A/N: Was up Y'all, it's Doggie with another story for ya. This one is the winner of the last year polls which is the Prison Battleship series that is also another Lilith Soft Game and take place in the far future of space. The setting, pace, and Protagonist will be a bit different as this one will have inspiration of other Sci-Fi series, games, and books. The tone will also be a bit darker as this one will delve into some...risqué topics, so please read at your own discretion. You Have Been Warned.
Aside from that this story will have a different kind of Protagonist rather than the Wild and Aggressive but Honest Kaiser Wrath this one however is more... laid back and quite the joker but he will still have his moments of violence and is very manipulative.
So without further ado...
LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!
DISCLAIMER: I KNOW NOTHING BUT THE SECRETS FORMULA TO THE TOP SECRET SZECHUAN SAUCE. ALL PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERS BELONG TO LILITH SOFT AND OTHER CORPOS.
Kangoku Senkan: Hunter of the Stars
Chapter 1
The Hunter of Love and Blood
It is the time when mankind began to spread into space. A number of terraformed planets have appeared in the solar system, and the human population has spread throughout the solar system.
In order to correct the Earth-centeredness of the past, a Space Federation government is established, recognizing the sovereignty of each colonial planet.
However, despite such efforts, there is a deep-rooted conflict between the old humans (Earth-born citizens), who cling to their former interests, and the space humans (space colonies and colonists), who want to destroy them. In the Space Federation, the political, military and police forces are divided into two political groups: the Neo Terra, who are mainly made up of old humans, and the New Solars, who are mainly made up of space colonies and colonial planets.
Amongst the Intrigue of factions and the Cloak and Dagger of individuals there is one who was lost to the struggle and has returned...as a Hunter of the Stars. None shall escape the Beast of Hell's Gate.
*** Titania Orbital Station***
This day would have like any other on the station on the moon of Titania that was orbiting around Uranus. The workers of the station were going about their business with the scientists doing their research on the planet below. The military personal of the United Space Federation conducted training drills for combat. However on this day that would all change for a certain officer.
The officer in question was none other than Rieri Bishop. The young woman with her light violet hair that flowed to her mid-back and matching eye color was known throughout the station and the entire United Space Federation. She was a living legend to all those in the Federation as it was she and her friend that stopped a coup of Neo Terran agents from kidnapping her father. As a result of her heroism and her father's position as a senior officer in the Space Federation, Rieri had gained many fans and admirers.
***Titania's Station Hangar Bay***
Commander Rieri was walking down the corridor of the space station as she was annoyed at the last minute change in her orders with her upcoming mission. Her father, George Bishop, had requested a armed detachment of 'Strike Team Specialists' or S.T.S be attached with her and her best friend, Naomi Evens, mission. Rieri was currently on her way to meet with the strike team that would be joining them.
Rieri was annoyed at this change of plans as she did not need the help of a military strike team for a simple infiltration mission. As Rieri was walking down the hallway she caught the eyes of a few military officers who were in the hallway and they were whispering to themselves about how lucky they were to see the Legendary Rieri Bishop in the flesh.
"Is that her?"
"It must be?"
"So graceful..."
"Such a beautiful woman"
"I wish she was my girlfriend..."
"She's a goddess!"
Rieri ignored the comments of the men that she overheard and proceeded down the corridor at a brisk pace. She soon came to a door and entered the room that led to large hanger bay where the strike team was at. She saw that the room was filled with men in military fatigue uniforms. Rieri was a bit surprised that her father would choose a this strike unit for this mission. Most of these men had faces and appearance that gave off the impression of being thugs or criminals as most of them had a rough complexion. All of the men went silent as they all looking at Rieri who had just entered the room.
"Hello, gentlemen, I'm Commander Rieri Bishop, the mission commander." Rieri greeted the men in the room. "Thank you for volunteering for this assignment."
"Well, well now. It looks like an angel of grace and beauty decided to visit us today. Oh! Be still my beating heart for I can not fall in the face of such beauty!"
Rieri was stunned at the sudden proclamation of one young man who approached her with a roguish smile on his face as he seems the type to be undisciplined and carefree. He was a handsome man with a fair tanned complexion and a fit muscular body that was bit on the thin side but with a athletic runner build. The man was average height with broad shoulders, blue eyes, a square jaw, and shaggy black hair with a pony tailed tied behind that were not at all in line with military regulations. The man was dressed in a haphazard black uniform with a white shirt underneath, black pants, and black boots.
"Well then Cutie, how about you and I go to this nice restaurant that I know by the office's club?" The young man said as he flirted with Rieri shamelessly. "I'll show you a night on the town that you won't ever forget, or even think of another man again."
Rieri was about to berate and discipline the young man as he was out of line for hitting on his commanding officer. However, before she could speak she heard another voice speak from behind the young man.
"Captain!"
A tall man with wavy long blonde hair and small stubble beard came and grabbed the young man from behind as he bows in front of Reiri.
"Sorry Commander Bishop for that, but it seems that our Captain here may have forgot his manners. Please allow me to apologize on his behalf." Said the man with long wavy blonde hair. The man looked like he was in his early 30's or late 20's with a slim and slender body as his face did not give off the impression of a soldier but of a handsome holovid actor.
Rieri looked at the man who apologized and then looked at the young man in front of her as she spoke to him in a cold manner. "So you are the Captain of this squadron?"
The young man smiled as he straighten his back and saluted Rieri.
"Yes Ma'am, Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Juuka Amenosa and this fella here is my Lieutenant, Russell O'Brian. And this is my Squadron, The Hounds of Orion."
Rieri looked at Captain Juuka and his crew and she thought to herself that having these...miscreants on this mission was a bad idea and she wished she could just leave them and go on her own. Rieri had a feeling that nothing good would come from being around this lot but decided to get along with Juuka and his crew for the sake of her father's concern.
Rieri then spoke to Juuka in a cold manner.
"Well then Captain, I might forgive your earlier outburst but I warn you that if you do not follow my orders during this mission, I will make sure you and your crew are severely punished."
"Understood, Commander.I don love a woman who can order me around, after all it would be a shame to wrinkle that beautiful face with such a frown." Captain Juuka replied as he wiggled his eyebrows at her while the rest of his crew saluted to Rieri. "The Hounds of Orion are at your service, Commander Bishop."
Rieri was not amused at Juuka's words as she turned and walked out of the room with Juuka and his men following her. As she left the room, Rieri heard a few of the crew members whispering about her.
"Man, the Commander has a stick up her ass"
"No Kidding but the Cap says, orders are orders."
"Yeah but the Captain is busy chasing skirts all day."
"Well maybe we should take a page out his book a find us some 'Entertainment' while we are here."
The men's lewd and unprofessional conversations was heard by Rieri and Captain Juuka Amenosa as he was either willfully ignorant or belligerent of his men's behavior. This did not bode well with Rieri and she was having serious doubts about the capabilities of this strike team. She had no time for such delinquency as her and Naomi had an important mission.
"It makes my heart flutter like a hummingbird every time I lay my eyes on such a beautiful angel, so apple of my eye do you have any plans or maybe I can interest you in some..." Juuka said as her was flirting with his commander and did not care at the stares that the station's personnel was giving her and him.
Rieri had enough of Juuka's antics as she stopped walking and she turned to face him.
"Captain, I would appreciate it if you would kindly refrain from making any more passes at me and focus on the mission. I would hate to have to report to your superiors about your behavior." she spoke in a firm and icy tone.
Juuka looked at Rieri and gave her a big smile. "Oh I would never think of such a thing. After all, I'm just trying to get to know my commander better and on more...personal level."
Juuka was not deterred by his commander's threat as he continued to flirt with Rieri.
"After all, what's wrong with a man and a woman getting to know each other better? Besides, you're a very attractive woman that could enjoy the company of a refine gentlemen such as myself, so I don't see the harm in asking you out."
Rieri sighed and shook her head. She didn't have time for this kind of nonsense. She had a mission to complete. She didn't have time to deal with some horny, juvenile, and childish man who wanted to get into her pants.
"Captain, need I remind you of your rank and mine. This is not some social event. We have a mission to complete. So I would appreciate it if you would stop with your advances towards me. I am a professional soldier and I expect you to act like one as well. And I will not tolerate any more of your lecherous and unprofessional behavior."
Juuka gave her a charming smile as he spoke to her. "Oh I would never think of such thing as ,a perfect and magnificent rose such as yourself with thorns that can cut at the slightest touch must be handled with care. So sublime and yet... unobtainable."
It had seem that the captain had a flare for the dramatics as he pretended to put the back of his hand on his forehead as he fake himself fainting.
"But alas, I shall endure as my love burns like the undying stars." Juuka spoke in a dramatic tone. "However, my sweet rose, I must warn you that I will not be deterred by your words or the threat of your thorns. For I have a heart of steel that can't be pierced by even the sharpest of blades or be seduce by the most beautiful of women." Juuka spoke in a confident manner.
Rieri had heard enough and decided that the conversation was over.
"That is quite enough, Captain." Rieri spoke in a cold and firm tone. "I don't have time for your childish games. We have a mission to complete. Now if you will excuse me I have a meeting with my subordinate. I expect you to be ready for the briefing in 3 hours." Rieri spoke in a commanding tone as she turned her back on the buffon of a captain, walking away towards her office.
Juuka gave her a salute as he bowed to her in a gentleman like manner.
"Laying it on a bit thick aren't you, Cap'n." Russell said as he sighs at his leader's antic.
"Ah my dear, dear Rusty. Dont'cha know that the hardest of nuts always has the tastiest of meats." Juuka spoke to his Lieutenant.
"Uh... Captain I don't think that came out the way that you intended it to be." Russell replied in an embarrassed manner as he realized the innuendo of his captain's words.
"Hahaha. Well that is true as well but no. I meant that Rieri is not your everyday type of woman and she is key to to our ultimate objective. So having her think less of us is important for her not to suspect a thing."
Underneath the flamboyant and carefree demeanor of the captain lies an animal with calculating and ruthless intelligence.
*** Titania Officer's Cabin***
Rieri was sitting at her desk in what was her temporary personal office as her best friend and subordinate, Naomi Evans sat across from her with an annoyed look on her face. After her conversation with Captain Amenosa, Rieri had gone to her temporary quarters to meet with her friend and discuss the upcoming mission. Naomi was a young woman with short green hair and red eyes. She had a petite figure with a large bust that made her look more like a model than a soldier. Naomi's beauty was matched only by her intelligence and skill.
"So Rieri, how did the meeting with the Strike Team go?" Naomi asked as she was sipping tea that she had prepare beforehand.
"It was a waste of time." Rieri replied in a blunt manner. "The squad that my father sent is a bunch of unscrupulous lay about. I'm not sure if they can be trusted to handle this mission." Rieri was clearly upset about the situation.
"Come on now Rieri. I'm sure that the team is not that bad." Naomi tried to reassure her friend.
"Their Captain flirted with me within the first 5 seconds of me introducing myself... and in front of his own men too!" Rieri complained. "And he's so full of himself that it's not even funny. I can't believe that my father sent them to help us." she continued.
Naomi giggled at her friend's frustration.
"Well, it's not like we can't handle this mission ourselves. After all, we've done it before. Besides, it's not like we need their help. We've got each other." she said in a playful manner.
"Naomi, this is serious." Rieri replied in an annoyed tone. "We don't have time to deal with a bunch of horny, juvenile, and childish men who are more interested in chasing skirts than completing their mission."
"My apologies Rieri I did not mean to belittle you." Naomi apologized in a more serious manner as she realized that her friend was not in the mood for jokes. "But you know that your father wouldn't send them here without good reason. And besides, they could prove to be useful."
"Useful? How? They're nothing but a bunch of idiots." Rieri complained.
"Look, Rieri. I know that you're worried about this mission. But you need to trust me. We'll get through this together. We always do." Naomi spoke to her friend in a reassuring manner.
"I know. It's just that this mission is different. Our last encounter with the Neo Terrans almost cost me my father." Rieri spoke to her friend as she remembered their previous encounter with the Neo Terra.
"Well if it concerns that much I can go have a... word with this Captain of yours." Naomi hinted as her eyes said anything but having a civil discussion with the belligerent captain. Rieri knew that her friend was capable of doing much worse as she had seen her in action before. She could only imagine what Naomi had in mind for Captain Amenosa and his crew.
"No. I'll handle him." Rieri replied. "I'm sure that he'll learn to behave once we get started. But if he doesn't then you can have your way with him." Rieri spoke in a firm manner as she smiled at her best friend.
"Hehe, Well I hope that you are able to get him in line then Rieri." Naomi spoke in a playful manner as she giggled at her friends' statement.
Around the station the men and women on board were going about their business. As it was a military installation that also doubled as a research outpost for the planet of Titania. The people of the station were busy with their own lives and did not pay too much attention to the new arrivals. However, there were a few that had noticed the new arrivals and were interested in them.
"Hey, did you see that new squad that arrived on the station today?" A young female soldier asked a group of her friends.
"You mean that group of rough looking men? Yeah, I notice that some of them were pretty hot. I wouldn't mind getting to know them better." Another female soldier replied.
"Hey! Don't even think about it! They're off limits!" A third female soldier spoke in a stern manner. "Besides, I heard that their leader is a real playboy."
"Oh, really? Well, maybe he'll be looking for some fun then." The second female soldier replied in a coy manner.
"Forget it. He's probably got a girlfriend or two back home." The first female soldier spoke in a dismissive tone. "And besides, he looks like the kind of guy that would just use you and then throw you away."
"Well, that's too bad. I was hoping to have some fun with him." The second female soldier replied in a disappointed tone.
"Hey! You better not let the commander hear you talking like that!" The third female soldier spoke in a stern tone. "She's a real stickler for discipline and regulations."
"Hey! Who cares what the commander thinks! We're just having a bit of fun!" The second female soldier replied in a defiant tone.
"I do!" The third female soldier spoke in a firm tone. "And besides, we're supposed to be on duty. So let's get back to work." she said in a commanding tone.
"Alright, alright. I'll stop talking about the new arrivals." The second female soldier replied in a disappointed manner.
*** Titania's station Cafeteria***
Rieri had finished her meeting with Naomi and was now heading to the cafeteria as she had not eaten anything all day. Rieri saw that there was a large variety of food available for the personnel on the station as she was impressed by the quality of the meals being served. Rieri took her meal and sat down at a table by herself. As she was eating her meal she was approached by Captain Juuka Amenosa.
"Oh what a coincidence Commander. I was just happened to wish upon a shooting star to grant me the opportunity to have a meal with a lovely maiden and look who appeared."
Juuka sat down in front of her and began to eat his own meal. Rieri was not amused by the captain's antics and was about to tell him to leave when he suddenly spoke to her.
"So Commander, what are your plans for the rest of the day?" Juuka asked in a casual manner.
Rieri looked at him suspiciously as she replied in a cold and formal manner.
"Captain, I have a lot of work to do. I suggest that you focus on your own duties."
Juuka smiled at her and continued to eat his meal as he spoke in a cheerful tone. "Well, I was just wondering if you would like to join me for nice and romantic dinner with candles and roses with a view of..."
Rieri interrupted the captain as she was getting tired of his antics.
"Captain, I don't have time for your games nor do I have any interest in spending any time with a man like yourself. I suggest that you focus on your own duties and leave me alone."
Juuka smiled at her and replied in a cheerful tone.
"Ah,I love a woman that knows what she wants. How refreshing."
Rieri looked at him with a glare as she was getting annoyed by the captain's attitude.
"Look Captain, I'm going to say this once and only once. I don't want to have anything to do with you. You're a distraction that I don't need. So leave me alone." Rieri spoke in an annoyed tone.
Juuka looked at her and smiled as he replied in a cheerful tone. "Oh, don't be like that. I'm sure that we can find some common ground. After all, I'm not that bad once you get to know me."
"Captain, I have no interest in getting to know you. I suggest that you leave before I have you thrown in the brig." Rieri replied in a firm and cold tone.
Juuka smiled at her and replied in a cheerful tone as he got up from the table.
"Ah shot down once again, but do not worry my fair maiden of the stars. For this Captain, is a Soldier of Love who knows no defeat!" Juuka spoke in a dramatic tone as he gave her a salute and walked away. Rieri watched him leave and wondered how she was going to be able to deal with him during the mission.
***Mission Conference Room***
Rieri finished her meal and left the cafeteria as she headed towards the debriefing room as she was to meet with the rest of her team. She was not looking forward to the briefing as she knew that the captain would be there and would no doubt try to make a pass at her. She arrived at the briefing room and saw that Captain Juuka and the rest of her team was already there. She took her place at the front of the room and began the briefing.
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I'm sure that you are all aware of the mission that we are about to undertake. As you all know, we are going to be investigating the disappearance of a number of Federation military personnel and civilians near the moon of Miranda. We believe that the Neo Terra is behind these disappearances. We have reason to believe that the Neo Terra is operating a secret facility somewhere in this sector. Our mission is to find this facility and shut it down. Any questions?" Rieri asked in a firm and professional tone.
"Yes, ma'am. What will be our mission parameters and objectives once we reach this facility." Asked the Lieutenant Russell.
"The mission parameters are simple. We find the facility and then we destroy it. No prisoners, no survivors, no witnesses. I don't want anything left standing." Rieri asked in a cold and professional tone. "Our objective is to gather or capture anything of value or important. Any other questions?"
"Yes. How will we be getting to the facility and what will be our mode of transportation?" One of the soldiers asked.
"We will be taking the shuttle from this station. Once we have located the facility, we will proceed to the planet surface and will be air dropped onto the ground. Form there we will be using Rover All Terrain vehicles or R.A.T.s as our means of transport on the surface." Reiri replied in a firm and professional tone.
"Yes. Ma'am. I have a question. What kind of resistance can we expect from the Neo Terrans once we find the facility?" Another soldier asked.
"We don't know what kind of resistance we can expect. That is why we are going in with a full combat squad. I want us to be prepared for anything. We have to be on our guard at all times. If we run into any trouble, I want you to take them out. I don't want any of the Neo Terrans to escape. Any more questions?" Rieri asked in a firm and professional tone.
"No. ma'am." The soldiers all replied in unison.
"Very well, then. I want everyone to report to the armory and prepare for the mission. I want everyone to be ready to go in one hour. We have a long trip ahead of us and I want to get this mission underway as soon as possible."
"Understood." The soldiers replied in unison and began to file out of the briefing room. Rieri watched them leave and then turned to look at Captain Juuka.
"Captain, I want you to make sure that your men are ready to go. I need to be focus for this... can you at least handle that?" Rieri spoke in a firm and cold condescending tone.
"Of course my lovely maiden of war and do not fret! This Captain will assure that not single luscious lock of your luscious hair is plucked. Your masterfully sculpted face will be kept flawlessly intact and unharmed. I swear it, as the Captain who is puckishly funny and roguishly handsome!" Juuka spoke in an overly dramatic tone as he gave her an exaggerated salute.
***Rieri's Private Quarters***
Rieri rolled her eyes and turned away from him as she left the room. She could not understand why her father had sent this disgrace of the Space Federation Uniform of a man to help her. He was a distraction that she did not need as she had to focus on the mission at hand.
Rieri had to find this facility and shut it down as the reports from her father reveal that this facility was operated by a secretive faction of the Neo Terrans. She could not afford to let this...complete joke of a soldier in her way. She could not let him get to her or let him get under her skin.
She would not allow it.
Rieri went to her quarters and began to pack her gear for the mission. She undressed herself as she was wearing a Black lace bra and panties that accentuated her bodies curve and figure. If any were to see Reiri's in such a state of undressed they would have claimed to be witnessing a Angel in Flesh. Rieri went to her locker and opened it to reveal a skin tight, bulletproof and environmental suit that had armor plates on the shoulders chest and hips. She slipped into her suit as it fit her snuggly revealing her buxomly body.
Rieri packed light as she knew that they would be traveling light she would not be in the thick of battle. She checked her sidearm and made sure that it was fully loaded She also checked her combat knife and made sure that it was sharpened to a razor's edge. She did not know what kind of resistance they would encounter on the planet surface, so she wanted to be prepared for anything as she packs her backpack.
***Titania's Station Hangar Bay***
After she finished packing her gear, Rieri picked up her backpack and left her quarters. She then headed for the shuttle hangar bay where she knew that the rest of her team would be waiting for her. When she arrived at the hangar bay, she saw that the entire squad was assembled, suited up, armed, and ready to go. She saw that Captain Juuka was also there, leaning against the side of the shuttle.
She ignored him and addressed her team.
"All right everyone, listen up. We are ready to depart for the planet surface. I want everyone to load up into the shuttle and prepare for takeoff."
"Aye. Ma'am!" The soldiers replied in unison and began to board the shuttle. Captain Amenosa then turned to Rieri and smiled.
"So my darling, Maiden of War, are you ready to embark on this epic journey with me into the unknown? It is not too late for us to become the greatest lovers the galaxy has ever known."
Rieri glared at him and was about to reply when she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her. It was the voice of her best friend Naomi Evans approach them in her own suit that was lessly armored than Rieri's suit but had more advance tech on it as was suited more for stealth or recon.
"Well now, looks like someone is trying to make a move on my friend. You must be pretty brave to try something like that or just plain stupid."
Naomi then moved to stand next to Rieri and gave Captain Amenosa an icy stare.
Juuka just smiled at her and replied in a casual tone as if nothing was bothering him.
"Well, look at this, another beauty. Oh my, I can only say that never in my wildest dreams could I have never predicted not one but two beauties to contend with. I think that I might as well have died and been taken to heaven as what stands before is are angels...No! Not angels but Valkyries of Love!" Juuka shamelessly flirted with Naomi and Rieri as he did not notice or care for the glares they shot at him.
"Oh god he really is annoying as you said. Hey Rieri can we stuff him into an airlock and be rid of this buffoon?" Naomi complained to Rieri as she glared daggers at Juuka.
"As much as I would like to do that, Major Naomi, my father told us to bring this... Idiot along. So it looks like we are stuck with him." Rieri replied as she also glared daggers at Juuka.
The strike team got settled in the shuttle as they approached the orbiting Moon of Miranda.
***Outside of Miranda's Orbit***
"Alrighto, Boys! This is gonna be an easy Swoop and Sweep job. I want all of you to follow formation and keep your heads on a swivel, be sure to check your corners and clear out all rooms. I don't want any surprises on this one as we have two important guests accompany us on this trip." Juuka announced in a firm commanding tone as he gestured to Rieri and Naomi who looked at him incredulously.
"You heard the man! Now quit yammerin' and start getting' ready! Make sure your gear is good to go, and you have your head screwed on tight! I don't wanna see any slacking off!" Yelled out one of the more burly and stocky soldiers. "Sir, we are locked and load and the men are ready to go as soon as we make landfall."
"Thank you, Micky, Make sure to do a final rundown while I entertain our... lovely guest." Juuka ordered as the large man nodded his head and went back to the rest of the men.
The large man nicknamed Micky, took out an old fashioned clipboard and started barking out orders to the men. In contrast to Juuka's flippant and careless attitude, Mickey was stern, direct and focused.
"It seems like at least one of you has their head on right." Naomi remarks as Juuka didn't hear or care for her backhand comment about him.
"Oh, Micky? Well, he just enjoys making himself be heard but as far as keeping the men in line there is no one who knows better than him to inspire them." Juuka said as he gave Naomi a lopsided smile. "But he does lack a certain... refinement when it comes to the fairer sex such as yourself, M'lady."
Juuka continued as he bowed to Naomi in a show of chivalry and grace. Which earned him a quick stomp to the foot from Naomi which he barely reacted too.
"If I may interject," Rieri cut in, "this isn't a pleasure cruise, Captain Juuka, we are on a mission here."
"Ah yes, the mission... No worries; when we hit the ground, you ladies just follow me as this brave Soldier of Love will keep you both safe." Juuka said as he gave both Rieri and Naomi a wink with a smile.
Both woman grumbled as they would have to put up with Juuka for a while longer until they landed on the planet.
"Brace for impact!" A shout rang throughout the cabin as the shuttle bucked violently upon entering Miranda's terraformed atmosphere.
The shuttle shited as turbulence rocked the whole thing, sending everyone inside sliding around in their seats and grabbing onto whatever was available to keep steady.
"Oh God, I think I'm gonna hurl!" one soldier cried out as the shuttle shuddered again.
"Calm down, it's just a little turbulence! You've been through worse, you can handle this!" Micky yelled out as the rest of the soldiers settled down.
"Hehehe, oh yeah this is a nice jostling ride. It's been awhile since I've felt the thrills of atmospheric entry." Juuka remarked as he seemed to be unaffected by the shaking in the shuttle. His cavalier and nonchalant attitude unnerved Rieri and Naomi as he seemed to have an iron stomach.
After a few more moments, the shuttle leveled out and slowed down, finally arriving at their destination.
"We are arriving at the mission A.O. ETA to drop site is 15 mikes!" said the pilot.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, prepare to disembark!" Juuka shouted.
The teams boarded the Rover All Terrain vehicles as everyone got strapped inside the vehicles. The back cargo door of the shuttled opened as the R. vehicles rolled off the deck and free fall in the air before their engines kicked in and propelled them towards the drop site.
Inside the passenger compartment of the rover, Juuka was looking out the window at the planet below as Rieri and Naomi sat opposite of him in their respective seats.
Juuka whistled in appreciation at the sight before him as the surface of the moon of Miranda came into view.
"So this is Miranda...huh? Looks cold and lonely place." Juuka stated as he peered out the window at the desolate landscape that stretched before them.
"Don't be fooled by the quiet, my father stated that there is an underground base here, probably owned by a secret Neo-Terran Faction that is hiding and doing illegal human experimentation here." Rieri said with a serious tone.
"You don't say..." Juuka said as for once he was not flirting with Rieri but instead took interest in what she was saying. "So is there anything else your father told you? That might be useful?"
"Not really...the reports were pretty vague. All I know is that we need to investigate and report back anything important we find." Rieri answered.
"And we are all geared up to do just that and maybe more." Juuka said with a wicked grin on his face.
The R. made landfall as they hit the ground with a heavy thub before sliding to a halt. The driver then started up the engine as the vehicle lurched forward towards it destination. It took a moment for everyone to get use to the motion of the vehicle as it jolted along the rough terrain.
Rieri and Naomi along with the rest of the squad adjusted to the movements of the rover as they began to scan the surroundings, taking note of the barren rocky environment.
"Man this place is deserted...not even a single living being." One of the soldiers remarked. "I wonder if there even is a base here..."
"Don't let appearances fool you boys; remember our mission is to investigate ." Juuka said in a relaxed manner as he leaned back in his seat with a smug smile. "Now sit back, relax and enjoy the ride."
***Uranus's moon, Miranda***
As the rover continued to move onwards through the frozen wasteland, Juuka stared out the window admiring the stark beauty of desolation of this place.
"So, ladies, since we have a few minutes until we reach the base why don't we have a chat?" Juuka asked breaking the silence as his attention turned back to his companions.
"We don't have much to talk about with you...Captain Amenosa, so please keep quiet." Naomi retorted, clearly annoyed by Juuka's presence.
"Aww come on, don't be like that. Let's get to know each other better shall we?" Juuka asked, ignoring her obvious hostility.
"Why do you want to get to know us anyway?" Rieri questioned him.
"No reason really, besides it never hurts to learn more about those that work alongside me especially two beautiful maidens like yourselves, hehehe." Juuka chuckles out loud earning another glare from Rieri and Naomi.
"You are unbelievable..." Naomi sighed in exasperation while rubbing her forehead tiredly.
"You should take this mission seriously, Captain Amenosa." Rieri reprimanded sternly as her piercing gaze met his eyes.
"I am taking this mission seriously Commander Rieri...Bishop," Juuka said with a smirk on his face. "but since we have some downtime, we might as well converse and make small talk. It's as they say... Life is too short to not enjoy it's pleasures and beauty."
Juuka ended with a dramatic pose as the man would not look out of place in a Shakespeare's Play which earn him an eye roll from both of his compatriots.
"...You are truly something else aren't you?" Naomi asked skeptically.
"Why thank you, my dear. I'm one of a kind." Juuka quipped, his trademark grin appearing once more.
*** Secret Neo-Terran Facility***
Soon enough, their rover approached the coordinates given to them as a base could be seen in the distance. It seemed abandoned on the outside but that did not mean that the facility was empty on the inside.
"ALRIGHT! YOU HOUNDS! IT'S TIME TO GET TACTICAL!" Gunnery Sergeant Michiharu 'Micky' Ichigan shouted out as the rest of the soldiers check their weapons for one final time before they put on their helmets and engaged the seal on them. "BRUSSO AND GARVIN! YOU'LL BE TAKING POINT!"
The two soldiers nodded their heads in confirmation.
"LEMMY, VICKERS! YOU'RE BOTH ON OVER WATCH DUTY! I WANT TO KNOW WHEN, WHERE, AND WHO THE FUCK EVERYTHING IS AT ALL TIMES!"
A tall and a short soldier gave the Gunnery Sergeant a thumbs up.
"IRVAK KEEP US POSTED ON COMMS AND MAKE SURE WE KEEP THESE SHITS STAIN OF NEO TERRAN SCUM UNDER LOCK AND KEY! I DON'T WANT AS MUCH AS A FUCKING WET FART BEING HEARD BY ANYONE LISTENING! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!" Gunnery Sergeant Michiharu yelled out as the man commanded discipline and absolute authority.
"YES GUNNERY SERGEANT!" A soldier in glasses yells out as he was the only one without his helmet on as it he was operating the radio equipment inside the R.A.T vehicle.
"ALRIGHT, YOU SONS OF BITCHES! WE ARE MEAN! WE ARE LETHAL! WE ARE DOWN RIGHT VISCOUS! WE ARE HOUNDS! THERE AIN'T NOBODY OUT THERE THAT'S BADDER THAN WHO!" Gunnery Sergeant yells out as the soldier began to pump themselves up as the vehicle pulled to a stop. "YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!
"FUCK YES! GUNNERY SERGEANT!" The team yelled out in unison as the Rover finally parked at their destination point."OOOH RAH! OOOH RAH! OOOH RAH! WE ARE HOUNDS!"
The hatch on the roof opened first as Lemmy popped his head out along with Vickers as they began scanning the area with their Sniper Rifle Scopes while giving hand signs to the rest of the team that the coast was clear. The back ramp of the R.A.T's falls open as team with practiced precision, filed out of the rover and moved into position near the entrance to the underground base. Strike teams separated into two groups as Juuka gave out his orders.
"Okay, Boys! This is a field trip, which means if something looks important, can be carried out, or isn't bolted, then you can take it. I'll lead team Alpha with the Commander and the Major joining me while Rusty will lead team Bravo to secure all entrances and exits. If you encounter any hostiles, eliminate them." Juuka explained to his team. "And if you encounter any prisoners or any noncombatants... take care of them... No Witnesses."
Rieri and Naomi notice the sudden change in the captain, as for once since their first meeting, they did not see a fool or shameless flirt but a... cold-blooded killer. It seems that there is more to Captain Juuka Amenosa than meet the eyes.
"Let's go in boys!" Juuka cheerfully ordered.
Gunnery Sergeant Michiharu stepped up to the door first with two of his men standing behind him. Pulling out a Demo Charge, he placed it against the door and activated its timer setting.
Once finished preparing the explosive device he stepped away and took cover as they waited for the explosive to detonate, creating an opening.
"GO GO GO!"
The soldiers rushed through the hole they created with expert coordination.
"Watch the corners. I want full coverage of all angles. Be careful not to damage anything important."
The group fanned out from their entry point as they enter what seems to be a lobby. Team Alpha swept each hallway clearing room after room. So far everything went according to plan as there was not a single soul around to raised an alarm. However, Naomi spotted movement coming from one direction down the hall. She signaled the rest of the squad and pointing to the source of the noise.
As soon as she alerted everyone else, multiple armed guards came into view as they came rushing towards Juuka and his team.
Juuka signaled his Team to quickly take positions behind pillars and desks of the main lobby as the guards came into view and fired upon Team Alpha. Everyone hide behind cover as Juuka signaled his team to return fire at the enemy.
Juuka signaled to one of his men to throw in a smoke grenade to created some cover and allow the team to push forward as he activated the heads up display in his helmet as he took out a strange type of kunai shape knife. The HOUND soldier threw a smoke grenade towards the guards blocking their sight of the strike team. At the same time Juuka threw the kunai knife at the guards position as the blade missed and stuck itself on the wall behind the guards.
Juuka took out his custom forge pistol as the a pulse from the kunai knife outlined the guards numbers and position on his helmets' HUD while the smoke kept him and his team hidden. The Captain aim his pistol and squeezes the trigger multiple time with each shot was a lethal one as they hit their mark. The rest of Juuka's men followed behind him as their helmets were in sync with their captain's a multiple bodies hit the ground as each one was struck fatally several times by Juuka's squad before they fell silent.
One of the gunmen attempted to retreat but caught several shots between his shoulders as he tried running off.
The remaining enemy forces retreated back where they originated from.
Juuka checked if any of his men sustained injuries, fortunately no casualties were reported.
Rieri and Naomi were impressed by the quick action taken by Juuka and his team. Their teamwork was impeccable. It had almost looked like something you'd see straight out of a military science fiction movie.
"Commander Bishop and Major Evans are you alright? Anyone wounded here?!" Juuka asked his teammates.
Both Rieri and Naomi shook their heads indicating everything okay.
After making sure everybody is accounted for, Team Alpha continued moving onwards, following after Juuka as he led the way.
The strike team continued to sweep the facility as they expertly eliminating any threats or hostiles with precision and ruthlessness with Juuka leading them from the front.
"Lieutenant Rusty give me your sitrep?" Juuka whispered to his helmet's coms.
"All entrances and exits are secure, Captain." Lieutenant Russel answered. "We've encountered light resistance so far. Our path should remain clear as we haven't encountered heavy fortification yet. How about Team Alpha's progress?"
"Everything looks good on our end as well Rusty, proceed to your objective and wait for further orders." Juuka replied.
"Yes Sir."
Juuka then switched frequencies as he contacted his technical specialist, Private Irvak . "Iravk bring me up online and patch me through to Corporal Vickers"
"On it Capt." Private Irvak's voice came through. "Just gimme sec ... Done! You're connected directly to Corporal Vickers' helmet com feed now."
"Wonderful!" Juuka said cheerfully. "Good Job Private Iravk, keep monitoring communications and keep me posted on any unusual activity going on around this building."
"Yes, Sir!" Irvak answered.
"Alrighty! Vicky, baby. I want you and Lemmy to start lazing the facility for an immediate orbital strike with strike authorization code Zulu Zulu Tango Oscar Papa 42069. I want any nearby warship to hit this place with the heaviest thing they got. Do you understand?" Juuka asked in his usually flippant tone.
"...Fuck Me, Capitano." Vickers muttered softly before sighing. "...Yes Captain, Lemmy and I already painted the site for bombardment. Just say the word and I will blow this shithole to hell."
"Attaboy, Corporal!" Juuka laughed lightly. "You always know how to brighten my day!"
"Just another routine mission, eh, Boss?" Vickers grumbled sarcastically.
"Bloody Damn Straight, My Man! Ha-hahahaha!" Juuka snorted mirthfully before closing communication lines.
Team Alpha continued to push deeper into the facility encountering little resistance as they expertly dispatch enemy soldiers or guards that get in their way as Juuka notices the slight increase in security. He quickly motion to Rieri and Naomi that they are approaching their objective as Team Alpha made their way to a massive iron blast door reinforced with several layers of shielding surrounding it.
"Oooh, I wonder what is behind this door?" Juuka sang happily.
"It must be something. Captain have your men set up some Demo charges on this door. We don't want whatever it is falling into enemy hands." Rieri demanded coldly.
"Gotcha My Madonna of a Commander. Alrighty, guys let us hear the music!"
"I hope this blows out my eardrums...!" Private Gust muttered darkly.
The rest of the unit hurriedly prepared the necessary explosives for demolition work while taking cover behind nearby cover points as the door exploded inwards revealing a large corridor filled with various experimentations tables, cages, medical beds, and testing machinery that were beyond imagination.
"Ohh. It seems that someone is been up to war crimes and illegal research lately..." Juuka remarked.
"That doesn't surprise me," Rieri muttered. "Captain I need you and your men to download whatever information they have gathered here. Destroy any evidence of their experiments once you're done."
"Your wish is my command my shining diamond." Juuka flirted playfully as he made his way inside of the newly exposed area as he ordered his team to collect all relevant files from the computers available as well as downloading data stored within local storage banks located throughout the lab. After collecting everything valuable they destroyed every machine present there leaving nothing but scorched earth in their wake.
"Gunnery Sergeant Michiharu, please take everything we gather back to the R. and link up with Lieutenant Russell. In about ..." Juuka looked at his wrist watch at the time frame the mission had. "... 15 minutes this place will be nothing but a memory inside a scrapbook."
With a nod of confirmation given from the senior enlisted NCO the group exited the ruins of the former research compound heading toward their rendezvous point awaiting further orders to exfiltrate out from the location. Juuka looked around the research facility trying to locate anything that his men might of missed.
Rieri wanted to join the Gunnery Sergeant and the rest of the men on the way out of the facility as the less time she and Naomi spent around the Captain the better, however she felt obligated to make sure all traces of evidence linking this place was collected.
Rieri pulled her friend aside away from the rest of the soldiers. " Naomi... I want you to go with the rest of squad and keep an eye on them."
"Rieri what are you plan..." Naomi asked as Rieri cut her off.
"Please Naomi... The Captain...as annoying and disgusting as he is... there is just something about him that is not right." Rieri said as she stolen a glance over to the Captain who began to go deeper into the research facility. "I need to see what that man is up to."
Naomi hesitated for a moment before she sighs and gave a smile to her old friend. "Alright...just be careful, okay."
Rieri gave a nod to her friend as she began following behind Juuka as the rest of the soldiers had left to the extraction point. She followed him until he came across another steel door leading into a heavily fortified bunker protected by a large steel gate locking mechanism preventing passage. Curiosity getting better of her saw the Captain walk up to the door.
"Hmmmm, Well what do we have here..." The Captain said to himself in a sing song tone. Juuka saw a control terminal near the door as he made his over to it and began typing on it to find a way to open it. "Damnit... Looks like some sort of locking system."
Juuka looked at the screen as it appeared to be password protected as he began entering in different passcodes. Frustrated, he pulled out his knife and stabs it into the thin connector slot on the terminal as it causing sparks to fly as a holographic counter on the butt of the knife began to countdown
"Oh my god! Is that a...Jack Knife?" Reiri gasps out quietly from her hiding place as she watched the Captain hack the terminal with his knife inserted into the terminal.
Jack Knives were expensive pieces of equipment that cost a fortune to obtain as they can hack into any terminals or drones within seconds. There's was rumor among soldiers of the Space Federation military that illegal Crime syndicates and Black Market Smugglers use Jack Knifes regularly in their daily operation, however the military versions that were sanctioned for usage was considered highly guarded secrets within certain divisions. These types of military jack knives had the capabilities of hacking and control almost any weapon, machine, or drone giving its users unprecedented advantage in cyber warfare.
Juuka looked at the screen as the counter reaches zero signaling the end of the hacking sequence as he removed the Jack Knife from the slot as the the door automatically begins to open slowly as it unlocked itself after receiving the inputted command codes from the Jack Knife.
Looking inside Juuka found an abandoned laboratory with numerous cryogenic chambers housing bodies frozen in ice. Most appeared dead upon initial inspection; however Juuka walked passed by the last section of labs in the laboratory complex where he discovered a body that seemed still alive hooked up to a bunch of wires and tubes as the machines hummed loudly with power coursing through the life-support apparatuses keeping it alive. As the captain stared into its glass confines, Juuka could see that it looked like an teenage girl suspended in amniotic fluid and breathing via respirator connected to the surface by means of pipes leading out of the pod. The body itself had very pale skin with her haircut in a split bob - with her left side left longer - and dyed with a colorful pastel rainbow gradient, and looked rather slender yet muscular like that of gymnast judging from visible abdominal muscles beneath the tight-fitting sleeveless leotard covering half of the torso.
As Juuka continued to stare into the cryopod the body began stirring suddenly causing the machines attached to it to react by sounding alarms while pumping more drugs into her bloodstream in an attempt keep her sedated.
"Some kind of high security science facility for human experimentation from what I am seeing here...and look here the name of our prize is... Lucy Kushida, sex: female, age: 19... ohhhh so she is still so very young ...and apparently is still a virgin!...So pure."
Juuka jokes as he saw the young girl floating in the cryogenic chamber, smiling widely underneath his helmet as he read more about the body inside the tank.
"Seems like she was part of some experiment...and the final product was supposed to be delivered to Neo Terran High Command as a high grade cyber warfare soldier infiltration prototype...well I think we can find a much better use for her." He mumbled under his breath as his fingers typed out commands faster than most could follow as the screen showed reports and research notes on the girl in the cryopod. "Well, well, well... aren't you special little rabbit, my dear...hmm... actually...this is good... this is really good... It seems I've stumble upon a interesting little tool here..."
Juuka was laughing softly at how unfortunate this poor little creature truly is.
"I know exactly what we need to do with such a pretty little thing..."
The Captain whispered sinisterly, turning towards the console near the cryochamber. His fingers flew across keys as commands flashed onto the screen as it slowly turned off the cryostasis sequence. Within seconds, alarms started blaring again and red lights flooded every corner of the room and halls outside as loudspeakers echoed throughout entire compound telling everyone something was wrong with containment procedures on lab level 7.
"Security Breach! Security Breach! Delta Lab on Level 7 containment protocol have been compromised! Security Breach! Security Breach!"
The facilities security system klaxon alarms blares out while the revolving security emergency lights bath the room in red as Juuka was humming a shanty tune out. Reiri let out a cry of surprised as the Labs defenses systems kick on with all doors locking down the labs as a automated voice announces the security measures over the P.A System.
"The Facility is currently in LOCKDOWN PROTOCOL. All Non-Essential Staff are to proceed to your quarters immediately. Security Personnel should report to the designated areas. Repeat: All non-essential staff should return to their assigned living areas."
Rieri rushed up to Juuka and grabbed his shoulder armor shaking the Captain harshly.
"What the fuck have you done? Are you fucking insane?! You've locked us inside a goddamn madhouse. They'll send reinforcements soon, maybe even heavy ordnance, we need to leave immediately!"
She screamed at the brain-dead Captain but Juuka remained calm as ever as he stared intently at the terminal controlling the Cryogenic Containment Chamber.
"Let's see...disengage the safety locks... powering down the life support system... evacuating the oxygen tank of this little beauty... administering detoxification nanomites to purge any contaminants from her the body of chemicals in her respiratory system...deactivating artificial stasis units...
He mused, typing commands on the terminal while ignoring Reiri's protests.
"We don't have time for your games, Amenosa, come on, snap out of it, we need to escape right now, if they find us here like this we're as good as dead already!"
Rieri cried out exasperatedly as she was not expecting things to spiral out of control so quickly. She was still confused as to why he wanted this mysterious specimen from another top secret project for unknown reasons.
"That's Captain Amenosa, thank you. The Captain part is really important..." Juuka said childishly ignoring Reiri tirade as he focused on reviving the woman frozen in time within the capsule. Reaching forward to activate the button releasing the final stage of the revival protocols. "Opening the door... disengaging the restraints and straps..."
In front of Juuka the transparent cylinder holding the girl began lowering itself back into position and with loud hissing sound, upon hitting enter the pod door hissed opened releasing pressurized vapor into the air revealing the form of Luciela as she fell towards the floor as Juuka caught her lithe form in his arms as she let out a groan from the sudden movement.
"Whoop! I gotcha Sleeping Beauty." Juuka said as he laid the girl down on the cold floor. Juuka knelt next to the naked woman looking curiously down at her face. There were strange lines etched across her pale skin, starting from her chest, spreading across the surface area of her body before connecting to the tips of her limbs.
"She's... She's augmented." Rieri said in shock as human cybernetic augmentation was considered Illegal due to the technology being experimental. In addition, recipients of these illegal implants were prone to suffering numerous physiological and psychological side-effects, chief of which was the fact that the process would result in a "loss of humanity".
"That is what makes her so valuable. We are lucky stumble upon this little golden nugget. Our guest is coming around now, give her some space, Miss Bishop." Juuka replied as the young women's eyes fluttered open. A beautiful, innocent-looking face was framed by a split bob haircut of snow-white hair with her left side being left longer and was dyed with a colorful pastel rainbow gradient highlights.
It took a moment or two to get her bearings as Juuka got close to her and place a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.
"Hey, there gorgeous... rise and shine. Wakey, Wakey. Eggs and Bak..."
Was all that Juuka was able to say when, in a fit of rage, the girl's fist flew at Juuka's chin, delivering a surprisingly hard punch.
"Don't fucking touch me!" she growled in a gravelly voice, as she scrambled to her feet.
"Hey, hey, hey, calm down, we just saved your life." Juuka said, rubbing the sore spot on his chin where the woman had hit him. "You're safe now. We're not gonna hurt ya."
Juuka was standing up and raising his hands up in a gesture of peace.
The girl was trembling as she hugged herself, covering herself as she looked around the laboratory in fear and confusion. "Wh-where am I?" she asked, looking around the lab. Her gaze fixed on Reiri and Juuka, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Who the fuck are you two?!" she demanded.
"We're friends." Rieri said soothingly, giving her a smile as she stepped closer to her. "Here, you can cover yourself with this."
Rieri offered the girl a blanket that she had stored in her backpack and handed it to the young woman.
The woman hesitated for a moment before taking the blanket and wrapping it around herself. She then stared at the two of them, trying to gauge if she can trust them.
"I'm Rieri Bishop. This is Juuka Amenosa. What's your name?"
"Captain Juuka Amenosa! C'mon, the Captain part is important." Juuka complained as Reiri shot a look that told the Captain to shut up.
"...Luciela." she replied after a moment of silence. "Luciela Kushida."
"Well, Miss Kushida, what can you tell us about this place?" Reiri asked.
"..."
"It's okay if you don't remember much. Just tell us what you know."
"..."
"Please, Miss Kushida, anything you could tell us would be helpful." Rieri insisted.
"..." Luciela continued to stare at them in silence, as if she was trying to read their thoughts.
"I know you don't trust us, but right now, we're the only ones who can help you." Rieri said gently. "Please, just try to remember anything you can about this place."
"...I don't know...much." Luciela said finally. "I was...captured by...Neo Terra soldiers. I don't remember how. They brought me here and put me in that...thing. They did...things to me. I can't remember what...and... and..."
Luciela hazy memories were in chaos as blurs and flashes of memories were coming to her. She could barely remember anything. All she could remember were bits and pieces of memories, like broken shards of glass scattered across her mind. She couldn't remember much, but she knew it was something terrible. She could feel it in her bones. She could feel it in her very soul. She could feel her whole body shaking in fear as she remembered the terrible things that had been done to her.
"...and?" Rieri prompted.
"Uhhh... Rieri, my sweet rose of justice. You might want to take a step back..." Juuka warned as he was slowly backing away from Luciela.
"Amenosa! I don't have time for your jokes!" Rieri snapped, annoyed at Juuka.
"It's Captain Amenosa, why do you insist on not adding the Capt... uhh..." Juuka said as Luciela was hyperventilating. "Shit..."
"What's wrong with her? What happening?" Reiri asked, worried.
Luciela put her hand over her mouth as her other arm held her stomach as she bent over and began gagging until finally she vomited all over Rieri who screamed in shock as Juuka sighed.
"Therrrrre it is... Cryo Sickness." Juuka said as Rieri was wiping vomit from her face. "It usually happens when you wake up from Cryostasis as all those proteins and fluids that are pumped into you finally start moving in inside your stomach and can cause nausea or in this case vomiting."
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER!" Rieri yelled angrily at Juuka.
"I mean... I tried." Juuka replied nonchalantly.
"YOU FUCKER!"
"I'm sorry." Luciela said weakly.
"It's okay... It wasn't your fault." Reiri said, trying to reassure her.
"No. It was 100% your fault." Juuka replied with a smile on his face. Rieri's face went from annoyed to rage and back again several times before she could speak again.
"I'm...gonna...kill...you..." Rieri muttered under her breath.
"Oh, c'mon Rieri, Sweet Heart! I'm just playing around with ya! You're too serious!" Juuka said impishly.
"..."
"Look, we can argue later. Let's just get her outta here and figure things out." Juuka suggested as Reiri glared at him.
"Fine." She agreed grudgingly. "But this is far from over."
"Of course my Little Murderous Black Widow..." Juuka flirted as he gave the girls a wink.
Juuka walked over to a computer terminal as he began typing away.
"Okay...hmm... well that's not good." He murmured. "And that's even worse." He added a few moments later. "Okay...that's definitely not good." He said again.
"What's the matter?" Rieri asked him.
"This terminal is locked. I can't get access to the systems. Looks like whoever was running this place didn't want anyone else messing with their stuff. I'd need to be able to hack into the mainframe to unlock this thing."
"Can't you do that?"
"Well, I mean I could but..."Juuka said as she had her arms crossed looking unimpressed with the incompetent captain.
"Then use your Jack Knife to brute force a override?" Rieri suggested.
"What! I don't have a..."
Rieri gave the Captain a knowing look as Juuka was silent for a minute which Rieri smirked for once since meeting the captain.
"(Sigh) I mean I could but it would fried the entire system and I can't guarantee that it would even open the door." Juuka replied.
"Then we need to find a way to unlock it manually."
"Uh-huh." Juuka said as he looked over at the girl who was sitting up and wiping her mouth. "I think our new friend here might be able to help us."
"Luciela, is it?" He called to her. "Do you think you can help us out?"
"I can try." She replied weakly. "I have done this before. Just give me a minute to clear my head." Luciela said as she closed her eyes and took some deep breaths.
"Do you really think you can trust her?" Rieri whispered to Juuka.
"We don't have much of a choice." Juuka answered. "She's our only hope right now."
After a few moments, Luciela opened her eyes again as she looked at Juuka and Rieri.
"Okay, I'm ready." Luciela replied as she slowly got up and made her way to the computer console. She began typing on the keyboard for several moments as the screens changed rapidly. After a few minutes, a beep sounded from the console.
"Done." Luciela announced. "I unlocked the terminal."
"(Whistle) That was quick...your pretty good at this." Juuka complimented.
"I told you." Luciela said with a smile. "Now, what are we looking for?"
"Anything that could help us get out of here." Rieri said.
"Let me take a look at what's here." Luciela said as she started to type on the computer.
"Hmm... interesting." She said as she read the data scrolling across the screen.
"What is it?" Reiri asked as she and Juuka got closer to see.
"The scientists have been running tests on the prisoners. It looks like they were doing some sort of research on them."
"Research? What kind of research?"
"That's the weird part. The files aren't very specific, but it seems like they were researching the effects of various drugs and chemicals on the human body. And not just any drugs. They were testing the limits of the human mind and body. Some of these experiments were pretty brutal." Luciela said grimly.
Juuka looked at the files as he saw one that caught his eye. "Luciela, are you able to back these files up to a portable drive hard drive or any thing?" Juuka asked the young girl.
"Sure, but why would you want to do that?"
"Just curious. Besides, if there's any chance that the Neo-Terrans are involved in all of this, then the more evidence we have, the better." Juuka explained. "Oh and make sure to delete the original copy and plant a virus that will destroy the hard drives and corrupt the data, so that no one will know that anything was taken."
"Alright. Give me a second to set everything up." Luciela replied as she reached to the back of her neck and pushed a small pressure plate on her data ports. Luciela pulled a cord as she connected it to the terminal while her fingers danced over the keys once more. Her eyes glowed a faint blue as the data was being transferred to one of the cyberdeck ports implanted inside her brain as Rieri watched in horror.
For the Longest time Reiri had heard the horror stories of what happens to the augmented soldiers of the Neo Terran Army. Stories of men and women losing their minds and personalities to the implants and becoming soulless robots. These augmented super soldier were used to suppress the rebellious colonies on Mars and Saturn, turning the tide of battle in the favor of the Neo Terrans. Many in the New Solars had thought the programs and procedures had been disbanded and the augmented soldiers had disappeared. Now however, seeing the truth in front of her. The Neo Terran Army is still creating augmented super soldiers and are using the prison population of the outer planet colonies to experiment on. If the general populace found out of the atrocities of the Neo Terran's, the Space Federation would be torn in half with the Neo Solar Faction declaring open war and the Neo Terra would do the same to keep their power. A war would devastate both sides and cause the deaths of millions of citizens. Reiri had to inform her superiors of this and hope that the High Command of the Space Federation could find a solution to the situation.
All of her thoughts were broken when her ear piece came to life with the sound of Naomi's voice.
"Commander Bishop! Do you read me?" Naomi asked over the radio.
Rieri shook her head clear of her previous thoughts and spoke into her communicator. "Yes Major Evans I hear you loud and clear, please report." Rieri barked out in a harsh tone as her military instincts kicked in. Luciela glanced at the commander in a bit of curiosity and shock at the sudden shift in personality. It was like watching a mask come down and hide the gentle and kind face of a woman. In her place stood a hardened and stoic soldier. It was no wonder the woman in front of her had survived the battles of the Third Inner-planet war and the reputation of the 'Ice Queen' of the 108th Battalion of the New Solar Army.
"One of the Captain's men informed me that the N.S.S Antilla's Veruta has picked up our broadcast and is moving into position for an orbital bombardment of the facility! " The Major reported in a breathy voice. It sounded as if the woman was sprinting from something or someone. Then the sounds of gunfire could be heard along with the shouts and yells of men in the background.
"Major Evans. Are you alright! What's your position?!" Rieri yelled out in concern for her subordinate and friend. The sounds of fighting could still be heard before a large explosion cut off communication. Silence was all that answered the Commander and the woman called Luciela. Both of them looked at each other with worry on their faces and then dread.
"Naomi..." Rieri whispered softly to herself in fear that her junior and friend was in danger or worse.
"Well...I guess that we've overstayed our welcome." Juuka said in a jolly tone. "Time to hit the old dusty trail."
That last comment was met with glares from the woman as Rieri could only curse at how blasé the man was in the face of such a serious situation. No doubt, that the strike team was in a firefight and was pinned down somewhere in the facility. Not to mention that the Captain did not seem to be concerned that his subordinates were in the thick of it at the moment. Even if the rest of his crew was comprised of criminals and ex-cons, a leader should have at least a shred of respect and loyalty to the ones that serve him. The Commander couldn't wait till they reached Titan Station, so that way she could report the ineptitude and the lack of proper leadership the Captain has.
"Captain, contact the Antilla and tell them to cease fire immediately. We have personnel on the ground that are engaged in combat at this time." Reiri demanded in a stern voice. Her eyes glaring at the infuriating man that seemed to ignore everything that the commander had to say. Just what did the brass see in the man that warranted the rank of a Captain?!
"Rusty, Buddy...can I have you assist Team Alpha with exfil?" Juuka radio into his helmets coms. His voice was nonchalant and lazy, almost as if he were asking a waiter for the daily specials. "Tell the boys that the girls here are getting worried and would like to go home now."
A slight chuckle could be heard in his helmet.
"Understood, Cap." The voice of Rusty replied. The sound of the man's breathing could be heard in the coms as if the man was running from somewhere. "I'm making my way towards them right now. ETA 4 minutes."
"Thanks, Buddy. Okay, now that's taken care of we should probably me making our way out of here we got about hmm..." Juuka checked his wrist watch. "10 minutes. So let's make haste shall we?"
"Wait...what do you mean that we only have 10 minutes to get out of here?! How are we going to accomplish that when there are hostiles between us and getting out of here?" Luciela questioned.
"Simple. Because that's the amount of time before the place gets blown sky high by an orbital bombardment. Also, Lieutenant Naomi is in no real danger. Trust me, she can handle herself in a scrap and besides, Rusty is on his way to support her and the boys." Juuka stated. "Now, follow me ladies and I shall guide you from this dreary prison as your Knight in Shining Armor!"
Juuka gave a dramatic flourish bow to the women in front of him. The image of the Captain's action would have been impressive, and even humorous, if it wasn't for the fact that they were about to be blown up in less than 10 minutes. This did nothing to lighten the mood of the situation. In fact, the Captain's attempt to calm their nerves had the opposite effect and caused the women to be in an even fouler mood. It was only thanks to the fact that the Captain was the one in charge that they did not give in to their urges and throttle the man.
Rieri, Luciela and Juuka made their way through the facility as they ran to against time to the exit as the sounds of gun fight was getting close as Rieri and Luciela was getting concerned at the prospect of their death at the hands of their allies. Juuka on the other hand was completely at peace and relaxed that he was walking at a brisk pace and humming a tune that the two did not recognize. They came at the last intersection before the path that leads to the exit . It was here that Juuka stopped and turned around to face the two women that was still following him.
"Now ladies as much as I would love for you to witness you Soldier of Love in action I would prefer is you two stand back. Things might get...messy." Juuka explained as he unholster his pistol and took out his Jack Knife. "Don't worry though this will not take too long. Besides, I'm sure that our enemies are just DYING to meet me."
The smile that the Captain gave the women sent shivers down their spines at the thought of what the mad man would to the men that was waiting for them.
Juuka spoke into his helmets radio as he walked to the corner. "Yo! Rusty. What's the ETA on the reinforcements?"
"Sir. We should have the squad at your location in 5 mins. Do you want to hold till then? Or are you going to do your thing and take the enemy head on?" Rusty replied
"Hold off on that and let Micky know that I'll be doing some...Hunting. Tell him to fall back with the others. I should be able to deal with these chumps in no time. See ya on the outside." Juuka finished as he cuts off the radio transmission. "Now then, where was I? Oh right, killing the bad guys. Now, where were the baddies?"
Juuka took a deep breath just as he clears his mind.
Like a ballet dancer, Juuka flexed his arms and legs as he prepare himself for a dance of death.
Juuka readied up his pistol and began to sprint around the corner as the Guards were focused on Team Alpha as Team Bravo were falling back. The Neo Terran guards cheered as they were under the impression that they had beat back the soldiers but that cheer soon turn into cries of panic as one of the guards feel forward as he had a bullet go through his head a brain matter and pieces of his skull sprayed all over the guards in front of him. The neck guard turned his head quickly as he saw a single man running towards them. The rest of guards reorganized and aimed their weapons at the hostile.
"Take aim...FIRE!"
"The Guards unleash their hailstorm but the unbelievable happened as the target began to move fast and dodge the bullets as hostile target bob and weave while sliding and jumping making himself harder to hit as each step he got close to them. One of the guards could not believe his eyes as no human should be able to move that fast or be able to dodge bullets that fluidly. The hostile aimed his pistol and squeeze the trigger as the bullets hit dead center on couple of the guards head as the rest kept on firing while some of them were reloading. Each time the hostile fired his gun more and more of the guards were take out.
"FUCK THIS MAN!" One of the guards panicked as he tried to run but was gunned down by the Team Alpha and Bravo.
'Wait... they weren't falling back... they are keeping us tapped to fight this one psycho..." Thought out one of the guards as he realize that they were screwed.
"KEEP FIRING! ONE OF US HAS TO GET LUC..." Yelled out one of the guards before he was head shotted.
The hostile took a flashbang grenade in one hand as he fired with the other as he threw at the guards. The flashbang exploded in a bright flash blinding and disorienting the remaining guards. With a swift motion the hostile jumped and kicked one of the guards in the face sending him crashing into the ground. The hostile moved swiftly taking out the rest of the guards with a combination of melee and precision shooting. One of the guards tried to stab him in the throat with his knife but the hostile grabbed his arm and twisted it breaking the wrist. Another guard attempted to swing at his legs with the butt of his rifle, however, the hostile jump and landed on top of the gun. The Guard was caught off balance from the sudden weight change and the hostile grabbed his head and slammed it into the floor, crushing his nose and shattering his skull, causing blood and brain matter to splatter across the floor.
Reiri and Luciela stood behind cover as watched in awe at the sight of the one soldier as he took out 20 heavily armed soldiers. Reiri felt her mouth go dry at the sheer brutality of the battle, her heart racing in her chest as she watches the last guard get his neck snapped in front of her. Even as a the veteran of a hundred battles and wars was not prepared for such a sight. As the final body hit the ground, the room went silent, except for the ragged breathing of the lone soldier who had just fought and won against impossible odds. He turned and faced the two women, his eyes glinting with a mixture of adrenaline and determination. His expression was intense, almost feral, and his whole body was tense and coiled, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.
"Captain..." Was all that Reiri was able to say before the man who just five minutes was a total buffon irresponsible and disregardful soldier, now stand before her surrounded by the bodies of dead soldiers and looking like a vengeful god of death. His eyes locked on to her and she could feel his gaze boring into her soul. There was no mistaking the power and danger that radiated from him. It was a primal, visceral force that could not be ignored or denied. In that moment, Reiri knew that this was no ordinary soldier. He was a warrior, a predator and yet, despite the fear and trepidation that coursed through her veins, there was also a part of her that was drawn to him, fascinated by his raw strength and ferocity. It was a feeling that was both exhilarating and terrifying, and it made her heart race in a way that was completely new and unexpected. She had never felt this way before, and it left her breathless and disoriented, unsure of what to do or how to react. All she could do was stare, transfixed, as the lone figure stood before her, a testament to the power and savagery that lurked within the human soul.
"Reiri... didn't I tell you and Luciela to hang back...?" Said the Captain in a calm and cool tone of voice.
Luciela stood with a trembling hand as she stared in shock at the carnage that had unfolded in front of her. She had never seen such violence in her life, and it had shaken her to the core. As the dust settled, the lone soldier emerged from the fray as he surveyed the scene with cold, calculating yes, his face a mask of indifference. Luciela could not believe the change that had come over the bumbling idiot that she had met earlier. The captain had been so flippant and carefree, seemingly oblivious to the dangers that lurked around every corner. But when the fighting had started, he had transformed into a lethal machine, his reflexes honed to perfection and his aim deadly accurate. It was as if he had shed his former self like a cloak, revealing the true nature of the warrior beneath. And yet, even in the midst of the carnage, there was a sense of grace and elegance to his movements. Every step was precise, every shot perfectly timed. It was a dance of death, performed with the skill of a master artist, and Luciela found herself both terrified and enthralled by the spectacle.
"Well now...this is embarrassing. I was hoping on sparing you ladies from seeing me like this... Oh well I guess what's done is done. Come now, we don't want to be here once the orbital bombardment starts." Juuka said as he switch back to his carefree and flippant personality.
The two girls just absently nodded their head as they followed the Captain to regroup with the rest of the Strike team. Naomi ran up to Reiri and Luciela to see what the holdup was. Seeing the state that the girls were in, Naomi gave a questioning look at Juuka, but Juuka just shrugged his shoulders and gave his goofy grin.
***Outside the Secret Neo Terran Facility***
Juuka and the rest of the Hounds of Orion fell into formation as they quickly made their way back to the R. as Reiri and Luciela were quite the entire time.
"Captain... who's that stray that you picked up." Russell asked as his gaze was focused on Luciela.
"Ah, her... just another reject that was thrown out and was caught in the crossfire of the experiments that the Neo Terrans were conducting." Juuka replied calmly. "Her name is Luciela and it seems she has a knack for hacking and programming so, I figured it wouldn't hurt to have an extra tech on board."
"Hmmmm." Was the only response from Russell, which caused the Captain to give a smirk towards his subordinate. "Sir, with all due respect shouldn't we have an in-depth background check to make sure that this woman isn't a spy."
"She's not an enemy." Said the Captain nonchalantly. "The Boss Lady vouched for her so she can tag along for now. Besides she has nowhere else to go, the little princess is wanted by the Neo Terrans and will do whatever is needed to survive. Isn't that right little lady."
Juuka had a serious tone of voice that shook Luciela to the core. In an instant, the Captain's demeanor shifted from his usual playful and nonchalant attitude to something far more sinister.
"I am sure she is not planning on compromise us, Sir." Replied Russell, "I was merely wondering what you were planning to do with her."
"It will be fun to see her grow and become a proper lady, I say we bring her in and keep an eye on her." Juuka said as he gave a big toothy smile to the poor girl. "I think she'll make a fine addition to the crew"
"Hmph, I swear that you are a glutton for punishment, sir," Rusty said in a mirthful tone.
Russell just looked at his commander and shook his head as he looked at his commanding officer and saw a familiar glint in his eyes, one that spoke volumes of his intentions towards the young girl. It was not the first time that their leader had brought someone into their fold, but it was rare to see him so taken with anyone outside their tight-knit group. There was something different about her, and it intrigued him. He could see the potential that lay dormant within her, a raw and untapped power that could be molded and shaped into a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps, he thought, she could be the missing piece that would complete their puzzle and propel them to their ultimate goal..
The Strike Team arrive at the R. and boarded the vehicles as they prepared for departure.
"Okay, let's get the hell out of here," Russell announced to the rest of his squad. The men began loading their equipment and supplies onto the transport ships. Each man had their specific role and knew exactly what needed to be done to ensure a smooth departure. Some packed weapons, ammunition, and other essential gear, while others handled the logistics of securing the vehicles and ensuring everything was ready for take-off.
They worked in a well-practiced and efficient manner. Despite the urgency of their departure, the team remained calm and focused, relying on their training and experience to guide them. As the last of the gear was loaded, the pilots prepared for the the transports.
A shuttle swooped in at the Landing site as the R. rolled up to the craft and were hooked on and secured. Then the Shuttle lifted off and flew to the waiting mothership. As the Shuttle rose towards the atmosphere Reiri, Naomi, Luciela, Juuka, and the rest of the Strike team looked out the port side windows to the hidden facility below as a the battleship N.S.S Antilla's Veruta orbit over it and unleash its main guns on it, destroying the facility and any remaining soldiers in a massive explosion. With that the shuttle docked into the Antilia as the battleship was heading back towards the planet terraformed colony of Titan that was one of Saturn's Moons.
***Terraformed Colony on Saturn's moon, Titan***
"Well, that's that!" shouted one of the members of the strike team, his voice barely audible over the raucous noise of the bar that was called the Calypso's Kiss. "We did it, boys! We blew those bastards to kingdom come!"
Cheers and shouts of triumph echoed throughout the room, and drinks were raised in salute. But in the midst of the celebration, a lone figure stood quietly in the corner, a look of contemplation on his face.
Captain Juuka Amenosa, who was leaning on the wall in the corner, surveyed the scene before him with a mix of pride and resignation.
"Hey Cap...something on your mind?" Russell asked as he approached his leader with a mug of beer on hand. Juuka looked at his friend and smiled.
"Nah, just thinking about the next mission," Juuka replied, taking a sip of his drink. "You know me, always looking ahead."
"Yeah, that's true," Russell agreed, taking a seat beside him. "But you seem a little...distracted. Is something wrong?"
Juuka paused, considering his words carefully. Finally, he spoke.
"Sometimes, I wonder if we're doing the right thing," he admitted. "I mean, sure, we're fighting the good fight, defending the Federation against the Neo Terran scum. But at what cost? How many lives have been lost in this never-ending conflict?"
"...Quit the bullshit, Cap. Now tell me what's really on your mind." Russell said with a smile.
"Okay, Okay, it's about our handler...Rieri Bishop... her and that stray we picked up saw me in combat." Juuka sighed. Russell nodded, understanding.
"Oh, I see... you think they suspect anything?" Russell asked as he took a drink from his mug.
Juuka shook his head, his expression serious.
"I don't know, maybe. It's just that, when they saw me fight, they seemed a little too interested in my abilities. I mean, I'm not the only soldier in the Hounds of Orion. But they may start asking questions about us..."
"Relax, Boss. They're probably just impressed by your skills. You're a damn good fighter, after all." Russell reassured him.
"Maybe you're right," Juuka conceded, taking another sip of his drink. "But still, I can't shake the feeling that there's something more to it than that...keep an eye on that Stray we picked up."
"That girl,Luciela, right?" Russell recalled. "Sure, boss. I'll keep an eye on her."
As the night wore on, the celebration continued, with stories of bravery and heroism being exchanged among the soldiers. But in the back of Juuka's mind, a nagging doubt lingered. Could they trust their new handlers, Reiri and Naomi?
Only time would tell, he thought, downing the rest of his drink and joining in the revelry. For now, he would enjoy the company of his fellow soldiers and put aside his worries.
But deep down, he knew that the road ahead was uncertain, and that the battles they fought were far from over.
With a sigh, Juuka closed his eyes and tried to push the thoughts from his mind.
As the night wore on, the celebration continued, with stories of bravery and heroism being exchanged among the soldiers. But in the back of Juuka's mind, a nagging doubt lingered. Could they trust their new handlers, Reiri and Naomi?
Only time would tell, he thought, downing the rest of his drink and joining in the revelry. For now, he would enjoy the company of his fellow soldiers and put aside his worries.
But deep down, he knew that the road ahead was uncertain, and that the battles they fought were far from over.
With a sigh, Juuka closed his eyes and tried to push the thoughts from his mind.
A/N: And that's a wrap! So what do you guys think? Hopefully this new series I am working on is just as good as the other stories. As I said before this will be sci-fi theme and will include things from it so expect some familiar things or similar things to pop up. As for the protagonist well... he is no white knight or good guy, the protag and his men are beasts of war who will win no matter the cost to themselves or of others so expect dark themes ahead.
This story will be updated from time to time but not as often as the Taimanin one as I my focus on that one until the end and once that is finished then I can work on this one full time before moving on to the next one.
