The most important phase of them all, the preparation phase. Demagol and Zerimar spent the next hour making sure that all of their equipment was up to the task. One of the main reasons that the duo worked so well together was because of their proficiencies in separate categories. When it came to environmental manipulation and destruction, shock and awe and pure distraction, that was Demagol's specialty. With his own work station, the man was constantly working on and innovating his personal inventions. For humanity to progress so far technologically that they could explore and colonize stars and planets, surely weaponry was not left out in this equation. He rummaged through his potential options and laid them out on his workshop table.
"What do you think, kinetic or thermal?" Demagol asked, palms braced on the edge of his table. "Always the hardest part before a mission starts."
A chuckle resounded from the other side of the room as Zerimar lifted up a long gun, adjusting the parameters of its zero. "I'd say go with thermal with this one. We're venturing into unfamiliar territory and if shit goes haywire we don't want our shots to get traced." Zerimar attached a modular cannister to the side of his rifle and shifted the mechanism open, slotting in additional ammunition of various purposes. "Explosives though? Always go kinetic. Much better booms." Zerimar's specialty laid in traps and capture, being able to pluck targets off from afar or incapacitate them without killing them. He preferred to be a quiet and predatory professional more than being an explosive show off.
"You provide a very valid point." Zerimar nodded and rapped his knuckles on the top of his table before making his decision. "A mix of equipment it is." The thermal rifle that Demagol picked up was one of his most prized possessions. Similar to how older styled weapons could rotate through different selector switches, this modernization took it to the next level. Originally designed as being an accurate weapon for point-targets, the barrel was more than interchangeable, it could reconfigure itself completely for different firing necessities. A few personal tweaks and innovations with fast-acting nanites meant that he could be extremely versatile, barrel lengths could be changed on the fly and so could the number of barrels themselves, so long as they stayed within the proper dimensions. Demagol finalized preparing his rifle and slid it over his shoulder and onto his back, where a sensor magnetized it to him.
The accessories were what came next. A variety of kit attachments and throwables helped Demagol remain adaptable to the many potential situations at hand. Demolitions were his favorite, be they related to timed fuses or remote detonations. With his expertise, Demagol had aided both existing governments and their insurgencies in tearing one another down. All that mattered in that case was who paid more; morality had nothing to do with it. Everything simply went smoother if emotions were made separate. It was what kept Demagol alive throughout some of his most dangerous missions.
Finalized with his long gun, Zerimar got a head-start with fitting his armor over the compression suit he wore. His kit in particular was designed for stealth, subterfuge. Lightweight, he could bound about with relative ease while remaining reasonably protected by thermal and kinetic damage. The main area it lacked in was explosive, as the alloys of his armor didn't fare well against pressured waves. What he lacked in protection, he made up for with speed and security. "You about ready?"
"Yeah, just about." Demagol went to his own kit and began to attach it. A little more bulky than Zerimar's, the alloys provided a much sturdier carapace around Demagol's body and made up for the lack of speed with a pair of built-in thrusters which were mounted on his back. They strayed away from the traditional ideology of jetpacks and instead served a means to apply bursts of speed to close distances and make otherwise impossible leaps. A sturdy soldier, Demagol could become very hard to move if he so wished. Once complete with his armor, Demagol called out over his shoulder as he turned toward their bay door. "All good. We should be landing here in a couple minutes."
"So we have the general area of where we need to be looking, who the guy should be aligned with, and our constraints or the lack thereof." Zerimar's helmet and visor display expanded and encased his head completely as he pressed a button on his collar. "Do we have thermal traces on this guy?"
"Nope, we fuckin' don't." Came Demagol's response with an exasperated sigh. His own helmet and display expanded forth from the compartments of his suit as well. Internal encrypted communications allowed for the duo to stay in touch with one another no matter the distance, unless a dampener was being used against their frequency. "Half of the job here is gonna be finding the guy in the first place. We can do facial recognition scanning, but we also don't want to draw too much attention toward ourselves before we find our target. I hate this part of the mission."
"Whereas I love it," Retorted Zerimar, who was smiling beneath his visor. "The hunt, you know? Whether it's for beasts or people, makes no difference to me. It can be tedious, but so very rewarding at the same time."
"You treat women with the same mindset?"
"Hey, fuck you. At least I pretend they exist."
"What are you trying to say? I'm not a damn robot."
"I dunno, man. Sometimes I wonder if you're gonna start shitting sparks and shit the bed on me."
"Just get a warranty, that should smooth things out."
The two continued their banter until the spacecraft touched down and their bay door opened up. Stepping into the new world and atmosphere, they immediately began to scrutinize their surroundings. Every detail was important, even if they weren't in the desired sector to carry out the mission at hand. Grezik's port was every bit as busy as the station which hovered above in space. All manners of things took place with a variety of people to expect. But this was different. Now they were in a completely new mindset.
Professionalism was key.
"Split up. We still have a bit of distance before we reach our mission location, but separate reconnaissance should provide us with at least a little bit of reliable intel." Demagol directed Zerimar with a couple pointing gestures.
"Good point," Zerimar nodded. "I'll try to stick to the high ground, myself. I can scope around a lot better with my recognition software and long gun." As the duo separated, Zerimar gave the basic GOTWA. "I'll be heading to the third quadrant of the city by myself. Should be gone for about an hour or two. Let's figure out a place to meet up and dish out details after an hour and a half or so."
Demagol kept up with what Zerimar was saying and added onto it. "Keep our nets up. Radio silence should only be engaged when in necessary scenarios. If under duress, code word will be Awkward. Actions on contact?"
"Fight in place if you can swing it, dip the fuck out if you can't. We'll reinforce the other immediately."
"Always. Retrieval will be made, no matter the cost."
"Good shit. Let's go."
The mission had begun and the duo would soon find out what Grezik had in store for them. There was no turning back now.
Forever?
Oh, my darling,
If only you could see what war has done to me.
Oh, my darling,
If only you could see what war has done to me.
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Cold Trails - by deific - 09-08-2020, 05:35 PM
RE: Cold Trails - by deific - 09-08-2020, 06:48 PM
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