Shattergrounds

– Query Received: Mira Rivera
– Searching Recent Battle Reports…
– Searching Personnel Data…
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– Query Returned 1 Record: Rev. Mira Rivera
– Review contents?
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– Home Mothership: Bakunin
– Classification: Reverend Custodier of the Observance of Saint Mary of the Knife (Our Lady of Mercy)
– Titles and Rank: Special Envoy of Bakunin; Captain of The Amethyst Sky; Former Diplomatic Representative of Nomad High Command
– Current Location: Montalbán, Bianca, Concilium Prima
– Assignment: Yate Asesino Class Ship - The Amethyst Sky
– Reports Issued During Operation Shattergrounds: (2)
– Report 1: “Back into the Fray” - Cutthroat Located at Bhai University Terraforming Environmental Studies Campus
– Report 1: Report Information Address: https://shattergrounds.warconsole.com/battles/mjgrey-vs-camerones-1696735333
– Report 2: "The Obligatory Beach Episode"
– Displaying Report 2 Details…
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– Classification: Panic Room
– Location: Montalbán: Underwater Marine Research Facilities, Bianca, Concilium Prima
– Resource Value Allocated to Strike Team: 200
– Combatants:
Bakunian Forces assigned to the ship The Amethyst Sky led by Rev. Mira Rivera
ALEPH Forces of the Operations Subsection of the Special Situation Section - Montalbán Laboratory Taskforce
– Loading Battle Report:
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– WARNING: Report Exceeds Maximum File Size
– WARNING: Review of Battle Report Estimated to Take Significant Time
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– Displaying Report Details…
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– (10) Logs Found:
Log 1: Phase 0.0-1B - Between the Battles - Fun in the Sun
Log 2: Phase 0.0 - Prologue
Log 3: Phase 0.5 - Deployment
Log 4: Phase 1.0 - A Mad Scramble
Log 5: Phase 1.5 - Hubris
Log 6: Phase 2.0 - A Flurry of Blows
Log 7: Phase 2.5 - Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom
Log 8: Phase 3.0 - The Escape
Log 9: Phase 3.5 - Last Gasp
Log 10: Phase 4.0 - Epilogue
– Playing Log 1:
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Administrator’s Note: This Log is pure character background and information. It bridges the gap between Mira’s last battle report, "Back into the Fray," and this current one. Those seeking only information on the current Report should skip to Log 2.

"They're punishing us by sending us on vacation?" Steph asked with an excited grin on her face.

Mira let out a big sigh. "It's not a vacation… But, essentially, yes. We've been posted to Montalbán until further notice." The Reverend was noticeably distressed. The last mission still weighed heavily on her mind, and knowing The Amethyst Sky was being sidelined because of it just made it worse.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand why you're upset. Did you not hear yourself? We're going to Montalbán!" The capital of Bianca was well known for being a luxurious holiday paradise. Beautiful and fancy hotels sat alongside white sand beaches and acted as a playground for the rich and famous. There was no way the crew could afford it on their own budget.

"You do understand we're being sent there because they don't trust us with anything more important?"

"Okay, and? We get to go to the beach! An actual, real-life beach! And it's not even going to be a combat zone! I need to start packing right away… How many bathing suits do you think I'll need?"

"Like I said, it's not a vacation. We'll be monitoring communication channels and acting as on-the-ground assets in case the situation at the QAZ escalates."

"So, what you're saying is Lottie's going to be stuck on the ship running comms; doesn't mean we can't get a little sun. Besides, we'll have at least a little time to prepare if we get called to the QAZ… Which means we'll also have a little time to enjoy ourselves."

Mira frowned. Steph was technically right, but she didn't feel much like relaxing at the moment. The current crisis and struggle for control among the sphere seemed much more pressing than a day at the beach.

Steph saw her hesitance. "Mira; we just witnessed a bunch of our friends be gunned down. Before that, we had nonstop assignments on Bakunin. And before that? We both died! When was the last time we just got to breathe?

“I mean, just look at this place!” Steph had pulled up an Arachne post highlighting the beautiful Minas Gerais archipelago, complete with travel tips, weather reports, and local news. “Sunny, good temperatures… And look, Fiddler is in town! You know she's my favorite aristo. Maybe we can get her autograph!”

Mira looked at her incredulously. “Are you serious right now?”

Steph took her hand and gave her an earnest look. “Let's go on vacation. Please? We've never been able to travel together for fun, let alone while we were dating, and we're not going to have opportunities like this often. There will always be battles to fight and a sphere to save once we're back."

Mira narrowed her eyes and looked at the Zero for a moment. "Alright, fine. It’s not like we have much choice. But seriously, this isn't a vacation. I've already received mission orders, classified intel on Nomad assets and spies, and detailed information on our cover identities."

"We get to go undercover at the same time!? Oh, this just gets better and better. Do I get to be a famous Maya star? Or maybe a shipping conglomerate heiress? OR, what about a professional model?"

"You're posing as my wife, and I'm supposed to be…" The Custodier sighed again. "A high level Nomad diplomat on vacation."

"Wait, you're saying your cover is that you're on vacation, and you're still objecting to going on vacation? How are you such a buzzkill?" Steph laughed. "Also, that's not really a stretch from who we actually are… Let me guess, the rest of the crew is our security detail?"

"Well… Yeah," Mira said sheepishly. "Maybe we really are just being ordered to go on vacation… I guess I'll try to get into the role." She forced a smile, not at all hiding her worry.

"Oh, you. Quit stressing, and follow your orders, Captain. Remember, you're a 'high level Nomad diplomat on vacation,' not a worried Reverend who doesn't want to have any fun."

"Thanks, Steph," Mira replied sarcastically. "You're always so supportive."

"That's what I'm here for, Rev. Now, it's probably time to let the crew know we've got a new mission. They should be apprised of our serious and very important orders."

"Ughhh…" Mira groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fine. Gabrielle, open a channel."

"Attention, Amethyst Sky crew. We've received our new orders. We've been assigned to the Montalbán resort zone in Bianca on an undercover mission. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but prepare yourself for sand, surf," she sighed and paused. "And fun in the sun…"

An audible cheer went up from the team around the ship, and Mira couldn't help but sigh again. "Saint Mary help me, this is going to be a long assignment."

It took about two days for Reverend Rivera to start to go crazy in her new post. Trapped in a luxurious prison of pristine beaches, exclusive marinas, and her opulent hotel suite, she just couldn't relax. The thought that the whole of Concilium was in danger while she was laying by the beach didn't sit well with her. Orders were orders, though, and so here she was, pretending to be a Bakunian diplomat, Isadora Belmonte, on vacation.

Several of the crew were currently enjoying a day on the suite's private strand of beach. Mira, though, felt out of her element. The lightly patterned (and very expensive) sun dress she wore stood in stark contrast with her usual vestments. She wasn't sure she liked how light it felt to wear, or that she was on a mission that necessitated it. She missed her robes – not that she wore them all the time… just most of it. Being a Reverend didn't have a set work schedule, and she needed to be ready. Or at least that's what she told herself.

Steph, on the other hand, was thrilled. Posing as Isadora's trophy wife, Rani, she took to the finer life like a natural. Between the flamboyant outfits, finest foods, and her time spent with Mira, the two days that had driven the Custodier mad might have been the best of Steph's life. Her agenda for the day was lounging on the bed, enjoying the scenery and sun, and poking at a data pad to follow Aristeia! news. She couldn't think of anything better.

The other members of the team seemed to lean the same direction as the Zero. The crew was technically acting as security, and they kept to a rotating schedule of who was allowed off ship at any given time. Currently, Dorina, Luna, and Enna were splashing each other while playing fetch with the Pupniks. Even though the whole polycule had recently been injured in Bhai, the miracles of modern medicine had helped them get right back on their feet.

The team's medic, Zinnie, was sunning herself on a towel nearby. Usually, she'd be attached at the hip to her partner, Lottie, but the other bunny girl was assigned to the communications hub ofThe Amethyst Sky. That being said, the information traffic was light at the moment. Zinnie was making the most of the opportunity by transmitting her sensory data to the other Moderator so she wouldn't miss out.

Mira paced her room, jealous of the crew stuck back on the ship. She clutched her rosary and counted the beads without thinking about it. She finally stopped in front of Steph on the bed and asked, "Do you think Command will be upset if I went back to the ship, at least for a little while?"

"Isadora, dearest," Steph said with a smirk. Why would you want to return to the ship? We have everything we need here, and if we don't we can call room service." She considered for a moment. "Hmmm… Or send one of the Moderators… Either way, you're supposed to be enjoying this. Those are both Command's and my orders. Chill out a bit, ok?"

"I just want to be helping, you know? We could be of so much more use to the ongoing crisis efforts. Right now, I feel like we're just wasting time."

"That's what a vacation is, Mira, except you're supposed to fill that time with fun. Like I said, just take it easy for a little while. It's not like someone is going to knock on our door with a mission… Get used to just being here for a little while."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Mira's hand went for her combi-rifle, only to find the empty space where it should be. She looked at Steph and motioned for her to arm herself. "We're not expecting anyone, right?" The Zero shook her head while grabbing a pistol from the bed stand. "Have your geist alert the others, we'll need to be ready."

"Umm, so I can hear you through the door," an impish woman's voice said. "Which, really isn't good considering these are diplomatic suites… You'd think they'd be soundproofed or at least have jamming technology or something… I bet I could rig something that would fix it, or maybe I could request for…" The voice continued rambling on.

"I recognize that voice…" Steph said quietly. "Where do I know that voice from?"

Mira cautiously approached the door and checked the digital peephole to see who was there. Instead of a person, the screen was taken up by just an eye. "... but at least they have cameras cause like I could be anyone and if troops were here I don't think this door would hold…" The person kicked the door from the other side.

"Oh. My. Goddess. I know who it is. Mira, open the door." Steph had put down the pistol and was excitedly flipping through files on her data pad.

The Reverend didn't know what was going on, but she trusted her girlfriend's judgment. She carefully, slowly, opened the door. Standing there in an obnoxiously yellow jacket was a monkey girl, the former aristo and expert engineer, Fiddler.

"Hey, thanks! Did you know your door isn't soundproof? I could soundproof it for you if you wanted, although we technically have more important things to be dealing with because of the pilots, but it probably wouldn't take too long, and I have my tools here, I'm always carrying my tools though, just in case, because you never…" She continued on, not seeming to take any time to breathe between thoughts.

"Can we help you?" Mira finally asked, interrupting her. "You're Fiddler, right? Did Command send you?"

"That's exactly what happened!" she replied, excitedly. "They said take what assets you need, and I looked it up and you were here, well actually, it says Isadora Belmonte is here, which isn't you but is you, and I have clearance to see classified assets and since time is short I figured I'd take the closest people to me. Don't worry, I told Command I was borrowing you, and they were ok with it, but the Observance wanted to make sure you could handle it, so a shuttle will be landing soon with several Reverends, which, no offense, is kinda scary! Wait, I was expecting you to be wearing a mask and looking all spooky but you're here in that pretty dress and oh no, I must have interrupted your vacation! But it's too late to go back now, we need to get to the landing pads and then head to the laboratory before it gets scrubbed and…"

The babbling went on, but eventually it became clear that several of the crew were being recruited to infiltrate high-security labs studying the nearby QAZ. Members of the Observance were being sent to aid them, and they had to move quickly before the labs were wiped clean. What exactly they were looking for was still unclear. Fiddler kept mentioning pilots, but because of the circuitous way she spoke, it was hard to make out.

Despite the slight confusion, Mira didn't need to be told twice. Within a few minutes she was outfitted in her robes and combat gear. The crew that were currently on the ground were similarly ready, and with Fiddler leading the pack, they moved out.

The landing pads weren't far, and the shuttle they were waiting for was landing as they approached. When it touched down, two Reverend Cenobites walked out, their visors preventing them from seeing the beauty of the resort. Behind them, a Reverend Moira inspected the Amethyst Sky team and Fiddler with haughty disdain. "If this is what we have, they'll have to do," she said to no one in particular.

Mira stepped forward and gave a slight bow. "Welcome, Reverend. I'm Reverend Rivera of the—"

"I know who you are," the Moira snapped. "You're the reason I'm here instead of in the cenoby, Reverend Rivera. Mother Superior requested we assist you because of your recent track record. Also, it's Mother Genevieve, not Reverend. Pray you do better under my watch, Custodier."

Steph began to step forward to object, but Mira held out a hand to stop her. "Thank you, Mother, your support and guidance are much appreciated." One of the Cenobites smirked.

"This is Reverend Tara, and this is Reverend Morgan. They're here to assure we have firepower for any obstacles we may face," Genevieve stated, indicating the Cenobites. "Now, why are we wasting time? We've data to retrieve."

Mira bit her tongue to stop herself from being disrespectful. It seemed Steph was rubbing off on her a little, but the Custodier still had slightly better self control. "Lead on, Mother."

"Wait, aren't you supposed to be friends?" Fiddler asked. "You're all from the same Church and even wearing the same robes which is neat that you're matching, why aren't I matching? This yellow is bright and probably not the best for a firefight, but it's comfy and puffy and I like puffy jackets this one is even fireproof which is helpful in the machine shop but it gets hot in there, and…" Mother Genevieve began walking toward the marina without acknowledging the engineer.

Arriving at the docks, a Nomad captain led them to a small boat. While it looked modest from the outside, it was apparent it was top-of-the-line once aboard. Mission briefings, without notes on what type of data they were retrieving, were displayed to the crew. The captain disengaged from the dock and they sped off to Research Lab Q-57M, a remote outpost only accessible by water.

A short while later they arrived and carefully navigated into the docks of the station. It was eerily quiet as they disembarked with just the gentle lapping of water breaking the silence.

“Alright, this is it,” said Mira as she stepped into the dock. “We’re not sure what we’re going to find down there, so everyone be ready for the worst. Zinnie, I’m going to need you to be on your game. We’ll be in tight quarters, so expect some injuries. The rest of you, we need to be delicate enough to not destroy the information we’re retrieving. Do your best to not cause too much chaos.” Luna mocked being offended, but Enna and Dorina nodded in agreement.

“Sure thing, Captain. Any special orders for your favorite Zero?” You could hear Steph’s grin beneath her helmet.

"Compose yourself, Ms. Aletto. Your professionalism would be much appreciated," the Mother sneered.

“Steph… You’re going to hate this…" Mira began. "I need you to stay up here. You're the only one who can cloak, and we’ll need to hold this position for when we need to head back up. Stay hidden and alert us of any disturbances or troops that come along.”

“You’re going to interrupt my vacation and not even let me be part of the mission? You’re right, I do hate that.” You could hear the disappointment in Steph’s voice, even with the helmet’s vocalizer. “Understood, Captain. I’ll hold down the fort.”

The facility was conspicuously empty as the team entered. No security greeted them at the docks, no scientists were working in the laboratories, and no support staff roamed the halls. It didn't take long to find the path to the elevator leading to the deepsea labs, especially without anyone questioning them.

"There's no bodies, Captain…" Zinnie said nervously. "What happened to the staff?"

"Maybe they're on vacation, too," laughed Luna.

"Is your crew always so undisciplined, Reverend?" Genevieve asked. "Poor form, indeed."

"Don't call my girlfriend's form poor!" growled Dorina. "I swear, I'm going to—"

"Stand down, Dori." Mira was running out of patience for the Moira's criticisms, and was getting close to saying something herself. "Mother, I assure you, my team is the best at what we do. We're a mixed Bakunian crew, and not as rigid as the Church."

"Sloppy. Maybe that's something you should work on." Mira was beginning to wonder if Genevieve was sent as some kind of test rather than just an evaluator.

They made their way to the elevator, and as they approached signs of a battle became apparent. Bullet holes were scattered about the walls and splatters of blood coated the floor. There were still no bodies, and no signs of active hostiles.

"Alright," Mira began. "Keep your head on a swivel, we're heading into the labs, and I'm assuming whoever did this is down there. Let's go, team." They boarded the elevator and began to descend into the murky depths.

Once at the bottom, they found more signs of a battle, but the equipment seemed to be intact. Fiddler led the group through winding tunnels to a small network hub tasked with the communications of the facility.

"Here's the computer you need, Reverend! I know it's weird that it's for comms but it has the least security and is tapped into all the systems so they can transmit their research results. Make a copy of the full database, please, because think of all that knowledge there must be so much data on everything I bet someone was studying sea slugs but we're here about the cetacean pilots so if you can only get so much focus on that but I think we have time to get it all so do everything you can and then we'll—"

"I'm on it, Fiddler," Mira replied. The engineer kept babbling as the Custodier began gingerly probing the security protocols of the station. The system was surprisingly easy to hack, and after only a few minutes a copy was safely stored on a hard drive Fiddler had brought.

"Alright, let's not stay here any longer than we need to. Back to the elevator, team."

"Well done, Reverend Rivera," Genevieve added. "I see not all tasks are out of your skill level. I was worried you'd be out of your depth, and the behavior of your crew wasn't providing much assurance."

Mira whirled to face the Moira. "Excuse me, Mother, but my team is extremely competent, as am I. If you knew anything about our record outside of the last mission, you'd know that. Stop insulting us; we're on the same side, and I have full faith in my crew's abilities. Respectfully, back off."

"Hmph. The mission isn't completed; you've yet to prove anything to me. Let's make haste so nothing goes wrong. I'd hate for that Zero of yours to trigger an alarm."

"Leave Steph out of this!" Mira yelled. "Like the rest of my team, she's the best at what she does, and I won't stand for your insults any longer!"

"Is that why you left her behind?" Genevieve sneered.

Mira was about to respond when metallic footsteps and a cold voice interrupted them.

"Ah, a group of Reverends and their pets." An Asura, one of the most powerful aspects of ALEPH, was waiting for them. Behind her, a contingent of troops stood between the Amethyst Sky and the elevator.

"ALEPH." You could hear the venom in Mira's voice. "Of course you're behind this. Is murdering civilian scientists part of your 'benevolent' mission now?"

"If it keeps you from the pilot data you're here to collect, then yes. A few lives to stop Nomad terrorists from further chaos? We do what we must. Now, enough. We don't have time to talk with your ilk. Detonate the charges."

Explosions shook the foundations of the labs. The sounds of shredding and scattering metal were quickly followed by a loud rush of water. The hull integrity of the labs had been breached, and it would only be moments before the crew would be swept up in the crushing flow of the ocean

"Take cover, now!" Mira yelled across the comms.

The Nomad troops began to fan out, taking positions that would hopefully let them get to the elevator before the water reached them.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Fiddler said. "This is the perfect time! I've been making these nano-bots that might be illegal by the Concilium Convention but are really quite useful, I just need to test them and the Lhosts of ALEPH are the perfect subjects, now can you get them to stay still for just a moment? I promise this won't hurt, but it may be uncomfortable…"

"Now is not the time, Fiddler! Everyone, the priority is getting on that elevator. We don't have any time to waste; stay safe, but move fast!"

Mira began frantically searching all the data in her hacking range. She quickly found what she was looking for, and she shared a detailed map of the facility with the strike force.

Mira reviewed her roster, getting detailed vital signs and equipment lists. She was confident they'd be able to handle this, and she was determined to prove Genevieve's preconceptions wrong.

As her battle HUD came online, the Nomad forces began lighting up on her map.

Mira wasn't done yet, though. She used the security systems of the labs to compile a list of ALEPH troops.

With that information, she was able to begin to highlight their positions on the opposite side of the field.

“Let’s do this!” roared Enna. A smoke grenade had already left her hand before the sentence was complete. It skittered over the metal floor before obscuring the area around it.

"Hey, that's my line!" Luna had her own smoke grenade in her hand, but Enna had beaten her to the punch. She made a pouting face while throwing the explosive.

"Thanks for the cover!" Dorina and her Pupniks began to scamper forward.

They disappeared from view as they entered the smoke cloud, but within seconds they had dashed through it. Trails of smoke lingered behind them as they made for the elevator.

The Reverends weren't far behind her. "Fall into line," Genevieve barked over the comms. "I'll take point; leave this to an expert."

Fiddler reached into the large pack of equipment she'd brought with her and threw out what looked like two wheels. They suddenly jumped to life, sprouting a shotgun before speeding out before her. "I brought toys!" she shouted. "Well, technically they're not toys, but I call them toys because it's more fun and—"

"Cut the chatter, Fiddler!" Mira ordered. The comms went quiet, but the engineer kept taking to herself off mic.

By this time, Dorina and the Pupniks had reached the elevator. They began to check for any nasty surprises ALEPH may have left. After a quick search, they didn't find anything.

Mira rushed forward with the rest of the Reverends and made her way to the gate onto the elevator. She prepared two repeaters and loaded them into the pitcher of her combi-rifle. "Saint Mary, bless my aim…"

The repeaters flew across the room, but whatever material the elevator was made of stopped them from burrowing into the walls like they should. They clattered harmlessly to the floor, useless.

The Cenobites were clearly excited by the prospect of killing ALEPH troops. They were notorious for being bloodthirsty, and their quick movement into position reflected that.

Reverend Morgan took cover behind part of the elevator, but as she peeked around the corner, she was hit with a flash pulse. Her veil was overloaded, and for the moment she was stunned.

“Can I talk again?” asked Fiddler. “I have more toys! I’m just going to assume I can talk and use toys now. Look, this one is shaped like a little bear, and while it’s not cuddly, it is cute, don’t you think? But the trick is it has explosives in it and is deadly, but you wouldn’t know just by…”

Babbling away, Fiddler threw a dropbear into the elevator hoping to catch ALEPH unaware.

“No, you can’t talk yet!” Mira barked over the comms. “Keep the channel clear for mission critical information!”

“But what if someone thought the bear was just a toy? I guess I did call them toys and design them like that—”

“Fiddler, stop!”

As they bickered, the two Morlocks ran through their smoke and made their way to the elevator.

With multiple members of the crew now inside the elevator, Dorina and her Pupniks began taking ambush positions. They were ready to surprise anyone that tried to come through the doors.

“How amusing.” The Asura led her troops forward as she spoke. “You can’t even avoid fighting with yourselves. You stand no chance; lay down your weapons and we’ll even acknowledge your deaths with a ceremony.”

“Fuck you!” replied Mira. “My team will tear you to shreds, demon!”

“Such hubris, Reverend. And yet, you have nothing to back it.” The Asura stepped forward and quickly began drawing a line of fire into the elevator. Genevieve, unaware of where the aspect was, poked her head above her cover. The Asura didn’t hesitate to take the shot. The Mother crumpled to the ground, bloody and unconscious.

“See, Reverend? You’re no match for us. Don’t let pride ruin your last moments… I’ll allow you time to pray to your false prophets, if you’d like.”

The Asura continued to advance, and as targets began to enter her hacking range she started to light them up with spotlight programs.

The Asura casually shot a Pupnik through the door to the elevator as she advanced. The nearest Pupnik, though, heard the metal footsteps approaching the door, and used its position to roll around the corner. It slashed and bit at the Asura.

The aspect wasn’t amused. She quickly smashed the fox hybrid with her immense strength.

Free from distractions, the Asura now turned her attention to the charging Luna. A quick shot brought her down, and she fell into a heap.

“Now, what were you saying about being torn to shreds, Reverend?” Mira hadn’t ever heard an Asura laugh, but it seemed to be taking pleasure in the murder of her team.

At the edges of her mind, Mira began to feel a scratching as something tried to penetrate her biotechnical shield. It quickly became apparent that the Asura had launched Trinity programs. Mira launched her own salvo of Oblivion protocols. They clashed on the quantronic battlefield, before Mira managed to pierce through the aspect’s defenses, shutting down her hacking and isolating her from the rest of her forces.

Seeing the opening, Dorina and the last Pupnik didn’t waste any time jumping at the Asura. Dorina’s viral chain whipped and slashed the air around the aspect as she weaved and dodged the blows.

With the Chimera distracted by the close combat, Parvati, another aspect of the devil ALEPH, decided she would assist the Asura. She fired bursts of submachine gun fire into the fray, all of which hit her superior. While doing damage, Parvati quickly rectified her mistake, using a medikit to heal the other aspect.

On the other side of the elevator, Reverend Tara was approaching. She used the distraction of Dorina to creep forward, making her way to engage.

Water was now pouring in at the edges of the room, and a Lamedh Rebot perched on the outskirts was swept up in the flood.

The Cenobite finally reached the Asura. She grinned wickedly as she struck blow after blow.

The Reverend was lost in her rage at this point. After mere moments, she had pierced her blessed blade straight through the aspect. As the Asura slumped to the floor, she kept slashing.

“Woah! You got her!” Fiddler exclaimed. “I want to help! Look what my Jackbots can do. That’s what I’m calling them, they’re Jackbots and not toys. I realized after we talked earlier that it might have been confusing so I’m changing how I address them. Also, I really appreciate your patience as I get used to working with you, Captain, you’ve been a lot nicer than most of the Commanders I’ve served under and it would be great if—”

“Not now, Fiddler!”

“Oh. Right. Go Jackbots, go!”

The Jackbots rolled past the gates to the elevator on opposite sides. One of them came face to face with a Yadu and unleashed a blast of fire and lead that destroyed it.

The other was less fortunate. It rolled around the corner only to be hit with the same flash pulse that had stunned Morgan.

“Now, remember, it’s not a toy, it’s in fact dangerous, so no one touch this, ok?”

Fiddler threw another dropbear onto the field where it would catch Parvati.

With the Asura out of the way, Dorina and the Reverend were ready to fight someone new. Dorina rolled through the doorway of the elevator and ran directly into Parvati. Taken slightly by surprise, she missed her initial slash, but quickly overpowered the aspect and left her unconscious.

The ALEPH forces were clearly beginning to lose cohesion without their Asura leader, but they weren’t done yet. A CSU stepped from the back of the field and took aim at the nearest Jackbot. With only a few shots, it was disabled. A few seconds later it exploded into a ball of fire and shrapnel.

“What the hell was that?” Mira asked.

“Oh, did I not mention that they did that?” Fiddler replied. “Hey, team! The Jackbots explode if you shoot them, which you don’t really need to know because you won’t be shooting them, but if you do for any reason, I wouldn’t suggest being anywhere near them, because…”

With few troops left, the ALEPH forces were getting desperate. A standard Dakini walked out from cover and began advancing.

Coordinating their fire, the Dakini and CSU fired a salvo at Dorina. She tried to dodge, but was an instant too late. The momentum carried her into a wall, where she slumped and fell unconscious.

Meanwhile, the remaining Jackbot was trying to approach the enemy from the other side. An ALEPH REM fired a flash pulse into it, stunning it.

Not trusting the Chimera to stay down, the CSU fired another few rounds into Dorina. She was critically injured at this point, and if she didn’t receive medical attention quickly she was sure to bleed out.

The water continued to rush toward the center of the room, and the hapless Warcor accompanying the ALEPH forces lost her footing. She was promptly crushed beneath the rush.

“OH! This is the perfect time. I’m going to use my nano-bots now, Captain! I hope that’s ok. If it’s not ok, I’m going to do it anyway. Is it ok? Firing nano-bots!” Using her gizmokit, Fiddler launched her experimental tech into the unconscious body of Parvati.

Reverend Morgan stomped into the elevator and leveled her rocket launcher at the nearby CSU. The security officer was ready for her, though, and fired back. The rocket careened wildly off target, weakening the structure of the facility further.

At this point, Mira was ankle deep in water. “We’re out of time, team! Into the elevator now!” She activated her cybermask protocols, rendering the sensors of the ALEPH forces useless against her.

Enna, Zinnie, and Mira rushed into the room. Mira let out a sigh of relief as the last of her team made it onto the elevator.

Even with everyone ready to escape, ALEPH wasn’t done yet. The CSU was proving to be a surprising problem, and she fired her rifle into Morgan, bringing her down.

She continued forward, pulling out a light shotgun. Lead flew through the air, and Mira jumped out of the way just in time. Zinnie and Enna were both hit, and fell unconscious.

Only Mira, Tara, and Fiddler were left conscious, and the water was beginning to seep into the elevator. Mira hit the button to cause it to ascend, and it lurched as it began to raise.

Before it could reach safety, the Dakini jumped into the room. It fired a shot at each of the remaining Nomad members, but missed each of them. Mira fired back, destroying the bot, as the elevator continued upward to the research platform above.

The elevator reached the surface without further event. Though many of the crew were injured, only Genevieve had died from her wounds. Mira wasn't happy to lose someone under her watch, but the Mother's cube was recovered, and she'd be back alive soon. The Custodier would do her best not to rub it in, though she hoped Steph didn't run into her first to do it for her.

Once back on land, the operation's wounded were promptly taken to a local medical center. Mira, Steph, and Fiddler accompanied them. Once safely delivered into the hands of the waiting Haqqislam doctors, they made their way outside.

Fiddler bounced from one foot to another as they stood in the fading light. "Thanks for bringing me along, Isadora! I had a lot of fun playing with my toys and testing my nano-bots and getting the dolphin information. Wait did you know that's what we were looking for?"

"You were a big help, Fiddler. And technically, I think you brought us. Also, it's just us, you can call me Mira."

"Wait, your name is Mira? I knew it wasn't Isadora, that's a weird name, but I wasn't sure what it was."

Steph smiled. "I don't know, I think Isadora is a pretty name, and it suits Mira well because she isadorable."

Mira squeezed Steph in a hug from the side. "And I think with that awful joke, we'll let you go, Fiddler. I hope we're paired together again on our next assignments."

"Me too! Anyway, byeeee!" She pulled a unicycle out from her pack, hopped on, and rode off.

"That whole thing was weird, right?" Mira asked, turning to Steph. "From what I understand, that's not what a vacation is supposed to be."

"Uh huh; how would you know?" The Zero poked her with her elbow, smiling.

"You're right, I don't, but maybe I should find out? We do have a ridiculously large hotel suite waiting for us…"

"Sounds like a plan to me, Rev. I'm definitely not going to complain about more sun. Besides, we can let the kids play on the beach once they're out of the hospital, and there's a banquet or two I'd love to attend."

"That actually sounds really nice, Rani. You know, as a high level diplomat, I could probably get us great Aristeia! seats while we're in town." Mira offered her elbow, and Steph took it, linking their arms.

"Oh, Isadora! You sure know how to treat a lady." Steph grinned. "Maybe we skip Aristeia! for a minute though… I've had enough Fiddler for a little while."

Mira kissed her on the cheek. "That's fair. How about we just enjoy our time alone while we have it?"

"Couldn't ask for anything more."

– End Final Log
– Analyzing Battle Data…
…
…
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– Mission Status Classification: Bakunian Victory
– High Command Battle Score Rating of Combatants:
The Amethyst Sky - 8
ALEPH Forces - 2
– Resource Value Allocated to Remaining Nomad Forces: 101
– Resource Value Allocated to Remaining ALEPH Forces: 19
…
…
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