To: PSOC ()
From: Anchor-NightClaw
Subject: Human Capability
We have noted that humans consistently talk of internal revolt, with a degradation of both capacity and capability if denied access to certain food stuff while deployed. This is backed up by my own observations during a covert Op, when access to dessert wines, admittedly in the form of Christmas Special Stim Packs, was limited leading to internal disputes and a food fight within the human team we supported.
Furthermore, the humans often prioritised covert supply drops of specialised food stuff, risking exposure of their teams, over the insertion of weapons e.g., Eggnog paste. This tended to be around the time of ‘holidays’ or Grand Finals.
When questioned, the answers often involved a third-person called MoreAl. Statements like, and I quote. “That’s good for MoreAl,” and “That’ll affect MoreAl” make me think this unidentified person, or group, needs to be investigated further.
I will keep you informed as I look into this more. GTG, we’ve just received some blueberry delight with sprinkles.
Regards
Anchor Nightclaw (PSOC, Deployed).
Feebee was watching the QI’s terrain map evolve as they closed in on the location of the drop ship.
Vex had been stationary for a full minute, unusual. She called ahead.
“Everything Ok?”
“Yes,” came a mumbled response.
“You haven’t moved.”
“Correct.”
‘FFS,’ thought Feebee. ‘It’s like pulling teeth.’
“Please explain.”
“Finishing Tom Tom’s mince pies.”
The QI tried to calm Feebee, ‘ :-) Take a deep breath’
‘You know it would be funny if we weren’t about to attack a group of Drexari dropped into our neighbourhood with the intention of killing us.’
‘Come on. It’s still funny.’
Feebee laughed, couldn’t help herself.
“You Ok?” asked Tom Tom, concerned. She nodded.
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Vex called back, “I’m watching drop ship. No movement. Ship damaged.”
“We’ll move up and join you.”
“Ack”
It wasn’t long before Feebee was lying next to Vex, looking down at the drop site across the valley. The others fanned out, forming a protective cordon.
“What do you think,” asked Feebee pointing at the ship.
“Need to find Drexari. Send Grim. She quiet and deadly.”
“Agreed.”
‘Can we get any read within the ship?’ Feebee asked the QI.
‘No. It’s construction passively blocks our sensors. Unlikely any Drexari inside.’
‘How so if you can’t see inside.’
‘The rear hatch is open and the drone has been overhead for a good few hours. Nothing.’
Feebee briefed Grim, then watched her progress via the terrain map. Despite knowing exactly where Grim was, she was invisible. The cloak helped but she was another level, there was nothing whatsoever that signalled her passage.
“They’re here. Can smell them.”
Feebee licked Hissy’s mouthpiece and gently blew, slowly filling the belly of the beast until she could feel the right amount of resistance. She then blew one short controlled note that was low in the cats auditory range. They heard it as a deep growl, used by a claw leader on the hunt. They immediately froze, the command over-riding all other actions.
The two marines heard it as a trained ‘hard-stop’; immediately dropping to one knee, rifle ready and then they froze.
“Where?”
She heard Grim sniffing. “All around.”
Feebee called Kestrel over, then quietly spoke to her, “Do you smell Drexari near us.”
“No,” came the immediate response. “Not near but can smell.”
“How would you know?”
She showed her teeth, a smile; “Burn without fire. No jungle smell, no soil. When close, broken air around them.”
The references made little sense but the certainty of her response did, Feebee got the gist. She also wondered how they were familiar with the Drexari. A question for later.
“Grim said she can smell Drexari all around her.”
Kestrel chuffed, but not in a good way. It contained a low growl that set Feebee’s hair on end.
“She need help. Possible Ambush. Too proud to ask.”
The QI directed the drone to provide Grim with over-watch. Full spectrum, use everything.
Feebee shunted the drone’s feed to Kestrel, “Grim is surrounded by heavily cloaked Drexari. She can smell them but not see them. We need to get her out or neutralise the Drexari in that area.”
“Neutralise is kill. Yes?”
“Yes. Kill.”
Kestrel chuffed loudly.
Feebee spoke to the QI,
‘Assessment?’
‘If the cats are right, the Drexari have set-up an ambush using this outlier drop ship as bait, which we obligingly took. They may not know we are close or that Grim is amongst them. Agree?’
‘Yes - agreed. We need to draw them away from Grim.’
‘Agreed. And weaken them.’
Feebee smiled. I think I’ll like this game.
The QI reminded her, ‘This isn’t a game. Not this time. People may be killed, for real.’
Feebee knew from the QI’s tone that this was different, not like before on the ship. This was serious. Real. She tried to reassure the QI.
‘I will be more careful.’
‘Good, lets not get shot this time.’
‘I’ll try.’
‘There is no try, just do.’
Feebee laughed but couldn’t remember which memory the reference came from.
‘I need you to find a way to tag these Drexari. Every cloak is vulnerable to detection. Find it.’
Then with a flash of insight she realised the same was true of their cloaks.
‘QI’
‘Yes’
‘Can you alter the signature of our cloaks. The Drexari may have cracked them.’
A few seconds later the QI confirmed it had amended the cloak’s signature and sent an update to everyone.
Feebee then called Grim, “Your cloaking maybe compromised. We have adjusted it. You should move. Now.”
Before anything came back from Grim there was the sound of gunfire. Not just over the comm but in the air too.
“Close. Cannot see me now. Drexari all around. Many more than twenty.” It was Grim, living up to her name.
The QI then broadcasted across Feebee’s channel, “Incoming - get down. Low. NOW.”
Feebee was lucky, there was culvert of sorts which she dived into. As she landed, with Hissy wrapped around her, the jungle exploded.
It was a specialised munition, advanced, human of course, that cut everything down to a meter. Tree’s, rocks. Even people.
“Sound off,” she immediately called.
