Shadow Pains (Reaper Company Origins)

[Agent Iron Maiden]

SHADOW PAINS​

[member="Willa Isard"]|[member="Zoltan Rarsk"]​

Enigma Prime
Badlands

Enigma Prime, last place in the galaxy Maiden thought she'd end up. What's more surprising was that she was back on a contract job. She had sworn after her disappearance at Bastion she'd fling herself to one of those far of worlds where old warriors went to become hermits - so they could no longer hurt anyone. But something had her coming back...a name and a phantom.

The phantom was an old Mercenary acquaintance from Maiden's darker days. Zoltan, a grim looking agent of the shadows, had drummed up some intel that an old comrade one back from the Republic days was having a tough time. Tough in the sense she got nabbed by a rival PMC and was locked up in some god forsaken base on the far edge of the Enigma. Maiden, hunched over a speeder gazed at the holo-projection of her extraction target - Willa Isard. She smiled. Now this was interesting. Something about seeing the old sharpshooter from the Havoc Squadron of the Republic burned a new flame - she didn't what for but, she thought one last sally to find out.

Terminating the image, Maiden turned on the speeder's repulsorlift engine and flexed the engine's power. The speeder screamed and shot across the landscapes of Engima Prime darting around rocky obstructions to her target which was now projected on a map HUD Display inside her helmet's blaster visor.

​

"Phantom" Maiden called out Zoltan's op codename, "You read me. I'm approaching the operation zone. Come in."

Maiden waited and as she did she pondered her old comrade's situation. What have you gotten yourself into Willa.

 

[Zoltan Rarsk]

Zoltan sat behind a large, mahogany desk, covered in maps and files detailing weapon specifications and old intelligence files back from the Republic. "​Maiden, I read you. OP Zone is dead ahead. Isard is being held somewhere around the Chokwe Barracks and Ambo Village. The town was formerly inhabited by Durosian colonists, but were pushed out by the PMC who set up the barracks near by. Be advised that they've upped security in the area, as according to my sources, they're hoping to extract intel from Isard via torture then sell her out to the highest bidder. Obviously they don't want their operation interrupted, but, that's why you're here. I suggest you enter Ambo Village, extract some intel, and find Isard's location. We can't barge into the area on a hunch alone." He ordered.
​
Zoltan looked at the papers in front of him, and began staring at the Republic insignia attached to the top of one of the files. Back when he served in Republican black ops, Iron Maiden was one of the finest operatives to ever serve within their ranks. He made her acquaintance and worked with her in minor roles on a few missions, but he never knew her that well. However, one of his old contacts informed him that Willa Isard, a former Havoc Squad sniper, had been captured by a PMC on Enigma Prime. Seeing no better operative to get her back than Maiden herself, he contacted her and brought her up to speed.

"​Huh. Brings you back to the days of the Republic, doesn't it?" ​Zoltan nostalgically asked.

[member="Iron Maiden"] [member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Agent Iron Maiden]

Listening into the comms Maiden growled at the situation. The speeder flew over the landscape and quickly came up to the Durosian settlement. Modest prefabricated dweelings and a central complex, not too big, but big enough to house a good batch of armed men. This PMC had been causing a mess in the area and it seems they've already made the war torn planet their home base of operations. Reaching a low valley right before the settlement, Maiden ditched the speeder and dismounted. Cradling her assault blaster rifle Maiden moved into a crouch and crept across the gap between the valley and the first building.

Speaking into the built in audio of her HUD helmet Maiden announced her commencement, "Starting operation. Stand by." Maiden knew [member="Willa Isard"] was around but, was unclear to which building. Resting her hand on a wall she guided herself around a corner stalking a PMC trooper who was watching the parameter ahead of her. Maiden let her rifle sling down to her side quietly before lunging out from behind the trooper grabbing at his mouth and then rolling is arm into a lock cutting off his movement.

Dragging the trooper back around a corner, Maiden pulled out a short jack knife and let the tip push into the trooper's to layer of skin. Not enough to draw blood but enough to give a pinching sensation. "Alright boy. Let's make this easy. You answer my questions and I don't turn your jugular into a crimson sprinkler." The trooper nodded his head. Boy must have been fresh. New recruit draw up from the wayward teens on Engima. Thinking they could make a fresh credit or two by being a soldier. Maiden wanted to laugh. Give a child a gun and they're no soldier, they're a child with a weapon they don't understand how to use.

"I know you have detainee here. Where is she!" Maiden hissed into his ear. Her top index finger slipped down to let the boy at least mutter. The other four fingers held his chin to keep him from fully vocalizing and shouting for help.

"We have prisoners...ke...kept in a central basement out by the vehicle han..hangars...Please don't! Don't!" the boy tried to say. He broke off at the end in a short plea. Maiden said nothing and instead pushed the trooper forward and in the his confused state guided his head into the wall smashing his face and rendering him unconscious. Maiden dragged her victim into the building he was supposed to patrol and then slowly strolled over to the next exit inside. "My compliments to your trainer, newbie." Maiden scolded before calling on [member="Zoltan Rarsk"], "You catch any of that Skull Face?"

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Iron Maiden"] [member="Zoltan Rarsk"]

Willa felt something smack into her as she groaned, her body stretched out while her arms were tied above her head and she was looking at the mercs... or whatever had been left behind by the red ravens.... Now something new until she groaned with them speaking about the team she had come with. Her ranger's had retreated from their inexperience and she knew how to survive in places like this as the tattooed names on her ribcage and her leg. She might be tattooed for it but looking at the man as he came in to punch her again. Thankfully he couldn't break her ribs to harm her... he jut hurt like hell with the vahla moving her attention towards him with golden eyes while she was hearing him ask about what information they had on the stygium shipments.

 

[Zoltan Rarsk]

Zoltan nodded as he heard Maiden transcripting what she had heard. "Recorded. There's a hangar down by the southern edge of the village on the eastern corner and 2 other ones in the center of the village. Wait...Probes are detecting noise from the southern hangar. That might be our man, or should I say, woman." He blankly stated, as he watched the audio bounce up and down across the monitor closley in front of him. Zoltan marked the location on his maps and sent a small notification to Maiden's comms equipment.

"Isard's location should be there. Move quickly and swiftly, and while she's a tough sonuvabitch', I doubt that she'll last a whole lot longer with those PMC bastards." He cruelly remarked, as he leaned forwards, awaiting more data from the field. Suddenly, red flashes quickly bathed the room he was in, as Zoltan analyzed the monitor. "Maiden, I've got some reports from the probes. Landspeeders have moved into the village, bringing in... Kark, they brought in troops with blaster-resistant armor. If it comes down to facing them, rely on your environment, grenades, or CQC. It appears that they brough some of the former Durosian citizens along with 'em. Based upon the fact they're wearing some form of makeshift armor, I'm guessing they're freedom fighters. Get them, and we can have a nice operation set up on Enigma Prime." Zoltan reported. He began watched Maidens every move, hoping that the operation was going to be a resounding success, and that Isard will be brought back alive.

[member="Iron Maiden"] [member="Willa Isard"]​