It's been awhile
Ok so this is the Sequel to If You Hunt a Monster… It takes place three years after the events of IYHaM and the gang has gone their separate ways. Butch basically fell off the face of the universe after he left, no one knows what happened to him. Nicole has become a major player on the bounty hunting scene; she's up there with the big dogs now. Samus has remained one of the best in the business. But they've lost lots of fed jobs to new private security companies, companies like Taurus Galactic Security and others like it. The business seems all but dead when the feds call together the best in the hunters together for a meeting…
"This is the Hunter III, requesting permission to dock with the GFS Olympus." Came the call to the marine manning communication station 5-C of the Olympus.
"Roger that Hunter III, please broadcast your access code." He said
"Broadcasting" Came the robotic response.
The information came rolling across the marine's screen,
"Rodger Hunter III, you're cleared for landing in bay 8, welcome to the party Samus."
---
Samus shut off the communicator and leaned back in the seat. She wondered what this was about; The Feds hadn't hired her in 18 months. She came in and saw a ship that looked like a large swept back wing with an engine pod on each side. Imprinted in between the horns of a very strange looking bull skull were the words, 'Taurus Special Weapons Division'.
'What the fuck are they doing here?!?' she thought
She then landed her ship and disembarked. There she met two GF Marines,
"Hey Samus."
"Marines." She said nonchalantly through the speakers in her helmet
"You're expected up at the bridge. Better hurry or they'll start without you."
She then made her way up to the bridge where she found some interesting acquaintances.
There was Rundas, a relatively well know hunter who used…ice, yes ice, as his weapon of choice.
Next was Ghorr, the hunter was only 6% living tissue and fought using a large mech suit.
Then there was a strange purplish huminoid who, before Samus' eyes, turned into her spitting image.
'A shape shifter.' Samus thought.
Then there was a humanoid in a very familiar shade of green armor,
"Nicole?!?"
The humanoid turned, revealing that familiar orange visor,
"Samus?!?" she responded surprised
The two old friends clasped their hands in the air in an arm wrestling type pose.
"I haven't seen you in ages. How've you been doing? Hey, where's Butch?" Samus asked.
"I have no idea, I haven't talked to him two years" she said shrugging
"Oh, wait, why are all of us here?" Samus asked
"Well, as soon as Agent Specter gets here, I'll explain it to you" said Admiral Dane stated, looking out over the assembly.
"Who the hell is Agent Specter?" called the shape shifter, "And why is he so important?"
"He's a heavy weapons and explosives expert and we need him to lead one of the teams." Replied the Admiral.
"Teams?" said Rundas
"Yes, I'll explain more when he gets here."
"When who gets here?" asked a new voice from behind Samus
Standing behind her was a uniformed man, about 6'5, with a black patch over one eye, he had two silver bars on his sholder representing the rank of captain, and scars criss-crossing his face. He had a stone cold look about him. He was flanked by two very well armed and armored soldiers.
"Ladies and gentlemen I'd like to introduce Cpt. Relsirc, sole owner and proprietor of Taurus Galactic Security a.k.a. Agent Specter." The Admiral stated, gesturing to the new arrival, "Also, Captain, your guards are unnecessary. We are quite safe here."
The Capitan seemed like he was about to refuse, but then he made a simple motion and the guards left the room.
"Wait, we have to work with the guy who is putting us out of business?!?" Asked the shape shifter, shocked at the prospect
Nicole was in thought,
'Relsic. Where have I heard that name before? Wait a second,' she thought hard for a moment, 'that son of a bitch. I'm gonna kill'm I swear…'
She was brought back as the Admiral started talking again,
"No, Gandryada, you don't. You're on team one, he's leading team two." Said the Admiral, "Allow me to explain, a few weeks ago Aurora Unit 313 was captured by the Pirates, since then Aurora Units on several planets have become infected with a virus. Team one, consisting of Samus, Rundas, Ghorr, and Gandryada, will go to these planets and inject an anti-virus into these units. Team 2, consisting of Specter, 458, a Taurus special weapons squad, and a P.E.D. marine platoon, will be drawing the pirates away from these planets to allow Team One better access to the Aurora Units."
"So basically, we're a diversion?" asked the Captain
"Yes, you are. Is there a problem?" asked the Admiral
"My team doesn't do suicide runs." He said, never breaking his stone demeanor
"You're being paid more than enough."
"Dead men can't use credits, Admiral" he practically spat out the last word
"You've already signed the contract. Now then, let go over methods of entr…"
He never finished, because at that moment a huge explosion shook the ship.
"What the hell?!? Yeoman, report!"
"It's a Pirate assault, sir." A voice said over the PA, "There are craft everywhere and there are Pirate boarding parties entering the ship."
A pistol seemed to materialize in the Captain's hand,
"It would appear that we are not that safe after all." Said the Captain, his voice dripping with cynical sarcasm. He then walked from the room.
"458, follow him!"
"Sir?"
"I don't trust that mercenary son-of-a-bitch, now GO!"
"Yes sir!"
She ran after the Captain and quickly caught up to him,
"What do you want hunter?"Asked the Captain
"One, the Admiral wants me to follow you, seems you're not trust worthy. And two, you can cut the bullshit, I know it's you."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Stop it. Did you really think you can fool me?"
He sighed,
"I suppose not." He said exasperatedly
"So then Butch, where're we headed?"
"We need to go to my ship, my boys and I need to… pick up a few things." He said, a smirk creeping up the sides of his face before it disappeared.
She punched him playfully in the arm,
"I saw that, come on, loosen up a little, ya stiff."
At the word stiff he turned to her with that familiar glint in his eye,
"Oh, so I'm the stiff? Huh? Miss Robo-soldier?" he said jokingly in a robotic voice.
The two traded insults all the way back to the ship. The two other soldiers smiled under their helmets and nodded to each other. They hadn't seen the captain this happy since the start of the company, back when he was vibrant and full of life, rather than the jaded, cynical shell he was now.
They then reached the ship. Butch went to the back to get suited up, while the other two helped themselves to the weapons locker.
The first one was a skinny yet muscular man who grabbed, as his weapon of choice, a heavily modified and scoped assault rifle. He slid in a clip and grabbed his ammo, a shotgun, and pistol.
The second was a heavily built man who was still quite tall. He grabbed what appeared to be small cannon off the rack along with a rocket launcher, ammo, and a flame thrower,
"Oh, yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about! Bringin' the PAIN bitch!!" Then he noticed Nicole, "No offence ma'am."
She couldn't help but laugh,
"None taken soldier." She said smirking, "what is that thing anyway?"
"This is a Viper Mk.3 Heavy Plasma Cannon." He said, with a look of pride on his face.
Then Butch emerged, Clad in his polished chrome and silver armor with his trademark skull imprinted on the chest plate. He looked every bit the part with assault rifle in hand and all his standard weapons on his back, including his MVMG.
"I see you've met my Lieutenants, Crassus and Pompeii."
The big guy stepped forward,
"Lieutenant David Crassus, heavy gunner, at your service ma'am." He said extending his hand, which Nicole crushed in a handshake, "Damn! That's one powerful grip!" he said, shaking his hand to get the blood flowing again. Then the skinny guy stepped forward,
"Lieutenant James Pompeii, sniper." He said, bowing slightly.
"Alright, now that we're acquainted, back to business. We need to get the fleet here ASAP. Nicole, do you know where there's a communication station nearby?" asked Butch
"Ya, there's one over by the armory. Come on!"
---
The marines in Bay 8 were getting ready for the pirate assault when an awe inspiring sight met their eyes, four figures emerged from the Taurus ship, armed to the teeth, with one of them toting a CANNON! Now if that's not a morale booster, nothing is. The figures were headed for the communication room when suddenly a pirate drop ship came into the bay,
'Oh man,' thought one marine, 'we're boned.'
Then the dude with the cannon just turned and, like he did it every day, fired a plasma bolt that lanced right through the ship and sent it down in flames.
The roar from the Marines was deafening.
The group of Mercs just walked on out like nothing had happened.
'Damn,' thought the marine, 'that almost makes me feel sorry for the Pirates, almost.'
---
The group of four continued quickly through the ship towards the armory. They got to the antechamber outside of the comm room they stepped in to a war zone.
A Pirate hull-breacher had busted in and let a good 30 odd pirates in to the chamber. The platoon of marine defenders was pinned down behind a stack of metal crates.
The squad went to work.
Butch and Crassus started laying down suppressive fire with the MVMG and Viper respectfully, while Pompeii and Nicole started picking off Pirates at a distance with their assault rifles. The Pirates withered under the hail of gunfire.
Butch, Crassus, and Pompeii went into the Comm Room,
"Nicky, can you keep watch? Tell us if the Admiral or his lackeys come in, he cannot learn the codes to our ships."
"Ships?"
"Yes, the Fleet needs to be informed so we can get troops in here."
"Al-alright then" she said confused
"Good. Be done in a minute."
Looking out a window Nicole suddenly saw three ships come out of slip space.
"Uh, Butch?"
"Yo," he said sticking his head out.
"I think the fleet is here."
Then over the speaker they all heard over the speakers in the Comm Room,
"Hey Captain! This is TAS Ares awaiting orders."