EDF Command Center, Outpost Defiance, Cauldron Front, Eridani, Qir system, FDA territories

  September 7th, 2506

  The news of this information came as a shock to Iris, Lid, Bullet, and Grim. Hawk and Raptor were neutral as a rock about this.

  [Okay, this is a joke. You guys are trolling. Right? Right?] Lid came in first.

  [Not a chance. This is way too big to be a joke.] Grim commented.

  “Yes, that is correct.” Colonel Ayani confirmed.

  “Fucking hell. We’re talking about thousands of people dead. Not to mention….” Bullet couldn’t find the words to continue, and the Colonel understood.

  “I know.” Ayani commented somberly..

  “If you red coats have any better ideas, we’re all ears.” Sergeant Agrinya snarled. Part of her hoped those Rangers followed this through without question, but she’s aware of the responsibility that had just been put upon them. .

  Iris looked intently towards Raptor. “You’re not gonna say anything about this, boss? What we’re being asked for is genocide!”

  Raptor didn’t say anything, no answers would’ve satisfied Iris’s reservations.

  “And Hawk, how could you not say anything about this? Do you want your family to continue living in the shadow of your great-grandfather?” Iris continued her protest.

  Hawk moved forward and came closer to Iris. “Choose your next words, very carefully.”

  Ayani and Agrinya looked like a deer in the headlights. They hoped things calm down from hereon.

  “Stand down, Iris.” Raptor ordered. Iris backed away carefully from Hawk and followed her boss’s order.

  “Look, I won’t lie to you all. What me and my people are attempting to do is astronomical and downright unforgivable. If things do go bad and we follow through with the warhead, it’ll be marked in history for years, decades to come. Hell, part of me hopes the UHD would just cut their losses and let us go!” Colonel Ayani came forward.

  “But we all know it’s never that simple. Those bastards won’t let go of their so-called ‘burden of control’. It’s never enough to have plenty of territory, there’s always more. Always more.”

  “They all call us terrorists, murderers, degenerates, a menace to security and stability. But we all know that we can’t fight by their own rules. They’ll change their own rules as long as it fits their hypocrisy and cruelty.”

  Iris looked towards Colonel Ayani, and started to see what he was trying to say. She saw the other officers nodding at their superior, as they too agreed with his rhetoric, including Agrinya.

  Colonel Ayani looked intently to Iris “If you want out, I won’t blame you. But do you brethren say the same?” He inquired.

  [Hell nah, I ain’t going out. I ain’t letting those Dominion cunts take Eridani.] Grim commented first.

  [Me neither. I’ll die before I let UHD take Eridani.] Lid was second.

  Raptor shook her head, which made her position clear.

  Bullet bumped chest with his fist “A free Eridani, for the Frontier.”

  Ayani looked at Hawk, who nodded at him. Iris nodded as well.

  The pep talk from the Rangers was soon joined by the cheers from Eridani’s officers in the command center.

  “Then we all know what to do. Crimson Iron must be driven of our home by any means necessary. Their fleet must burn in cinders!” Colonel Ayani stated with vigor. The cheers got louder, and the Rangers clapped for his speech.

  “And if their masters come knocking, we’ll show them that they can’t have it. Eridani, Eternal!” Colonel Ayani threw his fist to the air.

  “Eridani, Eternal!” Everyone threw their fist in the air in return, and cheered.

  “Wish you two were here.” Raptor’s lips curled to smile.

  [Don’t worry about it, boss. I’m sure it was good. Colonel Ayani knows how to throw a speech.] Grim commented.

  [Yeah, we’re almost done with the recon, boss. We’ll be back in 1 hour. Out.]

  The call ended there. A few minutes later, it was back to business. Raptor put her hand on Hawk’s shoulder, then gestured her to follow. She also gestured at Iris and Bullet as well.

  After they left the command center, the team stopped by the rooftop of a building overlooking the front. By the time they reached there, It was only them.

  “Alright, listen up.” Raptor assembled her fellow teammates.

  “Grim and Lid were conducting recon on Crimson Iron’s AO around the Kur Mountain Range. To figure out a way to decimate their fleet with a single strike.”

  “You think they have nuclear warheads with them?” Bullet inquired.

  “We still don’t know the full assessment of their logistics on the ground until Grim and Lid get back. They prefer to share it personally.” Raptor shrugged..

  “Operational Security.” Hawk commented.

  “Or maybe paranoia?” Iris interjected.

  “They’re being cautious, Iris. Can’t be too sure if anyone’s listening.” Bullet disagreed.

  “Our overall network is very solid, Bullet. No one has been able to crack it thus far.” Iris argued.

  “Maybe so, but it’s best to not take any chances.” Hawk retorted.

  “Agreed. We should maintain watch till they get back.” Raptor made her order, then her COMM crackled from a call. “Yes?”

  [If you don’t mind, Raptor, I’d like to speak to Ranger Hawk personally.] Colonel Ayani called up.

  “Don’t you need to keep watching your crew, Colonel?” Raptor lightly protested

  [My aide, Sergeant Agrinya, is handling the matter. I need to talk to Hawk in person.]

  “Does this have to do with The Sparrow?” Raptor inquired.

  [… Yes.] Ayani answered.

  “Alright, I’ll send her in. Out.” Raptor then gestured to Hawk, and she followed. “Colonel Ayani wants to talk to you in his office. You know where that is, right?”

  “Yeah, south-west of the command center.”

  “Good. Let me know when you’re done, ‘kay?” Raptor extended her hand to Hawk, which she shook and promptly left the rooftops.

  Bullet stopped by near Raptor “Shit. Guess she has a burden to carry, huh?”

  Raptor nodded, then breathed lightly. “Yeah. Malcolm’s reputation still haunts her and her family. It’s not fair she gets scrutiny over that, even now.”

  “Some people can’t be helped, boss.” Iris interjected. “Whatever they think of her because of her great-pappy, it’s not on her.”

  Raptor nodded “True. I just hope she don’t suffer more of that shit.”

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

  Colonel Hakim Ayani’s Office, Outpost Defiance,

  September 7th, 2506.

  Colonel Hakim Ayani’s office was one of dirt and grunge. Not that it needed to be when there was a warzone happening. The only amenities inside were the desk, a bookshelf, a desk chair and two chairs on the other side of the desk. Ayani sat in his chair, and puffed smoke from his cigarette in his chair. In a manner of minutes, his guest arrived.

  “Ah, Lieutenant. Glad you’re here. Take a seat.” He gestured to Ranger Hawk, and then she sat along.

  “Sorry for the inconvenience, Ranger. I know you and your friends are coming up with a plan on how to handle the merc’s fleet.” Ayani apologized.

  “Don’t worry about it, sir. Grim and Lid are coming back in an hour and we should discuss once they arrived. OPSEC, you understand.” Hawk gestured.

  “Yeah, I do.” Ayani puffed another smoke.

  “Raptor told me you wanted to discuss something personal. Let me guess, my great-grandfather, Malcolm? Also known as Sparrow?” Hawk deduced.

  Ayani chortled. Her astuteness is impressive, He thought. “Yeah. But let me ask you something, Hawk. Where do you stand with Operation Scorched Rage?

  Hawk thought about it for a moment. “Truth be told, I’m mixed. On one hand, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to burn the Dominion to the ground. On the other hand, I’m not sure if I’m willing to sacrifice so many people I’m fighting to protect to do so.”

  Ayani ruminated on what Hawk said. The specter of Malcolm Hawkins and his legacy still haunted her and family. If he gave it any further thought, he would’ve believed that the current generation of the Hawkins family still hate him.

  “Mind you, I don’t hold a grudge against my great-grandpa. Yes, some members of my family do, but that’s a whole can of worms. Let me tell you something, Colonel. My old man protested having me go through the STR’s selection process after I finished OCS. Didn’t want me to end up like Sparrow. Young adulthood is a mess, Colonel, and the less I say about it, the better. And honestly, I’ve had to learn quickly not to let people talk shit about my ethnic heritage or my family after what we went through in ‘91.”

  Ayani raised his eyebrow, his interest was piqued. For all he learned stories about William Hawkins, callsign Spade, his career while not huge as Sparrow, was still remarkable due to his involvement in the Tartarus Sectors Conflict. And the massacre in Dalto, Primoor back in 2491, that was horrific in and of itself.

  “I think I veered a bit much from this tangent. But the point is, sir, is that I’ve seen horrific things over the last year when my and my guys fought off Crimson Iron and their allies to stop the warheads. I’m no stranger to murder, torture, kidnapping and any kinds of heinous actions that us humans can do. But to see those mercs, their allies and some of the turncoats committing untold depravity, just so they can kill thousands of our people? It haunts you.” Hawk said, her voice was cold, if a bit shaky.

  “Listen, Hawk.” Ayani chimed in. “There’s no shame if you want to back out..”

  “No, I’m still in. Dozens of Frontier denizens died because certain people believed the Dominion’s supremacy over our galaxy above all else, no matter. I’ve see the depths of what their allies can accomplish for their goals. And after what I saw in Yuma, the news, and in the after-action reports, I refuse to let Eridani be another victim of their depravity.”

  Ayani cracked a smile, “I figured you might say that. “With the future of the FDA at stake, we can’t afford a defeat.”

  “Hawk checked the TACPAD on her left arm.

  “Has your friends arrived yet?” Ayani asked. Hawk shook her head “10 minutes.”

  Ayani rubbed his chin, “Just one more thing before you leave.” He got up and brought a small crate, dark in color, from the bookshelf, He presented it to the Ranger. “That’s a Black-Box.”

  Ayani nodded “Correct. Insid, it has all the evidence to confirm that the ORUS Warhead was used by us as insurance policy against the Dominion.”

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Right, their media would be hungry to put a Manhunt on me.” Hawk rolled eyes.

  “I’d be more worried about the Interstellar Collective Accord, if I were you. You’re free to leave.” Ayani ordered.

  Hawk took the Black-Box, and got up to leave.

  “And Hawk?” The Colonel called out, and she shifted her face towards him.

  “No victory comes without sacrifice.” Ayani shared his advice.

  “I’ll keep that in mind, Colonel.” Hawk commented, then left the office.

  Colonel Hakim Ayani sat down. He sighed and put his hands on his face “I hope this gambit is worth it, Prince Werner.” He murmured.

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

  Rooftops, Outpost Defiance, Cauldron Front, Eridani, FDA territories

  September 7th, 2506

  After the talk, Hawk returned to her fellow Rangers on the rooftops. Grim and Lid came back from their recon. “Look who’s finally came back from their R&R with the Colonel.” Bullet greeted her with a jab.

  “Bite me, Elias!” Hawk greeted him back with a middle-finger. She stood alongside him and Iris while Grim and Lid were besides Raptor. “Grim, Lid, now that you’re back. Mind sharing us what you guys have found?” Raptor inquired.

  Grim and Lid came forward, pushed a few buttons on their TACPAD. Within a moment, a screen came on the HUD for Hawk and her fellow Rangers. The screen showed Crimson Iron’s area of operation. Pre-fabricated bunks, watch towers, two launchpads for their aircraft with one empty, sensor jammers to obscure their location from surveillance, and four dropships settled in the back

  The screen then zoomed out, and showed that the AO is in the middle of a mountain range. The screen went up, and the Crimson Iron’s fleet was right on top of it. Two corvettes on the left, two frigates on the right. And one cruiser in the middle.

  “That… that’s the Kur mountain range! They used a mountain range and sensor jammers to conceal themselves from surveillance drones.” Iris deduced.

  Lid nodded “Correct, Iris. Which is why we had to do recon the old-fashioned way.”

  “There’s still the issue with the fleet. We don’t have a FENRIR-class warhead to send em with a gift basket.” Bullet interjected.

  “Well, we caught a lucky break when we intercepted their comms. Aquila, play ‘em.” Grim commented.

  “Starting playback.” Aquila pinged. And then all listened in.

  [Son of a bitch, we were sent here to destabilize this shithole. And they ask us to nuke them to force them into submission?] One Crimson Iron merc protested.

  [Yeah, sucks for us. They gave us a batch of… what? 3? 6 warheads to flatten their capitol. No use conquering a colony if they can’t have a capitol city to control.] Another merc shared the sentiment.

  [That’s where you’re all wrong, people. Lord Admiral Werner and his circle wants the rare Aurodene minerals. Don’t ask why, we ain’t paid to ask questions. So as far as they’re concerned, if we kill every last one of those podunk colonists, all the better for them and for us.] A CI merc, who sounded like the leader of the group, made an argument

  [Yeah, good thinking.] Then they all laughed together.

  “Playback finished.” Aquila pinged.

  After the playback finished, Bullet groaned. “Son of a bitch, I didn’t think much about the Aurodene minerals. No wonder the Eridani people keep to themselves.”

  “I think it’s because they have zero tolerance for dissent, Bullet. But yeah, Aurodene is highly valued in the business market. And we all know how ‘business-minded’ the Dominion folks are.” Iris interjected.

  “More reason to deny them exploiting our land.” Sergeant Agrinya was heard as she approached the strike team alongside Colonel Ayani.

  The Rangers stood in proper posture. “At ease.” Ayani ordered, then they relaxed. “Sergeant Agrinya is right, people. We can’t allow the Dominion to take our land and exploit it. But there was something else I needed to share. Agrinya.”

  Agrinya pressed a few buttons on her tablet, then the Rangers saw their TACPADs uploaded with a bunch of numbers. 999194ERI.

  “Are those…” Lid tried to speak, then got interrupted by Ayani “Yes. Those are the detonation codes for the ORUS warhead to activate it remotely. Only me, Agrinya, and a few under my command know the codes. I’m giving it to you as an insurance policy.”

  The Rangers felt tense and wary about this burden, one that was too heavy to bear. “I appreciate it, Colonel. But I ain’t gonna be the one to use it. I don’t want my conscience get heavy.” Bullet gave his input.

  “Me neither.” Iris came second.

  “Nor I.” Lid came third.

  “Nope.” Grim came last.

  “Then which one of you will take the initiative?” Agrinya asked.

  “I am.” Hawk answered, and her comrades looked at her. Agrinya and Ayani looked at her with interest.

  “Hawk, are you sure you want to do this? There’s no going back.” Raptor made her statement.

  Grim didn’t say anything, only silently observed her friend who just dived to a hard choice she put herself in.

  “Raptor, all I know is that these people…” Hawk gestured to Sergeant Agrinya and Colonel Ayani “Are more than willing to sacrifice their lives, even if it means their home turned to ruins. It can’t be for nothing.”

  Raptor relented and sighed “Alright. It’s your call.”

  “About the CI fleet, Raptor…” Agrinya interjected, then answered “Me and these beautiful bastards are ready to go in tomorrow early morning. Speaking of which, we should rest up.”

  Raptor gestured for her fellow teammates to follow, except for Hawk as Colonel Ayani and Sergeant Agrinya gestured them that they have some talk with her before she returns with them.

  After her teammates left, both Ayani and Agrinya smiled at Hawk, their face teemed with pride. “Were you born and raised with us, you would’ve been the best of us, Lieutenant Hawkins.” Ayani stated elatedly.

  Hawk chuckled grimly “Yeah, maybe.”

  She sighed heavily, and sniffed. “I just wish there was another way.”

  “Believe, Lieutenant, if there was another way, we wouldn’t have done this.” Agrinya stated, hoped to calm the Ranger.

  “I know, but… it’s just not fair. It isn’t fair that many of you who were forced into this war have your lives cut short by a nuclear holocaust.” Hawk threw her hands, frustrated at this predicament.

  Ayani and Agrinya figured that Hawk might be frustrated about this. “Life doesn’t give us the easy way out, Lieutenant.” Ayani started out his talk. “Sometimes, the best way forward is to honor the lives who died for the cause. To remember them. To live on in the hearts of many.”

  Hawk’s TACPAD was buzzed, where the screen showed file. Inside was a registry of the 1.7 million population of Eridani, for both alive and dead. Not to mention around around 1.5 hundred thousand population of Eridanin refugees who left their home and sought asylum, away from the horrors of war.

  Aquila pinged in her helmet, and promptly saved the registry onto the STR Network. “Registry saved.”

  “You gave it to me, because you want me to remember you?” Hawk asked. Both Ayani and Agrinya nodded. “We want all of the FDA to remember us. Not just as warriors who fought to the bitter end. But as people, who had goals, hopes, and dreams that were cut short by the poisonous hand of tyranny. People who willingly gave their lives not just for the cause, but to protect their home from malefactors, even when burned to cinders.” Agrinya stated, her emotions ran high. Hawk saw tears running down the Sergeant’s face.

  “I… Thank you. I’ll make sure that you’ll be remembered.” Hawk gave her gratitude.

  Ayani nodded “See that you do, Lieutenant. Now, get a move on! You got a mission to follow with your friends.”

  Hawk chuckled, but sincerely “Yes, sir.” She saluted, then left the rooftops.

  Colonel Ayani and Sergeant Agrinya smiled sadly as they looked up the star-filled sky. Whatever happens tomorrow, one thing is for sure.

  Eridani will be remembered.

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

  Bunk, Outpost Defiance, Cauldron Front, Eridani,

  September 7th, 2506

  Grim was still silent during the trek to the small bunk attended by her and her fellow teammates. Tomorrow was going to be a harrowing day, and she knew it. And with Hawk committed to follow through to activate the warhead, she remembered the words that Sergeant Erica Amsler gave her in the past year. There will come a day where it will happen. And it will weigh heavily on her conscience. When that day comes, be there for her as a friend. The last thing she needs after making a hard decision is feeling alone.

  “Hey, Grim. You okay? You seem more brooding than usual.” Iris interrupted. Grim snapped out of her trance “What? Oh, sorry.”

  “Does this have to do with your previous life ?” Iris asked, then Grim shook her head. “Let me guess, it’s about Hawkins, isn’t it?” Lid interjected.

  Grim sighed “Yeah.”

  Bullet blew a breath “Won’t lie to you, she’s got a heavy weight to carry. Not to mention, the Interstellar Collective Accord wouldn’t take a planet getting nuked lightly. She follows this through, she’ll have a price on her head.”

  “Man, why did you have to say that? Now I gotta worry for her even more!” Iris whined. Bullet and Lid rolled her eyes.

  “That’s enough!” Raptor interrupted. “Hawk made her decision. We should support her on this.”

  “I’m not sure nuking a colony counts as support, chief.” Bullet interjected, while Raptor rolled her eyes. “I meant, supporting her emotionally. No one can doubt that a decision like this will affect her heavily.”

  Grim nodded, and so did Bullet, Lid, and Iris. Right then, Hawk had arrived.

  “Took your sweet time” Iris said sarcastically. Hawk gave a middle-finger salute, which Iris laughed.

  Grim got up from the couch and came froward to her friend “Hey, Hawk?”

  “Oh, hey Taylor. What’s up..” Hawk felt the heavy embrace from Grim, which took her by surprise. As far as she knew, the only time Grim hugged her like this was after the first few missions.

  Iris, Bullet, Lid, and Raptor were also surprised since they mostly knew Grim as the broody type. They didn’t say anything, as they let this moment settle without interruptino

  “I love you, Kate. I’m always here for you.” Grim whispered.

  Hawk smiled “Love you too, Taylor.” She whispered and let go.

  Grim exhaled, then “So, we ready for our daring raid tomorrow?”

  “You know it, Grim Reaper!” Iris answered.

  “Ready to send them to hell!” Bullet was second.

  “Ready and focused.” Lid was third.

  “All nominal.” Raptor was fourth.

  Grim then looked at Hawk, whom they nodded together. They turned off the light and then promptly went to their beds.

  Tomorrow will shape history.