Project Hlin 9 (follows on from Hlin 8) By Lionbadger I have a dreary commute to work and while looking for something to read came across Frenemy54's Fox Hunt serial (Misc stories, Mr X site, if you haven't read it, you should and if the setting confuses you I sort of tacked on my own continuity through the stories Fox Hunt 6-10). I've always been a fan of the Butterscotch Fox universe and with Frenemy's continuity I figured I could create a little off shoot/parallel universe setting for some home brew heroines and hopefully help out any other fetish inclined commuters. I suspect I am not great at describing costumes so there is a deviant art pic of the girls of project Hlin here: comments, suggestions, offers of cake etc; lionbadger@hotmail.com ******************************************* Tethys frowned at the room. It was a large rectangle clad in peach marble. Gossamer drapes waved out of the wide double doors and onto the balcony. A large 4 poster bed was set off to her left and bowls of fruit dotted the tables that were placed seemingly at random around the room. It reminded Tethys of an exclusive hotel and the scene might have been pleasant if it hadn't been for the sweating and nervous team of mercenaries who had escorted her here. Tethys had been involved in anti people trafficing operations when she had hit on the idea of letting herself be captured so that she could cut the head off the operations plaguing Europe. She'd been sexually assaulted while held in the hold of the cargo ship that brought her from Spain to the dubious Principality of Oran in north Africa. Now it appeared that the Prince of Oran himself was behind the smuggling and that he intended to add Tethys to his hareem. "Bathroom?" Asked Tethys glancing at a mercenary The man jumped back as if burned but kept his rifle aimed at the heroine. "Not that it'd do you any good" thought Tethys A second mercenary barked something and the mercenary that had jumped flicked his rifle at a large wooden door at the far end of the room. "And concierge is 24 / 7 right, just dial 9?" Asked Tethys as she walked towards the bathroom. The mercenaries stayed by the entrance their guns tracking the heroine as she crossed the room. Tethys thunked the wooden door closed behind her and sighed. She was in. The Prince was almost certainly running the trafficing cartels and she'd almost certainly have her hands on him soon enough. In the meantime however, the shower beckoned. Tethys placed the gold circlet that held her raven black hair next to the sink. She pulled her blue and green crop top over her head and put it on the floor. Her matching bikini thong followed. She carefully peeled her arms out of her blue green bicep length gloves and golden bracers. Finally she bent double to reach down her long, powerful legs to unzip the blue green thigh high boots. She stretched back up as high as she could and murmered contentedly. She stood for a moment letting the cool air brush against the tanned Mediterranean skin of her whole body then stepped into the shower cubicle. The water gushed out lukewarm at first but quickly built up to a boiling torrent. Tethys rubbed her scalp and let the hot streams cascade down her face. She gargled a mouthful and spat it against the wall of the cubicle. Grabbing the pale pink bar of soap she worked up a lather. Her strong hands drew the soap across her hard body rubbing the foamy suds into every unwashed crevice. She swept soap over and around her large breasts before rinsing them under the hot water. She repeated the action down her back and over her curved ass watching as clumps of white slid over her rump and wound their way down her legs. She stood under the hot water for what felt like forever, rinsing her body and feeling the heat work its way into her muscles. When she finally emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her, she found that the mercenaries had gone and left a tall, emaciated bald man in their place. The man wore a deep red robe that contrasted with his coffee coloured skin. Hate filled black eyes stared out at Tethys flanking a nose like a hawk's beak.

 

Colonel Horst dimly recalled that he had been quite underwhelmed the first time he had attended a summit at the EU Council of Presidents. The central beuracracy of the EU was notorious for burning through money, lavish galas, being out of touch with its member states and generally for being a bubbling morass of power mad, unaccountable civil servants. The small bland council rooms of the Justus Lipsus building were a far cry from that reputation for decadence. Tope walls and simple wooden benches were arrayed before the semicircular desk of the panel. Horst could see the slight change in grain on the panel's desk where the joining of successive members had necessitated its enlargement. 28 senior ministers, in some cases presidents or prime ministers, plus the figurehead EU President stared skeptically at Horst. He'd known when he demanded the meeting that this was a long shot. He glanced to the small group sitting off to his left. Defence minister András Dutroux, a staunch enemy of Jagkommand sat with a huddle of advisors watching the proceedings. A handful of commissioners were dotted around the room, drawn by curiostity to hear about the works of the until recently top secret Jagkommand. "Sirs, I must respectfully petition for military intervention against the Principality of Oran" said Horst "As the dossier provided clearly evidences the Principality has been funding people smuggling out of the EU and into its abhorrent sex trade. The most recent victim of this trade has been Jagkommand's own operative, codenamed Tethys" Horst glanced at the panel and noted with despair the bland looks but pressed on. "Tethys' service record is appended at tab 6 of the dossier. She has been decorated for, among others, engaging and subduing the renegade Violet Fox, destroying the woe machines of Marius the Inheritor and of course the alliance victory in western Ireland. Put simply sirs, this woman is nothing short of a hero of the Union and deserves better than to be abandoned. My strike plan is outlined at tab 7. I believe that a compact force, striking with overwhelming force could punch into Oran, extract Tethys and be out with minimal collateral damage. I further believe that this strike may seriously dent the belief that Europe is an easy target now that the US has been subsumed into Usonia and its forces withdrawn from outside its borders" Horst paused for a moment to let his pitch sink in "I respectfully request that the Union members sanction this strike as a matter of urgency" The panel began to murmer among itself. Horst seated himself on his bench and settled in for a wait. He was surprised when moments later the President raised their hand. "Colonel Horst, your devotion to your troops is admirable and we commend you for your loyalty to them and the wider Union, however, the members cannot sanction military action to resolve a criminal kidnapping, we..." "May I interject" said Dutroux suddenly from his bench Horst frowned at the minister. "András your counsel is always welcome" said the President "But I fail to see..." Dutroux nodded to the blue suited man beside him. The man rose fluidly to his feet and addressed the Council "Sirs, Minister Dutroux has asked me to attend this hearing so that I may provide some clarity in this matter" "And who exactly are you?" Asked the derailed President "I am Montgomery Kaltenbrunner, I am a senior partner in the law firm Vogel Kaltenbrunner's London office. Sirs you are labouring under a misconception. You too Colonel Horst. The attack on Tethys cannot be categorised as criminal. The attack and seizure of Tethys is a clearly defined and recognised act of war" "Kidnapping is almost certainly a crime Mr Kaltenbrunner it cannot be grounds for war" spluttered an irate minister from Luxembourg "It is not grounds for war sir, it is the opening act declaring war. The Principality of Oran has long acknowledged that it has a problem with people smuggling but does nothing to clamp down on the trade. Now they concede that the heroine Tethys was attacked on Spanish soil and brought into their territory but they refuse to take action to return her. Oran labours under the same mistake as you do, namely that Tethys is a person" "Are you mad Monty!" Roared the British Prime minister "If she is not a person what is she? A pet?" "She is hardware, military hardware. A few months ago a preliminary matter was heard at the court of Justice. The case was thrown out for lack of capacity, namely the Judge used a loophole to get the heroines of Jagkommand out of a situation that would have seen the programm shut down. He noted that the heroines, having been declared to be weapons, could not have a liability to the complainant in that case. The case was dropped and never challenged. It leaves us with the technical legal situation that Oran's theft of Tethys is akin to them depriving Europe of military assets, it is in legal terms no different to a Pearl Harbour style raid" "Mr Kaltenbrunner you are twisting some very weak legal precedent to hammer a square peg into a round hole" said the President pointedly "Sirs, whether you like it or not an attack has been committed against the EU, it requires only 1 member to recognise this attack for the continental defence provisions to be activated" said Kaltenbrunner Dutroux glanced across the panel as his lawyer talked. His eyes rested on the Austrian chancelor briefly before moving to the Spanish prime minister. His gaze roved once more to stop on the Estonian President. "Tethys is based in Austria, this attack is an attack on Austria" said the Chancellor quietly "Gustav, you can't seriously be..." spluttered the President "Austria is already baying for blood over this" said the Chancellor coldly "My country has been the rock that turkish invasions have broken on time and time again. The common man sees little difference between a Turk and an Oranian." "I will consider this an attack on Spain" murmered the Spanish prime minister "This occured on Spanish soil" "Realpolitic comes before legal precedent Mr...." began the President "It is time that something was done about this smuggling" said the Lithuanian President angrily "These gangs steal our people, sell them as slaves and we do nothing but ring our hands and send diplomats. Jagkommand attacked the problem and returned a lot of people stolen from us, it is time that we sent a message to the jackles that circle us. Lithuania recognises this attack" Angry muttering was now coming from the panel along with determined nods. "This is not codified, we cannot simply start a war!" Wailed the beleaguered President "Let it go" said Dutroux scornfully "Like he said, this is a courtesy. Austria and Spain legitimately claim to have been been attacked and the members are obliged to come to their aid. You talk about realpolitic? Do you think your career, any of your careers will survive when the public learns that you rolled over and let an upstart African hovel take out a critical military asset? How many voters will trust you to keep them safe from Usonian or Russia when you can't keep them safe from some tin pot petro dictator?" Dutroux paused to let it sink in. "Good" he said "Then as minister of Defence my office will coordinate resources and plan the appropriate response, as is its remit. Colonel Horst, I suggest you recall all of your assets to Salzburg and prep them to spearhead an invasion" "You're going to invade?" Asked Horst "Colonel, this is not the desperate rag tag coalition that threw everything it had to turn back the Usoinian 3rd army. We have unified commands, twice the ships we had back then, drilled and inegrated army units and supply stockpiles. We are done sending angry and impotent letters" said Dutroux "It is time this Union acted like one" ********************************* Horst exited the conference room feeling a deep unease. He had gotten far more than he had dared hope for, but Andras Dutroux had been the very person whose failed legal bid to destroy Jagkommand had been relied on to sway the panel. Scenarios ran through Horst's head. Was Dutroux trying to discredit the organisation? A disastrous failed invasion might turn the public against Jagkommand or did Dutroux have something else up his sleeve, he could order some jaegers to turn on the heroines and potentially take one or more of them out. It was maddening. He glanced at Dutroux's group and caught the eye of the portly, nondescript minister. The man seemed to sigh then say something to the lawyer. Of course he had used one of the Kaltenbrunners. "Colonel Horst, may I call you Markus?" Said Kaltenbrunner as he approached "You're not military Mr Kaltenbrunner so you can call me what you like" replied Horst warily "Excellent, please do call me Monty" replied Kaltenbrunner giving a crocodile grin "A good result all round in the chamber I think" Horst sighed and inwardly cursed the game playing lawyer "Your boss is openly hostile to Jagkommand Mr Kaltenbrunner, why did he intervene" "To the point as ever" said Kaltenbrunner "Because your assets are his assets and he does not share with, now how did he describe them, ah yes, backward medieval fundamentalists who think their worthless shit hole desert is an actual country, not very politically correct, I suspect he harbours the more outdated Belgian views on Africa" "You cannot be serious" said Horst "He paid your fee and forced a war because he thinks Teyths is one of his action figures and he won't let the other kids play?" "Well, firstly, the Murder Rooms paid my fee. Tethys is very popular with their female members in particular and she has proved to be the most evasive of your team" said Kaltenbrunner "second, I think he hates Oran and sees an opportunity to garner personal glory. I was not lying earlier, Europe has been forced to stand on its own feet after a long time hiding under America's skirt and there is a lot less post colonial guilt to go around than there used to be" "Are you saying this is the premise for a full scale occupation?" Said Horst "I wouldn't go that far" said Kaltenbrunner "Morocco and Algeries would pour money into an insurgency then fight over whatever was left. But Andras has had some meetings with representatives of New Karthage and they would certainly be happy to see some regime change, maybe a constitutional monarchy or similar" "This is too big" said Horst "A raid will suffice" "Markus" said Kaltenbrunner putting his hand on Horst's shoulder "I know you are in charge of individuals who can tear through armies and shrug off cruise missiles. I know you deploy to deal with monsterous threats which seem to be world threatening. I know that you have a frankly terrifying force of jaegers and that a great many people wonder why they are never, ever, seen out of full armour, but what you have to understand is that you and your heroines are big fish in a small pool. Andras, the Council, Vogel Kaltenbrunner, we are sharks swimming in the ocean so do your job and leave the geo politics to those who understand them" He noded his head sharply then turned and walked away. Horst felt like he had been punched in the gut. He ground his teeth in impotent rage then slowly took a deep breath to calm himself and headed out of the building. ********************************* Athena's purple and black boot smashed the reinforced door out of its frame and sent it careening down the hall behind. Shouts of panic errupted from within. The tall brunette heroine strode through the hall. A deep purple bodice with black flanks covered her torso. Black and pruple bicep length gloves covered her arms and matched the thigh high boots covering her powerful legs. A purple mask with high pointed edges protruding around her face framed her dark eyes. "Honey, I'm home" yelled Athena gleefully She glanced over her shoulder at the squad of jaegers following her into the building. The black masked helmets betrayed no hint of emotion. "Come on, not even a grin" she muttered "Ha. Ha. Commander" replied the squad sergeant flatly Athena cocked an eyebrow. Was that humor? No, probably a conditioned response to the command training. A bullet smacked into the heroine's temple and returned her attention to the warehouse. The entranceway emptied into a sea of  shelving units and stacked boxes. "Take your goons and get the fuck out of here you mutant freak bitch!" Yelled a voice from the depths of the structure. "Sounds like he's going to wet himself, but with all this cover it's going to take forever to winkle them all out" murmerred Athena "Commander?" Said a jaeger hefting his heavy flamethrower "Lets call that plan B" said the heroine looking up at the shelving units. She peered into the gloom of the warehouse.  She could make out half a dozen partially concealed human shapes. "Vadek Khan, we know you're in here. The place is surrounded. Surrender yourself now and I'll inculde it in my report" shouted Athena into the gloom. "Or I would if I wrote reports" she muttered quietly "Why don't you leave your little soldier boys at the door and you can come try to take me yourself you pendo bitch" shouted back a heavily accented voice "Gotcha" whispered Athena as she saw a shadow shift The busty supergirl lifted a powerful boot clad leg and placed it on the second tier of the shelving unit in front of her. She strained against the heavy weight of the shelf. For a moment she thought that the shelf and it's stacks of rusting machinery might be too heavy for her but then it groaned and swayed away. The heavy unit swung ponderously away from the smiling heroine and crashed into its neighbour dislodging it in turn. The whole row began to collapse like dominos. A muffled shriek sounded as one of the lurking gangsters failed to get out of the way and was crushed by falling machinery. The noise that filled the warehouse was deafening as shelf after shelf smashed into its neighbour and rained down its contents. A figure charged out of the swirling dust and chaos, his hands clutched over his head. Athena's fist hit his chin and flipped him backwards to land in a heap on the floor. "Really Vadek, racial slurs? Aren't we past that?" She asked with faux solemnity as she crouched down beside the unconcious crime lord. "Commander, priority com from Salzburg, immediate recall" said the jaeger sergeant suddenly "Give me a minute to look over this wreck" said Athena off handedly The sound of coilguns being raised made her turn. "Direct order from Colonel Horst commander, immediate recall" said the jaeger emotionlessly Athena gave a shocked look at her jaeger squad and their raised guns. "Alright, let's go. Ping the local cops outside that they get credit for the collar and any others they dig out of here" said the Heroine ********************************* "Orientation?" Asked Tethys The man glared back at her. Tethys flicked the towel out, displaying her hard tanned body. Drops of water ran from her wet hair to snake across her shoulders. One drop slid over her collarbone and looped across her full breast before plunging into her cleavage. The epic explorer emerged from under the large mounds to dart over her toned stomach before becoming lost in the short tuft of pubic hair. She watched the man as she rolled her head to her right and rubbed her hair with the towel. "Put your things in the hamper, they will be cleaned" said the man suddenly. His voice sounded like dry sheets of paper being rubbed together. "And while that is happening I'll just wander this place naked?" Asked Tethys dropping her towel and placing her hands on her hips. To her surprise the man seemed to take no notice of her nudity. "You will wear that" said the man pointing to a set of turquoise bikini top and hareem pants on the bed. "That sort of thing is not really my style" said Tethys "Got anything else?" "Impudent whore" hissed the man "You are property of the Prince and you will obey!" "Honey" said Tethys rolling her shoulders "It's been a long day and I'd just love to see you try to make me" "If violence is all you understand then step onto the balcony" said the man Tethys paused for a moment. She'd make a great target for all kinds of weapons if she stepped out the double doors but she'd be able to shrug of almost anything that these jokers would have in their arsenal. She padded across the room in her bare feet and dramatically threw open the double doors expecting the sting of a bullet against her chest or head. The view from the palace was spectacular. It was set at the southern end of the city on a crag of rock. The city of Oran spread out in front of it, gleaming white buildings shining in the bright african sun and behind them the deep azure blue of the Mediterranean sea. Tankers lumbered towards the city to take its cargos of oil from the huge waterfront refineries to the petrol hungry world. Tethys ignored it all and stared at the huge TV screen that had been set up in the courtyard below her balcony. Young men and women were arranged on their knees in a row with a group of soldiers behind them. "The Prince prefers not to damage you, at least not yet" sneered the man from beside her "Don't do this" said Tethys "The point must be made" said the man At some unseen command the soldiers opened fire on their helpless captives. The people jerked as bullets tore into their bodies then fell forward. Tethys watched as one young woman tried to crawl forward. She managed maybe a meter before her strength gave out and she collapsed into a pool of spreading red. "No" whispered Tethys "You see, your...gah!" The man spluttered as Tethys' hand whipped up and closed around his throat "This ends" she hissed "More will suffer!" Choked the man Tethys stared into his black eyes.  His blank expression seemed to have taken on a slightly mocking form. "Bastard" she whispered as she twisted her fist. The crack of the man's neck was like a gunshot. She turned and walked back into the room, picking up the hareem pants as she passed the bed.

 

"Orders Admiral" said a rating snapping off a sharp salute Admiral Sir Kaspar Sutherland looked warily at the proffered sheet of crisp white paper. He raised his hand returning the salute and took the paper. He turned the sheet over then re read it. "Coms, recall Night Strike and Sovereign Girl and their jaegers" said the Admiral "Aye sir" replied the com officer "What's going on Admiral" asked Lieutenant York "Change of plans" murmered Kaspar "Coms get me the escorts" "Coms open sir" replied the com officer a moment later. Kasper clutched the speaker "Task force Cleansweep, this is Bulwark CIC. I have just recieved priority orders to cease operations and make best speed to Toulon. We are to rendevous with the Italian carrier Trieste and her battlegroup en route. Bulwark is recovering ground forces now and I expect to get underway in approximately 1 hour. Our orders also require all vessels to provide a combat readiness report for sustained operations as soon as possible. Command officers please ensure this is ready within the next 4 hours. Bulwark CIC out" Lieutenant York took the speaker and replaced it "So Usonia are back sir?" "I don't think so,  we'd be pulling for Gibraltar before dashing North" said Kaspar "Toulon's the biggest base in the Med, I think Jagkommand are planning some sort of strike against these people smugglers" "Bit overkill bringing two battle groups in for that" said Lieutenant York "1 assault ship and two destroyers hardly makes us a battle group lieutenant" said Kaspar "But, yes, it does feel like something big could be brewing" ********************************* "What is she doing now Hamdane?" Said the Prince Oran's prime minister, the honourable Hamdane al Murad Abbas glanced nervously at Prince Medhi Walheed ibn Kadir the fourth. The Prince was known to be prone to furious rages and posessed of a sadistic streak. He was average height with the tanned caramel skin common to the desert tribes. His jet black hair was slicked back and begining to thin. A matching goatee beard framed the Prince's sneering mouth. He was wrapped in a black and gold robe cinched at the Prince's considerable waist with a gold cord. The red and green crest, bisected in white was embroidered along the right shoulder of the Prince's gown. Hamdane swallowed hard then spoke resignedly "Pardon your majesty but it appears that the northern whore is pleasuring herself" The Prince was silent for a long time. "Do you think that killing Hassan has excited her?" Asked the Prince "If I may speak freely your majesty, I believe she is aware she is under surveillance and she is trying to provoke a confrontation" said Hamdane The 2 men watched the screen as Tethys drew her hands across her body and squirmed on the bed. A red flush covered her neck and face. "Tell me everything you know about her" said the Prince "Of course your majesty" said Hamdane "This one is called Tethys. We do not know her true name. We understand that she was an italian police officer before being subjected to the blasphemous gene magics of the Europeans. She is part of their frontline forces. Her skin is incredibly resistant to damage as is her skeleton. There is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that, while tougher than a human's, her organs are weaker than her skin. She is much stronger than a human. She is fast, we understand in the range of elite athletes and we also believe that the Europeans who made her gave her a number of drug glands, implanted in her chest" "What kind of drug glands?" Asked the Prince "We are not sure. Our intelligence suggests that she has anti venoms and counters to poisoning" said Hamdane "there is also suggestion that some of the drugs can speed her reactions and speed of thought. In effect she would see the world as if it were moving at a fraction of it's true speed. We are told she can breath water and that gas will not effect her" "A formidable adversary indeed" said the Prince grinning a wolfish grin. On the screen Tethys arched her back and gripped a handful of bed sheets. Her teeth clenched shut as she trembled.

 

Valkyrie's head jerked up as she heard the heavy cell holding door clunk open. A black bandanna was tied over her eyes obscuring her view of the jailer. Her arms were secured about her head and clad in her trademark blue and black gloves, one a solid piece of material the other a crisscross hatch. Her legs were stretched wide beneath her and similarly clad in the alternating solid boot and criss crossed thigh high. A dull grey laquiante collar was fitted snugly around her neck. The laquiante collar was employed by the sinister club known as the Murder Rooms. The device was fiendishly simple. A mono molecular diamentium wire was enclosed in the collar along with a powerful motor that would draw the wire on command decapitated the wearer. She strained her ears listening to the jailer. The soft click of stiletto heels drifted up to her ears. The clicks came closer along the holding cell until they stopped in front of the restrained Valkyrie. The bound heroine hung from her shackles waiting for the jailer to announce her fate. She was almost certain she'd been voted into a Murder Room, she almost always was, but she'd never gotten to live out her fantasy of being dissected. Valkyrie knew that her peculiar kink confused and in some cases worried her team members. If she was honest with herself she was a little confused about where the bizzare festish came from. She had talked to Butterscotch Fox about it once and the blonde monsduggian has suggested that maybe she had some sort of repressed memory from when Jagkommand had made her. Butter had suggested that maybe Valkyrie hadn't been as sedated or hypno indoctrinated as the surgeons had thought and possibly had some repressed memory that she was trying to winkle out. A touch of cold metal against her naked stomach broke Valkyrie's musing and sent a thrill of excitement rushing traitorously through her. "Good news harlot" said the jailer in an almost comically thick German accent "You've been voted into a Murder Room, no sticky, messy Brothel Room for you this time" "Win some, lose some" replied Valkyrie as the metal drew up her stomach and reached the bottom of her blue and black bra. "And it looks like you're going to put on a special show for us on our dissection table" said the jailer "You monsters" said Valkyrie playing the part of the scared victim and trying to mask the arousal building inside her. "Oh indeed, our surgeon will use his diamentium scalpel to open this hard body of yours from cunt to sternum. Then he'll start to remove the organs from your conscious body all while our members watch and place bets on how long you'll last. I can't wait to see your big titted buxom body writhing in agony as our surgeon makes every agonising cut. I guess with your enhanced physique it'll take a long time for your to die" purred the jailer "or at least come as close to dying as you whores get" Valkyrie was suddenly aware of the soft touch of fingers against her thigh. The delicate touch slid up her leg and across her belly before sliding slowly down. She twitched as a finger slid along the edge of her bikini thong and then continued under her. The heroine tried to twist from the questing finger. She knew that the explicitly explained threat had made her wet and she felt humiliated that this guard would soon realise how twisted Valkyrie's sex life was. She gasped as a finger slid across the crotch of her thong and continued unimpeded into her sopping, hot snatch. "Oh my god you're gushing" giggled Butterscotch Fox "Butter?" asked Valkyrie confused "What the fuck are you doing here?" Butter reached up and pulled away the bandanna obscuring Valkyrie's eyes. The bound heroine stared down at her grinning fellow heroine. Butter reached down to release the shackles on Valkyrie's legs. "I was in the other room, they were sending me to the Brothel, it sounded fun" said Butter as she finished with the leg cuffs and moved to Valkyrie's arms "Then some guy in a suit comes in, tells me that there is an urgent matter which requires all Jagkommand heroines be recalled immediately and let's me loose. I asked him if I could have a minute with you before we head out. He probably thinks we're fucking or something. You massive freak" "Technically you did just finger bang me" said Valkyrie "Yeah, yeah, well maybe if you play your cards right I'll finish you off later" said Butter "and if you're really lucky I'll wear a lab coat and threaten to cut out your spleen or whatever" "Yeah, cause you've got absolutely no kinks" muttered Valkyrie as her chains came undone and she rubbed her wrists. "I'm joking, each to their own, live and let live etc" said Butter "anyway, we got to go, something big is going on, the Murder Rooms are giving us their chopper"

 

Colonel Horst stood at the front of the briefing room looking out at faces both familiar and new. Jagkommand's heroines, the veterans in Alpha and Bravo teams sat next to the increasingly battle hardened members of Charlie team. A number of Jagkommand's science and med team members were crowded into the benches across the central asile from the heroines. Jaeger captains and sergeants crowded the benches behind the heroines. Admiral Sutherland and Commander Van der Meer were sat to the left side of the room with a handful of attendant naval and marine officers. A number of cameras speckled the room broadcasting the briefing to ships and marshalling yards. Horst felt a lead weight in his stomach, events had escalated far out of his control so quickly. For the hundredth time he wracked his brain to assess what András Dutroux's angle was. The same answers popped out, betrayal and the elimination of Jagkommand, political capital for him to the grab the presidency and turn it into more than a ceremonial role or as Kaltenbrunner had said, simple racisim wrapped in possesive jelousy. "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen" said Horst "I know that most of you are in the dark about why you are here so I will cut to the chase. Approximately 6 days ago Jagkommand heroine Tethys was abducted from Almeria by people traffickers. We understand that Tethys was coerced into accompanying the traffickers to protect civilian lives. It now appears that the government of Oran has been actively backing people smuggling out of europe. Our diplomats have been rebuffed and while we would normally give them a chance to negotitate further Austria, Spain and Estonia have all upped the ante by issuing formal declarations that they consider this abduction to be a military attack on them perpetrated by the Principality of Oran" A stunned silence met Horst's statement. He took a sip of water and continued. "Europe has issued a collective demand that Tethys be returned and the Prince abdicate. The deadline for Oran's response was 90 minutes ago. In approximately 30 minutes Austria, Spain and Estonia will declare war on Oran and their fellow members are obliged to come to their aid. Air strikes against Oran will start this afternoon and we expect that this invasion fleet will sail for Oran in the next 2 days. Our objectives are to demilitarise the Principality, arrest the Prince and retrieve Tethys along with any other european citizens held in the Principality" Horst glanced around the room. "Colonel Horst, setting aside the mechanics of this operation the timetable seems to be very ambitious" said Van der Meer "An action of this size will require huge logistics support" "Logistics are already in place Commander, we have been building caches around the borders for some time now, Palma is one of those caches and we have been flying in additional stockpiles round the clock for the past few days" replied Horst "Do we know where Tethys is?" Asked Athena "We believe she is being kept in the Palace of Briars, the prince collects concubines" said Horst "She is Jagkommand's primary objective in this operation. Secondarily you will breach strong points to prevent the army being bogged down but recovering Tethys is a matter of continental security" The briefing devolved into a series of technical and hypothetical questions about the invasion. The naval and marine officers grumbled about the number of ships to support the attack but brightened slightly when they were told that 2 of the latest railgun armed battle cruisers would be joining the fleet. Eventually Horst held up a hand and pressed the com bud in his ear.