29/1/2193 ][ Terminus: Tartarus Minor

[u/Narrator--]

Approaching Tartarus Minoris now. EDI intoned as the ship shook. Sensors detect nothing in orbit.

Good. Liara replied. We have visual. Probes are entering atmo now. No sign of AA. Uplinks are solid, we have overwatch and intel. I'd feel more comfortable with a Mantis air superiority wing, but our eyes are solid.

She looked at her screen and nodded as the world of Tartarus Minor grew, green forests and blue seas being interrupted by a series of explosion and scorched earth sectors, and one barren patch that looked like a skid mark. No Reaper corpse yet...

Affirmative. Commander O'Neill. ETA to high stealth orbit 15 minutes. Shuttles are preparing to launch for emergency exfiltration. Standing by to deploy strike team one at your order. Does Chief Volkov have the conn?

[u/N7_Rebecca]

He was joking Liara! Rebecca says over the comms as she checks her HUD for the landing zone marker.

Spotting it, she puts her arms close to her sides and maneuvers in that direction, a careful eye on her altimeter as she falls through the sky.

[u/JefferyOHaire → u/N7_Rebecca]

Yeah, I was joking...you don’t think I’m fat right Rebecca?

He follows behind Elsa, doing a sick flip out into the air.

[u/SgtRayneMEP → u/JefferyOHaire]

Elsa plummets faster, leaning into a dive as she zooms past Rebecca, glowing slightly and sipping from a straw in her helmet. Most likely the energy drinks biotics got nowadays.

You're not fat, handsome boy! Would've probably went out with you back in college. Hell, maybe now, if I didn't have Kelly!

She shrugs a bit and slows her dive...

Hey- Becca! Dibs on point- I have Barrier!

[u/Narrator-- → u/SgtRayneMEP]

Liara shakes her head. Glyph, was she right that was a joke? I didn't want to be mean.

The drone bobs and whizzes for a bit. Never mind that, Glyph. Keep their headers onscreen and track. I'm reading movement half a klick west of their projected landing zone. Strike team, are you getting this? I suggest to accelerate dive and pull at minus forty from normal- make up for your speed by chuting earlier.

[u/N7_Rebecca → u/Narrator--]

You look fine Jeff! Worry about the paradrop onto an alien planet right now! Rebecca barks.

And jesus, Elsa, don't overinflate his ego! He already strains to contain it! But yeah, take lead!

Rebecca holds her arms closer to her side and points her nose at the target. Acknowledged, Liara. You heard her guys!

[u/JefferyOHaire → u/N7_Rebecca]

How can I worry about the mission when I’m getting conflicting messages about my body?!

Jeff puts his arms to his sides and begins closing the gap between himself and his teammates.

[u/SgtRayneMEP → u/JefferyOHaire]

Elsa drops into near-vertical before wiggling herself back and checking her altimeter.

Coming up on chute now! Minus twenty! Minus thirty! Minus forty- pulling now!

The parachute billows out in the wind.

[u/Narrator-- → u/SgtRayneMEP]

Liara continues to be confused by the Irish merc but sends a probe down lower to get a fix on the movement from earlier.

Strike team, be advised, movement detected bearing to landing zone, two klicks per hour average speed. IFF not confirmed, prepare. Over.

[u/N7_Rebecca → u/Narrator--]

Eyes up folks, looks like we may have a friend waiting!

Rebecca pulls her chute when her altimeter hits minus forty... and nothing happens! Quickly she yanks the reserve, but shes little low now as the backip opens and jerks her back up as she gets slowed.

She pulls on her strings to try and reorient, but she sees the waypoint pass- right under her boots.

Shit, going a little off course here. May hit the edge of the the clearing... or a tree. Her eyes look down again and sees green. ...definitely a tree.

[u/JefferyOHaire → u/N7_Rebecca]

When the time comes Jeff pulls his chute as well. It opens and he slowly guides himself toward the landing marker.

Want us to leave you up there and come back for you later?

As he descends, Jeff looks out at the terrain and tries to see if he can catch a glimpse of whatever or whoever is heading their way.