Match of the Millennium

Description: Having returned from her duties aboard, Lieutenant Katarina prepares to move against the brazen invasion of Jedah Dohma into Southtown territory. However, upon revealing her plans to the commanding officer of NOL's Japanese branch, she meets some unexpected resistance.

[KAGURA]
Paperwork, paperwork, leave me be. Paperwork, paperwork, please please please~

The general condition of the Japanese NOL branch's command center is nothing but mounds of boxes filled to the brim with paperwork coming out one of the most prominant offices. Officers and staff of the command center stare cautiously at the office, but none of them make any moves to try and solve the situation that has occured within.

Buried deep within the office however the Chief of the Duodecim is now living one of his worst nightmares. Hibiki is nowhere to be found to assist with it, and no matter what he does the paperwork just keeps seeming to grow.

Like some bad 60's sci-fi creature that breeds faster than rabbits.

Relius decided to make a King of Fighters team.

Hazama decided to make a King of Fighters team.

Kagura is stuck doing all of the paperwork. Yet, if anyone in the Command Center were to be asked, Colonel Mutsuki brought this all upon himself. There's no one else to blame for this travisty of a situation other than himself.

[KATARINA]
The soft sound of clicking heels echoes through the command center's wide halls as a small slender figure makes its way to the edge of the chaos. Dressed in her full military regalia, as usual, Katarina's face is hidden behind the tall neck of her parade-style greatcoat. Her angular crimson eyes, the only thing visible behind her collar, narrow slightly at the mess. She glances around at the maelstrom of scattered official documents, idly plucking one from the top of the nearest stack to scan its contents. A grimace distorts her pretty features for a moment and she carefully sets the piece of parchment back on the pile as if suddenly realizing it is covered in a layer of something unpleasant.

All of the milling staff suddenly try to look busy as the Duodecim heir steps into the clutter and makes her way towards the office. Katarina's intolerance for laziness and her willingness to throw the weight of her rank and family name around are well known here. The noble woman doesn't even deign to acknowledge their presence, ghosting past the peons as if they were little more than ants trudging away on a small hill of sand.

A sharp rap on the heavy wooden door of Kagura's office announces her presence but his visitor waits only a few seconds before letting herself in, stepping primly past the threshold and closing it just as quickly behind her. Almost immediately the unsubtle tones of the NOL branch commander's soul start to fill the air around her and though the usual bass notes of his stalwart conviction are present there is an undertone of turmoil.

Katarina removes her hat and tucks it neatly into the crook of her arm, tossing her mane of long white hair with a dismissive flick of the wrist that makes it practically shimmer in the artificial magic lamps mounted on the walls. The traces of a faint smile touch the corners of her eyes as she makes her way over to Kagura's desk and offers him a quick salute, tapping her mailed fist across her chest in the manner of all evil empires throughout history and fiction.

"Commander. I see you've done an admirable job of keeping things running smoothly while I was abroad. Your talents never fail to impress."

[KAGURA]
The scent of Katarina's perfume hits Kagura's nose LONG before the Lieutenant makes her way into his office. Of course, it does nothing to improve his mood. The mountains of paperwork that normally would have been passed on to someone else is now his problem, and he's yet to find a solid way to get out of it.

Yet, as Katarina finally makes her way into his office, the undertone of turmoil changes to one that is somewhat hopeful, then slowly fades into something akin to aggrivation.

"Sadly Lieutenant, I've been preoccupied with other business as well so taking on your duties as well has caused a fair amount of a backlog.. As you can plainly see."

A box of paperwork is shunted off the desk, spilling onto the floor as an annoyed Kagura Mutsuki comes into view. Coupling his hands onto his desk, he stares at Katarina for a few moments as her jab managed to get under his skin far more then it should under normal circumstances.

"To what do I owe the honor of this visit, Lieutenant Shimotsuki? If you're here to assist with the backlog, then I would be quite appreciative..."

The Colonel's attitude suddenly changes however, as he now runs his right hand through his hair, grinning slightly at the younger woman.

"I do seem to remember that I owed you a dinner.. Perhaps we could make it a breakfast as well."

[KATARINA]
The Worldsong emanating from Kagura takes on a note of warbling annoyance as she digs at his pride. She had intended it as little more than a mild jab and his reaction causes her eyebrows to rise slightly in surprise. Clearly things must be even worse than they look - and that's saying something.

"My apologies, Commander," she says, her soft wispy voice taking on a tone of genuine empathy. "Fortifying our holdings overseas has taken a great deal of my time. Those in charge of the projects before my arrival failed to live up to the exacting standards necessary to protect our personnel against the sorts of creatures whose ire we tend to draw."

Katarina manages to keep from grimacing openly again at the thought of diving into that quagmire of paperwork, her long years of keeping her emotions under control serving her well in this particular instance. The untidy way in which the colonel scatters several of the papers in annoyance, however, makes her frown. Well, at least she knows why the office is in its current state.

"Hmm, a quiet dinner over red tape. Very romantic of you, sir."

Turning on her heel with a graceful pivot, it appears for a moment that the young lieutenant plans to simply walk right back out the door and leave Kagura to his fate. Instead, she makes her way to the standing coatrack by the entrance. She places her hat atop it then sheds her greatcoat and gauntlets and hangs those up too before walking back over to stand beside his desk. Without the heavy coat with its dark black Intelligence color scheme to bulk up her silhouette, the young woman seems visibly diminished, the aura of authoritative presence around her turning into something slightly more pleasant.

"Fortunately, my schedule is open tonight. And there are a few matters of import of which we must speak."

[KAGURA]
When Katarina pivots away, Kagura's mood takes a sudden nose dive. It's obvious he's not looking forward to dealing with anymore of this paperwork then he already has. Yet, when she actually takes off her jacket and turns to assist, the air around him is one that is truly thankful.

"Your assistance is greatly appreciated, Lieutenant. The boxes with the black labels have to do with recent requsistions in regards to the upcoming King of Fighters tournament, yellow.. well. Those have already been completed."

While there may seem to be a good number black labeled boxes, the yellow labeled boxes do seem to outnumber the others. Kagura at least has been productive! Even if most people would never believe it. Especially Hibiki.

"The red labels you don't need to worry about. Those can wait..."

He had heard Katarina's request to speak about recent matters. "Now, as you are assisting me, how can I assist you Lieutenant?"

[KATARINA]
Katarina inclines her head and grabs the nearest black box, hoisting it up onto an open edge of the commander's desk. She pulls one of the chairs meant for visitors around to the far side of the desk and seats herself demurely, flipping the first folder open to idly scan the front page.

Truthfully, she has little interest in doing yet more paperwork. There's still a fair few of her own reports left to file and unlike Kagura her personal secretary isn't someone that she trusts to handle those sorts of sensitive documents. However, seeing as it is unlikely that she's going to be able to speak amicably with the branch commander in his current predicament without offering some small token assistance in return there doesn't appear to be much else she can do but to help out.

And, if she's being honest with herself, she finds his company quiet pleasant, if only for the pure notes that fills the air around him. Most people she encounters are tiny balls of awfulness, their souls screeching with the corruption of countless secrets, lies, insecurities, petty jealousies, and all manner of other horrible emotions. Kagura is almost like the eye of a storm, surrounded on all sides by chaos and strife, yet somehow largely untouched by the intrigue that runs rampant in the nobility.

"To be perfectly honest, sir," she begins, folding her slender hands together atop the stack of papers, "I find myself in something of a state of shock. To return after a year abroad only to learn that Southtown, the very core of our operations outside the homeland, is now host to a demonic fortress - an /embassy/ for those filthy monsters, no less...!"

Katarina shakes her head, allowing a faint scowl to twist the corners of her mouth downwards and her brow to furrow slightly as she closes her eyes. Her voice is as soft and gentle as ever but there is a hint of obvious disgust lacing her words.

"Needless to say, this state of affairs is most distressing. Most distressing, indeed. Something must be done about this. The presence of this...bastion for monsters is sure to cause nothing but trouble. We've only recently managed to establish proper order. Who knows what sorts of unsavory characters will attempt to exploit this for nefarious purposes."

The noble turns her head towards Kagura, regarding him directly during a brief moment of silence.

"Which is why I intend to order my squads to increase NOL presence on the streets. If we cannot assault this... embassy," she says the word with annoyance, wrinkling her nose, "directly, then we can at the very least ensure that any creatures foolish enough to see this challenge to our authority as an opportunity to cause mischief is quickly and decisively disabused of that notion."

[KAGURA]
As Katarina starts to explain her idea, there is an extreme shift in Kagura's state of mind. While he is still thankful for the Lieutenant's assistance with this evil and horrid paperwork, the sentiment she is starting to speak of is something that has already caused an extreme amount of heartache for the Colonel.

Immense sorrow, clouded by bitterness from memories of the past.

Yet, while Katarina finishes her plans, any emotion that Kagura may be feeling is suddenly well guarded.

"Tell me Lieutenant. Just how well versed are you in regards to the Ikuraga uprising?"

The words are carefully spoken as Kagura now returns Katarina's gaze, staring directly into her eyes as he poses his question. What the Lieutenant is planning, is something that once already led NOL down a very difficult and violent path.

[KATARINA]
Katarina's eyes narrow slightly and she leans back in her chair, looking thoughtful. That is certainly an odd question to raise in response to her plans. Of even more concern is the sudden storm of emotion that billows forth from the man's soul. While he may be capable of guarding his expression, very few possess the necessary knowledge and talent to guard against the sort of augury magic that she wields, nor would he even have reason to suspect that she possesses it.

The pure tones of cheerful self-assurance turn into low bitter brass notes intermixed with the melancholy hum of haunting strings. The clarity and serenity of the atmosphere, already strained by his poor mood, starts to thicken uncomfortably as if she had just seeded a storm cloud.

"I know as much as anyone might who wasn't there to experience it personally. I was still too young to be in service at the time but I've read all of the official texts. Several of the smaller city-states decided they no longer needed the protection of the NOL. We disagreed. There was a war that lasted several years until ultimately the Hero of Ikaruga managed to break into the enemy stronghold and slay their leader, bringing the conflict to a close. It was a rather decisive victory on our part."

[KAGURA]
"The conflict was not brought to a close as easy as you make it to be. Jin Kisaragi may have brought the conflict to a close, but there was a cost to it."

Once more Kagura clasps his hands infront of him. "I was there as well, and saw first hand the damage of the uprising. To say that it was a decisive victory is completely undermining the sacrafices of our soldiers who fought in it. It also undermines the sacrafices of the people of Ikuraga who sought their own liberation. Of course, threatening the world at large with ancient doomsday weapons is a rather bad way to fight for one's freedom.."

Leaning back into his chair now, the Colonel briefly, if only for the slightest of moments shows the strain of his station. His left hand reaches down and opens one of the drawers of his desk, only to retrieve an old bottle filled with an amber liquid. Setting it on the desk, the hand reaches down once more and pulls out two small glasses, which are then set next to the bottle.

Carefully, Kagura's right hand grasps the bottle as he removes the stopper, lifting it pour a small amount of the amber liquid into each of the glasses. Taking one now into his left hand, he takes a slow sip, appreciating the aged alcohol that now resides in the glass.

"Lieutenant, while protecting the streets of Southtown is something that we are responsible for, we do need to take caution on how it is handled. We cannot afford to risk starting a war with Lord Jedah Dohma, as he would serve as another Tenjou Amanohokosaka for the Darkstalkers themselves to rally to. We wouldn't just be dealing with a small nation within the confines of Japan, but a nation we still have very little information on."

[KATARINA]
The rebuttal to her assertion that the NOL scored a decisive victory over their foes in one of the most important conflicts in the coalition's history is met with silent scorn. Katarina is no fool. Obviously, such recountings would be written in such a way as to promote NOL propaganda and make them look like heroes who triumphed over dastardly villains. History is written by the victors, after all. But some naive remnant of her childish admiration for her homeland resents any statements that might damage that glossy image; not only because of her own pride in the noble heritage which stems from that nation but because to paint something created by the most divine being, the Imperator herself, as anything other than perfect smacks of afoul of something heretical regardless of the truth of it.

The noble girl remains silent, however, biting back the cutting remarks that she would likely have leveled at anyone other than the branch commander himself. Her expression smooths out into a blank mask marked only by her omni-present enigmatic smirk. Even without the collar of her greatcoat to conceal her face from view, the young woman's mastery over her own emotions is nigh super human, showing only what she wants people to see. She adjusts her body language as well, looking relaxed as she settles into the cushions of the fancy chair, but also somewhat pensive as evidenced by the way her fingers tap together in a steady rythm.

Her gaze shifts down to the drawer and she frowns slightly as Kagura draws out a bottle of liquor. Alcohol is something she has a particular love-hate relationship with. On the one hand, she views it as little more than a crutch, a vice that most of humanity is simply too weak to cast aside. On the other, she has experienced the soothing properties that it offers on more than one occasion. So long as it remains in moderation, she can tolerate its presence, though drinking openly is something that she almost never does save for official functions where it's considered impolite to refuse the host's offerings.

Once the glasses are poured, Katarina reaches out to take the second one and swirls its contents about in the bottom for a moment before sipping at the liquid quietly. She stares down at her reflection on the surface of the murky liquid in silence, contemplating her words.

"With all due respect, sir," she says, setting her glass aside. Her gaze lifts to meet Kagura's eyes again without fear, staring at him without faltering or looking away after the initial moment passes and the awkwardness typically starts to set in. "Is it not the duty of the NOL to do precisely that? What point is an army if we balk when conflict becomes necessary? All of those who died in the civil war and all of those who will die in the future while wearing the uniform of the NOL do so with the full knowledge that their sacrifice is for the advancement of humanity. They join our ranks knowing that it may cost them everything. They join so that their lives will have meaning. Am I to understand that you are hesitant to allow those who signed up for /precisely/ this sort of situation to do their duty because there might be consequences that are unpleasant?"

[KAGURA]
The impassioned speech by Katarina is one that Kagura would expect as a well thought out rebuttal to his own personal stance. She may not be entirely right with her conclusions, but she isn't entirely wrong either. Part of his duties as Commander is ensuring the safety of the men and women who look to him for leadership.

"War is not something I would ever wish for, and that is something that anyone can quote me on. However, I did not say that I do not disagree with your thoughts on the security of Southtown. I merely stated that we must proceed with caution in order to try and avoid escalting any potential conflicts."

The Colonel's glass is drained, and once more he pours a small amount into his glass. This time however, he stares at the glass, swirling the amber liquid around in the cup himself. Setting the glass down upon his desk, he takes a few moments to compose himself in an attempt to try and diffuse what may become an arguement. He doesn't have to have any special powers to read people. He's mastered that skill long ago.

Speaking now, Kagura drops all pretenses of rank and formality, choosing now to speak to the girl as a peer. "Katarina. We both know that one of our primary missions here in Japan is to keep its people safe from threats they are ill-equipped to handle. So while I personally would prefer to keep the status-quo, as the Commander I know that's not possible. I know that the safety of the people comes before my own personal feelings."

Reaching for his glass once again, he pauses, only to grasp the cup and drain it in one go. He could just order the girl to stand down, but that would breed a culture of distrust and lead to her having resentments against him. That would be more harmful to his own mission, as would allowing her to run wild with her own plans and ideals. Guiding the up and coming officers to understand the risks and weigh them against other options is one of the most critical things he can do.

"Increase foot patrols, however I do not want any engagements unless there are no other options. I know that some of our newer recruits are quite zealous in their actions, so to ensure that my orders are followed I am going to require some minor shifts. All patrols are to now wear monitoring devices. Yes, Katarina. They will wear body-cams. There are sympathizers who will cry foul if we outright come down with a heavy hand. This is to protect /us/. If a Darkstalker is not engaging in any criminal activity, they're to be left alone. Any baiting to encourage conflict will be met with swift and harsh consequences. The bigger picture must always be considered, and ours is that we must preserve our dignity as a organization of Honor."

[KATARINA]
And almost immediately the difference between the two officers becomes readily apparant to Katarina. She supposes that it should have been obvious, considering the strangely pure nature of his soul. The fact that nothing had been done about Jedah by the time she returned despite his outright invasion of Southtown should have clued her in further. The young woman's expression sours and this time she does little to hide her displeasure.

Where Kagura looks at war as something that should be avoided at all costs, to Katarina war is the ultimate testing ground of all that she has trained for. What good are soldiers if their talents are never put to use? Strength is forged in fire, not idleness and pining for a utopian future that any reasonable person familiar with humanity knows is literally impossible to achieve. She, perhaps more than anyone else, understands people - how they think, how they experience things, how they react to the strange and unfamiliar in the very depths of their being.

Whatever peace they might buy through diplomacy would be fraught with uncertainy, fear, and mistrust. Even should they achieve the unlikely and create a lasting bond between humanity and these monsters, there would always be those who refused to change, refused to accept the new paradigm, and without the power to enact sweeping change they would resort to the same thing that every outcast group has since the dawn of human history - violence.

"War..."

Katarina's gaze hardens, her eyes growing narrow, dangerous - predatory. Her voice, already a thing of delicate softness, drops to a low whisper that should be almost impossible to hear and yet her words brush against his consciousness almost as if coming from inside of his own head. A small trick of magic to manipulate the wind, carrying her voice and amplifying it. A tad melodramatic perhaps but usually effective on those unaware of what magic can do. Kagura is likely unable to fall for such a manipulation but it comes naturally to the girl as her frustration starts to bubble to the surface.

"Is inevitable. Surely you must realize that."

The orders she is given, along with the warning to avoid being too heavy handed forces Katarina to her feet, her tiny fists clenching.

"You cannot be serious! There are no sympathizers for such creatures! Only traitors who would welcome the enemy into our midst! Who cares what these ignorant peasants think? Have they borne witness to the atrocities that these monsters are capable of? Have they been trained in the arts and carry an understanding of the devastation a single rogue sorcerer could unleash upon the world? Those beasts have no right to exist! They are dangerous abominations and should be purged, not...not /mollified/!"

Katarina's hissing whisper slowly raises in volume as she carries on, emotion flooding into her voice. Pure venom laces her every word, a seething sort of hatred the likes of which can be borne only from unadulterated hatred. And she means it, all of it, as evidenced by her own actions. Kagura would certainly not be ignornant of the things she has done in the past. Dozens of dark stalkers had been slain at her hands, summarily executed without mercy or trial. She is a hero to many within the rank and file, though obviously less so with the faction that supported the NOL's iniative to induct monsters into their own ranks.

[KAGURA]
"The atrocities these creatures have performed are no less then our own. September, Nineteen Thirty Nine. The start of the second World War. I don't believe I need to remind you of just what Nazi Germany did in their quest to stomp out 'undesirables' in Europe. August Sixth, Nineteen Fourty Five. The United States dropped an Atomic Weapon upon the town of Hiroshima. August Ninth, Nineteen Fourty Five. Four days after the Hiroshima incident, another Atomic Weapon was dropped upon Nagasaki. All here in this country. A hundred years hasn't even passed since those atrocities. Ikuraga. The Justice Incident. Those were mass atrocities started by /humans/. The only atrocity we truly can attribute to the Darkstalkers is Metro City."

Kagura's demenor remains calm while Katarina starts to lose all of her composure. There is no sympathy from Kagura as he continues to explain his thoughts, already seeing full well what Katarina has become. A part of him is saddened by this, because with the right guidance, she could have become a major force for what NOL's stated objectives claim to be.

"No one is better then their fellow man. If someone seeks to live in peace and harmony, then they should be allowed to do just that. If they seek to harm the innocents, then we will stomp them out. To protect the innocents. We exist for this reason. We /are/ better than that, Katarina."

The Black Knight continues to speak without rank, hoping that somehow the words of a peer would allow the woman to possibly see and understand another perspective to the problems at hand. His left hand reaches across the desk, gently moving to touch the girl's hands. "Listen to me Katarina. We are better than this, and I truly hope that you can find a way to see this someday."

The hand is pulled back, and the man's demenor changes once again, this time becoming hard and stern. "However, I have given my instructions. If you find you are incapable of following them, then I will have no choice but to relieve you of all duties, and request you be transferred back to Headquarters. I will not have unnessecary bloodshed when we can, and will, avoid it. We are defenders, not antagonizers."

[KATARINA]
While Kagura might hope that his calm words would help to keep the young lieutenant in check, his lack of passion about the subject only seems to inflame her further. Black ropes of corruption fueled by her bigotry and disdain draw tight within her chest, squeezing at her heart like a physical force. The Worldsong raises from a constant background hum of easily ignored white-noise to a hissing crescendo of malice and outrage.

For a moment, just the barest hint of an instant, the mask cracks. Katarina's face, a beautiful portrait of soft patrician features, contorts into a visage of utter darkness. Her eyes flash, quite literally, with an inner crimson light as her magic flares up to a dangerous level. Her hands twitch with currents of power and were they not already clenched into tight balls of fury she might have summoned forth one of her blades then and there.

Just as quickly the moment passes. The young woman staggers backwards a step, once again caught completely off-guard by the sheer intensity of the darkness inside of her soul. That shouldn't have happened. She should be better than that. But only a few days ago she had slaked the Music Box's vile need for suffering and death. It shouldn't have been able to affect her so strongly, not that fast.

To Kagura, it would seem as if his shift from friendly admonishment to official rebuke at her attitude had caused her to recoil. Katarina takes a long slow breath, closing her eyes and centering herself by focusing on a single point of flame within her mind. To that tiny candle she feeds all of the emotion coursing through her like a roaring tide, slowly and carefully burning in into ash and nothingness. By degrees her calm returns and when she can finally speak again, the noble slowly opens her eyes, her face a neutral mask once more and her voice a wispy quiet thing.

"As you command, sir."

Katarina salutes him, the motion somewhat stiffer than before and resumes sitting. Without another word, she turns her attention to the pile of papers in front of her. Drawing a fancy pen from her breast pocket, she starts to fill out the form in silence, the scratching of her elegant flowing handwriting being put to parchment filling the office.

[KAGURA]
Once the mask breaks, for that brief moment it's enough to truly give Kagura concern. Yet, as she regains control of herself, and gives her kurt reply, it's at that point Kagura stands up from the desk, and moves to stand next to the girl. He's seen things like this before, and each time they worry him more and more about the state of the Novus Orbis Librarium.

Placing a hand on Katarina's shoulder, he gribs it lightly. "Listen to me closely, Lieutenant. This is the only time I'm ever going to say this to you. I do not ever want to see any of my soldiers become the very thing we're sworn to protect the world from. If it means that you may see me as a coward with my stance, then, I am just that. Your lives are far more important to me then you're able to understand, and I do not wish to see it wasted or squandered in the pursuit of glory. There are far more important things in this lifetime then that. My door is open to any of my soldiers at any time for any reason. If you ever truly wish to speak to me about what is fully bothering you, then my door is open."

Releasing the shoulder, the Colonel now moves to stand next to his office door, opening it. "As for right now, I think it is best for you to take some time off. I'm removing you from active duty for a few days to cool your head, and take some time to focus on yourself. You are an important officer here, and I do hope that in time you realize my actions are more than perceived cowardace. For now, while I appreciate the time you've given me with my task.. you're dismissed Lieutenant Shimotsuki."

[KATARINA]
Fully intent on making good her promise to assist with the paperwork, Katarina blinks in surprise as her sulky plop back into the chair is interrupted by a firm hand on her shoulder. She looks at Kagura's arm in surprise, clearly caught off guard. No one just...touches her like that. She's a member of the nobility, the heir of an esteemed and high-ranking House. It's just... not done!

The young woman shifts her gaze up to the commander's face as he speaks to her with words of comfort rather than scorn or rebuke for her loss of control. He would be well within his rights to discipline her for insubordination and she knows it. Getting dressed down would certainly be an embarassment for someone of her rank and station. And yet, he still seems intent on simply talking to her. She most certainly would not have offered the same courtesy should their positions have been reversed.

Unfortunately, reasonable and respectful tones don't seem to be a sufficient tool to penetrate the philosophical barriers that separate their beliefs. He would chose to live as a coward in pursuit of his ideals. She cannot believe that such words come from the mouth of a war hero. More to life than glory? Utter foolishness. For what other than the marks one makes upon the face of history carries on when death eventually claims a human's weak mortal body?

Katarina says nothing as she's lectured, nor when she is politely shown the door. Her chin lifts proudly as she marches over to retrieve her garments from the rack, donning them with swift practiced precision. Then she gives one final salute, her expression neutral, her aura so frigid it almost feels as if the temperature literally drops around her on the way out.

[KAGURA]
If Kagura had a penny for every time a woman stormed out of a room like that because of him, he'd be more the able to retire right this very second. Of course, there is something oddly satisfying about watching a woman storm out like that. Yet, Katarina Shimotsuki has now fully classified herself as a problem. Unlike the rest of the problems that exist in Kagura's life, this one he cannot rely on Hibiki to fix.

Shutting and locking the door to his office, Kagura starts to move back to his desk, only to stare at the paperwork in silence. Slowly, another plan forms in his head and already he knows just what he needs to do. He lifts up the receiver of the phone on his desk, and presses a few buttons on the keypad. "This is Colonel Mutsuki. I need three of your freshest recruits sent up to my office. I have a good amount of paperwork to deal with, and I'm sure they could use the chance to see what really goes on up in the Command Center." There's a brief pause, as he looks at the door to his office. "Also. I need to speak to you about another matter. Prepare to go secure."

There's a pause of a few minutes, as the Colonel patiently waits with the receiver against his ear, then there is a loud beep from the headset to which he then flips a switch on the phone, followed by an access code upon the keypad. "I need every file on Lieutenant Katarina Shimotsuki forwarded to me immediatly. I want everything we have on her in my quarters in three hours. I'll review them in my private office there..."

Log created on 23:42:20 06/03/2019 by Katarina, and last modified on 03:58:09 06/05/2019.