- Oliver -

  Alex stepped forward to the front of the room, his posture ered his expression all business. "Let's begin the briefing," he decred.

  He didn't wait for everyoo settle into their seats before ung into his expnation. "A few weeks ago, we identified a small outpost to the south," he began. "With the help of satellite reaissance, we've firmed that there's no longer any Ork activity in the area—the site has been pletely abandoned."

  With swift motions, Alex tapped ands into his gau. Holographic projeaterialized above the tral table, dispying a detailed region map. Oliver leaned in to exami. The outpost was situated deep within a dense forest, the opy so thick it appeared almost b the dispy. A slender river meandered just a few kilometers away, its blue liting through the emerald expanse.

  "The location is approximately 100 kilometers from the Half Wall," Alex tinued. "This distand the difficult location reduce the ce of any immediate support. However, given current ihis is sidered a low-risk mission. Ork movements suggest they're trating their efforts in the northern regions of Olympus, particurly he Z Crystal mines."

  As Alex spoke, a Ranger seated toward the end of the room raised her hand. Her armor bore the medal of a distinguished Ranger, and her eyes were sharp with suspi.

  Alex aowledged her with a nod. "Yes?"

  "Where exactly did this intelligene from?" she asked pinly.

  Alex met her gaze. "The intel came directly from higher and," he replied.

  "Isn't it a bit ve," she pressed, "that we discover an abandoned base just as the Orks focus their efforts elsewhere? Could this be a diversion—a tactic to split our resources?"

  A murmur rippled through the room. Alex took a moment before responding. "Your is noted," he said evenly. "That's why we're deploying a minimal team. We'll be nine in total: three Red Rao lead the rapid advahree Yellers fistid navigation—you know this terraier than anyone—and three Blue Rangers specializing in researd analysis. Their expertise will help us determine what valuable assets we secure from the site."

  Another Ranger, a Yellow with a rugged plexion, leaned forward. "What exactly do we expect to find that justifies deploying nine Rangers with little support?" he asked.

  "At this point," Alex replied, "any information that sheds light on Ork strategies is invaluable. Uanding why they're trating on the north or why they've abandoned positions in the south could give us a signifit tactical advantage. Even seemingly minor data could influehe broader scope of the flict."

  Siletled over the group as they absorbed his words. No one else raised a hand.

  "All right," Alex tinued. "This mission is designated Operation Needle. Tomorrow, we'll be transported to the headwaters of this stream he base. We'll deploy there and proceed downstream until we reach the abandoned Ork facility."

  With a few more taps on his gauhe images shifted to show projes and drone-captured videos. For the first time, Oliver saw close-ups of the forest—the colossal trees iwining above, f a dense opy that pluhe ground into perpetual twilight. Vast roots protruded like serpents, some snaking into the river itself. Alien fauna moved stealthily among the underbrush, shadows within shadows.

  "We expect that with a three-hour march, we'll reach the abandoned base," Alex said. "We'll have two hours to locate aray valuable materials, then ahree hours to return to the river for extra at our rendezvous point."

  "What risks are we anticipating?" Elliot asked.

  "The primary s are creatures engineered by the Orks that might still guard the area," Alex expined. "Additionally, there could be traps left behind when they vacated the post."

  "Is there any ce we'll enter Orks?" Elliot pressed.

  "Current intelligence doesn't indicate active Ork presence," Alex replied seriously. "However, it's a risk io operating ierritory. We must remain vigint."

  With no further questions, each Ranger received a data packet transmitted directly to their gaus.

  "Review the missioails thhly," Alex instructed. "We depart at 0400 hours tomorrow."

  As Oliver rose from his chair, he overheard ss of versation among the others.

  "Is that the newbie?" a female voice asked. One of the Yellers approached him, extending her hand. "Pleasure to meet you. rys."

  Oliver quickly shook her hand, a modest smile. "Oliver. The pleasure's mine," he replied, still getting used to the attention.

  Elliot and Emma stood beside him.

  "Yep, this is our new Blue Ranger prodigy," Elliot chimed in with a grin.

  "So young and already on a mission like this," Chloe remarked, her eyes refleg genuine curiosity.

  Oliver felt his cheeks warm at the pliment.

  A Red Ranger joihem, his expression curious. "Not to be harsh, kid, but what do y to this mission?"

  "Ah! You haven't heard?" Elliot interjected, slinging an arm around Oliver's shoulders. "We've got the first Ranger capable of uanding and speaking Orkish."

  "Speaking it?" the Red Ranger raised an eyebrow. "Is that even possible? I recall reports suggesting our phoics are vastly different from theirs."

  "Orkish is indeed challenging," Oliver admitted. "We don't share their vocal structures, but it's possible to mimic their sounds—like a parrot imitating human speech. More importantly, I uand what they're saying."

  The Red Ranger houghtfully. "prehending the enemy's unications could be a signifit advantage."

  From a distance, Alex observed the exge but kept his distance, his expression unreadable.

  "Good luck out there," another Ranger said as he passed, giving Oliver a pat on the shoulder. "Losing someone on their first mission would be a shame."

  A slight chill ran down Oliver's spine. Despite the close-to-death sarios he'd navigated i months, this was his first time heading into the heart of eerritory, and with only a few weeks of formal Raraining under his belt.

  One by ohe Rangers exited the briefing room. Oliver gathered his notes and was about to follow the other Blue Rangers when a voice halted him mid-step.

  "Rookie, hold on a moment," Alex called out.

  Oliver turo face the Red Ranger. Alex stood with his arms crossed, his expression stern but not unkind. "Your file mentions that your primary on is an Energy Pistol," he said. "Head over to the armory a a different on. You'll need something that doesn't rely on ing your Energy."

  Surprised but uanding the rationale, Oliver nodded. "Yes, sir," he replied.

  As he approached the door, Elliot and Emma caught up with him. "Go ahead and grab a on," Elliot said, giving Oliver an encing smile. "We're heading to the Rangers' quarters."

  "We'll catch up with you there," Emma added. "Don't take too long."

  "Got it," Oliver said. "See you soon."

  They parted ways, and Oliver navigated the maze of corridors within the Half Wall. The fortress was a marvel of engineering—a massive structure bristling with defenses, housing thousands of personnel, and serving as the frontline barrier between humanity and the savage Orks. Signs directed him toward the armory, and after a few minutes, he arrived at a set of reinforced doors.

  The armory doors slid open, revealing an expansive chamber lined with on racks and equipment lockers. A quartermaster stood behind a ter, iing a diagnostic readout on a hologram. He looked up as Oliver approached.

  " I assist you?" the quartermaster asked, his eyes briefly sing the Ranger Insignia on Oliver's uniform.

  "Yes," Oliver replied. "I was advised to select a neon for tomorrow's mission—something that doesn't e Energy."

  The quartermaster houghtfully while reading Oliver’s assig. "Given your operation, I'd reend a kiic on. Reliable, and doesn't draw on your Energy reserves." He gestured for Oliver to follow. "This way."

  They walked past rows of Energy-based armaments to a se featuring traditional ballistid melee ons. The quartermaster grabbed one of the rifles. "These rifles are kiic; they're not enough to hurt an Ork, but you'll be able to take down any other monster you enter on Olympus."

  Oliver followed the Quartermaster to one of the firing rahe metallic st of gun oil and the distant echoes of ons discharging filled the air. Rows of stalls lihe range, each equipped with holographic targets that flickered and shifted uably, simuting real bat sarios.

  "Let's see how you ha," the Quartermaster said, handing over the newly issued kiic rifle. Its weight was familiar yet different from that of his usual Energy Pistol. The rifle's matte bck surface absorbed the ambient light, and a sleek scope was mouop the barrel.

  Oliver nodded, stepping into one of the stalls. He took a moment to adjust his grip, feeling the on's bahe Quartermaster watched ily as Oliver began firing, first standing, then transitioning smoothly into a crouch. Each shot was deliberate, the reinimal but perceptible. He tracked moving targets through the scope, squeezing the trigger with measured breaths.

  The ohe seamless ease of his Energy Pistol, but after a few magazines, Oliver found a rhythm. The kiic rifle demanded a different kind of precision, one grounded iangible physics of projectile onry rather than the fluidity of Energy manipution.

  "Not bad," the Quartermaster remarked, a hint of approval in his voice. "You've got a steady hand."

  "Thanks," Oliver replied, ejeg the spent magazine and activating the safety.

  They spent the few hours refining his teique. The Quartermaster offered pointers on optimizing his stand adjusting for enviroal variables. By the end of the session, a small pile of gs y at his feet, and Oliver felt a growing fiden his new armament.

  "That should do it," the Quartermaster said, handing him a pamunition and a specially prepared backpack taining essential gear for the mission. "Make sure you check your equipment before heading out."

  "I will," Oliver assured him. "Thank you for your help."

  The Quartermaster gave a curt nod. "Good luck out there."

  Leaving the firing range, Oliver ventured bato the byrinthine corridors of the Half Wall. The fortress was a maze of nearly identical passages. After several wrong turns and requesting dires from passing soldiers and officers, he finally located the se where the Blue Rangers' quarters were housed, high up withi structure.

  Oliver slowed his pace as he approached the door to their shared quarters. Voices drifted through the partially closed doorway—familiar ones belonging to Elliot and Emma. He hadn't inteo eavesdrop, but their versation caught his attention.

  "I promise, this is our st mission," Elliot said, his tone ear. "I swear we'll pn the wedding after this."

  There was a brief pause before Emma responded softly, "I'll hold you to that promise."

  Oliver felt a slight flush of embarrassment at overhearing such a personal exge. He hadn't realized how close the two were.

  ‘Better give them some privacy,’ Oliver thought, stepping back quietly.

  GCLopes