Sullen Marines's Story

The door to the bar was pushed open as 5 armored figures entered the bar. Each had a small plasma carbine in their hands and wore full body armor. The leader of the 5 looked around and then lifted up his faceplate. "Attention Patrons... Has anyone Seen this man? In the past few days there is a substantial reward for information leading to his capture."

The leader looked at the woman. "He is an escaped convict and should be considered armed and extremely dangerous." He said as two of the soldiers walked across the bar looking around. "There is a reward leading to his capture. " He repeated again.

The leader nodded. "Of course." He said and motioned for the others to follow as they all left the bar. The door swung shut and they got back into the armored vehicle and drove onto their next target.

"Well probably the body." Jag said and maybe our armor. "Chek that uniforms going to have to be left here. " Jag said chuckling slightly as they removed it and tossed it off into a corner then followed him up the ramp. Jag placed the body in one of the said hidey holes along with his armor. Then helped place Chek in the med bay. "Alright lets go I have a bad feeling about this-" As he said this there was a sound of an explosion as Sullen Marines in Powered armor stormed the garage.

"Your surrounded come out with your hands in the air!" Came a clearly audio projected voice.

Over Mainstreet the sound of engines could be heard over the sounds of war. Two heavily armored assault dropships streaked through the sky. The ships landed before the line of defense and disgorged their cargo, A full platoon of SEC marines in powered armor. "Move it, Move it!" A Sargent shouted to troops as the heavily armored soldiers fell in line. Next to them stood a man in light combat armor and the Armored Sargent and another armored man wearing generals markings. General William's looked around. "Try and locate the operational command here and do not mobilize until vehicle carriers are on the ground understood Sargent. Mr. Sky your with me." The general said as he and Zeban left the formation to try and located the main command in this mess.

As they left two armored freighters began to unload a light armored group and more importantly a company of SEC battle mech's.This group was mostly made up of two seperate models the S-7and Z-5 stood around 7 feet tall bristling with weapons and armor. A few other models were present as well. On Terra this was the first use of these drones in actual combat. Though the SEC was here to help they also liked to use this to showcase their new products. Floating around the military group were recorder drones, filming the entire mobilization of the SEC forces.

Zeban looked to the man and just sighed. "I thought this would be easy..." He muttered. "This abomination is property of Sullen Enterprises. He is a highly dangerous genetic experiment who has caused thousands of dollars of damage." He said motioning to the line of broken down mechs. He must be returned to the laboratory before he can cause anymore harm." Zeban said "So I suggest you leave us alone before I have to make you." He said extending his aura slightly leaving a dull purple glow in the street around them.

X listened and was slightly frightened but also knew he had to escape. Though upon hearing about the laboratory he was thrust into a trance. Sheer white walls surrounded him, a bright light always shining he was never given solid food and tubes and IV's streamed from his arms. Two guards hauled him to his knees and then everything went dark. X opened his eyes a moment later and looked up at the group his hands clutching his head and tears streamed down his cheeks he didn't want to be taken back to this place. The two soldiers with Zeban looked to eachother as they received a message. "Sir we have been recalled to the fleet effective immediately shall we take the boy or leave him in you care?" They asked.

Ki's eyes narrowed even more when he heard about the laboratory and saw the kids face, his shields, though up weren't very strong on this world and the kids emotions slammed at his shields. "No! I don't think so. Ever think that maybe its something You and those you work for caused!? Ever think that maybe its pay back for everything done to him." he stated softly as he shifted his stance, right wrist popping and a pale golden glow flare bout the body behind him. His silver blues shifted to slit gold at seeing the dull purple glow and growled lowly.

"I particularly despise bully's! And fucked up Scientist's who believe they have the right to play God!" he growled as his body shifted slight eyes locked on the male, ears laid back and tail lashing behind him. (*)Damn...can't leave the kid and most definitely can't abandon the soldier!(*) he thought silently his own aura swirling with black and gold, the chaotic colors of Chaos.

"The boy stays. Otherwise I'll drop the last remaining Mech's where they stand!" he said softly, but his voice held a note of truth in its chilly vibrating growl.

Charlotte and several police officers moved down the street towards Ki and the other men, Charlie clearing her throat loudly to grab some attention.

"You guys are going to have to handle whatever this shit is another time." Charlie informed them, "We've got crap to handle here, take this outside of the city if you have to do it. Hell, take it to the slums. Don't do this here."

"Otherwise all of you will be arrested." The part-time Luchador and full-time detective warned, "That's not a request or a suggestion, it's a command."

Zeban paused a moment as he listened to Ki then the approaching police officers and the two marines. "Alright, here is the deal, the kid will stay as much as this pains me, but I suggest you ditch him as soon as you get the chance because my boss will move heaven and earth to find the kid." He said with a sadistic chuckle.

Zeban then turned to the officers, "We don't want to cause any trouble officers. I have some unfortunate news to report though, the SEC Marines supporting the defense have been recalled to the fleet to help with the incident up there." He said pointing to the starry sky, but if a one of your diplomats wishes for further support here your going to have to speak to General Williams I believe he was over in your command post trying to figure out what the hell was going on." He said and then motioned for the two marines to release X279. "Good Day Ladies and gentlemen." He said before disappearing in a puff of purple fog as the two marines jogged off to join the other SEC forces boarding shuttles.

--
As Zeban and the marines left X collapsed to the ground and tears streamed down his face. He wiped them with his sleeve and looked up seeming to say thank you to Ki and to the officers. He would have said it had be been able to communicate properly but after his escape something had been done to him rendering his vocal capabilities inert.

Lindsay Holiday was walking down the hallway surrounded by an entourage of security and other officials when the blast went off. She was immediately thrown to the floor and two security personnel dragged her to a corner. Her commando guard was stunned but began to come to as they armed their weapons waiting for an attack.

"Get the V.I.P. Out of here take her to Point Alpha for extraction. We will deal with what ever comes our way!" The commando's team leader shouted to her body guards.

Lindsay wasn't waiting around and followed her guard to a waiting Knight XV, it roared to life as the doors opened and slammed shut. The squeal of tires could be heard as the armored vehicles was attempting to escape.

"Recovery One, I'm picking up movement in the Complex parking structure. Stay on target and I'll pick you guys up when you need me." Puma said on her radio. The engine of the M12 LRV rumbled to life and the massive rig rumbled off. The EMP rocket was once more armed, this time to disable all eletrical devices as quickly as possible. Turning onto a side street Puma rammed headlong into a fleeing armored truck and all but got stuck on the thing upside down before she fired her EMP round and flipped herself upright while at the same time killing the motor on pretty much every single transport in the lot when firing the EMP. now seen as completely driverless, the indestructible M12 trained her weapons on the Knight XV. Projecting her monotone voice into the rigs speaker system Puma said "Protocol dictates that all personell be acounted for. Do not try to leave."

Carolina smirked behind her helmet, perfect, Puma having fun once again. Best ot leave her to it. She heard weapons racking ahead and made sure her own weapon was ready as she moved through the vast halls of the Center. Her motion senors picked up a group ahead of her seeming to wait in ambush. Without her own AI she was unable to use her suits modifications. So she was going to have to make do. Checking her HUD she picked up the NAV point, sixy three meters away. She was almost there.

Hopefully Randin could take care of the local police.

The commandos got a sensor reading on a single target approaching it was suspicious but then something happened the transceiver with the Armored Vehicle was lost. Ms. Holiday was the primary objective this wasn't really their objective. "Guys go back up the VIP I can handle this person myself. Secure her until additional security arrives." Command lead said through an enclosed comm.

He was thankful he wore his full armor even though in a place like this he looked like a buffoon at least he was prepared. He tossed his primary weapon aside and drew a single plasma pistol and unsheathed a plasma sword. He needed to finished this quickly so he was going to need to go with a less traditional approach.

"Identify yourself and leave now or face deadly force!" He shouted through his audio system.

----
Lindsay felt something hit the vehicle and hit it hard and soon they lost tech. The driver was unconscious and so was two of her bodyguards. Only Nelson was conscious. "Jeezus whoever is doing this is going to pay for ruining my attempt at reopening trade with the Terrans. Though this was merely coincidence Lindsay assumed the worst and felt this attack was targeting her. Inside they could not hear the call. As the emp hit the car went into safety protocols it was locked up from the outside and all audio was cut. They were in dead water in basically a tank. They had about 2 hours of air if they put masks on but there were only two. Lindsay put hers on and made Nelson do the same the others could suffocate for all she cared they had failed at protecting her and she didn't support that. This was something she had been taught by Luke.

After doing a careful system scan Puma located a open port and projected herself, somewhat broken up at that, on a radio screen of some for. She spoke again. "Do not attempt to leave please. Protocol dictates that all personell remain for questioning. Once questioning is completed, you will be cleared to leave as you wish." The nine and a half inch tall blood red backlit hologram had a strange almost perky voice to her form. That and the massive M12 LRV kept its weapons focused on the Knight XV.

Carolina halted. She heard movement and saw all but one on her sensors. Great. The rest were fleeing. In her helmet's private comms she said to Puma. "Whatever you are doing, right now, keep it up. I got this."

"The pareimiter is secured." Puma replied calmly. "Possible suspects kept for questioning at this time. They look business type, not theft type. I do not think they are Resistence or Rebels." Puma informed Carolina. "Orders ?"

"Just keep them busy, I got work to do, I'll call you when I need you." With that Carolina killed the private comm and activated her voice amp. "Stand down soldier! This is Recovery One. You either stand down and let me pass, or else." She kept quiet on the or else because she was not really in the mood to fight, but to get Endless Summer to safety. As she spoke she shifted from her DMR to her Gravity Hammer. Activating her private comms again she said "Command, this is Recovery One. Locate my beacon and black out the area in a one hundred meter radius of my beacon, lights only."

'Copy that Recovery One, blacking out the area as requested. Do you need assisitance ?'

"No Command, I got this" Carolina said. She then gripped her Gravity hammer, and with a careful check of her sensors, hefted the thing on one shoulder. Ready to throw it like an American regulation football. To the unknown soldier "You are delaying a Recovery Operation, you have two seconds to identify yourself and lend aid, or heads roll. Is that understood ?" Stupid simulation soldiers! the lights went dark. Carolina activated her internal helmet nightvision systems. Keeping her suit lights off at the same time as the hallway went completely dark.

The only light came from behind her in the opening in the wall a few meters and around the corner in the hallway.

Before the scene could escalate, however, a battalion of Terran Guardians quickly stormed the perimeter, standing by the commandos and taking aim at Carolina.

"Now, I think YOU'RE the one who needs to identify yourself," one of the soldiers stepped forward, "but down the grav hammer. We have a security breach on this level and you look pretty damn suspicious right now."

---

Randin, meanwhile, still in the passenger seat in Puma's car and still extremely disoriented, was trying to figure out what the fuck was going on.

"Did you just blow a hole through the government center?!" he yelled over the rev of her engine, "and what the hell is this?! Why are we chasing this van?! What is going on?!"

As the lighrs went out Command Lead "Ivan" switched to night vision. "Recover operation? You blasted a fucking hole in the side of a government building! You have attacked my protectee unprevoked now. We are a foregin on a foregin diplomatic trade mission." He said pausing as he was getting a realtime update from the rest of the team.

Visual on VIP vehicle it's got a truck with a gun aimed at it trying to detain Holiday. One of the Commandos stated. They kept back for now keeping to a secluded balcony they would have to wait for back up to arrive which could be anywhere from 8-15 minutes out.

"You will need to release my VIP, the Sullen Enterprise Confederacy does not take kindly to an unprovoked attack, surrender now or you will be met with force." He stated as he waited, he was getting other reports too a ground security team was inbound and an escort ship was on the way but it was going to be a few hours before any arrival.

As the Marines arrived Ivan couldn't help but smile. He lowered his weapon slightly he would leave this to the Terrans as this was their building after all but if Holiday wasn't released this was going to turn ugly really fast.

"Collatoral damage" Carolina replied. "Your VIP was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now move." Carolina said before chucking the Gravity Hammer dead on towards her NAV point on her HUD. The Gravity Hammer blasted through two walls, she had as solid vision then on Endless Summer, or rather, the suit that once housed the AI at least. When the Marines arrived Carolina rolled her eyes. Perfect. Just what she needed, more delays. She reached down to her waist and withdrew a cylender of some form. Flicking the activation key the stave streched out a good meter and a half and sparked. In her other hand she had a M9D Magnum pistol loaded with armor locking paint. In this type of recovery operation she wanted her targets alive for questioning.

To the Marines she spoke as she raised the pistol. "Let me put it this way soldier. This is Freelancer business. I'm only here for Endless Summer. Nothing more, nothing less. That is all you need to know." She racked a locking paint round into the chamber and took aim at one of the marines, "You can either aid, or delay me, your choice Marine." Freelancer, ah crap that was a powerful group for sure! In the meantime however on a Private comm Carolina notified Puma to release the Armored Van.

Puma seemed dishartened, but complied with the order from Carolina to release the VIP armored van, the M12 LRV, with a very dazed Randin in the passenger seat rumbled to life and backed up from the disabled armored car, the EMP/GAUSS system turning away from the disabled armored car. The nine and a half inch tall backlit hologram reappeared next to Randin as he asked his question; "You are to aid us in a Recovery operation of a UNSC ONI SecIII Experimental Weapons Devision AI known as ENDLESS SUMMER." Her voice seemed to echo a bit deeper as she spoke. "Recovery of Endless Summer is priority by any means required." She said to Randin

"With primary entry and exit paths blocked to Agent Carolina of completing her mission, protocol dictates that a path be created for entry and exit as quickly as possible." Puma then turned to Randin and crossed her dark red arms. "I am unable to hack into the local network of the government building proper to contact Endless Summer directly. Your job is to aid us by being a liason between Agent Carolina and the local law enforcement groups here. With how you are acting now shows a 18.7% decrease in productivity." Puma said in a matter of fact tone. Puma sent a notice to Carolina that the VIP was free to go when able.

She smirked then. "I suggest getting to work, because at this moment Agent Carolina is currently delayed in completling her objective by fellow soldiers of yours."

Carolina then nodded, "Your VIP is free to go. All I want, is what is in there" She pointed the taser rod in the direction of where Endless Summer was located. "Now, are you going to let me pass or do I have to fight my way through to finish my mission ?"

The marines tensed, not backing down. "If there's something you WANT you can ask for it and we can see if we can get it for you. But we're not going to give you ANYTHING so long as you've got fucking weapons trained on us. Put'em down, and we'll see what we can do about this freelance organization you represent..."

---

Randin meanwhile, was not making any more progress in understanding why he was here. Even if he COULD help the two of them smooth things over with the WCPD, why should he? How was he to know that these were the good guys? What if they were just in it for their own interest?

He groaned and nestled into his seat.

Ivan listened to the Marines and to Carolina, "Good Choice as for your objective this is a TNG facility so I'd start playing nice with these marines and maybe they will help you." He said. He relaxed considerably but kept a hand on his pistol. This wasn't his op anymore the package was secure.
---------------------
Two more knight XV armored SUV's approached the scene both were clearly Marked as S.E.C. Out of the Armored Cars filed out security forces.They approached Holidays wrecked car but only set up a perimeter. These things were made to secure VIP'S it was very difficult to get one out.

Then from the sky came another vehicle a hovercar luxury class. It landed swiftly and a man in a suit jumped out and walked over to the vehicle. He held a simple key non electronic it was one of a few but it served a purpose they key was special with a specific magnetic signature in moments he had the door open and was helping Holiday out.

"Damion take over the clean up I'm going to have a word with these people." She said as she walked over toward the Puma and up to Randin behind her the security forces and the three commandos trained weapons on the vehicle. "Excuse me sir a word if I may?" She asked her voice was kind her personality different from when she was in the vehicle. She could have ordered an arrest but she decided against it.

"Like I said" Carolina said with a hard edge to her voice, "It was your choice Marine." With that she opened fire. Moving with speed unmatched She fired paralising shots of locking paint as she sung and struck with the taser rod. In moments it was over. The Marines, though stunned, could still breathe, but were unable to move for some time. "I told you, it was your choice Marines, you did it, not me."

She turned towards the lone commando. "Sometimes, I don't play favorites. Other times I do, this was one of those times I do not." With that she stepped through the hole in the wall, picked up her Gravtiy Hammer and then went to the door and all but broke it open. On the other side a figure stood, bathed in soft white light and with data scrolling across his body. No larger then ten inches in hight the strange hologram floated in the air.

Puma put a hand to her forehead, this was going to be a long day. When she heard the voice of the woman however she disappeared from the armrest projection station and then appeared at eye level, her nine and a half inch frame of dark red backlit from behind she spoke, her voice echoing slightly. "Greetings. I am ONI Section III Experimental Weapons Devision AI PUMA. I must apologise for disabliing your transport. Leaving like you were presented a possible theft of important ONI SecIII EWD material that we cannot allow to fall into the wrong hands. Protocolo dictated that I was to disable your transport to ensure further questioning by a Recovery Agent." Randin still seemed out of it. Unfortunate for him, Puma was really just getting started.

Puma then noticed the dust on the woman she was speaking to. "I must apologise again." echoed the AI's voice, "Had I known there were others beyond the wall I'd have waited before opening a pathway for our Agent to complete her mission. With primary and secondary routs blocked, a tertiary route was then established. You were caught in the crossfire. By your exit, it was naturally assumed you were our cuplrit. We see otherwise now."

The marines returned fire, but of course, they had not been anticipating Carolina's inhuman speed, nor were they expecting her advanced weaponry. In a few moments, all of them stood paralyzed, unable to engage Carolina further.

The sound of thudding metal boots resounded down the hall. More were on their way. Carolina would need to make her escape quickly. Now that she'd fired on TNG troopers, there was no stopping them from doing the same.

---

Randin could only hold on to his hat as Puma relentlessly pursued her objective. He still had no idea what was going on, but he supposed he deserved this. He HAD gotten into the strange car with the strange woman, after all. He only hoped they weren't doing anything TOO illegal.