“Confidential: Operation - SPRING HARE

  Objective: Retrieve H.V.T Designation - HARE

  Priority: ABSOLUTE

  Location: Planet Osrian, Astralis Sector

  Parameter: All Losses Acceptable

  Rules of Engagement: None - All Casualties Acceptable

  *Message Sent To All Forces In Vicinity Of Sector Astralis*

  … … …

  *Confirmation*

  *Priority Connection To Task Force Moth Established*

  *Uplink To A.O.S Regulus* ”

  “Alright people, listen up. As of oh-six hundred system hours, FLEETCOM sent out a priority alert and we’re the closest ones to it.” The officer pointed towards a holographic display.

  An image of a system wide alert projected itself into the air around the hangar, followed by the frigate that they were currently on. The A.O.S Regulus, a last generation frigate equipped more for armed blockade running than direct combat. Still, modernized with a pair of twin-linked siege class laser weapons rated capable for planetary bombardment and with a plethora of smaller kinetic cannons in tow, the frigate was no slouch either. The ship itself carried over two dozen fighters and smaller transport vessels, all a part of Task Force Moth, the Alliance of Allied Star Systems’s peacekeeping force in the increasingly fraught Astralian frontier sector between it and the Concord of Enlightened Stars’s border.

  Currently, its complement of two hundred alliance marines sat in the hangar turned makeshift briefing area. Behind them, pilots and engineers hurriedly prepared for launch, the roar of engines and repulsers doing little to shake the sleep deprived troopers out of their current stupor. Ahead of them, two intelligence officers donning black-clad power armor stood besides Commander Ravchek, the commander of the frigate itself. Next to them and standing at attention was Captain Felix, the man responsible for the marines themselves. Even he looked a little grouchy at having been woken at the first crack of dawn if in system time was of any indicator.

  “Our objective today is simple, retrieve a high value asset at all costs.” He continued.

  An image flashed onto the projector, dozens upon dozens of lines of redacted text, multiple censored photos, but a singular one stood out in the center. At its core, a lone woman stood in the middle of a crowd, her sapphire-like eyes creating a striking focal point. She wore her hair in a ponytail, her outfit matching that of those around her. But it was her ears that stuck out, pointed and angular. Above her, only one phrase remained legible and un-redacted, CODENAME: HARE.

  “This is a Drengdir, most of you know them as ‘space elves’. Former imperialists, advanced colonies, more insular than the fucking Tarollans.” The commander joked.

  A few scattered chuckles ran through the marines. Drengdir were rare, perhaps only a dozen million or so outside their own little galactic sphere of influence. Their home systems remain a mystery to the galaxy at large, but their ruins that dotted other planets have presented untold technological wonders to those who discovered them. They were also known to be extraordinarily arrogant and long lived, hence the colloquial term of ‘space elf’.

  “This one however, seems to have something we want. Ladies?” The commander stepped aside as the intelligence officers stepped forward.

  “Commander. Marines. This is a priority, one target of the utmost importance. All sector assets are being diverted as we speak and this ship happens to be the closest.” The first intelligence officer spoke.

  “Closest?” A marine, Private Jamerson whispered to his comrade, “Aren’t we near-”

  “Reports indicate that our target is located on the planet Osrian.” The officer continued.

  Every marine stiffened up at once, their tiredness now thrust to a back burner.

  A representation of the planet flew up into view. Images of a mostly desert planet with thousands of mining settlements all across its surface took up the holo-projector. Then more images came, destroyed towns, burning fields, and craters in the millions.

  Corporal Talbert grimaced. The planet was the reason why they were in the system in the first place. A planet wracked by an almost decade long civil war that blossomed far more violently the past few months. Located in the Astralis Neutral Zone where neither the Alliance of Union were allowed to intervene, the people there were mostly left to their own devices. To massacre each other in the name of whoever they wanted. For people elsewhere, it would be a tragic, but fleeting news report. For a soldier going in, it would be a hellhole.

  Reluctantly, he raised a hand, receiving a stern look from Captain Felix. But the officer pointed to him, allowing his question.

  “How do we know? Aren’t none of our ships allowed near?” He asked, eliciting a small murmur of agreement from the other marines. After all, to prevent illegal approaches were the reason the ship was there.

  “Correct, marine. But High Command has received intel reports that suggest this to be the case. Our own reconnaissance supports that.” The first officer nodded to the second.

  Suddenly, images of a Concord Union fleet emerged onto the projector. At least a dozen warships ranging from frigates to even a battle-carrier. A frigid silence descended onto the hanger.

  “Concord battlefleet designation Omicron emerged into the system earlier this morning system-hour. Reports also indicate fast moving corvettes racing towards Osrian. Furthermore, a spy satellite captured these images.”

  Photos of two crashed ships appeared.

  “Concord ships on the planet were shot down by local anti-air batteries. The same in which we must contend with, here.”

  The planet took center stage once more, before zooming towards a particular city on its equatorial continent.

  “Belwari city. Armed to the teeth. Three way civil war. Local defense militias, revolutionaries, and planetary government forces are clashing after a revolutionary uprising. Missile batteries detected, here, here, and here.”

  Three separate points on the outskirts of the city were highlighted.

  “Target assumed to be here.”

  A new point appeared on one of the skyscrapers on the edge of the government district.

  “They are to be taken alive.” The officer finished.

  “ROE?” Captain Felix asked from behind the officer.

  The woman turned to him and nodded. “All lives are expendable. All casualties are acceptable.”

  “Shit.” The captain hissed.

  More than one marine joined him, the feeling of the air being sucked out of the room at the impartial declaration. Such rules of engagement usually precluded strategic objectives in a campaign, much less a singular HVT. Talbert shuddered, he had a bad feeling about this.

  “So?” Felix recovered quickly enough, “I assume a plan’s already in place?” He looked more towards the commander than the officers, Ravchek nodding in response. The commander stepped up to the first officer’s side.

  “Your people will be divided into two small company sized elements, callsigns ‘Rock’ and ‘Stone’. Rock will have the crucial task of disabling the government AA batteries at all costs. Giving room for the HVT to be extracted without trouble. Stone will focus on the extraction, once the first battery is cleared, you’ll be flown in. In, and out.” Commander Ravchek instructed.

  There was a pause, the commander looked over the troops before coming back to the captain.

  “It is likely that you might also encounter Concord ground forces operating in the AO given that they’ve already lost a few birds. No restrictions, extracting the HVT remains top priority.”

  “Understood. Kick off?” Captain Felix asked.

  “Get your people prepped, loaded, and divided in twenty. We go as soon as possible. Air support wings will be on standby. Failure is not acceptable. That is all. Stars guide you.” The commander saluted.

  “Stars guide you.” The captain returned his salute.

  With that, the commander and the officers turned to leave. The silence left afterwards was deafening, even drawing out the screech of another fighter engine being tuned up in Talberts mind. The alliance and the concord were not supposed to be fighting. He wondered if this was to be the start of something greater.

  “This is Granite-One, eta to touch down in two. How copy?” Their pilot’s voice echoed over the communication system.

  “Granite-Two reads you loud and clear. We’re on your six.” Another replied.

  Corporal Talbert wore the Orbital Insertion Device, a communications pack meant to serve as a company-wide communicator for the captain. Today however, his immediate superior was Lieutenant Thompson and one of the intelligence officers. The captain leading the marines in Rock Company.

  “Talbert, receiver.” Thompson nudged him.

  Talbert unhooked the side receiver and passed it to him.

  “Rock-One this is Stone-One, eta in two minutes. What’s the sitrep?” Thompson spoke into the device.

  A soft crackle of static responded before the sounds of gunfire could be heard in the background alongside some yelling.

  “Stone-One, this is Rock-One. Alpha and Bravo batteries are secured. Cleared to proceed.” Captain Felix’s voice shot back.

  “Understood, stars guide you. Stone, out.” Thompson replied.

  “Stars guide you. Rock, out.”

  The lander they were in rattled a little. Muffled booms heard from outside, likely flak shells. Unlikely to do much damage to their armor, but unsettling for morale.

  “That one of the batteries?” Thompson asked the officer.

  She shook her head.

  “We did not think those would hinder the operation.” She answered calmly.

  Thompson rolled his eyes, shooting a look of dismay at his subordinate. Talbert mutely agreed, keenly aware that the officer was right beside them.

  Another muffled boom shook the ship violently. Guns clattered to the deck as metal juttered from the impact.

  “This is your pilot speaking, be advised, we’re entering an area of heavy flak based turbulence. It is estimated to subside never, so please keep your seatbelts fastened, harnesses locked, and your weapons on safety so you don’t blow the person next to you up by accident. Enjoy your flight.” The pilot announced over the intercom.

  The marines snickered, mildly amused.

  Taking advantage of the moment, Lieutenant Thompson stood up to get everyone’s attention. His hand tightly gripping a handle to steady himself in the middle of the transport.

  “Listen up folks. Let me run this down one last time in case any of you haven't woken up yet. Lethal on the streets. But once we hit the building, swap to stun rounds, go it? That is, the blue taped magazines.”

  “Sir, yes, sir.” The marines responded.

  “Any questions?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Good. Because if we somehow fuck this up, I don’t think command will be all to happy with us.” He chuckled grimly.

  The intercom crackled to life once more.

  “One minute.” The pilot announced.

  “Alright, you heard the lady. Check your weapons and ammo, make sure your kit is in place. Once we hit the ground, we hit the ground running.”

  “Sir, yes sir.”

  The transport lurched to the side, the lieutenant almost falling as he stumbled a little. A rapid series of taps ricocheted off the side of the gunship.

  “Be advised.” The pilot’s voice came over the intercom, “We’re taking small arms firm, LZ will be hot. I’ll do what I can from here.”

  There was a moment of silence then a thunderous roar as the gunship returned fire. Two autocannons, a gatling gun, and helios mini-rockets spat out a wall of death at whatever unfortunate soul tried to shoot at the gunship. The Albatross-class lander was like the frigate that carried it, old, but very well armed and armored.

  “Granite-One to Granite-Two, be advised. Hostiles near the LZ, we’re returning fire.”

  “Granite-Two copies. Weapons hot.”

  The Albatross’s thunderous volley was soon joined by its brethren, a breathtaking cacophony of armament that brought tears to the eyes of many a marine. Under their wings, there was a sense of safety. A guarantee that they at least had a fighting chance to land.

  With guns still pumping out lead and explosives, Talbert felt the sudden jolt as the transport swapped propulsion from its engines to repulsers.

  Ensuring that a red magazine was inserted into his slug-rifle. He readied himself.

  For the shipboard marines, they were all usually armed with weapons that had lower penetration capability than their army counterparts. Meant to repel invaders on a ship or to board an enemy, the vacuum of space cared not who made a hole in the side of a ship, only that it was there. They weren’t meant for missions like this, though given the urgency, he supposed they had little choice.

  “Twenty seconds!” The pilot called out.

  Giving a singular motion, the lieutenant had every stand up. The twenty five marines and officers now stood at the ready. Their trial by fire about to begin.

  Then another jolt, the ship was now descending vertically.

  “Ten seconds!”

  Safeties were switched off. The whirr of the few laser rifles in the group filling the compartment with a low hum. Outside, they could hear it more clearly now. Automatic weapons fire plinking at the ship. The heavy menacing thuds of the autocannons in response.

  “Five… four… three… two… one… Touchdown! Go! Go! Go!”

  “Move it marines! Let’s go!” Lieutenant Thompson roared.

  Like a tide, they surged forwards. Targeting arrays quickly identifying nearby enemies as the front few marines let out quick bursts of fire to cover the dismount. The terrifying screech of the gatling guns were given form as a nearby rooftop was raked by high explosive rounds, detonating stonework and glass.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Second squad, set up a perimeter! First squad, with me!” Thompson ordered.

  Talbert hurried along with his commander, his own rifle clutched tightly in his hand.

  Bright laser bolts streaked past him and into a few indistinct figures on a nearby roof. Private Jamerson and another marine were busy suppressing the enemy.

  With their exit, the last of the passengers had departed and the gunship took off once more. Turning in a circle, it unleashed a volley of hell onto any enemies still nearby, silencing the majority of incoming fire.

  The marines let out a collective whoop. Nothing beats seeing a competent display of firepower.

  “Stone-One this is Stone-Two, do you copy?” A voice chimed over the company comms.

  “Stone-One copies.” Thompson’s voice replied.

  “We’ve deployed one street down, moving to rendezvous. Cafe with the red sign, how copy?”

  “Wait one… I see it. Stone-One moving. Out.”

  The comms clicked shut and the marines wordlessly moved down the alleys and streets. A few miltia troopers fired at them, the local ammunition finding little luck in striking at their alloyed armors. With a few barks of gunfire in return, the marines pressed on.

  There was a quiet tension in the company. After their hot landing, they had faced relatively little resistance and had linked up with their other half. Forming about fifty soldiers in total, they advanced down the sides of the main road as fast as they could towards the target building.

  The city itself was alive and bleeding in agony. Distant booms or explosions and the unceasing rain of small arms echoing all around them. Sometimes even a rumble or two when a few larger buildings collapsed from the fighting.

  To Talbert, it was an eerie feeling. The fact that their street of advance seemed mostly uncontested despite the constant fighting around them. It was almost too easy. On his side of the street, Thompson and most of the first and second squads were pushing forward. Across the way, three and four under the command of Sergeant Barclay similarly advanced.

  Their building was at the end of the street. Just a stone’s throw away. Then he saw the flash.

  “Contact!” Talbert screamed to warn the others.

  A veritable wall of fire opened up from almost every window. Lazer bolts frying the stones that they struck. Two marines went down instantly, members of squad three.

  “Get off the streets! Move!” Thompson ordered.

  The two separate columns quickly ducked to different alleyways, no encouragement needed.

  “Son of a bitch.” A marine called McClosky swore, “Y’all see that? Lazers. Fucking Concordants.”

  Concordants, their own little derogatory term for the troopers of the enemy.

  “Aye.” Jamerson affirmed.

  “Nothing changes. We press forward just the same. The buildings right there.” Thompson reassured them before motioning to Talbert for the communicator again.

  He passed it over.

  “Rock-One, this is Stone-One. We’ve run into the Concord, be advised. I repeat, Concord troops are inside the city limits.”

  “Understood. Be careful, Stone.”

  “Will do. Stone out.”

  Having relayed his message, Thompson gestured for the advance to continue.

  Bounding between corners and dashing through small gaps in the wall. They managed to sneak up the edge of the building they were supposed to attack. A small lull in the fighting as the members of Squad One and Two hurriedly reorganized themselves on the correct side of the street, leaving the alleyways to gather just around the back door of the building.

  The lull was immediately broken by a vicious exchange of fire from back down the main street and the defenders inside the building. The reason why came across the comms seconds later.

  “Thompson, this is Barclay, no entry from this angle. We’ll try to keep them busy from here. How copy?”

  “We read you. We’re preparing to breach. Will keep you updated on what floors to watch out for.”

  “Copy.”

  Thompson then turned to Staff Sergreant Wrosley, the leader of the second squad.

  “Take your boys, breach and clear up the northern stairwell. Check each room. We’ll head from here and clear the southside. Once we’re clear, then we can sweep across the floor, got it?”

  “Got it boss. Alright boys, let’s move!” Wrosley’s ordered his unit.

  Thompson had the first squad stack up on the nearby door. He then motioned for them to prepare for breach. All the marines now switched their magazines, blue taped stun rounds for the task at hand. A boon for subduing their target, a massive disadvantage for fights against the Concord. Thompson held out his hand. 3… 2… 1…

  A marine bashed the door open and another quickly chucked a flash grenade inside. A soft pop and then they pushed open the doorway, surging in with intent. Securing the area, Thompson directed half the squad to sweep the first floor as Talbert and the others joined him pressing onto the second.

  Repeating the process with the door that led to the hallways, they pushed forwards and immediately encountered resistance. A laser bolt smacked a marine in his chestplate, sending the man down to the ground but alive. Talbert hastily pulled him back into the safety of the stair as the others returned fire.

  Bullets popped through the walls, sending little puffs of paint and concrete raining down onto him.

  “You alright?” He asked the winded marine.

  “Christ. Yeah. Yeah, I think I’m fine.” He sighed in relief.

  Talbert helped him back onto his feet as the marine examined the damage. Thankfully the Alliance did not skimp on the armor budget.

  “Stun out.” Someone yelled.

  A thud.

  “Go! Go!” Thompson barked.

  The two of them hastily reemerged to join their comrades in the hallway. Rifles barking away against the lasers zapping at them.

  A loud pop and a crash. From the other end of the hall, second squad’s troopers made their entrance, engaging in a fierce melee with the defenders there.

  A gigantic boom shook the entire building, sending plumes of dust and debris, windows shattering into a thousand tiny shard. Talbert stumbled a little but found the boom odd. He looked around, no sign of anything crashing down outside. Jamerson noticed it too, the private trading a glance with him. The two squeezed out a few more rounds towards the enemy before shuffling over towards a window. Evidently the intelligence officer had beat them to it. The power armored woman pulled back inside after having taken a look outside. She motioned for them to follow.

  “Lieutenant Thompson, disengage at once. We have reason to believe that our target is on the fifth or sixth floor.” She calmly informed him.

  The man looked torn between aiding the second squad and complying, but eventually motioned for the marines to follow her instruction. Gradually, the marines fell back into the stairwell, each trooper covering the other.

  “On me, move it. Up, up, up.” Thompson ordered.

  They moved together, caution thrown to the wind. They didn’t even bother checking the lower floors, only stopping when they reached the fifth floor.

  Their hunch appeared to be correct, where there were once rooms, a giant hole had been blasted open. A few scattered corpses lay strewn about the place, some even missing parts of their head, cut cleanly in two.

  “Alan, Kars, take point.”

  Two reluctant grunts came from the marines named. The two of them cautiously made their way past the hall of corpses while the rest of them kept them covered.

  A low beep startled Talbert. Someone was sending a message over alliance comms. He quickly accepted the channel before rapidly gesturing for the lieutenant.

  “This is Guardian to all ground forces, be advised. Hostile fast air is on the way eta two minutes. Callsign Eagle will be deployed to intercept but we are fast running out of time folks.”

  Thompson rushed over to him just as the message ended with a beep.

  “What is it?” He asked.

  “Enemy air inbound, two minutes. Eagle moving to intercept.” Talbert answered.

  “Shit. Must be Concord if they’re sending in the fighter wing.” Thompson growled, “New plan folks.” He announced, “Bellers, take Martin, Alan, Kars. Winsler, Garrett, Joe, Peter, and Ludlow. Sweep the rest of this side. Rest of you, with me. To the other side of the building and we’ll sweep from there.”

  “Sir, yes sir.” Came the hushed affirmations.

  Splitting in two, the marines sped up their search. They cleared room after room from either side of the hall, all faintly aware of the crackle of gunfire and lasers still echoing everywhere above and below them. What made it all the more unsettling was the lack of Concord troopers here. Only the dead.

  Unfortunately for them, the doubt seemed to be what drove the Concord troopers directly down to them from the upper floors.

  They first noticed them when a laser bolt blasted McClosky in the chest. Likely fired with maximum charge, the marine’s armor had melted onto his body, a hole having been seared through him entirely. He simply stood there, in shock at the sight when everyone else began exchanging fire. Jamerson tried to drag him away when a small orb bounced off a wall and landed beside them.

  A loud vomp and then neither of the two were there anymore. Just a hole in the hallway where they stood and bits of viscera left behind.

  Fuckers, Talbert cursed. Finding his own target, the communications specialist brought his rifle up and lined up a target with his scope. Sucking in a small breath, he steadied himself, ignoring the zips and cracks of gunfire. With practiced ease, he squeezed the trigger.

  The trooper reeled, but did not fall. In fact, his own weapon was raised towards Talbert.

  Ah fuck, right. Stun rounds. Mother-

  An underslung grenade streaked towards him. He had barely a second to duck when the wall nearby exploded into dust and debris. The force from the impact sent him tumbling to the ground. Shaken, but otherwise unharmed, he crawled behind a wall back in the stairwell for cover and tried to reorientate himself.

  A thunderous boom echoed from outside the building. He scrambled to his feet and hastily clambered over towards an opening. Looking outside, his stomach churned in horror at the sight. The skies above Belwari were locked in a titanic struggle. Concordant snub fighters dueled with aging but heavily armed Alliance interceptors. Volleys of missiles, lasers and projectiles being traded by the thousands and in calibers that would vaporize any marine facing it.

  Then he saw it, a shadow, one quickly growing in size. He squinted. The wingspan was not theirs.

  In a panic, he dashed towards the rest of his squad, frantically shouting to get their attention.

  “Incoming! Incoming strafing run!” He yelled.

  He watched in slow motion as a few marines turned towards him. The intelligence officer was the first to react and immediately hunkered down in her power armor. Then he saw the looming shadow of a missile, and then a flash as the explosion detonated just in front of the building.

  The shockwave sent him flying into a wall, his instinct to immediately ball up and prevent any debris to cause fatal injuries. Rock, tiles and bits of the building clattered down all around him. Shattered glass and destroyed masonry kept him pinned. The cascade of debris felt almost unending until at last, it stopped. Brushing aside any near his head, he tried to wipe away what dust there was. When his eyes opened back up, he found that his section of the building was still relatively intact, though a large gaping hole now exposed the inside to the outside.

  Back in the hallway, the situation had decidedly deteriorated. The intelligence officer quickly retreated towards him when she noticed him poking his head out the door to the hall. Aside from her, the other marines were nowhere to be found, nor was the hallway where they had once stood. Only another gaping hole.

  With a trembling hand, he discarded the stun magazine and quickly slotted in a lethal one. He remembered the briefing. The mission must continue.

  “Officer, I-” Talbert tried to speak.

  “Did you notice, corporal?” She interrupted.

  “Mam? Notice fucking what?”

  “The missile. It stopped just about there. Detonated before hitting anything. In front of that room.” She pointed to where the marines once were.

  “How do we get there, mam? The floor is… uhhh…” He tried not to state the obvious.

  “Follow me.” She calmly spoke.

  With no tactical sense or preparation to breach, she simply punched and crumpled a nearby door from her blow. She then led the way inside, ignoring the terrified civilian currently trying to claw more corner from his corner. Talbert kept him in his sight lines as he followed the officer.

  She grabbed a small explosive charge from her own pack, motioning for Talbert to get to cover. A light vhoomp, and the wall in front of them exploded.

  Wasting no time, she pushed through the now opened wall, horrified screams greeting the power armored monstrosity. Talbert quickly raised his rifle, anticipating conflict, only to find a family crying out loud. A mother was desperately calming her two children whilst crying herself. The object of their sorrow appeared to be another man that had died when the officer detonated the wall.

  He wanted to offer condolences or sympathies. To apologize or at least make things better. But they had no time, he followed her as she set up yet another charge. Such was the reality of the mission at hand.

  This wall, too, exploded. But as the officer walked into the breach, she suddenly stopped.

  “Mam?” He queried, only to stumble and almost trip when he passed inside.

  A young looking Drengdir was holding what appeared to be an energy sword up to the officer’s neck. The blade cleanly rested in the neck joint gap between the helmet and suit. A lethal blow should she push the attack. Before Talbert could respond, she pointed a slug pistol at him. He had a chance of surviving it, but he very much doubted it.

  “Who are you?” The girl demanded.

  “Alliance Intelligence.” The officer calmly responded.

  “Alliance intel? The hells are you doing here?”

  “Looking for you.” She answered.

  “Pfft. And why the fucks that?”

  The officer shared a look with Talbert. He shook his head.

  “The truth?” She queried the space elf.

  “Preferably, since I can kill you both if you lie.” The girl chuckled.

  “We don’t know.” The officer answered.

  That seemed to catch her off guard, ‘Huh?”

  “We don’t know. Only that a priority order was sent to extract a high value target planetside.” Talbert hastily added, fearful that the officer’s curt answer might just get them killed, “All system forces are scrambling, Concord’s got a fleet here too. We assume to get at you.”

  The girl frowned, then broke off into a bellyful laugh.

  “Ahaha, heheh, of course, of course. So what is it this time? Extra galactic threat? Eldritch monstrosity? Planet devouring God?”

  The two traded glances.

  “Pardon?” Talbert spoke for them.

  “I mean, who sent the orders, assholes?” The girl’s jovial demeanor turned vicious as she snarled at the two of them, the weapons pressing closer.

  Talbert looked desperately at the officer. She couldn’t shrug, but he assumed she did.

  “We don’t know. Genuinely.” She answered, “Ah, only that there was a code phrase to be told to you.”

  “Ohhh a secret phrase for someone who’s not even a secret agent. Maybe I’m a sleeper all along?” The Drengdir laughed at her own humor.

  “Orders came straight from Alliance Headquarters, none of us know. Only that we are to get you.”

  “No, I get that. But what’s this phrase? Better be at least funny because I’ve just about had it with armed soldiers around me.”

  Talbert swore that he could see the normally stoic officer display a hint of nervousness. Though her power armor had hardly moved at all.

  Before she could answer, an explosion on the opposite wall happened. From the breach, Concord troopers with their rifles drawn forced their way in. Talbert was disoriented and couldn’t react, only mutely sit there as fate dealt its final blow for him.

  Then they died. A dozen armed combatants. Not a single shot fired. Mostly simply died where they stood, slowly slumping to the ground as they separated in two. Others fell to their knees, cut down to size and stabbed through the head before they could make a noise. The last of the troopers had just stepped over the threshold of the wall when the Drengdir’s blade speared him through the side of the head, then moving downwards to dislodge itself and pulling most of his helmet and face with it.

  As the faceless man collapsed to his death, the girl swiftly darted back to the two of them, now not even bothering to keep her blade pointed at them.

  “Well, that makes this a little easier. Move and die, simple as that. So? What’s this strange ass phrase you have for me?”

  Outmatched, the officer conceded.

  “Command says that the Frosts have entered the Fire?”

  The girl’s smile died on her face. A look of utter seriousness overtaking it. She stood up a little straighter, her blade now sheathed. Her expression grew grim and she kicked Talbert’s weapons towards him.

  The alliance duo looked at each other, confused. Even the officer was unsure what had just happened.

  “I see the communicator on your back.” The girl pointed at him, “Get your shit together. I don’t care about your plans, tell them we’re evacuating from the roof.”

  He tepidly reached for the communicator, still unsure if any sudden movements would get him killed.

  “But there are enemy fighters in the sky.” He whispered.

  “Find a way.” She scoffed, “Or are you looking forward to joining these fine fellahs?” She pointed at a body.

  He nodded, quickly raising the device to his ear.

  “All units be advised. This is uh, uh, Stone-One. We have the HVT and need immediate evac on the roof of the target building.”

  “Stone-One, this is Granite-One, understood. Airspace is a little contested though, any better options?”

  Talbert looked over to the girl, she impatiently motioned for him to hurry.

  “Negative. Roof is only available exit currently, over.”

  “Roger that. Might get a little loud.”

  He nodded towards them.

  “Great.” The Drengdir rolled her eyes, “Let’s get outta here.” She cracked her bones and stretched, uncaring of the corpse her shoe now stepped on. “Of all the fucking people.” She muttered.

  “Mam?” Talbert asked.

  “Nothing. Let’s go.”

  Neither Talbert nor the officer needed any prompting. The two led the girl back through the rubble and up the stairwell.

  Based on how the sounds of fighting had mostly died down, he suspected that most of the marines inside the building had fallen. His only hope was that the other squads outside were still standing.

  Moving upwards, they found little that could stop them. Any unfortunate trooper that stumbled upon the trio was quickly dispatched with an almost annoyed cut from the energy blade. Talbert shuddered at how the girl killed with almost no remorse, how quick she was to take to the task.

  When they reached the rooftop, the Albatross was already waiting for them. It’s guns ablaze trying to fend off the few snub fighters taking potshots at it. Thankfully, the frigate’s airwing was keeping most of the Concord’s forces occupied.

  “That her?” A crew chief asked.

  The officer nodded.

  Settling into their seats, the surviving duo let out their own little sighs of relief. The girl still had her face stuck in a scowl.

  With a jolt, the transport took off, the comforting hum of the Albatross’s engines now echoing in the empty cargo hold where a full complement of marines once sat. Now that he had a moment to himself, he wondered about how many of them would die today. All for a single Drengdir girl. Feeling a little irritated at their lives being thrown away so carelessly, he dared to ask a question.

  “Who are you?” Talbert looked to the girl.

  A silence. Both the crew chief and the officer trying to pretend that they weren’t listening.

  The Drengdir looked directly into him, her gaze making him wilt into his seat and regret voicing the words. She then smiled dangerously.

  “Just call me Sophie.”