Squad Foxtrot
Chapter 1:
Menae LZ
Timothy Retch kept a grip on the Kodiak shuttle's handhold as they dipped down. His armor and helmet were already on, and the way things looked, they would be for a while. His eyes were switching back and forth from the video feed on the shuttle to the rest of the team. In all of his meager experience, he'd never worked on an inter-species team before, even if they were still Alliance-led.
They were a Quarian and a Turian. The Quarian was sitting down, hands on her knees with her fingers tapping out a steady rhythm. Timothy had only ever seen a few Quarians in his life before, and never had he been this close to one. And soon he would be trusting her and that M-98 Mantis on her back with his life. She wasn't paying attention to him, trading her looks between some point in space and the screen as well.
Naturally, the Turian's attention was glued to the screen. His eyes were shut, but it was plain to Tim that the Turian could still see it. His posture was rigid, body still facing the screen, and his talons gripped a Phaeston rifle. Tim had met more Turians than he had Quarians, but right now he could only guess how the Turian felt. Tim still felt that way.
Together with their CO they formed Squad Foxtrot, one of twenty-five N7 Special Ops teams for high risk operations and special assignments. They were supposed to be some of the best around, designed to cripple Reaper advances and forces. Tim hoped it was enough. The way things looked now, he could use as much hope as he could: that included branching out to his new teammates.
"So," he spoke out, cutting the tension. "What are your names? I didn't get a good look at the datapad, and calling each other by species might get confusing since there are two of us Humans."
He could be sure, but he was certain the Quarian's look in his direction wasn't approving his tone. However, it was enough to pull the Turian out of his state. He looked at Tim before answering. "Syris Lynnrax, Special Forces Engineer," he said.
The Quarian followed suit. "Mari'Teen vas Rayya," she offered. "What about you?"
"Petty off—sorry. Lieutenant Tim Retch," Tim greeted. He couldn't help the bitter touch to his next words. "I was still only a petty officer a few days ago. They even bumped me up from an N4 to an N6."
It was Syris who felt a connection on those words. He looked the Human in the eyes of his recon hood. "Bad?" he asked hesitantly.
Tim swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. Bad," he agreed. Both traded glances at the video screen. "Don't worry. Soon we'll have them back and we'll be showing each other the best bars."
Syris spread his mandibles a little. "I hope you're right," he said.
"I usually am," Tim promised. He glanced at Mari, who had been quiet after giving her name. "So Rayya—"
"Rayya is my ship name," Mari interrupted.
"Oh. Um, Mari then?" Tim asked. Mari nodded her consent. "So how did you hook up with us, Mari? I didn't know we'd made contact with the Quarian fleet."
"You haven't, and frankly neither have I. I can't reach my people and I don't know where they are, so I found one of your Alliance recruiters. At least, that's what I assume you mean by hook up," Mari explained. She shook her head. "Your people's expressions are very confusing."
Tim felt a grin coming and he couldn't help himself. Anything to ease the mood before they dropped. He glanced over at their CO before speaking. "Really? How about this one: A Kro—"
"Lieutenant."
Shoot; she'd heard. Their squad CO, the other Human in the group, had been staring at the wall and quiet the entire trip. But now she had turned around and was staring straight at Tim, her M-23 Katana held casually by the handle. Tim cut off mid-sentence when she'd called out his rank, and straightened instinctively.
"If you even dare finish that crack at me I will shoot you myself so help me high heaven. Got it lieutenant?" she demanded.
"Yes ma'am right ma'am. Don't doubt it at all ma'am," Tim answered, the cheeky aspect in his voice still apparent. In response, their CO gave him a sharp glare before slapping him over the back of the head. Then she launched into the mission briefing, holding up her omni-tool for visual aid.
Syris kept holding his breath for a while after their CO started their briefing. The audacity of Lieutenant Retch would have been unbelievable if he'd hadn't seen it himself. There was no way it was just a Human thing to be like that, or else the Human military would have collapsed long before the Reapers assault. And then their CO had shrugged it off with what Syris assumed was reprimanding to a human. He could only suspect they knew each other from before. But he had more important things to think about as their CO spoke.
Mari simply thought Tim was a cheeky fool and he deserved every slap he got.
"I'm N7 Captain Elizabeth Harper," the CO began, and there was no doubt as to who was in charge. She had done this before. "Like the lieutenant here I got a promotion after Earth but this isn't my first rodeo. Welcome to Squad Foxtrot. We're going to be setting down in a few minutes on Menae."
"That's a moon of Palaven, right?" Mari asked. Syris wanted to answer desperately why it was so much more than that, but he was a soldier. He was being briefed.
Fortunately, Captain Elizabeth seemed to know more than the regular Human or Quarian. "It's a major battleground for the Turians and Reapers right now with Palaven under siege. The Turian Primarch is reported to be on Menae," Elizabeth explained. Syris's eyes widened and he unconsciously increased his grip on his Phaeston. No wonder the Turians generals weren't afraid to help the Human N7 Special Ops teams if this was their objective. Elizabeth continued. "I've been informed that Commander Shepard himself is going to be picking up the Primarch. We, along with four other squads, are going to give the Reapers hell during that pickup time."
"So drop in, shoot some husks and wear a target," Tim summed. "Anything else, Captain?"
"Yeah. We're going to be recapturing an AA gun. So stick close, follow orders and don't die. Or else," Elizabeth warned. It didn't sound like a good 'or else'.
Tim saluted, Syris straightened and Mari nodded. Mari may have been Quarian Special Ops, but this was a new battlefield. Quarian Special Ops were stealth focused, with combat as an alternative. That wouldn't fly in this kind of battle. She'd have to double time to keep up with Captain Elizabeth. But as far as first impressions went, she was already liking the gruff Human.
"Weapons out; we'll be going in hot," Elizabeth ordered, hefting her shotgun with both hands. Mari unfolded her Mantis as Tim took out a simple M-3 Predator. He had more than his pistol to rely on. Syris already had his assault rifle ready. This mission was for Palaven.
The shuttle doors opened and Elizabeth fired at the first enemy she could see, killing a husk with a torso hit. "Go!" Elizabeth shouted, and they hopped out firing. She took down a second Reaper soldier, a Cannibal this time. For a brief second, her eyes focused on the burning planet beyond the horizon. For Palaven, indeed. And hopefully Earth.
