Chapter One
The FNG
"Nanoka! Stay with me Nanoka!" Veroncia shouted, shaking the limp woman in her arms. "Medic! Medic, God-Emperor damn you!" She cried over and over into the night. The woman in her arms was heavy, straining both her muscles and the servos in her armor, but she didn't care about the pain. Black ichor pooled around the pair, in the firelight of a hundred burning buildings the woman's blood glistened before dripping into the pool, her scarlet life steadily running down her gauntlets. Veronica's hands were stained with it. A high-pitched whine sounded, echoing over the battlefield with a bright passing flash. In that moment the body of a Carnifex lie illuminated in the background, its body riddled with Autocannon holes. Veronica hugged Nanoka's body tight, not caring if the blood stained her armor. Tears streaked down her dusty cheeks leaving glistening trails of their passing.
The snapping of ravenous maws and the scrape of claws on the city's asphalt streets came closer. Horrifying creatures, covered in chitin from grotesque head to clawed foot, their vicious scything claws gleaming crimson in the firelight, shadows cast all around the pair. Sobbing, she squeezed Nanoka's lifeless body, managing to choke out only one word as the ring was tightened.
"Nanoka…"
--
"Striker First Class Nanoka Yoshioka, reporting for duty as ordered!" Her heels clicked together as she came to rigid attention, her body ramrod straight. She held her pose, completing it by touching her right hand to her right eyebrow, the arm perfectly straight. The woman in front of her looked up from the datascreen that cast a faint blue light across her features and caused the Master Sergeant's pins to gleam off her collar.
"Striker First Class Nanoka, eh? Lemme guess, you're from Airship Honshu." The seated woman folded her hands, resting her chin on steeple fingers. She wore the same chocolate-colored coat over a white shirt with russet tie that Nanoka did, but with a great deal more ribbons and medals. "Let's see here," She said slowly, her attention grabbed by the information spreading across the datascreen. "Yeah… Yoshioka, Nanoka, age seventeen, Blood Type O –congratulations on having my Blood Type by the way- Uh…" She stared a little more intently at the screen. "Well this can't be right." She wheeled the chair sharply, turning her back to Nanoka, her hands moving across a different datascreen.
"Ms. Yoshioka, have you ever seen combat?" She asked, turning the chair sharply again to face Nanoka, her eyebrow raised.
"Uhm… Well… No, not really. I went through basic training, but I never really got the opportunity. They sent me straight here after Basic." She fidgeted a bit, her palms dressed to the sides of her brown skirt.
"Alright, I'll be frank with you, Nanoka. You're an FNG. The worst kind of FNG," The Master Sergeant poked her in the chest. "The kind that has never seen combat and likely doesn't know which way the barrel is supposed to point. So, Frakking New Girl, I want my questions answered."
"H-hai!" Nanoka replied quickly, snapping off a swift salute, her cheeks a bright pink with her embarrassment.
"Don't say that crap here. You're not on Airship Honshu anymore, down here we speak Gothic, and the only reason I understand what you're saying is because I went on vacation in Honshu." For a moment she seemed nostalgic, her eyes wandering off Nanoka to stare off into whatever place she felt happy in. "It's quite lovely, the Eastern Sector, the sunsets are beautiful." Suddenly, she snapped her eyes back onto Nanoka, staring intently at her for a moment before returning her eyes to the screen. "Anyway! Don't use your native language while you're with us unless you're speaking to someone else who is from the same Airship as you." She tapped her chin with her index finger, adding almost as if it were an after thought, "Especially don't say it to Marlene. You just got here and we'd hate to have to ship you out of here. In a casket." She turned her chair back toward the opposite monitor, her hands hovering over the keys. "Where did you attend Basic, and what was the name of your Personnel Officer?"
"Ha-, I mean, yes ma'am!" She made herself just a little more imposing, puffing out her chest, her knees locked. "I was trained at Fort Juniper. My Personnel Officer was… Master Sergeant… Richards I think was her name."
"And she assigned you to this Regiment specifically?"
"Yes ma'am, she told me that this was the best Regiment and that you would take excellent care of me," she replied, relaxing a bit now that the other woman's eyes were firmly glued to the screen.
Sighing sharply, the woman shook her head. "That wench Jennifer. Master Sergeant Jennifer frakking Richards, always the prankster... Listen up, FNG. I want you to report to that woman over there. Her name is Master Sergeant Alexandria Rosetta. She's the liaison to the Navy for us. My name is Master Sergeant Shari." She stood up from behind the desk. Stretching her arms with a yawn she moved slowly around the side of the desk, rubbing her left eye tiredly. "Let me let you in on a little secret. Alexandria is only the liaison because she's so much… uh… fun for the…" She paused, blinking several times. "Naaaavy… pilots! If you know what I'm saying," Shari grinned even though her tone really made it seem like she just pulled what she just said out of the thin air that likely inhabited her brain. Hooking her arm around Nanoka's neck, she pulled Nanoka in so she could whisper into her ear. "And the Navy pilots just love getting a pie-"
Waack!
Thunk.
Master Sergeant Alexandria Rosetta stood there, a thick hardcover book held in her hands like a club. Shari fell to the ground like a sack of dry potatoes, groaning and rubbing her head. "You are such a bitch, Shari! Talking to the new girl about me like that! You're lucky this book is the only thing I have on hand or I'd beat you to the Emperor's Throne and back!"
"Why don't you do it then you stupid little girl, you couldn't hurt a Batholisk if it was eating your Emperor-damned mother!" Shari snapped back, staggering to her feet, her fists balled up, ready for a fight. Alexandria didn't back down. Throwing to the side the book and her glasses she brought her own fists up. The pair circled each other like hungry sharks, Alexandria making the first move. With a grunt of exertion her left arm flew out, her fist coming in a hook from the left. Shari's arm came up immediately, blocking the blow, the sound of skin-on-skin coming sharply from where the two limbs met. Shari's retaliation was swift, shoving Alexandria's arm aside she came in with a right hook of her own, her fist slamming into Alexandria's cheek.
Nanoka backed away slowly, trying to not get involved in the swirling melee of the Regimental Master Sergeants and whatever improvised weapons they could get a hold of. Even then, she couldn't quite pull her eyes away from it. There was something strange about watching the two women fight. Clearly Nanoka wasn't paying any attention to where she was backing up, because after a few steps she walked right into something hard with a very loud voice that didn't sound at all too happy to be interrupted while giving orders by a girl who wasn't paying any attention. Nanoka turned slowly, afraid of what she'd find. After about twenty minutes aboard the 256th Striker's ship she wasn't quite sure if she felt relaxed at the general lack of military discipline or if she should be scared that two of the highest ranking NCOs just got in a fist fight.
What she saw, as a rather angry, but fairly good looking woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties. She wore the same uniform of: chocolate coat, white undershirt with russet tie, brown skirt with white knee-highs and dark pumps, which everyone else seemed to be wearing, in exclusion of the rather large open trench coat that she was wearing, the lapels wearing the pins of Vice Commander. On the left side of her coat was a blue patch, depicting a sword being struck by two separate lightning bolts. Her breast was covered in medals and ribbons of every type. Really, she looked like a celebration tree. A tall, angry celebration tree.
"Let me guess… you're the FNG."
"I have a name Emperor-damn it! My name is Nanoka Yoshioka, not FNG!" And that must've been when the light shined just perfectly, the pins on the tall woman's lapel gleaming menacingly. Nanoka looked dumbstruck; looking up, then down, then up again at this goddess of everything that had damn good place to be feared. "M-M-Marlene! Y-you're Vice Commander Marlene!? I-I had no idea; you're like… a legend! A hero! You're my idol!"
"You honestly have no idea just how stupid you look right now, Striker First Class Nanoka. No. Idea. Yes, I am Vice Commander Marlene, and because you're the FNG I'll accept this lapse of military discipline this once. I trust that you will notice my rank correctly next time and show the appropriate respect," She must've noticed something on Nanoka's face, or perhaps the fact that she was reaching for the pen at her breast-pocket and a piece of paper off the near by desk, because she held up her hand quickly. "No autographs. Besides, we'll be fighting alongside each other; an autograph is pretty damn pointless next to this here patch," She turned slightly to the side, giving Nanoka a better view of said patch. "That you'll be able to show off to all your friends and family back home," She looked over to the dueling pair, shaking her head, "I see you managed to get Shari and Alexandria going at it again. Congratulations, that's not all that difficult, but they're a bit more heated than the last three times this week."
"Vice Commander, shouldn't we stop them? One of them could get seriously injured!" Nanoka looked over her shoulder, grimacing at Alexandria rammed Shari's head into her wooden desk. "I mean… Emperor, that looks painful."
"If you want them to stop go ahead and tell them so yourself." Marlene grinned, folding her arms under her breasts while she reclined against the far wall, clearly enjoying the little show the two women were putting on.
"Fine then, I will!" She marched over to the fighting couple, wincing as a bone-crunching punch flew into Alexandria's face. "I-I think you two should stop be-"
They stopped mid punch, their fists inches from one another, looking at Nanoka with bruised and bloodied faces. "SHUT UP, FNG!" They shouted in unison, Alexandria capitalizing on the moment to slam her fist into Shari's jaw. Sighing with regret, Nanoka slumped, shuffling back over to Marlene.
"It's better just to let those two go at it. They'll wear each other out eventually. Follow me, Nanoka Yoshioka," She turned on her heels with precision that would make a drill instructor green with envy, moving swiftly and silently down the vast cargo-bays of the troopship. All around, armored women were practicing storming occupied buildings, firing laser-tag weapons at the occupying team. "So, Nanoka, how long have you been in the military service of the Imperium?" Marlene asked, not turning to look at Nanoka at all, just looking around at the training exercises.
"Uhm, about… two months actually."
Marlene stopped abruptly, wheeling around to face Nanoka. "That isn't long enough to even complete Medical or Tech School. Have you even seen combat?"
"Uh… Well… not exactly… no…" She replied sheepishly, looking down at an incredibly interesting speck of dried up gum that someone had left on the deck. She nudged at it gently with her shoe a few times, and found it glued rather well to the metal plates. Marlene's finger drifted under her chin, lifting her face to gaze into the piercing blue eyes.
"Then how did you get here, Nanoka? The Strikers don't accept anyone who doesn't have combat experience. The only way you could have gotten here was if by some divine intervention you happened to get stuck in the wrong unit." Marlene sighed heavily, running a hand through her crimson hair. "Well, it's too late to do anything about that now. Listen to me Nanoka. You're new, and you're going to be neck-deep in some serious trouble where we're going. I want you to promise me right now, that no matter what happens you will hold to the Tenants of Saint Victoria. Recite them for me, and promise you'll uphold them to me and I won't leave you onboard this ship when it comes time to deploy."
"Yes ma'am! I am a soldier, a sworn defender of humanity against all its foes. I am a Striker; I accept the difficulties of my mission. I will never leave a fallen comrade. I will uphold the honor of my regiment by serving in combat against any enemy. I will not flee from the face of my duty, and my sacrifice will go beyond by spirit. I commit my body and mind to the war effort. I am a Striker, and I swear on this oath." Nanoka sighed, the Tenants complete. She looked to Marlene, who nodded and turned again on her heel.
"I will hold you to that oath, Nanoka. I want you to go and seek out Yukari Shiro; she's your squad leader. There are more people from Honshu in that squad. It'll be easier for you to adjust and fit in. You know how this works so get to it."
--
"Nanoka Yoshioka, Striker First Class reporting for duty ma'am!" Her salute was swift and smart, snapping to attention in front of the Sergeant. She focused her brown eyes directly in front of her, keeping them on an imaginary spot, just as she had been trained to. Really, she was doing what she could to take in the appearance of her new leader.
Yukari wasn't bad looking, by all standards she was decent, not really plain and the scar across her cheek really only seemed to accent her sharp facial features. She blinked several times, working a small laser-sensor into her boot. Stopping for a brief moment, Yukari looked up at Nanoka, raising an eyebrow.
"At ease, Nanoka-Chan, we're suiting up for mock combat with Beta Company in an hour. In the mean time, while I work this Emperor-damned sensor into my boot I want you to explain to me our weapons and equipment." She brushed a lock of white hair from her face, adding it to mix of black hair with white highlights and crimson tips.
"Yes ma'am." She visibly relaxed, clasping her hands behind her back. "The Kivat-Pattern Lasrifle is the first weapon created to use a Cartridge System. The lasrifle fires a high caliber round with a specialized casing for the las-tip. The casing is ever so slightly magnetized, only to the point where the energy is stable enough to not explode, upon striking the target the casing bursts, causing the now unstable energy to explode within the target, increasing the damage done resulting in a massive exit wound and shrapnel in addition to the entry trauma. Basically the las-energy explodes the entire bullet. It fires like a normal round, but hits like a shotgun." She paused for a moment, trying to dredge up more information on the weapon. "The Kivat-pattern Lasrifle has its problems. The weapon is using temperamental technology and the weapon can jam, forcing the removal of the Cartridge, improper maintenance of the weapon could cause a misfire, potentially killing the soldier. Under the barrel of the weapon is the Mark III Fragmentation Grenade Launcher, firing a large fragmentation grenade up to one-hundred yards. The projectile explodes on contact with solid surfaces."
Yukari nodded, the senor slipping into place with an audible pop. She straightened up, rolling her shoulders around in her armor. "I want to know about the Mark VII Carapace armor. Tell me about it." She said her attention focused on punching numbers into a dataslate, flexing her hands to calibrate the armor properly.
"Yes ma'am, the Mark VII Carapace is a suit of full body armor that features extensive integrated systems, including life-support, strength and speed enhancements and a Lockdown system for use of the Kivat-pattern Lasrifle. The armor is reactive, and offers excellent protection while retaining mobility and speed."
"My, my, my, you're just an encyclopedia of information, Nanoka-Chan. All right, you know your equipment. Go talk to Gaia over there near the Armory door, she'll make sure your good to go, Ho?"
"Ho ma'am," Nanoka saluted Yukari who nodded with satisfaction and returned her salute before bending back over her equipment. Nanoka's steps were quick, excitement fueling her actions. Gaia lifted her head. She was completely armed and armored; the white skull-motif of her helmets faceplate stared at Nanoka with bright blue sockets before returning to the data-pad. Her armor was immaculate, and even though the inserted sensors were visible Gaia made them look as if they belonged. Impressed on the right shoulder of her armor were the dual lightning bolts striking a sword, the Striker's regimental emblem.
The dark grey Carapace was form-fitting, but only in the sense that it flowed with the curves of a toned female body, and little else. The plates of ceramite covered her upper torso, including the collar to protect the back and sides of the neck and secure the airlock. Her shoulders were protected by large plates of composite materials, layered down, making it look as if there were stairs leading to the raised collar. Each shoulder held a small gem-like power core that glow a faint blue color. Her muscled thighs were wrapped in tight fitting strips of armaplas molded to fit Gaia's leg. Her calves were shielded by armaplas combat boots whose armor carried up to the plated kneecaps of ceramite. Both boots were the same shadow grey as her armor was, but the knee-guards were modeled to that of a grinning skull. Her left armaplas boot was drawn on, depicting a large white arrow pointing down toward the toe, inside the arrow, written in black block letters were the words, 'Your ass here, punk'. Nanoka snickered at that, catching Gaia's attention.
"You must be the FNG. Welcome to Alpha Company, or as we call it, Death's Head. As Yukiari already told you, my name is Gaia. I'm the Engineer for our squad. Come with me, I'll get you your armor." She turned quickly, moving down the Armory hallways, the emotionless skull-motif scanning the racks.
"What is your height, FNG?" She turned her body, looking at her over her shoulder. The visible shoulder was also marked on, instead of the regimental emblem there was a crimson skull painted onto the shoulder pad. In the center of the forehead was the letter 'A', for Alpha Company. Her elbow-length black gauntlets carried an all too familiar weapon, the Kris. The two-foot long weapon was concealed within Gaia's gloves, but the weapon was there, Basic Training had taught her that much.
"My height is five feet seven inches, Striker Second Class Gaia."
"All right," She paused, reaching up to grab a massive box from the rank. "This is yours then. Put it on and we'll start the diagnostics. We'd better hurry; I hear we've leaving for a new front today. I want to make sure you're good to go before lift-off."
Three Months Later…
"You called, Captain?" Marlene said her hands at her hips. Around the holograph were the Sub-Commanders of the four combat Companies and three of the Sub-Commanders from the Support Companies. Laura was opposite Marlene, standing next to the ship's Captain and his Naval-Commissar. Otto Dietrich, the Commissar and Advisor of the Kivian 256th Strikers stood along-side the Naval-Commissar. In front of all of them, the planet of Otharis II loomed in the crystal-clear holoscreen. The planet was bathed in green, covered with what were either lush forests or thick rainforest. The Captain nodded to the servitor, who turned the holographic planet around slowly. In one small area the vast field of emerald was split for miles around by a massive city.
"This, ladies and gentlemen, is Otharis II, the only habitable planet in the Otharis system. Recently we picked up a distress signal from the planet, an astropathic message spread throughout the fleet. The planet is about seven hours distance from here, as far as warp-travel goes. The fleet will continue on without us to the staging ground should we so choose to answer this call, but the decision is yours, Commander."
"What is the situation, Captain?" Laura replied, stroking her chin thoughtfully, staring down at the image of the city frozen before her.
"Apparently, rebellion broke out. One of the generals of the PDF took control of a good 75 of the planet's military forces and garrisoned a vast majority within the Capitol city, the one you see before you. On the opposite side of the planet a vast promethium mining operation is underway here, in the mountains. This is the second largest population center other than the Capitol, other than that everything else is simply scattered towns and villages across the forested surface."
"The Strikers are one of the best city-fighters this Imperium has to offer. The fleet requests that if anyone answers the call, it's you girls. We'll stay in orbit and send down your supplies and provide you with a Lightning detachment and a Vulture squadron for close-air support. But, the decision lies with you, Commander. This planet produces a moderate amount of promethium, and somehow I doubt that this particular mission will take any longer than a few weeks. We'd be late to the front, but the other regiments will have established some forward bases and captured you girls some airfields."
"Hmph," Laura smiled, placing her hands on the holo-projector. "You have a way with words, Captain Ricardo; you should have been a politician. We'll go down there, deal with this quickly and efficiently, and then we'll get the Warp out of there and head to the front where the real action is." She looked around her at the assembled uniformed women, their faces all locked to the holo-screen. "Sound good, Sub-Commanders?"
In unison they thrust their fists into the air, the room echoing with their cry, "Ho!"
"Breaching, Breaching!" Yukari cried over her squad's tactical communications network, the sudden implosion of the door following her words. Instantly both she and another Striker rushed into the room, their weapons blazing, buzzing filling the air as two of Beta Companies girls dropped.
"Alpha Company scores two points! The score is now 2-0 with the Death's Head in the lead!" the scorekeeper yelled. In her seat Alexandria gave a quick bounce, cheering on her Alpha Company, The Death's Head. Shari was quite the opposite. She stood, screaming at Beta Company, the Headhunters. "Come on Beta Company; pick up the slack! You're DEFENDING! Do your damn job!"
Two of the heavily armored Alpha Company women covered the stairs while another armed with a missile launcher filled the gap. Lowering her heavy weapon she slid a rocket with a blue band around the warhead noting it as a fragmentation missile.
There was a quick high-pitched scream; the rocket firing out of the large weapon faster than the eye could catch to slam against the wall above the stairs. The wall broke down, detonating within. From the room several sharp buzz noises filled the air again, the intercom sounded again, echoing through the training area.
"Alpha Company scores four more points! It is now 5-0, with the Death's Head taking a commanding lead over the Headhunters!"
"Nanoka, cover the stairs, we've moving up. Follow on my order." Yukari's voice sounded over the comm.-link, the heavy-duty combat boots of the Kivians making hardly a sound on the steps. Nanoka followed, her back pressed lightly against Gaia's, her Lasrifle pointed down the stairs as she slowly advanced backwards.
"Come on Headhunters, let's get these girls. Tessa, flashbang out the door in five, four, three, and two…" From in front of Yukari a small cyclical object rolled out of one of the doors, and less than a second later there was a deafening sound and a blinding flash of light, followed by the barely audible buzz of downed Strikers. In the first salvo Yukari and two other Strikers went down, the remainder of the squad returning fire, scoring a hit on one of the disengaging Headhunters.
Nanoka turned her head at the second the pop was heard, and that's when Beta Company's squad leader, Veronica Harlown, struck. She and two of her squad-mates came out from behind a collapsible wall at the base of the stairs. Nanoka's turning was head locked in place as one well placed burst from Veronica stitched up the line, striking Gaia in the back and another girl in the shoulder. The remaining four Death's Head consolidated quickly, moving into the room where the missile had broken down the wall and taking their positions behind the bodies of the fallen Beta squad members. They aimed down their sights waiting for the remaining four members of the opposing force to attack.
Clink, clink, clink, clink…
The fragmentation grenade rolled into the room, "GRENADE!" One of the Alpha girls shouted the warning to her squad-mates over the comm. before driving on the fake ordinance, her buzzer going off almost immediately. Beta charged then, their weapons blazing on full auto as they used the fallen Alpha members as shields, the servos in their arms straining with the weight. Two of Beta Company's Strikers went down to well placed shots but the favor was quickly returned, Alpha squad's support gunner going down along with the sharpshooter. With a grunt of exertion Veronica tossed the body of Nanoka onto the remaining Alpha Striker, the woman crashing heavily against the wall, Nanoka's limp body slipping from the other woman's. Veronica capitalized on the moment, her finger tightening on the trigger, the last of Alpha Company's buzzers going off.
"Beta Company wins by two points, with a total score of ten kill points and five objective points for successfully defending the building's foundation. Alpha Company failed to eliminate all targets and destroy the building, they earned eight kill points, but have five points subtracted for not completing objectives." Suddenly, the locks placed on the armor of the tagged Strikers were released, the women able to move again. Sighing deeply, Nanoka pulled her helm off her head, shaking her head, strand of onyx hair sticking to her sweat covered forehead.
"Nanoka-Chan… you baka!" Yukari grabbed Nanoka by the neckline of her armor, giving her a good shake. "I told you to cover the fucking stairs! Why didn't you do what I ordered you to!? Because of you, we're not going to be moving onto the tournament!"
"It doesn't matter, there won't be a tournament." Marlene's voice echoed through the training room, instantly all of the women snapped to attention, Veronica and Yukari shouting in unison, "Attention, Officer on deck!"
"At ease ladies, I have good news and bad news. Bad news is, we're going to be taking a detour, and we'll be late for the newest push against the Tau. Good news is we're going to be dropping in on a little rebellion going on a planet named Otharis II in a week's time. We're going to crash their party and fuck their shit up. This means no tournaments for this week. I want you Sergeants to drill your girls, make sure they're good to go before we drop." Marlene straightened into attention, her right hand touching her eyebrow before cutting her salute. Pivoting on her heel and the balls of her toes she walked off, a small girl in a white and red dress trailing behind her.
"Who is the little girl?" Nanoka asked, looking over to Veronica.
"Alissi, Marlene's kid, they're not family, but the Vice Commander dotes after the little thing. I hear that Alissi owes her life to Marlene. She found her in the attack on Skybreak some eighty years ago, took the dying girl and brought her to the augmenters' facility, shelled out nearly all the money she had to see that girl outfitted with the best bionic body they had. That case that she carries has a modified Lascannon in it; the damn thing belongs on one of the Sentinels. It's almost twice her size and weight, yet she carries it as if it were a really big flower. We call her 'Lascannonette', but I wouldn't suggest it without getting to know her first." Victoria looked over her shoulder, her helmet in the crook of her arm. Her youthful face was scarred badly on the left side, but the right was perfectly clear. Bright cornflower blue eyes peered out from under silver-tinted bangs, the remainder of her long blonde hair pulled up in a simple ponytail. "You must be the FNG, eh… Nanoha is it?"
"Nanoka, we're going to the firing range in twenty." Gaia whispered into her ear, giving her shoulder a hard pat before moving off towards Alexandria who looked all too pleased to see her.
"Ah, Nanoka," Veronica repeated, placing an emphasis on the 'Ka' where her mistake had been made. "My apologies, my Japanese is a bit off. It's been awhile since Advanced School. I'm Sergeant Major Veronica Harlown, Beta Company's Fast Response leader. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Nanoka." Veronica politely inclined her head at Nanoka. "I take it you're from Honshu Airship; it is the only Japanese Airship on Kivat, unless you're one of the Remainders."
"Remainders? You mean the people who were left in the cities after the First Contact?" Nanoka asked, leaning against one of the ammo-crates in the training-hall-turned-cargo-bay.
"Yeah, Kivian history phases them out for the most part. We'd rather not be reminded of our failure to save everyone. That's war for you. Someone has to die, and I'd rather that person not be me. I was a Remainder, Nanoka, one of the denizens of Starspear City. When the Batholisks came, they killed everyone. Eviscerated them, then ate them, then moved on. Our military pulled out of the location after the first three days. High Command declared Starspear a lost cause, verlorene sache." Veronica turned and spat at the ground, the mangled left-side of her face lit by the bright lights of the cargo bay. "I got this scar from a Batholisk that got too close to me as a girl. I choose to keep it, even though the medical staff could easily fix it up. It's a sign of my heritage… that I haven't forgotten the Remainders on Starspear.
Nanoka looked away, suddenly ashamed for living such a sheltered and pleasant childhood, as much as a Kivian girl could wish for. She sighed, flipping open the control panel on her wrist, checking the time. "That time already huh? I've got to go; I'll talk to you later Veronica-San." She turned her back on Veronica, managing to take only one step before she felt the armored hand close around her wrist, stopping her. Nanoka turned, looking over her shoulder at Veronica.
"Nanoka, no matter what Yukari says, you did well today," She gave Nanoka's wrist a squeeze that she barely felt through her armor before releasing her. Nanoka nodded, her hand falling back to her side before she turned and walked off to the firing range.
Yukari turned slightly, making only a quick glance to Nanoka before marking her name off on the datapad. "All right, Nanoka, you're up first. For every shot you miss I deduct a point, for every shot you hit I add a point. Let's see who the better markswoman is."
Nanoka knelt down, placing the butt of the lasrifle to her shoulder, the three-foot rifle resting in her arms. Closing her eye she aimed carefully down the sight, speaking into her helmet, "Activate Lock System, assault rifle mode." Instantly, she could feel the armor stiffen, the area around the butt molding to the weapon. She squeezed the trigger, the high caliber round spitting from her weapon in long controlled bursts, each one causing her body to rock a small amount. The thunderous noise from the weapon echoed through the range, mixing with the sounds of similar weapons firing. The noise of the weapon drowned out the tingle of cascading bullet-casings hitting the ground beside her.
One-hundred-and-fifty yards down range the target exploded in a shower of wooden shrapnel and debris flying around the obliterated target. Inside of Nanoka's helmet her ammunition counter read zero remaining bullets out of twenty-five. Nodding to herself, Nanoka stood, lowering the massive rifle from her shoulder, the barrel very nearly reaching the ground.
"Not bad, Nanoka-Chan. Don't forget about your lasrifle bipod when you're lining up precision shots. You fired all twenty-five rounds at the target and hit the target twenty one times. Your score is seventeen, above average, and not bad for a FNG. Gaia, you're up next."
General Lawrence R. Huvard didn't like what he saw. General Lawrence R. Huvard was a man of tradition. The tradition that the men fought and led and the women stayed home with the children. What he now saw was something that countered everything he believed. Approaching the General and his command staff was a group of women, seven in total, all wearing dress attire. Their brown coats, white undershirts with brown ties, brown skirts with white knee-highs and brown pumps drove him nuts. Even more so was the fact that of all the women approaching him, one of them was so heavily decorated he could have put her in his living room and placed presents around her for Emperor's Day.
"General Huvard I take it?" Spoke the woman in the lead, her air of authority was absolute; the gleam of intelligence in her eyes bespoke the Macharian Cross that adorned her left breast along with several rows of ribbons. Behind this woman, the other six lined up. In the background heavy loaders began to move out the boxes of magazines, bionic replacements, and deactivated Sentinel walkers. From behind the loaders came the Strikers. Their armor made them seem like ghastly shadows passing over the landscape, their step was unfaltering, the entire regiment moving as one single grisly automaton. They came to a stop behind their sub-commanders, headed by the Master Sergeant.
"That's right. I wasn't aware that when they were sending us help they were going to be sending us housewives. They should be at home, tending to the family and the house. Fighting isn't a woman's place." General Huvard didn't look pleased, as a matter of fact, he actually grimaced. "Go home; even outnumbered we could do a better job than you. They have nearly four-thousand troops and yet the Imperium sends us only a fraction of that number. Women no less! And they expect us to win! Ha!"
"I suggest that you watch your tone when you speak to me that way, General." Laura's eyes grew cold, her hands clasped behind her back. "We will be using this area as our staging ground for now."
"I don't follow your orders, woman. On this planet you have no author-" He was cut short by a punishing blow to his jaw. The crack resounded through the minds of the General's escorts, who gripped their weapons. Rubbing his jaw the General looked up from the ground, Laura staring down at him from on centimeters away. She bent down, gripping the older male by his collar, lifting him back up to her height by his collar.
"You will follow my orders. We are here to assist you in this endeavor, and every second we waste fighting is one second later we are to our original destination on Sotha so get up. We have work to do and I intend to get it done."
General Lawrence grimaced, favoring his wounded jaw. He looked at Laura with hatred in his eyes, but he turned and gave the orders to his subordinates. "All right, Colo-."
"It's Commander," She interrupted. "And I'm glad you see things my way. Now let's get down to the tactical discussion…"