MARS: 6 - Prey - TITAN Contractors
27 Apr 2022Aurora Adair-Levine (Radiumio)
NOTE: This story contains themes of violence and strong language.
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DATE: 23rd of April, 3308 [14:18 UGT]
LOCATION: Eol Prou CX-Q b7-44, Deep SpaceIt'd been almost two weeks since his 'mysterious benefactor' gave him that ship.
Over 100 jumps and two days later, the matte-black Diamondback Explorer had served him well. Great, even. He knew his Vulture would never make the distance, but clearly whoever this was hiring him for the job wanted it done badly. The ship had been modified way beyond its stock configuration. Aftermarket modifications, hybrid Guardian technology, fully outfitted for deep space exploration - it had everything going for it, except weaponry. That made him... uncomfortable. There had to be some catch, right?
So, every day, he searched the ship while he waited. Scoured every corner for any signs of explosives, or lethal chemicals injected into the life support. Something they would use to tie up a loose end when this was all over. He'd practically turned the ship upside down and still, there was nothing. Unless he was missing it - which he figured unlikely - it seemed like they had no Plan B in case...
COVAS: "Warning. Capital-class Signature Detected."
Abruptly sitting up in the flight chair, Predator quickly gathered himself, peering out of the frost-covered canopy, into the black abyss beyond. Right there, sat among a sea of stars, space ahead writhed and contorted, the abyss churning and shimmering as the distinct flashes of blue lightning broke out across the hyperspace cloud, the incoming vessel ripping a hole into spacetime itself. It was the distinct jump footprint of a fleet carrier.
For eight days, he had left his ship adrift in the system, systems idling as it coasted in the black, barely giving off any thermal signature. Waiting. According to the information provided by his benefactor, his target was aboard the vessel, and - conveniently - it wasn't difficult to find the route itinerary of the carrier via public databases. What complicated things, was that the carrier belonged to a mercenary squadron as their flagship - the 'T.O.C. Solaris'.
In every aspect, going in solo was a suicide mission. According to his research, the squadron fielded their own large, private army, along with dozens of Commanders and various divisions. They'd been attacked numerous times, even with assaults killing hundreds cumulatively, and still, they came out on top. A lone assassin would stand no chance if he raised the alarm. But... it was the perfect challenge to prove his skill.
Yet, he questioned the motives behind the job. His target - their leader - did not match the profiles of the Venators. By all accounts, she seemed innocent. Fearlessly leading her squadron against seemingly unprovoked attacks. Someone who put their life in front of others. But... he knew how powerful his benefactor was. That much was obvious. They had the resources to throw around, and the authority to not answer any of his questions.
But just how much weren't they telling him? How deep did the rabbit hole go? Did it all really matter in the end? All he had to do was pull a trigger. Remove a chess piece off of a board and let the game play out. His job was quick and simple, like the dozens he had done before. They wanted her dead so badly, yet... refused to do it themselves. Even if he was captured, there was nothing he could share about his benefactor. No details. No specifics. Maybe that explained the secrecy.
Predator stared out the viewport as his thoughts ran through his head, watching the Victory-class carrier burst through the hyperspace cloud, its arrival horn droning in the distance as the simulated sound of the ship just barely picked it up. He was far enough away that the carrier would be unable to take note of him, but close enough that he would be able to figure out where their last jump destination would be. So he sat there, and waited, observing the massive vessel sat atop a blanket of blue stars. Beautiful.
Minutes passed as he waited... and soon, his HUD flashed up an automatic notification as the final jump locked in to a system called Deriso. Perfect.
He continued to wait, listening to the roar of the carrier as it eventually jumped out, disappearing into another hyperspace portal. Switching ship systems online, he plotted in a course for Deriso. Only five jumps. Quick and easy...
COVAS: "Frame Shift Drive Charging."
... but first, he'd need a plan.
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DATE: 27th of April, 3308 [06:21 UGT]
LOCATION: T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N, Deriso"Okay. You're good to go. Welcome back, Commander Strix."
Lowering his profile analyser to his belt, the faceless soldier in the silver-plated Dominator suit took a slow step back, placing his hand back on the rifle that he held close by his chest plate, emblazoned with a logo that said 'CSF'. With a nod, Predator waved his hand and advanced onwards, passing the two guards outside the hangar he had just landed in. Four days had been spent observing and scouting the opposition before him, analysing routes and potential avenues to reach his target. He'd learned to blend in with the carrier's community, listening and seeing things. Choosing his approach. And now, it was time to act.
Accomplishing the task of infiltration was comparatively simple. All he did was steal the identity and ship of some young, unsuspecting hotshot pilot that he found gawking in the center of Jaques Station, and don his own black flight suit and outfit to conceal his appearance as a normal mercenary - which wasn't far from the truth. There was a catch, however. Carrying weapons into the carrier would clearly be a no-go unless he wanted to be instantly shot, judging by the amount of heavily armed security patrolling the hallways.
The identity story he came up with would also likely not last forever. As far as the security knew, he was just here as a prospective squadron member, but any suspicious activity, any time too long on the carrier, or a deeper background check, and they would likely figure out he wasn't the Commander Strix databases pointed to. Thankfully, they seemed to be too busy to care - for now, and that luck had allowed him to slip through. One opportunity was all he needed.
Slipping through the crowds of uniformed crew members and taking note of security patrols roaming around the hallways, Predator continued through the expansive corridors of the carrier, minding his own business as he weaved through the junctions. At this point, he'd practically memorized the layout that he needed to be in, and if he was quick... he'd intercept his target soon.
But those doubts kept coming back. About who his target was. Why they wanted her dead. He suppressed the thoughts as he moved out of the corridor, heading to a set of access turbolifts away from the crowd. He'd need to use these to reach the main operations deck that his target was likely to be on at this time. Stepping into the lift as he called it and the door opened, Predator glanced at the panel, he picked the operations deck, the doors promptly closing as the lift began its journey.
He glanced at the clock on the HUD of his visor. It was almost time for the squadron's daily briefing. He just had to hope she was on her way there. The mission seemed to be relying on an awful lot of luck... but so far his plan had gone flawlessly. And, while security had scanned his identity, they hadn't picked up or searched him for the poisonous micro-dart pen tucked into the right sleeve of his outfit.
Just one shot was all he needed to inject a lethal poison that acted in seconds. It was a method he was particularly fond of. When done right, it was untraceable, and he could slip away in the crowds. Quick and easy, up close and personal.
With its signature 'ding', the lift doors opened, revealing yet another corridor ahead. Visually, the operations deck was more distinct, dominated by grey metal plating and geometric structural supports. While the crowds weren't as dense, a fair few number of security and crew moved throughout the hallways. An expected complication, but not one that would get in the way of things.
Stepping out of the lift, Predator began his walk, glancing up at the signs above as he followed them, making his way to the briefing room of the carrier while weaving through groups of people. He wasn't too far now, just a few more corridors to g-...
"Hey, you! Stop!"
He froze, as instructed. Glancing back at the call that came from behind, he spotted the CSF guard approaching from his rear, flanked by another armed soldier. He turned around slowly, making his hands visible. Both had their weapons in their hands, slightly raised. Something must've tipped them off. Clearing his throat subtly, he prepared to speak through the modulator built into his visor.
"What's the issue?"
"The issue? Why are you slinking through the hallways? Remove that helmet, now."
That couldn't happen. One more scan without his helmet on, and it'd give the whole game away.
"... Sorry... I uh... I'm new around here. Got an injury I'd... rather not show."
The CSF soldier stared him down, slowly approaching closer... just not close enough. He could respect their training - they had maintained enough distance that if he made any movement, they'd certainly have time to react. The small commotion was starting to draw attention from some of the crew, who shot concerned glances their way. None stopped however, while the two soldiers had cleverly blocked a few escapes Predator may have had, restricting his mobility.
"Stand still."
Lowering his rifle slightly, the closest soldier reached back to his belt and pulled a profile analyser from its holster, bringing it forwards as he depressed the trigger, the sensor plates of the analyzer clicking back into place as they began to scan his identification. The soldier stared at Predator, no doubt analysing the result of the scan via his HUD.
"So... Commander Strix, right? You got an injury to your face?"
"Yeah. Happened a few weeks ago. Was working on my ship and... one thing led to another and before I knew it, bam... this whole panel blew up in my face."
"Uh-huh. So, any reason why you're skulking around on the operations deck?"
"Well... just thought I'd look around. Getting to know the squadron and all that. Didn't know this whole deck was restricted."
"No, but if you didn't read the signs, the briefing room is that way, and is strictly off-limits."
"Oh, I wasn't going to the briefing room."
The CSF soldier sighed heavily, his tone picking up as he started to get frustrated. Predator's act seemed to be working so far.
"Well, where were you going then?"
Predator shrugged.
"I was trying to find the... uh... observation deck or whatever it's called. Wanted to see the stars or s-..."
"It's not on this deck... not sure how you could mess that one up. Take one of the turbolifts up a few more decks, and you'll find it there."
"Oh. Okay, thanks."
Turning away swiftly before the guard could continue, Predator walked off, continuing the same way he was headed. Clearly, the guard had more questions, but he wasn't prepared to answer any further. There was no time. He glanced back, spotting the guards turn away as he continued on, his pace steady and purposeful. The briefing room was just ahead.
Observing the large bulkhead from afar that was guarded by a small sentry of CSF soldiers, Predator slowed down as he looked around the bustling corridor. All he needed to do now, was wait... unless he was too late. He checked the time. Unlikely.
Continuing on surveying the hallway as he advanced, Predator peered over heads and shoulders as crew members passed him in the hallway. It almost seemed to drag on - the anticipation of the kill. Waiting and biding his time as he waited for the opportunity to strike. And then he saw her. Spotting her face through the crowd further ahead, her orange jacket caught his eye, worn over a red Remlok flight suit. Then, she disappeared, his line of sight blocked by the crowd. She was moving, walking with someone he couldn't make out, but there she was. Perfectly on time. Reaching into his right sleeve, he slipped the dart-pen into his left hand covertly, and started his approach, slinking through the crowd.
As he got closer, so did she, only visible every few moments as the crowd began to clear. Blending in carefully, his advance continued as he slipped around structural pillars, maintaining a natural walk while sticking to the side of the corridor that she was on. Each slow step tunnelled him closer to his goal, preparing the pen in his left hand as she came into full view. His target matched the profile appearance in every way. Curly, black hair, slim figure covered by an orange jacket and grey outfit pants - it was all he needed to confirm it was her. Aurora Adair.
And she laughed. Smiled. Her face lit up as she held hands with a woman roughly the same height as her. Chestnut hair flowing down almost to her shoulders, her face gently freckled across her cheeks and small nose, with a purple flight suit fitted over her body. Aurora glanced up at one of the many hallway signs, stopping as her partner giggled, turning to face each other.
Predator quickly pressed back behind a pillar not too far from them, leaning back against the wall as he tried to blend in quietly, barely able to eavesdrop as he listened through the noise of the crowd. Who... was this?
"Well... almost there, Isa. You gonna go grab us food for laterrr~...?"
"Hmm, you bet. What do you want, babe?"
"You gonna mock me if I say sandwiches?"
The two exchanged a giggle... and Predator continued to listen.
"Nooo... so, you want a sandwich, then?"
"Uh... sure. I mean, you can get me whatever you want. I don't mind, honey."
The lady with the chestnut hair - who he now knew as 'Isa' - hummed, gently stepping in closer to Aurora. He peered past the pillar, watching them exchange deep gazes as Aurora held Isa's hands, meeting her eyes with a soft smile. They stayed like that for several moments, before Aurora broke the silence around them.
"... Well, guess I better go to that briefing. Won't be too long, I hope."
"Okay, hun. Hopefully it goes well. I'll go get the food and meet you back at our room?"
"Yeah. Sounds perfect. I love you."
Leaning in for a quick, loving kiss, Aurora hugged Isa tightly and broke away with a smile, their hands slowly separating as Aurora backed away slightly.
"I love you too, babe. See you soon."
With a happy giggle, Aurora practically skipped away into the crowd, continuing on towards the briefing room and passing Predator, as Isa turned back and began to leave. He froze. He did not act. Instead, his heart sank. This was who he was sent to kill? Someone who was innocent, who was young and had a partner. A whole future ahead of them. He'd taken out dozens of military targets before - corrupt leaders, security officers, faction personnel, but this... this was different. Every target he took down before had a corrupt past. They were a menace, something to be stopped or shut down. On one hand, maybe he was too.
Stowing the dart-pen into his right sleeve, Predator started to walk off to the nearest set of lifts after she had passed, pushing past crew as. He was angry now. If they wanted her dead, they'd have to do it themselves.
But he wouldn't have that blood on his hands.
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DATE: 27th of April, 3308 [11:21 UGT]
LOCATION: UNKNOWN"Job's over."
IDENT: {UNKNOWN} "[Are all targets eliminated?]"
Predator paused, pacing in the Krait Phantom. It wasn't his, of course. He'd... 'obtained' it from Commander Strix, the same Commander he had stolen that identity from. As for the pilot himself, he was likely sleeping soundly, relatively unharmed in some forgotten alleyway aboard the starport. He was sure he'd be fine... after all, most Commanders were filthy rich, right?
Focusing his attention back on the call, he sighed. Enough was enough.
"No. I didn't sign up to kill innocents."
IDENT: {UNKNOWN} "[And the Venators?]"
"Two remain, I think. I couldn't find them in time."
IDENT: {UNKNOWN} "[Disappointing.]"
Silence.
"Disappointing? Why? Because you fucked up and refused to give me all the info? Who is she anyway? Why does she matter to you?"
IDENT: {UNKNOWN} "[Your job was simple. You do not need to know more. You had all you needed to compl-...]"
"Like I said... job's over."
IDENT: {UNKNOWN} "[Then we will take matters into our own hands. I hope you know how to run, Predator.]"
"Go-..."
SUVAS: "Channel Closed."
"... -fuck yourself."
He went quiet. Fuming silently, he chucked his PDA to the floor, exhaling slowly in the closed confines of his helmet. Going back to the Diamondback Explorer they provided was a no-go. If they hadn't rigged it, they definitely had a tracker somewhere that he likely couldn't remove without knowing where it was. Seems like Commander Strix's Phantom would come in handy after all.
Now, all that was left to do... was to figure out what to do. But for now... he wasn't done with this 'mysterious benefactor'. The Venators were war criminals... but whoever these people were; they were worse. And so... he would wait patiently... keep an eye on that carrier.
Waiting for the prey to strike.
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