Callisto, Fallen Moon

"Confirm new AI identification, Athena", I decide to give my suit AI a name to make it easier on myself. It'll also give me false sense of not being alone in my survival. A coping mechanism, I know, but I'm only human despite my intellect.

AI voice changes from neutral monotone to feminine monotone.

[New identification acknowledged. Athena online]

"Good, now put up a mini-map on my HUD. Then toggle the full map for viewing.", I order.

[Map pre-downloaded. Opening.]

The mini-map appears and then the full map shows up. I need information, "Athena, collect enemy movement data from all operable cameras. Then display enemy movements in optimized real-time."

[Task complete]

I see a lot of red on the map now. A wave of it moving towards me, sweeping over the city.

I ask, "Determine if data is sufficient to locate Henech base of operations on Callisto."

[Data insufficient. More data required.]

The only way to get more data on the subject is to get it from the Henech themselves. Although I used some Henech technological advances in my BNS, it doesn't mean I would be able to interface with their biotech. However, there is a good chance I can. I'll give it a try once I take one down.

Now decided, "Athena, I will be using hunter-killer tactics and guerilla tactics from now on. Plot the most viable path behind the enemy forward line."

[Understood, plotting route considering tactics. Route plotted. Stealth abilities recommended for use.]

The route takes me underground, through the sewer system. Henech were seen on cameras entering the sewers, but only a few. I should be able to sneak past any of them or take them down quietly.

I enter the sewer through a nearby manhole. Luckily, I won't have to smell the stench because of my suit. I proceeded through the sewers, until I detected something. My BNS is equipped with a variety of short-ranges sensors. Heart beat, heat, sound, electromagnetic field (EMF), seismic, it has the works. What was picked up were heat signatures and sound signatures.

For the first time, I activate the invisibility capability of the suit. I saw myself disappear. The HUD had outlined my form so that I could see myself somewhat. I am wholly invisible to others though. My heat and EMF were also blocked to a great degree., but not entirely. My sound emissions were also muffled.

I crept up around the corner and saw a Henech soldier down the sewer hall. It was wearing a standard BES for soldiers. It had two legs, and four arms. The body was made from three segments. The slug is in the middle segment, which is the most armored. There was also a head, which was predatory in shape and featured razor teeth. The BES was quite tall too, around 2.75 meters.

It was walk through the sewer corridor while scanning around. Athena was automatically analyzing the enemy.

I say quietly, " Available killing methods."

[Henech BES can not withstand a full power punch. Fist will penetrate the exoskeleton. Bioelectrical discharge is also able to fry the BES and the Henech within.]

I nod at that, I don't need to worry about being overpowered. I wait until it passes at my corner. Then while it was unsuspecting, I punched the middle abdomen. I punched straight into, a great feat and testament of my strength. My fist has splattered the Henech slug that was within. The BES ceased operation as its wearer was very, very dead.

I touch the insides of the cockpit, as I would need to do so if I wanted to interface. I command, "Athena attempt interface with Henech BES."

[Commencing interface attempt.]

My HUD was lit up with code, biological and computational.

[Interface successful. Useful material detected.]

Useful material? I'll look at that in a second, "Athena extract available data Henech Base of Operations.

[Data extracted.]

"Communicate location of their base", I say

[Order viable. Base of operation located. Location is large island in the Juniper Sea. The island is named Kandor Island. Available data indicates the Henech have turned it into a fortress and staging area.]

Then we have destination. Now I can see what this useful material is about, "Explain useful material Athena."

[Henech biotechnology is compatible with the suit. Integrating the biotechnology samples will increase suit capabilities. Bio-nanite replication/creation will also be possible by using BES material.]

This is a little unexpected. I knew I could possibly improve the suit using Henech biotech, but not so easily. I expected I would to build more specialized machines for such upgrades. The suit being capable of directly upgrading itself like this was a little out of my expectations. I really outdid myself.

I decide to do it, "Athena, imitate sample integration and BES material absorption."

The process wasn't painful or soothing, it just felt odd. It felt really odd. It didn't last too long though.

[Processes complete. Suit strength and energy capacity increased by 30%. Bio-nanite density increased by 42%.]

The increases were not large, but they were not small either. I can already feel a bit more powerful. This is great, it opens up a lot of possibilities.

I should start the journey to Kandor Island now. It is not close to me at all. Kandor Island is a little south of Callistos equator, I'm far north. I have a lot of kilometers to cover.

I leave behind the corpse as I continue on my route to penetrate their frontline. the rest of the trip through the sewer was unhindered. I did grab one of the four Henech Bioelectrical energy casters though. The weapon was powered directly by the BES, and I can power it too with my own suit. My BNS does not lose out to their tech.

I exit from their frontlines and avoid the cleaners that still lurk around. I haven't found any trace of them engaging any humans though. The main forces must have been thorough.

I can't help but survey the destruction as I make my way through it. Everything is burning and collapsing. Bodies of my fellow inhabitants of the city, littered around.

I was told by a USF soldier I once talked to in a short and random encounter. I asked about his time in combat. The one thing he said that stuck with is, "It isn't the destruction, dead comrades or defeat that fucks you up. It's seeing the little bodies. That breaks your soul kid."

I am pained to say that I know what he meant. While surveying, I saw a dreaded little body. I couldn't help but stagger and get short of breath.

[Elevated stress levels and lack of proper breathing detected. No enemies detected, no suit breach detected. Cause of distress unknown.]

It took me a second to recover as my eyes were tearing up. I sadly say, "Cause of distress unknown, huh? I'm fine Athena, just got hit with a wave of strong emotion is all. Let's continue."

The journey was solemn and quiet after that. My excitement was gone. I was harshly broken from the false reality I believed myself to be. This is no situation meant for fun, to be taken so lightly.

I need to get to Kandor, destroy the Henech base. Perhaps, even take control of it. I need to shake their hold on the moon either way so I can either successfully leave or allow human forces to have a fighting chance at retaking the moon.

While making my out of the city, by some bad luck a building next to me suddenly collapses. It falls on me and I'm buried in some rubble. It takes a bit of time, but I did my way out.

[Warning! Imminent enemy threat!]

I stand up, "What? Aw shit!"

I get hit in the chest with a huge bioenergy shot. I only had a glimpse of what hit me. A Henech tank.

[Multiple internal injuries detected. Broken ribs, collapsed right lung, heavily bruised heart, and burst arterial blood vessels. Commencing emergency medical protocols.]

As if the pain wasn't enough, I got another very long jolt of agonizing pain. Once it subsided, I was feeling fit as a fiddle though. I was shot into another pile of rubble, so they had no eyes on me at the moment. I activate invisibility and hightail it out of the vicinity.

Away from the Henech patrol, I finally ask, "How were my injuries dealt with Athena?"

[Only option available was to rapidly bind together and strengthen all injuries using bio-nanites. Bio-nanites extending deeper into your physiology, entering your bones, blood vessels and organs. This was the only to heal the wearer in time.]

That doesn't sound like something that can be reversed, "Can the actions taken to heal me be reversed or phased out?"

[Not without immense risk, bio-nanites had to do a 100% integration with your biological tissue. Attempting to reverse or phase out the bio-nanites will most likely lead to death, if not severe crippling of the body.]

I sigh, "It is what it is. Time to get back on track then."

No use thinking about it for now. I have more pressing matters.