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Hey there, everyone. My name is Steve Rogers and I'm one of the people most recently summoned to the Free Cities. I'm also a good friend of Sam Wilson's — we've worked together for a number of years. I know he's made quite the name for himself here.

I've only been here for a little over a month, but in that time I've noticed a sudden increase in military activity within Cadens. There's increased drills and training exercises, equipment moving in and out, that kind of thing. I went by Fort Wilbridge and tried to ask some questions, but all they really had to say was that they were acting out of an abundance of caution. Almost like they're expecting something.

It seems suspicious, so I was wondering if anyone else has noticed a change in how the factions are behaving, whether it's something I haven't picked up on in Cadens or something going on in Thorne or Solvunn. I figure it might be a good idea to compare notes so we won't be completely blindsided if something else is coming our way.

That's all I've got for now, but it's nice to meet you all. In a manner of speaking, anyway.

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Sure. But if you go out there and get your arm bitten off, it is categorically not my fault.

[ Whoops, it was not her intention to lead anyone into a life of running around the desert hunting weird beasts... that's her job!! Good luck, bro.

After this, she doesn't answer for a while, waiting for all the chatter to die down because it is, frankly, distracting and irritating when everyone decides to just openly talk on the magic-mind-letters all at once.

Eventually, she reaches out again privately, more out of curiosity about this new person from Sam's world than anything else. Ciri's seen him in passing when visiting Mag's inn, but they haven't really had a chance to properly meet. ]

Hello, Steve. I wonder if you still have a headache from all that chatter earlier. That should teach you to have a free-for-all discussion, especially on politics.

You mentioned we have friends in other factions. I'd note that not all in the other locations -- and indeed, in this one -- are friends only because we are all Summoned.

[ Sam's attempts to think so and spread information have already been met with annoyance and suspicion from some among the Summoned, between those in Thorne and that big creep Goro, as far as Ciri's aware. It seems rather naïve to just put it out there openly. ]

I can take care of myself.

[ With so many messages coming in, almost too quickly for Steve to properly keep track, he doesn't even realize that she'd pulled back until she reaches out later. ]

Hey, Ciri. The headache's gone down a little, thanks for asking. [ And yes, he should have had a guess for how this was going to go. Granted, not all of the discussion had been political. There had been plenty of horsing around and petty arguments about other things, too. ]

You're right. As much as I think it makes sense for us to try and work together and coordinate across factions, I never figured everyone would be on board with that. When I talked about friends, I meant people that Sam and I know from home. And even among us, there's been infighting in the past.

[ In theory, they should all be on the same side here. Of course, it's never that simple. ]

A loud bunch, aren't they? You seem close. Or... something like that.

[ Frankly, Ciri's a bit worried that all this warning one another and getting together to exchange notes in ways that aren't the least bit covert is going to come back and bite a lot of them in the ass. Mostly Sam, probably. He's been out there trying to do this sort of thing from the start, and progress seems to be going backwards, if in any direction at all.

But Ciri doesn't belabor the point. Her warning to Steve stands; he can take it or leave it. ]

I have a friend in the barracks. I'll ask him to keep an ear to the ground.

I guess you could think of it a little like a family, even if none of us are related by blood.

[ Steve's not usually the one to use that term for it, but Natasha always had, and it's not like she'd been wrong. The least he can do as call it how it is when she's no longer here to do so. (When she'd fought so hard to keep them together.) ]

I'd appreciate that. Is this another summoned, or someone from here?

Family is who you choose. Doesn't matter if you're blood or not. You're lucky to have one another in this place.

[ She doesn't consider it selfish to be grateful for having people here who care about you, even if it means everyone is trapped here together. It's better than being trapped alone. ]

Another Summoned. I'll let you and Sam know if I hear anything worthwhile

[ Considering she'd tell Geralt, and Geralt would tell Sam. In any case, she agrees to some extent with keeping their allies on the same page; she just might be less lenient on who is considered an ally, if left to her own devices. ]

Yeah, I know not everyone here necessarily has their people with them.

[ Which is why even if there's conflict between them, and even if not all of them get along all the time, Steve isn't going to take it for granted. Especially when he has no idea what happens to him back home, or why. ]

I'd appreciate that, Ciri. And pass on my thanks to your friend, too.

[ He assumes there's a reason she isn't calling this person out by name. ]

[ It's more that his name is unnecessary, and she's not sure Sephiroth would appreciate her volunteering him to answer questions for people he doesn't know on top of her. He's a reserved person; it's courtesy, not secrecy.

Not that she bothers to explain. ]

Sure.

[ And that's that.

For a day or two. Eventually, and without preamble-- ]

The soldiers are being told to check for magical items being smuggled in. Though currently they seem to be relying on a random stop and search method, judging by all the disgruntled merchants complaining at me these days.

[ Steve almost isn't expecting any kind of update. He's aware that sometimes people will make promises, but follow-through isn't necessarily to be expected.

Ciri proves herself to be reliable by reaching out again. ]

Magical items? You would think there would be some sort of way that they could sense for that. [ Like a magical luggage scanner? Maybe? ] Anyway, I'm assuming they're worried that sort of thing is being smuggled in from Thorne. Or they just want to strip it all down for raw materials.

[ If Sephiroth hadn't been able to get any information, maybe-- but since she has it, and she gave her word, Ciri makes good on her promise. This is information she's already told Geralt anyway, and Sam will learn it soon enough as well, if he hasn't already. Steve is a new arrival, but considering how close he appears to be with Sam, Ciri's under no impression that he won't receive the same information any of them discover and choose to share with Sam. May as well just start including him. ]

Difficult to tell. My first thought was Thorne as well, but possibly both. For being so fond of technology over magic, I don't expect them to disregard powerful materials if they can be put to use.

My friend said the attitude among the soldiers carrying out these orders is that it's more for show than because they expect to confiscate anything particularly important. The idea is that everyone knows security is up at the gates. Traders will be more likely to think twice before smuggling anything they might get in trouble for.

So it's more about putting everyone on edge. I'd believe it.

Still, I think you're right that they're not going to just discard or destroy the magical items that they pick up along the way. If anything, it might be incorporated into their research somehow.

The Free Cities' method seems to be incorporating magic or alchemical components into machinery, or otherwise combining them with their scientific views. It's a different way of using the same raw materials, from what I can tell.

But I would believe they're being cautious about an attack from Thorne as well -- or simply the idea that such an attack might be imminent. The soldiers may not believe it's a pressing issue, but that sort of caution and tends to cause a ripple effect.

I just don't know if the idea is to make the citizens more tolerant of any fighting that breaks out, or if they have real cause to suspect threats.

Right, and that means they can probably make some use of the items they're confiscating.

From what I've heard from people who are in Thorne, they seemed to be taking a more defensive measure. Like they're preparing for an attack on the castle. If both factions just batten down the hatches, then it's still going to take a spark to kick things off.

Or they know something we do not.

Entirely possible. They don't seem all that eager to share information with us, which seems counterintuitive when they went to all the trouble of bringing us here.

[ Then again, SHIELD — and Hydra — had taken him out of the ice and then continually lied to him, so he shouldn't be surprised. ]

It doesn't seem counterintuitive to me. Cautious, more like.

They know we'll do exactly what most of us have already been doing: this. Collaborating, sometimes across borders. Why give us anything until we're needed?

For what it's worth, it seems my friend is receiving the same information as any other soldier his rank. I'll let you know if anything else worthwhile comes up.

Yeah, I figured they would be more forthcoming if we met them halfway, so to speak.

[ It's more than halfway, given that the average person brought here isn't going to jump to join the army. Maybe Ciri's friend is doing it for the same reasons that Viktor suggested, as a means to earn some of that trust, to get access to intel. ]

It's good we have at least one person on the inside. And I appreciate you sharing what he's learned.

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