Legion unto Hell

[HFAR]

The most senior member of the Hellfire Legion's vaunted Assault Reconnaissance wing - known by his codename "Malikmata", but usually referred to simply as "Recon One" - was smiling. Fifteen minutes later - slow, by normal standards - this simple fact, along with the entire conversation involved, was classified.

Two days later, the entire Assault Reconnaissance wing was on board the Battleship Libertine. Gathering the entire wing in one place was rare enough, but the Libertine had never before played host to any Reconnoiters other than Recon One himself, making this a singularly unique event. The wing, used, of course, separate quarters; while they would normally wander freely around bases and blend in, the Libertine had so few people on board that anyone other than the normal crew and Specials would be easily recognized. The wing's policy of anonymity was as much a mystery to its own members as it was to the rest of the Legion; they did not understand why their own identities were so highly classified. They had asked Recon One before, of course. But he never answered; he just smiled.

Thirty minutes before the Libertine was to depart, the Reconnoiters took roll call. Malikmata, Erinyes, Dapperdan, Venatrix, Szellem, Oculus, Widmo, Skugga, and Sigilo were there. Umbra was not; he had been killed in action some weeks prior. It didn't happen nearly as often to the Reconnoiters as it did to the rest of the Legion, but they still had a few casualties a year. Only their skill and neigh-untouchable ships kept the numbers that low, because their job was one of the most dangerous in the Legion. No one outside the wing was clear on exactly what that job was, but it was obviously very heroic and dangerous.

While they were gathered, Recon One informed them that they would be sharing their section of the ship with new people. Oh, one or two new recruits to the wing, yes, but there would be another wing joining them in their quarters. The wing was, of course, as closely classified as them, and they would refer to each other - and the new wing members - by codenames only. This came as a surprise to some of the Reconnoiters, but not all of them. More then one were already very personally acquainted with the new wing.

On the way back to their quarters to prepare for the jump, they - and Recon one - smiled.