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[center][h1][color=brown]The Bloody Brothers[/color][/h1][/center]
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[center][i]...Underground...[/i][/center]

[indent]Pisswut struggled with the thing around the skeletons neck. A stitched vinyl strap was wrapped tightly around its' desicated  throat and neck and it was attached to a large black rectangular box with shiny things on it. The light from his electric lantern cast dull shadows over the eyeholes of the long-dead colonist.  Pisswut couldn't resist the thing and  lagged behind his brothers. He could hear them further down the tunnel cursing and spitting and howling. [b]"PISSWUT!"[/b] his brother Aintdead screamed.[/indent]

[indent][b]"Yo-hoo Brother. Here-,"[/b] the strap broke in Pisswuts' hand and he fell back with a thud into the hard packed dirt. The rectangular box fell and the shiny thing smashed into the tunnel wall. Pisswut let loose a blood churning scream.[b]"WHY brother! I'll kill you wit-"[/b] Suddenly a rumble from the earthen walls shook the rotting beams of the tunnel. A mound of dirt was pushed into the passage and Pisswut could no longer hear his brothers cries. The dull light of Pisswuts' electric lamp was diminished to nothing by the kicked-up dust. [b]"Buh...bu..brothers?[/b] he stammered in the dark. Pisswut stood and ran to the cave-in dropping the strap and nearly tripping over the ancient colonists skeleton. Another rumble shook the tunnel and the wall collapsed. An enormous construct nosed through the dirt right in front of Pisswut, the engines and gears churning the hard packed dirt of the ancient tunnels like it was nothing. Pisswut pissed himself.[/indent]

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[center][color=khaki][h1]Skyguard[/h1][/color][/center]

[center][i]Skyguard Ground Control, Polar Caps, Mars...[/i][/center]

[indent]It was of course [i]not[/i] Supreme Minister Lawrence Gep in front of the firing squad. No, he was on a direct flight back to Earth for the order to unleash the [i]Sabre[/i] class drones on Elysium City. Instead some smuggler picked up in the Deimos perimeter had been surgically altered to look like the Minister. His half-drugged expression wriggled through the [i]plastene[/i] injections as the bullets tore him to shreds in front of MANS cameras...[/indent]

[Hider=MAN live coverage][i]...Minister Gep has answered for the crimes against the citizens of Mars. Skyguard Captain Lui Jiang told reporters today that Geps authorization for using armed drones around Elysium city was not authorized by Admiral Vane Vonn. An inquiry by the Board of Internal Affairs found records indicating Gep gave the order from a personal workstation-well outside the parameters of Skyguards ROE (rules of engagement). Admiral Vonn was unavailable for comment...[/i][/hider]

[indent]Admiral Vonn had landed at Ground Control withsecrecy a few hours after Lawrence Gep had managed to hack Skyguard Servers and order the [i]Sabres[/i] to attack Elysium. It was true the Admiral had allowed the attack to continue...Elysium was a cesspool of terrorists and Corporate debauchery and needed to be re-settled eventually, but the PR backlash and the surprising sophistication of MANS network and coverage of the battle had forced Vonn to have a double executed as Gep. He couldn't kill Gep himself, that would be a waste of talent. But he could move him to Deimos and have him continue to analyze the situation from the Research Lab. [i]Tulleheart Industries[/i] would have to be brought into the fold or kicked off Deimos. Vonn drafted a message:[/indent]

[hider=TPT][color=seagreen][i]...your continued use of our Deimos Research facility is of the utmost importance to our organization. TPT has long been a contractual friend of Skyguard. We wish only to keep our current deal intact. As you know Deimos is a cutting edge research facility made exclusively available to your company. Due to recent events in Elysium city, we will be restricting research access to corridors 5-8. Personel will be restricted to 6-month shift rotations and debriefed for 1 month at a Skyguard ground facility. Skyguard is prepared to forfeit TPTs leasing fees for the use of the facility. In addition, Skyguard will grant exclusive contracts for prosthetic implants for our Special Operations Units. Specs on the soldier-modifications will follow. Thank you for your business...[/i][/color][/hider]

[hider=SG spec-ops]
[color=red]CLASSIFIED INFORMATION:SG MARTIAL CODE APPLIES[/color]

[color=seagreen][i]...pending prosthetic aptitude tests the subjects will be given full body implants designed to increase the productivity and sustainability of the human body. Increased stamina and accuracy while reducing aggression and emotion are the projects key goals...[/i][/color][/hider]

[center][i]En route to Archangel Spaceport.[/i][/center]

[indent][b]"I want to know when that son-of-a-bitch Gep lands on Earth."[/b] said Captain Jiang staring out the window of her personal transport [i]Ifrit[/i]. The Corvette Class ship sped along the coast of the Martian ocean at less than 1000 feet. Anti-electron systems bounced radar and spectrum-readouts back out to the atmosphere concealing their approach to Archangel.[/indent]

[indent]Captain Jiang held a tablet in her lap, the proposal for mutual cooperation between Eudaimonia Colony and Skyguard detailed on screen. Archangel Port was key, that was clear enough. Jiang was an accomplished diplomat, but she was weary to approach civilians. Her experience had been limited to pro-peace talks between small personal armies. The Luna Wars had yielded many great statesmen and women...[/indent]

[indent]The lounge of the craft was occupied by Captain Jiang, her three attendants and a Skyguard Spec-Ops in civilian clothes. The bulge of his micron-body armor was visible through his khaki street clothes. Jiang smiled at the young man. [b]"Ever been to Mars Lieutenant..?"[/b][/indent]

[indent][b]"Avery Ma'am. No ma'am. First time for everything."[/b]said the soldier ducking to look out the window. The red soil grew less frequent the closer they got to Eudaimonia colony. [b]"It's no Jupiter.[/b][/indent]

[indent][b]"You've got that right Lt. Avery."[/b] The escort drones appeared in the viewports aligning themselves in close perimeter pattern. Captain Jiangs smiled disappeared.
[b]"Drones are lining up everyone please take your seats. We're nearly to the Archangel.."[/b][/indent]

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[center][color=thistle][h1]EDC[/h1][/color][/center]

[indent]Remy Hondek surveyed the carnage in front of him. The EDC mech-pilot had made his way through the chaos of the riots and looting in Elysium City and found himself alone. The streets were quiet, but above he could hear the soft whistle of rockets being fired and then a few moments later the inevitable explosion miles away.[/indent]

[indent]The EDC was reforming, that much he knew. Hondeks wrist console had picked up EDC codes flying out of EDC-3, a company fortress in the northern perimeter of the city. A few divisions of Armor and a handful of ornithopters had made it to safety. He would call in a evac but he doubted the company would make a mission for one man-besides he risked the chance of someone picking up and centering on his call making him an easy target. Hondek sighed, check his ammo on the scavenged AK3-Avenger rifle he found and moved out.[/indent]
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