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RP Aegis Squad: The Shield is Forged

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Half Empty - Landing Pad

Aegis 2 proceeded down from the shuttle afterward, his shades linking up quickly as he pushed left. Gun hitched close to his right side, the man reached forward to push the mode select for his plasma weapon beneath the barrel. Carefully hefting one of the two large cells, he pressed it firmly into the right side of his weapon as he peaked the corner and waited. The buildings weren't terribly large around the landing area, about three or four floors at best, but the low light had him scanning with his glasses for any sign of movement or signature. Thermal vision and sonic mapping worked together, the world thinned through in darkness with etched lines with heat signatures as he swept for any sign of life. Thankfully for their traitor's henchmen, he found none as the cell clicked as half was loaded into the weapon's plasma storage chamber. Returning it to his belt, the man advanced forward through the alley nearby to gently slide along the wall as pointman until the others unloaded.

"Distance to target warehouse is three-hundred and twelve meters," his voice hissed over the comm-line with the certainty one might expect from an IPG implant-boosted machine mind to both recall their plans and the data necessary to pinpoint their position, "Roughly sixty meters on foot through close-quarters until we reach a trade station."

Carefully checking the corner of the building he had pushed up alongside, looking down another alleyway ahead of their shuttle, his voice picked up again.

"Aegis 2, in position. Flank secure."
 
Aegis 3 covered his face with a balaclava and moved down the ramp. He took the western side of the approach from Wolf, stalking forward with his M1 at the ready and kept to the lengthening shadows of the large buildings. His optic cybernetics scanned the buildings around them for movement, he paused for the sweep and proceeded forward once it was clear. “Aegis 3, in position. West secure,” Lenz murmured into the commlink, standing ready for the order to advance.

He let a sense of calm permeate through his mind as he stayed alert and waited. It felt good to move with a squad again. It felt validating to be the Operative he had suffered and trained to become. It was all for the glory of Nepleslia.
 
Juan was nervous. His leg had been shaking, more vibrating really, the whole ride down to street level. He chewed a piece of gum, the movement fairly calming for the young man. As they landed and moved to depart he made a brief gesture that was from an obscure religion in the are he grew up in. He watched the more exerienced agents move out and as they called safeties he himself brought his rifle to his shoulder, clouched slighty and moved forward to join Aegis 1.

He grasped a little of many different Operator skills which led him to be a jack of all trades, albeit still raher green to all. His major focus however, even from his time as an Officer, was to be up front. He moved fluidly toward and abreast of Aegis 1, stating in a low tone over his throat comm, "Aegis 5 moving up to Aegis 1, 3 o'clock. Ready to take point."
 
Shuttle/Half Empty - Planetside

"Understood, Aegis 1", Lexine, now designated Aegis 4, answered in response to Wolf while the shuttle flew through the atmosphere.

When the shuttle touched down, Lexine pulled up her balaclava and readjusted her ballistic goggles. As she descended the ramp, her IPG cybernetics suite activated, gauging distances and scanning her surroundings with mechanical efficiency. She positioned herself along the eastern side of the approach, utilizing infrared and telescopic vision in tandem to scan for movement.

"Aegis 4, in position. East Secure.", she stated, responding via silent, mental transmission. Taking care to minimize her exposed angles and to stay in the shadows, Lexine held position along the corner of the building and waited.
 
Half Empty - Landing Pad

Wolf scanned the area as everyone reported that they were in position. The streets were clear of any contacts, and no one could pick anything up on IR. "Aegis 5 on point. Let's move." He said also giving the advance hand signal.

They moved through the streets of Half Empty like ghosts, only finding the occasional citizen who wandered outside to see why the lights were off. Aegis squad would take cover and wait for them to pass before advancing forward. He didn't want any of them to tip off the target somehow. After rounding another corner Wolf raised a gloved fist. "Hold here, target building up ahead."

The warehouse was large metal building, about 5 stories tall. On the exterior of the building was balcony, which currently held two guards. Both were pacing back and forth, carrying GP-1 assualt rifles. The balcony had 2 doors on the side that the team was facing. There was also two fire escapes leading up to the balcony. At ground level there was a massive hangar style door, which was cracked slightly as 5 contacts exited the building and stood guard around the door.

"We have 7 contacts. Aegis 2 and 3, head up top and take head inside. Aegis 4 and 5 on me, we take the front. Once everyone is in position, we begin the assault. Move."
 
Half Empty - Warehouse

"Confirmed."

Harm pushed through the darkness, the man having been on the flank of the formation for much of their prior movements. Now, he took point ahead of Lenz as he let his ZARCNAM slip to hang by its strap. The shadows hid them as they advanced up to the fire escapes, Harm reaching his left hand to his hip to secure a familiar weapon to any Nepleslian soldier. The HHG was flicked to Mass Driver as he grasped the ladder and firmly but quietly pulled it so that it deployed down for the pair. The guards at the front were in sight, but the way they moved and just enough distance from the light let his enhanced senses and machine mind methodically calculate every movement as he ascended the ladder to the fire escape proper. The only sound of a footfall was the most faint of a "tint" as his footfall landed on the metal scaffolding, audible only to the IPG-enhanced sensory suites.

Slowly and silently, he knew Lenz would be climbing the other escape and making his own progress. The Jiyuuian approached the section just below the posted guard at the highest balcony, finally firmly grasping railing in one hand as he tucked himself into a practiced stance and simply aimed up. There was no deep breath or exercise, simply the barely audible ping of the hammer two times as the Mass Driver fired two rounds up through the balcony into the man's head from below. The rocking of his helmet ensured that the bullet rattled around and did maximum damage, the foe slumping back against the wall. But before he could slide down or drop his gun, Harm was up and beside him, grabbing the weapon with his free hand and pinning the body against the wall with his shoulder to slowly let him slip down the wall and quietly set down.

A similar situation was available for Lenz, though the opposing fire escape meant he could come up behind the rail-holding criminal. The chump was looking down and around, watching out for the group below. The buzz of Harm confirming the success cut over the radio to everyone else, the Jiyuuian visibly slipping his HHG back to his hip as he checked over the guard's FEAR and ensuring it was emptied before dropping the gun into the corpse's lap and taking up vantage to watch over the others. The assault of the building couldn't start until the front was securing below as well as up-top, after all... and if they somehow got detected, he had the best seat to fire down on the flanks of the five men patrolling the poorly-lit doorway area.
 
Half Empty - Landing Pad/Streets/Warehouse

Lexine placed her rifle on her back and took out her HHG as she moved up with Wolf. However, she knew that the streets was not an ideal battlefield in the slightest. The presence of civilians presented risks for the team, regardless of their intentions. While the team waited for civilians to pass, Lexine took pictures of each one, taking extra care to analyze the ones that wore heavy clothing.

Once she was in position, Lexine sighted her HHG and opened her comms.

"Aegis 4, in position. Primed for assault."
 
Half Empty - Street level, Front of warehouse doors

Juan clicked his comm in understanding, he let his M3 hang limp on his three point sling and drew his ZA .357, smoothly attaching the silencer. He followed in Harm's wake a few meters to place himself in the shadows almost parallel to the five person mob hanging out in front of their chosen entry point. He watched the senior officer mount the fire escape but did not allow his attention to drift from his own targets. He crouched low, his gun resting in a double grip ready to raise and fire in precise shots. He figured he could easily lay low one if not two of the goons and knew that Aegis 1 and 4 could easily do the same so their overlap should be suffice.

He took one breath to raise his hand and click the the comm signal on, "Five in place." He reasserted his double fisted grip.
 
Half Empty - Warehouse, Fire Escape Opposite Harm

The short IPG operator moved silently through the darkness opposite of Harm, coming up behind the guard as he silently moved into position on the fire escape to take the shot. Lenz saw that the trajectory was optimal- the guard's back was to him, his neck exposed beneath his helmet. He raised his HHG switching to Mass Driver for a silent kill, his stance firm and practiced as he gently squeezed the trigger twice, sending two white solid lead rounds into the base of the guard's neck and up into his helmet. He moved quickly to close the distance between himself and his target, to minimize the noise and to possibly finish putting the man down if he somehow survived the lead expanding into his skull.
 
Half Empty - Balcony

At the same time Harm dropped his target, Lenz's shot pierced the guard's neck. His body slumped the ground with a barely audible thud. From Aegis 2 and 3's new vantage point, they had a clear view of two of the contacts. Behind them, their didn't seem to be any sign that their stealth kills had been noticed. All clear for now.

Half Empty - Street level, Front of warehouse doors

Wolf nodded as Juan and Lexine reported their status, then finally spoke after Lenz and Harm were in position. "Aegis, mark your targets. One for each of us. Fire on my mark."

The CO marked his target in everyone's HUD, then made sure they did the same.

He exhaled softly, and increased the pressure of his finger on the trigger. "Mark." With that he squeezed and unleashed a three round burst into his target's chest.
 
Juan nodded, though really it was more out of habit then for anyone in particular, as he painted his mark and likewise rattled off three rounds from his silenced pistol. Two in the chest and one in the head just as he was taught. Though ultimately this was his first assignment with IPG status, his time prior as NPF had introduced him to the wide world of shootings. He had, in the past, reasons to defend himself but this was new.

This was cold and calculated and while he performed his duties as admirably as one would expect he felt a twinge of regret. He ended a life that did not shoot at him first, in hindsight however, these people were sure to have done their fair share of past misdeeds ad future problems if not ended now.

Yes it was an odd time to have all these thoughts but he always remembered his first NPF sargeant back in the day, "If not you, then who." A simple statement but impactful, Juan had the skills and if he didn't use them in this instance what would then happen.

As the small bit of smoke drifted from the barrel, Juan crouched and watched for more contacts and prepared in case others on the team needed assistance.
 
Half Empty - Balcony

Time slowed as the order executed, Harm's eyes intensifying as his adrenaline and experience pushed. It was almost like he could see the bullets in slow motion as his rifle gave a "thip-thik-thwik", the ZARCNAM's bullets tearing into one of the rear flanking of the group as the first bullets from Wolf and Juan were let loose. Half the formation was twisting, contorting in flashes of knowing but death before they could feel. Picture-clear moments Harm could record onto a long list of lives he had taken over the extensive life he'd lived... and as fast as the image and scene actually transpired, no sooner did Harm turn and rise. The others and Aegis-1 had the group, while he had taken the high-ground with killing intent. Pushing his lower barrel against the doorknob, he thumbed through the fire select and gave a simple pull of the trigger again.

A ball of plasma smashed into the door almost silently, the superheated material cutting through the doorway as Harm slipped the gun to its stream mode and set the weapon to full-auto before angling his sight ahead.

"Commencing breach and hold."

The plasma had already done the job of readying the door, Harm simply moving and pushing it with his left thigh as he slipped inside with his deathly silent step. All of this had happened in a breath's time, only a few seconds in retrospect. They had a job to do and being quick was all part of the operation the minute bodies were put on the ground.
 
Half Empty - Street level, Front of warehouse doors

Lexine switched the HHG to mass driver as she marked her own target a distinctive red triangle in her own and everyone else's HUD. As she did, the cranial-implanted coordination unit guided her aim towards the neck of her designated target. In the same movement, her breathing paused and two .45 rounds discharged from the barrel of the massive gun, one round to kill and the second for assurance.

Taking care to move in the most efficient and silent manner possible, the diminutive operator formed back up on Wolf as she manually loaded two more rounds inside of the weapon.
 
Half Empty - Balcony

Aegis 3 watched the life slip and fade from his target without a shred of pride or empathy. His conditioning had stripped him of the emotions that might have prevented him from performing this murder, once he might have felt a twinge of pity flash through his mind- after all, this could have been him in another life. He had been a police officer, sworn to serve and protect the citizens of Nepleslia. Most importantly, he took his oath to protect the only person that truly mattered to him in this life, his half-sister, Mei. That young woman was the one person he could not live in a world without. She encouraged his mercy and that was not an option for him any more as an Operator. He was the executioner and enforcer of Nepleslia's will tonight and every night since he stepped foot on that facility on Rok'Veru years ago.

The life in the man's eyes faded as he fell. Lenz quickly and easily caught the corpse and eased it to the floor of the balcony before he set it against the wall where Aegis 2 had deposited the other target. It had only been a matter of seconds from when his rounds discharged to when the man had ceased to be a person any longer. He checked his HUD for the locations of the others. The targets below were still active but they ran the risk of losing the advantage with a stray muzzle flash and the HHG's mass driver lost velocity for the sake of silence. He heard the statement about commencing breach and hold and he moved into Aegis 2's six.

Lenz pressed against the wall of the building remaining concealed in the shadows with his HHG at the ready as he covered the Jiyuuian's back as the taller Operator breached the door. The air was filled with tension and the acrid scent of gunpowder, plasma residuals, coppery blood and the wafting stench of the dumpsters in the alley beneath them. Each second stretched beyond his heartbeat as Lenz slowed his breathing, he felt the sweat of his palms forming against the insulated lining of his gloves and the chill on the back of his neck as his sweat cooled in the night air as he waited for Harm to slip inside the doorway. Once the Master Sergeant glided into the darkness, Lenz followed, checking the room before sliding to the opposite side of the doorway to stay out of view from someone wandering below.
 
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