Tides of Change

[Omicron]

2 hours after the incident
Akabat northern hemisphere

Lieutenant Commander Hoss ran across a rocky plateau. Rid of all of his heavy battle garment to relieve himself of extra weight, he speeded on ahead of pursue. Short of breath he tried to piece together in his head every factor that had lead to this catastrophy. He had trusted in his commanding officer's prowess to get his men though to the end. They were beaten by unknown assaillants at the Akabat's planetary defense command center and he has been on the run ever since - without aim - merely doing his best to survive in this suddenly hostile world. No ammount of at times traumatic physical training that The Order special forces subjected themselves to could prepare anyone for that. There were after all, limits of human bodies that he himself pushes to no avail. He had to stop.

Leaning against a tree in attempt to catch a breather, he looked with panic and disbelief towards where he came. At background of the horizon, he could see his pursuit: the very same soldiers that came out on his unit in what it seemed to be lifetime ago now. Some of The Order's other military outfits he reckoned. They were walking slowly yet steady towards him, trailing behind him at march's pace. Judging them to be more than kilometer away, it mattered little as the highlands offered visual range he could hardly evade. In his heart he knew it would be the end yet his instincts urged him to go on. So he ran again.

They found him later, his back towards a big rock that served to him as temporary hide out and cover from the elements. As if sentient, the winds especially here started to howl like blood thirsting phantoms. Their weapons were lowered, they knew he was unarmed. They carried water, food, communications and enough munitions to starve them off in a firefight thrice as long it took to dispatch his former unit. Hoss could only watch the figures coming to him. Recognizing one face among them, he knew he was done for. As good day to die as any.

Said person kneeled in front of him, gun at the laps and bottle of water in the hand. "So... Commander Hoss it is. You are coming with us." Why they had not sniped him outright was a mystery. Did they wanted to torture him for the sustained ressistance, injuries and deaths of her comrades? "Valkyrie... I should've known your Reaper..." Knife lodged in his shoulder interrupted his attempt to blacklist her past she was personally proud of. "You will speak only when asked towards to. Traitors to mankind should've been killed on sight but you're more useful to us alive." Valkyrie moved the knife in his wound to left and right, causing more pain to the captive. "You will sing everything you know about the coup and I will ensure that you'll live though it. Not held in highest regard but that's better than what gruesome end we can subject you to." He believed her words at the very least. His knowledge is the only thing that he can desperately cling to, the only guarancy of his pathetic traitor life.

"Medic!" Valkyrie removed her knife, cleaning both sides at Hoss uniform before sheathing it. One of her subordinates carrying radio centrale big enough to propably to punch though signals anywhere in Omicron Mu and beyond informed her that recovery freighter is inbound to their location. By chance, he could hear two callsigns unknown to him, though troubling these officers. Did Morghart made it?

Zulfiqar and Claidheamh