Chloe often wondered why she even signed up. She could have done anything else with her young life but here she is stuck on some far off muggy humid moon while trapped in an uncomfortable suit that was obviously designed by a species that didn’t need to account for fur, quills, tails, or spurs. All this time too was spent painstakingly waiting. She thought about how if she had it her way she’d simply strip naked then coat herself in mud and twigs and then take shots while running and hiding just like the arpine warrioresses of old, but alas they had specific protocol and orders.

At the very least it wasn’t as hot up on the mountainslopes and they had a constant breeze while the humidity kept to the valleys, it made it far more bearable than their five day trek from the landing zone to get here. The gronicans loved to colonize and conquer worlds like this, the slimy scaly bastards thrived in conditions that made creatures of the temperate forests and plains like arpines feel like they were in Hell.

This moon had been recently invaded and colonized by the gronicans even though it was in Aeronian space. It was one of many recent border incidents and skirmishes between the Aeronian Union and Gronican Empire. Neither nation had yet officially declared themselves to be at war but given the increasing frequency of these events and the fact Chloe’s military contract was suddenly extended, as well as her sudden reassignment, it was definitely feeling like the start of a war to her.

Chloe felt indifferent to the impending conflict. Even though she was born on Krathal she never really had a homeworld to fight for in her mind, in fact she dreaded the small place she called “home”. She left home as a young adolescent to attend the OSGT Boarding Academy a quarter way across the galaxy on Orget, she would spend most of her breaks hitchhiking and wandering around the stars to avoid that place. But eventually the day came when she became an adult and graduated, with no immediate job prospects she was suddenly faced with the real possibly of having to return to the place she spent her childhood, so she instead chose the Aeronian Union Marines.

She was only supposed to serve for 5 years before the extension of her contract to 7. She had intended to only serve one term to buy enough time and money to figure out what to do with her life, but fate had other plans for her it seemed. She had started off as a designated marksman on borderworld patrols and the occasional minor raid, but along with her extension came her reassignment to a strategic sniper as well as a promotion to sergeant.

She couldn’t say she was surprised by her new assignment. It was obvious to her why she had been picked: at OSGT Academy she had been on the honor roll for math and physics, she was incredibly mathematically inclined and had dreams of becoming a physicist, such knowledge made her mind perfect for calculating bullet trajectories. This along with her experience as a designated marksman made her a perfect fit for the role.

Chloe wasn’t alone, however. She was accompanied by a young arpine corporal known as Grey Windstorm. Grey’s contract had also been extended and he was assigned to be Chloe’s spotter. Grey was picked for the role due to his small size making him “low maintenance” for extended isolated operations well as his special knowledge in atmospheric dynamics and conditions. Grey had dreams of being a terrestrial planetary meteorologist, being fascinated by the erratic weather patterns on his homeworld of Gichigame, and he could reliably feed Chloe all the numbers she needed to line up her shot.

Chloe and Grey made frequent small talk. They talked about their pasts, dreams, ambitions, and even just random things that didn’t even really matter. Chloe learned that Grey signed up hoping to be able to return to his homeworld to newfound respect from his peers and with a name for himself. She was fascinated with the stories of Grey’s time growing up on his homeworld, and Grey was equally fascinated with hearing about Chloe’s rather nomadic pre-adult years.

Grey would often express concerns and worries about the brewing situation. Grey loved his homeworld and spoke much concern for his home and family, Gichigame wasn’t too far from the border after all. Chloe always saw things from the perspective that if the gods were real they’d be with her wherever she was and that no matter where she’d finally lay she’d join the arpines of the past all the same, but hearing Grey express such deep concern over a place he clearly was connected to and loved made her perspective shift a little.

Chloe assured Grey that things would be okay. She said that they only needed to do their job here, which was to take out the Gronican general behind the territorial infractions in this sector, and that perhaps soon things would start to cool off and they could go back home, although if she was being honest with herself she didn’t believe her own words. But she did hope that things would not get ugly, not just for own sake but for Grey’s especially.

Chloe had to admit she had become a bit attached to Grey during their time together and felt something with him that she had only felt with one other person. And on that day on that mountainside on that distant insignificant moon she would utter the words “Grey, stick by me and I’ll make sure nothing ever happens to you.”

“Same to you, Chloe”, Grey would reply before he finally spotted their target, the notorious General Kruak, through his binoculars.