It was difficult for the crew of the Helios to obtain legitimate jobs. Officially they were renegades, leftovers from the losing side of a war, and still associated with the Alliance in the ADD's collective mind. But they were only a moderate threat level, and therefore a lower priority. And if they happened to go after a bounty of a much more dangerous enemy.... Well, then most of the ADD would tend to look the other way. Enough, at least, for them to get the credits sent their way.

So it was on this fine day that the Silverbeast away team found themselves tracking a murderous bastard who called himself "Jack". The chitinous insectile alien had assassinated several politicians, and the allied governments had placed a substantial price on his head. The Helios had tracked him to one of his hideouts in the middle of a rainforest on a planet near Vanejin.

The hulking monsters were nonetheless fairly stealthy, making their way through the brush with only slight rustling. Before long they had made it to the structure Jack was hiding in: a large wasp's-nest-like construction supported by four rigid support columns. <Rock, you're up,> Starcall hissed under his breath, and his second-in-command nodded silently. Rockslide crept up to the structure, planting small explosives at the base of each column, and rigging them to detonate in unison. In a few moments, the murderer would be driven out into the welcoming talons of the Silverbeasts.

Nallia breathed deeply and, not for the first time and definitely not the last time, she cursed her inability to use her sense of smell. But as much as she wants to smell the scents that fill the jungle, and let herself have a brief reminder of her lessons her own pheromones ensure that such an act is impossible. If her nose plugs came even slightly loose she knew her own scent would spark something inside her, and she was on a mission.

She had been briefed on her target, some chitinous insectile assassin who went by the name of 'jack'. She had also been informed that a third party had also accepted the contract. Although command had not informed her who she had simply accepted that their would be other beings on this planet with similar objectives. Since Nallia was not a team sort of being she had originally intended to use the others as a decoy to draw off the guards and allow her an easy shot at her target.

Of course that had changed when she had seen just who had accepted the contract. Silverbeasts, Shuro. Her visor had given her all the information available to the ADD on them the moment she saw them, and that information had made her scowl. But the two groups had the same goal, and she saw no point in depleting their resources before the target was dead.

She had followed them, her cloak engaged as a matter of habit. The jungle was, like her mentor, her favourite hunting ground. With visibility low, and with every direction being a possible angle of attack it was the best test of ability, and the perfect environment to hunt in. It helped that Nallia was an expert climber, and while she didn't have anywhere near the sheer physical power that Yautja did she was lighter, he was over twice her weight. And that meant she could climb much slimmer branches than most, and with her enhanced reaction speed if they broke it was easy to grasp another and pull herself up.

Nallia watched as the shuro planted some explosives on the structure her visor had determined the target was in. Perhaps she would not have to do anything to kill the main target. They may be honour-less Shuro, but it went against every habit she had to 'steal' someone else's kill. She would watch and wait, and if they killed him and gave her an opportunity she would start trying to pick them off one by one.

Nallia was confident they would provide one, as far as they knew the only thing vaguely hostile was the alien they had just set a trap for. And she was a master of taking an opportunity the moment it appeared, no matter how small.

If all went well she would have five pelts to add to her room, maybe as carpet, or maybe an extra blanket for when she entertained 'guests'