The female Vanguard tenderly laid the dead warrior on the floor and slowly stood to face Deep-Cut, taking his measure as she looked him up and down with an expression of disdain evident on her craggy features.

"My designation is Deep-Cut, fleet-leader of the recovery force sent to liberate this colony," he said, smirking at her. "Can I assume you are the pack-leader of this fine establishment?"

"You can make any assumption you desire. My designation is Dark-Mist, and I can confidently speak for everyone on New Home when I say that you can take you and your...recovery force... and get the fuck off our world!"

Deep-Cut liked this Dark-Mist female. She was feisty. With regret, he reigned in his libido and returned to the matter at hand. "Now, there is little requirement for rudeness. However, I am here on business and not...pleasure," he leered. "Do you speak with authority for all of your people?"

"Correct."

"Hrrr, you have been a worthy adversary up until now. However, your forces have been neutralized. I am aware that there are still a large number of civilians in hiding across this planet and I wish them no harm -"

Dark-Mist snorted disbelievingly, stabbing an accusatory talon at him, interrupting his practiced speech. "You attack our planet without warning, no quarter given. You damage or destroy our infrastructure and leave us defenseless. And you speak of wishing us no harm? Take what little honor you have remaining and depart from this place! Communicate to your puppet-masters when you get back, that New Home wants nothing further to do with them. We desire only to be left in peace."

Opening his mouth to angrily respond, Deep-Cut was interrupted by a warrior entering the room and whispering something in his ear. Closing his eyes, he nodded slowly and swung his head back to face her with a grim expression.

"Perhaps a demonstration of my intent is required. Bring her," he ordered the warriors standing behind him.

Dark-Mist defiantly pushed their hands away when they made to grab her shoulders and brushed past them, leading the way to the exit.

Deep-Cut gave a quiet order and a few seconds later there was a loud hiss and another spear of blinding light shot down out of the sky and hit a squat, heavily fortified structure on the edge of the base. Dark-Mist winced as the armory shimmered briefly before exploding in a massive fireball, the shock-wave racing across the ground cutting down several small figures sprinting desperately away from it. She spun around and made a lunge at Deep-Cut who had been expecting some sort of reaction. He sidestepped the attack then pounced on her as she struggled to regain her footing, knocking her to the ground.

Winded, she hissed at him furiously. "You miserable sack of Rank-shit! This changes nothing! Nothing, do you hear me?!"
____________________

Wow... how's this for dramatic? Poor ol' Vanguard engineer Attacks-First fleeing from the bunker as it goes up. Drak from DA (http://drak.deviantart.com) blew me away with this little number. She is one seriously talented lady

Thank you so much, Drak, for bringing my words to life like this!