Hello, Carol

I can refer you to DRT dungeoneering trainers, but there's a newly awakened esper I know who was with the DRT when he awakened. Super late awakening. If you want, I can ask him if he'd be interested in training another new esper who's interested in dungeon ops.

Cheers,
Abel

Abel,

That would be fantastic!  You're the best.  Let me know what he says.

Sincerely,
Carol

Then Sinkhole will receive an email.

Sinkhole,

I am interested in helping train your partner in dungeon operations, and my commander has also given the go-ahead. I can go to where you are if you have training facilities; otherwise you can come to the Idaho Military Division in Boise.

V/R,
Conrad Ferrer
Specialist, Boise Dungeon Rescue Teams

Conrad,

If it wouldn't be an imposition, we'd like to use your facility.  It would help my partner familiarize himself with how other facilities are laid out.  The dates that would work best for us...

The rest of the email chain is dedicated to arranging dates, times, visitor's passes as necessary and assorted other logistics.

Western espers who want to get into dungeoneering typically get customized training programs set up for their agencies that accommodate their powers, but the DRT offers their dungeoneering training and resources to espers, too. It's in their interests to maximize the number and effectiveness of dungeoneering espers, after all.

Conrad will efficiently arrange the logistics and meet them at the gate.

Then soon enough, Conrad will be greeting a properly-papered and visitor-passed young man wearing a what appear to be black slacks and a burnt orange t-shirt with a plaid jacket over it.  Accompanied by him is -

His partner.  They're holding hands, because why wouldn't you.  Her clothing style matches his, although her style is snow-pattern camouflage pants and shirt.  No jacket on her, she's enjoying the summer sunshine.  Glance at the soldier's chest for his namebadge - yep, that's Ferrer.  "Specialist Ferrer?"  As if I can't read, but.  Social noises.  Tim's always talking about first impressions, maybe he'll learn how to give a confident one someday.  Maybe after his first core kill.

Why would you wear snow-pattern in summer????? Whatever. They are guests and don't have to wear uniforms.

"Yes. Good morning, Sinkhole," he says, offering a handshake. And does her partner have a name or a code name?

Unbeknownst to Conrad, she recently ran a white dungeon and does not, actually, want to sneak around a military base.  Also she thinks the pattern is pretty in this color.

Handshake!  Ooh.  Good compatibility.  Little smile with a chin-jerk indicating the handshake, then let go.  "It's good to meet you, Specialist.  This is my partner, Aumento.  Or if you prefer, I'm Carol and he's Tim.  Tim just manifested a few weeks ago and wants to learn the craft."  Of killing things.

Good compatibility on his side too! Not as good as with James, but he's definitely noting that. "Better to call me Ferrer, since Specialist is a common rank."

"Aumento," he says, and also offers a handshake.

"Ferrer, then."  Seems kind of impersonal but he is a soldier after all.  Firm handshake - and compatible!  Not quite as good as Carol, but pretty good overall.  "It's good to meet you, sir."

Better than with Carol. Huh. Does that make them a potential triangle guiding relationship?

"Oh, I'm not an officer. You don't have to call me sir. Or, I suppose I am...in terms of being a DRT officer — whatever. Please clip these visitor passes on you and I can escort you in."

"Yess-.  Er.  Yes."  Maman I know you raised me to be polite but that's going to be a had habit to be in.  Tim is happy to clip on a pass and Carol will as well.  Tim tugs on it slightly to make sure it won't come off, Carol doesn't bother.

In they go. Conrad starts explaining the layout and where some of the important places are, like the range, the obstacle courses, the mess hall, etc. "Please don't go off wandering and exploring on your own — you might inadvertently trespass. If you need to go somewhere or get anything, you can just call me."

He's going to lead them to a silo, which is laid out basically like a hotel room. "This is the silo that has been prepared for you. You can leave your stuff here." And then he's going to give them keycards to it.

"Got it.  Don't worry, I'm not going to be sneaking anywhere in this."  Carol tugs playfully at her completely inappropriate-for-the-purpose-in-this-time-of-year camo."

Tim nods along as well.  He's been absolutely drinking the place in with his eyes.  Hopefully I won't need to have this memorized, but you never know.  "We'll be careful, Ferrer."  Okay, great job, didn't 'sir' the not-an-officer-even-though-he's-an-officer.  Seriously, who comes up with this stuff?  Military etiquette is insane.

Okay, great. He nods.

"Let's go to the armory and I can check out equipment for us to use. Aumento, Sinkhole, what weapons training do you have?"

“Mostly a thirty-aught six.  Er, hunting rifle.  Shotgun for birds, and I carried a pistol for coyotes, but.  Mostly the rifle.”

“Opposite of Aumento.  I carry a .50 pistol in dungeons.  I’m rated for Melee, so a rifle doesn’t really march my skillset.  I can shoot one okay, though.”

"I see. We also mostly use rifles but we have pistols and shotguns here too. Though weapons training only comprises a part of dungeoneering training. Are you licensed?" He's assuming Sinkhole is but doesn't know about Aumento.

“Yes, I am.  Expires next October.” What, he thinks I’m going hunting without a license?

Carol simply nods twice.  Dungeon esper, of course she is.

Okay, great! He will lead them to the armory whereupon he will check out two M4A1 rifles for him and Aumento and a Sig Sauer M17 for Sinkhole, plus ammo. They'll need to sign these boxes.

"Have you used electronic hearing protection before?" He holds up chunky looking headphones with a flexible microphone attachment and a cord with plug.

“I haven’t.  Is it much different than normal noise-canceling earmuffs?”

"Yes, these are heavier duty. The way they work is that they cut you off from all sound — or as much sound as they can — and then add sound back in through speakers, amplifying quiet sounds and suppressing loud ones. It also means that you don't need to yell, because it can connect to the radio and microphone system." Anyway, he can help them put them on — the fit has to be adjusted to make sure it actually suppresses sound — and connect them so that they're all in the same frequency.