FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Silent Threat expanded story

(Gralka pre-story)

Trent squeezed Gralka's hand gently as the two walked down the gravel road. The stars overhead were clear and bright. Occasionally, one of the bright dots in the sky zoomed across the heavens indicating one of the many freighter tows on its way to the space dock floating silently overhead.

"When can I see you again?" the boy asked. The two stopped at the edge of Gralka's family farm. She still had a good kilometer to go past the fence to reach her house.

"I'm not sure," Gralka said with disappointment. "I had to sneak out again just to see you this time."

Trent gently tugged her closer until they were nearly nose to nose. He inhaled her scent and squeezed her shoulders. "Well, try to make it soon. I want us to spend some time together."

Gralka sighed and leaned against the young male Rudigar. He in turn nipped softly at the crook of her neck. The girl shuddered with pleasure, but pushed away a moment later as she felt his hands roam down to her hips.

"Soon," she said apologetically, hoping the boy caught her double meaning. "It's already late, and I'm sure I'll have chores tomorrow."

Trent nodded in understanding, "Okay."

Gralka turned to walk past the gate but Trent snatched her hand one last time. She looked over her shoulder coyly at him.

"I almost forgot to give you this," the boy said as he pressed a small bundle into her hand, "something to remember me when we're apart."

The girl peered at the object. It was a single, large, black claw from one of the dire rats that inhabited the nearby swamp. Gralka knew Trent went hunting with his father often. The boy had fashioned a simple pendant for her on a leather cord.

"Thank you, Trent," she said sincerely. She quickly strung the pendant around her neck where it hung down to the top of her chest.

He smiled and said, "It looks good on you. Until next time, good night." The boy took a few steps backwards waiting for Gralka to turn and go.

She grinned and gave a small wave before heading off to her farm house. She walked the remaining distance to the front of the house turning the pendant this way and that, all the while pondering her budding relationship with Trent.

When Gralka got to the house, she sighed. Normally when she snuck out the only course of action was to climb up to her second story window to get back in. Tonight she was tired and distracted, and decided to just go in through the front door. She carefully stepped across the front porch avoiding the gaps in the planks that had a tendency to squeak.

The young Rudigar eased the wooden door closed behind her, hoping no one in the house heard the entrance. It was well after her curfew, imposed by her father as a means to keep her under watch. He would not be happy with her if he found out she snuck over to the next farm to see Trent.

They were not the poorest family in the valley, but they certainly were not the wealthiest. The young girl clutched at the necklace her beau had given her. The girl still wore a smile on her muzzle as she leaned against the inside of the door. Just then a light flicked on in the corner of the living room. Her father sat in his favorite chair, obviously waiting for her to come in.

"Where you been Gralka? You know its past curfew."

"Daddy!" she gasped in surprise. "I thought everyone was up to bed by now." She knew she was caught and did not bother trying to lie her way out of it.

Jerran looked sternly at his daughter and saw the necklace. His eyes narrowed and he pointed a finger at her. "You been out with that Harkan boy ain't you? I told you to keep clear of them. They ain't nothing but second-rate farmers. They couldn't grow a good crop if I went and sowed their fields for 'em."

Gralka's ears burned but she did not offer a retort. She stood in silence staring at the floor. Her father walked over to her.

"Ain't got nothing to say, eh? Do yourself a favor and forget about that boy. I got better plans for you. Your birthday's not far off, so you'll be marrying age then. I've already arranged for you to meet Draken's son, Alistar. His family is well to do, and you can be taken care of proper like."

"Don't count on it," she muttered under her breath.

"What'd you say?" Jerran reached out and grabbed Gralka by the chin, lifting her gaze to meet his. "Look at me if you want to say something."

"I said forget it," she replied raising her voice. "You're not going to sell me off to some wealthy boy so you can get a cut!"

Her father scowled in anger and grabbed her necklace. With a quick jerk he tore it free from her neck. "You're not to leave the farm from now on. You hear me?" To punctuate her sentencing, he threw the necklace into the waste bin.

Gralka bit back tears of anger. She stuck her snout in her father's face and growled through clenched teeth, "I'll never let you sell me to some man like a whore!" She shouldered her way past him and quickly ran up the stairs to her small room.

Jerran heard the click of her door lock from the living room. He sighed heavily and bolted the lock on the front door. After turning the light off, he too went up the stairs to bed.

The next morning, Gralka rose from her bed. From the amount of sunlight she could tell it was well into the day. She guessed her mother had let her sleep in after hearing about the previous night. The girl spent a few minutes in the washroom cleaning up and doing her business.

Gralka did not mind the somewhat primitive living standards on the farm. Primitive when compared to Federation standards. They had electricity and plumbing at least, but they did not have a fusion generator which was common for families in the major cities. Most everything they owned ran on a combination of solar power and fuel cells. She had only had the chance to go to the nearest metropolis of Lanning's Port once in her lifetime.

Lanning's Port was not all that far away, just a little over 100 km. But with her family's means of transportation it meant a whole days travel time. She accompanied her mother and father at age ten, when her father had a chance to sign up for a long term contract for the farm. She had not had another chance to go again in the intervening seven cycles, and she resigned herself to be forever stuck in the backwoods farming town.

The city was more akin to a military outpost rather than a metropolis. It contained a large population of personnel necessary for operating the ground side of the space port for Gralka's homeworld of Lissia. The Rudigar that populated much of the world were not native to Lissia, but the federation had established a colony here well over 100 cycles ago. They had easily adapted to the green world covered in lush forests and swamps. Despite their well suited nature to be soldiers, the Rudigar immigrants were surprisingly successful agriculturists.

Gralka did not mind the farm work and even took a liking to it at times. She grew strong working in the fields and tending to the animals. Being raised as the only female in a family of four, sibling brothers did not bother her in the slightest. She especially enjoyed going hunting with her eldest brother, Sven. Her brother had always treated her as an adult, even though she was the youngest sibling. The other brothers kept to themselves but would occasionally torment her as brothers do. She gave as good as she got.

Gralka finally descended the stairs and padded into the kitchen. Her mother was there washing dishes from the breakfast meal. "Morning Mama," she said to her mother's back.

"Mornin' yourself," she replied. "I saved you a plate before your brothers ate everythin' in sight."

"Thanks," Gralka said already scooping the eggs and grilled meat into her muzzle.

As Gralka ate her breakfast, her mother finished rinsing the last dish and came to sit by her daughter. She did not say anything, but sat watching the girl eat. Gralka finally noticed her mother's gaze as she ate the last couple of bites. Her ears folded back as she saw the look in her mother's eyes and knew that a talk about last night was inevitable.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

Gralka shook her head quickly and averted her eyes from her mother.

"Alright then," her mother sighed. "Your father left a list of chores he wanted you to do. He said you was to stay within the farm and be back for dinner at sundown."

Gralka clenched her jaw in silent frustration from her father's command. "Here," her mother said handing her a slip of paper that had the list of chores on it.

The girl snatched the note and glanced at it. The list had several routine chores and one big task to clear away the dead wood scattered about the field so it could be plowed at the end of the season. She would be lucky to finish them by sunset.

"I know you was out last night with that boy from the next farm over, but you have to try and follow your father's rules."

"It ain't fair, Mama," Gralka spat out. "The boys don't have a curfew like I do. They get to run off and stay out as late as they like. When I do that I get reprimanded."

"Your father is just trying to look out for you."

"No he's not, Mama! He just wants to keep me locked up so he can sell me off to some rich boy. Did you know about that?"

Gralka's mother nodded her head. "We had discussed it, but we were going to talk to you about it when your birthday came around. I guess Jerran let it slip." Her mother put her head in her hands in embarrassment. "You were supposed to be given a choice in the matter."

Gralka clenched her fist in anger, crushing the note. "Well I guess my choice has been made for me."

Her mother started to lay a hand on her shoulder in an apology. Gralka shrugged her off and stood up from the table. "I got chores to do."

Several hours later Gralka was wrestling with a sturdy chunk of wood at the edge of the field. She managed to drag it several dozen meters before she had to take a break. As she sat on the ground near the debris she took a swig from her canteen of water and noticed an approaching figure. They were obscured by the glare from the sun and Gralka shaded her eyes trying to see who it was.

Sven walked up to her grinning. "Hey little sis, taking a break as always?" he joked with her.

She smiled up at him and replied, "Bite me; I do twice as much work as you around here."

"Hey now," he laughed and flopped down next to her. "So how much more you got to go?"

Gralka waved a hand at the medium sized log. "Just gotta drag this thing past the edge of the field then I'm done."

Sven nodded, "Nice job! So you finished all the rest of the stuff Dad gave you to do then?"

"Yeah, it was no big deal once I...hey, how do you know about that?" She scowled at him waiting for a response.

He picked up a leaf and turned it over in his hand. "Sorry, Dad wanted me to check on you. I can give you a hand if you like. I won't tell if you don't?"

"You're on," Gralka said and jumped up.

The two siblings made short work of the deadwood chore and sat on the nearby fence looking across the field. "So I heard you broke curfew again last night," Sven said.

Gralka stared off at the clouds in the sky. "Yeah, and I got all these chores as my reward."

Sven grinned. "Don't worry about it. He's all bark and no bite." He looked to his sister as her expression changed dramatically. She was staring at him with a mixed look of apprehension, fear and anger. "What's wrong?"

Gralka sniffed once as tears threatened to well up. "Did you know that Daddy wants to marry me off to some rich guy's son he met from the city?"

Sven frowned at the statement. "No, I hadn't heard that." Gralka hopped off the fence and edged closer to her bigger brother and he reached out with a hug.

After a moment of sobbing and Sven making soothing noises she looked up at him. "I don't want to leave you, but I don't see any other way out. I'm going to run away. Daddy will probably never forgive me, but I can't stay here."

"I guess I have no choice but to help you then," Sven said and looked down at her. She gasped in surprise and hugged her brother tightly. "Do you know where you'll go?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," she said with determination. "I'm going to Lanning's Port. I'll be old enough to join the Federation military in a couple of days. Then I can get off this backwater rock and away from this life."

Sven did not hide his sadness but made no plea for her to stay. "When are you going?"

"Tonight," she said with finality.

Dinner with the family was the usual affair. The middle brothers joked and told stories about things they did on their errands and deliveries to the surrounding farms. Sven spoke with his parents about business matters. Gralka ate in silence and did not make eye contact with anyone.

As the family cleaned up, Sven pulled her aside and spoke in a hushed tone. "Get your things together and stow away in my truck outside, I'll cover for you. I'll make some excuse about running up to the local bar and be out in a short bit." Gralka nodded once and slipped up the stairs unnoticed.

Sven was good to his word and kept his parents occupied as she put together a few meager possessions and a change of clothes in a duffle bag. The other boys came thundering up the stairs and into their separate rooms. Gralka waited until they had passed before slipping out her upstairs window. This was her usual route for going out past curfew.

It was only the work of a moment to pad over to the edge of the porch and slide down the support post on to the railing below. A quick dash got her over to Sven's simple two door truck that he used to travel between farms and into town for supplies.

She could hear the conversation her father was having with Sven. Jerran asked about how she had done on the chores. Sven related that she got everything finished.

"Where is that girl? I have a new list of stuff for her tomorrow."

"I think she went to bed already," Sven covered.

Jerran contemplated going upstairs for a moment, but thought better of it. "Well, alright. I guess she can get it in the morning." He turned to his son and said, "You want to have a cup of coffee?"

Sven shook his head. "Nah, I'm going over to the bar for a drink. Maybe I'll see that cute girl from the feed store there."

Jerran chuckled at Sven. "Alright, good luck. See you tomorrow."

Sven clapped a hand on his father's shoulder and said, "Goodnight Dad." He went over and gave his mother a kiss on the head as he headed for the door. "Goodnight Mom."

"'Night son," she said as his tail disappeared out the door.

Sven hopped in the truck and started up the engine. Not looking down he said, "Ready?"

Gralka sat hunched down in the passenger seat and nodded.

A half hour later, Sven pulled into the deserted and dusty parking lot of the local supply store. It was right off the main highway that ran through this part of the region. The elder brother turned off the engine and turned to his sister. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I've made up my mind." Her tone gave him no doubts.

"All right. Well, you take care of yourself Gralka. I won't be around to lend a hand anymore, but somehow I don't think you'll need it." He reached an arm out and hugged his sister.

She clutched him for a moment in affection. He kissed her forehead and slowly let her go. "Just remember that your brother loves you. Now go start your new life."

"I'll remember, Sven. Please give my love to Mama, and tell her I'm sorry." She opened the car door and jumped out.

"I will," Sven said before she closed the door.

Gralka strode out to the edge of the highway and stood under the lone lamp on the utility pole. Sven watched from his seat. Only a few moments went by before a large truck came to a stop. After an exchange with the driver, Gralka climbed into the cab. She held up a hand in silent goodbye as the truck pulled away. She wondered if she would ever see her brother again.

The young girl hitchhiked her way across the landscape towards Lanning's Port. When she could not find a ride she walked. Thankfully the weather was temperate and she did not have to worry about taking shelter. She took a quick nap curled up in a thicket of brush on the roadside as the sky turned pink.

Eventually, she arrived at the outskirts of Lanning's Port the following day. The trek through the residential part of the city took a couple of hours. She thanked the last driver as she hopped out of the delivery truck. Gralka took off in a direction that would take her into the heart of the city proper. She had no idea what she was looking for, but was sure that she would know when she saw it.

After another half day her walking led towards a large installation she could see from kilometers away. It looked to be the loading docks that orbital ships used to offload or pick up supplies. Gralka walked up to a guard station and addressed the security officer.

"Where is the recruiting office?"

The middle aged Rudigar eyed her for a moment. "Aren't you a little young kid?"

"I'm old enough," she said defensively. The officer shrugged and pointed to a building the next complex over.

"Over there. Good luck."

She trotted over to the metallic building with automated doors. The large Federation crest was emblazoned over the entrance. Gralka clenched her jaw and took a deep breath. "This is it."

She strode in and approached the counter labeled "SIGN IN HERE." The attendant looked up at her and said, "Can I help you?"

"My name is Gralka Broek, and I want to join the Federation armed forces."

**

(Gralka post-story)

Gralka straightened the beret set between her ears as she looked in the mirror. She made sure the Federation crest was even and centered above her left eye. Her hands tugged the dark blue sleeveless vest to smooth out any wrinkles and she checked the alignment of the achievement pins across her left breast. Today was the graduation ceremony.

A few minutes later she formed up with her platoon and they marched off to join the other platoons across campus. The ceremony was a blur to her as cadet after cadet filed past the platform where the Brigadier General handed out service medals designating everyone as graduates. Before she knew it they were all pronounced junior officers and were given the rest of the afternoon off.

Many of the new officers gathered in various groups to discuss what their future plans held. Gralka did not quite know what she intended to do. She floated from group to group exchanging congratulations with her fellows. She heard many comments and speculations that she would surely be selected for one of the Special Forces based on her excellent performance record at the academy.

A while later Gralka made her way back to the barracks to change out of her dress blues. Standing at the entrance was an officer she had never seen before; a Captain by his rank insignia. Still a few paces from the door, she noticed him checking a data pad before he called to her.

"Corporal Broek? I'm Captain Mason."

Gralka snapped to attention and saluted the officer. "Yes sir!"

The Captain smiled and said, "At ease soldier. Can I talk to you for a moment?" He indicated they should go inside.

The Corporal relaxed and replied, "Of course sir, this way." Gralka led him inside to an antechamber.

"Congratulations, by the way. I was looking over your performance record. You have some of the highest marks out of your entire graduating class. Very impressive."

"Thank you sir!" she replied with a smile of pride.

"That's actually why I wanted to speak with you. Have you gotten any offers yet?"

"Offers, sir?"

"It's no secret that there are special groups that pick up fresh officers. I recruit for one of the Special Forces divisions; Black Claw platoon to be specific."

Gralka stared at him in surprise. "Black Claw platoon! I thought that was only a rumor?"

The Captain smirked back at her. "Oh, it's real enough. It's a highly specialized strike force that's been hand-picked. I'm offering you a spot on the team. You interested?"

The Corporal seemed momentarily speechless. She hoped for something to come along but was utterly surprised that not even a full day had passed since graduation. She blinked a few times and broke out of her daze.

"Yes sir! Thank you, sir."

"Here are your orders. Report to the starport in two days ready to travel. I would suggest you visit your family, it may be some time before you see them again."

"With respect sir," Gralka interjected boldly, "I left my family behind to enlist. I don't intend to ever go back. Is there any way I can report now?"

The Captain eyed her for a moment and said, "I see. Well, my transport leaves later tonight. I guess you can just get a ride with me. Be at the starport at 22:00, dock 23B." He thrust out his hand and Gralka shook it firmly. "Welcome to Black Claw 76th platoon, a.k.a. 'The Stilettos.'"

Gralka got to the dock early full of nervous energy. She even showed up before the pilot who was an old grizzled Rudigar. The pilot let her aboard while he ran his pre-flight check. Not long after, the Captain arrived and conversed with the pilot for a few minutes. Gralka sat in the passenger section of the small freight shuttle wondering what her new post would be like.

The Captain joined her in the seat across the aisle to her left and strapped in. Her curiosity ate at her, but she did not flood the Captain with questions. Instead she fidgeted in her seat and tugged on her restraints constantly.

The Captain smirked at her. "Nervous?"

Gralka cleared her throat and said, "Maybe a little bit."

"Just try to relax," the Captain replied and leaned back in his seat. He closed his eyes and tried to take his own advice. "It will take us about 2 hours to rendezvous with the I.F.S. Setlith. That will be your new home."

She nodded and heard the hum of the engine power plant spool up. Suddenly she was pressed into her seat as the small shuttle leapt off the ground. "Whoa!" she cried out as she fought to control the brief wave of nausea.

"You'll get used to it," the Captain muttered.

The small shuttle did not use a gravity generator and Gralka got her first taste of zero gravity as they climbed free of the planet. The previous, and only, space travel she had experienced was when she enlisted. But that trip was aboard a large ferry with hundreds of passengers. It had gravity plates installed in every deck which was a stark contrast to the small and nimble shuttle she now rode in.

The pilot called over the comm, "ETA 72 minutes. I'll give you a heads up when we're within visual."

The Captain pressed a comm button on the arm of his chair. "Acknowledged." Several minutes of silence passed before he spoke again.

"So tell me Corporal Broek, are you ready for more training?"

Gralka nodded and said, "Yes, I'm ready for more."

"I know your record says you're very accomplished in hand to hand, but trust me; you'll get even better." He sat up slightly and looked across the aisle at her. "You any good with a knife?"

She pondered a moment and replied, "I suppose so. I studied all the techniques at the academy."

The Captain nodded and pulled out a small case from under his seat. Gralka had not noticed him carrying it before. He popped open the case and pulled out a long narrow knife in a sheath. He closed the case and stowed it away before holding the blade up for her to see.

"This is how the 76th got its name." He turned the blade this way and that, showing the sheath, the handle, and the strap to secure it with. "This, Corporal Broek, is your very own Stiletto." He held it out handle first to her.

Gralka accepted the blade with a nod of her head. She ran her fingers over the cool metal of the weapon and the carbon laced sheath. She marveled at the textured grip which fit into her hand perfectly. The Corporal glanced over at the Captain.

"Go ahead, pull it out."

Gralka slid the dagger from the sheath. It was 35cm of black blade with a wicked angled point at the end. The opposite edge was lined with large serrated tines. It looked deadly in her hand.

The Captain saw the look of wonder in her eye. "Keep that with you at all times. It's your namesake now. The blade is made from the same material we use for ship hulls, some kind of tungsten-titanium alloy laced with carbon. Honestly, I don't really know," he shrugged. "I do know that those things can slice through nearly anything, so make sure you respect the blade."

Gralka turned the knife in her hand. It seemed perfectly balanced, like it was an extension of her arm. "Thank you sir, I will."

The Captain chuckled slightly. "I was supposed to wait until we got to the ship before giving it to you. This will give you something to focus that nervous energy of yours."

She could not agree more. With the new Stiletto to fawn over the rest of the trip took no time at all.

It did not take long for Gralka to settle into the new routine. She quickly found out that the Setlith was their mobile basecamp. It was a mid-sized frigate that carried all the weapons and vehicles the platoon would need when carrying out their missions.

The new Corporal also found out that the 76th was designated as a special strike team often called for a variety of purposes from hostage retrieval to infiltration. Each member was trained in a specialty, and since Gralka excelled at hand to hand she was taught how to subdue enemies with stealth and deadly force.

The Corporal spent long and grueling hours honing her skills and quickly advanced among the rankings in the platoon. Soon she was second only to the 1st Lieutenant leading the platoon, who also happened to be her instructor.

During the months since she had joined the 76thStilettos, they had successfully completed several missions. With each and every mission, the platoon learned to work with precision and unity. Though the majority of the platoon was seasoned veterans, the new members were regarded on equal terms and status.

~

The 1st Lieutenant walked into the commons and barked out, "Listen up! Command just sent word that we are going in to the Lysander system. Boots hit the ground in 6 hours. I want everyone prepped in 4, you hear me?"

The entire room barked out a "Ragh!" in response. One of the vets called out, "LT, what kind of sortie is this?"

"Surgical strike," he said. "Quick and precise. We're supposed to retrieve a package and leave before they even knew we were there. I'll give you more at the briefing. Let's move people."

Gralka was excited to attend the briefing. From the intel the lieutenant laid out, they had a brief window of opportunity to slip in and snag the target. The primary mission objective was to retrieve a special signal encoder. There was also a secondary mission objective to rescue the Linugad technician who built the device. Command was not sure the information could be trusted, but they had to follow the lead in case it proved true.

This was the first time the 76th had the possibility of engaging the enemy since Gralka had joined ranks. All the previous missions had been in a support capacity or helping to mop up an already completed sortie. This time the objective was in live occupied space.

The lieutenant covered the plan in detail pointing out the three stages it would take place in. First stage the platoon would break into two teams and use light shuttles to slingshot around one of the planet's moons. The shuttles would land a discrete distance from the enemy outpost, and the teams would approach from opposite sides in stealth.

The second stage covered the infiltration of the base without detection. Then the teams would sweep the base for the location of either objective. Gralka's squad would be tasked with the hostage rescue while the other grabbed the device. Upon retrieval, the teams would go to the third stage which covered the evacuation. The whole operation was supposed to avoid detection if possible.

Gralka did her part in prepping for the mission getting gear checked and stowed. All Stiletto members were decked out in black combat suits. Each suit was studded with flexible but protective body armor. It would protect from light to moderate impacts, but the Consortium was known to use energy weapons such as plasma disrupters and gamma ray lasers.

The Setlith took up position just outside the planets gravity well and launched the two shuttles at one of the larger moons. To avoid detection, the shuttles relied on passive systems to guide them in. To the enemy tracking system they would look like two space rocks that happened into the moons gravitational pull. Not uncommon for this system that had a large asteroid belt just a few light minutes from the planet.

After the shuttles negotiated the entry into the atmosphere, they skimmed along the surface of the terrain at a height of about one hundred meters. At a predetermined signal, Gralka's shuttle veered off to come around the other side of the enemy base. Both shuttles soon landed several clicks away from the destination.

Each team departed their respective shuttle geared and ready to proceed. It was strange for Gralka tromping through the thick vegetation since it brought to the surface so many memories of home. She had not set foot on Lissia since the day she signed up at the recruiter's office, yet this setting was similar enough she could have easily been hunting with her brother. A signal from her squad leader Dimitri snapped her attention back to the present.

Dimitri gave a few quick hand gestures and indicated to her and Artem to take point. Gralka slung her rifle across her back and pulled out her trusty knife. She tapped two of her fingers to the side of her muzzle in acknowledgement and stalked off into the brush hardly making a sound.

It did not take but a few moments for the scouting pair to come across the outer patrol. A pair of Razanur soldiers strolled by leisurely, each carrying a plasma disruptor at their side. The enemy conversed in low tones, their native language a collection of guttural hard consonants and hisses. Gralka caught the eye of her teammate hidden a few meters away and made a subtle motion with her hand. She gave a silent count and the both of the infiltrators jumped out behind the patrol at the same instant. Gralka and Artem let their daggers fly and swiftly dispatched the Razanur soldiers. A moment later, the dead bodies were hidden off to the side of the path as the pair continued on.

The scouts located the entry point to the compound exactly as their intelligence provided. It was a lone metal gate in an otherwise unbroken stretch of the wall lining the base perimeter. Gralka signaled her wrist communicator to indicate she was in position. A moment later the rest of her team approached quietly. Pike took her place and hacked the simple lock mechanism, and then the entire squad filed inside. They made sure to lock the gate again.

According to the plan, this gate was the closest entry point into the compound facility. The outer door was just a few paces away. Pike sprinted over and disabled the lock on the door. The squad quickly and quietly entered. No words were spoken since they all knew their objective. Dimitri gestured for the team to break into three groups of three. His group, which included Pike and Riggs, took point. Gralka, Jove and Mishka followed close behind in the second group. Artem, Fritz and Keith brought up the rear.

The squad methodically checked corridor intersections, and had to duck into a side room once when a patrol approached. They successfully avoided the encounter and made their way to the intended objective location. As the squad closed in on the large lab room, the leader signaled a halt.

It was hard to tell in the sparsely lit room, but something seemed out of place. Dimitri gestured for everyone to stay put and he slowly approached the lab for a better look. He pulled the door open for just a few seconds before he let it go and swore softly under his breath.

Dimitri made a frantic gesture at the squad to enter the lab quickly. As they all ducked inside he spoke for the first time. "Everyone take up defensive positions!"

The squad responded automatically to the order, but then they started to look around. The lab was surprisingly empty for a supposed workspace. Keith caught sight of the prisoner they were there to rescue. It was clear the person was dead from the pool of blood under the sitting form tied to the chair. A large chunk of their head was missing apparently from execution at close range.

"What the fuck happened here?" Keith said, staring at the dead hostage.

"Yeah sarge, I thought we were supposed to rescue this guy?" Fritz said.

"Cut the chatter," the sergeant said gruffly. In a quieter tone he spoke into his communicator. "Alpha team urgent! Beta reached second objective; hostage has been executed. I repeat, hostage has been executed. Abort mission, respond."

A moment passed in silence. Dimitri growled into his communicator, "Someone respond. The mission is compromised. Abort, abort!"

Just then a dull boom was heard echoing through the complex. The communicator squawked in an odd combination of noise and speech. The tension in the room became palpable as the squad members looked uneasily at each other.

"Pull ba-*krschhs*...get to the extraction poi-*tshhhck*...will cover. Damn lizards blew up-*grgrggxtsh*"

The communicator cut off with a distinct click. The sergeant tried to reach the other team again. "Respond! Is there anyone left?"

No reply came. Jove noticed movement outside the lab coming down the corridor they had approached from. "Sir, movement! Looks like they're coming."

Dimitri called out orders even as he jumped over a nearby table. "Alright, this is it. Our cover's blown; time to get out of here. Riggs, Jove you take point fire, slow them down. Pike, see if you can hack that door over there, find a back way out. The rest of you, get ready to move."

Gralka's teammate Mishka pulled the bolt back on her rifle and took aim. "This is going to get ugly," she muttered. Gralka, at a momentary loss for words, nodded and unslung her rifle in a similar fashion.

The firefight erupted as the Razanur ran down the corridor towards the lab. Riggs and Jove fired repeatedly from their position on either side of the lab entrance into the enemy group, taking down several soldiers and providing an obstacle for the rest.

After a moment, Pike called from the rear hatch, "No luck sir. This place is on lockdown. All security codes have been scrambled." A stray shot scorched the wall next to where Pike crouched. He cursed and scurried behind better cover.

The enemy group broke ranks and retreated back down the corridor, repelled for the moment. The sergeant saw an opportunity and ordered everyone out of the lab. Pike spoke again, "With everything on high security, we need some sort of access card to bypass the lockdown. I could hack the door in just a moment if I had one."

The younger squad member Fritz pointed back into the lab. "Look! The hostage has an access card. Why don't we just use his?" She pushed her way back through the broken lab doors and walked over to the hostage.

The sergeant had a sudden flash of insight. "Fritz, wait don't do any-"

It was too late. Just as Fritz plucked the badge off the corpse there was a concussive blast. Most of the team was partially shielded by the lab walls, but those standing in front of the glass windows and doors were hit with a spray of shrapnel. Jove and Keith, in addition to Fritz, died right there.

Dimitri picked himself up off the floor and took stock of the aftermath. Several wounded and the rest dazed. He silently cursed for not realizing the Razanur would booby-trap the body. As the rest of the squad was slowly gaining their feet, a high pitched keening sound emerged from inside the lab.

Suddenly, there was another, then another. In a matter of heartbeats, there was a chorus of high squealing charging noises. The sergeant grabbed the two closest members and dragged them away from the lab. "Everyone take cover!" he bellowed. The remaining members scrambled to get away from the room.

Inside the lab, the booby-trap had unleashed a blossom of micro grenades. Each grenade was on a timed fuse charging up to detonation. The Razanur tactic was that anyone who survived the initial blast would likely be too injured to survive the second blast.

Dimitri managed to duck around a corner just as the grenades went off, rocking the complex again. Black smoke filled the corridor as he struggled to see if anyone was left alive. He looked at Riggs who clutched a wounded arm, and glanced at Artem who took a blast of shrapnel to his back. They were hurt but could make it.

Gralka's head reeled from the second blast. She had trouble focusing her vision in addition to the difficulty breathing in the smoke filled air. The female coughed raggedly as someone pulled her to her feet. A sharp pain in her shoulder screamed at her when she reached out an arm to steady her shambling gait down the corridor. Gralka did not know who was dragging her until he called out.

"Sarge, over here!" Pike yelled. The sergeant helped his pair over to where they stood. Mishka limped behind the group as she used a discarded rifle as a crutch.

"We have to get back to the shuttle," Dimitri growled in anger. "Those fucking lizards knew we were coming. This was definitely a trap!"

Riggs clenched his jaw with pain as he hefted his assault rifle. "It's going to be a firefight the whole way."

Pike, who seemed to be the least injured, pulled out his hand gun and cocked it. "Then what're we waiting for, we've got some payback to dish out."

Dimitri wiped a trickle of blood out of his eye from a cut on his brow. "Okay, keep it tight and watch those corners. Gralka and Artem, lead the way. Riggs, keep them off our tails. Move!"

It was slow going as the group rambled through the complex, running into pockets of resistance at random points. Pike took a shot in the leg and had to be supported by Dimitri. After minutes that seemed like hours, the group made it out of the external door and fled through the barrier gate.

The group took a precious moment to rest and reload. Gralka's hands shook as she attempted to clear the breach of her rifle. Her head was in a haze of pain and fear; her shoulder ached painfully as she touched the shard of metal that pierced her armor. Mishka placed a friendly hand on her arm. "We made it this far, don't go falling apart on me girl."

Gralka smiled, grateful that the veteran showed confidence even in this dire situation. She slapped in her ammunition clip and replied, "I'm ready."

Dimitri helped Pike up and called to the rest, "Okay gang, let's go. I don't want to miss our ride." The group spread out slightly as they picked their way through the undergrowth.

Mishka limped along a few meters off to Gralka's left. She called out casually to the rest, "First rounds on me boys. Whoever doesn't drink me under the table can share my bunk tonight." The rest of the team chuckled softly at the thought.

A loud crack split the atmosphere like a peal of thunder. Everyone instinctively took cover and Gralka felt a sudden blast of heat blow over her. In an instant, the surrounding brush erupted in fire. She looked to her right but could not see the rest of the team. When she looked left, a scream tore its way out of her throat.

"No!" She dashed over to where Mishka lay amid smoldering debris. The female soldier's body was badly burned and scorched and yet she was somehow still alive. Gralka batted away a piece of burning wood and dragged the injured soldier behind the blasted remains of a large tree.

Mishka gasped in pain as Gralka held her. Tears fell on the dying soldier as she looked down. "I'm so sorry, Mishka," is all Gralka could manage to say.

Mishka blinked slowly and looked up at the young soldier. Her charred lips moved slowly. Gralka bent down to catch her faint whisper. "No regrets," she managed to wheeze out before her body slumped in death.

Amid the burning and charred site of the Razanur cannon blast, Gralka sat rocking Mishka's body. Riggs stumbled into the scene amazed to see Gralka crouched behind the stump. He quickly got to her side and gripped her shoulder painfully.

"Gralka! We've got to get out of here. That heavy artillery could fire again at any second." His words did not have much effect on the soldier.

She continued to shed her tears and repeat, "I'm sorry," softly.

Riggs, sighed and changed tactics. "Gralka," he almost whispered, "you have to let her go." He crouched next to her and placed a hand on hers. He gently pulled her fingers away. "Mishka is gone. She wouldn't want you to die if you had a chance to escape."

Gralka lifted her eyes to Riggs'. "Come on, we can still make it, but I need your help," he said. She nodded and laid Mishka down gently.

The two stood and stumbled into the overgrowth. Riggs said, "Where're the rest? I got separated when the blast hit."

Gralka wiped tears from her eyes as her determination to escape grew. "I'm not sure, but we should head back to the shuttle. They aren't going to wait long for us."

Riggs agreed and urged them into cover as hissing grunts floated on the air signaling that the enemy was searching for them. The two sprinted as best they could in the direction of the shuttle. Gralka noticed that Riggs bled from several wounds and could not go for more than a few dozen steps before he had to stop and rest. Every time she tried to help him along he waved her away muttering that he just needed to catch his breath. With several hundred meters to go, the pair was ambushed by a group of Razanur. Instantly, the two soldiers dove behind cover.

In the small depression, they signaled each other they were okay. Riggs gave a sign that he would take a look to see what their opposition was. He glanced over the lip and counted five enemy soldiers spread in an arc in front of them.

On a coordinated count, the pair popped over the edge and blasted away at the nearest clump of three soldiers. Riggs managed to hit one before the rest retaliated. Gralka checked her clip and said, "I'm almost out. We may have to make a run for it."

Riggs reloaded his rifle and tried to cover his grimace of pain. "You can make it if I cover you," he said wearily.

Gralka protested, "No! I'm not going to leave you here."

He grinned wryly at her, "Don't give me any of that crap. I can't make it more than a few meters before I have to rest with my injuries. If you stop to help me, we're both dead. I can keep them pinned down; I'm a much better shot than you anyway rookie."

Gralka nodded in respect. "Make them pay," she said with finality. She held out her hand and Riggs clapped his hand against hers in a squad handshake. "Ragh!" they both barked out.

"Now get your tail outta here, the shuttle is waiting," Riggs said as he turned to get into position to draw enemy fire.

"See you in hell, Riggs," she said with a grin.

"Come and get me you motherless slimy snakes!" Riggs yelled and popped up over his cover. The first enemy to venture out took the volley. Gralka did not wait to see what happened; she bolted for the next patch of cover.

Since Riggs drew all the attention, she was able to slip past the enemy group. Just as she came within sight of the shuttle she heard a boom. She guessed that Riggs had set up a dead man's trap with his grenades. At least he took some of the enemy with him.

Gralka broke cover and made a dash for the shuttle. The pilots that stayed with the ship helped her aboard. She quickly took note that only Artem, Pike, and Dimitri made it back. "Is there anyone else left, Gralka?" Dimitri asked.

She shook her head no, too stunned to reply further. "Get us out of here," Dimitri told the pilot. In a few seconds the shuttle was buttoned up and leaping into orbit. As soon as they reached space, the shuttle launched a decoy to throw off any tracking methods the Razanur might deploy.

Another hour passed by in silence as the remaining squad members were left alone with their thoughts. The pain of their wounds faded to the back as each replayed the mission events over in their head. Every time Gralka closed her eyes she saw the charred and broken form of Mishka, and new tears welled up in her eyes.

The shuttle docked with the Setlith and everyone was escorted to the infirmary. The squad soon discovered that only two members of the other team survived and were in critical condition, already being administered to in the sick bay.

The ship left the system using their faster than light engines to retreat to a safe distance. The Setlith was prepared to defend itself, but it could not handle any serious opposition. The ship's main tactic was stealth and speed, and given that the 76th had just suffered a catastrophic failure the captain set course for the closest Federation base.

Several days went by before Gralka was released from the infirmary. Though she was physically healed, her psychological scars would take a much longer period of time. She had repeated nightmares about Mishka dying in her arms. On a ship like this, there was no crew counselor to talk with, so Gralka was often left alone with herself to try and work through things.

A week later, the captain informed the crew that the Setlith would arrive at the outpost in about a month. Gralka had fallen into an empty routine of eating and exercising, going through the motions of what a 'normal' day would entail. She was eating a meal during the middle of the day cycle when Pike entered the mess hall.

Gralka barely noticed him coming to sit down across from her. She stared at her tray chewing for several moments before she realized that he had spoken to her. She blinked a few times and looked up. "Huh?"

Pike smiled. "Wow, you were really spacing out there for a second. I said how're you doing?"

"Oh," she said and pushed her fork through the remains of her meal. "Okay, I guess."

Pike nodded and said, "Yeah, I know the feeling. You want to talk about it?"

She shook her head minutely, "Not really."

He smiled and added, "Well, let me know if you need someone to listen."

She blinked back and plunked her fork down. More silence stretched before Gralka stood and took her tray. "Seeya," she muttered and left.

Days floated by as Gralka struggled with her thoughts. She felt a void growing that she had to find a way to block off. Gralka did not want to fall into the chasm of despair from losing her friends and squad mates.

One day when she was alone in the exercise room she made up her mind right then and there that she would not get close to anyone again to save her the grief she felt. Gralka pushed herself harder than she ever had before in a cathartic attempt to burn off the emotional turmoil.

Even after she had expended a great deal of energy exercising, she still felt a bit numb from the mental and emotional process she exerted. Gralka decided that she needed to release her tensions another way, but thought it might be inappropriate to approach Dimitri.

She left the gym and wandered the ship, randomly jogging down corridors. She had not bothered to change clothes or clean up, her outfit still drenched in sweat. She registered that a large number of the crew quarters were empty from the little red panel on the hatch lock.

She passed Artem's quarters making mental note that he was elsewhere. A few hatches down Gralka spied a green panel. She stopped in front of the quarters, lightly panting. It looked like Pike was in his quarters. Gralka rapped on the hatch several times.

Pike answered her knock and found the female standing before him in her tight fitting exercise outfit. He noticed the look of determination in her eyes. She pushed past him into his small room and closed the door before he could object.

He was a bit surprised at this behavior after his previous conversation with Gralka. He started to ask, "What are you do-"

Gralka placed her fingers on his lips and said, "Shh, don't speak." She promptly stripped off her shirt and shorts and pushed Pike down on the bunk. The female nibbled on the male's ear and whispered sulkily, "I don't want to talk; I just want to feel you inside me."

Pike nodded and gave in to her whims, the two of them sharing a long intimate session of love making. Gralka was true to her word and uttered no more than the sounds of pleasure as the two carried on. The female had a healthy appetite and soon wore out Pike. She snuggled with him until he was deep in sleep. With a soft sigh, she donned her clothes and went back to her own quarters.

Gralka did not speak about her impromptu advance on Pike again, and Pike respected her when she gave no apparent indication that she wanted to be involved with him. From then on Gralka felt somewhat liberated when it came to physical relations, and never had more than a one night stand with anyone. When she felt physical needs she attended to them, but never let them rule her emotions.