[b]In transit[/b]

Yrilovan’s greeting drew a scraping acknowledgement from Zsresrinn and a downward twitch of the antennae, the closest the vrexul could manage to a universally comprehensible nod. One of her lateral eyes glanced backwards as the sounds of some enormous presence drew closer, and her whole body inclined sideways, signalling her skepticism at the Dolsilvec officer’s words.

“Hostiles detected Gnosis-Eater stealthcraft, necessarily advanced equipment possession. Weapons, support units good quality. Simple militia unlikely. If true, direct supply reception.” Another eye looked back. “No time now.”

She trudged over to one of the APCs and pushed through its door, contorting her limbs at improbably, and somewhat unsettlingly, wide angles to lower the mass of her body and fit into the vehicle. Even once inside, though, the roof was just ever so slightly too low for her to stand at full height, and so, with another surprising display of flexibility, she folded them underneath herself. From there on, she kept still, resembling nothing so much as an idle piece of artillery left in the corner of a hangar between battles - as she was, she reflected, for the thousandth time in as many transit lulls. She did not have much to do while at rest, which made sense, it was called rest for a reason. Her senses remained alert, however, and though she gave no sign of having heard anything the first time one of tarrhaidim troopers mentioned her - it took her some moments to understand the ‘detritus eater’ was meant to be that cyborg voidhanger  - she finally stirred to life when addressed directly.

“Human operative allied element now,” she rasped, her mind settling the question of ambiguous relationships by running it along the one track it knew well: warfare. “Current immediate objectives beneficial to Orphan Fleet goals,” at least, she thought; “If objectives do not cease-aligning, remains allied element. If do, alliance plus human operative terminated. Dolsilvec similar, if objectives beneficial to Orphan Fleet, allied element.”

She thought for a moment, then hastened to add: “Mutually beneficial.”

Fortunately, the ride did not last much longer, and soon they were out of the carrier and in sight of what looked like a generator station. Maybe a communications post, too, but Zsresrinn did not have time to ascertain that before another armed group approached from the surrounding vegetation, drawing her attention along with that of everyone else. She waved her feelers negatively when the closest soldier nudged her with a question; no, these did not look like any Sect people she had seen before.

“Unknown,” she answered in a subdued drone, “Sect limited reach possible, if true acting through local agents likely.”

But no, it turned out to be more Dolsilvec. She had to agree with Yrilovan, it was strange one detachment should be unaware of the other’s presence. On the other hand, this might still have been contested territory for all she knew, and linking was not always perfect on the spot. Still, it was odd that their leader knew what operations she was assigned to, which as far as she remembered had been classified. Perhaps he, too, had been sent by the central authorities to monitor the mission’s progress, though why a backwater post force would be assigned to that was unclear.

“Another present previously, lost in combat,” she replied when the tarrhaidim noticed her, “Not part of our detail, League experimental asset. Decision to transfer our task to reinforce proved correct, hostile interference unexpectedly strong. You were briefed about our objective?”

Whatever was happening here, one battlefield rule held as true as ever - coordination would be vital going ahead.