Marlena heard the sitrep, but Despite requiring orders from Brian before doing anything, she just had to get a look for herself before the bullets started to fly; she bounded along the defilades in the reverse-slope of the ridge until coming to a similar vantage-point. They had hostiles, but she wasn't sure what he'd meant by 'ten hostiles' which *could* have meant anything on this alien conflict. Although the situation leaned towards their newest foe of the week, mostly Salveshi slavers.

Still, what weapon to use; Rifles or Rockets? 350 meters is on the fringe of 'danger close' with artillery [even if the Grathnik *could* shoot straight in a timely manner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHUfQX837qc), but still a feasible means of softening them up, still a bit too far for any serious small-arms engagement since 5.56 didn't appear too effective against walking tanks and they didn't have enough rockets to waste on pot-shots, but that's why they were issued bait.

The wind kicked some sand up into her face, getting caught in her shmagh; at least it kept her from flinching as she eased her rifle forward. It wasn't an AUG or Kalashnikov, but it handled a bit calmer in her hands than either one in any case. Probably due to the massive buffer-tube in the stock. Still the ease at which the enemy was advancing seemed to disturb her somewhat; this race had been rumored to be exceptional pack-hunters, and surely they weren't so daft as to let a thing like being upwind of their own line of advance go unnoticed.