[b]Brickwood[/b]
[b]Edge of Alliance Space
January 7th, 2368[/b]
[b]Dusk[/b]

On a large estate a few hours outside the only city on the colony, former Alliance Military Colonel Dominic Karn lived a quiet life. He had retired from active duty over a decade ago, after a long and illustrious career spanning half a century. Now he filled his days in the garden, where at this very moment, he sat on a small bench, waiting and watching as two bulky figures walked up the lane. As they entered the light, he was only mildly shocked to see the seven-foot tall robot and the familiar looking, heavily armored male.

[color=00aeef]"Finally found me eh?"[/color] Karn said to the man [color=00aeef]"I've been wondering when you'd show up from the moment I heard about the failure of Project Revenant. Though I was surprised when you made contact to organize this deal. Oh, the added security is not necessary, as you can see I'm quite unarmed."[/color]
[color=f7941d]"Colonel"[/color] Stryker said simply, his voice slightly distorted through the filter of his helmet [color=f7941d]"you have the data drive?"[/color]
[color=00aeef]"Straight to business, as always eh boy? What is it they call you now... Stryker? Don't have time for a chat with a very old friend?"[/color]
[color=f7941d]"You and I have very different memories of our relationship if you think we're friends."[/color] he said coldly.
[color=00aeef]"Indulge an old man, would you?"[/color] Karn chastised as he picked up a cellphone-sized hard drive and waved it to draw attention [color=00aeef]"The price is still what we agreed on, though I should double it at this point, given your behavior."[/color]

[color=f7941d]"Apologies Colonel"[/color] Stryker replied sincerely as he pulled some credit chips from a pouch on his belt and handed them over [color=f7941d]"It's been a long three months"[/color]
[color=00aeef]"So I've heard. You always had a knack for drawing chaos"[/color] Karn said as he handed over the drive, then laid his hands in his lap [color=00aeef]"So, how is it going to happen?"[/color]
[color=f7941d]"What are you talking about?"[/color]
[color=00aeef]"Don't bullshit me. We both know I'm a dead man the minute we're done here. I deserve to know how."[/color]

Stryker jutted his thumb over his shoulder towards the silent robot.
[color=f7941d]"Big guy's partner over there is a pretty good shot with a long rifle. He's off in the trees down on the south edge of the garden."[/color]
Karn nodded solemnly [color=00aeef]"Quick and easy, I taught you well, didn't I?"[/color]
Stryker nodded in kind.
The old man chuckled [color=00aeef]"Lara has no idea of the wrath you're going to rain down on her. The only thing that's still not clear to me is why you aren't pulling the trigger yourself."[/color]
[color=f6989d]"About that...."[/color] Stryker's voice was suddenly more feminine as 'he' reached up to remove 'his' helmet and revealed the crimson locks of Tibulass Sepitan's hair.

Karn looked at her with a mixture of shock and amusement. He chuckled slightly and looked up towards the sky with his eyes closed.
[color=00aeef]"Heh, well done boy.... go ahead."[/color]
[color=f6989d]".... well, you heard him."[/color] Tib said quietly into her comms.

A resounding [b][i]CRACK[/i][/b] split the silence, and Karn silently slumped over, a small trickle of blood leaking down from the bullet hole between his eyes. Tib looked down at the data drive in her hand, Stryker hadn't fully explained what they had come to get, but she had a lot of questions. Stryker finally became visible, hoodie partially obscuring his face and long gun slung over his shoulder, as he marched up the same path Tib and SAL has traversed. As the captain arrives, he stands by his companions and looks down at Karn's lifeless body.
[color=f7941d]"I've been waiting to do that for a long time."[/color]

[color=f6989d]"Any regrets?"[/color] Tib asked, her eyebrow raised at Stryker. She hadn't been too sure about his convoluted plan, but sure enough, everything worked out. Now, they both stood over a fresh corpse. With the way things had been going, she'd be surprised if it had turned out any other way....
[color=f7941d]"Not a bit"[/color] Stryker said, still unable to look away. SAL had already begun silently stomping away towards the shuttle. The captain knelt and took the credit chips back from Karn's pocket. He was finally able to look at Tib as he straightened up. Beautiful as ever, her hair blowing slightly in the breeze, the sight of her in his armor was a solemn reminder of the war to come.

[color=f7941d]"Listen... no doubt you have a lot of questions after all this, but is it ok if we talk about it later? I want to get back to the ship and out of the sector before Special Forces get sniffing around."[/color]
[color=f6989d]"Answers later, yeah, but shouldn't we clean things up a little bit to buy ourselves some time?"[/color]
[color=f7941d]"No need, we'll be ghosts long before anyone gets around if we leave now. The minute Lara knows he's dead, she'll know we're coming for her."[/color]
Tib nodded and started to walk off, Stryker took one last look at Karn before following suit.

Shortly after, the group was back on their shuttle and rocketing off for orbit. SAL at the controls as Tib wriggled out of Stryker's armor and they packed it away in a case on the floor between them.
[color=f7941d]"Thanks for doing this, and for understanding that I had to be the one to pull the trigger, even though I never really explained why, you're the best."[/color] Stryker said, blushing a little as he was still getting used to the feeling of having a significant other.
Tib got a little red-faced herself, then smirked [color=f6989d]"you're not too bad yourself, even though you are a complete dork."[/color]
SAL could be heard muttering in an exasperated tone [color=ed1c24]"Mushy meatbags"[/color]

[b]Revenant[/b]
On the dark side of Brickwood's moon, the crew waited for their captain, chief pilot and sarcastic robot companions to return from their job on the surface. Most were keeping to themselves or longing in the common areas, doing whatever people do when they're trying to keep energy consumption to a minimum. The mercenary known only as Moon walked through the hall on the crew deck, idly eating a granola bar as she stopped in front of the door to cabin #7 and pounded on the door.

[color=39b54a]"Nnnghh... Go away, 'm not in tha mood."[/color]
[color=bc8dbf]"You're not staying in bed Grayson, you've barely left your room these last few weeks, and I know you didn't eat yesterday. I'm not doing my job if I let you starve yourself to death. Besides, your neighbors are starting to complain about the smell, so get your ass out of bed, get in the shower, and eat a goddamn banana, or I'm putting my boot through this door."[/color]
[color=39b54a]"Like t' see ya fuckin' try"[/color]
Moon kicked the door, shaking it in its frame and nearly bursting it open.
[color=39b54a]"Jaysus... fine, fine, I'm goin'"[/color]
With a smirk of satisfaction, Moon headed off, calling back that she'd be checking on him in a few minutes and bringing backup. The guy had been through some rough times, for sure, but it was no excuse to be a complete slob.

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

As the shuttle safely arrived back at the Revenant, Stryker was pouring over a mobile star map on his datapad, and talking as the plan formed in his head.
[color=f7941d].... 6-2-5 heading, cruising speed until we get past Ichold, then full burn back into the Deadzone?"[/color] Stryker looked up and caught Tib staring at him, definitely listening but something else was clearly on her mind [color=f7941d]"hey.. what's up?"[/color]
[color=f6989d]"Hm? ... I dunno, just still wondering what all that was about? Seemed a little more than a simple milk run for a data drive, or taking out a political figure to send a message"[/color] she said simply [color=f6989d]"I'm not mad about the risk, just curious."[/color]
[color=f7941d]"Like I said when we were down there, it's a long story. How about this? I'll tell you everything when you come to bed tonight, promise. Get us out of this system, and then SAL can take the night shift. I'd ask Grayson but.... well you know."[/color]
[color=f6989d]"Mhm, well see, there are also two seats up in the cockpit"[/color] Tib smugly grinned [color=f6989d]"If we're aiming to get back there quick, two of us could get that job done without relying on the 'bot. Don't get me wrong, he's fantastic, but isn't it the smarter play to have the 2 best pilots on duty right now? At least until we're safely out of Alliance territory?"[/color]

Stryker looked back blankly, stumbling over his words a little as he realized she had a point [color=f7941d]"I, uh, was gonna go back to the terminal in our room and get to work on decoding and analyzing the drive"[/color] the smirk on her face and the slightly raised eyebrow told him that she knew she was right, he sighed as he added on [color=f7941d]"Yeah, alright. I'll drop my armor off and be right there."[/color]
[color=f6989d]"No, really, it's alright, just an idea. I trust you, you'll spill all your secrets when the time is right. Do what you gotta do. I'll fire up the engines and see you in a bit ~Romeo~"[/color]
She winked and fired a finger gun at him teasingly as she headed off, leaving Stryker standing in the cargo bay, shaking his head and chuckling at the amazing woman he was falling in love with.

[hider=Spoiler]Partial Collab with [@Gardevoiran][/hider]