TFA1 5.15 - Seira and Keira

  Tiananmen Square 1989, QRF Element Complex.

  09:05, 18 Aug 2025

  In the east side of QRF Element Complex in Magwurt City, lied a mid-size park and jogging area. There was no specific name for this park and jogging area initially. However, after a few Chinese folks used it as a place to hold recollection of Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, and offered join praying for the victims, people started to call it Tiananmen Square 1989, and it stuck, and found its way to become official name.

  In this park and jogging area, or Tiananmen Square 1989 as the official name suggested, Vex leisurely enjoyed his spare time. Two days ago, he had completed the survey in Herron Mountains. Now, before going back to Harley Quinn he took his time to study a report summary made by Lt. Colonel Slane.

  The report said that hundreds of farmers and agricultural experts from Northern Coalition had attended agricultural seminar held on Berril Plain. The seminar only lasted for 12 days, but according to Agriculture Developing Group it was sufficient to transfer the necessary knowledge.

  Since Northern Coalition had to send Nouel up to a certain quota to Kingdom of Makai, they would sacrifice some farmland to be planted with plant Nouel until it reached total damaged. Then, it would enter the recondition program. As for the rest of the farmland, it would be planted with foodstuffs and being reconditioned until it was ready to be replanted with Nouel.

  Amethyst Merchant fully bore the costs of the seminar and accommodation for the participants. The farmers would also get superior Nouel and various seeds for free. A few days ago the seminar was finally over, and the Northern Coalition farmers led by an agricultural expert named Maester Rig sent their deepest gratitude to ADG and Amethyst Merchant.

  Maester Rig even volunteered to become an intern at ADG. After intensive examination by IDG, it was concluded that Maester Rig was a fanatical agricultural expert who had no affiliation to any authorities or group. So, Lt. Colonel Slane gladly granted his request and even designed a mission for him.

  Maester Rig was asked to provide counseling on the regions along the entrance to Desolate Land. There are 18 Regions in total, starting from the Region bordering the Northern Coalition to Rowane Region which was located at the tip of northern border, right before Kingdom of Horrep.

  Maester Rig's primary objective was to increase the production of foodstuffs such as wheat and cereal crops. As well as making sure that the 18 Regions near the entrance to Desolate Land were willing to open new Nouel farmlands, up to a radius of 2 km from Desolate Land entrance, just before the South High Road.

  If the 18 Regions agreed, then 52 km wide and 962 long new Nouel Farmland would be formed, and TF Amethyst would provide the security to guard it from Dangerous Wildlife.

  Lt. Colonel Slane had also started a trade relationship with Northern Coalition. Other than firearms, explosives, radio communications, vehicles, and other equipment that could provide tactical advantages, Amethyst Merchant was happy to sell other commodities, and Northern Coalition took it like dry fields absorbing water.

  At the same time, Amethyst Merchant offered a slightly higher Nouel price compared to Kingdom of Makai. Therefore, other than the Nouel for mandatory quota, it was certain that Northern Coalition and other Regions bordering the Desolate Land would sell the rest of their Nouel to Amethyst Merchants.

  The incident on Berril Plain had indeed delayed Amethyst Merchant's plans to enter Makai Royal City. However, since Amethyst Merchant got the opportunity to spread its wings to other places, Lt. Colonel Slane wasn't too disappointed.

  For today, Vex decided he's going to relax the whole day before returning to Harley Quinn tonight. He sat on a wooden bench enjoying the morning air while next to him Big Brown lying casually. Big Brown was a big German Shepherd ex-K9 of QRF Unit who had been with him since he arrived in Magwurt City.

  Vex was about to deeply inhale morning air when two little girls suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and looked intensely at Big Brown. Both of them had cute faces, brown hair that falls straight down to their backs, and wore matching pants and t-shirts.

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  The older girl turned her gaze to Vex before saying, "Uncle, can we play with Big Doggie?"

  While inwardly holding back his laughter Vex answered, "Of course you can, but introduce yourself first, then call me Lucan, and this is Big Brown not Big Doggie."

  After nodding her head three times, the older girl pointed at her own nose. "Seira, I’m six."

  “…”

  Seira then pointed to the younger girl, "Keira, she is four."

  "All right, nice to meet you Seira and Keira. Now, you can play with Big Brown."

  As soon as they got permission, Seira and Keira immediately stroked and rubbed Big Brown, who seemed enjoy it so much.

  Vex thought Seira and Keira would take Big Brown to run around the park or play catch using Frisbee he put next to Big Brown. However, Seira and Keira just stroked Big Brown starting from the head, back, and then rubbing his belly. Even so, from their laughter it was easy to tell they were very happy with what they were doing.

  Without realizing it, Vex starting to smile whenever Keira and Seira chuckled, and time flew fast just like that until lunchtime finally arrived.

  And so, Vex couldn’t help but wondering, ‘Where are their parent? How could they leave their child in the park alone for nearly two hours?’

  With a gentle tone Vex then asked, "Seira, where are your parents?"

  Without turning to Vex and continuing to caress Big Brown's belly Seira answered, "Jessie lives in California, while Daddy's going to a very far place."

  "Then, who are you currently living with?"

  "Big Sis Lan."

  Of the thousands of TF Amethyst personnel there was only one person with the first name 'Lan', and it just so happened that Vex knew her.

  First Lieutenant Lan Yan'er, the best psychologist TF Amethyst had. She was born to a Chinese couple with Canadian citizenship. When she tried to get a scholarship for surgeon program from Canadian Navy, Lan Yan'er was instead being directed to take a scholarship for psychology.

  She then completed her psychology program brilliantly, and she had a very solid experience through a Canadian government-sponsored humanitarian mission. She later also succeeded in getting an assistant surgeon's certificate.

  With the expertise and field experience she had accumulated, Lan Yan'er should have become a Lieutenant Colonel. However, her love for fieldwork made her repeatedly refused the promotions.

  Medic Quarter personnel gave Lan Yan'er the Madonna as her nickname, another words for primadona which referred to the large number of man and woman who send her love letters. Meanwhile, the children in Settlements 116 called her Miss El-tee.

  And the relationship between Vex and Lan Yan'er could be described as water and fire, after Lan Yan'er found out that Vex had tried to kick out the children from Settlements 116 when they were in Medic Quarter.

  'Fuck me.'

  Vex sighed silently as he recalled the sharp gaze Lan Yan'er gave him when they accidentally passed each other on Harley Quinn. Even so, it didn't mean that Vex had negative sentiments to Seira and Keira just because they were relatives of woman who were hostile to him.

  'Well, I think there's nothing wrong to take these two to a lunch before taking them home.'

  Vex then turned his gaze to Seira and Keira. "I'm going to have an ice cream, would you two come with me?"

  Seira tilted her little head for a moment before asking back, "Is Big Brown coming too?"

  "He is."

  "Then, we'll come too."

  A smile immediately bloomed on Vex's lips while he carried Keira and held Seira's hand. Together with Big Brown, the three then went to Chow Hall.

  ---

  Chow Q, QRF Element Complex

  12:15, 18 Aug 2025

  Chow Q was a Chow Hall devoted to personnel who were on QRF rotation. Therefore, it was not strange that many visitors to Chow Q wore full-body gear and carried their weapons. Some of them even brought Javelin or Carl Gustav.

  Chow Q's interior was far from the military style and looked more like a mid-class restaurant. The tables consisted of a table of two or four. The menu was also two levels higher than regular chow hall, with 23 hours of service and off service at 23.00 - 00.00 for cleaning.

  After washing their hands in the sink beside the entrance, Vex led Seira and Keira to the queue. First, he helped Seira and Keira get their lunch before leading them to a table of four. Only then he took his own lunch and a few links of plain sausages for Big Brown.

  Vex was about to sit when Seira asked him, "Lucan, where's the ice cream?"

  "After you finish your lunch, you can get as much ice cream as you want."

  Seira and Keira nodded together and the lunch began.

  The menu at Chow Q was not designed as Kid Meal, so Vex had to make sure that Seira and Keira could enjoy their lunch without using a knife and just using a fork. He skillfully cut Keira and Seira's fried chicken into one small bite.

  "Aaaa...."

  Without any warning, Keira who sat next to Vex suddenly approached him while opening her mouth. Vex smiled reflexively, and then fed Keira a piece of fried chicken and asparagus.

  At the same time, Seira looked expectantly at him, and Vex responded by feeding her too.

  Several QRF female personnel tried to suppress their laughter when they saw Vex feeding Seira and Keira, but Vex ignored them. This was not the first time he fed a child in a public place.

  After Seira and Keira finished their lunches, Vex took them to dessert counter to get ice cream, and while Seira and Keira were enjoying their ice cream, he ate his lunch.

  *****