The Inter Planetary Defense Force15

The team had been on security detail for 3 rises when they received a secure communication from commander Simmons. Her handpicked team was on the way and would be arriving later that rise. The team was being headed up by Zlacka and his team was handpicked by the commander herself.

When the communication came in the team was in the planning room. Jace was lying on her back licking Karg's pole clean of the remnants of the shared juices that clung to it from where he had just finished exploding deep inside of Sommar. Sommar was between Jace's legs gently kissing and nipping at the flesh of Jace's sex as Jace's body came down from the massive orgasm that had just racked her body.

All three quickly sprung to their feet and went about tidying up the base after the call came in. During their time at the secluded base, the threesome had participated in multiple sex acts to kill the time when not watching over Souside. Jace and Sommar, Jace and Karg, Karg and Sommar, all three of them together. If it was a possible combination, they had experienced it.

"Did the communication say when she expected us to return?" Jace asked Karg as she disposed of some empty food ration containers strewn over the security console.

"It did not. It did say that Zlacka would have our orders when he arrived," Karg replied as he pulled up the tracker for Zlacka's vessel to determine when the relief team would be arriving.

Sommar made her way down the corridor to check on Souside. As she made her way toward his detention room, she heard him yelling.

"Hey! When is somebody going to feed me?" rang out from the empty corridor.

Sommar stepped towards Souside and shook her head. This had been his typical behavior during the time in detention. He was either yelling about needing something or sleeping. As a general rule the team had ignored him during his rants.

"Where's my meal? Alliance law says you are not allowed to deprive me of basic necessities while detained," Souside grumbled.

"You'll be fed when I get around to it. For someone facing a firing squad you sure are demanding," Sommar snapped back.

"Oh I'm not facing anything. Just wait until the commandant finds out you have me in custody. You really think he won't find a way to free me knowing what I know?"

"Unless he decides you're too much of a liability and he just tries to make you disappear."

Souside glared at Sommar. He knew what she said was a possibility, but he wanted to maintain the idea that he was too important to be imprisoned. He huffed and took a seat on the tiny bunk within the room.

Just then Jace appeared in the corridor behind Sommar. Sommar turned and listened to Jace as she spoke.

"They're on approach. We need to go to the hangar and make it ready for them to dock," Jace said.

"Who's on approach?" Souside asked, raising his head from the bunk.

"Your new care team," Sommar said snidely as she followed Jace down the corridor to the hangar.

Jace and Sommar stepped into the hangar. The lights began to come on sequentially slowly illuminating the vastness of the structure. Jace and Sommar looked at the transport they had arrived in and the open area where Zlacka's team would dock.

Jace and Sommar moved some empty crates that remained from the security forces that had previously inhabited the facility. Sommar located the docking and fueling hoses and moved them into place. Jace went to the hangar door controls and triggered the opening sequence.

They watched as the incoming vessel appeared on the horizon and moved towards the structure. As the vessel approached Jace and Sommar blocked their faces from the dust and debris it kicked up. The loud roar of the engines reverberated off the walls of the hangar and the vessel touched down with a resounding thud.

The engines whined as they went into offline mode. The rear cargo ramp began to lower and Jace and Sommar looked on as Zlacka appeared with 5 additional IPDF officers. Behind them in the cargo hold appeared to be many crates of supplies.

"Zlacka! You're looking better than the last time I saw you," Jace exclaimed.

"So true. So what's the mission here? Commander Simmons said you could give us the details when we arrived," Zlacka replied.

"Simple prisoner detainment. We can walk you through everything. You brought a lot of supplies, plan on being here long?" Jace answered.

"Not sure. Simmons said it could be a few rises to a few weeks. She made sure we would have everything we needed. We're also armed to the hilt, you guys have an issue with locals or is the prisoner just that important?"

"He's pretty high value. Like I said we'll get you up to speed."

Zlacka directed the officers with him to unload the cargo and he followed Jace and Sommar into the base after closing the hangar doors. As the group walked down the corridor Zlacka looked around taking in his new surroundings. They reached the detainment rooms and Zlacka peered in to see Souside.

"Souside? You're the prisoner? What is going on here?" Zlacka asked.

Souside stood and approached Zlacka. As he did, a smile came over his face.

"Zlacka! Looks like you are my new caregiver. I am as confused as you as to why I am here. Maybe you can help me get to the bottom of this and get me out of here," Souside said.

"Shut your lying mouth," Jace sneered at Souside.

Jace led Zlacka to the security room. Upon seeing Karg, Zlacka and him shared a greeting. Jace and Karg then gave Zlacka the details of how Souside ended up in a detainment room far away from the capital. The look of shock on Zlacka's face confirmed that commander Simmons was keeping the case tightly under wraps.

"The commandant is involved? Now I understand why the commander was so secretive with her orders. She also said things may get risky, that's why we brought the artillery. My guess is she is going to confront him soon," Zlacka said.

Zlacka then went on to explain that Jalissa informed him that Jace, Karg, and Sommar were to stay with Zlacka and his team until she contacted them. The three of them shared a look knowing that the case had come to the most dangerous phase, confronting the Commandant and his response. Judging from the artillery that Zlacka carried with him, Jalissa was preparing for the commandant's response to be one of force.

After greetings and introductions to all of the new team members that travelled with Zlacka, a schedule was set. Patrols of the facility, periods monitoring the security feeds, and the sleeping arrangements. The small base had a limited number of quarters and it was determined that officers would share quarters to conserve space.

This wasn't lost on Jace, Sommar, and Karg. It meant for the very near future there would be no physical contact amongst the three of them. The unit members chose their quarters and began performing the duties as assigned.

It had been two rises and there had been no word from commander Simmons or any sign of a retaliation from the commandant. It was getting late in the night and Jace had just finished her post in the security room. It had been a long and boring shift in front of the monitors. She decided she just wanted to make it to her bunk and settle in for some sleep.

Jace made her way to the quarters she was sharing with Sommar. As Jace stepped in through the hatch she looked at Sommar peacefully sleeping in one of the bunks. Every fiber in Jace wanted to slide in beside Sommar's warm body and hold it tight. To sleep soundly nestled in a warm embrace with Mar. To keep up appearances, Jace made her way to the empty bunk and settled in for the night. Sleep came quickly and soon Jace, like Sommar, was deeply resting.

Jace was awakened by a blaring alarm and the sounds of shouting. She sat up in her bunk and looked around. Sommar was looking back at her with a wild and confused look on her face from across the room. Just then the hatch flew open and one of the officers that arrived with Zlacka appeared.

"We have fighters approaching. They are escorting a larger vessel. We're not sure but they appear to be Legos!" the officer shouted over the blaring alarm.

Jace and Sommar quickly sprung from their bunks and began dressing quickly. Jace made her way to the security room after sending Sommar to check in on Souside. Jace hurriedly moved through the corridors and stepped into the security room to see Zlacka, Karg, and two of the other officers looking over the monitors and displays.

"What defenses does this place have," Jace heard Zlacka asking Karg.

"There are 4 primary pulse cannons controlled from this room. There are 6 manual cannons mounted along the platform atop the perimeter wall. There are two missile launchers but no missiles to fire from them," Karg answered.

Jace stepped up just then and joined the conversation. "Target those fighters with the pulse cannons. The other vessel is only big enough for a small forward team, 10 maybe 14 total. If we take out their air support it will force the soldiers to have to attack on foot."

Just then an explosion rocked the structure. One of the fighters had begun a strafing run on the facility. It was firing its forward cannons trying to clear a path for the troops it was escorting. The blast shook the entire structure and loose items fell to the floor and rattled as the vibrations rolled through the base.

The blast knocked Zlacka and one of the other officers off their feet. The others grasped nearby consoles or tables to steady themselves. The officer nearest the defense console took a seat and began targeting the fighters with the pulse cannons.

"Cannon 3 is off line," the officer yelled out.

"Fire the other 3!" another yelled out.

Jace, Karg, Zlacka, and one of the officers hurried to the hangar to secure arms that Zlacka's team had brought with them. They loaded up with carbines, heavy pulse rifles, and explosives. Making their way towards the rear of the hangar where a hatch opened to the exterior, the group was preparing to defend the attack.

"Everybody make their way to the platform and then to a cannon. Focus fire on those fighters. The troops won't be far behind and then we'll deal with them," Karg yelled as the group exited the building.

Quickly the four members of the group scaled the ladder leading to the platform of the perimeter wall. They hurried along the narrow walkway each taking position at one of the six cannons. As they moved along they could hear the pulse cannons firing blasts at the fighters as they made their approaches for follow up strafing runs.

Jace heard an explosion and looked up. The pulse cannons had found their mark on one of the fighters. The fighter burst into bright flames as the green bolt of the energy pulse ripped through its alloy shell.

Jace took hold of the controls of the manual cannon in front of her. She flipped the power module control into active mode and listened as the tell tale whine of the energy cells came alive. She looked out over the perimeter wall and watched as the transport vessel began its descent towards the flat plains outside the base.

The roar of the remaining fighter's thrusters roared over Karg's head. He quickly pivoted the cannon in front of him in the fighter's direction. He squeezed the trigger and a rapid volley of bright green energy bolts ripped from the cannon's barrel towards the fighter's rear thrusters.

Zlacka began firing a series of cannon fire at the approaching troop transport. The remaining group member was just making it to the cannon he was to handle when the fighter banked back towards the base and fired a volley from its forward cannons. One bolt ripped directly into the perimeter wall just below the officer.

The officer was flung away from the wall in the explosion. He fell to the hard packed ground below. With a distinctive thud, the officer hit the ground and died on impact.

Jace saw the explosion from the fighter's strafing run, but was not aware of the officer's demise. She joined Karg in targeting the fighter while Zlacka continued firing on the landing vessel. Bright green and blue energy bolts flew through the air as the battle commenced.

A bolt from Karg's cannon struck the fighter. While not powerful enough to bring down the craft it forced it to veer towards the pulse cannons mounted atop the base. The officer in the security room was quickly able to lock a target on the fighter and fired the three remaining large cannons simultaneously. All three cannons hit their mark and vaporized the small craft instantaneously.

Karg immediately yelled into his communicator, "Train those cannons on the troop transport. I know it is too low in the atmosphere to strike it, but the concussion from the blasts will help pin down the troops as they exit."

A static laden, "Affirm" was returned from the communicator.

The pulse cannons began firing a barrage of large blasts in the direction of the landing vessel. Jace and Zlacka both heard Karg's command over their communicators and they began firing towards the landing site. The smaller cannon fire was meant to pin down any troops exiting the craft.

"We can hold them to that site, but we can't hit them from here," Zlacka spoke into his communicator.

Suddenly a voice came back that belonged to one of the officers that had stayed behind inside the base, "I'll take care of that, just keep those troops from advancing."

Jace heard a rumbling coming from the hangar. She looked back over her shoulder to see the vessel that Zlacka and his team had arrived in slowly gaining altitude over the base's security wall. It slowly turned and lumbered towards the Legorthian craft.

Jace continued firing on the pinned down craft while keeping an eye on the vessel leaving the base. She watched as it made its way closer to the Legorthians and then stopped. Holding in place a barrage of missiles fired from the Alliance craft.

The missiles struck the enemy vessel and detonated. Explosions ripped through the craft tearing the alloy hull apart like strips of cloth being shredded. Fiery plumes raced toward the sky above mixed with thick black smoke. Within seconds only a decimated shell of the enemy craft remained.

"Ok team. Think you can handle the clean up duties?" came through the communicators of everyone in the base.

"Thanks for the assist. We can take it from here. Jace, stay on overwatch. Karg, meet me at the front gate," Zlacka responded.

Jace exited the controls of the cannon and drew the heavy pulse rifle she had slung over her shoulder. Mounting the rifle on the perimeter wall, she watched Karg and Zlacka exit the base from the sights of the rifle. She traced their path towards the hulking, flame-ridden Legorthian craft. She kept her rifle reticle aimed directly in front of the pair as they moved closer to look for any survivors.

Jace scanned the wreckage of the Legorthian ship to clear a path for Karg and Zlacka if needed. Front to back. Left to right. Finger on the trigger ready to fire at any enemy movement.

"Hold your position. I see movement," Jace stated into her communicator.

Jace watched through the reticle gauging whether what she caught a glimpse of was an enemy soldier or just pieces of the wreckage falling away from the exploded vessel. Then she saw it again. The armored soldier slowly moving away from the wreckage. He moved low and slow. Jace tried to ascertain if he was injured or trying not to be detected.

"I have one. He may be injured. Move up slowly. If he moves to a firing position I'll take care of him," Jace again spoke again.

Karg and Zlacka again began moving. Slower and more methodical this time. They both had their carbines trained ahead of them looking for any signs of an attack from the downed craft.

"Jace if you have to fire, try to wound only if possible so we can question any survivors," Karg spoke into his communicator.

As much as Jace hated the idea of leaving a Legorthian alive, especially one that had just attacked the base, Karg was right. She confirmed Karg's message and continued watching down range for more movement. Still scanning for any sign of an ambush.

Then it happened. The Legorthian she had seen began to stand. He was obviously dazed and maybe even wounded.

Jace took aim at the soldier's left arm that was holding his rifle. As he steadied himself on his feet she took a deep breath. Slowly exhaling she pulled the trigger and fired.

The green energy bolt ripped across the distance and struck her target. It struck the soldier's armor and forced him to release the weapon in his hand. He reeled backwards. The shot hadn't harmed him, only his armor. He looked around bewildered for the source of the attack.

Just then Zlacka appeared before Jace's line of sight. Karg quickly appeared to the side of the Legorthian. Zlacka appeared to be shouting at the soldier as he kept the barrel of his carbine pointed directly at him. Jace watched as the Legorthian did as instructed and Karg approached him and placed him in restraints.

"We have one survivor. The remaining soldiers did not make it off the craft before the missile strike," Zlacka's voice came over the communicator.

Jace lowered her weapon and moved to make an assessment of the damage caused by the attack. Looking around it was then that Jace noticed the officer that was killed laying in the open area between the base and the wall. She shook her head and began descending the wall to move to his body.

"We lost one," Jace said somberly into her communicator.

Only silence came from the device strapped to her wrist.

Karg and Zlacka made their way back with their prisoner. Jace and one of the officers that arrived with Zlacka took on the task of recovering the body of their fallen comrade. Everyone within the base realized that this attack was not random. The team was far enough out in the quadrant that the Legos had to have help to get this far undetected.

The realization that this Lego unit was sent to eradicate this team and kill Souside was at the front of everyone's minds. It wasn't being said, but you could tell from the look on each face within the base that it was understood. Looking at the fallen officer, now lying in the hangar, was a reminder that this team was on a dangerous mission.

Karg led the captured soldier to a confinement room near Souside's. As he was marched down the corridor past Souside, Karg looked over and the look of anger on his face shook Souside to the core. During the attack Souside moved under his bunk for protection if the base were to begin to crumble. He realized the Legorthian prisoner was sent here to kill everyone at this base, including him.

Sommar and the remaining officers searched the base for a damage assessment while Jace and Zlacka checked the weapons systems and scanners for damage. They assumed that the unit sent on this attack was meant to report back once it was completed. They had to find out what that timeline was.

Jace went to the confinement rooms to question the prisoner. As she approached Souside looked out the door of his room at her.

"Is it over? Did you get them all?" he asked as Jace stepped into his view.

"It's over for now. Whatever you have on the commandant he has no problem killing a team of IPDF officers and you to make it go away. He already managed to get one of us," Jace spat back.

For the first time since his capture, Souside had a look of shame on his face. He looked down at his boots and asked, "Who died?"

"Ralsch. One of the guys that arrived with Zlacka. Aren't you even a little concerned that Legos just attacked us this far out and nobody warned us? He wants you dead. He'll do anything and kill anyone to make you go away," Jace said, the anger rising in her voice.

Souside slumped back onto his bunk. The realization that he was expendable to the commandant hit him hard. Whether it was being executed for treason or buried in the rubble of a destroyed base, Souside knew his life had been forfeited.

Jace stepped up to the room where Karg was standing guard. She looked in at the Legorthian inside. He had been stripped of his armor and she could see that he had been wounded. Karg or Zlacka had treated his wounds, but he needed medical attention.

"Open it," Jace said flatly to Karg.

Karg looked at Jace, "I'm not sure that's..."

"Open it Karg!" Jace nearly yelled.

Karg keyed in the access code and pulled the hatch open. Jace stepped in and stood over the bandaged but bloodied Legorthian. She quickly drove her hand forward, striking one of the bandaged wounds. The prisoner howled in pain.

"What were your orders?" Jace yelled.

The prisoner spat. He looked up at Jace and gnashed his teeth in defiance. He did not say a word.

Again Jace struck him in another of his wounds. Again he cried out in pain. Jace repeated her strikes over and over causing continuous yells of pain, but the Legorthian did not speak.

Jace stepped back and looked down at the cold blue eyes of her enemy. She quickly assessed he would not give her what she wanted unless forced, and he had the will power to tolerate the pain she was inflicting. She smirked and stepped out of the room.

"Watch him. I'll be right back," she said to Karg.

Jace disappeared from the corridor and was gone for a bit. When she reappeared Karg noticed she was carrying something in her hand. As she got closer he realized she was carrying a thermal cutter.

"What do you plan to do with that, Jace?" Karg asked.

"I'm going to cut pieces off this Lego piece of shit until he tells us what we need to know," she responded flatly.

"Jace, we do not torture prisoners!" Karg exclaimed.

"Karg, it's not torture. We're going to kill him anyway. He is part of the attack that killed one of our fellow officers. The punishment for that is death. I'm just going to take my time executing his sentence," Jace replied.

Karg looked at her incredulously. He was in shock that Jace would behave in this manner. In the short time he had known her, she had always been one to uphold the rule of law, not break it.

Jace pushed past Karg and pressed the button on the side of the silver cylinder in her hand. A bright red cone of flame appeared from the top of the cylinder. She reached out and grabbed the prisoner's dark blue hand and began moving the cutter towards the splayed out fingers.

The Legorthian had heard the exchange between Karg and Jace. He assumed that this was all a ploy to get him to talk. As he felt the heat from the cutter nearing his flesh he began to panic.

"One last chance before I start cutting you to pieces. What were your orders?" Jace asked.

The Legorthian looked into Jace's eyes. He realized that this Zolracian was not bluffing. She had every intent to kill him by cutting pieces from his body and causing a slow agonizing death.

"We were ordered to attack the base and eradicate any Alliance staff on site!" The Legorthian yelled.

Jace smirked and pulled the cutter back a bit, "What were you to do once you accomplished your mission?"

"Return to base. No comms. This was supposed to be a preemptive strike to stop the assasnation attempt on our high command in the sector. Stealth attack. Eradicate your team and return before we were detected."

Jace killed the power to the torch. She looked back over her shoulder to Karg. She gave him a wink which he quickly understood that she had used the torch as a ruse to frighten the prisoner. He exhaled realizing this was just a method to scare the prisoner into speaking and Jace never had any intention of harming him.

Jace looked back at the prisoner. "You were lied to. This is not an assassination squad. We're hiding a prisoner. One that can link your high command to illegally obtaining cobium from the Alliance. You were sent to cover up the evidence."

"You lie!" the Legorthian growled slightly embarrassed he had let this Alliance officer dupe him.

Jace reached down and grabbed the prisoner by his restraints and yanked him to his feet. She pushed him out into the corridor and towards Souside's room. Once there she turned him to the viewport so he could see inside.

"See him? He's a traitor that has been helping people in the Alliance illegally sell and ship cobium to your forces. You were sent here to kill everyone here, including him. He dies and the evidence dies with him. We were here to securely hide him from the people that he can implicate," Jace said.

The Legorthian turned his head and looked at Jace. The look on her face was serious and unflinching. He decided to probe for more details.

"If this is true, what does this mean for me?" the prisoner asked.

"Well we can't have you go back and let on where we are. You'll remain a prisoner here until we can figure out how to get him moved to another safe location. Your wounds will be treated and you will be fed. After we have a new plan, we'll release you. We will drop you near the end of the quadrant where you can call for a rescue team once we know what our plan is," Jace explained.

The Legorthian looked at Jace again. He got the sense she was being truthful with him. He gave her a nod and returned to his confinement room. As he sat on the bunk, Jace stepped out.

"I'll send the med tech to check your bandages and bring you some rations," Jace said before shutting the hatch and keying in the security code.

Karg watched the entire interaction between Jace and the Legorthian. While at first he thought Jace was going to harm the prisoner, he was somewhat in awe of her technique to threaten him with harm as a ruse to get him to answer her questions. He also briefly wondered how far she would have gone with her actions to uphold the charade.

Jace sent the officer with the med training in to look over the Legorthian. The rest of the team gathered in the planning room to decide what they should do next. Only one person knew where the team was and they had to determine if that person had been compromised. It was time to reach out to commander Simmons.