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I am experienced roleplayer returning to online roleplay after 10+ year break. I have missed roleplaying and the creative outlet it is for me. I am interested in casual roleplay. I consider myself a decent writer and I will put effort into my writing. I am not into writing a novel for one post though. Descriptive, character building, engaging, yes. I will always write at least 2 paragraphs unless it is a quick fire session revolving around dialogue over private messages. I am a fairly laid back person and don't want to be a grammar nazi. I believe in quality over quantity. Roleplaying is a hobby and a escape from real life pressures.

Genres I am interested in:
Fantasy
Middle Ages
Science Fiction
Vampires
Shapeshifters
Crime Drama

Fandoms I am interested in:
Pokemon
Harry Potter
Anita Blake
Dragonriders of Pern
Star Wars

I don't mind roleplaying romance but I am not looking for smut. It has to make sense for the roleplay. I am okay with a fade to black moment instead of roleplaying it out. For me its about the story and the character. I am open to roleplaying it out.

I am in the Pacific Standard Timezone. I work full time and will be seen in the evenings and weekends online.

Most Recent Posts

@Jamesyco

I look forward to getting to know you and meet your characters. Welcome!
Patagonia, Chile

Fireteam Condor

Who put Chaos in the Lead?


Samantha froze instinctually following the orders given by her teammate. They had to trust each other in the field or they could end up very dead. This was part of what made Raven Squad so exceptionally Each team member was elite and the best of the best. Then the best of the best was paired together creating and nurtured into the ultimate team. Samantha grinned as she heard the thunks and then the splats of falling bodies. She couldn’t help the giggle at Freya demanding her axes back. She went back and snagged Freya’s axes and then moved quickly up the stairs behind Skye. She let Skye head towards the tower as she made a run down the side of the observatory itself. She held onto the axes as she caught one guard in the throat with the axe in her right hand even as she spun and caught his partner with the axe in her left hand. They had been chatting and smoking as they walked a circuit around the observatory. Samantha was still sprinting and moving fast enough to plough into them almost without stopping her momentum. She was moving fast enough to reach them before they noticed her. She frowned a little as she realized there were no more guards outside on the upper levels.

Skye confirmed it as she told her to fetch Freya. She ran back towards her floating weapon of mass destruction, Frigga. She spoke into the comms. “Come on down Frigga. I will help you get you out of the cold. I will need you to drop me that rappel line. I will attach it to the winch to help get you on the ground. If we do it this way, then we won’t need to replace any gas in the suit. It leaves up more options for exfil.” She was quickly waiting by the alcove opening next to the vehicle with the winch in it. She tucked the axes into her waistband to free up her hands. She waited until Freya was drifting nearby. She waited for the rappel line to come down. She caught the line and pulled it over to the winch. It took her a minute to get the line properly attached. “Okay Freya turn your controls off so the winch isn’t fighting your suit. This should pull you down and towards the alcove. The wind is blowing away from the ridge so unless the wind changes your should be okay. This might take a minute or two.” She pulled out her tool set and quickly broke into the vehicle bypassing the alarms and activated the winch controls to pull Freya down and towards the alcove. While the winch was slowly but surely working with gravity to bring the Freya kite towards the ground, Samantha quickly retrieved her throwing knives. They had perfect balance. She didn’t want to leave good tools for the enemies to use. She quickly wiped them off and returned them to their sheaths.

Retrieving her knives had only taken her about two minutes. By the time she got back to the winch, Freya was only about 10 feet in the air. She smiled up at the giantess. “You ready to get into the action?” She began pulling on the line to help speed up the last few feet. She shut the winch off as Freya’s feet touched the ground. She used the second rappel line to help secure the suit to the ground. She tied the second rappel line to the push bumper on the vehicle next to the large truck with the winch. She then asked Freya what help she needed to get out of the aired up suit. She tried to hold the suit steady for her giant friend so she could wiggle out. Samantha stood guard as she held the suit still, watching for enemy activity as Freya began to work her way out of the suit. Once the giant had freed herself of the suit and was on her feet, she pulled the axes out and handed them back to her. “Your toys princess.” Samantha smirked a little as this op had shown Freya’s whimsical and playful side. Who said women couldn’t kick ass and have fun doing it?

Once Freya was happy the suit was secure, she led the way back to Skye. She snickered and told Freya “It looks like the boss is in a hurry. We better catch up.” She ran to catch up with Skye at the open doorway. “Do you want me to break away and try to sneak in to get the data while you keep them distracted or do we stick together?”

Boomer and Duke

Isla Langosta / Lobster Island, Colombia

Fireteam Piranha


Boomer was in his element. So far the cartel guards were just standard cannon fodder. They had not displayed any real sense of tactics or battlefield awareness. They had basic weapons and numbers on their side so far. Which for most law enforcement agencies would probably be too much for them. Boomer was a trained professional soldier and one of the best at what he did. He had expected the battlefield to change once battle was engaged. The first rule any professional soldier will tell you is that no plan survives contact with the enemy. This is where he had to improvise, adapt, and overcome. He felt he had been doing well and using what the enemy had provided him to help take them out. He was more than just one big ass target in a great set of armor. He used tactics and skills drilled into him and learned over the course of a very decorated career even though it was very classified.

Boomer did hear Tahlia’s comment about his mother and just grinned. He didn’t let anyone bad mouth his mother. The woman was a saint with balls of steel to deal with him and his father. She probably deserved national recognition for turning him into a functional member of society with manners. He had not been the easiest child to deal with. He had caused his own mischief growing up. He pulled his attention back to the battlefield. He had managed to drop all the cannon fodder. The next wave had more serious hardware and were headed his way. He noted that seemed to be more intelligent as well. The next wave of guards must be the ones who were better paid. Many of them were not just running straight at him. They were moving from cover to cover. Some of the guards were using the ones in exosuits as mobile cover. He took a moment to scan the battlefield for Duke. He spotted him trotting out from between buildings with a bloody muzzle. He nodded knowing Duke was okay and still hunting for trouble.

Boomer was moving past the craters which were all that was left of the automated machine gun emplacements. He listened to his partner as Tahlia’s voice came over the coms letting him know that Spectre was on the move. He was doing his best to give Jaguar the time he needed to get the intel and his revenge. That meant keeping the heat off him. Hearing that Spectre was being herded into a safe room just made him smile. “Let him go to ground. We can dig him out after we are done with Tejedor. Explosives can open doors.” He laughed as she told him to throw everything back. “This sounds like a job for Lucille.” He pulled out Lucille. Lucille looked like an oversized metal baseball bat with spikes on a chain. The club had a tungsten and damascus core with a titanium shell and leather grip.

He had almost made it to the first set of outbuilding when the next wave of guards appeared. He saw one exo spin out of the air from a jump and bounce off a shipping container. He had seen the spray from a head shot. “Thanks for assisting Taniwah. You can hunt with me anytime.” He began spinning Lucille on the chain. He spun it out in an arc aiming for a group of five guards trying to come at him from his left side. Lucille blasted the men off their feet and crushed whatever body parts he managed to hit. Lucille was heavy and you paired with his strength and speed and there was little that could defend against the high speed kinetic weapon. He began wading forward taking out the guards with more modern weapons. They were wearing Kevlar however Kevlar didn’t stop crushing force. Chuck began to whistle as he was once more mowing down guards. He angled himself towards one of the guards in an exosuit. He choked up on the handle of Lucille and swung for the side of the suit with all his might as he called out “Swing batter batter swing!” Lucille crushed the side of the exo suit imploding the guards chest into a red mist. Chuck laughed and spun as he called out to the horrified looking guards in Spanish, who had been using the Exo for cover. “Next!” The guards had a horrified look on their face as some began to drop weapons and run away from him. “Wait, didn’t you want to play!”

Boomer was having a great time. The battlefield was chaotic as guards that had been towards the rear of the compound were all trying to reach the front gate where all the noise was coming from. Guards were fleeing towards the rear of the compound in terror as fast as their legs could carry them. The landscaping and gravel parking lot by the main gate was cratered with smoke and bodies everywhere and shrapnel fields from explosions. He knew that an exo suit in the right hands could give him some serious trouble. It was a bad day for the bad guys since their operators hadn’t been skilled enough to handle him. Skye could give him a bad day, the chumps he was fighting not so much. He was hoping the chubby pyro guy would offer a challenge. “Roger that Taniwah. Let me see if I can distract him and help give you a better angle." He moved towards the big guy with the flamethrower. Boomer spoke in Spanish. He wanted to be sure he was understood. “Hey chubby! Are you looking for me? I am right here.” He held his hands out like he wasn’t holding a weapon of massive destruction that was old school but you can’t fight the laws of physics. Mass plus speed = destruction. The guard turned more towards Boomer. He was moving diagonally towards Chuck putting his profile into Taniwah’s field of vision. “Anytime you feel ready and have a good shot Taniwah.” Boomer almost casually spun Lucille again taking out another five man guard team with rifles. Boomer was still taking out guards easily. His armor had some dents and scratches now.
Boomer and Duke

Isla Langosta / Lobster Island, Colombia

Fireteam Piranha


Boomer reported what was happening where he was as he continued to listen to the guards coms. Live intel on your target without them being aware of it was always good intel. Boomer grinned as there was no indication that his team had yet been noticed or compromised. He took a minute to check over Duke. He had some blood on his muzzle but seemed unharmed. He gave him a careful pat on the head. “Good boy Duke!” He praised his dog for doing what he was trained for. He knew that things would start to move quickly now that contact had been made with the enemy. The guards reported Tejedor was in a bad mood after being summarily dismissed by Spectre. Guards were warning that the big boss was in a temper. They had all pulled back giving their boss some space. Chuck snorted a little in disgust. He could tell these were guards that worked for a criminal they had really bad communication discipline. No military or mercenary group would allow such sloppy discipline which compromised operational security. He admitted that this worked in their favor.

Chuck frowned as he heard Jaguar’s message. He sighed but he understood that the man was fighting for his own piece of justice. That was something Chuck understood. “Jaguar be advised that guard chatter says that Tejedor is pissed off at how he was being treated by Spectre. The guards have pulled back from Tejedor because they don’t want to be his next victim. You should have an easier time getting to him without letting him know you're there. God speed Jaguar.”

Chuck turned his focus to Taniwah’s message. He began going over Duke’s armor. He wanted his companion to be as protected as possible. He checked his own armor. He put his helmet back on but kept the guards coms in one ear so he could still hear what they were saying to each other. He quickly went over his armor and made sure he had everything ready to go and buttoned up tight. He double checked his heading and where he needed to be on the map. The explosives he had planted were on the side of the compound where Spectre was headed. He would wait to set those off. He would try to draw people towards him first. He would use the explosions to the rear to disorient them once he had them focused on him.

“Aww I thought you would never ask Taniwah. I will give you the best fireworks show you ever saw! Boomer’s pest control is on the job.” He grinned and looked at his partner. “Time to hunt Duke. Keep up buddy and stay safe.” Boomer looked intensely at him and he could tell from the tension in his body that he was ready to spring into action.

Boomer grabbed the two machetes with a wicked smile. He would give them a show all right. It was time to give these criminal asshats a reason to fear others. He hoped that they were prepared to meet their maker. Boomer had a lot of pent up frustration and anger over what happened to his team to work out. This was the perfect operation for that. Boomer and Chuck took off at a sprint for the front of the compound to draw guards and attention away from Jaguar’s position.

Another two man patrol appeared in his path. He threw the machete at one guard and used the other to decapitate the guard on the right as he ran by. Duke was staying by his side. He grinned as he cleared the forest and took to the main road. He needed to be visible and loud. He gave Duke the hand sign to go hunt and attack. The dog was trained to attack targets of convenience. He would slink into the shadows and take guards unaware from height or from the side. He would kill or incapacitate them and move on.

Boomer was moving fast for such a big guy. He might be a giant but he could be stealthy but not in his armor. His armor was heavy and meant to take a beating. It didn’t sound like a freight train coming through but it was not silent either. The weight of his armor with him in it made loud thudding noises as he ran. He laughed at the look of shock on the gate guards faces as they saw him running towards them. They were yelling they were under attack as they began firing at him. He dodged and ran a zig zag pattern to make it harder for them to hit him. He lifted his carbine and began to shoot back. It was clear that Boomer had better accuracy than the guards. His gun spoke and he quickly began dropping guards. He had his gun set for semi-automatic. He didn’t need to spray bullets to hit what he needed. He was aiming for heads and chests. As he approached the gate, one guard said something nasty about his mother in Spanish. Chuck turned to him and put the machete through his skull. He left the guard hanging by the machete nailed to the gate post. “Nobody talks about my mama like that!”

Boomer was satisfied to hear that the guards were mobilized to deal with an unknown threat at the main gate. He had cleared the guards that had been at the main gate. He stopped to apply explosives to the main gate. He whistled for Duke because he wanted him to be out of the way before he blew the main gate to create an entrance into the compound for himself. He slapped the c-4 on the center of the gate and put the detonator in. He backed away the required distance and ducked behind the compound wall. He covered Duke with his body as he turned his back to the explosion and hit the detonate trigger in his HUD. The gate gave a satisfactory fireball and debris field. He grinned as he had timed it so that the frontline of guards coming to provide support from the interior of the compound were caught in the debris field.

He grinned and gave Duke the hunt sign again. He charged through the now open gate. He brought his carbine up again and began moving into the compound. He used his carbine on close targets and began to lob grenades into the guards running in groups at the rear towards him. He saw some automated gun emplacements pop up. He laughed, “And here is a grenade for you and one for you, and one for you.” The grenades hit the automatic machine gun emplacements and set off the ammo in them, taking out guards who were hiding behind them. Explosions lit up the main compound as Chuck waged a one man war of death against the drug lord’s men. “How is the show so far Taniwah?” Chuck’s armor had taken multiple hits but so far it had been from low caliber pistols and rifles. The armor shrugged off the lightweight stuff like being hit with a handful of BB’s. Nothing heavy enough to challenge his armor.
Patagonia, Chile

Fireteam Condor

Chaos has landed!


Samantha rolled her eyes as Freya began her frequent flier spiel. Samantha was thinking if she wanted her to swipe a card she should have told her that before she had put on the jumpsuit and all the harnesses that strapped her onto Freya’s backside as a passenger. It was beautiful and serene up this high. She was grateful for her suit which kept her from things like hypothermia and frostbite. Sam was right as she overheard Frigga reporting cross winds to control. Samantha found herself struggling to keep quiet. She found it hard to relax as she knew they would be hitting the ground running and gunning soon. She knew they were trying to sneak in quietly, get as much intel as they could, and get out without being seen. One of things she needed to do was help get Freya on the ground so she could join them. She clutched the harness reflexively with her hands as the cross winds caught her and made her sway against Frigga’s backside. She giggled as she bounced off Freya inflated derriere due to the wind.

Freya deftly threaded through the mountain peaks. Their speed increased as the buffeting from the crosswinds decreased. The observatory came into sight like a beacon in the night. It was dusted with snow that reflected what little light was generated by the exterior lights on the compound. There were multiple outbuildings, a guard tower, satellite dishes, and of course the dome of the observatory itself. She could see large tunnel openings on the side of the compound. Some had vehicles and equipment in them obviously being used as garages and staging areas. It made sense the alcove like openings were protected from the worst of the elements. Samantha worked with her AI using infrared cameras to pick out and locate guards around the complex. She grinned as she told Freya “Thanks for the lift Frigga!”

She listened as Skye filled them both on the plan once more. Tension held her rigid as Skye called the first two targets hers. She relaxed as Skye easily made the shots and the guards dropped. She sent her HUD display to both team members. The AI had highlighted where the guards were on infrared imagery. They stood out in red and orange hues against the cool blue and greens backdrop from the frigid temperatures outdoors. The exhaust pipes on the observatory showed up as a plume of orange and red smoke on the infrared. “Skye there are guards in pairs roaming the perimeter and there are 4 in the guard tower. You take the guard tower and I will take the roaming guards. You go left and I will go right and take out the guards down the side of the observatory.” She got down to business as she carefully checked the rappel lines. She then carefully lowered herself till she was past Frigga’s bodacious self and then rapidly dropped to the ridge.

She quickly detached herself from the rigging and took off at a sprint. She pulled throwing knives from the bandolier around her ribcage. She threw the knives and they landed with pinpoint accuracy in the throat, dropping the guards with them unable to send up the alarm. Sam used parkour moves to navigate around the vehicles and equipment stored in the covered alcove entrances under the observatory. Sam was moving fast and had already dropped 4 guards without sounding the alarm. She noted a winch on the front of an all terrain vehicle and grinned. She knew how they would get Freya down once they cleared the area. Sam moved like a well oiled machine threading a needle. She was moving fast enough and quietly enough to drop guards without raising an alarm.

These guards obviously didn’t think this facility would ever be attacked. So far they had all been lazy and unattentive. She had taken out 6 guards and that seemed to be all the guards on this lower ridge level that had opened up into the road that led up to the observatory from the bottom of the mountain. She climbed up a staircase next to one of the alcove entrances that led to the terrace level of the observatory where the outbuildings were and the guard tower. She paused at the top to check on Skye and to see if any of the guards had noticed anything before moving onward. “I am about to head up to the main level of the observatory. There was a winch on an all terrain vehicle in one of the tunnel alcove openings beneath the observatory. We could use that to help secure Frigga on the ground so she can join us once we clear the upper guards.”
Boomer and Duke


Kaitiaki Homestead, Raven HQ: Skye’s Office





Chuck had stood at ease as he met the team’s leader for the first time. He had heard stories and rumors about Skye Lyons. He had asked through his network in the US military. All any of them had heard about her were vague rumors and that she was a highly competent ghost operative. She was spoken of with respect and a touch of unease. When he had been invited to join Raven Squad he had done his homework. He was a man of integrity and honor and he had oaths to live up to. He would not leave the Marine Corps for mercenary black ops that might put those oaths in jeopardy. What he had found was an organization that seemed to have ties to numerous militaries around the world but yet operated independently. He was okay with that as long as the operations were for the greater good. His research had indicated that he could trust that they would be. That worked for him because he could no longer in good conscience send men into battle under questionable orders from the Marine Corps. He was a man built to serve and protect. It was a family legacy and part of his DNA. Raven Squad would allow him to continue to do so with his canine companion at his side.

Chuck was amused at Skye’s greeting. His lips curved into a lazily grin. “Well Ma'am, I am very flattered at such a warm greeting.” He nodded acknowledgement of her compliment at passing the test and being one of the best. His amusement came from the fact that she thought he was being formal. He was standing at parade rest and had not snapped her a salute like he would have a commanding officer from the Marine Corps. He was just using the manners his beloved mother had beat into him when he was growing up. She would serve his liver for dinner if he didn’t treat a woman with the utmost respect.

Chuck was pulled back to the fact that he was indeed reporting to his new commanding officer as she continued. He gave her his full attention as she continued. His face settled into more serious lines as she continued. He did have to admit that getting any information on her had been difficult and none of it could be substantiated as more than rumor. She spoke of a serious threat to their world. “That is why I am here Ma’am. I can no longer stomach sending good men to their deaths to line the pockets of some hidden political agenda or powermonger. I am hoping I can put my skills to use here and still protect what I hold most dear.” Protecting those he held most dear was what was most important to him. His answer was formal but she was speaking of things that struck to the very heart of the man before her. His deep baritone voice with its southern drawl softened the formality of his words.

He looked amused as Skye seemed to fall under Duke’s charm immediately. She noticed Duke and paid attention to him as she came around the desk. Chuck grinned and nodded as he gave Duke the hand sign to let him know that he could greet Skye. “Yes, this is Duke. He ain't any trouble. He is very well trained.” Duke’s tail wagged harder with excitement as Skye spoke to him. He barked at Skye as if he could understand what she was saying to him and agreed. Chuck laughed at Duke’s antics. Duke leaned into Skye’s touch seeking more attention. “Well boss, you pass the test. Duke likes you. He is a very good judge of character.” He was quite serious. If Duke had not liked her, he would have given this a test run but not felt confident in her leadership. He laughed when her comments mirrored his own. “Thanks boss. I think I am going to like it here.”

Skye had returned to business as she went back to her desk. She passed him a stack of papers, a map of the base, his room keys, and information he needed to know. “Duke will stay with me most of the time. He doesn’t like being cooped up in the kennel. I hope that is okay. I will only put him in the kennel when necessary.” He had issues with this in the past due to military doctrine and policies. He preferred to have the canine close as well. “As you can see he is well behaved and friendly. It helps to keep our bond and he is more useful when he is free to move around.” It kept the canine’s skills sharp. It also kept him from getting bored and into mischief. He made a mental note to check out the armory and their gear. He smiled eagerly at the mention of green space and it only being them on the island. Him and Duke would go for a run in the morning to get acquainted with their new home away from home. He made a mental note to get together with Tahlia about having Duke’s needs met. She could arrange for his food and vet check ups.

His mind had been on what he needed to do next when Skye once more brought his attention back to her. “Understood Ma’am. I look forward to helping your team. Duke and I will be ready.” He had turned to go with a wave when she told him she thought he would do well here. “I believe we will fit in just fine.” He nodded to her as he and Duke left to go find their room first and then Tahlia.

---
Boomer and Duke

Isla Langosta / Lobster Island, Colombia

Fireteam Piranha


Boomer watched as the helicopter came into land. His HUD zoomed in on the helicopter. He whistled appreciatively. “That has to be your VIP. Those copters are not cheap or easy to get ahold of.” Boomer sent his video stream back to headquarters over the secure uplink. Duke stiffened next to him and tilted his head. Boomer focused on Duke and relaxed once he did. He had learned to pay attention to his dog. Duke had better hearing and smell and usually spotted trouble faster than he did. Boomer listened to Tahlia's report over the com. He turned his head towards the guard tower she indicated. He quietly voiced over coms “Boomer confirms 2 down in the tower.” He listened as Taniwa reported to HQ about the VIP target.

Boomer sighed as he waited for Jaguar to give him the greenlight to raise hell. The hardest part of any op was waiting for action. Duke stiffened and came to his feet. Boomer came to full alert. He gave Duke the hand sign to seek. Duke took off running. Boomer took off after him moving as quietly as his tall form could. He moved at a fast bent kneed walk that kept his firing arc smooth. He was tall enough to keep up with Duke without breaking into a full on run. He reported over the team coms. “Boomer and Duke have contact to the rear of the compound. In stealth pursuit.” Boomer had a silencer on his gun. Duke slowed down and sat and looked ahead. Boomer knew that he was indicating people ahead. He and Duke moved like the well oiled team they were.

He released his gun as even with a silencer they were not completely silent. They were still several hundred yards away from the compound. He pulled a large combat knife from the sheath on his thigh. He crept up behind a two man patrol team. He put his hand over one the guard on the right’s mouth and locked the man in place with his large hand. He pulled the knife across his throat to silence him. As he was dealing with the guard on the right, Duke leapt onto the guard on the left. His weight carried the man to the ground. Duke was savaging the man’s neck. The man was screaming. He could only hope they were far enough away that no one heard him and that his coms were not a live line. He released the guard he had taken out and hurried to help Duke dispatch the one he was keeping pinned to the ground. He used the bloody knife to stop the man’s screams. The man gurgled as he took his last breath.

Boomer pulled the man’s coms off so he could listen to what was going on. He pulled off his helmet so he could hear what was being said. He listened to what was being said as he searched the bodies for more clues about the team. The men carried machetes in sheaths along their hip and were well used. They were dressed in worn fatigues and faded black shirts and combat boots. They had leather gun harnesses over their shirts. They were not wearing body armor. The men were both hispanic looking. His impression was low level guards and cannon fodder. It hadn’t taken much skill to bring them down. He was suddenly grateful for all the damn languages that the Marine Corps made him learn. He listened as the chatter on the guards' comlines was in Spanish. Boomer nodded as what he was hearing over the channel corresponded to what he had noticed of the two guards he had taken down. There was no alarm or stress in the voices he heard. The two guards had not been on an open com line. Extra guard patrols were being sent outside the compound now that their VIP had arrived. He grinned like a bluetick hound on the hunt as the person giving the guards their orders slipped up. Boomer hit his comm and reported to the team. “Be advised additional smaller patrols were sent outside the compound to patrol now that Spectre had arrived. I repeat chatter from guards confirming Spectre’s arrival and gave up a last name. He called him Seniore Gorski.They are armed but not armored. Duke and I took out a two man patrol. Basic skills and no body armor. Guns and knives.”
Patagonia, Chile

Fireteam Condor

Chaos in flight


Sam had carefully laid out the inflation lines and double checked all the connections for safety. She couldn’t help a grin at how happy Freya was at getting to use this suit. Sam was excited but also a little nervous. She trusted Freya but she liked to be the one in control in the skies. It just worked for her inner adrenaline junkie. This op felt more like a tandem skydiving jump. She shook her head laughing as she helped the excitable Freya into the suit. She attached the inflation lines and turned all the lines on full. She then strapped herself into her harness. As the suit began to fill, she went to stand behind Freya. She secured her harness to the clips on Freya’s harness. The harnesses were designed to hold her and Skye but to redistribute the weight evenly and allow Freya as much freedom of movement as they could while not blocking any functions for her.

Skye and Sam were harnessed in as Freya began to float on her tiptoes. She was glad that Skye had the butt cheek with the Norwegian Flag. She couldn’t help a laugh at how they were sneaking into the enemy stronghold. “You know Freya. This is a first for me. I never thought I would ride my teammates' tush to sneak into a secret highly secured facility. Your tush is quite bodacious as I am sure you are aware.” She smirked with mischief lighting up her eyes. She grinned at the sight they must make. She shifted to make sure she could control her weapons. She made sure the safety was on. She didn’t want anything to get bumped while they were in the air. She was grateful for her tactical armor and helmet. The onboard climate control system would keep her from freezing in the very cold climate which would just get colder the higher they drifted. Her new helmet visor had smart glass and was set so clear at the moment so that her teammates could see her face. She gave Freya a cheeky grin as she told her “I am sure this is going to be fun!”

Sam and Skye had made their last minute adjustments and had already lifted off the ground as the suit reached capacity. Skye gave Vincent the instructions to release the magnetic anchoring lines and they all rose rapidly. She looked around as they rose. The view was spectacular. Icy mountain peaks, the fading light glinted off the lake below. Then darkness fell and the landscape was dark navy blues with hints of snow and ice here and there. She sighed as the stars were bright above them in a clear sky. “It is absolutely beautiful up here. I don’t think I have ever seen a sky so clear or with so many stars.” She chuckled as Skye expressed some of what she was feeling. “It is certainly an unconventional way to travel, but it certainly has its charms. You know this was used during the US Civil War. The armies would send a spotter up in a hot air balloon to spy on enemy lines using a telescope.”

She could feel the winds picking up as they neared the peaks. She frowned as they headed towards the spires. “We might experience some gusts near the peaks. The topography between the peaks might act like the wind tunnel effect you get between skyscrapers in a city.” She should have thought of that sooner. She had confidence that the jets in the suit would help them navigate between the peaks. They might even pick up some speed. “Skye, how stealthy do you want us to be? Is the goal to get in, get the info and get out? Or is the goal to wreck the place, and get out?”
Boomer and Duke

Isla Langosta / Lobster Island, Colombia

Fireteam Piranha


Chuck and Duke had reconned the site and set up explosives along the outer perimeter away from Mateo’s entry point. Chuck had them set to blow upon his command. The detonators were wired into his HUD. They worked on the encrypted frequency that Squad communications were on. They were a new toy Samantha had developed just for him. She had cornered him on his first night to find out what his skill set was and what he normally carried in his kit. He looked forward to any future toys she developed for him. They would help with the distraction tactics. He had them set to blow in sequence to make the guards in the compound believe they were being attacked on multiple fronts to draw them away from the areas where Mateo would be infiltrating and investigating. Duke had lapped up quite a bit of water and was laying in the shade of the huge tree that Chuck had found. The massive trees with a large canopy were part of the rain forest diversity of Columbia. Chuck had found one massive tree that was grouped with others. It was large enough for him and Duke to hide behind without being seen. Considering how large he was in his armor, that was a benefit.

Chuck was using his onboard sensor suite and optics to keep an eye on the compound. The tree he was hiding behind was on a slight hill giving him a line of site down into the compound. He was close enough to support Mateo and be there in a hurry if he needed him and far enough away not to trigger any sensors. He watched the compound as Mateo disappeared. The only way he could track his team mate now was the onboard tracking in the HUD. As Mateo made his way deeper into the compound, Chuck began to scan the ocean near the docks. He wondered if their target would come by boat or helicopter. There was a large dock but also a helipad inside the gated compound. He kept scanning the ocean and the skies. He was grateful the tree he had chosen as his hide had a thick canopy cover that would keep him hidden from the air. Chuck noticed when Duke suddenly sat bolt upright with his head tilted to the side and tension in his stance. Duke looked up and then turned to meet Chuck’s eyes. Chuck rubbed his head gently. “Good boy.” He hit the transmit button in his HUD to send to his team. “Duke says we have incoming aircraft.”
Kaitiaki HQ, New Zealand
In the Armory


The Calm before the Chaos





Samantha had spent a few days pulling secrets and information out of Pavel’s computer. The intel she had recovered had led to two new operations. Once she had unlocked everything on his computer and broken through the encryption, she had begun the initial analysis of the data. She had done the first runs of analysis on the data with Skye uncovering some disturbing information about Artemis’ interest in a drug being produced by the man that Mateo was hunting. The information had also yielded a location of interest that needed investigation. Samantha had turned the remaining task over to Raven’s analyst team as she needed to get ready for the next operation. She still needed to get acquainted with her new suit. Her last suit had been trashed in the explosion in the desert.

Samantha spent some time with Javi working on upgrading vehicles and gear. She didn’t have much time before Singapore to work on her suit. She had spent the time building gear to help them with a stealth operation. Singapore was not an operation where they could use their tactical gear. It had required the more subtle approach that she had trained for with the CIA. She was still proud of how well her gear had worked on that op. Sam knew her suit requirements were a little different since she tended to play multiple roles on the team. Her suit needed to be able to support all her roles. It was past time that she built a suit designed to work with all her roles. Samantha wanted to prevent similar injuries to those that had taken her out of the field for a few weeks while she healed. Her suit had stopped the bullets, but the damage from the bullets and explosion had incapacitated her in the long run.



She started with her helmet. She replaced the visor with a reinforced bullet proof smart glass that could be used as a heads-up display. She could also tint the glass so her face was not visible or make it clear so she could see out. The glass would help protect her vision against bright lights from stun grenades or explosions. She needed that when she was in active combat as a pilot. The HUD would work in conjunction with her onboard AI to help with things like target identification and overlay different vision options from her embedded camera systems such as infrared and night vision. She added a layer of the custom gel that would be lining her whole suit. This would give her head some additional cushioning if she got bounced around again from an explosion.

She developed a special gel that she was using throughout the suit. She developed a gel that would help cool the embedded technology and act as a ballistic gel helping to stop kinetic injury and bullet penetration. The gel would help with temperature regulation in the suit as well. The gel was in a sealed layer with an imbedded chip that took the kinetic energy from Samantha’s movement and converted it to a low electrical charge that helped recharge the suit and allowed for the gel to be reactivated. This would allow the onboard AI to regulate the gel as needed for heat dissipation.

The outer layer of the armor had areas made from a ceramic alloy infused with titanium. This armor made up the outer shell of her helmet and covered vital areas of her body like her chest. These plates were situated over a woven ballistic Kevlar that offered more flexibility and ease of movement than traditional Kevlar. There was a thin layer of the gel housed in a self-repairing durable material that was almost impossible to puncture or tear. The next layer held embedded electronic components such as cameras, sensors, actuators which were basically synthetic tendons to help with movement, and the needed wiring for those systems.

Samantha used the prototype miniaturized quantum dynamic CPU chip and motherboard as the basis for her suit AI instead of a new laptop. The case for the AI was made up of the same titanium infused ceramic alloy of the outer armor and was located on her chest and hidden by the chest plate of her armor. Sam took Xander’s advice to lighten up seriously. Instead of a new laptop she would build an AI computer housed in her suit that could interface with a desktop on base when she was on base. The base for the system was flat and about the size of a small tablet or cell phone. There was another thin layer of gel material which made up the interior layer of the armor. Leaving that tough durable material as the inner layer.

The armor was designed to be put on like a jumpsuit. She would step into the boots and pull everything up to her waist. Then pull the arms over her shoulders and zip up the front. There was a flap of the woven Kevlar that covered the zipper. The gloves were pulled on last and the helmet locked into place. There was a brace built around her neck to help prevent spinal injuries and help support her as a pilot when she was pulling heavy g-forces. Hidden in the ridged cowl and chest pieces were cameras, sensors, communications, and rechargeable batteries. The gloves had haptic sensors that could be turned off and on as she needed them. There was a custom-made leather harness rig that rode at her waist and carried her sidearm, grenades, and multiple belt pouches that held other gear she might need for an op. She had a second harness that rode around her midriff area that carried her throwing knives. Built into the armor on the outer legs were cases for her additional gear. The armor was sleek, stylish, and black in color with aquamarine piping.

Samantha knew that she was going into a cold environment. She decided on some thermal underwear under her suit would be wise even though the suit had built in environmental systems. She had learned on the last op when your equipment went down, you had to make do with what you had. She didn’t relish fighting frostbite while trying to aim with chattering teeth if her armor failed again. She had developed a jumpsuit coverall that she could pull over her armor that would block heat and radar signatures. She had discovered the chemical formula when developing her new armor that would absorb radar. She had taken the formula and used it to coat a heat reflective material that would hide her from infrared cameras. She figured her guns were not a large enough piece of metal to flag on radar. If she tried to conceal them inside her coverall, getting them out later might be an issue. She strapped her weapon harnesses over the coverall. She stopped for a moment and had a “duh” moment. Why hadn’t she thought to put the coating on her suit? That would help her on stealth missions. She sighed as she could already foresee that she would be upgrading her suit before long, and she just made it!

Samantha had chosen her standard loadout. Her knives went into their sheaths. A P365 Sig Sauer which rode in a holster on her hip. A customized M4A1 Carbine that could be modified in the field if needed clipped into the sling harness that attached to the shoulder of her armor. She packed extra ammo magazines and put a silencer on her carbine. She had opted to leave her sniper rifle at home. They were trying to sneak in unannounced and weight might be a concern with how they were getting in. Sam laughed at that thought. Okay weight was not a consideration. Samantha was not comfortable carrying both guns at once. She could but it made more sense to be able to move fast and stealthy. That meant her carbine with a silencer. She would be more effective getting in close anyway. That is where she shined as an operator.

She packed some new grenades she had come up with that incorporated her knockout spray. She had developed an aerosolized grenade to spew the knockout spray in a gaseous cloud. The grenades packed enough spray for a 5-foot radius circle. Samantha grinned as she remembered testing it out on base. She couldn't predict how well they would work in the field. Inside building yes because their was no wind but there were circulation systems that might spread the cloud. Outside you had unpredictable wind to deal with. She coudln't predict how that would work as the gas spread over an area. Would it lose its potency? Would it still work if people came into contact with it? She didn’t know how long it might keep someone knocked out since she had not tested them yet on people. The concentrated spray had worked great in Singapore. It seemed like the next step since it had worked so well. She decided to test them on this op. She might as well test them on people she didn't care about. She packed 4 night-night grenades. She put two stun grenades onto the weapons harness and added two explosive grenades. She put tools in the pouches at her waist. She only took the ones she thought she might need. The basic screwdrivers, wire cutters, that sort of thing. She did a little test jump and made sure everything stayed where she wanted it and didn't make excess noise. She nodded satisfied as things only shifted a little and there were no loud clanking noises to give her away.

She heard Skye’s voice and looked over at their leader. She was evidently giving last-minute instructions or a pep talk to Mateo and Tahlia. She waited a beat before walking up to Skye. “Did I forget anything?” She grinned at her boss.




Patagonia, Chile

Fireteam Condor

Let the Chaos Begin!


Samantha was sitting on a bench inside their staging area. It was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. She was glad they had arrived during the daytime so she could appreciate the idyllic scenery. She had grinned as she listened to Vincent going on and on about the VTOL that she had helped Javi overall and set up for this operation. She snickered as she heard the back and forth between Vincent and Skye. She looked over to Freya. “How are you doing Freya? Are you ready to do this?” She smiled at Freya’s obvious excitement.

Skye gave the orders to start the op in motion. She nodded and grinned at Skye “Yes Boss”. She gave Skye a cheeky grin as she left the hut to start running the lines from the helium tanks to the compressors. Samantha made sure the lines were not kinked and laid out nicely before she inspected the connections between the tanks and the lines. It would be a disaster if the tank leaked out excess gas to a poor connection or worse, a bad connection blew and took out the tank with it. Gas was typically stored under high pressure. She exercised due caution to ensure they had a smooth time filling the suit. She went to help Freya suit up. “Do you need any help?” She didn’t want to connect the lines to the suit until Freya was in and ready. She didn’t want Freya to get caught in any lines and break them.

Charlie “Chuck” Simmons: AKA Boomer


Aurora Australis, Kaitiaki Homestead, Raven HQ, Aotearoa / New Zealand





Callsign: Boomer






Chuck had spent some time recovering after Raven Squad pulled him out of the Middle East. He had almost died on a op where his unit had been betrayed and set up. He had been standing in the way of someone using the Marine Corps as their personal hit squad. After he had recovered from his injuries, he had spent some time regaining his strength before going through the long application process and the gauntlet to join Raven Squad. Chuck was pissed off about what had happened to his unit. He had a new mission to remove the rot that had taken hold of the US Marine Corps. When good men who were serving their country were thrown into dangerous situations and dying simply to line someone else’s pockets, it was time for a change.

Chuck and Duke had finally been given the green light and called up for duty with Raven Squad. He was hoping he fit in well with his new team. He was used to being the man in charge of his unit. He was used to the chain of command. He had never been on a team like Raven Squad before. He certainly knew the work but it would be different than the corps. Marines knew they could trust their fellow soldiers in action. He was sure he would get used to the new team but it would take some action and time before they were used to each other.

Chuck jumped out of the Osprey and was careful to watch his head. He used a hand signal motion to let Duke know to jump out of the aircraft. He grabbed his large duffle bag and swung it up on his shoulder. He was assured that his armor and weapons were already at the base. Duke wore a collar and work harness. Chuck didn’t have him on the leash though. He knew Duke was trained well enough to be off leash. The harness was in case of emergencies. He could easily grab the handle on the back of the harness if he needed to control his dog. He snorted at the idea though as Duke was an exceptionally well trained and intelligent dog. He only used a leash on his canine companion when forced too. Duke was bred and trained for action. Duke loped at his side panting slightly with his tongue hanging out. His body posture was relaxed but his ears twitched showing he was curious about this new space.

Chuck looked around what was going to be his new home. It looked like a wealthy landowners homestead. The compound had a large building built into the side of a hill. His trained eyes noticed the large hidden doorways that led to the vehicle garage and noted the guard posts around the perimeter of the gated compound. The scenery reminded him of home with the greenery and beaches. The area around the hidden base was greener though and the native plant life was different. He had never been to New Zealand before joining Raven Squad. He was stopped by a security checkpoint. He went through the whole procedure of presenting his and Duke’s credentials. Chuck was amused that Duke could care less. He plopped down into a sitting position waiting patiently for him. Chuck reached down and rubbed his ears. He could feel the slight tension in Duke’s head that told him he was relaxed but alert in this new environment. The security guard gave him his paperwork and badge back. Chuck nodded to him. “Thank ye kindly.”

Chuck continued on into the main facility with Duke at his side. He sighed as he still had to duck to get through the door. He was seven foot ten inches tall after all. A standard door in America was only six foot six foot eight inches tall. He made his way further into the main building of the complex. He was directed to an office on the upper floor. He knocked lightly on the open door as he looked at the red headed hellion that sat behind the desk. He had yet to meet Skye Lyons in person but she was the reason he had been recruited. He had not expected to get called up quite so quickly. He expected that something had hit the fan which is why he had been called up and had spent the last day and a half traveling to the base.

He took off his battered Marine Corps hat that was broken in just right and tucked it into his waistband. He paused briefly as he met Skye’s eyes. He had seen enough action that he tried to never startle a veteran. You never knew what might trigger someone. He stepped into the room after ducking under the door. “Boomer and Duke reporting as ordered.” He gave Skye a grin full of southern boy charm. “I am here to help you exterminate some vermin with extreme prejudice. M’am.” He shrugged, “Or something like that.” Duke sat at attention with his gaze focused on Skye at Chuck’s side. His tail wagging slightly behind him.




Isla Langosta / Lobster Island, near the coast of Cartagena, Colombia

Retribution

Fireteam Piranha

1000 Hours, Two Days Later


Chuck was grateful for the upgrades Sam had added to his suit when she repaired it for him. The suit had a built in environmental system to help it dissipate heat. That meant he was not suffering the humidity and heat of the muggy swamp. Sam had built some canine armor for Duke that was flexible but would take a heavier caliber bullet than the simple kevlar vest that had on him before. He even had a little helmet to protect his brain. Chuck would never admit it but he thought Duke looked like a canine superhero from Saturday morning cartoons.

Duke was suffering though. He was panting pretty heavily which is one of the ways dogs deal with heat. He had made sure to give Duke some water just before the action kicked off. He didn’t need the heat sapping Duke’s reflexes and skills at an opportune time. This was one op where Duke’s skills would be beneficial. He could find the drugs but since they made it here, who knows how much of that shit was saturated into the surrounding environment. Chuck had grown up in South Carolina and was acclimated to humidity and heat. He was in position and waiting for Mateo to let him know what he wanted him to do. Chuck was prepared to be a distraction and make some noise or infiltrate as quietly as he could with Duke to sniff out which buildings were manufacturing sites. Skye had made it clear that he would be following Mateo’s orders on this op. He heard Talia over the radio. “Boomer and Duke are itchin’ for a fight. We done find us a nice hidey hole.”
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