MARS: 18 - Bastion - TITAN Contractors
30 Oct 2022Aurora Adair-Levine (Radiumio)
NOTE: This story contains themes of violence and strong language.
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DATE: 11th of October, 3308 [19:00 UGT]
LOCATION: T.O.C. Azure Star, H7V-BXHAurora Adair
"Well, this complicates things..."
Faust sighed, leaning forward onto the briefing table as he looked at the glowing briefing table. His face was illuminated by the soft blue of the hologram, along with the figures that surrounded it. Aurora folded her arms, brushing a free hand back through her curls as she stared idly at the slowly rotating projection of the Azure Star.
"Looks like the 'Federation' just branded us all terrorists."
Aurora frowned.
"... How can they just... d-do that? There's hundreds of people across the squadron that had fucking nothing to do with this!"
"I'm... not surprised, Commander. It's the Federation we're talking about. Suppose it doesn't exactly help that we broke into a high security training facility and shot several officers... non-lethally or not. And that just put you back on their radar, now that they know you were involved."
"Fuck them... this is their fault... EMBER and ever-..."
Faust raised a hand.
"I know, Commander. But right now... we have bigger matters to worry about. During your preparation for the operation, we called upon five additional carriers to help form a defensive formation around the Azure Star's holding position, plus the Solaris. This was to consolidate our forces and protect Commander Levine's carrier while waiting for some... semblance of progress."
"Unfortunately... when you were compromised and the Azure Star was called in for extraction, it had to leave the defensive formation behind. They were already getting hit hard by enemy forces... so I suppose a retreat was already due. But, there were a combination of factors that led to our retreat order being received too late by every other carrier in the formation."
"This means that... once the Azure Star was out of range, its countermeasures against the enemy superweapon no longer encompassed all six other carriers. And... when we made our way to the rendezvous position, only two other carriers seemed to have made it - including the Solaris."
"We overestimated the strength of the enemy. We knew EMBER was strong... but there were significant numbers of engineered ships. We're talking over thirty military-grade ships, and a much more coordinated pattern to their strikes. Nothing like their aggressive, almost suicidal moves before."
"Right now... we've lost four carriers. There's no telling where they might be, or if they survived. We suspect that the enemy took that opportunity to deploy their weapon, based off whatever corrupted reports we received before all four carriers went dark."
"But... that's not to say they're lost entirely. Teams are looking into trying to recover any data from the corrupted telemetry... see if anything can be figured out from it. That's also in tandem with us trying to figure out how to use the data you obtained from that naval facility."
"It seems to have... 'encrypted' itself when you forcibly pulled it out of the server, probably as some safety measure. It's not clear how we're supposed to gain access right now, but... I'll keep you updated on that. In the meantime... we need to regroup and figure out what the hell happens next."
"Obviously, now the Federation is going to be breathing down our necks, so we'll have that to worry about... if it even is the Federation making this claim. But... as long as our rendezvous position stays a secret, we should have a chance to track down the missing carriers, and get them back if possible. There's a hope that they weren't exposed to the weapon long enough for it to cause any serious damage... so... let's see if that holds true."
"... Faust... w-we... we can't go up against the Federation... not like this... what about all the crew...?"
Faust met Aurora's eyes with a sympathetic look, standing up straight as his gloved hands balanced on the edge of the table.
"Let us handle that, Commander. EMBER is the biggest threat to us right now. The Federation can point as many fingers as they want, but yet they want to keep this a secret, instead of publicizing it across the entire galaxy. There's a good chance that this isn't even the Federation. It may be EMBER talking, possibly because their existence is starting to become not as deniable anymore. They don't want to be found, so they want to create more chaos to mask that."
"It's likely they still have contacts within the Federation to keep a lid on things... and unfortunately, we saw that with Commander Kryik's contact - that Jacobs fellow. The syndicate's influence might be broad... but it's not infinite. Not when they are still desperately trying to stay hidden, calculating their every move. Doing everything they can to paint the squadron in a bad light, weakening us further."
"They may be powerful, but we can still force them to make mistakes, Commander. We can regroup, and with any luck, that databank could give us the concrete evidence we need about the enemy to expose them even with their influence. We just need time... which we have a short amount of now."
"We just have to make the most of it."
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DATE: 18th of October, 3308 [18:51 UGT]
LOCATION: T.O.C. Azure Star, H7V-BXHSGT. Rocco Locke, Sabre 1-1
With a loud clunk, the equipment crate dropped to the floor from Locke's grip, landing amongst a cache of military gear that had been set up within one of the armouries. He straightened up and looked around at the bustling room, filled with CSF soldiers and even normal crew members taking their pick of weapons and equipment.
With a sigh, he mumbled to himself as he squeezed back through the crowd, slipping out of the armoury and back into the access corridor. It was a lot less crowded outside, giving him a bit of breathing room as he glanced around the corridor. Although he was looking for someone, it didn't take long for that someone to find him instead.
"Hey, Locke!"
Turning to his flank where the voice came from, Locke laid his eyes on Helvet, Sabre's technician. They'd been handling resupplies of several armouries of the Azure Star, trying to improve access to weapons and gear for the coming fight. Only... Helvet wasn't carrying anything.
"... Where's Adeline and Lionel? And... y'know... the rest of the stuff?"
"Ah, they... y'know. Got 'reassigned'. And by reassigned I mean Command wanted them to allocate the rest of the equipment elsewhere. So I came to tell you. We're supposed to move to one of the forward defence positions - CP Six or something - and the others'll catch up."
"Yeah, any excuse for you to not break your back carrying shit, Helvet. Sure."
"Pfft. What? No. I'm serious!"
Locke rolled his eyes, waving Helvet along as he turned and started to walk down the corridor, away from the armoury.
"Yeah, alright. Let's go, then."
"I mean it. They didn't tell you?"
"No, they didn't tell me, Helvet. Sure is an awful lot of things I apparently never get told."
Helvet let out a quiet 'hmph', following by Locke's side as the two walked in silence, proceeding to one of the turbolifts that could be found occasionally throughout the hallways. Finding the first one, they turned and Locke tapped the console, permitting them entry into the lift where he tapped the deck on which he recalled some of the checkpoints were present.
Helvet stopped on the opposite side of the lift, folding his arms as he looked towards the door and waited as they shut. Save for the jingle of the elevator music and hum of the machine, it was silent... up until Helvet broke it once more.
"Hey. Say, you've heard about the... explosion on the Solaris? Two days ago? How they thought-..."
"...-thought it was an enemy attack, had us on high alert for hours, only to find out it was that psycho foreman. Yeah. I heard it."
"But I mean... wasn't the guy supposed to be dead?"
"Lot of people went unaccounted for in that disaster, Helvet."
"Why hide the death, though? He survived. Why didn't he tell anyone?"
"Guy lost his mind, Helvet. You heard the debrief on the notes he had, didn't you? Blame it on the enemy and their fucked up superweapon. We done?"
"Just trying to make conversation."
"Pick a topic that isn't depressing."
The lift door opened with a ding, prompting Locke and Helvet to step out into a corridor moving with groups of crew and soldiers. Slipping through them, the two began to walk down the corridor... and then he began speaking again.
"Okay, well... y'know, all the topics are depressing."
"Yeah. Tell me about it."
"Alright... then... how's Kira doing? Have you been talking to her? Did you t-..."
Locke sighed.
"What part of 'pick a topic that isn't depressing' didn't you get?"
Helvet glanced at Locke, although the Sergeant didn't look back. He was quiet for a few moments, before he continued speaking as they weaved through the corridor, down junctions and hallways.
"... Well, have you spoken to her?"
"Why do you care?"
"Okay, sheesh 'Mr. Defensive'. Just trying to show some concern, alright? Last time you were fine with-..."
"Goddamnit, Helvet... Fine. Yeah, I got to speak to her for a few minutes. She's still recovering aboard the Solaris... ironically the safest place for her right now. Still not really in a state to move around and talk much. There. You happy?"
"... Well, did you tell her?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"She almost died months ago, Helvet. She's just starting to recover, and you think now's the right time? And again, why do you care?"
Shooting a glare at Helvet, the two started to slow their walk, eventually coming to a stop in the corridor.
"Well... when is the right time, Locke? Seems like we're fucking losing anyway. Might as well tell her how you feel before we die. Have some balls and all that."
"Oh, sheesh, nice one. You see, this is why I didn't want to fucking tell any of you. This has nothing to do with you, Helvet. Mind your own business."
"Y'know what? Okay, Locke. You might be my boss, but I figured we're friends. So, with all due respect, what's your fucking deal? You're so... pissy, lately. At everyone! We used to banter as a team, and you always used to be the 'serious' element or whatever... but now you're just... hostile all the time."
Locke clenched his fists slightly.
"Yeah, well, I don't get to see the world through rose-tinted glasses like you, Helvet. I don't see an end to all of this. I didn't sign up to be a fucking cannon fodder. If I'd had known we'd be in this mess, I would've fucking left. And-..."
"So why are you still here, then? You had quite a few opportunities to leave. But you stayed anyway."
The two of them paused. Despite having unconsciously taken a few steps into Helvet's personal space, the young man remained dead still, staring directly at Locke. All they could see was the reflection in each other's visor... but the tension was enough. Relaxing slightly, the Sergeant stepped back and looked away, folding his arms as he sighed and shook his head.
"... Fine. You're right. Guess this place is just home. And I've seen what the enemy has done to our home. To thousands of innocent people. And they just keep taking lives while we get weaker. So... I'm pissed. Tethys keeps waving around this databank as some kind of solution, but when do we get to reap that reward? When can we end this enemy for good? It's... exhausting. I'm glad you're optimistic about it, Helvet... but it's getting hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel."
"Yeah... I get it. You think I don't feel the same way? We're all in the same sinking boat. Didn't know you could open up so much, though."
"Don't push it."
The two exchanged a chuckle.
"Now, that wouldn't be very characteristic of me if I didn't, would it? But... y'know... I still think you should-..."
Locke raised a hand, frowning as he listened to his surroundings. He could hear distant yelling, the crowds in the corridor starting to pick up as chatter started to pick up on their helmet radios, of which he had turned his volume down. Soldiers patrolling the corridors started to run, shouting at members of the crew to disperse.
"Shit. Something's wrong..."
Turning up the radio in his helmet quickly, Locke listened to the busy chatter on the global comms, trying to pick out something he could understand. It didn't take long for him to catch onto the conversation.
IDENT: {Scimitar 1-1} "[... -riority message, priority message. CENTCOM, hostile vessels sighte-...]"
IDENT: {Eclipse 1-3} "[... -erving multiple vessels converging now!]"
And then... all hell broke loose as alarms began to blare throughout the corridors.
IDENT: {CENTCOM} "[All fireteams, this is CENTCOM! We are under attack by hostile forces! All units, combat positions!]"
"Helvet, let's go!"
Quickly grabbing his rifle from his suit pack, Locke began to run down the corridors, heading the same way towards the defensive position they had been ordered to. Helvet immediately followed suit, the two dashing through the hallway as they moved to defend the Azure Star.
The rumble of the carriers weapons began to sound out through the hull of the vessel, as soldiers and crew ran through the corridors to wherever they needed to be. Focused on the task at hand, Locke listened to the comms chatter as they skidded around the corner, spotting the defensive checkpoint of barricades and emplacements set up in the corridor just ahead.
Coming to a stop as he knelt behind a crate, Locke looked ahead at the signs. The emergency airlocks would likely be the easiest thing to gain access to, and there were several on this deck. One could hope that the combat wings would be able to hold the enemy back long enough... but their luck never worked out that way.
And... it certainly wasn't the first time.
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DATE: 23th of October, 3308 [14:10 UGT]
LOCATION: T.O.C. Azure Star, H7V-BXHAurora Adair
"Screw that. I'm coming. What else am I supposed to do? Just sit here and wait to be blown up? Sucked out into space?"
Slipping her arms into her black Maverick suit as the hum of alarms sounded outside their quarters, Aurora glanced at Violet. Frustration written across her face, the young teenager paced near their sofa slightly, watching the duo don their suits as Isabella sighed.
Aurora was the first to respond, shaking her head as she zipped up her suit and started to slip her gloves on, linking them into her suit.
"No. No, absolutely not. The quarters is deep enough in the carrier, Violet. You're staying here."
Bending down to get her boots on, Aurora listened as Isa echoed her statement, trying to focus on getting suited up and ready as quick as possible. This was the second attack... only five days after the last one. And this time... it felt like they weren't prepared. But... were they ever?
"You heard her. It's going to get really ugly, sweetheart. I just..."
"Want me to be safe... yeah, heard that shit before. Like fifty million times. Safe is boring. I want to get out. Help you guys. Instead of... being stuck here, with nothing to fucking do."
Straightening up slightly after she had sealed her boots in, Aurora swiftly looked over at Violet. She found herself getting frustrated at her, knowing that they didn't have time to argue this.
"You can help us by staying here. But you've probably heard that one before, I bet..."
Pausing a bit as she realized her snappy tone and tried to dial it back a bit, Aurora grit her teeth slightly and started to clip her Maverick's chest plate and belt on.
"... Listen. This is the real deal, Violet. You are not ready. And, honestly, you don't want this. This life of... having to fight for your survival. Just to have... something. And we... barely have anything left. The squadron's army - the people protecting us - have been fucking decimated by this enemy. You know there's only a hundred or so CSF soldiers left? There used to be two thousa-..."
She paused again. A sound caught her ear - a rumble throughout the carrier. It was just barely audible, muffled but still there. Breaking her gaze away from Violet, Aurora turned back to their locker and snatched up her backpack, starting to fit it on as she continued.
"... Okay. I'm not standing here and arguing with you about it, Violet. You are staying here, in this quarters, because Isa and I would like something to come back to, okay? We care about you. If you care about us, you'll stay here. We need to know you're some place safe so we can stay focused."
"... How am I not ready? I've trained! I've done good! Haven't I?"
Looking at Isabella in disbelief, Violet threw her hands up slightly, receiving a gentle nod from Isa who now had her brown and black Maverick suit on.
"You've done phenomenal, but this is... different. Too chaotic to keep track of you and keep track of where the enemy is coming from. If you stay here, we know you're safe and that you're not in danger or... worse."
As Violet's hands balled up into fists, her face tinged a shade of red as her frustration and desperation started to visibly show. Sulking over to the couch, she sat down heavily as the duo continued to grab their equipment, moving onto their weapons which they slung onto their suit packs and magnetic holsters.
Taking in a breath as she grabbed her helmet last, Aurora carefully walked over to Violet, tentatively placing a hand on her shoulder which was quickly shrugged off as she spoke.
"Isa's right. You've done really well. But... training is not the real thing. It's chaotic. Lives are on the line here. We just... don't want you at risk. You... deserve better than to be thrown into all of this, Violet. I'm... I'm sorry... for... everything."
Turning away as she felt her emotions start to get the better of her, Aurora bottled it up and brushed her curls back, lifting her helmet and sliding it down over her head as it sealed to her suit, her HUD booting up while she approached the exit to their quarters.
"Yeah. I just want to either help or just... go home..."
Waiting by the door for Isa, Aurora glanced back and listened to what Isabella said, starting to get a little impatient and annoyed at the situation.
"You don't have many places, hun. I'm... sorry. When I get back and this all ends, we're going to go do something really fun together. I promise. Whatever you want."
No reply came. Hesitantly, Isa tied her chestnut hair up and picked up her helmet, starting to walk to the exit as she looked back at Violet.
"I love you, Violet. You're something I want to protect and let flourish when we're not dealing with... this."
... but there was still no reply. Sliding her helmet on over her head, Isabella glanced at Aurora as she approached, offering a weak smile as she stepped out the doorway.
"... Come on."
Stepping out of the door as well, Aurora glanced back at the door console and gestured to it, starting to walk past her partner.
"... You have the code... should lock it before we go..."
"Oh... lock it? We don't usually..."
"Just... to... keep her safe, I guess. Just in case... at least it's something to slow them or... her down..."
Isabella turned to the door console, stopping as she looked at it. She sighed. Aurora stopped and looked back, starting to get increasingly anxious and more upset the longer this took. The alarms were still going on deeper within the carrier, and that rumble returned from time to time. She felt it was the right thing to do to protect Violet... but Isa disagreed, it seemed.
"I... can't..."
"Isa, we have to protect her. What if she decides to try come and help anyway? We don't... have time for this..."
"We're locking her away for wanting to help. For wanting to be with... us. I just... she'll never forgive me..."
"It's that or... EMBER kills her, Isa. This is the second attack and by sounds of it we have no time to prepare. She... we can't put her into active combat. Just blame me, okay? Just blame me..."
Throwing her hands up slightly, Aurora turned away in frustration and started to walk down the corridor slowly, letting Isabella catch up to her as she grabbed the AR-50 from her suit pack. She glanced back, watching Isabella quickly type in the code, hesitating just a moment before she entered it, locking the door from both sides.
She turned and began to run slightly to catch up Aurora, the two quietly proceeding down the corridors as they began to walk for the nearest lifts, their pace hurried. The deeper they proceeded into the carrier, the more the ambience changed. Red emergency lights flickered on as aggressive alarms roared to life, the muffled thunder of the carriers weapons sounding out.
The attack had started.
Starting to run, Aurora quickly moved down the corridor, coming to an abrupt halt just before she passed a lift. Hitting the console, she slipped through the parting doors and waited for Isa to join her, tapping on her PDA attached to her right forearm.
"Gonna hail the Captain... looks like we're a bit late to the armoury. You should... uh... join the comms too..."
"Voice comms... yeah. One sec..."
Inviting Isabella to her comms link, Aurora reached over to hit one of the options on the elevator console quickly, and then hailed the identifier she had on her device for Captain Faust, only for it to be almost immediately answered. She unmuted her mic, and spoke...
"Capta-..."
IDENT: {Guardian 1-1} "[Commanders, no time! We're under attack. Get to the mid-deck ASAP. Looks like the enemy is trying to open entry points, using shaped charges as before. We're mobilizing all CSF units we can now, but the other carriers are being hit too.]"
"Shit..."
She looked over at Isabella, watching her partner grimace as she looked down, her hands shaking almost imperceptibly as the tension started to pick up. It sounded bad... worse than before. Seeing Isabella lose her nerve scared Aurora. She needed her partner to be strong. Almost selfishly... it was the only way she could be strong too.
Reaching over to take Isa's hand, she firmly squeezed it and responded to Faust, waiting for the lift to reach their destination deck.
"... What about the jump, Captain? C-can we... get away in time?"
IDENT: {Guardian 1-1} "[Nav is working on that now. We have to hold our ground until the carrier can jump. Get to it, Commander. I'll patch you into priority defence comms.]"
"Okay..."
Feeling the carrier shudder as the lift began to slow, the doors soon parted and revealed another corridor. Now, they seemed to be fairly central in the carrier, watching a squad of CSF soldiers rush on by as Aurora glanced at Isa, tugging her hand.
"You good...?"
"Yeah. Just... hope we can get out of here in time before it gets ugly. Do we know how many are trying to get onboard?"
Aurora shrugged, but before she could respond... Faust took advantage of the open mic, and spoke.
IDENT: {Guardian 1-1} "[If that's a question for me, we don't know yet. We can try guess when any ships approach, but there's no telling. Expect multiple squads from numerous different entry points.]"
Stepping out of the lift, Aurora released her partner's hand and grabbed her rifle from her suit pack, shouldering her AR-50 as she entered the long, sprawling corridors. The blaring alarms became clearer as they advanced, following the CSF team moving down the corridor.
IDENT: {Guardian 1-1} "[Going to pass you two over to the combat network now. Good luck, Commanders. And... try keep yourselves in one piece, alright?]"
"Yeah... that's the plan..."
As the alarms echoed throughout the corridors, the carrier shuddered slightly, the lights of the hallway flickering slightly as it sounded like an utter warzone - albeit only the frantic firing of the carrier weapons could be heard. Aurora continued down the hallway, her rifle at the ready as she flicked the safety off and exhaled quietly to herself.
With the radio comms changing to the open radio network, their helmets flooded with combat chatter, prompting Aurora to turn the volume down slightly as she turned her suit speakers on and glanced back at Isa, before looking ahead again. It seemed they were in one of the long mid-deck corridors, on the port side of the carrier - according to the signs.
The signs also seemed to guide them to landing pad accesses and vice versa, as well as connect them to other sections of the carrier - including several of the port airlocks. It was a maze... but at least it was a familiar one.
Continuing down the hallway as Aurora stopped behind a squad of CSF soldiers talking amongst themselves, she took a knee by a pillar, leaning against it as she listened to the radio. It was difficult to make out anything over the entire channel, but she could hear the defence wings desperately fighting back against the enemy. At least there was nothing aboard the carrier just yet, it seemed.
"I can't believe I just got this thing and they're already trying to destroy it..."
As she commented, Isabella came to a stop behind Aurora and crouched as well, looking around the corridor as they waited. Glancing back at her partner, Aurora sighed softly and shrugged her arms, replying softly. She hated how even more people were endangered... and it just seemed to keep spreading to the other carriers.
"Sorry..."
A pause. It was quiet for a moment as the two listened to the radio chatter, until Isabella spoke again.
"... Shouldn't we... go towards the shooting?"
"The fighting is outside so far... they haven't managed to board yet. But... if their previous tactics are to be believed, they'll make entry by blowing open airlocks. So... we just have to wait and hope they don't make it that far..."
"Okay..."
Then it was quiet again. Aurora watched the CSF team ahead of them, listening to a conversation she couldn't make out, as well as the ambience of the carrier. Its hull shuddered and echoes rang out through the corridors as it sustained impacts, firing back desperately to repel the enemy. The comms chatter clearly reflected the chaos, but a lot of it she struggled to understand clearly.
She glanced back at Isabella, her mind wandering as it usually did. She cursed it, trying to focus and keep quiet even when she was burning to say something. Why couldn't she just make this right again? Did she make the wrong call by having Violet locked away? Was this...
"When can we jump? Takes forever..."
Aurora once again shrugged. The anxiety was getting the better of her, as if they were on the cusp of a violent storm soon to reach them.
"I don't know. You'd... think they would've started the FSD already..."
Listening to the comms, Aurora frowned to herself as she listened to the rapid chatter of the pilots fighting to defend the carrier. Out there, beyond the thick hull of the carrier, were CSF and militia pilots giving their all for... them. It felt so wrong. Why wasn't she out there, fighting tooth and nail to kill EMBER?
But she knew the answer. Aurora was scared. More scared than she'd ever been... nothing topped the fear she felt of losing everything. Drowned in her thoughts, she blinked and stared down the corridor, glancing up at the signs as she distracted herself by taking mental notes of the emergency airlocks before Isabella disrupted her thoughts again.
"I... can't sit here..."
"... Not really like we... have a choice, I guess..."
Aurora sighed, and glanced back.
"We just have t-..."
A junction only a hundred or so metres ahead suddenly detonated with a deafening boom, the structure of the hallway screeching as it was torn apart in a blinding flash, obliterating the door of one of the sealed exterior airlocks. Through the left of the junction, the one access airlock had ruptured under the force of an explosive charge, flooding the corridor with smoke and fire before it all suddenly started to get sucked back out.
Pressure alarms screamed throughout the hallway as the air around them suddenly started to rush past, the CSF team infront of Aurora and Isa ducking and grabbing hold of something as even from the distance they were standing at, shrapnel began to ping around the corridor around them.
With the section now violently depressurizing, Aurora quickly grabbed onto the pillar she was next to, her magnetic boots locking to the floor as she started to slide slightly the faster the air was sucked out, holding onto her gear and everything as tightly as she could. It was hard to even hear anything, her panicked curse barely making it over the comms to Isa as she ducked her head, tucking her rifle in.
As for Isabella, the breach seemed to catch her totally off-guard, the initial shockwave knocking her off her feet as she tumbled back, her carbine slipping from her grip. Aurora watched as she scrambled to get her bearings, before the rushing air started to drag her with towards the new hole in the side of the carrier.
Holding onto the pillar next to her tightly, Aurora tried to lunge to grab her arm, only to just barely miss as Isa rolled along. She yelled after her, her voice breaking as it was hard to hear over the whistling air and rattle of the carrier. The CSF team ducked behind their deployed barricades as well as shrapnel pinged back towards them, the pressure alarms screeching through the chaos.
Just before Isa slipped past, the team leader of the CSF team quickly reacted and reached out a hand, snatching Isa back by her arm as her carbine floated off towards the breach. He yanked her back into cover, the automated bulkheads began to hum - but rather than their heavy duty doors closing - blue life support shields flashed to life, 'sealing' off the long corridor into individual segments and containing the air.
With the air now stabilized within each segment, the breached section continued to vent, but soon stopped once it became a vacuum. Still crouched, Aurora let go of the pillar and gathered her bearings, getting to her feet and running over towards Isabella as her partner struggled to her feet.
Helping her up, Aurora grabbed her shoulders, looking past at the new hole in the side of the corridor as indistinct yelling came from ahead. Something had connected with the breach, lights starting to shine through the dark haze.
"Isa, are you alright?!"
She nodded, catching her breath as she took a second to reply.
"I think... yeah. They blew a bloody hole into the side of my carrier..."
"Yeah... try not get blown out of the hole, thanks..."
Pulling Isa back into cover as she grabbed her rifle and took position near the same pillar just a metre or so behind the CSF soldiers, Aurora aimed down her sights and watched the breach ahead carefully, her finger slipping over the trigger of her rifle as she tried to ease her breathing. She needed to focus.
"They're coming through the breach! CENTCOM, we have boarders! Repeat, we-..."
The hallway suddenly filled with a deafening crack as a tracer slammed into the wall close to the CSF soldiers, forcing them to duck as the round ricocheted and went flying past. Ahead from the breach, dark, cloaked figures began to cross through the smoke, weapons at the ready. It only took seconds for chaos to ensue as blue shields shimmered and formed around the soldiers.
Gesturing forward, the CSF team leader barely had any time to bark orders after his callout before the hallway erupted into sheer gunfire, lighting up the corridor and cutting through the debris as both sides began to trade fire. Turning her shields on now quickly, Aurora tapped her partner's shoulder, gesturing to her suit as she yelled over the gunfire.
"ISA! SHIELDS NOW!"
As her partner activated her shields and grabbed her sidearm, Aurora tucked in near the pillar and took aim, firing bursts down the corridor at any hostile figure she could see as the tracers whizzed past. The flashing and sheer lights made it hard to make it out clearly, and the debris and haze wasn't helping.
As the CSF squad returned fire, their squad leader took aim with his laser rifle and braced it against the cover, squeezing off precise shots that nicked the enemy's shields before they immediately moved back into cover. They were good... very good.
IDENT: {CENTCOM} "[All callsigns, all callsigns, priority message. Hostile forces have managed to breach the carrier. Jump locked in, ETA five minutes. Stand your ground!]"
"GET SOME GRENADES DOWN THERE!"
The yelling of the CSF team leader overpowered the gunfire as Aurora continued to return fire. Quickly pausing as she passed her rifle to her other hand, Aurora reached for her belt, only to pause as she watched Isabella already grab a grenade from her belt, and chuck it.
Opting to save hers, Aurora grabbed her rifle and braced against the pillar again, watching some of the other CSF soldiers follow suit, sending a small group of fragmentation grenades floating down the corridor towards the enemy. It didn't take long for the first grenade to gently ping off of a wall near the enemy, activating its fuse as it flashed, and then exploded.
The other two grenades erupted in tandem, the hallway filling with a loud boom. The enemy figures ducked back into cover, their shields just managing to take the shrapnel as the fragmentation pinged around the corridor violently. It worked... but unfortunately just not well enough.
The gunfire continued seconds later as the enemy figures peeked out, rounds and tracers flying past, some getting dangerously close as the enemy tried to hone in on the CSF team. Each side struggled to land enough of their hits, as each time they would move back into cover for their shields to regenerate.
It was a sheer battle of endurance - testing to see who would falter and give in first. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to keep her profile as small as possible, squeezing off precise rounds as she heard Isa's voice amplified by her suit speakers, talking among the CSF squad.
"We need to fall back. Use shields projectors and cover fire. There's too many..."
"We can't give them any ground! CENTCOM, we have two enemy squads boarding via the port side airlock at defence point eight! We need backup now!"
Ducking back into cover as a round chipped near the barricade, the enemy slowly continued their advance through the life support shields. The appearances became clearer the closer they got - white skulls etched onto dark visors as blood red bandoliers and cloaks adorned their suits. Their dark armour was fairly significant although not much different to the CSF soldiers. Cursing to herself, Aurora ducked back behind the pillar and grabbed a cylindrical device from her belt.
Twisting the cap of the shield disruptor, she tried to steady her trembling hands and leant out, tossing the grenade as accurately as she could into the midst of the enemy. The grenade spun and veered off as it landed midway, not quite having the intended effect as it discharged too far past the enemy, giving them time to get back into cover. Aurora cursed to herself again quietly as her heart sank, tucking back into cover as she clutched her rifle, only to lift her head again as she heard her partner's voice.
"It's fine, Aurora. Take your time and break, okay? We can do this..."
She didn't reply, just nodded in acknowledgement as her face burnt in shame and embarrassment, the tremble of fear travelling through her body. She felt scared and pathetic... not capable of doing what needed to be done, and able to support the team that was fighting tooth and nail in front of her. If it wasn't for the adrenaline pumping through her body, and the stakes of failure consciously on her mind, she might've just given up and admitted her weakness.
Watching Isabella attempt the same thing as Aurora did, she reached for her belt and took a disruptor from a pouch from it. She too twisted the cap and tossed it down the corridor, letting it bounce off the floor gently before it detonated. As the discharge shattered several of the enemy's shields, she immediately brought up her weapon, and took aim.
In almost a bout of anger, one of the enemy jumped up, aiming his weapon and training right in on Isabella, before her plasma round found its spot right in the center of his visor. The body crumpled, but the weapons fire returned regardless as the enemy peeked and began to fire, trying to suppress and force the CSF soldiers back into cover.
The team leader ducked to narrowly avoid a plasma slug, but some of the other soldiers kept firing, including a fuming Aurora who was desperately trying to at least make herself useful and land a hit, firing her rifle in bursts at any silhouette she could see.
IDENT: {CENTCOM} "[Attention all units. We cannot fully secure the carrier for the jump, so we have to make do. Stop the enemy from advancing! We have three minutes left, hold your ground!]"
In the chaos, two more enemies fell, but it was hard to tell who shot who. Even then, the enemy squad outnumbered the CSF team, and they were starting to get dangerously close, the pillars and randomly scattered barricades offering them some cover. The carrier shuddered violently as the fighting continued outside, flashes of golden lasers and tracers spitting past as Isabella tried to make her shots count.
Aurora tried to keep up her firing too, but found herself forced back into cover as a laser bolt struck her shields. She crouched, tucked in behind the pillar as she tried to ease her breathing and focus... but she couldn't. Inside, she was struggling. What the hell was going on with her?
"INCOMING GRENADES!"
The yell snapped her out of her thoughts as she suddenly watched multiple frag grenades bounce off of their cover, landing nearby. The CSF teams ducked behind their barricades, hoping it would shield them as the flashing grenades started to beep frantically, floating right by the barricades. She heard her partner yell seconds before they went off...
"Down! Get dow-..."
As the grenades detonated in sequence, the hallway reverberated with the concussive effects of the grenades, the shrapnel pinging around and bouncing violently off shields. Almost curled up in her small corner by the pillar, Aurora flinched and yelped slightly as some of the shrapnel hit her in her side as she covered her head, her shields taking the hard impact anyway. Thankfully, the rest of the grenades were knocked away by the blast, still detonating nearby but enough for the barricades to shield them.
In seconds, the gunfire resumed as the enemy pushed them. The CSF soldiers did their best to hold them back, their shields flashing as both sides started to accurately land their shots, some of the EMBER mercenaries peeking out of cover a little bit too eagerly to try do more damage. Aurora peeked out from behind her pillar, trying to pick her targets before she settled on one right in the open, and took aim.
As a hostile merc stepped out of cover and raised his rifle, he yelled as a bolt of plasma slammed against his shields, shattering them. He turned to who had fired, trying to grab his rifle once more as he recoiled back before a burst from Aurora's rifle found itself in the center of his visor, shattering it as his body crumpled.
She ducked back into cover to reload, dumping the magazine as she shoved in a new one and slapped the latch closed. As shrapnel and rounds pinged around the corridor, the CSF team continued to try thin the onslaught of the enemy forces, struggling to keep up the volume of fire.
The enemy was easily within a deadly range, bearing down on the CSF soldiers as one of them suddenly yelled out in pain, their shields shattering as they took several rounds to their front armour. Knocked to the ground, the CSF soldier collapsed behind one of the barricades, squirming in pain as he clutched at the holes in his chest plate.
"Shit. Hold on!"
Aurora heard Isabella call out, looking over at her partner as she saw her almost dash to help him, before she decided against it under the fire they were facing.
As the downed soldier pulled himself into a corner, the rest of the squad continued to hold the line, picking away at any enemies that were brave enough to exit cover. With each side only a few dozens metres away from each other, it was just a matter of who was faster and more accurate... not that it mattered much with how much the enemy was bearing down on them.
"CENTCOM! Where the fuck is our backup?!"
With the team leader ceasing fire for a moment, he turned his attention to his helmet radio, yelling over the gunfire as he kept his head down, laser bolts and kinetic rounds chipping away at the barricades that covered the CSF squad. Breaking away to reload again, Aurora watched as Isabella took aim, training on a figure that peeked from their cover to engage the CSF team.
With an instinctive squeeze of her trigger, the man's shields shattered as he recoiled, moving for cover. It only took seconds for the CSF team to swap their focus, cutting him down as he crumpled mid-dive, blood pouring from holes and cracks in his suit and visor.
IDENT: {CENTCOM} "[All units, dig in! Nav reports frame shift drive powering up!]"
With a sudden, abrupt groan seconds after the CENTCOM radio message was heard, the carrier shuddered, a low hum starting deep within as the FSD began to come to life, slowly growing in volume.
Sticking near the barricades, the CSF team continued to return fire as the enemy retreated slightly into cover, falling back slightly. Checking her ammo on her HUD, Aurora crouched back down to steady herself, looking over at her partner to see if she was alright. Her partner ducked low into her cover and gazed back at Aurora, giving her a little thumbs up.
"We can do this... but I need ammo. I'm out."
Quickly reaching for her belt, Aurora popped open one of her pouches and grabbed a handful of plasma cartridges for her own Tormentor pistol, gesturing Isabella over. The groan of the carrier's FSD began to grow significantly, the hull shaking as the attacks continued, the chaotic combat chatter still going on as ambience in their helmets.
"Here!"
Isabella looked over at Aurora, getting herself ready to dash as she picked just the right moment to cross. With a momentary break in the firing, Isa quickly kicked off and sprinted across, whatever fire passing Isa too focused on taking down the CSF team, allowing her to make it. Aurora opened her palm as her partner reached her, producing four plasma cartridges in her glove as she crouched down and extended them towards Isabella.
"Here... you can have the rest if you want..."
Isa took the ammo, pausing a moment as she looked at the cartridges, and then back up at Aurora.
"Are you sure? What about you?"
Aurora shook her head as Isa took the cartridges, quickly reaching back into her pouch again to grab three extra which she provided to Isa with no hesitation.
"Just take them. Y-you're... doing way better than me and... I don't need them. Got my rifle."
Isabella nodded, wasting no further time as she placed the cartridges in a pouch on her belt and slotted a fresh one into her pistol, locking it closed as she leant out and continued to pick out her targets and fire. The deck started to shake slightly, the sound of the FSD reverberating throughout the hall as the carrier prepared to jump. Ceasing fire, Isa leant back for a moment to take cover just in front of Aurora, using the barricade to cover herself as she glanced back at Aurora who paused too.
"Never been in a firefight while jumping. Usually, we're seated..."
"Yeah, well... hold onto something..."
Cursing under her breath as she shouldered her rifle and got back to it, Aurora listened as the FSD began to 'whine', shifting away from a low groan as it began to spool up fully. Deeper within the carrier, it was harder to make out the exact details, but the muffled crackle of space itself starting to shift and morph at the nose of the carrier became audible, the hull shuddering as the spin of the drive drummed through the vessel.
IDENT: {CENTCOM} "[All callsigns! Get secure, the FSD has engaged! Jump in twenty seconds!]"
"Everybody grab onto something!"
The CSF team leader yelled out as shots continued to spit past, the enemy seemingly undeterred by the carrier's jump about to occur, although some seemed to consciously remain near cover as they picked their shots carefully, managing to land a few of their hits as they switched through targets, forcing Aurora back behind her pillar after a moment.
Isabella fired her remaining shots as she quickly backtracked towards Aurora's pillar, squeezing into what little cover there was as they shared the space, looking at each other as they braced.
"Here we gooo... ha!"
Aurora didn't quite share Isa's enthusiasm, gritting her teeth as her heart raced in her chest and she shouldered her rifle again, trying to provide suppressing fire to keep the enemy back. The FSD crackled and reverberated throughout the carrier as the spooling continued to speed up, drumming throughout the hull before there was suddenly a loud, muffled 'snap' as the hyperspace portal was ripped open, the sound easily overpowering the firefight.
The horn of the carrier sounded, roaring through the vessel as the hull strained under the power of the thrusters. Trying to brace herself against the wall as she ceased fire, Aurora groaned as she felt herself slowly pushed into the pillar with Isabella, slightly squished against her partner as the force of the carrier's main engines powered it through the portal, hearing the noise of alien droning pass over them shortly after.
The CSF team had an easier time behind the barricades, but several of the enemy mercenaries were forced backwards, stumbling as they tried to grab onto anything nearby them, the hull of the carrier groaning. It didn't take long for the gunfight to resurge again, shots erupting from each side as they desperately held on. At least the CSF team had some of the advantage here.
Holding onto the pillar tightly as she clutched her partner's arm, Aurora didn't try return fire in this inconvenient position against the pillar, rather just remaining crouched next to her partner as they held each other, waiting the jump out as she tried to calm her slightly fast breathing.
As the carrier steadily started to stabilize, the groan of witchspace could be heard outside the carrier rather than the weapons firing and the impacts, the pressure on them starting to gradually lessen and allow them to move as normal - relatively.
Aurora wasted little time in getting to her feet, standing up in front of Isa as she took aim and started to fire again, the carrier occasionally lurching as its hull shuddered and groaned. But still... the enemy pushed on, bolts of lasers and rounds whizzing past as Aurora's shields flashed, a beam striking her arm as she flinched slightly and braced herself against the pillar, continuing to fire in bursts.
Isabella did the same, peering out from her cover with her Tormentor pistol as she began to squeeze off shots, taking aim at anyone daring enough to exit cover for too long. Working in tandem with Isa as she watched her shots, Aurora continued to try hold the line as the CSF team did, picking her targets carefully as she fired bursts at those whos shields were shattered by Isa, only managing to take down two before the others retreated into cover.
As the carrier travelled through witchspace, the audible groans and crackles of the alien dimension could be heard, but it didn't take long for flashes of lightning to arc across the hull, muffled but audible. And then... the inertia of the carrier started to shift. They were slowing... now forced towards the nose of the carrier as the hull rumbled, and the drone of the portal returned. The CSF team leader yelled out, grabbing ahold of a handle on the barricade.
"They're hitting the brakes! Hold on!"
As the enemy moved forward, Aurora stumbled backwards slightly, her grip missing the pillar as her boots slid a tad, trying to keep her footing. The CSF team struggled too as the carrier continued to slow down, clutching onto the barricades as the enemy bore down on them. In seconds, they were vulnerable again, trying to force back the enemy but struggling.
Her heart racing in her chest as her adrenaline rushed, Aurora tried to scramble back into cover, stumbling as several rounds impacted her shields, the strength rapidly dropping as she ducked down, sliding back again. She cursed, covering her head from the incoming fire as she tried to return it, struggling significantly as it all threw off her aim. She ducked and tried to force herself back towards the pillar, hearing the yell of her partner as a hand came over her shoulder, pulling her back in.
"You okay?!"
Ducking her head as rounds pelted the wall near her, Aurora scrambled back into cover with Isa's help, grabbing the pillar tightly as she held onto her lover between her and the cover, nodding quickly.
"F-fucking... ugh! Yeah... I'm... g-good I think I... oh g-god... I'm okay..."
Trying to shake off how scared she was, Aurora just held onto the pillar as she heard the carrier horn sound again, the hull shuddering violently as the FSD slowly began to spool down, the carrier steadily coming to a stop.
With them still once more, Aurora let go of her partner and grabbed her rifle, checking Isa to see if she was alright before they got back to it. The CSF team was still standing their ground, but the enemy squad still outnumbered them by four extra soldiers.
"Fuck... why won't they just fucking die?! You good?!"
"I'm okay..."
Taking aim with her pistol as she turned her back to Aurora, Isabella tried to find a target, only managing to squeeze one shot off at a figure that quickly dived into cover.
"They keep ducking and using cover. Plasma is too fucking slow! I hate it sometimes."
Exhaling through her nose, Aurora grabbed a hold of her rifle and braced against the cover again, steadying her shots as she tried to pick out a figure, not able to decide on one before they dove back into cover.
IDENT: {CENTCOM} "[All elements, jump complete, and the airspace looks clear. Neutralize all hostile forces aboard this carrier and secure this vessel!]"
Raising his hand slightly, the team leader waved at the rest of his element, calling out as he pointed ahead.
"You heard him! Let's-..."
With a whistle, the barricades suddenly erupted in a massive detonation, engulfing half of the CSF squad in a fiery inferno as the shockwave threw the team off. Aurora - who was standing - tried to duck as shrapnel hit her, her shields collapsing as she lost her footing and tumbled back, her rifle falling from her grip. She cried out in pain as she lost all sense of bearings, rolling as the shockwave threw her and ending up on the floor face down as her ears rang from the explosion, her head spinning as she groaned to a dull pain in her side.
She whimpered softly, trying to find Isa as she lifted her head, muffled gunfire ringing out as she heard indistinct yelling, her right hand searching for the Tormentor on her thigh. She heard Isa yell out over the gunfire and the indistinct yelling from the CSF team, trying to find her bearings again before she felt someone grab her shoulders, dragging her back behind the pillar.
"Aurora! You okay?!"
Groaning as Isa dragged her behind the pillar, Aurora laid there for a moment, trying to catch up with what just happened as she nodded slowly, lifting her head as she gazed at where the barricades once were - seeing only shattered remains left. Several of the CSF soldiers seemed to be alive still, but many were disoriented and laying flat, struggling to grab their weapons as they laid there, tracers and orange beams cutting through the smoke from the explosion, and getting dangerously to the friendlies.
Gazing over at Isa as she tried to catch her breath while her partner examined her for any visible injuries, Aurora tried to glance at her right side, seeing if anything made it through the suit. Seemed like it'd just be one hell of a bruise.
"Where's the reinforcements? Our hold's broken. We're no longer effective!"
"I d-don't..."
Aurora went quiet before she could finish her sentence, exhaling slowly as she sat up behind the cover of the pillar, clutching her Tormentor and holding it close as she didn't know what to do herself. She watched as the CSF squad struggled to get up, watching them desperately fight to the end even when the enemy was advancing almost right on top of them.
But... as they sat there, eventually... a break in the gunfire came, and the squad acted. Grabbing their weapons, the remaining CSF soldiers took their rifles and laid prone, squeezing off precise shots into the haze as more, distant gunfire erupted, seemingly further down the corridor, but the occasional stray tracer and beam cut past them. Aurora could only guess what it is, wincing at the slight pain and stiffness in her side.
"T-... timing... ha~..."
Isabella peered past the pillar, her Tormentor at the ready as she watched the CSF squad get to their feet, crouching as they grabbed their rifles and continued to fire, hearing more yelling. Just barely through the haze, further flashes down the corridor could be seen, the silhouettes of the enemy moving chaotically as they were thrown into disarray, falling one by one as CSF boxed them in.
Aurora just laid there and sighed softly. With her back against the pillar, she just laid her Tormentor in her lap and remained there with Isa, slowly catching her breath as she waited for the gunfire to end. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Isabella took aim and squeezed off a few rounds at the disoriented hostiles she could see, watching them disappear in the smoke as she emptied her pistol, before reloading and going again.
"I'll kill all those fuckers..."
"I'll just... l-lay here~... ha..."
Groaning as she rested a hand on her bruised side and slowly rolled over to sit up on her hip, Aurora leant against the pillar with her shoulder, holding her Tormentor in her firing hand as she watched Isabella fire. Her shots landed true on several enemies in tandem with the CSF team, shattering shields and taking them down before she eventually ran out of ammo for her Tormentor.
With the CSF team mostly back up on their feet, they began to push through the haze, yelling out as their team leader raised their hand and called out, his voice amplified by his suit.
"BLUE!"
Isabella retreated back, letting the CSF soldiers handle it as she turned to Aurora and holstered her Tormentor, checking her partner once again with concern as she tried to see if she was injured.
"You're not doing good. Are you sure you're okay? No new holes?"
"I'm g-good... sorry... just... yeah..."
Aurora waved her hand around a bit, sighing softly as she gently placed her hand on Isa's arm, holding her partner gently as she chuckled a bit.
"And... no new holes... ha~... just... a little bruised and winded. I'm okay..."
Slowly placing her Tormentor in its holster position, Aurora scooted to sit up a bit more, listening to the CSF team in the distance. The gunfire slowly started to die down, until it completely ceased... and everything went quiet.
Eventually, she heard a callout from beyond the gradually clearing, smoky haze, from the CSF team leader that they had assisted.
"All clear!"
With a sigh of relief, Isabella grabbed Aurora's arm and carefully helped her to her feet. Holding onto Isa's forearm, Aurora struggled to her feet slightly as she grunted, glancing back as Isa did to see how things were going. In the middle of the corridor, bodies and weapons laid strewn across the floor. The CSF soldiers started to move among them, dragging the corpses back into a pile as a few of them knelt down by the bodies, fiddling with some kind of device.
Aurora just sighed, turning back to face her partner as she once again made sure she was okay. Bending down to pick up her AR-50 nearby slowly as she minded the dull pain in her side, holstering her weapons and took her partner's hand, wincing quietly as she stood up straight. The radio seemed a lot quieter now, nothing coming over the channels just yet.
"S-so... that's that... hopefully. You okay...?"
Isabella nodded as she took her hand.
"I'm okay. But I'm more worried about you. You seem... off. Like... not in a bad way, I guess, because this sucked but... yeah. Just glad you're okay and that we didn't suffer too many casualties... I think..."
Her focus turned to the bodies in the corridor, a soft sigh coming from her. It wasn't certain how the other teams had fared across the carrier... or how many enemies made it onboard. Aurora took a moment to reply to Isa, just lowering her head slightly as her mind wandered and she shrugged her shoulders.
"... just f-feels... different I guess. Everythin-..."
Pausing as the radio suddenly interrupted Aurora, she listened, holding her lover's hand firmly.
IDENT: {CENTCOM} "[All units, outstanding work. The carrier is secure and the surrounding airspace is clear. All enemy forces have been reported neutralized for the time being. Report in, regroup and reassess. Out.]"
Hearing the report, Isabella relaxed her shoulders and shifted her posture, sighing softly as she looked at Aurora and shrugged slightly.
"Well...I guess it is different. Maybe your fighting days are over, hun. Now it's the lovey dovey stuff, hmm?"
A quiet giggle came from Aurora in response to Isa's comment, going quiet as she held her hand and swayed with it slowly as her mind wandered, and her emotions began to get the better of her. Isa was right.
She hated fighting. She hated what she was good at in her past, only for her to struggle to use it for good. She hated fighting so hard to survive just to have what she so desperately wanted above everything else. To just be in love with Isabella, and to have her life back. To live a normal life with someone she loved so dearly.
She hated nothing more than cutting it so close to losing everything...
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DATE: 24th of October, 3308 [11:57 UGT]
LOCATION: T.O.C. Azure Star, H7V-BXHAurora Adair
"We can't keep doing this, Captain! When does this all fucking end?!"
Throwing her hands up in frustration, Aurora sighed heavily and brushed her gloved hands back through her raven curls, lowering her head slightly as she stared at the holotable in front of her. Across from her stood Captain Faust, a slight frown on his face as he folded his arms and remained quiet...
"I'm... I'm just saying we... we keep flaunting around this databank... but we keep losing manpower. We can't keep this up forever. You said some of the Mantis specialists figured out some stuff. When do we actually get to see what my father was collecting? When do we get to fucking blow EMBER wide open?"
"I don't know, Commander. And... Mantis was very clear in emphasizing that the decryption method for the databank wasn't entirely known. Thanks to Commander Levine's insight with her existing connection to the digital concourse, we know the recovery suite provided in the concourse channel to other Commanders is a type of... 'cipher grid' that needs to be assembled to create a decryption alphabet."
"How that has to be done isn't clear. Whatever the specialists have tried hasn't worked our side, even if it should be correct based off what we know. It's not like it's incorrect, but rather that the network is actively resisting our efforts. We'd know more if we had any people left that knew how G.R.I.D operated. But... any chance of that sailed after the Solaris disaster."
"What about damage to the Azure Star? We barely made it out of that last fight, Faust. What about all the ships we had to leave behind? The pilots? What are we supposed to do for th-..."
"Aurora, I'm not a god. I can't wave my hand and make this all go away! I don't have all the answers right now. We're doing the best with what we have."
Sighing slightly, Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose with her hand, shaking her head as she leant forward on the briefing table and hung her head slightly, thinking as she swayed from side to side slowly.
"... Just... tell me what our next steps are..."
"Right. Well, we need to regroup first of all. Of course... when we jumped away to evade the enemy, they hit us with the weapon. It wasn't enough to cause chaos among the crew, but it was enough to fry some of the onboard systems. So... comms are down. We have some specialists assembling a distress beacon with a long-range booster to try get a message out, but that might take some extra time."
"For now, we need to focus on getting our forces back up to strength... patching what we can, and getting our carriers back in formation. Then... well... we'll try slip in some information on what Mantis thinks about the databank. With any luck, our Commanders can crack it."
Aurora lifted her head, frowning slightly as she looked at Faust.
"... You said Mantis couldn't really crack it, that the network was... 'resisting'...? How does that work?"
"It's a combination of factors, really. Mantis is spread thin as it is, trying to keep our network at least somewhat afloat, and juggling other system maintenance. That, and without G.R.I.D running at its full capacity, the decryption network is mostly down. It's back to old school days, using whatever the specialists can scrounge up."
"The problem is; there's not much of a way to determine if what they're decrypting is correct or not. And... things that are thought to be correct appear to be denied by the network. There is no obvious way for us to interface with the databank and apply it directly. Because of this, they think that the access would maybe be through G.R.I.D directly... which leaves the concourse channel as a direct route."
"Call it a... 'design flaw' realized too late, but G.R.I.D uses special authentication to only permit access to Commanders and G.R.I.D operators. However, we can't operate G.R.I.D directly due to the emergency mode. The Azure Star doesn't quite sport the facilities the Solaris is, so while we could install G.R.I.D here, it may take too long."
"That, and it is likely safer for it to run in an isolated emergency mode while we're still in conflict. The enemy's cyberattacks against the Solaris were bad enough, and G.R.I.D was the obvious vulnerability. It took us a few times too many to figure that one out... so... let's try avoid the same mistakes."
Aurora nodded.
"So... what do we do now?"
"Well..."
Faust shrugged, scratching his stubble before he slowly leant forward on the holotable, looking up at Aurora.
"... All we can do is sit and hope, I suppose. Get that databank unlocked... and hope that we're not the last bastion that can do what needs to be done..."
"... and finally end EMBER."
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Credit:
This story is only possible thanks to our squadron and community. Join TITAN Contractors, a diverse and talented squadron, and experience our custom lore and events. This logbook/short story as well as other associated images and story is property of TITAN Contractors, CMDR Radiumio. A massive thank you to CMDR Isabella Levine for their involvement in the story. Thank you so much for reading!
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