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Parasites. Chapter 1. The wind blew across the dusty landscape, swirling sand caught in it's grasp. The sandstorm had reduced visibility and even with her helmet visors' image enhancing circuit enabled, Caprice was having trouble locating the visitors as they trekked towards her across the desert floor. She brought up her hand and quickly pressed the adjustment buttons on the side of the visor, the image before her eyes flared electronically and then settled down to an augmented view of the panoramic vista before her. The words 'Heat Sensor Active' flashed briefly at the lower edge of her vision as the visors' heads up display overlaid the green letters onto the dusty image. The sand particles were now rendered as small red specks flying to and fro, and Caprice looked left and right scanning for movement amongst the dunes. Eventually two multi hued figures came into view, still quite some distance away and undetectable to the human eye. Caprice raised the right hand to her chest and pressed a switch on the communications panel that was embedded into her evo suit. "They're here.", she said, and released the switch. Moments later, a reply crackled into her earpiece, "Roger that, Lieutenant. Please advise when you have them aboard and are en route.". With a click, the response signed off. There was no need to reply, communications protocols were fairly standard, and in military operations such as this one, conversations were always kept to a minimum. Once Caprice was satisfied that the figures were close enough to be seen, and could see her, she switched her visor back to the default view. In front of her stood two human sized forms, both in evo suits although theirs were faded and dirty with wear. "Professor Hawks?", she asked, her voice relaying over the short-range inter-suit radio. The taller of the two nodded, and a voice in her earpiece responded "Yes, and this is my assistant, Dana Moss". At this introduction Dana raised her hand in greeting. "Good. I am Lieutenant Caprice Donovan", Caprice replied, ignoring Danas greeting. "I will be escorting you to the SS Aberconway, where you will be debriefed by Admiral Henry. If you'd like to follow me into the shuttle please." Without waiting for a reply, Caprice turned on her heel and started to walk up the dune to the shuttle. Babysitting eggheads was not Caprice's idea of a fun detail, and she intended to get this particular assignment over as quickly as possible. |
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