Dossiers poured into Vult's inbox after Corr's request to General Vaukt. A large number of soldiers sent to the brig on Devastis slated for evaluation and deactivation, mainly Troopers and Elites. The one oddball in the inbox was one Invader named Skrem. There was a note attached to his file:
[If you want him, it will take force to retrieve him]
A not too subtle hint that if Skrem was a potential recruit, he would have to wait until the team was back up to fighting strength.
Corr put forth a suggestion of several candidates, even Kazak, browsing the list thanks to the recent changes, suggested PFC Radec. A sort of jack of many trades based on his service record, despite being officially noted as a simple rifleman, that drew the sniper's attention. Even added that the guy "looked tougher than others." Radec's charges included striking an officer, something Corr noted as a potential issue to recruitment.
NAME: Radec
RANK: Private First Class - Irken Elite - Rifleman - SEE NOTE(S)
NOTE - Cross-Trained - Heavy Weapons - Reason: Unit Casualties (Vort - ID2)
NOTE - Cross-Trained - Type 343 PAB Crewman - Reason: Unit Casualties (Vort - ID2)
NOTE - Cross-Trained - Assault Engineer - Reason: Unit Casualties (Vort - ID2)
NOTE - Cross-Trained - Type 97M Mortar Crewman - Reason: Unit Casualties
(Vort - ID2)
NOTE - Cross-Trained - Mechanical Technician - Reason: Unit Casualties (Vort - ID2)
NOTE - Cross-Trained - Type 290DW Artillery Cannon Crewman - Reason: …See above
CHARGE LEVIED: Cowardice - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Commander Tiln: As a member of the 524th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
Private Radec participated in an unauthorized retreat in the face of VDF opposition
rather than stand and hold his ground. Not one step back! EVER!
CHARGE LEVIED: Striking an officer - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Commander Tiln: Private Radec struck me with the intent to harm after
being justifiably called a coward! The nerve! It is my duty and obligation to maintain discipline and morale and he egregiously violates that with a fist to my face! It is fortunate for him that IIA intervened otherwise I'd have shot him myself!
STATUS: Pending Evaluation - Devastis Detainment Center
"Commander Tiln…" Vult mulled over, reviewing Radec's dossier. "...why does that sound familiar?"
"I may have told you about him before, Commander. If you recall any of my tales of Lieutenant Tiln during the first round of Impending Doom." Corr let out a loud sigh, "If he was an officer in any other military I suspect his own men would have short-thrown a grenade into his position."
"Oh…that Tiln," The Commander realized with disdain. "I've only heard of him by reputation. Thankfully I never had the "esteemed honor" of meeting him. Saro may be a cruel psychopath, but Tiln is far more dangerous. The type of leader that needlessly gets people killed for stupid reasons and punishes those resourceful…or smart enough to stay alive through any means necessary."
"Try being his commander," Corr shook his head. "He was assigned as my subordinate during that operation; the only reason I was in command and he wasn't was Tiln being a smidge shorter than I. Despite the both of us being Lieutenants. I have to wonder if I would even be standing here if the roles were reversed."
"Given what little I have heard of him and now what I am reading…your bleached bones and self-destructed PAK would be calling Praxxus 7 home." He morbidly commented, giving the dossier a few more moments of consideration before an arched brow of uncertainty peered over its frame to the Captain nearby.
"Even so...don't you have your hands full enough with Haxx as it is? Are you trying to become the target of ire for everyone?" He commented, semi-serious. "Deficiencies, failing to meet standards, and nonsense charges drummed up, I can understand…but striking a superior officer is blatant, Captain. Even if it is an officer that arguably may have deserved it. Why the consideration at all?"
"I told Kazak about that. I'd say in this case he was justified. The comments make me think so. He did remind me that Radec may not be the only one to receive the short end of the stick from higher ups for having a functional survival instinct." Corr shrugged, but he pointed to Radec's picture, the man seeming a bit more gruff than the others. "He also did say that the man in his mugshot here looks much tougher than your regular Irken."
"...his service record is exemplary prior to the incident," The Commander admitted in observation as he sifted through the dossier. "Irken Elite, was deployed or participated in every major offensive on Vort. Hard charger, through and through…what role do you believe he could fulfill? He's basic infantry. Everyone in this unit masters the basics before coming here with their specialty."
"His unit changed like someone changing their trousers. Look at this: Infantry, Armored, Infantry, Mechanized Infantry, Armored, they even stuck him in the motorpool for a couple of weeks before sending him to another Mechanized Infantry unit. Kazak suspects he's a man of many trades and he has more skills than his service record indicates."
That was most peculiar. Encoded as Irken Elite and on documentation, he was a basic infantryman…a soldier with a rifle and nothing more. His service record and unit assignment told another tale entirely. A common practice in the Irken Elite to fold casualty-ravaged units into one another to continue maintaining full strength. A sign this soldier was a hardened survivor being jostled around so much. His units would have put him in many varied positions aside from basic grunt work. Less out of capability and more out of desperation with the way Vort had been treating the Empire.
Perhaps there was more than met the eye with this one.
Vult tapped the screen of the data slate as he sat it down on the table.
"Have General Vaukt arrange an interview with this one. Couldn't hurt to see what he has to say and if it's worth our time. Anyone else on this list worth the effort? Need to make the most out of our allotted time on Devastis for this."
"I've noted several others here," he pointed to their names.
NAME: Orkos
RANK: Sublieutenant - Irken Elite - Squad Leader - SEE NOTE
NOTE - Field Commission from Sergeant - Reason: Unit Casualties (Vort - ID2)
CHARGE LEVIED: Contempt of a Commanding Officer - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Commander Tiln: Absolutely disrespectful; rude. Sergeant Orkos (Yes, I
am aware of his field commission and I don't care) is unfit for the honor of
Leadership in the illustrious Irken Elite. He is nothing more than a
small-minded grunt suitable for soaking enemy fire. His lack of tact and
disposition are compounded by his vulgarity. I dare not repeat in this
official documentation what was spoken to me over open communications
in-field by him. He is fortunate I did not expedite his deactivation via
plasma bolt to the back of the head and save the Control Brains the
trouble.
CHARGE LEVIED: Cowardice - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Commander Tiln: Additional charge; as a member of the 524th
Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Sergeant Orkos led an unauthorized retreat
in the face of VDF opposition. The Sergeant deemed fit to save his own
cowardly life and those of several others also reported by myself. I dare
not repeat his words in this official documentation, but I will record here
that the words spoken to me called for immediate IIA involvement.
STATUS: Pending Evaluation - Devastis Detainment Center
NAME: Aren
RANK: Sergeant - Irken Elite - Heavy Weapons
CHARGE LEVIED: Failure to Meet Imperial Standards - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Lieutenant Cirn: Sergeant Aren, at the conclusion of a squad-level
engagement with VDF forces, was seen in possession of alien weaponry
by myself. I confronted Sergeant Aren as her commanding officer over
the violation. Sergeant Aren's defense was due to a lack of ammunition
for her standard-issue primary weapon and secondary weapon in the face
of overwhelming opposition. Irken Elite are the best the Empire has to
offer. Irken Elite adapt and overcome adversity in the field. Sergeant
Aren believed this to be in line with Irken Elite philosophy. Sergeant Aren
was gravely mistaken. Imperial doctrine FORBIDS the appropriation/use
of non-standard equipment and armaments. Competent and experienced
as Sergeant Aren is, I would be in dereliction of my duty not to report this.
The Imperial Standard must be upheld.
STATUS: Pending Evaluation - Devastis Detainment Center
NAME: Lorlo
RANK: Corporal - Irken Elite - Tech Specialist - SEE NOTE
NOTE: Cross-Trained in Demolitions - Reason: Heavy Casualties (Vort ID2)
CHARGE LEVIED: Failure to Meet Requirements of Primary Duties - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Sergeant Vula: Corporal Lorlo's inability to multitask has placed my squad
in a precarious situation one too many times. His primary assigned duty as a Tech Specialist has been left wanting. Time-and-time again we are without reliable communications. Our active and passive monitoring equipment is barely operable at best and a useless pile of scrap at worst. Corporal Lorlo cannot hack his way into a digital wristwatch, let alone a terminal of any security level. Locked doors are too great a challenge. It is a miracle we have not suffered worse casualties than we have due to this, but I have managed to mitigate disaster. How this waste of genetic material managed to evade deactivation this long eludes me. I will not accept the excuse of unrealistic expectations and casualties any longer. The entire Armada shares that plight on Vort.
STATUS: Pending Evaluation - Devastis Detainment Center
NAME: Deris
RANK: Corporal - Imperial Troopers - Mechanic
CHARGE LEVIED: Excessive Tardiness - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Staff Sergeant Plick: Corporal Deris is regularly late to evening formations
and appears late to morning formations. Tardiness is unacceptable in the Empire no
matter how often Corporal Deris claims work being an excuse for his actions. This is
unacceptable and will not be tolerated. If he is not up to the task, I want him out of my
unit and replaced with someone who is. We are trying to win a war, for Tallests' sake!
STATUS: Pending Evaluation - Devastis Detainment Center
NAME: Chasva
RANK: Private First Class - Armada - Helmsman and Pilot - SEE NOTE
NOTE: Primary Training in P566 Fighter - Full Qualification - Reassigned (REASON:
Disciplinary Action)
CHARGE LEVIED: Failure to Meet Requirements of Primary Duties - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Rear Admiral Oris: Rough flying to and from Vort in staff meetings with
Supreme Commander Grimm and High Marshal Zha. Provided an excuse of
"turbulence." If she cannot fly properly she is of no use to the Armada. Admiral Carus
does not tolerate mediocrity. Her atrocious piloting has seen not one, but TWO of my
uniform jackets ruined in being the culprit for spilled beverages. Once is an accident;
twice is no mere coincidence. She was kicked out of flying a fighter for similar
circumstances! She has been given one too many chances to redeem herself as-is and
I will not stand for it.
PRIOR INCIDENT - Misappropriate Use of Imperial Property - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Lieutenant Kern: Private Chasva during flight training requested a fly by of
the control tower. Request was denied. Private Chasva buzzed the tower despite being denied authorization. The only reason I am not putting forward the charge of Disobedience of a Superior Officer is as much of an affront this was, Private First Class Chasva's aviation skill is not in question and should not go to waste. Doing so would fast-track evaluation and straight to deactivation. The Empire had invested a great deal of time and resources into training a desperately-needed pilot. Perhaps she will be less inclined to be so bold and reckless if her assigned crafts are incapable of aggressive maneuvering.
SENTENCE - Grounded from flight operations, 14 days; reassigned to shuttle program
STATUS: Pending Evaluation - Devastis Detainment Center
"See Commander Tiln is on the list again levying charges," Vult sighed tiredly, referring to Orkos' dossier "Radec and Orkos come from the same unit beneath Tiln. Curious…and either I have grown that bitter and jaded or I am more forgiving than most, but most of these charges are nonsensical at best and frivolous at worst."
Corr did some quick searching for their unit and found the records. "Remember when we were told about those six divisions that were encircled and wiped out by the VDF? Turns out the 524th Mechanized Infantry Brigade was part of one of those divisions."
That revelation had the Commander's undivided attention. A facet of information that provoked a deeper dive into the dossiers before him of Orkos and Radec. Both served in the same unit beneath the same commanding officer. The encirclement of Imperial forces and tightening noose were a result of Grimm's inability to secure logistics and supply lines. Irken Elite units pushed too far forward too quickly, Imperial Troopers unable to keep up, and they were left hung out to dry as a result with Vortian Defense Force units regrouping and flanking to hit them from the rear. Casualties were…catastrophic. A bloody, brutal echo of the first wave on Praxxus 7. Not one, but two survivors of this encirclement are currently awaiting their fates to be decided because of one man's sensitive ego and swollen pride.
"The 524th Mechanized Infantry Brigade…well, remnants of it, anyway, appear to be the ones responsible for initially breaking through the encirclement and saving hundreds, if not thousands, of lives in the process. Safe to assume had they been serving under anyone other than Tiln, they would be hailed as heroes."
"Yes, yes they would," Corr nodded. "I believe Orkos and Radec are strong contenders for recruitment. They're both survivors and Orkos clearly deserves his rank."
"Normally I would have reservations given their charges…but Tiln, being the conniving scumbag of a spineless worm that he is, likely embellished to victimize himself. The empty threats of killing the two of them himself for daring to sully his good name are laughable."
"Not to mention that he appears to have filed cowardice charges against the entirety of the unit." Corr facepalmed, audibly. "These two are the only two left pending evaluation, the rest of the unit has already been exonerated."
"Really?" Vult queried, genuinely surprised. "Cowardice usually fast-tracks deactivation. Surely Imperial Internal Affairs isn't getting soft these days."
"I suspect the amount of casualties on Vort and the circumstances of their encirclement prompted an evaluation." Corr mentioned his theory as he looked through a number of other reports filed by Tiln. "Appears that IIA handled most of these cowardice charges in the field on Vort and dismissed them but Orkos and Radec were the only two that merited being sent to the brig for evaluation according to their findings."
"May have had something to do with the direct, personal "affronts" to Commander Tiln," Vult summarized. "An excellent litmus test if I've ever heard of one: If Tiln hates them or files charges against them, they're probably worth our time."
"Very much so. Maybe we should take both of them and stop a travesty from occurring in losing either one. They're likely both fine soldiers." He paused and pulled up another profile. "The General also provided us with this Invader that I think we should take a good look at."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Captain. Having a conversation with them first is prudent to allay any concerns we have." Vult reminded, taking up the dataslate to review Skrem's file.
NAME: Skrem
RANK: Invader - Special Operations
NOTE: #2 of Invader Class 7A; 6 points off from #1 slot in the class. - SEE NOTE
NOTE: #1 of Invader Class 7A - Invader Nossa - SEE COMMENT
Supreme Commander Grimm - Invader Skrem shows potential, but lacks
focus. Undisciplined. Invader Skrem's fellow Invader of Class 7A, Invader Nossa, is the very model of what an Invader should be. Focused. Steadfast. Calculated. Loyal. Deadly. Invader Skrem would be wise to take notes to succeed in his illustrious station from his better. Invader Skrem may accept second place, but the Empire does not. Second place is first place loser.
SUBCOMMENT: General Vaukt - This is Invader Skrem's
personnel file, not Invader Nossa's. Ignore this.
NOTE: Highly adaptable, capable of many roles. Methods are unorthodox even by
Invader standards.
NOTE: Attended combat training of Special Operations units of own volition
INSTRUCTOR NOTE: Commandant Major Kagos - Invaders need no one in the field. Skrem has, on multiple occasions, offered to assist his classmates rather than focus on himself. This is unbecoming of an Invader. However, Skrem has passed the course and earned the title. Per regulation, I cannot stop him.
COMMENT: Commandant Major Kagos - Despite the above, I would gladly provide an
endorsement for Skrem to be a future instructor for Invaders.
OPERATION GRAND CREED: Successful infiltration of Orenkian forward colony world of Hurenka, supported Special Operations Team under Sergeant Major Krad in disabling objectives upon their arrival. - Pirate threat neutralized.
OPERATION IMMORTAL HUNTER: Successful infiltration of Vylatian forward colony of Kinkros and Listening Post of Pizort. Assisted Special Operations Team under Sergeant Major Krad and Imperial Elite Shock Trooper Division during an assault. Personally responsible for capturing Vylatian General Piz'hr'krit Cy'zen'den'ka and extracting intelligence. - Incursions into Imperial territory neutralized.
COMMENT: Tallest Miyuki - Invader Skrem's successful infiltration of these two planets
in rapid succession and the capture of the Vylatian General on Pizorst is the shining
example of success. Willing to risk heavy fire and participate in an assault alongside
infantry to complete his objectives, Invader Skrem is an absolute credit to the Invader
branch of Special Operations and to the Empire at large. General Vaukt's selection of
Invader Skrem for this task is a textbook demonstration of a superior's confidence in the
capabilities of their subordinates. I expect many great things from the General and
Invader Skrem alike.
OPERATION DARK OVERWATCH: Successful seizure of Vortian listening post at Zertrich established post ID1. Disabled defenses and then eliminated all SIS defenders alongside Sergeant Major Krad's Special Operations Team. Paved the way for ID2.
COMMENT: Major General Byrak - Skrem was also slated to proceed to Praxxus 7 to
clear the way for the launching of ID2. The second portion of Dark Overwatch was
instead handed to this Shadow Striker team by order of the Tallest. They appeared to
have pulled it off and Skrem noted that they killed his momentum. Reassigning him to
Ice Lord as part of the overall component of ID2.
OPERATION ICE LORD: No success, Invader Skrem MIA near Hel preparing to land on the planet; Special Operations escort found KIA by recovery team.
PRIOR INCIDENTS: [REDACTED PER GENERAL VAUKT - OVERRIDE?]
Y
SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIRED: LEVEL 8 - PROCEED?
Y
NAME?: Vult
RANK?: Commander
S/N?: ************
BRANCH?: Special Operations
UNIT?: Armada Special Operations Group One (ASOG-1)
AUTHORIZING…
AUTHORIZING…
STANDBY…
CREDENTIALS ACCEPTED: LEVEL 9 SECURITY CLEARANCE
PROCEED?
Y
PRIOR INCIDENT: Sedition - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT - Sergeant Major Krad: During Operation Dark Overwatch, Invader Skrem
made distressing comments regarding the cognitive ability of commanding officers.
Specifically, if we, as soldiers and Invaders, are fighting for "imbeciles." I would be remiss to not report these words to command. Invader Skrem is fortunate that I am more understanding and merciful than the likes of Supreme Commander Grimm and
addressed this incident in kind. Revered as the Invaders be, that does not excuse this behavior. Invaders are held to a higher standard and it must be upheld.
SENTENCE: Charges Dismissed - SEE COMMENT
COMMENT: General Vaukt - Having personally reviewed these charges levied
against one of my own, I can attest that Invader Skrem is the
furthest from seditious as one possibly could be. Outspoken,
perhaps, but seditious? Absolutely not. Invader Skrem is
consistent in his performance and has an exemplary service
record that all Invaders should strive for. After concluding a
lengthy disciplinary hearing with Invader Skrem, this will not
happen again.
PRIOR INCIDENT: Sedition - SEE COMMENT(S)
COMMENT: Tallest Purple - EXTREMELY RUDE!
COMMENT: Tallest Red - HE CALLED US IMBECILES!
COMMENT: Tallest Purple - THIS IS THE GREAT ASSIGNING! NOT THE GREAT
INSULTING!
SENTENCE: Summary correction by way of whacking with a rolled up bulletin.
COMMENT: General Vaukt - Had to gently remind Skrem's thick skull that those
two are the last ones he should be saying anything in front of.
STATUS: MIA - Last known location is the Vortian science colony of Hel
Surprisingly, Vult gave a small chuckle of amusement while reading Skrem's dossier.
"Look at this…" He gestured with a pointing digit to the dataslate. "Grimm felt it prudent to slander Skrem in his dossier and General Vaukt set him straight on official record. I'm going to assume that is vindictive pettiness on the Supreme Commander's part given how partial to Skrem General Vaukt appears to be."
"Vaukt probably returned the favor on Invader Nossa's dossier once Grimm fired the first salvo. The man is anything but relentless." Corr chuckled as he read further before stifling a full blown laugh, "If only we stuck around a little longer during the Great Assigning. We would have received quite a treat. An outspoken Invader? I already like him"
Dark Overwatch in his list of assignments also drew Corr's attention. "You know, the universe is massive, but I see things like this and it feels extremely small for a brief time. I have to admit for an Invader he's quite peculiar. I can see why the General would recommend him. He could likely fit into our team as a very versatile member."
"Not that it matters at this point in time. We're in no condition to pull what I am assuming would be another Sub Zero Station in order to retrieve him. Keep him in mind, but the brig on Devastis will have to do recruiting for the time being." He logically deduced, sifting through the dataslates and their contents, studying each potential candidate's dossier. "Radec is peculiar and worth a conversation. Aero's promotion will require another mechanically-inclined team member, Deris appears competent enough, interview pending."
Vult paused, shuffling the dataslates for closer inspection to double-check information.
"Orkos and Aren both have leadership experience and are no strangers to combat. Lorlo…I'm not sure about. The cross training in Demolitions is beneficial, but a Tech Specialist inept with tech does us no good. Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose. They all have something to potentially offer. Matter of determining where their discipline and respect for authority resides. After what has happened, my patience for unruly behavior and dereliction is left wanting."
Making note of these particular candidates, the Commander passed the missive to Corr.
"Forward these names to General Vaukt to arrange a meeting with these soldiers. Myself, you, Aero, and Haxx will interview them and collectively make a determination then. Any objections to that, Captain?"
"Not at all, sir," Corr nodded and made notes of it but paused, "...I think I would like to join you in interviewing Radec. If you find no opposition to that request."
"I had intended for the four of us to be present and ask our questions respectively. You and I for obvious reasons, our seconds to continue training into their new promotions."
"I suppose, but we would need to head to Devastis for that, yes?"
The Commander double-checked the status of each of these incarcerated soldiers.
"Appears so, Captain…convenient opportunity for your talking toaster to get her personal effects back." He commented, his tone obviously light-hearted.
"Be glad she isn't around to hear you say that or Emperor Corr would have to banish you to the outer darkness."
Vult huffed, amused. To have Corr back and in a surprisingly chipper mood was a welcome change of pace. A great deal of responsibility and burden is lifted to be shared between them. Progress was being made, slowly but surely.
"Well, Emperor Corr may want to temper his ego before his head swells larger than Haxx's." He mused in jest, sighing as he returned back to the task at hand. "Kazak's eager to get back to what he knows best. After the conclusion of the interviews and on-boarding of any new recruits out of the bunch, you two can locate Calla's effects. Sound good?"
Corr nodded before reaching into his pants pocket and withdrawing a piece of paper, Kazak's proposal for solving the issue of Calla's body. A "burn upon approval" note up top as he laid out his intentions to infiltrate a cloning facility and copy the Irken genome onto a drive and leave undetected. "He also prepared this, Commander. That's what he's been busying himself with lately."
Right, the scheme to bring Calla back among the walking world and free her of her digital prison. What was scribbled on the folded, tattered paper was a tall order. Devastis was one of the most secure locations in the known universe and for good reason. To risk detection and blatant treason in stealing such sensitive information gave the Commander pause. Several moments of consideration followed before his blue eyes looked back to the Captain.
"...I want you to be honest and impartial with me, Corr," Vult began, remaining cordial on a sensitive matter the man was personally involved in. "...do you think this is an appropriate use of time and resources with the risks involved for the sought outcome? Do not think me heartless, but is this…pursuit of appropriating Calla a new body motivated by personal interest and bias? What will this achieve for us in the long-term?"
"It goes beyond Calla," he started, "granted, that is an immediate and pressing desire of mine and I cannot lie about that to your face. It's my firm belief that with our genome, Doctor Zharic can tweak our DNA to once again remove our reliance on the PAK and restore natural functions to us long since taken from us. He could even produce randomized sequences for necessary genetic diversity in our species for natural reproduction. It is extremely pivotal to our long game. I know this is risky, as does Kazak, but I do not think there is someone else I would consider to do this more than him."
Another moment of silent consideration. The Commander mulled his second's response over. A well thought-out, logical deduction, to be expected from an officer of his caliber. His points valid and the direction the future appeared to be taking, they stood to gain everything in the long-term.
Yet, failure would bring them nothing but misery and a swift death. A forfeiture of their element of surprise in the movement yet to begin proper. This was quite more complicated than a simple theft of data. To remain unseen, undetected, and most of all, infiltrate a facility whose security is only surpassed by that of the Control Brains on Judgementia. No amount of security clearance or quick-thinking in explanation to bluff their way through would garner success. Imperial Internal Affairs was less than understanding and even less patient.
Then, in that moment, an epiphany struck him. His contemplative gaze snapped back to Corr, expression shifting to one of realization.
"...you may not have to infiltrate a cloning facility at all. Byte surely would have access or at the very least a means to facilitate access to such data. That is his forte, after all. A conversation should be had with him before either of you commit to this. Could save us all a lot of time, effort, and unnecessary risk."
Corr listened to his commander's realization. He hadn't considered that avenue, but certainly that was a move to make. Absolute brilliance. "This is why you're the Commander." Corr smiled, taking the plan back and sticking it into his pocket for now. "I'll contact Byte en route to Devastis, see if he can't manage a copy to us and have it delivered to Kazak at Fort Villan."
"Don't get your hopes up." Vult tempered, procuring the special communications device granted to him by the Vortians from a uniform pocket. "Here. This is a direct means of secure communication with him. Use your best judgment to err the side of caution. Nothing is absolute in this universe."
Corr nodded and took the device. "The only true absolute seems to be that we all eventually die, but that is a matter of when and where."
"Maybe so," He mused on the morbid topic. "Until then, we choose how to live our lives out. The Empire isn't choosing for us any longer…and I will need that back after you're done. It's the only one we have. The Vortians will be a bit upset if it is lost or destroyed."
"I can imagine…perhaps I can also pass on Kazak's request to the Vortians. He keeps pestering me about getting one of those suits." Corr paused as he stood, a realization hitting him over the incessant requests. "I think being ragdolled may have impacted how he views himself in some way. I'll try to speak with him about it. Should I instruct Petty Officer Charsis to set course for Devastis?"
"As one does when faced with their own mortality. All of which could have been avoided had he pulled his head out of his c'hurta, but I digress." Vult sighed, smoothing his antenna back with his artificial hand. "Make it so…and I'm certain they are more than aware, but they will need to make themselves scarce once we make landfall on Devastis. Already have enough issues to contend with, let alone explaining away why several Vortian special forces members and a high-ranking officer are free range on our ship."
"I suppose it's a good thing they all have the capability to use optical camouflage to hide somewhere." Corr noted as he made his way to the door, revealing Hesa on the other side with a coffee for Vult. "Is there a fresh pot?"
"Just brewed it."
"I'll go grab a cup. Thank you."
"Least I can do, Corr. Glad to see you up and about." She smiled at him as Corr nodded in return. A quick stop to the mess hall for a mug, a stop by the bridge to get them en route and have Dorum spread the word to the others, and then back to his room where he sat at his desk and took some time to focus his mind.
The sound of the door actuating open and closed with a familiar gait of footsteps garnered Calla's attention.
"Corr? Is that you?" She queried, the device she was entombed in sitting on his desk.
"It is. The Commander gave me a possible avenue where we can still get a copy of the Irken genome and not have to risk infiltration of the facility." He paused to take a sip of his drink. "That is, if our benefactor is able to acquire such information for us from his location." He looked at the device sitting on his desk and took a breath, "It would put us one massive step closer to getting you a body again and for our long game of restoring natural functions to our species."
"Sounds almost too good to be true…" Calla sighed. "The benefactor…Byte, was it? Have any of you actually met him face-to-face?"
"Somewhat, if you count the Commander and Hesa meeting him in the form of a robotic avatar as meeting him face to face." Corr sighed himself, "It does sound too good to be true, and you know in the line of work we've both been in that usually means it is. But it may be worth a shot."
"Not like I have anything left to lose," She dejectedly spoke. "Grateful as I am of any of you going out of your way for me, the paranoid pessimist in me finds it hard to believe this singular guy is orchestrating all of this without detection…then again, I'm centuries removed and don't know what technology is capable of. It reeks of a trap to me, but I'm a talking box, what do I know?"
"If this is a trap this has more twists and turns than anything imaginable. He could have sprung the trap at any times and yet, here we are, still plotting rebellion, we have Vortians now working alongside us in the ship. If this were a test of loyalty, we absolutely fail and those administering the tests are…I do believe the Vortian term is absolutely retarded." He chuckled, "I suppose this has to be taken on faith, but it hasn't failed us yet."
A deep breath and then Corr activated the device.
"Byte, are you there?"
Static hissed from the device momentarily before a clear connection was established.
"What, yes, hello? Vult?"
"Corr, actually. I have a couple of requests I need to make, one large and one small."
"Hold on one second there," Calla interrupted. "So you're the guy behind all of this?"
A brief lull of silence.
"...who is asking?"
"Calla."
"...I'm sorry, who?"
"Calla. My name is Calla. I was a mem-"
"I know who you are. General Krad's favorite person of all time hailing from Devos. Not everyday you meet a living legend…well…technically living. I had to make sure my antenna were not betraying me." Byte responded earnestly. "...so the horrific experiments and disgusting ramblings of madmen from Zero-Seven weren't a myth after all. The Grand Design was largely promoted as being entirely voluntary and a conversion process. I have seen mention of your…fate…though I am genuinely curious as to why this is the first I'm hearing of this."
"That would be a question for Corr and the others. They found me…or what constitutes "me" now anyway…and gave me the ability to conversate with them. So…here I am, several centuries past my natural life, trapped in darkness. I'm told you may be able to help me…and our entire species, of course."
"Well, she has been spending the most time with me, and we barely spoke to each other." Corr paused at a realization, "Did the Commander's reports of the processing center ever enter the system or cross your eyes?"
"...No, why? Clearly someone among you has been to the facility if you found…her. The report I read made no mention of Zero Seven. Only that the saboteurs' shuttle was recovered from a derelict training facility and they were swiftly dealt with…so the rumors may be true after all then…"
"What rumors?" Calla was quick to press, taking full opportunity to speak to their supposed savior. "Corr mentioned Imperial Internal Affairs had surveillance of the facility that was intentionally hardlined with no wireless capabilities. They are actively monitoring the place, meaning they would have seen the Vort-e-ans…Vort-uns? What are they called?"
"Vortians, Calla." Corr answered.
"Right, the alien spacemen. IIA would have KNOWN of their arrival and seen them in and around the place if it was wired up like that…and they let them run amok causing all kinds of havoc and chaos? I may be stuck in an ancient PAK, but I'm not stupid. Something doesn't add up."
"Yes…the most advanced pieces of technology in that place, and the only things appearing to be operating aside from…some miraculous power to the hydraulics, were those cameras. No wireless connections, hardlined directly to the IIA HQ of the planet. Yet our team there wasn't intercepted, nor were the Vortians stopped before their rampage even began. We were led to assume that you had something to do with that." Corr laid out his thoughts on the matter.
"I was morbidly curious as to why IIA's channels were lighting up on Devastis of all places and maybe had a hand in scrambling communications temporarily with software corruption after I saw exchanged communications about an "oddly-uniformed Spec Ops unit" poking around in Zero Seven. Only then did I discover allusion to that closed surveillance network being separate from the main one." Byte hinted to his helping hand in the matter. "...not that I don't enjoy a good mystery and conversation, I do need to keep matters brief and not risk detection on my end. What was it that you needed?"
"The small request first. Our sniper Kazak continues pestering me for one of those suits that the Vortians have. I told him I would pass on a request to the Vortians if they could construct one for him for his use. The bigger request however…I am not sure how many alarms it may raise, but we hope it's possible short of infiltrating the facility directly." Corr paused to take a deep breath, "Is it possible you would be able to acquire a copy of the Irken genome for us and have it delivered to us while we are on Devastis?" Straight to the point, may as well keep it brief.
"I will pass the message along regarding the suits. He should temper his expectations though, they are already highly suspicious of us as it is. Asking for MORE classified, cutting-edge technology from them may not be wise." Byte addressed his first query, moving into the second. "...and at the risk of stating the obvious, WHY do you need the irken genome?"
"For me." Calla interjected into the conversation. "I am told the technology is there to produce a new body for me…and something about reverse-engineering the necessity for PAK regulation."
A bout of silence overcame the room. The connection stable and crystal-clear, Byte had not been lost due to interference or a lack of range. No, his reservation and careful selection of words took his full attention to process the insanity that he was presented with.
"Captain, I don't know if you realize this or not, but what you are asking for is quite possibly one of the most well-defended items in the entirety of the Empire. We have lost TWO Tallest prior to Red and Purple in short-order and the Control Brains were barely concerned. Our leaders are less important than the genome," Byte prefaced, sighing as he mulled over the possibility of such a tall order. "...I MAY be able to arrange something, but it is risky. Dangerously risky. Destructia is nearing completion and is set to begin its first phase of operation. The cloning vats are going to need a master copy of the genome to start growth and production up. Someone has to deliver that to Destructia and safeguard it. Imperial Internal Affairs typically handles transport and security of such sensitive materials…but…a stealth vessel crewed by arguably the most elite soldiers the Empire has to offer…I would consider that a better safeguard than IIA."
"...and whenever the genome doesn't make it to Destructia?" Calla queried, bringing the conversation back to reality. "What will happen if the delivery window is missed and they are late? Can it be copied?"
"Possibly. Depends on the equipment at your disposal. Assuming I can even facilitate this without too many questions asked, Destructia will be expecting the genome at a specific time and date. Any delay is going to warrant intensive questioning. Our species' genome is worth its weight in a planet's worth of precious metals and could spell disaster should it fall into the wrong hands. The ability to manipulate and modify our very existence AND the ability to mass-produce a biomechanical army. The Control Brains do not take deviation lightly with it."
Corr rubbed his chin in thought, "I suppose I should first ask Sula and Vard if it would be possible to copy it with what we have on board. If we have the capacity…perhaps we can pull this off."
"Unless the lot of you have installed new equipment into the vessel I'm not aware of, I have your ship's schematics in front of me. The infirmary is not equipped to synthesize a copy of the genome. The accompanying data is heavily encrypted as well for obvious security reasons. Didn't your man Vard struggle with Turb's drives? The ship doesn't have the equipment or power grid to get the task done in time."
"Well…what about running it to that space station first?" Calla suggested. "The advanced one the Vortians are hiding out on. Surely they have the equipment and personnel to copy it."
"I will have to look into it for a definitive answer…somehow I doubt they will be terribly forthcoming with us about their capabilities in the field of bioengineering and genetics." Byte dejectedly spoke. Trust was difficult to build and easy to destroy. "...if you can be patient and give time on my end, I will do what I can to make this happen. Timing is key and rapidity is critical. If, and a BIG if, I am able to manipulate the system to see your unit tasked with transporting the genome to Destructia, time will be of the essence. They CANNOT be none the wiser with this or they WILL interrogate, incarcerate, and execute all of you on principle."
Corr thought it all over in his mind and nodded, "I suppose these interviews on Devastis we're doing may need to take a while. Not to mention needing to acquire hardware from our losses on Vort. Surely that will take quite a bit of time." Extremely high risk, almost to the level of Kazak infiltrating the facility alone. Though this would give them an edge over a copy they would have to decrypt as it was…even if the plan succeeded.
"Based on the communications missives I've seen passed back and forth, General Vaukt has made it abundantly clear to his immediate superiors, High Marshal Zha and Supreme Commander Grimm, that your team is not in any condition to be tasked. The Tallest are indifferent, naturally. Far as the Armada goes, you aren't going to be given any assignments anytime soon. As for the Tallest….sometimes, communications are spotty and data is lost in-transit. That excuse only works for so long though."
"Right. We'll keep that in mind."
"Anything else I can assist you with, Captain? I need to terminate this call soon."
"No, that was all we needed here." Corr answered, his visage souring slightly as he grasped a nearby glass waiting for the call to end.
"I'll keep you and the Commander posted. Farewell."
With that, the call severed, the steady drone of hissing static returning as Corr silenced the device and reached for the bottle.
"Well…he didn't say it was impossible. Only next to impossible." Calla sarcastically commented. "But hey, impossible is what you guys do on a daily basis, right?"
Corr was about to pour himself a drink but stopped himself short at her words. "Yes…yes you're right. I mean, we should really all be dead and yet here we stand." Even if Calla's tone was of sarcasm it did have some truth ring about it. "There's still some hope yet. And, perhaps, the Commander releasing Doctor Zharic before will prove to be of our benefit here. I can only imagine that the biologist side of him desires to take a glimpse at what we are made of on the genetic level."
"That, or they'll figure out a way to make our race go extinct in the most excruciatingly painful way possible. Call me a pessimist." She morbidly countered. "...that's uncalled for. I shouldn't be complaining. Especially with the lengths to which all of you are going. Makes me sound a little ungrateful."
"If their plan was to make us extinct I don't think Vult, Kazak, or Vard would have walked away from that meeting, nor would they have aided us to the extent they have thus far. Though, given what the Empire did to Vort and how they were planning to remotely deactivate everyone on the planet, possibly also on Praxxus, I can see why you'd think that." Corr huffed, "Not to mention the intense risk involved in going about it the way Byte proposed. We can't afford any delays, and we'll need a crazy pilot with some jump routes unknown to us to close the distance to arrive without suspicion."
Corr picked up Calla, his mug of coffee, and the device, running the latter to Vult and informing him of the update. He then quickly made his way to the hangar. Jur and Vard at Aero's workbench, Kiara in her suit for the first time as she sat in the suit cradle. Vard wanted to see the ins and outs of all of it. Energy drinks in a bucket and a trash can full of them indicating the Sergeant has been hard at work with analysis.
"That thing is extremely bulky compared to mine," Jur commented on Kiara's bulky suit. "Similar capabilities from the look of it. They really worked out the kinks and made these more efficient by the time we got our hands on them. Things fit like a second skin on us."
Kiara rolled her eyes, "I'm just glad my brother's thinking of me, wants to make sure I'm safe and all." She glanced over and saw the Commander and the PAK. "Ah, Corr, hello."
"General," Corr nodded as he made his way over to the trio, "Vard, where's Aero? I need to ask her something." The sound of a door behind him drew his attention as he saw the demolitions specialist enter with the whirr of a motor. Dressed in his PT clothes…to be back to some extent so quickly was impressive. "Rha, how are you doing?"
The chair bound demolitions expert looked up to the Captain, silent at first as he tried to find the words. "The gym keeps me distracted from the obvious…" He sounded rather dour, "I swear it also feels like I can still feel them but they're not there. It's weird."
"Something you should speak to Sula or Zutel about?"
"I intend to. I just wanted to come by and tell Vard that the motorized part of the chair is working great; really useful after working on the arms."
"Phantom Limb Syndrome," Vard interjected, never tearing his goggled eyes away from his terminal as he furiously typed away. The screen scrolled with rapidity. A master of his craft. "The Commander had similar sensations with his missing arm. Should go away over time. How long is uncertain. Weeks, months…even years."
Finding a suitable point in his work to stop, Vard saved his work before turning around in his chair and standing at attention.
"Captain, Sir. Apologies, I was in the middle of a time-sensitive segment of encryption. Didn't want to risk being locked out entirely and starting over…again. Would prefer not to lose hours' worth of work if I can avoid it, Sir.."
Corr nodded, "Understandable."
Jur shook his head, "This guy's good. I'm actually jealous. Then again, I was an architect by trade before I went active duty. I'm not as good as the whiz when it comes to tech here."
Corr smiled, "Since I'm here and I don't see Aero, how are you doing, Vard?"
The short-statured male was caught off-guard somewhat. Things had been rather…lax as of lately, compared to their usual selves. Understandably so in the wake of what happened on Vort at Tallum. This was a whole other level of casualness…from Corr. Their Captain was anything but casual. All business, all the time. Rigid order and discipline. This was new.
"I…uh…am doing…well, Sir." He finally managed in response. "Are you…feeling well, Captain?"
"He's fine," Calla answered with a bemused huff from under his arm. "That metal rod rammed up his c'hurta has finally been forcibly removed. Nice to see he's not a robot for a change."
Vard struggled to maintain a straight face at Calla's assessment of his superior officer.
"We were beginning to have our doubts if he was actually flesh and blood," The Tech Specialist commented in jest, clearing his throat awkwardly. "You said you were looking for Aero, Sir?"
"Calla said she heard someone say laughter is good for you. I'm…trying to lighten up to help my own mood. Better than diving headlong into a bottle."
Rha let out a laugh, "Well, I can tell you first hand it's good advice, and I'm half a man over here!"
"A few more inches and I wouldn't be the shortest member of the team," Vard commented with a smirk at his squadmate.
"I dunno, Vard." Rha quipped back, "You might be the second shortest now with Rem taking your spot…"
"Yeah…" He sighed, his expression pursed with a weak nod.
The mood had been brutally murdered by reality rearing its ugly head. Their fellow squadmate and resident pilot continued to fight for her life in the infirmary after many hours of surgery. She was on the mend…but it was difficult to tell if she was aware of just how bad her injuries were.
"You'll be the shortest again soon enough, Vard." Corr tried to lighten the mood, "I have things in the works. We're going to get Rha and Rem some new prosthetics and some cloned eyes for her and Posa. They won't be this way for long if I have anything to say about it."
"Don't promise them the stars, Captain," Calla gently reminded. "May want to get the experts' opinion on that first."
Vard resisted a small huff of amusement.
"Something funny?"
"Yes…sorta," He began. "Posa's been quite…proud of her eyepatch. Said it makes her look like a tough pirate. She'll be disappointed to hear she'll be eligible for normal vision again."
"A quick kick in the c'hurta that she needs depth perception will fix that…metaphorically speaking." Corr quickly clarified as he cleared his throat. "But, yes, Aero, I'm looking for her. Need to ask her about supplies."
The lift behind Corr parted, revealing the newly-promoted Lieutenant. Two shining bars adorned either side of her collar, polished to a mirror shine. A lot of pride went into that polishing.
"Ask who 'bout what now?" She queried, approaching the gathered group of familiar faces with a crisp salute to Corr. "Captain, Sir!"
"Captain Corr was looking for you, Ma'am."
"Vaaaaard," She whined. "I told you to stop it with the "Ma'am" and "Lieutenant". Nothing's changed. I'm working down here beside you all the time still…just other stuff added to that."
"That's…what I'm supposed to do though. You're the superior officer. Chain of command and all that."
Corr blinked. "On one hand Vard is correct but on the other…I have a very aching suspicion about the two of you. Or am I wrong about that, Vardy?" Corr emphasized, indicating he heard Aero's name for him before.
"Whatever it is, I didn't do it!" Aero quickly defended, having only heard the part of Corr's suspicions in her mind.
Vard was at a loss of words and failed miserably at masking his embarrassment. Sure, Aero's pet name for him was far from a secret. She casually called him as such in passing all the time…but it was another thing entirely to hear it from his commanding officer probing for answers.
"I…am not sure I understand what you're referring to, Sir."
"The two of you being very familiar with each other is what I'm referring to. She's always outranked you. Yet you two act close, extremely close. It leads me to suspect that perhaps there's a very close affection between you both." Being a bit nosy, perhaps, but on some level he had to make sure their rank difference wouldn't interfere with operations if his suspicions were correct.
By then, Aero realized that she wasn't in trouble…or at least not directly…she thought. Vard's increasing anxiety and struggle to maintain bearing caught her attention beneath Corr's not-so-subtle line of questioning.
"We've only worked together, ate together, lived together, fought together…" She counted off her hands. "...natural to grow closer. Always been that way, Sir."
The ancient PAK beneath Corr's arm gave a long, weary sigh of mild annoyance.
"Don't stick your face in their business, Corr. If they want you to know, they'll tell you."
"Tell him what?" Aero's brow furrowed. "Whatever it is, I didn't do it!"
"If you and Sergeant Vard are romantically involved."
Her pink eyes blinked, mentally processing what was presented.
"...Oh. Uhhh…right." She finally spoke, glancing briefly at Vard before snapping back to Corr. Her posture straightened up, puffing her chest out and tipping her chin with hands clasped behind her back. A very stately posture to match her matter-of-fact speech. "...I don't believe that is any of your business, Captain."
"Aero!" Vard hissed at her bravado with their commanding officer.
"It isn't. Quit being a pest."
"Yes, dear…" Corr replied to Calla before scratching the back of his neck. "Aero, business then; you keep track of what's in our cargo hold. How are our supplies? I've noticed we've been using a lot more of the Vortian stocks these days than whatever is typically from our supply chain."
Rha, meanwhile, had just been quietly staring at this entire ordeal before him.
What the Irk am I watching?
To say Aero and Vard were confused would be an understatement. One moment, Corr had been grilling them about their association with one another…the next he was obeying orders from Calla. Had they missed something? A welcome relief to not deal with personal matters among blended company.
Not one to take opportunity for granted, Aero was quick to take full advantage of the easy social out. Her hands patted around about her pockets before finally producing a dataslate.
"Welllll…you want the short version or the long version?"
"...Is the short version akin to 'we're fucked' as the Vortians put it?" Corr inferred their situation was far from ideal.
Her expression turned into a grimace of uncertainty.
"Nnnnyes? Maybe? I wouldn't advise taking any extended trips anywhere with what we have left. All the extra mouths to feed and non-stop assignments haven't left us any time to restock…BUT!" She stipulated with a raised digit in a snap, holding the dataslate out for Corr to take. "I am so awesome at my job that I already know EXACTLY what we need, how much of it, and where it's going down here. I'm just that good." She grinned.
"You're already living up to those bars thinking ahead like that." He smiled, something Calla told him he should probably be doing more of. "However I had a thought. We need more vehicles…and other supplies. I'm sure you can easily put a list together, but I want you to resupply this ship with an expectation that we won't be able to do so again for years." He thought to himself for a moment, "Come to think of it. Weren't you and Vard still keen on the whole exosuit project? Not the new one that came up thanks to those Vortian suits but the powered exoskeleton variety. What did you call it Aero, Microdoomer?"
Rha finally spoke, "Microdoomer? Sounds like something I cook food in. What's it supposed to do?"
Aero's bright pink eyes grew wide, as did her grin. She practically vibrated in place at Corr's assessment. Sure, she did her job and did it well…but he wanted more. That meant more stuff! more …everything! More was always better than not enough!
"Are you okay?" Vard queried of the taller female, mildly concerned.
"I'm BETTER THAN OKAY!" She exclaimed. "I can get more equipment! More tools! More material! More-"
"Aero?"
"Hmm? Yes, what, hello?"
"Focus, sweetie. You're like a caffeine-addicted hamster chasing a laser pointer right now."
"Right, sorry…uhhh…what was the question again?"
"The Minidoomer project." Vard smiled, answering for her in hopes of jogging her memory back to the subject of discussion.
"Oh! Yes! The Minidoomer…I have prints drafted up for it, but that's 'bout it. Haven't really had time to work on it with all the crazy stuff that's been going on. Imagine if you took Haxx or Hesa, gave them TWO PRCs and a bunch of other stuff, wrapped them in heavy armor plating, and all of it was light as a feather to them. Fraction of the size of the Megadoomer, packing a whole lot of hurt still."
"And active camouflage, just like our own gear." Vard interjected, reminding her.
"Oh, yes! It can go invisible too! It's like wearing a TANK! It'll be AWESOME!"
"That sounds like an excellent heavy assault piece if we ever needed one." The capabilities did sound like something that would've come in handy in what they just went through. "How's it compare to what they have?" Corr pointed to Jur and Kiara at the workbench as the two worked to get Vard more data from the prototype suit while they spoke. "And the armor of those giant SIS types we ran into."
"If there's some plans in mind to get both of them, I sure wouldn't mind. Some nice infantry level power armor and then a powered exosuit with a couple of belt fed grenade launchers sounds like a great way to lay down a lot of fire." Rha chimed in from his chair. He was just as interested in this new development as Vard and Aero.
"Let's…not get ahead of ourselves," Vard politely tempered the exceeding expectations. "We are a special operations unit, not a heavy assault team. Lot of man hours, custom fabrication, and materials are going to be needed for something like this. I doubt it'll see too much action…it isn't exactly subtle."
Aero nodded in agreement, curly antenna bobbing.
"Right, our thought was when we end up getting stuck in those "up dookie creek without a paddle" moments and KNOW we're going to get in an unavoidable fight. What's the technical term for it, Vardy?"
"Force multiplier. One man suddenly has the firepower of an entire unit at their disposal."
"Yes, that." She snapped her fingers at him, looking back to her commanding officer. "Force multi-thingy."
Corr's mind clicked back to the dossier of Deris he and Vult reviewed some time ago. "Set up a machine shop in here if that's what it takes," Corr gave his own personal approval, "but whatever sort of personal level armor that puts us on par with the Vortians should be a priority. And Aero, when we get to Devastis, you'll be joining myself and the Commander for some interviews of potential recruits. We found one in the Imperial Troopers that I have a feeling you may want to take a very close personal look at. I'll send his file to you."
Rha blinked "New recruits? So am I getting replaced?"
"No, not at all. Nobody can replace our favorite demolitions expert. We just need to get you a new set of legs first." Corr tried to reassure him before looking back at Aero. "Whatever you need, write it up, get it ordered. Make sure it takes a fair bit of time to get all of it in. The longer we're on Devastis to resupply, the better. We have something in the works." Corr paused and heaved a sigh. "And something else we need to attend to before we land."
"What?" Rha asked him, "Someone in trouble?"
"Possibly me. We have to wake up Haxx and talk to him."
Machine shop? Authorization to get anything she could ever need or want? She didn't even catch the part about helping interview new recruits. The possibilities…were endless! She wore the widest grin on her face.
"Uhh…Aero? You okay?" Vard leaned, waving his hand in front of her to get her attention.
"I'm more than okay..." She answered dreamily. "Anything and everything I could possibly ever hope to wish for…granted. It's my hatch day all over again."
"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to be extremely busy very soon?" Vard commented in good spirits.
"Oh, you have no idea what I have in store for you." She responded in kind. "Complete overhaul, top-to-bottom….this place is going to be a mobile factory by the time we're done with it! You and me got a lot of long hours ahead of us."
The double entendre was hard not to miss as Vard cleared his throat awkwardly into his hand with a nervous smile at the Captain.
"Right, so…suppose you know where to find me in the near future, Sir. Down here, slaving away."
Rha figured he may as well jump on board, "How about explosives? Some automatic grenade launchers?"
Corr nodded to the Sergeant, "Make a list and give it to Aero."
"Suh-weet!" Rha grinned. Even being in a chair he definitely had something to look forward to. "Thanks, Cap!"
Jur walked over to the group as Kiara stood from the suit cradle. "Vard, the data's all loaded up for you. Your system's translating it to Irken now." He noticed Aero's grin, having overheard the conversation of incoming supplies, "She's going to have more work for me to do around here too, isn't she?"
"To be fair, Chief, you do owe her." Corr gently reminded him of their incursion into the ship. It seemed like forever ago. "And you are an architect and a technical guy, so you're with these two after all. And given she's an officer, Aero does outrank you still."
"Ah…right…"
The tall female's head slowly…eerily, turned to Jur, her grin of jubilation a touch disturbing now.
"Your c'hurta belongs to me and I will get every monie plus interest out of you. We're going to be great friends down here, you and I."
"See she's settling into the role of a commanding officer well…" Calla quipped dryly.
"Vult knew she would be well suited for the position." Corr couldn't help but smile at his Commander's keen eye for talent. Meanwhile, the suited Vortian shrugged.
"She's starting to scare me a little." Vard whispered to Corr. "I've never seen her like this before."
Corr whispered back to him, "Just stay on her good side. Not that you should have a problem with that." The Captain shot a smirk to the Sergeant.
"...I mean I've been helping Vard as much as I can with these suits as it is." Jur stated. "And…yeah I suppose I do have it coming from those thermite charges."
"It's a nice move, I approve as a demo guy but, this is my home too, not approving there." Rha chimed into it. "Bad Jur. Bad. Shame!"
"Oh come on, Stumpy, cut me some slack."
"At least I'm not going to be Aero's pack goat for the foreseeable future!" Rha grinned at Jur's expense.
The banter. The camradire. The mood slowly, but surely began to change, infectiously so. Small glimmers of what once was shone through the obscuring clouds of crushed morale in the wake of Tallum. Broken, no more, the future looked just a tiny bit brighter.