A/N: So while I'm trying to work the wrench out of the gears that are failing to turn for Caged, I got inspired by another plot bunny and it would not leave me alone until I wrote it down. This is not an AU, but it does start out on a different planet; that will be explained later on. Anyway, that's it except to say I hope you all enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Turtles, I only own the OCs.

War. It's all I've ever known. It's what I was born for; what all of us were born for. We were meant to live as warriors and to die as warriors. Our lives were predetermined before we even drew our first breaths. We were born to fight to bring peace back to our home world, Xarus. We, my team and me, were brought into the Council's army when we were of age to be recruited. We were trained in many different fighting styles, from using guns to martial arts to keep our bodies strong. There are many teams in the Council's army, but we're the strangest out of all of them.

There's Ausk, a beast of a man with tough skin and an even tougher attitude. Orion, a humanoid feline that can take down an entire sector of rebels by himself without a scratch. And then there's Zian. Beautiful, talented...but hard. War has done much to crush her spirit and mold it into something terrifying. She has more blood on her hands than me, Ausk and Orion combined.

"Yo, boss!" Orion yells in my ear. "Wake up and smell the plasma. We've got rebels at twelve o'clock!"

I blink back to reality as my thoughts return to the battle around me. When did I drift off into my own world and why? Whatever the reason, it's gone now. Ausk and Zian are nowhere in sight, but I can hear Zian's battle cries off in the distance over the sound of gun fire and grenade explosions. I look over the top of the block of concrete me and Orion are hiding behind, the wind catching the tails of my orange mask. The mask has seen me through many bloody battles. It's old and dirty, the fabric torn in some places around the edges. It covers my eyes and the top of my head. I really should wash it sometime, but what would be the point? It would only get dirty again.

My eyes scan the building across the street. There's a blur of a hulking mass of muscle and dark blue hair through the windows and I know Ausk is inside. Zian probably isn't too far behind him. I lift up my plasma rifle and look through the scope. I see a rebel on an upper floor and I take the shot. The man crumples to the floor just as Ausk and Zian reach the top of the stairs. They glance down at the body before Ausk looks out the top floor window and, through the scope, I can see him giving me the thumbs up.

"T-minus eight minutes before evac gets here," Orion tells me.

"We'll be done in three," I reply.

Orion looks over the short wall and I hear a pistol firing. I glance away from the scope to see a rebel soldier fall to the ground. I can hear the smugness in the cat's voice when he speaks.

"Honestly, you'd be dead without me," Orion says. "How did you manage to survive before we were teamed up?"

"Quite well, actually," I answer as I take down two more rebels inside the building where Ausk and Zian are.

The orange and white tabby rolls his eyes as he checks his pistol. He reminds me of another cat I used to know, or used to dream of. But he wasn't a humanoid. He was smaller, walked on all fours and was unable to speak. Strangely enough, Orion looks almost identical to the cat in my dreams. Right down to the white around his paws, nose and the tip of his tail. Maybe it's just a coincidence.

"Building's clear," Ausk's voice sounds in the headset I'm wearing.

"Rebels have been eradicated," Zian's voice comes afterwards.

I look over at Orion. Without prompting, he checks his watch. His golden eyes drift up to mine and I can see the annoyance on his face. A smirk plays with the corners of my mouth and I fight to keep from smiling as he says,

"Three minutes, exactly."

I can't help but smile. "Okay, guys, let's pack it up. Evac should be getting here soon," I tell the others.

"Ten four," Ausk says.

"Copy that," Zian replies.

I turn the safety back on the rifle and I stand up. Orion is right behind me as I make my way towards the building on the other side of the street. Ausk and Zian appear in the doorway as me and Orion head across the rubble covered street. We meet up in the middle.

"Another successful mission," Ausk says, his deep voice booming too loudly in the now quiet night.

"Don't get too cocky," Zian advises. "We've been lucky, so far."

Orion smirks. "Come on, we're the unstoppable foursome," he says. "We've never been beaten."

"Yet," Zian adds matter-of-factly.

I pat her shoulder, feeling the diamond hard and silky smooth touch of her alabaster skin. Her brown sleeveless shirt shows off more skin than what is necessary for the battlefield. But then again, so does the rest of our attire. We all wear the same dark brown sleeveless shirt and camouflage pants that are tucked into heavy black combat boots. I look from one teammate to another.

Ausk's dark blue hair is cut short in a military style, his dark skin gleaming with sweat. Orion's orange fur is matted in some places, but it's nothing a little grooming can't fix. Zian's sun bleached blonde hair is tied back in a long, tight braid that falls down her back. Her crystal blue eyes are cold and distant; always searching for something. Peace, maybe?

The roar of a helicopter brings me out of my thoughts. A spotlight shines down on our group and a rope ladder falls from the hovering machine. Zian's the first one up, then it's Ausk, then Orion with me taking the rear. I always make sure my team is up safely first before I ascend. I take the empty seat beside Zian in the copter and the ladder is pulled back inside. The copter veers off in the direction of the looming edifice of the Council Tower. A glowing structure that pierces even the most darkest of nights. It's our guiding light, our sanctuary. After every mission we must report to the High Council and give an account of our actions, whether good or bad. All teams must report in after a mission.

As the copter slowly makes its way over the ruined city that is our home, I think back on the mission and reflect on what happened. We had been sent in to destroy a small faction of rebels. There had been ten of them and only four of us. I frown as I try to determine how we had been able to beat those odds. The only thing I can think of is that we worked so well as a team and that had led to our victory. I have to stop myself from thinking like Orion; thinking that nothing can stop us, that we're invincible. Instead I take Zian's advice and tell myself that I shouldn't get cocky. Our good fortune in battle will eventually run out and when that happens we have to be ready to face the worst.

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