Marauders

Ferro Outpost. USM Space. 8/5/17.

Samara sat in the cold steel luxury of the military shuttlecraft, light blue eyes staring out into the infinite blackness of space. Her entire life had been spent reaching this moment. Every bit of struggle, every late night cracking the books, every back-breaking day of training had lead to this.

She was a Private in the USM with a shot at joining the most prestigious Mech Unit in the USM. She was so close, so close to achieving her dream. Like her brother before her, she was going to be a Marauder.

?You believe we?re really doing this?? The young man beside her asked. He was Thomas Serles, a slim, excitable young soldier who had come up through the training programming with her. At 19, the Boros native was considered something of a prodigy, admitted to the academy early on due to test scores ranking off the charts.

A small smile crossed her lips as she fixed her gaze upon him. ?It feels like a dream. I?m waiting to wake up in my rack back at the Academy to do another round of PT.?

His excitement was palpable as he stared out the window. ?You think they?re gonna let us in a T-75 right away? I wanna see what the real thing is like.?

She let out a little laugh through her nose and shook her head slowly. ?Marcus told me they didn?t let him into a suit until his second week.? She said, her smile fading slightly.

Marcus. Her older brother was second in command of the unit under their CO, Master Sgt. John Merichak until an op on Serras went sideways. Outmanned and outgunned, it had been Marcus who turned the tide. While every man and woman on his team made it out alive, Marcus had not. News of his death had come while she was in the academy. She?d scarcely given herself time to even grieve at his loss. It had certainly not done her any favors with her classmates, who believed she was dealt preference and leniency out of pity. Nevermind that she worked harder than any of her other fellow recruits. Nevermind that she spent hours studying and honing her skills even though it felt like a part of her had died.

The whispers didn?t fall on deaf ears. There were times she wondered if they were right. If she wasn?t being promoted and given the shot to join the Marauders based on her last name. Silencing those thoughts wasn?t easy, but she knew her worth. And if anyone doubted her, she would shove those doubts right back in their hostile little faces.

?Sam. Look?? Thomas said, breathlessly.

Samara turned her head and walked up to the viewport. The Andoran sat in the distance, a massive, imposing example of the might of the USM. She was an older ship, without the bells and whistles of the newer crafts, but her service record spoke for itself. The Andoran was a warhorse. In operation since before the Valerian War, she?d seen more than her fair share of action, and remained strong as ever.

Samara stared out the viewport and smiled.

This would be her new home.

Serles was dropped off in the men?s barracks and Wei continued leading Samara to the women?s quarters. The doorway slid open to music blaring inside. A red-haired woman hung from a pull-up bar, her OD flightsuit worn with the top down and tied around her waist by the sleeves. She grit her teeth breathing with every rep, a sheen of sweat on her forehead and darkening the neckline of her grey tanktop.

Behind her, sitting at a table was a petite, blue skinned Iridian female. Her four head tentacles swept back like long hair. Spread over the surface was a bunch of equipment. Electronic, mechanical bits and bobs everywhere. Her blue coveralls worn open to the navel, a white tank underneath and her arms bare where she?d cut the sleeves off.

?Ladies.? Wei said, entering the room. The human dropped from the bar with a grunt, grabbing a towel. The Iridian?s violet-colored eyes flicked up to her, a bright friendly smile on her youthful face.

?What?s up, boss?? She asked, her voice bright and cheerful as that smile.

?Got ourselves a new roommate.? Wei said, gesturing to Samara. ?This is Private Tamblin.?

The redhead, wiped the sweat from her face and stepped over, offering a hand. A tattoo on her right arm showed a flaming skull with the silhouette of a dropship overhead and the words ?KnightGuard? underneath. Samara took her hand, and for a moment thought the woman might crush her?s with the vice-like grip.

?Gabby Walden.? she introduced herself. ?I?ll be one of the jockeys draggin? your ass outta hot zones.?

?Wouldn?t count on it.? Wei said simply, a dig at Samara?s chances of becoming a true Marauder that didn?t go over the young recruit?s head.

The blue-skinned alien beauty stepped forward then, offering her own. Tiny scars littered otherwise flawless skin, gifts from her position as the head mechanic of the team. ?Tey?lani Viscari, but most people just call me Tweak.?

?Hi?? Samara said, a bit awkwardly, silence hanging in the aftermath.

?Right.? Wei said. ?Well, get your **** stowed. We?re meeting in the company mess in 20.? With that, Wei turned and left the room, Samara staring after her.

Tey?lani smiled and placed a hand on her back, ushering her toward a locker. ?Don?t let the Corporal get you down. She?s like that with everybody at first.?

Samara turned her attention to the alien who just kept that cheery little expression up. ?You know. That whole ?tough love? kinda thing.?

?Yeah, I?m starting to see that.? Samara responded.

?You?re Marc;?s sister, aren?t you?? Walden asked her point blank. Samara had figured they?d notice.

?Yes.? She nodded.

Walden eyed her a moment, a frown forming on her face. ?I?m sorry about what happened.? She said. ?We all liked him.?

Tey?lani simply nodded. Samara?s lips parted, but she couldn?t find the words, her eyes lowering.

?This is your locker. Your bunk is over there.? the Iridian gestured. ?Make yourself at home.?

For the next week, Titan pushed her and Serles harder than any drill instructor they'd ever known. PT was a punishing, grueling experience every morning, but Wei ran through it like it was nothing. When Samara saw that, she swore not to show a hint of weakness. If Wei could do it, so could she.

At the end of the third day, Serles got to ill-advised idea to question Titan?s training. ?Sir, what's the point of this?? He whined. ?I mean, we're going to be kicking ass in the T75, anyway. Shouldn't we be training with those.?

Wei narrowed her eyes. ?You have a problem with physical training, private?? She contemplated a moment. You want to step into a suit? Fine.?

Samara and Serles exchanged worried glances and followed. Titan lead them into the main hangar. The suits were all lined up before them with their different configurations for each person?s assignments and anatomy. It wasn't difficult to tell which belonged to K?tan.

Tey?lani sat atop his suit making repairs to one of the missile launchers. A cheerful smile and wave offered to Samara from her perch. The smile faded when she saw where Wei was leading them.

She stood before her battle suit and hit the access code, the armor parting. Wei stared at Serles dryly, and gestured to it. ?Climb in, Private.?

A mixture of nervousness and excitement covered his face, the young soldier gripped the pull handles and mounted the suit. A grin split onto his face, ear to ear as he looked over the controls. Wei smiles sweetly, but it turned steely when she hit the access panel and the suit closed around him.

?You?re in the middle of a hot zone. Enemies all around you. Your suit becomes disabled. Escape.? She demanded.

He looked confused a moment until she drew her sidearm and fired, hitting his chest plate. ?Now!?

He panicked, struggling to move the arm to no avail.

?If you cannot lift dead weight, then you cannot survive!? She fired again at the arm, Serles recoiling in fear.

?Time?s up.? Wei said, glaring at him. ?You?re dead.?

Her fist pounded the panel, and Serles was damn near spat out of the armor, crumbling to the ground at Samara?s feet. Wei pushed him onto his back with her foot, clutching her pistol. ?The T-75 is an amazing piece of equipment, but it is not invulnerable. You will need to become strong enough, capable enough to fight within AND without regardless of its functionality.? She told him. ?You have to be able to escape your suit and be combat ready at any moment! I'm saving your life, so the next time you want to bitch about my training, consider who you're talking to.?

Wei moved up to Samara and stared her down. ?Do YOU have any complaints you?d like to level, Private Tamblin??

Those steely blue eyes turned to her instructor. ?No sir.?

Wei paced officiously before Samara and Serles, her hands clasped behind her perfectly straight back. ?When you are jacked into the T75, you will have full, real-time control. Everything you can do, your exosuit can do, but with up to 100x the strength.? She stopped before Serles. ?You may think this means you are beyond hand to hand training. You would be mistaken.?

Serles remembered the incident during PT, eyes lowering ashamedly. Wei continued her pacing. ?If you are unable to fight, your suit will be your tomb.?

Almost as if on cue the doors opened at other end of the room. From the doors stepped Byron ?Duster? Calix and Tey?lani. The pair approached in PT gear, eyeing the recruits. ?Private Tamblin, you?ll be squaring off against Tweak. Serles, Duster will be your opponent.? Wei informed them.

Samara felt a hint of disappointment. She felt this would be her chance to prove herself in combat against Wei. Tey?lani was a wrench puller, not a combatant. She could tell the alien saw it in her eyes, a smirk forming on her blue lips.

?Just go easy.? She said.

?I will.? Samara responded.

?I wasn?t talking to you.? Tey?lani said. She had been talking to herself.

The Iridian moved, circling her prey, her arms moving behind her back. Her legs carried her in slow deliberate movements, everything in her gait flowing smoothly with a dancer?s grace. Those violet eyes regarding her with mild, almost flirtatious amusement. Samara was almost entirely unprepared as Tey?lani?s body twisted in one fluid motion sending a kick that caught the recruit square in the chest.

Samara stumbled back, clutching her heart as the pain radiated, her blue eyes flicking up to the Iridian, that sweet, ever-present pleasant expression replaced by a face that read complete seriousness, her arms still behind her back. Her beauty turned into something terrifying.

A fire burned in Samara then as she lunged up, throwing a punch at the alien, but Tey?lani simply leaned out of its path. Samara threw an elbow back at her, but again, the Iridian simply slid out of the way. Gracefully, she dropped and swept the human?s legs out from under her. Samara hit the mat with a thud, her teeth grit, unsure if she was angry at herself of Tey?lani. ?Rage is good.? She said. ?But it makes you sloppy. Harness it.?

Samara somersaulted backwards, rising up onto her feet in one swift motion. Not a second spared before she advanced on Tey?lani, throwing a barrage of punches, elbows and kicks that the blue mechanic was able to dodge almost effortlessly.

Samara turned her body to one side and threw a long jab sideways. Tey?lani bent forward under her opponent?s fist , her leg extending back and arching upward as she pivoted her body, the back of her knee connecting with Samara?s neck and brought her crashing the ground, pinning her beneath an impossibly strong, muscular thigh.

?You?re dead, Tamblin.? Wei said from the corner, an amused grin upon her face. ?And she didn?t throw a single punch.?

Samara?s face was bright red, her blonde hair wet with sweat. She wasn?t sure which was stronger, her rage or her embarrassment. Violet eyes stared down at her apologetically as she was released. Tey?lani extended a hand to her.

?You alright??

Samara swallowed her pride and took the woman?s hand, pulled up to her feet. ?Yeah. Ego?s a bit bruised.? she forced a smile.

?Tey?lani is one of the most naturally gifted warriors I?ve ever met, Private Tamblin. Her occupation within this unit is not an indication of what she is capable of. Therein lies the lesson. Never underestimate your opponent.?

The next week was a brutal course in physical and hand to hand training. Samara had never been pushed so hard in her entire young life. Wei was an unforgiving tutor, intolerant of any sort of weakness. But, every time she got in Samara?s face, the determined recruit just fought harder. Even when she began to suspect Wei personally targeted her, she pushed herself to be better.

Samara crumpled down into her bed, every muscle feeling like it might just call it quits and slide right off her body. Wei had been particularly hardcore today, pitting her and Serles against one another in hand to hand after running an obstacle course with a full ruck. The exercise left her scraped, bloodied and exhausted. Most of all exhausted.

As soul crushing as the PT could be, she had noticed it was all becoming incrementally easier, her endurance and stamina increasing every grueling day. Arms that had once held a small amount of baby fat softness were now toned and carved out of granite. Every muscle had become defined as she neared peak physical condition. She wasn't sure where everyone else was, and frankly, she wasn't sure she cared.

She'd barely gotten her eyes closed when a chime came from the door. Samara moaned unhappily, pulling her pillow over her face. Again the chime came. Samara whipped the pillow away with a sigh.

?Somebody better be dead.? She muttered to herself, rising out of her bunk.

When she opened the door Serles was standing there, a big smile on his youthful face. ?What are you doing in bed?!? He exclaimed.

Samara simply narrowed her eyes in response, fighting the desire to just throttle him right then and there.

?It's Unification Day!? He explained. ?Come on, get dressed. Everyone?s in the mess.?

Samara blinked. She'd lost track of the days since they'd arrived. Everything felt like one long series of workouts and training. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten. Back on Fentil, Samara?s father would celebrate U-Day with the grill running day and night, feeding the neighborhood all manner of dead animal after the big parade. Fireworks lit the night sky as music played and people danced in varying degrees of inebriation. All the while her old man would sit there, nursing a whiskey and watching the proceedings with a sad, but content little smile upon his face. As she pulled on her USM zip-up hoodie, she wondered if he was home celebrating as they always did right now. The thought made her smile.

The sounds of music playing and exuberant chatting filtered down the corridors as they approached. The team was spread out all over the place, bottles of all sorts decorating the tables. Duster sat atop one of them playing a jaunty little tune on his fiddle as Eaton sat at his foot strumming an acoustic guitar along with him. Walden danced around with her co-pilot, Stick. Tey?lani moved about with her impossible grace, her body twisting and spinning to the music. He was a soldier, not a ballet dancer. Tank was sat at the table chowing down on...something. Wei and Merichak himself were stood at the far end of the room deep in some serious looking discussion, lording over a make-shift grill.

Just like home, Samara mused to herself, the thought bringing a bit of warmth to her heart. Duster caught sight of them and lit up. ?Tyke! Tamblin! Get in here!? he called to them, jovially.

Samara looked to Serles then, an almost accusatory glance. ?They gave you a call sign already??

He flushed a bit and shrugged. ?It?s...it?s more of a nickname.?

?Uh huh.? She said, a smirk playing across her lips. Samara took his hand, leading him out to where the others were dancing and joined in, the rollicking others.

?Young bucks on deck!? Duster called out from his perch, continuing the fiddling. Samara (and certainly Serles) didn?t quite have Tey?lani?s grace, but they managed, bounching and skipping around the gathering, welcomed in by Walden and Stick. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Tey?lani approaching Merichak, her hands outstretched, dragging a smile even out of Wei. The older soldier held his up shaking his head in refusal.

The blue girl made a show of pouting turned away, only to suddenly be spun around by her CO. Merichak gripped the stunned Iridian around the waist, taking her hand and skipping along with her as the music continued. The Sergeant spun her around, a brilliant smile upon Tey?lani?s face as she whirled about with that preternatural precision and grace that was solely hers.

The song came to it?s close. The brother?s looked to each other and nodded. ?Pickitup!? Eaton said, fingers drumming on his guitar the beat to John Ryan?s Polka, Byron grinning and launching right into the fast-paced, lively fiddling. Immediately, the room was alive with movement as the team restarted their dance.

They bounched and moved all about, changing partners as they went, the beat going faster and faster. It was a whirlwind of joy, bringing Samara right back home. Eventually they formed a circle, Tey?lani, of course taking the center stage first and twirling and flowing to the music like water. Serles was eventually pushed out and improvised a clumsy dig, his face going red and getting laughs from the other?s. Merichak pointed at Samara, interrupting his clap to the beat.

Suddenly, her heart dropped out of her chest. She shook her head violently. ?Come on, soldier!? He yelled over the music. Again, she refused.

?Oh, grow a pair?? Tey?lani grumbled with a laugh, grabbing her by the hands and yanking her out giving the girl a spin. For a moment she just panicked, frozen. But then, she shut her eyes and listened. Her foot began to tap and the young recruit began to sway. Then she began to skip. And the next thing she knew she was spinning around, reversing her direction with every percussive touble tap of the drums. Cheers rose up around her and her eyes opened, the smile on her face so full it almost hurt. Stick hopped out onto the floor with her and the pair were off.

Wei sat at her position, watching the dance. It hadn?t been too long ago that Marcus had been there, whirling her around the dance floor. Suddenly, a great pain filled her heart and the smile faded. Wei turned away, her attentions back on food prep.

Laughter and hoots filled the air the music came to it?s abrupt ending.

The party went on late into the evening, when Wei busted it up. That night, Samara Tamblin had the best sleep she'd had since her arrival Even Wei?s rude awakening the next morning was barely an inconvenience. The team engaged a bit of light PT, fighting off their hangovers. K?tan was the only one who seemed in tiptop shape. Though, the Buldari physiology was a great deal?hardier than human or Iridian.

After several shots with Byron, she found he and the others were much more willing to joke with and acknowledge her during their exercises, much to Wei?s chagrin. The fried soldier glanced to her as they did push ups. ?If I vomit on you, it's only because I respect you. Fair warning.?

Samara laughed through her panting. ?I'll cherish the memory always.?

Wei hooked her foot around Byron?s wrist and swept it away, the hungover soldier face planting on the floor. ?Cut the chatter, Princess.?

?That's demeaning, sir.? He deadpanned, his voice muffled against the ground.

Running laps felt like a special new hell to her. Samara?s head pounded from the alcohol and her legs ached from the dancing. But Byron was by her side, struggling on and damned if she was going to show her pain in front of the team. No, what she needed was a distraction.

?Where did you learn to play like that?? She asked in regards to his fiddling.

?The Academy. When me and E weren't in class, we were learning music. We had planned on forming a band after our term was up.? He answered.

?Let me guess?? she huffed beside him. ?Parents put the nix on it??

Byron shook his head. ?Nope. We never knew our parents.?

?You're orphans??

?I prefer the term parentally challenged.? He joked. ?But yeah. Got taken in by the USM as Wards of the Guild and have been groomed for service ever since.?

?Do you have the option to resign?? She asked as they rounded a corner.

?Oh yeah! It?s still the USM. No mandatory service. Even for us filthy orphans.? He joked.

Samara chuckled. ?No, I get that...you just don't seem the military type.?

?Is it my boyish good looks?? He deadpanned.

?Eh...more like the fact that you're a big goofball.? She smirked his way.

?You've been spending too much time around officers, Baby T.? Byron said with a chuckle.

Samara glanced up at him, unamused. ?Baby T??

?Yeah, you know. Baby Tamblin.? He grinned.

?That better NOT become my call sign, damn you.?

Samara had the target lined up, dead in her sights. All it would take was the momentary squeeze of the trigger. Suddenly, her entire body lurched to one side as an attacker blindsided her. The young recruit crashed through the remains of a bombed out building, metal screeching as her suit slid across the dirt. The squidlike, robotic attacker was clambering over her, setting up for the kill. Well, Samara wasn?t having that. She backhanded the machine aside, her exosuit knocking bits of metal and electronics off with the impact.

She quickly rolled on top of it, placed the barrel of her weapon to it?s glowing, red eye and pulled the trigger, sending a burst through it?s body. Her head whipped to the right to find Serles dropping down from a rooftop. One arm held a squiddy (which was her initial target) by the face as the other jerked back to throw a punch. The clenched fist of his exosuit bashed in the faceplate of his attacker with one hit, the flailing limbs going dead.

While her attention was elsewhere another of the machines wrapped its tentacles around her leg. Samara found herself being flung through the air like a rag doll. Her exosuit clanged and scraped across the ground before crashing into the wall so hard Samara's vision flashed white.

Serles was slammed into by another and another as Samara lay helpless. She was hard at work trying to claw open her restraints when another squiddy came barrelling at her. She recoiled and prepared for the inevitable.

But it didn't come. Her eyes opened to find the squidlike machine frozen in time. As she lay there, the battlefield faded away and they found themselves in the holographic training room. Wei stepped out onto the field her hands clasped tightly behind her.

?I bet that was fun.? She said with atight little grin. ?Kicking ass and taking names.? Her eyes locked onto Serles, keeping that amused look. ?Fun, huh??

?Yessir.? He responded reluctantly, a grin forcing its way out. Samara cringed.

?I bet. Right up until the point where you both died.? That tight smile went away instantly.

Serles lowered his eyes as Wei glowered over them. ?The battlefield is not the place for your showboating or quest for glory. The only concerns you should have are your life and the life of the person beside you.? She stepped up to the pair of them and looked up at them. ?If I'm supposed to be going into battle with you, I need to trust that you have my back. As it stands, I wouldn't trust either of you to have my back while moving a ****ing couch.?

Something deep down burned inside of Samara. Maybe it was embarrassment, maybe a bit of self loathing...maybe it was even annoyance with Wei. She didn't know for sure. All she did know was that she wanted to scream.

Wei must have seen some hint of it, because she narrowed her eyes. ?Is there a problem, Private??

Samara straightened up and pushed everything down as much as possible. ?No, sir.?

?If you've got a problem, Tamblin have the balls to say it to my face.? Wei challenged.

Samara knew it wasn't a great idea, but it just came out, nonetheless. ?I'm frustrated, Sir.?

?Well, that is something we can finally agree on.? Wei said, acid in her tone. ?We sacrificed one Tamblin who was maybe the greatest warrior and teammate in the world for another who isn't fit to bear his name.?

Something inside of the young recruit snapped and her eyes went a bit darker. ?I earned my place here.? She responded in a low growl.

?You got here on the coattails of his corpse.? Wei spat back.

?You don't know anything about me.? Samara glared, that fire now burning out of control.

?I know everything about you Tamblin. I know your instructors helped your weak ass through because you come from a line of men who actually deserved to wear the uniform.? Wei said. Samara towered over her in the suit, but Wei still seemed ten feet tall.

?You're lying. You don't know a Gods damned thing.?

?Am I?? She squinted at the girl. ?I don't even need to be told about it. I see it in your every failure. Your every fumbling attempt at the job. There's no way such a shabby, lackluster disappointment like you made it this far on her own complete lack of merit.?

Samara's fist clenched tightly. Every inch of her wanted to crush the woman before her. Smash her into a puddle of goo. She didn't notice that the exosuit also clenched its fist. Wei glanced down to it, a smirk playing across her lips.

?You want to fight me, Tamblin?? She asked.

Serles finally spoke up, overcoming the fear that kept him silent. This was getting out of hand. ?Sam?don't.?

But she didn't seem to hear. ?You're damn right I do.?

Tension hung so thick in the air, Serles could damn near slice it with a knife. Wei?s voice didn't waver. Her expression remained neutral. She just looked Samara in the eye.

?Step out of your suit, Tamblin.?

?Rampart to Andoran actual, Dog Company is on site, over.? Marcus? voice announced over the speakers.

?Roger that, Rampart. Homing in on your signal now.?

On the holo screen, Wei could see the helmet cam footage from that day. She could almost feel the chill of the wind on her face, the burning smell that filled the air, alerting the enemy militia that they were there. It had been a simple snatch and grab until everything went to hell. The entire city seemed to turn out to kill them. Baker Company was completely wiped out in the first attacks and lost their target in the massacre. Merichak had gotten their target extracted, leaving them to wait for evac.

That was when the building still existed, 30 minutes ago. Now it was time to get the hell out of there. ?What?s the ETA on our evac??

Stick?s voice crackled in their ears.. ?This is Foxhound Six-Four, we are inbound. ETA 10 minutes. I?m going to need you all to get to an elevated position, copy??

?Stick, it?s Rampart. I copy. See you in ten. We?ll leave a light on for ya.? Marcus said with a grin.

Marcus turned to her, a concerned expression on his grime covered face as he reached out. ?Damn...that looks rough. You alright, J?? He asked.

Jin?s lips moved along with the video. ?You don?t look so hot yourself, there, chuckles.? It had been a lie. If anything he looked even more attractive all dirty and battleworn. The pain was evident in her voice, but she didn?t dare show it on the battlefield. ?I?ll be alright.?

Byron panned into view, awaiting the bird?s eye view on his heads-up display. ?We?ve got a crowd headed our way.? He warned. ?Armed.?

?What are we looking at, Duster?? Marcus demanded.

?Uh...looks like 50 plus...small arms, a few heavy repeaters. Looks like a few guys with demo charges.?

Wei jumped ahead, the events of that day proceeding in accelerated time onscreen. The attack had come from all over. The local militia were a swarm descending upon them like locusts. Even the ExoSuits couldn?t keep them all at bay. Watching it all rush by, she could still feel the heat as a Molotov cocktail burst beside her, the flames licking at her armor plating. She could smell the smoke, feel it burning her eyes. She could almost hear the gunfire, explosions and screams.

Finally she hit play again. The team made their way towards the remains of a bombed out building trading fire with the pursuing mob. K?tan wheeled around with his heavy repeater and ripped apart the foundation of a small building, sending the structure crashing to the ground between them and the mob.

?You plan that?? Byron asked weakly,, a field dressing pressed to a wound at his side as he clung, propped up by K?tan.

?Indeed.? The stoic Buldari responded.

?Lookit you! Beauty AND brains. Way to go, man.? Byron grinned, earning a grumble from K?tan.

Wei watched as her past self turned to Marcus. ?That won?t hold them for long.? She said.

?Stay frosty, baby. We got this.? He said quietly so only she would hear. She remembered the smile it put on her face. Even in dire situations, he could always be counted on calming her down.

Marcus took point, moving down the street and calling out through his coms. ?Foxhound Six Four, this is Rampart, do you copy??

?Copy that Rampart.? the familiar voice of Stick crackled into his ear.

?Stick, what?s your twenty??

?We?re inbound, but the zone is hot. Repeat the zone is hot, taking fire. We?re gonna have to get you guys out of there pretty damn fast.?

?Pull some of that fancy pilot ****, Stick.? Marcus said with a smirk.

?Oh, you know I will, sweetheart. You just stay vertical.? the pilot responded.

?Roger, Six Four. We?ll be ready.? Marcus responded. He wheeled around to the exhausted, battered team. ?Weapons check.?

The team sounded off, just about everyone?s charge packs were cooked and couldn?t take another serious firefight. Everyone except K?tan. Marcus nodded and looked them over. ?Right. Tank, we?re swapping gear.?

?Sir,? the Buldari protested. ?Would it not be more beneficial for me to cover the team during our escape.?

?Negative. I need you to get Duster on that ship.?

?But sir-? he began.

?You?re the only one strong enough to do it, Tank. Now let?s get to it.? he ordered.

As the pair swapped out their weapons, Wei approached Marcus, talking quietly. ?I don?t like that look in your eye??

?What look?? he asked.

?That look like you?re about to do something stupid.?

?You mean heroic?? he flashed that dashing grin her way.

?I meant what I said.?

K?tan slapped the battery pack in and the cylindrical barrel of the repeater whirred to life, but didn?t yet fire. Marcus turned those baby blues up to her. ?You know the rules. CO is last man out and right now that?s me.?

?We?re not leaving without you.? She told him.

?Well, you BETTER not. I don?t make it back, Duster?ll take all my ****.? he joked, but Wei was not having it.

?That?s not funny.? she said.

Marcus? expression softened and he turned to her. ?We do the job. And then we get to go home, yeah? Well, this is my job. I?ll be right behind you...and if I?m not...I?ll be waiting for you on the other side.?

It had been months and her heart still ached every time she thought about that moment. Those words echoing in her head every night. The way his eyes looked, the dirt and blood on his face, his hair, all of it etched deeply into her consciousness.

?They?re getting through!? Eaton called back, just before his weapon rang out.

Marcus turned to Wei. ?Let?s get it done.?

She turned and opened fire on the militia, blast bolts bursting the masonry all around them. They weren?t trained soldiers, thankfully, so their aim was for ****, but their numbers were far greater. The POV jerked back as a blast hit her shoulder armor and knocked Wei back, but she continued pouring it on them.

?Dog Company, this is Foxhound Six Four. You kids call for a cab?? the voice came over the speakers.

?Taking heavy fire, Six Four.? Marcus called out spraying the crowd with a barrage of blaster fire. ?Get us the hell out of here!?

He came up behind Eaton and edged his way in front. ?GO! GO! I GOT YOU COVERED!? He yelled and unleashed hell on the natives. Eaton hesitated a moment as the Dropship roared into position at the top of the building.

?GO!? Marcus ordered.

Eaton took Duster?s other arm, assisting K?tan with his wounded brother. But Wei wouldn?t leave. She joined Marcus? side and fired into the mob. Marcus spared her a glance. ?Get outta here, what are you waiting for!?

?Not without you!? She screamed and dropped another attacker, small ballistic rounds pinging off both their armor.

?I?m right behind you, now MOVE IT, soldier!? He said, edging his way backwards as he continued shooting. Jin grimaced and followed suit, firing for all she was worth. She saw one of the natives climb out over the ruined wreckage and took aim. But nothing happened when she pulled the trigger. The gun was dry.

Marcus glanced her way again and opened his mouth to shout, but before he could say anything, Jin took a blast right in the chest plate, sending her right to the ground with an ear ringing slam.

He made short work of her shooter and reached back, desperately trading fire and checking on her. ?JIN! JIN!? He called out, rolling her over. The wind was knocked out of her and her head hurt, but she was okay.

?Rampart, we gotta roll, brother!? Stick called into his earpiece.

Eaton jumped out of the craft and moved down to them, helping pull Wei to her feet.

?GET HER OUT OF HERE!? Marcus ordered as Eaton put her arm around the wounded woman to support her weight.

?Marcus?? she said weakly looking over her shoulder. But he couldn?t hear her, he was backing with them keeping their attackers at bay, the place practically glowing red from the heavy repeater. Jin was shoved back onto the ship just in time to see him turn to rush into the ship.. That was the moment when her world began to shatter.

Bolts hit him in the leg, blowing apart the hyrdraulics and machinery. Marcus fell to his side with an agonized yell. Wei saw her own POV as she got up to go after him in a daze. Again he opened fire.

A pair of hands grabbed her from behind as Marcus crawled toward them, blaster bolts bursting against the back of his armor. A molotov burst against the metal, sending flames over his suit, but managed to miss his flesh for the moment. Marcus stared up at her and screamed for them to go one last time as an explosive landed beside his shoulder.

?Stick! Move move move!? Eaton ordered.

Wei locked eyes with him as the craft pulled away, the images of everything they had and could have had flashing in her mind and ripping apart her heart. Then Marcus, surrounded in flames, grabbed the explosive and rolled over as the natives closed in on him. They kicked and clawed and punched at whatever they could get at until finally the entire thing erupted in a massive explosion, sending what was left of the building and much of the crowd flying in pieces and crumbling to the ground.

The image froze onscreen. The massive explosion that once been Marcus ?Rampart? Tamblin still, like a photograph, just as she remembered it looking. Wei reached up and wiped the tear from her eyes. She?d seen this vid too many times. On the screen and in her mind. It was a constant, unwelcome companion and she just wanted it to go away. But every time she saw Samara and those eyes...so like her brother?s...it brought it all rushing back.

Merichak had her completely pegged. Samara Tamblin scared the hell out of her.

Rather than go back to sleep after Eaton turned in, Samara found herself walking down to the flight deck. Music filled the cavernous room, echoing along with the sound of metallic pounding. A pair of legs stuck out from beneath a dropship, just a hint of blue skin peeking out between the socks and bottom of the pant leg.

A little yelp escaped the alien beneath the ship as she swore in a language Samara didn?t quite understand, a tossed wrench clattering across the floor until it smacked the heel of her boot.

?Whoa, there, slugger!? Samara chided.

Tey?lani slid out from under the shuttle, sucking on her injured thumb. Her head tilted to one side, a little grin forming. ?Well, if it isn?t my favorite Washout??

Samara?s cocky little smirk fell. ?That?s gonna be thing now, isn?t it??

Tey?lani smiled sweetly and nodded. ?That?s the current plan, yes.?

The young recruit sighed theatrically before glancing at the ship. ?What?s all this??

?Blown capacitor. I tried to reroute the neg through the flux inhibitor, but it made the cathode array go haywire.? Tey?lani said, spinning what Samara was sure was utter nonsense like it was business as usual.

?Yeah...those damn capacitors.? Samara deadpanned as the blue woman sat up, wiping her grease-stained hands on the legs of her olive coveralls.

She scrutinized her young friend a moment, propped up on her arms. Those violet eyes seemed to dig deep inside of her, picking up every subtle tick and movement, leaving Samara feeling incredibly self-conscious.

?Something on your mind?? Tey?lani asked.

?Just couldn?t sleep. I had to get out of that room. You?? She asked.

Tey?lani smiled pleasantly. ?I?m Iridian. We don?t need more than 2 hours of sleep. Figure I might as well get some work in.?

?Workaholic.? Samara teased, tossing Tey?lani a rag.

?Hey, just because you human slackers need 8-9 hours?? The Iridian grinned and got to her feet, finishing cleaning up.. ?Where are you headed??

?I...I don?t know.? Samara said.

?Yeah, you do.? her friend said with that knowing look. ?You want to hit up the simulator, don?t you??

Gods help her, the girl was right. Samara nodded slowly.

?And you need someone to run the program..? Tey?lani continued.

Samara went to speak,, but instead just stared perplexed. ?What are you? A telepath??

?Nah. Just a keen observer of human nature.? Her squadmate shrugged and smiled. ?Though, to be fair...you?re about as easy to read as a picture book.?

Samara blushed a little smile playing across her lips. Tey?lani placed a hand at her back and started leading her away. ?Come on. Let?s get you suited up.?

The doors exploded open, the two warriors, coated in blood, sweat and dirt stormed in weapons blazing, one covering the other in perfect unison. The pair had cut a bloody path through the base, tearing the security forces apart like a hot knife through butter. This time, there were no flashy heroics, no crazy dangerous stunts. The Tamblins were methodical, precise, and deadly together. As she watched, Tey?lani wished she could have seen them in combat together in real life. It would have been a sight to see.

A door opened to her right, an enemy soldier wielding a heavy disruptor rushing forth. She dropped to one knee and brought her rifle up just as Marcus did to her left. As one they fired once, dropping their opponents with headshots.

Samara panted, rising slowly to her feet. A grin forming on her lips as she turned to her big brother. That same victorious smile came to his features. ?Nice shootin?, rook.? He said.

?Nice?? she said, looking mildly offended. ?Screw you, Marc, I was ****ing awesome and you know it!?

He snorted and shook his head. ?Gods, you sound like my little sister??

Samara?s heart lurched within her chest. That smile faded to devastation as she stared up at his seemingly blind eyes. Marcus and the entire world around them froze in place. The face, the eyes she?d grown up with now looked at her but didn?t see her. Suddenly, it was like losing him all over again.

Everything but the frozen form of Marcus faded away to reveal the cold, sterile precision of the training room. Tey?lani watched aghast. ?I?m sorry?? she said sympathetically.

?He can?t even see what?s in front of him. Can he?? Samara asked in a quiet voice.

?He?s a program.? Tey?lani shrugged, ?Meant to capture the way he was in battle. A collection of data given physical form.?

?You can?t access more?? She asked. ?I mean...you?ve captured his personality...can?t you just??

?Get the rest of his memories?? Tey?lani asked. ?That?s where the things get tricky, don?t they? It?s one thing to create a training sim of him using the broad swaths of his personality and abilities as a template...it?s quite another to try and replicate him entirely.?

Samara considered it a moment. Part of her didn?t care. She just wanted her brother back.

?What right does the dead have to stay dead?? Tey?lani asked her.

?But...could you? If...if you wanted? If...if someone needed it?? Samara inquired.

Tey?lani watched her friend through the portal. ?Take some advice from me, Samara?? the Iridian told her. ?Let the dead stay dead.?

The wake up call the next morning was not exactly a welcome intrusion. However, a change in attitude of Samara?s drill instructor was. Over the following week, she found Wei to be downright helpful and patient. She?d even seen the woman crack a rare smile or two.

Every night, Samara entered the simulator with Marcus and trained for a few hours, every night she improved as a soldier. Every night, she did her level best to ignore the twinge in her heart when her brother didn?t even recognize her. It was better than nothing, she would tell herself to little avail. And that was with successful missions.

Sometimes they would fail. Sometimes she died. Those were the easy ones. But seeing her brother die again and again and again? Samara began to understand why people never chose those they knew as a partner in simulations. As much as she knew in her head that it was little more than a glorified video game, she still held him in her arms when he was bleeding. She still cried when his eyes went still. It would have been easy to cave. To call it quits and find another less painful way, but instead, she pressed on.

Samara hardened herself. She let it in, let the wounds scar over until they were an armor. By the end of two weeks, she?d seen him die 130 times. By the end, she could sleep afterwards.

It wasn?t him. It wasn?t Marcus. Marcus was dead and she was alive. She would use his shadow to bring her talents into the light, but the time to mourn was over.

The siblings stood on the bridge of a taken ship, the surrendered crew around them as they approached the viewport. USM ships dropped out of FTL filling space and decimating enemy ships. Marcus smiled .

?Starry night, Starry night...? He whispered to himself.

She turned her head eyeballing him a moment. They had even gotten that?

?Glittering, glittering oh so bright.? Samara finished, a weary smile forming as they watched.

Marcus turned to her, a perplexed look on his face. ?How do you know that??

She turned to him, a wry grin on her exhausted face. They were the first lines of a nursery rhyme their mother had sung to them as children. What the hell, she thought. She could play along. ?Mom sang it to us.?

?*Us*?? He said indignantly. ?My mother sang that to my sister and I when we were kids. She-?

?Made it up herself. Yeah. I remember.? She was dismissive of this overblown program posing as her brother.

He was quiet a long moment, gawking at her. When he spoke, his voice was different. It was small, confused. Scared.

?Sam??

Fleet Admiral Lanning watched as the whole messy drama played out on the holoscreen. Samara clutching the simulated Marcus Tamblin?s horrified face.

?Sam...please. Make it stop??

Tey?lani was a bundle of exposed nerves. This unintended consequence could mean some rather unpleasant things for her career, nevermind her conscience. The big, weathered hand of Merichak clamped gently on her shoulder, offering a small amount of comfort.

?Sam...I-?

Distaste on his aged face, Lanning sat in silence as the image went still. Both Tamblins stood across from one another frozen in time, clinging for dear life. The silence that hung in the room was deafening and seemingly infinite to the Iridian. Lanning reached up and ran his hand down down his mouth. The slightest shake of his weary head.

?Gods. Just what in the *hell* happened here?? He asked, turning toward Tey?lani.

She felt like her skin burned as her face flushed. ?Sir...I assure you, the system was never meant to function like that. We?ve been running the simulator for years and it?s never had that sort of malfunction.?

?Malfunction?? Lanning asked incredulously. ?Specialist Viscari, a machine slapping a label on upside down is a malfunction. This is something else.?

Lanning looked like a kindly old man, the image of the sweet old grandfather. But when those eyes were set upon you in disappointment, you felt like crawling into a hole and dying. Luckily, she was not alone.

?The question is,? Merichak interceded, ?Now that we know about it, what do we do with it??

?If the public gets wind of this, it?ll be a ****storm. And if our enemies get ahold it, it?ll be worse.? Lanning responded. The old man seemed tired. 55 years of service was bound to take its toll on anyone. He?d seen countless heroes rise and fall over the decades, and had dealt with their sacrifices every single day.

?This little experiment should never have seen the light of day.? Lanning told her cooly.

?I beg your pardon, sir, but my program has allowed the MCU to train with the best. With legends.? She defended herself with a grin. ?If we want to create legends, shouldn?t they be trained by them?? The program was her baby. It hadn?t been easy to convince the brains at R&D to let her take a crack at this. She sure as hell wasn?t going to give it up without a fight.

?Legends.? Lanning said with a nod, his voice grave. ?You know what I?ve learned about Legends, Specialist??

Those wizened, blue eyes regarded her as the silence settled. ?They?re all dead.?

Tey?lani?s eyes drifted downward.

?I don?t have time for Legends,? Lanning continued. ?I need smart, capable soldiers without delusions of grandeur because they were trained by a ghost. You should have let the dead stay dead.?

?That?s exactly what I did, Sir. The avatars aren?t supposed to be able to achieve sentience, they aren?t supposed to be able to become self-aware.?

?It would appear you were wrong.? He countered. ?You don?t get to play God and claim innocence when it backfires. You fiddled with something you didn?t fully understand. You resurrected the dead without being sure you could control them. Gods, Specialist, did you even secure permission from their families??

Tey?lani went to speak, but nothing came out. She knew damn well she had not. She was more preoccupied with whether she could actually do it. She?d figured limiting functionality was good enough. It wasn?t REALLY their loved ones if they couldn?t truly feel, right? Right?

?And in doing so, you?ve managed to create a perfect tool for our enemies to use against us. The combined knowledge of every fallen MCU operator for the past 20 years, gathered in one place. All our weaknesses, all our strategies. You?ve potentially weaponized our fallen friends.?

Something deep down in the pit of her stomach ached.

?Admiral, she didn?t intend this to happen.? Merichak stepped in, placing a comforting hand on the shoulder of her grey and white dress uniform. ?Let?s not string her up just yet.?

?Relax, Specialist.? Lanning offered a comforting smile. ?Nobody?s being court martialed. But your experiment ends now.?

?Yes, sir.? She said in a small voice.

?What about Tamblin, Admiral?? Merichak asked. ?She?s not going to like this. We give her a shot to talk to her brother and we just rip that away from her? She?s not going to be thrilled with that.?

Lanning had an amused expression on his face. ?I was under the impression this was a military unit. Not a mental health facility. Shut it down, John.? He said gently.

Merichak nodded. ?Yes sir.?

Lanning pushed up out of his chair and gathered his things. He took one last look at Tey?lani, a warm smile crossing his face. ?What you?ve done, Specialist Viscari, is nothing short of amazing. A bit horrific...but amazing. Regardless of what?s happened...you are still one of the greatest minds the USM has ever had the privilege of calling their own.?

Tey?lani?s heart seemed to double over. Words of praise like that from the Admiral weren?t common. ?Thank you sir.?

?You lost today. But don?t let it stop you. Good day, Specialist.? He nodded to Merichak. ?Sergeant.?

Serles sat in his rack, legs crossed in front of him and a datapad in his lap. On Screen was a woman in her late forties, her dark hair and tan complexion defying her age. She was beaming with pride at her son.

Marcia Serles-Clovis was one of the brightest minds in the USM?s R&D dept. She specialized in long-range communications and helped pioneer the Rapid Connection Interface, allowing real time communication across the vast galaxy. Thomas had the opportunity to join her right out of the academy, but opted for combat training, much to her chagrin.

?You look so grown up! Look at you! I feel like I haven?t seen my baby in years.? She told him.

Serles blushed a bit, glancing around to make sure the guys weren?t around to hear. They?d never let him live it down.

?I know. I miss you guys, too. How?s Dad? Is he there?? Serles asked.

?No. He had to go off-planet. Some big meeting with the Admiralty board.?
Serles gawked a moment. ?Is...is he getting promoted??

His mother had a little knowing smile on her face. ?They didn?t say...but??

Thomas always had a difficult relationship with his father. Winfield Serles was a hard man. A career soldier and combat veteran. Try as Thomas might, nothing ever seemed good enough. When he won awards in school, the most he would receive would be a handshake or a nod. Got an A? Should have been an A-Plus. When he went to the academy and received high marks? Should have been made squad leader. Every single accomplishment was met with further pushing. It wasn?t enough for Thomas Serles to be good. He had to be the best.

?That?s...that?s great.? He said, forcing a smile. Having his dad on the Admiralty Board didn?t sound like it would exactly make his life any easier. ?Well, if you hear from him...can you tell him I said hey?? Because he knew the old man would never reach out to him. Though it went unsaid, Marcia heard him loud and clear.

?You know he?s proud of you, Tommy.? She said soothingly.

?Yeah. I know.? He lied, forcing a smile.

Marcia offered a sympathetic look. She knew how her husband could be with him. More than once, she?d had to keep the soldier in line and remind him to be a human being to his flesh and blood for a change. But she knew him in a way Thomas did not. Spoke to him in a way that Thomas never would be able to. She knew that if he was hard with Thomas, if he pushed, it was because he knew the boy was capable of great things.

?Are they treating you well there?? Marcia asked him.

?Oh yeah. The guys are like big brothers I never had.? He responded with a grin. ?They call me Tyke.?

?Wow, that?s great!? She beamed. ?How?s...what?s her name? Sam??

?Sam?s...She?s incredible. Mom...that girl is hardcore. When she?s not working with the team she?s been in-? He suddenly caught himself. The simulator wasn?t exactly public knowledge...and had just been shut down by Fleet Admiral Lanning himself. Probably not the best thing to spout off over and unsecured network. ?Well, she?s always training.?

?Well, you just keep doing your best and you?ll be right there with her.? Marcia assured him.

He blushed again. Funny how even when you?re a soldier, your mother could make you feel about 5 years old. The sounds of voices approaching told him it was time to end the call. ?Ma, I gotta go. But I?ll call you later.?

?Okay. I love you, Tommy.? She said, making a big smoochy sound.

The other guys busted into the room, carrying on loudly...except of course for K?tan. Duster came up, brows raised and chuckling. ?Oh-hoho...Tyke! Who is THIS?!?

?Daaaaamn, kid...like ?em older huh?? Eaton said with a smirk.

?Guys it?s my mom, alright?? He said in frustration.

?Ooooh...mommy!? Duster said. ?Mommy can tuck me in any time!?

?You wouldn?t know what to do with this, Needle dick.? Marcia said with narrowed eyes.

Duster?s face fell, the color draining to a pale white. ?So...this...this is a live call.? He knew damn well who Dr. Marcia Serles-Clovis was. He cleared his thoat. ?Ma?am-er...Doctor, I apologize...I just-?

?Yeah, yeah, yeah.? Marcia smirked. ?You boys take care of my son, and we?ll call it even, you hear me??

Byron was a little frozen until Eaton nudged him hard with an elbow. ?Yes! Y-yes, ma?am! Thank you.?

Tyke was mortified, his head in his hand. ?Mom. I?ll...see you later.? He reached down and cut the connection.

Eaton had the biggest grin on his face. ?Nice job, noodle dick.?

?Hey! I didn?t know she was live!? Byron threw his hands up and looked to Serles. ?Not cool, dude.?

?Well, stop hitting on my mom, jackhole??

Bottles popped, music played, and laughter filled the air. The Marauders were gathered all around, dressed down. The day was theirs and the enemy had been defeated. While K?tan seemed a little less thrilled, spirits were high.

Byron climbed up on a table and brought his fingers to his lips, letting out a loud whistle. Gradually, conversations stopped,the music turned down and all eyes landed on him.

?Ladies, Gentlemen?? He announced, ?Tank.? Byron nodded to the Buldari with a joking, dubious expression getting a little laugh from the group and a grumble from the large alien.

?I have an announcement I?d like to make. Get up here, you two slugs.? Byron pulled Serles and Samara to him, arms draped over their shoulders. ?I?d like to extend an official welcome to the two newest members of our weird...dysfunctional little family. Let?s raise our glasses in salute to the two newest Marauders. Tommy ?Tyke? Serles?? He tightened his arm around the young man and then rubbed his close-cropped hair. ?...And the brains of the Op today...Samara ?Washout? Tamblin.?

There were cheers and laughter. Samara and Serles exchanged bashful grins. For the first time they truly felt like they belonged. Byron gave their shoulders a squeeze. ?Raise ?em up, Marauders!?

The team rose their glasses and let out a loud ?Ah-Roo!? and upended their drinks.

Byron patted them on the back and caught sight of Merichak entering the room, Wei at his side. ?Now, I believe our fearless leader would like to say a few words. Top??

Merichak stepped into the room to cheers as Byron stepped down from the table. The old warhorse held up a hand and everyone went silent. ?You all did well today. You faced overwhelming numbers, you stood together and you came out on top. You should be proud.?

That got a few whoops and hollers, but the old man silenced it. ?But let?s keep in mind, if this had been a real op, we?d be draping a flag over Tank?s coffin right now.?

A moment of quiet fell over everyone, the solemn nature of the moment filled the room. Merichak?s gaze swept over every man and woman in the room, letting the weight of that moment sit. ?One death is acceptable by USM standards. It is never acceptable by mine, copy??

There were murmurs in the affirmative and Eaton patted K?tan on the shoulder.

Merichak eyed Samara. ?Tyke, Washout. Celebrate today. You?ve earned it. But tomorrow...you?re Marauders.?

?Hell yes, they are.? Wei said, to Samara?s surprise. The stoic instructor let slip a barely perceptible smile come out.

A satisfying chill ran through Samara?s entire being. She couldn?t stop the ear-to-ear grin that spread across her lips. Merichak held up his drink. ?Alright enough of this sappy ****! Duster! Hit the music! Drink up, Marauders!?

Serles threw an arm around Samara as he and the others let up a cheer. Tey?lani was the first to reach her, wrapping her arms around her in tight hug. One by one, the team came up to her to offer their congratulations and support. Stick stepped aside, revealing Wei. For some reason, Samara suddenly felt nervous. Wei regarded her with that same cold, calculating, judgemental stare that the girl had become so used to.

?Sir.? Samara said with a bow of her head.

Wei stayed still, making Samara visibly uncomfortable. Her hands left from behind her back. A glass of beer clutched in one of them. Samara glanced down to her hands then back up to her, a smile sneaking out onto her face.

?Congratulations, Tamblin.? Wei said. ?Your brother would have been proud.?

A pleasant chill ran through to her core, a swell of emotion threatening to bring out a few tears. She fought them back and instead, clinked her glass to Wei?s. ?Thank you.?

Wei smirked, raised her glass and took a drink from her glass. She moved off and offered her congratulations to Serles as Samara caught sight of Merichak leaving the room. She moved as quickly through the room as she could, moving past a few of her new comrades, setting on his trail.

?Sir!? She called after him. ?Sir!?

Merichak stopped in his tracks and turned slowly. That stern, powerful presence and tall, broad, and muscled stature could be intimidating to say the least, though there was something about him that set her at ease. A smile formed on that craggly, scarred face of his. ?Tamblin. What can I do for you??

?Sir,? Tamblin began. ?I just wanted to thank you. I?m so grateful for this opportunity. I wanted to let you know, I won?t let you down.?

Merichak let out a little laugh. ?I know you won?t.? He said simply and started away again. Samara stared after him but something ate at her.

?Sir.? she called again, bringing her new CO to a halt. ?I have to know??

Merichak turned to her. ?What is it, Tamblin.?

?What happened to the training program?? She asked. ?Will we ever get it back??

Marcus. He was never far from her mind, even now in this moment of honor and accomplishment. The one piece of her brother she still had, the one chance to be near him, hear him, talk to him...and they were just ripping it away.

Merichak lumbered toward her. ?USM Intel is looking into it, determining what kind of threat, if any, it might possess.?

?You mean they?re going to bury it.? Samara said, a bit of acid in her tone.

Merichak didn?t deny it. Usually when Intelligence Officers came for something, it was never seen again. He looked her in the eye and put a hand on her shoulder. ?Tamblin...you want my advice? Forget it. Forget you ever saw it. What?s done is done. Celebrate your victories. Learn from your failures...but let the past die. It?s the only way to survive the battles to come.?

Her eyes lowered a moment and slowly she nodded. Samara hated losing, and this was a big loss. ?Yes, sir.?

?Buck up, Marauder.? He grinned to her. ?We got a long road ahead of us. This is just the beginning.?