The Target

There was a cramp forming in the small of her back, but it was a minor nuisance and was noted before being soundly ignored. She still had several minutes before her targets would arrive, thus there was no need to adjust. So despite the rain that was pouring over her, the soldier stayed still. Her breathing was slow and even, keeping her heart rate low and controlled. The only movement she allowed was a slight tensing and relaxing of arm and leg muscles. After all, she had to be ready to move at any moment, even if she did not anticipate the need to do so.

"Targets are 3.2 kilometers out," a calm voice said in her ear, barely holding on to a faded British accent. "Speed constant." Four minutes then. More than enough time to work out the kinks. With slow, controlled movements, the soldier started stretching without actually moving much at all. Her body remained fully concealed by the bare shadow of the boulder she was crouched behind. With the dull grey suit she wore, she knew she was indistinguishable from the stones around her. It was the perfect camouflage, and she didn't trust it at all. "1.6 kilometers."

Though her breathing did not change, the soldier could feel her heart rate begin to pick up. She knew her body was starting to produce the chemicals she would need in a couple minutes. Norepinephrine, adrenaline, and endorphins, just to name a few. Her work was hard and dangerous, but that didn't change the fact that she got a strange joy out of it. They all did. It was the only reason they stayed. "Thirty seconds."

She was ready.

The transports rolled around the curve of the canyon. Rocks nearby started vibrating, indicating just how loud the vehicles were, but the soldier remained unconcerned. There was a reason she'd locked her helmet from outside noises after all. She let the front vehicles pass easily; her targets were further in for protection. It was a good strategy, she had to admit. They were ready for most types of attacks, but they'd failed to anticipate all. However, everything depended on timing and secrecy, so she waited. Even as the stones beneath her started to shift, she remained unmoving. It wasn't time yet.

Her target vehicle was easy to spot when it came around the corner at last. By trying to make it less obvious which transport held the important people, the enemy had actually done the opposite. The occupants inside might as well have been wearing neon signs. But still, the soldier did not move. She had one chance, and there was no room for error. Her backup was further down the canyon and would succeed if she failed, but she was the one with the element of surprise. Besides, it was a mark of pride to never need her backup. So she waited, calm and patient, until the exact moment she needed.

From total stillness to a blur of movement only took a fraction of a second, and then the soldier was on the vehicle. She saw the driver's eyes widen for a split second as he realized the danger, and then there was only a flash of crimson and the scent of iron as she slid through the open window. Feeling each second tick by as a contained eternity, the soldier swung over the front seats, rolling neatly into the back. Her knives were ready long before the targets understood what was happening, and three were dead in the time it took the last to draw his gun. He didn't even manage to raise it before his throat was slit, the soldier dodging the red spray with the ease of practice.

By the time the vehicle swerved off the small road, not given any new directions from the dead driver, the soldier was out the other window and sprinting up the rocky slope. She paused only once, in the shadow of a new boulder, to observe. Several transports had come to a screeching halt and she could see the enemy swarming about, trying to figure out what had happened. Someone crawled into the machine she had just left and must have confirmed the deaths because there was a sudden increase in yelling and frantic searching. However, none were looking in her direction. They didn't believe someone could make it up a cliff face that fast.

She'd never said they were smart.

"Targets neutralized," she said evenly into the mic, knowing her team would hear. "Coming back." There were two subdued clicks, their acknowledgment, and then all was silent again. Despite her words, the soldier stayed still a moment more, looking up at the few stars visible through cloud breaks. She could feel the hum of victory under her skin, but there was also an abstract sadness. It always came after a successful mission, and she wasn't sure what it was.

Not that it mattered; it was only a minor nuisance. So she noted it before ignoring the feeling and continuing up the cliff, leaving the enemy to wonder behind her. "Command, this is Red One. Mission success." Because it was always a success, no matter how much of a failure she felt.

Reaching the top of the canyon, the soldier swung herself over the rim, hidden within an old thicket. She paused, senses straining for the slightest noise or movement. Other than the chaos she'd left behind her, there was nothing. However, her suit would stand out painfully in the dark forest she was faced with, necessitating a quick adjustment to the shields. In the span of a heartbeat, her armor had shifted color to a darker grey and she was moving again. Slipping past the giant trees, she became little more than a ghost, barely visible through the mist she used like a cloak. Everything was still and silent; the forest completely unaware of the monsters that had been crawling along beside it. Just one of the many reasons the soldier found herself more relaxed in nature. Ancient trees and dark waters didn't care about what the lifeforms traveling through and around them did. They accepted everything without fuss. If only the lifeforms could do that as well.

As the trees began to thin, she slowed down, moving cautiously. Command should have sent a ship for extraction, but the enemy could have patrols out already. No matter how little she thought of them, they were a competent force. It would not be a good idea to underestimate them. However, when she finally came to the edge of the forest, she could see the waiting craft and knew it was hers. That did not prevent her from pausing just within the shadows as she sensed she was alone. Her team had further to travel, so it was logical that she reach the extraction point first. It also gave her the time to bring her heart rate back down as the chemicals in her body faded away. In moments like this, there was no need for joy or hyper focus.

The soldier didn't see as her team arrived through the mist, but she felt the change in the air that signaled their presence. It was like a light surge of electricity under her skin was finally fading away and she could rest at long last. It took a fraction of a moment for her partners to come up beside her before the three stepped out of their cover in sync. They could all see the waiting soldiers jump and knew that several were cursing, but they paid them no mind. Instead, the small team boarded the dropship silently and settled into their seats, not twitching as the rest of the men joined. There were a couple half-hearted attempts by the larger group to get the silent soldiers to talk, but they were wasted and the trio was eventually ignored as the ship left the ground and started up to leave the atmosphere. After a couple quiet moments, the extraction soldiers began talking softly amongst themselves, as most humans were wont to do to fill time.

What the common soldiers were unaware of was the entire silent conversation that had been going on since the trio had been within sight of each other. To the untrained mind, this silent language was nothing more than the shifting of limbs and puffs of air, but to the small team, it was an entire and complex dialog. One they had perfected back in training. It was through this mode of communication that they compared notes and updated each other on their personal status. The female soldier calmly took a scolding from the partner across from her when she admitted to twisting her ankle during the run, but the other soldiers on the ship were aware only of a sigh and a rolling of shoulders that could be considered a shrug. If they only knew what was really happening, they would have likely been terrified.

As the dropship approached the waiting vessel in orbit, the trio went completely still, having no need for continued conversation. Everything that had needed to be said had been, so they all did what their people did best. They waited. Throughout the landing, no matter how rough the ship moved, they sat calmly, hands folded neatly in their laps and backs perfectly straight. It was so unnerving, the other soldiers nearly ran off the dropship when the hatch opened. By contrast, the small team rose gracefully and sedately disembarked, completely unaffected by the chaos around them. They drew up short, though, when an officer stepped towards them and commanded their attention. He was only a Captain, so there was no need to salute, but they did watch him through opaque helmets and noted that he clearly was unnerved.

"Admiral Hoskins sends his regards and wishes me to tell you, 'Good work,'" the officer still managed to say, a look of extreme concentration on his face. "The Admiral is currently occupied in a meeting, so he has ordered you back to your quarters. He will take the report at a later time." The female soldier nodded before calmly walking away, knowing he was done despite not being properly dismissed. Though she could hear a little bit of sputtering behind her as her team followed, there was no actual objection, so she put it from her mind.

Weaving through the familiar halls, the soldiers ignored the stares they were subjected to, knowing it would take the crew a while yet to get used to their presence. They'd only been assigned to the ship for two weeks, after all. In time, they'd be able to move through completely ignored, just the way they liked it. Until then, there was nothing they could do to put the soldiers at ease, so they didn't try. No sense wasting energy.

After taking a lift to the third deck and approaching the door to their assigned quarters, the female soldier felt a frown appear on her face. She felt almost...happy. As though the room she was returning to was anything more than a space with a bed to sleep on and a desk to write reports on. After so short a time, surely she wasn't getting attached. That would lead only to trouble, and she couldn't afford to take on any more issues than she already had. If the feeling didn't resolve itself soon, she'd have to take actions to end it herself.

Those thoughts faded away as she stepped through the automatic door and spotted the soldiers waiting for the team. A tired smile crossed her face as Purple, Pink, and Grey instantly perked up, face carefully neutral until the entire team had entered and the door had slid shut. Only when they were shielded from others did the waiting soldiers give soft smiles of welcome. They waited patiently for the trio to remove their own helmets before quietly saying, "Welcome back."

Taking a deep breath of ship air, distantly wondering how it could taste even staler than the air from her suit, the female nodded. "Good to be back." She knew her teammates were giving their own greetings as she walked over to the bed and gratefully sat down, finally allowing herself to feel the slight pain in her ankle. It wasn't severe enough to inform the doctor, but she knew she'd need to wrap it soon to avoid further injury.

The small group lapsed back into their silent language as the returning team reported to their friends. There was some light-hearted ribbing for the injury, but they were all relaxed and open. It was a state they were rarely in anymore, with the war growing more severe every day. A war against a single enemy was bad enough, but to have two distinct groups to fight against made the entire affair much worse. They had little time to rest, and less time to be open. Deep down, they all ached for the way their lives had been, but there was no sense in wishing for what could not be, so no one spoke of the past.

When the summons light clicked on, the female soldier rose back to her feet and replaced her helmet before smoothly leaving the room, signaling for her team to stay. The Admiral would have no questions for them, so it was pointless to drag them through the halls to be ignored. Besides, she could move faster when alone. So she wove through the halls, effortlessly avoiding other soldiers, both in terms of physical contact and any looks she might have been given. It was all so mundane, she wasn't entirely sure how she could stand it.

Reaching the fifth deck, at last, she made her way to the Admiral's office, feeling the electricity under her skin again. It always appeared when she was near the man, and she didn't know why. Sometimes she thought it was trying to warn her of danger, but the thought made no sense. How could she be in danger with the man that had basically raised her?

The door slid open with a gentle hiss, revealing an office that really was overly elegant. There was no officer to be seen, but he would arrive in time, so the soldier entered and stood calmly at ease. She knew this was all a test, but she hadn't failed since she was a child, and she wasn't about to start again. Still, it took a considerable amount of control not to react when a hand suddenly landed hard on her shoulder. "Thank you for coming so promptly, Team Leader," the Admiral said as he came around her, close enough she could feel his body heat through her armor. "I trust the mission went off without a hitch."

"As always, Admiral." She kept her gaze straight ahead, knowing what would happen if she moved. Not all of her scars came from battle, after all.

"Excellent," the older man sighed as he sat down in his obscenely comfortable chair. His hair had more grey than the first time they'd met, and there were more wrinkles upon his face, but his eyes were just as blue and cold as she remembered. Despite not being as tall or muscled as her, he was the one human she actually feared. "It's a shame the convoy didn't hold Hood, but it's not your fault that he changed his schedule. The loss of his son-in-law and his ONI guards will have to be a sufficient blow." She said nothing, ignoring the strange hitch in her breathing at the statement. "Hopefully, the old coot will be wracked with grief enough to stall the UNSC chain-of-command. You've done well, Athenian."

"Thank you, Admiral," she replied evenly. There was a tremor in her hands that she couldn't explain when she thought about her target. Her blade had not wavered when she slit his throat, but something deep inside her, something she could never name and rarely felt, had screamed. Some of her soldiers had the same sensation on occasion, but they could all ignore it. For reasons no one could understand, she could not. The more she repressed the feeling, the more it showed in physical ways. She had enough control to not break down before a commanding officer, but she'd have to let it out soon or she'd be reduced to a shaking mess.

"How is Red Team doing?" Hoskins inquired, though it was clear he wasn't truly interested. If he had not been placed in command over the Athenians, he wouldn't have asked at all.

"We remain combat ready," was the calm answer.

"Perfect. Return to your quarters; the Insurrection has no need for your men at the moment." Saluting sharply, the soldier spun on her heels and left, slipping past the doors that didn't appear to be open enough for passage. The tremor had moved into her arms, so she released a little of her control to speed walk through the crowded halls. Training alone kept her from outright running, despite knowing it would get her to her quarters within seconds. Such a slight reprieve was not worth the lecture she would receive for endangering her 'fellow soldiers'. Instead, she exercised what little restraint she'd maintained to travel the halls and lifts.

Seeing the door to her room finally come into view, the soldier released the smallest sigh of relief she could, having to stop herself from flicking right over. None of the surrounding soldiers realized just how much danger they were truly in, walking by a barely controlled Athenian, and that's how she wanted it. The looks and distrust her men were already subjected to were bad enough. Throw in a lack of trust and the already tense situation would blow up in everyone's faces.

Her team was waiting when she finally stepped into the room, in full armor with helmets replaced, anticipating a new mission. The other teams were long gone, and the sight allowed a knot of nerves to untie in her chest. There wasn't a single Athenian she did not care for, but they weren't her team and she couldn't really deal with any of them just then. "We're to stand down until further notice," she said simply, removing the helmet once more. This time, she proceeded to dismantle the rest of the armor as well, prompting her partners to follow suit. Even knowing what they both looked like, it was a special joy to see their faces revealed. The sight always soothed a primal fear that she had, and they admitted to feeling the same.

"We need more dye," the taller partner smirked, reaching out to brush the bright red streak in the female soldier's hair. "You're fading."

"You're not doing much better," she chuckled, tugging on his darker bangs. "You need a trim, too." He only laughed, gently batting her away so he could finish disarming himself. The smaller partner was already free of his armor and settling onto his bunk, giving them both looks of fond exasperation. Though they all knew he wasn't tired, he was well aware of the fact that they were. After all, they'd been the ones to run all over the planet to track down to target and kill him. He'd simply sat in a computer nest and gave directions. So there was no complaint as the taller Athenians prepared for sleep. If nothing else, he'd read quietly.

Climbing onto her top bunk, the female soldier paused long enough to wrap her injured ankle before settling down to meditate. Whether she would sleep or not was up in the air, but meditation would help her end the tremors that were slowly growing worse. Hopefully, she'd get control before Red Team was summoned again.

However, as the lights turned off and the room was plunged into darkness, the soldier paused. She knew the room was secure and that no one outside could hear, but her throat still closed against the words she wanted to say. The Athenians didn't have very many secrets; they weren't allowed to keep much from their trainers. What little they had was guarded fiercely, and as Team Leader, she was more protective than most. Especially in regards to the memories. Every officer and trainer they'd ever had kept insisting that the soldiers had no memories from before they woke in their training base, and that was nearly true. No Athenian knew where they'd come from, or what the first few years of their lives had been like. All they knew was the Insurrection and war.

Except...it wasn't.

Every Athenian had knowledge they couldn't explain. Foods they liked, but had never eaten. Training they utilized, but never received. Some have faces in their minds, foreign words on their tongues, dreams they can't fully remember. It varied from soldier to soldier, and was never the same, except for one thing. A name. The Insurrection knew them only by numbers, but they knew their names, and it was the secret they valued and protected the most. So yes, the soldier's throat rebelled when those forbidden words tried to come out, but she pushed them out regardless because nothing mattered more than her teammates. "Goodnight Kenton, Owen." Her eyes slid closed as her lips pulled back into a smile at the warmly whispered response.

"Goodnight, Klare."

Babble Time: To anyone that has read To Be A Spartan, yes, this is Klare/Kaine. TBAS has spawned several AU ideas for myself and my friends, and this is one that I thought would actually be fun to write. With that said, Klare will be the only OC to carry over, so we're facing a brand new set of characters. This is an entirely new universe, so if you have thoughts or suggestions, please let me know. Special shout out to Ciuin and Mira for all the help/support. Let me know what you all think.