-Fernando-

The staccato of fire surrounded us, I had the Marines in shooting practice. It had taken some work, but I’d managed to jimmy rig moving targets that should simulate the erratic movement reported to be the Zerg during Damian’s mission. I also had the men practicing with their shields, which had increased in size. Drained the armor a bit, but it might save them if they do a unified bash. Precaution, planning, preparing.

I’d made progress on the wall, it was halfway complete, and Caspian had improved several basic weapon designs, increasing the clip size for our rifles, and the basic accuracy. They were minor mods, but it would add up in time.

Finding recruits for the Marauder Armor had been the difficult part, it took a certain mindset to use those, but I had managed to fill the other three original armors without too much difficulty. SCVs were in production, and resource gathering had been stepped up a bit. Scouts even reported a new Mineral field deeper into the Wastelands. A bit too deep to be of use right now but it allowed me to plan for possible outposts or smaller settlements in the future. Something to discuss with Damian, if he fucking survived the idiocy of the Ghost.

According to the report the Ghost had sent to Green, Damian was currently incoherent and poisoned, with the Assassin holding the only cure. I frowned at that, not really buying it. By all reports, this Nocturnal, whatever, had no known cure. All attempts at creating one through culture treatments had failed, to much blood. I wasn’t a doctor or a scientist, but I imagined there was something to that. I’d mentioned it to Green and she had taken on an odd look, contemplative.

Regardless, the Assassin wouldn’t get what he wanted. I’d cure The Commander, deal with The Ghost, and no longer allow him to go anywhere without a Guard contingent. I had stopped pushing for it before, mostly because he was so insistent he didn’t need it. He shouldn’t have needed it either, not with the fucking Ghosts around him. That had been proven wrong in the end, a mistake I would correct.

“Sir, what do you plan to do?” Granit, the original Marauder, asked me. Goodman, Granit, he took to leading his small squad of walking bombs well.

“I plan to take the Assassin into custody, force a cure to be provided, and save The Commander. If he doesn’t cooperate, well, I’m sure we can think of a few ways to fix that issue. I’ll handle the responsibility for it if it comes down to it.”

The backup plan was to torture Hika in front of the Assassin, make him watch as we slowly cut her to pieces until he gave us what we wanted. I found the idea distasteful, but personal issues had no place in a Soldiers thinking. Something I’d have to ensure the Ghost remembered in the future.

The last report received from The Orion showed them roughly half a day from arrival. It allowed plenty of time to ensure a few precautions were set-up. Namely, where The Orion would be able to land was going to be surrounded by Marines, every possible exit would be covered with orders to open fire on anyone who attempted to leave the ship without being scanned by Green upon disembarking.

I frowned, the frightening woman was heading toward me. What did the demonic thing want now? Did she have more information? “Fernando! I have it! I figured it out, why no one could find a cure, why it all came back more ‘bloody’ than anything!” I held a hand up, stemming the onrush of words before she could really get going.

“Breath, Doctor, what is it?” She took in an audible breath like she had forgotten air was required to talk, to begin with. Goodness…

“It’s their blood! I’m not sure why, but every report showed minor genetic changes, we always assumed it was part of the poison, which makes sense! They are genetically modified to BE the poison, we need blood from the source! I’m sure of it, give me more people, I need to run tests when they get here, figure things out…”

Oh God, not again. “Stop! Ok, I’ll find people to help. Go...just go do what you need to do.” Please leave, it was bad enough during the physical where I had to station Marines outside to keep women from breaking down the door while you just kept talking, on and on, about how perfect my genes must be to create my body. I shuddered, remembered the frightening look Green had at the time like she wanted to dissect me.

“Sir?” Granit must have seen the reaction. I shrugged. “You’ll understand when you have the physical as well.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, then I ordered him to have everyone prepare. I wanted nothing to go wrong during the operation. Secure The Commander, take the Assassin Prisoner, see about limiting The Ghosts actions in the future. Clear, concise goals. The rest could be done after this fiasco was settled.

-Nova-

“Hmm, oh Sweetheart, what do you have planned I wonder? I see a rather large number of soldiers outside.” Oh, you insufferable fucker! I had no idea what Fernando had planned. I just hoped it wouldn’t cost Damian his life.

“I have nothing planned, you said it yourself. Only you have the cure for Damian.” It appeared true, it also seemed to not be on him now. I’d taken to infiltrating the room he stayed in personally after several failed attempts made by my men. The man had even been nonchalant about the attempts, smiling as if he had expected them and welcomed them.

He made a hmmm sound before shrugging, that cocky smirk returning to his face. Keep thinking you have the upper hand, I may not like Fernando, but the man always had a plan, a contingency plan, and another contingency plan beyond that. I had little doubt he had an idea on how to handle this matter without endangering Damian's life. I just wasn’t sure how bad it would end up being for me. I had no doubt Fernando wanted me gone, he put up with me because Damian either ordered it, or had stated he needed me. The man was frighteningly loyal to him, though I had no idea why at first, I had an inkling of the reason now.

-Damian-

Ugh, why did my head hurt? Why does it feel like I’m strapped to a bed? Why is Dr. Green standing over me with a light brighter than the sun, and twice as painful? I squinted at the light, trying to move my head away from it only to have fingers clamp onto my chin like a vice and force my head to stay still.

That did it. I’d finally died and gone to hell, Dr. Green was my personal demonic torturer, it made sense at last! No one human could suck the life out of you simply by talking like she could! I felt a little giggle burble up from within me. I was terrified, confused, and really had to take a piss...Wait, did the dead need to pee? “Dead?” I murmured, pretty sure I should sound louder than that.

“Oh no, Sir, you are very much alive, though groggy by the looks of it. Now then, it’s been fascinating working on you, oh that poison was so feisty! I cannot even begin to imagine the implications behind the process, let alone the applications of such…”

Yea, no...I was dead, I was on Tarsonis, yet the good Doctor was here jabbering on about poison, blood, Nova, and Fernando damn near getting into a fistfight. I admit that thought made me smile, the tiny woman trying to fight a fully armored Fernando barehanded. If it were anyone else, I know Nova would crush them like aluminum, but I somehow doubted that with Fernando.

I forced my eyes shut, the light blinding. “Oh no, none of that, open those peepers, Sir. I need to continue my examination.” Oh god, I was alive, and this wasn’t ending! How did Green get here though? All I remembered was Nova kissing me in my hotel room, then...I think Pierce and Stone had burst in, ruining the moment I might add, then...nothing. I frowned again, it was a blank.

“I think that’s enough for now, Dr. Green. You’ve given him a clean bill of health already if I can judge anything you're saying to be accurate. I need to debrief the Commander.” I closed my eyes again, once the light went away I opened them to see two orderlies, I think that’s what they were at least, hustling a sputtering Green out of the room.

At least I knew where I was now, a medical bunk, and since the big man standing near the door was Fernando that meant I was on Mar Sara, back in Bastion. How the fuck did this happen? What about the shit I had to get done! Oh God dammit! I was starting to panic, an irrational sense of fear welling up within me at the idea of failing to provide for my people. Fernando must have noticed and raised an armored hand placatingly. “Sir, calm down. Your...Ghost provided the foodstuffs that you gained from General Vex, along with the building plans. Take a moment, relax, deep breaths. I’ll explain what occurred, based on reports, prior to your arrival.”

Ok, ok...Reward Nova, also ask about that kiss, it had been electrifyingly amazing. I really had no idea why she had done that, but I was not letting her get away with a one-time thing. I focused in on Fernando, who had begun explaining what happened.

“You were poisoned, Sir. The poison used is very rare and believed to be untreatable. Our good Doctor found a cure based on blood and genetic manipulation. She’ll provide specifics of that. The cause of your poisoning was through a kiss, Hika Morimoto’s brother, Hiko Morimoto, entered your room the night of the ball disguised as Nova, how we are not sure at this time, and poisoned you with a kiss. From there, Nova was blackmailed into bringing you to Mar Sara, with the Assassin, so he could retrieve his sister. We have them both detained in separate cells, and Nova is awaiting punishment for failure to perform her duties.”

I’d stopped listening after he said the poison was given via kiss, by the Pirates brother...who had disguised himself as Nova. That made no sense! The person kissing me was most certainly Nova! How the fuck do you change your entire body structure? I refuse to believe a man made me feel that way! I’m straight, God dammit, no way...oh God...no, please no, why are you showing me security footage of the guy? Leave me my denial you ass-hole!

“I assume you’re going on an internal rant about how the man could do what he did, so far nothing I’ve tried has revealed his morphing abilities. I will discover the method though, trust me, Sir. The security feed you’re seeing now is real time. The man is Hiko, as I stated. He is a surviving member of the Assassin Guild, how we are not sure, but here he is.”

He had strong features, like his sister, and he was...smirking? Why the hell would he be smirking at all? Didn’t matter. It was Nova I kissed, plan and simple. I had passed out from the excitement of it, and then this guy had poisoned me another way. Yes, true or not, that's how it was.

“Ok...Where is Nova?” I asked, my voice still sounded kind of weak, fucking cottonmouth is a bitch as well. Fernando gave me a level look before he responded.

“For failing in her duty to protect you, Sir, I have had her placed under house arrest, her department on the Orion is also under House arrest, they await your judgment. I suggest limiting her influence on future matters until she proves herself capable, again. I have also installed four Marines to become your personal guard, I’ll send the relevant files over to you. I won’t allow you to be unguarded any longer, Sir.”

Social Quest Received!

Personal Guard - Lieutenant Fernando has given you four Marines to become your personal guard. Accepting them will increase Fernando’s loyalty and trust by five, respectively. Grants four unique Marine Units labeled ‘Imperial Guard’. Declining this quest will lower loyalty and trust by ten. You will also no longer be able to gain the Imperial Guard Unit.

Imperial Guard - Unique Marine Unit, capable of wielding all Terran ground weaponry with minimal training. These Units are the elite of the elite within Terran Infantry, few know the method of properly training Imperial Guard. - Specialization available.

Well then, that’d be stupid to deny. “Fine, but release Nova’s people. I’ll speak to Nova in private about some kind of punishment.” Fernando frowned at me, he wasn’t stupid. He probably knew that whatever I would do wouldn't be something he would see as a punishment, but it was the best he’d get regardless of a loss of trust or loyalty. Afterall, she kissed me. Right? Of course, she did, it was a she!

Congratulations Player! You have been awarded - Imperial Guard - A unique Terran Unit. You are able to further specialize each individual unit for a rounded team! -WARNING- Due to low Commander level you are limited to two Imperial Guard. -System Announcement- Hero Unit Fernando has granted you four Imperial Guard, System deems this acceptable, but has limited you to specializing only two, no further Imperial Guard may be acquired until you increase your Commander level!

I took a deep breath, feeling a bit better with that. Ok, good, I even gained new units. The fact Fernando could actually provide them meant he was able to train them...Unique Infantry, Imperial Guard...who the actual hell was he anyway?

System Warning!

Player has three hours to enter a Campaign Map before being terminated from the game, please move to Adjutant for further details.

Fuck you System...Fuck you...