Radiance

Chapter 136: Good Vodka Makes Good Comrades.

"Ok Sasha you and your people can use this area here as your staging area, there's a bunk room through there with eight beds in it though I am not quite sure if our new friend here wil fit given her umm large size," General Redfield said glancing up at Lucile who peered down at the human female with a large golden eye before glancing where she had indicated into the bunk room.

"I will adapt, I can nest almost anywhere," she said with a very obvious defiance in her voice as if the mere thought that she would be defeated by human sized furniture was truly unthinkable to the massive Valkyrie.

"Well umm yes right-ho, as I was saying this will be your primary planning and staging area, we have another room through here that you can use as an armoury and I am in the process of having some Power Armour frames brought over so you can work on your suits curtasy of our new friends in the Brotherhood," the General continued gesturing to another room off the side of the main one.

"This will be fine General, we Cossacks do not require much space or maintenence, we are very used to operating with what we have on our backs but your efforts are of course appreciated," Sasha said.

"Right, well then I'll let you all get settled in and get this place set up how you'd like and then we can start getting down to brass tacks," General Redfield said.

"What do tacks made of brass have to do with our mission here?" Lucile asked in obvious confusion.

"It is an American expression, it means that we will be getting down to the details of our mission here," Sasha explained to the confused looking condor who simply ruffled her thick head feathers in obvious annoyance which made her look like she brielf had a mohawk.

"Then why does she not say this? You humans are as confusing as you are annoying," Lucile huffed with a clack of her large hooked beak while the rest of her team simply stood in silence observing the proceedings.

"Ahh come on now big girl, you will soon see that some of us humans can be down right fun!" Ivan said patting the massive condor on the shoulder and making her feathers fluff up again in annoyance.

"You and I obviously have very different definitions of the word 'fun' human," she snarled and undetered Ivan simply shot her a grin.

"Oh come now big girl don't be so grumpy, you are starting to remind me of Natalia when that time of the month rolls around, just less violent," Ivan said about a second before there was a loud metalic clonk from the stone that Natalia had pitched at his head bouncing off his shoulder pauldron.

"Damn I missed," Natalia growled as Ivan turned his charateristic grin towards her now.

"See what I mean? It seems Valkyrie women and Russian women have a lot in common yes?" Ivan continued while directing his comment towards the two eagles in the Valkyrie group.

"I'm not answering that, I like my beak attached to my head thank you very much," the bald eagle said making Ivan roar with laughter.

"Don't mind Ivan, he is not happy unless he has managed to get at least one person to fly of the proverbial handle or is not face down in a pool of his own sick," Sasha said making Ivan scowl at him.

"Oh come now Sasha don't talk like this yes? You will make our new comrades think we are nothing but bunch of American yahoos who do not know dangerous end of rifle from their own ass!" Ivan said clomping his way into the room to look into the bunk room closer.

"Take no notice, he might come off as an oaf but on battlefield he is as cold as ice and solid as rock, is no better I assure you," Sasha said.

Celine made a huff noise and ruffled her feather back into place as she watched the curious Russian investigating the room.

"I will save my critique for after our first engagement but let us say i am not setting my standards perch high," she said quietly.

"He might be an insuferable oaf but Sasha is correct, when bullets fly he is totally different person, he plays hard fights harder, just do as i do, if he annoys you find thing to throw at him until he goes away," Natalia said clomping past the big Condor girl with large box of weapons in her hands.

"Now this is advice I like, it seems the females of your species give sage advice human, perhaps there is some hope for your species after all," Celine said making Sasha sigh heavily, this was going to be a long attunement period, he could already feel it.

As it turned out the General had been spot on when she'd said about the bunks not fitting Celine, so while the others had set about grabbing themselves a bunk she had gone to aquire herself a second mattress and some more blankets, before returning and setting herself up a nest in a quiet corner of their central command room.

At first she hadn't noticed Sahsa who was now out of his power armour and doing the same in another corner but when she did finally notice him she looked at him curiously.

"Why are you in here too human, the beds will fit you easily?" she enquired as she watched him setting up.

"You have obviously never heard Ivan's snoring, it is easier to sleep under artilery fire than bunk underneath him, Natalia is fine as she could sleep through atomic fire but I prefer to have some privacy when I sleep, is long story," Sasha said with a shrug.

Celine seemed to accept this and went back to building her bed nest, which to Sasha's eye made him think of the pillow forts that he and his sister would build when they were children back in the metro tunnels in which they were raised.

Once they had sorted out their bedding situation and had stowed their weapons and armour in their new armoury the team decidded to have their first real sit down so that not only could they get to know one another, but so that the two very different teams could get a handle on their counterparts.

The first thing Sasha noted was like his own team the Valkyries did not stow their sidearms in the armoury along with their long rifles, it seemed the two groups already had a starting point of common ground begining with their adherence to basic military doctorine.

As Sasha chose a seat he was quite surprised to see that Celine grabbed the seat next to him at the table and he wondered if that due to her rank and status as the leader of her group she felt that she should be seated next to him as the overall leader of the team or wheather there was somthing else at pllay but this did present him with an oppertunity to build a bridge as his true American comrades were always so fond of saying.

"Ok first order of buisness, I wish our Valkyrie brothers and sisters to feel both vallued and welcome among us, we are here to fight same fight and to battle same enemies, we are all on same side so while i have been made over all commander of unit i am making Celine second in command of unit, you all answer to her and she answers to me, is this understood?" Sasha said and he coulld already tell from the look on both Natalia and Ivan's face that there was going to be some contest here.

But there was also a look of surprise that was being shared among the Valkyries, though the horned Owl female who was sat directly opposite him always seemed to have wide eyes so wheather that was surprise on her face or simply her resting expression was up for debate.

"But Sasha......" Ivan began but Sasha held up his hand to cut him off and he turned to him and gave him a warm smile.

"You have all had to take orders from other members of Brotherhood before yes?" he said.

"Well yes....." Natalia began but Sasha once again got in before she could begin her ramble.

"Well then this is no different, as I have already said, we are all on same team now, we are comrades and more importantly, brothers and sisters in arm, our fight is their fight as their is ours, we fight for same cause against same enemies, we will undoutably shed blood together and I am making sure that it is known that we Cossacks respect our allies and value them, it matters not wheather you have feathers or fur all our blood is red and we live, breathe and fight together as is Cossack way, this is the end of it, I have made my decision and Hunter Furytalon is now second in command of unit, you will follow her orders as you would follow mine and I am positive she will pay same respect to us and to me," Sasha said turning a very pointed and loaded look at the still surprised looking Condor.

"The Silent Eagles upholdl the values of Valkyrie honour, we are its chief guardians and the pinicle of what Valkyrie Featherguard strive to become, we will not let you down and this starts with me, I take your trust and will prove that we are worthy of it Master Knight," Celine said bowing her head slightly.

"Good! This is very good, see I say that non-humans make good allies and already they strive to prove my words true, now onto second order of buisness, team make up, I will split team into two groupps of four, this should be enough to hande most problems I think as if Silent Eagles are as good as Valkyries say then they should be able to keep up with a few ground based mammals I think," Sasha said shooting a smile of challange at Celine who clacked her beak but gave him a dark smile in return as if rather amused by his description.

"Count on it mammal, remember my ancestors hunted your kind for food so it will be no problems," she said.

"Well technically I think they hunted cyotes and rabbits and humans are related to mokeys so not quite," Ivan said with a shrug causing Celine to shoot him a somewhat angry look.

"Both have fur and both are mammals yes?" she said.

"In as much as you can call a Seagull a bird of prey because it it can spot a chip at two hundred meters yes," Ivan shot back making Cleine clack her beak in annoyance.

"I have friends who are of the Seagull genus, choose your next words more carefully human unless you wish me to begin calling you monkey from now on?" Celina said.

"He's been called worse," Natalia said causing the rest of the Cossacks and some of the Valkyries to chuckle.

"Of that i am not surpprised," Celine said.

"Hey now, we just meet these people and you already begin slandering my good name? This is an outrage!" Ivan said in mock outrage alll while wearing a smile that he aimed at Natalia.

"Alright lets get back on topic, I will lead team one, this will be made up of myself, Malina Celine and Edmund," Sasha said indicating both the large condor and the large Bald Eagle.

He then turned to the others and in another display of unity he decided to plae a Valkyrie incharge f the second team.

"Team two will be led by Ava and will be made up of the rest of you, I am making Natalia second in command of that team, when teams operate as one I am incharge and Celine will be second, is this understood?" Sasha said glancing at the large horned owl who was called Ava Nightwing.

Everyone around the table nodded and once again Celine seemed to both approve of his choice in assigning their second team under one of her own but alos of the whole layout as a whole.

"Good than we have our first thing to drink to," Sasha said reaching under the table and producing both a bottle and a series of glasses before placing them down before him.

"Now you're talking!" Ivan said rubbing his hands together in glee.

"Is this that Vodka of which you spoke earlier?" Celina asked leaning down to peer at the clear liquid closely.

"Indeed it is my new friend, it is customary among both the Cossacks and further at large the Russian people to welcome new friends and changes in life with a drink to show cameradery and togetherness, it shows that we are all one and no-one is btter than anyone else, we are all same," Sasha said twisting the cap off the bottle before pouring very delibritly equal measured into every glass and handing them out, delibretly leaving Ivan till last as he was way too eager.

Once everyone had a glass in hand Sasha held out his own towards the centre of the table and at first the Valkyries looked confused until they saw all of the Cossacks doing the same so they simply copied them.

"To new friends and comrades, may we go forth together and show our enemies the errors of their ways with the fire of our determination, to differences and simularities!" Sasha said.

"And many many bullets!" Ivan said making some of the others laugh.

"Or in our case, just the one," Celine said copying her new allies in clinking her glass against all of theirs though Sasha noted her eyes never left him as she did.

Now came the truth of the test as all of the Cossacks downed their vodka in a single gulp all of them slamming their glasses down as the powerful liquid hit them like a shovel, but it did at least warm the heart on its way past.

But the combined look on the Valkryies faces as they attempted to emulate their new comrades was one that Sasha would take to his grave, a look of pure surprise mixed with horror.

"It tastles like paint thinner!" Ava exclaimed and Sahsa noticed this was the first time he'd heard the horned owl woman speak.

"I think it took some of the laquer off my beak!" Alex the golden eagle exclaimed turning his head at an angle as if he was trying to examine his long hooked beak.

"You laquer your beak?" Natalia said raising an eye brow.

"Your human women paint your lips red I don't see how this is any different, some of us want to have a nice shiny beak to turn the boys heads," Alex said giving her a bit of a grin.

That made Sasha laugh as somehow he'd not envisioned any of them as gay but it appeared that just like with Ven and Gregory apperences had once again pulled the wool over his eyes, he really had to stop making assumtions with people, maybe this was a good lesson for life as a whole.

"Give the boys a few of these and I get the feeling they won't worry about how shiny your beak is more like they'll be more worried about why the floor suddenly looks so fucking close," Ava said slamming her glass down on the table.

"Ahh now she gets it!" Ivan said sounding triumphant as he gestured to the large horned owl girl.

"I'm pretty sure we use somthing simular to this to degrease engines back home," Celine said smalling her glass down hard enough to make the whole table shake and doing a damn good job of showing off the surprsing strength in those wings of hers.

"We don't waste good Vodka on such things we just use a pair of Ivan's old underpants, unfortunetly they tend to rust the metal as well," Natalai said making the large Condor woman bark a laugh that sounded like a screech but the grin on her beak made it obvious that she was highly amused by this.

"I wondered why they had more skidmarks than usual," Ivan shot back making a few of them grimace while the others simply laughed as Sasha poured a second round.

"I think the image of Ivan in his pants or just said pants alone is enough to warrent another drink but unfortunetly I do not belive there is enough Vodka left in all of mother Russia to erase such a thing from your brain," he said handing out the drinks and making sure he gave Celine hers first which by the smile he got in return was a gesture that did not go un-noticed.

"Can't hurt to try though right?" she said before saluting everyone with the glass and downing it.

"It doesn't get easier on the second one," Ava said making a hoot noise as she finshed it.

"Good Vodka never gets any easier, thats what makes it good, is Vodka's job to kick you in balls and remind you that you still yet live!" Ivan said as he downed his with a flourish.

"I don't have any ballls," Ava shot back making Natalia laugh.

"Well kick you in the tits then, I'd say if it kicks you in the overies it might have kicked you too hard," Ivan said making the Horned Owl first wince then laugh.

That's when Celine decided to enter the fray with a surprise of her own, she pulled out a bottle of an oddly thick looking purple liquid from her bag and placed it on the table.

"Since we have endured the paint thinner you call a drink I do belive its time you try somthing from our home, this is the drink of true warriors and it will put feathers on your chest gaurenteed!" she said grabbing the glasses and begining to pour the surpriingly thick looking purple liquid into them.

"Is that this fluff the tail feathers you mentioned?" Sasha asked and Celine looked at him with a raised eyebrow as she handed him his glass and he looked curiously at the thick liquid it contained.

"Good memory human and yes it is, I brought a bottle of it from home as it was my intention for me and my team to raise a glass to our first vitory where we would show you ground dwellers the might and superiority of the Valkyrie race, but now after being shown both honour and respect by you I feel it would be better served in how you say building these bridges of which you speak, you have surprised me but in a good way and i feel that this endevour the Elders have set us upon may yet have merit," she said as she finished pouring and began to hand the glasses out.

"I'll drink to that, I too will admit that I had my doubts about working side by side with non-humans but I recently have had an experience which has gone a long way to changing my mind about the merits and abillities as well as the trust worthiness of non-human species, now i belive that if this Seven of which the Free Peoples speak so highly of can do this, then we Cossacks can to, so since this is your toast Hunter Furytail I'll let you lead it," Sasha said raising his glass in preperation.

Celine smiled and nodded before doing the same and all of those gathered joined them.

"Here's to new beginings and honourable allies, may we all fight for a future that we can all enjoy in peace," she said.

"Well said big girl, салют!" Ivan said and as one they all downed their glasses though Sasha noted that Celine's eyes never left him as the thick liquid hit his tounge, she was obviously guaging his reaction to their native drink as he had guaged her it thiers.

The drink was both sweet and sour all at the same time, it initially had a strong hit of sourness that mellowed rapidly into a pleasing sweet berry taste, it did not quite have the kick to the teeth that Vodka did, more a sutble sneakiness that Sasha felt would lull one into beliving that it was not as potent as one belived before sneaking up and smacking you across the head, but it was pleasent all the same.

"Intresting, this drink makes me think of a French liquer I had once but that was made with oranges, I do not belive I have tasted this typpe of berry before, what is it?" he asked as Celine nodded her approval at his handling of their native drink.

"It is made with predominantly a type of strawberry that grows in our floating farms mixed with both cranberry and blue berry, but we do not juice the berries, instead they are ground into a thick paste that is then mixed with an alchoholic cream that is made in a special distelery," Celine said as she finished her own glass.

Sasha held out his glass towards to indicate that he would like a second shot and she once again nodded her approval of him embracing their traditions while doing the same with his.

"You seem to know a lot of its production?" Sasha said and Celine nodded.

"My family runs one of the biggest breweries in our territory and before I joined the Featherguard my father wished me to take over the buisness and when my service to my people is at its end I do still wish to return to that life, but until that day comes I will leave it in the capable hands of my younger brother," she said.

"Ahh you too know the joys and pains of siblinghood," Sasha said before recieving a kick under the table from his sister whom he shot an evil grin to.

Celine laughed upon seeing this and nodded her large head as her crest of dark feathers ruffled in what he guessed was a gesture that while unknown to him was mirrored among all the Valkyries aroun dthe table.