Busy Work

"This is racist." Xanthiana was hip deep in mud, she hadn't intended on being hip deep in mud, but after slipping off a cliff up above she and the mud had become quite well acquainted.

"I don't see how this task is racist Xan it needs doing." Xanthiana and Max had been assigned to draw off a mutant force so as to allow the Ryan's and Lewis to secure him and another couple ark hunters. What that meant for Xanthiana and Max once they drew the enemy away was anyones guess, certainly not Lewis who told her that was her problem.

"Because you were an AI constructed by humans, to you having Votan's be the only ones split up and set on seperate tasks makes sense."

"It does make sense, both you and Max have optimal skill sets for individual assignments. Operator Lewis and the Ryan's are more team oriented and have a better make up for the extraction team." The mud had already gotten into her boots, she could feel it with each step, she cursed the luck of things. She also found herself hoping it really was mud and not excrement, she had seen a herd of Pows earlier.

"And as I said earlier Elly, that's your human bias talking, Votan's know that human are still trying to kill us. Take christmas music, its so incessant and annoying, and yet humans prefer to keep playing it at high volume during your 'holiday season' in clear hatred of the Votanis people." Xanthiana found a way out of the mud, and made sure it was indeed mud before continuing on to where the map in her head was directing her, a small outpost nearby.

"You don't like Christmas either?" The EGO's voice almost sounded sad.

"The holiday is nice enough, the music is horrifying, all about watchful people and promises of punishment, shouldn't holidays be something nice or festive?" The outpost looked sparsely defended, but it did supposedly have communications which would in theory bring more mutants should it come under attack. Xanthiana tried to make the case they should involve the earth forces stationed nearby, but Lewis overrode her saying that VBI did not need the authorities involved. Xanthiana did not see how a group who had arrived on an air carrier sought to avoid the authorities, but Lewis was insistent and outranked her in the organization so she followed his orders, for now.

"You're just a grinch."

"I don't even know what that is Elly, but I'll take it as a compliment. How is Max doing?"

"Max has already assaulted his outpost, his ego device informs me he's having a good time." Xanthiana smiled, at least someone was having a good time.

"And the extraction team?"

"Already in position, awaiting your distraction."

"Right lets get to it." Xanthiana had aquired a rifle from the Ryan's, it was semi auto, but had a decent magazine and the scope looked to be aligned properly. She took aim at the first mutant, its ugly face looked like an allergic reaction gone bad, and pulled the trigger. The scope was true and the mutants brain splattered against the wall behind him, she fired a couple more times before the alarm went up.

"I believe they are sufficiently agitated Xan."

"Well best to not wait around and find out how agigitated they are." Xanthiana made her way back to the ATV. She couldn't hear the mutants before she took off, but Elly assured her they were following. Xanthiana didn't know all of the ground ahead of her, but she had a route cobbled together from other Ark Hunters Elly was talking to and so she knew the basic areas she should go. Within a few minutes Elly reported the mutants were now off her trail.

"Xan I'm getting a report from the extraction team."

"Go ahead." She sighed she knew what Elly was going to say but didn't want to hear it.

"They are in need of assistance, could we possibly come to their aid?"