Cyclades Region, Planet Crete, Omicron Gamma
October 19, 827 A.S.
The dropship weaved to and fro between the rocky hills and deep ravines of the Cyclades Basin, the steep slopes that made up its rim just barely visible in the hazy distance. Keeping close to the ground, the craft avoided detection by any radar systems that might have protected the area from unwanted intruders.
The mercenaries huddled close together within the vessel's cramped interior, holding on to whatever support they could get their hands on as the pilot banked, climbed, and dove across the countryside at breakneck speed. Olivia glanced out of one of the viewports, watching the hills shoot by. They were covered in little more than rocks and some tufts of tall, scraggly grass - not exactly optimal for a stealth operation. The fact that it was still daylight didn't improve the situation either, but attempting to traverse the terrain under the cover of night would have proven suicidal without giving away their position with portable lights.
"Thirty seconds to drop off one," the pilot announced over speakers. Olivia patted down the gear she was carrying. Over her usual flightsuit she wore light polymer armor, sturdy enough to withstand small caliber kinetic and low power energy weapons. Her trusty sidearm was holstered to her right thigh while her reliable combat knife was nestled snugly to her left. Magnetically attached to her back was her compact rifle.
She glanced over at Blue, standing a few feet away. At first glance, it appeared he was only wearing his usual outfit, flightsuit and coat. But she knew that underneath the bulky tunic, his body was covered head to toe with firearms of various shapes and sizes. A veritable walking arsenal. Beige stepped up beside him, his usual smile on his face. He would go into combat with only the most necessary gear - his beloved handcannon. Maroon and Amber leaned against the far wall of the compartment. The former had his eyes closed, his lips moving slightly as he whispered in meditation. Attached to his black bodyarmor were a small submachine gun and a long, straight-bladed weapon. His red hair flowed around his head in a strange, mesmerizing rhythm. Amber hoisted a duffel bag over her shoulder, containing the disassembled pieces of a modular sniper rifle. Covering her wiry body was a grey-and-khaki poncho, perfect to blend into the dry environment they would soon find themselves in.
"Five seconds."
Olivia braced herself as the ship flared to the side and came to a sudden stop, hovering a few feet off the ground within a deep gorge. The rear wall split away from the vessel, swinging down to the ground as a ramp. The five mercenaries of team one nodded at each other and hurried out of the craft. The moment they were disembarked, the ramp sealed up again and the dropship shot off down the canyon, disappearing around a bend.
Olivia pulled her PDA out from within her armor and checked their location.
"Mansion's three clicks south. We'll have to hurry."
Nodding, the others formed up around her and the team broke into a run up the hills towards their destination.