Lukin, Azail and Gab'el were standing in the cockpit of their wrecked ship contemplating on the discussion they just had with Ashi'in.

The assistant had told them of how their ally seemed to be suffering or was at least saddened by something. He seemed to try to communicate that he needed to go somewhere or take them some place.

This was a tough situation as their group needed to stick by the rescue signal that was being sent off to their outpost on the near by red planet, just a hop away from this blasted dirt sphere they were stuck on.

Lukin argued at the time that they needed to keep its favor with them. After giving Ashi'in a communicator and some of the medical supplies they had as well as a kinetic pistol, and after arguing with Azail for a bit, she was sent off with the primitive. He wasn't worried about losing her, since the communicator could be tracked, but... a bigger problem arose.

Their rescue signal got answered by the 'Red Spot' Frontier Base, but it wasn't just any communications worker from there, but instead Augh'un Slivher, the Frontier Leader for this sector. Lukin's eyes sunk in the back of his skill as he realized this, especially since he hoped to give a half incomplete report to a lesser communications service personell to hide certain details of their... unique situation.

"Dr. Lukin, I am glad to see you alive. Please, report on your situation, I have already sent a rescue crew your way, but certain data coming from your ship has been... curious. I hope you can enlighten me about some possible... informational anomalies." Augh'un said with a pointed tone, one of knowing, yet uncertainty in detail.

"Ah-... yes, Leader Augh'un. We have come upon some unfavorable situation. As the message stated, we had been intercepted by a Daemar vessel and crashed. Until recently we had been... ahem... fighting the Daemar and we had managed to repell their attack as well as terminate them and their vessel by-..." Lukin said as he stuttered a moment, which was plenty ebough for Augh'un to hit back with a stinging reply.

"By employing the assistance of the Redemption Fighting Suit that was on your ship, I presume? The same suit that currently has its full integration system triggered and that seems to be leaving the crash site for a while now. You know, at first I wasn't going to question this until my eyes glanced at the biometric data that the suit was transmitting and I couldn't help but notice... the THING wearing it and its... UNUSUAL biology. The interesting thing is... the details are very similiar in make with the native sentient species to the planet, the one you are studying. So, my question to you, dear Doctor, is... HOW THE FUCK DID YOU MANAGE TO LOSE A GEN ONE RF SUIT TO A NATIVE SENTIENT OF THAT SHIT PLANET, WITH AN IQ EQUIVALENT TO ROOM TEMPERATURE?!?" Augh'un yelled as several dark blue veins became pronounced upon his expression, accompanying a less than angelic scowling expression.

Lukin had to cover his ears a moment as nervousness crept up his spine, but then flashes of the live feed he had seen not long ago came back to his mind. A big shit eating grin crept on his expression as his golden eyes shined due to the memory bringing him a huge amount of a twisted scientific joy.

"Well, Frontier Leader Augh'un, our situation was EXTREMELY unique, you see and upon some decissions made while under stress of imminent termination, our best course of action was decided at the time to be this one. We had been given aid by a local who helped counter the Daemar attack, but it had been severely wounded so, since we saw... a unique fighting apptitude in it, we chose to save its life and our own by giving it the suit." Lukin said with confidence, letting lies seep into his hole ridden half truth of an answer.

"You decided this to be the best course of action? TO FULLY INTEGRATE AN UNTRAINED, BARELY SENTIENT DOLT WITH A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT PRICIER THAN SOME LOWER GRADE SHIPS?! It might be outdated, but it is still a high caliber piece of equipment that YOU, with no official authority, gave away." The Frontier Leader said as his eyes pulsed with a golden fury.

"Sir, I believe it suits it well. I at least have been throughly humbled by the native pilot's expertise with the suit and its usage of the Gen One's true potential, I certainly do not think you or anyone else under your command could use it even half as effectively as it did. So, I wonder if this untrained pilot with... how did you say? ... a room temperature iq, managed to use the suit as well as it did... what does that say about your sector's prowess and ability?" Lukin said as Augh'un's eyes seemed to burn holes through the scientist.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY, YOU SOFT BRAINED IMPERTIENT DATA PAD PUSHER?! MY SOLDIERS ARE SOME OF THE FINEST IN THE ANGHELON EMPIRE'S FLEET! I WILL HAVE YOU-" As Augh'un took a breath of air in the middle of his histeric tirade, Lukin could help, but smile wider.

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"Care for a wager?" He said calmly as he leaned against one of the cockpit's walls.

"W-WHAT?!" The leader yelled angrily.

"We all know in a duel between the Gen One and Gen Two suits, if the users are equally skilled, the Gen Two will win, at least from the latest research we have. I wager two of your soldiers can't eliminate this native and retrieve the Gen One suit from it. If you accept and win, I will quit my post and exile myself from our Empire, no trial needed, no loss for you, but to simply acknowledge your loss if your operatives are unsuccesful. What do you say, Augh'un? Or are you perhaps scared of being shown as wrong and an utter incompetent fool?"

"YOU DARE TO THINK ME INCOMPETENT?! I ALONE MANAGE AN ENTIRE SECTOR OF OUR EMPIRE AND YOU THINK TO CALL ME LACKING?! I WILL HAVE TWO OF MY MEN RUN YOUR DIRT PRIMATE INTO THE GROUND AND RETRIEVE THAT SUIT AT THE SAME TIME WHILE THE REST RETRIEVE YOU AND YOUR CREW. I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE YOUR RESIGNATION PAPER AND YOU IN A SHUTTLE BEING SHOT OFF, EMPEROR KNOWS WHERE. DEAL!" Augh'un said as his face pressed up close to his camera, making his face occupy the whole of the screen.

"Then, I believe this transmission is over. Oh, nearly forgot, make sure to review the suit's video feed. You might want to see the *'incompetent'* native's ability using the suit, or maybe not... up to you. Anyways, can't wait to see the rescue team. Good bye.~" Lukin said with a hand wave as he closed the transmission.

Azail who was resting at the back of the room on the floor sighed. "You think it can genuinely take on two Gen Two suits in a fight with trained soldiers?"

"Hm... the odds are good in my favor, honestly." Lukin replied most casually as he opened the suit's biometic data display and began looking over it.

"Pfft... for a scientist you seem to be quite bad at mathematics. That suicidal dirt primitive will go head butt their Rail Rifle shots with agression and have its head blown apart." Azail said with a snort as she glanced over to him.

"That is exactly what I am counting on." Lukin said rather chipper.

"What? How's that a good thing?" Gab'el said tired from the corner of the room, where he rested.

"The Gen Two suits are made to effectively fight while keeping as safe as possible and still performing in combat effectively. We have evolved to be careful fighters, keeping to strict parameters and strategies, minimizing any chance for death, but... that is exactly what will kill them. The Gen One was made by us when we were still conquerors that didn't fear death, based on what I saw... that is my theory. Question is, what exactly triggered this change in our history. Bah... tangent discussion aside, imagine giving a highly effective weapon in agressive combat to someone, too dumb or too uncaring to aknowledge or be bothered by death. It is the perfect pilot to use it to its full potential and I can't wait to document it all. Hahaha~" Lukin said cackling with excitement.

While the doctor enjoyed, his pause to ponder the possible future, he quickly calmed down and returned to a slightly more professional demeanor. Lukin took out the one communicator they had left and he began connecting to Ashi'in's frequency.

"Ashi'in? Report your status, over."

"Dr. Lukin? Things seem to be going well... I think? Our friend had fully retracted the suit and had led me to a beast of burden it is using for transport. Please note, but I think they seem to be able to bond with the animals they domesticate. As unable as we are to commumicate, I managed to understand that it gave this quadruped creature a name, Stevellion. We passed by some other natives riding the same type of creature and when I asked pointing at their beasts if they are Stevellions as well, it shook it's head and called the designation only to the one we are riding. Over." Ashi'in said as with a sort of giddy curious excitement.

"Ohhh. That is interesting. I will add it to our notes. Speaking off other natives. How are you managing to keep hidden from the others? We can't exactly have a lot of them see you." Lukin inquired as he realized this detail that wasn't worked out before his assistant's departure.

"Don't worry, Whill'aem provided me with a piece of clothing made kf bio material that covers my whole form. It was really self aware of my situation, surprisingly... or well... if it thinks I am a religious icon, it might not want any... extreme attention to slow us. We are riding this beast in a bit of a hurry. Over." Ashi'in said with a nervous laugh.

"Whill'aem? What?" Lukin said with a bit of a perplexed expression.

"Its name sir. Its name is Whill'aem, it really tried to make that clear. Over." The assistant replied promptly.

"Oh... huh... rather odd name, but eh... who are we to judge?" Lukin said with a chuckle. "I will note that too, and I nearly forgot. Rescue team is on the way, additionally two agents might be coming to your location as well. Over."

"To our location? Why?" The Anghelan woman said rather surprised and worried.

"Call got answered by Augh'un. He had caught onto the situation early and was not happy with it. We are going to make a point to him! Well... Whill'aem will have to. Two agents will come to retrieve the suit from him and they will do so by any means necessary. We better hope he is as capable as we have seen until now, or I am getting exiled and you are out of a job. Over."

"OH! Oh... fucking great. Sigh... exactly what we needed. I will... keep you updated on our situation. Out." Ashi'in said with a rather grim and resigned tone.

"Thank you, keep at it and be quick. Over." Lukin said as he then sat down the communicator.

The heat of battle was about to rise again soon, between two egos who wished to stomp the fire of one another through the use of their chosen champions. Wonder is if the will of man, emboldened by belief, is enough to withstand the power of escalating odds. If God wills it... we'll see.