Chapter One

July 31st, 2580 GSY

Lt. Kara Holt made her way back to her cabin from her station on the bridge of the UCSS Warcry, a Heavy Cruiser in the United Confederation Space Fleet. The Confederation being humanity's answer to Global unification and eventually human unification across their sector of the galaxy. After hundreds of years of war, it took a single attack from a non-human species to force us into making the final push for unity. Following which, humans have entered a time of peace that no one has ever seen before. The non-humans, or aliens, who struck during that attack haven't been seen since the Confederation overwhelmed them with their newly created military power.

On her way back she was passing the Starboard docking bay when she noticed a commotion. Stopping quickly to ask one of the enlisted sailors what was going on, she got part of her answer when another shouted.

"Attention on deck!"

Quickly everyone stopped murmuring and snapped to the position of attention, feet with heels together and pointed at a forty-five degree angle with their arms straight at their sides and their hands balled into fists with the thumbs on the seams of their trousers. The Captain of the UCSS Warcry, a young woman no older than thirty GSY old made her way down the aisle of sailors before stopping before the docking bay hatch*.

"At ease people." said the Captain as all the sailors relaxed and resumed what they were doing prior to her arrival..

Kara looked back to the sailor she spoke to before and they replied with;

"We all heard there's gonna be a new addition to the crew. Apparently some kind of spook unit but no one knows for sure."

Kara could feel her eyes widening as she heard that and couldn't help but think to herself. 'Spook unit, on our ship? What could they possibly want with us. I don't believe anyone has ever messed up that badly, at least not enough for the special operations unit dark enough to be called a spook unit.' Her thoughts were interrupted as an announcement came over the shipwide and Kara could see the Captain visibly tense as it finished.

"Shuttle has docked, cycling airlock now."

Thirty seconds later the docking bay airlock opened into pitch black. For a moment, no-one could see anything. They she heard them, slow and steady footsteps, so silent she had to strain her ears in order to hear them but that didn't matter much as the next second a figure emerged from the shadows. A man, a little over two meters in height and fit enough that even though he was wearing armor you could tell he had a lean build but with muscles so toned that they were practically made of steel, made his way forward toward the Captain. Quickly following him were two additional men, all wearing the same, pitch black armor with blacked out faceplates. The only difference that could be seen in any of them were their heights, the two in the back were shorter, their cloaks, the leader wore a blood red cloak while the other two wore black and the numbers on their chest where normal sailors and Marines would have their names.

Kara couldn't help but think the man she assumed to be the leader of the group looked way better in the armor with the red cloak and also couldn't help but notice a symbol on his chest, a Phoenix with a scythe in one talon and a skull in the other. She noticed how they all almost glided across the deck as if they were just floating above it and were only pretending to move their feet.

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Julius made his way toward the Captain, as he was scanning for threats he couldn't help but notice a curious looking woman, with hair the color of fire and eyes as green as the forests of Varjuk and a height of roughly five foot eight, staring at him as if she was seeing through him. Staring at her through a visor for a moment his display popped up with all relevant information on her.

[Holt, Kara]

[Lieutenant, UCNS]

[Assignment: Engineering Officer, UCSS Warcry]

[NoK: Holt, Gregory, Father]

[Previous Fitness Report: Excellent+]

[Threat Level: 1]

[Additional Info? Y/N]

Julius couldn't help but notice that she wasn't married and thought that every man were a fool if they were going by her performance record and look. While he may seem like an emotionless robot hellbent on finishing the mission at any cost, he definitely had emotions. He wasn't like his two teammates who had theirs turned off. His were only suppressed, especially in hostile environments. So he knew what lust and love and anger were. He remembers a time when he was once happy, however that's all he remember, only the emotions and nothing else. Returning from his musings, he stops in front of the Captain and can tell she's a little nervous, or afraid. She's young, well younger than most ship captains he's met. She's about six foot even with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. 'She must be a native of Sector 3' Julius thought after his quick observation. Snapping to attention and throwing a crisp salute Julius initiates the greeting.

"Captain, Reaper-041 and team checking in as ordered by United Confederation Special Operations Command. I am known as Hades, Reaper-053 or Hellhound on my left and Reaper- 067 or Cerberus on the right. Have our accommodations been prepared?" asked Julius in his deep sonorous voice transmitted at a loud enough volume through his helmet to ensure everyone heard him.

"Yes, of course Sir. What would you like to be called while on board so that we may avoid any awkward misunderstandings? Also, please report to the conference room after you have settled in." replied the Captain.

"Very well. All may call me either Hades or by my Naval rank of Commander. I would like to advise all here that in the off chance you see one of us around the vessel you shall not ask my men any questions. They will not answer you and you may be putting yourself in danger if you ask something you shouldn't. That isn't a threat, it's a warning. Now, Captain, if you'd have someone show us to our designated space."

The Captain quickly searched through the crowd and found her Engineering Officer. The woman made her way over to the Captain and after a few quick words, tensed, and then stiffly smiled and asked them to follow her.