'T minus sixty seconds' a muffled voice could be heard over the tannoy system.

Despite being strapped in securely, Jason rocked side to side as the Beetle, he and the other Ravens were in, hurtled across the rocky landscape. The trip to the F.O.B had been uncomfortable, this was something else entirely different.

This was not his first time, however, as he had practised this manoeuvre several times. His stomach was up for the challenge even if his body ached for freedom.

"T minus thirty," the voice over the tannoy spoke once more. As he did, each of the Blue Ravens was positioned into a standing pose, upright in the enclosed space of the APC.

"Remember," a second voice spoke, one which sounded like a distorted version of Major Elijah Turner, "we have no intel on what is on the top of this ridge, keep your heads on a swivel and expect resistance."

Despite facing forward and staring at another member of his team, his thoughts were of Donnelly who stood by his side. She had been quiet and solemn for the hour leading up to this adventure. As they prepared their kits for the task at hand, she was distant and cold, yet just before they placed on their helmets, she took the time to place her soft gentle hand on Jason's cheek, leaning in to kiss him once more. As her soft, strawberry flavoured lips parted from his, she looked away and mumbled "Sorry" before proceeding to place on her helmet for one more time.

The apology bothered Jason. Had she apologised for her behaviour, for the kiss, or simply being aware that she was endangering the mission? The thoughts rubbed coarsely through his mind, like sandpaper against the skin, yet one thought stood out among others. Whatever will happen on this ridge, he will ensure that she will get through it unscathed.

"T minus Five. Prepare for disembark." the voice over the tannoy called.

As the voice spoke, each of the Ravens instinctively crossed their arms across their bodies, placing their ankles together, ready for what was to come.

"Three," the roof above the heads of the Ravens sprung open, creating a hatch just big enough for each of them to exit.

"Two," the Beetle still travelled at speed but provided a rushed glimpse of the ridge and the dark cloud that enveloped it.

"One, good hunting" the Bettle abruptly stopped before almost instantly catapulting the Blue Ravens simultaneously into the air.

Jason could feel the compressed gases being released beneath his feet before being hurtled high into the sky. Looking down, the Beetle seemed to be shrinking to the size of its namesake before he watched it hurtle away back to the F.O.B. The ridge wall, only metres away, was flying anxiously past him before he eventually entered the dense cloud and was surrounded by complete darkness.

The unnerving feeling of the surrounding dense fog and its ability to blind him was quickly alleviated as his heads up display spurred into life, creating an illusion of what the ridge wall looked like. In moments, the wall had disappeared and his ascent into the stratosphere had quickly turned into a controlled fall onto the dusty ridge ceiling.

Placing his feet firmly on the ground, immediately, Jason reached for his rifle, placing it hard against his shoulder and pointing it towards all who could be considered an enemy.

As the other Ravens skillfully bounced onto the surface, their weapons held high, they had all succeeded with the first and most simple part of the mission, yet taking a glance behind, realising that all there was, was a drop of at least three kilometres to a rocky surface below meant that there was only one direction they could head. They had to succeed in their mission or die trying.

Turner gave the signal to quickly and quietly move forward. Like a well-oiled machine, the team glided forward in unison, making little to no sound as they edged forward in the dense black cloud. Despite their advance, the trek forward was far too quiet.

The first kilometre was without resistance. These professional soldiers had likely made their advance without the enemy being aware of their presence and despite the quick jogging pace the Blue Ravens had broken into, there was nothing to suggest things would change.

Turner raised his arm into a closed fist, suddenly, abruptly pausing the advance and encouraging the soldiers to kneel, raising their weapons to their shoulders.

Jason felt exposed. The dense cloud was impossible to see through without the right equipment, but they were effectively on open ground. Scanning the horizon, he noticed what Turner was concerned about. The bodies of the previous recon teams.

"Scharn, Kensington, advance, find out what happened," Turner whispered.

Jason stood, along with another fellow Blue Raven, quickly shuffling forward to the closest fallen comrade.

As he reached the deceased soldier he looked up to see several more like him.

Kensington knelt beside him, raising his weapon in support of Jason's investigation. "What was it?" he asked.

Jason carefully and respectfully turned the corpse on his back. Immediately, he ascertained that it did not come from small arms weapons fire. The lack of carbon scoring on the armour confirmed as such, yet what he had anticipated was the deep incisions of a Ceti sceptre. As he looked closer, the answer to the question was starting to form in his mind. His HUD analysed the armour, highlighting several punctures along the entire torso and legs. Spotting the angle of entry, Jason immediately went on alert.

"Mine's" he gasped.

Jason immediately pressed a few buttons on his wrist allowing his HUD to switch the display through the various mine types, before glows of red containers could be seen dug into the ground, including one only a couple of metres away from their position.

"Switch your HUD to shredder mines, and be careful, we're almost on top of one."

Kensington immediately tensed as he glanced to his right seeing the mine staring menacingly back at him.

Jason sighed in relief. Despite all their training, and being the best unit the USM had to offer if it hadn't been for the scores of dead soldiers around them, Jason, and the Blue Ravens would have struggled to get through the minefield unscathed. Considering how dense the field appeared, most of them would have had their final resting place on this dark lonely ridge.

Kensington sprinted back to the other Ravens to give them the SITREP. As the sound of Kensington's footsteps dissipated, Jason could hear the low groans of something unusual. Raising his head, he surveyed the area, before coming across several corpses gathered in one area. As the haunting groan continued, Jason stood to investigate, skipping past the mines before reaching the mound of dead heroic soldiers.

One wasn't dead.

Pushing the corpse of a man lying almost lifeless on the floor, he could see his armour with several punctures painting his body.

"Oh... Thank God you're human!" he mumbled "I didn't want to die here alone."

"You're not going to die," Jason spoke as his HUD displayed the man's vitals. As his heart beat erratically, despite his lack of medical knowledge, Jason knew that the man was in extremely critical condition.

"What's your name?" Jason asked, knowing that a conversation would help keep him alive until he could potentially be stabilised.

"Umm... Uh... Lance Corp... Corporal Enrique Salvador. One twenty-third Laughing Jackals s... Sir."

"Enrique, good to meet you," Jason spoke while looking up to see if his compatriots were rushing to his position.

"Are... Are you a Blue Raven?" Enrique asked.

Turning back to the critically conditioned soldier, Jason replied softly, "Indeed."

"I always wanted to join you." Enrique softly grunted.

The other Blue Ravens had taken positions around Jason and Enrique while Turner and the team's primary medic, Lieutenant Sulaiman came rushing to his side.

"Perhaps you still can," Jason replied as he watched Sulaiman get to work.

Enrique groaned once more as he tried to move encouraging Jason to glance at Sulaiman once again, as Sulaiman briefly shook his head, Jason sighed in resignation.

He recalled when his father had commented that it didn't matter how hard some soldiers train, it could simply be down to bad luck that would contribute to their downfall. Perhaps, one day, Enrique could have been his comrade in arms, a fellow Blue Raven who would be instrumental in ending this war. What if Jason and the Blue Ravens had been first on the ridge? Their roles would be reversed and Enrique would be the last person that Jason would have ever spoken to.

All irrelevant questions, the reality was that Enrique was dying, and Jason would be his last conversation. This war was tiring.

"Enrique, what happened?" Jason asked.

"We... We saw the bodies of the unit before. The CO ordered us to investigate, Bodger was the first to go, ste... stepped on a mine which took out Gibbs and Cuisance too." Enrique explained.

Jason wondered which of these corpses around him were of the names that Enrique was spouting.

"The CO ordered we take care of the wounded, yet the more we did, the more mines went off," Enrique groaned, "it... It was horrific."

Jason pictured in his mind as explosions were followed by several soldiers slumping to the floor. How every move would put so much fear in the soldiers around them, wondering if it was their last moments on this strategic planet. The Laughing Jackals, among the other dead, would not have had the technical HUDs that Jason and the Blue Ravens have. The equipment each Blue Raven wore was far superior to anything a standard soldier could have and there was no way for them to know where the next mine would be.

"Then... Then they came," Enrique continued, causing Jason's attention to snap back to the present.

"Who came?" Jason asked

"The Ceti's, checking the living and dead. Killing those who still breathed, oh God, how they impaled Ivanov despite his cries for help. I... I hid, I was a coward." Enrique sniffled.

Jason held his hand tight, he knew nothing of Enrique or his life, yet watching his friends slaughtered in front of him could not have been easy to endure. It would be unfair if his final moments were of regret. "You are no coward, Enrique. The Human Confederate called, and you answered. You came here, knowing the risks, you stood with your brothers and sisters in arms as you advanced along this ridge. Nothing about that is cowardly."

Enrique grunted again, yet this time it sounded like one of appreciation rather than agony.

"Enrique, one last question," Jason asked.

There was no response.

Quickly looking at his vitals once again, the heartbeat was still there, but now it was starting to slow.

Jason shook the dying Enrique, desperate to get one last answer out of him. "Hey! Enrique!"

There was a grunt once more, causing Jason to feel a pang of regret at being so callous in the man's final moments. "How many Ceti's were there Enrique? How many Ceti's?"

Enrique mumbled and groaned again causing Jason to shake him violently once more.

"How many Ceti's, Enrique?" Jason spoke clearly and with determination."

"Ten... I counted te..." with that, Enrique spoke no more and his vitals gradually dissipated to nothing.

Jason felt resigned, slumping down hopelessly just before Turner placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well done, Jason," Turner commented, "I know it wasn't easy, but you've given us valuable intel as we progress forward."

Jason placed his hand on Enrique's chest, before standing to his feet. He was angry, angry at the Ceti's, angry at the USM, angry at Enrique, angry at himself, yet his anger at this point was fruitless. He knew there were approximately ten Ceti's watching them right now, just outside of the minefield, and he was going to make them pay for what they had done to Lance Corporal Enrique Salvador of the 123rd Laughing Jackals.

"Sulaiman, set up the beacon so the next soldiers are aware of the location of our fallen and the minefield. Activate in T minus sixty and join us in the advance. Now we take the fight to the enemy," ordered Turner.

Turner raised his arm out wide, spurring the remaining Blue Ravens to form an intimidating line with their weapons raised forward. As Turner lowered his arm, he waved it forward. Immediately each of the Blue Ravens edged forward, skipping past the mines as if they were not there, only focused on the enemy forces that remained in front of them.

Their pace quickened, almost fuelled by the number of bodies that lay strewn across the minefield. Like angry wildebeest, they were ready to trample the ones responsible for the death and carnage.

Jason's HUD flashed to life as the minefield appeared to end. A trench started to appear dug deep into the ground, and within it, the signs of several Ceti's peeking over it, waiting for the devastation the minefield would normally cause.

As the Blue Ravens advanced, their weapons pointing towards the new hostiles, it visibly shook the Cetis. Vengeance was bearing down on them, determined and eager to repay them for what they had done.

Turner raised his hand in a fist high, causing the eager special operatives to kneel and await the next command. With a single point towards a Raven followed by signalling his hands together, only to pull his right hand back sharpishly, he watched as the soldier he pointed to take a small device from his side, flicked a switch and then tossed it high over his shoulder.

Everyone watched, including the Cetis, as the device hurtled its way through the air before bouncing effortlessly into the trench.

As it rolled to the ground, initially nothing happened, before it released a blue expanding pulse high into the dark cloud.

The Ravens needed no introduction to the burst of light, standing to their feet and breaking into a jog. The rifles on their shoulders burst to life, releasing a hail of energy fire toward the concerned Cetis that knew what was about to happen next.

With the sheer volume of energy fire and the speed the Ravens advanced on their position, the enemy had no time to attack or retreat as their lifeless bodies fell to the floor, unaided by the deactivated shields caused by the thrown EMP grenade.

Jumping into the trench, the soldiers remained alert, knowing that more Cetis likely littered the warren of tunnels that they sat brazenly in front of.

Turner instantly released another small balled device from his pouch, watching as it speed into the tunnels, mapping out everything in front of them, including the exit behind the massive wall that separated them from the rest of the USM forces.

"Captain Kagasawa, take the squad and clear out the tunnels, make sure no one is left standing to reinforce the exit," Turner ordered as the Ravens huddled around preparing for the assault into the tunnels. "Donnelly, Scharn, Kensington, we'll head directly to the exit of these tunnels. We'll clear out any resistance we encounter before obtaining line of sight to the power stations. Once we do that, we'll be the least of the Ceti's problems. Understood?"

All, bar the subdued Donnelly, responded positively to the instructions, eagerly standing with their weapons raised high to infiltrate the tunnels.

"Jason, take point," instructed Turner, encouraging him to take the lead of the small strike team.

Standing by the entrance, he quickly glanced at Turner as he received the instructions to enter.

His training took over, rapidly moving among the tunnels, checking every corner, every nook, every gap for any type of resistance. Following the route set by his HUD, it wasn't long before they were deep inside the heart of the winding tunnels that would eventually exit somewhere in the cliff.

Stopping just short of a room carved out in the rocks, Jason glanced around to see half a dozen Ceti's preparing for a fight. With Captain Kagasawa's forces quickly engaging the enemy and causing as much noise as possible, it was likely they were preparing to support their comrade's position, and with the only exit between them and Kagaswa's team being through Jason, Turner, Kensington and Donnelly, a fight was inevitable.

Jason glanced back, signalling his fingers to his eyes before instructing Turner of the six combatants.

Turner swung around to have a quick look before uncoupling an EMP grenade from his belt.

Rolling the grenade into the compartment, the Ceti's immediately started shouting and attempted to take cover but as the grenade's burst of blue light filled the room, they could only stand in horror as three of the Blue Ravens entered abruptly, their weapons raised, releasing a quick burst of energy towards them.

The enemy combatants fell unceremoniously to the floor, crumbling to a heap as steam casually bellowed up from their charred helmets, but before the Ravens could savour in their small victory, another half dozen soldiers entered angrily with their sceptres drawn.

"Shit!" Turner cursed, knowing that the EMP would not have affected them.

In one swift motion, Jason had swung his rifle onto his back feeling a magnetic clamp cling it securely in place. With a lightning pace, he launched himself at the first Ceti, his wrist sword extending just in time to parry an angry sceptre away. Reaching for his pistol by his side, he pushed it up against the chin of the combatant and pulled the trigger, watching as the Ceti collapsed to the floor, lifeless.

Placing his pistol back on his hip, Jason knew he couldn't act again. The other Ceti's would learn quickly not to allow him so close to shooting underneath their shields, from now on, it would be down to who was better with the blade.

Another two Ceti's advanced on his position, deliberately circling him like lions to their prey. As Jason extended his second wrist sword, he quickly pressed the attack, ensuring that at least one Ceti would be unable to settle into any routine or flow.

Jason swiped high with one wrist, and then low with the second, being blocked both times by the sceptre of his defensive adversary. Trying to turn defence into attack, the Ceti flicked his wrist forward, only for Jason to block with ease before pressing his advantage once more.

Jason's flow was intense, the parries, the slashes, the stabs, all were being blocked expertly, yet the skill of this Ceti was nothing like Voshtek K'Or's, and therefore, this Ceti was no match for Jason.

Seeing his compatriot in trouble, the second Ceti attacked, swiping at Jason's back and causing him to spin skilfully towards his new enemy.

Adrenaline was pumping effortlessly through Jason's body, making time feel like it was slowing down. Anticipating every attack, he avoided the sceptres with ease before swinging his wrist with counterattacks that surprised and unnerved his opponent.

Despite the skill and precision, he was displaying, Jason needed to end this quickly. Turner was holding his own against one combatant, while Kensington was struggling against his. With a quick look around he realised that Donnelly and one Ceti were nowhere to be seen. He could not allow this fight to continue any longer while not knowing how the disillusioned Donnelly was fairing.