Priority: Survive

Tags: Incomplete, Platonic Relationships, AAA Original Characters

Published: 14 January 2022

Word Count: 332

Summary

A Combat SecUnit squad is abandoned on a mission and left to fend for itself.

I hope to continue this snippet at some point when I have time and spoons to do so. Leaving it marked as Complete for now though!

"What do you mean they're pulling the mission?" Specialist Supervisor Anari growled, their hands clenching at their sides. "My squad is still down there!"

"You heard me," Commander Jueine said levelly. "Initial intel was wildly off, as we've discovered. Command has decided to pull us back and return with a more sizable force."

"And they're just going to abandon my squad down there in the meantime?" Anari shook their head in disbelief. "They're a good squad! Efficient, experienced! Their success rate so far has been damn near a hundred percent! Command's just going to waste them?"

Jueine sighed and rubbed at the bridge of her nose with one hand. "Look, I don't like it any more than you do, but orders are orders," she replied tiredly. "They're too far in to retrieve now. You'll just have to... give them whatever instructions you can before we leave. Like you said, they're a good squad. If they're as good as you say, then there's a chance they'll still be functional when we return."

Anari let out an incredulous huff. "That's going to be at least thirty cycles just for the wormhole trips, if not longer! And as good as they are, they haven't been entirely without a supervisor before!"

"Then this will be a valuable learning experience for them," Jueine said flatly. "Give them their orders. You have five minutes." She paused briefly, then added, "You also have clearance to grant them maximum governor module freedoms for the duration of this deployment."

Anari hesitated, then took a deep breath and nodded sharply. "Understood." They turned away, attention focusing on the feed. [Change of plans,] they sent crisply. [Command's pulling the rest of us out to get reinforcements, ETA over thirty cycles. You're being granted maximum govmod freedoms for the duration of deployment. Your orders are to survive, gather intel, and do as much damage to the enemy as you can. Priority is to survive.]

There was a long silence, then the calm reply. [Acknowledged.]