---

@Starlance

The shooting that came down onto the convoy vehicles was quickly interrupted by the speed, aggression and antics of the unlikely dynamic duo, Purna clattering a magazine of subsonic 9mm rounds into a cluster of riflemen on the roof, blasting past and then clambered down.
"Keep up, old man!" Purna cheekily yelled back to Ebrima, gunning it through more rooftops, and with it, moving through.

"Contacts, up there!" He called back, ducking down, letting Ebrima clear out the ambush on his side, before moving over and clattering another one with a USP shot, well flicked through the man's skull as he kept in sprint over a metal roof. And with that, suddenly the square ran out, and a large garden opened up, at the edge of the market and dense housing.

With a deep breath, Purna stopped, standing alongside Ebrima, rifle in hand and examining the mess forward, exhaling hard and in position to at least intercept the vehicles, and jump in quickly.
"Not bad. You seem to rip things apart well." Purna commented, drawing the Mk14, readied up.
"Wilk, route is clear. I have a lot more Moroccan Army massing, few IFVs and light vehicles swarming the route towards the Airport. Have you got capacity to take us on board?

"Affirmative. We can't stop, you'll need to work to us. Out." Adam's response was a cold one, as Purna sighed, looking to Ebrima.

"Brilliant." Purna said, adjusting his grappling hook, hearing the trucks come through.

"He is an asshole at the best of times." With it, Purna vaulted over the next wall, and clambered down, running across the road and with a swing of his grapple, pulled it tight and over the next gap, throwing himself forward and landing on top of the forward truck, one of the Blue Sword gunners nearly picking him off in the process, if it wasn't for the fact that his IFF at least pinged back.

Another day, another way out.

---

The fight had been a tricky one to manage, as Adam bundled back into the other truck, the one not containing Blue Sword and then the remainder of their forces, speeding out of the square, bullets flying yet now the crossfire intensifying as nobody knew who was friend or foe. It was an anarchy, but at the least, they'd gotten out onto the road, and they were hustling back to base.

Athena had followed, and the injury on Tiny Nord was of concern. She had already gotten to him inside their truck, pulling his helmet off, and getting one of the medics.
"All Blue Sword contacts, withdraw and follow lead for Extract. Also....fuck me, you took a half-charged railgun to that thing!" Athena yelled out, in shock, rather impressed that said, looking his shoulder over, and pulling his head to look at hers.

"You'll be alright. Keep looking at me. Breathe." Athena replied, growing up a little in this moment, well, perhaps realising that there were others outside of her brother and sister that were like her, able to take on things like this. She was still in shock about what Sam had done, but for now, was focussing on Tiny Nord.

"Okay, bleeding's gonna be stopped, suit's contained most of it. Ribs are gonna hurt, and you'll get some painkillers in soon. We're done here. Easy." Athena replied, knowing for this moment, well, she had to at least take some responsibility here.
"Took one for the team, but don't worry, I shocked the hell out of him. Bzzzztt...." Athena kept on nattering, knowing Oliver probably didn't need to hear it, but well, the chat continued anyway.
"So he's probably toast. You'll fight on another day, but that plating and shield are going to need a refit, quick."

---

Adam saw Henry come awake in the other truck, where he sat with Sam and Jamie.

"Welcome back. Knockout gas hit hard. We had to take our precautions." Adam said, looking over at the older scientist, the look on his face of dazed confusion, and blur. With a look around, Henry coughed, leaning over, looking with a squint at Adam, the Pole keeping a distance, unaware if he was friend or foe at this point.

"You. You're Imran's men. Imran's people." Henry spluttered, in shock. Adam nodded, Henry in shock as he grabbed a hold, Adam aware he was a bit weak still, so no real threat, not yet.

"Did you stop it? Did you stop them?" Henry asked, panicked, coughing hard, Adam replying with a nod.

"We did. Whatever that compound is too." Adam replied, the look in Henry's face unchanging.

"Shit. You're them alright. Listen to me. This is nothing. This is a sample. They....it's a testbed. Fuck. She's gonna come. I keep forgetting that."

"How did you end up there? Took a holiday, just by chance end up in a compound full of Artemis soldiers and a ton of neurotoxin?" Adam replied, not wanting to let him go that easy.

"They have my family. I haven't got a choice...means they're good as dead too now, and I suppose we all may as well enjoy what's left. You've seen enough of her, surely?"

"That isn't an answer. We'll secure them. We can fight them." Adam's teeth gritted, Henry still in disbelief.

"You don't understand. This is already in motion."

"Then tell me how we can stop it. You're the main reason she's alive to begin with, so nobody better to ask. So talk, because there has to be a way.." Adam said, looking over at him, looking at the state he was in.

"You're not a captive....they looked after you." Adam said, his astute observation catching that, well, beyond the ragged state he was in.

Henry went to mumble, but before he could, Adam grabbed a hold. Easy to give in, but perhaps because he wanted the easy way out. An easier way out.

"You sold out, you piece of shit. Talk, or I'll fucking double down!" Adam yelled, his voice carrying. This wasn't always ethical. Not always pleasant. But on someone not like them, it worked.

"Shit....okay. Not much you can do when you know what she's capable of though.....right. The network needs a central server hub. She was smart enough to remove it from an original site. And put it God knows where. It works on the fact that Rose goes back to a central network each time she dies. Historically, we had failsafes that gave us oversight. Now she goes to virtually anywhere with a signal, and that has a body in prep. So she's probably hiding that very well, or else you'd actually be able to kill her."

"That isn't the point. The compound, the neurotoxin, she's gonna unleash it through a geoengineering scheme. Releasing it here would kill a few million. Releasing it in the sky suddenly would drop a few billion, mixed in with raincloud. She needed me to finish the sequencing. But she'll be close enough now. Close enough to wait on wind patterns."

"Where, when?"

"Fuck....no clue. But listen. I've seen that compound act. It's Sol Hestia, it's a two-part compound that works from her body."

"What?"

"She's.....Rose is effectively a bioreactor on feet, draw enough of the blood, synthesise it out, and you have a neurotoxin that kills human beings, and leaves fauna, flora, society, untouched. It's a Cold War weapon, an alternative to a neutron bomb the British developed in the 1980s. Clean, and doesn't stop until it breaks apart naturally. In a simple form it's a simple psychoactive drug that stops DNA from destroying itself upon replication, but brew the opposite, right chiral structure passively, with Rose's blood that contains the active component, and it becomes more lethal in parts per billion than anything else. Like Thalidomide, except way, way worse. It was a failsafe designed to making sure she wouldn't have any more mutations in her DNA upon replication. Yet it worked too well and she realised it before any of us did. A mistake." Henry whimpered, as he sighed.

"No cure exists. It's an off switch for a lot of humanity. A reset. Everyone, rich, poor, young, old, white, black, dead. Nothing left but nature to reclaim what is left unless you're in a sealed bunker or off-planet because it just destroys human DNA. The compound remains active for about two years, and with the right spread, ends up in every carried wind, bonding to water. Controlled, a potent weapon, but left unchecked, effectively a genocide tool. We created a monster. And whilst her motives to try and stem humanity are noble....like Artemis.....she isn't stemming, she's going to cut it off." Henry seemed genuinely cold, dethatched almost, in spite of it, but his passion came through.

"Well....you're the one who spawned her. So we'll just have to end her." Adam added, sighing, looking across, as he shrugged.

"Point taken. There should be a fairly clear signal to where her core server is, from any offshoot that she might have been dumped in. The geoengineering scheme, I can't tell if it's Ferrovia One, or something else. But she was turned into this. You need to understand, she doesn't play by the rules anymore. She'll stop at nothing. My family included." Henry replied, as Adam sighed, shrugging. The buzzing in his ear indicated Oracle was back on the line.

"Shit. Oracle, it's Wilk."

"Affirm, I caught that. Get him back, safely. We'll complete a full debrief." Oracle's reply was succinct, as Purna emerged through the gunner's hatch, sitting down next to Sam, who was certainly feeling the squeeze, metaphorically and quite literally.

Sitting down, Adam had a check over her, Jamie reloading his kit in the far end just in case, and the group of them on the way out. This had been messy, and he wasn't happy with Athena's approach. It could have killed Sam, Oliver, and maybe even Athena herself, but, she'd have some smart ass comment to come back at it. This was meant to be a simple snatch and grab. Not a fucking warzone.

Adam had a gander at the other two, knowing they probably weren't entirely sure what this all meant, but Adam was getting a feeling.
"We might be getting very busy. Looks like this got worse."

---

And there she is. The body of Rose Lyons, well, not quite, but as if by special delivery, she'd arrived in the bunker-like lab.

Oracle looked down at her, another scientist opposite, a clipboard in hand and results expedited.

"Fuck me. I still can't get over this." Imran felt like it still sank in. From the moment that it, the results were now firmly in and confirmed. Skye and Rose were intangibly linked, that was beyond confirmed now, and the genetic results were a perfect match. There's no denying it, whilst perhaps Skye had gained a few scars, scratches, cuts and changes to her skin from puberty and other facets, this was more or less the same person. Even the muscle seemed to be at the same sort of composition, the natural jumping off point for a thirty-year old Scottish redhead, with a bullet left inside her. Everything he knew of her had changed over the last few days, and to find out that mystery project had been her, well, he was beyond livid.

"Well.....she's rather unique. She's a biomechanical piece of work. She's absolutely Skye Lyons's identical copy. To the letter. Minus the tattoos, of course, and the other features you identified. This is Lynx. Every story you heard. The neural link, the plug is like nothing our computer scientists have seen. Same with her general physiology. It's like someone fabricated something out of thin air, and someone figured out how to perfect it. There is no file on it, outside of Henry, who clearly isn't the main architect for her." He added, as Imran looked around. The man opposite looked, a white-coat wearing technician, the Sikh in a certain kind of unhappiness about it. From the moment Lynx had turned up, he had been in denial, almost disbelief about it. But now, it was all coming out.

"And yet she's not Skye at all. Some sort of demented fucking thing." Imran commented, the scientist opposite nodding, his pale face perhaps in an equal state of shock.

"Well, we found traces of DNA strands fragmenting from her blood, typical of a clone. It's clear whatever copy this is, it's in a point of deterioration. Rose is probably living less in each body, considering the copy can't exactly be repeated perfectly without it falling apart over time. There's no fix to that, it's genetic drift. You can't just keep copying and copying without consequence. Unless you had the original, of course. Not that we are absolutely sure that's Skye either."

"Right." Imran added, shaking his head.

"I read about this. A project without a name. People in our department looked after Lynx like she was nothing. Fuck, maybe even I did at one point." Imran said, as he knew that callsign had come across his desk, when he'd been a spymaster here in MI6, and perhaps it all made sense. Skye after all, gave Lynx almost all of her deniability, and he never asked questions. Never needed to.

"Still shocks me. I guess we used her to kill our targets that we considered suicide missions. For Lynx, they were. She would die an awful lot for it yet on the paperwork, the operative always came back alive. Strange that now I never thought about it in hindsight. When it's someone else's case, you don't bother." Imran added, chuckling, almost talking to himself, turning her neck, looking down it, and at the oddly shaped lump that sat there.

"Aye, and a lot of those people in MI6 are now dead. Rose killed the lot of them, accidents, a couple murders, and yet outside of this, seemingly all disconnected and linked to foreign intelligence. If she wanted revenge, she almost made them all disappear. Apart from a few. Like she knew what she was doing, in a way, she's going beyond revenge now." The scientist replied, as he turned to Imran, this bit not making sense, and something he wanted to ask Raven Squad's defacto CO.

"Oracle, how did we get her body? The note, you saw it. It was like someone knew her. Wanted us to finish our work from the previous corpse we got." The scientist asked, as Imran sighed, shrugging.

"One version of Miss Lyons might be lying dead here, but Skye's rather resourceful. I guess I shouldn't have doubted."

"You mean, Skye Lyons is still alive? Well, the other one?"

"Not unless Rose got after her first."

Imran's phone rang, as he walked back out again, hearing a voice on the other end. As if with almost perfect, idiosyncratic timing, the voice of Skye Lyons came back in as Imran walked out. As if almost a reverse of the last time.

---

"Morning, did you receive the package?" Skye's chirpy Scots accent came through.

"Fuck me. You did well to get my number. And time it well. So either you killed Skye, and you're impersonating her, or you're actually her. Either way, it would have to be impressive what you did to get this to us."

"Well, I've got so much shit to give you for Marrakesh. And believe me, it wasn't easy."

"Well....I can't ask for an auth code."

"I suppose I'm as much Rose as she is me. I know about Sam's Shelby, her custom purple bike, and then I know about Freya's lovely scar on her shoulder from Chile, then same about Ebrima's exo being in need of tweaks but being a fancy bit of kit. Or Tahlia detonating a pyro in Colombia from her report, then me having to slit the throat of Rose whilst she was signal disconnected. And me pissing off Sophie by riding my bike when I had broken ribs. Then leaving it all behind over Tokyo and making a big scene. And let me guess your side. You have Adam, and from what I saw of the pictures, Athena fucking up stuff now? Honestly. I give you two days and you already half destroy a major city."

"Hah.....yeah, that would be you. She'd have to try pretty hard to be that sarcastic."

"Yeah, exactly. And you did put a kill order on me. Which is fair. But I'd like to trade. Rose's body is the first half. Data is the other one."

"How did you get it?"

"Don't ask. One of the team got it to me. You can probably guess, but the point is, proves my system works."

"Annoyingly. And if this was any other circumstance, you know I'd be hunting you pretty hard. But you make a good offer. What do you want?"

"I'll send you my co-ordinates, and I want back in. Only condition is, I need two more with me as help. Do we have a deal? "

"Done. They better not be problems. We have enough shit going on as is."

"They are."

With it, Skye looked over her shoulder, looking at Enri and Ban, and chuckled, sitting back in the seat of the old Buick.

"Fine. Get yourself to an airport. We'll make arrangements." With it, Skye hit the disconnect, and sighed.

There had been so much blood, so much loss for this, and every time Skye believed this would end, it went deeper. But now they had at least half a chance to fight back.

---

Home was a strange place to be, but it was not going to be a long trip back. The trucks had been rushed back, with the entire team in, and the point was to rearm, reequip, and get any critical work done to anyone that was hurt, before going out again.

They rattled through the now melted gravel of springtime, and with it, came to a skidding halt back at the base. The team unloaded, as did the supporting Blue Sword soldiers in the now gravelly, suddenly lush green landscape of Northern Finland.

Henry had been taken, and a full debrief was taken place. Raven's old data had also been gathered, and both securely taken, as was what they had learned in Marrakesh.

The situation was dire. A geoengineering scheme, and somewhere, a data server needed to be taken down. The team had to rearm, resupply and get ready again. Freya would be ready to go as well, and there was little time to sit around and wait. The fate of the world rested on Raven, and in the background, intel and other teams were humming away. They just had to execute, and get on with things.

As Adam headed towards the armoury, he pushed on the door and could only take half a moment's breath for the sight he could see. The Scottish woman who refused to die, who had died plenty of times before, just stood there with this wild grin on her face, next to Enri and Ban. Oracle had mentioned something about recovering Skye, but had no idea she was back this early. And fast. Was it Rose? Before he could even deduce that, he got his answer.

"God, you're still an uptight bastard. Evening to you all." Skye wittily commented, Adam's jaw just wide open. Athena and Purna followed in, as did Tahlia.

---

’Old man? Who was the Hobbit calling old? The age difference between them was less than a good whisky.’ Ebrima thought with an eye roll as he came upon the ambush, a team of people speaking French and wearing Moroccan Army kit setting up with an RPG-32. They were probably on Artemis’ payroll - they better fucking have been on Artemis’ payroll - but even if they were legit, no one tries to point boom tubes at his team, even if his employment contract was on the unorthodox side. With Purna working the other side and no exosuits among them, he didn’t have that much to worry about, doubly so since they were preoccupied with their equipment and hadn’t noticed either of them.

He flew between them like a bowling ball between pins, shoving the rocketeer over the railing before he could react. An uncontrolled two story fall wasn’t necessarily lethal, but definitely debilitating for a time. Two steps for a running start, he grabbed onto a TV antenna to swing around another man’s back with a burst from his jump pack, a satisfying crack - to a Raven operative, normal people would’ve called it disturbing - announcing the spine losing its brief clash with Ebrima’s heel. By now the two remaining ones had scrambled for their weapons, until a piece of gleaming metal described an arc through the air and separated the third man’s shooting hand from the rest of him. Placing the amputee between himself and the last man would’ve slowed any bullets fired at this range enough for the armor to handle them, but the fourth man refused to fire at his comrade and that small moment was all Ebrima needed, kicking the still screaming one toward the fourth one. He moved out of the live projectile’s way easily enough, but it left him open for a follow-up strike, the Himalayan blade continuing to prove its worth as it found the fourth man’s neck.

Finishing off the wounded and wiping off the blade, Boraro rejoined Purna at the edge of the roof, not one to turn down praise from a Gurkha. ”Oracle does not seem like a man who offers second chances to just any merc he comes across.” He shrugged, listening to Purna’s complaining before following him down. His armor being on the heavier side compared to Purna’s, Ebrima didn’t want to risk breaking something fragile by jumping onto a truck from the roof, instead working down to the street across window sills and other protrusions and the jump pack, catching up to the truck and leaping up onto it with a backflip after letting the driver know he was there. It was as if a switch had flipped in the albino’s head. Although they still weren’t entirely out of the weeds, the mission was pretty much wrapped up and with that, a different man replaced the clinical precision displayed thus far. He took off running, leaping between vehicles and looking in the side windows to find the one the VIP and the rest of the team were in, returning some of the gunners’ high fives and fist bumps as he went past.

Following Purna down the transport’s top hatch once he’d found the right one, he squeezed in wherever there was room and took his helmet off to wipe down the sweat from his head before jabbing a finger in Purna’s direction. ”You do not get to call me old and then complain about running, mon ami.” Ebrima couldn’t resist an opportunity to sweep the Nepali’s words back in his face, a wide grin ensuring the verbal jab wouldn’t be read in a bad way.

---

In their line of work, there was no such thing as ‘impossible’. As this whole mess was proving, some things were highly improbable, but two weeks ago he would’ve said the same about a clone-hopping consciousness of an omnicidal maniac. Even when nine people agreed something was highly improbable, it was the duty of the tenth one to ask “What if?”. A staggering amount of people didn’t accept that, but Ebrima assumed that was why Mossad were the ones who got them in the end. Therefore he’d learned to expect the unexpected to a point. A nice buffet to refuel before the next outing would’ve been unexpected. But what, or rather who, he saw qualified for a category of its own: A Skye-looking individual and two others he’d never seen before. And while he may not have expected the statistically improbable, he at least could roll with it and process it on the go. ”What was the last thing you and I spoke about before you jumped out of the Hercules?” He asked, the Origin reappearing in his hands, if pointed at the ground, hoping the real Queen knew enough to tell an Atlas from a Hercules and had good enough memory to remember the conversation.

---

Enri was miserable. The hasty departure would’ve been bad on a good day, having to quickly pack up or secure a lot of hardware she didn’t want in anyone else’s hands, but heap on the death of Hataro-sama and the possibility that it had all happened because she made a mistake somewhere and it made for a very bad day. Still on the way to the airport she messaged everyone else from her network involved with the heist a recommendation to disappear for a few weeks and spent the entire flight to and their stay in the United States going over every single line of records from the heist to see what had gone wrong.

And now she was in Finland, bundled up in at least five layers making her look like Jackson Pollock’s redesign of the Michelin man and still cold. And that was when he entered. She couldn’t, nay, didn’t want to believe her eyes, but how many tall albino Africans in this profession could there be running around? The absolute nerve of this prick to stand there like she wasn’t even in the room was just a frosting on the shit-covered cake this day had turned into. Ordinarily she would’ve gone and punched him straight in that pale, stupid, false face of his, but although a punch from her was hardly a threat at the best of times, wearing what he was she’d be like a fly tackling a windshield, and that was not even factoring in the others, with several of what could pass for Oni among their number. Her rage would have to wait for a more opportune time.

And they had a way out. That's fantastic.

He fell in with the crew as they began to move, maybe purposefully posting up so he could keep his sister in view. Someone has to be the responsible one! And knowing her, she may peel off to go and BASE jump off something before leaving. Or she's already done something like that and would instead look for something else insane to do. How is he the straight man in the family?

To help out Scion quickened his tread. If there's going to be anyone else in their way as they tried to exfil, he wanted to put his giant armored form in front of as many of the BlueSword and Raven people as he could.

They made it though and loaded into their transports. He made sure he was the last one, to make sure his big ass armored form protected the ones already inside. And as they began moving he swung his legs up into the vehicle. Not bothering to worry about the creak it made as his great weight settled.

Now they can go back to base. Not quite home but near too.

---

She's on the tarmac when they came back, he watches as the plane comes in and the smile on her face is positively beatific. They made it home. And they're not too worse for the wear. He can see armor damage abounds, and a few people nursing scrapes and bruises. But they'd all survive amazingly. Freya can only feel relief. She'd grabbed her little brother and sister in a hug, revealing her shoulder is mostly healed as she uses bother arms to near crush the pair even in their armor. Jamie had nearly cried, knowing his beloved big sister is okay.

Freya had let them go and sighed, "I'm going to want a full report later. I only got a clean bill of health a little while ago. Still a little stiff, but I should be ready do go for the next operation. Oh hey!" She gives her siblings a nod.

Then she pushes by them and intercepts Sam. gently and carefully catching her before she can vanish, "Hey girl. How you doing? Everything okay?" She smiles and gives Sam a good once over, making sure she's okay, "I'm glad you're all coming home okay. You especially. Just take care of yourself. And if you need any help with anything you let me know alright?" She smiles and gives Sam's back a rub.

---

Even later

Jamie had stripped his armor, and was relaxing abit, a whole bunch of grapes on the vine in one hand, and a giant glass of something that looked like apple juice in the other, he's in the middle of taking a drink when a ghost walks in. He'd sat up straight then and watched Skye walk by the rec room. He'd coughed then looked again to see her walk by. But what...was...something in her wake, looked like a shadow? In a trench coat and a sword...held in it's left hand. What the hell?

In the armory the meeting began. Enri and Skye facing the gathering of Athena, Purna, Adam and Tahlia. For a moment there was another person. But then it was just a shadow.

They began to talk, and then another voice joins them. Ban seeming to step right out of Skye's shadow, a long grey trench coat hanging from his shoulders. His right hand free. His left hand holding the sword loosely, yet with a will. As Ban slides clear of Skye's shadow another voice joins the tiny gathering, that of Freya. She really doesn't need to be there, but having passed by her brother he had pointed out there was something off. Her voice is a dangerous low tone, "It is said, when Japan was first form, to complete the process even after Izanami and Izanaji drew out the land. Hachiman plunged the first sword into the ocean, and when he drew it, five perfect drops fell, and formed the surface of the islands. It is said, he drew forth that blade with his right hand, then held it's tsuba with his left from there on. So a samurai would always hold his sword in his right hand if he's prepared for peace. On in his left if he's prepared for war." Ban turned to look at her his eyes narrowed. Tahlia being the security expert she is, finally noticed this and widened her stance abit.

Ban's history known to near everyone there. Freya takes a step into the room, and Jamie appearing at the door a second later, having retrieved the Throngler, and holding it lighting in both hands, just in case. Freya takes up a spot slightly seperated from everyone, showing she's a more nuetral party in this situation, "So tell me Kingo-san, are you prepared for war?" She motioned at Ban's sword, which he has now pressed his thumb under the guard ready to give it that one little push to slide it free and draw it.

Ban sniffs and looks around slowly, "Skye-chan and I...have done much in the past few days, and lost...much..." Jamie can be heard to let out a gasp, finding the implications saddening. Ban lifts the blade then hooks his thumb up over the guard, holding the blade down in place, "A concession..." he says simply.

And then the moment is broken yet again when Dr. Keller, comes storming in. Ban whisper, "Oh kuzo..." Sophie walking up and wrenching open the coat to show dry burned skin from the overclocking of his augments days ago now. She grumbles, "Come on!" And drags Ban off, "I have work to do on this one. Your duty can wait. Excuse me."

Ban reaches out and tries to get help to stay this torture, but no one wants to upset Sophie at the moment. Freya smiles, "Oops." Jamie chuckles and follows the doctor and doomed yakuza.

Freya nods, "So this meeting of the minds." She gestures around to everyone there now. Smiling and bowing her head to Enri, looking Adam, Thalia, Athena and Skye, "I'm not going to have to knock heads to keep this from going wrong am I?"

Chuck had come through the fight in Marrakech in one piece. His armor had some dents and could use some TLC from Samantha. He was almost out of ammo and would need to restock before the next mission. He would need to tear apart his guns and clean them. He had a bruise on his chest where he took a high caliber round. His armor had done a good job of displacing the kinetic force to reduce the injury he had taken. His armor had prevented penetration and he had avoided broken bones.The bruise would fade away in a few days. His movement would be stiff for a day or two but he would recover quickly. He was calling that a win.

He had checked over Duke on the way back to base. He made sure to give him some water to rehydrate him after action in such a hot area. Duke needed a good bath and a meal. He gave Duke a few high protein jerky treats that he carried for missions to help him recover the energy he had expended. Otherwise Duke looked fine. He didn’t find any obvious signs of injury on his canine companion. Duke’s armor needed to be cleaned up as well. It was clear that Duke had joined in the fight from the amount of blood around his muzzle and splattered across his armor. He had used some special wet wipes to clean the worst of the gore off to make him more comfortable. He would have to wait till they got to base to get it all off. Duke had curled up near Chuck and slept on the plane ride home.

Chuck was tired and ready for a hot shower and a meal. He climbed wearily to his feet and followed the rest of the team as they left the plane. He smiled as he saw the Battle Goddess greeting her siblings as they left the plane. He didn’t want to intrude on a family moment and simply smiled and nodded at Freya in greeting as their eyes met. He walked on by the group. He needed to take care of his dog. Duke had bounded over to rub along Freya’s leg in greeting, his tail wagging excitedly. Chuck whistled for Duke and he reluctantly returned to Chuck’s side after greeting Freya. Duke whined softly but followed Chuck’s command as the two left the tarmac.

---

Chuck had gone straight to the armory where he began to pull off his armor. He had pulled his helmet off and set it on the bench. He opened the back and stepped out. He struggled and winced as he worked to pull off the neoprene ballistic gel under suit off. The motion pulled against the bruising along his torso. The suit took a bit of strength to pull off and some bending. The suit fit snugly and stretched a little. His armor hung on a hydraulic lift stand waiting for repairs and cleaning. He had already put his weapons away where they went. He turned his attention to Duke.

Once he was out of the suit he called Duke over to him. He sat down on the bench while he worked to take off Duke’s armor. He would check it over later for damage as he cleaned it. Right now he wanted to be sure Duke was okay. He ran his hands gently along Duke’s side and checked each of his paws. Duke yipped softly as he ran his hands down his sides. Duke had no broken skin but probably had some bruises where his armor had stopped a bullet. He frowned. He would have the vet check him for any fractures. He could tell from previous experience that his upgraded armor had done a better job than what he had been given for Duke in the Marines. He saw a few scratches along Duke’s legs. They were minor and from shrapnel on the battlefield. None of them required more than cleaning.

He whistled and had Duke follow him into the shower. He used the flexible shower head attachment and a special shampoo on Duke to help him get all the blood and gore off his muzzle and chest area. Once Duke was clean he quickly got himself clean. He turned off the shower and quickly toweled off and put on some clean sweatpants, t-shirt, and sneakers. He then carefully cleaned and inspected all the little cuts on Duke. Once he was satisfied Duke was dry and healthy. Chuck put down some food and water for him.

Chuck was puzzled when Duke didn’t immediately move towards the food and water. Duke’s posture went rigid and his head tilted to one side and then the other as he looked towards the door of the armory. Duke gave a happy bark and took off running towards the door. Chuck followed Duke and smiled as he saw what had drawn his attention. Duke slipped around everyone’s legs and rubbed along Skye’s leg barking demanding attention from her. His deep bark booming and echoing in the large space. He then stands on his hind legs and begins trying to lick her face. He is tall enough that way to reach her chin. Skye is being greeted by almost one hundred pounds of excited muscular dog with a rough tongue.

Chuck just laughs and nods at Skye. “Hello Bosslady.” Chuck is more inclined to trust Duke’s instincts over any code phrase to verify Skye’s identity. He knows Duke’s capabilities and trusts his partner.

Samantha had passed out in the evacuation truck as her body crashed from the Raven Cocktail that her AI injected her with stimulants, painkillers, and adrenaline. Once she had made it to the safety of the vehicle her combination of injuries and the chemical crash knocked her out. She woke up on the plane ride several hours later. Someone had hauled her unconscious self onto the plane and seatbelted her into place. She woke up as the plane was being jostled by air currents as it descended for landing. The plane bumped as it settled onto the tarmac and came to a stop.

Samantha still felt groggy and like her brain was operating at about 15% efficiency. Her hands shook and it took her a few tries before she managed to get the seatbelt undone. She pushed to her feet and held onto the seat for a moment as it felt like the plane was tipping to one side. She knew logically they had landed and come to a complete stop and that the plane was not listing to one side. Her body swayed back and forth for a moment before her sense of equilibrium kicked in. She carefully began to follow the others as they made their way off the plane.

Samantha was focused on putting one foot in front of the other and staying upright. It hurt to breathe as her ribs moved painfully. Her breaths came in short sharp gasps. The painkillers she had taken in the field had worn off. Her nerves still felt raw. Her movements were jerky and she was walking a little hunched over hugging her ribs because it felt better. She walked down the ramp of the plane oblivious to the large group on the tarmac next to the plane. Her mind focused on finding Sophie or the medics.

Samantha blinked at Freya with a confused look as she spoke to her.

Freya: "Hey girl. How you doing? Everything okay?"

Samantha looks puzzled as she looks at Freya.

Samantha: “Freya? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in the infirmary?”

She nods her head to herself as if agreeing with herself.

“I need to go visit you in the infirmary.”

Samantha's voice was a little slurred and it was obvious she was struggling. Samantha automatically smiles back at Freya as she smiles at her.

Freya: "I'm glad you're all coming home okay. You especially. Just take care of yourself. And if you need any help with anything you let me know alright?"

Samantha looks puzzled again and then nods as she replies to Freya.

Samantha: “Yes we all came home. I want to take care of myself. I need to go see Sophie. She is here right?”

Samantha looks at Freya hopefully as she waits for her to respond. Freya begins to rub Samantha’s back. She begins to wobble back and forth with the motion of Freya’s hand. Samantha is obviously still impaired from injuries she sustained on the battlefield.

---

Samantha had been led from the plane to the infirmary where Sophie had checked over Samantha. Samantha’s ribs were only bruised from Ingwe trying to squeeze her like his favorite plush toy. Sophie had wrapped her ribs to offer some support and minimize the movement in her torso while the bruises healed. That helped her breathe better and deeper. Sophie had given her a cocktail of pain meds and put her to sleep. After spending a few hours sleeping in the infirmary so Sophie could monitor her. The painkillers that Sophie had given her worked on the residual pain she was feeling from the electric shock and her ribs. Her brain felt clearer as well. When she woke up this time, she felt more like herself. She was moving a little stiffly and with some pain but she felt tons better. She began to make her way towards the armory. She wanted to see how bad the damage was to her armor.

Samantha froze as she walked into what felt like a tense situation. Many people had their hands on their weapons. They were gathered around a woman that looked like Skye. There was a Japanese looking woman with some facial scarring standing behind Skye. Sophie was dragging a Japanese looking man away in her medical dictator way. Duke was standing on his hind legs with his front paws on Skye’s shoulders and was licking her chin, his tail wagging. Chuck was smiling. Ebrima’s body language looked tense; she couldn’t read his face, which was a blank mask. Athena, Jamie, Purna, Adam and Tahlia were also present. Samantha only had eyes for Skye. Her eyes narrowed as she moved stiffly towards Skye. Was this really Skye or another Rose clone?

The man had woken up abruptly inside a cot that kept him strapped down during take-off and landing, and turbulence. It was a odd place over time moment that he had been out, the bleeding had stopped, but he was still somewhat light headed from the blood loss. He saw an IV in his arm, and saw it hanging above him. He saw his arms weren't strapped, but his leg and torso had bandages lining his currently bare chest. He shifted around a bit, and felt that something wasn't right on his torso, but he felt that it had been handled for the most part, or at least set properly, and held in place. He was thankful forstimulants, but more important, he saw the tattered remains of his shield, and of his armored suit. He stared at the cylinder imprint in the shield's face. Then he saw the fractured plates of his suit, honestly it didn't do too much damage but to the mechanics and shock absorbers, it looks more like the damage from when the suit was taken off of him.

He was thankful that they were able to get it off him, if things shut down, then he knew how bitchy that suit could be to take off, or disassemble. He stared at it for a moment, then closed his eyes again, He slowly pulled the strap to his upper body, and sat up, he felt the ridged lining of a plastic body suit that covered his lower torso.

"Fuck, remind me to get one of those things... better than a fucking tank cannon." He slowly went back down after saying that before passing out once again, the small bout of adrenaline in him finally kicking it to his bodies drowsiness.

---

[/center]

When he reawoke several hours later, Oliver stared up at what seemed to be a medical ward of some sort. He looked around, seeing a few others in the room, he saw Skye, and she didn't seem to be in good shape, then again most of them didn't either in the room. He looked at his charting, two broken ribs, and a decent amount of blood loss, but that had been remedied for the most part. His armor was the next set of things. He slowly stared at the cot, he was no longer tied down, then again, he wasn't in a moving object anymore, or at least to his knowledge. There was the IV stand, which had a bag that was attached to his arm, he decided to move it to a rolling one so that he could move.

Oliver stared at the others in another part of the ward; most of them were armed, Skye looked hurt, and well, he didn't want to deal with this anymore. He already had the cast on to get his ribs fixed and was loaded up with stimulants and whatever else was thrown into him cocktail wise. He stared at that situation and slowly slid off his bed the other way. Then, slinking out of the ward in its entirety.

From there, he looked outside, deciding a gown was not enough to get fresh air, he turned and started looking for a place to get clothing, this again was foiled by a searing headache. He stumbled and moved towards the room with the armed guards, Skye, and a good portion of the people he knew.

"I thought she was doing alright; when did she get hit?" he asked, peering into the room outside the doorway, holding onto the IV rolling stand he was using as a walking implement. Then he questioned the tense armed guard if they were under attack again. Also, why were they so tense? I could use a butter knife to cut the air. I don't hear gunfire, so why are you all so jumpy-looking?" With this, he had a smile on his face, and if a man could look like a dog, he would look like the dumbest golden retriever possible in that moment.

Athena set her armour back down in the Heavies section of the Armoury, into the large hydraulically-assisted mount point, helmet off with the high-collar torso piece following, as did the legs, arms and remainder, pulling away. The armour had taken serious hits, and the coil itself needed a refurb- it had burnt everything out completely, to a point where connection points were black and ashen with how heavy the use had been. With a few clasps, the youngest sibling emerged and quickly dressed in a bright gold, branded t-shirt of #AthenaAwesome, cleavage still a little on show and black tights, revealing her pulsating forearms and her thighs tight to the look. Long blonde hair allowed to flow, she could feel the bruising starting to hurt from the BTR, and well, getting slapped by a fucking mech. The adrenaline had poured in her veins richly, considering how much her hearts could discharge, but man, it was shitty. She ran a finger along the line of the scar, and then up the bruising, chuckling. Looking to Freya, and Jamie, bringing himself out of his, she could only smile.

"Frey, you missed a really good one. Tons of explosions. And I got to put some voltage into your mutual friend." Athena giggled, walking over and hugging Freya again, burying her head in her shoulder, giving a prick with her fingers into her back, giggling, in response to that. She was a shit, at the best, and worst of times. Deep down though, she was really happy to have her back.

"And it is so good to have you back, sis. Honestly. I had to hold down the fort for guys leering at the females of our family. Do you know how hard that was?" Athena giggled with a sarcastic charm, as she looked to Jamie, very much the middle child.

"And he was good too. Blowing shit up as well. Anyway. " Athena added, chatting way, way too much again, as she looked around, seeing Chuck peel his armour off, bringing Duke with him to get showered. Jesus. That hunk of man was something. So was Oliver. Was it weird? Eh, probably, but her gaze caught for a while as she looked back.

"We should probably see how the others are doing."

---

Purna meanwhile, quietly pulled the tight suit off him, gently folding the Gryphon into a neat square, and plugged the energy cell on the suit's pack in, laying his MP5, Mk14 and USP out neat, unloaded, inspected, clean. A professional's mark, as he changed into a plaid shirt, a rather old-school thing for such a new-school infiltrator, and a pair of jeans, again, nothing fancy at all. He seemed to almost have the look of someone who dissolved into the background, but Purna liked that lots, as he also headed out of his section, to join the others, and the commotion building from where Skye had appeared after Adam and co had also put away their equipment. He'd dropped his exo, and was still in his fatigues, and still looking as serious as ever.

---

The scene was a standoff one, Adam hand on rifle, Athena not really needing a gun when she had two large ones in her biceps. Skye saw Ban step out of her shadow, and Enri, scarred yet standing. A new one, given she had no idea, but Ebrima was almost eyeing her up in shock, and Enri rather in anger about it. Athena, Freya and Jamie back together again, many hugs shared, much banter given, and Athena just happy to have her by her side again, in one piece. Sam, Tahlia and Purna all there, and many, many people melding. Yet fuck, not another conflict.

Skye interrupted that, her casual, yet forever worn look coming back to it to Ebrima.

"The Atlas you mean? We chatted about something about stolen identity, funnily enough. Having new blood.....wait...." Skye replied, as suddenly, Duke lept up onto her, licking away, Athena chuckling and shaking her head, as did Tahlia.

"Aww, hello friend! I know, it has been a while! Good to see you too, and in one piece as well!" Skye smiled gleefully, the first time in a long time, as she wrapped her arms around Duke, hugging back, kissing him on the top of the head with the excitable dog woofing and hovering around, giving the Scot a rare reprieve. She looked to Chuck, and to Freya, the two towering over. Since when did Raven have five giants?
"Hiya Chuck. Appreciate the assist! And good to see you one piece too, Freya." Skye replied, then turning to Adam, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well. I suppose there's my tell. Same blood maybe, same heart as her, but...Duke knows me well at least." Skye giggled, ruffling his fur, standing back up and seeing Adam walk over, the look on his face of concern irrespective. Point taken, he knows who this is, but he still seemed pissed.

"Fine. The Skye I know has a weak spot for dogs. Good to have you alive. Though, can I ask what your plan is, Major? You realise how much shit we had to deal with because of your status?" Adam replied, staying stoic, a smile cracking yet getting straight to business. Wow, no thanks?

"Adam, it wasn't ideal, I'll admit. But needs must." Skye added, Athena eyeing up the infamous Skye Rosalind Lyons, almost unable to tell what she was. There was a little bit of a legend of course, within what she'd heard in Blue Sword.

The kind of woman that took down a giant, and this ghost that ran a team of misfits even more unhinged than her little operation. It all started to make sense. There's a rare moment where a woman almost a foot and a half shorter almost felt like more magnetised than even her own usual extraversion, all eyes on her body dragged by the Highlander's tone. Adam replied to that in turn.

"Well, you can't just go rogue when the world's hunting anything that has your face. Did Oracle get you up to speed?" Adam asked, Skye nodding in turn, the navy t-shirt wearing, jeans having redhead's hair a short plume, nowhere near what it used to be, but beginning to form up to what she was once.

"Aye. Rose is fucking omnicidal, far as I can tell, she's keen on just cleaning the slate and starting again, with fuck knows what to replace it. She's damaged to all hell, and she's just pulling the trigger before anyone realises what she's doing. We recovered Raven's old data. And another body of Rose's. And the constituent pieces that make up Sol Hestia. And a hacker, Enri, who just figured out just how deep Rose's neural networks go. Which, I assume you just learned about. So I hope it was worth it. Happy?" Skye replied, shrugging her head, knowing well, that was why she was here. Nothing like a serious peace offering to quell the bullshit.

"You were busy then. We had our doubts, but you proved us wrong. I was expecting to put a bullet in you." Adam's husky Polish accent carried, Skye replying in turn. If there was one person that seemed to be like an antidote to him, it would be the Scot. As capable as he was, he ran his team tight. Skye perhaps, less so.

"Yeah, well, you know me. Can't help it. Nearly fucking died for it though, so appreciate you not killing me at the last hurdle. Rose came after us, and.....there's things that happened. We got her though." Skye added, looking to Ban, then back to Adam, pulling her shirt up and revealing her newest scar, right below her tattoo on her back.

"Fuck." Adam commented, the wound a nasty one considering it had freshly healed, but well, Skye was made of stern stuff. It would take a lot more than that to kill her, Adam noted. From experience.

"Yeah. It happens. Looks like you lot took a beating too. And brought Viper, Scion and Valkyrie back into the fray. The all-stars. Jesus. I said it, didn't I, they'd bring some right crazies into the fray.....especially Athena, we really must be screwed!" Skye replied to the team, a smile forming, glad to be back with friends, although, the larger woman, well, one of two had another comment to make on that. Skye in turn nodded back to Freya, the regal-haired fellow redhead back to action, and back to this. Still, Athena had something to pipe up on.

"Skye Lyons. Shit, everything my sister said you were.....the mere mortal she can't shut up about. So, who's in charge? End of the world kinda problem we have here." Athena asked, Adam and Skye looking at each other, then back at her, the towering, almost olive-coloured blonde coming in between.

"Good question." Skye replied, looking back to Adam, a shrug respondent.

"Seems like we don't have time to figure that out. Oracle has the overall lead, at the end of the day. And we need two strike teams, and right now I suppose that means we're both leads. Both respond to Oracle. Though.....maybe we need to be a little more ordered, than last time?" Adam asked, a reminisce to times old that they worked together. In a different capacity than Raven, of course, but well, a time that still harkened back. The two clearly had something thicker than what was going on, not that either was entirely letting on.

"Jesus. Ordered? I think you need to remember what you came into. And good. I can work with that. We have a world to save, no point bickering." Skye replied, her Scots sarcasm back at things again, stoic and to the point no less.

"Fine. I suppose you owe me some introductions." Adam asked, as Skye nodded, looking to the other two, well, now only one considering Ban was being taken away.

"Ban Kingo, Enri Uemura. Former Raven, current hacker respectively. Both capable. Both help we need now." Skye replied, as Adam nodded.

"We need as much as we can get. Oracle said..."

"We have leads coming close and we expect to deploy within eight hours? And the fact that the central server for Rose is currently looking like it's nonsensical to find? Didn't need sleep anyway. World's going to fucking end, so hey. No pressure." Skye quipped, Adam a little more straight in her response.

"Yes, indeed. Good to have you back. In a weird way." Adam coolly replied, just unsure how to read her at all, but well, sticking professional rather than anything else.

"You too. Don't go being a twat now." Skye replied, Adam shaking his head, Skye knowing he wouldn't go further, being as professional as he was. Ban was being pulled away for medical help, a place that Oliver and Sam had already come from too. No doubt Sophie was beyond pissed, and annoyed at how many hurt team members she had to deal with. At least she wasn't the only doctor on site....

As Adam and Athena came out of the way, Tahlia ran in, and lept up to Skye, hugging her, holding her close and looking back.
"Don't you ever fucking do that again! You even had me worried!" Tahlia yelped, Skye chuckling, smiling and looking on at Sam, Oliver, Antti, and Purna behind.

"Good to see you again, Tarly. Thanks for holding things down. And nice new legs, by the way!" Skye replied, embracing the Kiwi as Tahlia smiled, a keen look on her face, as Purna pulled to the side, nodding on. Skye observed the new legs she appeared to have- rather than the titanium-carbon based pegs with adapters on the feet, they actually looked more like a leg, and had a greater range of motion on them. Freya's friend must have sorted her out, as it looked like Tahlia was actually walking with something that looked. Tahlia smiled back, but not before Purna managed to come through. To him, it was even a shock- though he hadn't worked with Skye in a while, it was clear there was also some other history. Skye Lyons had clearly inflected herself wide, but perhaps now they were coming back to that.

"Miss Lyons, long time no see. I still can't believe you're here. When I heard about the body, I thought you were.....yeah, I should have probably guessed." Purna started, although now he was beginning to put dots together. Bit by bit, at least- that Skye was even another body somewhere else, somehow was still hurting his head.

"Yeah, it was a good trick. You and Ebrima been playing fair?" Skye replied in turn, a look of surprise on Purna's face, but well, the fact he was a Gurkha and what she knew of Ebrima, well, it would have been an interesting scene to say the least. One she wished she saw for the first time, Ebrima nearby at least bringing the two into focus.

"Eh, it is, what it is. Acceptable." Purna dryly remarked looking to Ebrima, as Skye chuckled, looking around at the others, the fact there were so many people now probably a bit crowded.

Skye of all of them caught the eye of Sam. She seemed exhausted, broken too, but Skye found that energy to head over, and well, just simply hug.

"Good to see you again, Sam. I kept up my promise....somehow!" Skye added, this personal touch perhaps a little much, but well, considering the events recently, it was rather remarkable. From enemy number one to this, it was quite a turnaround, not even one Skye was sure she'd end up getting. Sam had done a hell of a job holding the team together after that, and silently, she knew Adam had reason to distrust. She was glad that hadn't been the case, and they were all still mostly in one piece.

"You did good. Really good. Glad you held your end of the bargain too! And....for what it's worth, not an easy thing at all considering what we're going through. Kameko by the way...I can see where you get it from." Skye chuckled, knowing what Sam had been through- likely as a result of Adam, Athena and Imran, and no doubt everything on top of that had driven the team to breaking point. Even so, the unbreakable spirit of the Scot had to keep going, as she gave a silent nod to Antti, who gave one back, no comments shared there at all. With that, Skye headed away from the groups of others, looking to Oliver, who just looked confused. Well, hopefully he would chill out a bit more now, considering the scene set. With that, Skye turned to him.

"I think that settles that situation. You look like shit, Oliver. But still alive and kicking. After taking a slug like that, not half bad." Skye added, looking up to the tall American, who had certainly taken a beating from the railgun in Marrakesh, but well, still stood and kept going. He probably wasn't all up to speed with the situation relating to Skye, but that was fine by her- all of this was a whirlwind, and not much of it made sense. Still, it felt like a whirlwind, as the team mingled, Skye

"Alright, team. Get yourselves rested, and our locations should come through in a few hours. Enri, you should join Raphael in the intel room. I know, he's Israeli, I know, he probably took down yours and Ebrima's team, but you should be aware that Raven's not exactly all about revenge, we're more the stop everyone getting neurotoxin in their brains kind of thing. I do know that you know each other, trust me, there's plenty more." Skye commented, most certainly the two of them in shock that she even knew that.

That was information that was no doubt suppressed, buried, even Enri would have been outright offended to see Skye know that, but well, she had her measures. Being a team lead came with reading files, and she didn't sit in her office doing nothing when it came to recruitment and people. A good spy stayed one step ahead, and knew when to talk about people. Skye was rather like that. Unconventional, but at the least, she knew when things needed to stay secret, and when maybe some honesty would do some good.

Still. Moving swiftly on!

"Anyway. Things to upgrade, repair, yourselves to fix, and a job to do. We have a lot of people to save and no time for paperwork."

---

After all that, the team got to that promptly.

Skye was reunited back with her exo, and this time around, a fine looking tool had been wrapped up in attachment next to it, with a note stuck on the barrel. Tahlia's writing on it.

"If you come back alive, you'll appreciate this! Hold button shy of trigger for capacitor charge, or just hold for burst."

Not bad. Skye had put this on her Christmas list for a while, in replacement of the MG3 as a bullet hose and the SIG as a precise tool, here it was, a prototype M31, an electromagnetic-coil driven battle rifle derived from a SIG-inspired design. A large battery pack under the trigger guard, and a custom-milled cartridge for a magazine in a bullpup configuration. Smiling, she checked the sighting, and shrug her head. Not bad, for a tool like this. She whistled, rotating the rifle around, and then looked over to the others, milling around, checking over their new equipment.

Tahlia was able to spend time with the team now. In the interim, the team could consult her, as well as anyone else regarding equipment, tooling and gear. This was probably the penultimate chance for the team to equip upgrades, and considering the missions ahead, the final form of each of the operatives was getting closer and closer.

The location of that server, and the deployment point for Sol Hestia was getting closer. But with Henry's confessions, Raven's old data, the intelligence gained in Marrakesh and Nagoya, as well as that of everything up to now, the feeling was one that even Skye felt the weight of. There was pressure, a deep-seated. And worse, the fact she'd brought Ban back into this hurt her inside. She hadn't really said it out loud, said what she felt. She had caused that, not Enri, and whilst it felt a little ambiguous, there was a chance Skye had just let her mask slip, for even a second, and given that away. Painted herself red and let the bulls charge, and Ban's father had been collateral. Rose in a way, was right. She pushed down those feelings. Adam, across the room much the same felt the weight of this command again. It was difficult to manage, especially someone like Athena who threw herself in the way of things as much as she did.

---

The phone buzzed by Skye's bed, as she groggily reached over, grabbing the device, putting ear to receiver. Barely any sleep in the last few days, and what little there was, was interrupted.
"Yello?"

"Oracle here. We have an update, three targets, urgently. Ferrovia Two, a recently developed geoengineering platform offshore in the western Azores, a data centre on board what appears to be a blimp over Newfoundland, and a receiver station at an rare earth minerals mine in southern Greenland. We need you deployed within an hour."

"Sorry....a blimp?"

"It's an unusual one, but we can't just shoot it out of the sky. We need to sever the link. And any Sol Hestia on board. We have possible ideas on how to get you there, but appreciate it won't be easy."

"A fucking blimp....and the other two targets are hard to hit. We got any help?"

"You name the resource you need. I've been told we practically have the entire free world's arsenal at our disposal. Adam is on Ferrovia, you're on the blimp, and I'll let you task who you need for the mine in Greenland. Insertion methods and intel are to follow within twenty minutes, our teams are around the clock."

"Now, when you put it like that....copy, Oracle. Keep me in the loop." Skye began thinking about the situation, and disconnected on his prompt. In particular, how to deploy the team, and how to make this work. It would be messy, but there was a lot of thinking to do. She'd come to the team when she was ready with a plan, but with that, Skye was up again, and with a big yawn, clambered out of bed and with it, knew Adam would have the same matter to manage.

For the data centre in the sky aboard the blimp, anyone deploying to that would likely need a more specialised loadout- the heavies would be ruled out of armour if they went, and the mediums even would have to forego exoskeletons they usually used. As for Ferrovia, the floating platform sat off the coast in the deep sea, an oil-platform like terminus, requiring the use respirators, SCUBA and other equipment. And as for Greenland, that would be a task of itself. Not one Raven would live down. Skye and Adam would allocate the team shortly, and it would be a matter of time before the full details come through.

Samantha frowned as she looked over the scene before her. After her experiences with Rose she was not as quick to assume that the woman she was looking at was Skye Lyons. She could understand the tension she saw from some of the team members. Her eyes flicked from person to person assessing their reactions and trying to follow the scene as it unfolded. She left herself some distance from the woman and watched even as she crept closer to the group.

One point in the Skye look alike’s favor was Duke’s reaction to the woman. Chuck didn’t call him off and was smiling which meant that he didn’t think she was a danger to his dog. More reassuring to Samantha was how Skye had greeted Duke. She remembered Rose’s cold and cruel way of interacting with others. She certainly would not have been friendly towards Duke.

Chuck smiled at Skye and looked amused as Duke greeted her with his own personal brand of charm. Skye greeted him and thanked him for the assist while Duke was licking her face and excitedly announcing to the whole base his friend was back.

Chuck shrugged as he grinned at Skye as he responded. “All in a day’s work. I got to blow up more stuff. What’s not to like?”

He waited till Duke seemed satisfied and Skye had returned the greeting before calling the canine back to his side. He patted Duke reassuringly on the head even as his tongue was hanging out of his mouth which gave him a lopsided grin look. Chuck chuckled and listened in with curiosity as he learned more about the current situation as Adam and Skye spoke.

Samantha listened intently as Adam broke into the conversation addressing Skye. Adam seemed to have insider information confirming Skye’s identity. Samantha began to relax as Skye filled Adam in on what had been going on. Samantha laughed outright as Athena asked Adam and Skye which one of them was in charge. The ultimate answer was that Oracle was in charge. Samantha was smiling and relief surged through her as she accepted that this was her Skye Lyons and friend.

She perked up as Skye began introductions. “Hacker?” She looked curiously at Enri. They would have to get together and talk shop. Hackers were always excited to learn from one another. There was always something new to learn.

Chuck paid particular attention to the time factor given for leads on their next operation.
Skye: "We have leads coming close and we expect to deploy within eight hours? And the fact that the central server for Rose is currently looking like it's nonsensical to find? Didn't need sleep anyway. World's going to fucking end, so hey. No pressure."

Chuck was surprised when Tahlia leapt at Skye and was hanging on for all she was worth. The usually stoic warrior woman’s emotions were on full display. Chuck had not noticed Tahlia’s new legs until Skye brought attention to them. Chuck had simply accepted that prosthetics were a part of the female veteran. He had gone out of his way to talk with her and encourage her. He hated that wounded veterans seemed to be discarded due to injuries. They needed to know that they still had much to contribute and could still serve. They were not lesser than they were before, they just needed to accomplish things a little differently. They might need a different set of tools but they were still very capable warriors when given the right tools and support.

Samantha was surprised that Purna seemed to have worked with Skye in the past. She shouldn’t be surprised yet she was.

Chuck looked amused as Skye asked Purna if he and Ebrima had been playing fair with each other. Skye obviously knew that the Gurkha might have an issue with the kukri that Ebrima had taken off a fallen opponent. Chuck respected Skye even more for understanding the diverse culture of the team and identifying things that might be an issue.

Samantha had hung back at the edge of the group as Skye answered and greeted everyone. Samantha found herself suddenly facing Skye as she pulled her into a hug. Samantha felt like a heavy weight had lifted off her shoulders as she received that hug. She had been feeling the pressure of the responsibility that Skye had placed on her. Then that responsibility was taken away here in Poland and given to others. She had still felt the weight of responsibility for the team from Kaitaki. She had not wanted to let her friend down.

Skye’s words were a balm for her shattered confidence and psyche.

Skye: "You did good. Really good. Glad you held your end of the bargain too! And....for what it's worth, not an easy thing at all considering what we're going through. Kameko by the way...I can see where you get it from."

Samantha hugged her back and nodded. “We will catch up later. I am happy to see you in one piece.” She reluctantly released Skye but let her go as she moved to talk to other members of the team.

Chuck gave an approving nod as he watched Skye greet every member of the team, especially the ones from Kaitaki. He had not had much time to get to know Skye as the team leader before he was evacuating from Kaitaki with the team. He was reassured that he was seeing good traits with her leadership even after everything she had personally been through. Chuck had seen action break many wonderful field team leaders. He gave her a nod of respect even as she gave the team direct orders.

Skye: "Alright, team. Get yourselves rested, and our locations should come through in a few hours.”

Skye: "Anyway. Things to upgrade, repair, yourselves to fix, and a job to do. We have a lot of people to save and no time for paperwork."

Chuck nodded respectfully at the orders. He was weary but he needed to make sure his equipment was ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. He would need to go clean his and Duke’s armor and send the armor tech’s a list of things to repair on them. He would need to reload all his ammo and clean his guns. Chuck whistled to Duke and led the way back to their section of the armory. He would let Duke eat and rest while he got the prep work done that was needed. He would then go get what sleep he could. He sent the armor techs the note about the large dent in the chest armor that would need to be repaired if possible. He cleaned up Duke’s armor and noted that there were a few bullet impacts on the sides that would need to be checked over for durability and weakness. He and Duke then took off to his room for sleep. He would find out more when they got their location briefing.

Samantha sighed as she heard the orders. They needed to be ready to deploy as soon as possible. She was going to need some help. She hoped that they had some competent armor technicians around. She was pretty sure they had some after all Blue Sword helped develop and market that kind of technology. She needed to help save the world from an evil clone. She did not give a shit about patents and proprietary knowledge rights on her designs. Some of the team needed all new armor after the damage they had sustained in the last fight. Her own armor had taken significant damage. Samantha knew that this time she simply would have to trust the work of others.

Samantha sighed and moved over to Adam. She nodded respectfully to him as she waited for his acknowledgement before beginning.

“Sir, many of the team need armor repairs or complete overhauls after the fighting in Marrakech. Do you have some armor techs that would be available to assist me? I have designs for my armor which can be made fairly quickly which would protect the group from standard weapons fire. They wouldn’t be able to take armor piercing rounds or high caliber rounds. It would stop a sniper’s bullet, and machine gun fire. My design provides more flexibility and speed while spreading the kinetic energy from a bullet strike over a greater area. This results in fewer broken bones from the impact and weaker bruising. The ballistics gel can also provide environmental control for the suit to help with environments. So cooling or heating as needed. With enough help the armor could be ready to go for the whole team in a few hours. It is pretty easy to assemble and make with the plans. I am willing to give the plans to Raven. I will need the materials and standard equipment that you should have on site for vehicles and armor repair. The suit can also be used as a layered armor by being worn under heavier plate armor. That is how Chuck’s suit was modified when I first got ahold of it. Javi has helped me with some of the materials and repairs on Kaitaki. He could organize the others here and answer questions as well.”

---

“Well, you can't just go rogue when the world's hunting anything that has your face.” Adam moralized, eliciting a chuckle from Ebrima as he let go of his weapon again, visibly loosening up. ”Evidently she can.” The Cameroonian shrugged, ”And if convention was followed in Raven, there would be no Raven. I’ve learned that much in my brief time here. Welcome back, Major. I trust a dog’s nose.” He stated plainly, a mischievous smirk growing on his face. ”Correct answers, sure, but: Dog.”

”We’ve agreed to postpone the fight to the death until after the current world ending crisis is resolved. One might say we are balancing on a knife’s edge.” He followed up on Purna’s comment about their little situation. Ebrima wasn’t in the least surprised Raven knew a lot about a lot, and if Raph had indeed taken part in the Shalev operation then it only made sense he’d have shared what he knew about the boxed crook they were supposed to trust with their lives in a fight. He’d have to do some digging later, figure out just how good Raven’s homework squad was. His work for Shaelv was hardly a secret, Enri having been one of the behind the scenes crew while Ebrima had been Avital’s pale shadow wherever the arms dealer went, but if they had somehow managed to dig up his childhood, he’d be officially impressed. Also mad as fuck.

But something Skye said caught Ebrima’s ear. ‘Enri’. A name was just a name, familiar or not. Once is a happenstance.
A Japanese woman named ‘Enri’ in her late twenties, short, thin. It was a Japanese woman’s name, and half of that country needed a few burgers to bulk up and platform boots to see a bus over a proper dog. Twice is a circumstance.
A Japanese woman named ‘Enri’ in her late twenties, short, thin, and a superstar hacker of loose morals. Thrice was deliberate action.
And then the full name. A ghost from the recent past, soil barely settled on the figurative grave in Ebrima’s mind. No wonder he didn’t recognize her standing there, even if he’d known she was alive. Comparing her then to now was like if he grew an afro and painted himself his biologically correct skin color.

---

---

Enri, on the other hand, was shocked by Skye’s knowledge, or at least an aspect of it. ”Hang on a fucking minute: You knew we used to work together, you knew how that ended, you probably then knew the specifics, you work with this coke-faced, spineless, backstabbing, shameless fuck and you didn’t fucking tell me?” She gave Skye a face and a wide shrug with her hands, an expression and gesture practically yelling ‘What the fuck?’ almost as loud as Enri. It was a good thing that woman dragged Ban away so she could break decorum and speak her mind without concern. Not that anyone would really care, every single person in that room could bench her and call for more weights doing it, the big ones with just one hand. She was like a chihuahua yelling at a Belgian Malinois in the presence of German Shepherds and Saint Bernards.

A few paces away, the coke-faced, spineless, backstabbing, shameless fuck was visibly confused on several levels, wondering how she was there, where all of this was coming from and how and when to start unpacking this issue, all the while trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the scene and the fact Enri was somehow alive. There was enough fuel in the dumpster fire already without pouring gasoline on top of it. ”I have no clue how you survived that, but it’s clear that we’re both missing critical pieces of the puzzle that is the past two months. I’d-”
”Fuck off and don’t even breathe around me, you know what you did.” Enri jabbed a finger in his direction and turned to storm out, stopping halfway when she remembered that door didn’t lead where she was going and quickly making her way to the correct one.
”Talk later I guess.” He sighed with a big, dumb grin on his face.

After being bundled into the medical room, and given a full go.over by the medical team. Ban had been slathered in ointments and unguents and other alchemical stuff, before covered in bandages. There would be a round of skin grafts that would quickly be adhered and covered in a special concoction before they left on the next operation. He'd be fit for duty atleast.

For now Ban is in the gym, off in one corner going through the movements of a kata. For all intents seemingly in his own world.

But that doesn't stop him from sensing the approach of three men. After he completes the series of motions, is when he turns to them. Three men, two veterans. And the third a younger man looking a little put of place. Ban bows to them "Conner-san, York-sama." These two men were middle ground soldier when Ban was last here, and were two of his usual sparring partners. He looks at rhe third then back at Conner and York, "John-San?" York swallowed heavily, "Dead." Ban started then stepped closer, "Where? When?" Conner coughs "New Zealand, he and five more took a rear guard position on our way out. His teammates said they were set upon by Artemis hard suits. He used your teachings. Used his combat knife to gouge out three of them.before another caught him with an assault cannon. Tore him apart."

Ban takes in a slow fluttering breathe, "Just another reason to hurt them. And who is this?" He looks at the young man. He looks him over getting up close to the young man and performing an iconic Yakuza gesture looking the young man over getting right into his personal space without actually touching him. While doing this Conner grabs some shinai training swords off the wall. York grins, "Nrw kid His name is Ulric Fletcher. Good with a gun. But..." Ban hums and turns catching one of the shinai out of the air as Conner tosses it to him. Ban skips back a few meters. Swinging the practice sword through the air to get used to the weight. He grins, "Yes, better to learn first with a shinai before learning with a boken." Fletcher oofs as one of the blades is thrust into his hands and York and Conner spread out. Fletcher gulps seeing the experienced stances York and Conner assume. While Ban slides the shinai down at his hip, an iai stance, draw fighting. Connor barks , "A hit put you out of the round, first team to 10?" Ban grins, "Yosh. We'll start slow."

Everyone mourns somehow. While York and Conner can see Ban hurts, they two have lost. Fletcher gulps then leaps forward, but never lands as Ban's sword leaps from his hip.

He'd wake a few minutes later to Conner leaning over him, "Good try kid. Come round two in a second."

---

Jamie is out in the yard. Sitting cross legged, communing with Nature one would say. It was strange being back with Raven he'd done his time and should be off roster. Only called back if a team really needed filling out. But then here he is.

Ah well it is what it is.

Reaching down he picks up the Jade bowl pipe he carved himself and began to pack it with tobacco. Been abit, and the base could use a blessing. Never hurts in the slightest.

---

Freya
Really ready? Truly okay?

The physiotherapist watched as Freya ran through a gamut of exercises. They needed to prove she's ready and fit to resume active combat duty. And that means these tests and exercises. Emphasis on if she has fair movement of her shoulder.

By all evidence she's ready. But as she picks up a shot put all those watching know these are make or break moments.

And she puts the bug weighted piece of rubber and lead through a weight machine on the far side of the gym. Freya rolls her shoulder ,"Oops...on my dollar again." She crows.

Yes she's ready.

But first time to see how everyone else is doing.

@Starlance

Skye shrugged, looking on at Ebrima, shaking her head. Enri had been fiery, and Skye had left no reply, the whirlwind of Ebrima's response and her walking the wrong way making her hold back a guffawing laugh. Whilst Skye was obviously not even as big as some of the others in the room, when you could take on certain enemies
"You put two and two together after meeting new people, you work out certain things. It's how I know you inside out...I don't sit there neglecting your file. You probably owe her an apology. And she'll probably figure out in time how I got there. People kept busy tend to move on, especially when we have a world to save and fuck all sleep to do it on." Skye simply retorted, knowing Ebrima probably would wisecrack to that, but her smirk seemed to give something. She didn't really have to say she knew him inside out. And well enough how to push his buttons.

That was the weird thing about Skye. Her intelligence may not have been perhaps that of an academics kind, like that of Freya, or perhaps of a progidical brilliance like Sam's, but it felt like it just tied in lots of unrelated strands into one coherent, strangely. Her work as an operative clearly mirrored that of Ebrima's, perhaps on the other side, but it made damn sure that she understood people when she had to. Forgot herself, and put it in a case when she had to.

@LadyAmber

Meanwhile, Sam approached Adam, and her question was a simple enough one to answer. Sam was clearly capable, and Adam had no issues letting her continue- even if he would have preferred a little more control- well, she knew armour more than he did and could make it work. The specs looked right too, from what he'd gandered at on his tablet.

"We have plenty. If you think it will work, do it. You have the resources of the free world. Enough to get her back here too apparently...." Adam retorted, aside from Skye, looking to Sam, then back over.

He had a history with her. One he wouldn't really want to go into right now, but it was complicated. Difficult even. The kind that stirred a lot of uncomfortable memories for him again, but well, that was down to their differences. In operations, style. For someone he thought he might have to put a bullet into, perhaps he was less comfortable with the fact that he was in charge of the other half of Raven, and it was her team really.

"There will likely be some specifics to follow. But, prepare us for what's to come. I am sure we will have one hell of a fight on our hands." Adam replied, a stoic and stern reply, but one that felt no less honest or dishonest about it all.

---

The hasty wakeup had risen the team, and they were coming through in batches.

Olafur Arnalds- Loom

Skye had slowly gone through the motions, starting with a thermal shirt and tights, piece by piece, putting herself back together. The scar was visible across her side, a particularly prominent one among the many that now lined her skin. She rubbed her hand over her neck, feeling no lump, nothing there at all. A procured softshell followed, as did a black beanie hat, wrapped over her slowly growing burgandy curls. A wash of her face, cleaning her nails, and washing the general grime off her helped restore some humanity. Not exactly the most ladylike, but well, it would do. The blue-eyed Scot saw back into herself, hands on the sink, looking into what was there.

None of this had really sunk in. Not properly. She was always waiting for a job, always working. Driven by a feeling that it always sort of did good, did right. And with it, purpose came easy. How long had Rose shared a life with her? How long had she gone away? And what had she done? All of it, all of it came into focus. Nearly dying, she remembered the hazy bits of life. All the stuff of dad and mum, happy, good times. She was so manic when she was little, so inquisitive, fascinated with everything and ahead. She certainly scared her parents, but now, it was a glimmer. And even afterwards, they had forced their way through. After....well, what happened. They never seemed to change....perhaps Mum never knew? Never properly understood. It all didn't make sense. It all felt wrong. And yet, looking back, she knew she had something to do. She was a fighter. Like the lion on her back, she had so much more to roar and scream before the void came back. Nearly dying was her thing. And actually doing it was Rose's. Time to go do some more.

With it, she walked through the early morning of the dark outpost, a far cry from home. It felt a lot less like home, more like an escape. An outpost, a large wooden shack buried in a hill, the lights now brought on and the first briefing room available for Skye's team. Whilst rustic in most part, a large digital table, board and maps were all set, loaded with the data from Oracle. As promised.

Skye led the meeting, even in spite of getting here soon, she'd gotten acclimatised to what was on the table.

"Morning all. Right. Turns out our target.....it's an Airlander Class Twelve, a fucking blimp....of all things. An uprated design of something made for the American DOD almost a decade ago. And it's a priority target for us to hit, sitting 30,000ft over Dildo, Newfoundland. Yes. I laughed when I first heard it." Skye added, pulling up the blimp's location, and there it was.

"Now, we can't shoot it out of the sky. It contains the central server network to Rose's capabilities which could relocate if the central control isn't manually severed, and if what is known to have been delivered by drone, enough Sol Hestia aboard to spread over the eastern seaboard of America. I can't stress how important this is. We kill this, we're killing Rose, and any version of her able to come back again. Which kills, in theory, everything for good. And a major thorn in our side." Skye added, looking to it, then the team. They no doubt had questions of how they were going to get to a blimp, 30,000 feet over the coast of Newfoundland.

"In terms of equipment, we're going to have to go light, with wingpacks forcing that. And not the regular kind." Skye added, reaching down, pulling open a crate, one that she'd prepared earlier. The team may not have got that reference, maybe they had. And with it, there it was. A black delta-winged lump, with an oxygen helmet attached at the top, and simple yet sleek controls.

"This is a Corvid Wingpack, might not be too familiar to some of you. It's a retractable, carbon-fibre wing, with two hydrogen-ion fuelled jets. It's a tool I've used once, goes like fucking fire. Has zero radar signature, and goes about 300mph, and more importantly....comes with one of these. Pull on your right hand and it fires 100m, and latches to anything magnetic, or with manual control on a HUD, penetrates." Skye turned it over, next to the parachute on the back of the wingpack there being a stubby lump, with a large ratcheted grappling hook poking out of it.

"So, one of these for you, each. Including Oliver and Athena, there's some we procured on short notice for you two. No heavy armour on this op, so Athena, Oliver, you'll need thermal suits and your lighter tactical getups, no exos for me either so you two will be the muscle on this operation. Our plan is to drop from the A400, fly to the blimp, and push through resistance, whatever we find, and destroy the servers, neutralise any compound, and sever the link. No stealth. We just go in, and hit them as hard as we can, before they can really defend. My biometrics will get us through, as it did before. Then we get out, and leave." Skye added, looking around, the faces looking blank.

"One last thing. One target of interest is aboard. The name is Kim Soo-Yang, known hacker and all around bastard last known to be working for the North Korean regime that is currently posted to look after the platform. He will be in charge of the blimp's defences, and no doubt, will make it as hard as possible to get through. He may even have an exo, so if you come across him, be ready to put up a fight. That, and of course, expect her. She'll fight like possessed to stop us. And believe me, I know what she can do." Skye brought up the picture of the hacker, and the scar on his face made it clear. He bad. The other picture wasn't needed of a certain Rose Lyons.

"Any questions? It's a bit more than our usual." Skye added to the team, wanting to get this wrapped up as soon as possible. There was a lot of kitting on to do.

Athena giggled, as Skye picked her out out first.

"Athena." Skye said straight, as Athena giggled like a little child.

"You know the blimp's shaped like a gigantic butt? And that I definitely want to steal it for myself? And that it's over....fucking Dildo!" Athena cackled, laughing out loud, probably way more than she should.

"You realise we're literally up against it, trying to save the world? You know, once in a lifetime opportunity, no opportunities to fuck up....really?" Skye replied, as Athena giggled, looking to Oliver, then Sam and Purna in his silence, then back to Skye.

"Guys, I'm just hearing it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to steal a cool as fuck blimp! I'd have so many parties in that thing! And oh yeah, killing the other version of you my sister split in two, permanently, yadda yadda that. That too. Also helps I know these things because I made sure to buy the first one that went to market." Athena grinned, cockily, and well, Skye had no reply. She gave a long sigh, and shrugged, a little deflated. She was literally everything she'd heard. Not good.

"Anyone else?"

---

The levels of tension in the room were palpable, considering that on this op, there was the small matter of Enri and Raphael being in the room together. Let alone fighting together. The Kiwi leading the brief was wrapped up in a black t-shirt, and her tattoos now extended a fair chunk up her neck, almost to her chin. The same pattern of ink actually followed on her legs, whilst looking more like actual legs, having a painted pattern that she had added whilst the team were in Marrakesh and she was wearing them in. For a blonde, lightly olive-coloured sniper, she certainly still had her own look and the legs had been a revelation. Perhaps a weakness at least she wouldn't have to worry about like last time, nearly getting stuck in a bog with her titanium-adapted sticks. She looked to the crew assembled, in all their various stages of being awake, based on the paperwork she'd been given, and the table in front of her, akin to the other briefing room.

"Our op is different to the other two. It turns out there's a significant portion of Artemis troops at the Solveig Theta mine, a strip mine digging up various rare earth minerals on the shore of a beautiful glacier that has retreated back in southern Greenland. And critically, a repeater network reciever that connects to Rose's neural network, and therefore can trap her if we time this right. Now, assaulting the mine alone would be of course, a rather shit idea considering the amount of hostiles. But, we have some friends. As in, we have an entire NATO Assault Ship group, located within the area. A good 1,000 Dutch, American and British Marines are readied to help us plug this gap, with helicopters and assault vehicles of their own. And we have our little fight on the side." Tahlia pulled it in, the image of supporting forces visible.

"The plan is, they lead the assault with cruise missiles, an amphibious assault and clear the mine of hostiles, whilst we go for the transmitter itself, using a hovercraft. If we play this right, we'll make big enough a bang to make Rose believe we're hitting the place with everything we have. Of course, that will buy the other two teams an opening to get into their operations. But it'll also put a dent in Rose's, and by extension, Artemis's ability to broadcast herself out to anywhere else easily from the central server. Any quick reaction forces will be put out of operation, including any aircraft, helicopters or other equipment. And we cap off a significant element of Artemis forces there and then." Tahlia added, pulling in the map, revealing positions.

"Javi will drive in, and I'll post up on a nearby position to lay down sniper fire. Jamie, you are in front and centre. Raph and Enri will follow once they've carved a path through whatever resistance there is. And with it, we'll try and hijack that repeater for our purposes. Jam, rather than transmit. And no doubt, have to deal with a hell of a warzone. Then we get out when we're done. No point getting bogged down, we'll have a fight to finish and they'll be able to handle it once we soften things down. There's a lot of Artemis HVTs, too many to list, but expect some particularly scary enemies close to it. Prepare for a full on assault here." Tahlia added, pulling it out of the map, focussing on the area generally.

"Area is mostly green, but there's a lot of icebergs and snow left over from the spring melt. Anyone got any questions?"

---

The last team had arguably one of the most serious jobs to do.

Ferrovia Two was a geoengineering platform, a large, massive floating structure formerly made up of an oil rig that was now a high-tech, biochemical laboratory that floated in the sea, coupled with a gigantic, almost mystical-scale of pipework and smoke stacks. With a large glass front, it almost resembled a gigantic floating warehouse, filled with algae labs and various industrial equipment fronted and presented beautifully in an ultra-modern style. It worked on a hybrid of iron fertilisation, vapour generation and cloud seeding tech, in theory creating a perfect storm of algal blooms, cloud cover and temperature reduction across a series of turbines and stacks settled across the ocean around it. A fascinating piece of work, considering it all renewably powered by geothermal energy deep beneath the La Palma hotspot in the Mid-Atlantic.

Counter-intuitively, saving the world meant destroying all the Sol Hestia there, and shutting down Ferrovia Two before it could belch it out. After all, the particles that Ferrovia Two, when the winds were pointing the right way, would point at Europe and Northern Africa would spell disaster for billions...

No pressure then!

On the digital display, everything was visible, and quite a sight to see in terms of the layout of the facility, the location and the scale of it for all to see. A hell of a sight.

With it, Adam pulled it in, after the team had gotten a look. He wore his usual fatigues, and as usual, was dry as ever.

"Right. That's the details of Ferrovia Two. Now, we have a limited window. Winds are now blowing from the south, towards the Arctic, which won't be Rose's target. But as of tomorrow afternoon, it'll be towards mainland Europe, Africa and a significant series of population centres. This cannot be allowed to happen. We have a significant Artemis detail on deck, and serious SAM and other defences capable of holding a heavy fight. But we'll have some help."

"As for equipment, we're using rebreathers, and flotation equipment. Freya, you in particular will need the latter, and for the rest of us, the former will keep us alive. The VTOL can drop us close, but we'll need to use an SDV to get close, and then swim in. We cannot let any of the toxin go into any water source, or into any vapour at all. If not, we will be calling family to say goodbye, so that is priority to wipe first using the neutralising agent we have scaled up and available to send to the tanks. We clear deck by deck, and once all the toxin is neutralised, we sabotage any method the platform can use to operate in future. We'll try and stay quiet for as long as we can afford, but we'll need to go loud and we will be limited in support, so we need to fight like hell. That will require fire support and we have Vincent, who will have the VTOL on station once we take down the SAM sites to rain down Hellfires and 20mm rounds. We can't bring in any more forces until we can confirm we have the toxin secure. Then we can get reinforcements, but make no mistake, we are isolated." Adam started, and pulled through the next elements- the HVT here.

"Lastly. This is Luisa Vasquez, known Colombian mercenary. The stories are true, if you heard them, but she runs the security detail. Intel suggests she's got a souped up exo. And if we run across her, eliminate on sight." He added, pulling everything down.

"We cannot fuck up. If anyone has any problems, quarrels, issues with anyone, put some boxing gloves on and take five. Then come back and let's save a world."

---

The armourers and support had come in clutch. Fixing up Chuck, Athena and Jamie's armours had come in fast through the night, as had the other works needing to be complete, things were being put together. There were a LOT of people in the armoury. But then again, a team of about fifteen, up against thousands of paid mercenaries who were unaware of what they were able to be involved in at best and promised a lifeboat off at worst, were now in their way to saving the world from an omnicidal maniac that had Skye's face.

So there's a lot going on. Everyone in their own zone, and a lot of conversations, but mostly, focussing on getting the job done.

Viking:

For Viking, usual combat gear meant a plate carrier for Raphael and a IMI Tavor, not one he had been familiar with in a long time, whilst for Tahlia, that meant a dark, mossy-green ghillie and a specially selected FN Ballista, chambered in .338, Lapua Magnum. And a few special rounds. Always. A silencer, a modular stock and a lovely thermal optic, and well, the Kiwi was rather happy with her setup. An MP7 for any close encounters, and a Glock 17 joined that, as a few spares. Viking would be off to the A400, but with an assault hovercraft used as an assault tool, they'd be dropped first and into the midst of a warzone off the coast of Southern Greenland.

Icarus:

Athena had suited up in a tight, kevlar-lined padded suit that almost looked like a suit used in Kendo, minus the facemask, whilst Purna was back in his gear, the usual setup, with the wingpack attached. Athena picked out her twin MAC-10s, an AA-12 and a pair of MP412 REX pistols, just like her mother had once had, as traditions would have it. Skye on the other hand, couldn't use her exo was in a similar arrangement to Athena's, albeit a little lighter, a plate carrier, beanie and a full sleeved black shirt following on quickly. While nothing as comprehensive as Sam's advanced armour, but on short notice, utilised much of the same principles that Sam had proposed, Athena benefiting from that too. She checked her new railgun-based tool over, keeping it in a stream and low charge for the time being, as well as equipping her usual pistol and supplementary tools. Purna, lastly of all traded the MP5 for a higher-calibre SIG MPX, chambered in a .357 SIG round and a silencer, for some more creative action around the blimp, as well as trading the M14 for more mags.

Poseidon:

Adam set up his exo the same as before, Puma-coloured fatigues on and this time, equipping an EVOLSYS light machine gun over the MSBS arrangement he'd carried before. Similarly, the rebreathers attached to the exo, as did the floatation equipment. He had a check over Ebrima, going through his arrangement, and got set to go.

There's this air of intent, and whilst many of the team would have wanted a longer moment to react, this was the reality of it. There were consequences to failure here, and nobody but Raven could fix this. A lot of special forces teams could try and force an opening, but when the enemy had tech like they did, they wouldn't be able to last in one, let alone three of these missions. Discretion was key- much of the waking world wouldn't even find out that they came this close to the brink. Strange how these things worked.

Samantha had approached Adam with her ideas. Samantha knew that Raven had more support personnel than her. While she preferred to work on her own gear, she knew she wouldn’t be able to this time. In the end, she did what she needed to do to help the team out. She wanted them in the best they could give them in the short amount of time they had to prepare. It sounded like in a few hours they would be deploying. If Samantha had more time, she could build them something amazing. Right now her body was telling her to recover. As much as she didn’t like to share her toys and trust people she didn’t really know well, she would have too.

Adam surprised her with his response. She had the impression that he would rather lock her in the brig than have her on his team.

"We have plenty. If you think it will work, do it. You have the resources of the free world. Enough to get her back here too apparently...."

Samantha was not sure how to take that comment. She looked puzzled as she looked at her current team leader. Skye was back and would be joining the team but Samantha had missed the who is in charge debate. She had been in the infirmary being treated. Samantha didn’t think it was a secret where Skye had gotten the missing data from. Samantha was unsure what Skye had told Raven. Was she back on Adam’s shit radar again?

Adam continued, "There will likely be some specifics to follow. But, prepare us for what's to come. I am sure we will have one hell of a fight on our hands."

Samantha gave him a serious look and a tired nod. “I will do my best sir.” She had left him to retrieve a tablet and the data and plans she needed before heading to the armory.

Samantha was drop dead tired and she hurt. The drugs Sophie had given her to speed up healing and help with the pain were meant to help her rest. She was pretty sure Sophie had dosed her with medical nanites to speed up the healing. She would need to be at Skye’s side when she called. She needed to be able to function when she did. She couldn’t rest knowing that the team needed to deploy in hours to save the world and many members needed gear. She wanted to make sure all her teammates made it home after they saved the world.

Adam had been surprisingly helpful. Samantha gathered the armor technicians together in the armory and gave them the plans and list of what needed to happen. She left Javi to help them. He would need to help get vehicles ready anyway. She would have to lean on other support members of the team this time. Her body was not going to give her a choice if she was going to be on this mission. She would have to get some sleep.

Chuck’s armor was still in pretty good shape and only needed some minor repairs. They needed to remove the dent in his chest piece and check it for weaknesses after. Duke’s armor was easy to repair but he would not be going on this next operation and would be staying at the base. Chuck saw to his guns himself. The only other thing he needed was to reload his missile launcher. Chuck’s suit was checked for sealing and air tight integrity. His suit had limited use in underwater environments but as long as he didn’t need to be underwater for a long period of time, he would be able to use his suit on the mission.

Samantha’s own armor needed major repairs. Ingwe had compromised the integrity of her armor and split some of the seams. She left her armor to have some of the gel replaced, the seams repaired and her torso armor plates replaced where they had been crushed. The layered design of the suit meant it was easy to repair with the right materials.

Samantha had given the technicians the designs to her armor. They had the materials on hand to create the armor for the team. The hardest part would be fitting the armor to the individual team member. The armor was meant to be customized for each person which might be a challenge without full body scans and measurements. She was confident that the technicians would at least be able to get basic armor to stop bullets for the team that was better than kevlar. Her armor was more flexible and allowed for greater movement and speed than kevlar. The gel layer helped disperse the kinetic energy from bullet strikes and reduce bruising and fractures. There were lightweight heavy armor plates on the surface of the suit to add heavier protection in key areas. The plates rode on top of the flexible under layer allowing for ease of movement and speed. She hoped that they had enough time to get everything done.

Samantha had plans to update Oliver and Freya’s heavy armor but she wouldn’t have time to implement those changes before this battle. Samantha’s sense of duty struggled with her body’s need to rest and recuperate. She knew that she would have to rely on others to fix and make the gear this time. It wasn’t easy for her though.

She passed out assignments and detailed plans and schematics to the team waiting to help pull off this miracle. She answered questions and hung around till everyone had started their projects and had the initial work started. Then she dragged her weary body to bed after a shower. She fell into the bed and was asleep about 5 minutes after her head hit the pillow.

---

Samantha struggled her way to consciousness. She frowned as an insistent buzzing echoed through her room pulling her from a deep sleep. Her eyes were still closed and she was not awake yet.

She spoke to the air, “The world had better be on fire or I am going to end you.” She sounded grumpy and probably made a comical sight as she threatened a box on the wall.

A voice came through the intercom and sounded quite amused as they told her, “Mission briefing in 15 minutes in the conference room. The teams are being activated for a mission.”

Samantha heard a chuckle as she responded with a very unlady like “Fuck! The bad guys couldn’t wait another 24 hours to try to end the world?”

Samantha pulled her weary body from bed and made her way to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and ran a washcloth over her face. The cold water helped her wake up. Samantha had dark circles under her eyes. She looked as tired as she felt. She stretched and was pleased to note that while she still had some twinges of pain when she moved, she was able to move more freely. The pain was much better and the bruising was less. She pulled on some clothes and shoes. She would get in her armor after the briefing. She headed towards the briefing room. She grumbled to herself, “There had better be coffee in the conference room. If there is not, someone may die today.”

Samantha entered the briefing room and headed straight for a counter along the back wall. There was coffee and some pastries laid out along the table. It was nothing fancy but she didn’t care. She poured herself a cup of coffee and fixed it the way she liked it. She took a sip as the nectar of the gods helped kick her brain into gear. She took a seat and waited for the others to trickle in and the briefing to start.

Skye started the briefing. Samantha snorted and dissolved into laughter as Skye told them where they had to go. She couldn’t help but wonder what dildo based sport made the town famous. She would have to look that up later. Football played with a Dildo shaped football? Hockey with dildos for pucks? She wondered if the high school mascot for the school was a giant fuzzy dildo. She knew it was ridiculous but hey she had ADHD. This was what her brain did when it was not suitably distracted. She took another sip of her coffee. It might be that she just wasn’t awake yet. She forced her attention back to the briefing.

She frowned as she tried to process the information that Skye was giving them about their mission. Hey eyes lit up with excitement when Skye unveiled the Corvid Wingpacks.

“Ohhh those look like fun. Sign me up Boss!”

She grinned from ear to ear. She had always wanted to try one of those. Now she will get her chance. Samantha noted the oxygen helmet and she wouldn’t need that. She could just attach her regular helmet. It was set up for oxygen attachments for when she was using her armor as a high altitude flight suit.

Samantha listened to the plan and frowned. She wasn’t worried about manually severing the server’s uplink. That was easy peasy. They would have to fight through any resistance they encountered. It was dangerous and tedious but they were all skilled operators. She wasn’t worried about that part either. She waited till Skye had finished the briefing before she asked the question she felt would be the biggest hiccup in the plan.

Skye finished the major part of the briefing, "Any questions? It's a bit more than our usual."

Samantha waited her turn as Skye called on Athena first. She couldn’t help smiling and then laughing out right as Athena shared her thoughts about the blimp and Dildo, Newfoundland. At least her thoughts had good company! She had not been the only one.

Skye let Athena get it out of her system. She could tell Skye was just kind of done over the whole Dildo and Blimp thing. She couldn’t help the smile that still lingering on her lips as she turned the briefing to a more serious topic.

“I am not worried about the fighting or the servers. That is within our skill set. How do we neutralize the Sol Hestia safely? We had to make do with what was on hand in Marrakech. Is there a plan for that?”

Chuck woke up quickly as the buzzing sounded in his room. He quickly confirmed he was on his way. He dressed quickly and headed to the briefing room. He grabbed a cup of black coffee and took a seat. He nodded amiably to the other team members as they entered the room. He waited quietly for Adam to begin the briefing.

He paid attention to the information as Adam shared detailed scans of their target. It was a massive facility. That was a lot of real estate to cover looking for small tanks of Sol Hestia. Those damn things could be anywhere! It was going to be hard to spot among all those pipes and conduits. He frowned as Adam detailed the danger the facility posed and the predicted prevailing winds. This was going to be a hard fight. He stayed focused until Adam had completed what he had to say.

Chuck was amused as Adam finished with: "We cannot fuck up. If anyone has any problems, quarrels, issues with anyone, put some boxing gloves on and take five. Then come back and let's save a world."

Chuck raised his hand to ask a question and waited till Adam acknowledged him. “Do we know where on the platform the Sol Hestia is being stored? Do we have a way to detect the Sol Hestia if we don’t? If we are carrying a neutralizing agent with us, how does it work and how much is needed?”

---

Poseidon:

Chuck had Duke with him and was spending time with him as he prepared for the operation. He didn’t want to leave Duke behind. Duke was trained on water insertion from a boat not underwater. His canine companion would have to sit this one out. Chuck checked over his armor and noted it had been repaired and recharged. He inspected and checked over his weapons as well. Duke whined and kept going over to where his armor was stored. Chuck knew that Duke was reminding him that he needed his armor if he was going with him.

Chuck sighed and took a seat on the bench in front of his armor. Duke came and sat in front of him wagging his tail slightly. Chuck smiled and scratched him behind the ears.

“I know pal. I would rather have you with me as I go into battle too. You can’t come this time though. You are going to have to stay here at the base. I will be back.”

It was like Duke understood as his tail stopped wagging and he laid his head on Chuck’s knee. He whined pathetically and gave Chuck sad puppy dog eyes. Chuck sighed and shook his head at his dog’s dramatics. He took Duke and left him with Tahlia’s father. He knew Duke had spent time with him when they went hunting. He would rather leave Duke with someone the dog was somewhat familiar with. Duke had whined at him when he left but Chuck didn’t look back as he left.

Chuck went back to the armory and got ready for the mission. He put his armor on and began to load his gear and weapons. He put a spare rebreather into an outside pouch. He had a pouch that carried the flotation gear to offset the weight of his armor. His armor was rigged for underwater use but not for moving on a vehicle underwater. The flotation devices would allow him to balance the weight so the SDV could carry his weight and remain underwater. He looked around and the tension and pressure in the room was thick.

---

For her part, Enri sat in the briefing room looking like a lost kid in a shopping mall. And what a sight she was: A bespectacled whirlwind of color among the military greens, grays and function over form. When Tahlia asked for questions, Enri raised her hand. ”Ummmm. Is this the part where you’re told I’ve never fired a gun? Like, ever. Or has someone told you before?”

---

---

If someone thought Enri looked out of place before, it was time to reconsider. The vest didn’t fit her right, the plates doubled her weight. The helmet on her head was like a pot, requiring additional padding to sit secure and they had to look among the Blue Sword staff to find someone with small enough shoes that Enri could borrow.

And she was absolutely miserable.

She’d worked for Shalev long enough that she could rattle off the basic specifications of most of the equipment employed for the operation, including the BGM-109P Land Attack Missile - Conventional. The most recent in the venerable Tomahawk family, a 6,35 meters long angry telephone pole with over a 2000 kilometer range, reduced radar cross section and capable of carrying the W80 five to 200 kiloton nuclear warhead (sold separately, additional charges may apply). But the mere thought of using a weapon, much less on a living being, made her wonder how quickly she could take the helmet off in case she needed to offload her last meal. The fact that the man indirectly responsible for her nearly getting shot in the face would be the last line of defense between her and a bunch of angry morons with too much tech for everyone’s good wasn’t helping her situation in the slightest. Yes, the pale bastard left her there to die, but this guy was part of the reason they had that problem in the first place.

She tried to clear her mind by checking the two bags - yes, she had to outsource carrying some of it to someone else in the team - but she’d done that several times already so her mind kept wandering. Come to think about it, Kitsune was kind of a shit customer all things considered. She’ll be charging a premium next time. At least she’d get to play with some highly experimental hardware Raven provided, the device looking like a heavy duty laptop connected to a sizable multispectral antenna she carried on her back that would let her wreak absolute havoc.

---

Water. Ebrima loved water. He was made up of the stuff, after all, rain offered a welcome reprieve from the Sun’s searing heat and you couldn’t make brandy without the stuff.

But Ebrima also loved bacon and naturally-aspirated V8s, yet too much of them would increase cancer risk.

So why on God’s green Earth did they have to go into a damn ocean? Maybe that was wrong. It was God’s blue Earth, wasn’t it? Strictly statistically speaking it was a miracle he’d spent his entire life on land, though that would be ignoring a big influence on the sample pool, namely that humans had no damn business being in the ocean. He was no thalassophobe - or at least he was pretty sure, he’d never played Subnautica to check - but… too much bacon.

Maybe reading scale model building instructions would allow him to understand rebreather instructions quickly, but something told him he shouldn’t hold his breath about it. Or maybe he’d have to, worst come to worst.

”I’ve heard enough about Vasquez when I was in Colombia. There’s places in that country where people are afraid to till the land for fear of finding another mass grave of her making and unleashing some curse she’s placed upon it.” Ebrima said with clear disdain, having never had to deal with the woman before. Were the stakes not so high, he might have actually looked forward to that fight. Killing her was just public service. ”With the toxin on the platform, can we risk using air support at all?” He continued with a question of his own. He was no chemist, but if any vapor was bad, surely sending a Hellfire near it couldn’t end well?

---

---

With no civilians expected, Ebrima prepared accordingly. Six full drums of slugs and two of flechettes for the shotgun for when things went loud, three magazines of subsonics for the rifle for the sneaking before on top of the two magazines for his sidearm. Smoke grenades stayed home, instead making way for a total of four flashbangs. Seeing the effect it had in marrakesh, he did bring a magazine of stun grenades for the launcher, as well as a magazine of frags, but with the threat of the toxin he instead loaded up four magazines of thermobarics. He would make Canada proud.

Lastly, the contentious blade. He might even start calling it that. What legendary sword didn’t have a name, after all? Scanning the armory for who might be the most durable person on the team, he settled on Chuck and approached, holding out his hand for Duke to sniff before speaking. ”Should I not return, will you please see to it that this gets back to Purna?” He asked, tapping the holstered kukri with his knuckles. Might as well go out on a kind note if the dice were to fall poorly.

Collab with @BigPapaBelial @FourtyTwo









With a certain glimmer about her, Athena fixed up her armor a little, the tight suit wrapping her up and all her features close, with her twin SMGs attached to her side, her lipstick lacquered onto her lips and her hair tied into a ponytail, rather than left wavy. There was something that oozed appeal, it almost felt like Athena wore a certain kind of fearlessness on her cheeks, lighting like a beacon with her visage, almost manicured to a fine touch, someone who truly seemed ready for what was to come with the muscle that poked against the arms, stomach and thighs of her suit, yet always looking pretty whilst doing it. Oh, and to steal that blimp. She’d argue with Skye if she didn’t have it, she always wanted one of those but of course, not really a thing money could often buy.

Speaking of priceless things, Athena found Freya, walking into the heavies’ section of the armoury, past her suit in pieces, and being worked on by techs, and heading alongside the redhead she called her sister.
“Hey, so you ready for the big time? We got some serious work to do, sis. Real save the world stuff.” Athena tittered, wrapping a big hug around Freya, resting her head against Freya’s shoulder.
“Really missed you. Good to have you back fit. And back to kicking ass. Though, you’ll have to try pretty hard to beat me.” Athena giggled, flicking her hair a little, before backing away, exhaling hard, hand on her heart, giving a moment to enjoy these things before going back out.

It’s a wonderful thing, to reenter the armory, after the downtime, getting hurt. All the tests and physical challenges. Oh wow was it ever amazing to walk back in there. The smell, and taste of the place, something like metal and rain and oil. You get used to it. And Freya didn’t realize how much she missed it until now. When she walks in.

She’d been in the middle of rolling the shoulder she’d hurt and finally gotten the go ahead to get back on active duty. It’s still a little tight, but it will do, the doctors said the mission would allow her to work it out a little, loosening things up. It’d be so nice.

And as she’d stepped into the Armory looking around seeing the team prepping up she smiles brightly, “We’re back.” She had muttered right before she saw a head of blonde hair approaching at speed. A big smile crosses Freya’s lips as she turns and meets her little sister, “Sis!” She calls then meets that hug full force. A soft well moan of familial pleasure, joy and contentment. Sure her sister can be a handful, a bit of a bitch and sometimes a raging annoyance. But she’s still family, “Real safe the world stuff, with family, sounds about normal.” She giggles and rocks side to side briefly with Athena in her arms.

She swallowed thickly as the moment gets her a little, “Missed you too babe. Missed the last mission, heard you guys encountered a nemesis of mine, wonder if he’ll show up here.” She giggles then lets Athena go, “Oh is that a challenge lil girl?” She grins and leads the way back to the huge industrial tables where the Heavy kits are laid out.

Athena giggled, following Freya over towards her armour, coming around and in front.
“Yeah! And I suppose I put a lot of electricity through him. I think I killed him.” Athena said, putting gloved hand to cheek, shrugging.
“Maybe I should have checked.” Athena tutted, moving her hand onto Freya’s shoulder, gently turning.
“I guess he’s seen all of us now. If he’s out there, he knows not to fuck with us. Or….well, he’ll come back with something more.” The youngest sibling added, walking about, looking to Freya’s armour, and the arrangement of it, taking it in.
“So yeah. I kept the fire going. But you’re gonna bring some serious heat with that thing.” She added, giggling as she looked along the energy emitter, noting the upgrades in New Zealand. Now that was new to her.
“Is that a focus module? Shit, you have been busy.” Athena noted, wolf whistling, loud as ever. She didn’t really do being quiet. Even in an arrangement like hers without armour, her figure was not concealed, not one bit, and her energy was on full display. AthenaAwesome, that she was, with the magnetism that looked like it was not one that seemed to let up.

Freya grinned, “Ingwe is…something else. I’d almost think it’s flirting at this point.” She giggled and stopped at her area of the armory, stepping up and picking up the AEW first and foremost, going over it. Nodding, “Yes there was a moment during a mission that I needed to hit something at long range. And all I had was the Anti Armor option.” She turns the mode to the AA mode, which shifts the weapon again, “It worked, but with a little help and a little work we now have…” She shifted the mode again, into the much more focused smaller output mode, “A sniper mode. Hits at much better range, when the doctors allowed me to try it while you were all away, I realized it has abit of kick, but it’s pleasant that way. Feels natural.”

She nods, “We adapt with the times sis. We adapt with the times.” And another shift the end flowering open, and arcs of artificial lightning crackling, a finger of it kicking up and leaving a small black star on the ceiling, “Oh fiesty right now.” She nods, setting the AEW down carefully, turning the internal power unit off for now. “This will do well enough I think. Now then.” She turns her back on the weaponry for now.

And faced the armor, hanging on chains and held up by pistons from the floor and ceiling, “Now then.” She took a breath and looked over the armor slowly, “Last I wore this, I had to tear down the shoulder and wore it open for hours because of the damage I’d done to myself.” She stepped up and placed her hand on the shoulder portion that had covered her injury. The Material looks near brand new, as does the material on most of the rest of the armor, “They completely overhauled it I see. Probably a better idea then just replacing what was damaged.”

Athena appreciated the detail, seeing the modifications from Sam included, as well as the changes.
“And it works well. Better to fix what’s broken then put tape on it.” Athena chuckled, looking through the changes, then back to her redhead older sister. She was so much more analytical, precise, she enjoyed that. Athena preferred the chaos, the anarchy, pushing and charging. Whilst Freya could see red, Athena lived on adrenaline and action.
“I would say Ingwe flirting with us….you know, maybe it’s meant to be. I ain’t seen him do anything to Jamie yet.” She giggled, flexing her muscles, whipping her hair.
“But who would resist?” Athena gave her best blue steel with fist raised, front turned in a pose, seeing the disappointment reflected in Freya’s eyes, rolling her own, sighing.
“Okay. I maybe got punched by his mech, and he came out like a fucking Babushka.” Athena added, beating Freya to it, leaping onto Freya’s suit and onto the chains.
“So. You got any more tricks up your sleeve?” Athena asked, almost like a mountain gorilla clambering onto the armour, knowing Freya must have spent that time productively.

Freya giggled a little watching her sister, “You know when you do things like this, you may think yourself a big silver backed gorilla girl. But I always see a cute blonde furred kitten.” Freya laughs softly, “Okay maybe not kitten maybe giant blonde cougar.” She laughs again then steps up to the armor, “So yes actually I got alot of online help from some friends. Watch this.”

She turned and slid into the upper portion of the armor, leaving it hooked on it’s bracing for now, “Now this is a stop gap. I don’t think I’m going to keep it forever. I’m going to do the crazy thing and get myself cut open finally. I saw Ban and his augments. And got to thinking, sometimes the flesh is weak. But this.” As soon as the upper torso armor powers on she reaches over with her other arm and activates a overhead crane, which slides over and lowers something that looks like an immense armature assembly. Which lowers, and slowly starts to encircle her right and left arms, “I’m calling them, The Mjolnir Contingency. Bracings, wire and piston operated strength augments, over a titanium skeleton.” Once the armatures slide into place, they close around the armors arms with a click. Then with an easy motion Freya steps forward, bringing the whole armor with her. And with a clench she reaches over and lifts a piece of machinery that should have been bolted to the floor with ease, holding the heavy metal piston hammer for beating armor plating into shape, above the ground with one arm, “It should make swinging the Starbreaker much easier, and protect me from destroying a shoulder or my back.”

Athena’s face turned sour, like she’d eaten a really bitter sweet, her rosy cheeks turning the same.
“Hey, I’m not taking anything less than lioness.” Athena replied, before crackling a long chuckle, resting her head against the top of the armor, before clambering off, following around Freya.

As she brought it in, the armor and the exoskeleton, Freya all set up, she watched with her mouth agape, watching as Freya suddenly went from a power she always remembered, to something else altogether. That must have weighed…..no. And even the fun-loving Athena took half a second to process it, hearing what she had to say.

Freya must have thought that Athena would have been easy, simple going, but for a moment, her heart was agape, shaking her head gently.

“Freya…..not often I say this sis, but you sure? Cutting yourself open? You’re not this. I know you’re the cleverest girl I know. But his augments, your skin….there’s no going back.” Athena said, the drama of it not stopping Athena, but for a moment, an actual part of the youngest sibling feeling direct.

Freya took Athena’s armoured hand, and pushed it against her chest, looking Freya dead.
“This was to keep me alive. And I won’t say this to anyone else….but sometimes, I wonder what it cost. I never asked. Freya…..this is a giant’s heart. Not something from a fucking lab. It made me feel alive, power on, but my lungs cannot keep up with this heart….and it cost someone, somewhere. Probably some asshole. And I do not want to think what it means when I stop going. I look after Blue Sword and our fighting. But you do more, made yourself into more….you don’t have to do this. Mom and Dad would….please, please tell me you’re sure.” Athena said, feeling the power, like in this moment, Freya could just push and even the other titan would be a splat on the wall.
“Just…..be careful. I love you so much. Keep them, but you are too pretty to cut open and turn into a war machine. I wish I didn’t have this inside me. But that’s just me. But if you want to do this…I’ll be with you.” Athena added, feeling the arms up and down, her head close to Freya’s armoured top, giving a smile.

It was almost as if the happy go lucky suddenly had a needle pointed into her soul. She got it for Tahlia, for Ban too, but….she wasn’t sure what she felt here. She felt uncomfortable. Those things, they turned people into just fighters, warriors to the end. And even though they did so much themselves, in their armours, even Athena herself had questioned what it would take to be the best. She wondered it herself, change a heart, change blood, muscle composites, the lot, but realised what it would cost. And she was looking at it right now. It had saved her life, granted. But this felt….even stranger somehow..
“It is cool though. And right now this isn’t a half measure. This one you can pull off.” Athena giggled, breaking that certain ice, knowing too well Freya could probably turn this back. The youngest wondered about this. She had her second heart, so what was to stop? Was it sibling want, or genuine fear over that shoulder? Athena wasn’t sure. She didn’t entirely know how to process it.

Freya set the large piston hammer then turned to her sister. There’s a smile on the red head bombshells face. In her eyes and on her cheeks. She’s proud of what she’s done. So she’s a little surprised to see the look on her sisters face. Freya even starts abit.

With her hand on Athena’s heart, the armored fingers softly spread against her little sisters chest and the artificial heart under it.

Freya remembers how it started. Her sisters need for speed, for more input, going further, higher, faster. Needing more and more and more. And the heart, the heart had been an almost natural step up. Freya sighs and then grabs her sister, and hugs her. Holding her after the heavy talk has ebbed off, “I love you too Thena girl.” She takes a moment, her half armored form holding Athena gently for a moment, laying her cheek against Athena’s for a moment, let the others in the armory gawk at a moment of sisterly PDA. She takes a deep breath and lets her sister go, stepping away, “I will say, the idea of getting cut and having things placed inside me, does not win me over.” She stepped back into place and placed the top of her armor back onto it’s hooks and bracings, “But I can tell, that my flesh isn’t as strong. Like I said this might be a stop gap. If it sticks we can see what happens.”

She steps back and looks the armor over, “Maybe…rather then the cutting. I can do what Dad always wanted to do. He never got past the leg cradle. Remember that god awful rudimentary exoskeleton he has? And no heavy has ever really pursued a full exo-suit for their own armor have they?” She smiles and gently hip checks her sister, for anyone else it would have sent them sprawling, but for big beautiful girls like them it’s a playful shove, “Maybe I should pursue that.” She throws her arms skyward, “Imagine a massive removable armor suit around my normal suit. A proper Heavy Exosuit. Armed, armored and without peer.” She grins then, and that mad scientist face she sometimes makes appears, “I could even mount one of my mass drivers on it. Imagine that Athena! The first fielded woman portable rail gun.”

Athena felt the emotion back from Freya, seeing for the first time in a while her sister actually pull in doubt. It wasn’t often this happened, they joked, laughed, poked shit at each other so much, but for half a second, there was some humanity that Athena seemed to be showing more. Rather than vanity or anything, as much as Athena would have wanted that for herself, she knew the costs of it perhaps from living it. She was lucky to be beautiful, but she knew Freya hadn’t considered this by half measures.
“Yeah, I remember that. Get something even bigger. They’ll be able to make that for you….I mean after all, we have a good line on these things. Not harder to scale it up. And that big rail gun….ohh, that would go something hard. You’re making me excited. Crush some serious skulls with that thing!” Athena giggled, smiling, seeing the spark back in Freya, adjusting her hair, sighing, putting a hand over her shoulder, gently turning it.
“You can still do science with this. A lot of science.” Her beam was almost as golden as her hair, as Athena leaned forwards and hugged her, squishing against.
“But you have to let me have a go with it when you make it. Or I’m telling dad. You and your crazy ideas sis. You don’t settle for less. But neither do I. Guess it makes us fucking cool. I mean….I kinda want to steal a blimp. You kinda want arms like presses. Fits girls of our ambition.” She giggled, sighing as she released, looking around the armoury, seeing Chuck come in, dismissing Duke and Andrew leading the large Mallinois out of the place. He got himself suited up, and Athena took that as a sign to get moving towards her end. Putting a hand out, she smiled.
“Come back in one piece, yeah?”

Freya hums looking over and nodding to the others entering. Giving a friendly wave to Chuck and whistling getting the attention of the handsome Mallinois briefly. Smiling as the canine lolls out it’s tongue in greeting before hurrying off after it’s partner. She nods, “I like this team.” She says, reaching over and taking her sister hand, “I’ll do my best. Don’t make me have to tell mom and dad about you going down either missy. Mom will bring you back and chew you out for hours.”

She turned as Jamie came into the room. Their brother stopping and narrowing his eyes at the pair. Then pointing at his eyes with his index and pinky fingers then jabbing both fingers at the sisters. As if to say, “I’m watching you two.” Without actually saying anything. Their brother has to be the quiet and calm one, to try and balance the pair of them out.

Freya squeezes Athena’s hand, “We got work to do sis. Be careful out there. I’ll do my best.” She shouts to Jamie as he pads over to his gear, “You two lil’ Brother. Come back safe.” Jamie stops then nods, smiling, the sentiment returned.

Jamie’s response just made Athena chuckle, as she shrugged, running over, hugging him too, completely.
“Enjoy Greenland! Last time our parents went, lot of world ending shit too. So these things go in circles, right? You look after yourself.” Athena smiled, at him, looking at her two older siblings, giggling.
“Gonna steal a motherfucking blimp shaped like a butt. And when I do, you’re both getting a ride. Can’t wait!” Athena giggled, tittering, running away like an overexcited ten year old.

There must have been some comedy to someone somewhere, for the fact that this was a peachy looking 7 and a half foot giantess who could turn people into compressed cans with a bit of willpower going for this. And well, she never would change. She just hoped Freya appreciated that advice, and that Jamie would enjoy himself too.

Okay look Jamie is prepared for these kinds of things. But as things go, and the news of the world ending and world shattering things going on, he’s been more quiet then usual. He’d made sure his sister weren’t planning their own world domination when he came in. So he’s not completely prepared to get bull rushed by their youngest sister. He rocks to the side on a foot. Then eeps as Freya comes charging up, and he’s mashed into the wall between the armor sides. The big sheet of steel letting out an almost bell like tone as the three siblings mash against it. He groans and then wraps arms around both of them, “Ah hells bells girls! Let a guy breath.” But then they are enclosed in that sibling moment, “Mom and Dad had their moment, we have ours. We do them and us proud. Be safe please. Both of you. I don’t want to be the one to tell mom and dad either of you got hurt.” He sniffed, then let them go. Just taking in the moment.

Freya hums, being with her siblings there for a moment, “Love you both. Now let’s go get ready and then go kick some ass. When we get back I want to hear everything about what happened on your own sections of the operation. Things are going to be hellish during it. And I imagine inter-division communication will be impossible. Just be safe.” She grabbed Athena, “Now come on you, let’s get ready.” She almost duck-walked Athena back to their stations. Letting Jamie head off to his.

The man stared at the wreck of a suit he had. He saw where most of the joints were some kinda fucked, some had fused together, he saw the welds in the armor where they cut him out of the suit. He sighed as he looked at the thinner internal plates, and musculature of it, he saw that there was a compilation of boxes around it from where parts were being taken from to help fix the suit, but he knew it would be out for a while. He could have dropped in with the lighter inside portion if the internals weren't all kind of something fucked.

Finally, he headed towards his kit table, light, can go in the air. He was ex-military; he had dropped from a perfect plane before. This should be easy to kit for he thought. He opened the lock box and shoved stuff out of it faster than a man with a shovel could dig a hole. He rested himself out a bit and stared down at an AVS kit plate carrier with a red cross patch, blood type marker, and name patch. He smiled at it, he had worn that woodland camo through several desert countries, and it still had spray paint on parts of it. He lifted it up, slapped it a few times to get the dust that was caked on it off, and slipped it onto a table. He pulled out the side bag with the big red cross on it, and pressed his lips together as he went through it. He needed darker colors: brown, two greens, and black; that's what he probably needed. Iceland, right? That's the place with the trees; Greenland was the place with the ice, wait, Newfoundland, wasn't that just Greenland but Canada. Definately the medkit, a bunch of people used to standing in fire now without most of their armor. He'll he's pretty much naked compared to the other heavies, and he stands in front of anything, even tanks or assholes with railguns willingly. Now, he will have to curb that, no stealth, thermal suits, that's a bit of bulk. He would probably wear something over the AVS and thermal suit for some form of extra protection from both weather, and also prying eyes.

Well if they are going in heavy, without the heavy, maybe something else was in store, he thought, camo net would probably be a good cover, but kit wise what would he bring.

Rifle, classic M4A1, sleek kit, ir and vis top laser set up in front of a acog, canter on the right for quick swap, just like the old days. Right hip and high he had his shotgun strapped close and slung, two straps, one with five slugs, and five breeching shells, the rest on both of them were flechette and sabot slugs. Right hip, revolver, left hip, five-seven.

Pants, a dark woodland camo, shirt same, boots, black, avs, spray painted, helmet, dark colored with foliage net. He found another net that had whites on the outside and dark colors on the inside, so he could pick and choose which one he wanted based on whether there was snow or not, and he made sure it hung down past his knees like a great coat, just for nice 'stealth looks' also cause it's probably going to be cold, if not he was going to regret that choice, or just take it off. Satchel has medical supplies, a backpack with more medical supplies and his field surgery bag, and a few foldable stretchers.

He looked for it, and found a law, fire and forget style missile, and that was it, That was his kit for this. Oh, rope, harnesses, two knifes, tourniquet around his neck, jump pack, reserve pack, whatever the fuck that strap thing is. Fuck he had no hydraulics, he slipped his survival kit into his backpack, with wood axe, flint, steel, string, wire, wire cutters, tape. Anything else... He pressed his lips together, pulling out a spam can, putting several more mags into it for his M4, and a few more loads for his shotgun and Five-Seven. He shoved is head into his helmet, then pulled the coat and cover over himself, pulled his M4 into a sleeve, both for that camo effect, but also to keep it warm in the cold. He wish he still had his M&P 2.0 because he knew that worked well in cold environments. Well that was it, he was now set. Everything slung on where it needed to be, and well, he was ready to kick someones ass. Or at least, do something the old way, before these exosuits became a big thing, back when war was civilized, and not full of a bunch of metal machines, that weren't tanks, or planes, or armored vehicles. Ah hell, it was just war, well killing those people over there with whatever ya had. Right now, he felt naked, so naked and cold, he was used to wearing the heaviest stuff, but that needed repairs, and extra armor slapped onto it again. Hell, after he's done with just about anything it's just up armored to the next twelve degrees.

He relaxed his jump kit, and relaxed, "I swear to god if I wasn't hit harder than a fucking truck hitting a deer I could have worn you you sweet fucking annoying bitch." he said staring down at the metal scrap heap. "you are meant to fly." he said with air quotes, "like Buzz Lightyear, falling with style across the sky, built to be a rescue suit... with some teeth... able to save lives," he looked over to the side, "and take them." he whispered.

"Why did that... whoever the fuck in the mech have to use a rail gun, also... why did the sacred oils of the god, WD-40, not prevent you from breaking down after getting hit like that?!" Now he was just being dramatic, as if he was just broken up with by his first girlfriend. "I will be back, and after... I will get you what you need." man he really was struck in that last engagement, he is now talking to his suit. Ah, what could possibly happen with sending a guy who was in a hospital bed the day before into combat? Absolutely nothing when he is used to wearing the Soviet T-55 equivalent of a mech suit?

@LadyAmber

"We have this." Skye replied to Sam's comment, pulling out a vial, knowing the question would come.
"We found this in Nagoya, and scaled it up. The actual toxin itself is actually quite weak when in concentrate to react out, so some of this with concentration, and Sol Hestia dissipates quick. We just need to make sure it hits the tanks, and then it should be deactivated. Makes it harmless, basically kills off the chirality quickly and makes it react fully into a relatively weak drug. Of course, you spread that over a wide area.....bit harder." Skye elaborated, knowing that it was probably worth keeping in mind earlier on.
"Each one of you gets a couple of vials. Creates contingency....just in case shit really goes south." Skye added, the green-coloured stuff tiny, but enough to counteract. Not much of course. With that, Skye put her hands on the desk, the redhead leaning in. She had a lick of confidence on her, but there was still a line of concern that even for Skye was coming through more than maybe some of the team remembered. The stakes were high, and there was a feeling that this was personal for Skye.

She felt it in her heart, the biometrics were indeed something she could blast by, but had no uncertain doubt that Rose knew they were coming. It was inevitable, and the fight they would have would be intense. If done right, if the repeater was jammed first, then it would be very hard for Rose to pull herself back. She'd be forced into dilemmas, choices. She could only be in one place, right? Or at least, it would slow her down before she rolled it back. If they could at least turn it back to one version, that would be more than enough. But shit, this wasn't gonna be easy.

"Don't underestimate what we're up against. Me, Athena and Oliver will keep on the push, Sam, clean up traps and keep us rolling past any locks or doors, Purna, you have the exterior to provide a flank with your grapple and....well, you do you." Skye added, Purna chuckling, nodding with glee. She got him! Well, somewhat.

---

@Starlance

Tahlia heard Enri's comment and shrugged, surprised, yet not entirely unaware of the comment.

"Well, first time hearing that. Rolling with a set of highly dangerous mercs.....means you must have some skills with a computer. If it all works, it won't come to you firing bullets. Artemis have a lot of tech to play with that you can use to mess up their day. And somehow....I get the feeling you want to have a rummage, don't ya?" Her bushlander accent came out, to the point, unglossed but infering exactly what she had to.

"Jamie will clear the road forward. I'm sure he'll appreciate any help he can get. And there is the small matter of a fuckton of munitions that are gonna come in. I am sure someone of your calibre will enjoy the toys we have here." She bridged, her colourful prose still bringing a chuckle to the Kiwi, somehow in shock that they were along. But, she had the keys to that receiver, and well, how Rose's neural network had worked, from the very brief time inside that server in Nagoya.

---

The questions were diverse, but similar to Icarus's, dealing with the toxin was top of the list. Adam presented the same neutralising agent, and gave some better responses to Chuck's, and Ebrima's queries.

"We have reason to believe there's no way they can spread the toxin out to individual pontoons, without dissipating effect. They need it concentrate in a central point, before release. If they're doing it right, it's within a main store here, at the heart of the facility, on the third storey in a vat. Saves accidental exposure, given they don't want to accidentally just dump it in the sea and minimise the delivery of the payload. It would still kill millions, but nowhere near compared to being turned to spray." Adam started, bringing in the wider map.

"As soon as we dump the counteragent, we can get aerial support with relatively little risk. We need to save heavy fire from the central platform, so as not to destabilise it and kill us while we clear it. But we can eliminate armed boats and other assets on play, as well as the other supporting elements. It will give us a turning tide, as we expect enemy presence to be heavy once we get into the belly of the beast. Retreating is the only other option we have once the job is done- but any intel we find on the release mechanism and anything we can destroy, will make sure in case there's any more of it stored elsewhere cannot be deployed. So we will need to give as good as we get." Adam replied, knowing it wasn't ideal, himself he didn't like the idea of fire support- but then again, it would be hard to get in any other vein. More Special Forces troops, like SEALs or SBS would just clog the place and create more bodies in the way. A hidden hand from elsewhere would be good enough, and would at least level the vertical playing field a little.

Taking it in, he awaited any further questions, but expected that soon enough, they would be up and moving.











With Athena returning, she checked over her weaponry, finding places to holster it, the mouse-like Purna coming over and standing teeny by her titanic side, the two as opposite as they could ever be. If Athena, wrapped up in her tight armour, the kevlar suit almost flush to her assets and covering her from neck to toe seemed like she was perhaps even vaguely comparable to Purna's skintight gear in spite of the fact it must have still weighed a good 50kg on her, the fact it looked like the Nepali was half the height of her was a statement alone.

A strange pair, to say the least.

"You seriously need to take up my offer after all of this. I know you said you'd think about it....but seriously, you kicked some ass back in Marrakesh. Like a hidden hand." Athena said, looking down, Purna tsking, shrugging.

"I'm more of a one man band. Prefer the shadows. The quiet life, contract work. I'm here as a favour to a friend." Purna's response came back cold, considered even.

"Well, you deserve more. I know your story, Purna. You could help a lot of family with it. Stability isn't such a bad thing." Athena came back, this being a conversation that had clearly gone on somewhere before. Even if now was a bad time, Athena still had her business to do.

Purna shrugged, looking across to Skye, Adam, the others setting up weaponry, and then back up to her, craning his neck. The Nepali had a very blank look, almost as if by intent. If Athena's face was one of fame, Purna's was one of being a ghost, a shadow, another mere blend that could disappear into many different places. A Nepalese complexion helped with being a grey man in an awful lot of parts of the world, dark skinned enough for almost all of Asia, Africa, even South America. It made him dissolve, even more so than Skye did. So the offer was one to think on, but well, he knew how these things were.

"I could. But I do enough. See, Athena, I never think what it's like to be an elephant. A top dog. Ruling your jungle like you have no interruptions. You, your sister, your brother....unstoppable, always in public view. Yet I never want it. Do you ever think about the quiet life?" Purna queried, perhaps as if he was about to dig at something.

Athena snorted, chuckling.
"Nah....not really. Someone's gotta do it. And anyway, Freya won't admit it but she likes quiet. Jamie a lot more. I mean....a certain something like that, it opens doors you may not think about. Like being able to take things you like the look of." Athena hinted, Purna's face turning sour, as Athena shrugged, continuing.

"Worst kept secret here, for someone so good at them, I can tell. Look at him. He's telling Chuck about it. And you know what I think. I could just walk over there. You say you don't understand me. Power is power, Purna. Reason you haven't slit his throat is because you know you wouldn't survive it. He knows if I went over, I could snap him in two, or that knife ends up in Assam, tomorrow. I like taking what I want. Hard to say no to that way. Shocked you haven't already. That's why having a bit of a deal about you matters." Athena giggled, knowing if that wasn't a convincer, then maybe it was.

"He's earned it. Weirdly." Purna's voice coldly replied. She turned to face him, Purna's response eliciting an eyebrow raise.

"I mean....how many people do you think hate him here? Raphael's old team pulled him in. Enri, he might have left her to die, by accident, who knows. Me, he killed my friends. And Skye Lyons had to pick him out of a hat as the scariest merc that side of the Meridian. The stories aren't fake. Or he'd probably be someone we'd have to kill too. Took the chess piece off the board before we killed him...same goes for Chuck, same for a lot of people. Shit. I never like to think about odds, but one on one, in a cell, I'd never rule him out with you." Purna sighed, shrugging.

"But even I can't deny. There are the monsters you know, and the ones you don't. Guess it means we play the same game. Operatives like us, deal with the dirt, mud and grime of the world. So does Skye. In a position like yours....easy to take what you like without restraint when you get given it all. An entire firm. When you have nothing, you learn to respect the value of things. Even things that are priceless. It's not as simple as honour all the time. So....me and him, we have more in common than we'd admit. Perhaps I would do the same to him. Still might. And perhaps we all work together better because of it. At the end of it all, that's all that is left." Purna replied, Athena's face almost a scowl, as Purna sighed before she replied.

"I won't say no to contract work, because I know you need me. I can tell you always get what you want. A compromise after this is done. But only that. Then let's see." Purna replied, and with it, left Athena, leaving no words. For the woman that always got she wanted, that was not exactly everything.

"You really drive a hard bargain!" Athena replied, sighing, looking across at Oliver.

@Jamesyco

Walking over back towards him, where he was getting geared, the blonde giantess took in the isolated merc.
"You always talk to yourself?" Athena asked Oliver, going through all his bits, the wreck of his old suit replaced by a tactical arrangement of what they had now.
"Not bad at all." Athena commented, looking back across at the rest of the team, then back at Oliver.
"So, I have this insaaaaane idea right..... considering the world might end, we might all die, you know.....I would want to take you out somewhere after. Like, something really nice. And I know, it's not a girl's place to ask.....but, ah, fuck it." Athena's brain seemed to be on pivot, and no doubt, he was going to be a bit sidewinded by that.

But, perhaps Purna's words had rang true.

"A lot of guys probably struggle because they see this girl and think they can't handle her but.....but I wanted to tell you it's fine. And just that I was thinking about you a lot back in Marrakesh." Athena commented, knowing how insane it must have been coming from her. Yet, despite the endless thirst on the internet, on base, in a lot of places, she wanted to say it. And she saw it in him. Perhaps even the fact he WAS hard to get, made it all the more of a moment. His blank expression made Athena sigh.

"Look uhhh.....I know this is weird. I know I'm a bit much. But, just saying. Offer's there. And uhh.....I think you're kinda hot. Maybe it's the Viking in you? I don't know. But still. Sorry. I know, we have a job to do but if we're genuinely gonna die, I'm not doing it without telling you. Live in the moment and all that yeah?" Athena said, almost chirping at this point, because man, was

End of the world? Sure, but she was teasing away.

-

In the interim, Skye had a moment of quiet with Tahlia to share, checking the wingpack now attached to her back over, as well as the rifle, coiled onto her side, the tactical helmet on her head again, as well as the plate carrier and thermal suit now on. She was proud of Tahlia for getting back into business, perhaps making it seem more seamless than even last time. The legs were really doing their business for her, and Skye was proud. Even at the end of the world, it felt like something.

"You ready for this?" Skye asked, Tahlia's response perhaps sharpened back.

"Good as ever. You know, I don't get it....you survive all that shit, only to go straight back out? You know, you don't have to put yourself at risk....considering what she's done. All this. I know you'll never listen, and duty and that. But I guess...."

"You lead by example, Tahlia. You know that better than anyone. Same thing. I risked a lot for what this was."

"And when does it stop?"

"It stops when the bitch is dead." Skye commented, Purna walking over, chuckling too, in addition to Tahlia's response. Not exactly wrong!

"Nah, she never fucking stops. Too much Highlander in her!" Purna commented, looking to Skye, making the observation, chuckling as the topic changed.

"So, you got any idea where we'll see Rose? She has to be in one of the three places. Maybe not at once, but we're not all attacking simultaneously." Purna asked, Skye shrugging, looking to Tahlia, then back to the short, well-shaven Gurkha.

"You're talking to me as if I'm an expert on myself. I imagine she'll be there. Just be fucking careful, you two. I know you probably saw the notes. She really doesn't mess around." Skye retorted, adjusting her gloves, as well as her tactical helm, the one on which the oxygen system was currently cradled on top of.

"Point taken. Still doesn't make sense. With everything we know, it seems like science fiction. And to do it 30 years ago...." Purna commented, Skye running a finger along Purna's arm for a moment, looking at that.

"They said the same about that optical cloak. And Ban's arms. And Freya's coil. The cutting edge isn't on show." Skye chuckled, knowing Purna would get where she was coming from, as he finished up setting his own mags, Tahlia equipping much her own on her lightweight plate carrier.

"Fair point. Still can't believe we got to this. And how fucking insane she is.....I know why, but this took Artemis to another level. Not one I get." Tahlia replied, Purna shrugging.

"Morality is relative. You ever heard it argued that the world would be a better place with fewer people? There's 50 degree heatwaves at home, all sorts of crises in the world, and it's going to get worse. Doesn't mean you should end the world over it.....but a small tweak of character, more people are like Rose than we admit. Accept that we should all die, rather than do something about it. What is it they say. Easier to see the end of the world than the end of capital, and our economies?" Purna commented, Skye nodding.

"Aye, easily done to give up. But there's humanity in us. Sure, we could do more I suppose. Kill all the rich and first dagger's going through Freya's heart. But that doesn't achieve much. Just a lot of dirt and blood. Better to do something with it. Suppose destroying a geoengineering platform and a high altitude blimp's the only way we're gonna stop more, ey? Then maybe, we can put some pieces back together. Or at least, some smarter people than us might." Skye chuckled, her dry humour coming back, as Adam walked on over, looking across to Skye, a firm look in his eyes.

"Your team good to go, Skye?" Adam asked, the Scot nodding.

"Good as we'll be. Yours?" She replied, the Pole looking over his shoulder, his exo, silenced LMG and usual tools of the trade indicating so.

"Around the same. If this is it, I just.....I wanted to apologise. Bad time for it. But the last one we may have." Adam blustered, as Skye shrugged, looking on. He seemed confident, but anyone had to be to talk to Skye Lyons on her level.

"They were good times. Stop being so fucking awkward about it, Adam. Get on with it. It happened, and we'll have to remember that it did. Just don't fuck up, yeah?" Skye grinned, as Adam nodded, his demeanour cracking.

"You too." Adam put out a hand, and Skye shook it, a grin on both their faces, as they turned away, and with it, got last checks ready with their respective teams. With his helmet visor left open, Adam looked across to Ban, and his cutting edge augments, to Freya and Chuck, the two heavies providing them with some well needed muscle, to Ebrima, a member of the team that was proving themselves fast. He hoped it would be enough for where they were going. The look on Ban's face was one of exhaustion, and whilst he was an old member of the team, Skye had introduced Ban well enough that he was comfortable to work with him. Perhaps he was not so familiar with the sea, but he'd do enough. And on the platform, in the tight, claustrophobic spaces, he needed someone who could fight.

"We all good to go?"

@BigPapaBelial

---

The A400 was a packed place.

First stop? Viking needed a drop from the A400, and the crew sat in the rear of the plane were first out of the airborne Uber, via the
large, tactical hovercraft sitting there with a vehicular parachute pack attached to the roof, a 20 millimetre autocannon and a Trophy System to boot. An Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the likes of which they'd fought in Marrakesh, but way less armoured and way, way faster. Oh, and it could float.

In the meantime, Icarus had the front of the plane, staring on at the other nutters about to go raid Greenland, as the plane dived below 1,000 feet, banking hard, at the hands of one of Blue Sword's other pilots. Vincent would have been a bit more courteous, this pilot was going for it, no fucks given to the occupants, given the fact that the airspace was exceptionally hot out here.

With a stern look, Tahlia looked to Javi and Raph, plate carriers, rifles readied, a nod to the ghillied up Kiwi.
"She all ready to go? Just pull the payload chute, and then hit the throttle to Waypoint Alpha, dump me, then you guys crack on to Waypoint Bravo and you guys go to the top of the mine area and get to work." Her question was simple, Javi's energy, despite the fact he was now leading them into a warzone, was returning infectious.

"Fuck yes! This is insane! On it, Tarly, get yourselves strapped in." Javi reacted, yelling out loud as the door began to open. With it, he bundled open a door, looking to Enri, nodding her in, as did Raph, sitting inside, and finally, Tahlia and Jamie, the latter known to the Kiwi as the team's shield when they were out there. They weren't doing much of the fighting- they had a flank to hit. The Kiwi, significantly smaller looked up at Jamie, the chilled out heavy taking up a lot of room, squishing Tahlia a bit.
"Shit. You better have your seatbelt on. I already don't have two legs, don't want to lose an arm. Chur." Tahlia half joked, setting her rifle out in a way not poking at anything, as Javi clambered into the driver's seat and put his phone ready.

Voodoo People started blasting inside the thing, the bassline hooked. Fuck. He know how to have this set.

"Did it have to be this fucking loud!?" Tahlia yelled, having to over the plane and the soundtrack, but Javi wasn't having any of it. He was in his own trance, already flicking switches, and remotely dialling in the static line bag attached to the hovercraft.

And with it, the circular parachute hooked up and fired on command, the security cables holding the hovercraft into the A400 to stop it from twitching, and then suddenly, the hovercraft was sent flying out of the back as the cables released, engines on full crank, the skirt and the entire thing inflating up with the deafening noise, albeit not as deafening as the sound of this. The A400 banked hard, and what was visible was something that took Tahlia's breath away, in the faded red colour of sunrise in a Greenlandic fjord.

Welcome to combined arms, full scale hellfire. The crystalline white mountains, the dark blue water strewn and littered with icebergs, a gigantic calving glacier at the end of the fjord, green meadows interspersed with grey rock and more importantly, a gigantic mine that was getting torn to absolute shreds on one bank of the fjord with the combined weight of full scale amphibious warfare. The huge explosion from an intercepted Tomahawk was broken by another actually finding market and detonating a large silo, and the sight of F35s, drones and amphibious assault craft, from Hagglunds to LAV-25s, were visible already in the sea alongside more traditional landing craft, taking fire but giving it back. Even a couple of AH-1Z and Wildcats were visible, ducking and weaving between icebergs and firing off missiles and rockets, popping over and under the radar detection, as the A400 certainly was.

It was a modern day D-Day in the other end of the world, to stop an end of the world. To the sound of The Prodigy and Pendulum.

"Vamos!" Javi yelled out, as the hovercraft oscillated under the circular parachute now above it, and the sea was getting close.

"Just fucking drive! Enri, 20 mil weapons station on the roof is yours to play with, Jamie, open a door if you want to help!" Tahlia called, as the splashdown hit, and Javi disconnected the canopy with another flick, flooring it between icebergs on the sea, and headed directly for the flank, away from where the main fighting was, but straight towards Solveig Mine.

(Javi and Raph are shared NPCs!)

---

Dumping Viking had felt like a little lifetime ago, but it wasn't far to go from southern Greenland and clambering hard back to 30,0000 feet from about 1,000.

Skye felt the oxygen flow and the suits' insulation kick in providing lots of heat, and gave a thumbs up to Sam, sitting across from her, as well as Oliver, looking to Purna, who seemed quietly zoned in. Wingpacks, parachutes and all that attached, and the the team were ready to fly. Skye stood up and headed across to Purna, checking him over, and he repeated the same, silently. There was a palpitation in the air, a certain cobalt feeling that came with this.

Quite unlike the first time she'd jumped out of this A400, about two days ago.

Instead, it was a strange sensation that this was truly, utterly wild, Skye feeling the carbon-fibre composite wings protrude from her back, like a cape of plastic. Athena stared on into the distance, her enthusiastic and bottomless, restless self even finding a moment of zen before she went into overdrive. That moment was then ruined.

Someone was playing something through comms.

Athena looked around. This wasn't her prank.

Oh. Skye.

Kickstart My Heart.

"Really?" Purna asked, Skye shrugging. She was shithousing, even at such a time. Not that Athena cared, a massive grin visible behind her tinted visor, a full face item with the HUD and visor element, and an attached oxygen support system pumping hard into her lungs. Skye always liked her rock. A little more now, that being augmented with the door rattling open as the pilot punched it again, the dark turning to white light.

The cold was something else, and it rattled the plane with the door open as that now began to turn, Skye looking to the rest, chuckling. No fjords, just nothing but white and pink sky.

"Thought I'd get you in the mood! Remember, pick up the HUD, follow markers, and we'll make our way onto target." Skye stated, the red still on, but her walking out onto the ramp, taking a good look at the view beyond.

The dawn sky lit up with a pink, but most interestingly of all, the clouds, instead of being far below considering they were more than high enough for oxygen, carried on up almost all of the way as part of the thundercloud. Their target was through the side of a large piece of a storm cell, towering away as a cumulonimbus cloud, the very distant landmass below of Newfoundland and its various islands, as well as of course, the town of Dildo, very small, very far below a set of massive clouds that covered it all with a thick blanket far, far below. Perspective still, but a certain kind of beauty.

With it, Skye stood on the edge of the ramp, waiting for the red to turn green, looking inside. Athena and Purna followed, the moment fairly magical considering it all. It could be perhaps the last dawn they'd see, perhaps humanity if they fucked up.

The redhead took it all in, looking at the others assembled here. Purna had little to say, not that he would, but even he was impressed behind it all. This was a piece of kit he'd always wanted to try, but whatever resources Raven had mustered, they must have pulled it out of nowhere. A tool like this in his hands, now that would be something lethal.

"Once we get there, find a latch point at the bottom of the blimp. We'll work bottom to top, floor by floor, clearing whoever we find. Best case, Athena steals the thing, worst case, we get out, same way we came in." Skye barked out through comms, over the soundtrack, before giving a wry chuckle, seeing green flicker on inside the plane.

Skye even at the end of it perhaps had learned a lot from Xan, Sam, Freya, her friends, and perhaps the whole experience that had hit. She was tired, burnt out, seen all sorts of insane shit and well, wanted to remain stoic but instead, she felt like she knew there was only one such team that could get this done.

"Alright then, on me!" Skye yelled, and with a triumphant roar, made the short leap off the end of the platform, snapped to the side and hit the jets, and instead of falling, or even gliding, burnt off to the side of the cloud and hit throttle, the jets kicking in and the initial scream turning to a dull whine, as the lift kicked in and suddenly, Skye could bank hard, feeling the G-forces kick but this....holy shit, this did not get old! The team were skybound, and had a blimp to go intercept and take on. Athena and Purna ran after, and with a seamless drop, followed on line.

"Fuck yeah!" Athena yelled out, audibly screaming in everyone's comms, as she followed

"That got you awake!" Skye replied, looking over her shoulder, Athena barrelling over after a little wobble, a grin on her face of absolute childish glee. Purna not having any to return, in complete awe, but Athena was chatty as ever.

"You're telling me!" She yelled back, Skye nodding without showing it, turning the team slightly to the left, the awesome sight of the edge of the cloud, and the blimp somewhere on the other side of it truly, utterly magnificent.

If it wasn't so serious, this would be one hell of a way to see the sky.

---

Meanwhile, outside of the A400's flight, the V38 Sioux, the jet-powered VTOL, the other prototype was now in the hands of Vincent Cisse, FFL pilot extraordinaire.

The ambiance was perhaps different in the VTOL, considering it all. Less rock or roaring rave, more Bonobo or Amon Tobin, a pulsating, yet understated ambiance. The job they had felt different. Maybe it wasn't killing the head of the hydra, but all its venom, all its poison, and the potential it had was here. This would be pivotal, in a way that felt dethatched, away, and much more a classic Raven op. A job that just needed doing, although the scale of the geoengineering scheme was going to be one hell of a thing to decimate.

The rain pelted yet was getting quieter by the moment, the clouds from sea spray and the Mid-Atlantic storm that was dying off still making the ride bumpy, but a good omen for hiding them coming in on the tails of that as it died off, bit by bit. It was leaving here, and headed south, as the team were.

Adam sat near Vincent, hearing the comms pluck up, the Senegalese having quite something to note.

"Boss man. Tell me. How do you find all of this....you know, I am still getting my head around Skye. All that crazy shit, non?"

"It's a job. I try not to think about it....lot of weight." Adam's reply was dry, not having the same level as Skye perhaps did, but well, appreciating Vincent. Who wanted a bit more.

"Well, mon dieu, please fucking make sure you stop this. Ma Senegal, it's close to here. If the rumours are true....merde, this is beyond bad."

"Make sure the fire support is good then. We'll let you know when it's clear to come through." Adam replied, Vincent nodding, looking over at Ebrima, further back.

"Ey, mec, you don't go being shit out there, eh? Africa depends on us. Whatever the French, Japanese, Israelis, whatever they say, that soil of ours dies too if you don't stop it." Vincent cackled, shrugging his shoulders as Adam looked probably as confused as Ebrima was. A crazy pilot, but a fucking good one.

Within a few minutes, he'd turned in hard, and altitude had been dumped with the stealth VTOL sinking it in. It was that time.

"Alright, rebreathers on everyone. The SDV sinks, we sink faster. Get after it, hold on, and then we power on to the platform." Adam added, looking across, the heavies setting up their own buoyancy aids, as he did himself, almost like an inflatable piece for when they needed to head back up. Ebrima and Ban would likely need the same. Due to the sealed helmet, Adam's rebreather connected to the CBRN system, as many of the others would have- and the suit being pretty much waterproof meant that it wouldn't fill up on the inside, or at least, it would piss out on the non-criticals.

As the VTOL's door opened, it sat so close to the sea that the waves almost crashed inside, Vincent expertly holding it on the margin. The dawn sat on the mostly clouded day creating an orange haze, with nothing but infinite ocean visible and the spray dying down. End of the storm. Somewhere 10 miles behind them lay the Spanish island of La Palma, but that was a long way back.
"Okay, go!" The comms yell was decisive, and well, their Senegalese man wanted them the fuck out.

Getting behind, Adam nodded to Freya and Chuck, and pushed on the SDV with a big concerted push. With it, the thing rolled along the floor, and off the ramp, skidding into the abyss and turbulent, almost violent black and blue sea, followed by Adam and team.

The water was cold, unrelentingly so, shoals of fish broken apart by the SDV and the VTOL's blasting of the ocean, but both faded away, as Adam took a hold of the side of the SDV, looking to the others.
"Ebrima, she's all yours. Works how the manual says it does. Prime VW Polo." Adam added through the increasingly garbled comms with a rare piece of wit, but pulled the hatch open for Ebrima, and clung onto the outside, as the others would. It would be a hell of a weight that it made ballast almost seem pointless, but well, one more thing to quickly adapt to. Adam was sure the driver of the team would be able to drive the underwater car, or at least would appreciate him working that one out. He was exacting, but well, he was getting to know them, trust them, even Ebrima's history was one that made more sense than before.

Perhaps it was less thunder, perhaps it was less shrieking through the sky, but this operation began with a gentle roll through the ocean waves to the offshore platform and underneath it, and the gigantic Amazon-warehouse sized oil rig slash biochemistry slash engineering platform that needed a fuckload of neurotoxin stopped.

It was a serious situation in the Armory after the briefing.

If he hadn't already lost nearly 50% of what he cared most of in the world it would have likely hit Ban alot harder. But his honored mother an accomplished lawyer and yakuza accomplice had past decades ago. And his great lamented father, killed by the family blade stolen from his hands. Ban had cleaned the blade since then, taken a stone and blade powder to it even. But as he knelt in the Armory in front of one of the kit tables, with the Kingo sword before him. He can almost see the blood of family still staining it's length.

The man knelt there then, dressed in a surprisingly traditional style. With a modern take. A dark charcoal hakama clearly armored, a white, the color of death and the afterlife in Japanese culture, shitagi. And a pair of white tabi. For all that it is the modern day Ban could be mistaken for a Shogunate samurai just abit.

This might be complimented when he gets to his feet and begins a war dance. A old Samurai practice, for safety and fortune in battle. Not luck, oh not a Samurai or even a Yakuza ronin wouldn't believe in luck in battle. As Ban turns elegantly in the movements, and a small battle fan is produced from within the folds of the sash at his waist. He dances, silent his gaze brilliant with purpose. And it's not clear when he picks up his sword. Only that he has it, and sharp, swift motions, turns and spins. The fan and sword lash through the air.

It lasts no more then a few minutes maybe. Or maybe hours. Those who watch him silent. Finally Ban stops and takes a single step back, the only time he intends to retreat if he can manage it. Sword held aloft as if prepared to strike down any foe. And then, a single echoing war cry.

Only after lowering his sword, does Shimura put on his armor. His old suit had been taken by Raven way back when, and he'd been prepared to go into this op with only his shirt and pants and sandals. But Samantha had come through. The armor looks like old o-yoroi. Black with a white Kingo family crest on the Do chest plate. Kote arm guards, heavy Haidate thigh guards and lighter Suneate shin guards. Finished out with shoulder guards menu face mask and a Kabuto helmet with six reaching spires of material reaching before sweeping behind his head. What makes this though is the color. Besides the black cuirass, every other inch of the armor, is a eye scorching bone white. He'd really had to tell Sam how important the color is. How white is the color of Death and the Dead in Japanese culture, and that he'd be bringing that Death on the operation.

If Shimura really is going to walk into battle again, he wanted to make that statement.

With the last element of his armor strapped on, and closer inspection showing the archaic armor is actually layers of ceramic plates on kevlar and titanium chain mail.

Lastly a pistol a quick firing machine pistol a concession he'd made. And then something of a trick but Sam and her people had managed. A chain spear. Callout to Scoprion. A short spear attached to a long steel chain that he could throw and pull back with ease. Reminding him of Flying Bullet training actually. And then finally the Kingo blade, bit it had a friend. Another blade. Slightly shorter, the Kingo Katana longsword and a shorter Wakazashi blade. Etched on its face, by his own hands the Japanese characters for ,"I belong to the Death that has been wrought anew". Ban had figured it poetic and appropriate.

He'd looked at Adam only then, "Ready? Yosh! Hai! As ready as we can be."



With a shrug she works at her armor, to make sure it's all in place. She nods slowly. Yes this will do. And to finish it, the left arm already encased, another Mjolnir Contingency element, lowering and setling onto the right arm, connecting across the shoulder with reinforcing spars and metal elements. She'd be mostly prepared to protect against hurting herself again.

It'd be alot easier this time around. Less chance of getting hurt, more chance.of being able to cause so much more damage too.

With a push she's up eight and marching towards the team, "So then, how are we getting there?" Her face splits in a wide smile.

The Battle Goddess is back and it feels spectacular.



There is a certain.

Shadow.

All the Kanatariio siblings walk in it, even if a few of them don't let it overshadow them too much.

Where Freya blazes her way to the bleeding edge of science and beyond into the unexplored void. And Athena seeks ever more incredible heights of sass and adrenaline.

Jamie, Jamie is a little more down to earth. But because of this, he's forced to walk in a long deep shadow. The Shadow of their parents. Sure he's made a name for himself, meeting and breaking his father's records in the WSM tournaments. Becoming a champion Dancer on the Pow Wow Trail. He danced in a four way tie breaker in Albuquerque for crying out-loud.

He steps up and onto the platform of his armor. Unlike Freya's that comes in three pieces and now with the weapon harness and the armatures. Jamie's armor is all one big body emcompassing system. The surfaces of it, are rounded and smooth, unlike the blocky and angular surfaces of his sisters, or the old kevlar and ceramic plates of his parents.

With a stretch, he steps up onto the pedestal, turns and leans back into the armor, the entire assembly sliding over his outstretcheds arms, around his upper torso and waist and hips, then around his legs and with synchronized hisses all the pieces swing around and into place, the last part is the oblong help and head piece that closes like a hatch over his head. Then he steps free of all the hooks and lifts keeping the armor upright. He makes a few motions then brings his fists together with an almighty clang, "Systems synced. Ready." He grabs his weapons off their places and strides over to the team he's going with, "Yes. shall we go?"

---

Frigga stood in the bay of the Osprey. Keeping atleast three points of contact as they approached their objective. She smiled brightly, "Ahhh nothing like a good ride to start the day!" She turned to look up at the cockpit, "You're doing great there Driver!" The head pilot turning and flipping her off good naturedly. She couldn't help but cackle a little.

Shimura in the meantime is strapping his helmet in place, along with rebreather and back up air tank. He makes sure his daisho is attached then nods, "Yosh." His voice is deep and angry, as befits a Samurai or Fallen Ronin before the battle, "Shimura stands ready." He nods and does one last check before nodding. Placing his left hand on his katana, this time, showing trust in the others. Unlike the last perhaps.



Scion stood in the lead position fully intending to be the first one off the craft once they hit land. He'd not allow any of his squad mates to be hurt immediately. True once they got out from his shadow they'd have to take care of themselves, but he would not allow the first shots to be on them.

With a roll of his shoulders the giant of a man loosens up, preparing to go. he looks forward where the lines attaching the hovercraft inside the A400 are taut. Crew bustling outside. One of them a technical crew member flashes him a thumbs up, "We'll be waiting for you boss. I think we're all owed a brew later on." Jamie gave a nod, the great flat head of his armor bobbing. He looks back then braces. Only a matter of time now.

Skye gave them their assignments for the upcoming battle: "Don't underestimate what we're up against. Me, Athena and Oliver will keep on the push, Sam, clean up traps and keep us rolling past any locks or doors, Purna, you have the exterior to provide a flank with your grapple and....well, you do you."

Samantha listened as Skye answered their questions and passed out assignments. She breathed a sigh of relief to know that they had found a neutralizing agent for the neurotoxin and the science boffins had managed to recreate it.

She gave Skye a nod. “Understood boss, open the doors and eliminate your obstacles. Got it.” She gave Skye a very mischievous grin.

Samantha nodded as her part of the operation was not going to be easy. Artemis and Rose’s operations had gotten harder to hack as their operations met with her skill set. They were getting better at countering her skills. She would be packing some new tools that she hoped would make a difference. She planned to bring her toolkit and go low tech if she had too. She had replaced her handheld mini laser cutter. She would of course have her hacking rig with her. She would be running, gunning, and hacking all at the same time. It was a good thing she was good at multitasking. It was part of her charm. She was looking forward to the insertion part of their mission. She had an excited grin on her face.

She looked at Purna’s gleeful reaction and smiled. She had been paired with him in the last op and he made a great partner. “Some people get to have all the fun.” She teased Purna just a little.



Samantha was quiet as she checked her gear and weapons. She put on her armor and plugged her laptop into the hardened case for it. She made sure it was connected properly and working. She put all her throwing knives in the sheath for them that was built into her armor around her abdomen area. She filled all the little pouches at her waist with a variety of gear. The pouches held her lockpicking tools both digital and analog, screwdrivers, wire cutters, electrical tape, some small batteries, button cameras, small electrical discharge buttons, one mini drone with a camera, two collapsible asps, a first aid kit, and anything else she found useful. She put her P365 Sig Sauer pistol in its hip holster. She carried 8 extra magazines in the holders built into the hips of her armor, 4 on each hip. She made sure she had a variety of ammo. She had learned she never knew what would come in handy.

Samantha patted her gear and jumped in place to make sure it would stay put where she needed it. She looked over to see Freya and her siblings sharing a moment. She smiled sadly as her thoughts turned to family. She still had her adopted grandmother but all her blood family was dead. She was the last of her family. It was a sobering thought as she was gearing up to either save the world or be there to witness its end. She sighed and bowed her head and closed her eyes for a moment. She took a few breaths in and out and felt calmer.

@Jamesyco

She looked up and began to look around the armory. She noted Oliver digging through his gear bag and pulling out older stuff. She frowned and went to talk to one of the armor techs. They were supposed to rig him with light armor based on her designs. The technician looked surprised when she approached him and discussed the temporary armor they were supposed to have for Oliver. The technician looked embarrassed and went to fetch it from the workroom. He returned and passed it over to her. She took it and carried it over to Oliver.

“Hey Oliver. I know this is not the armor you are accustomed to. I gave the technicians the design for my lighter armor. They managed to pull something together for you for this op. The armor is lightweight and layered with a ballistic gel. The gel will allow you climate control so you don’t have to worry about thermals. It will allow you to move more freely without the bulk. There is heavier armor over the chest area and upper thigh, shin, and upper arm. There are armored gauntlets with gloves that go up over the forearm. There are also armored boots. The suit will stop light to mid weight caliber bullets but is more flexible and lighter than kevlar. I hope this will work for you for this op. I won’t say if we survive this op, I will say when we get back… I will work with you to redesign your armor and build you a new set from scratch.”

Samantha tried to hand the armor over. “What do you think? Will this work? You are of course free to use what you have.” She bit her lip hoping she had not offended the man.





Chuck had asked Adam if Raven had any more detailed intel about the platform and where the toxin might be stored and how the neutralizing agent worked for it. He wanted to be sure the job got done. Adam revealed that Raven believed the Sol Hestia was being stored in a location in the center of the platform which made sense. It had more protection from attack and accidental release. That also meant that they would have to exercise fire safety to ensure they didn’t puncture the tanks in that part of the platform.

Chuck nodded and looked thoughtful as he replied. “We will need to exercise extreme fire discipline when attacking the platform. We don’t want any kind of frangibles or shrapnel that could pierce those tanks before the toxin is neutralized. Do we have assigned objectives for this mission? Who will be in charge of getting the neutralization agent into the tanks? Will anyone be tasked with retrieving the data from the rig on the release mechanisms and the like?”



Chuck had rethought his loadout after the mission briefing. He carefully reloaded the arm flechette launchers in his armor. He made sure to load them with the taser rounds developed by Samantha. He packed extra rounds of the armor piercing flechettes that he could switch too after the toxin was neutralized. He could do massive damage with Lucille when it came to troops. He made sure his combat knife was tucked into its sheath that was built into the side of his thigh armor.

@BigPapaBelial

Chuck looked up as he felt like someone was watching him and met Freya’s eyes watching him with a smile. He gave her a warm smile in return and a chin nod. Yeah he was smitten. He really wanted that first date. Hopefully after this op, he would finally find time to convince her to go out with him. He winked at her before returning back to getting ready.

He packed his close quarters custom built Raider Edition rifle with an underbarrel grenade launcher based on the M4A1 Carbine Rifle. The rifle is scaled up to fit his hands with a larger magazine. He made sure it was loaded with taser rounds and packed extra magazines of high caliber armor piercing rounds. He made sure to pack extra grenades into his combat harness for change out after they could start using stuff with more boom and destructive power. He debated bringing his sniper rifle but decided that he would be more useful on the ground and loud and proud rather than perched up high. Ebrima had done an admirable job on overwatch in Marrakech,

He decided to bring his custom Mk 48 FUN Gun (also known as the Fuck Up Knockout Gun). The weapon has an adaptable mounting system so he can attach it to his armor when needed and has its own ammo case that feeds into the gun. Chuck attached the modified heavy machine gun to the bracket that was designed to hold it. It was on a hydraulic gimbal and would swing up behind him and lay along his back within easy reach. The modifications to the gun allowed him to carry and shoot the gun into combat. The gun would normally be a stationary weapon mounted on a tripod. Chuck’s size and strength coupled with Samantha’s brilliance allowed him to take this monster gun into the battle. He would be able pull it down and round to the side by his hip and could guide it where he wanted it to go with his right hand. The machine was belt fed from a storage compartment built into the rear of his armor. He couldn’t pack extra ammo for this gun but it would be enough to lay some serious hurt on those opposing them. He could use the high caliber fast gun to take out vehicles from a distance. He would run out bullets for the gun before he got close to the center of the rig. He felt it would help with the first wave as they attacked.

@Starlance

Chuck made sure the small trauma pack first aid kit was in its compartment. He made sure his canteen was full of water. He tucked as much ammo and as many grenades of various types that he could fit into his weapons harness. He was double checking his load out and was adjusting everything so that it rode comfortably and was secure when Ebrima approached him.

Ebrima was tapping his iconic Kukri blade when he asked him, ”Should I not return, will you please see to it that this gets back to Purna?”

Chuck’s eyes narrowed as he regarded Ebrima with a slight frown. He tilted his head to one side as regarded the shorter man. He was searching to see if Ebrima was going into the battle thinking he would die. He had seen soldiers who had a fatalistic viewpoint not come back from the battle because they expected to die and made it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Chuck didn’t think that was the case and smiled and nodded at the albino. “It would be my honor, however, I plan to fight alongside you and bring your albino ass back to base with me. So it won’t be necessary. Is that understood?” He raised an eyebrow at him. He had a smile but his tone was dead serious.

Samantha was unable to contain her excitement and fidgeted. She resisted the urge to ask the pilot “Are we there yet!” after the A400 had dropped off Tahlia’s team. She had wished the Viking team luck before they had left. She had chuckled at the byplay between Javi and Tahlia. She snickered and thought about how the two argued with one another. At times they had sibling energy and at other times they fought like an old married couple. She had seen signs that Javi was smitten but it was not reciprocated.

As the A400 climbed in elevation, she felt her suit compensating for the lower oxygen levels and temperature. Samantha’s armor was perfect for this mission. She was grateful to the techs who had managed to repair it for her. Her helmet was closed and the oxygen tubes connected to the intakes built into the collar of her suit. Her head cam up but she kept her visor clear at the moment so her team could see her face. She caught Sky’s thumb up and grinned as she returned it.

She turned her attention to last minute checks. She checked that everything was in its place and secured it so it wouldn’t fall off while they made the drop.

“Bob system check.” She instructed the AI to run its onboard system check. She was happy a few moments later when Bob replied, “Systems active and waiting for commands.”

She nodded as she began checking over Athena’s suit for her. She in turn felt Athena turning her and tugging on straps that held equipment before patting her on the head. Samantha growled softly as Athena grinned, unable to resist picking on Samantha’s height. Samantha was the shortest team member. She might be the second shortest now that Enri had joined the team. Samantha laughed at Athena’s antics and twisted from side to side to double check how the carbon wing felt. She jumped up and down a little and was satisfied that there was very little movement in the wing.

Samantha was about to ask Skye if it was time yet when she head some music being pumped through the background of the teams coms. Samantha just grinned and shook her head with laughter as Purna realized it was Skye playing the music.

Skye’s shit making grin as she began to give orders filled Samantha with glee. It was good to have her friend back.

"Thought I'd get you in the mood! Remember, pick up the HUD, follow markers, and we'll make our way onto target."

Samantha looked out a the amazing view of clouds below them trimmed in the rose gold of sunlight with some darker storm clouds that swirled with wind in the distance. Samantha knew their target lay below the clouds and landing on it was going to take some skill and luck. Their target landing zone could move on its own after all. Samantha took a deep breath and let the peace of this moment fill her. She knew they might not live to face another day. They were here to literally save the world. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

She looked around and smiled though. She was working with the best and they had become friends and people she trusted. This blimp didn’t know what was about to hit it. She grinned and nodded at Athena in acknowledgement. They were sure to pull some amazing shenanigans together. She traded a fist bump with the giantess as they seemed to come to an unspoken agreement to unleash hell.

Skye’s instructions continued. "Once we get there, find a latch point at the bottom of the blimp. We'll work bottom to top, floor by floor, clearing whoever we find. Best case, Athena steals the thing, worst case, we get out, same way we came in." Skye barked out through comms, over the soundtrack, before giving a wry chuckle, seeing green flicker on inside the plane.

"Alright then, on me!" Skye yelled with a triumphant roar as she dove out of the back of the plane.

Samantha laughed as she was quickly followed by Purna who just silently and efficiently leapt out as he does everything followed by Athena who yelled out "Fuck yeah!" that reverberated through the team comms.

Samantha ran and dove out of the back of the plane and added her own “Kowabunga!” to the mix as she grinned like an idiot. Adrenaline rushed through her as she felt the carbon wing catch the air currents and snap tight even as the jet thrusters kicked in and pushed her forward. “Woohoo!” Samantha yelled out as she did a barrel roll and moved into position with the team. “This never gets old!” Samantha showing off some skill in the air. She had done similar things and her experience showed even though this was the first time she had the opportunity to use this particular setup.

Athena wobbled a little as she got the hang of maneuvering the wingset.

She heard Skye’s voice over comms. "That got you awake!"
Athena’s childlike glee was contagious as she heard her response to Skye. "You're telling me!"

Samantha smiled to hear the joy in her teammates' voice. “I live for this kind of experience! Let’s go steal a blimp!” She giggled maniacally feeling invincible and like queen of the world as they soared through a beautiful morning sky. If only they were not here to stop the end of the world as they knew it.

---

The dawn chorus was broken by the sight of the five of them roaring through the pinkish sunrise, Skye exhaling hard, taking it in, cloudbreak revealing a patchwork that couldn’t be more beautiful. There was a job to do, but for half a second, there was almost a reminder she’d not been able to see this. Nearly dying, a lot of late, made her take it in, appreciate it all. And all the friends by her side, even as a team of professionals, she had to admit, sometimes, it was them that helped her too. She appreciated that more than anything, Sam’s maniacal response eliciting a chuckle back from Skye.

“Aye, good call! Team, ten degrees left here, up and over!” Skye called, turning herself gently, rolling on angle as Athena and Purna followed suit, the Nepali in a similar sort of awe.

Purna thought Now how the hell hadn’t he got a hold of this toy earlier?

Athena thought much the same, perhaps less from an infiltrator’s point of view, the small Nepali someone she’d been surprised had stood up to her, but was no less keen to have on board.

Still, they sat there in appreciation, and with the timer ticking down, they were closing in on the target at rapid pace, like a set of hyperspeed geese in carbon.

Samantha did an easy tilt to bank in the direction she needed to go. The suit was a joy to fly. The tension and vibration of the wind and the jets rippled along her body. This was flying at its purest. You couldn’t feel sensations like these in the cockpit of a jet. Samantha was determined to enjoy it for as long as it lasted. She knew she couldn’t waste fuel though so she resisted the urge to show off acrobatically in the sky. The blimp was coming into sight now. Samantha put her game face on as she looked to see if the automated defenses had picked them up.

She grinned gleefully as she spoke to the team over comms. “It looks like the electronic camouflage worked and with the very little metal we have on our suits and carrying we are not pinging on their radar. It’s set to recognize larger things like incoming aircraft. I think we will be good till we land. Then internal defenses will pick us up until I can disable them.”

Samantha went to work to see if she could boost her rig's signal and began to hack as they approached their landing zone.

With a turn, they dived up and over a cloud, the team moving in sync, the light beginning to grow and grow, even in spite of the absolute haze and size of the cloud. It was hard to put into perspective anything at all, the massive banks of clouds like gigantic mountains and snow layered and intertwined. This wasn’t falling with style, this was flight. And with that blimp in sight, Skye chuckled, shaking her head, trying not to interfere with her flight.

“Well….that is a gigantic butt.” Skye candidly remarked, the sight of it sitting right between clouds having no other words. She’d seen this before, in pictures, in briefing, but nothing managed to put it truly into words.

The
Airlander Class 12 was something of a modification, based on a smaller variant that had been of course, upsized in every single way, making even Athena blush, because at the very least, she’d finally seen something that could actually rival a certain thing she had that she reminded Freya and the world of far, far too often on social media. Perhaps that’s why she wanted to steal it? The similarities were comedic, obvious, but well, not the worst of ideas, Purna, Skye and even Athena mused internally. With four propellers and a large cargo hold beneath, enhanced to take a significant load, it was a flying headquarters for any evil genius, or in this case, Skye’s alter ego. You had to almost be impressed with it, if it wasn’t for the fact that there was a weapons bay filled to the brim with air to air, a CIWM system, and even a small silo of air to ground missiles…..for the days where you wanted to bring an airship to an actual combined arms assault. Lunacy.

So was flying at it, and with the wingpacks, they were too small for radar, and too fast for visual call. Slowing down, Skye looked across at the team, picking them up in her flight helmet’s HUD.

“Right, slow yourselves down. We’ll latch underneath her, then pull in, penetrate the thing. Purna, Sam, take out the external weapons systems, just in case they decide to lase anything up around us. Athena, Oliver, open us a door.” Skye added, Athena chuckling, giggling.
“Athena….come on, we need to get serious.”

“Penetrating. You said PENETRATING, Skye! You gotta stop with this innuendo……or I am gonna fall out of the sky!” Athena giggled more, Skye sighing, as Purna chimed in.

“Someone’s envious.” Purna simply commented.

Skye chuckling to his simple remark, as with that, she gently pulled back on the throttle, and let the wingpack glide, the speed dropping away as she pulled the wingpack tight into her hands, the turbulent wind making it hard as hell, looking up and feeling the speed drop. The underside of the blimp was coming up, and they had to latch on using their grappling hooks on their wingpacks, then pull in. Get it wrong, and they would be paste, or falling out of the sky beneath it, with limited room to come back again.

Samantha gave an evil chuckle as she slid into Rose’s security easily. “Oh she left the front door open. She thought no one would find her mobile headquarters. The updates to Artemis’s systems to counter what I have tried before haven’t been updated here yet.”

Samantha hacked her way into the security system and sent all the outer defensive weapons into maintenance mode. The system didn’t register it as an attack or hacking because it was their own system. Samantha just pretended to be their lead engineer. Someone should give them a lesson in what the world’s most common passwords are. Really who uses “I am God!” for their password these days? Samantha couldn’t help giggling when the profile she was using showed an image for a short caucasian man with blonde hair who was only 5’6” tall and had a thin build with a bad complexion. He was obviously compensating for something. “Someone has little man syndrome.” She giggled again picturing Athena squashing him like a bug.

Samantha heard Athena’s laughter and her attention caught what she was laughing at Athena responded to Skye. She wanted to add something snarky to the conversation but was too busy laughing.

Samantha tilted her glider to turn towards the blimp. “Queen outer defenses are locked down in maintenance mode. Do you want to use the door or make one?”

Skye licked her lips, pulling her arms tight against the wingpack and swan-like, diverting up and seeing the weapons head into limp mode. Sam had a talent, that Skye had to say. Flying through the sky and hacking at the same time? Too easy. But then again, Skye had her reason to be here, a hack that transcended perhaps just the computational. With the wingpack slowing, and the underside appearing, the distance closed, and with it, Skye pulled her hand tight into a fist. With a fling, the cable-drawn grapple slammed into the underside of the blimp’s cargo compartment, finding a slot and with it, a position by one of the maintenance hatches underneath.

“We have a door. Fit us in, would you?” Skye asked, no hint on the pressure here at stake, considering how high they were, and quite literally, everything was hanging by threads.


Pulling tight, the motor did its job, as Athena joined alongside, the swinging two like mannequins for a moment in the golden-pink sky.

Purna moving further along and classily braking right next to one of the weapons systems. With it, he attached himself to the underside, and with it, switched to his specialised adhesion gloves, an infiltrator’s favourite. He hadn’t had the chance to use it much in Marrakesh, but with the fact this was all metal, it was perfect, gripping perfectly to the sleek surface easily, clambering onto the CIWM and cutting cables.

He looked across to Sam, nearby, and with it, nodded, swinging on his own grapple now, rather than the wingpack’s, finishing the job on the AA missiles, shorting the system and creating a permanent, rather than temporary override.

“All clean, Chaos. Get them in.” Purna called back, exhaling hard, aware he had the fun job today. Scale the thing and get on the flank.

Samantha paid attention to where Skye was landing. She slowed her position even more as she pulled the blimp’s schematics out of the engineering archive and flipped the floorplan to the team. Now they could see where to go in the blimp. She released the locks on the maintenance hatch that Skye had landed next to. “The hatch should respond to your commands.”

Samantha then followed the team in. She had slowed her rig and managed to stand it on its end as fired the grapple and was pulled towards the maintenance hatch ready to step through. She latched onto the blimp’s undercarriage next to Athena.

Skye looked across to Athena, the significantly taller figure reaching across and gently pulling the hatch open with a grunt, nodding back and looking over at Sam.

“Nicely done. We’re going backdoor.” Athena giggled.

Skye sighing audibly, groaning even louder over the comms, as she swung on the cable and pulled on the ledge, clambering up, releasing the cable and with it, reaching a hand to Sam.

“Right. Into the belly of the beast.” Skye commented, knowing Athena and Oliver would follow.

Samantha giggled at Athena’s remark that they were taking the backdoor. Which Skye added into the belly of the beast. “Well Athena, we will have to be sure to give the beast some indigestion while we are here. That is unless you plan to tame it. You know Skye…. Maybe Athena’s idea of stealing the blimp isn’t so bad. We could just toss all their crew overboard.”

She thought about it and wondered how many staff they really had on hand to deal with intruders. She had been surprised that so many of their defenses had been automated so far. The technology they were using to hide from radar would not have worked against the Mark 1 human eyeball. So far there had eerily been no alarms heard or noticed and they had yet to see any humans at all. Although the fact that she had found a maintenance personnel did suggest they had crew on board. Samantha took Skye’s hand and was pulled towards the maintenance hatch. Samantha noted that the hatch was about the size of a standard submarine door. Athena and Oliver would fit but it would be a tight squeeze. Samantha waited till they had all come into the blimp and the hatch closed before pulling off the wingsuit. It would be hard to maneuver with the rigid wingsuit on their back as they fought their way through the blimp. She tucked the wingsuit behind some crates where the team seemed to be storing their gear. They could use it to get off the blimp if they could make their way back later. Or they could find other ways off the blimp. Their team was very resourceful.

Athena chuckled as she followed, barely fitting in the tight thing, given the….dimensions she had. Skye chuckled, looking to Sam, the wingpack so bulky in here that it made no sense to keep, Skye gently unstrapping it from her chest, and clambering out of it from her leg straps, now bringing in her silenced pistol, and leaving her new toy of an electromagnetic rifle on her back. With a gentle crawl, Skye waited until Oliver shut the vent, and with it, the cold and the howling wind stopped, as if by instant. The pressure felt like it restored, the next vent left shut and sealed on cue. After all, this high up, everything was pressurized. It made sense to keep the oxygen on at least, for now.

Moving forwards, Skye kept her pistol raised as she pulled on the vent, the claustrophobia and darkness inside the bowels of this part of the blimp clear to see, and voices could be heard, muffled and in the distance. With a push, Skye emerged out, bringing the wingpack to brace, and hiding it by a set of crates, checking their six as Athena did the same, twin MAC-10s with silencers on them looking just outright ridiculous. Was she gonna have good aim if she shot them both at the same time? No. Was she going to mess up someone’s day if she pointed it vaguely at them? Yes.

And as the team moved out, voices began to be clear. Techs, wondering why a hatch had opened, and it looked like weapons had been put in maintenance mode. Of course, they weren't climbing out there, and among the crates, of the messy bit of the blimp, they were just looking for any signs of any maintenance needed. Armed, of course, just as paranoia always went, but when they were protecting an asset like this, they had to be. Skye kept a low profile, hiding down, hand to ear.

“Okay. Viper, we are in, we have hostiles aboard. You got any visuals on anything else?” Skye calmly whispered into the comms, looking back to Sam, Athena and Oliver.

“Negative. There’s a large window, I’m making my way up. Looks like a lot of servers, and a lot….woah. This is a lair. She’s got an entire penthouse up here.” Purna commented, Skye looking back, as bemused as Athena was.

“Right. Then it must be her little hideaway between operations. The server network must be deeper in. The one we want.” Skye replied, checking the FNX once more, ready to keep it quiet for a teeny bit longer.

“Okay. Looks like we may have to go hot. Once we start, priorities are to find the server, find the toxin, and most of all, clean house. They are going to put up a fight. That North Korean hacker is capable, so watch yourselves.”