[Altitude: 500 Metra]
The Varden are known in many parts of the universe as elite soldiers, peacekeepers of Ayenee and Eden. They are not known for their huge battle fleets or their vast numbers. They are recognized for their skill and the technology they wield, technology that required tens of thousand of years to develop, equipment that resulted from the culmination of five distinct galactic empires, and the archeological relics of civilizations far advanced and long since vanished into the cold dark void. Among their members are those of a smaller and even more elite company of men and women. This company, this group is known as Core Concord, the Varden Core.Those that train the cadets are known as helldivers. They are so named because the training grounds upon which they shape their students reside within the lower planes of existence. The members of the core train in the most hellish of environments imaginable. Many come close to breaking under such duress, some do, and madness infects their minds. Those that survive are hardened of mind, toughened of body, and reinforced of spirit to a degree un-measurable by the mortal scales of man. Those that live and remain whole are stripped of the blue, gold, and white. Those that live are pinned with the red badge, the badge of Core Concord.
Helldivers do not stroll lightly into the abyss. Helldivers fall and like a helldiver, Aaric fell. He fell as the wretched souls of the damned did but among them he was the only one who was not naked to the inferno and among them he was the only one armed.
[Altitude: 400 Metra] 'Detecting dangerous atmospheric chemicals; phosgene, chlorine, sulfur, methane, coal gas, fluorine, arsine, etc. in hazardous but non-lethal concentrations. Self-contained and adaptive filtration system coming online.', EGO relayed to him. The PDS cleared the contents of his helmet and pumped a mix off cool clean atmospheric gasses across his face.
EGO, Enviromental Guardian Online is symbiotic neuro-muscular bionetic implant. Most Varden had this advanced artificial intelligence hardwired into their heads. Among other things it acted as an assistant and normally kept a user connected to a shared net via broad and cycling out-of-band faster-than-light communications.
[Altitude: 300 Metra] EGO targeted a safe touch down location. Aaric had to tilt forward and guide himself with outstretch hands to get into position. 'Connection to central hub, Inaya lost. Attempting to reconnect.', EGO relayed. Aaric just grumbled. 'Subspace or transplanar relay not found. Connection to central hub, Inaya failed.', EGO finished. 'Search local based on current observed data.', Aaric replied in his head as he continued to fall. 'City of Dis - The City of the Damned. No city plan in local memory. The fortress of the sixth circle of hell and encompassing the sixth through the nine circles of the nine circles of hell. A city of heretics, murderers, suicides, blasphemers...', EGO would have continued but was interrupted by Aaric.
[Altitude: 200 Metra] 'Skip current fact and continue.', he thought simply. 'Quote - We moved toward the city, secure in our holy cause, and beheld such a fortress. And on every hand I saw a great plain of woe and cruel torment. Bitter tombs were scattered with flame made to glow all over, hotter than iron need be for any craft. And such dire laments issued forth as come only from those who are truly wretched, suffering and forever lost! - Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy.', EGO ended her communication. Aaric just chuckled at the quote.
[Altitude: 100 Metra] Aaric would make the bridge just outside the great gates. He had guided himself as he fell through the thick, nearly poisonous air to avoid the pits of molten rock, liquid iron, boiling blood, spikes, pikes, and serrated wire that spread nearly endlessly across the landscape below him. 'Warning! Deploy inertial dampeners. Warning!', EGO and the alarm chirped in his mind as his HUD flashed red. He just tucked his chin, crossed his arms, and brought his legs and feet under his body. The suit he wore was then engulfed in crackling energy. His speed seemed to remain the same and when he hit the ground outside the door it should have surely shattered the bridge but he and the ground upon which he landed were no worse for the impact.
He stood from a crouch and tilted his head to his left and then right, identifying some who were not native to this place. Behind the visor plate of the
PDS, Aegis VP102 his identity was hidden. It was his assumption that not all of the combatants had arrived and that those that had already made their presence known would be made to wait for a few stranglers.
metra - approximately one meter, 9 metra = 10 meters.