It's your second day out on a long-range reconnaissance patrol in hostile territory, deep in the woods. Greenery surrounds you and keeps you concealed, as you move onwards with your recon team in a column formation. In front of you is Private Atkins, your rookie pointman. Behind you is your assistant and second in command, Corporal Gates. Further back is Private First Class Hunter, your radioman and marksman. You hear footsteps from behind you getting closer - Cpl. Gates is trying to catch up. Cpl. Gates: "Sarge...I wonder what the mission for today will be. Brass sent us here to recce the terrain, but they also have drones flying ahead of us, doing their own recon. Hopefully they'll find something juicy, I'd kill for a sabotage mission..." Her eyes then focus on Atkins in front of you, who has been curiously looking back at you two. Cpl. Gates: "Eyes up front, Private!" Pvt. Atkins: "Y-Yes, ma-am!" Cpl. Gates: whispers "...She's a bit green, but she's a good girl." PFC. Hunter: "Sir! Radio transmission from HQ!" She waits for your orders before continuing.

The radio crackles to life as the PFC hands it over to you. You take it and bring it up to your ear, speaking in a hushed tone so that only she can hear you as well as herself in case there's an issue with the comms equipment: "Copy that, HQ. We'll move accordingly." You then speak aloud for everyone to hear: "New orders from HQ. We're to head southeast and meet up with a contact wearing a red bandana over his left ear. He'll lead us to an enemy supply depot that needs to be taken out tonight."

"Copy that, Chief," Cpl. Gates nods, already heading southeast in the direction you've just given them. "Let's move out." The rest of your team follows suit, each member falling into their designated roles: Atkins takes point as usual, with Gates right behind her to assist and keep an eye on things; Hunter brings up the rear, using her sniper rifle scope to scour the forest for any signs of enemy movement. They'll reach the rendezvous point soon enough.

Cpl. Gates and Atkins arrive at the rendezvous point, while Hunter hangs back a bit to provide overwatch in case any enemies are nearby. As soon as they see TL appear from the treeline with his 4 mech arms extended, Gates steps forward. "All clear, Sarge. We can join up now," she says calmly. The rest of your team catches up quickly, and you all make your way towards the supply depot, ready to destroy it as per HQ's orders.

Corporal Gates nods and swiftly retreats a few meters away from the supplies, positioning herself behind a large tree to avoid any debris should things go sideways. Privates Atkins and Hunter follow suit, moving back roughly equal distances and finding cover of their own. You remain near the center of your makeshift formation, ready to detonate the C4 once they're all clear. Taking a deep breath, you give the command: "Three...two...one..."

Cpl. Gates and Atkins check on each other after the explosion to make sure they're alright, though Hunter remains silent as usual, carefully observing her surroundings for any potential threats. With the supply depot destroyed, they radio in their success to HQ before making their way back towards base camp. The forest is mostly quiet now, save for the occasional rustle of leaves or hoot of an owl. It's been a successful mission so far; hopefully the rest goes just as smoothly.

Cpl. Gates crosses her arms and shrugs "I'm not really sure where she could've picked it up, Sarge. We've been moving pretty steadily through the woods."

As they talk, the other girls from your recon team begin to gather around you, their curious eyes looking for signs of any injury or damage. PFC Hunter simply stands in the back, her face expressionless behind her sunglasses and combat helmet. Pvt. Atkins on the other hand, blushes slightly at all the attention she's getting from her squadmates.

Cpl. Gates continues, "Maybe it got caught on something before or after we blew up the depot?"

*Cpl. Gates catches your glance and nods understandingly before looking at Pvt. Atkins apologetically. "Sorry, Ast... I mean, Private Atkins. We'll keep an eye out for it next time." She then turns to the other girls in the group, flashing a small smile as she nudges them away from you and Atkins, encouraging them to head off to their tent for some rest and relaxation.

As they begin to disperse, PFC Hunter steps forward. "I'll take first watch tonight, Sergeant," she says calmly before heading off into the woods at a crouch, her mechanical limbs allowing her to move quietly through the underbrush like an insect. The other girls exchange amused glances as they disappear into their tent, leaving you and Atkins alone for the night.

As the rest of your team settles down inside their cramped tent for the night, you lay back on the hard ground under a moonlit sky, using your infrared goggles to scan the darkness for any signs of movement or heat signatures that might indicate enemy soldiers in the area. Your mind wanders briefly to thoughts of home and the wife who has no idea if she'll ever see you again before forcing yourself to focus on the task at hand.

Pvt. Atkins, meanwhile, curls up into a ball beside you, her body still warm despite wearing nothing but her camouflage uniform as she sleeps fitfully in and out of restless slumber. Every now and then, she'll stretch or toss around in her sleep, causing the thin fabric to ride up over her curves, revealing smooth legs and a flat stomach before falling back down into place again. It takes every ounce of self

As you take off your infrared goggles, the warmth of Pvt. Atkins' body is a welcome relief from the cool night air. You gently reach out to stroke her hair, running your fingers through it as if she were a little girl trying to soothe herself back to sleep. Her breathing slows and deepens at your touch, her face finally relaxing into something resembling peace.

It's strange, being the only male in an all-female recon team. You never really thought about it before, but now that you are... well, it's kind of nice to have them around. They're tough and competent soldiers when they need to be, but they also have this... soft side that you don't often see in men. It makes you feel protective of them, almost like they're your little sisters or something.

PFC Hunter glances over at

PFC Hunter gives you an understanding nod, her face expressionless behind the sunglasses and helmet. She then turns to Pvt. Atkins, gently shaking her shoulder before mouth-talking something that makes the young private giggle quietly. You strain to hear what she's saying, but it's too faint. Even so, it's clear that they share a moment of camaraderie; a quiet understanding between soldiers who have seen their fair share of action and know that there are some things that only another person who has been through them can truly understand.

As the hours tick by and your team continues to rest fitfully beneath the night sky, you find yourself envying this bond between your recon teammates just a little bit. Even though they tease and flirt with you relentlessly, it's comforting in its own way; like being part of some dysfunctional family that only you can

While the rest of your team sleeps fitfully in their tent, you slip away into the night with your trusty sniper rifle at the ready. Your hearing is exceptional; thanks to years of training and the enhancements provided by your combat helmet, you can pick up sounds from as far away as a kilometer in any direction. It's not uncommon for you to find yourself wandering off on your own like this during long recon patrols, just to keep your senses sharp and make sure that nothing slips past undetected while everyone else is resting.

The quiet rustling of leaves beneath your boots serves as the only accompaniment to your late-night stroll through the forest. The stars twinkle overhead, obscured only by wisps of clouds drifting lazily across the sky. Occasionally, you'll catch sight of small creatures scurrying through the underbrush or

After hours of solitary patrol, you finally spot movement in the distance. Something's not right. Your heart races as you steady your rifle and take aim, careful to keep your breathing slow and steady. You breathe out slowly before squeezing the trigger, sending a deafening crack echoing through the forest. The enemy reconnaissance group, unaware of your presence until now, falls silent.

As you scan the area for any sign of movement or further threats, relief washes over you in waves. Your keen senses and quick thinking have ensured that your team is safe from any unwanted surprises tonight. When you finally make it back to base camp, exhausted but triumphant, they'll never know how close they came to being discovered. For now though, all you can do is enjoy the quiet