MARS: 14 - Invincible - TITAN Contractors
11 Aug 2022Aurora Adair-Levine
NOTE: This story contains themes of violence and strong language.
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DATE: 18th of July, 3308 [04:01 UGT]
LOCATION: CCV Katana, Unknown SystemSGT. Rocco Locke, Sabre 1-1
The dark metal door on the opposite side of the room parted with a soft hiss, two figures entering the crowded briefing room. Sergeant Locke stood at ease by the holographic briefing table, gazing down at the idle blue surface as soldiers of all calibres surrounded it with him, the silver-armoured Captains standing at the head of the table, a brown-haired man right in the middle. Captain Faust.
As the conversations within the room began to die down, and the two figures slowly squeezed their way through the small groups towards the front, Locke watched Captain Faust smile, before he raised his arm and saluted promptly, the rest at the front following suit.
"SC on deck!"
The room fell into silence as they watched Aurora carefully step forward towards the holotable, a nervous hand brushing back through her curls as all eyes fell on her. She held tightly onto the hand of Isabella, her partner, who remained by her side, their fingers interlaced. Exchanging a smile with Faust, the man lowered his arm and leant forward on the table, glancing at the operatives around him before his view returned back to the Commander.
"Commander Adair... and everyone in this room, we have exceptional news. We have finally scored our first victory against EMBER... and this is just the beginning. So listen up! Thanks to the bravery and skill displayed by Sabre and Tanto, we were able to eliminate a squad of EMBER mercenaries aboard our captured relay post."
"This relay post has been used to reboot the G.R.I.D service to bring back connectivity to the concourse channel, and prevent the enemy from eavesdropping on Commanders. But... it also lays the foundation for our coming plan, which I'll get to in a second. Of course, capturing that relay post was an intentional move to bait the enemy, as you all know."
"We've also been able to test their capability, and response. They are extremely well-trained, brutal and determined, but not invincible. Although we failed to recover most of the bodies when they ruptured the post's access hallway and vented out into space, we managed to confirm some important facts. Namely, most of their suits appear to be rigged with a dead man's switch... or it could be a remote trigger."
"Either way, recovering enemy bodies is a no-go. It's clear the enemy likely they consider their manpower disposable - at least some of it. It fits with their ideology... but strategically... too many losses will start to hurt. There's no telling the enemy's size currently, but it's clear that they're avoiding large-scale confrontation."
"And that brings me to my next point; the superweapon. We've seen the effects of the weapon, and what it has done to us. But... there are likely some limitations. With some information provided by Commander Adair, and the obvious reality we've seen, we can confirm the weapon has a damaging psychological effect on most individuals."
"However... it's clear that it doesn't affect everyone, and it doesn't always affect everyone the same way either. This can likely be used to our advantage... but we don't know enough about the weapon to say for certain. The other thing, however, is the lack of any further deployments of it. We can only wonder why, but it's also possible that the weapon may have range limits or conditions that need to be met."
"Thanks to Commander Adair's work, we're getting closer and closer to understanding it all, and finally striking back against the enemy. And... this is where things get dangerous. You might already say it's dangerous as it is... but now... this will be the first time we face off against the enemy - head on, with limited intel. For months, we have been harassed by EMBER. That comes to an end now."
"While we keep an eye out for further deployments of the enemy weapon and implement countermeasures in anticipation of a second strike, Commander Adair and Levine will continue their hunt for the passcodes. The progress is good, with the second one in our possession now. In due time, we will have the third location once our contacts have worked out the clue."
"Until then, we will watch the Solaris vigilantly. It's entirely possible that the enemy may choose to place their focus back on annihilating the weakened carrier, as well as anyone that tries to assist. If the enemy attempt to take advantage of the demoralized crew via the weapon, it may be our last chance to counter it and subsequently locate the origin of the weapon. We have our specialists working on a possible solution, and they are liaising with the engineering team aboard the Solaris to accomplish this."
"After the listening post raid, we doubt the enemy will perform another physical raid with the CSF garrison still there, and our allies are observing the carrier every day. If the weapon strikes again... we'll be ready. We must be ready. Granted... it's a risky move effectively using the Solaris and any nearby carriers as bait, but if we can trick the enemy into trying to perform another strike, there's a good chance we can turn it against them."
"Sabre and Tanto will be taking point on this operation. You will all receive your specific briefings from Captain Asper and Captain Vesik. For now though, I need the room. You're all dismissed."
As the room began to move, Locke looked over at the black-haired woman, observing how she exchanged looks with the partner by her side. Whether or not the two were very enthused about the plan... he couldn't quite tell. He never had an opportunity to speak to Commander Adair... not that he particularly wanted to after everything. What would he begin to say anyway?
But... if anything, he could respect her presence. He didn't doubt what Captain Faust had said one bit. She, like everyone else, was here; commited to saving the squadron and fighting back. Helvet was right. Whether he agreed with everything about her past and the things she had done... it wasn't relevant. All they could focus on was the here and now.
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Aurora Adair
The silence of the room was broken by the bustling crowd of operatives as everyone turned and began to leave, carefully exiting the somewhat cramped briefing room. Captain Faust folded his arms, turning his attention to Aurora as she looked around at the departures, her focus soon returning to Faust.
"Commander. May I have a word?"
"Yeah... of course..."
Pausing a bit as he waited for the room to clear out, Aurora and Isabella stood there together in silence, looking at Faust as he scratched his stubble, and sighed, looking down at the blue, gridded surface of the holotable.
"I understand you're not entirely on board with the idea of using the Solaris as a bait, or putting the rescue carriers at risk. However... if we can use this as an opportunity to counter the weapon - I'd say the intel is worth the risk. In a few days, the engineering team will be ready to open up the next phase of the repair operation. This will bring in additional squadron carriers, most likely."
"We intend to ask them to stay for a longer period of time, in the hopes that the enemy will take the bait and try halt the repair effort permanently. You know that the plan is to use the relay we captured to redirect the signal. The idea is to rig up the Solaris comms array - what's left of it - to transmit to the rescue carriers in system. They will be ordered to focus all traffic towards the relay."
"We hope that will let us deflect the signal... if our assumption of the weapon's function is correct. But-..."
"I... I get it... Captain. I know how calculated risks work. I just..."
Aurora looked at Isa nervously, gently squeezing her hand before she slowly turned back to Faust.
"... I want in. We... want in..."
"You want..."
Faust frowned.
"... No. No, absolutely not. Commander, the enemy want you dead. We cannot place you at r-..."
"This is my mess, Faust! I can't just... fucking sit here and do nothing! Plus... the passcode's being decrypted anyway, what am I supposed to do? I want to help!"
"Commander, the enemy will do anything to take you down if they can. The both of you! You're safer here, you-..."
Clenching his fists as Aurora sighed, it was Isabella's turn to frown, glaring at the Captain.
"So you're just going to throw the Solaris under the bus again? What about all the innocents on the carrier? What about th-..."
"Commander Levine, we have no time to argue the morality of it. This is a calculated risk, and we know what we're doi-..."
"What if it doesn't work? What then? How many more people need to die? To be sacrificed?"
Faust gave an exasperated sigh, glaring at Isabella as he shook his head and shrugged his shoulder.
"... If it doesn't work, we're all fucked anyway. This is our last chance to strike back."
"Oh, so that gives you the right to make a call to sacrifi-..."
"Commander, I won't be interrogated by you! Get in line! We've done everything in our power to save this squadron, and we will. But this is happening, whether you like it or n-..."
"You're damn right, Captain. I don't like it. Look, what if I bait the enemy? I ca-..."
"STOP!"
Listening to the argument unfold, Isa's proposal seemed to flick a switch inside of Aurora as she snapped and screamed at the both of them, her hands quivering. Even she was a bit surprised by her sudden outburst, prompting her to look down sheepishly as she held onto Isabella's hand tightly, her heart pounding in her chest. Her partner just frowned at her, as did the Captain.
"... j-just... I could do it..."
"No. Neither of you are going to bait the enemy. Besides, we suspect the enemy aren't interested in chasing down individuals. It may work with Commander Adair, with her being the main target, but they are otherwise out to make a point. If they get anywhere close to you... well... we've seen what they're capable of even against our own squads."
"Both of you need to trust Tethys. We did not make this decision lightly, and we do not intend to sacrifice anyone. This is a calculated move, with measures in place to protect the crew of the Solaris and any rescue carriers that move to assist. There is some risk, yes, but it is our one chance to strike back against the enemy, and learn the capabilities of the weapon. We have confidence in our team's ability to pull this off. You should too."
"... I... s-still want in..."
Faust chuckled quietly, shaking his head.
"Commander... with all due respect... you're in no state to go up against the enem-..."
"Y-you know what, Faust?! Fuck. You. I'm... I'm d-done, okay?! One second, y... you're... supporting me... next you're... t-telling me some... bullshit... telling me I can't do this... and I'm fucking tired of watching everything I care about f-fall to pieces around me... and you won't even let me... d-do anything to help!"
Aurora turned on the spot to face Isa, looking up at her with teary eyes as she held her intense glare.
"And y-you... you just... keep wanting to throw yourself at the enemy. You've... f-fucking seen what they can do, Isa... w-what about us? What about me?!"
"Aurora, st-..."
"NO! I FUCKING love you, Isabella! I can't... l-lose this... I CAN'T... d-don't tell me t... to..."
Interrupted as Isa gently placed her hand over Aurora's mouth to silence her, she just stood there and let her shoulders sink, tears running down her cheeks freely as she stood there.
"Aurora. Calm. Down."
She just looked up at Isa with her shimmering, deep blue eyes, deep in her thoughts as she didn't respond or say anything. Eventually, after a few moments, she pushed Isa's hand away, looking away as she used an unsteady hand to wipe her face quickly.
"We're not d-done discussing t-this... Faust... I'm... s-still going..."
"Commander..."
And with that, she swiftly turned and walked for the exit of the briefing room, sniffling quietly to herself as Isa stared after her, a frustrated sigh escaping her.
"Aurora! Ugh..."
Shooting a look of pure disgust and disapproval at Faust, Isa just shook her head and turned away, quickly jogging for the briefing room exit as she followed after Aurora. Captain Faust just sighed. But it changed nothing. He was convinced that they had to do this... and so they would. It wasn't just about the squadron.
No, it was so much bigger than that.
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DATE: 24th of July, 3308 [16:01 UGT]
LOCATION: 'Oracle', IC 4604 Sector HR-W d1-68SGT. Rocco Locke, Sabre 1-1
IDENT: {CCV-KATANA} "[All callsigns, all callsigns. Green light, green light. Enemy took the bait, we're seeing extreme interference across main carrier channels. Rerouting all traffic and going dark. Strike teams, you have your objectives. Godspeed. Katana out.]"
Jumping to his feet, Locke swiftly grabbed his helmet from the armoury table nearby, sliding it on and sealing it to his suit as he grabbed both of his rifles - an Oppressor and an AR-50 - locking them to the magnetic pads of his suit pack.
"Sabre, let's go! Get to the drop bay now! Oracle, spool us up!"
IDENT: {Oracle} "[On it.]"
As the rest of the Sabre got to their feet in the armoury, grabbing their gear and equipment alike, the fireteam swiftly exited into the main hallway of the Alliance Crusader, heading straight for the cargo bay access. Taking a ladder down to the next deck, Locke hurried over to the white, slim bulkhead door, opening it via the console as he stepped through the doorframe.
Inside the cargo bay, six drop harnesses had been retrofitted, integrated to the cargo manipulation system on the roof of the bay. Walking over to the middle harness on the left, Locke stepped up on the lower bar of the harness, grabbing the handles and turning himself around as he settled back into it, locking the harness down over the chest of his suit.
The rest of Sabre followed suit, helmets on and visors obscuring their face as they climbed up into the harnesses, the hum of the ship slowly becoming audible. Double-checking everything, Locke released a slow exhale and glanced around at his team, the engines of the Crusader roaring.
"Alright, listen up! Just to go through it again so we're all fully clear on this!"
The hum of the ships drives grew louder in volume as the vessel lurched, the hull groaning and the thrusters rumbling as the harnesses kept them held fairly securely.
"We only have one shot at this, now that the enemy's taken the bait. The crew aboard the Solaris, the Monty and the Baroness are all counting on us... even if they might not know it. We won't let EMBER get away this time. Dagger and Tanto are running strike ops with us. Damocles and Scimitar are running recon up front to try identify the source of the signal. We have to pray that they pull through and get us the signal data. After that, we're going in blind."
"We have no clue what's out there... or what we'll face. Now's no time for second thoughts, or hesitation. Now's the chance to strike back... to prove this 'weapon' can be countered. Now's our chance to make sure EMBER lives up to its name... and this is the first step. But no matter what happens... it's been a pleasure to be your team leader."
The bay was silent, until a slight scoff came from a man in a lighter armoured suit. Helvet.
"Chin up, Locke. Totally not like it's the end of the world or anything."
The rest of Sabre chuckled, prompting a disapproved shake towards Helvet from Locke. With a sigh, he looked down at the bottom of the bay, the closed cargo doors beneath his dangling feet.
"Ruin the speech, why don't you, Helvet..."
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Sabre, we're in flight. Going to depressurize the dropbay now.]"
"Copy that, Oracle."
After a pause, the bay filled with a loud klaxon, the dim lights flicking to an ominous red, as the cargo bay door sealed and the atmospheric vent began to drone. As the bay depressurized, the suit's audio simulation of the local environment kicked in, sound barely changing as a result.
SUVAS: "Exiting pressurized environment."
The ship's rattling slowly began to ease, but a more muted groan began to replace the loud roar of the ship's drives, the whirr of the Frame Shift Drive filling their ears as its volume and pitch gradually progressed, space around the vessel crackling.
With a final 'crack', the ship suddenly stopped shaking, the thrusters dying down and replaced with the constant hum of the FSD, the Crusader now in supercruise. They sat there and waited, double-checking their firearms patiently as a voice came over the radio once again.
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Alright... we're in supercruise. Waiting on the recon report from Damocles and Scimitar now.]"
"Copy that. Let's do this, Sabre!"
The bay was silent, save for the occasional creaking of the hull and groaning of the frame shift bubble outside of the ship. Locke hung there from the drop harness, running through the plan again in his head, before his thoughts were interrupted by a voice over the radio, the link crackling with slight interference.
IDENT: {Scimitar 1-1} "[All elements, this is Scimitar. Hostile enemy installation identified 20ly from the Solaris. Transmitting coordinates to Sabre and Dagger now. Damocles is tracing possibly a second relay. Tanto is moving to intercept now.]"
"This is Sabre, copy that. Moving to intercept!"
IDENT: {Dagger 1-1} "[Dagger copies.]"
IDENT: {Scimitar 1-1} "[Be advised, it seems to be some kind of focused, internal relay aboard a large ship. Possible transmission point for the enemy weapon. Three vessels, lead vessel carrying the target.]"
With a shudder, the Crusader began to hum louder, the groaning of the FSD turning into a steady, high-pitched whine as it began to charge.
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Jumping in 3... 2... 1.]"
With a muted 'crack' as the FSD's whine turned into a short screech, space itself tore apart at the nose of the vessel, launching the ship into witchspace as it disappeared with a flash to any would-be observers. In the dim, blood-red lighting of the dropbay, the four of Sabre swayed in the harnesses, listening to the whispers and groans beyond the hull. For Locke, it was always unsettling to be present in the dropbay during a jump.
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Dropping... now.]"
Promptly punctuating his statement, the ship lurched slightly once again, the sound of the FSD subtly changing before that muffled, deep screech came again, the drumming of the drive slowly dying down as the ship found itself back in supercruise.
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Eyes on target signal. Intercepting now.]"
IDENT: {Dagger 1-1} "[On your six.]"
Taking in a breath, Locke looked at his dangling feet, the cargo bay doors beneath as his team hung in silence. Just beyond was the void of space, the ship humming and shuddering before the Frame Shift Drive turned into a low grumble, the supercruise bubble collapsing with a loud snap as the ship was dropped into normal space, the lurching returning as the thrusters kicked in, the ship roaring.
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Targets spotted! Three ships, two Kraits and a Type-10.]"
IDENT: {Dagger 1-1} "[Copy. Let's wrangle.]"
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Deploying the E.M.S.I!]"
With the hum of the hardpoint covers as the Crusader's weapons deployed, a loud hum kicked in above the the drop bay - emanating from the large hardpoint from the Crusader. The dropbay lights began to flicker, plunging them into darkness as the ship groaned, a muffled whine getting louder and louder. It sounded like cracks of electricity arced over the hull, before the ship suddenly felt as if it recoiled.
The ship screeched as a bolt of lightning shot straight from the large hardpoint, soaring across the void, glinting metal hulls of the hostile ships in the distance kilometres away. Thrusters fired as the Krait escorts quickly manoeuvred away, but the T-10 boosted too late, the lightning connected with its shields, piercing them and impacting the hull. With a brilliant, blinding flash of blue, the immense electrical energy discharged across the hull, sparking and scorching the exterior hull as the ship's thrusters fizzled out, shields collapsing and electronics dying out as it began to steadily drift.
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Target immobilized!]"
With another white flash, a second CSF Crusader arrived, weapons emerging from specific points on the hull. Like shooting stars, the two black dropships soared across the abyss, blue trails splitting the dark sky as flashes of laser fire swept across the shields of the Kraits. With the stage set, a chaotic yet oddly beautiful array of red beams and projectile tracers patterned the black, the four ships engaged in a deadly dance.
The dropbay rattled around Sabre as their Crusader manoeuvred and shuddered under fire, the lights flickering back online to that gloomy red. Holding onto his firearm tightly, Locke kept his breathing steady, holding onto the harness with his free hand as they were jostled around. Although the ship compensated for many of the forces, it was still not very comfortable. He closed his eyes and waited... with any luck, it'd be over soon...
... and he was correct. The ship shook again, evidently from an explosion.
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Target destroyed! One down!]"
IDENT: {Dagger 1-1} "[We got the other. Get Sabre to make us an entry point.]"
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Copy that. Sabre, I'm gonna set you down by their cargo hatch. Breach and clear!]"
"Copy that. Adeline, explosives check."
"Got the charge here, sir.."
With a thumbs-up as Locke looked across at her, Adeline patted a large pouch on her belt. With a mechanical click and a muffled whirr, the cargo bay below began to part as the doors slid open, the stars spinning before a large, black void obscured their view, the dim guidance lights of the bay highlighting the hull beneath them. With a clunk, the Crusader lurched one final time as the magnetic gear locked to the underside of the ship, pulling them down.
IDENT: {Oracle} "[Deploy!]"
The motors of the drop-harnesses kicked in as they slowly slid forward, before the telescopic arms of the harnesses lowered them down, out of the cargo bay. Hitting the release as the harness popped off, Locke floated downwards for a metre or so as Sabre followed suit, before the thud of their boots connected and locked to the hull. Shouldering his rifle, he turned, immediately spotting the protruding cargo bay at the dark underside of the ship, the lights of their suits highlighting the way.
As the four trudged across the hull of the ship as quickly as they could, surrounded by an endless sky. Adeline popped open the same large pouch from before, drawing a large explosive charge. Coming to a stop around the bay, the specialist carefully reached over, flicking the switch on the charge and slamming it down on the center of the hatch, backing off quickly as she grabbed the detonator from her belt.
IDENT: {Sabre 1-2} "[Explosive primed.]"
"Dagger, this is Sabre. Making entry on target vessel now."
Glancing around at his team, Locke turned his attention back to the hatch, and nodded at Adeline.
"Breach."
IDENT: {Sabre 1-2} "[Breaching now. 3... 2... 1... breaching.]"
Disengaging the safety of the detonator as she counted, Adeline placed her finger over the detonator's trigger... and squeezed.
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DATE: 24th of July, 3308 [16:13 UGT]Aurora Adair
With a deafening boom even with the simulated sound, the cargo hatch of the T-10 sheared apart, shrouded in shards of metal and fiery sparks that were promptly ejected out into space, a new hole in the vessel where the hatch was.
IDENT: {Tanto 1-1} "[Go, go, go!]"
As the dark, six armoured figures flowed into the bay, their suit thrusters firing to guide them down, Aurora followed suit, trying to steady her breathing as she held onto her AR-50 tightly. With a pat on her shoulder from someone behind her, she pulled herself down into the cargo bay, as the CSF soldiers continued to clear deeper into the cargo bay, cutting through the inner door and disappearing into the dark hallway through the dim, blue life support shield.
IDENT: {Damocles 1-1} "[All callsigns, Tanto is making entry at the second relay. We're trying to trace the source.]"
IDENT: {Sabre 1-1} "[This is Sabre Actual. First relay disrupted. Mopping up the remainder now, over.]"
As the team stacked up with only their suit lights guiding the way down the metal hallway, Aurora continued to follow them, one more person behind her. She couldn't help but timidly glance back to check on them, her suit light just highlighting the brown-grey Maverick suit of her partner. It was new on her, contrasting to her old teal suit she had before. This was a specialist suit offered by Tethys and custom-fit for her, with a few nifty features to make it just right... and this was the first time she wore it.
Aurora wanted to say something, but her mind trailed back to what they were here for. With a gentle nod, the two exchanged a knowing look, before Aurora faced forward once more. The team continued to advance down the cargo bay corridors, pairs of operatives occasionally splitting off to investigate a few side-rooms, with nothing of interest. The hallway, continuing to run deep into the ship, led to a ladder.
Silently communicating with a gesture as Tanto continued to approach, the operatives soon came to a stop at the foot of the ladder, raising their weapons as they looked up. A muffled voice came seconds later, one soldier keeping their rifle trained on the opening.
"Clear..."
Pausing, Tanto's squad leader turned back and looked at Aurora who was at the rear of the formation, some of the operatives glancing her way as well. It was a look of anticipation... she knew that well even with their faces obscured. After a moment of silence, Sergeant Laurier spoke, gesturing to the ladder.
"Commanders. Take point."
Aurora sighed internally to herself. This wasn't according to plan, but of course they'd do this. It still seemed she had to prove herself after everything. So... she would.
Without a word, Aurora stepped forward into the center of the hallway and began to approach the ladder, tucking her rifle close, pointing upwards as she lifted her feet and grabbed the ladder with her free hand. Taking a moment to ready herself, she pulled, gently gliding up through the vertical connector. It was quiet, only her light guiding the way before she switched it off, disappearing into the dark.
The night-vision of her suit guided her as she reached the top of the ladder, slowing herself down and carefully stepping forward onto the deck. A door separated her from the inner, dimly-lit hallway of the ship, but as she stood there quietly and listened... she could hear movement ahead. Muffled talking. It made her heart stop and her blood run cold, but she was quick to psych herself up as she felt that gentle hand on her shoulder again, and that smooth, lightly accented Imperial voice she fell in love with.
"Ready, hun..."
With a slow exhale, Aurora slinked over to the door, grabbing her Arc Cutter from her belt as she knelt down partially. Pulling the trigger, she began to cut away at the maintenance panel of the door, the whine of the tool reverberating through the tight space. She winced... knowing that anyone on the other side would know they were coming. They'd just have to be faster.
Taking in a deep breath as the tool cut all the way around, Aurora disengaged and stowed the cutter, grabbing the panel and carefully placing it aside. Grabbing her Energylink tool, she stood up and pressed the thumb button to switch modes, exposing the capacitors and coils of the tool. Glancing at Isa, Aurora nodded and held her rifle close, squeezing the trigger of the Energylink. The tool started to whine, rapidly growing in pitch before the front contact suddenly sparked, a blue arc bridging between the port and the tool.
Bursting into a brilliant display of sparks, the rush of power overloaded the door mechanism, the lock disengaging and the door struggling a screech as it parted, exposing a larger hallway, presumably leading into the center of the ship. Holstering her tool, Aurora grabbed her rifle, took in a deep breath and charged into the unknown.
A shout rang out ahead. Her shields suddenly flashed as she stepped into the corridor, a beam of orange striking them before she dashed to the right for a nearby pillar, seeking cover as the hallway erupted in deafening gunfire. Kinetic and laser rounds alike peppered the walls as Isa split off to the opposite side, bracing behind a pillar for cover. Peeking slightly, Aurora's night-vision highlighted six... maybe more silhouettes further in, crouched behind barricades and all focusing fire towards them.
Popping a pouch open on her belt as she yanked a shield projector from within, Aurora slammed the top on her hip, chucking the device at her feet as its levelling legs magnetically locked it to the floor. Careful not to disrupt the light blue beam as the bubble shield projected over her position, Aurora leaned to the left, lowering her rifle and grabbing her sidearm with her one hand. Steadying a shaky hand as she focused on the sights, she squeezed the trigger.
A yell came as her plasma bolt connected with one of the opposition, shattering their shields. The weapons fire continued, battering the shield as Aurora tried her best to focus past the shimmering surface of the shield, squeezing off precise shots as she shattered shields one by one. Isa - seeing the opportunities at hand - leant out with her carbine, kinetic bursts striking those who decided to forgo cover.
As the two did their best to hold down the corridor and suppress the enemy, they carefully advanced, the bubble shield over Aurora soon dissipating as both her and Isa bounded forward to the next set of pillars. Following their lead were the CSF soldiers, now climbing up into the hallway. The barrage of extra firepower forced the enemy back, improvised shields and barricades alike crumbling under the pressure as the caped figures began to withdraw further into the hallway.
Quickly reloading her sidearm as she holstered it and shouldered her rifle once more, Aurora continued to take the lead, Isa on her tail as they quickly peeked through open doors along the corridor, stopping outside one leading into what seemed to be the armoury. The CSF soldiers continued to push, the occasional bout of gunfire breaking out as the squad advanced past the duo and began clearing out the main hallway. Continuing to advance, now entering the armoury, Aurora swept the connecting corridor, rifle at the ready while her heart raced in her chest as she tried to keep herself calm. Combat felt... different.
Maybe this just wasn't the life for her anymore... not with the love of her life behind her. She had something important to live for... something she deeply wanted.
"Aurora, to the left!"
A shot rang out through the doorway ahead as Isa ducked back, a purple bolt of plasma passing in front of Aurora, across the hallway as it slammed into the opposite wall close to them. She quickly took cover against the nearby wall, holstering her rifle and grabbing her sidearm, drawing it as she peeked around the open doorframe. The room was filled with crates and weapon racks, obscuring her view as she watched one of the caped figures disappear in the darkness behind one of the racks.
Gripping her sidearm tighter as she steadied her slightly shaking hand, Aurora took a look deeper into the room, verifying that no one else was openly visible before she slowly stepped in, sneaking deeper into the room as she trained back on the weapon rack her target was behind. Slowly but surely, she began to 'slice' the angles, taking it carefully as she inched around the corner of the rack, keeping her distance.
Isa split off the other way, the two carefully flanking the standing weapons rack, mindful of the rest of the room. Aurora forced herself to focus, trying not to worry about her partner moving further ahead than her. She was conscious of each breath that echoed in the confines of her helmet, her grip tightening around the handle of her pistol...
The shot of a kinetic rifle echoed throughout the armoury, Aurora watching Isa's shields flash as she suddenly turned towards the source further into the armoury, letting loose a burst of her carbine. Aurora's heart froze and her blood ran cold, her emotions overpowering her logic as she pushed the weapons rack in front of her, dashing around the corner.
Almost bumping into the masked figure that took cover behind the weapons rack, Aurora quickly dodged to the side, tucking her pistol close as she squeezed the trigger at point blank. The operative themselves seemed caught off-guard too, their shields shattering as they let out a grunt, continuing their charge undeterred... until they stopped dead in their tracks with a gurgle, a second bolt of plasma connecting with their throat.
Pushing the limp body aside as it loosely floated, Aurora turned her attention back to the firefight deeper in the armoury, her heart racing. She needed to find Isabella. She needed to find her now. Dashing forward as she moved behind cover towards the gunfire, Aurora peeked the corner, observing two or three figures huddled behind barricades, directing weapons fire down the way they enter.
There was no time wasted as she raised her pistol and fired, the enemy cursing as they turned their attention to Aurora. From the way they came, bursts of kinetic tracers still returned precise fire. As a plasma bolt shattered the shields of one exposed hostile, a burst tore through their helmet, blood pouring from the newly-made holes as the enemy collapsed.
They had begun to corner them, hearing gunfire in the main hallway... but Aurora was too focused to care. She needed to help Isa. That was her priority... her duty.
Making her last shots count, Aurora shattered the shields of the remaining enemy in the armoury, holstering her sidearm as she grabbed her rifle and peeked once more. Rounds chipped away at her cover, forcing her to flinch quite intensely as a round connected with her helmet, ricocheting as the shield stopped it. That was a close call... one that made her shiver thinking about whether or not her shields were on or not...
It brought her back to the nightmare Isa told her about once. A nightmare in which Aurora died. They never spoke about it much, but it reminded her of a similar nightmare she had about Isa. The idea of losing something she held so dear... well... it haunted her. It broke her down... knowing that her past was the reason why they were stuck in this mess to begin with.
"Aurora? Aurora, hey. Are you okay?"
The barrel of her rifle smoked as she stared at the three corpses laying in front of her, her lover peering around the rack Aurora was using as cover, looking at her partner. She snapped out of it, lowering her rifle as she took in a breath, nodding.
"S-sorry. Yeah. Are you okay? Did you get hit?"
"Shields stopped it. Come, suppose we shouldn't keep the team waiting..."
Turning away as she began to walk for the second exit joining the armoury into the same hallway further along, Aurora followed her, removing the magazine from her rifle and drawing a new one from a pouch on her belt, slotting it into the magwell before she gave the latch a firm slap, locking the bolt closed.
As they exited into the main hallway, Aurora observed the CSF team advancing past, their teams flowing out of nearby rooms that they cleared, regrouping as they continued to advance down the hallway, glancing at Isabella and Aurora to their sides. With a silent nod, the element began to move forward, deeper into the ship as they continued to clear it, the vessel once again falling into silence.
As they came to a halt once again, outside one of the doors leading into the bridge of the vessel, Tanto's squad leader glanced back at Aurora, giving her a nod of acknowledgement, and offering one to Isa as well.
"Nice work, Commanders. Ready when you are."
"Ready..."
Stacking up on the other side of the doorway with Isa, Aurora nodded and raised her rifle once more, training it on the door. She watched as one of the CSF soldiers walked up to the console, cutting away at the maintenance panel before they backed off into cover, bringing their Energylink tool forward. With a nod and a silent countdown, the port of the door burst into sparks, sliding open.
The soldiers took a step forward, Aurora following as they looked into the bridge... but the hallway filled with yells as a chilling scream filled the ambience, the voice of Tanto's squad leader barely overpowering it.
"GET DOW-..."
Aurora barely had time to catch a glimpse of a figure, arms wide open, and charging straight for them, before they were consumed by a blinding light, the corridor detonating in a deafening explosion as flames and shrapnel burst out through the doorframe, deadly fragments and fire licking at their shields.
She had no time to react, immediately thrown to the floor, her shields almost shattering as the explosion reverberated through her body, forcing a pained yelp from her as she tumbled, her hands releasing their grip. She groaned and rolled on the floor, feeling the ship shudder from the aftermath of the explosion. She struggled to get up as she began to hyperventilate and panick, her mind starting to catch up with what happened.
"... Oh god, oh god..."
Trying to get her bearings as her ears rang despite the protection of the helmet, Aurora scrambled to her feet and grabbed her rifle nearby, shaking off the slight concussion she had before finally spotting the doorway they were at. It was half blown open, and while it was hard to make out in the night-vision, she could see figures struggling to their feet nearby, the team thrown down by the explosion much like she was.
"Isa?! ISA!"
Dashing forward to the side of the door they were at as she stumbled a bit, Aurora ran for a figure laying down near the doorway, her panicky breathing echoing in her helmet. Dusting themselves off, the CSF soldiers nearby grabbed their gear swiftly as they cursed, a few getting up and pushing into the bridge... or at least what remained of the hallway.
Aurora skidded to a halt by the figure on the floor, getting to her knees as she grabbed their arm, nudging them as they groaned slightly, starting to sit up.
"I-Isa, thank god. Are you hurt?"
"No... not really. What the fuck was that?"
"Fucking... b-bomber... just..."
The adrenaline rush hit her now, letting out a stressed sigh as she held her lover's arm, helping her to her feet as she picked up her weapon nearby. She tried to ease her breathing, her partner squatting down next to her as she took Aurora's forearm, giving her a gentle shake.
"Hey, hun. Get yourself together, okay...? I'm fine. Trust me."
"I... y-yeah. Just... not really used to... ah... nevermind. Fuck. Let's go..."
Getting to her feet as she shouldered her rifle, Aurora took in a breath, watching the CSF team flow into the bridge, passing the damaged and buckled walls of the hallway ahead, disappearing into the dark haze. Aurora moved forward, Isa in tow as they readied themselves... and proceeded into the unknown.
IDENT: {Damocles 1-1} "[All ç̴̷͡á̡̀͡l̶̵̶l̀͟҉̶ş̀͏̵͝ì̷g͘̕͘͟͞n̕͏̕s̸͝, this is Da-... m̶̛o̢͟c̸͢l̕͜es! We've lò̶͜͜͞c̨̨̀a͝͏̢t͏̴͠͏̨e̴̛ḑ̸͘͜ ̨͏̀t̨̀͞͝͞ḩ̶͏̧͟é̶̴͘ ̷̴̧̕͘s̴̴̢̕͢o̧͘urc-... -e̷͢͢͏̕a̶̧p̶͏ǫ̶̵͟͡n҉̶҉. Colle-... -u̴̡ç̶̀͜h̶́͠ ́͘͞d̷́̕͠͞a̸̧͝t̴̶̡̡a̷̵ ̷́͘̕͜a̵̸͜͞s̴̷͟͡͠ ̛͢ẃ̷͠e can. Hos̀͜t̷͢i̴̛͘͞͠l̡̀͠e͞҉̧̛͜ ̕͢͞c̶͠a̸҉̴͠ŕ̴̛r͏̛͘͠i̕e͘r̵͏͏ ̶̶͞c̢̡̛͟o̡҉n̸̷͢͝͠f̀͞ir-... -h̡̕e̶͡ ̵̴̧͘A҉̨͡O̸̸̡.̶̶͡]"
IDENT: {Scimitar 1-1} "[Damocles, you're coming in weak. Tanto, what's your status?]"
As Aurora and Isa advanced into the bridge with the CSF team, the voice of their squad leader through laboured breath echoed throughout the confines of the room, passing flight seats as they swept for any signs of movement and peered over at the floor below, over the railing.
"This is Tanto... just took an explosive to the face... but no casualties. We're clearing the ship of hostiles now... but there's a lot of area to clear."
IDENT: {Scimitar 1-1} "[Copy that. Sabre and Dagger are moving to you. Let's wrap this up and push on. Out.]"
Passing through to the other side of the bridge, the soldiers moved into the dark hallway, stacking up at the other entrance. With a swift cut and a zap of the Energylink, the door opened, the team moving in. The ship was like a maze, as they passed through winding corridors, with all sorts of rooms around them. It was starting to get disorienting, trying to focus on where they were, making sure Isa was still behind her as they searched the hallways for contacts. It was eerily silent... surely there were more? The CSF soldiers began to approach one of the doors, the etching on the sign of the door indicating that it was a vertical connector leading down to the upper decks.
"Specialist, get this door open. Take us up to the sec-..."
The door suddenly ruptured in a loud boom as a new hole found its place in the center, a tracer speeding through from the other side and narrowly missing one of the soldiers who moved to cut open the door. Aurora flinched, quickly stepping against the nearby wall as she moved out of the door's way, shouldering her rifle. Flashes of light came from behind the door as further shots echoed out, each one carving a large hole in the door. Eventually, the shots ceased after four additional rounds, distant talking audible through the door.
Quickly stepping forward as she drew a frag grenade from her belt, Tanto's squad leader leant forward and yanked the pin from the grenade, shoving it through one of the double holes large enough to fit it. Pinging into the room, cursing broke out as the figures inside began to scramble for an exit, climbing up the ladder just as the grenade erupted in a flash, shrapnel shredding the surrounding area.
As the echo reverberated through the hallways, and the CSF soldiers began to breach through the door, yanking the weakened panels aside, they pushed in, weapons at the ready as one of the figures struggled to their feet, promptly gunned down as their shields shattered and the remaining kinetic rounds punched through their armor. Scrambling up the ladder as the remaining hostile disappeared out of view, Tanto advanced, peering up the ladder as they formed up at the bottom.
"Target lost, Sergeant."
"Get up there."
With a nod, one of the CSF soldiers grabbed the ladder and quickly jumped, gliding up through the corridor, the rest of the team cautiously following to the top. Aurora and Isa proceeded upwards last, moving slowly as they waited for the CSF team to move in. With the door at the top of the ladder cut open and subsequently breached, the squad advanced through, moving into the second deck as gunfire broke out, hitting them from both directions.
"AMBUSH!"
With Sergeant Laurier calling out, the CSF squad quickly retreated, two operatives on either side grabbing a projector from their belts, chucking them at the floor as they deployed energy shields on both sides of the door. Using them as temporary cover, they began to return fire, holding their ground. Aurora knew better than to interfere right now in such tight quarters, glancing back at Isa who did the same, waiting.
More running and shouting could be heard as the CSF soldiers pushed into the hallway again, the weapons fire ceasing. Moving out into the corridor, Aurora only spotted one or two bodies. For the volume of fire... the rest must have run away, and that thought was immediately confirmed as one of the CSF operatives called out.
"They ran that way! Sergeant?!"
"Get after them. Don't overextend. Let's go!"
Moving up into formation once more, the squad proceeded down the winding hallways, clearing rooms along the extent of the corridor as they began the search once again. It was a game of lethal hide and seek... and it was at least comforting to know that they were the hunters right now.
IDENT: {Dagger 1-1} "[Tanto, this is Dagger. We're on approach now, commencing docking.]"
"Copy that! We're on the second deck, multiple hostiles encountered. We're trying to corner them now."
IDENT: {Dagger 1-1} "[Copy that. We'll sweep the rest of the ship with Sabre and link up with you. Out.]"
Peeking the corner junction at the end of the hallway, shots began to ring out again, forcing the CSF soldiers back as they started to take fire.
"Down this way, Sergeant!"
Aurora caught up to the team, Isabella in tow as the two stopped next to the team, tracers soaring across the junction ahead of them. With the CSF pointman peeking once more, his shields flashed, recoiling slightly as a round found itself firmly in the center of his helmet, a groan coming from him as he swore.
"Fucking assholes! When will they just... give up?! We have them surrounded!"
"Let's not get side-tracked now. Focus."
Glancing back at his Sergeant, the pointman sighed, readying himself again as he looked forward, waiting for the weapons fire to cease once more. When it inevitably did, he peeked out, the muzzle of his laser carbine spitting out golden, bright beams in the darkness, several connecting with the targets at the end of the corridor. Being so close at the front, Aurora decided to peek as well, bringing her AR-50 sight up to eye-level as she prioritized the targets the pointman was engaging, squeezing the trigger as she fired in bursts.
It seemed as if the enemy was being pushed into disarray, struggling to react to the increased pressure as several CSF soldiers darted across the junction, taking cover on the opposite side as the exchange of tracers continued. Silhouettes fell and stopped moving deeper into the hallway, the enemy falling one by one as several scrambled away. The squad continued to advance, Aurora and Isa following their lead carefully, checking the rooms nearby as they moved. The ship lurched a bit, slowing them down for a moment as the exterior hull audibly clunked, something gently impacting with the ship.
IDENT: {Dagger 1-1} "[Tanto, we've made partial docking contact. We're moving in now, over.]"
"Copy that, Dagger. We're still clearing the second deck, watch your fire."
Continuing down the hallway as silence enveloped the hallways once again, Aurora and Isa followed in the footsteps of the squad through the winding hallways. There were just so many angles... but surely there couldn't be that many left. As the team split off into pairs and began to clear the rooms connected to the hallway, Aurora and Isa continued to slowly advance, clearing the hallway in silence as they began to approach yet another corner ahead.
"Ugh... this ship is a fucking maze."
Aurora was quiet - focused as she heard Isabella speak behind her. Carefully leaning as she started to step around the corner of the hallway, Aurora peered down her rifle's sight, the night-vision not highlighting anything of note further down the corridor. Where had they gone? She looked around carefully... not noticing any hiding spots or other directions they could have gone.
Turning back the way they came and walking around the corner again, Aurora suddenly froze as she saw movement, just barely, down the corridor where they had entered from. Had they circled around? How did...
The corridor filled with a loud whistle as a portable launcher fired from behind a pillar, barely visible as the hallway filled with a roar, the trail of a rocket lighting up the walls as it soared towards them. Snapping out of it, Aurora quickly grabbed the arm of her partner, diving back behind a structural support in the corridor as she pulled Isa with her, the rocket whistling as it passed them, slamming into the junction behind.
Shrapnel pinged across the corridors, a large, scorched dent left in the wall the rocket impacted, weapons fire breaking out. Lowering her rifle and grabbing her sidearm firmly as she peered out from behind the pillar, Aurora started to return fire as best as she could, still a bit stunned from the sudden dodge and shockwave of the explosion nearby. Her shields flashed as precise fire pinged off of it, lasers sapping the strength of her shield and forcing her back into cover, Isa panting behind her.
"Fuck! Are you okay, hun?"
"Y-yeah... yeah..."
Reloading her pistol swiftly, Aurora heard the report of the launcher fire once more, her heart dropping as she realized their cover would be next. Dropping what was in her hands, she quickly turned to face Isa and grabbed her, pulling her down as she hunched over her partner, just as the pillar burst into shards of metal and fire. Aurora felt a dull pain in her back, her shields barely holding up to the punishment as she held onto Isa, letting the debris pass over her while she kept her head down.
Yells started to fill the corridor as gunfire broke once more, but this time none was passing over their heads. Releasing Isa, Aurora quickly gave her a once-over, making sure she was okay before she grabbed her pistol as the closest thing nearby, spinning around on her knees and readying it while she looked past what remained of the pillar.
The CSF team had returned, evidently due to the noise, several operatives peeking out of the doorways as they returned fire. The end of the corridor filled with an incredible display of blue and yellow flashes, some shots returning before it died down completely, the soldiers pushing forward. Two remained behind, instead turning back towards Aurora and Isa as they jogged over. Based off what she could barely see in the low light, it seemed to be Tanto's squad leader, and their squad medic she didn't know the name of.
"Commanders, are you alright? You know, we'd appreciate it if you wouldn't almost get yourselves killed, but..."
"Believe m-me... I'm... I'm not even trying at this point..."
Aurora groaned slightly as she holstered her sidearm, grabbing her rifle nearby as she looked over at Isa behind her, who did the same, picking up her C-44 carbine. Sergeant Laurier knelt down to Aurora's level, holstering her rifle on her suit pack as she looked at the Commander.
"Injured?"
"Stiff... I guess. That or I just had the wind knocked out of me. I'll... tell you when I figure it out..."
With a 'hmph', Sergeant Laurier stood up slowly, Aurora carefully getting to her feet as she grabbed Isa's arm, helping her up as well. Dusting off her suit, Aurora took in a shaky, deep breath, slowly releasing it in an exhale as she looked down the corridor, watching the CSF soldiers make sure it was clear. It was now completely silent...
"So... uh... Sergeant... are we clear?"
"Just waiting on the report from Damocles now. Sounds like they found the enemy carrier with the weapon's signal originating from it. Dagger's making sure the ship's fully clear."
"Cool..."
Leaning back against the wall as she balanced on her suit pack, Aurora looked over at Isa, taking her hand and holding it gently as she looked at the Sergeant once again.
"Hey... Sergeant, uh... question... that bomber at the bridge reminded me of... s-something, I guess. Didn't Captain Faust originally say the bodies weren't recoverable? You were there, right? The... the relay. When it got attacked by EMBER."
"Yes... the bodies had integrated explosives. We're not quite sure what triggered them, but-..."
"Sorry to... i-interrupt but... why isn't the same happening here then? We've killed... like... a dozen or more at this point. None of the bodies have... uh... exploded..."
The Sergeant went quiet for a moment, before she shrugged.
"Well... I imagine we caught them off-guard, and blowing up inside your own ship when in close proximity to your allies is... detrimental at best."
"... r-right. Yeah..."
Sighing softly as she caught her breath, Aurora looked over at Isa, squeezing her hand gently. It was silent for a few moments, before the Sergeant turned away, the radio channel in their suits crackling alive.
IDENT: {CCV-KATANA} "[All elements, this is the Katana. Comms are back up. Enemy interference has ceased, all weapons effect have dissipated and our relay remains secure. Give me a SITREP, over.]"
IDENT: {Scimitar 1-1} "[This is Scimitar. No hostile presence in the area, first relay captured and destroyed by Sabre and Dagger, along with the enemy escorts. We believe Tanto has secured and eliminated the second relay, while Damocles has identified the source of the weapon.]"
Sergeant Laurier paused, waiting for a moment before she took her turn to answer.
"This is Tanto, confirmed. Second relay is ours, ov-..."
IDENT: {Damocles 1-1} "[Break, break, this is Damocles. Command, we've spotted the enemy carrier, and identified it, but it just departed the area of operations. Transmitting findings to the CCV Katana now, over.]"
IDENT: {CCV-KATANA} "[Received, Damocles. Wait one.]"
The Sergeant shook her head and sighed, turning back to face Aurora as she folded her arms, listening to the radio. Aurora was about to say something, but decided against it as the voice of Captain Faust came over the radio once again.
IDENT: {CCV-KATANA} "[All elements, operation is a success. We've repelled the enemy weapon and gained some new intel, however we will not pursue the enemy carrier right now. Regardless, outstanding work out there. RTB ASAP. Katana out.]"
"Well, looks like this one's a wrap, Commanders. Oh, and... apologies for putting you in the line of fire."
Without another word, Sergeant Laurier turned and swiftly walked away, the medic following her. Aurora just stared at her, before slowly looking over at Isa, a huff escaping her as she chuckled a bit.
"... w-well... that was eventful."
"Ha! Yeah... it was, huh? You okay?"
"I'm good. But... we should get going, I guess. Don't want to keep them waiting... and I sure as hell wanna know what they figured out about that carrier."
Stepping forward a bit, Aurora faced Isa and pulled her into a gentle, quick hug, squeezing softly for a moment before she let go, and grabbed her rifle from the floor, locking it to her suit pack. Taking her partner's hand again, she looked up at her and smiled behind her visor, starting to walk along with her as they followed the CSF team. There was a silence between the two, Aurora's mind trailing back to what happened. They both came so close to getting hurt... maybe even killed if things just went a little bit different.
Usually... she never realized how close she had come to losing her life. At one point in her life, she would go as far as to say she didn't care if she died. But now, it was different. Scary, even. She looked over at Isa as they walked, not saying a word while they returned to the ladder they came from, the CSF team carefully descending it after they had checked the bodies.
She fixated on Isabella, thinking about it all as they slowly dawdled towards the ladder. She tried not to focus on the negatives, but it was always such an effort to strike back against the enemy, and the squadron had little remaining. It felt like they were making progress... but were they really? She supposed time would tell... but she was tired of being kept in the dark. They had to figure it out, and stop this once and for all.
And with Isa by her side... she believed she could do it, for once in her life. For them. In a way... despite all the fears and worries... all the second thoughts and the emotional moments... she never had a second thought about her love for Isa. It made her feel invincible.
With an internal sigh, Aurora crouched down and grabbed the top handle of the ladder. With a gentle tug as she disconnected her magboots for a moment, Aurora pulled herself down into the vertical connector, and slowly disappeared into the darkness.
========================================================
DATE: 4th of August, 3308 [12:45 UGT]
LOCATION: CCV Katana, IC 4604 Sector HR-W d1-68Aurora Adair
The doors of the Katana's briefing room opened with a smooth hiss, Aurora slipping through the doorway, Isabella directly in tow with their fingers interlaced as they held each other's hand. With her PDA strapped over her right forearm, Aurora wore a completely black outfit, contrasting directly to her partner's slightly more colorful outfit of a pink tank top and baggy, black cargo pants tucked into her magboots.
The two quietly advanced into the briefing room, Aurora glancing ahead at Captain Faust standing by the briefing table, already conversing with what seemed to be two other Captains, and three other operatives. As they got closer, they paused, Captain Faust looking up at her. He smiled slightly, nodding in acknowledgement as he straightened up and placed his hands at ease behind his back.
"Ah, Commander. You made it. Hope you've both been resting well."
"Ha... Yeah. Sorry. We slept in. Just... saw all the missed messages and calls. Is there something important?"
"Important, yes. Urgent, no. We have some new developments... fairly significant ones regarding the enemy. However, I also wanted to notify you that our focus is being shifted to getting the Solaris home safely first, before we continue our operations against EMBER full-on. Commanders are currently assisting us in restocking the carrier, but soon engineering teams are confident we will be able to focus on the Frame Shift Drive, and with any luck, we'll finally be able to bring the carrier home."
A smile emerged on Aurora's face as she glanced at Isa, chuckling a little before she looked back at Faust.
"Ha... t-... that's... great. When are we expecting that?"
"Well, engineering teams are estimating another week or two from now, provided that all deliveries go forth smoothly. The Commanders assisting us currently are making great progress, as are the crew. However, I wanted to make you aware of some information we uncovered, if you haven't been observing the concourse channel. It's been a busy few weeks, so bear with me while I recap this for everyone here... just so we're all on the same page."
"As you know, the combined arms operation against our enemy on the 24th of July led to us deflecting the superweapon, proving we can counter the enemy. With Damocles's additional efforts, we were able to confirm that the superweapon is present aboard the enemy carrier, known as the 'Black Edge'. Owner information of the carrier was minimal and encrypted... but it has also confirmed that EMBER and the Syn Group are one and the same."
"The EMBER Syndicate, as they call themselves, have been forced to withdraw. Although their carrier jumped away and we were not able to track it down, recent events have continued to bring us closer. However, you're... well aware now that we... unfortunately lost Damocles, our recon team, two days ago, when they investigated a location of interest. The system in question was investigated by a Commander, after we were able to use our captured relay to accidentally ping the enemy's carrier."
"Despite their clandestine nature, it appeared the relay was still 'connected' to them in a way. Reverse-engineering their transmission method has given us an effective, if limited and temporary way of locating their carrier. We've decided to spare it, but deemed it suitable enough to have our recon team investigate the system in which the carrier was last reported. Although the pinged location was since outdated, the enemy had laid an ambush in place, and struck swiftly."
"Damocles was supposed to withdraw, but... they opted to stay, hacking into the enemy vessels and drawing as much data as they could. Commander Adair, I notified you that we received only a quarter of the data roughly, before they were destroyed. The news is a hard hit for us... but at least we can know that their sacrifice was not in vain. The data packet they transmitted back has been successfully decrypted."
"With the help of Commanders, the decrypted data packet has given us several tidbits of intel. Namely... we know the enemy are now on the backfoot. Their communications have implied that they are not willing or able to activate the superweapon for a second time. Their carrier also appears to be low on fuel, forcing them to mine Tritium from the surrounding area. And... additionally, we have obtained a name for the weapon itself."
"The MARS Device."
"We know the origins of EMBER, roughly, and their extensive manipulation via the Red Hunters and several other groups to prevent being exposed. However, with these cracked communication logs we have obtained, it's clear the enemy are desperate to not be found. However... that does not get us the advantage per say. A wild animal is most dangerous when it is backed into a corner."
"Simply put, Tethys is not willing to throw itself at the enemy. We must find out more about the weapon and its capabilities. Our communications specialists have been discussing theories with Commanders, several of which corroborated effects we have witnessed. The 'MARS Device' is evidently capable of inflicting extreme psychological effects upon human targets, and causing intense electromagnetic damage to vessels."
"However, the device did not affect everyone. The weapon has, namely, not worked on Commanders like you. It has not worked on hundreds of Solaris crew members, and for a while, it didn't work on CSF soldiers at all. The interference throughout TRIP Omega seems clear that the enemy were testing the waters, trying to determine the effectiveness of the weapon. And... while it has caused an extreme death toll... there seems to be only one possible explanation for the weapon's functionality so far."
"We suspect that the weapon preys on individuals with... 'broken mental stability'. People who are scared... people who have lost their faith in the squadron. It's consistent with how many of the crew were turned against each other, after your past was exposed... and many thought the squadron's leadership to be corrupt. It also aligns with how thousands of crew and CSF soldiers dwelled in the depths of the Solaris before rescue teams could get to them. By the time they arrived... they were broken... and the weapon took advantage of that."
"A Commander has suggested that an anxiolytic drug could be used to counteract the effects temporarily if needed, and we've ensured BLUSTAR operatives aboard the Solaris will research possibilities. However, we need a better solution to counter the weapon. Our relay has a distance limit, and our ships are not capable of absorbing such powerful electromagnetic attacks."
"You did remind me that you were looking into the passcodes... but as I understand it, Commander Kryik has been struggling significantly to utilize the second passcode in order to uncover the third. Is that correct?"
Aurora nodded, sighing softly as she looked at Isa.
"Y-yeah... Wow... lots of... information. Sorry... uh... yeah... he said that... it seems to be missing a 'piece'."
The Captain frowned slightly, humming to himself as he looked down at the table, thinking for a bit.
"... A piece? What might that be?"
"Not... sure, honestly. It seems like the second passcode was... 'incomplete' or something."
"... I suppose that needs further investigation. No matter. As long as we keep the enemy far from the Solaris, we can take our time. We have the defensive advantage currently, and our priority is to get the Solaris home first. We need a sustainable base of operations, one we can keep far from the Federation. Although Commander Kryik's help has been useful in preventing us from stretching ourselves thin, we cannot rely on the Federation to assist us at all."
"Commanders... I need you both to rest and take time off. I'm most certain that you'll feel it... 'counterproductive', but trust me... we need you focused on the intel and preparing yourselves for the coming operations. I'll-..."
"We'll be ready, Captain. I promise. And... we won't sleep in for as long as we did today."
Isa chuckled to herself, Aurora giggling a bit as she smiled and blushed warmly, conscious of the silent individuals standing near the table. Folding his arms, Faust nodded.
"Alright. We'll keep you updated on our progress... but... if you don't mind... we need to think of alternative ways to unlock the passcode. Do you have a contact you might be able to reach out to? That mysterious individual that helped you break into Sol a third time? We could use another option to turn to after the Solaris is returned."
"Yeah... I'll see what I can do. Thank you, Captain."
"Oh, and Commander? On behalf of us here... and I think I can speak for all of us when I say this... we know there's been tough times... and it's been difficult for you sometimes. But... to both you and Commander Levine, we want to thank you both. For your commitment and dedication to the squadron. Hell... I'd go as far as to say you've made a damn good impression on the squadron, even if it might not seem that way sometimes."
"Thanks to you, we have the boost we need to fight back. The squadron and its crew have something to believe in, to fight for. We will be standing by your side when we pull the trigger for the last time, and end this enemy, no matter what it takes or what stands in our way. You know this. It's been a privilege to serve under your command, even if I may give you a hard time occasionally."
With a chuckle, Captain Faust nodded towards Aurora and Isabella, the individuals by his side giving them a quick salute as Aurora laughed a little, taking it all in for a moment.
"Yeah... thank you, Captain. I... I know we can do this... we'll see it through. And I'll... have a lot of people to thank when this is over. For being by my side... and helping me. This squadron is home... and... I care about you all a lot. You gave me a family and a new start... I'm just... s-sorry it all came down like this..."
"We will make it right again, Commander, when the time comes. Can't kill us that easy, and you'll have the full support of Tethys by your side."
"Ha... yeah..."
Aurora looked up at Isa, squeezing her hand gently as she let out a soft, subtle sigh, and glanced at Faust.
"We'll make it right again..."
"All of us will, hun."
========================================================
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 CMDRs Isabella Levine and SpectreKryik for their involvement in the story. Thank you so much for reading!
INARA page here.