[h1]Tar 'Mdalak[/h1]
[h3]Paxopolis Simulated Training Centre[/h3]
Just as he was ordered, Ryssa was the one to take the lead, storm rifle in hand with a needler at his side. “Move forward.” He said aloud through their comms to those behind him. He had neglected to give any specific instruction as to the order in which they should move, so it was the Major that was just behind him. He wielded a storm rifle as well, with an energy sword at his side. Jurna, as he always did when given the choice, was armed with a carbine and needler, while the silent Sangheili just in front of Tar held a plasma rifle in his right hand, and a plasma pistol in the left.

Ryssa moved straight ahead down the hall towards the fork at the end of the corridor. He, and the rest of the recruits, had night vision enabled, though that by itself would not reveal stalkers using active camouflage. As they moved, he was paying more attention to his motion tracker than he was his own eyes, and he did not order to clear the side rooms as they passed them by.

The recruits obviously hadn’t absorbed the room clearing exercise Tar had put them through two days ago in one of Paxopolis’ crowded storage facilities. She shook her head - not a good start.

They quietly passed two doorways, which Tar looked through as a reflex. She saw base workers slumped over the workstations, their seats and the floor covered in blood. The Brutes hadn’t even given them a chance to fight back.

Footsteps, fast approaching from another doorway to her right. She pivoted as quick as her feet would allow, brought her Mauler to bear and fired. 

The blast impacted a Stalker’s shield barely a metre away before the now half-visible Brute crashed into Tar. 

She was lifted off her feet and propelled backwards through another doorway where they both clattered to the floor.

Her Mauler blast had evidently damaged Stalker’s shield, because it fizzled out with a loud ‘pop’. In the dim, light Tar found the bright red beam of the Stalker’s single helmet lens a few inches from her face. Huge tombstone teeth gnashed at her as the Brute wrestled past Tar’s raised arms and got his hands around her throat. She spluttered as her windpipe instantly closed with the Brute crushing the life out of her. She knew she only had seconds to react as dark spots danced in front of her vision.