Chapter I
"Captain, we are nearing the system's border" said the Helmsman. "Alright then. Make sure everyone's at their posts, don't keep your finger off the trigger and keep communications down, we don't want any curious VAK out there to spot us." replied the Captain.
"Aye sir"
"In the meanwhile, get our trooper-squads ready to begin delta phase. It's time for the plan to pay off."
..meanwhile in Launch Bay II
We all stood in line for our Sergeant to give the usual 'peptalk'. Typical business before every mission. This mission, however, wasn't very 'typical' at all. We were behind enemy lines, heading for a planet called 'Ceiti-IV' where WIJ High Command wants a new outpost built. They say it's very important for a succesful hit on the VAK empire. Heck that's what they told us. Not too much info on this planet either, only that's it's uninhabited and has loads of plant life. Not exactly a combat mission.
"Alright troopers, listen up! It's time for these VAKs to get punch in the face, and when they find out that they got some of our stuff behind their borders it's gonna go bad, fast. So no time for TEA PARTIES, JENKINS"
"sorry sir I was just-" Jenkins blabbered but was interrupted
"DO YOU understand that this is no time for any of that crap? Get suited up and meet me at the dropships. There will be no using any of that fancy new teleportation technology, atmosphere's too dense I've been told. We're doing this old fashion style."
"SIR, YES SIR!" all the troopers responded.
I stepped in the Swan dropship with the sarge, he seemed less than nervous. We were split up into two teams, both teams were equipped with scanning and heavy communications equipment to get messages out through the bizarre atmosphere.
"Alright then." the Swan pilot said over the Comm. "Bridge this is Swan Echo-19, ready for launch, requesting permission for take-off."
"Swans, this is the Captain, permission granted. Enjoy the view."
"Heh willdo, we're heading out." and the pilot shut off the Comm-link.
I knew the squad pretty well, we were a tight team and had our moments. Next to sarge was Jenkins, a guy specialised in communications and engineering. He always seemed to make the sarge show his bad side. On the other side sits cpl. Ramirez. He always seems to get to do the hard work. Sarge likes to yell out his name.
And then there's operative Kelly, a quite talkative woman who always seems to express her thoughts on stuff very well. And finally, next to her, is cpl. Romeo. Kind of the smooth, relaxed guy that gets to the point.
"Now that's some view." Ramirez said. "If this weren't in VAK space, I'd love to have my vacation on THOSE beaches."
"You do know that there's plants on that planet that would like a piece of you, right? Or were you sleeping during the briefing?" Kelly replied.
"Always." Romeo said for sure.
Chapter II
>>Swan dropship Echo-19, enroute to planet Ceiti-IV behind enemy borders to begin scanning for the best site for an outpost. First Vaktovian War.
There I was again, trooper James Brown of squad one-nine-alpha. Once again we were in that small compact space of a dropship where every trooper would soon meet their fate, as the ramp fell and it's time for you to run. But this time it'd be different. A science mission. Wouldn't expect that in the middle of a war.
"Alright everyone we're entering the planet's atmosphere" the pilot said over the Comm.
The sarge continued with "As soon as we're on the surface I want that scanning equipment set up to see where the least bity bugs are. Remember we're looking for a habitable spot for others to work in so we better do it right. We're still on radio silence with the Enclosed of Heart but when we get word I want that Comm material set up ASAP."
"Yes sir" the troopers replied. "After that can we find a vacation spot, sarge?" Jenkins tried. "No days off during war I'm afraid, son".
Even the sarge seemed relaxed.
"And we're through! Heater's off. Hey what's that, I'm picking up energy signatures from one of the dense forests." The pilot seemed surprised.
"Energy signatures? What could POSSIBLY be submitting energy sign-" Ramirez was loudly interrupted by a big blast at the ship's stern.
"What THE HECK WHAT THA-" Romeo was also interrupted by another impact
"Shields are malfunctioning! They can't hold in this bloody atmosphere." she said in a shocky voice. "I've lost the weapons, auto-pilot, damage control AND the inertial dampeners, WE'RE IN FOR A BUMPY RIDE, HANG ON!"
"And I was TOLD this was going to be a NORMAL mission for once!" Jenkins said. "KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, JENKINS" the sarge violently replied.
"Control is damaged, we're losing altitude! Where are those shots COMING FROM?" the pilot hastily said. "I'm gonna have to do an emergency landing, BRACE FOR IMPACT"
"Well there goes another 'peaceful' mission.." Kelly said.
CRASH
As I slowly regained consciousness the only things I saw were fire, destroyed ship-parts and the forest outside. "Is everyone still in one piece? Ramirez, Jenkins, Brown, Kelly, Romeo?" the sarge stuttered.
"we're here" they all replied.
"Where's the pilot?" Romeo said. "..she didn't make it." Kelly said as she walked out of the cockpit.
"Well, looks like we're stuck here." I said.
Chapter III
"Right squad.. get your gear together. We're moving out. Can't stay here." the sarge said. The squad was helping each other get up, the crash gave me a headache. Romeo shaked his head. "Hey, would you look at that."
"Looks like the pilot was nice enough to drop a Rusher off just as we crashed." Romeo looked at the vehicle, mounted with a big 3 barrel energy manipulator. Or as troopers would call it simply 'A turret'.
"Those things are bloody tough. Heh, few scratches here and there." Romeo said, while he was inspecting the vehicle.
"Sarge, what'd you say? Should me and Romeo scout the area and look for a more decent shelter?" I said.
"Seems like the right thing to do. Make sure it actually still works, though."
Directly after the sarge said that, Romeo already started up the engine. "Nevermind" the Sergeant grunted.
Jenkins struggled with his equipment. "Communications are having problems. Mind giving me a hand, Kel?". Jenkins got himself under the big device. It had 3 'sticks' pointing up, ending up in a big cylinder shaped connector. It can reach to ships in orbit of planets. He tried correcting himself. "This.. can't be just atmospheric conditions. No, this is the signal's being jammed." he pointed out.
"So what you're saying is, someone, who likes living on a uninhabited forest planet in deep space, likes jamming our subspace signals in order to prevent us from reaching our ship." Kelly said. "That's all I can make of it, Kel. Maybe this planet isn't uninhabited after all. Hey, I don't see plants shooting energy plasma at us" Jenkins said.
The sarge got on the comm. "Ramirez, how're you doing up there? Status, over?". Ramirez was taking sniper watch.
"Nothing in visuals, Sergeant. Seems clear, I can't say for sure though because these forests and extremely dense" Ramirez said in a static voice.
"Keep looking." the sarge said disappointed.
Kelly faced the Sergeant. "You almost seem disappointed".
"I'd do anything for some answers now."
Meanwhile me and Romeo were on our way scouting the area. Even though this forest was extremely misleading, because you're expecting an ambush anytime, it's still really beautiful and completely natural. We ended up at a lake. "See anything there, broski?" Romeo told me. "Nothing I can see, not on the other side of the lake either. Just flowers and trees" I answered. Romeo sighed. "It's all too quiet for me".
Back at the crashsite, Jenkins seemed to have a bit of luck. "I'm getting something.. short signals. It's the Enclosed of Heart. They're looking for us."
"What can you get through to them?" the sarge curiously replied. "Not much, I can only get through short beams, then am immediately cut off. Few words, that's all."
"Tell them we're alright and looking for extraction."
"One thing, Sergeant. If I do this, the jammers may be able to locate us."
A small pause occured.
"We were moving out anyway".
Chapter IV
>WSC Enclosed of Heart, First Vaktovian War.
>In orbit of planet Ceiti-IV, Ceiti system. Behind VAK borders.
"The VAK ship has entered the system, sir."
"What's the status on that ship, ensign" Captain Roberts asked.
"It doesn't seem like they spotted us"
Roberts got alerted. "Are you sure or not?" he rudely asked.
"No way to tell. For all we know these atmospheric conditions are known by the VAK, and give away our position." the Ensign answered.
"Seems like a tricky situation. We leave and stay cloaked, or stay here, save our men but get detected." the First Officer concluded. The Captain turned around. "We can't leave our men there, we can't leave orbit. We're not going to lose this position."
First Officer Mackenzie questioned the Captain's decision. "Then what about that VAK ship? If we stay here we risk being detected, and a swarm of VAK battleships might head this way. That ship right there might be just a simple scout, but they'll call for help. You know that."
"I know, Mackenzie. But there's a fleet waiting on the other side of the border. We can't contact them now, as we're in comm silence, but one probe away and they'll come for us. This position is vital to the war."
The Captain continued. "All stations, go to red alert. All decks must be on full alert. Take battle positions. Stand-by damage control teams." Suddenly all the blue screens on the bridge turned red, and the mood switched to a focused, eerie one.
"We expecting a fight, sir?"
"It's war."
--
"How are we holding up, Commander Davis?" the Captain spoke over the comm from his chair.
"Engine status nominal, 98% power efficiency. Anything else you'd like to know?"
"Yes, distribute power evenly over shields and weapons. Minimal life support if necessary."
"Aye sir."
"The VAK scout is on the other side of the planet, sir" the Helmsman announced
"They haven't spotted us yet." the First Officer concluded. The Captain looked over the ensign's shoulder, on his console's display. Very clear scans were shown of the planet and the VAK ship's location. "No.. this isnt right. You don't change course when in regular orbit, DROP THE CLOAK! POWER OUR WEAPONS!".
"Hail them."
A Vaktovian Captain came on the main viewscreen. Captain Roberts stood up. "This is Captain Roberts of the WSC Enclosed of Heart, representing WIJ. We have men on this planet and we are not going to leave without them."
"You have violated VAK space in the middle of a war, Captain. Don't think you can just walk away like that. You're on your own. In our space. Don't think you stand a chance."
"..you know, Vaktovian.. in our culture.. there's a saying.."
The Captain stared very intimidating at the VAK captain.
"Get lost."
"You and your crew will NOT s-"
The Comm officer closed the channel. The Captain nodded.
"Forward phaser array. Fire."
Chapter V
"Would you look at that.."
Romeo tapped on the holographic display in front of him. The Rusher was fully equiped with all kinds of useful systems. Especially handy in a war.
"Motion sensors are picking something up. Hey Brown, you seen any birds around here?"
"No head-pooping birdies around here. Heck I haven't seen any wildlife around here besides ourselves" I answered. Romeo sighed "Well then it can't be birds messing with our sensors. But what is it?". A bleeping sound started bleeping faster. "Well whatever it is, it's closing on us, and I don't want to stick around to find out."
I turned the turret around, giving me a good view of the area behind the vehicle. "I agree, let's go".
We were going at a decent speed. Everything seemed alright for now. The thing was still following us, though. Romeo got Ramirez on the comm. "Ramirez? Romeo here. We're getting some odd readings from our mobile motion sensor. It's picking up something. And it's tracking us. You seen any activity through your sniper scope?"
"Corporal, I have seen two weird occassions where it seemed there was something moving through the trees. But when I re-sweeped the area there was nothing there. It's like the wind, only a lot creepier. Sarge wants us to get out of the crashsite as soon as possible, have you found a suitable location for a command base?"
I turned my head to look at the corporal and he looked back. It was as if we were expecting something.
"That's a negative, we've been unable to find a spot where we *weren't* being followed. We're gonna try to shake it, Romeo out." He tapped the holo screen to dismiss communications.
"Trooper, have you seen any invisible cheetas chasing us yet?" Romeo asked.
"No, and may I state something personal, sir?" I answered. "Go ahead."
"I'm getting awfully creeped out here."
__
"Sarge!" Ramirez ran with great hurry.
"What is it trooper? Why did you abandon your recon lookout? Mosquitos been biting?"
"There's no wildlife here sir. And that's just the thing. Romeo and Brown have been followed by an unknown source for about 10 minutes now. They can't outrun it. It can't be a sensor glitch, the sensors have been checked by Romeo when they departed and honestly, you know Romeo won't drive with a half broken car."
Ramirez was gasping for air. Sarge answered "Take a deep breath, I don't want you to pass out while you're telling me this actionfilled story."
"Alright, so the thing is, I've been seeing some weird things here and there. I thought it was my imagination but after I heard what Romeo said over the comm it started to make sense. You know how leaves rustle when wind breezes over them? Well I saw just that, but it had a specific path, as if it was alive. It's there for a second, but then it disappears." Ramirez was out of breath again.
"It's difficult to outmaneuver the wind". The sarge turned around and tapped a few buttons on his holopad. "Jenkins, get this message out to the Enclosed of Heart." He handed a holopad to the corporal. "It'll tell them to hurry".
"But sir, you'll know that whatever is out there, will find out where we are when I send a message through?" Jenkins hesitated.
"Yeah but whatever is following Romeo and Brown, can get to us as well. We need to move out. Grab your gear."
__
We were still trying to get out of 'its' reach. "Hear that Romeo?"
"That's the wind Brown, you hear that when you travel at this speed in a vehicle without a roof".
"No, no. It's the trees. I hear the leaves rustling."
"What, are you saying we're being followed by monkeys? Tarzan?" Romeo thought I was joking.
"Keep in mind our dropship was shot down, not really something the things you named can do." I smartly answered.
"Hold on hold on, what's that?" Romeo suddenly changed mood. "Right over there, near that cliff."
I changed the turret's position to look at Romeo's finding. "That almost looks like.. a structure? Where did that come from? That wasn't there 2 minutes ago!". "Whatever it is, it looks like it's worth investigating. It may have something to do with the thing following us."
We were getting a message from the sergeant. "Corporal, this is the sarge. We're moving out, we've sent a message to the Enclosed of Heart, they'll know they need to hurry. We're leaving this temporary base, too much risk. Where are you heading, over?"
"Sarge, we're heading to an unidentified structure that appeared out of nowhere. I'm patching the coordinates to you now."
"We're on our way corporal. Reinforments coming soon. Sarge out." The comm shut down.
