Kjbivins

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

A mission! No more talks, no more lords giving orders from lofty chairs. This is where beasts like Rho-Hux belonged. Being told to go first was a great honor. Rho-Hux relaxed his body and triggered his stealth ability. He bit down on the collar of his suit for extra measures, triggering its camouflage abilities.

Strange he thought to himself. I felt sore the last time I ran this fast. He figured it could have been the regenerative implants they gave him not too long ago, or he was excited to be on the field again. It reminded him of when he read about ancient hunting animals humans had domesticated in their homeworld. Canis Familiars, or something like that. Working familiars that specialized in herding or hunting would grow restless and develop health problems. Perhaps that's why he felt so good after challenging that rude tech-worm to a duel. It didn't matter if he lost or won. This old familiar wanted to hunt!

Looking back at his comrades, he could not see their faces. All Rho-Hux could see were the serious, stoic faces of loyal Imperial soldiers. At times, he wasn't even in a spaceship; he was in a jungle world with soldiers who had died decades ago. Once he had scanned the surrounding area, he gave his first report.

"Lieutient Xis-Nev, no warm bodies spotted. Area one is secured. Proceed with caution. Heading to area two. Wait for my signal.

Rho-Hux stopped in his tracks momentarily to rethink what he just said. Did he just say Xis-Nev? Xis-Nev was a lieutenant who served with him on Cluub-Prime. He was another Gealtirocht. Rho-Hux was talking to Salvator Rasch. That's what he said. Yes. He was just thinking of an old friend, but Rho-Hux was confident he had said Rasch or maybe Ard’sabekh. He certainly didn't say Xis-Nev.

Rho-Hux activated his comms one more time before moving further ahead to scout.

"In my old unit, I would tap the in-armor comms three times to signal danger ahead to avoid making any noise the enemy might overhear. Is this compatible with your unit?

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Rho-Hux could barely contain his rage at the cybernetic Drexel, this "Husk." Drill sergeants did not speak so respectfully to their worst recruits, and even then, it was with the intention of building them into cold-blooded warriors. Who was this husk? Where did it get off on calling Kleo inbred or calling Salvatore a "Mr. Voidhanger." Back in Rho-Hux's days, calling a ranking officer by a casual name, even one that was beneath you, could be considered grounds for a write-up and a review for possible demotion.

Rho-Hux scanned for any recognized names, preferably whoever allowed Husk to be slapped, which was the universal sign of "shut the hell up." He also scanned Husk for any rank, job descriptions, or other details.

"Commander, how do you wish to be identified? I would like to inquire how much data this Husk knows about the type of work we do. Has it been on the battlefield before? Collected intel in a firefight? Has it been shot at, tortured, or hunted like an animal? Has it led soldiers of a hundred worlds into war, and has it been allowed to give such orders? If not, I suggest a proper reprehension is in order. Perhaps it should undergo reeducation procedures to know how to address fellow officers." Rho-Hux then turned to look at what could best be described as Husk's eyes. "And if Husk is listing, it may take notes or challenge me to a Yrrkradian duel after I return from my mission."

Rho-Hux then looked back at the commander, planning to go into stealth mode as soon as the commander gave him permission to leave to show he was done with any conversations for the time being.

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Rho-Hux

"Understood, Commander. Permission for one last question?" Rho-Hux said while giving the Yrrkradian salute. "As I am a late addition to the unit, I find it necessary to ask, who is in command of this unit?"

The question made sense in Rho-Hux's mind. He didn't know Salvator Rasch's story, but he had an air of command and experience to him that Rho-Hux respected. Many would-be schoolyard bullies felt that wearing a uniform, having a loud voice, working a cozy position from their family, and carrying a flashy suit and gun would be enough to command warriors. But Salvator had seen war. Rho-Hux didn't have to talk with him to know that. The way he spoke to the group disciplined Echo in a firm but efficient manner; it reminded Rho-Hux of his drill master, rest his soul.

Then there was Alice Bellerose. True, compassion could be a weakness, but to many, it was an often-overlooked strength. The team is only as strong as its weakest member, and in order to avoid compromising the mission, the weak link either had to be removed or strengthened. The way they watched over Kleo's concerns was admirable.

The thing that kept weighing on Rho-Hux's mind was that he didn't recognize anyone there. Granted, most of the war heroes he knew were retired, dead, or working high-profile jobs, so they couldn't join a secret military operation without drawing attention. Still, for such an important task, he expected to see or hear at least someone from his time. Some Yrrkradian nobles or admirals had to tell these people about Rho-Hux so they could recruit him. They couldn't just forget him and all his work...could they? NO! NOT AFTER EVERYTHING HE GAVE TO THE YRRKRADIAN CAUSE! He wanted to ask what the conditions were for becoming part of this organization, but that was well above his station.

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Rho-Hux

Rho-Hux knew little of this King, but he was dreading working with the fancy hologram. Where did it get off on thinking it was appropriate to talk to its superiors in such a way? "Sacrificial bullet catchers?" welcome to military service! Rho-Hux was a warrior, and no death was better for a warrior than laying down your life for a better future. Foundations were built and maintained by corpses. Even a veteran like Rho-Hux, who had seen better and lesser commanders die before him, knew he wasn't entitled to special privileges. He would die a thousand times if it meant the Empire would grow.

This is the empire, right? Right.

Rho-Hux would have preferred to have worked on the field, fighting a clear enemy or securing an area, but Rho-Hux would not question the final outcome. Someone had to look into this scrap station, and Rho-Hux was capable of performing recon missions. Rho-Hus listened to the briefing until the last part. His confusion only grew when he read the data. "Yrrkradian in origin" "investigate a Yrrkradian control center embedded deep within the structure." Why would a Yrrkradian group refer to their own as outsiders? Shouldn't we know for sure if this was one of ours?

It's a cover story. Rho-Hux told himself. Some of these agents are likely mercenaries. The Yttkradian likely has some secrets here they don't want everyone on this mission to know.

The rest of the team was more professional. Rho-Hux nodded as they asked their questions before he began thinking of the last mission he had in a space station. The Longimanus-CA-35. It was a massive supply ship that carried ground equipment and resources to the UCL during the Veiled War. Rho-Hux was part of a team that was sent to board and capture the ship. His rings still rang as he remembered someone firing a projectile weapon in the close hallways, the blast echoing and rupturing eardrums, and the bullet ricocheted off walls and skulls. Of course, that was as bad as when an explosion tore a hole in the hull, which sent the enemy, Rho-Hux, and his team into space. Those who took in a deep breath were the first to die as their lungs and blood vessels popped from the inside due to being exposed to negative pressure so rapidly. Rho-Hux let out a deep breath without even thinking about it as he kept thinking about that day.

Are there any weapons we should avoid using? Space structures tend to have numerous live support systems, and we should do our best to avoid any that are still operational. Also, has any structural damage been observed on the Sargasso so far?

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Rho-Hux

*The unreliable narrator is strong with this one*

For a moment, as Rho-Hux wandered the twisted halls of chitin and metal, a thought crossed his mind. This wasn't something the Empire would design. Then again, he hadn't been in an official Imperial vessel for years, but just how many years alluded him. Two, five, ten, more than that? Just then, in the corner of his eyes, there was an enemy! It was human wearing Intranszjednota armor. He had somehow infiltrated their vessel! Even worse, he was mocking Rho-Hux by waving at him! However, just before Rho-Hux could reach for his weapons, he reminded himself of the mission. *They were pretending to be part of the Intranszjednota. To throw off any unwanted attention to the Empire. * Rho-Hux looked back at his human ally only to see he had disappeared. Did he just walk off rudely, or did he have a job that required his attention? Was there ever even a human there, or was Rho-Hux remembering a lost soldier he once worked with? How many humans had Rho-Hux served with, how many did he command, how many did he kill on the other side of the war, and which war? Rho-Hux stopped thinking when he looked around again and asked a question he should have asked a long time ago.

"Where am I?"

MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE DESIGNATED ROOM.

The lost and confused gealtirocht transformed back into Rho-Hux as he remembered all the locations of the base that had been provided to him. He was going to be given a mission, another chance to display his family's generations of efforts to train scouts, killers, and commanders. He ran past the med bay, only briefly noticing the human in there as he crossed the docking bridge into the new vessel. The closer he got, the more he overheard. Shouting. Someone was upset about a conflict. Perhaps it was a stealth mission that went astray. A new voice spoke of a vrexul support squad that arrived an hour earlier than what had been planned weeks ahead of time. So we had Commanders who disagreed and squabbled with each other, plans that fell apart almost instantly, and an operation in which stealth was more of a suggestion than a requirement. It was just like that when he was first drafted. Clearly, the commanders brought in through nepotism alone had yet to be weeded out. The fallout was always messy, but the warriors that survived and proved themselves would be capable of moving the Galaxy. How old was he when his sergeant had his head blown off mid-way through a speech about his medals? Oh, that didn't matter; what Rho-Hux remembered was that he had used his etheological powers in true combat for the first time not long after that.

It had been some time since he had done so, and he wondered if he could still do it. Rho-Hux forced his body to tighten and his circulation to slow down as he channeled his Ethereology powers to silence his movements. No heartbeat, no footsteps, no breathing. He could have activated his Octopus armor, but then he would risk looking like a spy. Right now, he was where he needed to be, he just hadn't caught anyone's attention.

Rho-Hux watched the end of the argument from a distance. He was missing too much context for his liking, but time would tell if the Human or the Invictoid were in the right. When the Invictoid invited the group to follow him, Rho-Hux snuck behind, waiting to see if someone would notice him. He would make his presence known soon, he just wanted to exercise his powers and see if anyone was able to spot him. It would be useful to see any weaknesses in his technique and his new squad's capabilities. They were brought to a room with a strange device that asked questions about the team's last mission. A middle-aged male Voidhanger answered. From the way he talked, Rho-Hux could recognize he was another seasoned veteran. This organization seemed to have an eye for experienced talent after all, although Rho-Hux questioned the OSLF patches. The others in the group included an Unztadtlige​ who was recording this meeting, a Tarrhaidim, a female Voidhanger, and some odd black sphere that Rho-Hux wasn't sure about.

Regardless, he had been a ghost for long enough. He returned his vitals to normal, and his body and mind relaxed as he acted as though he had just entered the room.

Rho-Hux stepped forward and gave his family's traditional bow, which involves kneeling on one leg while bending one's head to the ground.

"Former Major Rho-Hux of house Lorreas. At your service and mercy. Pardon my abruptness, but I was ordered to arrive here, and I have a few questions. Did this informant go by any names or alias? Were there any checks involved to ensure they weren't a spy? Had the party been informed they would be meeting this supposed informant before the mission? Either way, it is very concerning to hear someone had hacked into our channels when we're supposed to be an undercover operation."

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Rho-Hux

*The unreliable narrator is strong with this one*

As Rho-Hux walked through the station, he felt like a fresh elver recruit all over again. His old rank of Major meant nothing here; he recognized no officers or soldiers, and most information was closed off to him as he had only been recruited…some time ago. Rho-Hux rubbed his temple as he tried to organize dates and times, but moments and people blurred together more often these days. He remembered talking to someone. Was it in a bar, a shooting ring, or an abandoned mining base on a rogue planet? Regardless, they spoke about Rho-Hux's actions during the Veiled War and Reckoning of Empires with respect and reverence, something his own nephews and nieces had failed in. They wanted, no, needed the Constrictor of Caddadast to return! They said they were from the Intranszjednota, no, the Intransigence, no, that wasn’t right either, …that couldn’t be right. They were the Empire’s intransigence! Yes, that was it! It was a secret organization dedicated to maintaining peace in the galaxy for now and weakening the galactic powers until the Empire was ready to reemerge properly. Now, sometimes, this would mean going after Empire supporters, but Rho-Hux knew these were nothing more than self-obsessed fouls stirring up trouble. Like tending to a tree, the wild branches must be cut off from time to time. That was Rho-Hux’s view, and he was glad he found like-minded people.

So here was Rho-Hux, back at square one. His bones ached, his eyesight had worsened, and his skin looked like it was about to fall off any moment, but he was just as excited for his first mission as he was all those years ago. He had been told he was to be assigned to a relatively new group that had just completed their first mission. As the newcomer, he couldn’t get full access to the mission details, but he could make a few educated guesses. A Commandante Sazan was dead, some high-profile prisoners were exchanged, and Rhodes Valley now had a lot fewer terrorists. That was the one part of the news broadcast Rho-Hux disagreed with. Those rebels were just children having tantrums to get their way. Solar Broadcast Federation would call anyone a terrorist these days.

“What would they have thought of me in my prime?” Rho-Hux thought to himself.

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Name: Rho-Hux of house Lorreas . “The Constrictor of Caddadast.”

Species: Gealtirocht.

Age: 156.

Faction Alignment: Yrrkradians

Height: 8 ft

BACKGROUND:

Born into one of the old feudalist royal families that allied with the Yrrkradians, Rho-Hux was too low in the family tree to be considered an heir, but that didn’t matter in the slightest to him. To Rho-Hux, time is too limited for people to “find themselves”. It is much more efficient to know what your calling is, devote yourself to your strengths, and work with the hand you are dealt with. People born into nobility will either use all their resources and be a better ruler than some silver-tongued politician or make a clown of themselves and soon be usurped by a more rightful ruler. Everyone is but a cog in a greater machine, and for Rho-Hux he was raised to believe there was no greater honor for him than to defend his family house and expand the Yrrkradian empire.

For most of his life, Rho-Hux devoted himself to being a soldier. When given a mission, he would spend hours researching his foes, the landscape, similar battles, and equipment that may be used on both sides. He quickly rose through the ranks, aiding in the Empire’s interests. Once he became a Major, he expected all under his leadership to be up to par with the latest military information.

His most famous mission was Operation Swamp Dragon. His battalion was to aid in taking over the city of Caddadast on the planet Omia. Omia was a planet mostly comprised of dangerous swamps, and Caddadast was a well-fortified city. After trying and failing to breach the walls, Rho-Hux decided to starve the city out. He ordered his forces to poison the swamp water around the city, preventing them from fishing or receiving clean water from within their home. Every time a group went out to get resupplies from elsewhere, Rho-Hux would launch a series of brutal guerilla attacks. The final nail in the coffin came when Rho-Hux received some anti-aircraft reinforcements. Soon, the citizens of Caddadast found themselves trapped in their city without food or clean water. This victory earned Rho-Hux the nickname of “The Constrictor of Caddadast.”

However, Rho-Hux's conquest ended when they were struck by a UCL ship bombing them from orbit. It wiped out Most of Rho-Hux's battalion, with only him and a few survivors seeking shelter in caves. They were classified as MIA for months until Rho-Hux was found alone and half-starved deep underground, three years after the Reckoning Of Empires. His story about what happened during his time in hiding is inconsistent, and due to his deteriorating mental health, he was honorably discharged from the military.

He has not adjusted well to the cease-fire, his discharge, or the Yrrkradian Dominion’s loss of territory. He is a warrior with nothing to fight. Family members and officials have tried to place him in medical institutions to help with his retirement, but Rho-Hux keeps escaping and getting into trouble. Most recently, he spent the last year with a mercenary group of Yrrkradian extremists before he turned on them for “lack of ambition, discipline, intelligence, or basic common sense and manners.”

Rho-Hux is still looking for a new excuse to return to the battlefield to achieve a greater good. His age is quickly catching up to him, as he hasn’t had any rejuvenation augmentations. That said, he still cares about staying as physically fit as possible. Recently, while looking for a new mercenary band to join that wasn't just psychopaths with guns or young thugs who had never seen the horrors of a real war, he was approached by the Intransigence. They had heard about his reputation and wanted to recruit him. They tried to argue that the Empire might have overlooked him, but they still saw value in him and could give him the purpose he had been missing. Rho-Hux agreed, but partially because he mistook the Intransigence as secret Empire agents wanted to bring back the Empire's former might under a new name. In his logic, "They must be the Empire because the Empire would never turn down a good soldier like myself."

Personality: Rho-Hux is bound by duty. When he agrees to do something, he will see it through, whether he likes it or not. While he tries to be philosophical about his loyalty, deep down, he admits he just enjoys the thrill of battle and the glory that comes from people romanticizing it. Years of warfare and his own advancing age have taken a toll on his mental state. Rho-Hux often gets dates, names, and events mixed up. Some days, he thinks he is still fighting in the Reckoning Of Empires with his own troops and fellow Gealtirochts. He greatly struggles in civilian situations, such as seeing nothing wrong with giving children loaded weapons, such as “You don’t give a toy without its batteries. Better to start educating them now rather than later.” While he is fanatically loyal to the old Empire, Rho-Hux doesn’t hold much resentment towards the other factions, seeing them as worthy foes or allies in a greater conflict if needed. He does like to remind people that the UCL had to bomb him from space to slow him down, and he would go into a violent frenzy if someone dared call him a friend of the UCL.

Ethereology: “Ghosting,” as some people call it. Rho-Hux can mute any noise he makes (like footsteps and breathing), remove his scent, and change his body temperature to match his environment. While this does not make him invisible, it does aid him greatly in stealth missions. When combined with his Octopus suit, he seemingly disappears from existence, only to reappear behind his soon-to-be-deceased enemies. The drawback to this power (other than the usual drawbacks to ether powers) is that if Rho-Hux were to be set on fire while using this power, his body temperature would rise dramatically, causing him to burn internally and externally."

Strengths:

-Two cybernetic arms underneath his original ones, each can hold a weapon.
-Skilled swordsmen.
-Stealthy.
-Years of experience.
-Bravery.
-Stubbornness

Weaknesses:

-Fire damages his gear, disrupts his Ethereology, and is extremely painful to him (as it is to most organic beings)
-His mental state is fragile, and he is prone to fits of mania and PTSD.
-His age is catching up to him. He is not as strong as he was/thinks he is.
-Stubbornness

Starting Weaponry, Armor, and Equipment:

-Octopus armor: Blends in with the environment around it. This, when combined with his ether power, makes Rho-Hux nearly impossible to detect. It is light and offers more mobility for wearing at the price of not being as sturdy for defense as other advanced suits of armor. It also malfunctions horribly if set on fire for too long.
-Grapple Battle Rifle.
-Twin SMG guns.
-Daishō sword set.

Into Perdition's Jaws

Animals. What was it about evolution that led to the universe creating so many unique killers, yet only a small percent of them were intelligent enough to organize and form empires? Some mad scientists could turn this Plough-Head into a good bioweapon, it looked like it was already one right now. Then there were the leafslithers, who could be hiding from the Plough-Head, or were planning to attack it. However, could it be they were working together? Could such an advanced form of symbiotic relations develop? Activating his camouflage suit, and “Ghosting” powers, Rho-Hux crawled lower down the tree he was in like an Earth gecko. He tried to get in front of the front but off to the side. His plan was to fire his grappling gun into a tree across from him and attach another line to the tree he was currently on. In theory, this could create a trap wire. In the best case scenario, detecting or walking into the line would confuse the Plough-Head, and allow the group to move on. Worst case scenario, the monster would become enraged but at least the wire would slow it down somewhat. Once his trap had been set he slithered back into the darkness trying to get within arrange of his group. He still had to reconfigure his communication device to theirs.

"Large predator up ahead. It's looking at you Zsresrinn. I planted a trip-wire between the trees. Produced with caution."

Into Perdition's Jaws

"Gnosis Eaters? Well, that's better than shit-eating troglodyte insurgents." Rho-Hux was interrupted by explosions and a voice coming from the strangers' coms. "Speaking of which! I think a little bloodshed is in order."

In one of his four arms, he pulled out one of his Earth-based swords. In another, he pulled out a las-pistol. "All the matters in terms of allegiances is that as of right now I am your friend. I know can help you find the base of the insurgents but first I think we better disarm these trigger-happy terrorists before they start to improve their aim."

Rho-Hux used his grapple hook gun to people himself deeper into the woods. He soon felt the need to return to the group to say one last crucial detail.

"Just to be clear, when I say disarm, I mean cut off their arms and show it to them before you further torture them for information. Professionals have standers and traitors need to be reminded about what happens to dishonorable deserters."

Into Perdition's Jaws

Rho-Hux

Survival was nothing new. War was like nature, you either learned fast and adapt, or die. Rho-Hux had waged many different wars on many alien worlds. It was in the fires of the battlefield that he realized what he was...a killer and a damn good one at that. He spent most of his career as a major and might have become more than that if it was for an I N C I D E N T that led to him being discharged. The UCL wanted nothing more to do with him. Those highborn, white-noose-collared, silver-spooned, test-tube babies that made up high command thought Rho-Hux was "unstable" and "a disgrace" for participating in "war crimes". That load of shit was so big it could be classified as a dwarf planet! There were no rules to warfare, just as there were no rules to nature. Does an Earth sea turtle cry to its mommy when the mean seagull bites its flippers? HELL, NO, that turtle gets off its ass and runs! It cares nothing for its slower siblings, they are weak and a liability. The little bastard runs all the way to the ocean, where it fights sharks, crabs, and all manner of predators just so it can bang another equally strong sea turtle. That was nature, that was war, fight, win, expand! Shit, that was just the tip of the ice burg when it came to the nature of kill or be killed that was woven into the galaxy. Point was, the UCL leadership had gone soft and had put this killer animal in the inhuman petting-zoo known as a "Psychiatric ward".

Well after a couple of years wasting away in there on a diet of pills and sterilized canned food, Rho-Hux had almost forgotten who he was. When he was released from that institution, he struggled to find his place in the world. That was until some bigwigs at The Sect got word that The Constrictor of Caddadast, Rho-Hux, had been released. It didn't take them too long to remind Rho-Hux of the nature of the world, and when they told him about this secret mission of theirs, Rho-Hux remembered what he was meant to do. It was like instinct, like nature. As much as Rho-Hux hated what the UCL leadership did to him, he still considered the UCL to be his pack. He learned everything he knew from them and he thought and died by their side. So when he heard that a couple of sons a' bitches decided to go rogue and betray their brothers in arms, Rho-Hux knew he was destined to kill them.

Well, it seemed these insurgents were hell-bent on pissing off Rho-Hux. Before he was even planet-bound, his team's drops malfunctioned as they entered the atmosphere. When he crashed landed did he try to call for help? Look for the other sect members? OF COURSE, NOT, HE WAS IN WAR NOW! HE RAN, HE RAN INTO THAT OCEAN OF A JUNGLE LOOKING FOR MORE! ANY WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND WERE WEAK AND DESERVED TO DIE! For the past week, he had been surviving in the planet's rainforest, hunting for his prey. He had managed to kill a few insurgents scouts, but not enough to satisfy his hunger. He needed more, but there was only so much an old beast like him could do alone. Well, a week of eating slightly poisonous bugs and strange roots does a lot of negative things to a mad man's mind. Rho-Hux was ready to throw caution to the wind can raid the insurgent's base all by his lonesome until he spotted a large multi-species group through the overgrowth.

There were two humans: One covered in black and gold armor, and the other a tree trunk of a human man. With them was a Voidhanger, a Vrexul, a Celaderaka, and some sort of chimera of animals twisted to resemble a Vrexul. They didn't carry themselves like insurgents, or former UCL for that matter. Armour and weaponry were all over the place. They looked bettered repaired than the hastily assembled SECT group he had been a part of. Still, he didn't want to take too many unnecessary chances. Activating his Octopus armor, he blended into the trees and climbed from tree to tree. He kept two of his hands clasped around his guns in case he needed to go ballistic.

"Well, looks like I just found the island of misfit toys!" Rho-Hux shouted in his old commanding voice. God, he missed scaring new recruits, but he doubted this group would be easy to intimidate. Good, he didn't need one else slowing down the mission. "This is Former Major Rho-Hux. My unit is on a mission to kill some back world UCL insurgents. If I thought you were the insurgents we wouldn't even be having this pleasant little chat right now. Tell me who sent ya and I might consider playing nice!"