MARS: 7 - Foxhound - TITAN Contractors
08 May 2022Aurora Adair (Radiumio)
NOTE: This story contains themes of violence, strong language and topics of sensitive mental health/suicidal ideation.
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DATE: 23rd of August, 3304 [17:30 UGT]
LOCATION: Savko Lab, Unknown System"Foxhound"
IDENT: {SCAR 1-7} "[19, report in.]"
The atmosphere of this dark, high metal content world whistled softly, gusts of sand gently gliding across the desolate dunes. Atop the rolling sand, a lone research settlement sat, its artifical light cutting through the darkness as a red horizon hung above, stars freckling the sky. It was almost beautiful, as she crouched there, staring up at a place she once yearned to be. Out there, in the black. But that dream didn't matter anymore. Why would it?
IDENT: {SCAR 1-7} "[19, check your comms. Foxhound, respo-...]"
His voice came over the radio again, her focus returning as she looked down at the settlement, gripping the Executioner rifle in her hands tightly. Her anger rose up inside of her as she gritted her teeth, unmuting her helmet comms to respond.
"I'm. Here."
The radio went silent as she delivered her soft, albeit venomous words that cut off Scar, muting her comms again. She simply stared ahead, waiting as her mind was already strategizing, plotting the most efficient way to kill everyone in the settlement. It was what she was good at, after all, and these terrorists had it coming to them anyway.
IDENT: {SCAR 1-7} "[Right... forgot you're not the talkative type. You going for the whole silent protagonist vibe?]"
No response. She restrained herself from swearing at her current superior.
IDENT: {SCAR 1-7} "[Mhm... Okay. Listen up, then, and do as you're told. As you know, we've been split off for counter-terrorism duties. I don't need to give you the whole spiel, since this is the second operation this month. You did exceptionally well with Kodiak, so we're counting on you to pull this one off just the same.]"
IDENT: {SCAR 1-7} "[Your target settlement is a facility called Savko Laboratory. It's a Federal research settlement that has since abandoned the Federal Accord, and previously researched and manufactured biological compounds for medical applications. It has since shifted its focus into the research of weaponized bio-agents to use against the Federation. We believe Savko is one link in this production chain, with other settlements performing the actual production of these agents.]"
IDENT: {SCAR 1-7} "[Your objectives are to raid the settlement, neutralize all of its occupants and perform a complete wipe of the settlement's network, including the destruction of its databases to remove any research related to their production. Leave no witnesses, and expect heavy resistance. Any questions?]"
Silence.
IDENT: {SCAR 1-7} "[... Good. Move to your exfil when done. Out.]"
Getting to her feet, Foxhound slowly began the lonely trek across the dusty landscape, leaving her comms muted as she focused on the settlement ahead, picking up her pace into a slow jog. The settlement was only a hundred or so metres ahead, and from here she could already see the security elements patrolling outside.
Coming to a knee near a set of rocks overlooking the settlement, she raised her Executioner and peered down the sight, the scope enhancing her view as she began to survey the area, picking out her targets. From here, she could see five security guards patrolling the exterior of the settlement, active turrets scanning the perimeter. No sentry skimmers, though.
There was the command building... habitation to the left of it... and it appeared the power building was connected to the command building. Two research structures occupied the space closest, with two workers walking between them. Large, reinforced windows, particularly on the command building, allowed her a view of the settlement interior, spotting more personnel going about their business.
This would be easy.
Placing her Executioner rifle on the back of her suit, Foxhound got to her feet and began to sprint, moving around the perimeter of the settlement as she kept her profile low, dashing through the dark. Approaching from the side of habitation, she began to cross the landing pad, only the dim guidance lights highlighting her for a split second before she vanished in the void again, unbeknownst to the occupants of the facility.
Kicking off from the ground as she closed in on habitation, she scrambled onto the structure's roof, crouching low as she began to crawl across to the other side, dropping down. Now, all that was left to do was to weave through the patrol routes of the security outside, and hack her way into Command.
Prowling around the corner, she snuck her way through containers and crates left outside, stopping behind one and peeking around it as she closed in on the front airlock. The guard had passed already. Perfect.
Getting to her feet, she began to slink towards the airlock, taking a look around before she came to a stop near the maintenance panel, kneeling down as she reached up to the auth scanner, brushing it off a bit before she brought a hand to her belt, withdrawing her tactical knife.
Using the blade to pry open the tiny access port of the scanner, she used the tip of her knife to draw out a set of wires, running her finger along them as she thought for a millisecond, picking two and cutting them both. Stripping the wires quickly, she joined them and twisted them together, the console flashing and flickering as it reset to factory settings. While it was a swift solution, it would only be a matter of time before the security system picked up this intrusion and sounded the alarms.
Sheathing her knife, she got to her feet and quickly stepped into the now-open airlock. Foxhound broke into a quick jog as she started to head for the security room of the command building, and knowing the layout, all that she needed now was an authorization to get into the s-...
"Hey! Stop right there! What the fuck?!"
Passing through the hallway leading to the security room, Foxhound suddenly turned to her left and spotted an armed guard staring at her, quickly reaching back for his rifle. Of course. Contrary to her, his visor was not blacked out, allowing her to see his fearful expression as his hand tugged on the handguard of his gun, trying to pull it forward into his hands.
Quickly running her hand down to her right thigh, she pulled her Tormentor sidearm from its magnetic holster, tucking it up towards her chest as she guided the barrel to point towards his upper chest, pulling the trigger. Before his shields could come alive, the plasma round slammed into his sternum, forcing a choked gurgle out of him as his body crumpled, collapsing to the floor.
Without hesitation, she lowered her sidearm back to its holster and grabbed the profile analyser folded up on her belt. Extending it, she switched to its cloning mode and squeezed the trigger, the tool extracting the authorization of the deceased guard.
SUVAS: "Security Profile Cloned."
Level 3. Exactly what she needed.
Lowering the analyser back to her belt, she quickly continued to walk down the hallway, taking a right as she turned towards the restricted door leading into security. As the doors parted upon registering her authorization, her steps became more determined, knowing the settlement alarms console was just around the corner. Passing the door to her right as she prepared to turn the corner, another yell echoed throughout the hallways as she suddenly broke into a dash for the alarms.
"He-... HEY! STOP! You're not allowed to be in here!"
SUVAS: "Shield Activated."
Skidding around the corner past the door, she ran for the settlement alarms as she activated her suit shields, extending a hand to press on the console - and disabling the alarms in one, swift move.
"Alarm systems disa-..."
The console sparked in arcs of electricity as Foxhound suddenly slammed her fist into it, shattering the console and breaking it as a pain shot up her hand. She didn't care, grimacing to herself as she clenched her fists, hearing the guard rush into the room behind her.
"Stop right there!"
Swiping the Tormentor from her holster again, she spun around on the spot, gripping the pistol tightly as she canted it slightly, holding it up to her chest. Meeting the eyes of the guard, they suddenly cursed and raised their Aphelion rifle, squeezing the trigger as the barrel of their weapon erupted in flashes of orange light, beams striking her shields as they flashed a brilliant blue.
Firing her plasma pistol, she watched as the guard's shields collapsed, the field shimmering and distorting as their suit became vulnerable, the follow-up plasma rounds find their place in the chest of the guard. He screamed out in pain as the first round melted through his armor, searing his flesh, the second one silencing him as he thumped back on the floor, the hole in the armor smoking slightly. She walked forward, stepping over his corpse and walking to the exit of the security room.
Now that the alarms were disabled - permanently, for now - the next step was to wipe out the settlement, and destroy its network. Simple enough.
Passing through the door she entered through, she lifted her head, spotting two workers that came to a dead stop in the hallway junction ahead. Their eyes widened, the both of them likely having spotted the dead corpse of the first security guard outside, and now having realized who the perpetrator was, quickly came to the conclusion.
"S-shit! They're here for the data, run!"
Reaching for the pistol clipped to the belt of his overalls, the man quickly raised it, pushing the woman with him away as she dashed for the front airlock of the Command building. Foxhound raised her pistol, watching the woman run, but her attention soon turned back to the man who had trained his own weapon on her. He was shaking. Too scared to pull the trigger.
"P-... please... don't... don't hurt us. You don't understa-..."
He crumpled to the floor just like the rest, a seared cavity left where his frontal lobe would be. The building fell silent, Foxhound hearing the front airlock door close as she stood there, her Tormentor still raised. Her hand squeezed the grip of her sidearm, her glove squeaking slightly as she slowly exhaled in her helmet, staring at the dead body in front of her. He wasn't even willing to fight back. What didn't she understand? He was... scared. More than a 'determined terrorist' should be of someone like her.
She saw this in Kodiak Depot as well, the first settlement they struck on these operations. While the guards and workers were more motivated due to it being a military base, there were some that... simply did not fit the profile. Who were these people really? Were they terrorists? Why had they abandoned the Federation? What was the 'data' they mentioned? In the end, it didn't matter to her. She had her orders, and a job to do. To protect the Federation. It was her duty.
Storming off past the body, she ran for the front airlock of the Command building, holstering her Tormentor and bringing her Executioner forwards into her hands instead. Stepping into the airlock, the confined space suddenly filled with weapons fire, laser and kinetic weapons alike suppressing the doorway as she took a step back, quickly raising her rifle.
"Push in!"
The guards shouted and called out to each other as two began to push for the airlock. Taking a knee behind the life support field, Foxhound squeezed the trigger as she trained her aim on one of the guards, the plasma round forcing them to stumble back as it broke their shields. Cursing out, they tried to regain their footing but failed as another plasma round connected with them, their body slumping back against a barrier and dropping to the floor.
The other guard with them quickly took cover, the third plasma round missing as Foxhound quickly slipped back behind cover, reloading her Executioner quickly with a fresh plasma cell. Peeking out from behind her cover, she took aim again - just in time to watch a shield disruptor hurtle towards her, bouncing off the wall of the airlock as it ended up landing behind her. Cursing under her breath, she quickly jumped to her feet and charged forward, dashing out of the airlock.
Hearing the grenade discharge behind her, her shields held as she exited the building, starting to sustain fire from the two guards outside. Her keen eye spotted the rest of their security falling back to a specific research building, in a hurry too. What were they up to? Unfortunately, there was no time to think about it.
Foxhound quickly turned her focus back to the guards blocking her progress, raising her Executioner as their combined laser and kinetic fire chipped away at her shields as she tried to dodge aside, ducking down as she took a knee on the spot suddenly, locking her aim on the highest threat - the guard with the laser rifle. Pulling the trigger, she watched as the guard's shields collapsed, prompting them to attempt to dash for cover. They failed, as the second plasma round connected with their helmet, shattering their visor as they landed face-first into the dusty ground panel, their companion still desperately trying to hold the line with their rifle.
Feeling kinetic rounds pepper her shields as she quickly switched to her next target, Foxhound jumped to her feet and took a large side-step, bringing her rifle up as she fired once more, the plasma round escaping the muzzle of her weapon and connecting with the guard's shield, the force and energy of the round breaking the shield as the guard stumbled back, their eyes widening. Charging forward as she rapidly closed the remaining distance between her target, she lunged into them, knocking them off her feet as she discarded her Executioner aside, straightening up as she reached back to her thigh.
"No! Plea-..."
Drawing her Tormentor, she swiftly placed a round in the center of the guard's visor, their body falling back on the floor limply as their suit hissed softly, air escaping the broken visor. She stood there, seething as her firing hand trembled, the weapon shaking in her hands. These people... pleaded. Not willing to die for a cause. Were they innocent? Just more innocents added to a body count she already loathed herself for.
Holstering her sidearm on its rightful spot on her right thigh, she walked over to her Executioner that she chucked aside, picking it up and unloading the empty plasma cell. Sliding a new one in, she locked the rifle to her suit pack and began to walk to the research building that she saw the remainder of the settlement personnel congregating at. Her head droned with thoughts, tears forming in her eyes as she took in a deep breath, each step seemingly taking forever.
And then, that debilitating pain deep inside struck her as she indulged her thoughts. She paused metres from the airlock leading into the research building, simply standing there as she bit her quivering lip, closing her eyes. Nobody could see the tears streaming down her face, crossing and wetting the red markings streaked across her cheeks and under her eyes. Nobody heard her cry - because she didn't. She was silent, her breathing steady as she clenched her shaking fists tightly. What was the point of her life? She had failed everything - her family, her father, herself.
Even when she tried to make things right, or tried to make her parents proud, she failed. Again, and again. She hated who she was. She hated everything about her. She hated being alive. Nobody loved her - not even her own family. Nobody cared for her. Nobody said they were proud of her. Nobody tried to see the person behind that visor. Nobody told her it would be okay. That maybe, just maybe, she wasn't a monster.
But what did it matter? In the end, nobody could truly hate Aurora more than she hated herself.
She was stuck here. She could never bring herself to end it all. She was too scared, and it hurt too much, but nobody would come to help her. Why would they, after everything she had done?
Feeling that hatred burn inside of her, Aurora opened her eyes and continued to walk towards the airlock. Who cared anymore what she did? She would never be any better. It was time to accept who she truly was.
The airlock door parted. She looked up, spotting two guards and three workers hastily armed with weapons blocking her path. Incomprehensible yells filled the corridor as she let her instincts and training take over, twisting her body as her hand swept across her right thigh, pulling the Tormentor from her holster as she quickly hip-fired a round directly into one of the guards, forcing a cry of pain out of them before the second round put them down for good.
The remaining guard rushed back as she continued to pick off targets, eliminating two of the workers as she expended the ammunition of her sidearm, holstering it as she switched to her Executioner. The structure erupted in gunfire as she advanced, corpses of the once-living settlement personnel decorating the hallway while she continued her assault. This was who she was.
She was Foxhound.
"Honey, I need you to be strong, oka..."
...
"... have to go now..."
...
"... ow your grenad..."
...
"... throw them!"
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DATE: 1st of May, 3308 [12:20 UGT]
LOCATION: T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N, DerisoAurora "Foxhound" Adair
Staring at the fragmentation grenade in her hand, Aurora suddenly snapped out of her thoughts, gasping as she recoiled back into reality, her ears filling with the sound of loud gunfire as the hallway around them was peppered with lasers and ballistics. Her heart pounded, her hands shaking as she looked across the hallway, watching the person she loved so dearly fight against impossible odds. Isabella Levine. Her Isa. She looked over at Aurora, seeing her frozen as she yelled out over the gunfire, shots colliding with her occasionally as her shields sparked and flashed.
"Throw them!"
SUVAS: "Shield Activated."
Looking back at the grenade in her hand, Aurora quickly yanked the pin out and leant out of her cover, peering down the hallway as she haphazardly chucked the explosive, sending it careening off walls as she activated her own shields simultaneously. She quickly ducked back behind cover, grabbing two more grenades as she removed the pins from them, delivering them the same way as they bounced down the hallway. She tried to hold her shaking hands still as she closed her bag and quickly slung it over her shoulder. She tried to get control over her own thoughts, struggling to steady her breathing as the hallway filled a deafening explosion, shrapnel perforating the corridors and impacting the shields of the soldiers who were cutting them off.
There was too little time to think about what was going on. Actually, there was no time. They had to get to her ship. They had to run, and they had to run now.
Lights shattered due to the explosive force as shrapnel pinged around the hallway, prompting Aurora to quickly jump to her feet as she ran down the hallway away from the soldiers, swiftly closing distance to maintenance bulkhead leading to her ship's hangar. She yelled out for Isa, coming to a skidding halt in front of the bulkhead console before two additional explosions cut her off, the hallway filling with deadly metal fragments that clouded the hallway. A sharp pain in her back forced her to stumble, barely catching herself against the wall as she let out a yelp, looking back at Isa.
Enraged, her lover levelled her pistol behind them, firing at lights and flashes through the smoke and debris, two rounds connecting with a soldier who yelled out in pain, collapsing back behind cover. Aurora's heart sank. This wasn't what she wanted at all. Quickly tapping away at the console to override it with her Squadron Commander authorization, Aurora quickly ran back and grabbed Isa's arm tightly, yanking her back as she sprinted for the bulkhead that began to open.
At the same time, she heard the soldiers call a cease-fire. Why a cease-fire...?
She couldn't dwell on it. They didn't have long. Dashing out onto the maintenance platform through the bulkhead, Aurora looked ahead at her golden Krait Phantom sat atop the pad. The Templar - a ship she flew so often. It had significant paint damage from her exploration ventures with Isa, but now... it would be their getaway craft... and home for the foreseeable future. Her lungs and throat burned as she turned to Isa, panting and pleading as she continued to run along with her lover, priming herself to jump over the platform's railing.
"Isa! Just run! Just run for the ship, please!"
She responded, but Aurora's head droned with overwhelming thoughts, emotions and information, too pre-occupied to hear what Isa said. Using her suit pack to assist herself slightly, she jumped over the railing of the platform, landing on the pad as she turned back, helping her lover make it over before they both broke into a sprint for the ship, the soldiers trailing behind. They yelled out, but none of them took the clear shot as Aurora and Isa soon reached the Phantom's front lift.
Quickly ascending to the airlock as Aurora jumped, she opened it and ran for the bridge of the ship, Isa following suit as her ship began to power up, quickly taking the controls. To her surprise, the landing pad responded to her requests... had the ATC not locked down the carrier?
She didn't care. She just wanted to get away right now. She wanted to protect Isa. She wanted to keep her safe from who she was.
Disengaging from the landing pad before the hangar doors had even finished opening fully, the Templar burst out from within, just barely making it through as the thrusters flared to life, the ship boosting away from the Solaris. It was tracked by carrier weapons, but despite the shouts and demands made by the ATC, no threat was acted upon. And, without hesitation, the Templar high-waked out in a flash of light, only a transient blue trail remaining behind as a reminder that the ship was ever there... soon disappearing into the void.
////////// 28 MINUTES LATER \\\\\\\\\\
Having shakily plotted in the last jump she could manage right now, Aurora watched as the ship exited hyperspace, bringing the Templar to a stop in front of a large M-class star. They were in the middle of nowhere, with no-one in pursuit. Slowly, she pivoted the ship away and began to accelerate in supercruise, the ship flying far from the arrival star until she brought it to a stop, disengaging the FSD.
Dropping out into normal space, the Templar soon came to a complete halt as the thrusters settle, the ship falling silent. All Aurora could hear was her own breathing echoing in the helmet she had on, sniffling and shaking as tears streamed down her face. Grabbing her helmet, she ripped it off and dropped it into her lap, bursting into tears as she hunched over and buried her face into her hands. Everything had happened so quickly.
In just two days, she had lost everything over something she had tried so hard to hide away. A past she was hardly proud of. One she was used and abused in just because she wanted to belong. She wanted to make her parents proud.
She was a Red Hunter. 'Foxhound', her given callsign. Those memories, thoughts, the pain she felt and caused all came flooding back as she sobbed unconsolably in the bridge - alone. Her chest burned as the bridge filled with her whines, mumbling unintelligible words as she sniffled and whimpered, trying to control her emotions and failing completely.
Who she was, wasn't something she was proud of. Far from it. She hated herself for what she did. She hated herself for ever listening to her father, for ever trying to make him proud and happy at her own expense. She was stupid and misguided, and she ruined her life back then for it. She spent those three lonely years after covertly defecting from her service trying to live with what she did, suffering in her own mind. And now... it had happened all over again. That information - that file - had been provided to the squadron, and the Federation was after her for it. How did they get it? It was supposed to be gone.
Now, the only place she called home, called her the enemy. A war criminal. She never wanted to serve in the Navy. But when Obi didn't work out... when she had failed and disappointed her family again, she was upset. Angry. Angry at herself for not making something of herself. For not remembering what happened to her at Obi. For fucking up at whatever she touched. So, she gave up eventually. Stopped pursuing her dream of thinking she could ever be a Commander. She listened to her father. She joined the Navy, and loathed every second of it. But she was good at it. Very good.
They were 'impressed' at her skills displayed in basic training, so much so that she was accelerated to advanced training. She hated the people around her, but had no way to release that frustration... except via her training. Training that she spent mostly alone, hiding her face from the others as she hated people looking at her... hated how she looked. Deep down, a part of her hoped that some day, she could show her father what she had learnt and accomplished, and hear those words that she desperately wanted to hear. That they were proud of her.
That stupid feeling of validation.
Those words never came. She was transferred to the Red Hunters, a black-operations group that focused on counter-terrorism, and clandestine operations for the Federation. It was nothing special to her. Her first kill in February of 3304 was painless - to her. A target that put up a fight, but it wasn't enough. And... she... enjoyed it. The kills that followed were the same. Feeling the recoil of her weapon, and nothing more. It was for the 'Glory of the Federation', after all... and these terrorist cells had to be stopped by someone.
But... the shattered part of her cried out sometimes. In April, a smear campaign against an Imperial officer went horribly wrong and resulted in an internal system war. They were sent in to clean it up. She still remembered the after-action report counts. Foxhound had eliminated 102 soldiers, and 65 'hostile personnel'. But they were not hostile. They were innocent workers. People who just wanted to live their lives, and she had robbed that from them.
And yet, she continued on. Was it that hatred that drove her? That anger directed towards the world. Towards herself. 501 innocent people died at her hand. 831 armed soldiers trying to protect what they thought was right. And in the end, it was all a lie. Most of those operations were not 'counter-terrorism ops'. They were clean-up jobs. Something to hide a secret within the Federation. One she didn't know. One she almost gave her life for, just to be discarded aside in the end.
That was until they defected. She had begged her commanding officers to let her go. To not let her defect with them. Surprisingly, they agreed. At the end of 3304, the Red Hunters - the Crimson Venators defected - and Aurora Adair went on her own path. She spent three years alone in a rented apartment by herself. Forgotten. With the little bit of money she had left, she barely survived... each day she stared at that sidearm in her bedside cupboard. Each waking hour she burst into tears when she looked into the mirror.
She grew her hair back, and erased those markings on her face. She sobbed herself to sleep and immediately woke up from her nightmares. She wanted someone to hold her. To say it would be okay. But as far as Aurora was concerned, that 'someone' didn't exist. They never would, for her.
That was, until one day, her father contacted her. It was January of 3306, and he had sent her a message. It was a long one, the details she had long since forgotten. But she always remembered what he said. That he was 'sorry'. That he wanted to try make things 'right'. But never that he was proud of her. That he understood what she went through. None of it meant anything.
She had dressed up for a meeting that only lasted a few minutes. He had approached her with a job offer. Nothing related to the Navy - just an advertisement for an independent squadron. 'TITAN Contractors'. He said he was 'sorry' again, that she should take this job and put her skills to good use. Leave her 'old life behind'. And she accepted. She lapped up his apology like a 'good daughter', still chasing that feeling of being wanted.
And that was how it all began. That was how she became Squadron Commander, from being a nobody Centurion SF combat specialist. She buried her past and actually, for once, enjoyed life again. She made friends. She met amazing people. She felt like she belonged. She took the opportunity to become Squadron Commander to try do right again, to try make a difference, but failed to realize that once again - she was being used. Her father had put her there, after the first Squadron Commander faked his death. She was just their Plan B.
Now her past had put the squadron in danger. Everything she deeply cared about, everybody she loved so much. They were all at risk because someone, somehow, knew who she was. What she had did. And she didn't know how.
Aurora coughed and spluttered in the bridge of her Krait Phantom, letting her thoughts occupy her mind as her throat was raw from all the crying, her eyes red as tears streamed down her cheeks. And then she felt that gentle hand on her trembling arm. That loving, caring squeeze. It was Isabella. The one person who cared for her. The one person who loved and hugged her and said it would be okay. What she had been seeking her entire life had found her instead, and she was so grateful for it, even if a guilty part of her felt like she didn't deserve such a good thing.
"... t-this is... s-so f... fucked Isaaa~..."
She heard her lover kneel down next to her flight chair as Aurora choked out her words, still holding her arm as she was quiet for a moment, before responding.
"I tried... No-one listened. So, fuck them. It's just us now, and we'll figure something out."
Isa brushed a hand through Aurora's hair gently, prompting sniffles from her as she tried to get her emotions in check, staring at her knees as she broke into sobs again at the gentle touch of her partner. In the midst of her sobs, she heard Isa grimace, her heart sinking as she looked over, wiping her face with a groan as she worried about her lover now, and their dangerous escape from Centurion SF mercenaries aboard the Solaris.
"... a-are you... okay?"
She shook her head, shrugging.
"I'm okay. You're not, though. I just... anything that happens to me, isn't your fault. I knew the risk coming with you."
Aurora slowly climbed off of her chair, getting down on her knees in front of Isa as she took her hands gently, giving her body a once-over as she tried to see if she was injured and where, before her shimmering, deep blue eyes met Isa's again.
"No. Isa... w-... we're a team... honeyyy..."
"I c-care about you so much~... I don't... I don't want you to get h-... hurt just because you're with me. What just happened could've... could've been so much w-worse. I s-saw your shields break... w-what if they shot you, honey? W-what if they didn't hold fire?"
Isa just looked at her, a concerned expression on her face as she hesitated a bit.
"It's fine. I'm... I might have taken a round or... something. I don't know. But, whatever."
"What? W-where...? Let me see."
"Relax, Aurora. It's probably just a nick from a round or shrapnel. Those grenades were a bit close, and my shields went down. But... I'm fine. I think..."
Standing up with Isa, Aurora wiped her face again and sniffled, clearing her throat as she gave Isa a stern look.
"Let. Me. See."
"My suit's on right now... plus there's a seal anyway, so it's fine. I just... want you to know, nothing's your fault. Not what happens to me, or whatever happens next. But we need to find out what's happening... and where we can go."
"F-... fuck sake, Isa...!"
Breaking into sobs again, Aurora squatted down as she ran her hands back through her hair, gripping bundles of her dense curls as she shook her head, taking in a deep breath.
"T-... this is my fault. E-everything I ever did. It w-was... was fucking stupid and it's t-the reason w-... why we're in this d-... damn mess..."
She lowered her head as she sat there with her face in her hands, whimpering softly as she shook her head again.
"I d-don't... don't k-... know w-... what to do..."
She heard Isa sigh, as she knelt down in front of Aurora, reaching to take her hand gently.
"Aurora... come on. Stop that. Me getting hurt is just... how things go. It's whatever. I'll take my suit off and try to look at it later. What we do next is lay low for a bit. Find somewhere nice to land maybe, huh? Then we figure out what happens next."
Aurora felt that desperation rise inside of her again, raising her voice as she looked at her lover with tears in her eyes, giving Isa's hand a gentle squeeze as she took it.
"B-but I don't want you to get hurt. I'm so... so f-fucking sick of this!"
Sitting back hopelessly on her haunches, she gazed into Isabella's hazel eyes, sniffling as she just sat there with a defeated look, shrugging. She felt upset that the one person she cared about was now hurt because of her. Upset that she had to abandon the place she called home. Upset that she had dragged Isa into her past. But yet, even when she knew everything, before anyone else ever did, she still cared. She gave Aurora a second chance... and that was all she ever wanted.
"I... I love you, Isa~..."
"I love you too... just... relax for a bit, okay? I know. Easier said than done. Okay... here... wanna help me with this?"
She gestured to her back, shrugging slightly as she looked down at her lover.
"Could be nothing serious... but... should check the damage."
Aurora nodded slightly, sniffling as she looked at the floor. Isa slowly got to her feet, extending a hand for Aurora to take...
... but instead, Aurora just sat there, dwelling in her thoughts. Isa was quiet for a moment, before she sighed, continuing to speak.
"I know that... everyone knows. We expected this, and I tried to tell those fucking idiots, but no-one listens. And that one guy... whoever the hell he is... ugh... gonna strangle him, I swear. I don't care if they're apart of the squadron or not."
"... c-can we... we really blame them all, Isa...? It... I d-did... all of this... in the end. Everything is... is my fault... because t-they're after me. I just... I just want the squadron to be safe... it's s-safer without me... there..."
The bridge of the Phantom filled with Isa's voice as it was her turn to raise her tone, staring at Aurora on the floor.
"No! Screw that. The squadron was always safe with you around, are you kidding? Everyone's freaking out now because they know. They don't understand what you went through. What you did and what it does to you. They betrayed you."
Aurora started to get a bit more upset, wiping her eyes quickly as she let out a heavy sigh, a tear rolling down her cheek as she looked back up at Isa.
"... a-and so what? I'm t-the one who betrayed everyone. I'm the one... w-who said yes to that will. I'm the one that looked s-so hard for someone to say they were proud of me, for someone to just say they FUCKING loved me~... a-and so I lapped up every fucking word and apology my father said... h-hoping he'd be that person eventually..."
She looked down at the floor again, gently tracing her finger in a slow, random pattern along the floor.
"... i-instead of just using my... m-my fucking head, I kept seeking that... that s-stupid feeling of validation. O-of wanting to... to be wanted. And t-that s-stupid feeling I wanted is w-why this happened. Y-yeah... I regret what I did... b-but that doesn't bring b-... back those... those lives, does it? It d-doesn't change anything..."
"... a-and now I dr... dragged you into this. I dragged e-everybody into this and I c-can't do anything to stop it. I can't... d-do anything to make this right again. T-that file of mine wa... wasn't supposed to exist anymore, Isa. H-how... how did they get it...?"
She heard Isa give a frustrated sigh as Aurora went quiet, shaking her head.
"I love you Aurora! What do you mean... ughhh. Just... I don't know what else to do. What to say anymore. I'm sorry this is happening, but we're in it now and that's that. I don't care who comes, I'm going to kill them if they're after you."
Isa balled her fists, staring out of the Phantom's canopy as she gritted her teeth and paused for a moment.
"...I don't know who got this god forsaken file but... we'll figure it out. And no, it doesn't bring back those lives, but that wasn't the true you. That was a used, angry you. So, fuck the Federation and... fuck everyone else who opened this shit can!"
She heard Isa punch the back of the pilot's seat, looking up at her as she turned around and went silent. At a quick glance, she could see the damaged part of her suit at her lower back, where something had made entry. Worried for her lover, Aurora sniffled and held back her sobs as she slowly got to her feet, trying to keep her voice as steady as she could while she spoke.
"... t-that's... h-honeyyy that's... that's not what I meant I..."
She paused for a moment, thinking about everything she wanted to say to Isa to try make things right. She loved her dearly and knew she did too... but... this situation was... difficult. She didn't want to drag Isa into this.
"... y-... you are... are everything to me, Isa. You... you are my entire world. I love you s-so much... I r-really do. No one has ever m-made me happier or... or a-actually felt loved before like you have. B-but I'm... I'm sc... scared to hurt you. I don't... w-wanna lose you, Isa..."
"B-before I met you I had... I had nothing really. That's... w-what I meant. A-and then everything changed when I s-saw you. When we kissed for the first time t-that night during that movie. All those... those feelings we s-shared... y-you made me feel alive. You gave s-so much to me, Isa... and all I w-want is you..."
"I just wanna l-live my life with you... b-but apparently that's a hard ask because s-stuff just... just keeps happening and I just wanna... be with you... w-without all this shit going on..."
Approaching from behind Isa, she gently placed a hand on her side, looking down as she took a moment to examine the wound while her lover stood there, quietly. After a moment, Isa suddenly spun around and pulled Aurora into a tight hug, holding her close as tears streamed down her face, the both of them sharing a warm embrace.
"I'm sorry... I'm just... I'm s-cared. Tired. I love you too. Y-you're my everything. I know T-... Thal was special to me but... I've never had a relationship like this. So intimate... wi-with all our flaws and complex-... complexities. You're so special, Aurora an-... and I can't lose you either. They want you and... no... I won't let them..."
She broke down and wiped her face with a gloved hand trying to control her own crying.
"I'm sorry... I... hate this. Crying... being so helpless."
Holding Isa tightly in the hug, Aurora took in a deep breath, minding her wound as she held her lover so delicately, resting her head on her shoulder. Kissing her neck softly, she swayed with her from side to side, trying to soothe Isa as she nodded her head slightly, exhaling softly.
"I... It's okay, honey... It's okay... t-things are difficult right now. It's... it's okay to cry. S-sometimes we need it... I... I k-know I cry a lot... haha~... uhm..."
"... Listen... I'm... I'm not gonna go anywhere. I'm here w-with you... a-and they'll have to get through us both if they want to t-take us down. We're... we're gonna figure this out together, okay? We're gonna m-make things right..."
"I love you, Isa. Love you m-more than anything~..."
She listened to Isa sob, breaking down as Aurora finished speaking. She stood there, holding on tightly as she cried her heart out, slowly starting to calm down. Sniffling, they stood there and held each other gently, slowly swaying from side to side still until Isa spoke again.
"Thank you... thank you, honey. I love you so much. I... needed... that."
Rubbing her back, Aurora leant back and smiled softly, slowly running her hands down her lover's arms as she gently took her hands again, giving them a gentle squeeze.
"I love you so much too~... I'm s-so happy with you... a-and that you're here with me..."
"... but... can we... uh... take a look at your back now? Please?"
Letting go, Isa stepped back and brought a hand to her back, feeling around as she found her wound, feeling the damaged part of the suit.
"I'm going to need a med kit I think..."
"Yeah... let's go to the quarters and get you all set up there?"
Isa smiled softly and nodded as Aurora took her hand, leading her to the bridge door of the room as the two walked along together. But, for a moment, Aurora paused and glanced back at her lover, gazing into her dreamy hazel eyes. Despite all the crying, the fear and the struggles they had gone through, her deep-rooted love and adoration for Isa remained, knowing that maybe, just maybe, things would be okay with Isa by her side. And they were, truly. While there was still a long way to go, Aurora knew she had a purpose in life. She had happiness, because of Isa.
And in the end, that is all she ever wanted.
////////////////////////////////////////
DATE: 7th of May, 3308 [10:05 UGT]
LOCATION: T.O.C. Solaris Q4V-40N, DerisoSGT. Rocco Locke
"Okay, listen up!"
The Captain's authoritative voice echoed throughout the hangar, the slim, feminine figure in the silver Dominator suit standing atop a set of crates near a ship - an Alliance Crusader. The entirety of Sabre stood there, at ease, flanked by elements from other squads. Locke stood at their center-front, his attention fixed on the Captain addressing them.
"Though I'm sure you have heard the news, allow me to reiterate some points for the sake of this briefing. As we all know, Squadron Commander Aurora Adair has gone rogue, and escaped the Solaris. Her escape resulted in seven Centurion operatives being critically injured, albeit all have now made full recoveries."
"Obviously, this news is shocking. Not only does it feel like our own leader has turned against us, but we have been betrayed and lied to about her past, and have now discovered that she served the same enemy we have been pitted against for a long time now - the Crimson Venators. Commander Adair was once one of them, back when they served the Federal Navy."
There was a pause as the Captain surveyed the groups before her, before continuing her speech.
"However... allow me to dispel these claims with simple logic, and we will keep this strictly between us. All of you here joined this squadron for many different reasons. Some just wanted a job. Some were looking for something greater. But all of us, in the end, have found something much more. This squadron is our home. And it is our duty to protect it. What happened to Commander Adair was, evidently, years ago."
"Since then, she has abandoned that life. She joined the squadron as one of us, a combat specialist. And against all odds, she stepped up as a true leader. She took up the mantle when nobody expected her to. For almost a year, she has led the squadron, selflessly giving her all to us. And... I'm sure all of you will remember the November attack. If it was not for Aurora and her sacrifices and actions, which almost resulted in her death, we would've never been able to fight back. We would have lost complete control over this carrier."
"So, allow me to ask you all one rhetorical question. Did any one of you have an issue with not knowing who our leader was in the past, knowing the sacrifices she had made for us, to keep us safe? My answer is no. My unwavering commitment to this squadron remains. My deep respect for my commanding officer, my leader, remains unbound, because I will not allow the past to dictate our future."
"Commander Aurora Adair may be branded as a war criminal by the Federation. She may have injured our soldiers in her desperate escape. But, it is clear that there is more to this picture than meets the eye. It is obvious to me, that our duty is now more important than ever. It is our obligation to discover the facts. It is up to us to expose the real truth. Not the 'truth' fed to us by the Federation."
The CSF captain glanced around the hangar, gesturing to each individual squad leader as she spoke.
"Dagger. Damocles. Sabre. Scimitar. Tanto. You are some of the best squads CSF has to offer. All of you have seen the damage our enemies have caused. You have watched first-hand as the galaxy's worst has tried to tear our resolve apart from the shadows. It is only appropriate that you are our spearhead in our continued fight."
"You will serve in conjunction with each other under the banner of SOF Tethys. You will answer to me - Captain Asper, as well as Captain Faust, Captain Vesik and Captain Rose. Our independent objective, as far as the Federation is concerned, is to eliminate the Crimson Venators, and apprehend Commander Aurora Adair."
"However, in light of what I have told you now, our true objectives will be to uncover as much information as we can, to best understand what we are up against. We will expose the force behind these attacks, and the origin of the information incriminating Commander Adair. If we are to encounter her, our objectives are to strictly avoid confrontation. We are not here to hunt her down. We are here to protect what this squadron stands for, and to bring an end to this."
"Understand that the Crimson Venators themselves are still a threat. If we are to encounter them directly, expect resistance, and we will respond accordingly. But I want you to remember one thing; Commander Adair is not one of them, and she hasn't been for a very, very long time. She has always acted in our best interests, regardless of what you may think about her personally. If anyone has any qualms with this, then you should leave now, and never look back. Understood?"
Nobody moved. The hangar stayed quiet. With a nod, the Captain crouched down and jumped off of their crate, landing on the pad below.
"Get your gear ready and move out. We are to be at the Omicron Lyrae carrier by tomorrow. Let's get to it."
Walking away, Captain Asper departed the hangar, elements from the other squads departing. Locke stood there, looking at the floor as Sabre themselves dispersed throughout the hangar, grabbing crates of gear as they began to walk them over to the open cargo ramp of the Alliance Crusader. With a sigh, Locke nodded and grabbed the helmet underneath his arm, holding it in his hands as he looked into the blacked-out visor, his own reflection staring back at him.
"Hey, Locke."
Feeling a nudge on his shoulder, Locke looked up and turned, his eyes landing on a man in his mid 20's. Brown eyes and brown, trimmed hair, the figure clad in the typical silver CSF combat suit. It was Helvet, Sabre's premiere technician. Flanking him was a figure dressed in an armoured flight suit, their face covered by a Remlok flight helmet. He recognized the masked figure immediately - it was the pilot behind the controls of their Crusader, operation after operation. Their eye in the sky. Oracle.
"You doing good? How's... uh... Kira doing?"
Locke was quiet, his mind trailing back to Onyx, their support engineer... and the most amazing, talented woman to Locke. Almost two months ago, Kira had joined Locke's team transporting critical mission cargo, until she sustained critical injuries and almost lost her life. If it wasn't for Lionel's actions, she might not have ever made it to the dropship for medevac. He owed Lionel for that one, and in some ways, he felt he could relate to Squadron Commander Adair's desperation and sacrifices when it came to protecting the person they loved.
"... Yeah. I'm fine. Kira's doing alright. Doctor said she hasn't woken up yet but... she's stable. Hopefully it... stays that way."
Helvet nodded, glancing over at Oracle standing by his side.
"Good, good. Uh... so, Jason and I wanted to talk to you about something."
Locke sighed internally. What was it now?
"We better not have forgotten anything..."
Jason stepped forward as he folded his arms, glancing over at Helvet before he looked over at Locke, and spoke.
"Actually... it's something else. We have a stowaway. This young kid. Her name's Vio-..."
"No. Wait. Hold on. A stowaway? You need to report that to Captain Asper right aw-..."
Helvet cut him off.
"Locke. Listen to him."
The three of them exchanged silent stares, before Locke sighed out loud and nodded slowly, looking at Jason.
"Fine..."
"Well... the kid. Her name's Violet, and... she snuck aboard my ship. Apparently, she knows Commander Adair personally. Commander Levine too. Actually, apparently... this 'Levine' character saved Violet a while back, from this settlement."
"Okay, and?"
"She wants to come with. Says she wants to stay away from her 'fucking mother' and find 'Aurora and Isa'."
"No. Absolutely n-..."
Helvet interjected once again.
"Locke. She's a kid. And... if she knows them both so well, maybe she can help us. At the very least, we should let her come with."
"If Captain Asper finds out..."
"She won't find out, Locke. C'mon, live a little! What's the worst she can do?"
Locke sighed heavily, shaking his head as he stayed quiet.
"... Locke. We should help her."
"Fine. But if Captain Asper or any of the others find out, it's on the both of you. I don't need some stowaway child fucking up our op."
"Cool. Don't worry... we wouldn't dream of it."
The group fell quiet. Looking over at Jason, Helvet nodded a tad, prompting him to turn back to his ship and walk away as he left Locke and Helvet to themselves. Looking at his squad leader in front of him, Helvet sighed softly, shrugging his shoulders.
"So... what's up with you?"
"What's up with me? Look around us, Helvet. We're being sent out to do something I never thought we'd have to do. Chase after our own leader. Now we learn that all of this is, potentially, her fault?"
"Come onnn... Locke. You heard Captain Asper. We don't know nearly enou-..."
"No, Helvet. I think we know enough. Instead of facing the music like the rest of us, she ran away again. Leaving us to clean up the mess."
"Locke. Just... with all due respect, you need to stop - sir. I know you're just angry because of Kir-..."
"Of course I'm fucking angry, Helvet! Do you think she deserved any of that? Putting her life on the line for all of this? For a lie?!"
"There was no way we could've k-..."
Locke stepped forward towards Helvet, staring him down as both exchanged cold gazes.
"Locke. Calm. Down. Kira will be okay, and we'll figure this out. Look, I know how much you care about her. It isn't Commander Adair's fault. There was no way we could've known any of this."
"Whatever... Listen carefully, Helvet. That kid stays in the ship. The second we get back to the bubble, she's off this free ride. We're not dragging a kid around with us."
"Fine... I'll tell Jason."
"... Good. Dismissed."
With a resigned look on his face, Helvet swiftly turned and walked back to the Crusader, leaving Locke standing there. With a sigh, he shook his head, glancing down at his helmet. He knew his anger was unwarranted... but still... he couldn't worry deeply about Kira. There was no telling how long this would take, or how long he would be gone. He just hoped she'd be okay.
Looking up around the hangar, Locke glanced around at the numerous equipment crates that littered the hangar, watching his team slowly move them around to the ship. Soon, they'd depart the Solaris and take another carrier back to the bubble. Maybe, after all this time, they'd finally be the ones to wrap up this mess. Maybe there would be some clarity for everything.
Grabbing his helmet and flipping it around, he slowly lifted it up and slid it over his head, letting it seal to his suit as the HUD booted up, starting his walk over to the cargo hatch of the Crusader. Whatever happened next, SOF Tethys had the opportunity to change the course of the squadron. Maybe everything about Commander Adair was just a big misunderstanding. Or... maybe there was something much deeper behind it. Maybe they'd never find out.
Maybe, some things were just meant to stay unknown.
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Credit:
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