Year 2718, April 26thcopyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QdKMjVRq6
Neutral sector, twenty-six lightyears from Duross spacecopyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡEm2dHnI2JA
Neutral system, Hellrain surface, Operation Mistwalkcopyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡfceu2SJzox
Dwayne marched through the snow filled valley in his white winter gear armor. The silver visor was protecting his face from the falling snow. He held a Holstein O3 Battle-rifle-assault rifle class-in his arms. His heavy breathing could be heard from outside his helmet. At least by himself. He currently thought of Katie. He wished he could go back soon and hold her again. It hadn’t been that long sense he left New England but it felt like an eternity. Good god, he missed her badly. Her beautiful voice, soft skin, cute and sweet laugher and even her horrible cooking.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxoOha7c2y
He chuckled to himself.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHUlVBIDDs
Behind him walked his four team members. A far shorter-then himself-feminine frame came up on his right. She was holding a Holstein O3 Battle-rifle as well. She looked up towards the sky and noted that the snow storm was getting worse. The snow was falling quicker and faster by the minute. Lieutenant Rachel Holt looked over at Dwayne.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTFtoHl7hK
“Congratulations by the way, Commander,” she suddenly said.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRh3FyeNLh
Dwayne turned his head to her.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4YfqUQ8xu
“Holt?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMogfMXAUe
“The kid,” she replied. “You’re soon to be born child.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡkz6CDMaRzW
“Oh, right. Thanks Rachel.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8U07aq10zz
“I just realized I didn’t congratulate you earlier and this felt as good a time as any,” she finished with a shrug.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡvblUrBGpbB
Dwayne smirked under his helmet.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwbK8OwjF5
“Always appreciated, Rachel.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡfO0gVaHXbh
“Could always arrange a playdate with my kitties,” she said. “You know. In a few years when yours is actually born and old enough.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGsSBTuiiF
“Didn’t actually need to explain that part,” Dwayne said, letting out a snicker. “Sounds like a fair idea. Sure Katie’s gonna love meeting ya.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXc4HlTdFy
“Yeah,” she said in a cocky voice. “Doesn’t everybody?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUnjbitSgE
“Oh Christ,” a male voice mumbled from the back.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NlCFXv9fO
It came from Gunnery Sergeant Kaiden Hendricks. He shook his helmet covered head.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9M2etn7H2
“Here we go again.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0X3k9mO2C
1st Sergeant Pedro Milligan laughed. He was the teams marksman.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcpPO5Mkf1
“Nah. Leave it, Kaiden,” he suggested. “Don’t piss her off. Especially sense she’s a better fighter when you.” He looked over at Rachel and Dwayne. “That’s a policy I like. Always go by it and tend to get out without starting a fight I can’t win.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94aV7povw5
“Use that tactic with your boyfriend?” Dwayne asked. “Heard he was, like a mountain or something.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡyc6vgrFCfH
Pedro laughed.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡeITDxHJk1Y
“You kiddin’, Dwayne? Jonathan’s a computer geek. Work for the Intelligence agency back on Earth.” He shook his head. “Thinkin’ of settlin’ down at some point, ya know right? Back on Earth. Probably close to his parents. They’re not doin’ so hot so we figure’d we’d be close at hand until they go in the ground.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡma3x6aWuFs
“Sorry man,” Kaiden said sympathetically. “What’s wrong with them? Old age kicking in?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdFHJV8oxn
Pedro nodded.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M6YqEF9YH
“Nah, Nebulosus fever. Jonathan’s handling it great, but he’s sister ain’t. Poor Tabitha. She’s just sixteen ya know. Shouldn’t lose ya parents when ya sixteen.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kSaSYkOt0
Dwayne shook his head. Nebulosus fever. Something that had no cure yet. It would-as far as scientist’s thought-take years to manufacture one.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3eWLXRTlp
Trying to get the mood up, Kaiden turned to the fifth team member. Corporal Keith Pyke. He was their Vanguard and carried a heavy machinegun in his armored arms.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrcopC25L1
“Hey, Keith. You had it good on leave?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTmF3eEo27
Pyke nodded.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjbDgWA8QW
“Sure.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7nKwNmyT8
“What you do?” Kaiden continued, keeping the conversation going.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡAH1Xm5b1ue
“My sister’s birthdays. Celebrated with whole goddamn family. Uncles, aunts and cousins and all. Including grandparents and grandkids,” Keith explained in a Greek accent.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UykxOh8W7
“What are the odds of your sisters having the same birthday anyway?” Kaiden asked amused.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ufteLgBka
Keith smirked.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡKURMReR3fm
“Pretty damn small I think. I mean, first Annie is born on April the 10th. Two years later I’m born on December the 28th. Another two years after that Anita’s born on April the 10th. Odds are pretty fucking small of that happening within the same family.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡiohRIOF0XC
“Gotta make celebrations easier,” Dwayne theorized. “One less birthday to arrange, I mean.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ727mvm7MXs
“Pretty much. Our parents still laugh it up. It’s a bit of a running joke back home, right.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHmOte2lii
As they started reaching the top of the hill, Dwayne waved Pedro forward.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBHZsqO8qM
“You’re up next Pedro.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxOSUke17c
Pedro jogged up to him and Rachel.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4TQTn5WJo
Reaching the top Pedro used his sniper rifle to get a closer look into what was beyond the hill in the valley. It was hard with the snow storm close to max, but he could see structured covered in snow one-hundred meters away. It was almost impossible to see anything of them, and barely the buildings themselves.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡerZVrrmfAM
“At least four buildings,” Pedro counted. “Probably more. Too much damn snow. Id’ say one-hundred meters straight ahead.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ljQddbrfj
“Anyone home?” Rachel asked.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJnxAhVFdE
Pedro shook his head.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3s63oxvKN5
“Too hard to tell.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPqQGD3R5j
“Let’s move out. We’ll sneak closer in cover of the storm,” Dwayne said.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJ2ygCPbi3
“No way they’ll see us,” Rachel said confidently. “I barely see us.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmvWpTuUEi
They made their way down the hillside towards the buildings, through the storm. Slowly but surely they made way through the thirty centimeter deep and cold snow. Given it was nighttime, it did not make it any better. The wind was cold as ice and would have chilled them if they hadn’t their winter armor on. Their weapons were a color mix of grey and white, a part of their camouflage and winter gear.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0a7q0N44F9
As they got closer they saw a guard tower with a light looking around. But with the storm it was pretty much impossible. Dwayne could see the frame of two figures at the top of the tower. Fifteen meters ahead walked a lone figure. He or she was holding a rifle in hand. Five white snow and ice covered buildings stood around the tower. Three of them were smaller whilst one was twenty meters.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQSqp93flm
Dwayne gestured for Pedro to take up a sniping position and cover them. He nodded and readied himself. He made sure to have both figures in the tower in sight.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡicIO98ID3m
Rachel sneaked towards the figure walking alone. She grabbed her knife and waited for the figure-turning out upon a closer look to be a male-to get out of view of the tower. When he finally did, she moved up and cut his throat quickly. He whimpered and flayed his arms for a moment. She gently laid his down. He wore a thick winter military issue coat. It was a standard issue winter coat used by the Terran Earth Protectorate, although it had been slightly modified. The man had a white helmet with wool inside and a pair of glasses covering his eyes. He wore a scarf around his neck. He was clearly human.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3w3txRyBw
“One down,” Rachel said in her comm.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZnAqMKt26
“Copy,” Dwayne said. “Pedro. You’re up.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkiy9rGR5K
Pedro squeezed the trigger and put a bullet through the head of the first man. He turned and fired another slug through the skull and helmet of the second in the tower.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0NK3hiVPU
“Two down,” he confirmed after five seconds in total.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwUP7kBSOD
“Kaiden with me,” Dwayne ordered.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEYhc7ITZN
As the two moved into the camp, Rachel and Keith sneaked in from another direction. Rachel quickly opened the door and Keith rushed in with his heavy machinegun aimed to shoot. The building was empty. Only supply boxes were inside.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdOrYSIgNx
“First clear,” he said in his comm.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡbf454cqG4e
“Copy, continue search,” Dwayne replied. “Checking second. Move on to third.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3Sik5q2Zq
“Copy,” Keith affirmed.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDDF4CxMTl
Pedro moved in towards the camp to join the others.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4AoaEAAlE
“Clear.” It was Rachel he heard, affirming that they checked the third building.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFHIX2No4N
“Found a staircase in second building,” Dwayne said.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVqsAv58hY
“Guess we’re going underground next commander,” Rachel said.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡtB340dJAO4
“Indeed. Check the last house and join us. Pedro, moving out?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEJXmHZa54
“Entering camp, commander.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡXU0onATsJb
As he made his way inside the building he breathed out and reached to remove his helmet.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdMuhMI0nx
“Keep it on,” Dwayne ordered. “Not till missions complete. Until then, keep the gear on.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CbNzxvzHA
Pedro nodded and added a sigh.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFvD3TeXmX
He noted that Kaiden had dragged the body of the man Rachel killed inside. The bloody man lied on the floor. Pedro looked down and kneeled beside the body. He started removing the helmet and covering glasses. The man had tanned skin. His neck and coat around the neck was completely covered in blood.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NaUisH1s4
“Think this guy’s Marauder?” Pedro asked.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxHKkgiQQ0
“Who else would be on Hellrain?” Dwayne asked.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtFW7JQlGc
“Good point.” Pedro shrugged and stood up.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡjO0uJjWqkp
Rachel and Keith stepped inside.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTWcEhtX7j
“Area secured, commander,” Rachel said.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyNDuUnkg3
Dwayne nodded and gestured towards the door to the staircase. Kaiden was standing there, aiming downward in the lighted staircase.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡxASx4BQ12b
“Rachel you’re up front with me. I’m on point,” Dwayne decided. “Keith, cover the rear.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡqy5mLKEeHL
Keith nodded in confirmation over the order. The team moved down the staircase in unison.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEjmiOhF9x
“Hey Rachel,” Pedro said in a low voice. “How old’s Lisa now anyways?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡJH7Becd5df
“Two.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡhENn1y7FNO
He cracked a smile under his helmet.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmtLIMzZrJ
“How’d the barbeque you talked so much about go?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaqEMFRZK5
“Great actually. Lisa tried bacon for the first time. She absolutely loved it. Verner got a chance to show his grilling skills, he always talks about. But after he burnt the first batch of burgers and sausages, I took over.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2J2pKBxqp
Kaiden snickered.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRLPCtCct4
“Verner’s great and all but he’s a shitty cook.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0fmF12w0N
“Katie and he would get along great,” Dwayne joined the conversation.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfPlhe6TLw
“Least she’s not burning stuff, right?” Rachel asked.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7n3X0xAc0
“No. When she cooks, it’s mostly uneatable. Wouldn’t even let a Drakken try it.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡE91TvGUxcU
The group chuckled lightly and very, very quietly.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOaaarpgla
“Hey, where’s Davis, he in yet?” A male voice asked in a room up ahead.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDiaHgbfQn
Dwayne stopped the others and listened.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvwho2XjAa
“Up in the tower, I’d imagine, Rufus,” someone else replied. “Why? You wanna chance shifts?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVZo59Qupb
God no, Spector,” the first replied with a mix between a snort and a laugh.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcOYnweyL5
Spector, Dwayne thought. A Marauder rank. A quite important officer actually. He gestured for Rachel and Pedro to move up with him. Pedro had switched to a submachinegun and hung the marksman rifle over his back.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1BtiZwfj6
With a nod, Rachel skipped around the corner, aiming her Holstein O3 Battle-rifle. Around the corner stood a man with no shirt and a pair of baggy jeans. He-Rufus-looked half awake. He was roughing up his sand colored hair when Rachel came into sight. His eyes widened and he gasped. With a slug and a silencer, his body collapsed into a pile of dead meat.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡqx1pV7zMCZ
Rachel quickly moved past him towards the open door a few meters away. Kaiden was right behind with the rest coming up after him.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhbLfziu73
“Screw you!” A female voice snapped.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡA34bwnb3Du
A couple of men laughed. It was suddenly cut short.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ932btYj2KV
“Whoa, whoa! Hey!” The Spector cried out. “Put the meat axe down Jane, for fucksake!”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HcdtsMLXT
“Fuck off, Vaughn!” The female yelled.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyXTJuhVxU
“Put it down or, we’ll put you down!” The Spector exclaimed.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHYsSrqcua
Rachel looked back at Dwayne who just shrugged.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vSkJmNv7K
“Hey, you can’t kill me,” the woman replied cockily. “I’m too important, remember? Ultimate Spector Ivanovsky would skin you alive, you know that right?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWimQ2R8Xo
“Won’t kill ya. But if you don’t put that axe down the boys and I’ll use you as entertainment,” the Spector said threateningly.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2n50PYrgaV
Dwayne turned the corner and pulled the trigger. Splashing the Spector’s brains on the floor as he collapsed. The second man, an Asian with black thick hair pulled a handgun in his pants but Rachel and Kaiden unloaded on him. He dropped down dead.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhrjCaFpGN
The woman standing wielding an axe stared at them.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95KssBvjJs
“Drop it,” Dwayne demanded. “Get one warning, Marauder.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMQNMGLeWW
She narrowed her eyes on him, raised the axe and charged one step. Dwayne blew her brains out with a slug through her skull.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoeCHQMnft
Pedro looked at the dead woman.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpyWS0ynjh
“Crazy bitch,” he murmured. “Why you gotta force our hand?” he shook his head disapprovingly.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ13GOQnA4k
“She’s Marauder,” Keith reminded, nodding to the dead woman’s body. “They all crazy fucks.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeILRqCDNR
Pedro couldn’t argue with that.copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZhFV9Gtw0
“This is it?” Rachel asked. She turned to Dwayne. “Only five people here?”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡLm1P3QFqrK
“Looks like it. A supply or research outpost maybe. Could been looking for something,” Dwayne mused. “Keith, get me contact with HQ.”copyright protection142ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYYsKPSmtG
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