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Futuristic Starpath X: For All Mankind

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.
 
"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,
 
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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."
 
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."
 
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.
 
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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."
 
"...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.

"I'll have Kang link you into the unit comm link proper; give her your measurements and we'll be able to order the kit with our next supply drop. I'm not going to request you a weapon; the brass wouldn't approve of me re-arming a POW without their approval, so we'll just find you something on the ground... When we report to the motor pool, any ammo or other supplies that've been recovered around the Gateway will be on-hand there, so we can just rummage for it. Though if we're going to be choosing betters, we'd better get there before the other units do. We'll figure it out," Krawczyk replied as she turned back toward her meal, which had just burst open to vent out steam.

Just as she had taken the first few bites, she was approached by someone new.

"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

The Sergeant looked up from her meal - spaghetti with meat sauce - and set her spork down in the bag, and the bag down beside herself. "That'd be me," she replied, guardedly. "I'm Sgt. Krawczyk; what do you need?"

Not far away, Kang was finishing up her own meal of pork and beans, which she had eaten quickly after waking up particularly hungry.
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."

Kang looked at him tiredly. "I'm glad they didn't," she said, uncomfortably. "Can I be honest with you, sir, for just a second? Those things you said to Naghan... In fact, any time anyone says something that confrontational to a Kosok, I've got to be the one to communicate it. ...And it's a lot of pressure, you know, arguing with them like that. That translator they had - the lirya, Ikrye? - she saw you yelling like that, she knew you were pissed, and so she translated you with the worst interpretation of what you were saying, so I couldn't even de-escalate things."

She sighed, having vented her frustrations. "I appreciate the apology... I know it isn't easy, but try to remember that the Kosoks aren't 'little green men,' even if Naghan is, well, a little green man. They're individuals like us, and they wanted this war even less than we do. I'm sure if you had just handed over the viri when Naghan asked for it, things would've gone a lot better."

She huffed, clearly uneasy about lecturing a superior.
 
Mazurek nodded silently as Kang spoke, considering she was right about the whole matter he allowed her to speak her mind without interruption. He grimaced when she mentioned the Kosoks as well as what likely would have happened had he simply complied with the demand. But a small part of him still felt prideful about the whole thing... who were they to dictate and give orders as if they were superior? The way they acted - and spoke - saw them viewing humans as beneath them, which was something that made the Sergeant's stomach churn in disgust and with fear. He kept those things to himself however as he nodded again after Kang finished speaking and let out a sigh.

"Yeah..." he muttered with a deflated tone, kicking a small pebble nearby as the words sank in. "...just wish they weren't such assholes about it, y'know?"
 
Kang shrugged. "...Yeah, well we're not exactly making a good first impression to the galaxy," she sighed. "Honestly, I thought things were gonna be like Star Trek, and I was going to be sitting in a room with some Kosok diplomat, helping them understand something cultural like... who Elvis was."

She started laughing at the absurdity of the idea. "Heh heh, imagine if that was a thing in every culture, though? Like - 'oh, that's what your Elvis looked like? This was ours.' And then we'd have a reference point to build on... But, anyway, none of that's happening because their first and only impression of the human race is that we're too violent to get along with others. We bred ourselves into super-soldiers so we could fight xenos, and then halfway collapsed our own civilization by fighting each other."

She looked over toward the Kosok camp and the tank at the center of it. "...Everyone is looking at the wrong stuff. Humans look at the Kosoks and they see starships bigger than anything we've dreamed of outside of sci-fi, they see the plasma rifles and all the tech, and it's like... Tech is like math. There's a correct answer to any problem, and the Kosoks have been working at it longer than we have. The tech doesn't tell you anything about who people actually are. And I guarantee you, the politicians are thinking that the best way to impress the Kosoks is to blow shit up - show them how big a boom we can make, since that's what we're impressed with out of them. But... it's not going to move the needle, no way," she insists, looking crestfallen as she brings her arguments to a conclusion.

"...If you want to impress the Kosoks and change the way they see us, there's only one way to build a bigger bomb, but there's an infinite number of ways to describe a sunrise. It'd be nice to give them one they haven't heard before."
 
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I'm Sgt. Krawczyk; what do you need?
"Commander Saintclair. Vulture unit that assisted you during the fight. We have a special interest in your man here." She pointed to Boyan as he stood beside her. "During the fight we used his footage to organize our own strikes against Upiry forces. Frankly I was impressed with him and I believe my superiors would be too. So I will be taking him off your hands." She spoke in such a dry tone about taking Boyan away that he wondered for a second if she was more eager to give the game away. Fake some enthusiasm, woman. He looked back to Krawczyk and shrugged his shoulders, faking ignorance. "Your unit will be compensated for the loss of manpower he might provide of course. General Adler is used to rubber stamping requests and restorations."

Nearby, Kumcho walked and ate from his own meal. The dried meat made from his clan's quartermaster had lasted the trip and as always, it tasted wonderful. Wonderful compared to what you would find in military camps at least. He would soon join his new comrades in the field, but there was still some time before that. Among the grunts, he spoted Kang along with the other man he met last night, Mazur? No, that wasnt it. Mazurek. That was it. They were already having their own conversation about, surprise, the kosoks. Those little demons are the main topic for everyone when they arrive. Rarely someone has anything nice to say. At least thats what he remembers.

He didn't mean to interrupt Kang as he waited for her to finish. "Good morning. Hope the Kosoks weren't running in your dreams if you're talking about them so early."
 
Sam watched Krawczyk for a while, as she spoke to Adam, while his MRE cooked next to him against concrete rock he was sitting on. It must have went well, since she never raised her voice in anger. As she left him, returning to her own food and digging in, Sam then noticed some Spec Ops approach the Sergeant with Boyan at their side. Wonder what that's all about?

Eventually, his own food was done. Time to dig in.


Alright, I guess. I can probably find a food processor on an Honor Guard body somewhere. Hope I can find a decent weapon, though.

Adam eventually stood from where he was seated, looking around until he spotted Kang. She was talking to Mazurek nearby, who looked a lot better than he did yesterday after being shot in the torso. There was also someone new with them. Some sort of wolfman. He approached them, walking across the concrete to where they were sitting. As he arrived, he spoke up politely.

"Hey there." he said, offering a small wave to the three of them before squatting next to Kang. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything but... I spoke to your Sargent a moment ago and it looks like I'll be sticking with your group for the time being. She told me to give you my measurements for a new uniform for the next supply drop. She mentioned something about getting me tied into your comms network too, but I'll leave that as a conversation between you and her."
 
"...If you want to impress the Kosoks and change the way they see us, there's only one way to build a bigger bomb, but there's an infinite number of ways to describe a sunrise. It'd be nice to give them one they haven't heard before."
Mazurek smiled at Kang's poetic musing, and nodded along: "Have you considered writing a book?" he joked lightheartedly, "No, but seriously... guess when you put it like that, I couldn't put it any better myself. But that road goes two ways, no? They'd have to be willing to listen to that too."

"Good morning. Hope the Kosoks weren't running in your dreams if you're talking about them so early."
Kumcho's arrival turned Mazurek's attention as he shrugged: "I slept well enough." A roar of fighter craft in the distance took his attention away for a moment, bringing him to sigh: "Well enough as one can in a warzone anyway." It was then Adam's arrival that made Mazurek still for a moment as he kept a levelled gaze on him. He still wasn't fond of his presence - given what he was - but considering what happened the day prior...

Mazurek took a deep breath and swallowed his hatred and nodded to Adam: "I don't know anything about that, but if the Sarge said so then so it is."

Elsewhere on the Front, Clan Blacktooth Encampment

"The rest of the expeditionary force has arrived in orbit, seems we were much earlier than expected." Ja'llor pointed onto the holo-map onto various areas in and outside the city, indicating several points with distinct markings showing positions of their clannic cousins. "Two battalions from Clan Redhide have taken position 50 miles north of the city, their tanks are to take on enemy armour in the plains there alongside the Kanodyar. Two battalions from Clan Broken Claw are south of the city, planning on a flanking manuever to fully have the city encircled with allies."

"And what of Sun-Clan?" Jemmez asked.

"Seems they've moved to conduct raiding missions along the star-routes rather than participate in the offensive."

Jemmez let out an annoyed 'tsk' as he observed another marking grew closer to their own position. "Our elders have sent us an additional battalion to reinforce us for the next assault as well." Ja'llor then explained with a toothy grin. "With our current numbers, our job will be much easier here."

Jemmez looked out towards those under his command, many of whom were injecting stimulants into their necks as they prepared for the fight to come. In the past, it would take time for such inebriation to circulate out of their system; but the wonders of modern technology allowed chemicals to immediately bind to the chemicals in their blood and have them flushed out quickly from their systems. They had scored a good victory yesterday - even with the loss of some of their own - but today was bound to be different. More difficult. With their presence now known, the Upyri would undoubtedly have prepared some countermeasures.

Only time would tell as Jemmez picked up his heavy rifle and chambered it: "Prepare for battle. We'll hear from our allies when to commence."
 
"Commander Saintclair. Vulture unit that assisted you during the fight. We have a special interest in your man here." She pointed to Boyan as he stood beside her. "During the fight we used his footage to organize our own strikes against Upiry forces. Frankly I was impressed with him and I believe my superiors would be too. So I will be taking him off your hands." She spoke in such a dry tone about taking Boyan away that he wondered for a second if she was more eager to give the game away. Fake some enthusiasm, woman. He looked back to Krawczyk and shrugged his shoulders, faking ignorance. "Your unit will be compensated for the loss of manpower he might provide of course. General Adler is used to rubber stamping requests and restorations."

"Oh, it's you guys... Well, thanks for the support last night; that was shitshow," Krawczyk replied, clearly deflated to hear that a member of her squad was getting poached. "As for Novy, I haven't received his transfer from my CO yet; I suppose that's on its way. And the offer? I'll keep it in my back pocket. We'll be moving on to secondary objectives today and cleaning out the stragglers. If we need something FedEx'd, we'll put the call in on Gen. Alder's line," she said with a sneer.

---
Mazurek smiled at Kang's poetic musing, and nodded along: "Have you considered writing a book?" he joked lightheartedly, "No, but seriously... guess when you put it like that, I couldn't put it any better myself. But that road goes two ways, no? They'd have to be willing to listen to that too."

Kang nodded with a grim look on her face. "Yeah, they would. But it's good to remember that they're not all the same, just like us. I just need to find someone on their end who's patient enough to hear us out."

He didn't mean to interrupt Kang as he waited for her to finish. "Good morning. Hope the Kosoks weren't running in your dreams if you're talking about them so early."

"Oh, good morning," she replied with a smile and a shake of her head. "No, thankfully. I dreamt about a message I was trying to translate, actually, but I couldn't make any sense of it. And like, my brain couldn't decide if I was supposed to be out here in the field or if it was for a college assignment, because I kept feeling like if I didn't figure it out, the only thing that would happen is that I'd get some kind of mark on my transcripts," she explained with a chuckle.

Then, as Mazurek added his own comments about sleep the prior night, Zetter arrived to inform them of his activation within the unit.

"Hey there." he said, offering a small wave to the three of them before squatting next to Kang. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything but... I spoke to your Sargent a moment ago and it looks like I'll be sticking with your group for the time being. She told me to give you my measurements for a new uniform for the next supply drop. She mentioned something about getting me tied into your comms network too, but I'll leave that as a conversation between you and her."
Mazurek took a deep breath and swallowed his hatred and nodded to Adam: "I don't know anything about that, but if the Sarge said so then so it is."

"Oh, yeah... I've got it," Kang said, nervously, as she sensed the tension between the Corporal and their new upyri comrade. Once she had finished configuring the new addition and adding the uniform to the supply drop order, she looked up at the two of them again and tried to diffuse the tension. "...So, I guess all that help you gave us at the fuel depot really left an impression," she said, trying to remind Mazurek of Zetter's actions. "I'm glad you didn't take her, uh, trying to shoot you personally."
 
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"...So, I guess all that help you gave us at the fuel depot really left an impression. I'm glad you didn't take her, uh, trying to shoot you personally."

Adam nodded softly, rubbing his shoulder where the gunshot wound Krawczyk had given him was. "I deserved it, honestly." he responded, "I was trying to prove myself to all of you that I was more than just some random Upyri trying to save his own skin, but I was going about it the wrong way. I hope what I did back at the fuel depot helps to show that I meant what I said."

He then looked to the others next to Kang. "...I can translate Upyrian, and can provide information on battle tactics, weakpoints in armor, and what might prove useful to us among Upyri weaponry and supplies. Anything to help out. Maybe I can convince some of them to surrender, too, though since this is the Honor Guard... you might not see many surrendering. Especially to xeno forces like the Kosoks."

He paused for a moment, before speaking again. "I do hope some of them surrender, though. Not all of us wanted this war, but we were strong-armed into it by Ker and its allies. Nyx, my homeworld... its a trade hub. We make and sell things. We were against cutting contact with humanity. Of course, Ker didn't care. None of the western colonies did. So... here we are." He looked up to Mazurek. "I watched Eridia burn from orbit, because the Imperator on Ker and the Imperial Intelligence Service said it had to burn. I spent every day afterwards trying to find a way to defect. Everything the Empire has done from the start has been wrong in so many fucking ways... and after this battle is over, it'll eat itself alive trying to figure out what went wrong. I honestly see a civil war breaking out... and I hope Nyx survives."
 
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Hearing an Upyri mention Eridia would have, on any other day, made Mazurek draw his weapon and pull the trigger out of anger - repeating the same mistake that Krawczyk had prior - but he recognized that at least this one particular Upyri wasn't like those he had witnessed on recordings carrying out their ruthless slaughter; those Honor Guard that butchered his family both on the ground and in orbit and left the planet a husk of its former self. And Adam seemed to want to, at least in his own way, try to atone for those immense sins by helping their effort in retaking Achenar. One small gesture amidst a growing tide of dissatisfaction and discontent amidst those among the enemy who disagree with the Empire and its tactics.

It made Mazurek look away as Adam spoke, as he was unable to face the Upyri given his own thoughts. And ultimately it made him take a deep breath out of frustration towards himself and towards the whole situation.

"...I hope so too." the Corporal managed to get out, if only bitterly, as he kept his gaze averted.
 
"We appreciate your cooperation, ma'am." Saintclair nodded. "Paperwork will be done soon. Pencil pushers need their beauty sleep and take their time." Mordecai glanced to his commander and then to Boyan. If Alder wouldn't cover for them, then he would likely have to make for some forgery of his own. Then again, shouldn't Boyan's department print those documents like they're flyers? "Can't comment on our orders, but we will be operating in the area for the forceable future as well, just as you and I have some advice regarding, General Alder. Ask for something expensive. He's a big fan of our R&D." Mordecai's attention turned back to the Vulture commander. What did she mean by that?

"Sorry to split and leave like this, sarge." Boyan finally said something. "I'll be lying if I said I'm not up for this, though." About the only thing he wasn't lying about. "Clandestine opeations against the vamps. Just like the old days."
---
"You see, I did not go to any of the big schools, or the small ones for that matter." Kumcho responded to Kang with a smile, "I am spared that set of anxieties in my sleep." His attention was drawn to their new Upiry member. This squad was becoming very interesting, and already he had history with the group. Judging by the look of the corporal, it was rough. An Honor guard switching sides was out of the ordinary, but his own career as a bounty hunter was strange enough. "Maybe you're the first block to fall and tip the rest, who knows? Maybe a few missing heads from the higher ups will make the lower ranks think twice." Kumcho shrugged.
 
"Can't comment on our orders, but we will be operating in the area for the forceable future as well, just as you and I have some advice regarding, General Alder. Ask for something expensive. He's a big fan of our R&D."

"...Understood, Commander. Thank you," Krawcyzk replied as she considered the possibilities. The war hadn't been going on for long - not by the standards of some conflicts in human history - but the speed of technological progress had been breakneck since humanity made first contact with extra-terrestrials. Every piece of equipment which had fallen into human hands, from sale, capture, or even abandonment, had proved to be an extraordinary boon and an incentive for innovation. Even while fighting for its very survival, the USF government had authorized vast amount of money to be pushed into research and development. On all fronts, new ideas were being tested, new gadgets employed, and new models deployed.

It was all necessary to close the gap humanity had created when it moved its most advanced defensive armaments into the perimeter, to be controlled by the upyri before their ultimate betrayal. The state understood that in order to win, humanity didn't just need to catch up with its rebellious offspring, it had to leapfrog it. It probably wasn't even necessary for Krawczyk to know what technology needed testing; if she asked for a tank, they might just send the latest model. If she asked for small arms, the next batch could be prototypes. It wasn't her job to be informed on the latest developments.

"Sorry to split and leave like this, sarge." Boyan finally said something. "I'll be lying if I said I'm not up for this, though." About the only thing he wasn't lying about. "Clandestine opeations against the vamps. Just like the old days."

"Godspeed, Novy," Krawcyzk said. They exchanged salutes, after which the sergeant turned away. "...Give 'em hell. They think they're gonna have a last stand, so we've got to sit 'em down first."

She picked up her meal off the concrete and quickly shoveled back the remaining amount before calling the whole of Patrol 2 to attention on the comms and then ordered them to move toward the motor pool that they could already see assembling near one of the spaceport's terminals, with a line of tanks, transports, fuel trucks, and APCs slowly rumbling through the checkpoint at the perimeter of the zone. Similarly, the Kosoks were packing up their own camp, as were many of the alien volunteers and mercenaries. They would be resupplied from the trucks and from equipment salvaged from the Gateway while Krawczyk awaited their next orders from Lt. Das.

---
"You see, I did not go to any of the big schools, or the small ones for that matter." Kumcho responded to Kang with a smile, "I am spared that set of anxieties in my sleep." His attention was drawn to their new Upiry member. This squad was becoming very interesting, and already he had history with the group. Judging by the look of the corporal, it was rough. An Honor guard switching sides was out of the ordinary, but his own career as a bounty hunter was strange enough. "Maybe you're the first block to fall and tip the rest, who knows? Maybe a few missing heads from the higher ups will make the lower ranks think twice." Kumcho shrugged.

Kang smiled, both from the friendly conversation she was having with another alien (which was always a treat, in her book), but also because of the effort Mazurek was making to control his temper and from the patience and understanding that Zetter was showing after making the difficult decision to stand against the upyri war machine, well before the tides began to turn. He certainly could have made the effort before the alliance was on the periphery's doorstep, but it certainly wasn't too late to make a difference.

Just then, the message came in for the unit to proceed to the motor pool for resupply. "Ah, looks like we're finally moving. I hope we got the measurements sent out in time; we're obviously going to be getting your uniform by air-drop, but the drones are going to need to be sent our way before we all get on the move, so..." she says, tipping her head back and forth and shrugging. "If we missed it, they'll be on the next drop for sure," she says as a consolation.

---
As Patrol 2 assembled at the designated spot, they began to appreciate how thoroughly the upyri had been decimated the prior day, with the majority of the casualties coming from xeno units like the Kosoks and the Ursaatari. Huge mounds of equipment lay strewn out on the ground - everything from helmets to rangefinders, rifles to landmines - piles and piles of used and unused equipment sorted into mostly-like heaps. As quickly as these items arrived, however, many were being taken by USF soldiers who were waiting for their orders, beginning with the best-looking and cleanest pieces. As Zetter arrived with Mazurek, Kang, and Kumcho, he was escorted to have his pick of the lot.

Not far behind them, Krawczyk, Chou, Caine, Acheson, Palencia, Hilmarrson, and Atlas arrived in fair spirits. "...Novy's been reassigned," Krawczyk said to Mazurek as they came within earshot. "He's going to running with the Vulture unit from here on. As for us, we're going to be assaulting Zeta-Shimizu Works today. That means we'll need anti-vehicle everything we can get our hands on, understood?"
 
"Understood ma'am." Mazurek nodded to the Sergeant, after having taking an initial cursory glance around towards the materials available. What they needed was likely to be in short supply already if it hadn't been snagged by other units, and so the Corporal quickly rounded up the others nearby to spread the word: "You heard the boss! Get everything that's high-yield in our hands! Rockets, launchers, grenades, AM rifles, anything like that! Get your hands full and report back ASAP, I want our shopping cart to look like a Christmas list the enemy will shit their pants over!"

And keeping true to the orders, he marched over towards a nearby pile of equipment and rummaged through what was available. Small arms aside, there was a new bodypack that seemed to be in much better condition than the one he had been lugging around; given the bullets it had absorbed, he opted to quickly replace his own equipment with the Upyri issued body armour and noticed the immediate difference in the weight as it made him less encumbered than the other. But beyond that, he also noticed a disposable AT launcher - one shot only - as well as a pump action grenade launcher. And just as fortunate, there were belts of ammo for it lying nearby as well that - on closer inspection - revealed them to be thermobaric rounds.

And so, holding the AT launcher in one hand and the grenade launcher in the other, Mazurek started to make his way back to Krawczyk whilst wrapped in three belts of rounds for the latter. He plodded the equipment down nearby once he arrived and took a moment to catch his breath, the weight having gotten to him though not enough to damper spirits as he grinned like a kid in a candy store: "Plenty of munitions to go 'round Sarge." he spoke confidently.
 
"You got it, boss." Kumcho answered to the Sergeant and Corporal's instructions and turned his attention to the piles of equipment that wasn't already beset by the other humans and their allies. Very organized, the humans, in their own way. Everyone wants their share of the loot, but they can't just grab fistfuls and run away with what they want. Everything has to be placed in a neat pile in order to give everyone a fair shot. Yet there are no restrictions on what they can carry. Organized chaos. He had to admit, though. There was an element of fun in digging through the piles to get the gear he wanted.

It's not like he came unprepared. What self-respecting bounty hunter would come to a job without any gear? His armor, while light, helps him hunt and track his bounties. It's sensors built to help him keep his prey in sight. The primary weapon of his clan, the retractable spear that releases an electric charge, would be great against soft targets, but would be useless against the hard several centimeters thick armor of a tank. Like-wise for the laser pistol secondary. The bladed discs and bolas would certainly not fair well against enemy armor.

But now through the piles, he found something for the job. Next to the captured standard issue snipers, was the anti-material rifle. Kumcho reached for it and snatched it right before an El'uth could make a move for it. "Sorry, my friend. I am adopting her for this job." He shrugged, "But how about you meet me after the mission? She may need a new home still." Unorthodox, but he found that it's better to not get attached to equipment for long. Mission parameters may always change. Next, he had to secure ammo for the gun. The appropriate type was nearby in large quantities. Nearby he found grenades, flash bangs and the wonderful human invention-claymores. Supposedly named after a type of sword, these little problem solvers are a must for anyone planning to use a sniper. Once they developed IFF tech for them, their popularity exploded. Wouldn't hurt to take a few.
 
Sam had finished chowing down on his meal just seconds before the order was given to pack up and move. He trashed his used MRE, before gathering up his gear and assembling at the designated spot with the others. It looked like they'd be digging through captured and salvaged Upyri equipment. Good. Medical supplies would be useful. He dig through and salvaged what he could find, tossing it into a rucksack he found among the equipment. He'd leave the anti-armor suggestions to Adam, who was already scoping things out.

Adam had found a new set of armor, mostly consisting of a set of flak armor and some shin and thigh guards, and another rifle which had been rather similar to his own. The Upyri's assault rifles were mostly automatic gauss rifles, tuned to a lower setting than their larger anti-material breatheren as to rid themselves of overpenetration against fleshy targets. He found a bandolier as well, and began shoving ammunition into the empty magazine pouches.

"Alright. I'll make some suggestions, since I have extensive anti-armor training and was in command of such a unit before defecting." he said, as he began to take apart the rifle he had procured to inspect its inner workings. "I probably don't need to tell you about Upyri tanks and APCs. You've encountered those already and dealt with them, so you know where to hit them."

He motioned to where the grenades were as he continued, his rifle in three large pieces by this point. "There are long, club like grenades in that pile. Black in color, with a thick yellow band around the barrel at the top. The small ball at the bottom is red in color. It kinda resembles a mini baseball bat. Those are what we refer to as 'Clankers'. They're magnetic anti-armor grenades that we use to take out APCs and other 'light grade' armor. You pull the red ball down, then twist it to the right. Several square prongs will pop out of the barrel at the top. Throw it at the target, and the moment it sticks to the metal, the grenade's timer begins ticking away. It detonates after five seconds, and will scrap most light armor."

He inspected the different bits and pieces of his rifle as he spoke, cleaning what needed cleaning with a bit of cloth he found. "Thermobaric munitions are a staple of Upyri forces. We use those more than we do fragmentation munitions, because they're also surprisingly effective against armor as well. Those will be marked with red bands around them, while fragmentation ammo will be marked with dark green bands. Light green bands are chemical weaponry, usually some form of gas. If you find corrosive gas, bring it. It's good against drones and also eats through armor plating and weapons. The cloud is made to dissolve after about three minutes, but in those three minutes, someone inside that cloud is going to have a really bad day."

"There's a large anti-material rifle over there that we use to hit really hard targets, like heavy tanks and concrete bunkers, but the problem is it takes two Upyri to carry it. That means three or four of you. Far to heavy for what we're intending to do, so I'd suggest leaving it for the El'uth to scrap and salvage from." he stated, pointing a finger at a rifle that appeared to be nearly a little over eight feet in length.

He popped two of the three pieces of his own rifle back together, before continuing. "If you grab one of the lighter anti-material rifles, keep an eye on the battery for the gauss rings. They're durable and powerful, but need replacing every few years. They're easy to replace, though, and you'll find some fresh batteries in a large grey canister-like box over there in the ammo pile. Battery pops into a slot at the base of the stock on most weapons, but some have a slot just under the handle. Upyri machine pistols and sidearms do not use gauss technology, so you don't need to worry about that with those."

As he finished popping his rifle back together, popping a magazine into the reciever and cycling the bolt, he looked up again to the others. "If you find any weapons marked with a strange red mark on the reciever, like a rune or sigil or something, don't use it. Its booby trapped. Those are weapons registered to members of the Imperial Intelligence Service. They'll kill you if you try to use them, and are best left where you found them. If you killed a guy that had it, though... congrats. You killed one of the fuckers that deserved it the most."
 

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