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Mother Confessor:

Having finished breakfast and feeling refreshed from my morning exercise. I make my way to my first lesson of the day. Traversing the corridors of busy personnel as they go about their daily routine. This was becoming common place each day as I went about my designated assignments. It felt a lot like what I would assume school would be like. Though I have no idea what they teach in a normal school setting. Letting my mind wander as I made my way to the medical bay for my medicine training. My thoughts straying to what a general education was, and what it would be like from both a Terran and Centurian schools. What types of classes were taught? The subject fascinated me. Funny for how intelligent I am, there is so much I need to learn, and explore. Other thoughts invade my mind. Delving into what it was like to be ‘normal’. Though I suppose those around me at the present would say that being a soldier was considered normal. Then again who is really to define normal? The very nature of the word seems to be ambiguous. Just thinking about all these things, somehow denotes how alone I am despite being surrounded by thousands. Perhaps it is because they have had experiences that I have not. This made me feel cheated, as I have been locked away for so long. Finding small comforts in the interactions I did have. Even if they were with no nonsense, war torn soldiers.

Marckus:

Upon entering the bridge, there was a tension that hung thick in the air.

“What is the status of the team”, I ask Captain Graxis.

“They have made it into the enemy air space unmolested. There did seem to be some reluctance on the Confederation side to grant landing, but the General made her point clear that she was going to land regardless of what they thought”, he replies, a deep concentration on his face and in his eyes.

“Can you place the comms on speaker from Rynis”, I ask the helmsman as the small Master Sergeant being the only one with open communication so we can hear what is going on.

The helmsman complied silently as he keyed in the command into his console. They seemed to be still in the process of gaining access to the facility.

“How dare you question me and my business!” Comes in slightly muffled as the small soldier is still inside the satchel.

“Take your hands off me! I demand to see your C.O. now! My superiors will be notified of your non compliance with my visit.”

Well this is off to a great start. Looking at Graxis, wondering if they are privy to some information that we thought we only had. It did seem rather strange that they were on high alert. There is no way that they could have any knowledge of what had happened to the base on Pluto. So far we had not picked up anything in the way of military activity, and have not come across any civilian craft either.

We set in the silence, all of us now riding on a razors edge. Oh fuck me! This is going to go tits up.

“Captain, get a full armor squad on alert”, I order, as this whole operation is starting to erode.

“Yes, sir”, the Captain responds quickly,” Hinara, you heard the Ober-Commander.”

“Aye, Captain”, the helmsman returns,” I need an armor assault on standby, fully loaded and ready to move out at a moment’s notice.”

Still waiting, knowing that a team of war frames was being swiftly being readied to engage. The comms speaker comes to life as more comes in muffled by the satchel.

“General Volkov, you and your assistant come with me. My C.O. would like a word with you.”

“Good. I should like to settle this misunderstanding so that I may carry out my orders.” The speaker goes silent again. Shit, this is going to get ugly! Running through my list of options, as I watch the broad deck outside reveal an armor drop

ship.

Breaking into a cold sweat, as the large vessel set upon the deck, ready and waiting for further instruction. The minutes tick by slowly, as we wait to make our next move. We must tread carefully, trying to push the possibility of the worst to happen from my mind.

Graxis:

This plan starts unraveling, just as we feared it might. The Ober-Commander seemed to be gearing up for more than just a rescue mission at this point. Not that I blamed him as General Volkov was a friend of both of us. Oddly enough to our surprise the compromise in our plan was not one from within, but somewhere that we could not have anticipated. Though this seemed highly unlikely as we have been very thorough in our activities. Feeling a coldness travel up my spine. I try to figure out how this could have happened. We have been keeping a sharp look out for anything that may have given away what has been taking place. Then a thought hits me.

“Sir, there may be an explanation to all of this”, I offer my thought to the Ober-Commander.

Before I can continue, the comms speaker interrupts me.

“Good morning General Volkov.” A moment lapses.

“Forgive my lack of pleasantry, sir. As your men have put me in a foul mood.”

“Well there have been some strange things going on lately, as I am sure you are well aware of Miss Volkov.”

Oh no, I don’t think this is going to go very well. “Son of a bitch”, I hear the Ober-Commander utter under his breath. Now I am starting to worry more so.

“Excuse me, sir, I do not have any idea what you are talking about?”

My heart skips a beat as this plays out.

“Well I find that hard to believe, Miss Volkov.”

“Perhaps you would care to enlighten me? I have my orders to attend, and I do not think you should like me to report to my superiors that you have detained me from fulfilling them. If you please get to the point, sir.” Red Wolf says icily to the other voice possibly belonging to someone of higher authority.

“Certainly, Miss Volkov. Judging by your approach vector and light escort, according to my security staff, you are not coming from Terra. What adds further inquiry to your visit, is the fact that your little Grey friend has not said a thing to confirm or deny your claims. And to top the whole thing off, you do not seem to keen on sharing who your superiors are and what your orders are. Very interesting and not by the book. What have you to say for yourself now, Miss Volkov?”

Marckus:

This ass is really getting on my nerves. What really troubles me is what he seems to be playing at. Feeling a black hole swirling in my gut as my plan starts to fall to pieces, and my General now being toyed with by the enemy. I knew it was a bad idea in the final moments before they had left. I just did not want to let it be true. My guilt of following through with this, now turning to rage. Though one question I could have answered was within my power.

“I want the little female lizard found and brought to me now”, I order for the search of the small female tech wiz, and the helmsman barks into the paging channel of the ship my request.

“What are you up to sir”, Captain Graxis asks me,” Furthermore how is this going to help us?”

Looking the Captain in the eye,” Do you trust me?”

“With my life, sir”, he acknowledges this with a fire in his eyes.

“At first I thought what you may have concluded. That we are being spied on by either a highly advanced Confederation drone with an upgraded stealth capability, or perhaps a scouting vessel with similar specs”, I begin my thoughts.

“That is what I had initially thought as well, sir, but you are not suggesting what I think you are”, Captain Graxis replies aggressively.

“Well I am afraid so, though I am not going to accuse any present company. Though I am going to point my finger after I find the guilty party. And once my little friend gets here we will have all the evidence we need. We both know with a round the clock watch from outside, we would have heard something if the radar were to miss anything. Though I highly doubt that considering we would have found a blip while still out near Saturn, because as you know your deep scanners would have picked up anything within the field. Even just for a moment, before being able to shift frequency to remain hidden. Am I right Hinara,” I ask the helmsman while keeping my attention on the angry Captain.

“Yes, sir. When the Captain ordered the scan to find the private facility on the small secondary moon, there was no activity to be found. The spaceport came back as abandoned and lifeless. Even after asking the on duty maintenance crew, they reported that they had seen nothing as they went about their duties”, helmsman Hinara reports, adding,” Sorry to disappoint you Captain Graxis, but I agree with the Ober-Commander on this one.” I observe the Captain clench his large fist tightly at his sides, not wanting to admit I am right while knowing in his heart that it is the only option left.

While we wait. Listening to the back and forth in the comms speaker between Red Wolf and a three star General Mitsaku. This guy is really putting Zlada through the paces, delaying the inevitable arrest of her and Captain Flurren.

“Hinara, tell the Master Sergeant that whatever happens, to General Volkov and Flurren, and not to engage unless absolutely necessary.”

“Aye, sir”, the helmsman replies, relaying the order to the Andilusion Marine. A loud tapping from the speaker is the small Marine’s compliance to the order.

The more I heard the captor of my General and Captain, the more I wanted him alive. I think I shall make an example of this three star prick, along with his conspirators. My vengeful thoughts are interrupted by the entrance of a young soldier, and with him the small female lizard. Though now she wore a set of fatigues, she still had the odd color wig on. Perhaps it was her real hair? None the less she looked more like she belonged now.

“Thank you, as you were”, I tell the young Private that had run me the small one. “If you please miss, I should like have you look into the system for anything out of the ordinary. Lieutenant Hinara will be of help in your search. Right, Hinara?”

“Aye, sir. I will be of service to the small Miss”, Hinara responds curtly.

“Please, cut the formalities boys, Janxica will do”, the little lizard addresses us,” For you sugar, I will find what you need. It will take a few moments for me to orient myself with the ships systems, but other than that consider them caught. Not a system made that I cannot crack into.”

How reassuring it all sounds, though I think this will be the first military system she has ever challenged.

“Hinara, was it? If you don’t mind granting me access to the system through my console”, she addresses the Lieutenant.

“Yes, it will take a moment to sync it.” Off to a great start.

“Captain, I want you to lock down the bridge, until I get back. No one gets in or out until we find out who is playing us. Understand, that door doesn’t open under any circumstance, unless it is myself”, I order Graxis.

Graxis:

“I understand, sir”, I bark in frustration and anger at being betrayed by one of my own, “ What are you going to do, sir?”

The Ober-Commander turns to face me, his eyes full of fire meet mine.

“I am going to finish this once and for all. Over my dead body, am I going to not complete this mission. Even if it has not gone according to plan, I will make it work by any means necessary”, he coldly replies,” Hinara, have a comms unit synced and waiting for me at the armory, I want to be in communication with Ryins.”

“Aye, sir, and good luck”, the helmsman replies. I watch as he leaves, and follow his instruction of having the bridge locked down. Best of luck, I silently wish the old warrior, as we work to uncover who is the double agent in our midst.

Markcus:

Moving as fast a I can to the armory, my veins full of acid. My worst fears become realized. No doubt in my mind the Captain is going to have a breach ship and a squad of hardnosed soldiers waiting for me. Hold on Zlada, I silently try to convey that I am going to come pull her out of whatever nightmare I have sent her into. My mind reeling like a father, who has endured the kidnapping of a child. Though in my case I was not helpless to do anything to get her back. Fight them my daughter. I have faith you will give them nothing, regardless of what they do to you.

Trying not to become irrational, despite my predicament. So many memories flooding back to when I found her so many years ago. An orphan of war, just as I had been. I found her huddled up inside a small house in the village Irkutsk, heavily bombed out in the heart of Siberia. I will never forget the look on that tear stained face of the little girl who’s world was torn apart by the hell and consequence of war.

These very old memories seem to be coming back to me, and they are not bad, but painful. My heart beating faster and faster, as I fear the worst swimming through my mind. My feet pounding the metal beneath them in a race to save her. To save the little girl who always had me check for monsters in the closet and under the bed. The little girl who would sit on my knee as I read her bedtime stories. The little girl I promised to protect from the bad guys.

Gritting my teeth as I push hard to get to the armory. I will protect you from the bad guys, my malan’kaya devochka. Now more enraged by the fact that she was taken from me, there is nothing I will not do to see that she is safe. If you harm a hair on her head, you son of a bitch I will make you wish you were not even alive!

Halting roughly at the armory, I collect my weapon and armored coat. After wrapping the thick nylon holster onto my shoulders and putting on my coat. I slam the magazine so hard into the heel of the large pistol, I thought it might set off a round. I am so pissed off I do not care. Chambering a round before tucking my friend firmly under my shoulder. Taking the extra magazines for the beast of a pistol, all waiting in their small utility pouch. I clip them to my belt. The guard at the armory catches me before I set off again.

“Sir, don’t forget about this”, he reminds me of the personal comms unit. Turning to face him, his hand is offering out a very large and nasty knife with the comms unit clipped to the sheath where it mounts onto the belt.

“Thanks, I almost forgot”, I say to him, taking the heavy blade and comms unit from his outstretched hand. Putting the small device in my ear, and strapping the knife onto my belt.

“Captian Graxis, you read me”, I growl into the unit.

“Loud and clear sir”, he replies in a growl of his own.

“Good, get that armor detail hot, cause I am going to be right on their ass”, I bark into the unit while rushing off to the hangar.

“Yes, sir”, he responds hotly, I hear the helmsman relay the order to the waiting ship,” I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty of order a breach ship and crew for you sir.” Oh lovely, he is starting to know my tactic.

“I was hoping you would, Captain”, I growl my approval through my heavy breathing,” Sit rep?”

“Hate to say it, but General Volkov and Captain Flurren have been arrested. Charged with treason, sedition, and the list goes on. Rynis has been able to keep close to them, but I think by pure luck as they were thoroughly searched. That is all we have at this time. As for our other problem , Janxica and Hinara are working double time. I am starting to see why you brought her with you, quite the wet ware expert,” he relays.

“Let me know when you find out who is behind this betrayal, and have the rat arrested, Captain”, I order him.

“We are on the same page, sir.” Well perhaps I underestimated the Captain a little. My lungs and legs burned. I push them harder, I mean to be right on the armor drop ships tail.

Graxis:

Who would give up our mission details, I ask myself as the two work the system hard looking to give me that very answer. The other helmsan Gentax had put the battle stations on high alert. Quite fitting as I would not like to let the Confederation have a chance of escape off the moon.

“C’mon darling, give me something”, Janxica coaxes the little console, working through the entire ships mainframe for the evidence. A look of deep concentration on her face as her small hands manipulate the device. Swallowing hard as they hunt down the accountable parties. I almost felt sorry for this General Mitsaku, for the nightmare he has brought upon himself. Then again he was playing with forces he could not imagine.