Sherman's Journal

## Operation Envoy - September 25th

Mission was a success. The mage recruit of Big Team caused a massive scene with a tornado and a giant tree, but I’m told tornadoes are normal in the civilian world. Regardless, the package was retrieved and I have garnered good will from Big Team towards COLOR.

## Operation Relief - October 22nd

I must regretfully report that I have lost track of my spare uniform, which is currently in the possession of a mother who wished to spend time with her transformed daughter while she was trapped behind the quarantine. Despite the loss equipment, it feels good to reunite a parent with their child.

Issues arose when a member of Big Team that I woke up saw my uniform. Thankfully other members came to my defense long enough for him to calm down. It should be noted that another Member of Big Team threw him into the aforementioned mother. I can only assume he was trying to throw his compatriot in an attempt to divert attention away from the mother and failed miserably.

And it was for him I gave up a gas mask. And when we retrieved the pink gas to help prove the cause of infection, that same one said some very hurtful things. After he refused to remember my actual name too. They all insisted using my cover name, “Sherman”.

But Commander Graham wants me to act as an envoy to Big Team, so I will just have to put it aside for now.

## Operation Customs - October 12th

We retrieved the package and sent the enemy fleeing. The package unfortunately came into contact with one of Big Team, Groundbreaker, if I remember right. This unleashed an Egyptian God on us, whom tried to make us solve Sudoku at bomb point. I took the bomb outside and threw it away from civilians, only for a Sudoku puzzle to form on my self. With the help of Rekken, I was able to solve the puzzle before anything happened. When we moved to meet with Trapmaster, Groundbreaker‘s father, the Egyptian God appeared again. He then told us he’d set bombs at city hall. [I’d like to recommend the Halcyon City Governmental body no longer hold meetings in the building that has received the most bomb threats in the entire city.]

With the help of Rekken and the cypher I was provided by my superiors, I disabled the bomb that was threatening to destroy the city council. And then Groundbreaker yelled at me over comms because she got shot by possessed police officers. She then gave an attempt at an apology after I helped Rekken solve the cheating Rubix Cube puzzle that multiplied every time we solved all the presented ones. Rekken assured me that Groundbreaker meant her insincere sounding apology.

Rekken talked to me about making the world a better place, extending help not just for innocent, but for the misguided as well. I should also mention that Big Team Member Hyena became the bomb we had to defuse through puzzle solving. After wards, City Council Representative Rodriguez celebrated our saving of City Hall. [I must reiterate, with how often these happen, City Hall should probably not be the meeting center for the local government anymore.]

## Operation GREY-Break - October 21st

I must regretfully report the loss of my uniform and weapon upon capture by GREY. I had been spending time with Redstreak, close friend of Spectre, when GREY Operatives ambushed us. I found myself in a GREY uniform once again. They had us walking with several transformed in circles, going through the usual name degradation routine. I used my emergency red pill. Still as bitter as the first time.

I wish to clarify something about “Stitches”. I hate being him. I hate feeling so… malicious. But it was through being him that I turned my misfortune into a massive gain for Big Team and COLOR. As him, I saved Spectre alongside Redstreak, Rekken, and Groundbreaker. And destabilized the entire GREY complex, I think. Stitches didn’t give me a great memory of what happened while I was him.

Once he took the blue pill (soft and sweet, if the after taste is anything to go by) and I came to, Rekken was downloading GREY’s database. In that same room was where they had stocked up on blue and orange pills. They looked to be an improvement on the red pills, I think. I’m not sure what GREY would define as improved. Regardless, I stuffed my pockets with the colored pills for study samples.

**We escaped the facility before it collapsed. I worry some of my brothers or sisters didn’t make it out… we’re made of tough stuff. Surviving cave-ins, being thrown into brick walls and having structures dropped on us… we were made to withstand the abuse. As it turns out, GREY had set up right under Big Team Base. I recommend we check the underground of our own block to be sure they haven’t done the same to us.**

There’s another thing… the head of the facility… she was a clone. A clone willingly playing a part in using other clones as tools of war. I don’t understand. And I’m scared that if I do, I won’t like the answer. I don’t want my brothers and sisters in arms to be like her. Seeing what might become of us…. it gives me new purpose… and new found fear.

## Operation Drug Bust - November 1st

Audio Recording Begin

CRM-0214: And on. Commander Mom-

CRM-0215: Really Two-one-four? How many times are you going to make that slip?

CRM-0216: Give him a break Panzer, we all do it. Besides, after scoring two crack shots from across a football field, I’d say he’s earned it.

CRM-0214: Thanks Two-one-six.

CRM-0216: Come on, call me Abrams.

CRM-0215: Why do you insist on using the cover names Two-one-six?

CRM-0216: Because we chose them. Plus, I don’t want to have to acknowledge anything the GREY higher ups accuse us of. And maybe I’m a bit sentimental about a new start on life.

CRM-0215: Maybe that’s why the chameleons were able to get the drop on you.

CRM-0214: Oh please. The element of surprise still wouldn’t give them a chance in hell against any of our brothers and sisters.

CRM-0216: Careful Sherman. Commander Mom would scold you for such disrespect for the enemy.

CRM-0215: He’s just telling the truth. Besides, I’m sure catching Frank Foreman justifies the confidence. Thanks for calling us in Two-one-four. Today’s been a lot of fun. And it’s always nice to try out the doc’s toys. Still, wish we could rolled out in a tank.

CRM-0214: That’s strictly against regulation and mission parameters did not justify-

CRM-0216: Take it easy Sherman. Yes, pulling out in a tank would have been a tactically incorrect move, but Panzer was just fantasizing.

CRM-0215: Hey! Maybe I’m looking to impress a certain someone.

CRM-0214: Commander Graham?

CRM-0215: CRW-zero-seven-nine-two, actually.

CRM-0216: Isn’t her platoon still with GREY?

CRM-0215: Unfortunately.

CRM-0214: So it’s been two years then…

CRM-0216: Don’t worry about it. I’m sure she’s still waiting for you.

Commander Teresa Graham: As a matter of fact, I hear she’s very eager to see you again.

CRM-0214, CRM-0215, And CRM-0216: Commander Mom- I mean, I Commander Graham!

Commander Teresa Graham: Commander Mom works just fine, as long as no one from another platoon is present. And Sherman, Abrams is right. Failure to respect your enemy leads to careless and sloppy mistakes.

CRM-0214: I’m very sorry ma’am! I won’t let it happen again. How long have you been listening in?

Commander Teresa Graham: Long enough. First, congratulations on a job well done. Second, we need to prepare this base for additional housing. You’ll be working with your sisters from Platoon Five-Zero. Sherman, I have a special assignment for you. Commander Jack Hardgrove will arrive with his platoon at the edge of town within the week. I want you to enlist the aid of Big Team to escort them through town and get any pursuers off their backs once they enter the tunnels. We’re going to be working closely with them to bring down this doomsday device GREY’s been working on.

CRM-0215: Can I go with him?

Commander Teresa Graham: We won’t be able to spare the manpower. We will find ourselves spread thin dealing with GREY reclamation teams across the city. The blows we dealt to GREY here already will no doubt warrant far greater force. Now get ready. I know you’ll all make me proud.

CRM-0214, CRM-0215, And CRM-0216: Yes, Commander Mom!

Commander Teresa Graham: Sherman, is that audio recorder still on?

Audio Recording End

## Operation Unspecified - November 6th

Audio Recording Start

**CRM-0214: Today I went to a concert on behalf of Challenge, from Big Team. I didn’t care much for the musician, but I went anyway. Freedo was also there. I don’t want to talk about him. But that’s besides the point-**

CRM-0212: Two-one-four, don’t brush aside your ill thought out solution for crowd clearing.

CRM-0214: Here, why don’t you just add your explanation of what I did wrong if you’re so keen on me adding it to the record.

CRM-0216: Sherman, I’m with King Tiger on this. If you had gone through with that, you would have associated our uniform with an act of terrorism. And with a crowd that large, you would have risked a lot of unknowns in their reactions.

CRM-0212: This is a pattern with you, Two-one-four. You let your inner desire for violence get in the way of better judgment.

CRM-0214: Again with this? I don’t have any-

CRM-0213: And that ties into what I’ve been telling you about the pills. The more you deny it the worse the side effects. The red mania and orange suppression happen because you keep trying to separate yourself from those feelings.

CRM-0214: Can’t I just record my journal in peace?!?

CRM-0215: Two-one-four, you know we bring this up because we care. We all live with these same struggles, with slight variances in between us. What GREY instilled in us… it might never be undone. But at the very least, we have each other.

CRM-0214: I- I just-

CRM-0212: It’s alright Two-one-four. Mistakes and bad calls are inevitable. The important thing is that we recognize and reflect on them. And there are some things that we can’t just change on a whim. Just finish retelling the story, and then we can go out for laser tag.

CRM-0214: Right. So, in the middle of the concert, a chunk of the moon got blown off and sent hurtling towards the crowd. Challenge eventually got the crowd to realize that was a problem, with the help of Freedo… and then the crowd trampled us. When I got back up, the musician had evidently gone crazy, becoming obsessed with the moon rock, though they were after something the rock held inside.

CRM-0215: How did we get assigned to a city of wack-jobs again?

CRM-0216: Because we’re Platoon Tank Column! Commander Teresa Graham’s pride and joy!

CRM-0213: I’m fairly certain we’re not the only Platoon that chose tank model names as the basis for our own. That and we’re just another platoon of grunt level clones. COLOR has a share of Clone Stealth Operators and Commando Teams.

CRM-0212: No one’s a grunt today.

CRM-0214: Can I finish before we have to go back to operations?

CRM-0215: Sorry Two-one-four.

CRM-0214: Right. Then a space demon thing came in and… it did unwelcome things to my mind. That was it’s primary method of fighting us. In the end it made think I was back.. I was back-

CRM-0212: We can stop there Two-one-four. One day we’ll pay it back for the nightmares. For now, let’s just enjoy our free time together. Besides, tomorrow is looking to be a long day for all of us.

Audio Recording End

## Operation "GREY-Dawn"- December 7th

Audio Recording Start

CRM-0214: C-R-M-Zero-Two-One-Four, reporting that GREY has taken over Halcyon City. The Chrimera Syndicate has been blamed for T-Day by Councilor Rodriguez. GREY knew Chrimera planned an assault on city hall, and used that opportunity to swoop in and be the heroes. I saw our brothers and sisters march out to mop up the fight. I couldn’t see their faces… but I know they had nothing but contempt in their eyes for me.

CRM-0213: They still care for us Sherman. We just need to prove we still care about them. It won’t make it easy, but we all knew we were long overdue for a rough family reunion.

CRM-0215: Easier said than done Two-One-Three. GREY just put the noose around the whole city, waiting for us to step out.

CRM-0212: Two-One-Five, Two-One-Four, today has not simply been a GREY victory, but the start of a COLOR one as well.

CRM-0216: And just when were you and Commander Mom going to tell us that? Sherman shouldn’t have had to face our siblings alone!

CRM-0212: Easy Two-One-Six. We made sure we’d be ready for it. GREY may have taken the city, but in doing so have played their hand. And they will continue to do so. Of course, we don’t know how far they intend to go with this occupation yet. Maybe they’ll keep up the appearance of a benevolent clean up force, or they’ll rule with an iron fist. And we will react accordingly. We will fight them, expose them, and confront them our own terms. We will of course, need to be more careful. GREY won’t require subtlety to watch the streets anymore, and will take special notice of suspicious behavior.

CRM-0214: And when do we get our siblings back?

CRM-0212: Not soon enough, Two-One-Four. Not soon enough.

CRM-0216: Alright. Why don’t we go to the toy room and have some fun together, before any reclamation Force comes for us.

## Operation End of Chrim-Era - December 21st

Audio Recording Start

CRM-0214: After a week of preparation and surveillance, we put an end to Chrimera’s criminal enterprise. We never did find out why GREY was waiting for. What we do know is that Chrimera was looking to strike a truce with Rodriguez. Unfortunately, we didn’t acquire solid proof of his involvement, though perhaps Godspeed is at least suspicious of him, given Chrimera did openly monologue about the intended meeting. But GREY never showed. And that bothers me. Still, we won, even if my help was a lot less than I’d like. I was able to point the team to the direction of Chrimera himself, but unfortunately that was all I found on the camera worth mentioning. Then I saw the Captain struggling with Orbital. So bolted over and made an opportunity with suppressive fire-

CRM-0215: And this Captain, do you think she’s pretty?

CRM-0214: I… wait what?

CRM-0215: Sounds like you like her an awful lot.

CRM-0214: What are you insinuating here?

CRM-0215: Oh nothing. Maybe that you’re growing feelings for a certain someone.

CRM-0214: I am not romantically interested in-

CRM-0215: Hey, you said romance, not me.

CRM-0214: I just respect her as leader of Big Team. Besides, I’m pretty sure no one on the team would dream of dating the gas masked copy soldier freak.

CRM-0215: Come on Two-One-Four. You’re not wearing a gas mask in front of everyone anymore. Now it’s just a face mask.

CRM-0214: Why are you like this Two-One-Five?

CRM-0215: Because you’re fun to tease. Besides, I just want to open up the possibility of sharing a spot under the Mistletoe with a special someone.

CRM-0214: We are not having this discussion.

Commander Teresa Graham: Agreed. No one gets to date one of my sons without my permission.

CRM-0214: No, Commander Mom, it’s not like that!

Commander Teresa Graham: Uh Huh. I’ll be the judge of that.

CRM-0216: What’s this all about?

CRM-0215: Two-One-Four has a girlfriend!

CRM-0214: I do not!

Audio Recording End