Mia looked off to the side and sighed before meeting Eric's gaze. "I don't know," she said gently. "Recent movements have piqued the interest of more than one group. I can't say for certain whether the ones coming will be neutral. " Eric turned his attention back toward the village. "Hmm." He sat back down. "In that case, we need ISR assets. I want eyes on whoever shows up without getting close."
After the meeting ended, Eric went to his vehicle. He needed to make a report to commander Milano. He sighed before turning on the truck. He looked outside and froze, noticing faces he had never seen. They were observing him from the tree-line. "Great." He grumbles. "Hope you like the show, assholes." The report would have to wait.
Eric grumbles as he gets out of the truck, shifting his IOTV and cracking his back. "I'm too old for this shit." A private passing by while carrying three boxes of MRE's effortlessly chuckles and said "Ain't you only 28 Sarn't?" Eric shakes his head as he looked at the kid "Mind your business kid." He says before spinning back around. "HEY, get back here." The soldier turned around and hurried back to Eric. He dropped the MRE's and went to parade rest "Sarn't?" The private says, confused as to the urgency with which Eric called him with. "I don't recall you ever able to carry three MRE boxes at once." Eric says, looking at the private with an eye brow arched. "I wasn't Sarn't." The private answers, looking at the boxes. "I didn't think about it until you brought it up."
Sending the private on his way to finish his tasks, Eric headed back into the village to go see Kamer. Not bothering to knock, he walked through the front door. Kamer and Mia were still enjoying their tea. "I hate to interrupt, but your 'friends' are here." Eric says bluntly, pointing to the tree-line. Mia looks up in consternation. "They…" She sighs, collecting her thoughts. "I know them well. I believe that they are here to simply 'observe and report.' So long as we keep our distance, they should keep theirs." Eric nodded as their met eyes while mentally preparing the list of orders he would have to issue. "Are you going to go back with them?" Eric asked calmly while sitting back down. He crossed his arms while looking at the interposers. They had finally retreated outside of his view point. "No." Mia said while sighing. "I have to stay here to make sure my family will be okay." She says while looking in the same direction Eric was. Eric nods as he gets up. "In that case, I will see you both tomorrow. I have a report to make." He says while exiting the house, closing the door behind him.
After the report was sent, Milano told Eric to come to the battalion command post. He hadn't explained why, so Eric drove to the CP wondering what could make this day even stranger. If the battalion commander told Eric that they would soon grow third arms, he might actually believe it at this point. "Meetings, more meetings, and even more meetings!" Eric grumbles in his vehicle before he parked outside of Hood Hill. Inside the gates, the business of a garrison was present wherever he looked. Soldiers were doing PT, while others sat in small circles. Soldiers in the circles were either playing cards or … "Bro, I am telling you, that girl." Eric decided to ignore that particular soldiers line of speaking while shaking his head "I should have just asked to be reincarnated as a slime." He said while nodding to the soldiers standing guard before entering the command tent. The medics were there, along with his company commander, and the Op's leadership. Maybe he wasn't wrong about that third arm theory after all.
During the briefing, Eric's eyebrow arched so high it might break into the ceiling of the tent. Every report that was briefed just added to the strangeness of the day. "Injuries healing faster than they should." Coupled with "Soldiers being 'stronger and faster'" than they should be pointed to one small detail the battalion as a whole had seemed to gloss over thus far. "Gif-" The S3 SGM tried to speak, but commander Milano held his hand up. He stood up, looking out over to the mountain while gathering his thoughts. "That word does not leave this tent." Milano growls. "Gentlemen, we are in uncharted territory here. I have already made many changes to our structure that have led to grumbling among the troops. Change is difficult to adjust to as soldiers. Life is difficult now that we have to think on our feet and assess everything in this world. Electricity, modern comforts? None of that is present. He paused, letting the leaders digest what he said before continuing, "If that word leaves this tent, soldiers will start thinking they are 'chosen'.'" Milano sighs as he takes off his cap. He sat down and rubbed his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What do you think will happen when some private realizes he has a 'gift' from the goddess?'" He then looks at each leader. "Gentlemen, we do not have the backing we are used to. We do not have the force protection we are used to. We have no air superiority except for C17's. I do not want to lose another soldier due to some dipshit private thinking he can fight a world by himself because he is stronger than he used to be. Some men will die, even those of us in this room may. Do you know what will needlessly happen if we let that word escape this tent?"
Silence answered his question.
"The silence tells me you all know the answer. These joes will start disappearing one after the other in order to be the hero. You know what happens after that?" He pauses as he voiced with finality.
"More 21 gun salutes."