Internal Matters

[Ciata]

"Now why would I betray both sides, where's the profit in that? I also expect my companions here to be compensated for their risk and services as well." Blade gives a toothy grin. "Before we go any further though there is someone else you must meet in my side of the team...he's a little slow getting here."

And indeed he was as they waited. Shiele laid down on the ground and eventually rolled over on his back, his back paws scratching at the dirt wall while his front sat curled up in front of him. All he wore apparently was a darkly colored and rather ragged loin cloth. He laid there, staring at the group with large, night sensitive eyes. His long toothed mouth was bent in a large, upside down, grin.

"I think that one has more than a few bolts loose..." Branx leaned over and whispered to Rell. He nodded and with his nod, Shiele nodded as well, looking at them as if he were agreeing and then wiggling his over sized ears. Blade played it cool, leaning with his arms crossed against the door frame, observing the group.

Finally he stood up, stepping aside from the door to let in a very slow moving, slumped over creature. Standing there it also had a rather bizarre anatomy. Slumping over it's arms, nearly touched the floor, being longer than it's legs. It's overall body shape was almost normal, but slightly rounded. It was covered in a shaggy, almost bush like cloak that blurred it's frame even more. One arm remained at the sling of a very long, extremely long, covered bundle that stretched from nearly the floor backwards at a 45 degree angle some ten plus feet. The other arm hung down almost limp at the other side, and three elongated claws emerged from the blurred and grassy cloak.

"A sloth sniper?" Hon remarked, almost puzzled.

The figure looks with a little smile up from the slouch and shows his face, rather flat, large black nose, white around the top of the face and large black streaks heading away from the eyes and gray elsewhere. "I'm called Raufoss."

"Raufoss?" Hon remarked. "Like from the ammunition?"

The sloth nods slowly and replies just as slowly, though with a keen interest in his craft. "I use paw made Raufoss Mk211 grade and higher ammunition. I prefer to make my own so I can judge and alter the amount of incendiary and explosion compounds for different uses. Special ones for round for engaging helicopters, aircraft, light armored vehicles, as well as unarmored vehicles, and special ones for igniting jet fuel and taking out personnel."

"Yeaaah...most countries ban it for use on personnel...and that monster?" He motions with a paw to the massive load slung over his shoulder.

"This is Grendel...I built her off the M82-A2 design only with a larger gas expulsion chamber, twin sided cartridge holder to allow switching from two types of ammunition, an over doubled the barrel length and..."

"Okaaaaay Rau...that's enough." Blade interupts him, rolling his eyes. "He'd keep you here all night with this stuff. Shall we now?" He motions towards the door, other paw on the hilt of his katana.

[The Union of Tinis]

It was soon agree that all three would be compensated well for their services shortly before they headed out.

----

"I thought it was supposed to be A ally," muttered Corporal Rin to herself quietly as the group approached. "I hope they brought their own rations."

Blade walked up to the Octagon with a smile. "So this is what you Tinisians are driving these days. Looks... overly complicated."

"It is," said Die flatly.

"But it drives wonderfully," responded Daktown, who was coming back from answering a call of nature. "So Captain, these the friendlies?"

"That is correct Lieutenant. You are to treat them with respect, agree?" The Captain was half looking at Die at this point.

"Agreed," responded Daktown with a cheesy grin. "So who are you anyway?"

The introductions were briefer than they had been in town. They were ended with Blade asking, "So, this thing looks pretty big. It have the fire power to make its obnoxious size worth it? I mean its like a city bus and a half in total volume."

"It should do the job. We only did a few tests firings before we headed out just to get a feel for her," answered Captain Rell. "In an all out battle she is expected to fair fairly well. And if the intelligence goons are right, if it went all out it could level that factory complex. Of course, there's the whole problem of people disappearing inside and the mysterious supply convoys to investigate and the fact that the intelligence goons are usually better when they have an idea of what is actually going on inside a building as opposed to making educated guesses. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. But I'm not willing to risk going over there guns blazing just yet."

"Wise decision," remarked Raufoss.

"Well?" asked Blade. "Why this thing specifically? Why not three tanks or some such. I know you Tinisians have them hovering across the boarder. Those funny named Scooners or some such. Only Tinisians would name a tank after a cartoon character that was never seen outside their boarders."

Branx took this one up, "Two reasons I'm guessing. To give it a field test first off with actual combat likely. And second because its what our unit is based around."

"So you not normal Tinisians?" said Shiele from a pair of sun glasses loaned by Mot. They were not positioned properly as Shiele had taken them off and put them back on several times, while occasionally gnawing on them in the interim. Also sticking the them into his ears wasn't working real well for keeping them fixed in place despite the exaggerated loops to swing around most ears.

"Not really," said Daktown who was climbing the tank. "Specialists really."

"That's correct," said Rell flatly. "Alright, lets get moving everyone. You three I guess you can take up positions in the APC section with me."

The guests were soon situated snugly in the APC along with the heavy weapons, ground pounder, and sniper teams, three furs each.

"The goal thus far," said Rell as the Octagon began to move. "Is to move up to the area of interest from the east. To our knowledge that area is sparsely populated for many miles and thus they might not be expecting anyone from there and would not likely be sending out their raiding parties that way, so random encounters would hopefully be unlikely. At which point I'd like to get some of us closer for more recon. This plan sound out with you Blade?"

[Ciata]

"Yeah, there's just one thing we have to do before we head in, though it's not my idea in truth...SHIELE! Stop that!" The bat had been smearing his face against the small port window of the large chopper, slobbering all over the smooth glass with his long tongue and blowing on it. After the peeved wolf yelled at him, his face fell, still pressed against the glass, and plied it off there, moping away from it before getting wide eyed staring at the other things inside the large vehicle, and promptly climbed up the side to examine the ones hanging from the ceiling, upside down.
Blade shakes his head. "Took me almost two months to house break him after I found him, what you get for hanging upside down all the time. Anyway, we need to go back to the village I just came from, there's someone there, the official from the Ciatan government. He's a bleeding heart, and stayed there to heal the wounded and care for the sick..." He rolls his dark eyes. "It's not far from here and on the way, I organized the males of the village there to ambush the raiding party I knew was coming."
He points out the village on the map of the area.

Just then Raufoss called out for Blade in his slow, low, almost bored tone. "Sir? Where will I be setting up in?" He sat there, his massive rifle, Grendel sitting on his lap and a small metal can of paint in each paw and a bag of various colored and textured materials.
"Desert Rau, normal sand." Blade answers before getting back to discussing the area.

Raufoss nods slowly and sets down one of the cans of paint and takes a small, worn wooden pipe out of his front pocket, he sticks it in his mouth and leans his head down, reaching into his other pocket and taking a pinch of some herb type substance, and pinches it into his pipe. He finishes by slowly taking a match and striking it on the side of the hull, lights his pipe and begins to puff away slowly. He takes out a sandy colored, ragged looking outfit and checks it over for rips or tears. Satisfied with that he takes out a brush and carefully begins to paint the barrel, body and tripod of Grendel with scar covered paws, all of his three fingers on each paw covered in small slicing scars.

The sniper teams of course were interested in this freak of weaponry and after some talk amongst themselves about him and it, a couple approached him. "Hey, what kind of gun is that?"
Raufoss keeps on painting, totally intent on his tedious work. "Her name is Grendel, I made her. She's one of a kind."
They nod in a, well duh, fashion. "Don't you think it's rather big?"
"Perhaps...for you." He blows on a spot of wet paint to help it dry.
They take some offense at that of course. "How are you support to get that thing around with all of the gear? The gun alone must weigh 30 or 35 pounds."
"38 pounds 3 ounces empty. 46 pounds 11 ounces with a full clip of standard ammo and scope." Raufoss recites effortlessly.
"Yeah, that's a bit much...what does it use?"
"Raufoss Mk 211 .50 cal rounds, I make them myself." He continues on.
"Well yeah, you certainly can't buy them here, and they are outlawed in Tinis, something about people exploding when you hit them with it."
Raufoss just shrugs. "They're going to die anyway."

"Hey, why do you smoke while messing with paint and ammo?" One points at his pipe that he was slowly chugging away on.
"It's to count and think."
"About what?"
"Everyone I've killed." He takes the pipe out of his mouth and stops painting. "See each of these marks?" Talking about the carefully etched lines that covered nearly two-thirds of the small wooden pipe, numbering between 50 and 75.
"Yeah, each one for a person you sniped?"
He shakes his head and puts it back in his mouth, speaking slowly around it. "Nope. One for each squad of ten."
The two have no further questions and return to their group.

[The Union of Tinis]

Most of the Octagon could hear most of the conversation through the shutters between sections. Branx was all that interested though, out side of where they were going. She pulled out a paper back book and began flipping through the pages. It was unlikely the settlement would have an entry but it was worth a try. After a few minutes of searching she gave up trying to find even a blurb about the town even existing. It might of been in a thicker Intel Compilation but in the battlefield version there was only a dot on the fold out map.

Great, she thought to herself, another town we know nothing about.

The Octagon maneuvered a slightly deviated course. As they got closer and closer to the area of hostile activity they would have to be extra careful not to be spotted. And being spotted included anyone stumbling across their tracks. So extra caution was taken several times when crossing more well traveled paths to move across quickly then a group of three would run back and disturb the track as best they could. If locals noticed the odd disturbances it was hoped they would think they were caused by the hostiles. If the hostiles found them, the tracks would be obscured enough that they might think it was their comrades or groups of Ciatans attempting to flee in secret.

It was a few hours later when they neared the settlement. The afternoon sun was just starting its course towards the horizon. Rell, as well as others for sure, was slightly relieved to be there as it meant having a little more leg room as a few of them would be leaving the compartment. Corporal Toume was actually quite thankful Shiele had taken up hanging from the roof for most of the trip as it meant he wasn't squeezed so tightly in the back corner.

"We're here," announced Okmint. "Orders sir?"

Rell answered. "Park over that way. We're much closer to the enemy now. Look outs set up a perimeter and June take off with the copter. I'm hoping you can see that hill over there, the one with the funny shaped rocks near the top. Swing around that way. When we were in the last town one could hear you, but only if one was paying close attention. Keep that in mind when you plot your course this time. Because there may be several some ones paying close attention this time."

Rell turned to Blade. "I suspect you have preferred tactics here. This time I'll be staying here to coordinate should anything go down. Naturally its unwise to reveal the presence of our equipment here. Here's some radios for each of you," Rell offered Blade a trio of small transmitter receivers. "Quality scrambling. Would take a first world ecm crew to figure out anything was being sent at al. Now Branx, Motren, and Die will be going with you disguised of course.

"However, I would like to know a little bit more about what you plan on doing before you head out. Can be risking soldiers for something foolish. Is this official important to the mission or is this a social call?"

[Ciata]

"Oh don't get your turban in a wad." Blade replied, referring to the desert head garb that Rell wore. "There shouldn't be any problem at the village, not yet at least." Blade stashes the radio inside his tattered cloak/robe.

"Here's a few things I jotted down from memory after I left the base about overall layout and mess. It's very organized and all that, not your typical mercenary fare. We, of course, were just hired guns among others. I'm not sure who exactly the sponsors were or what they were doing, I never could get into the central research structure, they have their own people guarding that place."



Clockwise the medical building, storage, com shack, command, mess, armory and barracks with the large research building in the center. The vehicles are parked in a separate facility, they just back vans in the front gate for supplies and unloading...prisoners. There are 9 guard towers with a fifty-cal and 5 troops in each, plus two more inside the main gate. Largely overlapping fields of fire, but there are support beams that leave a small safe zone of sorts from the fifty-cal fire, as they are stationary. There are two troops with scoped assault rifles however, so it's not like you could just walk up there."



"Logical spot to start is here, the complex for the vehicles. Blow it up with your tank thing, burn it, bomb it, whatever, they can't get out that way and there are just two guard shacks and the buildings blocks the view from the main facility. The garage is a thin affair, chain link and sheet metal. It's just the jeeps, vans, trucks, and buggies inside."

"What little we know about the inside of the research facility is just that it's like a giant concrete, steel bunker with large underground works. How large, I don't know, what they do there, I don't know, but there is lead plating there..." Blade gives Rell a cold, serious look.
"The one thing we do know in specifics is the main door. It's like a huge old vault, there isn't even a way to open it from the outside and the hinges and mess are inside of course. They also keep is in constant lock down, only open it every few days and that's at random."



"Well you have fun with all that, I'm going to go pick up our baggage. He's some official, unofficial representative of the emperor or something, a "national treasure" bleeding heart. He's suppost to be their best and brightest though, I hear he even worked with the Raja Borah back in their day, received a Shuey Baw education and training, not a monk because he isn't Ciatan."

Blade gets up and readies to go, which for him is stretching and calling down Shiele. With looks from Branx and the others going with him he answered their un-asked question.
"Well you know he wouldn't stay here, he's like some sick, sad, lost puppy."
As if to prove his leader's point Shiele clambered down in gravity defying fashion, crawling along with wall and ceiling, and coming to Blade's feet, crouching with his long tongue draping from his open mouth, staring blissfully happy with some bizarre, almost un-natural form of innocent loyalty, true to word like a loyal pet dog. Blade rolls his eyes and exits the vehicle and begins the very, very un-eventful walk back to the village.
Shiele sent the trip scampering, stop and go, low to the ground, half the time crawling, trying to go from shadow to shadow panting. His dark black and brown fur and leathery skin sweltering in the desert sun.

The question came up, as it always did, of how Blade came upon such an odd creature and Blade told the story in a rather bored tone.
"I was in a village one day, doing my thing, some re-con and mess, paw work, when I feel a tug at my pants leg. I look down and see this utterly thoughtless looking, bizarre adolescent creature staring up at me. Before I could kick him off me like I would with any other creature hanging onto me leg, begging for a handout, I realized that I hadn't heard or sensed him approaching, despite being alert and on a re-con mission. So I decided to give it a try keeping him in my group, intending to just throw him in with the rest of the odd-balls, but Saber took him in personally and that was the end of that...that was about 5 years ago and I haven't gotten him off my pants legs since, though Saber loves him to death as he's like an eternal child mentally and fairly self reliant."

As they near the village, Blade stops for a precautionary look to scope out the place. As he instructed, they were nearly done with moving out the vehicles from town to over behind a nearby sand dune where the weather would soon cover them. Not seeing anything out of place, besides the damage done in the earlier battle, Blade quickly pressed on to the town, almost as eager as Shiele to get out of the sun.

Once the group entered the town it took about 4 seconds for them to get noticed, and 3 to figure out who the representative was.
Branx recognized the nobly dressed and composed white equine who was acting like some sort of forefur in the repair and removal.
"Chief Scholar, Doctor Hon Soon Sing, the brilliant doctor, philosopher, master, and public figure of..."
Blade interrupts her, "Thaaats enough, his ego doesn't need any more of that."

The group made their way to the white horse who was dressed in a fine, light blue, high quality, traditional Ciatan garb, robe like going from top to hoof with just three buttons on the right shoulder keeping it folded over and splits on either side of the legs revealing white pants when he walked and slipper like shoes covering his hoofs, white with blue swirls, as has long been the fashion among masters.

After gathering a bit of a crowd in the walk to him, the group of five stop in front of Doctor Hon. There was almost a moment of nervous silence between Blade and Hon, but Shiele broke that by quickly scurrying up to Hon's hoofs, sitting there, mouth open, still panting, though waiting happily for something. Hon gives a honest, friendly smile and a little laugh, and reaches inside his garment and pulls out a date fruit, tossing it to Shiele's open mouth. The crowd laughs at this and breaks the tension between the groups.

Hon greets them with the traditional, in his case paw and hoof greeting. "Master Blade, it's good of you to return so quickly, and with friends I see."
Blade crosses his arms and shifts his weight to his right leg, then left. "Yeah, it's time go so get your things together." He was, in all honesty, a bit peeved at Hon and Shiele's reaction to him again.
Shiele had removed himself from between the two, having gotten his treat, and went scurrying over to the well, looking down it for a moment before scaring more than a few people by jumping onto the rope and quickly sliding down into the dark wetness that he preferred over the bright heat with a squeal, hitting to the bottom with a splash.

"Yeaaah...we'll head back as soon as we fish him out there."

[Ciata]

Three undercover Tinisian special ops troops, a ruthless mercenary, a noble doctor, and a soaking wet bat made their way back across the desert, using the sun and a antique looking compass as a directional guide. The group swayed in their paths to try to avoid Shiele from getting too close, as he had a habit of either shaking early on, or rubbing against you to get dry. Despite being fully grown physically, mentally he seemed stuck at kindergarten level, or lower at times. He walked hunched over some, or ran on all fours in bursts in front of the group to look around or over sand dunes, which he would occasionally jump off of with a start, trying to glide down some with his relatively small wings.

The group made their way back with no problems to the partially concealed mechanical monstrosity. Doctor Hon as he preferred, or Chief Scholar Hon as most of the Tinisian group referred to him as to enforce his station, or Singy as Blade referred to him, ignoring all titles, respect, and protocol, shook his head grimly at the sight of the huge machine of destruction. Rell and most of the group not occupied with some duty, grouped in fairly informal fashion to greet or see the newcomer of some reputation, as Branx had radioed ahead several time to inform of progress.
Aided by natural distinction and genetic characteristics Doctor Hon made a noble figure, white flowing mane and tail and garb from a different time and culture, as well as the impeccable posture and way he carried himself as one of noble station, though he didn't seem to flaunt it with his dress as it was plain and hinted of humility and service to the people.
From what Rell read up on him, he would be the Nobel prize winner if the country had one, and also had extensive back ground in advanced, Shuey Baw sciences which aided the construction of the Heaven Stones, though it was hard to equate in his mind the advanced technologies even some of his nation craved for with the figure that would fit in more a thousand years ago than a hundred years in the future, before him. On paper and from what he knew, he could be of some great use in whatever bio-weapons and matters of genetic engineering they might encounter.

Rell straightened up as Doctor Hon approached, and stood there as he was greeted with the traditional Ciatan greeting and short bow.
"Sir, I am Doctor Hon Soon Sing, Chief Scholar and representative of the High Emperor Stormwake to this matter. I have been given full powers of discernment and acton over the happenings that shall take place by the Emperor and hope to aid and guide you however possible.

Rell, not exactly sure how to greet him, fumbled a bit, trying to decide between a traditional salute, his greeting, or a bow, and settled for a little bow to be safe because it was hard to mess that up or go wrong.
"I'm Captain Rell of the Tinisian Armed Forces and leader of the Tinisian forces on this operation. I hope we can successfully do whatever needs to be done in a fashion acceptable to you and your government."

[The Union of Tinis]

"Capacitors charged?" "Check." "Fuel?" "Eighty eight percent." "Personnel status." "Ready to rock tank commander."

-----

From the garage, it first looked liked a small fire ball had appeared on the dusk covered horizon. It grew and spread out quickly. Then it slammed into the chain link fence and guard towers, but most of the blazing hot plasma kept up its momentum and slammed against the south side building.

Panic and alerts went up moments before the first shell struck the western guard tower. The defenders in the right guard tower spun their guns on the lone tank moving in on the complex and opened fire.

The occupants could feel the impact of the bullets striking armor and their ears rang as one of the bullets penetrated deep enough to ricochet of an internal structure. The next shell was ready and Branx ordered the shot. The second tower of the vehicle garage wasn't hit as well as the first, and a few more shots managed to strike the tank before it collapsed in a mass of burning debris.

The tank accelerated quickly and fired off a few more shots at the garage. Gun fire erupted from the side of the garage. Small arms. Branx ordered the turret turned and another shell was flung.

The tanks slowed as it neared the fence but didn't stop, mowing it over easily. The machine gun pods on either sided opened up proceeded to riddle the garage with bullets. The intent was to exterminate anything that might be hiding inside. The front of the building was still ablaze with the now liquified plasma bolt fuel. The one door that was open showed easily a burning jeep. Smoke billowed up from the fires.

One of the guard towers on the far side of the building got a clue and began opening up on the garage. Their bullets ripped through the metal sheeting, and a few even struck the tank, but to no real effect.

Of course the Octagon is more than just the tank.

Rising up above the rising smoke the helicopter appeared. Its goal wasn't to engage the towers directly, at least not yet. Missiles fired and moments later the two cylinders of death struck the roof of the communications building, destroying, at the very least, the primary antenna. The next two struck the armory. Though with more missiles still in stock, the helicopter retreated behind the smoke once more. Two of the guard towers fired up into the smoke.

Branx heard over the radio some one yell.

"Report!" yelled Rell over the radio.

"Denfus got hit. We're still good to go. He's probably dead."

The tanks continued its spray of bullets into the garages. From the right guard garage guard tower emerged a highly burned reptile.

"Branx, you got Ivnere at four o' clock," Rell informed over the radio.

The machine gun Branx was using turned towards the reptile. Branx spotted he had some sort of large weapon, and she fired. The furless form dropped the weapon and collapsed.

Behind the tank the APC moved up. Inside Rell was almost done with the calculation. The tank hadn't moved in almost forty five seconds. Then over the radio Rell's voice said a string of numbers. Branx gave the go ahead and the main turret of the tank rotated to those exact numbers.

Rarely are real lasers visible to any by those being struck by them. But if there is sufficient particulate in the air they can become very visible as was the case here. The beam from the tank burned through the back wall of the garage and on towards the closest guard tower. The beam didn't strike the gun proper but hit the ammo catch to the right of the gunner, causing it to explode.

A three figures appeared from the wreckage on the left side of the garages. One hoisted a rocket launcher upon his shoulder and began to aim at the tank turret.

[Ciata]

Shiele had spent the time, excitedly hanging upside down donning a pair of orange tinted goggles to protect his sensitive eyes, clinging on the hinges and tubes on the ceiling at various port holes and viewpoints of the tank. He had wanted badly to go in the helicopter, but Blade forbid it, knowing full well how vulnerable they were in close combat, and ended up being right. Smiling at the sight of flames, burning downward in his flipped vision, like a 8 year old looking at a Christmas tree, showed his seeming lack of abstract concepts like death.

His excited big eyes flashing around caught something though, staring out of the port at one of the machine gun pods.
"Gugu...guguugu!" He began to hop down and up, pointing out the thin port window.
Blade, leaning over one of the pilot chairs, watching the action in front leans his head back, angrily hissing at him. "Shiele, knock it off! You can't go outside."
"Gu gugu gugu!" He begins to franticly wave, getting no attention with his fairly normal antics from the concentrating crew, Branx trying to swat him away from above her.
Frustrated and flabbergasted, Shiele screamed "Gun!" and dropped head first into Branx's lap, knocking her paws away from the machine gun controls and grabbing them himself with his eager little fingers. Though upside down he had no problem tilting and moving the large gun, squeezing the trigger, releasing a spray of flames and bullets spraying all over the place, sadly none of them remotely close to the threat he saw. He didn't need to after all though, as three rounds tore through them from another angle, striking for body mass, though two of them fairly exploded as they were hit, the other fell clutching the gaping hole drilled through him, dying within second. The rocket they had been trying to aim through the smoke for the sweet spot between the turret and the main body, instead going a few feet wild, trailing across the front of the tank, causing the whole command crew to jump backwards with assorted exclamations.

"What the hell was that!?" Rell screamed.

"Gaah! Bat butt!" Branx screamed, shoving Shiele off of her, his rear had come to stop in the fall nearly in front of her face, Shiele crumpling up against the metal wall, he sat there, feet on the wall, back on the floor, clapping with both his front and back paws laughing.

"What?!" Half the crew replied almost in unison.

"Uuuuuh...the little freak almost ruined my shot." Branx replied, trying to cover her tail now.

"Would you get that thing on a leash or something?" Rell snapped at Blade, who took offense at that, but wasn't about to start an argument now.
"Shiele! Go sit with Sing, now!"
The little bat flipped over right side up and slunked his way over to the back of the tank, sitting on the ground on his haunches looking at Song confused and a little depressed he couldn't watch anymore or play around.
Dr. Hon patted his shoulder, and then his head, trying to comfort him, though he himself was out of his comfort zone in the mechanical machine of rolling death.

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

Meanwhile some 600 yards away there was a slight movement in a clump of dry brush between some rocks.
Raufoss shook his head slightly after scoring his triple kill. "Damn Tinisian gunners shoot like they're drunk and half blind."
He finishes and leans back into the scope, trying to make his kills to where they could be confused with that from the tank to keep from giving away his position.

[The Union of Tinis]

Ok, what next, thought Branx as she tried to regain her composure from having Shiele's rear in her face. Oh yeah, the last group's turn.

To the east came gun fire. And a rocket. The rocket struck off target near one of the towers, but the desired effect occurred. The guns in the east towers quickly turned and began to fire towards the hidden attackers, fearing another force was moving in. There was another force but they had no interest in moving in at this time, instead sliding back into their shallow fox hole as bullets began to strike near their location. The three soldiers laughed at their successful distraction.

At the same time the helicopter rose up from its smoke screened hover and spun to the west of the garage's smoke tower to fire off a few more rockets.

"Looks like someone got a clue that there's a tank here," came a voice from the helicopter. "A bunch of them are trying to get into the bunker it looks like. Towers four and three struck, four looks about to topple."

"Branx, move the tank into the east safe zone and commence firing on the remaining towers," ordered Rell over the radio. "Omke group," the name of the trio who had fired the rocket, "good work and sit tight."

The Tank drove up and into the garage near where Blade had indicated a safe zone might be had from the 50 cals. The sheet metal on the back fell over easily as the mass of the tank moved into it. Partially clear of the garage, the tank began to shell the towers.

Rell didn't want to deploy the rest of the ground pounders yet. No need to until they were in the perimeter wall. At least that was the plan.

But plans don't always work out. Emerging through the hole in the wall made by the fall of the southern most tower appeared another trio with heavier weapons. The trio were dead by a hail of bullets from the tank's machine guns but as they fell a rocket was fired off and struck near the tank. The tank survived, but the roof support did not and part of the garage collapsed upon the tank.

"Report!" radioed Rell.

"Our back half is covered in debris," reported Branx. "No breaches into the cabin. Shiele is freaked and the turret is stuck. But we got the nearest tower. Should be safe to move into the perimeter from this side."

"Cover us as we go in. If you can pull free of the rubble do so but do not exit the tank until I give the all clear."

Rell ordered the APC driver to drive around the garage. A few shots from the eastern most tower struck the side of the APC. Rell's eyes grew big as he felt the rush of air pass his nose as one of the bullets penetrated.

The APC pulled up behind the wall and the doors opened. Six furs with automatic weapons, clad in high quality body armor, and sporting an air of discipline moved out and the APC closed again. They broke into two groups of three, each checking out the ruins of the towers at either end of the wall section. The easterly group fired a few shots. The westerly group used a mirror to peak through the breach where the southern tower used to stand. A few hand signals later Rell gave the order for the group of six to stand ready at the breach while two more furs exited the APC to help clear off the tank which was having trouble pulling free.

"We have a few minutes folks. Get that tank cleared off," Rell's order came through.

[Ciata]

"Always a hitch in the plan, but at least now they won't be going anywhere. Even my troops couldn't make it out of this sandbox on paw."

Blade sits down at one of the bench seats behind the main cockpit area of the massive vehicle, crossing his arms.

"Your troops?" Rell inquired, not too certain about this development.

"Of course, I thought you knew, almost all of the mercenaries working in the facility are from my group, including the raiding party we took out at that village a few days ago." Blade states matter of factly and shrugs and closes his eyes.

"You'd kill your own furs? The ones who served under you and you led into battle?" Rell sounded a bit repulsed by the actions of a fellow troop leader.

"They didn't so much serve me as much as they served for the money, we are mercenaries after all. Me, my mate, Shiele, Raufoss and a couple others weren't happy with the ways things were going here, what they were doing, we knew it would bring down all manner of trouble on us, so we cut and made another deal." Blade continues with his casual act.

"So you have no loyalties then, not even to your own troops or employers?" Rell's tone rose and he took a step towards Blade.

"Oh I have loyalties, I'm loyal to my family and what's best for them. Those beasts in that fort now, they would betray me at the first chance if it were to profit them, no doubt about it. They were only in it for the money and would turn on me if they didn't have it. The ones that stick with me and have more of an interest, that's the family." Blade halted him with a stare.

"A family? I don't get it."

"Of course not, your army, you got stuck with the ones you have, no choice, everyone in my closest group with me, I chose them and they are loyal to me and each other for personal reasons, not official. Shiele was an orphan I found and Saber took to, Raufoss and I owe our lives to each other many times over, Kuzzo is my equal or better with a sword, I grew up with Nob and Saber is my mate and...we've been together like that for about a decade with this little group, seldom ever do we split up like this. Honestly if they would let us we might be able to do this on our own with as much knowledge as we have of this place, but that's just getting in the gate, we have no idea what comes after that. You're here to make it easier for us, so no more screw ups like this one, we haven't made it this long as a family to end like this."

By this time the back was nearly uncovered all the way and the teams were beginning to return. Rell didn't break his stare, still not happy with how easily the external loyalties, which included him, were broken by this mercenary. He didn't have time to think about that now though.
"I'm watching you, and all your group, you or that bat try anything like he did earlier and I won't hesitate to lock you away or deal with you if you threaten the safety of any of my troops."

With an extended claw towards Blade he finishes and returns to the command crew shaking his head and whispers.

"There's more to this and him than it seems."

[The Union of Tinis]

The tank was free again and everyone back in their respective vehicles, with the exception of a few notable exceptions. The compound had gotten very quiet while they were rushing to pull the collapsed building from atop the tank. The main concern wasn't one of damage but of mobility. The last thing they needed was a large section of the wreckage attaching itself to the battle formed vehicle.

"All ready," said Branx over the radio to Rell.

"Commence second stage," answered Rell.

There were several tactical situations that were likely, three of which seemed likely from what they could spy of the insides of the compound from this vantage. The first was that the defenders were taking up positions in the buildings around the central one waiting for ground troops to move in. The second was that someone was hurriedly trying to adjust a mount for one or several of the .50s. The final likely possibility was that they had booby trapped the out buildings and were taking up refuge in the main building.

In either case, not safe for soldiers on the ground in the thick of it. At least not a first.

Branx, taking the order, nodded to the tank driver. The tank accelerated past the APC section of the Octagon which had been parked next to the compound wall earlier, and right through the wall. The wall fell over satisfyingly, not able to withstand the might of the tank's momentum.

Immediately gun fire erupted, some of it dangerous. The turret of the tanks spun around as it release a stream of plasma. The walls of the outer buildings were, at least for a short time, engulfed in flames and heating up very quickly. The main gun changed modes while the machine guns fired back at those still putting up a fight.

A high impact round struck the tank from one of the remaining guard towers. Branx cursed and radioed for help. Thankfully the helicopter was already back in the air. It was hard to hear it over the noise of the tank at this range, which gave them the time they needed to fire off their remaining rockets towards the standing towers. The helicopter then began firing machine guns at the armory building.

The tank lurched forward again, driving straight towards the command quarters. At a much lower speed than they hit the wall, the tank buckled the prefabricated walls before pulling back. Part of that side of the building collapsed a few moments later.

"Go, go, go!" yelled Rell's voice.

Mortar fire from the heavy weapons crew, which had moved up behind the garage, landed ten seconds later on the far side of the compound. A three fur team exited the APC and moved towards the command quarters. Some small arms fire later they came out and moved onto the mess hall and began their sweep. All the while Branx and the tank crew kept an eye on them, occasionally assisting in cover fire.

"Those three, aren't bad," mentioned Blade a short time later as they made it around to the last building. "Could still be better though."

Rell wasn't interested in paying attention to him at this point, even though he had a gut feeling he should. The three came back to the APC and were joined by the rest of the ground pounders to complete a more through search, minus one of the three whom had been shot. He was able to walk and his body armor had taken most of the blow, but he was still bleeding. Rell had one of the Tinisian snipers stay back and assist the wounded.

Branx pulled the tank back out the hole in the wall and had them round the compound, primarily to check to see if anyone had hid outside the walls. No one had, so it was assumed that whom ever hadn't stood and fought was likely inside the main building. The tank turned back and rammed the front gate.

A few more minutes passed before all were assembled at the front of the gate. The barrel of the tank was pointed towards the door.

Branx began the entry sequence by reading off a card into the external speakers. Her Ciatan was highly accented but it came through. She also repeated it in Lemur, Shimadan, and Tinisian, all which had been phonetically spelled out on the card. "Open up and surrender immediately and no further harm will come to you or your compatriots. We demand your immediate surrender."

There was no response.

From the APC which was now behind the tank, Rell radioed to Branx, "Could be hard to hear in there. Alright, I think its time to open up this can. Branx would you mind knocking a little harder this time?"

The tank's laser shone approximately where they estimated the wheel mechanism to be on the inside, and began to slowly melt away the metal.

Rell turned to Blade. "Sure you don't have any insight on what's past the door? I'll be really upset if there's a howitzer."

[Ciata]

Blade was chuckling, standing there watching the proceedings, but he had begun his odd laugh before the question was even asked.

"Like I said, none of my men have ever been able to get in there...think about that for a second." He stood there, watching Rell work over what he had hinted at, smiling.

"Wait, they knew they would never be let in...how many were in your unit?" He demanded.

Blade just clapped slowly and softly. "Goood, I'd have said nothing, not one for total extermination even of former allies, but I know they'd rush us as soon as we got outside the tanks doors. They built underground bunkers beneath the barracks and command quarters. I wouldn't worry about the ones in the command center, they aren't likely to try anything, but they do have radios set up in there and the guard towers as well as the other bunker. Now unless you've managed to off all 45 supposed to be in the guard towers, I'd wager that one of them is watching your moves and informing the rest as when to strike."

"Damn! Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Rell was none too pleased at this other bit of information being held, not exactly adding to his idea of this mercenary.

"I wanted to see what you'd do. It's one of my tactics and I can only get better if I see how they can be done in and when they will work." He stood there, rather pleased with himself.

"Well now what? What's your plan for defeating your little strategy?"

"Lemme see..." Blade walks over to the radio and begins switching channels. "Shiele, what day is it?" He asked, trying to find out the daily code they were supposed to be on.

Shiele scrambles up to the front again, happy as usual. "Today." He responded, met with either chuckles or groans.

"Gah...there it is." He stops upon a channel to hear. First voice "Where are they now?" Second "Still working on the front door, melting it, looks like they'll have a few minutes to go still." Third "What type of heavy weapons do you have?" First "We didn't have time to get and ant-armor, but we had a couple grenade launchers and have those." Third "Excellent, when they open their doors the two with those head out and fire them through the window into the door of that thing when they open it, then the rest rush in and finish them off."

Blade just nodded with a "pretty good" look on his face, Rell was still mad over it, though slightly relieved. "Blast, that would've taken out most of us from the blasts or the shrapnel in here. Now what?"

Blade just grins and takes the radio mike. "Hey guys, decent plan." Voice 1 "Oh s*&t!" Voice 2 "Oh f#$k!" Voice 3 "Oh damn!"

Shiele makes a "tisk tisk" motion with his paw, shaking his head and pulls out his tongue, all 10 inches of it, and makes like he's scrubbing it."

"You guys have three options. Go ahead and try your plan, and we'll blast you. You can hide in there and not do anything and we can roll over the building, trapping you there. Or you can leave the guns there and come out and surrender. Now which one's more profitable?"

They say back, "There is no profit in surrender or death."

"Oh shut up, I taught you that so you wouldn't run in a battle, there's no running here." Blade tries to work them over but gets no further response, as they switched their channel.

"Why do they always have to do it the hard way? I'll take care of this, you keep melting away. Shiele, who was that on the second radio? The one in the tower?" Blade turns around to Shiele, sitting behind him. "Nessipoop." "Ok, so Nessien was in toweeeeerr...8. You have a present you could go give him?" "He bad?" Shiele asked, pulling out his satchel bag he carried around usually, filled with who-knows-whats. "Yep, very bad." Shiele digs through his bag and pulls out a Tinisian grenade, likely borrowed from someone's assault vest. "Good, that'll do fine, just remember, hide and pull the pin first, then count your fingers on one paw, that's 5, and then give it to him." "K." "We'll be right back."

The crew watches as Blade strolls over calmly to the garage, getting out the door opposite to the watcher, as well as Shiele who quickly scrambled around the research facility, crawling along the ground flat like a squirrel climbing down a tree, finally spotting him on the other side a minute later on top of remains of the armory and leaping, scrambling onto the damaged wall, looking around, then as Blade re-appeared from the storage building with a large can of diesel, slunked up to beside the 8th guard tower which was behind the barracks, evidently pulled the pin because he was counting his toes, then popped up, dropped it in the damaged tower, and jumped/glided down on top of the barracks, and then glided down to the ground, beside Blade, the grenade going off as a camouflaged fur was trying to jump out of the tower before he landed. Blade strolled over to the barracks, looking in a window first, walked in, kicked over some metal bunk beds on top of something which he then cut a hole in with his katana, began to pour in diesel fuel despite the screams of the furs inside and pushing against the blocked trap door and began to walk away. About the time he got to the tank a gunshot rang out almost at the same instant as compressed explosion from the building, it beginning to burn.

Climbing back in with Shiele, who had enjoyed all the fireworks, Blade said "Idiots, they never learn, just keep killing themselves. I'm sure the guards on the other side of this won't be as stupid however, so I'd have so machine gun mounts on the door to be sure, flash grenades, whatever."

[The Union of Tinis]

Rell was a little miffed. Should of done a frequency scan from the get go. The battle had made him a little rattled but the enlightenment Blade brought reminded Rell to get back into the frame of mind that years of training had done its best to enforce. This turned Rell's mind to a check list while Shiele had fun with explosives and Blade set things ablaze.

First, communications. Rell listened for squawks as the octagons com system cycled through all the reachable frequencies. Rell stopped on what appeared to be a long wave broadcast in Shimandies for a moment. A news bulletin, likely broadcast from near the Ciatan boarder. Another squawk was some Tinisian military communications. Basic stuff, nothing sensitive. A few blips later and there was the yells of locals under the burning building crying for help.

"We can't move. They're right on top of us. Deal!"

Rell grinned. "Branx!"

"Yes sir?"

"Is everyone clear of the medical building?"

"I believe so, our mercs are on the other side of us."

Rell quickly ordered a couple of the ground pounders to check it out and if it was clear to grab any useful supplies from the wreckage they could.

"Branx," went on Rell. "Keep an eye on the towers. Be ready to level them if need be."

There was some gun fire shortly before the three fur team returned with a box of first aid kits.

"Report!" ordered Rell.

"We grabbed this box as it was the only thing of any obvious use. On our way out someone from inside fired at us. Handgun likely. Don't know where they were hiding."

"Branx? How long till the door's open?"

"Another forty seconds I think."

"Take a break from that and flatten the medical building will you?"

The tank wheeled around and moved right into and over the medical building crushing it easily. The mobility of the tank was hampered less by rolling over things than things being dropped on it. Branx had it returned to the door of the main building and returned it to lasering. On the way she noticed out the port hole Blade who seemed a little amused by this display.

Branx put on the loud speaker. "What? There was someone hiding in there and I'd rather not waist shells or bullets on one person."

Rell's check list went through a few more items. As Blade was returning to the APC, Rell looked over his should to say, "I estimated we've probably got 35 or more thus far. Give or take any survivors whom are choosing to hide in burning towers. 29 confirmed bodies. How many you think are behind the big doors or in fox holes still?"

It was about this time that with a satisfying clunk a section of the big door fell off. Branx changed modes to plasma bolts, ready to fire it directly into the hole if need be.

The plan was to confirm weather there was to be any more gun fire from sources outside the bunker or not and to neutralize them if there were. This would be followed by everyone in the APC streaming out and taking up positions around the door. Toss in a few grenades through the hole, assuming nothing nasty came out of course. And then proceed to leverage the door to an open position.

"Well," said Blade to Rell. "We might be good. There's a good chance a few were out and about anyway rounding up locals or doing supply runs. As for who might be inside, we'll soon be finding out I think."

"Are you sure there are no more guards hiding around? The radio is quiet now but I don't know their operating procedure, you do. Would there be survivors still?"

"Possibly. There's at least on fur smart enough to keep their head down in this situation if they're here and not dead. But I don't think they'd stop being smart now. They'd wait until most of your crew were inside, grab one of those RPGs, and take a few pot shots at your turret before going for a vehicle."

Rell nodded. "Good to know. Branx!" Rell yelled into the comm. Branx didn't appreciate that. "There may be one or more lurking about still. Keep your machine guns ready. Remember RPGs can still do damage to even a quality tank if they hit the right places."

"Yes sir."

"Shiele," called Blade to the bat whom was investigating the medical kits brought aboard the APC.

"I'm pretty sure they're no explosives," commented a trooped named Galzin.

Meanwhile the troops took up positions to either side of the hole cut by the laser. The hole revealed to Branx and those with a similarly good vantage position that indeed there was a wheel on the far side. No gun fire from inside yet. No communication either. A few nods later and three frag grenades were shoved through the hole and between the gaps into the interior of the bunker. Not meant to damage the door, the grenades would ideally injure or kill any hostiles on the far side.

A satisfying boom later and the troops were inserting tools, attempting to rotate the wheel on the far side of the door. At some point it became apparent that they were pushing against more than just the mechanism but that someone on the far side was attempting to hold things shut. An explosion rocked everyone as some of the tools being used to open the door were jettisoned out of the hole. Those who were keeping watch around the tool users were more miffed than those who had the bars and such tossed out of their hands as it disrupted their concentration on scanning the rubble around them.

"Nice try," said Branx to herself. "But unless you want to destroy your own door you won't do more than push our crow bars out with those cherry bombs."

The disruption had allowed those inside to push the wheel back to the position it had been before. So the Tinisians tossed in another set of frag grenades. This time followed by a second helping.

This time the resistance to their efforts wasn't nearly as obvious. After about another ten minutes of jerking with the mechanism through the hole, something gave on the far side and the door began to open.

The perfect time for those outside the bunker to try one final attack.

"Bye," said a calm voice over the radio before a trigger finger began to squeeze.

[Ciata]

A shot rang out and a scream answered at almost the same time. Then another and another scream as a second member of the team at the door fell. The shots came back to back with barely a moments space.

As the chaos ensued and shouts of "Sniper!" rang out Blade almost calmly said, "Matrus."

Blade rushed up to Rell, "Tell to get down, stay low and behind as much cover as they can, it's Martus!"

"Who the f..." Rell tried to ask but Blade interrupted him with the answer. "He was one of my best snipers, there's no telling where he is, we'll just have to wait for Raufoss to find him."

"We've got to try to take him out with the tank, honestly we can get it." Rell started to turn to give the order when Blade halted him, much to Rell's growing annoyance.

"No, if you move the tank you risk exposing the people outside, just wait, he's already working on it."

Sure enough at that moment the sloth was scaning rubble, pillars, anything he could see from his point in search of the sniper, judging from the angle of the two bullets and the bodies he thought it to be to the right, but he looked but hadn't found it yet...

Inside and under the giant tank thing all the creatures waited and watched, looking for the shot, either from the sniper or from their own, Raufoss.

Raufoss searched, looking at piles of rubble and peaks of towers, but none of them were right, too obvious, too open, to bad of an angle, he looked and searched and then spotted it, by sheer chance of a shadow. He squinted through his scope and looked closer, muttering "Martus...nice." He pulled the lever releasing his normal ammo clip, it dropping to the ground as he remained trained on his target, reaching for and picking up a smaller clip of black tipped rounds with extra large tips. He slapped it into the slot and pulled another lever, locking it into place. "Sorry Martus..."

Those in the tank were waiting for almost 4 minutes, hiding, pinned down for some, the suddenly a portion of the wall to the right of the tank, about 2/3rds of the way up the wall exploded, rounds designed to go through thick building walls poured into that spot, sending pieces flying and a body down down in the midst of them.

They all looked out from their views at the explosions, a chunk of the wall had been blown out, shredding down almost 7 feet of it. Hanging there by a harness and repelling rope, now link and dripping of blood, was a cloaked figure, the rifle attached to his paw, hanging down now from where it had been formerly poking through a machine gun fire hole in the wall then had busted a 3 inch spot where he had placed his rifle, hanging from the other side of the wall, braced out, only a few inches of the muzzle had stuck through. It was a genius position, but the teacher of those tricks was also hunting him.

Another shot rang out, severing the cord that hung him there, and the form rolled down, partly unwrapping itself as it rolled, revealing a thin avian, covered in dirt, a predatory hawk likely, his eyesight making an excellent sniper.

Blade sighed and reached in his coat pocket and lit up a cigarette solemnly. "Should have gone to him and asked him to come too, shame..."

The medics rushed out the door as it opened to the two soldiers cut down by the fire, having been waiting anxiously for a long 5 minutes to get to them. It was too late for the both of them though, they didn't feel hitting the ground, Martus was good.

"Alright...let's get that door open now, move it!" Rell screamed his motivation into his soldiers as the crew at the door re-assembled. They went back to the door and as the support and assault team behind them grouped up. They turned it one...two...three rotations before they heard the huge bolts on it lock inside of the door, then the team opening it rushed back out of the way as the armored team closed in and kicked it open, two of them, to be met by another armored force who opened up as soon as they did...

[The Union of Tinis]

Specialist Fidgel realized that his friend Corporal 1st Class Oni Nikvif was gone. Nikvif was the only member of the squad that Fidgel knew before he joined them over a year ago. They had been in the same unit for army basic.

Fidgel grimaced.

"He's gone," said El, the medic. "Help me get him back in the APC."

Fidgel helped, almost on autopilot. Rell was shouting for a new sweep of the complex but Fidgel didn't notice. They laid Nikvif on the floor. Fidgel fell back into one of the seat harnesses and gazed at the dead wolf before him...

------

"Soldier!" Rell was yelling at me. Ass. Hole. "Soldier get up!" Now he's pulling me up. He's in my way. "Snap out of it ground pounder! We have a job to finish!"

What ever, I'm going. I got my gun. Ok, ok, I got the flame thrower. I guess I'm the only one qualified to use it now. Meln only does rockets, the twit. "Specialist, get out there and get in the middle of the group as they go in. Follow Branx's lead only." Rell the coward will of course be holding down the Octagon. Why's the tank commander being sent into the super secret bunker anyway?

My paw hurts.

Its still hot out here. Ok, no sniper has killed me just now. I guess that's good. The door, they're opening it up the rest of the way now.

"Yeah, I'm here," I say. I hope they notice I'd rather not be. "Fire on call."

The gun fire from inside. At least two guns. Maybe more. Suppressing fire. Ok, we're going in. Yeah, saw that one coming. He's one dead horse. What's this?

There's like glass, bullet proof as its still there. A metal detector? Haha, I guess we'll be emptying our pockets right. There they are, Goli is sliding up. Shit, I think I felt that graze my ear. Ok, Goli is almost there. Grenades. "Fire in the hole!" Yeah, that's what he's doing. Toss it in over the inner wall in there. Look at them run! Scared... oh... these guys are decently equipped. You better run! I better duck! Eaahh.... ok, I think I'm in one piece. Uhh... no leaks... good. Ok, wow the bullet glass cracked! I kick it. Yeah. Ok, move here and duck. Don't want to get shot. Can they still see me?

"Watch it Fid!" Ok mom. I know how not to stand up in front of the hole in the plexiglass when guys with guns are shooting at me. Come on Branx, I got a full tank. Let me toast these tail biters. No? No? Yet? Pfft. Come on! Did you just see Goli charge there? You saw them shoot him, like ten times before he could make it behind what's left of the minibarrier there, right?

"Fid, get ready. The rest of you, cease fire, resume on my order." They haven't noticed we stopped firing. Now they have, quiet. They're yelling something. Not my language. We're that merc? Probably hiding out by the tank still. A little too hot for money lovers. Bah. "Cover Fid now! Fid, go!" About time.

-----

The heavily armed inner guards of the bunker had responded to the quiet in fighting to use the cover of the interior supports to move closer to opening in the bullet proof glass. The rest of the Tinisians were still firing primarily through the now demolished metal detector-scanner device opening in the. Specialist Fidgel was hunched below some debris right under the opening. On Branx's word, the wolf stood and opened up the flow of the flame thrower.

The death cries of their fallen comrades didn't bother Branx as much as the terrored screech of the first enemy mercenary to find themselves covered in flame. Fidgel had gotten at least three of an unknown number at this point. Branx estimated that there were at least two more in there still in cover.

Fidgel, with what might look like a pleasant smile in any other situation, without missing a beat, stepped through the hole in the defenses and began walking towards the inner columns.

"Soldier! Stop!"

He didn't listen, but kept pouring fire at his enemies. Two of them were dead by this point.

A shot rang out from the far side of inner area beyond the defenses. Branx had missed one. Fidgel bent over, clutching the wound on his side. Non-fatal due to his body armor, but it hurt. He turned and rushed the hidden shooter.

"Everybody open fire and rush the columns!" Even if he was being stupid, at least Fidgel could be a distraction. Several more shots landed in the back of Fidgel. The rest of the Tinisians began to spray the source of the shots. Fidgel fell to his knees, still attempting to pump fire at the fur whom had shot him before.

------

Die. Die. Die. Die.

------

Fidgel lurched forward once more. His fuel was almost gone. He saw his target just as they shot his face.

Retaliation upon Fidgel's killer was swift. The room was now secure, with two more down for the Tinisians. Goli was still alive thanks to his jacket, but Fidgel didn't look like he did before. Lacking most of a face will do that.

Branx sighed as the others checked to see for sure that the enemy had been killed. She radioed back to the tank.

"Main level secure. We got a lift and a ladder going down it looks like. Moving forward."