"You still got it, vamp,"
Airid said, clapping his hands together. Even after his injury, the augmentations had brought him back, faster and stronger than ever before.
I sat up, feeling the familiar rush of blood and strength pulsing through my veins.
I wiped the sweat from my brow and glanced around at my battlebrothers.
"Not bad for someone who used to struggle with half this weight, huh?"
"Sh*t, half of us could barely lift 300 kilos before the augments,"
Julian laughed, stretching out his massive arms.
"Now look at us. We're f*cking war machines."
Darius flexed, grinning as he admired his own biceps.
"Tell me the ladies aren't gonna love these guns."
The rest of my battlebrothers burst into laughter, and I couldn't help but smirk.
"Yeah, if we can ever pry ourselves away from the battlefield long enough to let them enjoy it."
We all stood there for a moment, basking in the feeling of our newly enhanced bodies. We had been pushing ourselves harder and harder since the augments took full effect, each of us testing the limits of our new strength, speed, and endurance.
But we weren't just stronger; our reflexes were razor-sharp, our senses heightened.
It was like living in high definition, every sound, every movement clear as day and as a bonus, we looked no older than twenty.
The augmentations had turned us into something more than just soldiers, we were predators, designed to survive in a galaxy where only the strongest and smartest survived.
After the intense workout, we hit the showers.
The hot water poured down over my muscular back, washing away the sweat and grime from the gym session.
Paul, Darius, and Julian joined me, steam filling the room as we stood under the cascade.
"You know, if we ever get some downtime, we should hit the clubs back on E*rth,"
Paul said, running a hand through his wet hair.
"See how these augments work on the ladies."
Julian grinned, flicking some water at Paul.
"Yeah, because nothing says 'I'm the guy you wanna dance with' like a dude built like a f*cking tank."
"Hey, some women like their men... durable,"
Paul shot back with a chuckle.
Darius, ever the practical one, shook his head.
"I dunno, man. I think we might intimidate more than impress."
"Speak for yourself,"
I interjected, wiping the water from my face while standing proudly showing off my strategic asset In all of Its glory to the point some of my schmuks had the hallucination of It radiating golden light.
"With these new instruments of war, we're a walking dream for any lady who likes her men dangerous."
Airid exited his shower stall, still drying off with a towel, his body had recovered fully the only reminder of his near death experience were the scars.
"Just don't forget who you are when you're out there flexing. We're still mercs. Most of the time, we'll be seeing the inside of a gun barrel more than a nightclub."
He was right. The augments had turned us into more than just men, but at the end of the day, we were still warriors of fortune, still mercenaries living one job at a time.
As the banter continued, the familiar chime of Invictas' ship-wide announcement system echoed through the shower room, cutting through the conversation.
"Automated docking sequence initiated. Estimated time for docking: 5 minutes."
The announcement reverberated through the metal walls, followed by the telltale hum of Invicta adjusting her course.
"Looks like playtime's over,"
I muttered, turning off the water.
"Suit up, you owergrown apes. We're docking."
The atmosphere in the room shifted, the joking and lightheartedness giving way to the focused, tactical mindset we had trained ourselves for.
We dried off quickly, slipping back into our space uniforms as we prepared for docking. My battle brothers looked ready, their bulky and ripped, enhanced bodies moving with precision and grace.
As I put on my beret I stepped toward the bridge, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
We were faster, stronger, and deadlier than ever before.
Whatever the galaxy threw at us next, we'd be ready, If only I knew what awaited us In the future.
"Let's see what the Citadel has for us this time."
We made our way through the corridors of Invicta, our footsteps echoing in unison, a steady rhythm of discipline and purpose.
The ship shuddered slightly as it completed the docking sequence, the low hum of the secondary thrusters powering down resonating through the metal walls.
We moved with the confidence of seasoned warriors, our newly augmented bodies exuding a sense of power and readiness.
Even now, the scent of the recent shower lingered on us, a brief reprieve from the usual smells of sweat and gunpowder.
As the docking bay doors opened, the familiar sights and sounds of the Citadel flooded in, bustling merchants, the chatter of mercenaries, and the ever-present glow of neon advertisements.
We stepped onto the station, a collective presence that turned heads, the Iron Fenrirs making their way through the crowd like a pack of apex predators returning to their den.
The guild was as chaotic as ever, a mix of humans and aliens haggling over contracts, sharing war stories, and checking out the latest gear.
We cut through the noise, heading straight for the desk where the manager sat, her usual haze of smoke curling around her as she surveyed the room with sharp synthetic blue eyes.
She looked up as we approached, her expression a mix of recognition and approval.
"Back so soon, huh?"
She said, exhaling a stream of smoke.
"Back and ready for more,"
I replied, placing my hands on the counter.
"We're here for our payment."
She nodded, tapping a few commands into her holo-console.
A soft beep followed, and the holographic display flickered to life, showing the details of our latest mission and the credits owed.
The sum transferred instantly, a hefty amount, but never enough to satisfy the constant hunger for more.
"Nice work out there,"
She said, her voice a mix of grudging respect and businesslike indifference.
"Not many would have the balls to descend that tunnel on that frozen rock."
Hearing this I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow I mean what was the big deal with descending some kind of abandoned tunnel?
"Why would anyone chicken out I mean It's just a tunnel at worst one would encounter some automated defenses"
I couldn't help but ask as I leaned casually against the counter.
"Are you an Idiot or just faking It?"
The wanna be witch manager asked only to face palm.
"Right I forgot youre pasters, look In this galaxy there are things that exist beyond common sense and borderline right on supernatural"
The synthetic woman said with a serious voice.
"You mean like ghosts and s*it?
I asked my voice skeptical.
"Something like that, how do you think I got a body like that?"
She asked.
"Because of old age?"
I replied without thinking causing the managers synthetic facial muscles to twitch.
"Old age my synthetic ass, well I was getting old but that's not the point the point Is that before I knew what hit me I woke up In a f*cking tank with my limbs missing and my intestines spilling out from my missing lower half"
The manager explained visibly shuddering at the memory.
"Anyways then youre ready for more just come back I already have a mission prepared for you"
The woman added.
"So ghosts exist huh? Got It"
I said.
"See you soon miss manager"
With the credits in our account and the weight of another job well done, we made our way out of the guild, Paul nudged my shoulder, a glint of excitement in his eyes.
"So, what's next? Drinks? Gear upgrades? Or the b*othel?"