Kand lead the squad up the staircase for the next three floors, unwilling to use the elevators in such unknown circumstances. They were unlikely to even work anymore, their power supplies probably being one of the first targets for the strike. Afterall, all their hard work would of gone down the pan straight away if their target simply rode the lift to safety. And even if they were working, there was no guarantee they weren't walking into their own tombs.

As the tenth level's sign came into view, Kanderin turned the corner to the next staircase, simply to find nothing. The entire set of steps, from floor to floor, had vanished into thin air. There was no sign of an explosion, no tell tale paint scratches, they were just gone.

"Look's like we have some pretty talented builders in their ranks" Helena smiled, tip toeing to look over Kand's shoulder.

"Or a lot of thought has gone into this ahead of time"

"Most likely the latter" Anival agreed.

Turning around, Kanderin took a quick glance down the hallway of this level, trying to scan what they were walking into properly. Having removed the stairs, the group would know that any people that came up would have to emerge right where they were stood, making a trap pretty simple. The safer option was probably to head down another level and find another way up from there, but there had already been too much death and destruction for a crowd to not have already gathered there. Either way would lead them into trouble, so it might as well be the way they were going.

"Stay here, I'll go first. Don't move until I signal" He called back, before waiting for a nod of agreement and inching towards the door. He took another glance around it, content that no one was watching him he then put a foot out. He pressed gently on the ground, waiting for it to fall through, but nothing happened. Taking a gasp of breath, he then dove forward into a roll, across the length of the hallway to hide himself against the pillar on the opposite side. Taking another glance, he saw again that no one had come around to gun him down. Confused but otherwise content, he waved the squad out to join him. A few were sniggering at his over the top performance, but he ignored it.

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Around the next corner, Cort winked at the rest of the Ravens.

"Well, that definitely uneased them a little" One of them smirked, leaning against the wall.

"Agreed, but I think we best make our move soon" Cort replied "Yalen wont be happy to find we're goofing off"

"Fine then, next level we're finish them off" The man replied, huffing and hurling his bag back over his shoulder. He marched around the corner, followed by the rest of the group. "Killjoy" echoed behind him.

Cort lit up a cigarette before following, letting his clasped hands hide his smile. Nichols was getting a little too pushy for his own good, he'd have to show him who's in charge soon enough. He'd let him carry on thinking he#'s winning for a little longer first however.

Helena squinted her eyes down at the two troopers, their armour seemed in ruins. One seemed to have a slight limp, but only a medic would notice that. They seemed to be walking with their right side of the left foot touching the ground first. An ultimate sign of strain on one of the tendons in the arch. Both troopers seemed to be in shock as they tried to approach the squad further.

“Are you sure we should let them come with us Kand? Should I check them over first, make sure they aren’t carrying anything they shouldn’t be? After all, this could be a distraction” Helena questioned Kanderin.

“You’re right, we need all bases covered” Kand laughed, Helena already making sure no pocket was unturned.

She pushed each one in turn against the wall, making sure this was done quickly. She then made them hold their arms and legs apart from their bodies. Helena giggled as she checked each sleeve and trouser leg. She then nodded for an all clear for the others to come and speak to them.

“I’m Helena by the way, I’m sure Kanderin wouldn’t mind you coming with us, seeming as you were practically left for dead anyway”

The two nodded, almost with even more shock on their faces than before, due to Helena almost violating them. Helena came away back to Kand with a massive almost paedophiliac smile on her face.

“Please don’t ever do that again…” Anival sighed, shaking his head.

Quietly he edged around a corner.


  Sighting down the scope of his rifle Kand brought the barrel around the corner and froze, then cursed rather loudly. Acting on that alone the squad rushed the corner with weapons drawn and froze, no kill order had been given and Kand had not stopped the long line of complaints.

Anival began shaking his head, a half smile half angry scowl on his face. Helena sighed and began muttering to herself. The newer members still stood with their weapons trained on the dark figure leaning against a wall thirty feet down the hallway.

He was bald, a complex looking single eye headsup display sat on his forehead, a dark leather trench coat trailed off his shoulders and touched the ground, a stealth black katarn breastplate adorned his chest, while the katarn arm-plates and greaves likewise adorned his arms and legs, a DLT-20a repeating blaster was propped on the wall next to him.

A angry looking baby Strill perched on his shoulder, a fierce growl emitted from her throat as she crouched down preparing to leap the thirty feet to take someones face off.

"Kand, I know you are trying to find a legal way to vaporize me. Honestly for leaving the squad in such a sudden way I would not hold it against you. But, I was sent here since high command decided you needed someone with more experience, "He eyed the new comers briefly the continued, "Instead of someone fresh out of the Academy."

"If you want to vaporize me do it after the mission, but if you do would you find someone to take care of Lurk for me? Even though I doubt she would live long after my death, we are bonded her and I."

Standing up Senior Sergeant Joamer Restlin snapped a quick salute then picked up the blaster from the wall and flipped the safety off.

"Shall we demonstrate why we are feared throughout the Galaxy?" He said as he walked to where the squad was waiting.