is pissed and very mad at what had occured. Then again I would be to if a perfectly good plan was foiled." She took note of the Warhammer figures. "You can't replace Battleaxe. And I'm a rather capable CM myself, Mic." There was a slightly amused smirk on the shadow angel's face.

[DanteMGalileo]

Sigh.

"I see our leadership clearly has its priorities in order when it comes to non-war matters." Liderc put away the figurine he was painting, going to examine the reinforcements that had arrived with Mic and Sophi. "Excellent... and surprising. Quite a few of them are from the Council Guard..." The one-eyed angel whistled. "I guess they're actually taking this matter seriously."

Liderc turned to face Sophi next, with a small smile actually present. "Ah, Sophi, so glad you could make it here. What kind of fools' errand did Lady Valravn have you on? Regardless, I'm glad we have someone of your tactical genius here." He extended an arm out. "I'm sure you know what DNA Cannons do. We're going to nip this problem in the bud. I'm certain I got enough of that thing on me for the cannons to scan..."

A dark chuckle, and a smirk. "Once our cannons have eliminated that pest, why don't we celebrate with a round of tabletop games and some oven-fried dough circles? My treat."

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Hmm... Remind me of that later," Mic chuckled to Sophi lowly. Or as lowly as the loudmouth little angel could naturally manage.

He offered Liderc an excited smile, oblivious as to whether or not that invitation extended to him. "SOUNDS GOOD TO ME! Now that you once again have an ample fighting force and an experienced tactician behind you, I presume we're ready to concoct a new strategy? I'm certainly ready to proceed with my mission at a moment's notice, sir!"