Jet's Back!

[Guest]

Briggs was a cold place, that much was certain. Yet the more he thought about it, the more Jet Black realized that it would never compare to the cold of Drachman winter during a blizzard with no fire, trying to survive on mere willpower alone. The thought sent a chill down the knight's spine, making him shake it off. Looking around the office, it was pretty empty at the moment. No pictures or anything like that, furniture was minimal. If a random person walked in when Jet wasn't there, they wouldn't be able to tell who's office it was without looking at the shiny new name plate on the door. That and his black armor hanging on the wall, but anyone who didn't know him would assume it was decorative. Jet's things were still being moved from his old office and home in West City to here, so it would be a few days before this place looked his at all. That was ok though, things take time. Time, so precious, yet uncontrollable and never ending. Sometimes, it seemed like time was all he had, but deep down Jet knew that wasn't the case.

Today was the man's first day back in the Amestrian military, and as Reila's second in command. It was currently 6AM, most people hadn't rolled out of bed just yet. Not even his new boss was up, so at the moment Jet had nothing to do. The Brigadier General looked down at his military uniform, proud of the metals he had earned from his recent endeavors. Yet at the same time, there was a bitterness about them. He had earned these things being a good leader and keeping his men alive, showing bravery and courage, things like that, but he didn't know if he deserved them. Many had died against Creta and Drachma, men and women that Jet had not returned to their families alive. Black shook his head of the thought, being this down in the morning was a bad start to the day. He needed something to occupy his mind and attention, something less depressing. As if to answer his stomach growled loudly, startling him slightly. Well, he hadn't had breakfast that morning yet, but of course! He couldn't miss the most important meal of the day! Jet stood up and strolled out of the office, finding his way to the cafeteria. Grabbing some food from the buffet set up, he got some milk and sat down. A few men and women were up eating, most looked like they were the living dead. Oh sleep, what a cruel mistress you can be. He chuckled to himself and continued to eat, his mind drifting to how his first day would go...

[Guest]

How was Jet's day going to begin? It was going to start off on a rather strange note to say the least...

A long time ago, Fort Briggs was a warehouse of new developing technologies, machines of war that could take cities, automail limbs that could rip through steel; it was where the course of Amestris' military might was to be decided upon. In fact it still was a place of budding new technologies; however its reach has extended far beyond that of the past's limitations. With Daigoro ito the Loadstone heading development, there was seemingly no cap on what could be produced. However, Central Command decided that it would be wise to send a certain someone new to help with this development, a man whom had a certain knack and a certain mind that they thought could go a long way.

It was six a.m. when most people who weren’t awfully busy were still asleep. But, you see, some people haven’t yet gone to sleep, there really was too much to do in such little time. He had arrived in the night and after a little trouble from the night guards he had been let in the gate along with a series of transports. A seemingly endless stream of large wooden boxes flowed from those transports into a disused large room near the Development/Research main area, once a storage house for tank parts but long out of use due to a paperwork nightmare. But now it filled up with all kinds of things, boxes big and boxes small, boxes long and boxes wide, wooden crates filled with straw and metal boxes covered in radiation warnings. And, standing silently alongside those boxes was a gaunt shadow, the man who came from Central. He wouldn’t stop smiling….

The room was shut and personnel were told to leave due to the delicate manner of many of the devices stored inside those boxes. The man who came with spent the rest of the night unpacking them by himself, ripping through wood and prying off tops to get to the tools within. Within hours the room was changed from storage dump to functioning laboratory, sterilizing bright lights shining from every angle and undoubtedly eating up a large electric bill. To Doctor Gabriel Thaddeus Fogg, it finally felt like home.

But now, hours later, it would appear that nourishment was the correct next step. And socializing with his fellow soldiers as well, of course. It would be a shame to simply hide oneself away and not introduce oneself hm? It would be most uncivil and unbecoming. Thus, at six o’five sharp, seven and a half feet of Xingian stepped into the Briggs mess hall, a smiled plastered on his face and a glass of orange juice clenched in his….claws? There were few others up and about; however one man caught the eye of the good doctor. A very handsomely build man at that…

“’ We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink, for dining alone is leading the life of a lion or wolf,’ I do believe that Epicurus said that.” The doctor bowed low before the other man before he sat down across from him, his own tray a-quiver with a thick gruel covered with what looked like vitamin pills. “Though he was fundamentally wrong I do feel since both of those animals are indeed of a social type, but one can understand the ethi-social point that he was attempting to make, differentiating between man and mere mammal.” He grinned as his eyes twitched across the brilliant frame that made up Jethro Black. I must admit though, of the men I have met, you are a rather fine example, the pulse of a muscle there, the line of the jaw, all very powerfully masculine and bespeaking of very fine genes indeed, although I could always improve a bit upon the canvas, there is always room for improvement, but of the canvases out there to begin with, you are of most excellent quality. Oh dear, how very very very rude of me!” The man shook his head in seeming disgust of himself. “I should not discuss such matters until I have introduced myself, it is not right to speak of business and pleasure with a man whom does not know you, now is it? I am Captain Gabriel Thaddeus Fogg, new head of the Briggs Science Department, at your very most humble service, sir.”

[Guest]

"Epicurus, the ancient Xerxian philosopher? Very nice," Jet replied, see he was dealing with a well educated, and by his analysis, a genius, of a man. He nodded as he continued, talking about the quote for a moment. Then the man switched to his body muscle, a strange topic change indeed. "I must admit though, of the men I have met, you are a rather fine example, the pulse of a muscle there, the line of the jaw, all very powerfully masculine and bespeaking of very fine genes indeed, although I could always improve a bit upon the canvas, there is always room for improvement, but of the canvases out there to begin with, you are of most excellent quality." The General chuckled lightly at this. He couldn't tell if the man was being serious or pulling his chain. When he looked into the man's eyes however, he could tell he was all too serious. This guy was talking about mechanical, and probably genetic/biological enhancements. It was the new Head of Science, Captain Fogg!

Jet had read his file a few days ago while he was recuperating. He had done so for all of the top ranking officers here to see who he was dealing with. Nothing wrong with getting to know people before getting to know them. The report had said he was a little out there, but Jet could see it was only because they couldn't completely fathom his intelligence, which was massive from his standpoint. This character was at interesting to say the least, but he was the best of the best, and Dai's first choice to help him develop weapons for Briggs and Amestris. Black nodded as the man continued.

"Oh dear, how very very very rude of me! I should not discuss such matters until I have introduced myself, it is not right to speak of business and pleasure with a man whom does not know you, now is it? I am Captain Gabriel Thaddeus Fogg, new head of the Briggs Science Department, at your very most humble service, sir.” Jet bowed in response, and then reached his hand out "Well met Captain, I am General Jethro William Black, newly appointed Second-in-Command here at Fort Briggs. I've read about you, you're quite famous for your works, and your reputation precedes you," The Templar replied, awaiting the doctor to shake his hand. "Have you just arrived from Central?"

[Guest]

"Well met Captain, I am General Jethro William Black, newly appointed Second-in-Command here at Fort Briggs. I've read about you, you're quite famous for your works, and your reputation precedes you.” Fogg smiled at these words, more or less because it seemed to be the correct response to a compliment of this nature. Then again, he’d had individuals speak of his fame then proceed to attempt to kill him on the pretense that he had slaughtered some family member of theirs, an accusation that he thoroughly dismissed because, in his words and mind, he had never experimented on a subject that was not willing. Truly, who isn’t willing to help the onward march of science?

“I see then that sir knows of my accomplishments in the fields of automail engineering and boil-medical sciences then hm? Well one truly cannot brag about such things, these “accomplishments” mere tinker toys compared to what I can bring about here at Briggs. However, one must say that sir is well known as well, the Black Fist of the North, the Black Templar of the West, a survivor of the Drachman Incident, oh you are sir, quite well known. Incidentally, I happened upon your medical report and I was most surprised to see how you survived your most recent endeavor, however one must again make note of your superior form and its obvious aptitude for functioning under the most severe circumstances.” The Xingman nodded lightly as he brought a spoon of gruel and chemical nutrition to his cracked lips. It was somewhat amazing how one could somehow daintily hold a spoon between two metallic claws without spilling so much of a drop.

“Have you just arrived from Central?” The general offered his hand in the obligatory shake which Fogg responded with by taking Black’s hand very carefully between his claws and shaking very slightly. He did, however, stare in detail at the hand while he did so, seemingly taking this chance to study the scars, bone structure, and musculature of the object in question. He smiled as he released the hand, either out of politeness or satisfaction.

“I arrived in the night sir, a most uneventful trip despite the harsh climate that Briggs is so very famous for. I, luckily, thought ahead and modified my automail to the cold resistant specifications so long used here in the North. While perhaps not nearly as combat qualified as the M1913-A Heavy Combat or nearly as gaudy as the Modified M1910, I will say that my automail is at least significantly more adaptable. Ah, I have come upon a tangent, excuse me for I do just love to run off in any direction that speech takes me. Yes, we were speaking of my arrival to Briggs here. I came in the late night with a band of enlistees chosen to help with the movement of my Laboratory. I have only just finished setting it up and I am most pleased that not a vial or a flask is missing nor broken. Your men are quite the catch, if I do say so myself, The Survival of the Fittest is a most fitting motto for a place such as this, is it not? Especially now that For Briggs’ so called Perfect Defense actually has something to contend with hm?”

He cackled as though he had told a fabulous joke, however the sound came out as something broken, something inhuman. It was as though it was a recording of a laugh but the record had scratches in it. This didn’t seem to bother the Doctor, however his laughter ended promptly without the standard pause for breath or subsiding giggles. “There is a good reason why I am here, sir. Being the perfect defense isn’t enough for the coming era. We will accept nothing less than absolute perfection.”

[Guest]

Jet smiled. He knew these kind of men loved to hear about themselves and their achievements, was part of their nature. Nothing wrong with it, just easily seen and used. “I see then that sir knows of my accomplishments in the fields of automail engineering and boil-medical sciences then hm? Well one truly cannot brag about such things, these “accomplishments” mere tinker toys compared to what I can bring about here at Briggs. However, one must say that sir is well known as well, the Black Fist of the North, the Black Templar of the West, a survivor of the Drachman Incident, oh you are sir, quite well known. Incidentally, I happened upon your medical report and I was most surprised to see how you survived your most recent endeavor, however one must again make note of your superior form and its obvious aptitude for functioning under the most severe circumstances.” Ah, trying to reverse it upon him, an intelligent man indeed. He knew this would be an interesting conversation to say the least.

"Drachma was not easy for anyone, let alone me. It was tough to say the least, but like Briggs says: Survival of the fittest." He chuckled at the reference, yet he knew it was true. Survival in these conditions were not easy, Jet knew it better than most. His time in Drachma had been hard to say the least, but it was more than just physical strength that kept him alive. His emotional and mental strength were in the end what kept him going. trudging onward. One saying continued to help him keep focus. "Only in death does duty end." Strong words, strong words indeed. "I come from a long line of noble knights and blacksmiths from Creta, strength and courage runs in my family, my 'genetics' as you say," Jet continued.

The claw-like hands he had were strange, and would have caused most men to falter in shaking them. Jet did no such thing however, as fear held little reserve in his mind any longer. It hadn't been there for a while, but the events of Drachma had purged any of that if it had existed. “I arrived in the night sir, a most uneventful trip despite the harsh climate that Briggs is so very famous for. I, luckily, thought ahead and modified my automail to the cold resistant specifications so long used here in the North. While perhaps not nearly as combat qualified as the M1913-A Heavy Combat or nearly as gaudy as the Modified M1910, I will say that my automail is at least significantly more adaptable. Ah, I have come upon a tangent, excuse me for I do just love to run off in any direction that speech takes me. Yes, we were speaking of my arrival to Briggs here. I came in the late night with a band of enlistees chosen to help with the movement of my Laboratory. I have only just finished setting it up and I am most pleased that not a vial or a flask is missing nor broken. Your men are quite the catch, if I do say so myself, The Survival of the Fittest is a most fitting motto for a place such as this, is it not? Especially now that For Briggs’ so called Perfect Defense actually has something to contend with hm?”

This guy sure loved talking didn't he? Reminded Jet of himself in a way. Perfect Defense? Now Black had heard many things about Briggs. Their Ice Queen leader, they 'survival of the fittest' line, and their elite forces winning victory after victory. But Perfect Defense? That was almost laughable! Jethro could easily see 12 ways to breach the 'Perfect Defenses' of Fort Briggs by himself, let alone with a well trained army by his side. Now West HQ, THERE was an impenetrable fortress. Before the Drachman Incident, he had considered renaming it Arx Invictus, which meant "Impenetrable Fortress" in Xerxian. If only it was still his, if only... At least he still had the Black Templars though, that was his last full connection to good ole West Command. “There is a good reason why I am here, sir. Being the perfect defense isn’t enough for the coming era. We will accept nothing less than absolute perfection.”

"I couldn't agree more Captain, and I am happy to have you on our side," Black replied, a genuine smile on his face. He enjoyed knowing he had a man that understood on his side, and it felt good. Jet slowly finished his food before standing up. "It was good to meet you, but if you'll excuse me, I have work to attend to." With that, Jet saluted, turned on his heels and walked out the door. Time to get back to work.

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