Anyame nketewa no | The Lesser Gods

EASTERN TERRITORY, EARTH * SECTOR ECHO-4300, PHILIPPINE SEA * 1700 HOURS * NOVEMBER 5TH * PANKURO POV? * The slight turbulence within the Class III troop carrier, preventing him from getting a nap in, should have bothered him, but it didn't. Being in a confined space with Human soldiers who more than likely hated him with all their being and wished he were dead should've had him on edge, but it didn't. The knowledge that he was returning to Hayashiko, which was the closest thing to a home he would ever have, should've put him at ease, but it didn't. Not much of anything was making sense these days. What shouldn't be, was, and what should be, wasn't. Yeah, confusing as hell! He was likely worrying over nothing, no doubt, but he couldn't help himself. Pankuro sighed, wishing it wasn't so dreadfully quiet within the passenger chamber of the VTOL he had boarded as requested. The moment the Eastern Watchtower received the transmission, he received a stern order from his commanding officer that refused to answer any questions or address any of his concerns. Apparently, FEARS's agents were willing to cooperate with the United Nations for a specific operation. That came as a surprise to literally everyone on the damn planet that was still breathing and in the loop on pushes against the monsters in their backyard. The First Encounter Advanced Response Section preferred to keep things in-house, so to speak; their anonymity and prioritization on intelligence gathering, rather than saving as many Human lives as possible, were often at odds with the United Nations Planetary Defense Corps, which were openly public defenders of Humanity and its territories. "Something is bothering you, Halfbreed." The one-note, monotonous voice of his overseer reared him from his thoughts. It was a statement, a matter of fact, as if they had noticed earlier and hadn't bothered to say a word about it. Pankuro lifted his head, which had been pointed downwards at his clasped hands. Not really subtle. Pankuro gave a humorless smile and shrugged. He doubted they even cared, and one thing Pankuro was not about to do was waste his breath explaining his... feelings on something insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Those mismatched eyes, seafoam green and icy blue, continued to stare at Pankuro blankly. It was unnerving; to say the least, those bright eyes void of the slightest hint of emotion, of a soul, staring at him. Pankuro maintained eye contact so that his words couldn't be dismissed as a lie. "It's nothing. I used to live in Hayashiko, that's all." If the creature sitting across from him was surprised by that bit of information, they hid it well. Though Pankuro suspected he couldn't have cared less. The Engineered Beast, codename Fenris, didn't care about much. They only concerned themselves with the survival of Humanity and the elimination of Fuyurian Prides and their Battle Summons. The soldiers seated on either side of Fenris, however, were a different s********e adopted looks of bemusement, others suspicion, but the prevailing emotion was anger. A young-looking soldier, possibly still in their early twenties, who had been surprised more than anything, leaned over to whisper to the much older, gruff-looking man who openly glared at Pankuro. What was whispered wasn't meant to reach Pankuro's ears, but his acute sense of hearing made that impossible. "Sergeant, I thought they didn't allow mutts in any city aside from Seraphim?" "They don't." The man gritted out. "I was an exception," Pankuro stated with a roll of his eyes, not really caring if anyone believed him or not. His nonchalance was a shield, protecting him from the barrage of judgment and hostility that always followed his kind wherever they went. "You'd say anything to cover your own ass!" The Sergeant snapped, his words dripping with disdain. "I'm letting command know the moment we get a secure line." The threat was palpable in the air, adding to the already tense atmosphere. "Go for it, Sarge." Pankuro drawled, his lips curving into a genuine smirk. "I got the documentation that'll do all the ass-covering for me." The man's glare intensified, his jaw tightening, those metallic hands balling into tight fists. The harsh sound was an affront to Pankuro's ears, but he didn't let it show on his face. "Calm yourself, Sergeant. Pankuro here is not the one you should be projecting your anger onto." Fenris stated flatly while rising to his feet so he could grasp the long handlebar welded into the ceiling of the aircraft, designed to be within range of every occupant once they stood for safety purposes. Fenris turned his back on Pankuro, sweeping his heterochromia gaze across the fireteam of soldiers. "Whatever your grievances against his kind are, they are trivial, pointless. We will work with him as if he weren't a constant reminder of the enemy seeding your women. We will judge him on how useful he proves to be during this operation. Am I understood, Fireteam Azure?" The tense atmosphere grew thicker, tinged with awkwardness, and it likely had everything to do with Fenris reminding everyone what he was—proof of humanity's disloyalty for a fleeting moment of pleasure. Well, at least that's how the onlookers viewed it. Humans who consummated with Fuyurians were viewed as race traitors, vile beings who were ostracized and disowned by their respective communities. These children, once discovered, were taken into custody by the Planetary Defense Corps, transported via military aircraft to the Island of Seraphim, and trained ruthlessly before being assigned to a platoon comprised exclusively of their kind and shipped to their outpost. "Uh... thanks?" Pankuro murmured more to himself rather than to the operative standing a few feet away. It was yet another reminder. His usefulness was all that mattered. Not his character. "Sir, respectfully, do you expect us just to forget what he is? The atrocities his people have committed against ours?" It was a woman who spoke out against him this time. "The misdeeds of his father should not be passed down to him, squandering any potential for us to build trust. He, as should all Halfbreeds, be given a clean slate. After all, it is these Furies that have largely kept the most powerful Battle Summons away from the highly populated cities, allowing for Humans to live normal lives if they so choose. They have been active and, in most cases, unwilling participants in this gruesome war. They have sacrificed as much as any Purebred Human soldier has, if not more, considering their death rates are ten times over your own forces." Fenris stated, his words causing not only the woman but the entire team, save for two, to bristle. Pankuro couldn't keep the look of surprise off his face. He wasn't surprised that Fenris knew these facts, but he was surprised by his willingness to share them with his team. He wouldn't look too deeply into it, though, because if they couldn't get over the fact that he was a Fury, a mutt, then their prejudice would likely get them all killed or worse. That would leave the Engineered Beast with the task of explaining to his superiors at the Watchtower why a fireteam of advanced Cyber Soldiers was killed in action or severely wounded. Still, Pankuro appreciated the recognition of what not only he, but hundreds of others like him had been subjected to their entire lives. The Furies are a splinter group within the Planetary Defense Corps. Their platoons are exclusively comprised of Halfbreeds, and their outposts, which they were tasked with defending, were always deep within uncharted territory. These territories, labeled Phantom Zones, are areas across the globe that were overrun by Battle Summons long ago at the start of the invasion and have since become a breeding ground of sorts for the monstrous creatures as years turned into decades. Furies had been sent on these suicide missions to destroy breeding grounds, forcing the creatures out of the city into the wild, which allowed for the Defense Corps to enter and steadily rebuild and replace all that was destroyed and damaged, so that civilians from the overcrowded cities could eventually be flown in. It was a successful method, and Human expansion was going great at the expense of every Halfbreed, so great in fact, that the General of the Defense Corps lifted the law that prevented Halfbreeds from consummating. Though this freedom did come with its set of rules and restrictions, Halfbreeds indulged in whomever they harbored feelings for without worry of potential consequences, and in turn, indirectly increasing the amount of mutt soldiers at the Defense Corps' disposal. This allowed the General to expand the Furies' theater of operations beyond fallen cities into the wild, where they are proving even more suicidal than their prior assignments. Pankuro still remembers what that life was like. It was impossible to forget. His platoon had been stationed in Fukushima near Lake Inawashiro, eliminating any wandering beasts that their handler at the Eastern Watchtower reported were heading toward a city. It didn't matter what time it was; when the alarm system blared, they were expected to rush into action, and possibly their deaths. The fighting was gruesome, easily among the most intense he's ever partaken in his eighteen years, the blood-curdling screams meshing with battle cries and ear-piercing roars. It was seared into his mind. The macabre dance that would determine if he lived or died was a familiar waltz: attack, dodge, take damage, endure, and push on until all hostiles were eliminated. And the worst part wasn't the death of so many he had come to view as friends, but the knowledge that their sacrifices were always taken for granted. Their handler treated it all as if it were a privilege for them to die for the Nations that resented them so heavily on the sole basis of their race. They were nothing more than military ordinance that just so happened to require oxygen to function, and if they abandoned their post—this life neither of them chose—the Hunters would come for them. Hunters were products of the Cyber Soldier Initiative, a necessity given how base Humans were often overwhelmed by the immeasurable force they faced. Initially designed to combat the Sovereign Nations' automatons, which frequently fell into the hands of the Defense Corps' secondary threat to global security, the Inkanyamba Marauders, they were flexible enough fireteams that proved capable of eliminating deserters. Pankuro had lost some of his fellow brethren to these Hunters as well, and now, he was sitting across from a team of these... heartless killers. From his perspective, he was more Human than them, at least he was fully organic for crying out loud! But who cared about that now? The goal post had been moved, and he and his kind were still the spawn of monsters that had been rightfully condemned to their eternal hell by the true natives of this world. After all, it was in their blood to fight and die; lethal combat was their ancestors' revelry, to fight and bleed, and to smile at the bitter end when they inevitably met their match? "Pankuro." The Halfbreed was pulled from his deep thoughts again, realizing he had been hanging his head once again. Man, I need to get out of this funk! He met the Engineered Beast's mismatched eyes, the humanoid creature designed solely for combat standing to his left, gripping the safety bar overhead on Pankuro's side of the cabin. There wasn't a sliver of any emotion on his face. His eyes, brows, and lips did not hint at anything he could be processing in that head of his. Seriously, this Fenris character was something else. Pankuro hadn't thought the Canalupians, allies of Humanity, would ever design a creature like this, one spliced with the genetics of their eternal rivals. It was public knowledge that Fenris was a genetically engineered being, the first, according to the files the Shipmaster of the Silver Lining made available to the Defense Corps. And what made him such an asset to this fight was his mix of Canalupian, Human, and Fuyurian genetics. Fenris had the stark white hair of a Canalupian, though it stood up on his head similarly to how a Fuyurians' would instead of falling down his neck like his creators. The abundance of hair was spiked in several directions, the tips adorned with what Pankuro had been surprised to observe for the first time: turquoise-blue highlights. His eyes and face were more lupine than feline. However, the furry ears with silver tufts atop his head and two dagger-like teeth protruding from his mouth, even when it was shut, were undeniably reminiscent of a sabretooth tiger. Like Pankuro, Fenris had pointed ears on the sides of his head, which served as a secondary source of sound detection for the fierce creature, common among both Canalupian and Fuyurians. His fingers, and likely his toes, which were covered by boots at the moment, were tipped with silver points, which was rather unnatural considering most Canalupians and Fuyurians' claws were entirely made up of their body's natural keratin. Easily the most off-putting physical feature Fenris displayed in comparison to pure, naturally bred Canalupians was his skin, which was caramel colored. "Check your Omni-Wear for details. Our flight path has been rerouted to intercept an ongoing raid on an ArkaTech facility. The Defense forces present are outnumbered." Pankuro raised an eyebrow in question but said nothing; instead, he lowered his gaze and lifted his arm so that the sleeve of his jacket slid down, revealing the silver-rimmed device encircling his left wrist. The circular interface glowed a neon purple, signaling he had indeed been sent the details of this impromptu mission. He tapped the device twice with a finger, prompting a purple-tinted holographic display to flicker to life. It was as wide as a small laptop, as were his preferred settings. The information readily available to him was the mission overview details, and as he skimmed over the text, Fenris synced up his Omni-wear device to the troop carrier’s receiver, prompting a blue tinted 3d depiction of the facility to pop into existence, hovering in the center of the wide cabin. MISSION DATE - 11052052 : MISSION LOCATION - ArkaTech Facility (Neptune) : PRIMARY OBJECTIVE(S) • Eliminate All Hostiles • Retrieve Data on Project Neptune • Capture Enemy Field Commander : SECONDARY OBJECTIVE(S) • Assist with Evacuation of Staff • Reactivate Facility Offline Defense Cannons : ENEMY ATTACK FORCE ASSESSMENT • Inkanyamba Assault Cruiser • Marauder Field Commander On-Site • Approximately 12 Active Assault Teams • Approximately 48 Class II Hammer Units • Precisely 6 Class I Walker Units : UNPDC SUPPORT STATUS • Heavy Casualties • Many U1 Wounded Cases • Approximately 4 Defense Teams Operational : MISSION START TIME: 1520 HOURS The Halfbreed clicked his tongue after taking in the information. He couldn't deny that he felt a strange sense of intrigue at the idea of engaging the terrorist organization for the first time. Ever since the planet's militaries combined to form the United Nations Planetary Defense Corps shortly after making first contact with the Canalupian Silver Fleet, the Inkanyamba Marauders had been the only power bold enough to challenge them outright. The Sovereign Nations may have chosen not to conform to the New World Order, but they weren't aggressive, remaining in the Antarctic, parts of northern Russia, and China, only fighting on the defensive if the Planetary Defense Corps attempted to breach their cities. Pankuro noticed the tab on his Omni-Wear labeled "Fireteam Assessment." He looked past his holo-projected screen, or rather, through it, glancing between the six soldiers sitting opposite him. Curious, he clicked the tab, and his screen morphed into a grid-style view that displayed everyone's first and last name, along with a recent picture of each person. It even displayed the two airmen in the cockpit, Fenris, and even himself. He ignored the pilot's files, focusing instead on the members he'd be on the ground with. He started with the gruff-looking man who was easily the most offended by his presence. It was in Pankuro's best interest to learn each member's skill set in case any of them tried to take him out. Nayudu, Nikhil Start of Service - 10192032 CSI Activation Date - 12182047 Rank - Captain Classification - Team Leader Birthplace - Andhra Pradesh, Eastern Territory Birthdate - 03152015 (35 Years Old) Ethnicity - Telugu Hair Color - Black Eye Color - Brown Height - 5'8 ft/172 cm Weight - 197 lbs/89 kg : Hochman, Breindel Start of Service - 08102044 CSI Activation Date - 09152049 Rank - 1st Lieutenant Classification - Tech Specialist Birthplace - Ukraine, Northern Territories Birthdate - 12012026 Ethnicity - Ashkenazi Jewish Hair Color - Brown Eye Color - Dark Brown Height - 5’4" ft/162 cm Weight - 160 lbs/72 kg : Vanags, Ivon Start of Service - 08202047 CSI Activation Date - 03282050 Rank - Specialist Classification - Marksman Birthplace - Eastern Shore of the Baltic Coast, Central Territories Birthdate - 12142030 (22 Years Old) Ethnicity - Baltic Hair Color - Light Brown Eye Color - Blue Height - 5'10 ft/177 cm Weight - 211 lbs/95 kg : Makris, Athan Start of Service - 08122028 CSI Activation Date - 03012040 Rank - First Sergeant Classification - CQC Specialist Birthplace - Greece, Central Territories Birthdate - 11232012 (40 Years Old) Ethnicity - Greek Hair Color - Red Eye Color - Green Height - 6'1" ft/185 cm Weight - 230 lbs/104 kg : Georgiev, Goran Start of Service - 05182030 CSI Activation Date - 01 2045 Rank - Master Sergeant Classification - Demolition Specialist Birthplace - Hungary, Central Territories Birthdate - 11112010 (42 Years Old) Ethnicity - Hungarian Hair Color - Black Eye Color - Blue Height - 6'5" ft/195 cm Weight - 257 lbs/120 kg : Nair, Kaylani Start of Service - 12312043 CSI Activation Date - 07252046 Rank - Corporal Classification - Medical Specialist Birthplace - Kerala, Eastern Territories Birthdate - 04212028 (28 Years Old) Ethnicity - Malayali Hair Color - Black Eye Color - Light Brown Height - 5’7" ft/170 cm Weight - 177 lbs/53 kg : Fenris Start of Service - 01012051 Rank - Elite Classification - Adept Tracker & Warrior Origin Point - Silver Fleet, Silver Lining Canalupian Flagship Activation Date - 01242048 (4 Years Old) Race - Mixbreed Canalupian-Fuyurian-Human Hair Color - White and Blue Highlights Eye Color - Heterochromia: Light Blue and Light Green Height - 5'8" ft/172 cm Weight - 170 lbs/77 kg : Pankuro Start of Service - 10262049 Rank - Specialist Classification - Classified Birthplace - Hayashiko, Eastern Territories Birthdate - 02242034 (18 Years Old) Race - Halfbreed (Fuyurian-Human) Hair Color - Black Eye Color - Golden Brown Height - 5'11" ft/180 cm Weight - 189 lbs/86 kg Pankuro couldn't help the grin from creeping onto his lips. So, I'm still listed as classified. Neat. Very few people knew what he was capable of beyond his base abilities. He was a little different from his Halfbreed brothers and sisters. Whereas they inherited a sliver of that flexible power source Fuyurians were feared for, he received something else entirely from his father, a thing that he still views as a curse to this day. He still doesn't know what it is exactly, just that it's scarier than any atomic or hydrogen bomb that man could create to wipe out cities. The best way he could describe it is that it's some sort of toxin that flows through his veins like blood, and if he focuses hard, he can shape it into whatever he wants, causing his enemies to experience the most painful form of sudden death imaginable. Strangely, it also served as a healing factor, keeping him in a fight even after receiving a wound that should've been fatal. The downside of Virulent Seed—Yeah, that's what I’ve taken to referring to it as, bite me!—is that its area of effect is tremendous. He has learned not to use it when fighting alongside his comrades, only channeling the poison to wield on solo ops deep in enemy territory. As for the team, he was beyond intrigued. Sergeant Makris and Lieutenant Hochman were the most distrusting of him; Captain Nayudu and Sergeant Georgiev were more cautious than anything, but Specialist Vanags and Corporal Nair looked nervous, but overall, accepting. If he were to place any bets, Makris would be the one he'd have to watch his six around the most, especially in close quarters. He was efficient in hand-to-hand; therefore, he likely had nothing to worry about, but Makris was a combat veteran who had seen plenty of action before receiving his cybernetic enhancements. Now, if three or more of them tried something, he would have to fight at his peak; otherwise, they'd be able to overwhelm him if their positioning was correct and their specialization skills came together nicely. Pankuro would be sure to watch them closely in this coming battle. "Another blood bath... the Marauders never stop, do they?" Nair spoke softly, her eyes sullen as she scrolled through the medical cases on her blue-tinted Omni-Wear projection screen. "And they never will," Hochman said bitterly. "Not until we locate and hit their outposts scattered throughout the seas. It's a work in progress, and I wish it were going faster, but we're closer than we were a decade ago." "It makes no sense how those assholes can continue to pull this s**t when there's a global scale alien invasion happening!" Vanags said, exasperated. "The Fuyurians don't need any help killing us, they've already got their freakish pets on that detail!" "Alright, Azure team, listen up," Nayudu started, rising to his feet to grasp the safety handle opposite Fenris and Pankuro, which put him diagonally across from the young Mixbreed. "We're looking at a raid in progress. The Marauders have already breached the perimeter in record time. I've never seen an orchestrated attack on this scale before. The facility's defense cannons are disabled, and although there's nothing on file to suggest it, I believe this was an inside job. I have no doubts that there's a traitor among the staff." "Why would someone at ArkaTech leave the facility open to attack? What reason would they have to make such a radical decision that would cost so many lives?" The question came from Georgiev. "If you get the chance, maybe you can ask them, Georgiev," Nayudu shrugged. "The Marauders have always been thorough when it comes to tying loose ends and mopping up all that remains." "It's true," Makris said with a grim nod. "Those tin cans of theirs even have a feature where they're instructed to hunt all organic life without the proper IIF." "That's horrific," Nair murmured. "You have no idea," Hochman sighed with a shake of her head. "Imagine trying to evacuate civilians while a horde of autonomous units uses every murder tool in its arsenal to reduce the survivors to zero." "So... how are we approaching this, Commander?" Vanags asked, looking a little nervous. "There are four defense cannons," Nayudu continued, gesturing to the holographic image of the facility, the towering defense guns now flickering between two shades of blue. "With them down, that means the Marauders have unfiltered access to the skies, able to drop off more bots to further assist their troops on the ground without challenge. We cannot allow this to go on, or we'll risk being severely outnumbered." "First, we'll need to get at least one of those defense cannons back online," Pankuro spoke for the first time, flashing a toothy smile when six sets of eyes gravitated toward him. "Correct," Fenris said, his eyes having never left the detailed holo-map. He tapped an input onto the interface of his Omni-Wear, prompting one of the blinking structures to be outlined with golden yellow. "We'll swoop in and touchdown at the northern platform to avoid the assault cruiser’s anti-air cannons. From there, we cut through the hostile ground forces, regroup with the friendlies still holding out, and once there, we formalize a strategy to complete all of our mission objectives with the new information given." "Sounds pretty solid." Vanags said with a smile. Nayudu nodded in agreement before adding his own input. "The likelihood of us having to split into three teams is high. We'll sort out who and what when we've made contact with our guys." "Enough of that. Most importantly, who is the Inkanyamba Commander spotted?" Makris inquired, sitting forward in his seat. A small smile tugged at the corner of Nayudu's lips. With a nod to Fenris, who input another sequence on their Omni-Wear, a file similar to the Fireteam Azure one popped up. The information hovered above the facility holo-projection. "He's a heavy hitter from what I’ve heard." Asaju, Tosin First Contact - 08312040 Rank - Captain Classification - Leader Birthplace - Nigeria, Central Territories Birthdate - 04212014 (38 Years Old) Ethnicity - Nigerian Hair Color - Black Eye Color - Brown Height - 6'3" ft/190 cm Weight - 216 lbs/97 kg "He’ll be dealt with like the rest," Makris stated with assurance, his tone low and deadly. "Easy there," Hochman chuckled. "As much as I’d like to put down this scumbag once and for all, we have our orders." Makris just grunted in response, which made room for Nair to ask a question they were all thinking. "Isn't it a bit unorthodox for someone as high-ranking as him to be directly involved in a raid?" "Not for Asaju. He enjoys leading ground assaults," Fenris supplied. "That may be true, but the size of this attack hints at something deeper. We’ll know once we have him in custody." Nayudu said, his eyes narrowing as he studied his rival for the upcoming battle. "Agreed!" Hochman said, clapping her metallic hands together, the grating sound making Pankuro's pointed ears twitch. "Any further questions?" Nayudu asked, looking between each member of Azure, including their residential Halfbreed. When the Team Leader got no response, he bellowed a command that had Pankuro's adrenaline pumping. "Gear up!" Immediately, the rest of the Cyber Soldiers rose from their seats, gathering weapons and equipment, some familiar and others foreign to the Halfbreed. Pankuro took one last moment to study the facility he'd be storming minutes from now before it flickered away. "What is your weapon of choice?" Fenris asked, reaching into the weapon locker above Pankuro's head, which ran parallel to the safety bars on either side of the cabin and held a vast arsenal. The Engineered Beast produced a fully charged sidearm with the safety blinker on, holding it out in offering to the Halfbreed who remained seated. "I'm good, I've never been reliant on firearms." Pankuro waved him off, which earned him a raised brow. That was easily the most emotion he's ever seen on the young elite's face. "Admirable," Fenris said, returning the sidearm to the locker before retrieving a silver, roughly rectangular-shaped device with a three-inch handle on one end and a single-bladed edge running along its underside. "I prefer the sword." Vanags was the most openly shocked by Pankuro's refusal. "Uh, what? Fenris, I think you meant suicidal!" Wouldn't be anything new. "No kidding." Hochman agreed. "The drop zone is hotter than the Sahara Desert." "My hands and feet are registered weapons," Pankuro shrugged, his grin bordering on predatory. "You'll see." "Well then, glad you're on our side." Georgiev mused, earning himself a glare from Makris, who added his two cents, "I'll be watching you, mutt. Any funny business and you're dead." "That isn't your responsibility, Sergeant. Focus on supporting your team during this engagement. The Halfbreed is mine to deal with; I am both his keeper and his executioner should he prove himself to be more trouble than he's worth." Fenris corrected the CQC Specialist, causing their face to flush with anger. "Worth?! He isn't worth a—" "Sergeant, rocket down!" Nayudu shouted, his voice sharp and commanding. Nair and Vanags cringed at the sound, whereas Hochman and Georgiev just stared or shook their heads. Makris gritted their teeth, seething with barely suppressed rage, but they made no attempt to voice their thoughts and instead continued to arm themselves. "Better that way. I know for a fact who'd put up a better fight if I were to try and pull a slick one." Pankuro rubbed salt into the wound as he stood up from his seat, grasping the safety bar. Fenris shot him a blank stare. "Halfbreed." "Hm?" "Minimize your comments to mission-oriented matters." Pankuro smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck when he realized everyone was staring at him. "Right, my bad!" Captain Nayudu sighed wearily, seemingly already exhausted from this bizarre arrangement. "Azure, assume your positions."