Intelligence gathering. That was his specialty. That’s what helped him rise through the ranks. Knowing is half the battle, and Jupiter always made sure to know as much as possible. Even now he studies his team’s movements as they work their way undetected behind enemy lines. He picks out how each one moves, noting any indicators of injury or weakness. He notes how they talk to one another, how their body language shows what they truly mean. He sees how their enemy are positioned and what kind of training they are likely to have. He sees their weaponry and technology and reads their morale by their attentiveness and communication.

Intelligence gathering. Insert yourself into the area you want to investigate and be invisible. Or, better yet, be an accepted part of the group with your intentions invisible.

They move silently through buildings and under streets, circumventing guards and lookouts. The rebellion training is not much to speak of, but their weaponry is adequate and in some cases imaginative. Modifications made for greater range or damage. There are definitely gifted inventors and engineers among their ranks. But how did they get the weaponry they have? And how are such ill-trained people able to hold out against Mars’ security forces?

They pass over bodies in the streets. Starting to rot, the stench is disturbing. One of the troops stops over a man wearing a security uniform, a gunshot wound has removed most of his face but he recognizes his dead friend. His captain speaks quietly, “Keep moving soldier. Avenge his death by fulfilling the mission. Move.”

The young man reluctantly passes over the body as Jupiter follows at the back of the troop. Siff had cried about ‘Brainers’ and wearable tech. If anything could be affecting their minds…could she have been referring to the protocol chip? He checks the body and finds the chip still intact at the back of the man’s armor. Jupiter quickly removes it and puts it away in his gear before following the team to the artillery line.

Their captain splits them in teams of two and sends them with explosives to plant on the underside of the artillery. They set out moving silently between ammunition storage and rubble, fulfilling their mission as if they were invisible, completely unnoticed as they cross the enemy lines. With the explosives set, they begin their journey back to base, checking out sniping positions and marking them for the coming assault. The ones in their path they silently kill by garroting and leave in position, to make it look at worst that they have gone to sleep on duty. It is invigorating to be out on the field and put his training to use, but it is heartbreaking to kill so many and to see so many dead because of this war.

By the time they make it out of enemy lines and across no-man’s-land, they have killed eight snipers and marked eight more. Not to mention the explosives they have planted on the artillery. There are cheers and smiles when the team enters the base. The captain smacks Jupiter on the back, “I wasn’t sure what to expect of you, Sir, but that was some damn fine work. Will you eat with us before the assault begins?”

“It was an honor, Captain, but I have important business to attend to. I will be back for the assault.”

Jupiter smiles and shakes the hands of everyone in his team before dropping his gear off and heading back to his secret-ops base with the protocol chip.