"Bullseye, what are we doing out here again?"
Sergeant Gabe 'Bullseye' Skritcho sighed, while he took another look through his binoculars, peeking over the edge of the wooded hill, they were camping on.
The forest below them was completely quiet.
"You know why we're here, Terry. This job is a punishment, because one of us couldn't hold his trigger finger still. And it wasn't me"
The snow-white wolf Captain Terry Titan inspected his Remington caliber .50 sniper rifle once again, obviously not very amused about the implication. "My codename is 'Reaper' and you should use it" "I won't call you 'Reaper', that name has bad Karma" "Yeah, whatever..."
Suddenly Gabe's body tensed, his brown fox ears perking upwards "I can see something...about one mile to the east...between the trees"
Terry set the scope of his rifle to confirm, what his friend had seen "I see it...just some animals" "I don't know" Gabe stated and took another look "You see that slight blue color on the trees and on the ground?" Before he could say anything else, Terry loaded the rifle "Dude, don't shoot. Our job is just observation and reporting of any suspicious activity. Besides, they're too far away for a save shot"
"Well then, I could make report, at least" Terry said, grabbing the satellite radio.
"Darath Listening Post, Reaper reporting in" "Here Darath, how's the weather, Reaper?"
"Hot and Wet, Like your Mum" a silent chuckle escaped Terry's muzzle "Really funny, Reaper. Any problems? We got some odd figures on our instruments here."
Gabe put his glasses down and threw a meaningful glance at Terry, then he took the radio and answered himself "Darath, here's Bullseye. Odd figures? We got some unexpected company. Could you give us a scan, about a mile east from our position?"
The voice on the radio sighed and a few seconds of silenced followed "You're on post at Charlie?" "Correct." "The scanner satellite passed your position three minutes ago and my readings...shit, Bullseye, I strongly recommend you, to get back to Alpha. We just confirmed activity of codename 'Loki'. We'll pick you up in 45 minutes." "Affirmative" Gabe answered a little bit surprised "Bullseye, over and out".
"Crap" Terry stated "What the heck is codename 'Loki'?" he asked, while packing up, but he got no answer from his friend. In all the hurry of doing as they were told, none of the two snipers noticed the small piece of pale blue root that got stuck in Terry's backpack and ripped off its stem.
<incoming_transmission>
<head>
<sender> <'*****' + 'codename: Legat'>
<recipient> <'*****' + 'codename: Nuts'>
<reception_date> <03112239.01.0803>
<type> <text_mail>
<classification> <confidential>
</head>
<System> <FLAG_HighSecMilEnc>
<authentication_required>
<password> <********>
<voice_sample> <100% done>
</authentication_complete> <'Cmd Kila Green' + 'codename: Nuts'>
<applying_decryption> <'LOTUS_REA_GAMMA'>
<extracting_file>
<echo>
Commander Green,
Alarming developments have taken place. Yesterday, November 2nd at
16.39GBST, a Spec Ops observation team made contact with codename 'Loki'
on the third planet of the 'Darath' solar system. This is the first sighting of
'Loki' in Beta sector. According to Terran Security Directive #3,
protocol 'Odin' has been activated.
With immediate effect, you are assigned captain of T.S.C. 'Liberty'.
The ship is being prepared for operation at the orbital docking station, bay 3, where
you will meet your crew. Crewmembers have been chosen based on your past
assignments and the current circumstances. Your unit is named codename 'Thor'.
Departure of 'Thor' is scheduled for 10.30GBST. You will travel to the listening post in
the Darath system and take the lead in neutralization of any thread by 'Loki'.
Codenames 'Juno' and 'Cipher' are already deployed to your assistance
Regards,
Cmd Julius Richter, codename 'Legat'
</echo>
</end_of_transmission>
