As the last security drone collapsed on the ground, Benny waited for a few moments to make sure that the laser-fire fully stopped before peeking out of cover. Sure enough, the security drones had been reduced to scrap. Grayson began communicating a status report to their boss, Stryker. All things considered, their first assault went well. The only casualties they took were some of the drones, but it was a fair trade in a fight.

Stryker's voice came through their comms as he responded to Grayson's report.[color=orange] "Split into two groups and work your way around the ring in opposite directions I guess. Only way to ensure zero survivors. Keep an eye out for anything that looks Federation, or looks useful to us"[/color] He said. Grayson acknowledged it and went down to join the others to decide how they were going to divide their team.

[color=darkgoldenrod]"I dinnae realy care much where ya send me. S'long as I'm bein' sent to where the fun's at."[/color] Benny said, with his voice slightly muffled by his sealed helmet. The Russian medic, Belov, seemed to disagree with the bomber's sentiments. [color=firebrick]"It does not matter how we divide ourselves. This is no fight, this is a massacre, there's nothing to be gained here"[/color] Belov said as he walked off on his own. A huge mistake considering what happened next.

More lasers suddenly erupted from the hallway that Belov was about to head down through, and the large man was shot down in the hail of fire, taking at least 1 grenade blast in the process.

[color=tan]"CONTACT!"[/color] Grayson shouted as he dived for cover. Benny did the same as he braced himself against a pillar. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Looks like the fun found us!"[/color] Benny exclaimed as he tightened his grip on his rifle. He peeked out the right side of the pillar slightly, firing a short blind burst from his gun. He ducked back into cover quickly, before firing another quick burst out of the right side, getting back behind the pillar as laser fire began hitting his cover. Then he grabbed a frag grenade from one of his front pockets, hit the timed detonator, and counted down. 

[color=darkgoldenrod]"1 yellow yeti, 2 yellow yeti, 3 yellow yeti..."[/color] He mumbled to himself before quickly tossing the grenade through the left side of the pillar, the side they weren't suppressing. The explosive flew through the air and exploded right in front of the group of yellow-armored Federation soldiers, causing them to stagger, while the one at the very front collapsed backwards cushioned only by their tail. Pieces of shrapnel sticking out of the glass portions of their helmets where they began oozing alien blood showed that they weren't getting back up. Meanwhile, two of the ladies on their team (Lataniva and that Sandra lady) closed the distance to engage the Federation troopers at short range. With the rest of them pinning down the soldiers with gunfire as the two women began cutting them up from behind, it was safe to say that these soldiers were screwed.

[hr]

At the end of their next firefight, Grayson and Maxi confirmed that they had taken their first real casualty, and it was one of the medics of all people. Benny knew this wasn't a good sign, but he also knew that the idiot deserved it for wandering off alone without thinking that there may have been another threat around the corner. Benny felt a slight rumble go across the station just as Grayson ent to contact Stryker again.

[color=tan]"Maverick here, we just encountered a few Federation troops, all targets eliminated, but we lost Belov. How you all holding up mate?"[/color] He said.

[color=orange]"Well, good news and bad news out here"[/color] Stryker said in between the crackling of their comm systems. [color=orange]"The good news is we've taken out their main means of defense, the Planet Cracker. The bad news is, we're still under fire, they must've updated the design of these damn mining lasers. The firing array and the primary ignition source are still active inside the base-level of the station. Now this presents to us a unique opportunity to take care of this place in one-fell swoop."[/color] He continued, thus explaining the rumble that Benny had felt earlier.

[color=orange]"Benjamin, I want you to take SAL, Arex, and Holmström and proceed down to the base-level, secure the area, then plant the charges you brought. Reply with estimated detonator range and longest possible fuse time. We're gonna use your explosives to blast a hole above the ignition source. That'll disrupt the flow of energy and destroy the base from the inside-out. Grayson, you carry on with the others, proceed upwards to take out any remaining Federation forces and try to find some intel on what they're doing here. We have a tight deadline here so no pussyfooting around"[/color] Stryker ordered.

Benny was about to reply when Grayson piped up again. [color=tan]"Permission to pussyfoot for just a second boss man?"[/color] He said as he scanned the area and walked about. [color=tan]"Yup, we got a human here, prisoner. Looks a bit banged up, but otherwise intact. What do we do with him?"[/color] He asked. Stryker told him to essentially get as much use out of the man as he could.

While Grayson and Maxi went to deal with this unexpected prisoner aboard a mining vessel, Benny turned to the others.

[color=darkgoldenrod]"Alright! We get ta' have the special honor of blastin' this hunk o' metal into oblivion so let's not screw it up. S'much as I like seein' things go kablooie, I dinnae like the thought of going up in flames with them."[/color] He said as he approached the people he had been assigned with. Benny wasn't too sure what to make of their skills, but Stryker was the one who held all the dossiers so he'd have to trust their judgment. The name Holmström was unfamiliar to him, but seeing as the Sandra woman approached their group he assumed that she was the one being referred to.

[color=darkgoldenrod]"Right! So since the robot and the cyborg have a better chance of takin' hits and living than most of us, I say they take point while me and Sandra cover the rear and watch fo-"[/color] Benny stopped abruptly as he looked around and realized that Arex was nowhere to be found. Now that he thought about it, the Amy woman disappeared as well.

[color=darkgoldenrod]"Oi! Where did that bloody cyborg scamper off to? We're short on time and these bombs aren't goin' ta' arm themselves!"[/color] Benny exclaimed in annoyance. He was finally given the chance to make some excitement happen and they were being delayed because someone decided to have some alone time. Benny paced around trying to look for signs of him but there was no such luck, tapping his foot impatiently the whole time.

[color=darkgoldenrod]"This is bloody stupid... Captain, your cyborg's gone missing. Can we blow this shithole apart without 'em?"[/color] Benny asked Stryker through the comms. Though it had barely been a couple minutes since he noticed that Arex was gone, the adrenaline and energy rushing through his veins from the previous firefight was making him restless. Staying still for too long in that state was torture, especially with the promise of seeing a whole station go up in flames being dangled in front of him.

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