stepped behind a small privacy curtain. She pulled the flimsy hospital gown off and started materializing a combat grade white vacsuit with her command and control unit. The thicker vacsuit began forming layer by layer on the floor behind the privacy partition.
“That's right, he adapted it from one of their downed fighters when combat first broke out. Apparently he was watching a game with a human friend when all hell broke loose.”
“Iloona can't be happy about her husband rushing out to fight when they're not in any real danger,” Minh whispered.
“I think they see it as their fight. Otherwise I'm pretty sure they would have gotten their eleven children together and sat on a stockpile of supplies until it was all over.”
“Eleven children?” Ayan exclaimed, peeking out from behind the curtain as she pulled on the top half of her vacsuit. It was heavier, more complex and had many more protective systems and layers built in. She found herself wishing she had worn one when she left Freeground on the Warpig, she may not have had broken bones during the crash.
“Eleven, you should see them. Five are the most hyper active kids I've ever met and three just stay together and stare at everything while they whisper to each other. It's like they're aware of some conspiracy that no one else sees. They're so different I hope I get to meet the three that are in her pouch, you never know what to expect.”
“I've only run into nafalli once before, when Jonas and I were out on Zingara station.” Ayan said, stepping out from behind the curtain and picking up a small metal box. “They were really good people from what I could tell.”
“I remember hearing about that through Laura. I never thought I'd meet one to be honest, not while I was working for Freeground Intelligence anyway. I was promoted so fast they didn't even bother giving me field work for the first year, they just put me in charge of a whole processing section.”
“That must have been after the scan. I don't remember any of it.” Ayan said quietly as she opened the small box and took the first of six pills with a sip of water.
“What's the last thing you remember?” Jason asked cautiously.
“Your wedding,” she smiled. Ayan poured more water into the glass on the bedside table and got ready to take two more pills.
“What're those?” Minh asked quietly.
“Four of them are non-genetic performance boosters. Doc Anderson gave them to me in case I had trouble adjusting to not having genetic enhancements.”
“And the other two?” Jason asked.
Ayan finished taking the third and fourth pills before answering. “One's a genetic ageing management and regeneration pill, it should be easy to reverse if I change my mind. The sixth is a nanobot package,” she closed her hand around the last two and hesitated.
“What does the nanobot package do?” Jason asked warily.
She didn't answer, instead she popped them into her mouth, gulped them quickly and washed it down with the rest of the glass of water before firmly putting it back down on the table. “That's decided then.”
“What was it?”
“You remember the package they gave you when they cured your genetic decay disorder?”
“Yes, it was an offshoot of the framework technology that nanobots built into my breastbone. It's still there.”
“Well, I guess the Doc knew I'd eventually find myself in a dangerous situation so he sent a more advanced version along. Over the next ten hours the nanobots will build materializers into several sections of my body, so if the worst happens they'll start rebuilding me.”
“That project is beyond classified,” Jason whispered. “Special forces aren't supposed to start using that for at least three months.”
Minh just watched the conversation take place, looking from Ayan to Jason and back.
“I guess Doc still knows people in high places. A few decades in the military does that.”
“I could imagine.”
“So we're going into a dangerous situation?” Minh interrupted.
“Well, I am. It sounds like the people here need help, and I see two people in here with real infantry training and experience,” she replied.
“I know you have training and off ship experience, but…” Minh looked to Jason. “You don't have infantry training, do you Jason?” Minh asked.
“I have some covert training, you're the better soldier I'm sure,” Jason replied with a grin.
Minh smiled back. “Right, always thinking of others before myself,” he looked back to Ayan. “What's the plan?”
“We're supposed to get to the Triton after retrieving Oz and Jason here, and these people need help, so maybe we can get the Triton to come to us.”
“That could be a problem. There are major comm stations planet side jamming everything coming in and out of the system. They have complete control over what people see, hear and how far those transmissions get.”
“Well, we'll have to take care of that then.”
“We could always find a way to hijack an enemy ship and go get the Triton ourselves,” Minh offered.
“Enemy ships look just like everyone else's ships, sorry Minh.” Jason replied. “The bots are organized, a lot of them use the same equipment we do, stealing, salvaging, hacking everything they can get into service.”
“Well I guess we're on the hook if we want transportation too. Is there somewhere I can check in and volunteer with here?” Ayan asked Jason.
“Yup, they have a recruiter's office in the secure section of the mountain. I don't think it's seen as much traffic over the last few days.”
Jason and Ayan started walking towards the door, Minh remained standing at the head of the bed for a moment. “Are you coming?” Ayan asked.
Minh thought quietly for a while, looking more serious than Ayan had ever seen him.
She walked to him and took his hand; “maybe there's a way for you to pitch in without getting right into the fight. There must be.”
“I've been planning ops from behind the scenes, they need strategists,” Jason offered quietly.
He shook his head; “I'm not afraid, and I'll be signing up right along with you. I just hope you realize that if this is the kind of battle I'm picturing, it could be a lot more complicated, more dangerous than you imagine. We could be here a very long time and we might not all make it out.”
Minh's statement hit home. Her and Jason both paused a moment. “From the work I've been doing with the commanders here, he's right Ayan.”
“What do you think we should do?” she asked finally.
Minh's expression was deeply pensive as he hesitated. “Do you think we could form a strike team? Go after objectives quietly?”
“I think we could swing that with the people here. They've been primarily on the defence so far. What's your idea?”
“We get just a few people together and start taking out their key facilities one at a time. Make them worry, convince them that the people here don't care if they have to rebuild their communications and power centers. Just like in the Quaking Mile.”
“I haven't played that sim since before the First Light.” Jason commented as he nostalgically recalled the scenario.
“I don't remember that one, what's it all about?” Ayan asked.
“It's exactly what Minh's talking about only smaller. There's a square mile where you have power, communication, transportation and other key structures. The first team to take out the majority of the key points wins. Often the team that's best at evading while accomplishing their objective takes the points. Casualty rates are very low for teams who pull it off quickly.”
“Now that you mention it I remember playing it a few times when I just met you bunch on line. It sounds perfect. Do you think it'll work?”
Jason smiled; “Minh and Jonas had the team record on Freeground and as I remember, you were always a
