Antwar District, Tortsin

  July 27th, 2505

  Ranger Hawk arrived at the rally point in an an abandoned alleyway, where she’s supposed to meet the Special Service Bureau unit she’s been assigned to. Given the discretion that secret intelligence services maintain, she expected to call them through a sign and for the argents to reply with a countersign

  Or at least, that was what Empress Anna Vollan told her before she left to Antwar District. Hawk sighed for a moment, then called out, “Snow White!”.

  “Seven Dwarves!” A shout was heard not far from where Hawk was positioned. One SSB operative poked their head out from a corner, and had an eye on the Ranger.

  The SSB operative and their two teammates head out the corner and walked their way to meet Hawk. They wore a navy blue battledress uniform equipped with wrist-mounted tactical pads, vests, comms radio attached on the vest, and a ducaret-steel helmet for head protection.

  “You came, as expected. Figured you’d go solo and leave Tortsin once your mission’s done.” An SSB operative snidely remarked toward the Ranger.

  “Well, my CO ordered me to work with you guys, so I’ll play nice.” Hawk remarked.

  “And it’s best we keep it professional, right Hawk?” The SSB Operative from the back greeted her. The casual tone made it easy for Hawk to know it’s her sister, Anya, that was greeting her.

  “Raven.” Hawk greeted. “What’s the skinny?”

  “Abandoned apartment complex half a click from the north-west. Three-story wide building with a courtyard in the middle. We have confirmed intel that Sons of Tortsin combatants and Crimson Iron mercs are posted there.” Raven stated plainly, though Hawk was little skeptical. “Any sentries on the rooftops?”

  “Negative. Given they are inside the Apartment Complex, it is most likely they’re looking for a ticket out of Tortsin.” Raven answered.

  Hawk took a moment to look up to the skies of Tortsin. Sunset started to settle in. She glanced back to Raven “Alright, so what’s the plan?”

  “You’re the honeypot. You will take the stairwell to the second floor, breach the door to act as bait. Me, Hammer, and Knob will take the left side entrance and use the element of surprise.”

  Hawk chuckled “Figures. Some of those CI mercs are probably looking for a promotion so long they deliver my head on a platter.”

  “Or maybe you should keep your fucking mouth shut!” Hammer glared coldly towards the Ranger. Hawk only stood.

  “Hammer! Stand down.” Raven interjected, standing between her fellow comrade and her sister. Hammer glared at Hawk for few more seconds, until he behaved like a good soldier, and stood down as he looked the other way. Raven sighed, whilst relieved that tension simmered down for the time being, she felt uneasy. She shifted her head to Hawk, “Sorry about that. Some SSB agents have no love for STR. Hammer, especially”

  Raven blew a breath while looking the other way, then shifted her face back “Got any questions?”.

  “Rules of Engagement?” Hawk asked.

  “Capture or kill. While you act as bait, we go in and capture as many SoT and CI combatants as possible. If things do get heavy during the fight, you’re weapons free.” Raven answered.

  “Are they using communications?” Hawk asked again. Raven chuckled “Matter of fact, they do have a communications network. Rudimentary and easy to crack, picked up a lot of chatter. They were talking about Charybdis. No idea if it’s a codename, a superweapon, or something else.”

  Hawk looked tense when she heard Charybdis. She couldn’t recall why the name made her feel that way, though she remembered it a few years ago.

  Raven felt the tension coming from her sister, and reached out. “Hey, you okay?” She grabbed Hawk by the hand, but Hawk pushed it back.

  “Sorry, Her Majesty gave me restrict orders to keep it professional between each other.” Hawk stated.

  Raven scoffed. “Moth…” She stammered and tried to change her words, “Her Majesty always takes things seriously when it comes to the Imperium.”

  Hawk noticed the slip, but paid no mind. Given the gossip she heard during the first month of her “vacation”, it’s not exactly a tight-knit secret.

  “Nevertheless, let’s get back to the mission at hand. We’ll use a sewer in this alley that has a route to the Apartment building’s exterior. Hope you don’t mind the stink. Anything else you want to ask?”

  “What are we waiting for?” was all Hawk said. Raven cracked a smile under her helmet. If there’s one word that Raven could describe of her sister, it’s determination. She whistled to her two fellow agents “Hammer, Knob, let’s go!”

  As Hawk made her way to the target building to act as bait, Raven and her team went ahead with their route towards the left side entrance. “Ma’am, you sure the Ranger will follow this through?” Knob asked. Raven couldn’t help herself chuckling, “What do you think?”

  “I think she’ll just go scorched earth and kill every SoT/CI inside.” Hammer stated bluntly.

  Raven rolled her eyes. “I can only vouch for Lieutenant Hawk’s dossier. When she’s on a mission, she’ll follow it through.”

  “Let’s hope you’re right, ma’am” Knob pressed on the left side of her helmet, twice.

  Likewise, Knob, Raven thought. Despite her somewhat positive disposition towards her sister, she has negative qualities that can be an asset or a liability if the years growing up with her are any indication.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Abandoned Apartment Complex, Antwar District, Tortsin

  July 27th, 2505

  The trek from the Sewer tunnels to the exterior of the target location was short but disgusting. When Hawk made it to the insertion zone so to speak, she ignored the disgusting sewage that came up on her pants. Years of training and few years of missions thus far trained her to expect her battle uniform to suffer wear and tear, mud, dirt, and even wetness. Hell, even her helmet had showed a couple of wear and tear. A while back, she marked number 7 as it was her favorite number and a hawk decal, which was self-explanatory.

  Nevertheless, the mission was priority and Hawk awaited comms. Not the first time she acted as bait for hostiles during a mission, wouldn’t be the last. [Torch 5-1 to Hollow Harrier. How copy?]

  Torch 5-1 being the callsign for Raven as she’s leader of Kill Team Torch. Hammer, Torch 5-2. Knob, Torch 5-3. And Hollow Harrier as Hawk’s codename for this mission. “Go for Hollow Harrier. Just outside the building.”

  Hawk moved up the ladder and made it to the stairwell [If possible, try to intercept CI and SoT comms before throwing the bait].

  “Will do. Harrier out.” Hawk ended the call, and moved slowly across her way to prevent suspicion. She clicked a few buttons on her TACPAD, “Aquila, intercept hostile communications.” Hawk murmured.

  “Intercepting enemy communications.” Aquila buzzed.

  Aquila is a proprietary artificial intelligence created by RnD sectors in the Frontier Defense Alliance for all active Special Tactics Recon operators. Given the new developments for warfare required the group to get ahead of the curve, Aquila was created to provide field-operation services; communications, data collection and retrieval, tactical support, and keep the STR Network and communications secure.

  In simpler terms, Aquila is the critical backbone for STR activities.

  [Anything?] Asked a Sons of Tortsin operative whom Hawk heard over the intercepted comms. [Nothing yet, but I don’t expect that to last for long] A Crimson Iron merc responded.

  [No kidding. The fucking Agency and their Kill Teams are in our arses. Thought Charybdis would help us with a ticket out of this shite] the SoT combatant snarled

  [Unfortunately, when we were sent here, they told us we’re on our own for this venture. Occupied with other important matters, they said.]

  [Bollocks. Hoped we could tip the scale in this business, put those FDA turds and the traitorous Imperium at each other’s throats.]

  Hawk withheld a chuckle, and felt amusement at the predicament that SoT and CI troops are facing through.

  [If it makes you feel any better, comrade. We’re not the only ones operating in this planet and the Imperium’s territories. They’re.. requisitioning the fabricators from other sectors as we speak. Helps to have friends in higher places.] the Crimson Iron stated confidently.

  Shit, Hawk felt cold. Deep down, she had the feeling that Crimson Iron’s operation would be expansive. It wasn’t easy, it was never gonna be easy, and she knew it.

  [Bloody fantastic. As long they keep their eyes and ears on the ground, things will only go smoothly, yeah?] SoT operative said with elation.

  [Indeed, Operation Tipping Balance will proceed as planned]

  The intercepted communications ended there and Hawk felt more tense. She wanted to storm there and kill every last one of those bastards. But she had orders; Act as bait.

  Or she could try and warn Kill Team Torch via comms, but would it make a difference? Other Crimson Iron cells and their associates are smuggling those serial number fabricators and using it on the ORUS-Class Warheads for their false flag operation. Taking down one CI cell would only be a small blip into their network, after all.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Hawk took a small breath and wrote a text message via her TACPAD to Raven’s Kill Team.

  “Crimson Iron and their associates have other cells across Tortsin and the Imperium’s territories.” And send. Additionally, Aquila managed to save a record data for the communication correspondence, but Hawk felt it was for the best to send it to Raven only after the mission is done.

  And then the moment of action, as Hawk laid a breaching charge on the second floor’s door from the stairwell. Few seconds in, breach! Ahead, Hawk shot two SoT combatants who were stunned from the breach. Likewise, another breach occurred from the other side.

  SoT and CI operatives in this building are confused and are in pincer.

  The Ranger and Kill Team Torch were here to lay the hate.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  A little bit earlier

  Kill Team Torch made it to the left-side entrance of the Apartment Complex. They stacked up by the door entrance, and waited for Sons of Tortsin and Crimson Iron to take the bait. They felt a buzz coming from their operational tactical device on their wrists, then Raven first saw the message from Hawk. It’s about Crimson Iron.

  “Well… shit.” Was Raven said. Likewise, Knob and Hammer read the message. “Does this affect our mission?” Knob asked.

  “No. Capturing SoT and CI in our sector is still top priority. But we still have a lot of work ahead of us.” Raven answered. Hammer, on the other hand, scoffed “Nothing is ever that easy, is it?”

  “Nah, it’s not. Breach and clear, people. We shouldn’t keep Hollow Harrier waiting.” With Raven’s order, KTT breached the door, and threw a flashbang. Within seconds, the flashbang stunned and disoriented around 3 Crimson Iron mercs and 3 Sons of Tortsin operatives. In those seconds, Kill Team Torch fired a few Less-than-lethal rounds from their ORI Assault Rifle’s launcher towards those combatants, causing them to stumble on the floor. Two other SoT operatives came from the other side and opened fire on the team. With no room to maneuver, Hammer shot a dozen rounds on those two operatives, then they collapsed on the ground.

  In the meantime, Raven and Knob ordered the stunned and disoriented CI/SoT operatives to get down on the floor. Some of them refused, even insulting at them. Raven pummeled two CI mercs, which caused the rest to flinch and surrender. Raven and Knob brought up energy-chains from their vests and restrained them. Raven called up Hawk to report.

  “Torch 5-1 to Hollow Harrier. 6 suspects detained and secured, over.”

  [Torch 5-1, I’ve restrained around 5 SoT operatives with shock rounds, but I’ve got two CI squads firing on my position! What’s the go, 5-1? Over.] Hawk replied. Raven could hear the gunshots

  On one hand, capturing as many CI/SoT operatives as possible would give SSB a lot of intel to act on. On the other hand, Hawk’s intel already confirmed there’s more CI and possibly SoT cells within Tortsin and the Imperium’s territories. And no doubt Crimson Iron is out for blood against her sister.

  Raven took a breath, then answered. “Terminate any CI or SoT hostiles in your sector with extreme prejudice.”

  Few seconds settled in, and then [Affirmative. Hollow Harrier out.]

  Hammer and Knob came in to Raven. “All due respect, boss, but seriously? The more we capture them, the more intel we’ll get.” Hammer protested.

  “And with due respect, Hammer, but a number of them will refuse to spill out and would prefer to die than surrender their friends. Right now, we got a whole left side of this complex to detain and secure. Hawk will take care of the rest getting in our way.”

  Hammer pouted behind his helmet, but he let it go and decided to follow Raven’s lead. Kill Team Torch progressed through the left side, flashing and capturing any CI and SoT in that sector. Some resisted, but were shot dead.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Meanwhile, in the right side of the Apartment Complex.

  After Raven gave the order, Ranger Hawk ended the call. Still under fire from Crimson Iron mercs, she took a deep breath and looked at her cybernetic left arm. A prosthetic from an accident she suffered during her STR training, it was also a weapon. Her cyber-arm brought a launcher on the upper forearm that holds two seeker grenades. She fired it near her position and within moments, those grenades flied towards the two Crimson Iron squads. In panic, they attempted to flee, but the blast radius took them out immediately.

  In this pace of action, Hawk vaulted from cover and left apartment 13. On her right, she saw four Crimson Iron mercs running towards the left side. She ran at them, fired her Domino Arms-85 Assault Rifle at their back, which only stunned three of them due to their vests. The other shot at Hawk, and fororced her to take cover at a nearby pillar, and getting suppressed. To improvise, she threw a smoke grenade near their position for concealment, then turned on thermal vision from her helmet. While they stopped shooting to wait for the smoke to dissipate, Hawk used the opportunity to shoot the four Crimson Iron mercs down. Only one was badly wounded and she attempted to take her pistol, then shot dead.

  Then, Hawk took the stairs towards the third floor. Before she moved upstairs, she dodged shots coming from Crimson Iron and Sons of Tortsin operatives from up there, and ran back downstairs for cover. She waited for them to keep shooting until their magazines ran empty. When the shooting stopped, Hawk used the opening to bring up a frag grenade, held it a few seconds to cook, then threw an arc straight at them. They couldn’t flee in time, with the explosion came right away. Hawk moved back to the third floor where she saw a number of dead CI/SoT. She heard a number of moaning and cries of pain from wounded SoT operatives, so she came towards them and put them out of their misery. In this brief moment of reprieve, Hawk gave her assault rifle a mag change

  The Ranger heard footsteps and shouting from the stairs on her front. Some shouted “Tortsin forever!” which no doubt involved some SoT operatives in the way. She threw another flashbang at the coming hostiles, who were disoriented and blinded in the process. Then, she shot bursts of rounds from her DA85 towards CI and SoT operatives, and left them collapsed, their blood seeping in the ground.

  Her AR’s magazine emptied, she removed it and brought another mag. The remaining hostiles shot at her position, which left her vulnerable for a moment as she had no flashbangs left. Hawk used smoke screen at their position, then put two proximity mines and moved back. While SoT operatives coughed from the smoke, the remaining CI mercs moved forward. As they moved forward to where the Ranger was at, they only saw two proximity mines at them. The rapid beeping left them no room to manurer, as the explosion took them out.

  When they heard the explosion, the remaining Sons of Tortsin operatives ran to see their fellow Crimson Iron dead. “Oh shit.” One SoT operative hyperventilated while two of them aimed their weapons left and right, his state of mind was a wreck. A sound rang out left one SoT on their left collapsed dead. In panic, the nervous SoT screamed and continuously fired his assault rifle, which left his fellow SoT on his right dead from as well.

  In panic, the nervous SoT stumbled on the ground, breathing heavily. He saw the Ranger coming towards him. He panicked and pleaded for mercy, but only met purchase in death with his throat cut, his final moments were gurgling on his own blood.

  Hawk flicked her combat knife to remove the blood, then surveyed around her sector. Dozens of Crimson Iron/Sons of Tortsin operatives in her sector are all dead. She called up her comm to Raven, “Hollow Harrier to Torch 5-1. Right side of the Apartment Complex is secure. Status?”

  [Hollow Harrier from 5-1. We’re under suppressive fire at the end of the left side, outside Apartment 35, third floor. 5-2 is wounded. Please assist!]

  Hawk gritted her teeth. “Stay put, 5-1. I’m on my way. Out!”

  After she ended the call, she ran towards the left side of the Complex. Hawk made it to Apartment 35, and saw Hammer who was holding his hands tight on his wounds in right knee, alongside Knob who was helping him out and Raven stacked up near the door. Direct-energy whizzing from the apartment.

  “Careful, Hawk. There’s only three CI hostiles left inside. And they’re using plasma.” Raven warned.

  Hawk looked at the doorway from Apartment. She brought the launcher from her cyber-arm once again, except this time it was a energy propulsion launcher intended for Less-than-lethal action.

  She waited for the firing to die down. After that stopped, Hawk ran and rolled towards Apartment 35.

  “Don’t!” Raven pleaded.

  Hawk made it inside the apartment. The panic from the hostiles due to her sudden appearance allowed her momentum, then fired EPL launcher. The three CI mercs were thrown off their feet, their heads hit the wall, and knocked down.

  Hawk holstered her cyber-arm launcher and looked at Kill Team Torch who were baffled but what they saw.

  “Ahem!” Hawk did a pretend cough. “Are we clear?”

  Knob shifted her head and surveyed ahead “Yeah, we’re clear. 8 Crimson Iron mercs and 7 Sons of Tortsin operatives detained.”

  Hawk nodded, then looked at Raven.

  Raven nodded in return, then brought up her comms. “Torch 5-1 to Command. Apartment Complex clear. 15 hostiles captured and ready for transport. 5-2 wounded. Requesting exfil.”