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515th Planet Curacao, Cortez
05/29/827 AS, 22:30

Lucien's revelation on what was done to Anna would have certainly come off as unbelievable. An independent group of experimental maniacs hijacking her emotions with very very dangerous, and rare drugs - all too push those inherited abilities to their limits.

The sad part was that they succeeded. Lucien anticipated Anna being fond of her position, hell; in his nightmares she blamed him for everything. But the reality was so much different, so unexpected. Now that she finally had control over herself again, she could dial back just enough to feel better. But the actions of her past would certainly haunt her forever, she would never be able to make peace with herself completely.

And now came the most painful revelation, and memory. The most sensitive, and most dramatic one.

Anna lied in Luciens arms, the tears were still rolling, but at least she wasn't stuttering anymore.

I miss him so much. I couldn't even remember his face, but when I finally heard someone else say his name I... I don't know. It was like the real "me" woke back up.

I miss him too. I loved seeing you with him.

I miss holding him, I miss walking with him. I miss that adorable laugh and cry.

Well... uh... there's always the possibility for... He was cut off by the sound of Anna chuckling in response to his words.

No. There's no way in hell I'm experiencing that ever again. I don't think I can be a parent after... everything that's happened. She replied.

Can you teach me how to fly? Anna sat up and turned back towards him, a little startled by the statement.

You're with the Order. The "Defenders of humanity" and you don't know how to fly? She said with a smirk on her face, exaggerating the punchline.

Well I mean... I'm not terrible anymore but... I'm not really good either.

I'll teach you. But only if... She gave Lucien a deep stare as she dragged out the "if".

If? He replied.

You promise to stay here, or work out of the Independent worlds.

I'm not sure if the Admiral will...

Tell him if he doesn't I'll release all the Hessian and Order alliance data to the Core on a sol-era floppy disk. The install icon will be a photo of Toledo on fire. She wore the Generalmajor getup while she went through the first half of that sentence, Lucien smirked and shook his head as she reached the back half though.

I'll talk with him.

Also, until I find a new job can I have a 4th of your paycheck?

Si si...

Gracias, senor Marquez. Tu eres guapo mucho. She said playfully before hugging him.

Apartment B-19-5 Planet Manhattan, New York
05/20/827 AS, 09:00

"CHIEF, ON YOUR LEFT THERE'S ANOTHER...."

The wingman's voice was cut off by the sound of antimatter rounds ripping through the hull of the guardian. The squadron was outnumbered from the start, but Kidman thought they could fend off the enemies. Unfortunately, though, she was wrong. Wingman went down after wingman until those dreaded sounds hit the hull, and just a few seconds afterward she found herself pacing in bed.

Hey, nightmare? Said Carlos as he rolled over and put one hand on her shoulder.

Yea, same one... Fuck this cold turkey shit. Kidman was coming off painkillers after a few fatal underway trips. The run-ins were with a new band of mercenaries called the "Reavers" that left the young Chief exhausted and stressed to her very limit. Unfortunately, though, susceptible endorphins didn't help take the edge off the stress in the long term. Kidman knew she had a problem, and part of the reason she chose to date Carlos was that he was willing to listen and help her out.

That help wasn't always easy to deliver, but tonight seemed a bit better compared to some other nightmares.

Come here, try and relax. Carlos said cuddling up closer to the struggling Kidman.

I think retirement doesn't sound so bad.

You've come clean for the past four weeks, I honestly think this is the last of it. Give it a chance.

I hope you're right.

Nearby apartment B-19-5,
Planet Manhattan, New York

"IR scans indicates two bodies."

Putting the data-pad away, Titanium, did a mental double check on her gear. Looking around, she was alone on the rooftop of the building in front of the target. Twenty hours of surveillance had come to an end and now she was in closed communication with her 'support'. The date, time and locale were not picked randomly. Weather, traffic, security, surveillance, routines, access and exits were taken in account and extrapolated into an actionable scenario. Leaning against the inner wall of the rooftop access corridor, she flipped a switch on a small electronic device that was being fed by the cameras and sensors placed at the ledge of the building. The devices were suddenly pulled towards it, finally locking each one of themselves into the main switch. Titanium stowed it away in her pack, making sure nothing was left to chance.

"Biometrics are the same, and I have followed the imprint for the past three hours. They are asleep."

Lowering her helmet visor, the display became active with the HUD calculating distances and offering valuable numbers for the action ahead. Making sure nothing was left behind on the rooftop, she pulled out the handgun from the holster and doubled-checked the ammo.

"Yes. I am certain she will have a weapon at hands reach. Thus this method of insertion is the most viable. Be prepared to act. I am executing in twenty seconds. Time."

A countdown display showed up on the top right corner of her HUD. Pacing to the other end of the rooftop she prepared herself and poised for a run. A lightning bolt ominously appeared in the background, kilometres away. The countdown ticked on the ten seconds mark and she exploded forward, gaining the much needed momentum for the jump.

As her feet touched the ledge, she jumped with all the power her bionic legs could muster, crossing the distance through the rain. With her body started to drop onto the target window, the lights of the whole city block disappeared around her. Her hand rose, handgun ready, and let loose a high impact round, that turned the protection window into small shards of glass. Swiveling her body and leaning her legs into the opening, her feet landed with a loud thump and she curled her body and hit the bed full on with her back, causing it to break and be thrown away alongside its occupants. A yelp was heard as bodies, parts and fabric were shoved against the opposite wall and by the time the last piece of glass has hit the ground, Titanium was already up and pulling what remained of sheets and broken bed frames out of the way until her target. A hand rose, male. She pulled it and alongside came a man who was then thrown like a rag doll against a nearby wall, leaving a depression on it. His body fell over the vanity, either dead or unconscious. Trailing her gun at the woman that was trying to look for something, probably a handgun of her own, Titanium lunged and grabbed her by the throat, rising her effortlessly in the air, making her grasp for air and trying to release the hold.

"Miss Kidman. You are wanted somewhere else."

Quickly spinning the gun in her hand, she grabbed it by the barrel and pistol whipped Una in the head, who then lost her consciousness. Looking around, she holstered the handgun and dropped Una without ceremony. Restraining her, Titanium propped Una up over her shoulder and as she was looking back at the window, a small groan was heard. The man was trying to get up. Not thinking twice, she let a round out of the handgun onto the man and holstered it.

"Package collected. Jumping to exfil."

Kicking what remained of the bed to the side, she cleared a path to jump again, this time out of the window. Breathing in, she dropped a small black pack, not bigger than a data-pad at her feet and then she lunged once again, this time with a heavier load. The drop came sooner, as expected, but the path was true and she landed feet first on top of a awaiting hover cargo car, that had placed itself out of the flying corridor, leaving a foot indentation on it. Pulling a small hatch on the rooftop, she dropped Una into it, and followed her in. A man in his thirties nodded at Titanium as he accelerated the cargo car. A small comm came to her radio.

"Pickup complete. Leaving the scene."

As the hover car sped up, Titanium pulled a small backpack from under the seat and started to remove the contents. First, a scanner that she placed around Una's wrist. Blood was taken and for a long second, it made all the necessary tests. A green signal indicated it was a match. Content with the outcome, Titanium shoved a needle into the knocked out woman neck, emptying the contents into her blood stream and started to undress her.

"Status?"

Titanium asked to her driver.

"No tails. Scanners are green. Switch and bait in place. ETA, 4 minutes."

The man replied without taking his eyes of the 'road'. Titanium nodded and after a couple of minutes, her charge was dressed into common clothes and ready. Pulling a knife from her belt, she proceeded to stab her in non-vital areas and allowed the blood to spread, without eliciting reactions from Una. Applying another injection to Una, she threw the needle to the side and proceeded to remove the top layers of her attire, revealing also common clothes. Titanium then started to spread Una's blood all over her.

"ETA, 20 seconds."

Her driver said, putting Titanium into action. Grabbing Una and propping her up with one arm under armpit, they seemed the visual explanation of a night on the town gone wrong. The cargo car halted and the doors opened, showing an empty hover taxi. The man removed his mask and jumped to the driver spot, as Titanium placed Una lying down on the back seat and sat at her side. The man then pulled his data-pad and introduced some commands. The cargo car soon started to speed away and disappeared into the skyline. The hover taxi then turned around and left towards the east, where the sun was now starting to rise.

Freighter Gallowgas,
In-transit to Pittsburgh, New York

"What do you mean the AO is compromised?"

Titanium asked on the comms. The reply soon came and her lips slightly twisted in disgust. Xenos. She knew that using the Xeno controlled part of Pittsburgh would bring issues and arise difficulties. But that was why Spartan and Cerise were there for. She looked at the ship status screen ahead. Touchdown in ten minutes.

"I will be on-planet in ten minutes. On-site in twenty five, via hover. Upon my arrival, blow everything up. Sow confusion. Whatever it takes to allow the package to reach one of our ships. Make sure nothing survives."

She spoke with authority and closed up the comm. Turning back, the woman was now bandaged but still out of commission. Using the emergency vehicles for access to the medical care units and their transports was a good idea and allowed them to leave the planet uncontested. It would take days for the trail to be picked up and then it would end in Pittsburgh, cold. Grabbing her backpack, she pulled whatever combat gear she had left. Two grenades. A small combat blaster, a handgun and two knifes. More than enough, she surmised. The plan in her head did not placed her in frontal combat, especially against a Xeno gang of twenty or more.

Rockabilly Pads,
Pittsburgh, New York

Cerise was a true terrorist alright. Her placement of explosives was if nothing, evil. Not overly effective in terms of combat, but it managed to shake the enemies to their core. Using two charges to throw the remains of a deceased Xeno over the main enemy body managed to throw them off for some seconds. Titanium managed to make the best of the distraction provided by Spartan and Cerise and had finally closed the ship cargo hold by now, the package safely tucked away.

"Package loaded. I'm turning back to support you."

A reply came into the comm.

"What do you mean you don-"

The ground shook and cracks opened through the entrance of the pad facility. Flames and explosions burst out from the ground, throwing bodies, burning and not to the sky. Cerise planted shape charges and did a tandem timed detonation in the fuel and power lines. Effective.

"Very well. Move out. Silver, package is underway."

Somewhere in space
06/30/827 AS, 04:00

The dream had been a series of flashbacks, watching her fiance get bodied. She saw it over and over again, but despite all the fear and panic it caused - she still couldn't bring herself to wake up. Until...

She felt her body jolt up and down, like a fish out of water. She was coughing, but no air was coming in. As it continued she could slowly begin to make some sense of her surroundings. There was a needle stuck in her chest, air had collapsed her lungs. She felt a bit weak, but still strong enough to pull out the needle and sit up slowly.

She could make out the pilot, and Co-pilot seats in front of her. Both of them were turned to face her and watch her get up. They both just gazed at her and let her struggle on her own as she managed to finally sit upright. Fighting wasn't an option at this point, not with the drive to do so.

Where's my fiance? She struggled to get out. Coughing up some blood as she finished.

Reppu Clound,
Galileo, Independent Worlds

Hearing the woman speak up and coughing, Titanium picked up a small weapon from the side support hold at the side of her seat. Preparing it, she started to speak.

"I would say, indisposed."

Turning around, she shot a tranquilizer dart at Kidman, who just flopped to the side and drifted away. Taking her security harness out, Titanium placed another tranquilizer charge into the small pistol as she walked towards the now sleeping woman. After a quick vital check, she pulled the tranquilizer dart from Kidman's neck. Spartan, the one flying the ship, opened a comm.

"We are arriving at the drop off point. Two contacts. Silver and an unregistered freighter."

"Prepare for pod drop."

Titanium replied, picking up the body effortlessly and placed it inside a clean civilian pod. Inputting some commands, the pod sealed and had all its signals shut off. Only by visual confirmation one would see it.

"Silver gave the go word."

Titanium returned back to her seat and strapped the harness again.

"Clear."

She replied and Spartan executed the cargo ejection. The cargo hold closed its access doors and suddenly space filled it as the cargo bay doors opened. The pod flew out forcibly, surrounded by darkness and silence. A tractor beam started to maneuver the pod towards the freighter and not five seconds later, it entered the freighters cargo bay.

"Package delivered. RTB."

Titanium said, looking at the scanner readings.

"Hai."

Spartan replied as the engines roared back to life. Taking stock of what happened, Titanium remotely accessed some files and comms and mused about the situation.

"One down. One to go."

515th Planet Curacao, Cortez
07/12/827 AS, 10:00

You know I never asked, but what's that mean? Luciano said, grabbing Anna's arm and examining it. She was lying down next to him with her face in the pillow.

The tattoo? She said, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Si. She slowly rotated to her side and looked at the tattoo. Did you forget you had a tattoo there?

Yea... I only remember the one on my leg.

I thought I did terrible with that one. What's it mean though? Lucien continued. It's... kinda like a trophy I guess. Something to signify you're one of the badasses. We were kinda like special forces. A team. The serpent is to signify you're on the team. The center icon and extra parts signify your role. The wings and compass meant I was their pilot.

You were their only pilot?

The only one they needed. Lucien turned towards her as she finished speaking. She smirked a little. Lucien shook his head lightly, smirking as well.

Which one do you like the most? Anna lifted her arm slightly and rotated it so Lucien could see the inside of her bicep. On it was another tattoo.

You don't hate having that still? Luciano said once he saw it, turning back towards Anna as he finished.

It's a part of me now, I'm not a part of it. Do me a favor and remember that when your boss shows up today, si? Lucien nodded in return after pausing for a second. He seemed a little worried that would become the reason for Golanski's arrival, he couldn't budge on his wife. But disobedience would entail a whole new set of consequences for both of them.

Lucien slowly began to rise. Anna broke the silence with a question to take both their minds off the topic.

Do I have time to exercise?

We do. He replied. Anna snapped upright and looked at him almost instantly.

You're finally going to work out with me? Do we get to settle who benches more? She said with excitement.

I can still bench more than you. Luciano said as he started to walk out the door.

Alright we're maxing out then. And when I win, we're going bar hopping.

I think you mean when I win, you're getting a job at one of those bars.

-14:00, Order Safehouse, Curacao.-

He didn't say why he was coming, did he? Anna said as the two sat down inside the hangar control room. The safe-house was built into a mountain at the edge of the region where they lived. The control room overlooked the horizon, it was beautiful during almost any time of day or night.

No. Just that he'd meet us now. Luciano said, buttoning up his uniform.

That uniform looks good on you. Y'know. Anna said after pausing for a second.

I try. He replied with a smile on his face. Anna smiled back afterward.

Luciano turned towards the window, in the distance, they could see a few ships breaking through the clouds - it was them.

They're here. I know it might be a bit awkward for you, but don't worry. Alright?

Don't worry.

“Anna Heinrich? On Curacao?” The operative would have laughed if he did not leave his humor at the tip of the shrapnel received during too close of a duel against the Core pilot a few years back. “And bringing her to an Order facility was considered a good idea?” He challenged the wisdom of bringing the uninitiated to knowledge of even just one of multiple listening posts scattered across the Houses. The Admiral would have made his counterpoint “Think of it as the last time you shipped that Blood Dragon off-world. Heinrich was the most pro-Order Hessian that actually used her brains.” Though he himself was pleased that his subordinates dared to question things and developed a healthy degree of paranoia to befit a field intelligence operative. “Me and the Miss Hessian will be having a talk, then we will pick supplies for Atum. Nice and easy.”

Unmarked Voyager approached the hangar bay, below the control room and rotated its aft to front before touching down. Cargo elevator extended, allowing its crew to disembark. None of them were uniformed, suited in undercover garments that made them resemble a rag team of freelancers. Admiral too did not wear any uniform, instead opting for a casual outfit he used to wear off-duty on Akabat. He definitely was more used to colder climates of Gran Canaria, Akabat and old dreams that were now planet Toledo. He saw the Commander, soon to be Commandant Luciano Marquez in the doors leading to inside of the base. Golanski put on the sunglasses and headed down inside to the complex. “Glad you could make it to Drake. The Order had made a difference that day.” He greeted the officer, signalling to tone down the protocols and duty in favor of a more casual encounter.

“No need to salute this time.”

515th Planet Curacao, Cortez
07/12/827 AS, 10:30

Gracias Admiral I did all I could. I've never seen that many infected hurtled together before. It was a bit distorted at times. Lucien replied walking up to him. And also, you have my personal thanks for this as well. Now, let me introduce you to my wife. As he put his hands behind his back and began to turn the Bretonian voice cut him off.

We've met. Admiral. Anna said walking out from behind him. She was dressed casually, boots, jeans, and a T-shirt - plain black. She looked different, the scars on her face were gone. Her hair was a bit longer now and tied behind her head. She stood relaxed. Her weight resting on one of her hips and her hands in her pockets.

He hasn't met the real you though.

Don't flirt in front of your CO, Commander Marquez. Lucien glanced at both of them and began stepping back next to Anna.

Thank you for giving me my husband back. I guess you have a lot of questions. We have food and drinks back at our place. It's just a tram ride away.

Last time he saw Heinrich, she was battleworn yet dedicated commander of the Rote Hessen. Now she looks as if she reversed a couple good heavy years off her conscience. Whether she used some medical procedure to mask or remove the scars was not something he was interested in. What took his attention were possible motives behind throwing her entire life behind, and at such short notice. Golanski doubted he himself would have a resolve to abandon his duty like that in face of anything he could devise and imagine.

“I will take you on the offer, it has been a long time since I had been in anything remotely resembling House standards. Glad we could meet again and in better circumstances than discussing war. Is it now Miss Heinrich or Marquez?”

515th Planet Curacao, Cortez
07/12/827 AS, 10:45

Heinrich, we agreed on keeping surnames. She replied, turning just after and walking back inside the safe-house towards the tram.

You agreed. Lucien muttered as he began to follow.

-Minutes later-

Their house was wonderful, it was a bit exposed, but that was the idea. Neither of them was anticipating the need to hide out here - the safe-house existed for that purpose. As each of them walked into the dining room, Anna pulled out bottles of Rum and Rheinbeir. Food was prepared on the dining room table.

Help yourselves. Heinrich said as she sat down, mixing rum with a few other substances just after.

I'll stay sober then for her sake. Lucien said as he sat down next to her.

So... What do you want to know Admiral? Heinrich said just before taking the first sip from her drink.

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