Prologue:
Scouting Detail
Characters:
Lieutenant Sten Matari - Rifleman and Squad Leader of Lambda Squad
Private Thomas Nikola - Rifleman
Corporal Lana Makato - Rifleman
Private Jeff Nokalo - Designated Marksman
Sergeant Kibas Kilao - Heavy Weapons Specialist
Private Kaiden Nidos - Grenadier
Corporal Dane Atiso - Rifleman
David Puck - Stranded child
Lieutenant Sten Matari gently pushed aside another pine branch and signalled his squad forward. He could feel the cold snow, dulled as it was through his combat armor like a block of ice wrapped in a towel, on his arm where it fell. He ignored it and continued forward knowing his squad would follow. Behind him the rest of Lambda Squad brought up the rear. They were a team of seven, a rare thing in the COG military. What was even more odd was that rather than being of various ethnicities from around the continent they all hailed from the South Islands. The proof lay in the tribal tatoos covering their faces and bodies and their pride in their warrior heritage. Their job was to recon the area around an abandoned town called Riverwake to make way for the refugee column from the ruins of Jacincto. It seemed the brass couldn't get far enough away from the flooded crater they used to call "home." It was up to Sten and his team to find out if there were any Locust remnants in the column's path and if there were how strong the enemy was.
"El-tee," Private Thomas Nikola called over. He was one of the youngest and was always asking questions. This time wasn't any different. "Remind me again why we're on scouting duty? I thought we were an assault team."
"Boy's got a point, sir," Corporal Lana Makato added. Her short red hair stood out in contrast to her black tatoos. "This is a job for the recon units."
"For your information there are 15 other assault teams on scouting duty," Sten replied without a bit of hesitation. In actuallity he hated it more than the rest of them, a warrior didn't sneak around like a coward to find out how many times the enemy needed to take a crap in his opinion. But he wasn't going to let his personal feelings get in the way of his job. Colonel Hoffman would chew him out for a month if he did. "If anyone wants a transfer just let me know," Sten added.
"I want a transfer," Private Jeff Nokalo said. He never could keep his mouth shut.
"Alright, Nokalo," Sten replied. He stopped and turned to face the young Gear. "You're transfered to the point."
Nokalo looked around surprised and gave a nervous grin. "I was just kidding, sir."
"I wasn't."
Nokalo didn't dare disagree with the Lieutenant and instead moved to the head of the collumn with his Longshot at the ready. At least he knew how to follow orders. Sten took up position right behind him, though. "An officer is the first to step onto the battlefield and the last to step off." Sten had drilled that into his head from the moment he'd put on the uniform. Behind him was the hulking form of Sergeant Kibas Kilao who had the Hammer of Dawn strapped to his back. As their heavy weapons specialist he was a very important asset to the squad but you'd never hear him bragging about it. More often than not the only thing you'd hear from him was his own breathing. The only person he spoke to on a regular basis was Sten. Behind the sergeant was Private Kaiden Nidos, the grenadier, toting his Gnasher shotgun in his hands. Bringing up the rear of the pack were the rest of the riflemen, Nikola, Makato, and Corporal Dane Atiso. Every member of the squad knew their jobs like the backs of their hands. They'd been together ever since the COG had pulled back to Jacincto and had faced everything together as only a family could. That's what they were, a family. Sten looked forward to the day when he and the rest of the squad could retire from this military life, though, and find paths of their own. The war was over, officially, but it seemed the day they left the military was getting further away instead of closer.
As Sten mused he noticed Nokalo snapping his fist up and then spreading his fingers to hold position and not open fire. Sten kept his eyes and ears peeled for what had caught the marksman's attention. Suddenly, Kilao's head snapped to the left and he raised his hand to point to a cluster of trees. Something about the size of a child dashed out of the cover and took off like a bat out of hell. In fact, it was a kid! A scrawny little boy with buzz-cut hair but he was fast. Sten and the squad moved after him without a word and it took them the better part of five whole minutes to catch up to him.
"Whoa!" Sten said as he caught the kid's shoulder and spun him around. "Just where do you think you're going?"
"Get off me!" the kid retorted trying to push Sten's hand off. "Fuckin' fascist COG bastards!"
"You kiss your mother with that mouth kid?" Nikola smirked as he came up. "You didn't answer the El-tee's question."
"I don't need to answer your questions," the boy spat. "I don't owe you nothing!"
"Relax, kid," Makato cooed softly. She always had a soft spot for children. "We're not here to hurt you. You're one of the stranded, aren't you?"
The kid was silent for a minute then turned to Lana. "Yeah, that's right. I'm a stranded. What about it?"
"Stranded don't travel alone," Sten remarked. "Where's the rest of your group?"
"I volunteered to scout. The Locust may be tough but even they don't expect a kid to spy on them."
Locust! Sten and Nidos shared a look before turning back to the kid. "Are they in the area?"
"Yeah, why else would I go out to see if I could find them?" the boy snapped. Nokalo sneered.
"Listen, brat, you start showing respect or the Lieutenant here might just tie you up and leave you as a midday snack for the wolves!"
"Stow it, Nokalo," Sten said in a firm voice. The kid was disrespectful, but he also had information they needed. "Have the Locust been causing you much problems?"
"Yeah, they're raiders," the kid said. "Bunch of Bloodmounts and Reavers come in and attack us for slaves and resources every year. Last time they took my mother."
"You from Riverwake?"
"Yeah."
The squad was silent for a moment before Sten continued. "About how many?"
"I don't know, they usually only attack in groups of thirty or so," the kid said. "But the leaders suspect there may be more of them."
"Give us a minute," Sten said to the squad as he and Kilao moved off to the side. "What do you think, Kibas?"
"I think officially our mission is over, sir," Kilao shrugged. "But personally, I think command would want at least one squad to secure the town before they move in."
"That's just what I was thinking," Sten nodded. "Delta has the long range comms, call it in to them so they can relay it to the brass. And tell them we're moving ahead to Riverwake."
He then turned and walked back over to the kid. They looked at each other for a while before Sten spoke. "What's your name?"
"David Puck," the boy replied.
"We're headed for Riverwake, think you can show us a way around the horde?"
"What's in it for me?" Puck asked.
"What is it you want?"
"...Some chocolate would be nice, if you've got any."
The squad turned and smirked at Nidos. Out of them all he had the biggest sweet tooth and always had a bunch of chocolate bars. Nidos shook his head furiously.
"No, no!" he said shaking his finger. "It's my stuff, man! I claimed it, I rationed it, it's mine!"
"Hash it out, Nidos, or you're walking to Riverwake in your skivvies," Sten said with a tone of finality. The whole squad knew he would do as he said.
Nidos grumbled and muttered something before reaching into his pack and pulling out a bar of chocolate. Puck snatched it from Nidos' hand and stuffed it into his shirt.
"Follow me."