Markus squeeze off two shots, the barrel of the plasma gun igniting like a miniature sun as two 'rounds' of coruscating light flies past the honor guard and splashed against the back wall, singing it and forming a small crater. He cursed as similar bolts were traded back, Jocasta's hair nearly igniting from a close-call. The next moment, Markus nearly had it in a bad way. After a shot, he was grazed in the shoulder pad, disintegrating the fabric and light flexi-mail. Had it been any closer, it would have burned through Markus's shoulder like a knife through butter. He fell back and sighed, deigning to check his fuel level. 45% left in the clip, the reader said. 

"Alert. Alert. Facility Lockdown. Alert. Alert. Facility Lockdown," the monotonous voice reiterated. 

"Any ideas?" Jocasta called, firing three shots back, mostly to not sit idle. The honor guard just needed to wait, and the two mercs could practically feel reinforcements riding up their ass. Markus looked back at the clip, and then at Jocasta. She glanced at him, and blanched when she saw him unload the gun. A question about to form on her full lips. 

"How's your aim?" Markus asked her, glancing back to meet her eyes. 

She raised an eyebrow, confused. "I'd love to humor you, but I don't think this is the time to compare." She quipped. More flashes of light arced past them, a wave of intense heat brushing them from every shot. Markus casually tossed the clip in the air like he was holding a baseball. "These are mostly made of hydrogen." He reasoned. 

His words dawned on her after a moment, and a smile bloomed on her face. "You know, I was wrong. You're not as stupid as I thought." She teased.

Her light-hearted nature was infection, even to the cool merc. "Jury's still out on you." He replied with a smirk. 

"I like to remain a mystery." She finished, and jerked her head toward their opposition, indicating she was ready. He gave a curt nod, dropped his plasma rifle, and pulled his newly returned sword two inches out of its scabbard in preparation. He mouthed 'one, two, three' and spun, sliding the cartridge down the short corridor toward the guardsmen's position. Jocasta leaned out and fired twice, the second plasma bolt hitting the cartridge dead on just as it hit the lip of the door. There was a flash as flames erupted in a short explosion, men screaming. Just as it ignited, Markus sprinted out of cover, his sword out of his scabbard in one fluid motion. There was a ring of metal and grunts of disbelief, followed by and wet, cutting noises. In three seconds, Jocasta looked back to see Markus resheathing his blade. 

She gathered herself and hustled over, wiping sweat from her brow. She stepped carefully over a dismembered arm and a man with a large stab wound in his chest before reaching Markus. "Not bad," she said, but her next words died on her lips when she saw the starship docked before them. On a small curve of the front engine, the word' RAVENWING' was painted. "Whoa... now that's a pretty ship." 

"We can admire her when we're in." Markus reminded her, pulling her arm forward and hustling into the opening bay door of the Huntsman class freighter.