>>6231086>>6231098>>6231092>>6231097>3 SUCCESS>Bastion of confidence. In addition to reassuring the NCOs of the 77th, when push comes to shove and scud hits the fan they will all look to you. Applies regardless of Phase/Fireteam selection<span class="mu-i">“No one offworld wants us dead, or worse captured, least of all Command.”</span> You shake your head, speaking firmly. <span class="mu-i">“Besides, the Company’s got too much money and experienced troopers planetside to just let us go.”</span>
<span class="mu-i">“Did you hear that, ladies? Sergeant called -me- experienced.”</span> Corporal Sharky wraps his musclebound arm around Corporal Mac’s shoulders. <span class="mu-i">“Scud, don’t you sweat a thing. Mama Snake has got your back.”</span>
<span class="mu-i">“She’s calling you old, dumb fucks.”</span>
Sergeant Casket sneers at the display of high morale. <span class="mu-i">“And as for you Sharky, you were already old when Snake Eyes was still a snakelet.”</span>
Sharky scrunches his face as he does the maths. <span class="mu-i">“Ew.”</span>
Crane raises his other eyebrow but says nothing, you haven’t exactly advertised your arrangement with Corporal Sharky to the world but your Second probably hasn’t missed your little rendezvouses.
You brush all that off. Scud-talk aside, there is a time for laughs to take the edge of and a time to get real. You can see in Mac’s face this has to be one of those latter times. It’s at times like this that a member of the pack needs to be reminded that they are not alone, far from it. Whether hunter or hunted, the pack faces the threats and opportunities together. You wave Sharky off and plant a hand on the old-Earth veteran’s shoulder. He looks up at you, meeting your eyes with a kind of tired cynicism that gives way to rapt attention under your gaze. You had to make sure his ears were open when you said this.
<span class="mu-i">“Cold Steel, old timer.”</span> Something in the tone of your voice stiffens more than just one spine in the huddle around you. <span class="mu-i">“They’ll come.”</span>
Mac stands tall, Heavenly makes a sign of the cross, Sharky gives a grunt of affirmation and Crane nods sagely. And sure, Casket may have given you a doubtful sneer but you’re getting pretty good at reading her these days. That was definitely a “I’m too much of a bad bitch to publicly agree with you” sneer rather than a “fuck you and your bullshit” sneer. Your can tell your more practical line about the Company’s self interest struck a chord with her.
No one says anything as you lean back in your spot, but you can tell the affect it’s had on your immediate group. Sometimes people see you as a big lumbering brute of a woman good for cracking skulls and slitting throats. That’s all true, but you damn well <span class="mu-s">earnt</span> your Sergeant’s stripes because when the going got tough you voiddamn well lead the way. After nearly a year of service with the 77th , your fellow NCOs are starting work that out for themselves.
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