After some time, and then aboard their stealth vessel, Kazak emerged after a thorough cleaning and running over the intel on Sub Station Zero. He already had ideas on paths of ingress into the facility, even with higher security. Rather than his previous gray uniform, he was dressed in arctic camouflage, and bundled up for the cold. He anticipated they may not have time to have him equipped properly, so he was prepared to go as he came all the same. He headed for the briefing room, making sure he was rather early, as was usual for him after all.
The team assembled in the briefing room of their mobile base. A fresh change of war-torn, soiled uniforms all around for everyone, especially Vult. The opening weeks of the campaign on Vort had been trying and they were being sent back into the fray once more. A challenge they welcomed wholly while keeping whatever reservations they held about recent events to themselves. The incident with the civilians involving their commanding officer and the general horrors of war affecting them each differently. Pride and duty still outweighed personal opinion and morale remained high now that the team was reunited. A warm, filling meal, fresh change of clothes, and brief reprieve elsewhere other than a rubble-strewn alleyway or empty domicile belonging to a displaced family whose fate was assumed to be morbidly decided.
"Pfft…" Haxx sniggered, shaking his head with a roll of his eyes at Kazak's entrance. "Where'd you get that getup at? Make it yourself?"
"Haxx," Vult addressed soundly, getting his attention. He said nothing further, his expression said it all.
"Right...sorry, Sir." It was time to be serious.
"Alright, now that everyone is here with the exception of Rem as she is at the helm of the ship, we can begin. Before you on the datapads are assembled dossiers. Take notes and save your questions until the end." The commanding officer began to address.
A projected, three-dimensional holographic display at the center of the round table revolved slowly with built imagery of Sub Zero Station and the surrounding terrain. Vult activated an interactive stylus to interact with the virtual construct, allowing him to rotate it in virtual space and precisely point at locations.
"We are currently en route to these displayed grid coordinates where our objective lay. As you all know, Sub Zero Station is a very well known VDF installation. The Vortian Federation uses the facility primarily as a communications array. Very similar to the one we burned on Praxxus 7 at the start of the invasion. This one, however, is much larger and more powerful by comparison. It is one of only a handful remaining active and in service. This facility allows the VDF to continue maintaining strategic, planetary-wide communications. It is because of this they are able to stall the Armada's advance on the ground and have even began to push back in some sectors. If the Empire is to maintain dominance and continue forward to a successful conquest and subjugation of the Vortian people, Sub Zero Station cannot be allowed to operate."
The extreme climate of high-altitude, below freezing temperatures, and constant blizzard conditions produced by the Shalashaska Mountain Range act as a natural barrier to keep prying eyes away. This data, while ample, is estimated at best. Atmospheric interference from the chaotic climate and satellite positioning has made it difficult to get 100% accurate readings. I assure you, however, we are far from flying in blind this time."
Atmospheric metrology data and projections showed conditions not unlike the frozen ball of ice that Vult nearly bought the farm on during their "retrieval" mission of a "Sanitation Drone" that turned out to be an unfairly assigned Invader-to-be who was denied her glory due to the insanity of one of her own. Events that Kazak would be made aware of soon enough the opportunity arose to review prior missions and their after-action reports. For now, Vult focused on the task at hand.
"Our equipment is rated for these conditions. The cold will not be a problem. Visibility outside of the facility will, however. That works both ways and will to our favor. Unfortunately, the element of total surprise as with Praxxus 7 has been lost due to overzealous officers seeking the Tallests' approval and praise."
A series of images projected, showing examples of increased security measures around the site with timestamps showing them to be hours old at best. The weather made it difficult for them to be clear, but the writing was on the wall still. They were armored up, armed to the horns, and in ample numbers.
"Spec Ops attempted to take the facility while we were in the field and failed miserably. There has been no communications traffic for some time now and is believed the unit was a total loss. Knowing the Empire is actively targeting the facility has seen reports of reinforcements arriving to shore up defenses, expecting another offensive. Security measures have been hardened and fortified. Automated turrets, motion sensors, increased personnel presence and around-the-clock sentries."
The Commander paused, allowing his team to finish with their note-taking.
"Any questions so far?"
Kazak stared intently at the projection. He was eyeballing the ingress routes. Rha, was first to speak up while Kazak waited for a chance to make his suggestions. "Is our goal to take this facility intact or should I pack enough charges to bring it down, sir?"
"As simple as it would be to provide coordinates for an orbital strike and dust our hands of it, High Command wants Sub Zero Station intact. Its strategic value to the VDF can be used against them once it is under Empire control. They intend to commit to communications disruption and other forms of electronic warfare...and yes, if they hadn't sent the other team in first this would have been a far simpler task for us."
Vard rose his hand.
"Go ahead, Sergeant."
"What are our primary objectives, Sir?"
"First and foremost, we are to jam all incoming and outgoing communications traffic. This will allow us a window of opportunity to strike and have a somewhat delayed response to our activity. That task falls upon you, Vard."
"Understood, Sir." He noted. "I'll put them in the dark."
Vult zoomed in on the facility, focusing on the main complex surrounded by several massive communications arrays branching out from it. A vertical cliff face towered over it, the building appearing embedded into the side of the mountain itself.
"Both teams are going to insert here," He marked on the simulation with the stylus at the top of the cliff overlooking the facility. "Lack of visibility and terrain make it too risky to approach from a lower elevation. The incident at the fountain reminded all of us to not rely on the cloaking technology. We were lucky. Pushing it once more would not be wise."
Continuing with his explanation, a pair of lines traced from the point of entry down the cliff face. One red and one blue to designate the two different teams.
"Both teams will rappel down to the roof of the main complex. This descent is going to be treacherous between the temperature, low visibility, and high winds. I am open to suggestions otherwise unless you all want to risk being raked with emplaced automatic fire the moment we are compromised with nowhere to run but downhill."
Kazak stepped up and looked over the hologram. "I have a suggestion if you don't mind my breaking off." He gestured to the lower elevation, tracing a path with a finger until it reached a service entrance. "My guess, one or two at most should be able to sneak through into here. From here, it's a matter of sneaking about inside, open up one of the exterior entrances to the cliffside. so long as security is disabled, should be able to make an easier ingress, even if a bit more time consuming."
Volx looked to Kazak, rather unamused, especially given his recent promotion back to his old rank. "Let me guess, you think you're the only one that can do it?"
"I know I'm capable, Volx. I did complete a solo op and assassinated a Field Marshal. I'm certain I can manage this. Though, if I can't make the mark on time, we can proceed with the original plan and I'll meet up with you guys inside, if I'm not dead for whatever reason."
Volx then turned to Vult, "I'm inclined to disagree with his suggestion. We shouldn't split the teams off for some crazy idea, even if it's just one man."
"Give the man a bump up in rank and he suddenly thinks himself an unstoppable one-man army like some Invader," Haxx waved off. "...'case you hadn't noticed, Sir...no glory-seeking 'round here."
"Knock it off, Haxx," Aero chided him, smiling at Kazak. "He is just suggesting an alternative."
"One that leaves whatever team he's assigned to one man short with the possibility he'll do something useful other than waste time trying to find a way in," The heavy weapons specialist tossed right back.
"Enough," Vult confronted their bickering, silencing them both. "...there's obviously pros and cons to this suggestion. Kazak was reinstated as a Lieutenant for a reason. Lieutenant Volx is Corr's second-in-command whenever we split into squads. I required a second-in-command as well seeing as everyone on my team is the same rank. Does anyone have a problem with this? Voice your concerns now or leave it lie. I'll hear no more bickering about it from this point forward."
Sula hesitantly rose a shaky hand.
"Yes, Sula?"
"...I may not know Lieutenant Kazak well yet, but if you trust him well enough to have brought him on board and vouched for him, that is enough for me."
"Seconded," Aero nodded, looking to Vard. "What 'bout you, Vardy?"
"Vardy…" Haxx snickered under his breath, earning a glare of death from Volx. He immediately straightened up and quieted.
"Well...I agree with Sula's assessment...and I mean no offense, Sir," the small Irken began, averting his gaze from Kazak as he searched for the words. "...but I think I speak for the majority here in stating it is a lack of trust. We do not know you beyond your personnel record yet...but we too were all once strangers to one another."
"Are you three in agreement in allowing the Lieutenant to take this alternate approach and whatever consequence that comes with it?" Vult broached the heart of the matter. "Kazak accepts whatever awaits him in doing this, but his actions may cause us further duress and complications."
"Only one way to find out." Aero shrugged. "Maybe we'll live long enough to figure out how badly he messed up."
"I'm with the others. The Lieutenant does this, whatever happens, happens. If he saved our Commander and brought him back, I'm inclined to give him a chance." Rha spoke up, joining the others in their majority opinion, leaving Volx continuing in dissent.
"I still disagree, as it'd leave Commander Vult not just down his second but also his sharpshooter. I'll abide by whatever decision he chooses."
"Lt. Volx is right," Tuu finally spoke up. The quiet, reserved existing marksman on the team from the start. "I'm sure Lt. Kazak is competent and capable, but this isn't the front. There's no reinforcements. No assistance. Only what we take in on our backs and what we procure on-site. Limited escape routes, poor visibility, increased security presence...we're one tripped alarm away from death."
"Sure you're not worried he might show you up behind a scope?" Haxx teased his comrade.
Tuu said nothing to that, only giving his squadmate a hand gesture of placing his thumb between his two finger at him...a rude hand gesture among Irken as old as time itself.
Kazak did wonder about Aero using 'Vardy' internally, but passed it off. This was a serious briefing, there was time to get to know the others later. "Your call, Vult. I'm sure I can manage this, could even get us some idea of what we're facing inside."
Vult looked among the team assembled for a moment, gauging their expressions before looking back to Kazak.
"I'll allow it, Lieutenant. No theatrics. No heroics. There's no one to impress out here and all I'm worried about is completing the mission and getting everyone out alive. You run into any opposition to your plan that will compromise us, you disengage and regroup with us. Understood?"
Kazak nodded, "Wouldn't have it any other way." Even with his own camouflage uniform, he had their equipment on top of it, the plasma blades hidden in the gauntlets on top of a knife length vibroblade he was used to. Whatever came his way inside, he'd be ready for it.
"So…" Haxx began, looking around the room. "...any other objectives other than stuffin' a cork in them?"
"There are," Vult addressed. "As I stated before, High Command wants this facility intact. Collateral damage is to be kept to a minimum. All personnel on-site are to be eliminated. No prisoners. No witnesses."
"Even non-coms?" Aero queried, doing her best to mask her concern. Her physical changes were clear as day between her increased height and ill-fitting uniform. It wouldn't be long before they'd need to be let out at the risk of ripping entirely. The thoughts that filled her head now she kept to herself and maybe shared with Sula in confidentiality were muddling to say the least. Hesitation and uncertainty born of empathy and compassion. Thinks Irken were not known for.
"All means everyone, Aero," Haxx chided. "If it's got horns, shoot it. If it moves, shoot it again."
Vult picked up on what the First Sergeant was concerned with. His own fresh memories of their last mission on Vort replayed...nightmares and all from his episode with Saro.
"Our mission directives are clear, Aero...this is the Almighty Tallest's wishes. We are not to question orders and only act."
"Of course, Commander. I understand."
"I'll keep an antenna out for actionable intelligence and brief you guys once I let you in." Kazak started, "Other than that, I have nothing to add. I'm ready to go as soon as everyone else is."
Vult nodded, looking around the room. "Any other questions?"
No responses or shaken heads of "no" was all he got.
"Alright then. Grab your gear and be ready to dust off in the hangar in 5. Dismissed."
With that, the team gathered their notes and dossiers for a likely final review on-approach in the dropship once kit was squared away, weapons locked and loaded, and minds focused on the task at hand. One-by-one, they filtered out of the room until only Kazak and Haxx remained. The broad-shouldered, stout Irken man stopped their newest addition with a hand to his shoulder.
"Hold up a second, Ell-Tee…" He addressed informally, scratching his chin briefly. "...you seem like an alright guy. You saved the Commander's life. That's got you a big step up in a lot of books 'round here. I can respect that...but lemme tell you something. Not as a subordinate. Soldier-to-soldier. These guys in this unit? They're family to me. You know what family is?"
Kazak looked right at Haxx, keeping a straight face, not giving him any grief over putting his hand on his shoulder. "If you're asking if I don't value their lives, I can tell you that you can rest easy. I helped forge a company of scout-snipers as an experimental unit that stressed cohesion, camaraderie, strong working partnerships between sniper and spotter. After what happened on Praxxus with my last unit, I swore I'd never suffer such grievous casualties again if I could do something about it. If it means I shoulder the risk so my troops had a better chance at completing the mission? So be it." He stopped for a few moments, "I got enough from High Command thinking ill of me for surviving that mess. Those I came back with would argue otherwise."
"Yeah, you mentioned that before. The one Volx talked about that everyone who worked with you ended up dead?" He cut to the heart of the matter. "Anyway, where I was goin' with that is these guys are family to me. Not just my squadmates. Not just fellow soldiers. They're my brothers and sisters. Family sticks together. Family looks after one another...and you can bet your c'hurta I'm lookin' out for mine...I'll give you a fare shake, Lieutenant...but if you pull the same stuff that got your spotters greased here and one of them gets hurt because of you...you and I are gonna have problems. Be forewarned."
His tone did not warrant aggression or a threat, just making it clear of what he felt needed to be addressed.
Kazak sighed, "I have to live with those losses. She can talk about my record, but I have to carry with me that some decision I made ended up costing some of them their lives. Not all of them were my fault, some of them did try heroics, hoping I'd give them their own spot as a shot. I prefer not to dwell on my past mistakes. I'd rather not repeat them. I didn't survive Praxxus just to get knocked off on Vort a year later, nor lose more men."
"So long as you keep that mentality, we'll get 'long just fine," Haxx nodded, clasping his upper arm in passing before moving to leave the room and join the others likely waiting in the hangar, preparing to disembark for Vort once more.
Kazak made sure he had everything he needed and then headed to the hangar. Rem dropped him off first. His visor lowered, mask over his face, though he still had a thick scarf drawn across the mask. The air was cold, extremely cold, made all the worse by wind chill. The sniper trudged through the snow, crouched down to reduce his visibility. Howling wind would've easily covered up any shots from his sniper rifle outside, but he refrained from taking any shots. A corpse would only serve to alert the interior.
Minutes passed trudging through snow before he reached the service entrance. Flipping open the computer gauntlet, on his left forearm, it established a wireless link with the console, allowing him a quick hack to gain him entry. He made his way in, entering a corridor that took him to the dimly lit motorpool. Obviously not manned at the moment, fortunate for him. He proceeded through to the stairs, using a map of the facility on his HUD to help guide him to the door to let the others in. One problem: he'd have to pass by the barracks.
He turned on his optical cloak as he crept down the hallway. A few of the off-duty soldiers were talking among themselves.
"So, you hear what Turb'Zharic got in his lab?"
"What, you mean that Irken?"
"Yup. I was with the guys that captured her. Something's...different ever since he started poking around."
"What?"
"She just looks different, pretty full of bravado too. Not like it'll last her."
The third, quiet until now, finally spoke up, "You'd think the Irkens would've just shut her off by now."
"Yeah...huh...that's strange."
A survivor? Who was Turb'Zharic? Either way, this is the sort of thing Kazak was listening for, he passed by another room, seeing an officer asleep at his terminal...logged in. The idiot. The sniper moved in and started quietly typing, pulling up a roster of those present in the facility. He quickly jotted down the numbers of soldiers and civilian staff on site before a voice interrupted him from making a copy.
"Ashcar'Mohgra! What are you doing!?" Kazak quickly moved into a shadowy corner of the room as the Lieutenant stirred to life, then sprang to his feet, clearly a superior at the door. "Asleep at your desk is one thing, but asleep with the base roster pulled up?! Have you not heard of OPSEC?!"
"Sorry, sir!"
"My office, five minutes!"
"Yes, sir!" When the superior left, the confused Vortian officer looked at his terminal, wondering what the roster was doing open, before he closed it and logged off, leaving the room. That was a close one. If Kazak had hesitated a second, no doubt that officer would've found him. Catching his breath, he headed back out, turning off his optical cloak when he could take advantage of cover inside.
As he got closer, a Vortian swore he saw someone, squinting and walking over. He thought he was just seeing things before Kazak uncloaked, driving his vibroknife into the underside of his jaw and dragging him into a broom closet where he dumped the body. He took a few grenades off the fresh kill, knowing they would come in handy later. After that, it was a quick stop to the local security station...clearly that Vortian came from there, the room was empty. He deactivated the cameras at the point he needed to unlock and disabled the door alarms.
Just a minute shy of the deadline to make it as planned, there were a pair of Vortians that stood in his way. Both within arms reach of each other. The sniper stepped forward, knife in his left hand as his gauntlet blade expanded as he charged, the two Vortians turning to look and see an Irken upon them in moments, driving his blades into their necks and driving their bodies towards the ground. With that done, he unlocked the door from within. The others could come in, meanwhile he scavenged the grenades off of the two Vortians on the ground.
Corr came in, giving Kazak a nod of approval. Volx followed, scanning the area before watching one of the halls. Rha nodded to Kazak, and took a few of the scavenged grenades when offered. Once Vult was inside, Kazak walked up to him. "We've got a company's worth of soldiers in here, I've only killed three. Forty seven non-combatants. You're not going to believe this too, I've heard some of the officers talking. There's a female from the Spec Ops team that's still alive somewhere. She's with someone called Turb'Zharic."
Corr's antenna piqued at the name, "The scientist?"
"Not sure, but they mentioned she's his prisoner."
"Now that raises a number of questions…"
Vult overheard their brief conversation contained within closed communications channels inside of their helmets. A quick scan of the room put his mind at ease. No detection. No witnesses. Security cameras were disrupted, as were enemy communications. The facility was in the dark and none the wiser of their presence, just as planned.
"Vard, what's our status?"
"No change in patrol activity, Sir," The short communications specialist monitored with his own equipment.
"Keep it that way. Kazak?" Vult turned his attention to the newest induction to the team with the information revealed. "Did I hear you correctly, Lieutenant? Did you say Turb'Zharic is at this facility?"
Kazak nodded, "Heard it with my own antenna passing through the officer barracks on the way to open the door. He's here, and he has one of ours."
Corr seemed a bit irked with an invisible twitch of an eye at Kazak's continued informality. Though, this wasn't the time to address it. "Turb'Zharic is a brilliant mind, degrees in computer science and medical science. If he's here, that's a high value target for acquisition and capture."
Volx spoke up from her position watching a hall to their left, "Aren't our orders to clear the facility, sir? Doesn't attempting to capture a scientist not violate them?"
"Yes, our orders are to clear the facility. Commander Vult is in a position to countermand orders on intelligence in a situation like this." Corr rubbed his chin, "What strikes me as odd is this talk of an Irken prisoner. I was informed by High Command that the entire Spec Ops team was either killed in action or deactivated. Do we have any specifics?"
"Negative," Kazak responded, "just know that one of the officers was present that captured her. We may be able to find a possible location on one of these consoles. I'm just as surprised as everyone else to hear about a prisoner."
Volx spoke up again, "And how are we sure this prisoner isn't some sort of bionic corpse?"
"One of them seemed to know about our remote off switches and said it was odd that it hasn't been triggered yet."
"I have to agree with the Lieutenant," Corr started, "The conversation indicates a live Irken, but, at the same time, it defeats all logic that there are any survivors at all from the facility raid. I don't know what's going on here, but it's intriguing and confusing to say the least." He then turned to face Vult, "Commander, do we continue on mission as briefed or do we have new orders given this intelligence?"
The back-and-forth settled on the Commander's mind. A lot to process in a short amount of time. A potential high-value target of interest was on-site. Turb'Zharic was among the brightest minds in the entire universe, at the forefront of cutting-edge Vortian technological developments. A master of multiple fields and certified genius, much of the Vortian peoples' capabilities in both the defense and private sectors were somehow attributed to his work. The possibility of a survivor from the failed Spec Ops raid rested atop that. It was clearly stated in the briefing there were none left alive. All had been killed in action or remotely deactivated at the risk of being captured. Had there been a mistake? Was this some ploy and they were being strung along into a waiting trap?
"...Vard." Vult finally addressed, getting his attention.
"Sir?"
"Patch into their intranet. Find the nearest console for a hardline. Pull any information pertaining to this prisoner of theirs and the location of Turb'Zharic."
"Commander, with all due respect, High Command made it very clear we were to sweep and clear. Not a capture mission, nor a rescue mission." Volx expressed with masked annoyance at the deviation.
"Your concerns are duly noted, Volx." Vult pandered, watching as his communications specialist slunk to the nearest console in the room to begin working his magic. "Everyone, fan out, pull security. Corr, soon as Vard produces actionable intel, locate the HVT. Take him alive. My team and I will locate this prisoner. Rendezvous remains the same. Understood?"
"Understood, Commander," Corr replied as Kazak led Vard to the security office and their best point of access, drawing a proper SMG he acquired from the armory prior to their departure. He watched the hall closest to the office as Vard did his work. Turb'Zharic's office would come up at the west end of the complex closest to the VDF's landing pads for incoming ships. It was housing for civilians that worked in the station. Science labs were located on the east wing, with a note from local security in the base that the labs were to be heavily secured due to 'high value assets' located inside. It had to be where the live Irken was, as the brig itself was noted as empty.
Any further digging into what the assets was required a Top Secret clearance biometric login, a dead end…Though all evidence suggested she had to be held there as security was much higher than normal. Prior to the ops only six guards patrolled the sector, but since the failed raid they've planted 40. The Vortians weren't about to take a risk with lax guards, especially with one that was Armada Spec Ops.
Rha asked a question over the comms as he watched his sector, "Commander, orders still stand for anyone else that isn't our HVT or the survivor?"
Vult hesitated longer than he expected as he considered their initial orders. A clean sweep of the facility was mandated. All Vortians, combatants or otherwise, were to be neutralized. No witnesses, no prisoners. The HVT changed that...but what did that mean for the other unarmed faculty present?
"Orders stand, Sergeant," He finally spoke, earnestly debating on coming up with a solution that didn't call for more killing than what was inevitable or necessary. Had his time on Vort started getting to him? Seeing these atrocities through a different lense with his adjusted PAK coding? "Locate this HVT, the prisoner, escort both for extraction. All others are to be neutralized and High Command notified post haste."
"Anytime, Vard...sittin' smeets here…" Haxx anxiously muttered, continuing to scan his assigned sector.
"Accessing maintenance directories...downloading facility blueprints now, standby," Vard announced, furiously typing away at the console knowing every second he worked was on borrowed time. It was inevitable that someone was going to enter the room and threaten to undermine their progress. At worst, blow their element of surprise and make moving forward all the more difficult.
"Vard." Vult beckoned.
"Working, standby." He reiterated, attempting to remain calm as the pressure increased. "...uploading to your HUD now...waypoints set."
"Good work, Sergeant," the Commander nodded, tapping the side of his helmet to cycle through the uploaded intel, selecting the appropriate marker for his team and designated as such. "Red Team, regroup on me, let's move."
"All clear here, Vard." The sniper and tech sergeant left their position and met back up with Vult, Aero and Sula joining them in short order. "Ready to move."
"Purple Team, on me," Corr ordered over the radio as he set up waypoints for them. Rem and Rha met up with him first, joined shortly after by Volx with a vibroblade in hand. Tuu joined them shortly after with Haxx last to join the squad. "Move out," they started down a hall from there.
"What took so long, Sergeant?"
"Hiding those two bodies from where we came in, Lieutenant."
"Hide them where exactly?" She asked, making sure it was a competent hiding spot that wouldn't blow their cover and not a location of convenience.
"Trash chute."
"Haxx, Volx, quiet," Corr spoke in a whisper over the channel.
On Vult's end, they moved knowing they were already going against at least 1/4 of the company of Vortians guarding the facility. Little did they know, the guards in the area was almost doubled, and for good reason…
"So, this is her?" A Vortian female in a winter combat uniform looked over the Irken, taken from her cell and strapped to a chair. The green skinned, purple eyed female looked right at her. "Looks like her shirt is having some trouble fitting."
"Yeah, so would yours if it was improperly sized, ya dolt," their prisoner replied, only to receive a smack from the Vortian.
"Rude. Don't they teach you people how to act as prisoners? Oh, of course not, because you all think you're so superior to the rest of us, aren't you? You damned technological thieves."
"What, you think you're any better?"
"I'm not the one strapped to a chair, am I?" As she prepared to smack the Irken again, a voice spoke up, interrupting her,
"Kiara!" It was Turb'Zharic, stepping out of his small lab office and into the room, "I would prefer you not injure my test subject!"
"Dad, I think I can do whatever I please. I'm the one in command of the station here, not you."
"Ah, but I was assured by command that every effort would be made to fulfill my requests. Especially when it came to Project Silent Night."
"Yes...you're right. They did say that."
Turb then moved closer, leaning over the Irken, "My apologies, Hesa, my daughter inherited her mother's temperament."
"You, apologizing to a prisoner, really? Why?"
"Because you, my dear, will be the first successful test once the device is ready! With your sacrifice to the cause, we will stop the Empire in its path!"
"And what if I say no?"
Kiara'Zharic was quick to reply, "That's exactly why prisoners don't get a choice."
"I am certain you are fortunate to be alive as is, Hesa. Now, remain civil and my daughter will not have a reason to strike you."
"Dad, in all seriousness though, we need to talk about evacuating you and Project Silent Night to a more secure facility at the very least. The Empire sent their special forces once. I'm certain they'll try again."
"What, with that facility in the desert? Open my work up to destruction at the hands of Deathwave Cannons and Irken armored vehicles? No, the mountains are a must! You're a General, request more men!"
"A Brigadier General, dad, and I tried, but they're all busy fighting a planetary invasion at the moment! Your project is our ace in the hole." She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Please, we really need this finished."
"I know, but there is also so much to know from having a live test subject on Irken biology!" He gestured to Hesa, "She has been very interesting to study!"
"Dad, the fate of our planet and our people is at stake. Focus, we need Silent Night, now." He nodded, gesturing her to follow him to his lab office,
"I will show you what I have."
Vult lead Red Team, consisting of Kazak, Aero, Vard, and Sula, destined for the East Wing of the facility. Remaining cloaked with weapons holstered, they moved swiftly through the clean, sterile corridors. Their only hindrance from time to time were series of magnetically-sealing security doors Vard worked his magic on.
Passing sentries on patrol, they kept mental notes. Full battle rattle not unlike the infantry seen in the field with weapons to match, always in pairs at a minimum. The tight quarters would work in their favor and funnel the "superior" force and prevent them from gaining the upper hand in these hallways and small rooms.
At last, the Commander threw up a hand signal to stop and move to either side of the entrance to the marked laboratory. All five Irken operatives were invisible to the naked eye thanks to their cloaking technology with only the faintest shimmer and distortion of light refracting around their forms.
"This the correct one, Vard?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Stack up, prepare to breach on my mark," Vult ordered, waiting for them to get into position. "Purple-1, Red-1, copy?"
Corr's team moved through as well, Rem working on the fewer magnetic security doors in their way. They kept mental notes on the location of troops before they moved into the civilian housing sector, noting which suites were occupied and which were empty as they moved. They stopped in front of Turb's suite. He whispered over the comms in reply to Vult, "Purple-1 copies, Red-1. In position, ready to breach."
"Understood. Breach and clear on my mark," Vult responded, looking across the way to Aero as she prepared a flashbang. Vard plugged into the access panel of the door, flashing a thumbs up as he finished slicing through security measures and was ready to open it with the press of a button.
"Three. Two. One. Mark."
The well-practiced unit moved in unison. The door whisked open, revealing the laboratory within. The prepared grenade sailed into the room before Vard slammed them shut once more. A hollow, concussive THWUMP from the other side reverberated through the floor into their feet.
"Go, go, go!" Vult ushred, rifle shouldered as the doors slammed open once again.
No sooner than the threshold was clear, the Commander stormed in, wrapping around to the right. Aero followed, moving to the left as they had done a thousand times before in simulation training. Vard brought up the rear, following after Vult as the team moved in.
Bewildered, stunned guards and scientists alike broke into a series of chaotic cries. Screams for explanation or reasoning to secure the room soon followed. The prisoner was at the center of the room, locked into the examination chair.
"Prioritize! Neutralize!" Vult barked as he took aim at the nearest guard slowly recovering from the blinding flash and deafening bang. "Fire!"
His plasma rifle fired, bright magenta flashes illuminating the cold, metallic walls from thin air. Two rapid shots pierced the guard's chest, the third between the eyes as he fell to the ground. Aero and Vard sought out targets of equal threat in the room, wary of the scientists and the prisoner's precarious position.
The initial breach resulted in three guards down, the others returning panicked fire, and the non-combatants shrieked in terror as they dove for cover.
Kazak followed with his SMG, unleashing plasma bursts center mass on a fourth target and dropping him. A fifth, running for the lab office, received leading shots that sent him dropping and sliding across the floor. A sixth leveled his rifle at Kazak, only to receive a double tap and a shot to the side of his head from one of the others. The scientists, meanwhile, threw their hands up. "You in the office, step out and keep your hands where we can see them!"
As both Turb and Kiara stepped out of the office with their hands raised, Corr sounded off over the radio, "Red-1, Purple-1, the suite's clear, no sign of our HVT."
"You, on the ground, NOW!" Vult bellowed through his vox speaker, sounding darker and all the more sinister, faceless with his rifle raised behind his visor. "All of you, on your knees, hands behind your head, DO IT!"
The lab coat-adorned Vortians quivered in terror at the Irkens' presence, sniveling and holding back tears as they complied with the exception of the two Kazak was directing. All hostiles were down and the room was secured.
"Sound off! One up!"
"Two up!" Aero answered, watching her assigned quarter of the room.
"Three up!" Vard followed suit.
"Four up!" Sula called, watching the door for any unwanted arrivals.
"Five up!" Kazak barked, focusing on securing the prisoners.
Moving forward to forcibly kick the legs from beneath the hesitant stragglers and place them on their knees, Vult cued his radio to respond to his second-in-command.
"Lab secure, HVT and POI on sight. Begin sweep and rendezvous as planned."
"Copy, Red-1."
Reeling from the flashbang as she regained her senses, she looked over the five Irken in the room once Sula came through the door. She blinked in amazement. "Is this a rescue party?"
Kazak looked to one of the scientists, "Get her out of that chair."
Complying, the lab assistant moved to the examination chair and undid the restraints, allowing Hesa some free movement. Something she barely had outside of the impromptu cell they furnished for her when she wasn't sedated and strapped to something. She stretched her arms and legs.
"That's better…" she looked to the other Irkens, "Who are you guys?"
"Classified, standby," Vult addressed, looking to the two Kazak currently held up at gunpoint. "You." He pointed at the female. "The pistol. Drop it. Now."
Kiara slowly reached down to her pistol belt, not making any sudden moves that'd have a burst of plasma fire on her. She undid the buckle, letting the pistol and her ammo drop to the floor. Kazak slowly approached her after that, kicking the belt towards the others as he secured his weapon and cuffed her, followed by Turb.
The pistol belt stopped near Hesa, she leaned down and grabbed it, strapping it onto her waist, though having to adjust the length somewhat. She looked to Aero briefly, raising a brow. Kazak then spoke up, "Turb'Zharic I presume?"
"Yes, that is I." The Vortian scientist he just cuffed spoke up.
Vult's visor shifted between the Brigadier General just disarmed to the man that identified himself. That narrowed down the room to be full of his unit, their HVT, the rescued Hesa, and those to be eliminated.
"Gag and bag him, Kazak. Aero, Vard, clean sweep, prepare to move out." Vult ordered in reference to the sniveling assistants in varying stages of bewilderment and terror as they muttered prayers to their gods.
The Commander turned his attention back to Hesa.
"You're coming with us."
As Kazak removed some spare fabric he kept to blindfold Turb, the scientist spoke up. "Wait, wait! Please. Spare the lives of my daughter and my team. They are defenseless. None of my assistants so much as seen a war until now." The female shot a look to him, indicating to Kazak that she was who he was talking about.
Hesa walked over to Kiara and unbuttoned her jacket, taking it off of her, needing something more suitable to wear with her current uniform jacket, stained as it is, exposed her midsection too much for her comfort. "You got it, sir. I'll stay close." With that, she walked over to one of the guards to scavenge some field gear and a rifle, needing something more than Kiara's fancy revolver she's been eyeballing the past few days. It sure wasn't a military issue weapon, that much she knew. Civilian maybe? Either way, she wanted it.
Kazak looked to Vult, wondering what to do with Turb's mouth taped shut and preparing to blindfold him. "In theory we could lock them in a closet until we clear the facility and then come back for them. Your call."
Hesa gestured over to the corner of the room, "They turned that into a makeshift cell for me. I know the only two with a keycard is Turb'Zharic and the General." She tapped a jacket pocket that held the keycard for emphasis. It was still Vult's call at the end of the day. Though Turb looked to him with pleading eyes, wanting mercy for his daughter and assistants.
"Their fate is already sealed, Doctor." Vult plainly spoke, cold as could be. "I assure you following my orders will be a more merciful end to whatever the Empire will have prepared for them whenever they occupy this facility."
"Sir…" Aero almost pleaded, uneasy.
"We have our orders."
"We've already deviated from them...Sir!" She pointed out.
"Aero!" Vard hissed at his squadmate's temperament bordering on insubordination.
"They're harmless, Vard!"
"They are scientists contributing to the war effort, First Sergeant." Vult dictated to his subordinate. "These people are actively trying to kill us by developing weapons and technology for the Vortian Federation."
"They're scared! They're defending themselves! We attacked them!"
The few short strides between them were quickly closed as Vult ensnared the taller female by the collar of her uniform, violently tugging her down to his eye level, his voice low between them.
"Now is not the time for this, Aero...I don't know what's going on inside that head of yours right now, but we have our orders. Do you want to be deactivated?"
"N-no." She simpered at the idea.
"If we don't do this, we all will be deactivated...do you understand that?"
"Y-yes. Yes, Sir."
Seeming to get his point across, the Commander released her to stand upright once more.
Turb started struggling against Kazak, prompting the sniper to restrain him in a chokehold, muffled words pleading with Vult. Kiara sighed, seeming to accept the inevitable. "Dad, he's right. Do you know what they'd do to us if we were left alive?" She paused as he looked to her, "Your staff? If my guess is right, they'll prod them for what they know and then execute them. Me? They'd torture me, tear me limb from limb for what I know. Even if you spare us, we're still dead. He's right."
Meanwhile, the Medical Officer approached Hesa and started examining her. Aside from some bruises, it wasn't apparent she was injured. She even seemed similar to Aero, though she was much further along than their own. Once cleared, Hesa donned the Vortian jacket and the extra field gear for the rifle.
Kazak still waited for a clear word on what to do. The General was right, but he never knew if Vult had another suggestion. That was until Kiara spoke up, "If you do want to save our lives...we have to leave. There's one way out of here, and we can take a vehicle from the motorpool. After which," she paused to look at the scientists, "I suggest we all disappear." Turb's look seemed to be one of confusion. He never knew her to abandon her post, even in the face of death. Kiara seemed to realize this fight was lost, and she'd either die here or it'd be best to live to fight another day. Though, that all rested on Vult.
Normally resolute with his command and following orders, Aero's hesitation seemed to be poisoning his own mind. She wasn't incorrect. They weren't soldiers. Clearly just men and women of science aiding Turb in his research. Yet, that research would in turn likely be used against them on a grand scale resulting in even more Irken casualties. Just like Praxxus 7.
Growling in frustration at even being mentally racked with such hesitation, he made a split-decision then and there.
"On your feet...I said get up! UP!" He barked, motioning for them to rise. "Go. You make it out of the facility, you earned the right to live. You run into my other team, you will be cut down. Take your chances with them or me. GO!"
Before she got any ideas, Vult wheeled around, pointing to Kiara.
"You stay. You're coming with us. Kazak, bag her, too."
Hesa blinked as she watched the scientists leave the room. That was a first for her. It was a first for Kiara too as she watched an Irken unit spare a group of people. She only heard stories about Praxxus 7 from her peers, and there was nothing about Irken sparing people. She already knew that these types were different, but she didn't try to run, not with Kazak holding her father hostage. Sighing with some sense of relief, she looked to Hesa, "At least take care of that pistol, will you? That belonged to my grandfather."
Hesa nodded once, it was a war trophy as she saw it. Right before Kazak gagged and blindfolded her after finishing with Turb as the Corporal readied her commandeered Vortian rifle.
"Bagged, ready to move out, boss."
Hesa moved to the door and poked her head out the door, it was still clear for now, shouldering the rifle to watch it as she knelt down. Even having been a prisoner for a while, she was back on point without missing a beat. She only wished she had a machine gun instead of an assault rifle, but she had to make do for now. A rifle was better than just the pistol, seemingly lethal as it looked. Kazak, meanwhile, handed the tied off prisoners to Sula and drew his SMG again. Ready to move whenever Vult was.
Vult nodded, sparing a single, lasting glance at Aero. The woman was relieved and grinning from antenna to antenna at her commanding officer's choice of action. He might not have been able to see it behind her visor, but he knew. His body language dared her to speak of it, but she said nothing.
Instead, he activated his comms with the press of a button on the side of his helmet.
"Red-1, Purple-1, how copy?"
"Purple-1 copies. Send traffic, Red-1."
"What is your status, over?"
"Intelligence secured, civilian wing swept and cleared, initiating sweep of the facility, over."
As the team moved with their precious cargo in preparation to leave the laboratory and continue with their objectives, base-wide alarms began blaring throughout the corridors and rooms. The element of surprise was gone and about that time, squads of VDF came into view down the hall.
"Understood, Purple-1. Red Team has secured precious cargo, moving to rende-"
"Contact!" Hesa called out instinctively from ingrained training, preparing to engage.
Bursts of automatic, blue plasma bolts raked the doorway, seeking purchase on the Irken foes as they scrambled for cover in the alcoves between corridor sections. Back slamming against the metal wall, nearly forcing the wind from his spooch in the process, he took a deep breath, mentally assessing the situation.
Vult cursed under his breath, keying his radio.
"Purple-1, Red-1, Red Team compromised. Enemy contact and engaged. We are under fire in the East Wing and unable to proceed forward. Move to assist at earliest convenience, over."
Finishing relaying to Corr their current state of affairs, he dropped to a single knee, taking more precise aim to keep the Vortian soldiers down the hall from advancing further. No doubt they were alerted with the panicked scientists he just allowed to leave unabated. A decision he may come to regret very soon unless the rest of the unit moved to assist.
"Kazak!" Vult called out over the firefight as he paused to change power cells in his rifle. "Grenade! Now! Aero, Sula, Vard, covering fire on my mark!"
Slamming the fresh cell home and racking the charging handle, he shouldered his rifle once more, preparing to rotate out of cover.
"Three, two, one, Mark!"
All four Irken soldiers rotated from cover to take aim at the same time. Aero and Vult high, Vard and Sula low, and opened fire to send back a torrential downpour of magenta plasma in the VDF's direction. Some of their shots managed to incapacitate and wound, but most ducked into cover.
"Now, Kazak!"
The marksman drew a plasma grenade from his gear and primed it, letting it cook for a second and a half in his hand before hurling it down the hall. The resulting explosion dispatched what Vortians were injured or didn't move from cover in time. Hesa herself advanced into the hall, moving up. Kazak caught her moving past him. "Hey, you, wait!"
Up top, there were still some Vortians who decided to advance from cover. Shouldering her rifle, she let out with long bursts of automatic fire as she advanced towards where the Vortians came from, clearly indicative of a support gunner. A lone Vortian tried to ambush her as she came around, only to meet with the butt of her rifle, her boot to the jaw, and two shots to the head. The former prisoner then threw down her rifle and picked up a Vortian machine gun, a grin on her face as she picked up a few power packs to go with it. "That's more like it."
Kazak ran up after her, seeing the aftermath, "Didn't you hear me tell you to wait?"
"And give the enemy time to regroup, sir? That's what got my team killed."
"And who are you?"
"Corporal Hesa, Third Spec Ops Group." She gestured with her machine gun, "Squad support gunner." She sighted more Vortians coming down the hallway, some stopped in their tracks seeing Hesa in the General's jacket, allowing her to turn and fire. "Hey, boys! Ya miss me?!" She advanced, firing from the hip, keeping them suppressed. Kazak saw the opportunity to switch to his sniper rifle and started picking them off with accurate shots from down the hall as she paused between long bursts of fire. Once at the end of the hall and looking around, she signaled to the others, "All clear to the airlock from here!"
With the successful grenade placed by Kazak amongst the first squad of VDF and Hesa's bold push forward, Vult motioned for the rest of the team to follow.
"Keep moving, don't stop!" He bellowed, catching up to Hesa as she stood defiant in the corridor, laying down a steady stream of plasma. "Purple-1, status! Things are getting a little heated over here!"
"We're having a difficult time over here too, Red-1!" Corr yelled back over the radio, sounds of his own gunfight apparent in the background. "Saw a group of civilians making a break to the motorpool. Purple-2 and Purple-6 broke off to pursue! We're continuing to engage and making our way to you!"
Hesa stopped to reload as the group and their two prisoners entered the airlock and allowing the magnetic doors to cycle. The Corporal moved without hesitation in the face of the VDF, laying down fire, but then she broke off, headed down a hall to the left. Kazak yelled after her, "Hesa! Get back here!" He ran after her, only to see her stop and throw a grenade into the room. "Were there hostiles in there?"
"There's something in there you didn't want to know about, sir, let's leave it at that!" She ran back, Kazak giving her a puzzled look, but there was no time to investigate.
Rejoining the team, she resumed her role laying down automatic gunfire. That was until her weapon overheated. She drew the Vortian revolver and aimed down the holographic sight, firing six accurate shots that dealt a lot of power as they knocked the Vortians they struck back several feet.
"Looks clear to the next airlock," Kazak stated as he moved up, Hesa reloading the revolver and grabbing her machine gun once more. "Two more and we should be back where we started."
The team continued to fight for every inch of ground, leaving Vortian soldiers in their wake. Superior tactics, firepower, and bravado was proving to their benefit as Hesa seemed to get much-deserved retribution against those responsible for killing her squadmates in the initial assault.
"Purple-1, Red-1, what is your status?" Vult asked of Corr, seeking an update. "Red Team nearing the rendezvous."
"Wait one, Red-1!" Corr responded, "Purple-2, Purple-6, status!"
"Blasted civvies got away, Purple-1! They're already halfway down a slope and out of range of our weapons! They're in a vehicle, no way we can catch em!"
"Get back up here, on the double, now! I need you and Purple-6's grenades!" With a response in the affirmative from Volx, Corr's attention turned back to Vult's status request, "Bit bogged down here, Red-1, but we'll break through shortly once we have our explosives back. We'll make it there, over!"
Vult's team broke through into the next airlock, Hesa and Kazak both opening up with grenades before the machine gun opened up, paired with rifle fire from Kazak. Just when they thought they were clear, the opposite airlock opened, revealing Vortian troops, caught in the killzone, they were easily made quick work of by the machine gun toting female they had captive minutes before. "Payback's a pain, isn't it?!"
Hesa stepped through into the center area, where they were supposed to meet the others, gunning down a pair of Vortians and then looking at an officer who threw his weapon down. She recognized him. Dropping the machine gun, she strode over and punched him in the face, sending him to the ground as she placed her foot on his neck with the revolver drawn to his face. He seemed to cower beneath her, "D-don't."
"Yeah...I seem to remember you being where I was weeks ago, buddy. Reversal isn't fun, is it?"
"Please, spare me."
Hesa shook her head, "What, so you can be where I was, poked and prodded? I'm doing you a favor and sparing you a whole load of torment. You got ten seconds to say your prayers." She counted down silently in her head, the officer beneath her clearly afraid before a single pull of the trigger left him lifeless with blood stains on her black boots. Just then, the opposite airlock opened, Corr's team pouring in. He gave a nod to Vult.
"Purple Team reporting, sir, objectives complete, save for those civilians that escaped via vehicle."
"Forget them. Let them run and live in fear." Vult uttered. "Find anything useful in the hab block?"
Corr withdrew a bag full of optical discs and a few hard drives. "Plenty to keep Vard busy for quite some time, sir. Two of these drives belong to Turb." His eyes shot over to Hesa, "I see our survivor is no worse for wear...but what is she doing in a Vortian General's jacket?"
Sula cleared her throat awkwardly.
"She...uhh...has Aeroitis."
"Aero-what now?" Aero furrowed her brow in confusion before it clicked. "Oooooh...right...yes...Yeah, her uniform doesn't fit. Mine doesn't either. I need a new one, by the way. It's starting to hurt."
Vult sighed in exasperation, looking to Rem.
"Call in the dropship for extraction. Save the questions for the debriefing once our HVTs are in the brig."
"Wasn't there only one HVT, Sir?" Tuu addressed as Rem began typing away at a tablet-like device, interacting with the stealth dropship. "...who's the girl?"
"Questions later. Focus now." Vult reiterated, a subtle "drop the subject" tone conveyed it clearly.
"Understood, Commander."
"Dropship en route, ETA 3 minutes, Sir. Landing pad off of the West Wing." Rem relayed to her superior after closing out the haptic interface integrated into her forearm gauntlet.
Vult nodded in affirmation, turning his attention to address the rest of the team.
"You heard her. Regroup on me and move it out."
The team moved out to head to the west wing's landing pad. Kazak reached into his pouches and gave Hesa a cap and a scarf to wrap around her face, as well as some goggles to wear to protect her somewhat from the blistering cold outside. Once the ship was down, the team boarded, with Vult following Kazak and Corr inside. Then they were airborne, leaving an empty facility for the regulars to commandeer, with two Vortians in tow.