[center][hr][hr]
[img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjQwLmUzZTNlMy5VM1J2Y20xMGNtOXZjR1Z5Y3csLC4wAAAA/sf-distant-galaxy.regular.png[/img]

[color=a9a9a9][b]Location:[/b][/color] [b]Snowy Forest ---> [color=a0410d]City Ruins[/color] (Outskirts)[/b]
[color=a9a9a9][b]Mentions:[/b][/color] N/A
[hr][hr]
[/center]

[b]"By the Supreme Leader..."[/b] a breathless "Fidget" complained, [b]"How far do these trees reach?"[/b] 

The trooper just in front of him, FN-768, took yet another annoyed glance back at him.

[b]"How many times do I have to ask you to shut up?"[/b] he growled at the lesser trooper, [b]"All you've been doing was complaining!"[/b]

A frigid Fidget shrugged as a cold shiver ran down his spine. Not out of fear as what many would usually expect; for he was just freezing in his boots. The Supreme Leader had ordered them to find a suitable place to call for reinforcements, one spacious enough for them to properly deploy and create a command post. And so they were thrusted into the wilderness alone once again to search for a way out of the forest. However, their trip was already becoming tedious trekking through the thick snow. 

The good news however, is that they hadn't encountered any hostiles as of yet. They went in the opposite direction of the tower, sparing them from reencountering the guardian monster's wrath once more. Even then, it didn't prevent them from talking about the experience to each other.

[b][color=f26522]"Did any of y'all think that the Supreme Leader actually won that fight?"[/color][/b] Scorch asked everyone with a somewhat curious tone.

[b]"He looked pretty pissed when he arrived,"[/b] FN-453 mentioned, [b]"He didn't say anything but I could tell he must've not been pleased with the outcome."[/b]

[b]"Yeah..."[/b] FN-768 admitted, [b]"Probably a sign that he lost to it, or that it got away."[/b]

[b]"I mean, it was a pretty big monster."[/b] Fidget admitted, [b]"It was almost as big as the tower itself. And it looked meaner, and I mean A LOT meaner, then, say, a rancor."[/b]

[b]"Wait,"[/b] 768 interrupted as he realized something, [b]"Didn't the Supreme Leader fight a Zillo Beast back during the expansionist era... and WON?"[/b]

[b]"The Benathy's home world worshipped one as a god."[/b] FN-149 tapped in with confirmation, [b]"I was there when it all went down."[/b]

The stormtroopers quickly turned their attention to the quiet one as their intrigue spiked.

[b][color=f26522]"Did he win?"[/color][/b] Scorch asked first.

A brief pause later and 149 nodded his head.

[b]"He did."[/b] he confirmed genuinely, [b]"Jumped into the creature's mouth after dropping from his own shuttle. Sliced him open from the inside-out."[/b]

[b]"Then how the hell would he beaten by a monster far smaller than that 100 meter tall sonova~?"[/b] 768 asked inquisitively.

[b]"Did it use the FORCE?"[/b] Fidget added in.

[b]"SHUT UP FIDGET."[/b] 768 commanded bluntly with a jab to his shoulder.

[b][color=f26522]"Musta' breathed fire then."[/color][/b] Scorch answered jokingly with a chuckle, [b][color=f26522]"Had an anti-Ren proof plan or somethin'. Either that or it spewed acid."[/color][/b]

[b]"There are monsters that can do that?!"[/b] Fidget asked naively.

768 sighed defeatedly as he addressed the entire squad. [b]"Who even cares at this point? Whether or not he defeated the beast, the Supreme Leader is still alive and well. Once we have our reinforcements, we should be able to take down that monster if we run into it again."[/b]

The others reflected on the situation before agreeing with his statement. 

[hr]

[b]"Hey, I think we're reaching the end of the forest."[/b] FN-453 noted as she pointed to the reddish-brown dust that laid just beyond the tree line.

Another minute later and the squad would find themselves abruptly changing into a new biome. From the forest they emerged into the ruins of a concrete metropolitan jungle while walking upon a heavily beaten asphalt road. Large pillars of decrepit stone jetted up from the ground, exposing their rotted guts of furniture and office supplies. The road was long in disrepair, with potholes and debris littering the pathway. Even an occasional tumbleweed could be seen moving across the road. Beaten up rusted vehicles littered the streets as well, left as if they had been abandoned for years or having exploded violently in place.

[b]"What happened here?"[/b] Fidget asked curiously as he cautiously raised his blaster, expecting anything to pop out at any time.

Large cracks jetted from the ground at unusual angles, with huge chunks of the road having been pushed up by the violent force that erupted from underneath. The stormtroopers had to be careful not to fall into the deep dark abyss that laid below. Sparse amounts of dried up foliage could also be seen emerging from the cracks, yet without water they remained dead and lifeless. 

[b]"Keep your eyes open for any hostiles."[/b] FN-149 ordered as he took the lead.

And only a few seconds after he said that, a [url=https://comicvine1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/original/11134/111349045/7136249-imp%20%281%29.png]shrieking humanoid monster[/url] suddenly bursts out from around the corner.

[b]"Hostile sighted!"[/b] 453 confirmed before the troopers proceeded to shoot at it.

For a second, the agile imp avoided their fire, even being quick enough to chuck a fireball at the troopers, only to miss. Soon it would be hit in the shoulder by a blaster bolt, stunning it as several more bolts would quickly take it out as it fell with a shrieking cry. Now that it was taken care, the now alerted troopers quickly proceeded to inspect the creature's mangled from.

[b]"What is that thing?"[/b] Fidget asked worryingly as he inspected it from a distance. 

Scorch would proceed to prod the creature's leathery-brown foot with his flamethrower, making sure that it was dead.

[b][color=f26522]"Damn is that thing ugly."[/color][/b] he casually remarked, [b][color=f26522]"Was pretty metal that it could throw fireballs though, heheh."[/color][/b]

453 proceeded to take a closer look at the creature with moderate intrigue.

[b]"Can't say I've seen something like it before."[/b] she admitted before raising back upright, [b]"We need to keep moving. I have the feeling we'll be probably seeing more of~"[/b]

[b]"Shhh,"[/b] 149 hushed his teammates quietly with a raised fist, [b]"I hear something... Stay quiet while I take a closer look."[/b]

They all remained quiet as 149 slowly peaked from behind the corner. Within a large clearing a few blocks away, he could faintly see two figures conversing with one another. One was a large burly figure clad in green armor, who held a large gun of some kind; possibly a slugthrower by the looks of it. The other white-haired figure wearing a crimson jacket, holding a similar weapon to the former. And littered around them were dozens of corpses. Many seemed to resemble the creature the stormtroopers just killed, while there were others that were more unfamiliar, some wielding weapons of their own, or have great wings, or utilized great size for intimidation. Each were horribly disfigured or resembled unholy monsters that crawled from deep within the unknown regions. The troopers would be no match against a large army of these creatures by themselves.

He turned back from the corner and faced his comrades.

[b]"Looks like we got company."[/b] 149 said in a low voice, [b]"Confirmed visuals on two figures, both armed, with dozens of monster corpses littered around them."[/b]

[b]"Did they kill the entire army of these things by themselves?"[/b] Fidget asked while pointing to the imp they killed.

149 nodded. [b]"I didn't see anyone else in the area."[/b]

[b]"Great,"[/b] 768 muttered, [b]"I would've been comfortable if you just said there were two units, instead of mentioning how they both busted up an army of these things."[/b]

[b][color=f26522]"Do we give 'em hell?"[/color][/b] Scorch asked eagerly.

453 shook her head. [b]"I advise against it. For reasons I shouldn't have to point out."[/b]

[b]"FN-453 is right."[/b] 149 responded, [b]"Our mission here is to find a suitable location for the Supreme Leader to deploy reinforcements. That is all. We should not get into any conflicts that are in over our head."[/b]

The rest of the troopers nodded in agreement. They were all on edge in engaging the two who took out an army of these things. If they could take them all out, then a couple of stormtroopers like them would be nothing to them.

[b]"Should we contact the Supreme Leader?"[/b] 453 asked.

149 nodded again as he proceeded to take out his holo-projector and waits for a response...