After a week of the crew in Germany catching up with each other and waiting on the next mission, the air was getting stiff around the barracks. Ying has yet to look her father in the eyes, let alone speak to him, Chao hasn't spoken a word to anyone since the day Ying and the others arrived in Germany and the commanding officer in charge of the current operation in Ireland hasn't been speaking directly with the crew since they got back. The situation didn't feel out of hand, but it felt like any wrong move would cause everyone around them to suffer. The tense atmosphere around the Six Guns crew intensified by the day, until finally the German naval officer in charge approached the crew in the barracks. Many others in the German barracks other than the crew was stiff and surprised to see someone so high ranking showing himself in the common barracks. A place used for housing trainees, mostly. "Ah, so this is the rest of them, ja?" the naval officer, Max says as he looks at Siran. "I heard your crew arrived, I figured we didn't have accommodations, but the training barracks would at the very least suit your basic needs. I trust your stay hasn't been unpleasant thus far?"
Siran blinks and waits, as if waiting for an insult. "He's certainly... polite."
"Well, animosity rarely sets the atmosphere well." Max responds. "Ack, but I have yet to introduce myself. I am Max Weber, Commander of the Germany Naval Corps. I have enough authority to both train and order our special forces, Kommando Spezialkräfte, also known as Die KSK. I heard the moment your crew arrived in Germany, had informed police forces and common military police to point you the direction of this facility. You see, I'd rather have kept everything possible under wraps. This operation's top priority is pure secrecy, anywhere outside of the military. We don't want any... news of either your involvement with Germany nor the operation we've commenced in joint with Ireland getting out. Not even a little."
"Plausible deniability." Vivi interrupts. "They want to settle this with plausible deniability."
"Well, when you say it like that, it sounds worse." Max adds. "I simply don't want more conflict than necessary to break out."
"What makes this conflict necessary?" Siran asks out of curiosity.
"Well... that is a tough question..." Max says as he thinks. "Right now, we have an unlikely ally. I never would've thought we'd have a joint task with Ireland of all countries. Not that we're particularly against them either. But, right now, the... problems within the U.K. have grown past their borders. With both Germany and Ireland being dying countries, we saw an opportunity. In helping reduce the issue seeping into their lands, we're strengthening the bonds between our countries. We plan to help reduce the issue, as they plan to go forth with their own plan of... reclaiming the north."
"Reclaiming the north?" Rose asks.
"Ja." Max replies. "Northern Ireland."
"Northern Ireland, is all but in name, part of the U.K." Vivi replies. "It's been that way for centuries."
"They want it back." Max adds. "Can't say I blame them. More and more, their lands lose fertility, especially with countries barring them from purchasing endo converters and climate control systems."
"Why are they barring them from that kinda equipment?" Tanya asks, shocked. "Millions of people will die if they don't get it."
"Ja." Max replies. "Propaganda is a hell of a weapon. When this problem with these so called... drones... broke out, surrounding British intelligence agencies, the U.K. denied all accusations. Accusations, which, came primarily from Ireland. They are their closest neighbor, after all."
"So, they want their northern territory back..." Siran says. "I guess I understand that much. But where does Germany come, with all this going on?"
"We have a similar disposition." Max replies. "You see, Germany has been split since the recovery period, following the Naris Catastrophe. Germany is once again split in two, the East and the West. Lately, there's been a sort of cold war between the two of us. I've caught more Eastern spies snooping around, doing too many things to recount... I want it to stop."
"Were you also separated from another country?" Rose asks.
"Nein." Max replies. "We split due to... religious differences. Even before the Naris Catastrophe, Germany lost its roots as a nation built on religion. This was seen as progress at first, but then the downward spiral began. There was nothing we could do, not when the voices of anti-religion grew too loud to argue against, and the power our government held grew ever-so-over reaching."
"I didn't know Germany was a religious nation." Haru adds.
"It's... not an accurate term." Max explains. "You are not required to practice religion, you are not required to believe the same. It's not that the country was run on religion alone, but we aligned our country's morals alongside the religion we were founded on. Yet, we eventually lost that. Following the Naris Catastrophe, many wanted to affirm Germany as it once were. Many countries around us just rebuilt the same state they fell in, but we saw what we needed to change. But too many were against it. It caused a divide. A divide we were never able to solve. It's not that I want to take down East Germany, I want to come to some sort of terms with them to resolve internal conflict. A way to reduce these under the table, backhanded attacks between the two of us. I want to reunite us, but more than that, I'm willing to throw away that dream if I could simply end the bloodshed between us."
"How does this help then?" Holly asks.
"The terms were" Max replies, "that we help Ireland regain their land. After that, they help us fund tech and other resources we can build on to then offer a strong pact with the East, to become strong allies rather than strong foes. A very long-term goal, one that may not even be realized in my time, but it's the most peaceful method I can think of."
"Peace via industry, huh?" Siran asks himself. "Yeah, I think I get it."
"Make them realize we can be more than enemies." Max says. "Show them we can show mercy to each other. Germany has been divided too many times as it is already. Last thing we need is more division."
"And the missions?" Siran asks. "What's left that needs to be done?"
"Well, our last insider had intel on where they're setting up their armored units in Northern Ireland." Max says. "As well as, he had files, photographs, videos even of some of the issues that if were exposed, would've made it impossible for the U.K. to deny the issue at hand."
"Unfortunately, he was found and shot dead before we got to him." Vivi adds.
"He was good people." Alex adds. "He didn't deserve to be caught up in this."
"We all made our choices to be here." Ying says.
"Yes, as unfortunate as it is, she is right." Max replies. "Unfortunately, propaganda is still one hell of a weapon. We can't use Hunters, since we can't legally put an entire country on a hitlist, but that's where your crew comes in. We can't let the world know we're involved in any way. So, when these three showed up, it certainly felt like... well, a Godsend. The only time anyone has spotted them, it's been in Ireland. As such, there's no credible proof we're involved. With your crew having notoriously been put on their nation's hitlist as one of the top sponsors for your crew's wanted poster for every Hunter out there, it seems to the world a... simple and direct dispute. We'd like to keep that facade. As for what's left, it simply depends on our confidant, Ireland. Luckily, their forces are... self depleting. Like a cancer, their drones are over-infesting their country as we speak. As such, it seems Ireland has but a little more to handle before they're confident the conflict will die down soon with a favorable outcome."
"We've got word on the next mission?" Vivi asks.
"After much talk about our current losses and progress, very much so." Max says. "Ireland has little resources, so they want this handled as swiftly as possible while also reducing war efforts as much as possible. They can't afford to feed every soldier if they stop every citizen from growing their own food to go fight a war. Which is why they reached out to us. The bad news is we lost multiple contacts inside of the north. The good news is, what followed after they so vehemently chased part of your crew out of Belfast, gave way for them to legally react with martial force. Successfully, I might add. I would say it turned out for the best, but any victory on the back of the dead is still built on the backs of the dead... so we weren't quick to celebrate."
"So... Belfast has been taken!?" Ying asks.
"Ja!" Max adds. "The conflict draws closer to its resolution!" A short cheer rang throughout the barracks from the surrounding soldiers. "Now, we have one more large push to make. Ballymena and Coleraine are the last two major cities within their control. Most territories near the borders have already been claimed. Yet, we only need to take one." Max takes out and unfolds a large map of the region. He points to lines drawn on the map and says "Here, surrounding the southern front of Ballymena. This is where we suspect their last armored battalion stands. Of course, having that intel would've helped a lot, but after much discussion between all heads of the operation, this is the plan we have formed. We want your crew to go there, not to kill and destroy them, but we want them deactivated if possible as we close in on Ballymena with several armored divisions. So long as they can't push us back out of Ballymena, we can send our negotiators to Coleraine to issue the treaty, forcing them to pull out of Ireland and remove their sanctions on environmental magi-tech. Giving them no choice but to sign."
"Then, what if they don't have anyone in Coleraine important enough to make such a decision?" Haru asks.
"We've already sent invitation for them to come." Max answers. "Ambassador and head of Security, Roger M. Bachanan. He's accepted the invitation quite easily."
"I smell a trap." Siran says.
"Indeed." Max adds. "Which is why it's so good to have the rest of you here. They have something up their sleeve. Something, and we don't know what. But as so, you do too. They don't know there's more than just three members of The Six Guns in Ireland."
"But... there's not..." Rose answers.
"There is now." Max says with a sinister smile. "Most of the world has known about your presence in Japan and Egypt. What they don't know is your presence here right now. That is our ace up the sleeve."
"So, a bait and trap?" Siran asks.
"Pull them out of their comfort zone, strike them down while they're confident." Max answers. "Taking them out while at their peak is a surefire way to prevent them making a comeback any time soon."
"Then what are our positions?" Alex asks.
"I want you in three groups." Max says. "You three who've been with me so far, frontlines."
"I should've seen that coming..." Vivi says, annoyed.
"The rest, on standby." Max adds. "I will have you stationed here, in Antrim. All of you, aside from the third group. Which includes you." Max then looks up and points at Siran.
"... Me?" Siran asks. "And...?"
"Just you." Max says. "You are group three. I want you here in Hamburg with me. If anything happens, we have overwatch here on base. We will be responsible for any backup plans to our backup plans. Currently, we have plans set to extract as fast as possible, if anything goes wrong. If that weren't possible, I'd like their leader to utilize their specialties to help them individually extract."
"... Why do you care though?" Siran asks.
"What a strange question." Max replies. "Do I have a reason to not care?"
"Well, with everyone lately knowing me as this... villain." Siran says. "Everyone believes we're responsible for the Black Skies Incident too. Why take care of my crew?"
"I don't think a man, nor a small group of thugs capable of something so ailing as the Black Skies Incident." Max answers with a straight and honest expression.
"You... don't believe we did it?" Siran asks.
"Had that been possible, I'm sure we would have seen many people try it to gain control of the world long ago." Max says. "This... magic, whether it be a blessing or a curse to the world is sure to have withdraws. I don't know what caused this, but had it been man-made... well, like I said already. Propaganda is a hell of a weapon. It would've been done before, had that been the case."
"Huh..." Siran says as he thinks to himself, both impressed and relieved.
"Now, operation is in two weeks." Max adds. "We have two days to prepare to leave, we will reach there within the end of the week. From there, we have several contacts to coordinate with before the operation begins. That is my job. I'll have Siran here with me to help me plan, and take some of this weight off of my shoulders. Once there, take your time and stay in hiding in Antrim. We have to take several shuttles, moving discreetly so that nobody knows it is Germany moving anybody or anything to Ireland. With them, we are sending modified armored vehicles, with marks and symbols removed. This will be quietly taken to Wexford, and modified further to their specifications. This way, it is not known the vehicles were German made. Everyone clear so far?"
"Well, what about what we're actually gonna be doing in Ireland?" Rose asks.
"Try not to plan too far ahead." Max says. "Leave that part up to me. We will likely have to adjust our approach as we draw nearer to the start of the operation. As such, I can't confidently give you a plan of attack as of yet."
"What about Chao?" Siran asks. "He's... not in the room right now."
"Group two." Max says. "I'll speak to him if you wish, but make sure to brief him on the situation."
"Tch" Ying scoffs.
Vivi elbows Ying in the side and harshly whispers "Zip it! Don't add to the issues right now. You're going to have to handle your issue after the operation."
"Yeah, yeah..." Ying replies. "I get it."