The lustrous capital of Alabasta, Alubarna was in shambles. Still, Lu Dahn found beauty in the ruined city. There was an abundance of potential within the people and economy of this land. Then, given its size and influence on the Grandline, it was also a popular stopping point for pirates and other criminals. Though there were other reasons, Lu Dahn felt these were the main ones as to why the World Government had an interest in capitalizing on the state of the country and once again meddling in its affairs.

"Will this world ever find peace?" He dramatically sighed as he brushed his hair back with his hand and left his quarters in the barracks. In times like these, times of high alert, Marines were asked to wear their full uniforms, especially those who often didn't wear garbs that affiliated them with the World Government. Lu Dahn was amongst these officers, so as he walked through the barracks in his officer gear he got a lot of stares for it was unusual to see him so dressed up. He wore a black double breasted suit with gold buttons on each side. Underneath a white button up collar with a black tie was barely visible. Over top this was his white Marine coat on his shoulders. As a Commodore he wasn't permitted to sport the Justice kanji on the back nor did he have the epaulets on his shoulders. He dawned black slim dress pants and black dress shoes as well. Hidden by his Marine coat was his pistol on his hip in a leather holster and visible on his back was his rifle Outlaw which was safely secured by a leather sling that crossed Lu Dahn's chest. It was readily accessible for him at a moment's notice and with his experience he'd be able to retrieve it and train its sights on targets both far and near.

Making his way through the barracks, he would soon be outside and about two blocks away from the Palace. He was still on his assignment for the Fool's Gold, but it was officially put on hold due to these circumstances. He would much rather get back to his personal assignment, but understood that he wouldn't be able to until things calmed down a bit, but honestly things didn't seem to be getting anymore civil. Times were hard enough for the citizens of Alubarna, but it didn't help that there were those who prided themselves as "freedom fighters" coming out of the blue and trying to incite riots or even carry out attacks on the palace. They were the very reason Lu Dahn was assigned a troop of five other Marksmen Ensign equipped with rifles to patrol the heart of the city near the palace. Along with a few other patrolling units, they made up the last few barriers before one could get to the palace.

Stepping outside of the barracks he saw his squad was ready for him just like he told them to be. They saluted him firmly, each of them having deep respect for him after their last run in with trouble in the form of a terrorist with a machine gun. He had no clue who was supplying these street dogs with such advanced weapons, but it worried him and many others. That was a whole other issue in itself that'd need to be investigated separately though. As far as Lu Dahn was concerned the man served as a lesson to his Ensigns.

"It's not the weapon, but the one who wields it."

Flashback wrote:With a single shot from his pistol 40m away, Lu Dahn downed the terrorist who was spraying at a unit of Marines who was his focus. The bullet whizzed through the air and burrowed entered through the man's favored arm and exited through the respective collar bone since Lu Dahn popped him from a stable kneeling position. Without taking the man's life Lu Dahn had deftly neutralized the threat the terrorist posed. Fast-forward three days later and here they were now.

"Lets get to it." With that the Ensigns dropped their salute in unison and began to follow Lu Dahn around the block. That incident with the machine gun terrorist was the last serious problem Lu Dahn had heard of arising in Alubarna, but there were still normal crimes occurring like thievery, defacing property, and the occasional murder.

As he walked the city close to the palace gates, he saw the looks he got from the civilians. Some looked at him with hopeful eyes, feeling a sense of safety with Marines around. Majority looked with disgust at him and his unit though, for many of the Alubarnans weren't for Marine occupation of the capital, because they knew it was just the World Government trying to exploit their weakened state. That always made Lu Dahn weary about the civilians and he never got to comfortable or friendly with them. Of course this added to them feeling like they couldn't place their trust in the Marines either, but it was for his own good. If an enemy that was powerful enough to pose a threat to the World Government's occupation of Alubarna introduced itself, Lu Dahn wasn't sure what side the bulk of Alubarna's citizens would take. What they try to take advantage of the situation and expunge the Marines or would they fight to defend their land with the Marines. What he did know was that all the "freedom fighters" he had encountered thus far was all citizens of the capital that he was supposed to be protecting.

Night Patrol

Lu Dahn and his unit continued to patrol their designated sector of Alubarna, beyond the glares, scoffs, eye rolling, and abrasive energies being directed towards the insignia he bore, the day was rather typical. That was until the beginning of what would be a rainy came to be. "Why today?" Lu Dahn had stopped walking for a moment to lament his disdain for the rain for he had no cover on his person. Additionally the garments he was wearing were only seeing their second usage today, the last time they were wore was perhaps four years ago when Lu Dahn was first accepted into the Marines.

Resuming his patrol, the acknowledgment of rain only occupying three seconds of Lu Dahn's time at max, he'd look back at his Ensigns. "You . . . Karringer." This Ensign was the frailest of them all. He had a skittish personality and even when Lu Dahn looked back, he could tell the young man was actively avoiding locking eyes with his superior. Not out of shadiness or fear, but that's just the type of person he was. Lu Dahn had no hopes for this Ensign as far as a career in the Marines went unless he went under some serious reforming. "S-sir?" The Ensign would meet Lu Dahn's gaze before the Commodore went back to looking forward for a while.

"Go back to the barracks and into my quarters to retrieve my black officer's cap. It should go without saying that the rest of my belongings are not to be touched or even gazed upon. Should I return to find any of my possessions out of place, you'll be to blame. Understood?" An unrealistic request that was mostly a joke, but he knew Karringer would probably take it seriously. "Uh- uh. Could Ensign Re-" The other Ensigns rolled their eyes and held back laughter at Karringer's demeanor. Some of them would help the lad out. "He's joking Karringer." "Yeah, lighten up. The Commodore might seem cold, but he still has a sense of humor." As the Commodore was speaking to the Ensign, he'd have been naturally shifting his focus from forward to back at Karringer. From the time Lu Dahn began speaking, the unit would have taken a total of two right turns and a single left turn at the end of each block they came to. Such a route wasn't reasonable unless you were a patrol unit. What Lu Dahn had noticed during this time frame through his occasional glances back at Karringer was that there was a group of cloaked men oddly on the same route they were on.

The illogical route he was on was to the upper market district, so civilians were going about their business all the while. However, Lu Dahn began to purposely deviate from their assigned sector to head closer to the palace. In this area, between the palace and upper market district was what was referred to as a dead zone. Civilians had no reason to go to the palace and those in the palace rarely traversed outside of the structure. That left Marines as the only beings who occupied the ring around the palace. "Make haste Karringer. We'll rendezvous at the base of the palace." An Ensign gave his peer a pat on the back for some assurance and then the Ensign was off. He'd go ahead of the patrol unit and to the left, to take a left turn back to the barracks before the main group made it to the dead zone.

"Commodore, why are we headed this way?" Ensign Reid would ask. "I need to talk to someone." This was a lie, but if he told the Ensigns he suspected they were being tailed, they'd get inside their own heads and their performance would be on the poorer end of the scale. Dispatching Karringer was unrelated, but would probably work out in the groups favor, so they wouldn't have to worry about his safety should things escalated which Lu Dahn suspected they would.

Coming to the end of the upper market district a man to the right of Lu Dahn's unit began to shout at them.

"HEY! YOU MARINE SCUM! WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE!!? IF YOU WERE GONE THE PIRATES WOULD HAVE LEFT BY NOW AND WE WOULD BE IN PEACE!"

"We're ju-" "Hold your tongue Reid." "But Commodore!" His four Ensigns slowed to the shouting, but Lu Dahn was unwavering and he continued to press forward. When he spoke to his fledgling he'd look back at him. With his honed eyes, he'd be able to nonchalantly check-in with their followers as he did so. Their distance from them wavered on a minimal level, but they never got as close as 7m to the caboose of the Marine unit. "What that man just did was strike a match. Though defensive, your words act like wood for his flame to catch. Are you looking to start a fire?" Something to keep his Ensign's brain occupied while Lu Dahn lead their followers by the nose. While it was brain food and also true, that wasn't the reason why Lu Dahn didn't entertain what was unknowingly bait for a larger objective. I just wasn't in his nature. He was far too high above these people (the civilians in his mind) to stoop to their level and argue with them.

Lower than God, but still above a mortal, a common man would never have power to make Lu Dahn to react to just words alone if it didn't align with his own will. He was a logic and ego driven creature, emotional based tactics were pointless and he'd be sure his men walked a similar path. Walking into the dead zone, Lu Dahn wouldn't wait much longer to noticeably acknowledge his unit's shadowers. He'd stop and turn to face them, the edge of the Upper Market would be a total of 20m away to Lu Dahn's front. This is where the riot inciter was and should have been if he or any others that appeared to be civilians didn't followed Lu Dahn into the dead zone after being stirred by this man. If that was the case the Commodore would have taken a different course of actions. The fortuity of that occurrence aside, Lu Dahn's Ensigns would at first be confused at why their Commodore stopped and faced the opposite direction with a teasing smile on his face. With a single glance towards Lu Dahn's focus, they would be on the same page and also face the cloaked men with their rifles drawn, but held down.

"Can I be of any assistance?"sorry for big post. been awhile.