"Interspecies Devotion." [ Male Human x Female Yautja ]

[ Prologue ]

( Image used above not mine, credits to the owner: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/GgKaW )

( Video not mine, credits to the owner, Ale Xey: https://youtu.be/DEFPaWIYW2c?si=NOMDyvICloJuk3YS )

Year 2150, humans have evolved their technology to the point where they have become explorers of the cosmos. Their insatiable curiosity and desire for expansion, and resources led them to venture into the far reaches of the galaxy, discovering new planets and star systems along the way. However, their quest for knowledge and resources took an unexpected turn when they encountered two dangerous alien species: the Yautja, a highly advanced and skilled warrior race, and the Xenomorphs, a nightmarish species known for their parasitic reproduction and deadly behaviour towards anything that wasn't themselves.

The initial encounters with both the Yautja and Xenomorphs were highly disastrous for all of humanity. Unprepared to face the Yautjas and outmatched by the Xenomorphs, human colonies that were built were decimated in the blink of an eye, and their attempts at diplomacy failed as both alien races seemed intent on eliminating them. Faced with the overwhelming threat, humans were forced to abandon some of their colonies and flee from the relentless pursuit of the Yautja back to Earth.

Tragically, the Xenomorphs managed to infiltrate the fleeing human ships, leading to the birth of new Xenomorphs on board. This nightmare scenario unfolded as the infected humans unknowingly played host to the Xenomorph embryos, resulting in the birth of these horrific creatures on Earth itself. The situation escalated as these new Xenomorphs began to spread, slowly wreaking havoc on Earth's ecosystem.

Meanwhile, the Yautja, the skilled hunters, tracked the human refugees back to Earth, most of them drawn by their desire for vengeance and honor due to humanity daring to set a foot on their sacred lands. The stage was set for a brutal and unrelenting war between the Yautja, humans, and the Xenomorphs. Years of death and destruction followed as each side sought to eradicate the other, with Earth becoming a battleground where survival was a daily struggle. More than a million humans were confirmed killed during the war, men, women and children.

Amid the chaos and devastation, a surprising realization began to emerge. The humans and Yautja, while initially bitter enemies, came to a slight understand that they shared a common enemy in the form of the Xenomorphs. Both species had suffered at the hands of these relentless creatures and from each other, and it became clear that if they were to have any chance of survival, they needed to set aside their differences and unite against the Xenomorph threat, at least for now. The humans, making sure they wouldn't be a threat to the Yautja, they could finally focus on protecting the innocent and rebuilding while the Yautja would keep the xenomorphs occupied with human volunteers. While many Yautja remained distrustful of the humans, their shared enemy forced them to reevaluate their current positions.

It was during this time that the humans discovered a vulnerability among the Yautja. Yautja Prime, the homeworld of the Yautja, had been left defenseless as Xenomorph activity began to surge. At this, the Yautja on Earth didn't hesitated and left the planet to go back to their own. And the humans, despite lingering distrust, saw an opportunity to extend an olive branch. Using their now advanced technology and space-faring capabilities, they embarked on a mission to aid the Yautja in their time of need.

While the humans took their time to reach Yautja Prime, the Yautja warriors, were locked in a fierce battle against the Xenomorph invasion, struggling to defend their home, their children, and preserve their culture. The humans arrived just in the nick of time, using their superior numbers and firepower to repel the Xenomorph assault, charging forward with a fierce battle yell without fear. They saved numerous Yautjas, including their younglings from certain doom.

Ultimately, the Xenomorph threat proved overwhelming, and the sudden decision humanity made to detonate Yautja Prime's sacred lands infested with xenomorphs, ensuring the Xenomorphs would not gain a foothold on the planet. With heavy hearts, the humans and Yautja retreated back to Earth, leaving behind the ruins of Yautja Prime with not so pleased Yautjas on board.

This traumatic and costly experience forged an alliance between Humans and Yautja, one based on mutual respect and the understanding that the Xenomorphs remained a relentless and existential threat to both species. Despite the explosives in Yautja Prime and the anger coming from the vast majority of the clans upon realizing who was behind the explosives that left their home in ruins, the clan leaders recognized a man who stood firm, a man who gave it all in the battlefield risking his own life to save a bunch of aliens, the head of the attack. The way he stood from them all back in Yautja Prime, commanding his fellow men and women into battle with him in the head of the attack as said before, the Yautjas knew his actions were worth of respect and trust, even bowing to him for saving them and their young ones when they didn't asked for it, but when they needed it the most.

It didn't take long for a mercenary organization called Outcast Union to be forged out of mere criminals and people who didn't had a sense of morality, with its main objective was to make Humanity stronger by any means necessary involving the theft and transportation of Yautja technology to sell to the highest bidder or use it themselves against anyone who dares to be in their way. After the Yautja learned of this human organization, their trust in humanity was slowly crumbling, taking precautions with the vast majority of humans.

Rest of humanity needed people to repair and maintain that trust, exceptional people, people whose judgment was not so easily clouded by money or power, people who would do the right thing no matter what. And of course, Yautja Prime's human savior had been called, but his advanced age would not allow him to be that man once more. Without him, the Yautja would have no reason to continue trusting and humanity would be lost without the Yautja's help.

Or so they thought..

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

???'s POV

Many years ago, our planet, our cherished Earth, which many of us still refer to as Home, experienced turmoil due to our relentless pursuit of new resources to bolster our own strength, all while continuing our internal conflicts without any sign of cessation. We have progressed to the extent of extending our reach far beyond our atmosphere, uncovering new systems to explore, new locations to exploit, and new adversaries to confront.

After humanity's journey through space, we made a startling revelation..we were not alone. The beings we encountered during that time left us utterly perplexed with their actions such as killing, consuming, multiplying, and then repeating this cycle. Yes, as humans, we've engaged in similar behaviors, and we continue to do so. However, the way these creatures went about it was, I must admit, far more ruthless and frequent than our own practices. They appeared to be in constant conflict, and one of these creature types seemed somewhat relatable to us, while the other had a singular, relentless desire for destruction to everything we hold dear.

The Predators, or as they prefer to be called, the Yautja, are a species known for their extensive experience in hunting dangerous alien creatures to prove themselves worthy to their clans. When I say trophies, I mean they often collect the skulls of their prey. These beings possess honor and tremendous strength. In fact, they are so strong that even the mightiest human on Earth would struggle to match them. The Yautja are not only powerful but also very intelligent. One Yautja was worth a hundred ordinary soldiers.

However, over time, the Xenomorphs, a different alien species, became more numerous than they usually were and started hunting the Yautja when they were separated from their clans during hunts. This led to a decline in the Yautja population, much like the decline in the human population.

My professional opinion about the Yautja? They come across as arrogant, xenophobic, and highly aggressive, although there are exceptions, of course. They typically don't seek alliances or assistance; they aim to be the top predators. However, some of them may be reconsidering this stance as their species faces the threat of extinction. We aren't pressuring them to work with us; we've offered them a choice they can't just simply ignore.

Now, the pests, the Xenomorphs. These are parasitic extraterrestrial creatures that look somewhat like humans, as the science fiction enthusiasts might describe them. But I prefer to keep it simple and call them what they really are: bugs. These creatures have taken the lives of many of my colleagues and friends. They either hunt their victims down or, if given the chance, they infect them to create more of these bugs. The whole process starts with those creepy facehuggers latching onto your face and planting another bug inside you. And, unfortunately, nobody survives what happens next, at least not for long.

After years of conflict between Humans, Yautja, and Xenomorphs, an agreement was eventually reached after much bloodshed, at least between Humans and Yautja. Both parties faced a common and greater threat in the form of the Xenomorphs, creatures that defied all attempts at negotiation. These hostile aliens infiltrated both Human and Yautja territories. Back in those days, the Yautja fought relentlessly against the Xenomorphs on their homeworld, with their numbers slowly dwindling as they were hunted down one by one by these relentless creatures.

Initially, the Yautja were skeptical of humans due to our intense curiosity about their technology, including their camouflage and various unknown devices. However, as time went on, most humans lost interest in their tech. We realized that it wasn't worth risking more human lives for technology we couldn't even comprehend. Instead, we wanted to establish a peaceful agreement and unite in the fight against a common enemy rather than fighting each other.

Thanks to my dad, we were able to strengthen the bond between the Yautja and the Humans. He once told me that several years ago, he led a massive human expedition through space to come to the aid of the Yautjas who were defending their home from a major xenomorph invasion on Yautja Prime. According to my dad, the journey to that planet used to take months, and before months, years. But, thanks to some upgrades that allowed us to travel at the speed of light and perform hyperspace jumps between different systems, we turned it into a matter of just a few hours.

My dad displayed great courage by eliminating a large number of bugs and rescuing a group of injured Yautjas who, despite their stubbornness to retreat, were eventually convinced to do so by other Yautjas while humans provided cover. In particular, my dad saved the leader of a significant Yautja clan who had attempted self-sacrifice. My father managed to navigate a perilous situation and bring him to safety, although he never specified how, only saying, 'I just ran and did what I believed was the right thing to do.' From that day on, my father earned deep respect from the Yautja, who even offered him a spot in their clan. He politely declined, saying, 'I already have a family waiting for me, and if I don't return to them, my wife will kill me,' with a light-hearted chuckle. The Yautjas understood his decision without displaying much emotion.

My dad once told me when I was a young child, even though he probably shouldn't have, but he could see that I was determined to become the person I am today. He had to share with me that the Yautja, the extraterrestrial hunters, considered humans as worthy opponents in combat and taught their young ones not to underestimate our species. He explained that any human who had either bested a Yautja in combat or helped them in some way was respected and sometimes even rewarded with a special item. On rare occasions, individuals were even allowed to join the Yautja clan, just like what happened with my father.

A significant portion of Yautja Prime was devastated by bombs planted in order to eliminate all xenomorph presence on the planet. Several Yautjas returned to rebuild the population, with the assistance of humans who were tasked with constructing buildings. Meanwhile, a good bunch of Yautjas were instructed to remain on Earth to aid humans with their issues in exchange for help in Yautja Prime. To support them, we provided secluded places where they could stay, away from the public eye, and offered all the protection we could for their newborn children if they intended to rebuild the Yautja population. It wasn't easy when we initially made this offer. I recall a nerdy caretaker extending the offer with a beaming smile, only to be hoisted off the ground by the neck by a Yautja Berserker, luckily he is still alive.

The Yautjas who survived were divided in their willingness to cooperate with humans. Some were hesitant allies, while others remained skeptical and kept their distance from us. However, this skepticism was directed more towards the rest of humanity. My father managed to earn their trust, but the majority of humans still had to work on gaining the complete trust of the Yautja. That's where we come in, aside from dealing with the significant Xenomorph threat on our planet.

My name is Ryan Wolf, Commander of Cobra Squad, son of Yautja Prime's saviour, my father ended up being called "Chivaan H'ruvaan" which means "The Human Hero" in their own language. I joined the Military Academy at a very young age, inspired by my father. I was selected by my country to lead a special, multinational group known as Cobra Squad. This squad was created and organized by an anonymous Council that put a man in charge, a man who goes by the name "Overlord". Each member of our squad was handpicked by their respective countries as the best in dealing with a new level of threat.

We, as Cobra Squad Operators, have been entrusted with exceptional authority to carry out our missions, even if it involves engaging in illegal activities and clandestine operations, as long as it serves the greater good. Each team member has their own specialty, but that doesn't mean we're incapable of handling other tasks. We can still pick up a rifle and fight when needed, but we excel at performing our designated roles. Unfortunately, as the leader, I can't always bring the entire team on every mission; I can only take the necessary members.

In the beginning, it was a little challenging for all of us to work as a team, but eventually, we got to know each other better, and most of us started to get along. We always maintained our professionalism, at least I did, because I heard some people saying behind my back that I seemed to be taking this job very seriously. Yes, I'm the leader, and my responsibility is to get shit done and ensure everyone returns safely to fight another day. Overlord, besides my father, trusts me the most to not let anything corrupt me nor my team. I trust him to support us in times of need and not to guide us in the wrong path during our journey.

( You can stop the music here )

[ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ]

- [ "Frozen Scars" ] -

- [ Alliance: Cobra Squad, 5 Members ] -

- [ Operative: Cmdr. Ryan "Wolf" (Cobra 1-1) ] -

- [ Time: 08:41 am ] -

- [ Date: May 5th, 2190 ] - 

- [ A.O. Location: Jupiter's sixth natural satellite, Europa ] -

- [ Armor: Medium Size ] -

- [ Temperature: -354ºF ] -

( Image not mine, credits to the owner: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/0vrB5 )

The entire Cobra Squad wears this type of armor, but there are variations in size and appearance. For instance, Wolf's armor looks just like this one, but when it comes to a sniper in the squad, their armor is lighter, comes with a hood, and possibly a cape. If we're talking about a medic, their armor would have medic patches all around it. So, in short, a sniper gets a hood and cape, and so on.

Now, let's talk about the armor. It's a highly advanced suit with a wide range of features. I won't go into all the details at once, but every Cobra agent wears the same suit and armor, albeit with different looks. Don't be deceived by appearances. The male agents' armor looks bulkier and fits them perfectly without slowing them down. On the other hand, the female agents' armor appears sleeker but doesn't compromise their protection. I can't help but wonder who designed the armor for the female Cobra agents, their suits fit them, well..quite perfectly. Rear protection? Nope, it's exposed. Chest protection? Absolutely, it seems like they knew exactly what they were doing..maybe a little too much.

Each Cobra member wears a patch on their shoulder that represents their nationality. For instance, Ryan Wolf, who holds the rank of Commander, has a United States flag patch on his shoulder when he's in non-combat uniform.

[ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ]

Wolf's POV

The inside of the VTOL I was in was dimly lit, with the sound of engines filling the cabin. There were five highly skilled members of Cobra Squad, including myself, each of us wearing advanced combat gear and sporting determined expressions. The large front window of the VTOL provided an awe-inspiring view of Jupiter's turbulent surface and the mysterious moon, Europa.

At that moment, we found ourselves soaring through the vast expanse of space aboard the VTOL. Our journey took us on a mesmerizing orbit around the majestic planet Jupiter until we finally caught sight of one of its remarkable natural satellites, Europa, suspended in the distant cosmos. In the blink of an eye, our skilled pilot swiftly adjusted our course, and we swiftly made our way towards Europa.

(Image not mine, credits to the owner: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/EyVJ0 )

Wolf: "Cobra 1-1 to Overlord, we are approaching Europa." -I communicated over the communication system as we carefully descended into Europa's atmosphere-

[R] Overlord: "Understood, 1-1. We've spotted the clandestine research facilities that was recently under attack by the OU (Outcast Union). Intel indicates that their objective is to secure the Yautja technology that we were originally tasked with returning to the Yautjas. Your team's mission is to extract the Yautja technology and search for any survivors. Following this, you must thoroughly destroy the site to prevent any future incidents like this."

Wolf: "Loud and clear, Overlord. We'll get the job done." -I confidently stated while striding through the interior of the VTOL aircraft towards the cockpit, passing by my fellow team members who were diligently preparing their gear. All the while, I held my helmet securely beneath my arm-

[R] Overlord: "I know you will, good hunting Cobras. Overlord out." -That being said, Overlord deliberately terminated his communication with me-

I ascended the steps, heading directly toward the cockpit where I found my pilot, Nicolas "Torres." He was a young adult hailing from Argentina, possessing an extraordinary talent for flying. His dark brown hair was tied in a ponytail, and his brown eyes held a sense of experience. He acknowledged my presence as I placed my hand on the edge of his seat, leaning forward to peer through the glass. Outside, a massive electrical storm raged on, filling the view.

I exchanged glances with him and he responded with a reassuring nod, assuring me that he had everything well in hand as he always did. On one side of his seat, Torres had a steel thermos securely fastened, containing piping hot water. Inside the thermos was the distinct Argentinian herb used to make "Mate" accompanied by a stainless steel straw. I recalled the time Torres convinced me to try it when I was feeling utterly exhausted, which was rare for him to find out. I took a sip back then, and well, it ended up scalding my tongue, but it instantly jolted me awake.

Torres: "The temperature is a bone-chilling -354ºF, Captain. We're just two minutes away from reaching our destination." -He then shifted his attention back to the front, deftly manipulating the controls of the VTOL aircraft-

Wolf: "Attention, everyone! Two minutes!" -I exclaimed, giving my pilot's shoulder a reassuring pat as I turned around while my raised voice cut through the air, grabbing the focus of my team members as I descended the steps-

My team is aboard a cutting-edge VTOL spacecraft, gracefully navigating the boundless expanse of space on our way to Europa. We're all equipped with state-of-the-art suits and gear, and we're bracing ourselves as we near our destination: an allied research facility that's currently under attack by the Outcast Union.

Wolf: "Listen up, everyone! The Outcast Union has launched an attack on a secret research facility belonging to our allies, and they're after the Yautja Technology stored there. Our mission is clear: infiltrate the facility, secure the tech, search for survivors, and eliminate any opposition in our path. Stealth is optional, but we're getting that tech one way or another. Once it's done, we'll torch the whole site to prevent any repeat incidents. There's no room for errors." -As we descended towards the turbulent surface of Europa, I briefed the team, the team members nodded, their eyes reflecting that unwavering determination I always admired of them-

Torres: "Don't worry amigos, I'll get as close as possible without alerting their scans. That's if they have any." -He glances back, giving us a reassuring nod-

Wolf: "Don't take any unnecessary risks, Torres!"

Torres: "With you guys aboard? I would never!"

Torres skillfully guided the VTOL aircraft as it hovers high above Europa, deftly maneuvering it through the planet's turbulent atmosphere to approach the designated target area. Europa's icy moon surface is marred by fierce storms and unrelenting winds. The rest of my team, outfitted in suits that match mine but in various sizes and featuring Arctic camouflage, stands up from their seats and begins preparing their own equipment and gadgets as they move towards the side entrance of the VTOL.

Before I put on my helmet, a member of my team known as the Breacher approached me. He had walked from the far end of the VTOL, diverting my attention away from my helmet. I glanced at him and recognized him as Abraham Williams, the Australian Breacher in our team. He was holding my assault rifle by the handguard and offered it to me, which I accepted. Abraham had distinctive features - orange hair, piercing blue eyes, and a substantial beard, which he never changed despite others advising him to do so. His suit and armor were similar to mine, both in medium size and equipped with additional gadgets. He was a good friend of mine I've known for a long time since I was a teen.

Williams: "Ya' think there are any friendlies within the facility?" -He slightly leaned forward on his side at me after we both bumped our fists in a friendly way-

Wolf: "Negative, facility's dark. We go in, locate and secure the Yautja tech, then torch the whole site. The survivors are optional if there's any, mantain focus on the main objective." -Williams gave me an affirming nod, positioning himself near the gate. He then proceeded to don his helmet and securely putting his shotgun on his back-

Williams: "I can't wait to kick some arse, let's do this!" -He said cheerfully with determination-

I secured my rifle firmly using the magnetic feature on the back of my vest, ensuring it wouldn't budge unless I intentionally wanted it to. With a glance to my side within the VTOL's interior, I spotted the other three members of my team. One of them, equipped and ready, held his helmet under his arm as he approached me, offering a salute to his Commander - which happened to be me. This individual was Romer Müller, a skilled German operative specialized in reconnaissance and stealth, making him a perfect fit for our mission. He sported a bald head, a distinctive scar from a previous wound on his mouth, a clean-shaven face, and striking light red eyes.

Müller: "All set and good to go, Commander. Our suits working just fine, should prevent us from freezing to death out there." -He spoke with a distinct German accent, and he followed it with a swift, precise military salute. In response, I returned the salute-

Wolf: "I couldn't have hoped for a more skilled stealth specialist. Are you afraid of heights, Müller?" -I reassuringly patted his shoulder, to which he shook his head in response-

Müller: "Absolutely not, sir. Not even in the slightest." -I gave a slight grin as I allowed him to move into position beside Williams by the door, who acknowledged him with a nod. Williams then donned his helmet and secured his suppressed firearm on his back-

While I kept my helmet off, I patiently waited for the other two members of our team. From my vantage point, I observed that the guy positioned himself in front of the woman who was sitting, double-checking her boosters attached to her back and her high-tech boots. At that moment, she glanced up at him when he extended his hand to assist her, but she declined his offer ignoring his hand. Instead, she clutched her sniper rifle and helmet in each hand, rose from her seat, causing the man to take a step back. With her unwavering gaze fixed on the man, he defiantly returned her non-friendly gesture with a bold middle finger followed by a "Perra" coming from the man, these two didn't get along pretty well.

As the frigid sniper swiftly turned, she accidentally collided with me, and I barely flinched from the impact. Her surprised gaze met mine, as I towered over her in height. This remarkable woman was Olivia Taylor, the most exceptional female sniper I've ever encountered, clearly better than me when it came to long distance or sniper rifles. She hailed from the United Kingdom, and her combat gear, similar to mine, was tailored to her form and lighter. Olivia had a pixie-bob hairstyle with short silver locks and a single strand veiled her left eye. Both of her eyes were yellow. Just beneath the veil of hair, a vertical scar ran from above her left eye, tracing down to her cheek. Thankfully, whatever had caused that scar, it had spared her eye from further harm.

Taylor: "Commander." -She spoke with an icy tone, likely offering her own form of apology for the accidental collision, all the while avoiding direct eye contact with me-

Wolf: "Taylor, it's great to see you up and about. How's your aim?"

Taylor: "Crystal." -I gave her a friendly pat on the back as she strolled by me-

Seemingly avoiding further conversation. She was in the process of holding her helmet, securing her energy sniper rifle on her back, and positioning herself by the gate. Shortly after, a torn hood materialized, shrouding everything around her helmet except the front, and a torn cape unfurled, draping down her back.

Finally, our skilled Mexican technician made his entrance, striding towards me amidst the bustling VTOL activity. Draped across his back was a bullpup rifle, and he was meticulously inspecting his helmet, ensuring it was free from any potential issues or malfunctions. His suit was adorned with an array of specialized gadgets necessary for technical tasks. Introducing himself as Diego Sánchez, he possessed a sun-kissed complexion, short, nearly bald brown hair, a clean-shaven face, striking crimson eyes, and a distinctive scar etched along his neck.

Sánchez: "Thanks for bringing me in, güero." -He spoke with a distinct Mexican accent as he strolled past me, locking eyes for a moment-

Wolf: "You wouldn't want to miss it, huh?" -I looked back at him from above my shoulder, to which he chuckled-

Sánchez: "You know it, thanks jefe!" -He spoke before putting on his helmet, and standing by the gate-

I positioned myself directly in front of the gate adjacent to the VTOL aircraft, with my fellow teammates strategically positioned in close proximity. I secured my helmet, which had a wide-open faceplate that seamlessly closed, projecting a clear heads-up display (HUD) directly into my line of sight. This advanced headgear offered a multitude of functions beyond mere protection, including holographic weapon targeting, a comprehensive recording system, real-time monitoring of vital signs for both me and my team, night vision capability, thermal imaging, and more. I'll delve into these functions in greater detail as I make more extensive use of them.

Female Cobra AI: "Welcome back, Commander. Suit systems online and running perfectly." -The Female AI welcomed me and swiftly performed a thorough suit check, assuring me that everything was in optimal condition-

Wolf: "Everyone, 1 minute! GEAR CHECK!" -I announced, raising my voice to ensure everyone's attention. I held up my index finger to signal one minute, and in response, they all mirrored my gesture, confirming they understood my message-

Torres: "The high-tech gear in those suits should keep you warm and safe out there, so you won't freeze to death!" -Torres exclaimed from his seat as we double-checked each other's equipment-

Taylor: "No joke." -She muttered loud enough for me to hear it while checking my gear, kneeling infront of the gate with me behind her, inspecting her gear as well, we all exchanged nods of understanding-

Williams: "Rules of engagement?" -He fully turned to me-

Sánchez: "What do you think? Shot first, ask questions later, you'll live longer that way." -He asked with sarcasm making Williams briefly look at him doing a scoff-

Wolf: "Weapons free, Williams." -I answered before these two decide to escalate anything between each other-

The VTOL quakes with a palpable tension as it descends into Europa's atmosphere. Pilot Nicolás Torres maintains a firm grip on the controls, his attention fixed on the tumultuous winds howling beyond the windows. The VTOL shudders violently as it grapples with the ferocious storm, lightning streaking across the endless cosmic backdrop. The team, including myself, hunkers down by the side hatch, clutching tightly to whatever support we can find.

Torres: "10 seconds!" -He spoke from his pilot's seat, and the only sources of light piercing through the dim interior of the VTOL were the external lights and the red indicators, signaling that it was not yet safe for us to bail out-

Wolf: "GET THE DOOR OPEN!" -I ordered, feeling my voice get rougher when raised-

As the VTOL aircraft neared the designated drop zone, Williams extended both of his hands to grasp the central sliding gate. With a determined effort, he pulled it to the side, disengaging the VTOL gate from its frame, and it slid open with a continuous, mechanical sound. The fierce, howling winds and blowing snow posed a serious threat to our balance before we were fully prepared, but each one of us managed to stand resolutely, poised and ready for the upcoming jump.

[R] Torres: "You've got green light, Commander! Green light!" -The VTOL aircraft hovered above the immense, frozen terrain on the surface of Europa-

Whenever one of my teammates communicated over the radio or within my hearing range, a miniature image of their face would pop up on the side of my HUD. Beneath their picture, there'd be these small sound wave indicators. Moreover, when I shifted my gaze in their direction, these sound waves would specifically appear over the person who was talking, effectively informing me of the speaker's identity.

Sánchez: "Say the word, jefe!" -As we awaited my signal, our adrenaline surged through our veins. The heads-up display indicated that we were 5250 meters above our objective, that was the height from where we were jumping-

Wolf: "Go! Come on, come on! Let's go, let's go!" -First, I tapped Sánchez on the shoulder, and he was the first to dive out. Then, I tapped Taylor on the shoulder, and she followed, diving out second. 

Without another moment of hesitation, the rest of the Cobra Squad members jumped out of the VTOL into the turbulent winds one by one. Finally, it was my turn, and I leaped out as well.

[R] Müller: "Maintain your formation! Don't veer off course!" -I descended from the sky near my team, strategically positioning myself at the center, with the rest of my squad surrounding me. We continued our forward descent in a horizontal alignment-

Female Cobra AI: "4517m."

[R] Williams: "Stone the crows! This is better than any ride at the amusement park I've given a burl!" -I heard him laugh with joy in the comms-

[R] Sánchez: "A la verga! Porqué chingados se me ocurrió venir?! Hace mucho frio!" -I overheard him voicing his grievances. It was evident that he was trembling more than his usual self, and it wasn't due to his fear of heights; it was attributable to the frigid temperature-

[R] Taylor: "Stay on task, you muppet!" -She angrily addressed her words to the other two-

[R] Müller: "Taylor, keep your distance! You're just inches away from colliding with the Commander!" -I raised an eyebrow, glanced to my left, and widened my eyes in surprise as I noticed how closely Taylor was skydiving near me. She too turned her gaze toward my side, almost losing her balance as she realized the proximity and the fact that I noticed too, and promptly adjusted her position to create more separation-

[R] Taylor: "Zip it, Müller!" -I couldn't discern the British woman's expression beneath her helmet, but from the tone of her voice, it was evident that she was flushing with embarrassment within that headgear. At that moment, I simply returned my gaze ahead-

[R] Müller: "Yes ma'am!" -I heard Sánchez and Williams burst out laughing-

Female Cobra AI: "3600m."

Wolf: "Everyone on me! We're going in for the dive!" -I took the lead speaking through comms, stealing a quick glance back at the team that had gathered behind me while skydiving-

The snow and gusts buffeted us, but our training and boosters keep us on course. We all leap into the violent maelstrom, streaking through the storm. As we descend towards Europa's frozen surface, the swirling storm adds an extra layer of danger to our descent. Sharp ice crystals struck our helmets, though they caused no harm, and the bone-chilling cold tested our resolve. As I monitored my HUD, the altitude reading rapidly decreased, plummeting ten times faster than before, accompanied by a persistent beeping, cautioning me about my excessive speed.

Female Cobra AI: "1800m."

As we descended, the luminous shades of blue and white that adorned Europa's icy terrain dominated our field of view. Our descent demanded utmost caution, as we skillfully navigated around sharp ice formations and the relentless, potentially course-altering gusts.

Female Cobra AI: "990m, contact inminent."

As the storm gradually receded from our view, we observed the frigid landscape in the distance drawing nearer and nearer as we descended through the sky, causing our hearts to race. The sound of beeping grew increasingly rapid, accompanied by a secondary beep serving as a final alert of the impending impact, forcing my eyes to widen in realization that I had to activate my boosters or face a terrible death.

Wolf: "Boost! BOOST!" -I raised my voice loudly over the communication system, alerting my team to an imminent threat before we turned the pristine, icy landscape into a bloody mess-

We synchronized our timing flawlessly, activating our landing thrusters at just the right moment to decelerate our descent, ensuring a safe touchdown on Europa's icy surface. The thrusters emitted a cloud of frosty mist as we all landed with pinpoint accuracy. I even added a touch of flair, executing a superhero-like landing, bracing my hand against the ice upon impact, causing it to shatter below me.

The altitude reading on my Heads-Up Display (HUD) initially read 0 meters. Then, a message popped up saying "Jump Successful." It vanished promptly, clearing a portion of my HUD screen, revealing the temperature, which registered at a bone-chilling -300ºF, and the oxygen level, which was a reassuring 100%.

I swiftly retrieved my assault rifle, which was securely fastened to a magnetic mount on my back. I grasped the handle firmly, wrapping my fingers around the grip just below the handguard. As I did so, I trusted in the technology of my helmet, which seamlessly conjured a holographic sight and a laser onto the previously bare assault rifle. These attachments had remained hidden from the view of both my team and anyone else; only I could perceive them.

As I swiftly surveyed the scene, I noticed my entire team standing ready, each member gripping their weapons, casting reassuring glances in my direction. Their nods conveyed the message that all was well, and no equipment or structures had been damaged. The surface beneath us consisted of a solid expanse of ice, its thickness significant. However, our target lay concealed beneath this icy veneer.

Müller: "The surface temperature is minus 300ºF..we should get moving." -He glanced back at us, and I signaled for him and Taylor to take the lead, while the rest of us followed closely behind. Each of us had our guns drawn and at the ready, vigilantly scanning our surroundings as we advanced-

Wolf: "Wolf to Torres, the jump was successful, we're now on the ground." -I messaged Torres as I lightly tapped the side of my helmet with my index and middle finger-

[R] Torres: "Copy that, Wolf. There's an insert, vertical drop north of your current position. I'll be on standby, awaiting your instructions."

Wolf: "Roger that, Torres. We're on the move." -I returned my hand to the handguard of my rifle-

Müller and Taylor slowed their pace as they approached the insertion point, a sizable crevasse in the glacier. Müller stood firm and peered down, followed by Taylor, who knelt and kept her energy sniper rifle steady, aiming downward, her arctic-worn cape billowing in the frigid wind.

Müller: "I've got two hostiles right below us." -I joined him and took a cautious look down, it was a significant drop-

Taylor: "I can eliminate both of them from here." -She said icily-

She prepared her sniper rifle, anticipating my signal, but I placed my hand atop her sniper's handguard, lowering it. She glanced back at me, realizing I was still focused on the enemies. They were wearing military-grade suits, but not superior to ours, and were armed as well.

Wolf: "No, Müller and I will initiate the drop, descend rapidly, and eliminate the hostile forces. The rest of you will follow behind as soon we clear 'em out." -I glanced at Taylor and the others who nodded, except for Taylor, who remained silent, her usual self-

Müller: "We'll take them out on your command, Commander." -He added, both of us exchanged glances, the German man waiting for my signal-

I signaled to Müller after a few seconds, who nodded. We secured our weapons on our backs letting the magnetism do its work and allowed ourselves to plummet, feeling the cool breeze and brushing against small ice formations. In mid-air, I drew my knife from its chest sheath with my left hand, blade facing downward, and my right hand poised for action.

( Image not mine, credits to the artist: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/rRP5ke )

The knife wasn't your typical combat blade; it had been specially modified with a potent electrical charge, powerful enough to instantly kill a person or disable a robot. I primarily reserved this electric jolt for dealing with bots or Yautja technology, as it's rare to get the chance to use it on a Yautja without risking getting squashed.

As I descended, I carefully timed my approach, counting down four seconds. I found myself hovering just above an OU mercenary, her back turned to me, while her partner was nearby, soon to meet his end at Müller's hands. To avoid a fatal encounter with the female mercenary, I activated my booster, halting my descent and hovering just above her. This move spared both of us from a deadly outcome.

Now, one could clearly hear the deafening roar of the booster, my booster. Startled, a woman turned to face me, her eyes wide with recognition. She knew exactly who I was. In that split second, before she could react by raising her rifle, I swiftly acted. My foot connected with her mostly glass helmet, shattering it and revealing a disturbing amount of blood splattered across her face. She cried out in pain, falling backward to the ground in agony.

Desperate to regain her composure, she struggled to rise. But before she could get back on her feet. In quick sucession, I pinned her down by landing my right knee on her stomach. With my right hand, I muffled her screams, and with a forceful move, I slammed her head onto the icy ground, cracking the ice beneath. With ruthless precision, I plunged a knife into her right clavicle, twisting it inside to widen the wound, intensifying her pain.

Her lifeless body slumped to the ground, eyes rolling back in a gruesome tableau. I steadied my right hand against her lifeless form, extracting the knife from her clavicle, cleaning it with her lifeless body, and then sheathing it. Glancing to the side, I noticed another mercenary from the Outcast Union attempting to crawl away. But before he could escape, Müller delivered a powerful kick to his helmet, causing him to suffocate. Müller swiftly turned his gaze toward me, ensuring I was unscathed, and nodded in approval. I returned the nod, silently acknowledging our exceptional teamwork.

We inspected the lifeless bodies of the mercenaries from the Outer Union (OU), whether they were indeed mercenaries, troopers, soldiers, or any other term you can conjure. These individuals left no doubt that they posed a genuine danger. While we surveyed the deceased, the remainder of our team descended from the sky, using their boosters to land on their feet beside us.

( Image not mine, credits to the owner: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/d6one )

One of the many reasons Overlord chose me as Cobra Squad Commander was my lack of hesitation in the face of an enemy, whether male or female, white or black, straight or gay, and so on. I saw them all the same, no one was going to have more privilege than the other, thanks to that and many other things I managed to keep me and my team alive. But I don't consider myself a ruthless killer, if they surrender or prove not to be dangerous, of course I won't kill them.

Sánchez: "They've got some audacity being here, that's for sure." -He remarked as he walked past a lifeless body-

Williams: "Nice job, boss. Although, I think I could have done it with more style and finesse." -The Australian breacher quipped, playfully tapping my shoulder as I opened my left forearm armor, revealing a small computer on my wrist beneath. I scanned the area-

Taylor: "Don't be absurd, prioritize efficiency over flair." -With her usual serious demeanor, Taylor addressed Williams, who responded with a dismissive scoff-

Williams: "Seriously, your killing tactics aren't too amusing from a distance, mate." -The British sniper grumbled quietly in response to the Australian's jokes, clearly irritated by his obliviousness-

Taylor: "You're incredibly vexing, I can't fathom why the Commander brought you on board." -She added a touch of hostility to her already cold tone-

Wolf: "Both of you, knock it off!" -I snapped my wrist armor shut, turned my head to address them, and firmly raised my voice to hush them-

After my reprimand, Taylor and Williams fell silent. Sánchez and Müller cautiously advanced deeper into one of many icy tunnels in this moon. Sánchez noticed a recently activated red flare lying on the ground, picked it up, examined it briefly, and then glanced back at me over his shoulder, holding the flare up for me to see.

Sánchez: "Do you think we're too late? Looks fresh to me." -He dropped the flare back where he found it-

Müller: "There's only one way to know for sure." -He turned his gaze toward the sole exit-

Wolf: "Torres, this is Wolf. We've got Outcast Union mercenaries in the area of operation. Our troops are engaging the enemy." -I contacted Torres while taking a few steps forward-

[R] Torres: "Copy that, I'll pass it on. Over and out." -Torres ended our communication-

Wolf: "Taylor, Müller, take the lead. We need to move quickly and secure the Yautja Tech before they do." -I gestured for Müller and Taylor to advance, and they nodded in agreement-

I and the rest of the team made our way through a narrow exit, which opened up onto a vast ice walkway with a colossal drop on both sides, shrouded in darkness. I followed closely behind Taylor and Muller, who were leading the way, advancing briskly with their weapons steadily aimed forward.

Williams: "Hey, Commander. Do you think you'd rather pull off flashy takedowns like me or opt for the plain, long-range shots like Taylor?" -He gave me a playful nudge, and if he was trying to provoke Taylor, he was succeeding-

Wolf: "Taylor makes a valid point. Let's prioritize swift eliminations and not concern ourselves with style." -I endorsed Taylor's suggestion; she was correct - the faster we eliminate the threats, the safer we'll be-

Williams just gave a nonchalant shrug, showing no sign of changing his mind anytime soon. Taylor, on the other hand, glanced in my direction and nodded in appreciation, though her helmet concealed her facial expression.

We continued our advance through the cave, following the pathway as it veered to the left, leading us toward the final exit, likely signaled by the red flare ahead. We were just a few steps away from the exit when an OU mercenary appeared around the corner, rifle lowered and walking casually. He glanced back as he approached. Müller swiftly raised his custom Kriss Vector in semi-automatic mode.

( Image not mine, credits to the owner: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/LRakXP )

He took careful aim and squeezed the trigger, the gunshot tearing through the neck of the mercenary who had just turned around the corner toward him.

As the mercenary gasped for breath, blood gushing from the wound, Taylor sprang into action. She propelled herself forward, her armored knee connecting with the mercenary's face, sending his helmet flying like a ball and leaving him writhing in agony on the ground. Swiftly dropping to one knee behind him, Taylor swung her sniper rifle around, her body turning in one fluid motion. She squeezed the trigger, and an electromagnetic, high-velocity round burst through the mercenary's skull just as he attempted to rise trying to breathe, ending his life in an instant.

Taylor: "Enemy down, let's press on." -Müller walked alongside her, extending a hand to help her rise from her knee-

Wolf: "Great work, you two. Keep up the pace." -I observed their excellent performance as we kept moving-

Sánchez: "So, was that impressive enough for you?" -He cast a questioning glance at Williams, who responded with an eye roll, hidden behind his helmet. I couldn't see it, but I had a strong sense that he did it-

Williams: "Quit the chatter, she's just trying to impress the Commander, you know?" -Sánchez let out a chuckle at this excuse, which, unbeknownst to all of us, had the effect of making Taylor much quieter under that helmet than before-

Sánchez: "Si, claro.." -He scoffed, clearly unconvinced-

Wolf: "We're almost at the entry point, about 30 meters ahead. Stay on your toes." -I tuned out their conversation, staying focused on my team's movements and devising the best strategy to avoid any casualties-

As we moved forward, we reached the exit, and a beam of light pierced through, accompanied by a cool breeze.

Wolf: "Torres, we're closing in on the entry point. Be advised, we've encountered some opposition from the Outcast Union." -I signaled Torres using the communicator on my helmet, tapping the left side with my index finger-

[R] Torres: "Roger that, thermal readings are unreliable at your depth. Stay alert, my amigos." -I released the comm link with Torres as we emerged from the exit-

Müller: "Halt, take cover behind those rocks over there." -As we reached a ledge, Müller pointed out two sets of rocks on either side for cover-

Müller, Taylor, and I hunkered down behind the rocks on the left, while Williams and Sanchez took refuge behind the rocks on the right. We kept a low profile and peered out at the blizzard, which was gradually thinning. It hadn't completely dissipated, but it had cleared enough that one of us could see without needing thermal vision.

Taylor: "Four sentries on the rooftop." -She cautioned, preparing her energy sniper rifle to eliminate them-

( Image not mine, credits to the owner: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/8w3zLx )

She made a slight adjustment to her position, ensuring the bipod of her sniper rifle rested securely on the rock, thus enhancing her aim's stability. Gazing through the scope of her advanced sniper rifle, she meticulously assessed the enemy's position on the roof of the research facility in the distance.

In the background, we observed the roof of the entrance to the research facility we were seeking. One side appeared to have an open entrance, but it was actually closed. Furthermore, there was a platform with unidentified figures positioned at a distance from our vantage point, separated by a gap.

( Image not mine, credits to the owner )

It took us a few seconds to catch on, as we observed the sentries positioned on the roof, moving stealthily from one point to another. I nodded and gently placed my hand on her back, giving her a reassuring pat just in case she had any thoughts of taking a shot. I wanted to ensure that I wouldn't accidentally cause her to miss or hit the wrong target.

Wolf: "Good eye, Taylor," -I commended, and she remained silent-

Müller: "Only Williams and I have suppressors. Regular bullets and Williams' shotgun shells won't be effective from this distance, especially with the strong wind potentially throwing them off course. If Taylor plans to eliminate them, even if they don't hear the gunfire, they'll notice their comrades falling. So, she needs to act quickly." -Müller's advice prompted some thought. While Taylor's sniper rifle lacked a suppressor, it wasn't excessively loud. It produced a sound somewhat louder than a suppressor, but not loud enough to give away her position entirely-

Taylor: "I can eliminate those four targets as quickly as I can, hopefully before they can signal for backup." -She meticulously readied her rifle, taking into account the chilling winds-

Müller: "Hold on, Taylor. Let two of them align before you take the shot." -The skilled German stealth expert offered his guidance to the female British sniper, although she already knew what she was doing-

Wolf: "Whenever you're ready."

Taylor: "Yes, sir."

Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, she mantained her focus and disregarded all distractions. Her rigorous training took control as she melded with her weapon. Her gaze zoomed in on the enemy positions, precisely calculating the bullet's path while adjusting for the frigid wind. The research facility's rooftop bristled with satellite dishes, providing the assailants some cover. Olivia understood the necessity of dispatching them swiftly and noiselessly to prevent alerting others inside the facility.

We stood there for nearly a full minute, eagerly awaiting Taylor's signal to open fire. Williams was growing restless, Sanchez briefly checked his gadgets, while Müller and I remained focused on the enemies positioned ahead on the rooftop. Two of them were already in our sights, and Taylor bided his time, waiting for the other two OU mercenaries to align themselves, hoping to eliminate all four with a single shot. Just as if it were choreographed, the other two mercenaries started moving in a line toward the opposite end of the roof, setting up a perfect opportunity.

Müller: "Hold your aim..steady.."

Taylor: "Silence."

Müller: "My apologies."

Taylor continued to wait patiently for the other two mercenaries to fall into line with their companions. When the moment arrived, a rare and fleeting opportunity lasting less than a second, Taylor seized it. He squeezed the trigger, sending the bullet through the heads of all four mercenaries. Their lifeless bodies hesitated for a moment before plummeting to the ground, with one unfortunate soul slipping into the abyss.

Wolf: "Impressive, move forward." -I witnessed the elimination of the four mercenaries with a single energy shot, giving Taylor a congratulatory pat on the back for her excellent job before getting to my feet-

We all swiftly navigated the rocky terrain, advancing toward the chasm that separated our territory from the platform strewn with bodies. Using our boosters, we successfully leaped across the gap and landed on the elevator platform rising from below.

As I surveyed the lifeless figures, it became evident that they wore similar suits to ours, albeit with considerably less protective gear and glass helmets, making them vulnerable. These were the personnel from the research facility, and their injuries were indicative of the responsible one.

Wolf: "No gunshot wounds, just many broken bones, ripped necks and faces, deeply ripped stomachs..I think.." -I knelt infront of a dead body, taking a look around before jumping to conclusions-

Williams: "Ya' think our Yautja friend's the one behind this, don't ya?" -He stood by my side, then I stood up shaking my head-

Wolf: "A Yautja, indeed. But I have my doubts if it's one of our Yautja," -I remarked, my attention drawn to the neon green bioluminescent substance on the floor, unmistakably of Yautja origin. I had little reason to believe this particular Yautja was friendly-

Sánchez: "Yautja blood. You think the Yautja got wounded?"

Wolf: "Let's investigate further ahead." -I rose to my feet, my rifle held tightly in my hands-

I pivoted and advanced toward the sealed door, noticing the red light panel beside it, signaling it could be slid open, but it appeared to be locked.

Wolf: "Sánchez, get that door open," -I ordered. Sánchez acknowledged and produced a compact device, moving towards the door panel-

Williams: "Why not just blast it open?" -He had his breaching tools at the ready, shotgun in hand-

Wolf: "It's crucial that we use the element of surprise to our advantage. Don't worry, you'll have your chance." -He casually shrugged-

We all strategically positioned ourselves near the door, with some of us taking aim at it in case it suddenly opened from the inside. After a brief pause, Sánchez successfully turned the red light to green, effectively disabling the door lock.

Wolf: "Williams, Müller, follow me. Sánchez, Taylor, stay close and cover our six." -They all acknowledged with nods-

Sánchez and Taylor stepped back a few paces, ensuring they covered our backs. Williams took the left position, and Müller took the right, while I stood in the center. I exchanged a nod with Williams, who reciprocated, and he used his forearm to push the door panel, causing it to slide open. The three of us swiftly entered the area, with Williams, Müller, and I moving in different directions, maintaining a vigilant watch.

More of our comrades lay lifeless on the ground, some suspended in the handrails, and none bore bullet wounds, just like those outside. The same mysterious wounds we had observed before while approaching the station. As we descended the stairs, the eerie sight of more fallen bodies with identical injuries met our gaze.

OU Mercenary: "This place is a complete disaster. Any ideas about what might have happened here?" -One of the mercs spoke, his words echoed in the corridor ahead-

As we moved forward, we overheard a hushed conversation among the mercenaries further down the passage. Williams gestured for us to halt with a subtle hand signal, indicating "Enemy" and "Crouch." We promptly complied, crouching behind the protective cover of the handrail. Peering over cautiously, we spotted a group of six mercenaries congregated below.

OU Mercenary (2): "I thought this mission would be a walk in the park, but it's turning out to be much easier than that. It seems someone beat us to the punch and left this gruesome scene behind." -He pointed out the telltale Yautja blood near the airlock, alongside a Yautja handprint, suggesting that the Yautja in question had likely leaned against the wall near the airlock-

Wolf: [Sign Language] [ "We need to capture one of them alive for a brief interrogation. Williams, toss a shock grenade down there." ] -In a calculated sequence of non-verbal communication, I signaled the team to get their approval. After a round of thumbs up, I directed my attention to Williams, who acknowledged with a nod. He swiftly retrieved a shock grenade from his vest-

Williams: [Sign Language] [ "You got it, boss." ]

Williams held the grenade firmly, activating it by pressing the trigger mechanism while keeping his shotgun gripped vertically with his other hand. With a precise motion, he smoothly cycled the pump action, preparing his weapon for any potential threat.

Without hesitation, Williams unleashed the shock grenade, launching it in the direction of the enemy while ensuring he remained out of their sight. The grenade detonated upon contact with the ground, releasing a powerful surge of electricity that instantly incapacitated those in close proximity. They fell lifeless to the ground, their bodies unable to react to the sudden jolt.

One of the adversaries, positioned a bit farther away, received a milder electric shock. He stumbled backward, falling onto his back, temporarily stunned and vulnerable.

OU Mercenary: "WE'VE GOT HOSTILES OVERHEAD! ELIMINATE THEM!" -Reinforcements from their squad emerged on both flanks-

Wolf: "ENGAGE NOW! DROP 'EM!" -I projected a commanding tone, directing my team-

We collectively emerged from our positions, locking onto our respective targets, and delivering precise, rapid bursts of gunfire. I peered down the sights of my weapon, firing quick bursts at the enemy, unfazed by a bullet grazing my helmet. We continued to lay down suppressive fire until every foe lay lifeless, save for one.

Wolf: "Spread out, and check those corners." -I ordered, motioning to the team-

Sánchez: "The tech's gotta be in the research vault, about half a klick ahead."

With our guards still up, we leaped down, landing gracefully and sweeping the area, advancing toward the airlock. There, we spotted the mercenary who had been recently stunned by Williams' shock grenade, sitting in pain against the wall, struggling to reach the panel and make his escape.

Wolf: "Taylor, could you handle this?" -I asked, and she holstered her rifle, cracking her knuckles-

Taylor: "Gladly." She replied coldly, nodding as she advanced towards the mercenary-

The mercenary noticed the fearsome female British figure approaching him at a brisk walking pace, menacingly. Whereupon he quickly drew his knife with his right hand and downward pointing edge, swinging it sideways at her, who caught and held his right wrist with her right hand and dislocated his elbow by striking him with her left armored forearm, making him scream in agony. Taylor then released his wrist seeing he dropped the knife, grabbing the front part of his helmet and slammed the back of his head against the metal air lock door, then throwing him to the ground before me with her on his back, holding his left shoulder and her sidearm against the back of his head.

Wolf: "Sánchez, open the door. I'll have a chat with our guest here."

Sánchez strode past the three of us, making his way to the airlock's entrance while preparing his gadgets not before taking a look at the merc on the ground, knowing he was in for a bad time.

Wolf: "Do you know who I am?" -I knelt in front of the captive, who managed to look up a bit despite Taylor restraining him-

OU Mercenary: "Nrgh! Go to hell, Cobra scum!" -He struggled to break free, reaching out with his other arm, still under Taylor's grasp-

Wolf: "Yeah, yeah you do. Alright, you know how this goes, I'll be shooting some questions at you and if you answer in a way that rubs me the wrong way, the lady on top of you will test how durable your helmet's glass is against a solid impact with the ground." -I couldn't see Taylor's face through the helmet, but I can tell she liked the idea-

He stayed silent, with only the sounds of his grunting as he struggled to break free, though it proved futile. I'll assume he's more than eager to have a chat with us.

Wolf: "We stumbled upon deceased personnel and security at this research facility. Can you shed some light on that?" -I stared down at him-

OU Mercenary: "D-Damn it! I don't know anything..I swear!" -No, he was definitely not being truthful-

Wolf: "I don't like that answer." -Taylor forcefully slammed the back of his head with the butt of her gun, causing the glass to shatter as it hit the ground-

OU Mercenary: "ARGH, you fucking..BITCH!" -He attempted to shift his head to the side to look at Taylor. However, I promptly redirected his attention towards me by giving him a quick, assertive reminder with the palm of my hardened gloved hand-

Wolf: "It's quite evident that you and your crew beat us to this location, and we're aware of your motives. However, there's a significant gap in our understanding of the situation here, and it's imperative that you enlighten us right now." -I reiterated, my patience wearing thin-

OU Mercenary: "Alright, alright! When we arrived, we initially planned to launch an assault on the research facility and all that stuff. But then, in the distance, we spotted a Yautja entering the scene, slaughtering your people. It actually facilitated our entry. So, we bided our time until that creature cleared the way, and then we made our move!" -He elaborated, unintentionally letting out a painful chuckle-

Taylor: "You spineless cowards." -She firmly pressed the muzzle of her sidearm against the back of his head-

Wolf: "What can you tell us about the Yautja? Its appearance, its objectives, anything that might be of use to us."

OU Mercenary: "I'm not..answering no more..! Now tell this bitch to get the hell of-!" -His not so friendly words were abruptly halted when Taylor forcefully stock butted the back of his head, causing the glass of his helmet to crash against the ground yet again-

Taylor: "You better provide a response, or I'll make sure your noggin pops right open, I guarantee it." -She whispered near his ear, firmly keeping his head pinned to the ground. The visor of his helmet was on the brink of shattering, one more hit and he's toast-

OU Mercenary: "Alright..! D-Dang..! The Yautja came through the airlock behind me, and we dispatched a squad after him and the tech! He's a male, pretty tall, I'd say! We're certain he's after Yautja tech, probably aiming to retrieve it himself. And there's been quite a bit of resistance!"

Wolf: "This doesn't add up. HQ already informed the Yautja clans that we'd be recovering their tech for them, so why would they send a Yautja to do it themselves?"

Williams: "Absolutely, mate. It might've been a rogue Yautja, or they sent him in before we even got this mission. Or perhaps they thought we couldn't bloody handle it, eh?" -He glanced at me, and I met his gaze-

Wolf: "I'll go with the second notion for now. How many of you are inside?" -I responded to Williams' second theory before turning my attention back to the mercenary-

OU Mercenary: "Enough to take y'all down! I won't spill any more beans, I'm done here!" -He struggled in Taylor's grip-

Wolf: "You're absolutely right, you're done here." -I signaled Taylor as I rose from my kneeling position-

OU Mercenary: "Ha! I'll be out of the cell by the morni-!" -Taylor caught my signal-

His words were abruptly cut off when she forcefully pushed the muzzle of her weapon deeper into the back of his head, repeatedly pulling the trigger without relinquishing her hold. The bullets tore through his skull, exiting through his mouth and the glass, putting an immediate end to him. She then disengaged and unholstered her sniper rifle, turning to head back towards the airlock door.

Williams: "Good grief, mate, best steer clear of Taylor when she's in a foul mood." -He whispered to me, recognizing Taylor's true temperament-

Sánchez: "Commander, the door's open." -He unlocked the door and immediately swung it wide-

Wolf: "Everyone, get inside." -I gestured for everyone to enter as I positioned myself by the rear door-

I held the door ajar as each of our crew members entered the compact airlock chamber one by one. Williams, then Sánchez, followed by Taylor, and finally Müller. With everyone safely inside, I firmly closed the door, enclosing us in the small metallic room. This chamber, just big enough for the five of us, featured two doors on opposite sides. One door was labeled "Interior," while the other bore the word "Exterior." The room was dimly lit, with the soft hum of machinery providing a constant backdrop.

We anxiously waited for the airlock to repressurize after sealing the outer door, protecting us from the harsh vacuum of space. Our hearts raced as we monitored the progress indicator on the inner door, displaying the increasing airlock pressure.

Female Cobra AI: "Airlock pressure is steadily rising. Please stand by." -The AI in my helmet broke the silence with its announcement-

Remaining inside the chamber, we patiently waited until the pressure indicator finally reached the green zone, signifying that it was safe to open the airlock. With synchronized nods, we unlocked the front of our helmets, revealing our faces as we took in deep, refreshing breaths.

Female Cobra AI: "Warning, hostile presence detected on the other side of the airlock door." -We exchanged glances and nodded, swiftly closing the front of our helmets to shield our faces-

Sánchez: "Do you think they heard the gunfire?" -He gripped his rifle, aiming it at the door-

Taylor: "Let's assume they did."

Wolf: "In that case, let's introduce ourselves. Williams, it's your turn. Toss a flashbang in there." -He motioned to me, and I moved forward-

We all removed our empty magazines from our weapons and replaced them with fully loaded ones, ensuring that the used magazines found their place in our vests. Even though the emptied magazines were now useless, we knew that if we left them on the ground, we'd have nothing to reload with if needed later.

Williams: "All right, it's time to shine." -He prepared his shotgun and took his position by the door in front of me, removing a flashbang from his vest-

( Images aren't mine, credits to the owner ) 

( Artist: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/1nBwAK )

( Artist: https://www.artstation.com/marketplace/p/JW6k/sci-fi-grenade )

He inhales deeply, his training instinctively kicking into gear as he readies himself for a bold maneuver. Adjusting his gear, he ensures that everything is secure and primed for action. Williams initiates the airlock sequence, and the doors begin to hiss open. The tension in the atmosphere is almost tangible as he tightly grips the flashbang grenade in his gloved hand. As the gap in the doors widens, adrenaline courses through William's veins. Without hesitation, he pulls the pin, steps forward, and expertly hurls the flashbang through the narrow opening.

OU Mercenary: "Was that a-? (Gasp of realization) GRENA-!" -The room beyond is briefly engulfed in blinding light and a deafening explosion, disorienting the hostiles-

Williams seizes the moment, his instincts taking control. He forcefully kicks the door open, lunges into the room, and swiftly moves before the disoriented foes can react. With quick, precise movements, he dispatches the three mercenaries standing in front of him, one shot to the chest and another to the head, each of them falling to the ground. The element of surprise is firmly on his side.

He proceeds with a swift and well-coordinated assault, his training guiding each step. He systematically eliminates one enemy after another with deadly efficiency, employing a combination of hand-to-hand combat and silenced gunfire against those attempting to ambush him from the sides. We can only watch in awe as he takes them all out within a matter of seconds, ensuring his takedowns are executed with a certain level of finesse. Whether it's leg sweeping, dislocating arms, rendering knees useless with a well-placed shot, or using his body as a shield, Williams remains impressively "cool" in his approach.

One thing that Taylor couldn't stand was how nonchalant Williams appeared to be when discussing methods of killing. It was clear that Williams had a deep understanding of what he was doing, and his training had not stripped him of his humanity, unlike Taylor. However, the entire team was aware that beneath Taylor's tough exterior, there was a compassionate heart, even though she rarely revealed it to others.

Williams: "Not a single soul left standing. We're ready to hit the road, Wolf." -He gestured for me to keep moving forward, and I signaled the rest of the team to advance-

I proceeded with the team, following closely behind Williams, who took the lead as we ascended the steps. Our destination was the fabrication receiving chamber on the right, located at the far end of the corridor.

Wolf: "Torres, we're currently in the Research and Development area, making our way deeper into the facility." -I contacted Torres via our communication system as we moved through the corridor cautiously and at a deliberate pace-

Torres: "Copy that, boss. Be aware that OU is about to breach in. Once we secure the Yautja technology, I'll wait on your go to initiate the self-destruct sequence."

Wolf: "Got it." -We ceased communication on our secure channel-

We proceeded down the corridor until we reached a room. Inside, we found a research table cluttered with tools and equipment, but our attention was quickly drawn to a grim sight: the lifeless body of a facility staff member lay on the table, holding a sidearm in one hand. As we approached, it became apparent that this unfortunate individual was missing not only their head but also their spine, and a gruesome river of blood had pooled around them, staining the table.

[R] Torres: "Boss, I've detected a familiar anomaly near your location. It seems we have some unwelcome visits from our cloaked friends." -He communicated through the radio-

Wolf: "I've come across the body of a staff member with their head and spine ripped off. I'm well aware of the situation." -We all scanned our surroundings closely-

[R] Torres: "I want to stress that Overlord has granted you full authorization to use lethal force if you come under attack from anything, be it humans, Xenomorphs, or even Yautjas." -I signaled my team to keep a low profile as we heard the unmistakable sound of a glass bottle shattering up ahead, promptly taking cover on both sides of the broken gate-

Sánchez: "That's fucking good to know, I'll be damned if I think about letting one of those freaks kill me."

[R] Torres: "Sánchez, I hate to concern you, but all the body cameras are fully operational, and they're currently live-streaming to the Command Center."

Sánchez: "Oh, puta madre." -He realized with a sinking feeling that the Command Center was a shared space, hosting both humans and Yautjas. Naturally, the Yautjas were privy to his conversation in their native tongue-

Wolf: "Hush!" -I urgently whispered-

I signaled my team to follow me as we made our way through the forcibly opened gates into the fabrication receiving area. The silence in the air was periodically broken by the crackle of exposed electrical cables, some hanging from above and others torn from the floor. We continued to advance cautiously under my command, ensuring none of us stumbled into the unknown. If even one of us met their end during this operation, the blame would rest on my shoulders.

OU Mercenary: "Move it, quick! That massive freak is on the other side. We've got to beat him to the tech!" -We heard voices up ahead, coming from the research lab on the other side. It was through the engineering area that lay in front of us-

OU Mercenary (2): "We'll keep a lookout. Open the door, right now!"

The moment we spotted familiar and unfriendly figures emerging in the research lab, heading in our direction, we quickly and silently took cover behind some flipped-over tables. We made the most of the limited light on our side to peek over the cover. The armed mercenaries began scanning the room. I could count just two mercenaries closing in on us, with three more in the background. They were initially heading into the research lab, but then changed course and started making their way towards us.

The two mercenaries walked side by side, drawing nearer, and our hearts raced, expecting a firefight to erupt any second. But to our relief, the mercenaries halted just behind our tables, taking a moment to observe.

OU Mercenary: "Darn it. If you need someone to carry out heists or eliminate innocent folks or snatch candy from a lil' kid, count me in. But don't ask me to confront an eight-foot, ripped, alien behemoth. My paycheck ain't big enough for that."

OU Mercenary (2): "Chill out, you heard the plan. The Yautja is injured, and we'll catch 'em off guard. You'll be sipping your coffee at home in no time..although you don't really like coffee." -They turned around, heading slowly towards the engineering section where the other three mercenaries were located-

OU Mercenary: "What about Cobra Squad? Aren't you worried about what they're capable of?"

OU Mercenary (2): "I'm well aware of that, and I couldn't care less. They ain't that tough." -They paused for a moment, locking eyes-

OU Mercenary: "Even if they get paid like, three times our pay and boast the highest salaries among all known special forces?"

OU Mercenary (2): "..Yeah, when this is over I'm gonna buy some hoes." -They turned around with their backs facing towards us-

OU Mercenary: "You ain't gonna get no bitches on your dick if you don't get rid of that yee-yee ass haircut first."

I halted my quick glance after assessing the potential threats. I was confident they weren't about to budge, which afforded me a moment to deliberate while a few of my team members gazed at me expectantly, awaiting my guidance.

Taylor: "I've got this." -She stood by my side and declared, poised to hoist her sniper rifle-

Wolf: "No, I've got this." -I, on the other hand, responded firmly and gently lowered her rifle with my hand. She turned her attention toward me as I signaled the rest of the team to get ready for what lay ahead-

I secured my rifle on my back, relying on its magnetic lock to keep it in place. With a swift motion, I drew my knife from the sheath on my chest using my left hand, turning the blade downward.

In a rapid sequence of movements, I stealthily leaped over cover, closing in on two mercenaries who stood side by side, a bit more spread out than it initially appeared. Once within striking distance, I drove the knife into the back of the left mercenary's neck, thrusting it until the point emerged from his throat.

As the mercenary struggled to grasp his bleeding neck, I swiftly seized the sidearm from his chest holster, just in time to single-handedly aim at the other mercenary to the right. He had turned in surprise, attempting to raise his rifle toward me, only to be interrupted as I squeezed the trigger, dispatching him with a shot through the skull, killing him instantly.

Meanwhile, three more mercenaries stationed at engineering caught wind of the disturbance and the distant gunshots. Faced with the dim lighting and their limited intelligence, they rushed towards the source of the commotion. In response, the world seemed to slow down around me. I meticulously aimed and fired several rounds at them, targeting exposed and vulnerable areas away from their obvious protected zones. I crippled one by shattering his legs with multiple shots, leaving him writhing in agony on the ground. Next, I dispatched another with shots through the throat and head, followed by the last one who fired at me, narrowly missing before I eliminated him.

With the sidearm aimed at the mercenary who was still choking on his own blood and struggling in my grasp, I pulled the trigger, only to be met with an empty click. Quickly and in annoyance, I glanced at the now-empty weapon and hurled it at the injured mercenary hitting him on his face, knocking him out. Then, I gripped the mercenary that I've been holding by the forehead and the knife handle, swiftly turning his head to the side and breaking his neck in the blink of an eye.

I took a brief moment to survey our surroundings, sliding my knife back into its sheath on my chest. My team had just arrived, and as they joined me, Williams let out a low whistle in response to my recent display.

Williams: "Think you've got what it takes to outdo that, Taylor?" 

The Australian playfully taunted the British woman, the same woman who happened to own an extensive collection of various kinds of knives in her quarters. Was it because she was British? No. Well, probably.

Taylor: "I've got what it takes to beat your arse." -She shot back confidently-

In the distance, we heard noises, footsteps, and voices shouting to one another. It was evident that our presence had been discovered, and we could see figures in the distance darting for cover while others rushed toward us.

Wolf: "GO LOUD!" -With a sense of urgency, I gave the order-

My team and I stormed our way through. Leading the charge was Sanchez, who fired his rifle as he advanced toward the hostile forces aligned with the union. Within moments, we reached the research room. Sanchez, scanning the area, was taken aback when a bullet ricocheted off the left side of his helmet. In response, he swiftly turned in that direction, expending half of his current magazine to neutralize the entrenched hostiles attempting to breach the door.

Sánchez: "All clear, jefe!" -He reported-

We proceeded into the research room, but our efforts yielded no Yautja technology. Instead, we encountered the grim scene of a few deceased facility staff members. One of them lay lifeless on a central table, a bullet lodged between his eyebrows. Another sat in front of multiple screens, a single keyboard at hand, with a slit throat.

Wolf: "Williams, get the door open." -I opened the front part of my helmet, revealing my face-

Williams: "Aye aye!" -He made his way to the partially cut door, attempting to finish up what the OU left incomplete-

[R] Torres: "Boss, I don't mean to hurry you, but we're falling behind schedule and running low on fuel. What's our status?"

Wolf: "We're en route to the target, ETA for extraction is seven minutes. Over." -I contacted Torres while keeping a watchful eye on Williams, who was busy with his tools, while Müller and Taylor stood guard nearby-

Sánchez: "Wolf, you should take a look at this." -He removed his helmet and placed it on the table-

I turned to the side and glanced at Sánchez. With great respect and care, he moved the lifeless body from the seat, gently laying it on the ground and closing its eyes. Sánchez gestured for me to approach, which I did, while he settled into the chair, focusing on the keyboard and the screens.

Wolf: "Talk to me." -I positioned myself right behind him, casting a quick glance down the corridor we had just traversed before redirecting my attention to the screens-

Sánchez: "In a matter of seconds, I found a plethora of files that could pique our interest. We're talking about literally millions of files such as images, videos, notes, you name it." -He retrieved his storage drive and locked eyes with me-

Wolf: "What's your recommendation?" -Taylor, her helmet now off, was also captivated, standing beside me and fixated on the screens-

Sánchez: "These files are a treasure trove of Yautja information. We're talking about their customs, potential personalities, hunting techniques, dietary habits, and most importantly, a wealth of data on their advanced technologies and the feasibility of replicating them. It's a goldmine."

Taylor: "Who was responsible for all of this?" -Sánchez paused for a moment, tapping away at the keyboard to reveal the biography of the General of the United States' army along with his old face picture-

Wolf: "Son of a bitch."

Sánchez: "Not surprised at all. No one here had significant ties to Cobra. We're in the clear." -He shook his head, as he expected nothing less from that old man-

Wolf: "At least we can confirm our innocence in all of this. Because if we were involved, well, you know what happens when I get angry, I start shooting things."

Sánchez: "Heh, I'm right there with you as long I'm not one of those things you'll shot at."

Wolf: "Transfer the evidence of the general's involvement onto the drive, and delete everything else." -I said with a determined look in my eyes-

Taylor: "Actually, we should secure all of it."

Sánchez: "You're absolutely right. Let's make sure we take everything."

Sánchez was on the verge of inserting the drive, but in a split second, I seized his wrist, preventing him from proceeding. He turned to me, raising an eyebrow, mirroring the confusion on Taylor's face.

Wolf: "No, delete everything else and ensure there's no trace left." -I intervened firmly-

Sánchez: "Boss, you know I enjoy your jokes, and so does Taylor." -Trying to inject some humor, he quipped, and whispered the last part-

Taylor: "I bloody heard that, you muppet." -Taylor retorted, not missing a beat-

Sánchez: "You might not care, but a lot of people won't be thrilled about this, especially humanity. But if it means you get to slap some alien cheeks-" -Before he could finish, I nudged him in the back of the head-

Wolf: "Sánchez." -I reiterated-

Sánchez: "Alright, alright, I was just kidding." -Scratching his head, he conceded-

Wolf: "It's the right thing to do. These facilities were meant to remain hidden, not just from us but also from the Yautjas. We assured them that we would handle fallen Yautja bodies responsibly, even if it meant detonating them far from civilian areas. But it wasn't always that way. The General had no authorization from the Yautjas to study or replicate their technology, and neither do we." -I emphasized and released my grip on Sánchez as I spoke, glancing at the lifeless bodies of the personnel-

Sánchez: "You have a point. Anyways, you're the boss, after all." -Sánchez conceded and stashed his drive in his pocket after making a copy of the evidence, then proceeded to permanently delete the remaining data-

Taylor: "The council won't like this." -She stated, concerned about the repercussions-

Wolf: "I'd rather upset the council and the General than the Yautjas. Besides, I'm confident Overlord would back me up on this. His opinion is what truly matters among them all." -I turned to address her, stating-

Taylor: "Still-" -She persisted-

Wolf: "I've made my decision, Taylor. Sánchez, erase everything." -Resolute, I cut her off as Sánchez finished the task on the keyboard, he then stood up grabbing his helmet-

Sánchez: "Already did, Boss." -He put his helmet back on-

Wolf: "Great. Williams, how's the progress on that door over there?" -As Sánchez and I returned to Williams, accompanied by our German stealth expert, Taylor hesitated for a moment, muttered to herself after taking a look at the screens once again, and then turned around putting her helmet back on before following our lead-

Williams: "I'm almost done, mate!"

While Williams worked on cutting through the steel door with his tool, we stood at a distance, ready to create an opening for all of us to pass through. Simultaneously, we kept a vigilant eye on the area behind him. Once he finished cutting a circular shape into the door, he put away his tool, glanced back at me, and I nodded in approval of his next move. He then pulled out his shotgun and forcefully rammed into the door with his shoulder, causing the circular piece to detach and fall to the ground.

Wolf: "Move in."

With our weapons held at the ready, we followed Williams into the room through the doors, gazing from the small glass walkway into the main chamber beyond. We found more research equipment, deeper into the facility, with the testing tools we were seeking. However, our attention was drawn to the blast doors on our right.

Williams: "The room's crystal." -He landed on his feet after dropping down-

Müller: "Boss, I've spotted the vault, and..several bodies." -He dropped down as well, followed by Sánchez and Taylor-

I took a moment to survey the surroundings, noting the lifeless bodies scattered around the room, all facility personnel and armed guards. They had all met a gruesome end, with their insides spilled onto the floor along with spent ammunition casings. After this brief assessment, I joined my team on the ground, and I signaled Torres for an update by tapping my helmet's side.

Wolf: "Torres, we're inside the research area. We're oscar mike to secure the tech."

[R] Torres: "Copy that, Wolf. The Yautja tech should be stored inside the vault. I'll initiate the self-destruct sequence once it's secure."

Williams: "Boss, check this out." -He called me out-

I turned and headed over to Williams, who, just like me, popped open his helmet to get a better look with his own eyes. He stood by a table covered in various Yautja collectibles that we'd been searching for, but to our dismay, they were all in rough condition—battered, torn, as if someone deliberately damaged them. Sánchez soon joined us, followed by Taylor and Müller, and we all gathered around the table with our helmets still open, our expressions revealing our astonishment as we took in the scene.

Sánchez: "These things are in bad shape, missing parts, and completely wrecked," -He said as he examined a damaged Yautja wrist gauntlet closely-

Müller: "Do you think the Outcast Union is responsible for this?"

Wolf: "No, they value this technology too much to destroy it. Someone else is behind this."

Just as I finished speaking, a loud THUD echoed from the other side of the vault doors to our right. We all turned our heads in that direction, and Taylor noticed green blood between the blast doors with her sharp eyes, the same neon green bioluminescent substance we had seen earlier..Yautja blood.

Taylor: "Or something." -She said as our helmets quickly sealed, protecting our faces once more-

Wolf: "Torres, we might have identified the source of the personnel's deaths on the other side of the door."

[R] Torres: "Si, I'm picking up a weak lifeform signal on the other side, just like you mentioned. You have permission to eliminate anything that comes lashing out if necessary."

Wolf: "Sánchez, open it ASAP."

Sánchez nodded in response to my order, holstered his rifle on the magnetism on his back, and jogged over to a computer terminal near the blast doors. It also had the same neon green bioluminescent substance we had seen earlier. It was unclear whether they used the terminal or forced it open. Sánchez inserted a specialized access key and entered a complex code.

The doors began to grind open quickly, revealing what was hidden within the facility. When the blast doors parted, we were greeted with a grim sight. The facility's armed personnel had been brutally slaughtered, their lifeless bodies scattered across the floor. The Yautja had clearly caused a trail of destruction in his pursuit of the valuable technology we were also seeking, which was housed in a large, alien-looking capsule.

Wolf: "Torres, this is Wolf. We've got visual on some Yautja technology stored in what seem to be capsules. Our comrade is also with them, and he's in pretty bad shape." -I sent a message to Torres-

[R] Torres: "I'm receiving a call from Overlord. Standby."

In the center of the room, we found a severely injured male Yautja, barely holding on to life. He was riddled with deep cuts and bullet wounds, most of his body covered in his own blood. His breathing was labored and shallow. We exchanged looks, our guns trained on him, even though we had an alliance with some Yautjas. Not all of them were friendly, and I wasn't about to risk it by simply pointing a gun at his head.

Wolf: "Müller, Taylor, head back outside and cover our six. Sánchez, take care of the tech and try to collect it all. Williams, search the area to see if anyone else survived. I'll have a conversation with our injured friend." -They all nodded, and I shifted my attention to the dying Yautja while they carried out their assigned tasks-

I knelt before the Yautja, carefully examining his injuries, his formidable hunter armor, and the array of gadgets attached to it. I unsealed my helmet, revealing my face, prompting the Yautja to fix his gaze on me and emit a subdued growl, that green blood dripping from his mouth.

[R] Torres: "Boss, I've got Overlord on the line, connecting him." -I raised an inquisitive eyebrow; if Overlord was reaching out during a mission, it had to be something significant-

[R] Overlord: "Commander Wolf." -Overlord's voice echoed in my comms after a few quick seconds-

Wolf: "We've located the stolen Yautja technology and encountered an injured Yautja within the facility. It appears they're pursuing the same technology."

[R] Overlord: "Mission isn't over yet, Commander. Is the Yautja still a threat to your team?"

Wolf: "Negative, sir. He's in pretty bad shape and can't put up a fight. What's our next move?"

[R] Overlord: "In addition to securing the tech, your top priority is ensuring the Yautja's survival and building trust. Aid them in recovering their technology, and in return, it's possible another of their kind may cooperate in our fight against the Xenomorphs and other threats. You're authorized to offer medical assistance and support for their goal." -I glanced down at the Yautja clutching a fully-loaded syringe in his hand, pondering-

Wolf: "Understood, Overlord. We'll provide medical help and assist the Yautja in retrieving their tech. With a bit of luck, he won't turn on us."

[R] Overlord: "Remember, not all Yautjas are honorable, Wolf. Don't expect him to switch allegiances just because you extended a hand. You and your team be ready if he decides to suddenly act against us. Over and out."

Wolf: "Alright, let's get you back in the game." -I turned my attention to the Yautja-

I fearlessly extended my hand toward the Yautja's busy grasp, seizing the medi-kit, which turned out to be a Yautja syringe. I held the considerably weighty item in my hand, but the Yautja reacted quickly, gripping my arm with the same hand. He emitted a feeble growl, and his mandibles twitched. Williams spotted the situation and promptly aimed his shotgun at the Yautja's head, but I gestured for him to lower it to which he hesitated. Meanwhile, Sánchez managed to reach the capsule.

Sánchez: "Darn it, I can't bag all of this. We'll have to bring the entire capsule with us. Which means.."

Williams: "Will it fit in the ship?"

Sánchez: "Won't know until we give it a shot. But yeah, we'll have to bring the ship."

Wolf: "I am here to help you." -I opened the front part of my helmet, revealing my face, while I spoke and used hand gestures-

His mandibles twitched, almost as if he grasped my words. At first, he hesitated, but eventually, he released my arm, allowing me to proceed. I held a syringe and, from my earlier observations, I knew the importance of not applying all the serum in one spot but rather spreading it across various vital areas. I meticulously administered the medicine, ensuring it covered every necessary region. However, when I injected it into his side, he let out a roar of pain beneath his biomask. The intensity of the sound would have deafened me if not for the ear protection beneath my helmet. 

The medicine worked more swiftly than I anticipated, causing excruciating pain as it cauterized burns and expertly stitched together gashes. He grimaced, enduring the process despite the pain. The Yautja's hands moved with precision, and his brow furrowed beneath the biomask, showing his concentration.

As the medkit continued its work, the Yautja's labored breathing gradually steadied. The pain in his eyes began to subside, replaced by a hint of gratitude beneath the biomask. After what felt like an eternity, the Yautja medkit completed its healing process, sealing the Yautja's wounds, and restoring his strength.

I watched, stepping back a couple of paces, as he slowly rose from the ground, towering over me. His height clearly surpassed mine, and he gazed down at me in complete silence. The only sound that escaped him was his steady breathing.

I maintained eye contact while operating my wrist computer and checking my ear translator earpiece, known as the "PredaLingua Translator Earpiece." This cutting-edge wearable device was designed to bridge the communication gap between humans and Yautja, representing a significant breakthrough in inter-species communication technology.

I ensured the translator was activated and operational, allowing me to comprehend and respond to Yautja communications with ease. It translated his clicks and roars into a clear, natural-sounding human voice, adapting to his tone and intent. If he spoke roughly, the translation would convey that roughness accurately.

Male Yautja: [Predator Language]  [ "You showed mercy, human. Explain this choice of yours." ] - The Yautja's gaze shifted from me to Sánchez, who was examining the alien technology. Then he looked back at me-

Wolf: "We share a common foe. We need your assistance in reclaiming this technology for your people. The Outcast Union is after this tech, and we can't allow them to obtain it." -I spoke with a composed and straightforward tone, making our intentions clear to the Yautja.-

The Yautja locked eyes with me, as if peering into my soul, trying to discern the authenticity of my words. After a moment of doubt, he nodded in agreement. That nod conveyed his alignment with our cause, and I reciprocated with a respectful nod and a slight bow. I turned to Williams, who had finished inspecting the lifeless bodies and shook his head in disappointment; there were no survivors. Meanwhile, Sánchez had examined the pods and signaled his approval after securing the cargo. With my rifle drawn, I began to back away, pressing my index finger against the side of my helmet.

Wolf: "Torres, we've secured the technology, but it's too much to carry. We're taking everything with us."

[R] Torres: "Alright, I'll find a closer landing spot. We'll initiate the self-destruct sequence as soon as we- wait wait, hold on!"

Wolf: "What's going on, Torres?" -I turned around, and Williams, who stood next to me, shared a concerned look-

[R] Torres: "Mierda! Be advised, the OU is sending mercenaries your way. You better prepare for a fight!"

Wolf: "Copy that, Torres! We'll handle them! DEFENSIVE POSITIONS, EVERYONE!" -I gestured to my team with my left hand, and they nodded, swiftly taking defensive positions behind whatever could serve as cover-

The Yautja moved past me and operated his wrist computer, activating his cloaking device. He remained faintly visible, his outline discernible only when he moved and was close. When he stood still or was at a distance, he became virtually invisible. Just before his cloaking was complete, the last thing I saw was him striding toward the blast doors at the far end of the chamber, his wrist blades extending with a sharp, eerie sound.

Sánchez: "Dios, I hate it when they do that." -Sánchez muttered through the radio while lying prone under a table, aiming his bullpup rifle at the entrance-

Williams: "You mean the cloaking thing?" -Williams asked as he loaded shells into his shotgun, standing behind the same table, ready to fire as soon as he loaded the last shell-

Sánchez: "No, that's actually pretty cool. I'm talking about those wrist blades..the noise they make when they come out gives me the creeps." -I could almost hear Taylor sigh as she took her position back in the glass hallway, aiming her energy sniper rifle at the blast doors, ready to take out any threats-

Williams: "Ah, yea same h-"

Wolf: "Enough chitchat, you two!" -I decided it was time to silence their conversation and crouched behind a pillar, peeking out to the side while gripping my rifle firmly-

Müller: "..." -On the other side, Müller was also concealed behind a pillar, gripping his weapon, awaiting my orders-

The blast doors began to open slowly, their mechanisms producing audible creaks. We all took cover, concealed from the advancing OU mercenaries who had their weapons aimed in our direction, cautiously advancing, checking corners and the ceiling above as they approached here.

OU Mercenary: "Split out and secure the area, I want that damn tech!" -He barked-

We stayed hidden while the mercenaries spread out to secure the area, a couple stayed too far back near the blast doors. A considerable number stayed near the middle glancing at the tables, while one of them walked towards me. I glanced to my right and up, my back against the cover. I saw Taylor lying on her stomach with her energy sniper rifle ready. I noticed the flash of her scope reflecting as she aimed at the mercenary that approached me, letting me know he was right behind this cover.

Wolf: [Sign Language] [ "Drop him." ] -I motioned with my hand at Taylor-

As soon as I gave the order, Taylor as fast as the light of speed, took the shot killing the mercenary with an energy round through the upper side of his head staining the table with blood. Round was loud enough for the rest of the mercs to hear and they were instantly alerted after turning to see the dead body of one of their own laying on the ground dead.

The mercenaries in the background noticed the shooter on the walkway above and aimed their weapons at Taylor, but were interrupted by an overloaded cannon shot from the camouflaged Yautja coming from the catwalk of the further room we couldn't see from here, blowing them to pieces, literally. 

Wolf: "GO LOUD!" -I yelled and motioned with my hand, ordering my team to engage the enemy-

With my entire team closely supporting me, I opened fire on the enemy. Aiming at one of them who was distracted looking behind him, hitting him behind the head, I quickly changed my target to one who was next to him who turned around looking at me in surprise trying to shoot me but it was too late for him, one bullet from me already. It had pierced his skull.

Williams, with a rush of his endless adrenaline and determination in combat, vaulted over his current cover, aiming his shotgun forward as he advanced, first shooting at their knees, making them fall to the other knee or fall directly to the ground, and then finishing them off with a shot to the head of his shotgun at close range, causing their heads to explode like a watermelon.

Taylor kept at bay any enemy that was shooting at us and that we were not seeing, being the best sniper I have ever seen, she chose her targets quickly and pulled the trigger. Each of her shots from her energy sniper rifle always hits the head going for a quick death so he can continue with the other. She aimed and fired at an enemy who had me in his sights, pulling the trigger and killing him which gained my attention as I saw the tracer coming from Taylor.

Müller was in charge of disappearing and flanking the enemies from the sides using his optical camouflage prototype that still needed some adjustments but was useful. He pointed his weapon at an Outcast enemy, opening a rapid burst of fire, killing him, and then having to take cover again when he was spotted, taking any chances of surprising them from behind.

Sanchez aimed and fired from time to time, keeping an eye on the Yautja technology that was the most important thing here, focusing more on defending what we were looking for than rushing forward to attack.

The enemies were more than they seemed, several bullets hit and bounced off our armor that was superior to theirs. The male Yautja emerged from his optical camouflage behind a group of four mercenaries who stood together with their backs facing him. He roared as he drove his wrist blade through the chest of one of them making him scream in agony as he was lifted off the ground. The three turned towards him, the one on the left shot him but the Yautja used his friend as a shield allowing him to be riddled with gunfire while he slapped the one on the right in the face with the back of his hand cracking the glass of the helmet and sent him flying to the other behind him, both of them knocked to the ground.

The mercenaries clearly nervous and scared turned towards the Yautja who stomped on the floor and roared at them, giving us all time to nod at the same time and rising from cover, shooting at the mercenaries just before they could get a scratch on hi m. After a few seconds, they all fell to the ground.

Wolf: "Clear?!" -I aimed my rifle around scanning for enemies-

Sánchez: "All clear!" -He replied a few seconds after securing the area-

All of us lowered our rifles for the moment looking around, seeing the bodies of the mercenaries scattered all over the ground with pools of blood. One of the mercenaries was still alive and struggling. We all looked in his direction seeing a mercenary trapped under the dead body of his friend trying to get out of there and grab the weapon not so far from him.

I was going to aim my gun at the struggling mercenary before the Yautja beat me to it, slowly placing his large foot on the side of the mercenary's head who began to scream as the Yautja applied pressure to the footstep and reached out for me trying to beg me to make him stop, but I just watched blankly knowing I've lost many friends to them. The Yautja didn't waste time in making him scream at the top of his lungs before he was interrupted when his foot went through the entire head and split it open.

Wolf: "Torres, area's clear. Come pick us up, we'll open the gate for you." -I paged Torres through my radio-

[R] Torres: "Got it, I'm on my way."

I told Williams and Müller to open the gates at the back of everything, which was a little far away, to which they nodded and trotted from side to side to the gate controls that they interacted with upon arrival, first activating the anti-gravity shield. and causing the doors to slowly begin to open at the bottom with an alarm going off. Shortly after that, the VTOL in which Torres was flying floated above the exterior coming straight ahead before having to turn around and park on the ramp as soon as the gates opened fully.

Wolf: "Sánchez, Taylor, help me move the technology inside." -I motioned them both as we walked towards the Yautja tech-

Sánchez: "You got it bo- woah woah, a la verga." -He was interrupted when the male Yautja walked past and near him-

Wolf: "Easy, he's just trying to help." -I motioned at the male Yautja who got behind the Yautja tech, seeing Taylor being tempted to aim her rifle at him by this sudden move of his-

We kept the area secured while our hunter friend took his time to single-handedly push the Yautja technology to our VTOL whose own ramp opened so we could push the technology inside, luckily it didn't take up much space or we would have to pile up. After having loaded everything inside, I told my team to get inside the VTOL, which they did as long as they were keeping an eye on the rear since we didn't have time to make sure that the mercenaries were all dead, we couldn't risk to be shot in the back. I noticed the male Yautja that instead of getting on the VTOL, he walked along the side which made me raise an eyebrow while taking a look outside.

Torres: "What? He doesn't want a ride back to The Nexus?"

Before answering Torres, I watched as the Yautja paused in place for a moment before glancing through his biomask for a few seconds before turning around while activating his optical camouflage, advancing at a fast pace to the outside before I lost sight of him.

Wolf: "Must have his own ride. Alright, activate the self-destruct sequence! Get us out of here!" -I ordered Torres who nodded from his cockpit-

After that was said on my part, I hit the button next to it while being close to the ramp, which made it start to rise, closing and preparing us for takeoff. Everyone sat in their seats except me, walking forward past my team who were taking off their helmets sighing in relief, I did too.

Williams and Sánchez sat together, giving a fist bump with a nod of the head, they were good friends who could get you out of a tight spot. Müller sat alone staring at his helmet for a moment before noticing me walk past him, nodding to which I did the same, Müller was a good guy but he needed to open up a little more. Taylor, like Müller, sat alone checking her energy rifle, stealing a glance at me as I passed by, she was very good at what she did, but she would have to improve her trust in others including the Yautja people.

I walked towards the cockpit walking past my teammates, Torres looked back at me as I put my hand on his shoulder tapping it, we both nodded and he prepared for takeoff as I contacted Overlord.

Wolf: "Overlord, this is Wolf. We have secured the Yautja tech and have it on board."

[R] Overlord: "Good job, Cobras. Like we said we would, let's return the tech back to the Yautjas, head to the Nexus."

Wolf: "Copy that, Overlord."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3rd Person POV

The male Yautja, after a short walk to reach his ship on the ice terrain, he heard the loud sound of takeoff and looked back over his shoulder seeing the VTOL in which the humans who helped him were on, take off into the sky heading towards the Nexus back to their planet, Earth. Despite the blizzard, the male Yautja turned again, being forced to remove his optical camouflage as he heard and recognized footsteps in the distance approaching him.

The male Yautja continued walking towards the dark silhouette of his ship, only for when he got close enough, it was destroyed and engulfed in flames, with another ship next to it indicating that he was not alone. In the distance the footsteps he heard stopped, and there a silhouette became visible, a female Elite Yautja standing there in the distance staring at him, neither of them looking away. He knew why that Elite Yautja came as soon as she unsheathed something from her waist, a retractable weapon that enlarged to its lethal size, a combistick. Despite being bad blood, the male Yautja was determined that he would not die without a fight, knowing who was the Elite Yautja before him and that her skills were over his.

The Male Yautja roared which caused the female to also let out a roar with both of them stomping on the ground. The male ran towards the female who did the same with her combistick ready. Upon reaching each other, the male threw the first blow with his wrist blade which she narrowly avoided. He tried to go for another slash only for her to block him with her combistick and deflect him towards her place, but not before doing a deep cut on his shoulder while she did that making him roar.

She quickly embedded the sharp end of the combistick through the back of his right leg whose tip of the spear reached the ground, immobilizing him making him let out another roar again just like her.

Despite her being Elite, it showed that she really knew how to handle her speed, surpassing that of her opponent. Quickly changing weapons and unsheathing the retractable bow, aiming and shooting a powerful arrow against his other leg, the tip of which came out the other side and also embedded itself in the floor. Now having him completely immobilized, she pulled out her wrist blade stabbing him several times in the back while holding his shoulder with her left hand keeping him still.

She dug deep enough to grab the spine with her right hand, tearing it out along with her head, claiming the trophy of another bad blood.

And before she wanted to go back to her ship, she sheathed her retractable bow, pulling the arrow out of the lifeless body of the male Yautja along with the combistick, sheathing it as well, interacting with the wrist computer to self-destruct the body. She silently watched the same VTOL that the male Yautja had watched, knowing that they humans had taken Yautja technology and were going to blow this place to pieces. She knew where they were going, but she had to make sure it was true as she stopped staring and walked towards her ship.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

( 1 Hour Later )

( Location: The Nexus, Earth )

Wolf's POV

After an hour of flight to return to earth, our home, we flew through the slightly cloudy and sunny skies watching the endless ocean pass below us. We weren't flying at full speed, more like a decent speed so Williams took the opportunity to open the sliding side door and sit on the edge with his legs out as we approached the giant Sea base, The Nexus.

As our VTOL soared through the skies, the hum of its engines resonated against the backdrop of a setting sun. Below, the expanse of the ocean stretched out endlessly, interrupted only by scattered islands around what seemed to be like a good place to live from the outside. The Nexus, a colossal sea base. Its sleek design incorporated advanced technology, blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.

( Image not mine, credits to the owner: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/nY2Qr6 )

( "The Nexus" )

Williams: "Woah, would you look at that. It's mind blowing to think how many Yautja stay here, what convinced them?" -I stood beside him, holding into the railling in the ceilling-

Wolf: "Good defenses, scattered islands to hunt worthy preys, reliable humans, training courses, probably more things but the most important thing is the protection of their children." -We both looked at the giant sea base-

As our VTOL hovered in mid-air not far from the Sea base, the rhythmic beat of its rotors cutting through the atmosphere, a crackling voice emanated from the onboard radio system.

[R] Nexus Control Center: "Incoming VTOL, this is Nexus Control. Please transmit your identification codes for verification before proceeding with landing. Over."

Torres: "Nexus Control, this is the incoming VTOL. Transmitting identification codes now."

A series of encrypted data packets flowed from the VTOL's communication systems to the Nexus Control Center. From their point of view, the control room's holographic should've displayed and flickered as the data was analyzed by the advanced Yautja security protocols. After a tense moment by spotting the anti-air turrets aiming at us, the radio crackled again.

[R] Nexus Control Center: "This is Nexus Control. Identification confirmed. You are cleared for landing, Cobra Squad. Proceed to designated pad."

Torres expertly maneuvered the VTOL toward The Nexus, descending slowly to offer a breathtaking view of the base. The structure's surface shimmered in the fading sunlight, adorned with intricate Yautja symbols that paid homage to the ancient warrior culture, so the Yautja wouldn't be feeling awkward. Islands nearby teemed with exotic fauna, carefully curated to provide worthy prey for the Yautja inhabitants.

[R] AI: "Welcome to The Nexus. Please proceed with caution, and remember that only authorized personnel are allowed beyond this point." -As the VTOL approached the designated landing platform, a voice crackled through the intercom-

As our VTOL touched down on the landing pad, the hum of our engines gradually subsided. We all grabbed our gear and holstered our guns in our magnetic backs, hooking our helmets on our belts. The VTOL's ramp lowered with a hydraulic hiss. Each one of carefully wheeled out the Yautja technology we had recovered after our operation. The items glinted in the ambient light, a mix of intricate weaponry, cloaking devices, and other advanced gear we mentioned before.

As we stepped out onto the landing platform, the Yautja guards of The Nexus appeared walking towards here, their towering figures casting shadows on the metallic surface. I gestured my whole squad to stand in formation, having our weapons holstered as a gesture of goodwill. I recognized the importance of the recovered Yautja tech as I approached the Yautja guards with a respectful nod.

Wolf: "We have recovered some tech that belongs to you." -I mantained short chatter, knowing they didn't liked long talks-

One of the Yautja guards that seemed to be some kind of high rank Captain examined the recovered items with a keen gaze. A low, rumbling growl of acknowledgment emanated from the Yautja's throat. The rest of the Yautja guards, with their towering mandibles and fearsome appearance, maintained a watchful vigilance.

After a moment of silent consideration from the male Yautja, he nodded with a gesture of appreciation. My squad carefully placed the Yautja tech in hand on the ground before the Captain, a symbolic offering of respect and cooperation. The Captain guard handed me a ceremonial device that seemed like a token of gratitude.

Captain Yautja: [Predator Language] [ "Your respect for our technology is noted. We appreciate their return, human." ]

I accepted the ceremonial device that was a gesture of mutual respect between us. The Yautja Captain, with a solemn nod, ordered the other Yautja guards to take the tech inside the Nexus. The Yautja guards maintained their vigilant stance, ensuring the security of the Nexus as they took the tech with the Captain guiding them.

Wolf: "Overlord, we've returned the Yautja tech to the Nexus. We're waiting for further instructions." -I paged Overlord as my team scattered around the VTOL-

Overlord: "Understood, standby."

I observed the Yautja landing pad with a sense of curiosity in the distance, drawn by the distant hum of the Yautja ship's engines. I noticed the arrival of a unique vessel, a yautja ship, sleek and designed for a single occupant. The landing pad, situated deeper within The Nexus, seemed to be reserved for significant Yautja figures and not for human ships, seeing how slightly larger they were.

I also saw a figure standing near the pad, a male Yautja that by his menacing looks he seemed to be a Yautja Clan Leader, recognizable by his distinctive armor adorned with intricate engravings and battle scars that spoke of countless hunts I could say. I was well-versed in Yautja hierarchy and I acknowledged the presence of one of the strongest Yautja warriors in the distance. My team soon joined to look with me.

After its landing, the Yautja ship's hatch opened with a mechanical hiss, and the Leader watched as a Female Yautja Elite emerged from there. She vaulted the edge and landed on her foots, standing with grace and strength, her armor adorned with unique markings and trophies. The hum of the Yautja ship's engines diminished as the Female Yautja knelt before the Clan Leader, a sign of respect and submission. I saw something hanging from her waist that was dripping, but at this distance I didn't know what it was.

The Clan Leader approached with his massive frame exuding authority. He raised a hand in acknowledgment, a gesture that combined both respect and welcome. The Yautja personal guards flanked the Clan Leader, their presence reinforcing the significance of the moment. The leader watched as the Captain from before with the Yautja technology went to report what happened, which gained the leader's attention and his gaze turned in our direction along with the Female Yautja whom also looked towards here.

We stopped watching the scene and waited in the VTOL, with the side doors open, waiting for Overlord to give us instructions on what to do now, if we should go see him, if we should rest, we didn't know what to do so we waited there with some of us standing outside and others sitting on the edges of the side doors.

Then we noticed that the Yautja that we saw, the leader, the female and the other personal guards were walking towards here, of course when we realized they were already a few steps away from us. My entire team stopped what they were doing and stood up, me stepping forward as did their leader. They were the Bloodthorn clan, nearest translation in our language, considered to be the Apex Yautja clan for centuries to this day.

He observed each one of us for a moment from his current position, he was bigger than I thought with dark black armor with red symbols I couldn't describe quite well. He was quite well adorned with hunt trophies from big preys whom skulls allowed me to know that I shouldn't mess with this Yautja, along with scars on his armor, skin and biomask.

The female was on the side behind him making herself noticeable to me and my team. Her armor was black dark with a touch of red like the leader. She was taller than me, while I was 6'3" she was probably near 7'2" from my point of view. Her biomask had a form of Valkyrie so to speak with a red symbol on it I couldn't yet describe. Her dark predlocks were thinner than the rest. As most of the Yautjas, she had net surrounding her exposed skin that wasn't covered with cloth or armor, probably for camouflage or adaptive clothing. Her hands and nails or claws were covered in Yautja blood but not from any injuries on her and what hung on one side of her waist was a Yautja skull with its spine, and on the other side a biomask that I recognized instantly. It belonged to the Yautja that I saved and who helped us before.

Williams: "Ain't that..?" -He also noticed the biomask-

Wolf: "Easy..easy." -I motioned him to stay calm-

I couldn't help but notice that the female Yautja kept staring at me with her eyes through that biomask, which gave me a feeling of insecurity and possible threat, since she surely killed the Yautja we helped and surely wants to kill us too for helping him. I did not appreciate her gesture or actions but I kept my composure, hiding my annoyance, something in which she let out slow but dangerous clicking sounds from her mouth, proving threatening to me and my team. We helped and respected the Yautja, we offered them a temporary home, but that does not make them have more privileges, those who are or try to impose themselves as a threat to me or my team, human or yautja, will be treated as a potential threat. Something in her told me that she was not happy, whatever they said to her before, she didn't liked it.

I thought there were going to be problems but I was surprised when the leader and the rest of the Yautja, except the female whom remained still glaring at me, placed a hand on their chest and bowed slightly, appreciating the fact that I, along with my team, returned the Yautja technology for them. I motioned my team and we bowed back, showing our respect towards them.

Yautja Clan Leader: [Predator Language] [ "Your aid is acknowledged, Cobra Squad. Gratitude resonates among my kind for your valuable assistance." ] -He spoke with his predator noises recognizing our valuable help to which I nodded, having my translator on-

Wolf: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the leader of the Bloodthorn clan, Dhar'kan." -I motioned my team introducing Dhar'kan-

Perhaps recognizing the Yautja made him appreciate the gesture since I investigated it, he nodded at my respectful gesture seeing it as such, but the female near him did not see it as such I could tell, perhaps thinking that I had investigated each one more than what should.

Dhar'kan: [Predator Language] [ "I see no need for introductions then, Commander Wolf. Overlord has praised your name, recognizing your honorable intentions towards my kin, just like your father did back in our home." ] 

Wolf: "It's an honor to have you fighting side by side with us."

Female Elite Yautja: [Predator Language] [ "You have spoken those exact words in your speech already." ] 

I looked to Dhar'kan's side, almost forgetting that the female Yautja was still standing there who now directed her word towards me. Thinking about it, a long while ago I had given a speech that involved that same line so that's when I knew she wasn't wrong at all. Dhar'kan slightly looked to the side above his shoulder at her for a moment before turning back to me.

Dhar'kan: [Predator Language] [ "My sincere apologies, I neglected the proper introduction. This is Sylthra'ti." ] -He said motioning the female who took a step forward now on his side-

Wolf: "It's nice to meet you Sylthra'ti, I'm-"

Sylthra'ti: [Predator Language] [ "I know who you are, Commander Wolf." ] 

I could tell that serious tone coming from her, showing her..displeasure in talking to me. Maybe she didn't trust me, maybe she knows that I have killed Yautjas too, but it was more than obvious that she has killed thousands of humans more than me. She was from the Bloodthorn Clan, she was an elite, she was the daughter of Dhar'kan and I had to deal with any disgust she decides to express to me.

Soon and out of nowhere Overlord communicated letting us know that they were going to escort me inside where Overlord was waiting for me. So my team had to stay with the VTOL, waiting for me to return with good news. My team have me one last look before I was taken away by the Yautja.

As I was escorted into the inner chambers of The Nexus, my eyes observed the training grounds outside to the right not so far from here. The open area was filled with Yautja children, referred to colloquially as "Suckers," engaging in training exercises under the watchful guidance of Yautja adults. The young Yautjas demonstrated agility, coordination, and the early signs of the predatory instincts that defined their species.

A grin crept across my face as I recognized the potential in the young Yautja, envisioning them one day becoming formidable predators in their own right. The training exercises with Yautja murals and writings on walls were a crucial aspect of Yautja culture.

However, as my gaze lingered on the scene, the Female Yautja Elite from before walking alongside me growled lowly, driving my attention away from the children. Her eyes behind that biomask were filled with a mix of protectiveness and disapproval, communicated a clear message to me. The growl resonated as a warning, emphasizing that the training grounds and the young Yautja were not to be taken lightly or viewed as mere spectacle, and that she didn't trusted him to be one inch closer to the children.

As soon the Female Yautja growled in disapproval, I felt the weight of her skepticism. Noticing her reaction, I couldn't help but be curious about the source of her concern. So I took a risky decision to address it, respectful but genuinely seeking to understand. Not before making sure the translator was still on if she decided to speak.

Wolf: "Is one of them yours?" -I glanced beside me at her-

The Female Yautja remained silent as she turned her gaze to me, her gaze unwavering, and her distrust evident in her expression behind that biomask of hers that had the form of a Valkyrie. It became clear to me that her reaction was not driven by maternal instincts but rather by a general wariness towards the humans near the children, basically none of the children there were hers as far as I could tell.

Wolf: "I meant no disrespect, we won't interfere in their training nor anything, but we'll make sure they're safe from the rest of the world until they grow up." -Realizing the sensitivity of the situation, I swiftly amended my approach-

The Female Elite Yautja's expression remained guarded, but she accepted my apology with a slight nod. The unspoken tension lingered for a moment before I redirected my attention forward, not wishing to annoy her nor any other more further.

We were meet by the massive door infront of us that slid open, revealing a grand hallway within The Nexus. As I and the Dhar'kan walked through followed by the rest of the Yautjas, the atmosphere around us changed, and the scale of the sea base became even more apparent. The corridor was adorned with intricate Yautja symbols and murals depicting legendary hunts, creating a visual narrative of their fascinating culture.

As we kept walking I saw how Yautjas, both male and female, moved purposefully through the expansive hallway. Some engaged in brief conversations, while others conducted their own goals. The air resonated with the low hum of Yautja communication and the metallic clinks of their armor as they walked near us.

My eyes darted around the area, taking in the diverse scenes that unfolded in this colossal structure. The insides of The Nexus were like a massive and infinite mall where you go with your mom and never get out, comprised different areas serving various purposes, several catwalks above us and floors. Many Yautjas walked from one section to another, their imposing figures drawing occasional glances from me. But as I traversed the bustling corridor, I felt the weight of some of the Yautjas' attention. Not many humans visited this area of The Nexus, and the presence of an outsider that wasn't a human worker or security intrigued and, perhaps, unsettled some of the Yautjas. Some glanced in my direction, their eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and caution behind their biomasks.

Sylthra'ti who was near my side maintained a vigilant stance, her protective instincts evident. Despite the watchful eyes of the other Yautjas and obviously of hers ready to take action if I tried anything stupid, I continued to move forward with a steady gait trying not to accidentally provoke any Yautja.

It took a moment due to the massive mall we were in but we soon emerged from the bustling corridor into an open walkway overlooking the vast expanse of water below. The sound of waves crashing against the sea base echoed, creating a soothing backdrop to the scene. The air was infused with the distinct scent of the ocean.

Wolf: "Where are we going?" -I looked around, recognizing that I never visited this area nor the giant mall behind us-

Sylthra'ti: [Predator Language] [ "Stop talking." ] -Instead of trying to act cool and get myself killed, I did what she ordered-

As we traversed the walkway, I marveled at the breathtaking view of the water stretching out to the horizon. The sea, teeming with life and mystery, contrasted with the advanced technology of The Nexus and its design. Few Yautjas moved along the walkway, not a very a shared space for humans as they looked at me wondering why I was there. And eventually, all of us arrived at a smaller door adorned with a prominent Yautja symbol. Dhar'kan stepped forward with his massive hand approaching the scanner and with a swift motion, he scanned his hand, activating the security protocol.

The door responded with a mechanical hum, and its intricate locks disengaged. The door, slowly slid open, revealing a dark passage leading forward. The Yautja symbol on the door seemed to glow momentarily in red, emphasizing the significance of the area beyond. Dhar'kan, with a nod, gestured for me and Sylthra to follow, the other Yautjas remained behind. The three of us entered the doorway, leaving behind the outdoor walkway and stepping into a new section of The Nexus. The door closed behind us, sealing off the outside world.

As we walked through another door with Dhar'kan taking the lead, the same sealed behind us, and we were found ourselves in a vast, dimly lit chamber within The Nexus. The air felt charged with the energy of heated discussions as I now recognized as several Yautja Clan Leaders and elders convened in an arrangement, encircling a holographic projection of Earth. The room, adorned with ancient Yautja symbols and trophies from legendary hunts, resonated with a sense of history and tradition. As me and the others entered, we became witnesses to a tense debate among the Yautja leaders taking places around in high ground and a man standing in the middle looking up at them with his arms on his back. 

The dimly lit room was full of Yautjas from different clans standing beside their own leaders including Dhar'kan, where several male and female Yautjas stood by his side near us.

Yautja Clan Leader: [Predator Language] [ "-hra? Knowing her contempt for humans, how do we know she won't betray them from behind? How do we know your people won't?" ] -I didn't heard half of the argument-

???: "With all due respect, you all saw what this formidable human-led force known for its specialized operations and cooperation with the Yautja community on Earth can do, a single Yautja is no match for any of my Cobras."

I couldn't quite tell due to the big amount of translation I had to process but the subject seemed to be of whether to allow a specific Yautja to join our squad, known as a formidable human-led force known for its specialized operations and mutual cooperation with the Yautja community on Earth as the man said and recognized ensuring they did too, but probably didn't wanted to admit it.

The center of attention was Overlord, my squad's CEO. He was a commanding figure with a black leather coat that billowed behind him and dark clothing ensuring no skin exposure. His head was concealed beneath an intricate mask, leaving only his piercing red eyes visible and a part of his skin. Overlord, a 6'3" black man stood firm in the center of the room surrounded by Yautja Clan leaders and elders taking place as I said before in high ground.

The Yautja Clan Leaders and elders, their mandibles clicking in disagreement, argued in their guttural language about the potential risks and benefits of allowing a Yautja to collaborate with humans in such an intimate capacity. The holographic projection displayed Earth, a visual representation of the stakes involved in the alliance between Yautjas and humans.

Yautja Clan Leader (2): [Predator Language] [ "We are not talking about just any Yautja, Overlord. We are talking about the daughter of Dhar'kan from the Bloodthorn clan. Is Commander Wolf prepared to deal with her if the time comes?" ]

Overlord: "We can all agree that we wish that time never comes. Commander Wolf trained for this all his life, he knows his allies and enemies. He will keep an eye on his team including-"

Dhar'kan: [Predator Language] [ "There is no such need to explain, Overlord. The decision belongs to us, we are just giving notice to the rest." ] -He said taking steps forward into the center by Overlord whom turned his gaze to him-

Overlord: "Understood. Commander Wolf, take a step forward." -He said as they both turned around standing side by side facing in our direction-

As Overlord commanded me motioning with his hand, I stepped forward with the eyes of the Yautja Clan Leaders and elders now fixated on me as I showed myself. The holographic projection of Earth turned off. Overlord, saw some snow on my shoulder which he patted off.

Dhar'kan: [Predator Language] [ "My daughter, come to me." ] -He ordered, motioning with his hand at a Female Yautja among the Bloodthorn clan-

Among all the Yautja standing there where I once was, I noticed how one of the female figures was approaching here to the center of the room now standing in it. I could recognize her armor along with her biomask she was currently wearing, her thinner dreadlocks, her skin and most importantly, the biomask and the skull of the Yautja I helped hanging from her waist. This Yautja, the daughter of Dhar'kan for my surprise was Sylthra'ti.

As I expressed in my mind before, I was caught off guard by the revelation that Sylthra'ti was Dhar'kan's daughter. I felt a wave of surprise and uncertainty wash over me. The revelation added a personal layer to the proceedings, and the weight of my responsibility as a Commander of Cobra Squad became more pronounced.

Dhar'kan: [Predator Language] [ "Commander Wolf, my daughter will personally assist you in your missions from now on. Treat her like you would treat like your team, like she was one of your own." ] -He and Sylthra turned their gazes to me-

Wolf: "I'll make sure of it, lord Dhar'kan." -I nodded to Dhar'kan, no matter who she was, he had my word-

Overlord: "Sylthra'ti, Cobra Squad trusts that you will be an excellent ally. Protect them and they will protect you." -He looked at Sylthra, which she hesitated a moment before speaking-

Sylthra'ti: [Predator Language] [ "I will." ] -She slightly bowed with a hand on her chest-

The conclusion of the deliberation left a lingering tension within the Yautja Clan Leaders and elders. Some appeared dissatisfied with the decision of Overlord and Dhar'kan, their mandibles clicking in a subtle display of discontent. Signaling the end of the session, the Yautja leaders dispersed with an air of unresolved discussion hanging in the room.

With a nod of Overlord to me and a nod of Dhar'kan towards his daughter, me and Sylthra'ti by my side, made our way back to the VTOL through the giant mall-looking again and through the giant doors to the outside, walking for a moment before I found myself again on the VTOL where my team patiently awaited. They were relieved upon seeing me but the surprise on the faces of each one of my team members was evident as they witnessed me walking alongside the towering female yautja.

Williams: "Oh, so that's what the talk was about."

Sánchez: "Probably she's just escorting him back to us, nothing wrong with that right?" -He looked around at his team, looking for approval-

Taylor: "No, there's something wrong."

Wolf: "There's nothing wrong in any of this. I'll brief you, all of you when we get back to base. Torres, take us back to Motherbase ASAP." -I spoke to my pilot as I got inside the VTOL-

Torres: "Right away, boss." -He interacted with the flight controls-

As I climbed on everyone looked at themselves and at Sylthra who reluctantly followed me behind. Everyone got inside the VTOL sitting in their respective seats with Sylthra sitting in the back away from everyone, she didn't want to talk and I was going to have to respect that for the moment. Then. the VTOL lifted off from The Nexus' landing pad and soared through the oceanic skies, carrying us all within toward Motherbase. The sea beneath transitioned from the depths surrounding The Nexus to the expansive open waters leading to the hidden structure.

Torres: "So..Dhar'kan from the Bloodthorn clan has a daughter? You mean, the very one that's on our ship right now? My ship? That's-" -He took a peek at us for a brief moment before turning his head back forward-

Williams: "Awesome! I know, right?" -He patted Torres on the shoulder interrupting him-

Taylor: "It's not awesome, Williams. Wolf, what's going on and why we flying with this..thing?"

Wolf: "She is a new member of the team, so all of you better be nice." -I said briefly with my commanding voice, saving the explanation when the whole team is here-

Sánchez: "I don't want to say anything but-"

Wolf: "Then don't, Sánchez."

As we approached in the distance our Motherbase, the massive aquatic headquarters of Cobra Squad, the scale and sophistication of the facility became apparent. Motherbase was a technological marvel, consisting of two interconnected destroyers and aircraft carriers strategically positioned at a certain distance from each other. High-rise towers extended from these platforms, forming the central command structure of Cobra Squad.

( Owner: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Vyy6b )

( "Motherbase" )

Helicopters and attack aircraft adorned the landing pads, ready for deployment at a moment's notice. The atmosphere buzzed with the hum of machinery and the occasional roar of engines as personnel moved efficiently about their duties in the distance.

I slid open the side door looking at our base in the distance, as beautiful as ever. I stood holding on to the roof railing, looking with pride at everything we achieved over time. This caught the attention of someone in particular as he stood up from his seat walking over here past the rest of my team, standing next to me also holding on to the overhead railing on the roof looking at the Motherbase, bigger than it seemed to be.

Sylthra was not fascinated, well..she didn't seem that fascinated, deep inside her, she was more feeling threatened by how much firepower she was seeing with her scanner down there, if the time came which we both hoped it wouldn't, she could easily be neutralized.

Wolf: "Overlord allowed the Motherbase to know of your imminent arrival, they will not harm you, I'll make sure of it." -I noticed her concern seeing how she was clenching her hands slowly-

Sylthra: [Predator Language] [ "I am very capable of taking care of myself, Commander Wolf." ]

Wolf: "I know that and I know you think badly of us, but we are not the same as the thousands you killed. I will order my men to stand down, leave you alone and stay out of your way. But if you try to hurt someone, you'll deal with me."

She let out her low predatory growls again at this promise of mine, turning her gaze to me and I to her. None of us showed any sign of fear, my words clear and decisive. She didn't said anything since technically I was in charge, not to mention the fact that she knew me but by the fact of what me and my team was capable of and the Yautjas that proved to be a threat I have killed, she knew my combat experience could be equal or higher to hers despite how old she was.

As we got closer and closer to the landing strip personally for us, we saw how a large number of armed soldiers on the outskirts stopped what they were doing looking at our VTOL that, due to its model and paint, was distinguished from all the others. They had that look of relief every time we came back, knowing that we had completed the mission, and even though it wasn't like that, they were still relieved that we came back.

The closer we got, being at a low altitude from the landing zone, I told Sylthra cover herself further inside so that anyone outside wouldn't see her and in the worst case try to shoot her in an act of panic, which surprisingly she did follow my instructions in time for Torres to land carefully on the landing zone, turning off the VTOL's engines and latching onto the floor to prevent it from moving and falling overboard.

Torres: "Okay..we're home." -He sounded a bit less excited than he ever was, sounding more concerned-

Williams: "So, how we gonna brief everyone else about this?"

I looked at him for a moment and then looked down slightly thinking deeply about his words. It seemed like there wasn't much to think about since Overlord warned them about Sylthra'ti, but there's no guarantee that they would take it well so it was my job to inform them with more details and calm things down in case they got tense.

As I jumped off the edge and touched the ground of Motherbase, I was greeted by several soldiers with a brief military salute before a handshake, others just greeted me and the rest of my team in the distance with a wave as they were busy doing other things. And after those brief greetings, I saw another member of the team jogging here at a fast pace, noticing the concern on her face with her white coat with a doctor's patch blowing with movement and wind. She was a Japanese woman with white clean ponytail hairstyle and cyan eyes, who from time to time appeared with white doves flying above her with holy music when we most need her, she was Akane Kimura, our Medic, or as most people like to call her, our Guardian Angel.

Kimura: "Wolf! I heard what happened there. Were there any survivors? Did anyone get hurt?" -She arrived standing infront of me, looking behind me above my shoulder concerned-

Wolf: "Dr. Kimura.."

Kimura: "Nanite kotoda, I knew it..I knew I had to insist more in going with you, probably I would've saved someone or-!" -She felt like she was gonna lose it so I stopped her by grabbing both of her arms making her look at me-

Wolf: "Akane! Calm down, everyone was dead when we arrived. There was nothing we could do even if you were there, don't blame yourself."

Kimura: "But maybe..no, I'll take your word, you're right. Is anyone hurt?" -I let go of her arms after she took a deep breath calming herself-

Sánchez: "Nah, the armor took all the firepower, we didn't even felt any scratch." -He walked past us carrying his gear-

Wolf: "Head to the lobby, we'll meet there." -I allowed Sánchez to know to which he did a thumbs up without looking back followed by Williams who patted him in the back a little too hard, almost making him fall-

Staying now with Taylor, Müller, Torres and Kimura. The three members of my team got off the VTOL with Torres being last, looking around the area as most of us did as soon we touched the ground. 

???: "Wolf! Moy dobryy drug!" -I heard an heavy manly voice in the short distance let out a heavy russian laugh-

I didn't notice when a man called my name in a friendly manner, noticing the man a few steps away walking towards me with his towering height. The tall and remarkably strong man was about seven feet tall, bald and beardless with several scars across his body from battle, looking at us with his brown eyes. Sylthra was just a little bit taller than him. This man was Dimitri Ivanov, our fellow heavy weapons russian man, known by all of us as The Heavy Russian Bear. Something that reminded us that he had a literal fucking grizzly bear as pet back in his village, however he didn't liked the term "pet", he liked more the term "Friend" for the grizzly bear or "Fishing partner".

I relaxed my back with quick inhalations and exhalations preparing myself for the back pain he was about to give me in a few seconds. When the man arrived, he walked next to me and raised his hand, I closed my eyes with a wince and felt the great slap on my back that almost took me out of my place, even with the armor on.

Ivanov: "Glad to have you back in one piece!"

Wolf: "And I'm glad to be back, Ivanov. We have to talk about-"

Kimura: "Ah yes, the Yautja that's staying with us." -She crossed her arms while Ivanov changed his friendly behaviour to a more serious one as he walked beside Kimura-

Ivanov: "Da, we heard from Overlord about it. Just so you know, Dimitri is not afraid of any Yautja so don't you worry, Dimitri will protect you."

Before I could speak, everyone's eyes changed direction inside the VTOL which made me look over my shoulder as well. Sylthra began to peek out there, grabbing the railing above and holding on as she slowly came out, this made many or rather all of them stop what they were doing and grab their weapons tightly when they saw the female Yautja here.

My eyes caught several grabbing and holding their weapons in a low stance, slowly raising them to point at Sylthra due to her scanning their surrounding and each one of us, but that would only make her feel threatened which was basically even worse. Sylthra noticed several tempted to raise the weapon, to which she slowly let out her predatory sounds while flexing her hands before slowly forming them into fists slowly getting her combat stance.

I looked around and I frowned, giving that..look, thinking that Overlord had made it clear that Sylthra was not an enemy. Kimura noticed my gaze and took a step back, indicating Ivanov, who raised an eyebrow looking back at her wondering what she wanted and then realized what when Kimura indicated with her finger at me.

Wolf: "WHOEVER DARE TO SHOOT OR EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING AIM AT THE YAUTJA! I WILL PERSONALLY THROW YOU INTO THE FUCKING OCEAN MYSELF!" -I yelled at the top of my lungs with my commanding voice, getting everyone's attention in a long range radious-

Despite there being high-ranking men here and others visibly taller and stronger than me, but not as strong as Ivanov, they knew their place here when they heard me raise my voice knowing that I was choosen as Commander for a very good reason. While every nameless crew fell in line, Ivanov with his arms crossed made a slight smirk watching how the other amateurs instantly obeyed at the sound of my rough and commanding voice.

Sylthra remained quiet and still, slowly turning her gaze to the side to look at me for a brief moment from the corner of her eye under her biomask. Indirectly and without my knowledge, quitly thanking me for the gesture.

I regained my composure by taking a deep breath and exhaling, looking around at the rest who went back to do their business trying not to pay attention to the Female Yautja on board, then I turned around looking back at Kimura and Ivanov who stood close at ease knowing that by the look on my face, I was gonna tell them to do something for me.

Wolf: "Kimura, Ivanov, let the others know I want them in the briefing room in 30 minutes. Our friend here might want to take a look around." -I gathered my stuff above my shoulder-

Ivanov: "The rest?"

Wolf: "LaRue, Khanna, Cruz, Jong, Furaha, I want everyone in the briefing room. I'll head to my quarters and change myself real quick."

Kimura: "Understood, we'll make sure everyone's there." -She bowed at this and I bowed back-

As Kimura and Ivanov left with a nod to which I nodded back, they walked past me heading to the mentioned operators' quarters or wherever they were currently located within Motherbase. I turned around in place watching them go, then Taylor walked to my side also watching them go but with visible concern on her eyes, she turned her gaze to me for a brief moment about to say something but refused as she walked past me carrying her gear heading to her quarters.

I was about to leave until I remembered the female towering figure right beside me who was surprisingly waiting for my instructions as she looked down to me.

Wolf: "I can give you a tour around around Motherbase if you want."

Sylthra: [Predator Language] [ "I do wish to know more about this place." ] -She spoke in a demanding tone, so to speak-

Wolf: "Sure, I'll give you the short version of the tour around later-" -I nodded at her request (Demand) and I walked a few steps-

Sylthra: [Predator Language] [ "No, I wish to see it all now." ] -Before raising my eyebrow and looking back above my shoulder at Sylthra who remained still-

We looked at each other for a moment with great tension hanging in the air. After a few seconds of staring at each other, I pressed the earpiece inside my right ear activating it, all this without getting my eyes off from Sylthra, nor her from me under her biomask.

Wolf: "Kimura, this is Wolf." -I spoke through the comms directly with Kimura-

[R] Kimura: "Commander, go ahead."

Wolf: "I might take more than 30 minutes to get there, our guest wants a tour around the base, let everyone know about it."

[R] Kimura: "I don't want to question your decision, Commander. But wouldn't it be more proper to introduce our guest to the whole team before she gets the tour? In case one of us doesn't know the news and is surprised to see a Yautja on board like it was nothing, we won't want anyone pulling a gun on each other here..or worse." -I came to think about it, she was right-

Wolf: "You're right, doctor. Cancel that, I'll be there in 30 minutes as I said before." -I couldn't see it, but I knew that Sylthra was making the closest thing to a snort, one that showed disagreement-

[R] Kimura: "Wakarimashita." -I stopped pressing the earpiece to my ear, turning off my communication with her-

Me and Sylthra looked at each other for another few seconds before I motioned for her to follow me, to which she hesitantly and reluctantly followed me knowing that I was in charge here.

Wolf: "I'll give you the whole tour later, you have my word." -I waited for her to stand by my side before we started walking-

Sylthra: [Predator Language] [ "My father might trust your superior and you, but until you and your team have proven your usefulness, your word will mean nothing to me." ] -Despite her distrust, she followed me-

Those translated words of hers stayed in my mind as we walked deeper into the base with the constant gaze of most of the staff nearby, wondering things like "What's that thing doing here?" or "We now transport Yautja?", etc.

Going back to Sylthra's words, those said words let me know that there was a long road ahead and gaining her trust was not going to be a piece of cake, not at all. If I'm honest, I don't completely trust her either and surely Sylthra knows about it despite my non-hostile professional behaviour around her or her clan back in The Nexus. Neither of us took the other's distrust lightly, we both knew that it was going to be a problem that we would have to solve one way or another.

Sylthra knew that if she had to, by her father's orders or by her own will, if she doesn't see me as an ally or doesn't have a reason to trust me soon, she would turn on me like nothing in the worst scenario and I can't depend on her Yautja honor code for her not to do that. In my case, between me and Sylthra, I'm the one who's gonna be struggling more in earning the other's trust. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cooper: "And here, a new book I've been thinking about. I will publish the BIO of Cobra Squad and talk about them and stuff right after this, including the named ones by Wolf that haven't yet appeared. I will probably update the BIO in case I get something wrong or some nonsense in the future. Example, more detailed information about their backstory. Let me know about any mistake I made in this chapter. Anyways, thank you for checking out my new story and I hope you enjoyed the chapter, see ya next time!"

25195 Words. (PC)