Junna didn't have time to get back to her room and get into something more official. Requisitions could take some time, and she'd want to inspect the equipment herself. She didn't often get defective gear, but she was going to be relying on it. While many of the private soldiers that composed Aeril didn't understand the full nature of the Project, they respected Junna enough to not treat her like a mere child. When she made her requests, they were taken seriously. Rifles, sidearms, infiltration gear, surveillance gear, computers, and light armor fit for smaller female builds were all placed into small containers and put aboard the ship. The company didn't have any care to waste time or money on foolishness. Junna was outfitted well, even if she never really trusted the hapless types who never had to put the gear to use.

  The ship itself was a Sìthiche-class, sleek and black, with a small extension on the top front of the vessel, dotted with different receivers and probes. Junna would note the anti-infantry gun mounted on the side, safe to assume a twin existed opposite of it. Junna found herself feeling suddenly out of uniform. She was boarding a vessel with ties outside the Project and Aeril. It would be a first for her, and all the Warriors she saw working with it were wearing those fancy naval uniforms. As Junna raced to leap onto the deck of the ship. one of the Warriors standing by tried to object, but Junna wouldn't halt. Only stopping once she was standing securely on the ship, the teenager would huff lightly and press her hand to the hatch lock, while the ship started it's final call for any missing crewmembers. They would have likely sent out a Pulse beforehand, but Junna was not yet on their personnel channel. As would be natural a few stragglers made their way, as Junna opened the entry port and slid down the ladder. She hadn't really paid the Warrior who she'd raced past much mind, but he clearly had identified her and allowed her to go down.

  "Can't turn away a cute sight like that."

  A young man's voice came from below her as she dropped down, and Junna stared at him in a rarer fit of annoyance. The man was rather generically attractive. He had longer, wild blonde hair and a certain fashionably roguish loook in his brown eyes. He was taller than average, and certainly muscular. The uniform he was wearing looked a little different well., It was some sort of sleek bodysuit, with padded armoring all over it. It only made Junna remember she was wearing a civillian's dress, and a hint of embarrassment as she had been running around in it so wildly. Her tone shifted to one of a quiet and reserved accusation.

  "A pervert?"

  "Oi! That's the first thing you say, when I've been waiting for you?"

  "Waiting...?" Junna managed to grasp onto her moment of revulsion for the man. She was still largely uninformed on the nature of her mission beyond the goal. Of course she'd have someone to report to. It was a little hard to believe, but Aeril, for all it's candestine nature, was still subject to military law and orginzation. Why did it have to be a man who was already this annoying though?

  The man groaned lightly as he rubbed the side of his head. "Yes, waiting. I am Major Nakamiri Shiro, your new Wingman. Welcome to the Alfin Heavy Response Team." The man's words almost twinkled as he declared the squad he was a part of. He didn't look particularly intelligent to Junna, maybe they had reduced the requirements to be a Wingman...

  Of course, Junna's own response was one of analysis. She'd finally nod her head as she moved to approach him, dropping the heavy bag she had to the floor to give the man a full Imperial salute, her left arm across her chest, fingers formed into a knife shape, as the right arm pointed directly out and down as an angle with the same posture.

"Specialist Junna Six, reporting, sir. I apologize for the disrespectful insinuation."

The response Junna recieves was a much more relaxed salute back to her, as Shiro picked up her bag, grunting a bit in surprise, as he hefted it over his own shoulder. "At ease, Six. I wasn't pulling rank, and you might not even be just a Specialist anymore." The man moved down the walkway of the Sìthiche, as Junna quickly followed. Her eyes darted to the sides, a bit surpised at how much room there was to move, easily enough to for 2 people to walk, another could probably squeeze past.

  "I was not aware of being awarded any changes in my rank."

  "Like I said, you've been moved to the Heavy Response Team, you know what that is, right?"

  "Of course." Though it was a bit of a newer concept. Heavy Response was dedicated to those divers who could handle Mortal Frames efficiently. While not every mission called for them, being a part of such a team automatically made them part of a special forces unit. Junna had never needed to team with others, but she'd always been regarded as something separate on her own missions. If it was official, entering such a unit could come with a promotion. Junna didn't really think she'd done anything to earn such a promotion, but it wasn't impossible.

  Nakamiri didn't seem to want to say much more on the subject, instead letting Junna contemplate on the matter herself. Before long, they reached a room, where the man pressed a finger to the dive port, opening it and revealing a small room with a single bed. The man set her hefty bag at the foot of the bed and looked back to her with a smile. Junna walked in herself, finding the room to be about what she'd expect, though she hadn't considered the idea of having her own room. It was a luxury on any combat vessel. A small pad next to the bed would control the room's various environmentals, lighting and tempurature mostly. She could likely edit the approved user list for the door from there as well. If her rank did increase, she'd have to remove Nakamiri... Finishing her glance at the room, Junna's eyes fell onto the Wingman, inclinging her head slightly.

  "What is next, sir?"

  "Next, we introduce you to everyone."

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  The pair moved through the ship, until they reached the hanger. Before they even managed to make it halfway from Junna's room before the pair could feel the Iùbhaidh hum and churn, as it left the dock. The hanger of the Sìthiche was a large open space nestled into the rear. There were currently currently three Mortal Frames prepped onto risen platforms, something which caught Junna's eyes instantly. They were a bit more slender than any of the ones she had seen before, certainly less bulky than the Empty Angel was. The frame of them was like assembled boxes. A large central block with additional armoring, and blocks attached for the limbs and another for the head. It lacked most of the various safety designs that she'd seen on most mortal frames, but more importantly, there was no room for a potent reactor with the pilot station.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Her interest was clearly obvious, as her guide pointed towards one of them. Junna could see the emblem painted on it, a blackened wooden staff with a skull at the head, and a snake coiled around it. "That one is mine. You are judging, aren't you?"

  "I suppose I am. Are you the commander for it?"

  "The pilot. A Takahane only requires a single pilot to operate. That's why it looks so off, like it's missing space. The reactor for it sits under the cockpit."

  That was just nonsense. Mortal Frames weren't something so simple that a normal man would be able to move it around safely. Even if it was built a bit smaller, this Takahane design would still need multiple partitians to monitor and move as it needed to for a combat situation. All the things a human body would do as a natural course and instinct, a Diver had to intentionally cause to happen. Lifting, bending, shifting, running energy where needed, monitoring the core to make sure this giant metal body didn't have a heart attack. Junna didn't want to be overly judgemental, but this is why you used someone special, or a crew of regular Divers. "You are either elites among Frame Pilots, or the technology has truly advanced."

  "I'd say the answer is somewhere in the middle. I'm not going to pretend to be the greatest Diver that has ever lived, but high Dive numbers don't compare to a pilot's instincts and skill." There was a quiet pause in his voice, the light hearted tone growing some context for a moment. "Of course, you don't have to make that compromise, do you?"

  Junna's response was to be silent for a moment as her eyes moved over to the Empty Angel as it sat on a platform of it's own. It was a much more imposing. The Divine Arm was fairly large, even among its own peers, meaning it could probably fit two of the slender Takahane units within the chasis. The black paint scheme was glaring when compared to the gray base of the Alfin's units. She didn't have any customized markers, nor did she fully understand the desire to plant one's insignia onto a Mortal Frame. The Empty Angel was hers, and she was a piece of it. The machine was tuned specifically for her, and only she had the numbers to reach the desired performance. When she finally spoke, there was a level of clarity to her voice that she had lacked before.

  "That is true. Diving with one of your units would be casual to me. They are simple machines. The only bottleneck would be my own insight onto the matter. In comaprison, I think the task of moving a Divine Arm would be extremely painful to those who lack the capabilities expected. Not to mention such a thing is inherently dangerous. In order to keep things safe, your units must automate a number of important factors."

  While she had only intended to give a professional response, even Junna knew she'd come off as fairly cold in it. She did not get the energetic reply she expected. Instead a woman's laugh broke the tension between the two. She was loud and rough sounding, with a strange homeliness to her tone as three others approached. The woman leading was quite tall, with some milder features for her. Short, tawny hair was hanging a bit above her shoulders, a little ponytail tied up and resting atop the rest. Her bangs were neatly, almost fashionably, trimmed. It gave the look of someone who spent a little time looking over themselves in the morning, while still keeping their design utilitarian. Chocolate colored eyes, filled with amusement and energy, loooked over the pair as she led her group in close. The woman firmly placed a hand on her hip, as if bracing for some impact of a conversation.

  "It looks like you got exactly what you deserved, Nakamiri! Welcome aboard, Six!"

  Now that she was closer, and the others moved up nearer, Junna could tell that this woman was taller than most of the men around her. Her build was one of intense training, toned muscle lined her flesh where it was visible. Yet, despite that, there was an aura of softness as she led the trio heading towards Junna now. The woman held a mischievious look upon her eyes, as she looked over the pair excitedly.

  To her side was a man a few inches smaller than her, his build was a bit more full than Nakamiri. He radiated strength, as the bright yellow eyes and a neat cut of black hair gave him features that made him feel like a large cat. He didn't seem unfriendly, but certainly dangerous. Junna couldn't help but consider him a threat. In a pinch she was fairly certain she could handle Nakamiri in a quick fight. She'd use her size and his expecations to gain an edge, but that would not work against someone with those eyes. She felt like this man completely looked past her youth and frame and was digging out her core.

  His voice was soft spoken, but confident as the man inclined his head. "It is our pleasure to meet you. I am Paladin Reizari Yuu, coded as Alfin 1. I've looked into your record, you have a great deal of capability. I believe you have even more potential." A slight pause took his voice, as a small smile reached a face that had been much more neutral before. "Your age disallows you military service, but I am to believe you've been treated as a Specialist to this point."

  Junna took her own moment to process that. Age had nothing to do with service, as far as she knew. She'd always been part of the Project, and always at minimum a trainee. People kept bringing up annoying things. This military stuff was something she always dealt with to a degree within Aeril, but it always ended before she had to really think on it. It was clearly going to be much more important if she was being conscripted into some specialized team... but why was she being conscripted? Why did these people know so much about her or her situation? Deciding to pass on arguing over a matter as trivial as this, she nodded. "That is correct, sir."

  "Consider this a promotion. As a member of of the Alfin Heavy Response Team, you are now to be treated as a Major Specialist. I've already conveyed as much to your handler. I have no concern for your circumstances, you will not be treated any more gently than any other member of our team. There are three rules for the Alfin Team." There was another pause, but it didn't feel like an opening for even a word of agreement before Reizari continued. "Firstly, this team is a direct unit under our Captain, Himeri Ouka. Her orders cannot afford question. Any reservation comes after. Secondly, nobody is a hero. You have a team to support you, don't believe you need to be more important than you are. Lastly, this team is my family. If you die, I will grieve you. If you betray me, I will destroy you."

  If any of that was more show than seriousness, Junna wouldn't see it in her new teammates. It felt weirdly emotional for someone that seemed to have such a strict professionalism about them. Junna found herself nodding again, without thinking too deeply on it. She wanted to believe there was some other game at play. Maybe her reaction was being tested. He seemed far more respectable than the Wingman. "Those are somewhat irregular rules, sir."

  "This is an irregular team, Six. You've already met Nakamiri. This woman next to me is Master Warden Sheena Mikoto, coded as Alfin 2. She will be your direct superior." The tall woman would smile brightly at her introduction, as the final member of their group stepped forward. A smaller, slender but happy looking type. A young man probably not even yet 20 years of age, with bushy red hair and blue eyes. He seemed a bit bookish, built to be a bit gentler. Of course, he wouldn't be here if he hadn't gone through the trials needed to place him on such a team.

  "This is Major Exorcist Yumeri Tobi, coded as Alfin-9."

  Junna watched the group and nodded her head once again. Introductions were fine, and the diversity of the rank and role made a bit of sense for an elite team like this. She wouldn't respond, thinking a little bit more, as she felt a light nudge on her shoulder, as Sheena held the girl's shoulder tightly. "And lucky for you, we are currently missing an Alfin-6. No need to get all your numbers all messed up. The whole team isn't here right now, but we'll be supporting you on your individual mission as well."

  "That seems slightly unreasonable for my detail. I am merely going to be blending in with a student body."

  The woman laughed as she listened to Juna, shaking her head a bit. "I don't see you as the blending type. And what happens when this elite academy wants to talk to your parents? What about if a situation needs support from people you can trust to keep your role quiet? We aren't going to be parading around in our Takahanes. And we won't be there all the time, not all of us. You won't either, depending on circumstances."

  Again, it certainly made some sense. She wasn't wrong, but now Junna's mission was being burdaned by this Heavy Response Team. Nothing good could come of this... Why couldn't she just work with a few select operatives. Why would she need to be with these people? Her sisters never seemed to have issues like this. She'd never heard of them getting drafted into special forces. Aeril was always acting independent or assistive. Yet... here she was. The girl nodded her head again, staring at her new superior.

  "Yes. ma'am."