Veteran's Choice (Helmet)

Ranger Citadel

Exterior Area

Command Tent

General Vargas had a delighted look on his face. He wanted to fast-track the veteran's curiosity in the guns they brought to pacify their excitement. Sensing that prolonging them from touching these new toys will probably hurt the camaraderie they have. More specifically, the problem of having both the Quartermaster and Ethil banging down his door and asking him to fix the mess. Since the Ghost Team was amicable about it, and Bear volunteered for it. He was more than happy about it.

"General, 3 HVT's are nearing the Yunca Village." Woodson handed an MRT to Vargas, briefing him on the strangers' status that broke off from the perimeter intruders. "Team Whiskey is in position for a 'Grab.'"

Vargas nodded as he watched the Real-Time Display on the tablet. Earlier, the instant the Division's people found the intruders, they immediately made him aware of their position, numbers, and even now, their status. He rocked his head with all the mambo-jumbo they were saying, but the gist of it all was that they have an eye in the sky 24/7. Or so they say.

"Have Faye's Team make a snare trap on the southwest alleyway," Vargas ordered. "Since we're not sure who they are, we can't be sure they react the way we wanted to."

"Sure, General." Woodson relayed the order.

Vargas heave a deep breath as he glued his eyes on the MRT, watching every move made by Team Whiskey. Regardless even if the feed has a 1.4-second delay. This was his first Real-Time Mission View. Excitement and nervousness are mixing in right now. The anxious days of waiting on the radio, always expecting the best but definitely preparing for the worst, are nearing their end.

Located in the northeast entrance of the Yunca Village. Team Whiskey positioned themselves in a "C" ambush formation. They hid in whatever they can overlooking their designated kill zone area, the Northeast entrance. Whiskey did a spectacular job in making sure the place looks like the Jaberon, Deslin, and Porker's group were still here. The dried blood, wrecked environment, and trashy dub music.

"HVT's has entered the kill box," Woodson narrated.

A hand on his mouth and a shaking leg as Vargas anxiously watch on. Then moments later, a tiny bright light flashes out near the HVTs. Disorienting them. Recognizing it as a Flashbang, Vargas held a tighter grip on his cane as the situation progresses.

The first HVT was quickly knocked down by one of the members of Team Whiskey. The second HVT, however, blindly firing in multiple directions and was quickly gunned down. The last HVT ran down the southwest alley, exactly what Vargas expected. But what he didn't expect is the HVT actually dodged the trap. He raised a brow as he thinks it's dumb luck or does Team Whiskey fucked it up. Fortunately, the HVT got shot in the leg before they got too far away.

"Sir, Team Whiskey reported in," Woodson informed Vargas. "1 down, 1 injured, and 1 unconscious. ETA to the base is within 2.5 hours."

"No," Vargas sighed and smiled as he glanced at Woodson. "Have them circle around through Ag Center, then to Ranger Citadel. Can't have this rude guest of ours figuring out something is wrong and bugging out. And call Matt about this, just in case."

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Ranger Citadel

Exterior Area

Firing Range

Houmin intentionally slowed putting on the helmet so the crowd can see better how to use it. Bear pointed at the helmet and started his description. "Beginning with the helmet, it's a rated high cut ballistic helmet--meaning it can withstand a seven-six-two by fifty-one bullet. Not only that, but it also came with an attachment for any situation and style."

"Hm?" a collective reaction from the Rangers. To them, a helmet was just to protect your head from shrapnel. Isn't that what a helmet really is? Hearing that the helmet can be fitted with attachments puts the more traditionalist on edge. Yet, they can't outright voice their complaints.

Bear pointed out an array of gadgets & attachments on the table. "An ear protection mount, a visible light, and Infrared light, a Night Optical Device mount, a tether, and a battery pack. Now, I'm seeing most of you--Okay, heh, all of you are pretty much confused about what I just said."

Bear turned his head to Houmin and handed him all the gadgets. Houmin took off his helmet, placed it on the table. The Rangers watched him put everything on the helmet. As he was doing it, Bear continued on, "The groves and patches you see on the helmet are where you place the gadgets in. Observe carefully. He puts a mount in the front, the Infrared light on the left, the visible light on the right, and the battery pack on the backside."

"You said something about a Night Optical Device; I can't imagine just how heavy it is putting it on your head feels like."

This question isn't entirely without fault. Houmin remembered a youtube clip about the '80s-'90s for special forces in night vision history. They were heavy as a brick, and putting them on for more than an hour was giving you neck pains.

Bear didn't laugh and showed them a tube-like gadget, "Don't you worry. What we have for you instead is a Monocular Night Vision Device, MNVD. A compact, lightweight gadget for your need."

Bear passed the MNVG to Houmin, "That mount in front is for Night Vision Devices. As you can see, Our boy here is also attaching it to a tether just in case the gadget got caught to something. It doesn't fall to the ground and only just dangle to your face. I guarantee you, you cannot afford to lose this thing."

As everything seems to be in place, Houmin moves his head around for a bit to check the helmet's balance is okay. Thanks to the retention system in the helmet, it mostly feels comfortable in his head. He pressed a part in the NVG mount and carefully lead it down to his right eye. He then turned it on and swing his head around. He flipped it back up and switched on the visible light. This gained a voice of wonder from the Rangers.

"Another is this ear protection," Bear added, "You can attach it on the helmet, or you can wear it under the helmet. It's up to you. Also, it can be fitted with your radio and microphone, a 2-in-1 function, protection, and communication device."

"Hey now, haha. Okay." Ian spoke out as soon he felt Bear was done. "Are you really sure it's for us? You're not pulling on our leg or something?"

Only, Bear replied with a nod.

"Baby Jesus be praised..." Ian said with a gleeful expression, "What you got there is something really special. But is it true? Can it really stop a round that big? I don't mean nothing about it, but from where I'm standing, it kinda looks like a kid's toy."

"It's rated, guaranteed, and proven." Bear expressionlessly replied. He places the same helmet, without any gadgets or attachments on it, on the table, "Anybody wanted to try it on?"

Ian had a satisfied expression on his face and didn't say anything more.

"I'm down for it," the female ranger with a scar on her chin stood up and walked forward.

"Sure, what's your name, Ranger." Bear studied her as she reached for the helmet, puts it on with difficulty. He gestured for Houmin to help her.

"It's Demi Wallace," The ranger replied. Too busy listening to what Houmin was saying.

"How is it?" Houmin asks. Constantly looking between Demi's reaction and if the helmet is not causing any problems. "You can adjust the fit by using the retention system if you're not feeling it."

Indeed, Demi was having trouble fitting it as when she tilted her head, the helmet kinda drops down, not staying in place. She followed Houmin's instruction and showed a nodding expression as the helmet no longer drops when she tilted her head.

"Any itchiness, tightness, or discomfort?" Houmin asked.

Demi shook her head in response.

"Great," Houmin gave her a visible light gadget, instructing her what to do. "See the groves in here? You have to line it up in the rail on either side of your helmet, then slide it in. You tighten up these turns so this thing can be secured. Clear?"

Demi gave him a nod. She inspected the gadget first before following Houmin's instruction. First, she lines it up, tried to slide it in... She glared at him as it really isn't working out.

Houmin reassured her as he showed her the correct way to do it. Finally, the light attachment was inserted and secured. Demi tilted her head as she tried to feel the balance on the helmet. "It won't be a problem, but you can feel the subtle weight on it."

Next, Demi turned the light on as she tried to get a feel of using it. She repeatedly turned it on and off, flashing it to her colleague. Which in turn, they all goofed around as Demi played with it.

"It's reliable," Bear chided in, "You can try all day. It won't break that easily. Don't forget to use the battery pack. The Visible light has an internal battery, but it's better to use the battery pack. Houmin, why not help her with the MNVD and the IR Laser."

With the MNVD, NOD mount, tether, and IR Laser in hand, Houmin stood in front of Demi, "Ranger, can you tilt your head down? I'll be helping you put this on."

"Do people like you often used this kind of stuff?" Demi asked just to break the silence.

Houmin stopped for a second as he looks back at her. It's not much the question that surprised him. Rather, it's the person who's asking it. A short-haired, nose pierced, lip pierced, hard-ass woman. The surprising thing about her is her voice; it didn't match her looks. It's like your talking to a pop singer with that voice.

"Hm?" Houmin resumed attaching the gadgets on her helmet, "If people like me? That's gonna be hard to say. People like Bear? It's more of their go-to thing."

"Like him?" Demi flinched in surprise. "There's a difference between you two?"

"Absolutely," Houmin finished placing the mount and move in with attaching the tether, "People like me are... more of a specialized role. While people like Bear were more of a--Hmm... Warfighters. For lack of a better word."

"Then who's better?" Demi asked. She tilted her head to get a feel on the MNVD like she suddenly had horns on her forehead.

"If it's a one on one, I might- I might get a chance." Houmin humored her. "If it's a team fight? I'd be lucky if I can get them on a firefight that lasts more than 2 minutes-- No, scratch that. I'd be dead. His team against anyone of us? We'd be dead. There! I think it's done, everything's fitted now. The battery pack will serve as the balancer. Check it yourself and let me know if there's anything you want to change."

Houmin stands to the side as he let Demi do her thing. First, Demi tilted her head back to the side, and then an up-down motion. She then did some jumps to try if the helmet will slide down, followed by pacing around the tent to feel if something's wrong.

The other Rangers were curious and surprised. She wasn't the type to do this sort of thing. "You sure that helmet ain't a brainwashing device?"

Demi hiss back at him, "Shut it, Nickel! Or I'll cave your teeth in."

"Wooh, 'kay," Ian swooped in, blocking Demi's way. "What's got you hot on your heels, Demi?"

Demi pressed a latch on the helmet's retention system and took off the helmet. "Wear it."

Ian gave Demi a questioning look, but the latter insisted on him wearing the helmet. Ian then took the helmet, studied it in every nook and cranny of it. He slowly slid it on his head as Demi helps him with the retention system.

"...Oh Lord," Ian said.

"Uh, Hey. Is everything-" A ranger looked at Bear, "The fuck you've done?!"

"Settle Down!" Ian shouted. "Ain't nothing wrong with the two of us. We're just surprised how comfortable this is. A helmet with plenty of objects with it. I, well, most of us, reckon this gonna be a struggle to wear... Well, expectations do differ sometimes."

"Comfortable, usable, suitable, and highly likable," Ian added. He pointed at the MNVD, "May I ask for help about using this device?"

"Press the lock on this part," Houmin showed him what to do on his own helmet, "Then pull it down, but not too hard."

"There's a turn knob on top of it," Houmin added.

Ian tried to turn the circular thing Houmin was pressing and flinched as he unexpectedly got blinded as he's facing the sunlight, "Ah! Hail Mary! That made me damn blind. It's bright as the sun!"

A few seconds later, Ian was distressed, "Dang, I think I really did get blind. I can't see anything on my right eye."

"That's the auto-off feature on the MNVD, stare at a big light for too long the device will turn itself off. A safety feature." Bear calmed everyone down. "Of course, you're going to be blinded. Night Optical Devices uses ambient light to actually see in the night. You just stared directly to an abundance of light. Might as wish you'd gone to heaven with that beam straight to your eye."

"True," Ian flipped the MNVD up and rubbed his eyes, "A heads up would've been nice too."

Bear smirked at that and had a satisfied expression on his face. He looked around the tent, checking on everyone's reaction. "Aside from the ear protection and IR strobe, what's your take on the helmet?"

The other rangers were silent. Digesting on the implications, features, and even nuisances of having to wear this type of helmet. For them, it was weird. It's like the helmet they're using right now had its lower front and side just cut right off. The looks were odd. The patches and additions on top of it were something they're not comfortable with. But, its uses outweigh its appearance. Long battle experience has developed this intuition. As they listened on and look at that helmet... using this helmet was way more beneficial than they can think off.

"Hm? It's great, that's for sure." Ian took the helmet off, tap on it as he thinks. He looked at Demi, "How about you? Old ones like me won't be able to say much as we're too stubborn to accept changes right about now."

Demi snorted at him and showed a warm smile, "Just say you're slow. No need to be humble about it."

Ian chuckled and didn't say anything more.

"If it's true what they say that it can take beatin'," Demi has her eyes concentrated on the helmet, "And the many possibilities of using it in the field. I can say it's a must that we take it--I repeat, It's a must that all of us to take it. Changes have to come someday. But at the end of the day, we're still Desert Rangers. Just that we're now harder to kill, that's all."

Demi took a turn and faced Bear, "We would like to request to have us all be given with this helmet and its accompanying devices. Pretty sure you'd be teaching us how to use properly and in the field, Correct?"

"Affirmative," Bear nodded with a serious expression.

As everything was in a silent moment, Houmin noticed Bear push a container next to him. He let the locks loose, pulled out a body armor/plate carrier, a battle belt, holsters, and pouches then placed it on the table.

"If the helmet's a surprising thing to need, then how about this? For me, it's the sole game-changer."

♫ Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli ♫