[Steve Hamrick]

1232
Command Conference Room Level 5
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve was listening to everyone, and of course Cooper knew who had left this morning and didn't yet have the tactical knowledge to not say everything. He gave Andre a look. "Everyone that is supposed to be here is here. Our team has four people, just like I told Sadren it does. Everybody is accounted for."

As for the female soldiers on Athenda, Steve shook his head. "I'm doubting that they get any worse, Andre. Not with a male superior anyway. They seem too much like us to punish a female soldier harsher than a male, if I have to guess. It's probably not equal, but it'll be unequal to fewer lashes for a female soldier. Unless another woman is doing the discipline."

As for what they could trade, that was the question. They were too close technological for the normal gambits, but they still might have differing medical technology and knowledge exchange could be on the table. "Knowledge if nothing else. We may have scientific or medical knowledge they don't, and they may know things we don't. Any kind of goods they're willing to offer is one less thing that has to be shipped from Earth."

"We're being careful." Steve threw one leg over the other at the right of head of the table seat. "We have two exits from this room and the locks are on our side of the door. There's only one guard between us and the elevator shaft, and he's carrying nothing but a semi-auto pistol and a chronic case of staring off into space. I can take him before he gets as much as a shot off."

"Would still be useful to have a trade relationship with at least one other planet that uses bullets, too, Vanessa, even if we don't all sing Kumbaya and have them over for parties. You don't have to like everything someone does to work with them."

He nodded when she mentioned trying to be a good influence. "That might take a closer working relationship than we'd really want, though. And we make damn sure about the rank equivalencies; I don't particularly feel like being whipped by the Athendan equivalent of a colonel or a captain. Not the kind of pain I like at all."

The sound of booted feet running in the corridor outside the conference room made Steve tense and reach with deceptive casualness for his sidearm to unfasten the safety strap as he stood up. "I hate when aliens prove me wrong, I really do. Andre, Collins is your job. Cooper, you will stick so close to my ass you're counting the beads on my dog tags."

<<tag Isabelle Cooper , Azalea 'De' Andre , Vanessa Collins , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting >>

[Avand Sadren]

1232
Base Security Office Level 3
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Sadren had come in response to a frantic phone call from Under-commander Sheran. A security alarm at the surface access, which never opened due to the killing cold on the surface of this part of Athenda, at least not without clearance and a known incoming. "An entrance or an exit, Sheran?"

In every other command she'd served in, Arina Sheran had put effort in becoming the commander's woman, a coveted position of privilege and authority above what rank was on her shoulders.

Not when she'd been sent here, though. The redhead made every effort to be unavailable to Commander Sadren. "Exit, sir. The guard didn't notify security of anyone requesting to go out on the surface, and there's no incoming supply helos for two more weeks. And without a re-supply-"

"No reason to go out there and freeze to death, no matter how thoroughly you're shirking your duty today." Avand went to the weapons locker security maintained for themselves and pulled out a pistol. "All of our alien visitors are in my conference room."

Sheran raised one eyebrow. "Are we sure of that, sir?"

Avand pointed to one of the troops monitoring their cameras. "Pull up the security feeds on Level 1 at the surface access."

The posted guard was disabled. The calm was deceptive as Avand gave orders. "Buzz your strike team, Sheran. There's only four of them in the conference room. There's twenty-four on the strike teams."

As Sheran got on the radio to call up the rest of the security team and hoped they were actually all on radio. Most commanders used a lighter flog for a female soldier. Not Sadren.

If she was punished, they were going to get it twice over from her. "Strike teams A through D, tactical fall in on the command conference room. Strike Team E, head for the surface. All cold weather protections in use, guys. Find who opened the door and capture them if you can. If you can't find them and kill them, the cold will."

Avand loaded and racked the slide of the pistol. "Tell the strike teams I'm joining them."

He went over to the remote controls for powered doors all over base and held his security ID in front of one of the scramble pads. As the randomized numbers came up, Avand covered the pad with his own body and typed his access number.
After the three beeps of acknowledgement, Avand headed for the elevator to go back to level 5.

1232
Gate Room Level 12
Decommed Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Machinery ground to life far below, as the blast door securing the stargate and DHD, that hadn't moved in decades, slowly lumbered on its track and closed off the only access to the Athendan Stargate.

The trap was closing.

[Isabelle Cooper]

1232
Command Conference Room Level 5
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda


"Sounds good to me. What do you think we have to trade? This is all new to me so, bare with me Ms. Cooper," Isabelle just nodded to Azalea, Isabelle's attention was more drawn to the fact that she seemed to have missed something by staying behind on base for almost two hours. The Athendans seemed to be fond of some degree of corporal punishment, "Little one is fine..." Isabelle replied quietly as she thought, "They whip their soldiers?" she asked after Steve made his remark about pain, the Colonel seemed rather relaxed in the chair he had decided to claim, Isabelle remained standing on the other side of the table. "You don't have to like everyone you come across but you sure do-" she stopped talking as Steve stood up, "I hate when aliens prove me wrong, I really do. Andre, Collins is your job. Cooper, you will stick so close to my ass you're counting the beads on my dog tags." 

"Per l'amor di Dio" she muttered in Italian, "We just got here how can you already be acting like trouble is going to come thru that door!" that was the last thing they needed, as much as she wanted to stay hopeful that Hamrick was just being paranoid but she trusted his judgement, It sounded like a lot more than just a few people coming down the hallway.

. 

TAG: Steve Hamrick , Azalea 'De' Andre , Vanessa Collins

[Makes-Eternal-Everlasting]

1233-44
Athenda Stargate complex
Power Generation Facility
Athenda

[/Alert, incoming Atjhendan squad, looks like half a dozen soldiers Madromas spoke as the HUD flared to life on the radar network. Makes was used to the extreme cold in that part of Athenda, which when she exited she had devoted all her power resources to cloak, and then briefly to heat until she could get to the power generator facility. Two massive buildings and what looked like a half dozen structures connected together into a single power generator of dark steel.

Picking up the power module she hooked it into her belt. The Snow Leopard stood on two feet by then in the driving snowfall and looked behind her, perfect fur pattern for blending into the extreme snowfall. even without the cloak it'd be hard to find her body heat in the extreme cold. "Mask our heat signature, make it normal wildlife, I'll take it from there"

[/Power spike destected, blast door closing; cionnection to the relic is gone. We were to keep the back door open

"That was plan A, which you know never works for me, Plan Be never works either, so...."

[/I know what you are thinknig, and its crazy

"So.... stay here"

[/ Sadly for us both, I like crazy

Makes smirked as she watched the door. hooking Madromas into the power generation controls was easier than expected as the place was deserted, well stocked sure, but still deserted. Battlerod ready for use the Snowleopard went deeper into the generator complex as Madromas overrode the securitry network and disabled all the cameras, showing a feedback loop of basic patrols. Makes found a weapons crate and cracked it open with a foot. "Battlerods ?" On a whim she checked the power module, it was a Fijitian module "Impossible, Madromas, who was the last contigent here ?"

[/Fading-Light-of-Forgotten-Stars and her squad, Of Lights and Shadows came the reply Madromas activated the power module and a red holo appeared, Puma. Showing up in Makes HUD as the two AI conversed briefly beofre Puma left her power reserves on standby. [/Puma confirms the theory, she has been stuck here for almost ninty three years. Fading Light was to recon the relic before calling for backup. Her squad never made it, but they did get planet side

"Something went wrong" Makes mused, Of Lights and Shadows was one of the few most elite recon, sabotage and inilftraion squads in the entire Fijitian Army

[/Would you like to see the video recording ?

Against her better judgement Makes simply replied "Load it to my HUD while I search this place" Moving through the power generation complex she noticed strange coloration on trhe floor as the playback from Puma began. Puma, a second generation Ancilla was assigned to Fading Light on a recon mission, both of whom were never seen again..

As the video played Makes inspected the discorlored floor pattern. Then she realised why it was discol.ored as the video played back. It was blood, Fading Light was a cheetah breed Fijitia Beta native, the second moon of Fijitia was home to mostly savannah type breeds, cheetahs, lions, some tigers and occasionally a panther.

In the video playback a pair of Athendan humans dragged a badly wounded feline woman, whom Makes could easily recognise as Fading Light, towards a room further back in the complex. She followed by way of the video, battlrod ready for use. the playback also had audio. "Man, what a catch. Wait until Commander Dorr sees what we got!" Said the younger of the two, clearly overjoyed of tjheir catch.

Dispite the beaten appearance of Fading Light, the two men were also in worse shape. Which was confirmed by the other fellow "Oh shove it Under-Soldier, you're just lucky Generator Keeper Val is a good shot instead of you"

"Yeah, so ? But why did it have to attack us ? All Undersoldier Jon did was freak out and try to shoot the ghost thingy with it"

"Yeah, and ended up killed for it when the generator blew next to him"

The two men turned a corner in the video, the same corner Makes turned, they were met by a third man, whom Fading Light's HUD identified as Commander Dorr, a big brute of a man "Well well well, look what we have here, a feline ?... no a hybrid, where'd you fellows get her ?" Once told the man chuckled "Bonded Commander Sitrand is gonna love this, take her ot the holding cell near the power relays, ensure shes kept there, chain her if you must. aftwards, get to the barracks and get some rest" the two men nodded and dragged Fading Light deeper into the complex

The rest of the video was not so worth seeing, over a two week period Fading Light was tortured and soon left for dead before the video finally ended as Makes stood outside the door that once held her mothers best friend. Shooting the lock off the panel Makes easily wrenched the door off its hinges and stepopoed into the bloodied room. cracked dried ancient blood lined the walls and a single creature laid dead in the rear of the room next to a power generator. The body mostly intact. The other blood Makes realised, came from Athendans, as there were five pairs of boots with the feet still in them in the room.

Makes smiled, trust Fading Light to use the enemies own resources against them. The sightly pink eyes of the cheetah stared at nothing. Makes gently closed the felines eyes. "Madromas, contact Eternal Star, we have a casualty. One who belongs at home with honor."

[/Understood, databurst sent. Receiving reply...... Reply received, confirm Athendan forces deplyment, recover lost supplies of Fading Light's squad, recover any information on her remaining squadmembers; confirm

"Confirmed" Makes tagged Fading Light's body with a nav point and left the room. "Madromas, as soon as Fading Light is safely aboard Eternal Star with the rest of SV3 --and Of Lights and Shadows if I can find them--, let them burn this place. It is... how did James once put it ? A hellhole"

[/Even the relic ?

"Yes; The plan has changed. We cannot stay here too much longer"

[/Gladly

Makes then left the generator relay control room; She picked up another battlerod or two, putting both weapons on her back. She also picked up a pair of brand new, never before used energy swords, Fading Light was reported to always use a pair all the time. Putting the blades to her belt Makes smirked; An Army of One Fijitian.... coming right up. She mused as she picked up a belt of energy bombs and slung it across her back.

{{Steve Hamrick , Azalea 'De' Andre , Avand Sadren , Isabelle Cooper , Vanessa Collins

[Azalea 'De' Andre]

1234 - 1244
Command Conference Room Level 5
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda


Azalea bit her bottom lip when Steve gave the look. Well there was mistake number one. A small one that could have messed up the whole mission. Hopefully that wasn't the case, but you never could tell. Now wasn't the time to beat herself up over it. That would happen once they were back on base - while also hearing about it from Hamrick after the debriefing. Even as an XO she made a rookie mistake. Pull it together Andre. Don't let the thoughts get you now. Keep focused and just try to recover from that blunder - even if it might have cost you the alliance, thought trying as hard as possible not to let the worry show over her face.

Listening between Collins and Hamrick, the Lieutenant was trying to follow along while learn at the same time. When it came to SG-21, they weren't really the team that worked with trade. They were more of the operative team that got stuff done. They were also part of the SG teams that went in and helped save other teams. This was honestly her first trade/alliance mission. It was interesting to watch. One would think there would have been the decision making before hand about what to offer as trade, but then again there was also learning about the planet first. In Azalea's opinion, this really wasn't the kind of people she would want in an alliance. Yes Hamrick was right, you didn't have to like everyone that you were in alliance with, but did you really want people who flogged their soldiers? Yes there was working with them to understand, but was it all that really worth it? Did these people really have enough to offer to balance how they treated one another? That was the bigger question to her.

Azalea had to smile hearing that Isabelle started to agree when she too heard the footsteps. With a nod to Hamrick, the brunette slowly pushed the chair back, gently resting the hand on her sidearm without giving anything away - getting ready for whatever was about to come their way. "I hope you know how to use that weapon of yours Doc, because something tells me, we're probably going to be needing it," muttered to Collins, watching carefully, praying that her gut wasn't right this whole time. Quietly clicking off the safety, the Linguist sat as the footsteps got louder the closer they approached. Makes, I hope you are super close by because we may need ya, thought taking a deep calming breath as the doors started to open.

Tag: Vanessa Collins , Steve Hamrick , Isabelle Cooper , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting , Avand Sadren

[Steve Hamrick]

1234-1244
Command Conference Room Level 5

Steve and Isabelle been in moral conflicts before, notably the slave system which Steve could have overlooked if not for Perion's vengeful pissiness at being rejected that had soured the potential trade deal. He'd been about to argue that it wasn't the worst way to control and discipline troops.

"Because I know what a scramble sounds like, Cooper. They're running for a reason." He was going for the two doors to lock them and made it to one of the two entry doors to the conference room. His finger reached for the trigger of the P-90 on his vest as the other door opened.

Rifle barrels first even. Steve put aside the little corner of his heart where fear was setting in, fear because of Cooper's vulnerable state and having only two people in the room who were trained combatants.

The one guard between the conference room and the elevator shaft had turned, as he'd suspected from hearing the scramble and the sound of running soldiers, into an armed squad of at least five he could see with rifles superficially similar to an M-16 carried by every one of the Athendan soldiers. But he didn't shoot, not quite yet. "Now everybody take a step back and take a deep breath. I thought things were going well. Up until I heard you scramble and now there's guns. Don't make us kill you guys in self-defense."

The Athendan security had their own weapons flicked already from safe to semi on the selector lever. One more person joined, his own pistol raised and ready and the squad was very careful to not be in Commander Sadren's line of fire.

The man could and would shoot through them and the soldiers knew it. His tone was graciously hostile. "Oh, things were going well. Until you lied to me about how many are on your team, Colonel, and sent a spy to penetrate us."

Despite wanting to, he didn't give Andre another look. Had the conference room been bugged? Steve doubled down, while wondering what the hell Makes had done to apparently give away her big, fat, furry presence. "All of my team is in here. Now order your men to put down their weapons or this will get ugly and none of us want that, Commander. We came here in peace and what we heard about your people gave us hope that we could be allies."

Sadren looked behind him slowly In some stupid movie, there might have been a chorus of clicks of soldiers readying their weapons.

No clicks were necessary, because the Athendans' guns were ready. "Our gate program has been dormant for nearly a century, it was nothing but the costly folly of the old, weak government that let every mouth-breathing, drooling idiot have a say. The new regime is much more, discerning. Now someone knocked out one of my soldiers and went out on the surface. I don't know what measures your people use for temperature, Colonel, but I can assure you whichever of your people you sent is already dead, either killed by my soldiers or the cold."

Steve doubted both of those, considering what Makes was. More problematic was the situation. He had two people who weren't fighters, a snow leopard who was up in her element on the surface apparently. Himself and Andre could open fire, but the only result of that he could see would be them being killed by the superior numbers after downing a few Athendan troops, and Cooper and Collins killed immediately after. He looked at Cooper and the other door. Both of the civilians had their own GDO and IDC numbers, if they made the safety of the gate they could bring reinforcements to bust the rest of the team from being trapped.

But the civilians had next to no hope whatsoever of making the seven floors down to the stargate without military cover. Steve didn't yet release his ready finger on the trigger. "I don't know what might be happening between your people, Sadren, but I only have four under my command."

"See, I know you're still lying to me. But I am telling the truth. I have two dozen men covering the conference room on both doorways and the gate has been blocked by my closing of the blast door you had to go through to leave the gate room. Fire so much as a shot and you all die. Put down your weapons and we can talk about what you can do for us."

"Your negotiating tactics suck, you know that, Sadren?" Steve had inched his left hand into his tac vest and hoped that the three women saw what he was reaching for, Andre should know he was reaching for a flash bang and if Collins and Cooper didn't realize it, well, the two officers could drag the two temporarily blind and deaf civilians out of the room. He hoped like hell he wasn't going to do something like deafen Cooper's baby before it was born as he pulled the flash bang from a vest pocket and made a microsecond's work of pulling the pin and letting the spoon fling away, then throwing it and covered his ears, closing his eyes while moving for the other door.

The bright light turned the room into the sun momentarily and the explosion of sound covered almost anything that might have been said. Steve removed his hands from his ears, even if his were ringing a bit and grabbed Cooper's arm. "Run like hell!"

He was herding her to the door when he heard the shot, a distinctly different sound from any of their own firearms. But he didn't feel any pain and figured he wasn't hit, while hoping no one else was.

<<tag Isabelle Cooper , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting , Vanessa Collins , Azalea 'De' Andre >>

[Isabelle Cooper]

1244
Command Conference Room Level 5

"Because I know what a scramble sounds like, Cooper. They're running for a reason."

They were the reason, she knew it. Why else would the base suddenly be on alert? They were stuck in a room with two exits, one was now locked thanks to Steve’s quick movement but locks could be broken, and they could not stay in the conference room forever. As the other door opened Isabelle’s right hand went to where her pistol was on her hip, even though her aim was not the greatest, she took some comfort in knowing she’d at least be able to do something to protect herself.

"Now everybody take a step back and take a deep breath. I thought things were going well. Up until I heard you scramble and now there's guns. Don't make us kill you guys in self-defense."

She could see the group of soldiers out in the hall, "Oh, things were going well. Until you lied to me about how many are on your team, Colonel, and sent a spy to penetrate us." Sadren replied, Isabelle pulled her pistol out, her hands tight around the grip, she knew Hamrick hadn’t been honest when he told her that everyone from the team was there; SV-3 had left that morning with five members, when she had arrived two hours later there had only been four, so once again she was wondering where was Makes?

"All of my team is in here. Now order your men to put down their weapons or this will get ugly and none of us want that, Commander. We came here in peace and what we heard about your people gave us hope that we could be allies." whatever open minded, peaceful race the intel she had read had mentioned, the Athedans were not it. She could work with difficult people, but when you brought out guns to what was supposed to be a peaceful discussion, it changed things.

"Our gate program has been dormant for nearly a century, it was nothing but the costly folly of the old, weak government that let every mouth-breathing, drooling idiot have a say. The new regime is much more, discerning. Now someone knocked out one of my soldiers and went out on the surface. I don't know what measures your people use for temperature, Colonel, but I can assure you whichever of your people you sent is already dead, either killed by my soldiers or the cold." A snow leopard in the snow, if anything Sadren should be worried about his people out in the cold over the person who he did not realize was practically built for the weather. Makes had a chance, the rest of them on the other hand, the odds were not looking good. Isabelle caught Steves glance, he was thinking of something, some way to get them out of there, she had no problem with running, even if she got winded faster than she used to. "See, I know you're still lying to me. But I am telling the truth. I have two dozen men covering the conference room on both doorways and the gate has been blocked by my closing of the blast door you had to go through to leave the gate room. Fire so much as a shot and you all die. Put down your weapons and we can talk about what you can do for us."


"Your negotiating tactics suck, you know that, Sadren?"

Steve was fooling with something in his vest, but she did not want to fully turn her head to look and risk drawing attention to whatever he was doing. She realized he was reaching for a grenade, it did not occur to her till he had thrown the device what type of grenade it was, by then the loud bang and bright flash of light made it obvious. The light was blinding, but the pain from her ears was worse, Isabelle dropped her gun and pressed her hands to her ears, trying anything to stop the ringing. Someone grabbed her arm and not knowing who it was touching her she pulled away but the person's grip was too strong. Everything sounded like it was under water, "Run like hell!" and there seemed to be no end to the ringing or the pounding in her head, it was all starting to make her nauseous, but she couldn't worry about that now, now they had to run, or in her case, stumble. 

TAG: Steve Hamrick , Azalea 'De' Andre , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting , Vanessa Collins , Avand Sadren

[Vanessa Collins]

1232
Command Conference Room Level 5
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Trade with any potential allies Vanessa knew was always tricky part. There was always rocky ground when presenting ideas as chances were high of certain offers not appealing to their allies. Yet nothing was without a risk of coming back to bite them. She nodded as Steve more or less agreed to knowledge trade with these people. But smirked when mentioned one less thing to be shipped from home. Even then the IOA were still going to crap about budget expenditure and how much it was costing to run. Vanessa knew it was slightly higher than Delta’s budget at the expedition’s peak, but it was not the reason to try making a huge deal out of it. Like Cowden was doing.

“Never said you had to like them, Steven,” she replied dryly towards Hamrick. She hadn’t liked Zues and company either. Delta had her own fair shares of allies turned foes. Titan’s always came to mind. “We can’t afford to be picky about it.”

She was going to say more but instead, she looked towards the doors when the boots were heard stomping away, “Great,” she muttered as she shifted and rose an eyebrow at Steve, “I will.” She did hope that Hamrick had read her file and knew that she was capable of handling herself off-world. Despite being a former POW twice over, she knew her stuff. She took a step towards Andre. She was a little different to Destiny. Slightly blunter with her words from what Vanessa could tell. The former Chief Psychologist of Delian Expedition chuckled, “I would not have been issued one, if I did not know how to use it. Expeditions don’t make a habit of handing to rookie Civvies.” Patting the woman’s shoulder, “I got your back Andre.” Andre would have to meet Ajay Martin, a former memeber of the Australian Navy and Genetics attached to Delta.

Tag: Steve Hamrick , Azalea 'De' Andre , Isabelle Cooper & Makes-Eternal-Everlasting

[Steve Hamrick]

1244-1254
Command Conference Room Level 5
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve was towing Cooper out the other door of the conference room, trusting that the other officer and the SG veteran shrink would follow the only exit. He heard the clatter of metal on concrete and looked back.

Of the four of them, Steve figured he knew exactly who would have dropped their sidearm as he cleared the door and turned the corner to the hallway outside the conference room. When he had a moment to breathe, he'd hand Cooper his pistol.

By now the troops who had been very temporarily disoriented by the flashbang were shaking it off and Sadren was shouting orders. There was more of the different-sounding gunfire, as he let go of Cooper's arm to properly bring his P-90 to bear. He'd told her long ago to stay behind him if there was trouble and hoped she remembered that lesson now.

Strike Team D had been covering the second door while Teams A and B were with Commander Sadren. D team leader aimed low, knowing the commander would want the aliens alive.

The bullet gouged the floor and while the weapon was cycling, Steve changed the selecter switch to automatic and returned fire, aiming center mass.

The team leader went down and the rest of the strike team drew back, shouting among themselves about the unbelievable number of bullets as Steve properly pied a corner, turning around it without showing the P-90's barrel before he came around.

The Athendan gunfire was high, throwing bursts of concrete from the wall behind him as Steve fired back.

Strike Team B pulled back, the team leader cursing his men's marksmanship in comparison to the aliens' as two of the team went down.

Steve didn't question it when the Athendan resistance pulled back and the team made the elevator. As the car went down the floors, he unfastened the safety strap on his thigh holster and pulled the M9, and shoving it at Cooper said, "Don't drop this one before we get back through the 'gate."

The elevator dinged through the levels.

1255
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12

Where previously there had been only emergency lighting, the corridor was now bathed in the glow of fluorescent fixtures every five feet on the ceiling.

Steve cleared the immediate area and headed for the big bay door to the gate.

The closed blast door to the gate. Steve looked at the scramble pad and started to feel real fear for the first time since things had deteoriated in the conference room. There had been only this way to the 'gate and of course Sadren had closed it.

Steve just hadn't expected it could be done remotely and he knew he should have. Turning with his back to the sealed blast door, he looked at his team as Athendan forces came from an elevator shaft on the other side of the level and around the far corridor in front of them and from the corridor turn behind them.

With a closed blast door behind him and enemy forces on both sides, Steve had to suppress fear what would happen to his team. He already knew what would happen to him. At least Makes might still be able to make a move.

"Is it too late to talk about this?"

<<tag Isabelle Cooper , Vanessa Collins , Azalea 'De' Andre , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting >>

[Avand Sadren]

1244-1255
Command Conference Room Level 5
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Avand had not seen it coming, as the grenade was thrown toward his troops. He was moving to take the brunt of the blast instead of his men when it detonated, but didn't produce the flesh-shredding explosion he'd braced for.

The blinding flash of light overwhelmed him, but he kept his grip on his sidearm as his ears rang with the blast of sound. He fired blindly at where the aliens were but knew he likely didn't hit any of them as they ran out the other door.

But he had it covered by his other strike teams, while he tried to shake off the overwhelming light and sound, he heard strange weapons fire.

The aliens' firearms, and firing faster than anything he had ever heard in battle before. Once he heard his bearings he led team A out the other door where team D had engaged the aliens. Saran, the leader of Strike Team D, was dead on the ground even as his soldiers tried to provide medical help.

Sadren counted the bullet holes. Five hits in mere seconds, each a center mass shot. He could admire the marksmanship even while fully planning to take plenty of vengeance later. He heard more gunfire from where Strike Team B was covering the other hallway.

He wasn't going to lose any more of his own, not when there was only one place Hamrick could take his soldiers. Avand got on his radio to give orders to all four teams. "All strike teams, let them get to level twelve, they can't escape."

His own troops cleared the way to the elevators, maybe a little too fast. On one hand, he wanted to whip a few men for cowardice.

On the other hand, he'd seen how effective the aliens' guns were.

Elevator and Level 12 Corridor

Once the aliens had taken the main elevator, Avand led his troops to the cargo elevator and went down to level 12. "The blast door is closed, they can't escape. Teams A and B follow the corridors right, team C and D follow corridors left. They'll be trapped between us on both flanks."

And he could see the lust for blood in the eyes of teams B and D. "Nobody fires without my command, unless they fire first. I want them alive."

Saran's men looked downright mutinous before Avand pacified them. "When I'm done, you can have your turn."

All the forces were in place as the same moment that the aliens discovered the closed blast door. Avand looked casually at his nails as he smelled the first signs of fear from Hamrick, as the strike teams had both ends of the corridor.

He was sure of one thing, that he had years more experience and skill as a ground commander than the younger man. "Oh, it was too late from the moment you came here, Colonel. Now that you've seen that your escape is impossible, let's go back to that talk. Put down your weapons or die. You're outnumbered and cut off from the gate."

[Azalea 'De' Andre]

1244-1254

Command Conference Room Level 5

Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility

Athenda


All Azalea wanted to do was shout, I told you so, but that wasn't something an XO should do, especially being brand new to the team and expedition. Back in the Academy, yeah that would have been different. Though back at the Academy, the lieutenant was a different woman. She was someone who didn't really care about the world, or anyone in it. Thankfully over time, that all changed, especially when it came to experiencing death for a full twenty-five minutes. Still do this day, it was a mystery what brought her back, but if it wasn't for that situation, the brunette would still be stuck in the old ways. That was why shouting, I told you so wasn't the smartest thing to do. Instead, it was time to face the situation they were dealt with and go from there. It really didn't seem like these guys wanted to be allies what so ever, which she was okay with. Seeing how they treated one another, not someone who would probably make the best allies after all. 

Giving a nod to Vanessa, Azalea stood with Hamrick, listening and watching ever move the enemies were making. Noticing Hamrick's movements, Andre nodded, covering her ears and eyes, then ducking, figuring that Collins would know what it is too. The experienced doctor was on Delta and tons more teams than the Linguist, so anyone with experience should know that something big was about to come. Moving quickly towards the door, the brunette glanced behind, hoping Vanessa wasn't too far behind. Even if Collins could hold her own, there was always one motto the brunette never gave up on - no man gets left behind. 

Basically stumbling out, Azalea shook off any affects the flash might have had on her, then continued down the hall, turning around and throwing shot after shot at the enemies. She prayed that none were seriously injured because if they were, well that would only make matters worse on their end. Not that becoming allies was one the table anymore. The moment that the Athendians swarmed the room, it pretty much showed they were done. If only someone had a zat gun, that would take care of issues of seriously injuring someone, thought to self, diving behind a corner, helping cover Vanessa as they continued their way to the elevator. Something to make a note about when talking to Billie. Are zat guns available here, and if so, how do I get my hands on one, thought again breathing a sigh of relief as they made it in the elevator, taking a deep breath.

1257
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12

Stepping out of the elevator, Azalea left her heart drop staring at the blast door over the gate. "You've got to be freaken be kidding me!" exclaimed walking over the gate. Should have seen that one coming thought only to jump slightly, pointing the gun to the Athendians flooding through the doors. "Any more ideas?" muttered to Hamrick, keeping the gaze straight ahead. They were done for now. Unless Makes came out of no where to help them, there was no escaping this. Slowly bending down, the brunette laid the gun on the ground, knowing there was no way out this time. Makes, you're our only hope, thought slowly standing back up with hands raised. 

Tag: Vanessa Collins , Makes-Eternal-Everlasting , Steve Hamrick , Isabelle Cooper , Avand Sadren

[Steve Hamrick]

1257
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

Steve was weighing the options and kept running into a complete no-win scenario. Andre seemed to feel the same way and he couldn't blame the lieutenant.

Nope, this one was all on him. His fault, his failure, his screw-up. He could see the itchy trigger fingers of Sadren's soldiers. Only orders and fear of the man was keeping them from shooting.

Ideas, he wanted to laugh and then, scream. "One maybe."

His hand went to the catches that held the P-90 on his tac vest. "Just let me send our civilians back and myself and Lieutenant Andre will surrender. They don't know anything anyway, Sadren."

Steve tried to make his tone as dismissive as he could, like Collins and Cooper were inconveniences and not important members of the expedition.

And his friends. It was a long shot but if he could send them back, help would come within the hour and they'd be spared the interrogation he knew was next. And if Sadren agreed, he might be able to cajole the release of Andre with them and only he'd have to suffer.

Steve was okay with that. Even if his imagination was less-than-helpfully providing images of what could be done to a man in an hour.

He unfastened the P-90 and set it down, nodding to the team to surrender. "We surrender, Sadren."

He watched Andre give up hers and hoped he could spare the younger officer from being interrogated and suffering because he had failed as her commander. He'd take whatever torture Sadren had in mind if he could get between Andre and the same.

--------------------------------------------

Avand looked away from Hamrick  to address Isabelle and Vanessa. "Well, it's an interesting offer, I won't deny that. Weak position to bargain from you have here though, Colonel."

He turned his attention to the two civilians. "What say you women? Leave your soldiers to die, because I promise they won't be alive when you inevitably come back with additional forces. Or stay with them and you all live a while longer."

<<tag Azalea 'De' Andre, Isabelle Cooper, Makes-Eternal-Everlasting, Vanessa Collins>>

[Makes-Eternal-Everlasting]

1250-1310
Athenda
Decomissioned stargate complex
Generator surface facility
Surface Temperture: 12F

It was a blizzard, but thanks to Madromas Makes was able to see her foes clearly, with th cloak active entirely she took aim at the rearmost soldier by the door. A single pop and the man fell, dead to the ground, his armor melted where the Diamane Battlerod made contact, while it was the basic DMR, it worked wonders, and had the stopping power to kill a M1Abrams tank in its tracks in one shot.

Another pop and another soldier fell to the ground dead from the snow. Putting the battlerod on her back, Makes withdrew the Rod from her thigh, the pistol like weapon packed a punch, but it took greater need to drop a target. pop, pop, pop, pop! and the commander of the striketeam, a woman, dropped, wounded by alive.

"Status on Steven and his team ?" Makes ordered

[/Captured Maxdromas replied calmly

"Relay it to my HUD, audio only." She then rememered the whip, oh gods no. "Madromas new plan, lock out the whip masters of their offices, ensure none of them have a whip of some form within reach"

[/Gladly Madromas replied, easily remotely locking the whips away and scrambling the codes in such a manner that getting to the weapons was next to impossible. It then allowed Makes to continue her rampage

Switching back to the battlerod Makes fired twice more, two more members of the strike team fell, the last man standing cracked and dove for cover as Makes lowered her weapon, stalking forwards she set trhe battlerod on her back and withdrew her energy sword, with a crack and hiss the blade activated and she stalked forwards. Stepping up to the wounded Athenda woman Makes reached down as her cloak faded from her face and arms, revealing a combat ready feline as she reached down a massive furred paw to the womans neck and shoulder. lifting her up.

"Contact reenforcements, have them come here. Now" Makes commanded at first the woman simply gave her a dirty look, but when the energy sword got painfully close to the womans stomach, the woman nodded and did just that. Makes then let the roman drop to the snow. The blizzard made the snow leopard pretty much invisible even without the cloak.

[/Alert, Athendian dropship inbound. According to the loadout it is more troops than we can handle on our own,

"Agreed, activate cloak" Makes replied, fading entirely from view of the injured woman as she fired her weapon twice more, the last remaining strike team member hit the snow dead, his head blown away. Makes disappeared, not even leaving footsteps on the snowy ground as the dropship roared into view moments later. Makes waited until it was almost entirely empty of a good thirty six more soldiers before climbing into the vessel, tapping on a control panel she uploaded Madromkas into the vessels network and then easily stabbed the only pilot easily. "Give us full power, disable all non critical systems for best speed. Lock onto Of Lights and Shadows energy signals and head us in that direction."

[/Confirmed, Of Lights and SHadows energy reads are coming from what appears to be a wildlife refuge sisxty three hectometers* from here

"Confirmed, Once over the location inform Eternal Star for pickup ASAP, have a dropship of a battlaion meet us at the location of Forgotten-Stars body." Makes replied

[/Confirmed, Eternal Star enroute, ETA ten minutes, Dropship group Everdawning-Souls ETA at Relic facility seven minutes,. we will meet with them on our return. Makes smiled, This was working better then planned. A moment more and they were well past mach two so to speak, the hectometers sped past, Out of nowhere the navpoint of the squads energy readings was under them, dropping aNAV marker allowed Makes to trurn the dropship around. [/NAV point dropped, ETA seven minutes at this speed.

Makes settled in for a short ride off a long cliff at that point as she completed the turn. the squad consisted of all female felines, a cheetah, a snow leopard, a black Panther and a bengal tiger.

1319 hours
Surface Temperture 3F

Nearing the relic facility Makes saw the Everdawning-Soul battalion swarming over the Athenda soldiers, bursts of blue and purple plasma energy leaving dead ibn their wake with a few Athenda soldeirs getting off shots and injuring but a few Fijitians. Thinknig they had reenforcements the soldiers native to the planet opened fire on the Fijitian troops. But to no avail.

Makes set the autopilot to off and keyed in a course as a damage report alert was sent out, Makes then jacked Madromas from the network and dove out the back, easily landing in the snow in a gentle roll, dusting the snow from her hair she stood up and disengaged her cloak heading for the onsite commander of the Fijitian forces she had called upon.

Makes headed to the commander of the battlegroup + Huntress + The solid gray housecat like feline solder said simply in greeting with a slight incline of the head.

"Commander" Makes replied with a respectful bow. Clearly outranked by the other feline, Commanders were far above her paygrade when assigned by certain groups.

+ You have recovered a hero of our people. You should be proud + the Commander praised her

"But I am not. Forgotten-Stars was tortured by the natives here. She did not deserve any of what she received" Makes replied

+ I agree, she was to recveive this upon return. I think, by right, it should pass to you + the Commander held out a seal, a Huntress Major's seal, Forgotten Stars was a Huntress Minor, a trank above her, becoming a Huntress Major was two ranks out of Makes paygrade, and yet, rather then decline she respectfuylly accepted. Placing her hand over the seal, allowing Madromas to upgrade to the rank as well.

Makes was now the ranking Fijitian Officer at that moment. + What are your orders, Major ? + the Commander asked, now giving her a measure of extreme respect, apparently he was only there to relay the promotion.

Makes thought carefully on what she had to do, she was supposed to watch the back door, but it didnt work. so plan be was there already. She watched as a half dozen Fijitian soldiers went into the generator complex where Forgotten-Stars laid, seeing them come out, side by side in two columns with her between them carefully gently laid on a warm blanket made Makes growl softly. Finally she said " Ensure that word of this battle here on the surface does not reach this man" She brought up a holo of Avand "Until he is in the middle of torturing this man" She then brought up a picture of Steve.

She then gave her Commander a hard look, "Under no circumstances should any of these women be harmed." She then brought uip images of Az, Izzy, and Vanessa. "If they are harmed in any manner, the ones that harmed them, are to be brought to me, alive. Confirm"

+ Confirmed + The commander replied with a nod.

Makes took her leave of the commander then and called her her normal squad. Of Blood and Life, a nine feline squad. All of them deactivating their cloaks and stepping into Makes view, seeing their commanding officer now promoted they bowed to a knee, a fist to the snow, calling out her name. Makes smiled, Plan B was on its way. Steve wanted to get to talk technology, looks like the chance to do just that had arrived ? It depeneded of course on how soon he wanted to do it, at least he'd get to ride in their ships to get to safety

Ever since the Fijitians had attained space travel twenty six generations before Makes birth, such a thing had rendered the stargate network obsolete. Expanding the Fijitian empire was one thing, keeping it unified was an entirely new proccess in and of it self. Such technology, hardlight technology, was beyond most lesser races, including that of Athenda.

A radio hail came over Makes HUD, allowing her to note that Eternal Star had successfully retrived the squad from the wildlife refuge safely. Makes smiled again, looking to her squad she stepped off the command deck to the waiting soldiers, "Stand up, make ready, take basic gear and extra rounds for everything. We have a job to do." The soldiers cheered and got into formation once outfitted with basic gear and extra ammo the squad headed off towards the door.

Peeking inside Makes smirked, lobbing a plasma grenade the sucker went off with a PHOMP of ewnergy and electrical power. rendering the guard post dead and the man inside gone out of fear.. However the camera saw her easily chuck the device, and the rest of her squad enterning behind her as they moved in a group. The sewcond camera however failed to see the squad as they all faded from view entirely, not even a disortion in the air where they stood.

Help was on the way. Makes wanted to radio to Az, knowing the woman had a earpiece in at all times Makes had Madromas relay a short message "Relax, Plan B is underway, dont let others know, I hope you dont mind the cold."

Surface Temperture 67F and rising

{{Steve Hamrick Azalea 'De' Andre Avand Sadren Isabelle Cooper Vanessa Collins

*Hectometers: 1Hectometer = 7 kilometers = 441 KM distance

[Isabelle Cooper]

1257
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12
Decommissioned Gate Operations Facility
Athenda

She he had never been much of a runner, especially now that she was almost four months pregnant. It was not something she enjoyed doing, but when you had a group of hostile humanoid aliens chasing and shooting at you, running was your best option, especially since you might’ve dropped your pistol. The only leathal way of stopping a foe. 

Isabelle had dropped her gun when the flash bang had gone off, her vision had cleared as she ran but her ears still rang, everything had a slight muffled sound. She stayed as close to Hamrick as her legs could carry her, when they reached the temporary safety of the elevator she tried to catch her breath. Her heart was racing and she was sure that would not be good for the baby after a while. The baby. Isabelle looked down at her stomach then back up, mentally kicking herself for the risk she was taking. If she made it out of those alive, her husband was going to kill her. 

“Don't drop this one before we get back through the 'gate." 

Isabelle gripped the gun tight in her hands, and gave Steve a nod, of course he’d have noticed the fact that she had butter fingers. He was arming her to protect herself, Hamrick wasn’t one to let one of his team mates go out unprepared, everyone had a fighting chance. Even if they did not like physically fighting. 

As the group ran from the elevator down the hall towards the gate room, Isabelle fired her pistol three times, two shots went wide, one she was sure hit someone in a leg or arm. It wasn’t a neatly placed center body mass shot but it was better than nothing. 

When she saw that the blast door was shut Isabelle honestly felt like crying, the sense of hopelessness was so strong she wanted to cry but couldn’t. Sadden told them they were trapped, from her position behind Steve she watched as the Colonel started to unhook his gun from his person,

“Just let me send our civilians back and myself and Lieutenant Andre will surrender. They don't know anything anyway, Sadren."

Isabelle prayed to a god she half heartedly believed in that Sadren would believe what Steve said. That the civilians didn’t know anything, they were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then again if they left, what would happen to the other team members.

“We surrender, Sadren."

Surprisingly, for once who was not a fan of guns, Isabelle was the last to kneel down and set the pistol Steve had given her on the ground. Standing back up she made sure her hands were visible for the enemy forces to see.

“Well, it's an interesting offer, I won't deny that. Weak position to bargain from you have here though, Colonel."

Isabelle met Sardens gaze straight on, even if she felt her hands shaking as she looked at him, "What say you women? Leave your soldiers to die, because I promise they won't be alive when you inevitably come back with additional forces. Or stay with them and you all live a while longer."

He seemed to be offering her the chance to leave, go home to the safety of the base and send back people far more qualified to perform a rescue mission, And while all this was going on she’d be pacing wondering if she did the right thing and if her friends where even still alive, Even though Sadren made it clear that they wouldn’t be by the time they returned.

“Well Sir...Commander Sadren...” Isabelle took a hesitant step out from behind Steve, her hands still clearly visible. “You and Colonel Hamrick are both reasonable people, distinguished soldiers, surely there isn’t a way we can talk about this and maybe negotiate something that would appease both sides.” She couldn’t just leave the rest of the team to die, she couldn’t it would be something she’d regret the rest of her life, but she also was not going to idly stand by and let Sadren do all the talking.

[Vanessa Collins]

1255
Corridor outside Gate Room Level 12

When hell broke loose; it broke loose. There was no way one could stop its onslaught it would bring. It was something Vanessa knew well enough and understood it. Facing it wasn’t easy nor the side effects it, left behind. The nightmares never did go away. Taking cover, Vanessa fired back, quiet skillfully with her limited exposure to the use of the weapon. She had been given some pointers from Jerry Garcia as well her former CO Troy Loveridge. The effects from the flash bangs didn’t help with hitting her targets.

Deciding it was well time to roll inside for safety, she turned to look at Andre when she shouted then at the gate. Releasing a sigh, she put the safety lock on the P-90 she carried. Ball was now in Hamrick’s hand on what was to be done. While she could throw out ideas, Steve had the final say. Collins shot her CO a look when his spoke of what he had in mind, “And I though Jerry had a death wish,” she muttered under her breath. It seemed it was forgetting that his XO was a rookie. And she was also on her first mission. She wanted to glare but didn’t, it wasn’t going to help anyone. She unhooked her weapon and laid it on the ground, “I hope you know what you are doing,” she told him.

Vanessa opened her mouth to speak, but Cooper was faster, she turned to face the young diplomat, “You need to get back,” Vanessa told her, “It’s not safe for you or the baby.” She was certain that Robert would be biting S-3’s head off. She had seen it firsthand what the man was capable of. It was either let Cooper experience this or risk the wrath of Robert Jason Oxford. “Allow us to send this woman back.” She waited a beat, “Please.”

Tag: Steve Hamrick , Azalea 'De' Andre , Isabelle Cooper and Makes-Eternal-Everlasting