Arknights: Starsfall I

Chapter 35

"A Dragoness' Responsibilities"

Ch'en Hui-chieh
December 17th, Earth Time, 2055
October 18th, Terra Time, 1097
Road to Lungmen

The drive was silent between the 3. Well mostly silent. "What makes you think it was something I did?!" Ch'en tightly gripped the wheel and side-eyed Swire, "Because I was not in town when whatever this was happened, I don't know why you think it's me!" Ch'en barked at Swire, who let out a bit of a noise of offense and goes to pull on Ch'en's ear, "Why you-!"

"Hey hey, enough!" Hoshiguma had to step in, putting her arms between the 2 and physically separating them, "Eyes on the road, Ch'en." Ch'en silently muttered a thanks to her. Hoshiguma then turned on Swire, "And you, Do not talk of what it is until we get there, got it?" Swire let out a little 'eep!' and she was silent. Satisfied, Hoshiguma pulled up the letter again.  And began to go over its contents.

The lights of Lungmen was in the distance, and Ch'en let out a soft exhale of Air. Now that the city was in sight, they began to drive towards the Border checkpoint. As the familiar sounds and noises of the city, Ch'en began to let her thoughts come on in. Why would Wei need all us back? He doesn't really have a reason to, Madam Physia from Rhodes Island is helping with security, so what gives? She leaned back to ponder on it. Is it something in regards to... her?

Her communicator began to spark, reflexively she moved to tap it, "Yes? Is somebody alerting me?"

"Madam Ch'en," from his voice, she inferred that it was one of the regular guards at the office, "Chief Wei is waiting for you in your personal office, it seems important." Rolling her eyes, Ch'en grabbed the communicator again, "Yeah, I figured, he sent me a letter about it, I'll be there in 10."

Ch'en began to softly press on the accelerator. Due to the fact that it was night, there wasn't a lot of people, so she was free to pick up the pace a little. Swire turned to Ch'en again, "Seriously, this time I'm not joking, what do you think it is?" Swire had managed to produce a drink that, in the dark, Ch'en could tell what it is.

Shaking her head, her gaze focuses on the road, "How would I know? Chief Wei sometimes likes to withhold information, especially if its something like this..." Swire hummed and began to sip again, and now Ch'en thinks its some sort of fancy drink that Swire manages to keep within her bottle.

How she manages to do that and still be an effective LGD operator? Heavenly beings above know

Soon, they reach the Lungmen Guard Department HQ. Putting the car into reverse and going into a parking spot, Ch'en then shuts the engine off and starts to grab everything, including the M4 Rifle. Hoshiguma and Swire eyed it still, Ch'en looking back at them and sighing. "I'm sorry, I cannot let you guys use this for ammunition purposes."

"Oh no, its fine, its just..." Ch'en was now out of the car, with Hoshiguma joining her, and Swire coming out, her mouth still open, "incredible." The lights and sounds of Lungmen now hit them in full, the honking, the bright neon lights, and the more regular, and plaid lights beating down, illuminating and choking the city in a sea of artificial light.

"Oh? In what way." Ch'en dared, eyes slanting at Swire, slinging the unloaded rifle over her back and putting her sword into its sheath. Just as Swire was about to retort, Hoshiguma stopped them, making them both stop and look at the Oni women in curiosity. "Girls... look..." She was pointing at a few of the occupied parking spots with wide eyes.

Outside of the LGD building, they noticed 2 of those Armored Vehicles that the United States, judging by the lightly illuminated Stars and Stripes on their sides, use a lot. The Bradley they called them. Ch'en watched as one of them turned its turret to her and its gun made a motion, as if it was nodding at her. The Muzzle was covered with some sort of plastic thing, as if to reassure Ch'en, Swire, and Hoshiguma that the thing won't open fire.