Futuristic Starpath X: For All Mankind

[Infab]

Sam gently lowered the hammer on his revolver with his thumb, glancing towards Krawczyk as things seemed to cool off. She's from Achenar? I thought she might have been from one of the colonies closer to Earth, or even a spacer... We're here fighting over her homeworld.

...That explains quite a lot.

"Glad that didn't escalate any further." he soon said. "...We should get some rest. We all need it."

He then shifted his attention back to Krawczyk. "...I'm sorry you're having to go through all of this, Sarge. You're not going through it alone, though." he said quietly, before turning about. He needed to find a place to sleep. He wasn't one for sleeping in clustered groups, even during boot. Usually finding a place off to himself, but still close enough to get involved if the need rose. It helped him relax and breathe a bit, especially after long days like this.

Adam, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow. "Huh. She's from Achenar. That explains a lot." he muttered to himself. She's watching her home burn while we retreat. What we've done to its people. Her people. I'd be pissed off too, if Nyx was done the same way.

He sighed, glancing down towards the pavement before looking to his gear. Don't need that anymore. He stepped over, stacking the old Upyri combat armor in a neat little pile, before moving closer to the platoon. He found an old concrete barrier to sit against, and simply sat down. He'd sleep there for the night. He folded his arms, crossed his legs, and simply relaxed. Resting his head against the barrier as he closed his eyes.

 

[Breadman]

"I was expecting things to escalate to something worse." Kumcho commented as he watched the Kosoks leave. "They seem just as tired as the rest of the camp." He continued to talk to anyone who would listen, which seemed to be no-one at this point. He looked around and shrugged. There would be more time to talk in the morning and hopefully no annoying disturbances, but this was a coalition camp. These things will happen. He wondered a bit to find a nice spot to lay down. Even with the frustrating delays, he was exited for the next day. Tomorrow the hunt was on.

Loren finished off his cigarette and let Adam get some rest. The 'goblins' made their mess to his annoyance, but would soon depart. He turned back to where his comrades were still having their conversation with the mysterious soldier.

"How's the night going for you fine folks?" He asked with a slight sneer.

"Rather illuminating to say the last." Mordecai looked at him and back to Boyan "Our friend here is going to be joining us."

"He's augmented?"

"No, but we're taking him with us."

"Is that so?" Loren crossed his arms and gave Boyan an inspecting look "So what is he really?"

"SID."

"You're shitting me." This guy was Sol Intelligence?

"Nope, he is not. Technically, he just recruited us to be his bodyguards."

"Fucking...what?" Loren looked to Mordecai like he just sprung a second head.

"We're two different branches, but in times of war, we have that authority, if only temporary." Boyan tilted his head to take a look at the camp behind Loren. "Right now, I have better odds if I stick with you can openers than with the grunts."

"Call us loving names like that and I see why you guys have an abnormal friendly frag count in embedded units." Saintclair crossed her arms.

"Thats just a rumor by the SIA. We kinda don't like each other." This caused her to roll her eyes. The rivalry between and Sol Intelligence Department and the Sol Internal Authority was well known to anyone hanging around any military personnel, but she didn't think it was that petty. The rumors of the two being merged sounds like a pipe dream with each new detail she learns.

"In any case, we need to cook up a reason for you to be transferred off your unit." Saintclair looked at her second in command. "Any ideas?"

"Simple recruit request. I have a good chunk of time from his feed saved. Its good enough to say you're interested in expanding the program."

"Works as a cover story. Welcome to the Vultures, Novy."

"The honor is all mine." He faintly smiled and nodded. "Best get back to the others and prepare myself for the surprise tomorrow." One final look around and the group went their separate way. Ready for the following morning,

 

[K0mori]

Activity around the various camps began to die down in the small hours of the morning, with Krawczyk being the last to finally drift off to sleep after making sure that Palencia would do the same. The stars above were interspersed with occasional flashes from orbital combat; the upyri continued to conduct evacuations from across the planet for hours after the initial exodus, with all but the luckiest rescue craft being intercepted by Kosok starfighters. Years later, pilots who fought in these altercations would describe the experience as utterly harrowing for the humanoids, and nothing more than a training exercise for the xenos.

Just before dawn (in New Durban), the largest remaining unit of the Upyri Marines to remain operational on Achenar surrendered in the city of Eden, dividing the remaining forces into two distinct groups: those who could accept the hopelessness of their abandonment on Achenar's surface, and those intent on digging in and fighting in a resistance indefinitely - waiting for a counterattack which would ultimately never materialize. Had the end of the war not come just days after these events, it is unclear how many further lives would have been lost from these fanatical holdouts.

--
​

When first call sounded at dawn the following morning, the soldiers of Patrol 2 found themselves to be better rested than their short rest hours would have normally allowed, both because of prescribed supplements for the UFS allowing for more immediate access to REM sleep, as well as the sudden intense silence which fell over the city at the conclusion of the spaceport's liberation. It was 05:00, and under the pink of the coastal morning sky, the various units throughout the landing pads gathered up their gear, having it packed for departure before they were permitted to stop and consume their MREs.

Krawczyk, resting on the ground next to her pack and her rifle, squeezed the plastic packaging of the meal kit in her hands and bent it until she heard a crack from within. Chemicals mixed together, rapidly heating inside the pack, which she dropped onto the concrete to allow it to cook. Most of the unit was busy doing the same thing, but this left Zetter without anything for himself; Patrol 2 had not been dispatched with food suitable for upyri marines. While she waited for her MRE package to "pop," its inner seal breaking from the steam pressure inside the bag, denoting that the food was cooked, she walked over to him.

"Zetter," she said flatly, neither overtly hostile nor outwardly friendly. "We don't have anything for you - an oversight on my part. You can check around with the other units here at the Gateway while we move on, if you like; I can send word around that you're POW, but cooperative. But..." she added as a concession, "If you're going to stay and keep fighting on our side to get this thing wrapped up, I can get a supply order in for your equipment, since we'll need you in friendly colors."

 

[Breadman]

With the crack of dawn, Kumcho awoke from where he had laid down. The previous day wasn't exactly exhausting enough for him to sleep for longer. Even if he wanted to catch additional sleep, it would be hard to do with all the noise and smells that were now polluting the air. The various odors he could pick up were from the MREs the humans began to cook up for their morning breakfast. He would do the same, but he lacked the required meal kit. Something he didn't have time to fix the previous night. Lucky that he thought ahead and packed something to eat. He had ended up going hungry once or twice before when he had attached himself to an ongoing war and wasn't looking to have a repeat if he could avoid it. His clan's supplier was a hard man, harder to please with all the expectations he had from them, but one thing was undeniable. Somehow he made these rations taste incredible.

Boyan awoke from his short rest feeling refreshed enough. He did the same morning ritual as everyone else, pretending the previous night didn't happen. That is he would if he didn't hear the footsteps get closer and the same figures as before aproach. The woman and her pet second in command.

"This couldn't wait until after we've eaten?" He complained before eyeing them with annoyance

"I refuse to believe you like what they serve in those." Mordecai crossed his arms. "Surely you'd opt for something better."

"Its the energy for the day. Did they replace your stomach too?" The cyborg gave him a smirk. "You survive on robot gruel and are mouthing off about these things" Boyan held the MRE up "Fine. Lets get this over with." He rolled his eyes as he placed it on the concrete to cook. Saintclair motioned for him to lead them as to keep up the ruse it was them recruiting him and not the other way around. It wasnt short before the trio would find Krawcyk.

"We are looking for whoever is in charge of this unit." The Vulture commander spoke up calmly "We have some quick business to take care of."

 

[Infab]

Beef shredded in barbecue sauce. Well, at least its a decent one. Doesn't beat actual cooked meals, but it works. Oh, it comes with a cinnamon bun too. Neat.

Sam sat quietly, reading over the back of the MRE's packaging as the others were still waking up and preparing their own meals. Eventually, he glanced up to see Krawczyk moving away from where she had been sitting and over towards Adam. Well, time to see what she does with him. Does he stick around, or leave as a POW?

Really, they needed the manpower, so it would be beneficial if he stuck around. Plus, he knew Upyri combat tactics and the intricacies of their language. Even more useful if they ever got the chance to intercept comms or prepare for offensives and counter-offensives. He watched the two as Krawczyk spoke to Adam, whom had been simply sitting where he had come to rest during the night. Arms still folded, looking up at the sergeant as she talked.

At least she's being sort of nice to him now.

"Zetter," she said flatly, neither overtly hostile nor outwardly friendly. "We don't have anything for you - an oversight on my part. You can check around with the other units here at the Gateway while we move on, if you like; I can send word around that you're POW, but cooperative. But..." she added as a concession, "If you're going to stay and keep fighting on our side to get this thing wrapped up, I can get a supply order in for your equipment, since we'll need you in friendly colors."

"...I'll stay. I'd be more useful here with you and the others than I would be locked up in a room with some officer and an interrogator." responded Adam, looking about for a moment. "Really the only specialized thing I need is something to turn food into a slurry. We can't eat solid foods like you humans and some other races do, so we have to mince it up into a slush and drink it. That, or I'll need nutrient paste."

He then glanced to some of the weapons the group was carrying. "If a weapon isn't out of the question, a shotgun would be suitable. I used something similar before." he mentioned, "Not as good as your corpsman's revolver, but it would work until this is all over with."

He stood up after a moment. "If you need uniform sizes, I can provide the measurements." he added, before noticing someone on approach. More of those spec-ops types.

 

[joshuadim]

The next morning, Mazurek kept to himself as he warmed up a MRE ration of his own - flavoured supposedly to be pad thai with beef strips - and snacked on it once it was sufficiently heated through chemical means. He still felt a lingering embarrassment for having lashed out the night before, though a part of him remained ardent in justifiably shouting down those damn Kosoks. From what he could tell, with Kang's reaction to their own translator, that they were particularly intent on having any sort of good faith regardless if they fought on the same side at this point in time. There were few actual aliens that humanity could trust, it seemed, and the list was already short as it was... and Mazurek couldn't help but grind his teeth in frustration towards the implications. When it was said we were alone in the universe, I bet they didn't think it meant like this. the corporal pondered to himself as he finished his meal and got ready.

His first order of business was apologizing to Kang, given the danger that he had recklessly put her into without regards. He looked over their own encampment, before spotting her tending to her own gear and quickly paced himself over to her. "I want to say sorry." Mazurek quickly said before she could speak, "I put you in danger because of my actions last night. Things could've gotten ugly probably because of me."