[b]Rishun and Max[/b]
A Collab with [@Esailia]

The scene that was emerging in front was becoming clearer, as the 30-mil wielding mechanised marksman saw what Rishun herself couldn't understand. It was a hell of a piece of work the otter had accomplished, but even Max could see the fear through all the layers of metal and composite armour, it was....well, a shock to her. But it happened. The lucky thing about a GEAR, Max reminded himself, was that while the damage you caused was far more destructive, there usually wasn't anything left afterward or you didn't have as physical connection to the chaos you just raised. It felt perhaps more....disconnected than anything else to what you had, like it dehumanised it all. Through a thermal imaging optic, the enemy on the other side didn't look as scary. And as existentially terrifying as that was, Max guessed Rishun had probably felt what it was like to feel recoil that would irreversibly change someone's life for far worse, and necessary as it was, it was a new experience. 

Moving up the hillslope, Max joined her at the crest of the hill, scanning around for any other threats beyond the ones left that she'd blasted apart.
[quote=@Esailia]
Rishun blinked slowly, her mind racing to figure out how she got there as she flicked her finger onto Max's video feed at the same time calling on the comms "Raoka'dieachuwaz'ounka... Ney'sien'Max."
[/quote]
The lion didn't entirely understand her garbled accent, but it seemed almost panicked, perhaps switching to her native dialect in a panic of sorts. The lion knew that he couldn't be too harsh, well, not when she'd managed to go guns blazing like this, tearing this site apart. It was fluid, almost as if she was in harmony with the machine, but Max guessed she was probably taking in what was going on now.

"Sorry...what'd you mean, Rishun? You did a hell of a number here...just relax, take a breather.  You did well under fire….just take a minute." Max asked, his comms coming through clean as he scanned the area around, swinging the 30mm rifle as he took a look at the comms post, one of the cabins blasted apart by fire and pretty much derelict, as the other stood there alongside a small radar bubble. The other cabin was intact, in fact, it was completely fine, compared to the rest of the fixtures and walls of the comms post which had been torn apart. The Lion Rampant scanned the horizon, Max aware that while they might have cleaned out the most immediate threat here, there could still be more who picked up the recent firefight here.  
Rishun had stopped herself from jerking her GEAR around fully to face Max at the sound of his voice, and what he said made her recall a moment in her bootcamp "Yessir, breathing and relaxing, having a martini on the beach...I said I had no more enemy signs of life."
The lion silently affirmed Rishun’s comment, glad at least she was back to a more common tongue. Or it was just Rishun being Rishun. Either way, the lion had another suggestion on his mind.

"Think we should go have a peek inside that cabin, on foot? There might still be someone hiding in there, or a network we can look at quickly before we head on down. After all, we're here for intel and we might have a moment before we can join the others down the hill." Max asked, aiming to get Rishun thinking about something else, namely her technical expertise. 
Max wasn't an expert with people, but if there was one thing he knew about shock was that keeping someone's mind away from dwelling on all of this too much and pushing forward was better than stopping and coming to a halt. The reconnaissance operative waited, looking across through his GEAR's optics to Rishun's Aqua Goddess. 

"Sounds good. Might be nice to stretch my tail, Sir." She replied with a light tremor. She checked that her GEAR would continue to feed jamming signals in her absence, then pushed her manual exit button, setting in motion a series of locks on the front hatch before it slowly swung open, breaking the seal it had. She climbed down slowly and gingerly, making certain to avoid bloodstains on her GEAR's legs. She quickly skittered around to her personal compartments in the backs. She grabbed her drone pack from one leg, double checking the wireless charge was working, then moving over to the other leg to strap on her modified pistol with blunt bullets, as well as an extra battery for her stun baton, which she slipped into its loop on her belt. Finally she grabbed the omni-tool she had custom made just for helping her access hackable things.

The lion followed suit with his own GEAR, dropping gently out of his GEAR and drawing his pistol with one hand, whilst heading to his GEAR’s leg to grab his weapons stash. Opening the store, he drew his M23 once again, putting his pistol away with a smooth motion as a magazine entered the designated marksman rifle, with a solid but sturdy click. He also took his charges, just in case they had to detonate anything inside, leaving about half of the spare rifle ammunition inside. The side-mounted holographic optic on the M23 came to life, as Max looked across to the cabin, then to Rishun.

The Otter, now strapped with her gear and hands free, slid a pair of simple gloves on and bounded across the short distance to follow behind Max, acutely aware her survival now depended on how close she stuck with the lion.

“Nothing quite like getting some fresh air.” Max replied cooly, to which Rishun nodded in response, the operatives tactically moving across the muddy hilltop of the comms post and past the burning wreck of his handiwork, and from there to the side of the destroyed cabin. Max’s UAV hadn’t pinged any new movement in their close proximity, so for the very least there wasn’t anyone in the open to worry about. Rifle in gloved paw, the lion clutched it tightly by the foregrip, turning the corner of the destroyed cabin with an observant gaze, Rishun sticking to his six. He didn’t have his NVGs down, not at the moment given the fire from the IFV nearby, but he had them sitting atop his helmet, ready to go.

“On my lead, Rishun. Weapons ready, keep your eyes peeled.” Max sounded stoic through their personal comms-  gone was the relaxed and rebellious lion and here out of his GEAR was someone altogether different, aware that there wasn’t a layer of armour between him and the outside world anymore, but his reactions, reflexes and capabilities. The lion towered over the otter as he stood tall, but it wouldn’t count for much in a close-quarters environment- a bullet was a bullet, no matter how big you were and Max knew disembarking was always a risk, as he led the two towards the cabin, weapon raised, tilted to 45 degrees and ready to fire on anyone who might emerge.

Rishun pulled her pistol from its holster yet still hobbled on three paws, wanting to stay low while keeping her potential speed high. Her brain was still pumping out the signal for adrenaline, and her senses were riding high in that moment. She kept glancing all around them as they neared the building, more jittery than a jute box.

The lion slowed as he approached the building’s side, the main building of the comms post clearly battered not just by the fact it was assaulted by a pair of GEARs, but by just the erosion from rain and time itself. It felt dated, old and neglected, but nonetheless, a functioning building for running the towers that were located adjacent on the hill. With a push against the side, Max looked back to Rishun, making sure she was still close. He just hoped this wasn’t too hairy, that they wouldn’t run into five people around this door- part of him was ready to expect anything, so if that was how it was going to go down, that would be what they got today. Still, it was so far, so good, Max thought to himself. Before he moved any further, he switched on the flashlight on his rifle, the laser-light module emitting a powerful light from the underside of the DMR by the foregrip, utterly blinding if looked at directly. And well, something Max preferred in close quarters.

Rishun watched him turn his barrel light on, and she shivered. Something about breaching an unknown, dark, enemy building without backup or much plan didn't sit well with her. This felt akin to a horror movie… she was going to get a flashlight attachment for her pistol after this mission.

Pushing the door open, Max gave a hand signal, that of “Move!” towards the left hand side of the door, Max pushing against the door and sweeping his flank while Rishun swept hers with her pistol. It was clear on initial inspection, the computer terminal on the far side not manned.

"Clear." Rishun called after checking her side and confirming there were no doors or open windows, her eyes falling on the console practically calling for her.

“Clear here.” Max commented through the comms, the lion still sweeping his corners, walking over papers and the general mess that had been created here, thinking just how rushed it all felt. It seemed rather strange that it was unmanned, but even so, the mess here said someone had gone through here recently, despite the poor visibility Max had in the dark. 

Well, that was at least until he went closer towards the main communication console and saw the shadow of a flickering tail underneath a computer desk, making out something there. He pointed his rifle at the underside of the desk, the light beaming down at the unsuspecting cat, the petrified look not one masked by the dark. Max was looking for a weapon on the technician’s person through his optic, his own finger gripped tightly around the trigger, ready to end this poor sod in a second. It would be easy, quick even, the safest option to do. But Max was faster than that. And not as cold as that, even if he very easily could have been. 

Max charged forward, the lion roaring in a manner that Rishun likely hadn’t heard and dragged the technician out from under the desk with his paw and pinned him to the floor with his boot head facing up, faster than could be reacted to by words alone. Despite his size, the lion was fast to react and move, quicker than the cat could be in trying to bring Max down to the floor by grabbing Max’s leg. As a result of his fast reactions, Max had his foot right against the cat’s right shoulder and jammed it down hard, looking down and seeing no knives or pistols on the black cat…. which at least was a relief. 

Still, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind- this wasn’t someone innocent who had ended up here, not with the ROE that they had been given. He made it seem effortless as the cat scratched and tried to kick out, but Max’s foot was on him like a piece of lead, trapping him down still. He wasn’t going anywhere, not without Max’s foot going places.

Rishun jumped at the roar, having no prior warning as Max engaged the unknown opponent. She quickly rushed into his room and aimed at the scuffle, ready to lend a bullet to Max's aid. A person was in here this whole time and they didnt know… seeing he had the enemy handled, she moved around the two rooms again to double check for hostiles more thoroughly, finally calling "Clear." Again, before looking back to Max, holding her pistol back on the cat.

“Fucking ‘ell. We’ve got a live one.” Max said, shaking his head as he looked back at Rishun, knowing full well she’d witnessed it all. He looked back at the terrified cat, the silenced marksman rifle with a beaming light still pointed square at his top half. 

“Give me a reason not to put a bullet in your head…..and you better make it quick.” The lion coldly said, Max devoid of emotion in that moment, apart from the overriding one that he’d missed this poor bastard here and could have risked Rishun. And well, everyone in that room had felt his roar right there, right then. 
"I-I'm just a code monkey! I d-don't shoot Anyone! Please don't h-h-hurt me! I c-can help you, w-what do y-you want? I w-will do anyt-thing!" The cat stuttered out, and the pair of pilots would be hard pressed to determine if it was because of being threatened or a stutter from birth.

Max sighed, lowering the rifle’s gaze from the cat’s eyes which were fully open to Max’s foot, at least not blinding him as much. Max could only guess as much that the techie was utterly shitscared, but again, he was in a place he really, really shouldn’t have been. 
“Well, that is useful to hear. Glad to hear you’re gonna cooperate.. I’ll sort out this fella. Rishun, get us some lighting.” Max said, his tone not changing still but now at least quieter than it was before. With a gentle release, the lion scooped his foot under the cat’s side and pushed him over, throwing his knee onto his lower back and bringing his hands together, M23 now stowed on Max’s side. Taking zip-tie from his plate carrier, he swiftly tied the cat’s hands, keeping him down against the floor.
“What’s your name, matey? And tell me, how aren’t you dead right now?” 

Rishun nodded and looked around the walls for a switch or some sort of breaker. As she did, their prisoner talked "M-my name is Elias. I've b-been a technician all my life. When I was told I could help my country with my skills, I didn't question it...I wish I did now."

Max’s stare changed, when he heard that, no longer pressing against Elias’s back as he took a knee by his side. Country? He was clearly panicking, but Max knew better than to push for information relentlessly. He wasn’t completely cold, but knew he had to push the cat a little now for the comms post at least. At the very least, to get that sorted and deal with the other aspects later. No doubt with some proper interrogation he’d spill all the beans. 

“No doubt about it. Alright, so here’s how it’ll work. I need you to tell my friend over there the state of the jamming network, and the comms here, as it sounds like you work on it. Right now, it sounds like your best shot at not joining your friends outside.” Max said, cold as ever, as he knelt down, the cat nodding as he looked over to the otter, the only person Elias could assume Max was talking about.
“Alright, alright….it’s….it’s a simple array! All based here. It’s stopping everything going out, second-tier encryption. There’s an additional layer for our comms channel, that’s all I know, honest!. Please, don’t hurt me….I don’t know anything, my commanding officer just told us to come here, I’m begging you, I don’t want this…” The cat begged, as Max looked across, seeing Rishun get to work.

The Otter flicked a switch she found flat against a wall, the four lights on the ceiling flickering to life. With that task done, she looked over her shoulder, calling "Scrap, shoulder." And the little mechanical squirrel climbed up a moment later. She brought her pebble up and shook it a few times, activating the screen and wirelessly connecting to Scrap. She set up a live feed between the squirrel and both their helmets, then sent some orders wirelessly to scrap. She walked over to where the prisoner was, allowing the metal critter to climb down her arm to settle in front of Elias, Scrap's little head and eyes watching his every jitter. She spoke as she worked all this out on her pebble "All I need to know from you is if you built the system. Said you have been a techie all your life, I don't want to get locked out because you're duping us…"

Max looked back at Elias, the cat swallowing a lump in his throat, the fatigues hard to make out now the lights were on inside the cabin. The walls were all insulated he could now see, with no windows that faced outside. The cat was still terrified, even if Max’s silenced DMR wasn’t in his face anymore, because now the cat understood just how intimidating the lion was.
“I’d answer her if I were you. Don’t fucking stutter.” Max barked, fully aware that if this was bad-cop, good cop with a captured techie, Max was certainly living up to the former.

“It’s not my system, it’s….I don’t know, I don’t get told anything. I think it might be Margothian, it’s all plug and play, simele stuff. I don’t know who gave it to us, that’s just the tech we’re using.” Elias winced, looking up at Max, and in a rare bit of courage, wanted his own back. Perhaps in curiosity more than anything, the shock subsiding to confusion.
”Who the hell even are you? What the fuck’s even going on….you can’t be ANL, can you?” Elias asked with a certain fearful curiosity.

Rishun smirked with her back to the techie. Not his system? She walked over to the console and sat, pulling out her omni-tool and pebble and setting them on the table's edge. The Otter got to work activating the console, flicking expertly through a few screens to get a feel for it. Nothing high tech, but it was smooth so definitely in-house somewhere. Margothian electro-bros focuses on chips and hardware. Did this guy think they were both jocks? "Let's see…" she mused, tapping her pebble awake and interfacing with the console after setting up a hefty firewall or three. Things checked out for communications handling. There wasn't anything fishy about the other fi- "Mm? What do we have here…?"

Max tutted, staring straight into the fellow feline’s eyes. “You seem to forget we’re the ones asking the questions, not you, Elias. Right now, I’d have bigger things to worry about. Like if I should cut my losses with you.” Max said, pushing his arm up against the cat’s throat as the cat began to almost yell in a muffled fashion with his throat pushed, before Max backed off. He was exhaling hard as he took his rifle back into hands again, leaving the cat against the side wall, limp, terrified and bound. 

In times like this, Max understood that doing what he did in any civil court would have been considered close to a violation of the common rules of war. Yet he reminded himself, that was part and parcel in this world of theirs. If he didn’t do it, someone else would, or someone else would get hurt down the line. All impossible to see, a butterfly effect of sorts, but Max knew it was better that they got what they needed and at the very least, reduced the risk that his friends and fellow pilots would be going into. A lesser evil, and one Max just accepted. No doubt Silverwind had seen the same deal, and given how off-the-books this all was, the playbook was long gone. 

“How’s it getting on? I hope he’s been truthful, for his sake.” 

Rishun glanced up to the Scrap display for a moment, then refocused on the task at hand "Hope our new friend is still awake. Wanted to ask him about a few encrypted files I just f- crap!" She stopped herself, flicked at her pebble a few times, then grabbed her omni-tool and slipped under the console's lip to start power drilling a few screws out of the metal sheet.

In response, Max looked back at the cat, aware he was handling their new captive whilst Rishun was at work.
“Same again, Elias. What about the files?” Max asked, his UAV not pinging any movement into the comms post as of yet, as the lion looked back down at the captive cat. But this time Elias wasn't as forthcoming, now aware he had a counterpart in Rishun. To the two, the moment Rishun said 'encrypted files', the game was on.
"I don't know anything about encrypted files."

Rishun chuckled at that, pulling and tossing aside a piece of sheet metal "Yeah? How about the folder labeled 'transactions' filled with some unsavory erotic material I found? Unencrypted and with your 'electric fingerprints all over them?"

She yanked her drone case off her back and set it on her left, then pushed into the hole she made under the console, omni-tool in hand.

The black cat turned almost a bright red, as Max realised he didn’t even have to do a thing…..it was impressive. A level even he hadn’t really thought of, as the cat now was very keen to talk.
“Okay. okay, there’s some encrypted files. There’s nothing in them….okay, well there’s the keys for the comms validation. That’s it though!” Elias replied, as Max walked over, towering over.
“You sure about that?” Max asked, 
“I mean….there’s some others in there. Code is 1234# to access any of them.” Elias added, sheepish as ever.
“You’re fucking joking. Try it, Rishun. Maybe he's speaking some sense.” Max couldn’t believe it for a second, and was very, very ready to kick the shit out of Elias if that was a lie, knowing just how utterly stupid it sounded. But nonetheless, he’d said it, repeated it, taking a punt Elias was terrified and it really was as dumb as it sounded. Max wasn’t just being stupid, yet he knew well...it sounded just that way…..

"Max, punch him in the jaw. That's a reference to an old satire movie!" Rishun said over their comm, splicing into a seemingly random wire. Elias gave a nervous chuckle as he looked up at Max, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.

Max didn’t punch him in the jaw. That would have been easy, but when you have an enraged lion, easy stops being so easy. Max simply used the butt of his M23 instead, and slammed it into the side of the cat’s head, drawing blood and probably going much further than he should have. But as stupid as it was, Max wasn’t taking shit, as he roared at the cat, knowing it had certainly reminded him not to get on his bad side.
“You think you’re fucking funny?! Let’s see how fucking funny you are now, eh?!” Max could be heard from the other side of the room loud and clear, probably even a little outside as he yelled. There wasn’t anything beyond it- pure and unfiltered rage, yet Max had restrained himself from going any further against their captive. 

Rishun had just pulled her body out of the hole, trailing a pair of wires with her and just in time to hear the crack of the rifle but into a skull. She whirled her gaze to their prisoner to see blood dripping down the cat's face "MAX! I still need him! Don't leave him unable to talk."

Looking back at Rishun, Max nodded, shrugging his shoulders and head as to what he’d done. Well, it wasn’t pretty, but then again….Max didn’t have what most would call a soft touch.
“He’ll think about it his words a bit more carefully next time. Cat’s got his tongue, Rishun. Don’t worry about that.” He simply replied, almost a little too stoically as to what he’d just done, probably as if it was just another day in the office for him.  

The Otter hissed "Yienahiiek'raoka'Max. Just...Elias, I will make this simple: I don't care about getting into them right now. I will be isolating and transferring them off your server by physical line, bypassing any net security you have set up. They will not be stored on my pebble, and I will not tell you where. I do not NEED you to get into them. You need ME to save you from a life sentence of abetting terrorists." She pointed to him, adding "Blindfold him."

Max did as Rishun asked, taking a spare balaclava from his fatigues, turning it backwards and sliding it over the cat’s head, Max not afraid of the fact he was gonna have to spend more time getting his shit cleaned up after this. That was for later, right now, he wanted to keep the friendly techie happy and Elias out of sight, literally.

“Aye, Rishun. Let’s get this done and get out of here. It’s going to be hard to secure him, but he could have some very valuable information. ” Max replied, Standing tall once again, Max put hand to headset, wondering just how on earth he was gonna phrase any of this. 

“Hunter Actual, this is Recon. We’ve secured the Comms post. We’re getting to work on cutting signals now and hacking their network. But we’ve got something more. We’ve captured a technician. He might have some useful intel for us.” Max said, his voice now calmed down a bit, but carrying some of the tone he’d hurled at Elias, who seemed to have gone all quiet now. Rather unsurprising, the lion thought to himself.