The Commendations of Captivity

[Ilana Logan]

Richard Parkhill: Alliance Military

Orbit over Londonium
Exterior of the I.A.V. Dominion

One by one the prisoners were loaded into the shuttle, and set down on the left side. The soldiers didn’t pay any particular attention to where they sat specifically, other then insuring that they were seated. The prisoners were kept at gun point the entire time, though one of the guards could only keep his side arm available as he was holding the box of hazardous possessions. But he still had his weapon trained on the prisoners. Once they were all sat down, Sergeant Green stepped inside of the shuttle. He looked at them a moment, and looked at one of his men.

”Lock them in.” He ordered, as he moved over to pilot seat on the right. The soldier holding the box set it down on one of the seats. Keeping his pistol, as well as the stun baton in his hand. Over each of the prisoners was a sort of contraption, based on bars, which he grabbed. It was typically only used in emergencies, or if the craft were to be going in under fire. But for now they would serve the purpose of keeping the prisoners locked in place. Since their hands were behind them, and the device control was on the front, it would prove very difficult for them to attempt a struggle while in flight. There was a deep roll and a click each time it was pulled down. It locked into the arm rests. It ran over the users shoulders, just over their knees, and at their waist. It was much like an amusement park safety harness, but was clearly much stronger. Once finished the soldier sat back down on the other side. They didn’t put the same harness on which they’d put on the others, though it was evidently available. They just put their hands on their rifles and watched the prisoners.

In the pilot seat Green activated the shuttle. He clicked various switches, and turned several dials on the control console. He wasn’t planning on getting launch permission, as the call to evacuate had already been given. So long as he entered the access code of validation, he could launch. The vessels evacuation procedure seemed complicate, but was surprisingly deliberate and easy to work with, so long as you understood it. The door behind them slid shut, and the snapping of locks was audible. A heavy clunk was heard on the outside of the shuttle, as the docking clamps were released. Then pushed off as green hit a button on the console, releasing a small amount of pressure to separate them from the home-ship. He was watching a small computer monitor for guidance, but he needed his eyes to navigate. So pushed a switch up, and the shutters opened on the windshield.

Outside there was a horrifically visible trail of smoke. It was a light gray, mixed in with bits of white and black. Pieces of debris floated all around. The craft panned left, and they could see down the long exterior of the Dominion. Smoke was visibly pouring from various points at the rear of the vessel. Sparks could be seen zipping off smaller points. A geyser of fire burst out of the rear end of the craft, ripping through the hull, and dissipating moments later. It was far away, but the same process occurred, on a slightly large scale, on an area much closer. Green had no reason to take in the sight, as he had orders to follow. He looked at the small data pad he’d been handed for coordinates, and the shuttle began moving towards the planet.

[Marcus O'Terra]

<From 'The Tangled Web We Weave'>

Marcus was still reeling from it all. The interrogation's sudden end, the ship falling apart, Mercy. As the officer in charge launched the escape shuttle. Marcus felt the slight push from the shuttle's departure. It jogged him awake to notice the front window opening. He was right in the front, and had a clear view out of the Alliance ship as it fell apart.

How the Hell are they going to spin this?, a sarcastic portion of his mind chimed in a thought, happily bitter. His face fell as he started to realize. Probably on us.... Crap.
He exhaled and let his chin rest on the front of his seating brace. It was almost comfy, and smelt like some kind of cleaner. It made sense. The Alliance even polished their escape pods till they shined.

He closed his eyes and tried to rest during what was almost certainly the next leg on a road to a firing line.

[Ilana Logan]

Hope Seville

Hope felt a tear emerge from some place inside as the restraints were put on her. She bit her lip and took several deep breathes. At this moment, a very small part of her, almost wished she believed in some higher power, but that belief had long since left her. People were good or evil and there was no God in her mind that had anything to do with it.

God hadn’t made sense to her in a very long time and right now even less so. So, unlike some, there was no silent prayer for Mercy’s soul or even her own. What was going to happen was going to happen. She though really hated not having any control at all over her destiny. It was a familiar feeling, having some else control so much about your life at a given moment and it was a feeling that Hope hated almost more than any other.

She was tired of all of this and almost wished if they were going to kill her they would have just left her on the ship to die or at least get it over with. Tired, the pain medication was wearing off and her the wrist on her right side (the one without the cast) was starting to hurt slightly from the restraints. She closed her eyes but that only made it worse. Where was that strength she had not so long ago? All the young woman knew was she needed to find it again.

[Ilana Logan]

Marina Kseniya Sebastian

You've paid your respects to the dead. Get back to the business of living.

Rina blinked and refocused as the bar restraint came down. For once, being of smaller stature helped her here, the restraints weren't pressed against her flesh the way they did on people taller and larger than she. Even so, she gauged it would to its job of keeping her in place despite an escape attempt or a crash landing. She didn't want to try the former without better odds and in the event of the latter, the odds would already be flat-out against her.

Stay alert. Stay positive. Keep your options open.

It was the same strategy she'd used aboard Dominion and so far it seemed to be working. She was still alive. She was also handcuffed, held at gunpoint, and aboard a shuttle heading toward a possibly hostile destination. Long odds, but she also had her wits and the patience to wait it out until a suitable opportunity presented itself to better her situation.

Stay alert. Stay positive. Keep your options open.

She kept that mantra going in the background as she took in the interior of the shuttle, inspecting the seats, the restraints, the attention of the guards and the disposition of their guns. She listened to the engines and the life support systems, tracked what little comm chatter made it past the pilot's headset feed. She leaned forward to look out the cockpit window, saw the destruction and the debris, and tried not to wince as she watched the ship die. Alliance fleet vessel or not, killing a ship is never a thing to witness lightly and it made memories stir in the back of her mind. She shut them away. She couldn't afford the distraction.

At least I've ditched the damned blindfold. I'm not going to have to do this blind. That's a definite positive.

So her thoughts ran. Rina kept her eyes moving, settling in her seat and watching everything.

[Ilana Logan]

Sasha Shaw

Sasha shifted a bit in her seat for a more comfortable position when the guards locked the bar restraints. As comfortable as it was possible with their hands bound on their backs, but they had been through worse on this particular day.

There was a certain beauty to the fiery bursts one could see outside the front window. Splashes of red erupted from the patrol cruiser, lit up at the fringes of the vessel, leaping into the Black around them where they dispersed into tiny sparks. It was a disturbing thought that occurred to her. Out there no one would hear the explosions nor the screams of those unfortunate to die in this place. She leaned her head against the contraption that held them in place, took a deep breath and allowed the exhaustion she had withheld so far to numb her mind. She didn't want to think of it, let alone picture Mercy in this whole lot of a mess.

Safe.

Though safe was relative as a term, being captives and still in a possibly dangerous proximity to the explosions all around them, it was what they were for now. A fact that hurt her in some way because others couldn't call themselves so lucky. But it was irrevocable.

Eventually Sasha closed her eyes. All there was to do now was to wait.

[Ilana Logan]

Richard Parkhill: Alliance MIlitary

Green remained at the controls of the shuttle as it rocketed down towards the planet. On his scanners the two Trebuchet-class vessels, which were beside the Dominion, drifted off the screen. The Dominions hull was still showing it in tact, but how long that would last he couldn’t give comment on. What he did know is that he had a datapad in hand to tell him where to go. He tipped the nose of the craft down and it really started roaring towards the surface. This was a military shuttle, and because of that, it had engine equipment, as well as modifications, which would make other craft illegal to fly. However, this craft had the markings of the Alliance Military, and because of which it was very fast, and legally so. The ride was surprisingly smooth, only reacting slightly the chops caused by the atmosphere. Bright red and yellow flashes glinted across the windshield as the craft coasted down through it. It leveled out considerably and the flashes stopped.

Lying out before them now was the spectacular view of the sprawling Londinium cityscape. They were still far too high to make out any individual buildings, or any other craft, but they could see the dazzling lights on the ground created from them all. If one had never been to an Alliance world, or even the stronger border planets, it was truly an amazing sight.


”Where and when are we landing sir?” The older soldier asked, who was still holding his rifle. He was closest to Sergeant Green, sitting furthest to the right on the soldiers side of the seats.

Green looked over the data pad in his hands, and looked at the navigation screen on his console. ”Don’t know and don’t know.” Green answered. He paused a moment trying to work it out. He came to some conclusion and wondered whether to say it. But these prisoners weren’t likely to be going anywhere, and couldn’t rightly do anything at the moment so it didn’t matter. ”These aren’t coordinates I’m familiar with, but I haven’t set foot on Londinium in over 2 years.” He stopped again, looking at the datapad, and then continued. ”As for when, I’d say 8 minutes, assuming the charts are right.” He replied. He then put down the data pad on the console, and put the control sticks in his hand, and began taking them towards their destination.

[Marcus O'Terra]

Marcus peered to his right, noticing the looks on Hope and Rina's faces. He couldn't see Alison, so he guessed she'd been the last to be seated. As the shuttle accelerated, Marcus had to hand it to the Feds; they got the best toys.

He wasn't much of a pilot, or a mechanic of any kind, but he guessed the engines pushing the shuttle to blurring speeds weren't the sort you'd find in most shuttles. Still, it was an ESCAPE shuttle.

He wondered, idly what the landing zone would be... if the men didn't know, it might be something higher up than a simple holding station.

The thought didn't make Marcus feeling any better

[Ilana Logan]

Hope Seville

The things that were running though Hope’s mind were starting become jumbled. Thoughts of death , of Mercy’s death, of wondering what her own family would say if she was to die, if they would even care. Thoughts of the ship ending it’s battle being left behind, like Mercy had been. Thoughts of this shuttle, where it was going and what was going to happen when they got there. Questions and thoughts ran around in her mind and began to make no sense. She was so tired, the young woman didn’t know the last time she felt this tied. Her eyes closed just long enough to remember … no it was clear the last time she felt this tired.

[Ilana Logan]

Sasha Shaw

”These aren’t coordinates I’m familiar with, but I haven’t set foot on Londinium in over 2 years.” - ”As for when, I’d say 8 minutes, assuming the charts are right.”

8 Minutes till they would be on the surface of Londinium. Sasha didn't bother to open her eyes upon the bits of information shared between the sergeant and one of his soldiers. She didn't know about Rina, Hope, Alison or Marcus, but personally she had seen Londinium too often and for too long of a time. So the sight of the cityscape underneath them was neither new nor captivating.

Far more interesting was what the sergeant had said about the coordinates. Not familiar. It could mean just that and nothing more. On the other hand it raised Sasha's hope that they might not land some place central. The thought rambled through her mind for a bit before she let it go. Central or not, they probably weren't better off on either place.

[Ilana Logan]

Marina Kseniya Sebastian

Rina heard the short conversation between the pilot and the Sergeant and looking out the viewports, she got a glimpse of the terrain below. Unfamiliar coordinates? ETA eight minutes? Interesting. It was next to impossible to gauge their speed visually without something to provide scale and vector angle, but Rina chose the likeliest parameters anyway and tried plotting their trajectory as a mathematical exercise. Given there was little chance of her being able to do anything to get free while still on this shuttle, she might as well try to keep her mind limber by giving it something to do.

[Ilana Logan]

The Rodeo Boys

The men were tired of waiting around. They’d been waiting there for hours. They were lucky that an air patrol hadn’t picked them up by now and come in to investigate. In many ways they were surprised that one hadn’t. But that didn’t matter. It was a bitter cold outside. One of the men shook, as it was rather uncomfortable for him. They were all bundled up very well, their clothes not quite the same as most of the inhabitants of Londinium. They were clearly of the poorer sort, or at least you could make the assumption from the way they looked. They were rather dirty and gritty. The only thing they all had in common was that they all had their eyes covered, some even going as far to cover their whole faces with a mask of cloth and goggles. They’d been fairly quiet since they’d arrived, as they were supposed to be. They’d just been waiting, and so they remained without a sound.

”Hey Jag, looks like we got one.” A man said who sitting inside of a vehicle, breaking the silence. He was looking at a small console next to his seat which showed a radar view of the area. ”Seems it’s our shuttle alright.” He had the thick accent of one who came from Dyton Colony. But that was something they all had in common as well.

”Alright boys, liner’ up and get ready.” The largest of them all said. He was completely bald, and wore a black coat. In his hand he lifted up an assault rifle. Around him the others seemed to do the same. Each of them loaded and prepared powerful, and illegal weapons. Surely if the authorities knew they were there, they’d be picked up quickly. But since they didn’t, it was of no concern to them. The vehicle moved into the shadows and prepared. The group of men stood near it their weapons ready as the shuttle the man earlier had mentioned rushed into view. It hovered in front of them a moment, and slowly spun and descended, till its bottom touched the ground. They brought their weapons up waiting for the back to open. And moments later it did.

Just as they’d been told, a group of prisoners was being moved outside, guarded by a group of Alliance soldiers. The lead man, Jag, tapped twice on the metal front of the vehicle. The man in the drivers seat then flipped a switch, which activated a great array of lights which were all over it. Almost instantaneously the soldiers seem to move defensively, bringing their weapons up, one of which going so far as to move one of the prisoners in front of him.

"What the hell is this!?" The soldier yelled to them.

”Now, now, Mista’ soldier” He said with a rough tone, his accent peaking through as he did. ”You’re outgunned, and outmumba’d.” He called out to them. ”And I’ve got a bit a business to doin’ in regards to em’s ya holdin’. So’s it’d be a good mind, for you to just be lettin’ em go here.” He continued. The man moved forward as he did, the others did as well. They kept their weapons up, and they were ready. ”So here’n about ya just be givin’ up or I’ll be shreadin’ ya’s ay?” He finished. He was still fairly hidden by the light, but he and his men continued to spread out and move forward.

[Ilana Logan]

Richard Parkhill: Alliance Military

Londinium Surface
9 Minutes Later

The shuttle raced over skyline. Rather then drop low towards the buildings, it continued through the clouds towards somewhere else. It was clear as they sped along that the buildings of the cityscape were not their destination. As the small craft continued on at a constant pace the blankets of buildings seemed to thin out considerably. They got smaller and fewer the more they went out. Of course Green wasn’t surprised, as a great deal of the bases on the planet weren’t anywhere close to the city. He checked the coordinates again, and began to drop the crafts nose a little. By now most of the lights had faded, and the craft just moved right on down. Off in the distance there was a square of light. Green checked the coordinates once more, and the yellow dot in the pads screen registered that as the destination. But the area was very small, and he couldn’t make out what it was. He continued to draw the vessel in closer and closer in towards the light pattern. As they came in closer the area became brighter and brighter and larger and larger. The figure of buildings became clearer, almost like warehouses.

”What the hell is that?” The older soldier said leaning forward looking at it.”An Armory?” He asked confused.

Green looked at the data-pad again. That was it. ”I don’t know, but that’s where were headed.” Green said bringing them in towards it slowly. It was like a small warehouse district. It had roughly 7 warehouses running in a line, with a cement ground, and multiple lamps. They didn’t give very good visibility, there was a large patch of darkness between each illuminated portion. But there was no reason to argue it, though Green was skeptical. ”Best hard prep, just in case” Green said as he guided the shuttle on it’s final approach.

The other soldiers both locked in their sonic rifles on a storage compartment up above themselves. Then they each pulled out Falcon Fal-6 Assault Rifles. One of them grabbed Greens rifle, and set in it’s place one of the rifles as well. And as they finished, Green was bringing the shuttle over to hover. It overlooked the area a moment, then began to turn so that the rear would face the front of the warehouses. It landed softly, as though an elevator was reaching the floor it was aiming for, and then the engines were heard dying off. Green turned around, and grabbed the Assault Rifle. He looked over the prisoners a moment, but did not open the door. ”Get them up.” He said looking at the data pad again. He shouldered the assault rifle, but he drew his side-arm, a Colt .45DX pistol, and kept it pointed towards the prisoners. He was over the stun-baton, and he wasn’t about to be overtaken.

The soldiers brought each of the shoulder locks up, and stood each of the prisoners up. The shuttle was surprisingly spacious, as no one had to duck their heads to stand up, nor felt really bunched together. The two soldiers checked and made sure each of prisoner’s binders were tight and linked. Finally they stood near the back as Green moved forward towards the front of the group. He stood at the door, both weapons drawn, and opened it. They were in a brighter lit portion, as one of the tall lights was just above them. But out just in front of them it was quite dark. The spaces of dark between each were much thicker up close. Green almost couldn’t see a thing between this light and the next. This was beginning to bother him. The moved all of the prisoners outside of the shuttle, though it remained open. And when they were all outside Green looked off in the distance.

Suddenly lights in the distance flickered on. They were bright and powerful. Everyone was forced to squint and turn their faces to the side to avoid the beams of light. Their eyes slowly adjusted, and in the light they could make out the figures of people moving. But Green was on edge, and not unprepared. He knew this was no Military installation, and he knew that Alliance procedure required a greeting party to meet them. This meant one thing, set up.

”What the hell is this!?” Green yelled, as he could make out the people standing there. He needed an immediate piece of leverage, and he knew it. So there was only one thing to do. Green grabbed one of the younger prisoners, Hope, and held her in front of him. He placed his sidearm up to the back her head with his right hand and kept his assault rifle up in the other. The soldiers standing there had no idea what was going on, so each of them brought their assault rifles up. They were standing a bit away from the prisoners, moving between aiming them at the light, to aiming them at the prisoners. Should anyone make a move, or attempt something unwise, they would be swiftly cut down by a hail of bullets. At the front of this group stood Green, who held the human shield in front of him, ready for anything.

One of the men in the darkness began to speak in an accent from Dyton Colony. Green wasn’t taking the threat so well. ”Not a chance you prick! Don’t you move any closer or I’ll do you and every one of these prisoners!” Green was not having the best day. He knew they’d barely made it off of the ship, and he was inevitably going to be transferred somewhere else. More then likely that location was going to be on the border worlds, and those places were a real mess. But this was clearly not what was supposed to happen in terms of evacuation protocol. Even if he was going to be dealt the worst hand imaginable because someone else was cheating, didn’t mean he was above cheating himself.

[Marcus O'Terra]

As they landed Marcus started to get a bad feeling, the area they were going to didn't seem well lit. He hadn't seen many Alliance bases after the war, not that he went looking for any; but it stood to reason that the bright and shiny military wouldn't hide itself unless bad crap was going down there.

No more deals, I suppose. Marcus sighed, internally. As the soldiers tensed up, and asked what the place was, Marcus's bad feeling got worse. If they didn't know what this place was.... oi vey.

As the men geared up for a possibly lethal encounter, Marcus couldn't help but note the side arm of the man, Green. "I see you favor a forty-five." He quipped, mostly under his breath, as the prisoners were lead out into the dark. Marcus had been nearest the helm, so he was last out, Green pressing him forward.

When the lights flared and suddenly there were shouts and after a moment of discourse, Marcus saw Hope being used as a human shield, what pale respect he had for the Alliance waned immediately. Marcus felt that urge to speak again, and try as he might to suppress it....

"Sir, If these people were waiting for you, the best thing to do is leave us to rot, and get your men out of here."

[Ilana Logan]

Hope Seville

There are times in your life when you wished your life had been different and times when you wished you could go back and change things. Hope had often wished the first but right now, she supposed, that it was giving her resolve to not completely lose her composure over the current situation. The ship landed and she was taken out. Then, in what seemed like only a moment, grabbed by Green.

She didn’t scream, almost but nothing came out accept a gasp. Hope stood there feeling completely helpless as the gun sat against her head, one wrong move and it would all be over, one way or the other. She tried not to think about anything but not moving or speaking.

She doubted Marcus’s attempt would do any good. Green didn’t care about her life, after what happened on the ship, she wondered if he cared about anyone’s life but his own. Her mind kept wondering, for some reason, what her family would say if she was to die in all of this. All she could think was they probably wouldn’t miss her.

[Ilana Logan]

Sasha Shaw

The outside was dark except for the few lamps that illuminated the place. Behind them Sasha could make out a line of warehouses. She looked at them a bit skeptical. After all the men that escorted them didn't seem to know what it was and for a handing over that supposedly followed Alliance protocol this suddenly felt odd in more than one way.

Sasha looked back into the darkness when the lights flashed. The unexpected brightness confused her for a moment while she turned her head away, blinking to let her eyes adjust. Things went quickly after that. Shouts from both sides and the next thing Sasha saw was Green grabbing Hope to shield himself with her. It was a poor image of the sergeant and his means that sketched itself upon this particular action.

Shiny... just shiny. Like Marcus she felt the urge to finally say something but she bit her tongue. It probably wouldn't help any of them. Hope at the very least.

[Ilana Logan]

Marina Kseniya Sebastian

Rina didn't resist when she was pulled out of her seat by one of the guards and herded down the ramp to the dirt with the others. At least she had her boots on the ground again. That gave her options she didn't have when in transit. She looked around and instantly her twitchy started pinging.

Not an Alliance base. Nothing on the buildings, no Fed personnel about, the coordinates unfamiliar. Likely unofficial. But of course, this is Shalyx we're talking about.

When the lights snapped on, searing everyone's night vision to a faretheewell, Rina halfway expected something like that to happen. After all, so much ruttin' go se has already hit the fan, who's going to notice a little more? She picked out the accents of the unknown crew, knew they weren't the smooth cultured tones of the Core, and wondered if they'd been sent here by Shalyx or if they were a third unexpected party looking to horn in on someone else's action. Maybe there was room to escape in that ... When Green grabbed Hope and used her as a shield, Rina remained still and eyed the set-up.

Gun to head, stuck in front. Not being held. Hit the deck, Hope. Get out of his line of fire. And while you're down there sweep his legs out, too.

Not that it was ever going to happen. Hope wasn't Rina and Rina knew it was useless to expect action of that sort from the other woman.

Pity. It would have made the perfect distraction. Hang in there, Hope....

Rina sized up the guard to either side of her, gauging which one would be easier to shove aside once the chaos started. And chaos was going to ensue if Green didn't wise up and stand down and parlay. The fact that they hadn't been gunned down by the unknowns the second they'd stepped off the shuttle told her they wanted something that they could only get if they were still alll alive.That's what she told herself, anyway. Slim odds, but better than none.

Hold still. Wait. See what their agenda is. Then act.

So Rina flexed her hands in her cuffs, shrugged her shoulders to ease their stiffness, and shifted her weight to the balls of her feet. Having her hands secured behind her would be a bother, but it wasn't anything she hadn't had to deal with before. Rina just hoped that when the opening came, she'd be able to use it.

[Ilana Logan]

The Rodeo Boys

The armed me standing in front of the soldiers didn’t move much. By now it was evident that they were armed, but they seemed to only match the number of soldiers that were there. It was very clear that they were holding high powered weapons, and they were fairly spread out. But they continued a slow advance forward, each with their weapons ready. Unfortunately there was no clear advantage for either side, but it was evident neither side was backing down.

”Shut up.” The soldier yelled discharging a round from his weapon. But he and the other men in the group remained steady, though they jumped with a bit of surprise at what had happened.

”Don’ think that’s a good idea right there mista’ soldia’." The bald man with the black goggles said. ”Aint extremely friendly on threats neiter, I’m not.” He said in the same scratchy tone he had been speaking with. He kept his weapon ready. ”So’s I’ll be sayin’ a one more time and it’s it. Be handin’ me over whatcha’ got there, and weze won’t have nothin’ other.”

The men moved forward once more, creeping up further. In spite of the soldiers warning, they hadn’t given much concern to it. They were prepared for what may come, the question in their minds was if the soldiers were. Their weapons focus shifted between the soldiers, but their aim was still right on them. They continued to creep in closer, and continued to wait for the soldiers response.

[Ilana Logan]

Richard Parkhill: Alliance Military

Green watched tentatively as the group of men moved in towards them. He wasn’t sure how many there were. He tried counting, but he was staring right at a bright light so his eyes couldn’t focus. But he’d come to the conclusion there were at least four of them, but he couldn’t be sure if that was all of them. He was in a serious bind and he wasn’t sure what to do. They were far out of range of any near by patrol, and they weren’t likely to be able to call in for help anyway. A bead of sweat slipped down his forehead, as he had no idea what to do. The older soldier was to the left of their group, and he was spreading out, moving back away from them, while distancing himself. It was pointless for them to bunch up, and if they spread out they would have a better position. To the right of the group, the other soldier was holding steady and keeping his rifle at the ready like the others. But he did not move nor take the advantage of spreading out. Green just kept staring straight at the man who was talking.

"Sir, If these people were waiting for you, the best thing to do is leave us to rot, and get your men out of here." One of the prisoners said. Green didn’t think on it nearly at all. He bent his arm to his left pointing his pistol at the man’s right foot. He squeezed the trigger and there was a loud bang, as a bullet discharged from the barrel and struck the man dead on in the foot. ”Shut up!” Green ordered. The action was extremely fast, it hadn’t taken even half a second. None of the opposing force moved much, but everyone seemed to jump. Green brought his pistol back up behind the girls head. The speaker for the men in front of them continued to elaborate on how the situation was. Green was trying to think of a solution fast. The shuttle was still behind him, they could move back and take it. But they may well be gunned down by then. They could try to fight them, but they could barely see.

There was a single conclusion he was able to draw without any issue. They clearly wanted the prisoners. So it wasn’t very likely they’d shoot them. But if there was sharp shooter around, they could take Green and his men out in a heartbeat. So he decided that it was best to combine the various plans together. There simply was no other option, and he didn’t care about these prisoners. And at times of extreme circumstances, N.C.O’s were authorized to carry out necessary means to ensuring the safety of the men under their command. He tensed the muscles in his right arm, and squeezed the trigger on his pistol. The bullet ripped from the circular opening and connected straight on with the part of the girls skull, just above the neck. It would undoubtedly exit through the front of her face, but all the while traveling towards the men in front of them

”OPEN FIRE!” Green ordered loudly, in a simultaneous action from firing his pistol. As he did so he squeezed the trigger on his assault rifle, holstering the pistol as he did. Then he barged his way through to the rest of the group.

Right then the men from the other side began to return fire, and his men did the same.

[Marcus O'Terra]

The pain was sudden, a white hot pain, filled with smaller slivers of agony as he shifted his weight off the offended portion of his body. "ARGH!" Marcus shouted out but he clenched his teeth and hissed. Someone was talking, he couldn't tell who but he turned his head at Green. He was done being quiet.


"You arrogant, brain-dead, purple bellied son of a-" He fell quiet when he realized the gun was at the back of Hope's head, and the trigger was being pulled. As a sniper, he'd been given lessons in trying to understand moments on the battlefield in a blink of an eye. Really it'd be all crazy mind's eye crap. He hadn't gotten a word of it.

That moment seemed to last forever.

BANG

Marcus wasn't sure what to do for a moment, bleeding out of his foot and bound behind his back....

Fight or Die, Private There had to be something.... He looked to the person who HAD to have a plan.

Rina.

[Ilana Logan]

Marina Kseniya Sebastian

Rina froze, stricken by the sight of Hope crumpling to the ground, brutally shot through the head without rhyme or reason. In the space of a single breath, her friend was gone.

And the bullets started flying.

"Down! Get down!" Rina shouted at Marcus and the others as she threw herself to the deck and rolled aside. The glare from the lights stabbed her eyes, the dust kicked up by the combatants made it hard to breathe, and the bullets whined overhead, disturbingly close. Something tugged at her sleeve, then tugged again at her pants leg. Rina didn't stop to investigate but kept moving, rolling and kicking out of the line of fire.