Following Ariana's mission briefing, Silas wanted nothing more than to slip away quietly.
Normally that would have been exactly what he did. The problem was perception.
Everyone present was an Elite Officer or higher. While Team Rocket was filled with ruthless individuals, completely isolating oneself was rarely a good strategy. Networks mattered. Allies mattered. Information mattered.
Silas had learned that lesson long ago.
A lone wolf sounded impressive until a pack surrounded it.
Because of that, he remained in the common area and mingled with the other officers.
Among the dozens present, there was one group he found surprisingly easy to get along with.
Raiga, Pierce, & Dan.
The 3 officers had ambitions of climbing higher within Team Rocket, but unlike many others, they weren't constantly scheming against everyone around them. That alone made them refreshing company.
Silas made a conscious effort to build a good relationship with them.
It was always better to gain another friend than another enemy.
As they talked, Silas learned that all 3 of them were war orphans, just like him. The difference was that they were originally from Johto.
The shared background created an immediate connection.
Their pokemon reflected their personalities as well.
Raiga's partner was a Donphan, Pierce's was Skarmory and Dan's ace was a Heracross.
Silas discreetly scanned all 3.
Donphan — Level 42
Ability: Sand Veil
Potential: B-
Moves: Rank B Rollout, Rank B Defense Curl, Rank C Earthquake, Rank C Stealth Rock, Rank C Fire Fang, Rank C Thunder Fang, Rank C Horn Attack, Rank C Bulldoze, Rank C Knock Off, Rank C Ice Shard, Rank C Play Rough, Rank C Protect, Rank C Poison Jab
Heracross — Level 43
Ability: Moxie
Potential: B
Moves: Rank B Close Combat, Rank B Horn Attack, Rank B Brick Break, Rank C Pin Missile, Rank C Aerial Ace, Rank C Arm Thrust, Rank C Rock Blast, Rank C Protect, Rank C Shadow Claw, Rank C Night Slash, Rank C Outrage, Rank C Swords Dance
Skarmory — Level 42
Ability: Weak Armor
Potential: B-
Moves: Rank B Spikes, Rank B Tailwind, Rank B Steel Wing, Rank C Iron Head, Rank C Air Slash, Rank C Iron Defense, Rank C Wing Attack, Rank C Slash, Rank C Drill Peck, Rank C Scale Shot, Rank C Roost, Rank C Sky Attack, Rank C Body Press
Silas nodded inwardly.
These pokemon were strong, not extraordinary like Ariana's Umbreon but strong enough to garner respect even in Team Rocket.
Character was important when selecting allies, but strength mattered too. A trustworthy ally who couldn't contribute during a crisis wasn't nearly as valuable as someone capable of helping win battles.
Dan eventually handed Silas his contact information. The gesture was small, but meaningful.
They would be operating in the same section of the mission.
Specifically, both squads would be responsible for intercepting League reinforcements approaching the SS Anne.
Silas accepted the contact information and saved it immediately.
The conversation shifted toward deployment.
Silas learned that his squad had been assigned as one of the aerial support teams.
That made sense.
Tropius could comfortably carry multiple passengers.
Rex would also be participating in the aerial operation.
What surprised Silas was the pokemon Rex intended to use.
"Aerodactyl."
Silas raised an eyebrow.
"Aerodactyl?"
Rex grinned.
"Level 41."
That explained things.
Andra looked mildly annoyed.
"Some people get all the luck."
Rex laughed.
Apparently the Aerodactyl had been a Team Rocket reward.
During a previous mission, Rex discovered an Old Amber containing viable DNA. Team Rocket scientists had restored several ancient pokemon from the sample.
As the discoverer, Rex was allowed to claim one.
Silas couldn't deny the value.
Aerodactyl was fast with one of the highest base speed among all Pokemon.
Combined with aerial mobility, it made for an ideal scouting pokemon.
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough room for multiple passengers.
That meant Andra would be riding with Silas.
Fortunately, Tropius was large enough to comfortably carry them both.
The rest of the evening passed peacefully.
Everyone eventually returned to their assigned quarters.
Tomorrow was mission day and nobody wanted to arrive tired.
The following day was surprisingly quiet.
Silas dedicated it entirely to recovery.
His pokemon spent most of the day relaxing.
Monferno meditated.
Electabuzz refined his Calm Mind practice.
Frogadier alternated between rest and shadow training.
Ursaring slept for several hours before waking up and demanding food.Tropius enjoyed direct sunlight whenever possible. Eevee relaxed as well.
Silas only scheduled a single hour long run during the afternoon. Every member of Spartan needed to be at peak condition.
This mission would involve genuine combat against experienced trainers.
While resting, Silas spent considerable time reviewing his options. More specifically, his trump cards.
Monferno and Electabuzz couldn't be revealed unless absolutely necessary.
The risk was too high.
Both pokemon had become major identifying factors. Not many people owned a Monferno in Kanto.
However, Silas didn't necessarily need to use the pokemon themselves. He could use their power.
Through careful experimentation, he had discovered something interesting. His Pokémon's psychic energy and aura could be borrowed.
Combined with his own abilities, Silas could temporarily push his physical capabilities to an astonishing level for approximately 5 minutes.
During that time, he could erupt with power equivalent to a level 38 pokemon.
The technique wasn't sustainable and was exhausting but it could save his life. That alone made it worthwhile.
Silas smiled slightly.
A few months ago he had been a helpless victim of tragedy.
Now he possessed multiple hidden trump cards. Life really was unpredictable.
The following morning arrived quickly.
It was mission day.
Silas woke before sunrise. As usual, he completed his morning routine. His pokemon joined him. Together they ran through Diglett's Cave.
Normally they would have completed the full route. Today they shortened the exercise.
Nobody wanted unnecessary fatigue before an important operation.
When they returned, the atmosphere inside the base had changed. The joking was gone.
The casual conversations had vanished. Even the more arrogant officers kept their mouths shut.
Everyone understood the stakes. This wasn't a training exercise or a routine mission.
This was a major Team Rocket operation. Failure would have massive consequences.
The SS Anne was scheduled to arrive at 3 PM.
That left roughly 3 hours for deployment. The infiltration teams had already departed. Their forged identities were prepared and disguises were ready.
Soon they would board the ship as ordinary guests. Then, when the signal arrived, they would reveal themselves.
The support teams would operate differently.
Team Rocket possessed 5 submarines.
These vessels would transport support personnel into position around the ship.
The aerial squads would remain hidden until combat officially began. Only then would they reveal themselves.
Time passed quickly.
Soon the order to embark was given. The SS Anne would sail approximately an hour south of Vermillion into the Emerald Sea.
The region earned its name from the distinct green coloration of the water. The sea was also famous for Aqua Emerald deposits.
These gemstones held little value to pokemon. Humans, however, valued them similarly to gold.
Silas followed the crowd toward the submarine bay.
Like most major Rocket installations, the Vermillion Base connected directly to the ocean through underground tunnels.
The organization had clearly invested enormous resources into the facility.
When Silas finally saw the submarines, he couldn't help but stare.
They resembled giant Seaking, the design was brilliant. Wild pokemon would naturally avoid them.
Most creatures preferred not to provoke something that appeared capable of eating them.
The squads formed orderly lines, 1 by 1 they boarded. Ariana moved throughout the area assigning final pairings.
Silas noticed she intentionally grouped compatible squads together. The decision wasn't random.
She had clearly observed interactions over the last few days. Dan's group and Silas' group ended up sharing the same submarine.
Each submarine carried 9 personnel. 2 squads of 3 officers and 3 crew members.
As they approached the vessel, Dan grinned.
"You guys ready to kick some ass and take some names?"
"Hell yeah."
Silas found himself grinning as he slapped hands with Dan despite the cheesy cliches.
The excitement was infectious. This mission represented opportunity. Success could launch his reputation to a completely different level.
"We'll watch your backs if you watch ours."
Andra crossed her arms. She trusted Silas and Rex but the new trio was another matter entirely.
Pierce noticed immediately.
"Don't worry beautiful, my Skarmory will protect you in your time of need."
His eyes lingered a little too long and everyone present noticed it.
Silas immediately sighed.
Of course, everything had been going smoothly but naturally someone had to make things awkward.
Dan reacted first.
Smack!
His hand connected with the back of Pierce's head. At the same time, Raiga wrapped him in a headlock.
"Idiot. Why provoke people we're about to fight alongside?"
Dan shook his head.
"She might save our lives later."
Raiga tightened the headlock.
"And if she hesitates because you're being weird, that's on you."
Pierce immediately surrendered.
"Alright, alright. That's my bad."
He raised both hands then he looked toward Andra.
"Sorry, I'll behave."
The apology appeared genuine so Silas decided to help smooth things over. The last thing they needed was tension between squads.
"Let's start over."
Andra studied Pierce for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Please just don't let it happen again."
Silas was pleasantly surprised.
She was looking at the bigger picture. That level of maturity would serve her well.
Before the conversation could continue, the submarine captain interrupted.
"Board now."
The order immediately ended the discussion.
The 2 squads entered the vessel and moved toward their assigned seats.
The interior was surprisingly comfortable. A compact open chamber filled most of the submarine.
Control stations occupied the front section. Retractable cushioned seats lined both sides. Soft blue lighting reflected off polished surfaces. The atmosphere felt calm, peaceful even.
The contrast between the comfortable environment and the dangerous mission ahead was striking.
The 3 crew members immediately assumed their positions at the helm. Meanwhile, the 6 Team Rocket officers settled into their seats behind them.
Nobody spoke for several moments.
The engines hummed quietly as the submarine began moving.
Dark ocean water surrounded them as they descended deeper beneath the waves.
The mission had begun. Just like that, there was no turning back.