Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Research Outpost Delta

Athena once again sat down in the passenger seat of the MSV. This time, she only had a single question in her head. How did she get here? 

This was supposed to be a simple process. She would meet up with her squad and they would make their way back to base. After that, she would pretend like nothing happened and gradually decide what to do with the system and the Imperium. She had no intention of spending the rest of her life killing the enemies of the Imperium. As a volunteer, she still had four more years of required service left. Maybe she should desert before that?

Regardless, she never expected any trouble from her own squad, much less for them to immediately try to gun her down without even telling her why. Well, that was unexpected and bad enough, but Athena knew this was a dangerous galaxy where death was all too common. These troops wanted her dead, so she used the zerglings to defend herself and butcher them in return. 

But now, after she brutally killed the entire squad and was ready to beat intel out of the treacherous corporal, it turned out the corporal was actually a martyr trying to topple the corrupt Imperium? And she was the villain who killed the martyr?

Although…according to Corporal Huo, she wasn’t even the villain. That would be the Leviathan and all the Lords and Ladies who ruled the various sectors within the Imperium. Athena? She was at most one of the trillion of loyal hounds that serve the villain in exchange for scraps off the table. 

“They were purging their own ranks of Imperial loyalists.” Athena said quietly, both to herself and to Nova as she tried to figure out what to do next. “Somehow…somehow nine of our squad of twelve, including the squad leader, have decided to turn against the Venya Imperium. I…I don’t know how that’s possible without the ISC or the ISA getting a clue on this. Michael and Ren were both loyalists, just like me…just like the old me.”

She continued without waiting for a reply from Nova.

“This is why the casualties from these missions into the wild are so high. It’s not the local predators or the environment that’s doing most of the killing. It’s the rebel fighters…most of the troopers killed on these missions were likely all loyalists. By getting rid of them, the rebels are increasing their influence in the company. And how many in the company have already turned traitor? If 75% of my squad started off as traitors and the rebels have been executing loyalists ever since we got onto this planet…” 

The more Athena thought about this, the more terrified she became. She wasn’t just a random trooper stationed on a random planet who could comfortably sit back and wait for retirement. Just by being here on the planet, she was entangled in a dangerous and complicated plan, one that involved getting rid of her as soon as possible. 

Infiltrating any Imperial unit to this level wasn’t easy. It required input from individuals embedded high in the chain of command of the Imperial Army in Sector 9A2. Who could be behind something like this? And what were they trying to accomplish with all this trouble? 

“Perhaps I can align myself with the rebels? Convince them I’m on their side and help them with whatever plan they had?” Athena suggested.

Unlike her former self, she had no love for the Venya Imperium. If anything, she despised this so-called Imperium. Leviathan? Just a fancy title for a dictator. As someone from a democratic nation in the 21st century, Athena had no intention of becoming a loyal slave of some Lord or Lady, nor did she intend on worshiping the Leviathan like he was some type of celestial. He was just a man born into the right family. Nothing more. 

But even as she said those words, Athena scoffed at her own naivety. The situation now didn't depend on what she wanted or preferred. A lot of decisions weren’t hers to make. In fact, they never were. 

“You just brutally murdered nine of their comrades, commander.” Nova pointed out what Athena knew deep down. “Even if you didn't, the old Athena was one of the most loyal soldiers in the entire company. It will be impossible to convince the rebels you are different. As a matter of fact, it may be easier for you to kill every single one of them than to bring them to your side.”

“They won’t know what I did.” Athena reminded Nova. “There is a reason these rebels decided to do these executions in the remote jungles. There are no surveillance or communication satellites above us. Equipping infantry troopers with body cams was never something the Imperium, or anyone, did. As the only survivor who makes it back, I will be able to craft whichever story I wish about what happened. Although you are correct in that they will still see me as a threat, perhaps even more so than before.”

A squad of twelve troopers left the base. One trooper returned. Honest Imperial commanders might not think much of it. After all, accidents and casualties happen on the battlefield all the time, but for the rebels who already harbored ill will toward her, convincing them wouldn’t be so easy.

“If you go back to Outpost Delta, conflict with the rebels will be inevitable.” Nova played her role of a good advisor and prepared Athena for what both of them knew would happen. “It will be the same situation as with your squad. You may not wish to harm them, but they want you dead. There is only one way you can survive, and that is by killing them before they can kill you.”

Athena bit her lips. She knew Nova was right. It didn't matter if she had no intention of hurting the rebels who were, in her eyes, revolutionaries fighting against an oppressive government. Unless she was willing to die just so these rebels could carry out whatever plan they had, she had to fight back using deadly force. 

Of course, unlike most individuals who were put into these dilemmas, Athena actually had the ability to fight back and defend herself. She could feel the hatchery in the forest close to completion. It would likely be finished before she even got back to base. After that, the queen and the zerglings would gradually hunt down all the biomass in the forest. The drones would retrieve the biomass back to the hatchery, transforming them into minerals Athena could use to build units within Research Outpost Delta.

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By the time the rebels make a move, she would already have the resources to build an army of zerglings and queens. 

Plus, she was confident she could unlock terran combat units after returning to Outpost Delta. The outpost had a garage and an armory that held vehicles and weapons that, while not being particularly impressive in the entire Imperial arsenal, were still quite a variety. 

“Commander, if you would like to remain here in the wild, it is possible.” Nova reminded Athena of another option she could take. “You have yet to unlock a terran supply depot, but you can construct terran command centers, which provide anything you may need to survive for extended periods of time. With the zerg hatchery about to finish, you will have the minerals to construct a command center very soon.”

Athena’s eyes lit up briefly but the spark of hope quietly disappeared. Indeed, that was an option. The command center could keep her alive while her zerg forces grew in numbers and quality. Perhaps she could unlock more zerg structures on the planet, but then what? Zerg units couldn’t get her off this world. What could she do? Ride a mutalisk into space while wearing power armor? Or maybe she could lift off the command center and use it as an interstellar transport? Command centers didn't have warp drives for FTL travel. She would likely spend the rest of her life floating in space. 

Even if she could build a zerg army, the only way for her to unlock terran technologies or steal an Imperial transport to escape the planet was by attacking Research Outpost Delta. If so, what was the point of all the trouble? 

In the end, once again, she only found herself with one viable option. 

Athena closed her eyes and leaned back in the seat of the MSV. This was the feature of the game that she was loving more and more. The ability for her to simply rest and think without having to worry about running out of time. It was like a Starcraft game where she could hit pause at any point for an unlimited amount of times and take a breather. 

In her head, she went through all the information she had to see if she was missing anything. 

Research Outpost Delta. Morgo IV. Imperial Sector 9A2. Leader: Lord Vitz. Her unit: 329th Infantry Division. 432th Company. 4th Platoon. The 432th Company had over 300 troopers. Its leader was Captain Hanson, a veteran who was known for his bravery and loyalty. 

What forces were at play in Research Outpost Delta? First, there was Doctor Payton of the Imperial Research Academy. She was likely the target of the rebels. She was protected by a squad of five bodyguards from the Imperial Security Corps led by Corporal Kendrick. And then there was the 432th Company. Wait…

Athena’s eyes suddenly snapped open. She suddenly remembered something she inherited from the other Athena’s memories. Something that meant the rebels might not be the only danger she was facing. 

“There is another problem.” She said to Nova, her voice almost shaking. “The Venya Imperium is not known for taking betrayals well. Once the betrayal here is known, there will be a lot of consequences. Investigations. Interrogations. Torture and purging. The Imperium’s philosophy has always been that it is better to kill a loyal citizen than to let a guilty one go free. A similar policy is practiced in the military, with the only exceptions being especially valuable individuals.” 

“Commander, you are worried you will be executed by the higher-ups after leaving this planet?”

“That is possible. No, that is likely. These things have happened before.” Athena could feel anger growing in her chest. The idea that the Imperium would torture and execute someone who could be innocent made her sick, but this was just how the Imperium worked. As of now, there was little she could do to change it. “That is…unless I can prove my loyalty during the rebellion.”

“Prove your loyalty? How?”

“I don’t know. I will have to find a way. If I can’t and if the Imperials do come for me, then I will need to fight my way out…killing loyalists after killing rebels. What a fucked up world this is!” 

She shook her head before exiting the game. As time resumed around her, she got into the driver’s seat of the Blackbuck she was in. Seconds later, the multi-terrain scout vehicle dashed down the open field, heading back to Imperial Research Outpost Delta. 

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